Fincatieri ships noisy??

[bazzaw]

With the announcement of a new ship for P&O to come out of the Fincantieri dockyard - I would like to ask a question about these new type ship designs coming out of this dockyard.

 

I have been on a number of what I would call "older style ships" - including Oriana and Queen Mary 2. The only ship of what I would call "the floating block of flats" style that I have been on was the Vista class ship Arcadia (6 weeks UK to Sydney).

 

Arcadia was exceptionally noisy in the creaking and groaning department - I don't mean a slight creak that we may hear inside a cabin (perhaps coming from wardrobes,etc ) - I mean a loud creaking and groaning in public spaces sounding like it was coming from wall panels or whatever is behind them. Obviously loudest when in larger seas - but also highly noticeable even in quite calm conditions - the Crows Nest on Arcadia was particularly prone to this loud creaking. Thus not a very good place to hold classical recitals ! :)

 

I subsequently met a fellow passenger on QM2 (who had just got off the new Queen Elizabeth - he was doing the 3 Queens RTW ) and he commented that QE (also a Vista class ship (enhanced) - manufactured by Fincantieri) was also very noisy with creaking and groaning of the wall panels.

 

Just wondering whether others have noticed this? - is it just the Vista class ? Is it all ships made by Fincantieri? Is it a newer style of manufacture causing it?

 

Barry

[wharton450]

Hello Barry

 

I have just come back from a cruise on Ventura and the creaking was very loud. I enjoyed my cruise but was woken most nights with creaks and before anyone mentions it no it wasnt my bones. I have sailed on smaller ships and I can't remember them being like this. Although it was about 10 years ago.

[silver service]

one time on arcadia, we were told by the captain, not to worry about the ships noises. it did alarm some! he said it was the normal flexing, and without it, the ship would break!!:eek:

[DamianG]

We had a lovely cabin on Ventura but also endured the creaking noises a few nights until eventually we reported it to reception. An engineer visited, squirted some WD40 here and there and we had a quiet cabin thereafter! :)

[bazzaw]

There is something in what you were told and makes sense - BUT why do other ships not make as much noise as Arcadia does?? It is almost like the wall panels have been fitted with no flexible jointing between them - they simply slide up an down in tracks with no effort to quieten any noise thereby generated.

 

Barry

[Dugald Drummond]

Proper ships creak.

 

QE2 did.

 

QED

[babybambino]

Proper ships creak.

 

QE2 did.

 

QED

 

 

I agree. Was lucky enough to have treated my Mother to Queens Grill on original QE2. All she did was moan about how creaky it was. There is no pleasing some folk. She was wonderful. Creaks or not.

[bazzaw]

proper ships creak

 

All ships do NOT creak - Oriana does not creak, Arcadia does (badly). I would place Oriana well ahead of Arcadia in the "proper ships" Department.

 

When I use the word "creak" - I am not referring to some minor creaking - tiny ones in your cabin that have a tendency to annoy you and perhaps keep you awake. I am talking about major creaking and groaning that is unmistakable - in Arcadia , to the point where you could not hear the classical music concerts over them. :)

 

I am especially interested in the Vista class ships and also other ships built by Fincantieri (following a comment to me by a Queen Elizabeth (new one) passenger that she creaks badly too)

 

Barry

[sesh]

it is about the interiors ... it is the fact that the modern vessels have more voids through the decks and bulkheads that the noise is amplified,

this is nothing to do where they are built but how the interior framing / bulkheads / deckheads are designed.

 

all ships have three principal stresses on their hull (bend / shear / torsion) if a ship wasn't to flex it would fatigue very quickly leading ultimately to failure and if it were to flex too much, it will fatigue too - so all designs take into consideration the upper limits of these stresses and the operational requirement of the vessels and hit upon a compromise of design.

[Brayman]

proper ships creak

 

All ships do NOT creak - Oriana does not creak, Arcadia does (badly). I would place Oriana well ahead of Arcadia in the "proper ships" Department.

 

Barry

 

If Oriana does not creak I sure would like to know what all that noise is at the stern of the ship, both in the lounge and the dining room. There's also a wierd, albeit slight, vibration in the Crows Nest!

 

The classical pianist had to give up after his first recital in the Pacific Lounge last year.

[MattyBarlow]

all ships have three principal stresses on their hull (bend / shear / torsion) if a ship wasn't to flex it would fatigue very quickly leading ultimately to failure and if it were to flex too much, it will fatigue too - so all designs take into consideration the upper limits of these stresses and the operational requirement of the vessels and hit upon a compromise of design.

 

 

Yes and in some of the larger container/tanker ships, if you can get a clean line of sight from the bow to the stern you will actually see the hull flex.

[atleetalie]

I have been on a number of what I would call "older style ships" - including Oriana and Queen Mary 2. The only ship of what I would call "the floating block of flats" style that I have been on was the Vista class ship Arcadia (6 weeks UK to Sydney).

 

Just for your records, Oriana was built by the german Meyer Werft. But it would be rather strange to blame a shipyard. You would rather blame the cruise line for the design, which may not be completely optimized for the vibrations of the engine.