Explosive Captain Schettino drinking 30 mins before Impact

[USNUZULOOSE]

You would think so, but EEU passengers don;t need passports to cruise from country to country within the EEU, so I don't think Immigaryion at teh various posrts woudl play a part.

 

But they dont keep those records at customs? If not, they should.

[pully8]

the culture on some of these ships needs to be reviewed urgently.

 

one would wonder if the purpose of the ships was to entertain the staff rather than the other way round?

[chrisrotlmacin]

I certainly enjoy my cocktails in the evening to help unwind. However, I do not think the captain should drink while on the ship.

Each Administration shall establish, for the purpose of preventing alcohol abuse, a limit of not greater than 0.05% blood alcohol level (BAC) or 0.25 mg/l alcohol in the breath or a quantity of alcohol leading to such alcohol concentration for masters, officers and other seafarers while performing designated safety, security and marine environmental duties.

STCW Convention 2010 - http://cargocal.com/stcw2010.html#Alcohol

[USNUZULOOSE]

Each Administration shall establish, for the purpose of preventing alcohol abuse, a limit of not greater than 0.05% blood alcohol level (BAC) or 0.25 mg/l alcohol in the breath or a quantity of alcohol leading to such alcohol concentration for masters, officers and other seafarers while performing designated safety, security and marine environmental duties.

STCW Convention 2010 - http://cargocal.com/stcw2010.html#Alcohol

 

Thanks I was trying to look that up. There was a captain who was fired in 06 for drinking. They said no drinking prior to 8 hrs of their shift.

[swedish weave]

Thanks I was trying to look that up. There was a captain who was fired in 06 for drinking. They said no drinking prior to 8 hrs of their shift.

 

I believe all transportation companies have (or are forced to have) specific rules about drinking alcohol, but history has proven that all humans do not follow rules.

 

Application and enforcement by the companies and regulatory bodies are the factors that make these rules effective.

 

The railroads in the USA have implemented a policy of random drug tests that has greatly reduced that problem. The computer generates a list when employees go on duty and they are pulled out upon arrival to work and are tested.

 

My experience on a cruise line not part of the Carnival family is that the officers who are involved in the movement of the ships consume NO alcohol during their ten weeks on the ships.

[cubella59]

I'm no expert in EEU travel policies, but I can tell you that they can travel from country to country without a passport much like we travel from state to state. All they need is an ID like a driver's license. When you say Customs, I think you're thinking of Immigration. Now IMHO, Costa should and will have a record of every passenger that was supposed to be on board on that fateful night

 

 

But they dont keep those records at customs? If not, they should.

[Aus Traveller]

I am assuming that you have cruised before and if you did, you may not recall, that when the passengers get off at a different port for a daily visit or whatever, you have to put you set/sail pass card through a slot which says you are leaving the ship and you also do the same, when you come back on the ship. I have heard the ship anounce peoples names over the ship sound system during the time the ship was getting ready to leave the port. I was assuming they were checking to see if they were on the ship, and their set/sail pass card didn't record their name through the slot as they came through. Just assuming. I was told by someone once, that when you first get your set/sail card and they take a picture of you, what they really are doing is getting a picture of your eyes, so when you leave or come back on the ship, the card and your eyes need to match, saying you are the correct person leaving the ship or returning to the ship.

The photos are full face and in too small scale (and too poor resolution) to show the eyes in detail. I don't think they could even tell the colour of a person's eyes from the photo.

 

Yes - the photo is to make sure it is the correct person returning with the card. On one cruise we were on my husband's photo must not have been well done because he was queried a couple of times as we returned. I looked at the screen and told them that it certainly was him and that we had been married for X number of years. Obviously they weren't just taking my word for it, but must have felt that he reasonably matched the photo.

[SeaDog-46]

Standards - Training - Certification & Watchkeeping [sTCW]

 

These regulations are one of many that oversee the operations of shipping from the building up.

 

How STCW is implemented on each cruiseship & by each cruise line depends on the master & officers & how much the owners oversee the ships operation.

 

Would you think Cunard is operated like Costa?

 

Carnival Corp. SHOULD INSTRUCT ALL THEIR MASTERS IN EACH COMPANY TO IMMEDIATLY FULLY ENFORCE THE REGULATIONS & STOP ANY SORT OF SHOWBOATING.

 

If the master of Costa Concordia had 1 glass of wine at dinner with the other officers girlfriend - he has not broken the rules.

 

If Costa had not allowed this dangerous habit then this disaster would not have happened. Also the other navigation officers on the bridge would have spoken up had there been a ruling in the operations manual.

It does mot say much for these senior & junior officers that the just stood by & let it happen & then did very little afterwards.

 

John - Master mariner

[Aus Traveller]

Thanks I was trying to look that up. There was a captain who was fired in 06 for drinking. They said no drinking prior to 8 hrs of their shift.

From what I understand, the Captain is always on duty, and he/she can be called in an emergency at any time. That is why their contract is for only four months and they have two months leave before their next contract.

[chrisrotlmacin]

Screen grab of a Moldovan woman believed to have been dining with the captain of the Costa Concordia. Photograph: La Repubblica

The cruise ship captain who crashed his vessel into rocks off the coast of Italy on Friday was accompanied on the bridge by a Moldovan woman at the moment of impact, Italian press reports have claimed.

 

Investigators are reportedly trying to locate the woman, a cruise ship passenger rep named as Domnica Cermontan, 25, to ask her if she can shed light on how captain Francesco Schettino failed to spot oncoming rocks.

 

"

More details about her http://www.adevarul.ro/moldova/actualitate/GALERIE_FOTO_Ea_este_romanca_originara_din_Republica_Moldova-care_era_cu_capitanul_Costa_Concordia_in_momentul_naufragiului_0_630537159.html

 

She is back in Moldova . According to her the Captain was on board at 23:50 Italy time when he order to her to evacuate.

 

Translation from romanian from her interivew at : http://www.adevarul.ro/moldova/actualitate/Marturiile_Domnicai_Cemortan-_-Schettino_este_unul_dintre_cei_mai_buni_capitani_0_630537324.html

Blue highlighted text in commas are my comments so you understand what is going on. Red text is her interview

 

„I finish my contarct and i went one week in a cruise as passanger as i agreed with my friends. (she had 5 years experience, it is a common practice, you pay a small fee and you stay in passenger cabin sometimes with balcony if available, you go on tours that as crew you may not be abble to take because your job does not give you the time) When happened what happened the passengers had priority but i did not think for me as a passenger. The only think that i took profit as passenger was the hotel but they quickly send me home . Around 21.30, when they sound the first alarm i was taking dinner with my friends(in other page in the same site she claims that the captain was not with her and she has witness to prove it) . I was cruissing as passenger but when i arrived on board i was practically like a employee.I left my lugage in the cabin when i arrived and i went to see my coleagues to see my friends (most probably she ended the contract on other Costa Ship and sailed on Concordia as passenger or she signed off as crew and returned on board as passenger).

 

After the coded alarm i understand that the ship was taking water. Each employee begin to take his positions. I went up on the deck on floor 8 . (each company has his own crew codes used over p.a. system all over the ship in case of emergency to avoid panic . most probably she is talking about the ship bridge as deck 8, most probably as multilingual speaker, he had the muster station on previous ship on the bridge to make announcements or that she went there with one of her friends)All of our colleagues made announcements in various languages that was a problem with the electricity. It was very dark on the ship. After they went down to help the passengers. As i speak 4-5 languages i stayed on deck in case that the captain wanted to make more announcements. There were about 20 oficeres, the cruise directoris and the captain. After the ship was clearly listed on the side the captain ordered to save my self and i wend down from deck 8 to deck 3. (there is more text regarding her life boat was pushed by the ship and reports of life boat crew rescuing people from the water)

 

 

Also text on http://www.adevarul.ro/moldova/social/Domnica_Cemortan-supravietuitoare_de_pe_Concordia-_-Am_salvat_mai_multe_vieti_0_628737645.html

 

 

There is also a interview of her (second in the page) in http://stirileprotv.ro/stiri/international/de-ce-s-a-scufundat-titanicul-din-italia-capitanul-era-ocupat-cu-o-presupusa-romanca-foto.html

 

 

Another Romanian crew member accuse her according to the TV Reporter of Pro Tv that she run with the captain - in the first intreview in the page says " when the abandon ship signal was given .... (TV interview cut) it was the first with this Moldavian girl.

A third crew member interviewed saved him self after 5 hours stay on the side of the ship , details at http://www.evz.ro/detalii/stiri/marturia-supravietuitorului-de-pe-concordia-am-stat-cinci-ore-pe-carcasa-vaporului-962269.html

 

Try Google Translator , maybe works.

[starlady]

Got this on my Facebook page today. I am sure we will be seeing more of this sort of thing from other cruise lines.

 

President & CEO Adam Goldstein Talks about Royal Caribbean's Dedication to Safety | Answer it Royally

 

 

http://www.answeritroyally.com/blog/?p=4569

[holomuku]

Small aside to the "drinking while on duty" issue. A few years ago we were on Celebrity with a Greek Captain and at the "Captain's Party" (sail away -- I think?) he took a glass of champagne and then immediately exchanged it for a non-alcoholic type of drink. He stated he was "on duty" and could not, unfortunately, enjoy the alcohol with his passengers but did want to celebrate sailaway.

 

Just our experience. Makes sense to me. We certainly enjoy cocktails but we do NOT drive and drive....and to imagine "driving" such a large ship- and yes, I know he had back-ups but when all is said and done- the Captain is in charge and needs their wits about them.

 

The whole thing is just so sad. At first I was upset at the "house arrest" - but now that it is known that the (probably) girlfriend was on board....lock him up with his wife!!! Since he is now unemployed, not represented legally by Costa and shown to have been probably cavorting with a young crewmember....aaghh. Best punishment I can think of until his trial. I realize that some (not all) Europeans have a different take on spousal fidelity-- I'm guessing she is one ticked off woman!!!

[YVRCruiser]

I agree with you. Let the Cruise Director be the one we all pose next to for the photos etc. and leave the Captain to concentrate on the sailing of the ship, and our safety.

 

Well, the photo we have with Captain Schettino has him superimposed to the right of us. It was free...

 

No worries about him taking time away from his duties for photos.

[eskiemomo]

I was wondering if anybody else would bring up Cruise Confidential or similar book. according to the author the crew drank very heavily very frequently and there are continous hookups amongst officers, crew, passengers all the time.

 

So, personally I would not be surprised if it revealed alcohol was involved or that the Captain's involved with this woman in a personal way.

[oceanwavegirl]

Cunard is a good company Seabourne Princess all the good ones dont settle for anything less professional

 

forget this rubbish

 

that woman up on the bridge why ?? what a big load of sh sugar !

 

That doesnt happen on regular companies a woman reading out Russian on the bridge after drinking with a Captain and crew while the Captain is showing the head waiter the sights 'close' to the head waiters homeland.... rips a big gash in the ship .....ship sinks .....people die

 

what the .... !!!

 

Costa we dont like YOU !

[mainelycruising]

Virtually every news report about this tragic incident refers to industry experts, the coast guard being totally shocked at how the captain could have allowed this to happen.

 

They can not believe the captain made so many stupid and dangerous mistakes. It all defies logical thought and professional seamanship on so many levels.

 

Perhaps his actions that lead to the impact, his confused and delayed reaction to the emergency and failure to order the evacuation much earlier and subsequent actions in running from the ship, not to mention his vey confused conversations with the coast guard point to fact that he was under the influence of alcohol and or drugs?

 

Was the real reason he left his sink ship early because he wanted to avoid testing to determine if he was under the influence.

 

That would be the only plausible conclusion, besides cowardice. Being the realist/cynic that I am, I think it highly likely. Let me add this: he would have done so after discussing it with the Head Office. I would wager a 'Romney' (that's $10,000) that he was in touch with Costa lawyers and head honchos when holed up in that house, awaiting the effects to wear off.

[Jimsgirl]

I am assuming that you have cruised before and if you did, you may not recall, that when the passengers get off at a different port for a daily visit or whatever, you have to put you set/sail pass card through a slot which says you are leaving the ship and you also do the same, when you come back on the ship. I have heard the ship anounce peoples names over the ship sound system during the time the ship was getting ready to leave the port. I was assuming they were checking to see if they were on the ship, and their set/sail pass card didn't record their name through the slot as they came through. Just assuming. I was told by someone once, that when you first get your set/sail card and they take a picture of you, what they really are doing is getting a picture of your eyes, so when you leave or come back on the ship, the card and your eyes need to match, saying you are the correct person leaving the ship or returning to the ship.

 

This has certainly happened on every cruise I have been on since 9/11.

 

I can also testify (as I have done on another posting) that Cmdr Warner of Cunard , never drank acohol whilst "at sea" He also stated that when at sea NO ONE is ever "off duty" .

[Jimsgirl]

Of course Officers, including Captains drink on board. They are probably off duty. He may have been having dinner with this woman and others. Same thing happens on P&O. They are not on duty all the time, that's why you have deputies, second officers, first officers.

 

You think they don't have off duty times? That's ridiculous. They also have to sleep. Could have hit the rocks at that time too.

 

Please read my posting, in which I testify that certainly Cmdr Warner of Cunard never drank acohol whilst "at sea" (or ashore when i/c of the ship). He also held the view that no one member of the ships company was ever "off duty" as an excuse when assigned to the ship.

 

SUI (sailing under the influence ) is the sea equivelant of DUI, and to be just as deplored.

[Quasar1011]

SUI (sailing under the influence ) is the sea equivelant of DUI, and to be just as deplored.

 

What about driving a ship while on a cell (mobile) phone?

[jimandtoni]

Please read my posting, in which I testify that certainly Cmdr Warner of Cunard never drank acohol whilst "at sea" (or ashore when i/c of the ship). He also held the view that no one member of the ships company was ever "off duty" as an excuse when assigned to the ship.

 

SUI (sailing under the influence ) is the sea equivelant of DUI, and to be just as deplored.

i have had dinner with the captain at the Captain's table on several different cruise ships on several different cruise lines. Some of the captains had wine with dinner as well as before and after dinner drinks. Some did not drink at all. I never gave it much thought...I may have to think more about this

[diamondgirl30]

i have had dinner with the captain at the Captain's table on several different cruise ships on several different cruise lines. Some of the captains had wine with dinner as well as before and after dinner drinks. Some did not drink at all. I never gave it much thought...I may have to think more about this

 

 

On my husbands ship (different cruise line) he was not allowed to drink at all ,on or off duty. The 5 senior officers, Captain, Chief, Staff Chief, Hotman and Staffcap were not allowed to have a sip. But that was just the last few years. When I first started working on ships in the 90's I remember we (he) could order whatever he wanted to have his cabin fridge stocked, for free of course; beer, wine and it was no problem to drink in the pax area (sign it to the house account! ahh, the good old days), or the officers bar. Those were different days and that was not Costa though. And a few of those captains, well, senior officers, wowie; we normally had the cabin next door, or at least close.....I can recall one Captain who would have a different lady passenger up there almost every cruise! I can just imagine the captain in the case of the Concordia was entertaining a lady friend, crew or not.

-lurker (ex-crew and officers wife - not Costa!)

[cubella59]

We had 2 or 3 Gala nights on the 9 day Concordia sailing (think I missed one) but I did happen to have dinner with Capitan Weasel on the cruise and he only had two small glasses of wine and when our server tried to refill his glass a thrid time, he refused. That was just my experience, I can't speak to what he was drinking on that fateful night as I disembarked 10 days earlier.

[mcrcruiser]

Today Jan 20,2012 on the Dr Phil show there was a family of 4 who survived the cruise.Quote "total chaos " fom the family .They barely survived;)

 

Dr Phil ended the show with & quote ;"who hired this captain" :mad:

[mscruisefanwoman]

If the drinking occured, it could be the reason he "tripped" and "fell" into a lifeboat.

[mainelycruising]

Today Jan 20,2012 on the Dr Phil show there was a family of 4 who survived the cruise.Quote "total chaos " fom the family .They barely survived;)

 

Dr Phil ended the show with & quote ;"who hired this captain" :mad:

 

A post on here says Micky Arison personally had him appointed after touring a ship where he was a lower minion.