Fire on Carnival Triumph. No engines, running on emergency generators.

[dwjoe]

I would like to sum up the entire Triumph cruise results;

 

everyone got fed something; ok

everyone got to sleep; ok

everyone has a story to tell; ok

nobody got bad sunburn; ok

everyone got their money back +++ ok

 

and most important

 

nobody DIED, or even got wet falling in the gulf

 

GREAT JOB CARNIVAL, JOB WELL DONE.

 

Now go figure out what happened, and get a plan in place to make the trip home better, the next time it happens, if ever, kind of like the lifeboats, have a plan and hope to never need to use it.

 

For me one idea is to fix the no power idea on the ship and still have hot food, why not put a few charcol grills on each ship with the needed supplys, (before you jump on me about open fire) like they have on the Dream, and I think the Breeze and Magic out on deck 5 for lunch. They could move it out on the front deck or Lido deck in emergency if needed to cook food.

My report card:

 

CCL's overall response: B

Crew's response: A

Compensation offered: B+

Corporate response: B-

Corporate PR: D

[gtalum]

My report card:

 

CCL's overall response: B

Crew's response: A

Compensation offered: B+

Corporate response: B-

Corporate PR: D

 

Agreed, on all counts. Though I might add a + or to to the crew's grade. :D Carnival better take care of them because they are the only saving grace in this mess.

 

And Carnival seriously needs to invest in some PR personnel.

[declansdad]

My report card:

 

CCL's overall response: B

Crew's response: A

Compensation offered: B+

Corporate response: B-

Corporate PR: D

 

 

Seems to be a fair assessment.

[dwjoe]

CNN was definitely focusing on the worst things people said. They would interview someone for 5 minutes or more, and if they weren't complaining enough they'd ask them something specific about one bad aspect, and then they'd run part of that one comment on the chiron underneath the picture. The worst I saw was when they asked one guy about the red bags. He said that at one point a lady asked him if she could use one of his because she didn't have one handy. So CNN then puts "passengers forced to share red bags" on the chiron strongly implying that more than one person would, ahem, "use" the bag before discarding it, which was completely untrue. They have tens of thousands of those red bags aboard. They're just trash bags with the biohazard symbol printed on them.

I agree that CNN's headlines were out of sync with pax accounts. Almost all were upbeat, and that did not support a headline of "Cruise Nightmare Ends"

[cheewiee]

This.

 

Here is where I think CC can help and one of my takeaways from this incident.

 

Disclaimer: NOT saying there is proof that the Triumph's past mechanical problems caused this incident.

 

A ship (on any cruise line) that has repeated problems - e.g. plumbing issues, propulsion problems, or is sailing down an engine - should be called out on CC as such to people considering booking that ship. It's relevant information. If I have a choice of ship A or ship B, and ship A is sailing with only 2 out of 3 engines, I'd rather choose ship B. And calling attention to those problems doesn't make you a hater - it's fulfilling one of CC's purposes of making sure that members aren't surprised about the state of the ship.

 

Disclaimer: NOT saying there is proof that the Triumph's past mechanical problems caused this incident.

 

Have you ever heard of the little boy who cried wolf?

 

If you look at my cruises (see below) I just got off the Dream in December. I had a very nice time... but when I read CC forums about the Dream, I got concerned... Stories of smells and such abound all over the place...

 

Same thing with my cruises on RCL... both the Majesty and Monarch had negative posts about them and I sailed them with no problem whatsoever...

 

The more I read of problems (and see haters hate) the more I disreagard what I read.

[jimbo5544]

According to one poster on another thread, this would drive CCL in to bankruptcy. You better keep an eye on things before buying. ;)

Drive them to bankruptcy? doubt it.

[Serendipity1212]

 

and as always, the media (and i refuse to call CNN of FOX news media, since i equate them with TMZ, Piers Morgan, Geraldo, and the national enquirer) did a piss poor job of fact checking and as usual just presented innuendo and gross fabrication and undo sensationalism.

 

BINGO.

 

 

I'm old enough to remember when News Journalism existed, News Journalists were required to have all their facts before running with something, be it on air or in print. Now it's NO different than the "grapevine" of any workplace.

 

I remember when there were shows such as "A Current Affair", "Extra", and "Entertainment Tonight" which aired in the late afternoon-early evening on the main networks -- which brought viewers what presently passes for top "News".

 

This "Tabloid" formula was adopted by the mainstream since oh say the late '80s-early '90s, and anyone who remembers them will see that, what you would have seen on those shows each day is now what takes priority at 6 & 11 pm daily.

 

How many times do you hear "coming up" in just one half-hour? This used to be reserved for those "Entertainment news" shows. Anyone remember?

 

Plus, the networks had Editors who would sift through info, providing thorough and concise acounts. They didn't have time for 15 "Coming Ups" because people were doing their jobs -- actually investigating, accumulating, & verifying the facts. And when they didn't have all the facts yet, they'd say "developing" or "not yet known".

 

As far as consumers, best to get on the Internet and research like crazy regarding anything.

 

Agian, thank you all for providing your info and insight.

[Cruizinman]

My report card:

 

CCL's overall response: C-

Crew's response: A

Compensation offered: D-

Corporate response: D-

Corporate PR: E -

[gtalum]

My report card:

 

CCL's overall response: C-

Crew's response: A

Compensation offered: D-

Corporate response: D-

Corporate PR: E -

 

I'm curious. Aside from better PR management (on which we all agree), what should Carnival have done in response that would have been better?

[dm33]

The ship is being moved now to the shipyard.

 

http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/cvplive/cvpstream3&hpt=hp_c2#/video/cvplive/cvpstream3

The real reason they dragged it across the gulf to Mobile.

[SociallyAwkward]

For a 4 day Carnival Cruise, 500$ is more then I think 90% of the rooms on the ship. The one I went on was I think around 300pp for a balcony.

I am in noway a CCL cheerleader but I think they are going above and beyond to make these people whole. Im sure I wouldnt be thrilled if it was me and I might be screaming for more but after a few days these people will look back and realize how lucky they were considering.

The cost of the rooms does not correlate to the costs born by the passengers. I am lucky enough I could handle the additional lost wages and costs, but many people can't without an impact or dipping into an emergency fund if they have it. My personal opinion is that because that is more common than my situation, I believe Carnival should do more than 500 in dollars.

[SociallyAwkward]

Diabetic shock usually means low sugar and that they don't need insulin, but a soda or juice or some food to treat the low sugar. Diabetics can go without insulin for a few days and actually be just fine as long as they don't eat high carb meals.

Some or even many Diabetics can, not all. Especially children who often need to be monitored closely.

 

But fair point, you are correct on shock. I did not think about that.

 

And my initial statement said this report may or may not be accurate. I have no idea.

[dwjoe]

Because they are vultures who are just there to sensationalize things to get ratings. While no one is doubting this was a horrible situation, they made it seem a lot worse and you can almost feel their disappointment when people were disembarking and not telling these stories of horror.

The positive pax accounts seemed to filter into the CNN interviewers towards the end last night at Mobile. But they didn't change their headlines to reflect that. :(

[MrPete]

you haven't posted only 5 posts a day in years

 

I know not days, but I would forward you concerns to management immediately so they can fix their tools.

[texsun49]

Drive them to bankruptcy? doubt it.

 

This was most heavily reported on CNN, and the two people that watch that network won't make a ripple in the cruise industry long term...Since the passengers did not get off the ship smeared in feces, and wearing rags, I think the news reports will die down quickly... I had news on getting ready this morning and already was it was barely mentioned. I notice many posters who were taking such delight in this mess are less abundant this morning since the passengers did not come off the ship looking like refugees from the holecaust.

[declansdad]

Drive them to bankruptcy? doubt it.

 

 

Yup. Compared this to Pan Am.

[MrPete]

My report card:

 

CCL's overall response: C-

Crew's response: A

Compensation offered: D-

Corporate response: D-

Corporate PR: E -

 

E? Is that something new in the last 35 years?

[cheewiee]

The cost of the rooms does not correlate to the costs born by the passengers. I am lucky enough I could handle the additional lost wages and costs, but many people can't without an impact or dipping into an emergency fund if they have it. My personal opinion is that because that is more common than my situation, I believe Carnival should do more than 500 in dollars.

 

Lets see $500.00 per pax... that's 1.6 Million dollars... Add in the refunded cruise fair... being conservative on a 4 nighter.. lets say 300 on average per pax? 960,000... Future Cruise credit... lets say 300 on average per Pax.. another 960,000... ALL Expenses comped except Casino gift shop/painting charges... Who knows but they were on their last sea day when this happened so all excersions and such all bar tabs..

 

This trip cost Carnival atleast 4,000,000.00.... just in compensating PAX.

[declansdad]

The real reason they dragged it across the gulf to Mobile.

 

 

Let it go, even the coast guard agreed with the tow to Mobile.

[fuddrules]

... but when I read CC forums about the Dream, I got concerned... Stories of smells and such abound all over the place....

 

I agree with this. Reading some of the past cruise reviews, they seem almost exactly like this cruise....really bad smells and long lines to get poor food.:D

[flynnsport]

The cost of the rooms does not correlate to the costs born by the passengers. I am lucky enough I could handle the additional lost wages and costs, but many people can't without an impact or dipping into an emergency fund if they have it. My personal opinion is that because that is more common than my situation, I believe Carnival should do more than 500 in dollars.

 

any it may on a case by case basis...kind of like filing a claim

[declansdad]

This was most heavily reported on CNN, and the two people that watch that network won't make a ripple in the cruise industry long term...Since the passengers did not get off the ship smeared in feces, and wearing rags, I think the news reports will die down quickly... I had news on getting ready this morning and already was it was barely mentioned. I notice many posters who were taking such delight in this mess are less abundant this morning since the passengers did not come off the ship looking like refugees from the holecaust.

 

 

Funny about that, isn't it?

[flynnsport]

Let it go, even the coast guard agreed with the tow to Mobile.

 

I guarantee those folks were more happy to be back on American soil rather than stuck in Progreso. Anyone that's been there should know the hotels there don't look like any better condition than the ship was.

[Don Haynes]

The real reason they dragged it across the gulf to Mobile.

 

Not the only reason. There was also the current pushing the huge ship away from Progresso. Have you ever been in a small row boat being pushed away from shore? No matter how hard you rowed, your boat still went further away from shore. Usually someone with a motor boat arrived to tow you back in the right direction with much more speed than you can row. That is on a lake or on a river.

 

The Triumph floated 90 miles away from Progresso by the current. A tow of a huge cruise ship isn't much faster than the current at sea. If they had towed back to Progresso the ship will still be on its way. Carnival, the towers, and the Coast Guard chose not to do so correctly, go with the current instead of against the current to Mobile.

 

My how many land lubbers don't know jack about the sea.

[SociallyAwkward]

Lets see $500.00 per pax... that's 1.6 Million dollars... Add in the refunded cruise fair... being conservative on a 4 nighter.. lets say 300 on average per pax? 960,000... Future Cruise credit... lets say 300 on average per Pax.. another 960,000... ALL Expenses comped except Casino gift shop/painting charges... Who knows but they were on their last sea day when this happened so all excersions and such all bar tabs..

 

This trip cost Carnival atleast 4,000,000.00.... just in compensating PAX.

And?