Carnival Elation navigation system issues!

[sailincajunns]

Local Media in New Orleans and Houston are reporting that Elation suffered a failure/problem with one of the 'naviation systems' on the Elation for her Mar 9 departure, and was 'escorted' down the Mississippi River (not towed) by a tug, as a precaution. See story below as reported on KPRC and repeated on local media in New Orleans this morning.

 

A “minor issue” with steering will not delay the current passage of the Carnival Elation, the company says.

According to a report on television station KPRC, a tugboat was called to sail alongside the ship this week in New Orleans.

The Carnival Elation

 

One of two maneuvering units was taken offline. The other remained operational.

From KPRC’s report:

Carnival said Elation is currently en-route on its own to its first port of call, where it is scheduled to arrive on time. The company said technicians are expected to board the ship later this week to begin repairs …

The Carnival Elation came to the aid of another ship in the line, the Triumph, when it was disabled earlier this year.

 

I hope it is as 'minor' as they indicate, and I hope everyone on board presently and on near-term cruises gets to enjoy their full experience.

[beebowleye]

I'm supposed to leave on this ship a week from today! I REALLY hope its nothing major, I might lose my mind if I cant go on vacation!

[Cruiser 4 Life 66]

That ship looks so old. I don't see one balcony, does it have any?

[beebowleye]

I'm booked in a suite with a balcony for this ship next week.

[mzloolue]

I'm supposed to leave on this ship a week from today! I REALLY hope its nothing major, I might lose my mind if I cant go on vacation!

 

Although it probably will not be necessary if it was me I might be doing a little bit of research to see if anything else is available, just in case.

[mzloolue]

That ship looks so old. I don't see one balcony, does it have any?

 

It has some and they are up high.

 

It is a pretty ship and looks sleeker without all those balconies hanging off, doesn't it?

[summer_girl]

Love the Elation. I do wish it had more balconies. The only ones are suites and pretty costly. We are sailing on this ship in May. Hopefully the repairs will be done quickly, but we sure don't want anyone cutting corners!!

[Bobblefrog]

That ship looks so old. I don't see one balcony, does it have any?

 

She's Fantasy class, so she has the upper ones in front of the lifeboats (jr suites) and then the cove like balconies you see midship along the side under her red stripe are the grand suites.

 

And what's wrong with old? Obviously someone is still a young whippersnapper and doesn't appreciate her more classic lines :p

[chengkp75]

The escort by a tug is required by USCG whenever a ship loses the redundancy of two steering systems. Since the Elation is a twin azipod ship, losing one pod removes the redundant steering. Since the USCG cleared the vessel to sail, and it appears that the ship is able to make its schedule on one pod, she will probably remain in service, while the pod is diagnosed and/or repaired. If it is a major failure of the pod, parts will need to be shipped in, and she could conceivably remain in service on one pod for a couple of months. Use of azipods is considered to be a "cheaper" propulsion method (nearly all lines have gone to them), but the savings is only in capital building cost, as you do not need to install propulsion propeller, thrusters, and steering, it's all in one. However, loss of one pod not only reduces steering, but you are removing the redundant propulsion as well.

[Sargent_Schultz]

Minor is minor and issue is not issues.

 

I had dinner with the Captain on the Feb 4 Elation sailing and consider him and his staff to be quite competent.

[beebowleye]

Minor is minor and issue is not issues.

 

I had dinner with the Captain on the Feb 4 Elation sailing and consider him and his staff to be quite competent.

 

Ah the voice of reason! haha. I'm sure it will all be fine, I've just been waiting for this vacation for nearly a year!!! I dont want anything to ruin it!

[chengkp75]

Minor is minor and issue is not issues.

 

I had dinner with the Captain on the Feb 4 Elation sailing and consider him and his staff to be quite competent.

 

 

You are quite correct. It could have been something simple like a "dirty oil filter" indication that caused the pod to be taken off line. It may well have been repaired before next port, but once it is taken off line, the tug escort is required.

[LzyCruiser_NWA]

I'm supposed to leave on this ship a week from today! I REALLY hope its nothing major, I might lose my mind if I cant go on vacation!

 

Me too!

[GROUCHPUSS]

You are quite correct. It could have been something simple like a "dirty oil filter" indication that caused the pod to be taken off line. It may well have been repaired before next port, but once it is taken off line, the tug escort is required.

 

I would think that if they took one of the two azipod offline the ship could not make max speed and would be missing ports.

[lady_cruiser]

Love the Elation. I do wish it had more balconies. The only ones are suites and pretty costly. We are sailing on this ship in May. Hopefully the repairs will be done quickly, but we sure don't want anyone cutting corners!!

I can up you - we are sailing APRIL 11th! Now I am getting worried that we will have another repeat of the Triumph ill-fated voyage.

[chengkp75]

Please don't misunderstand my post. No one except the engineers onboard can say what the problem is, and how long it will take to fix.

 

Ships have continued in service with one pod out of service for months with no further problems.

 

Also, partial loss of propulsion is far different from a total loss of power, as the Triumph experienced, and these are in no way interconnected.

[mzloolue]

I can up you - we are sailing APRIL 11th! Now I am getting worried that we will have another repeat of the Triumph ill-fated voyage.

 

Yeah.

 

We are booked in late April and I am not worried.

 

However, if I was booked closer I would be checking out other semi-close ports just in case.

 

Some years ago we were booked on Celebration out of Jacksonville and I read on CC that Celebration was having propulsion problems.

That cruise made it back fine and the next cruise sailed.

 

It was not the first cruise after the problem started, but the cruise after that, our cruise, that was cancelled.

 

I had read about in on this forum and had checked out alternative cruises and so I was ready when the first cancellation call came in (there were 11 of us going), got hold of our PVP and was able to book the last cabins available on Ecstasy out of Galveston.

 

We weren't going to sit home and do nothing and were going to go somewhere and do something, but we were all excited about cruising.

I got the new cruise all planned out in three days and it was great.

We did a swamp tour on the way down, found a lovely hotel on Galveston island, had some really wonderful last minute excursions, and did a tour of a haunted plantation house on the way home.

 

Don't freak out if you are booked soon, but you might want to do a little research is all.

Be prepared like the boy scouts and all that.

[lady_cruiser]

Please don't misunderstand my post. No one except the engineers onboard can say what the problem is, and how long it will take to fix.

 

Ships have continued in service with one pod out of service for months with no further problems.

 

Also, partial loss of propulsion is far different from a total loss of power, as the Triumph experienced, and these are in no way interconnected.

 

While I am a little worried it will never stop me from canceling my cruise. But I did learn something new from your newest post (I bolded the sentence above.) The only thing that would stop me from getting on the Elation on April 11th is if Carnival themself would cancel it. In fact I am not even sure why I said what I said about the Triumph.

 

And thanks to all of you, who are experienced in the mechanics of a cruise ship the rest of us learned something new.