Revamped Carnival Sunshine facing problems in maiden voyage

[Mizzouaholic]

doesn't sound like anything out of the ordinary for a ship coming out of drydock with a major refurb.

 

Bill

 

Exactly

[swedish weave]

Sounds like a new system for handling onboard problems has evolved.

 

Don't report problems to the ships personnel so they can be fixed ---- CALL THE MEDIA SO THEY CAN BLOW IT OUT OF PROPORTION !!!!!

[Cruizinman]

Someone posted on CC earlier that some of those cabins did not have hot water in them. I could live with some of the things mention. But hot water is a must .I don't know what happen to that thread ?

[Sargent_Schultz]

Sounds like a new system for handling onboard problems has evolved.

 

Don't report problems to the ships personnel so they can be fixed ---- CALL THE MEDIA SO THEY CAN BLOW IT OUT OF PROPORTION !!!!!

 

Yep. There will always be a few whiny people who want their 15 seconds. Never mind the several thousand who aren't complaining and probably having a great time.

[bbbearden]

Am I the only one that was expecting some glitches and incomplete work?? Not because its Carnival, but because it was a major dry dock. These issues are not uncommon for new ships or for ships just out of dry dock, regardless of the cruise line.

 

Personally, I would've been surprised if there had NOT been glitches. Nothing to report here, really.

 

And I'll take a European cruise without Waterworks than NO cruise at all, like all the people that got cancelled.

 

Last time I sailed on the Imagination, the Waterworks was closed due to repairs during the WHOLE cruise. I didn't see anybody rushing to get a refund because of it.

 

It is interesting to read all the issues being raised and the responses being given, but a couple of things to consider:

 

1. With all of the negative publicity Carnival has expereinced, why would they even dream of putting this ship in service if it was not completely ready, add to that the additional time it was in dry dock due to cancelled sailings and it makes no sense. It just futher puts Carnival in a bad PR position.

 

2. A ship coming out of a dry dock this major will have glitches, but elevators not working, running water (or hot water, depending upon who you believe) in parts of the ship not working, the lido deck pool closed, the water park out of service, and piles of dust and dirt all around are not a good way to introduce your "new" ship to the public and if I were on this cruise I would be unhappy that Carnival did not respect my investment of time and money into a vacation with them enought to have the ship fully ready for me to sail on.

 

I get that a ship out of service costs them lots of lost revenue, however it really makes it look like management is asleep at the wheel. They had to know there were issues with this ship, the issues would become public, the media would not pass on this. Say what you like, but this is one more major media/customer relations mistake by Carnival. They should have known better.

[halos]

Personally, whether brand-new or just out of dry dock, my idea of waiting to get the bugs out is to wait until the ship has been running with passengers for 4 months.

If I went prior to that, I would not be upset or surprised with minor inconveniences.

 

 

2. A ship coming out of a dry dock this major will have glitches, but elevators not working, running water (or hot water, depending upon who you believe) in parts of the ship not working, the lido deck pool closed, the water park out of service, and piles of dust and dirt all around are not a good way to introduce your "new" ship to the public and if I were on this cruise I would be unhappy that Carnival did not respect my investment of time and money into a vacation with them enought to have the ship fully ready for me to sail on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

IF all this is true, then I agree that again, this is bad for CCL. I'd like to wait until people get back and post before assuming how bad things were.

[Tapi]

I get that a ship out of service costs them lots of lost revenue...

 

They had to know there were issues with this ship, the issues would become public, the media would not pass on this. Say what you like, but this is one more major media/customer relations mistake by Carnival. They should have known better.

 

Here's the problem:

 

They have a schedule. They have a deadline. Everything is expected to run smoothly and on schedule, OR there may be some delays due to glitches. Unfortunately, normally the cruise line doesn't learn about these glitches that cause minor delays until the last minute, when passengers are already on their flights to the port and embarkation is scheduled to begin in less than 24 hours.

 

So at that point, what's the worst PR nightmare? Sailing with no Waterworks and a handful of cabins with no hot water OR canceling the cruise altogether and leaving thousands of passengers stranded right at the beginning of their vacation? What would make the most damaging headline?

 

As said before, last minute delays are not uncommon and are actually a part of sailing on a ship just out of drydock. Sailing with some glitches is the right answer.

 

These glitches made it to a newspaper article written by a junior reporter, but if Carnival had canceled this cruise and stranded thousands of passengers at the last minute, it would've been on every major news network, with live feed from a helicopter hovering above the "doomed" ship. :o

[swim4lifekac]

We were on the April 12th sailing and when we booked we asked the Carnival agent if the ship would be ready in time and she assured us (wrongly) that Carnival has done this many times and knows exactly how long the renovations take. Well, we all know what happened, dream cruise cancelled three weeks before we were to leave for Europe. Now even with an extra month to fix things that should have been included in the original plans, they still haven't got it right.

[BULLOCH12]

So here it comes. I didn't get what I expected, so refund !!!!!

 

I really wonder if some people on CC have experienced life. Just in my immediate family: a severely multi-handicapped child, advanced stage pancreatic cancer with a couple of months remaining to live --- and I consider myself and my family very fortunate.

 

And those are definately bad issues, yet what i think your are missing is some people are PAYING for a cruise based on those attractions alone. My family does take into consideration these attractions while booking a specific ship, and pays little attention where the ship is sailing

[Tapi]

And those are definately bad issues, yet what i think your are missing is some people are PAYING for a cruise based on those attractions alone. My family does take into consideration these attractions while booking a specific ship, and pays little attention where the ship is sailing

 

On a Caribbean cruise out of New Orleans, I'd agree with your argument. But on a European sailing in the Mediterranean??? I doubt there's a single person on that ship that said: "lets pay thousands of dollars to fly to Europe and take a Mefiterranean cruise so that we can experience the ship's water park!"

[joepeka]

I'm a little surprised the ship is not fully completed, especially the Water Works. According to Carnival, the dry-dock was extended to install new redundant safety measures (generator & electrical switchboard) and not because more time was needed for things like the Water Works and cabins. They had an extra three weeks to complete everything so what happened? I can only imagine what a disaster the first cruise would have been if they stuck with the original dry-dock schedule of an April 12 debut.

You do have to wonder why there apparently was so much incomplete/inoperative/whatever when they added an extra three weeks to the schedule. Like others have said, you expect some issues coming out of a major dry dock event but three extra weeks and still problems with cabins not being ready and the like? :confused:

[BULLOCH12]

On a Caribbean cruise out of New Orleans, I'd agree with your argument. But on a European sailing in the Mediterranean??? I doubt there's a single person on that ship that said: "lets pay thousands of dollars to fly to Europe and take a Mefiterranean cruise so that we can experience the ship's water park!"

 

true, but i'm sure not every on the ship flew from america

[swedish weave]

Has anyone ever bought a new house or had renovations done ??

 

Has anyone ever bought a new car or had repairs made to a car ??

 

These things can be done by the best in the business, and still after a little use, problems may arise that need to be corrected. Delays may occur during the process, also.

 

Carnival is subject to the schedules and work quality of those who actually do the work, and must place faith in their doing what they say they can do just as you would in those who work for you.

 

Your ire toward Carnival is misguided.

[serene56]

doesn't sound like anything out of the ordinary for a ship coming out of drydock with a major refurb.

 

Bill

 

Bill- i used to have an email address. email me at Serene56@aol.com

[Sargent_Schultz]

On a Caribbean cruise out of New Orleans, I'd agree with your argument. But on a European sailing in the Mediterranean??? I doubt there's a single person on that ship that said: "lets pay thousands of dollars to fly to Europe and take a Mefiterranean cruise so that we can experience the ship's water park!"

 

 

Not only did the weather not cooperate with finishing the water park on time, it has been rainy in the area and I'm not sure it would be pleasant, anyway. The winds might well have forced closure.

 

 

[Cruizinman]

It is interesting to read all the issues being raised and the responses being given, but a couple of things to consider:

 

1. With all of the negative publicity Carnival has expereinced, why would they even dream of putting this ship in service if it was not completely ready, add to that the additional time it was in dry dock due to cancelled sailings and it makes no sense. It just futher puts Carnival in a bad PR position.

 

2. A ship coming out of a dry dock this major will have glitches, but elevators not working, running water (or hot water, depending upon who you believe) in parts of the ship not working, the lido deck pool closed, the water park out of service, and piles of dust and dirt all around are not a good way to introduce your "new" ship to the public and if I were on this cruise I would be unhappy that Carnival did not respect my investment of time and money into a vacation with them enought to have the ship fully ready for me to sail on.

 

I get that a ship out of service costs them lots of lost revenue, however it really makes it look like management is asleep at the wheel. They had to know there were issues with this ship, the issues would become public, the media would not pass on this. Say what you like, but this is one more major media/customer relations mistake by Carnival. They should have known better.

 

I find this to be interesting comment and agree with it.

I feel we will find some of these problems to be true . Why would Carnival risk it :eek: Based on my exeperience having sailed on a few Carnival ships right before and after drydock, there have and will be problems.

[BULLOCH12]

Sarge the weather map is awesome.

 

I'm as big as a carnival cheerleader as anyone else. I guess I just look at it this way, if i go into a place to eat and order a steak and they bring me chicken and tell me it's just as good, i still want the steak i paid for.

[CoachT]

Inexcusable I can't believe that with all their PR problems, Carnival would let paying passengers onto a re-furbished ship that was less than 100% ready. It is like they are drawing a big target on their forehead and begging the press to shoot them.

[spencercoop]

Inexcusable I can't believe that with all their PR problems, Carnival would let paying passengers onto a re-furbished ship that was less than 100% ready. It is like they are drawing a big target on their forehead and begging the press to shoot them.

 

What would their alternative be? They could either sail with a ship that isn't 100% finished or cancel the cruise. It would have been worse for them to cancel the cruise and they would have got even more bad press.

[Sargent_Schultz]

Sarge the weather map is awesome.

 

I'm as big as a carnival cheerleader as anyone else. I guess I just look at it this way, if i go into a place to eat and order a steak and they bring me chicken and tell me it's just as good, i still want the steak i paid for.

 

I think it is more like they bring you the steak and are out of one of the sides. Or more likely they are just finishing cooking one of the sides and will bring it out when it is ready. The majority of the meal, or ship, is there.

[Cruizinman]

What would their alternative be? They could either sail with a ship that isn't 100% finished or cancel the cruise. It would have been worse for them to cancel the cruise and they would have got even more bad press.

 

But a few dates were canceled .

[spencercoop]

But a few dates were canceled .

 

I know but they would have had to cancel this cruise just days before.

[swedish weave]

Inexcusable I can't believe that with all their PR problems, Carnival would let paying passengers onto a re-furbished ship that was less than 100% ready. It is like they are drawing a big target on their forehead and begging the press to shoot them.

 

What would you do in this situation ??

 

Would you refuse to let anyone board ?

 

Would you cancel the entire cruise ?

 

Or would you go ahead with the cruise and fix these things at sea ?

 

Remember that Carnival relied on contractors estimates of time and production and the decision had to be made long ago when to resume service with this ship.

 

Note --- Others who are ranting are welcome to answer, also!!

[Goldwolf]

On a Caribbean cruise out of New Orleans, I'd agree with your argument. But on a European sailing in the Mediterranean??? I doubt there's a single person on that ship that said: "lets pay thousands of dollars to fly to Europe and take a Mefiterranean cruise so that we can experience the ship's water park!"

 

There will be some Europeans on the boat you know who won't have spent thousands of dollars flying to Europe and will have already been to some of the ports. We're intending to stay on the boat when in Civitavecchia and for one of the Venice days (because we've been there before) and make the most of the facilities, including the water park with the kids, while it's quiet because all of the Americans have pootled off with their cameras.

[Cruizinman]

I know but they would have had to cancel this cruise just days before.

Well they have done that in the past too ;)