On Grandeur now..

[jimdalva]

When I first saw the photo of the crew member I though that she didn't want to be in the picture and didn't have time to move away so she covered her face.

[celebrity]

We returned home about an hour ago from our May 24th Grandeur cruise. RCCL flew us from Freeport to BWI airport. When we arrived at the airport at 12:30 am Wednesday we were greeted by RCCL agents who guided us from the plane to the luggage carousel. There was a three piece band (keyboard, violin and horn) playing music! Once we got our luggage, there were more RCCL agents to escort us to our bus back to the cruise terminal to pick up our car. A separate bus took passengers to a hotel to spend the rest of the night before travelling home.

 

Welcome home. Sounds like RCCL is really going the extra mile. So sorry that you had to experience this though. Hopefully you can book another cruise very soon.

[chengkp75]

But in the US we do not have "domestic" cruises. (Expect for POA in Hawaii) Due to the Jones Act cruise lines are not allowed to go from US ports to US ports without visiting at least one foreign country, otherwise they are classified as Ferries, not Cruises. While many countries do not require passports for entry it is easy for US citizens to enter via cruises without one. HOWEVER (and this is a BIG however ;)) if for any reason that passenger needs to FLY back to the US from a foreign country and doesn't have passport it can be extremely difficult to arrange as the AIRLINES do require them. That is why, yes, you CAN cruise without one, but it really isn't wise to......just in case. :D

 

Just some nits to pick. Technically, it is the PVSA, not the Jones Act, that regulates passenger vessels. And it is not that domestic cruises would be classified as ferries, it is that the PVSA would require the ship to be US flag, and have a US crew if it did not have a foreign port in the itinerary.

[chengkp75]

Hello. I got back from the Bahamas a few hours ago. I was on the 3pm flight but we didn't board until around 5pm. Then it took a little while to leave. I don't think the airport was used to dealing with that many people and that big of a plane. But the people from RC did excellent with guiding us on where to go.

As for the fire, when we were talking in the windjammer after it happened another passenger said he heard it was from paint cans that were improperly stored and they got to hot. When we were boarding in Baltimore my husband pointed out to me that they were painting the ship so I guess it's possible. We'll find out in time.

I know we're getting a refund but does that include taxes and fees or just the list price of the cruise? What about the credit for the next cruise?

Thanks!

 

Without jumping too hard on this bandwagon, as the paint can theory is a hearsay suggestion (one passenger to another, with unknown numbers in between), it is as valid as other suggestions, and much more likely than the stray cigarette theory.

 

As one poster noted from first hand knowledge, the bosun's storeroom is in the area, and paint is stored there. Painting is going on somewhere on the ship nearly every day, so paint is in constant use. Some two-part epoxy paints generate heat from the chemical reaction used to dry the paint, and when mixed in the can, if the can is subsequently sealed up again, these cans can get extremely hot, and blow the lid back off. Could this have caused the fire, sure, could happen, has happened. But why it would take until the middle of the night to happen makes me wonder. Usually, these reactions take less than an hour to happen. The paint locker, if properly maintained by the deck department, should have minimal combustibles in it (other than the paint, of course, but that is sealed in cans), so the fire should not have a good source, just from one can. The paint locker has fire detectors in it, and these are very sensitive to smoke, heat, and sometimes even the ultraviolet light from flames. It is also a separate fire space with A-60 bulkheads (takes 60 minutes minimum to burn through the bulkheads and decks) and sprinklers. Could the paint can have been left out, sure, and that is a problem.

 

Oops, guess I jumped on the bandwagon too much!:o

[Riggy84]

Fire on a ship equals muster station. I find it, IMHO, very important to this thread.

 

I don't think you saw the thread before they moved the muster station debate. The comment i made referred to that.

Of course muster stations are important. But a debate about what muster station you are on takes away the importance of this thread. That is why it was moved to a separate thread

[Bobal]

Those who are commenting on the picture of the crew member should note that she did not post the picture - it was posted by a member of this board 'Smoosh21' who said - "this is a better pic from a crew member friend of mine"

 

I took it as someone who was posing in an 'upset' way about what had happened to the ship, and I hardly think she can be blamed if someone else posts the picture on a public board.

[Seago2]

Without jumping too hard on this bandwagon, as the paint can theory is a hearsay suggestion (one passenger to another, with unknown numbers in between), it is as valid as other suggestions, and much more likely than the stray cigarette theory.

 

As one poster noted from first hand knowledge, the bosun's storeroom is in the area, and paint is stored there. Painting is going on somewhere on the ship nearly every day, so paint is in constant use. Some two-part epoxy paints generate heat from the chemical reaction used to dry the paint, and when mixed in the can, if the can is subsequently sealed up again, these cans can get extremely hot, and blow the lid back off. Could this have caused the fire, sure, could happen, has happened. But why it would take until the middle of the night to happen makes me wonder. Usually, these reactions take less than an hour to happen. The paint locker, if properly maintained by the deck department, should have minimal combustibles in it (other than the paint, of course, but that is sealed in cans), so the fire should not have a good source, just from one can. The paint locker has fire detectors in it, and these are very sensitive to smoke, heat, and sometimes even the ultraviolet light from flames. It is also a separate fire space with A-60 bulkheads (takes 60 minutes minimum to burn through the bulkheads and decks) and sprinklers. Could the paint can have been left out, sure, and that is a problem.

 

Oops, guess I jumped on the bandwagon too much!:o

 

Chengkp, it's good to see you back. Your knowledge is invaluable.

[TEXASMUNK]

RCI says they have about 25 passengers who do not want to fly home, so RCI is working on getting them on a ferry from Freeport to Ft Lauderdale, would guess either train or bus from there.

[chengkp75]

Chengkp, it's good to see you back. Your knowledge is invaluable.

 

Thanks. Just trying to give a professional perspective, and not add too much mud to the already muddy waters!

 

Seems like whenever I get back from the ship, there's a new incident to comment on. Are they more prevalent, or is instant communications to blame? I think the latter.

[DEIx15x8]

If you checkout my picture from the previous sailing at the following link: https://plus.google.com/photos/115365916503583655211/albums/5882195550602118817/5882197277422762882?banner=pwa&pid=5882197277422762882&oid=115365916503583655211

you can see some work just under the large glass windows or the dinning room. During the whole sailing they were working to strip the metal away and rebuild that area. They did the centrum first and then were just starting the dinning room when we left. I'm not sure if this was the first or second side they were doing it to but I'm sure this work was still ongoing the day of the fire. This was the only major work I saw going on at the end of the sailing. Earlier in the sailing they were repainting all of the rails on the promenade deck but that was done before we left Bermuda.

[Ocean Boy]

I was wondering if that was Lynn! We got a kick out of her--anyone who can make BINGO exciting is cool in my book. :)

 

Anyone as cute as she is is ok in my book.

[Sharkb8]

:D I first noticed the guy in swim shorts w/out a shirt.[

 

quote=DELTABLUE;38549039]Did anyone else notice Barbara Bush in the Jammer?:eek::p:rolleyes:

 

https://twitter.com/RoyalCaribPR/sta...228672/photo/1

[LuckiStac13*Majesty*]

Anyone as cute as she is is ok in my book.

 

aw ;)

[FLACRUISER99]

RCI says they have about 25 passengers who do not want to fly home, so RCI is working on getting them on a ferry from Freeport to Ft Lauderdale, would guess either train or bus from there.

Looking out my window at the sea conditions they are going to have a wild ride.:eek:

[DEIx15x8]

:D I first noticed the guy in swim shorts w/out a shirt.[

 

quote=DELTABLUE;38549039]Did anyone else notice Barbara Bush in the Jammer?:eek::p:rolleyes:

 

https://twitter.com/RoyalCaribPR/sta...228672/photo/1

 

He's outside the windjammer on the pool deck. That window is a door (that's nailed shut so you have to use the main entrance for sanitary reasons) that leads to an outside area on the pool deck where you can eat. Right along that wall outside are drink, coffee, and ice cream machines. It looks like he has a coffee mug in his hand.

[jpolm]

Looking out my window at the sea conditions they are going to have a wild ride.:eek:

 

How bad is the weather was wondering that too as we arrive Sunday but I've read really bad storms /rain? That wouldn't help

[wv4dmb]

LOL. I was going to make a joke about them showing "The Poseidon Adventure" on future cruises, but you're real story is much better. Apparently, we now have a "Curse of the Titanic" for all cruise ships.

 

 

I was on the Allure last April and we had a small engine room fire.

That week was the Anniversary of the Titantic sinking! :eek:

 

~Steph

[FLACRUISER99]

How bad is the weather was wondering that too as we arrive Sunday but I've read really bad storms /rain? That wouldn't help

S. FL weather is unpredictable, personally I wouldn't worry about the forecast.