Adventure of the Seas - Man overboard?

[luvfamilytime]

No we did not see him we heard him along with several others on our floor around us. It was so dark and at that time there was only one spot light. After the boats where in the water they brought more lights including crew members where in the life boats on the ship with flashlights. I don't believe anyone saw him at any time we just heard him cry for help about 3 times in a row. The man on the balcony next to ours thought he was about 100 yards from the ship when he cried for help. I just joined because I just completed my first cruise and someone told me to go on this site. Would you like my room # for proof?

[TEXASMUNK]

I know nothing of the details surrounding this incident. But, you do not launch lifeboats in a moving vessel and a cruise ship does not stop on a dime.

 

Speculation is not a good idea, it adds little to the factual information available.

[luvfamilytime]

As I said in my post I didn't know the reason but I was sure there was one. RCI was great how they handled the situation from start to finish. They had life preservers out immediately and had 2 other ships on the area launching life preservers. We were stopped over 4 hours but only 2 hours delayed getting off the ship. They were very accommodating working with early flights.letting the guest stay in their rooms and keeping the windjammer open later. This was my first cruise and am already looking into sailing with RCI next year.

[Big_G]

As I said in my post I didn't know the reason but I was sure there was one. RCI was great how they handled the situation from start to finish. They had life preservers out immediately and had 2 other ships on the area launching life preservers. We were stopped over 4 hours but only 2 hours delayed getting off the ship. They were very accommodating working with early flights.letting the guest stay in their rooms and keeping the windjammer open later. This was my first cruise and am already looking into sailing with RCI next year.

 

Pardon the skepticism of your fellow CCers but it does seem odd that you just joined CC today and these are your only posts.

[booboojoy]

I don't get why this is so odd....help me understand

[workingonlytocruise]

Not this event, but a few years ago on an RCCL ship, Serenade actually, someone jumped from the ship. We were on deck 10, he jumped from 12 I believe. There were a number of life rings thrown into the water and a small skiff was sent out almost immediately.

 

We heard him from our balcony yelling - help me, help me. He was the luckiest person in the world that night because they were able to fish him out. We saw him and his wife removed from the ship first thing the next morning (St. Thomas).

 

My point, yes they can stop and yes they can get lights on quickly and once in awhile they can save a life.

[booboojoy]

Not this event, but a few years ago on an RCCL ship, Serenade actually, someone jumped from the ship. We were on deck 10, he jumped from 12 I believe. There were a number of life rings thrown into the water and a small skiff was sent out almost immediately.

 

We heard him from our balcony yelling - help me, help me. He was the luckiest person in the world that night because they were able to fish him out. We saw him and his wife removed from the ship first thing the next morning (St. Thomas).

 

My point, yes they can stop and yes they can get lights on quickly and once in awhile they can save a life.

 

good post..thank you

[setsail]

I know nothing of the details surrounding this incident. But, you do not launch lifeboats in a moving vessel and a cruise ship does not stop on a dime.

 

Speculation is not a good idea, it adds little to the factual information available.

 

I highly doubt they launched a lifeboat if moving, but the chase boat yes. They can launch them and retrieve them while moving. The crew practices this. Just a guess, the seas would play a big part

Edited January 1, 2014 by setsail

[luvfamilytime]

I don't get why this is so odd....help me understand

Booboojoy thank you!! I also don't get why this is so odd. I am a first time cruiser that never had a reason to visit this site. I have a young teenage child that is understandable very upset over what she witnessed. She keeps asking me questions that I don't have answers to. She wanted to know if they found him(I now know they stopped the search) and if there is any info why he jumped and any confirmation he did it on purpose. She is having a hard time understanding why and A friend suggested I visit this site and maybe info will be posted. What would I gain from making things up? I don't know why I feel like I have to prove myself but here is a photo from our balcony that you won't find anywhere else and our sea pass proving we where there. Our cabin # was 6594. We had just gotten back from dinner to pack our bags when this happened. I posted to confirm a previous post about guest hearing his cries for help. I had first hand information I thought I would share and learned a lesson in the future not to post.

[JimAOk1945]

Thoughts and prayers to the family!

 

 

 

 

Just curious....did they announce the Ocar, Oscar, Oscar ship wide?

 

We were in our stateroom when the call was made. It was "Coast guard, port side. Coast guard, port side."

 

He went overboard from the port side of the ship which is where our stateroom was located. We watched and prayed from our balcony that he would be found. It was very heart wrenching as we could hear him screaming for help.

[Kcjarvis]

Booboojoy thank you!! I also don't get why this is so odd. I am a first time cruiser that never had a reason to visit this site. I have a young teenage child that is understandable very upset over what she witnessed. She keeps asking me questions that I don't have answers to. She wanted to know if they found him(I now know they stopped the search) and if there is any info why he jumped and any confirmation he did it on purpose. She is having a hard time understanding why and A friend suggested I visit this site and maybe info will be posted. What would I gain from making things up? I don't know why I feel like I have to prove myself but here is a photo from our balcony that you won't find anywhere else and our sea pass proving we where there. Our cabin # was 6594. We had just gotten back from dinner to pack our bags when this happened. I posted to confirm a previous post about guest hearing his cries for help. I had first hand information I thought I would share and learned a lesson in the future not to post.

 

Thanks for the great info and welcome to cruising and cruise critic.

[luvfamilytime]

We were in our stateroom when the call was made. It was "Coast guard, port side. Coast guard, port side."

 

He went overboard from the port side of the ship which is where our stateroom was located. We watched and prayed from our balcony that he would be found. It was very heart wrenching as we could hear him screaming for help.

 

I was just looking at some of your photos on Nancy's Oasis and I believe my family was sitting next to you during the St. Thomas tour. I was trying to keep my little one out of your camera's way. Your photo's are beautiful! I can't wait to see the ones from this trip.

[JimAOk1945]

luvfamilytime,

 

Your stateroom was on the port side of the ship, as was ours. We saw and heard just about the same things you did.

 

The next morning as we ate breakfast in Portifino's while waiting to disembark, I spoke with a crew member/waiter there. He told me that it takes about 30 minutes for the ship to turn around. The Captain was in Portofino's for dinner with his family at the same time my wife and I were there. We left shortly before he did and returned to our stateroom to begin packing.

 

The crew member then said the captain got the call on his cell phone and immediately jumped up from the table and left the room. The ship stayed in the area until about 3:30 am the following morning.

 

The ship was circling the area over and over again trying to locate this person.

 

We will probably never know why this man went overboard. But I think the captain and everyone involved in the rescue attempt probably did everything possible to find and rescue this young man.

[JimAOk1945]

I was just looking at some of your photos on Nancy's Oasis and I believe my family was sitting next to you during the St. Thomas tour. I was trying to keep my little one out of your camera's way. Your photo's are beautiful! I can't wait to see the ones from this trip.

 

Small world isn't it! My wife is busily working on her pictures and hopes to get them sorted out and selected soon. It takes her quite awhile since she takes so many pictures.

 

Hopefully, she will get her slide shows put together soon. You will know when they are ready for viewing by watching my "signature." I will add a link over to her site when they are uploaded.

 

I'm glad you enjoyed visiting her site. I'll pass on the compliment.

Edited January 1, 2014 by JimAOk1945

[luvfamilytime]

JimAOk1945,

Thank you for the info and you are right we probably will never get answers. My heart goes out to his family. When we heard his cries we all got so excited and our hopes up that they were going to rescue him. I also agree that they did all that they could do. It was cold and the water was rough but they never gave up. I applaud the captain and crew for their efforts, I just wish it was a happy ending.

[shaggyofwv]

I don't get why this is so odd....help me understand

 

 

Because, according to some people on CC, you are not allowed to have an opinion unless you have been a member for a certain length of time.

 

People automatically assume that if you are new to CC and you voice an opinion that they are skeptical of then you must be a troll.

[Jacru]

Because, according to some people on CC, you are not allowed to have an opinion unless you have been a member for a certain length of time.

 

People automatically assume that if you are new to CC and you voice an opinion that they are skeptical of then you must be a troll.

 

Sometimes, it appears that the only credible people are the ones who started at 1,000 posts the first time they signed on to the site.

[Caribbeancruzin]

Luvfamilytime: don't be put off by the not so friendly welcome. I'm not sure why regulars assume the worst about a new poster. :confused: it is a free and public forum.

 

it is unfortunate for all who heard and witnessed this event. it would be very confusing for a young person. I hope you're able to resolve some of the questions for your daughter.

 

Don't stop posting. :) Welcome to the wonderful world of cruising! This site is very informative and helpful most of the time.

[Kcjarvis]

Because, according to some people on CC, you are not allowed to have an opinion unless you have been a member for a certain length of time.

 

People automatically assume that if you are new to CC and you voice an opinion that they are skeptical of then you must be a troll.

 

Relax. You know people get on CC and say crazy things. Since many news outlets including CNN covered the AOS story but none had the news that luv had. Luv validated the story and all was good. Don't contribute to the drama.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[aussielozzie18]

As I said in my post I didn't know the reason but I was sure there was one. RCI was great how they handled the situation from start to finish. They had life preservers out immediately and had 2 other ships on the area launching life preservers. We were stopped over 4 hours but only 2 hours delayed getting off the ship. They were very accommodating working with early flights.letting the guest stay in their rooms and keeping the windjammer open later. This was my first cruise and am already looking into sailing with RCI next year.

 

At our Captain's Q & A, the Captain addressed a question of how search & rescues are conducted. He said one of the first things they do is throw several life rings into water as this allows them to see where the current is taking them. Using the liferings, they can work out which area the person overboard is likely to float to. He also said they use a grid pattern - starting small and working outwards. Usually, any other cruise line in the vicinity will stop their cruise to assist with the search & rescue. The Captain of the vessel the passenger went overboard from is in charge of the search & rescue and he liaises with local authorities.

[nelblu]

At our Captain's Q & A, the Captain addressed a question of how search & rescues are conducted. He said one of the first things they do is throw several life rings into water as this allows them to see where the current is taking them. Using the liferings, they can work out which area the person overboard is likely to float to. He also said they use a grid pattern - starting small and working outwards. Usually, any other cruise line in the vicinity will stop their cruise to assist with the search & rescue. The Captain of the vessel the passenger went overboard from is in charge of the search & rescue and he liaises with local authorities.

 

This description seems to be exactly what they did on the Brilliance 12 niter Med cruise in August 2010. This occurred after leaving the port of Civitavecchia (Rome) about the an hour after the main dining seating. We were walking outside on one of the main decks and all of a sudden there were RCL crew members running about. I believe the announcement was Oscar, Oscar, Oscar. Being nosy, we hung around. There was a lifeboat lowered and a spot light shining in an around the lifeboat and a life-jacket shining in the water.

 

About an hour later, there were multiple small and cruise vessels helping in the search. It was amazing at the cooperation and activities taking place in front of our eyes. From a distance, we could see other vessels, plus an Italian Coast Guard vessel steaming towards us.

 

PS. While the crew was scurrying there was another announcement (can't recall the message) of someone having a heart attack at the late MDR seating.

 

The search went on for about 2 hours--the problem, a call was placed of a person falling overboard, but RCL could not confirm that an actual event occurred. The staff did multiple count of Pax's and could not get any confirms. Finally, the Captain ordered all of the Pax's to their cabins. Security guards were in place on each floor. We were lucky that we had a balcony and could see most of the action. At about 11:30pm I went to bed, but my wife was still up. Then at about 12:30, there was a knock on our cabin and it was our room steward. The crew was doing a cabin-to-cabin search. My wife identified herself and me, however, my wife had to wake me up to prove to the I was in the room. We could not believe it.

 

The upshot, we found out in the morning that no one was missing. The theory was that something flew off one of the lounge chairs into the sea. There was a lot of caution taken as a year earlier on the Brilliance where an American couple were honeymooning and the husband fell into the water in the wee hours of the morning--this made national/international news as to the circumstances of what occurred.

 

Ps. This was an eventful cruise for us, beside the above, while the Brilliance while docked at Civitavecchia, was hit by a sudden storm/twister and the lines holding her snapped. The gangplanks fell into the water and the ship was free and moving towards another RCL ship that was docked across from us. Thank God for (a) no passengers/crew on the gangplanks as many pax were touring, and (b) there was tug boat in the vicinity that basically stopped the Brilliance from causing any damages before her engines could be up to snuff.

 

Anyway, a long explanation, but for us it was an interesting and enjoyable cruise.

[JimAOk1945]

At our Captain's Q & A, the Captain addressed a question of how search & rescues are conducted. He said one of the first things they do is throw several life rings into water as this allows them to see where the current is taking them. Using the liferings, they can work out which area the person overboard is likely to float to. He also said they use a grid pattern - starting small and working outwards. Usually, any other cruise line in the vicinity will stop their cruise to assist with the search & rescue. The Captain of the vessel the passenger went overboard from is in charge of the search & rescue and he liaises with local authorities.

 

We witnessed about three hours of the search from our (stateroom 1600) balcony on deck 10.

 

Shortly after the rings went out, we saw a small boat launched and they followed the rings. I think eventually we saw three of those small boats following the rings as the current carried them. A helicopter appeared sometime later and circled the area and swept the sea with a searchlight. There were also search lights on the ship sweeping the area. Our ship circled the area several times.

 

At first we could hear the young man calling for help. Unfortunately, he was not recovered.

[shaggyofwv]

Relax. You know people get on CC and say crazy things. Since many news outlets including CNN covered the AOS story but none had the news that luv had. Luv validated the story and all was good. Don't contribute to the drama.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

 

Not contributing to the "drama", simply pointing out a fact.