Freedom of the Seas drydock

[ckrobyn]

As others have mentioned, we are on the western route and Coco Cay was on the original itinerary. I love both Labadee and Coco Cay, so I'm happy with either.

 

Don't go flooding RCI with phone call questions about whats going on. Anyone you get on the phone, probably won't know. .

 

It's a bit late for that. I'm sure folks are calling looking for answers as many are in panic mode (I am not one of them and I am sailing Feb 15th).

[reesser]

Thanks Barklee - keep us posted

Bob E

[Cuizer2]

As others have mentioned, we are on the western route and Coco Cay was on the original itinerary. I love both Labadee and Coco Cay, so I'm happy with either.

 

Don't go flooding RCI with phone call questions about whats going on. Anyone you get on the phone, probably won't know. I personally think the Captain and Chief Engineer were very honest and open today. I will let you know if I find out any additional info. They have not changed any ports or times as of this afternoon. I'll let you know if we're going to be late getting back to Port Canaveral. I booked an 1100 flight, based on my self disembarkation in August.

 

I don't think they knew the problem until investigating it this week. The ship is perfectly safe and had no problems maneuvering at Port Canaveral.

 

The WiFi onboard is really poor compared to my last trip on Freedom.

 

The ship can easily make it from Cozumel to Port Canaveral with a full day at sea.

[jules815]

I agree - I don't care if I miss every port - I've been to St. Thomas and St. Marteen more times than I can count. I just don't want to be stuck in FL (even though, if that is what happened, I would make the most of it - maybe take my rental car to Key West if I couldn't get on another ship :))

 

I agree. A change in itinerary wouldn't bother us, but we've been to most ports anyway and don't book excursions.

 

When we were on FOS in September, our itinerary included San Juan instead of the usual St. Thomas, and it was a very nice change. They told us, btw, that the divers that were working on the ship that day in port were doing scheduled maintenance to scrape barnacles from around the propellers. I don't think they were being completely honest with us. :rolleyes:

[orville99]

As others have mentioned, we are on the western route and Coco Cay was on the original itinerary. I love both Labadee and Coco Cay, so I'm happy with either.

 

Don't go flooding RCI with phone call questions about whats going on. Anyone you get on the phone, probably won't know. I personally think the Captain and Chief Engineer were very honest and open today. I will let you know if I find out any additional info. They have not changed any ports or times as of this afternoon. I'll let you know if we're going to be late getting back to Port Canaveral. I booked an 1100 flight, based on my self disembarkation in August.

 

I don't think they knew the problem until investigating it this week. The ship is perfectly safe and had no problems maneuvering at Port Canaveral.

 

The WiFi onboard is really poor compared to my last trip on Freedom.

 

 

You will probably be fine. The modifications that they made for your itinerary allowed them to pick up about 12 hours of cruising time (at 18 knots) on the long leg of the route, so they could still do a "normal" schedule for the last three port stops.

[John&LaLa]

That would not change anything. They would still have a problem and no time to fix it.

 

I was on the Enchantment in February & March 2012. The Enchantment developed a problem which affected three cruises. The problem was fixed during an extended stay at Port Canaveral during the third cruise.

 

The first cruise got eight out of their nine days and a full refund. I was on the next cruise. We got all twelve days, extended time at some of the ports and only missed Labadee. The third cruise hit all their port, but in a different order so that the extended time (over 24 hours) could be arranged in Port Canaveral. The problem was fixed and the next cruise went off as scheduled.

 

Two thoughts on that. If they had two more days in schedule, the unfortunate mistake that doomed the pod may not have happened. Secondly, if problem was discovered on Friday, they could have returned to Freeport to make repairs. They may end up there anyway now. I wish her no ill will, just wish they would cut back on the junkets and fix the ships properly.

If they want to generate great PR, issue timely press releases. :rolleyes:

[John&LaLa]

I think the 2 day went fantastically. Everyone enjoyed themselves and will be talking about Freedom and Royal in a good light to family, friends and clients. I wonder if your own negativity is influencing your posting?

 

I have no doubt it went splendidly.

However, there have been more posts about this fiasco than all the info that was shared by those onboard about the changes.

That is if you don't count the can of worms known first as Rotational and changed to Classic dining. :o

[Topo Gigio]

You will probably be fine. The modifications that they made for your itinerary allowed them to pick up about 12 hours of cruising time (at 18 knots) on the long leg of the route, so they could still do a "normal" schedule for the last three port stops.

 

Don't think so. First of all it was scheduled like this long before dry dock! and next Western Caribbean cruise will call at Labadee!

 

It has to do that Celebrity Silhouette is calling at Labadee today.

[Cuizer2]

Two thoughts on that. If they had two more days in schedule, the unfortunate mistake that doomed the pod may not have happened. Secondly, if problem was discovered on Friday, they could have returned to Freeport to make repairs. They may end up there anyway now. I wish her no ill will, just wish they would cut back on the junkets and fix the ships properly.

If they want to generate great PR, issue timely press releases.

 

Okay, I don't know if they had to hurry and that is why something was damaged. If that was the cause, then you would be correct. However, we will never know because no one is going to admit that rushing the work was the cause of the new problem.

 

They had to be in Port Canaveral on Sunday. Discover a problem on Friday. Assume none of the keel blocks have been moved. Assume some other ship does not have the dry dock reserved for Saturday. It still takes a long time to position the ship, drain the water, then refill the water. Plus they need time to cruise from Freeport to Port Canaveral. I'm guessing that would leave them less than a day to do the repair if:

 

1) They already have the necessary part(s) and

2) They don't need to remove the pod for access.

 

I don't know if that is enough time. However, I would guess it is not because if they need to put the ship in dry dock, then it is probably because they need access and doing anything on those pods takes time. They are held together by more that just a few large bolts ...

 

This is the Serenade of the Seas ...

 

 

This is a different ship ...

 

 

This is a three pod ship (the center pod is a fixpod) ...

 

 

 

 

[ryano]

Here is what puzzles me about the whole thing and I will try to move along to something else after I post this.

 

Quiet a few that were on board the two night cruise reported 21 knots and a "full wake" and no mention of any problems. Fast forward to the first 7 night cruise and suddenly she is slugging along at 16 knots with no full wake and the Chief Engineer admitting a problem.

 

Not that it matters but obviously all the above being true, this almost seems to be a new problem not caused by the maintenance workers at the drydock at all? Or could what the maintenance workers did at the drydock cause issues days later?

 

I sure wish chengkp75 would give his thoughts!

[Cuizer2]

Here is what puzzles me about the whole thing and I will try to move along to something else after I post this.

 

Quiet a few that were on board the two night cruise reported 21 knots and a "full wake" and no mention of any problems. Fast forward to the first 7 night cruise and suddenly she is slugging along at 16 knots with no full wake and the Chief Engineer admitting a problem.

 

Not that it matters but obviously all the above being true, this almost seems to be a new problem not caused by the maintenance workers at the drydock at all? Or could what the maintenance workers did at the drydock cause issues days later?

 

I sure wish chengkp75 would give his thoughts!

 

Some problems can be slow to develop, others happen quickly.

[John&LaLa]

I have no proof that the mistake that damaged the pod was because they were in a hurry. I do know that I make mistakes when I am in a hurry.

I'm just proud that I got you to make two consecutive posts without a sad attempt at humor. :o

See you around the boards.

[justjim312]

I never said the Chief Engineer on the Freedom speculated anything, I was referring to the post above and all the posts that followed. So far we have had people speculate that the ship will miss ports, have less time in ports, have cruises cancelled, among other things.

 

Hard to keep the weed out the actual facts from speculation when we can't even get people on this thread to agree whether it is doing an eastern or western itinerary this week.

 

 

Well, we are on the Feb 8 - 15 cruise and its doing EASTERN!!

[Ocean Boy]

I am going to go with what the poster who is onboard said, and that was they are 90% sure they can do the necessary fixes while in port. I don't know about everyone else - but 90% sounds like pretty good odds to me :)

 

We will add statistically inclined to the list.

[ckrobyn]

We will add statistically inclined to the list.

 

LOL :rolleyes:

[Cavy92]

It's a bit late for that. I'm sure folks are calling looking for answers as many are in panic mode (I am not one of them and I am sailing Feb 15th).

 

 

I am with you! (In more ways than one)

 

"The sky is falling...the sky is falling!"

 

(Being funny)

 

 

 

 

 

Hello! My name is Kevin.

Edited February 3, 2015 by Cavy92

[Ocean Boy]

I am with you! (In more ways than one)

 

"The sky is falling...the sky is falling!"

 

 

Hello! My name is Kevin.

 

The only thing falling here is snow.... and the temperature.:rolleyes:

Edited February 3, 2015 by Ocean Boy

[ckrobyn]

I am with you! (In more ways than one)

 

"The sky is falling...the sky is falling!"

 

(Being funny)

 

 

 

 

 

Hello! My name is Kevin.

 

Heyyyyyyy! We are on the same cruise :) Hi Kevin!!!

[Cavy92]

The only thing falling here is snow.:rolleyes:

 

 

That is AWESOME!!!!!!!

 

 

Hello! My name is Kevin.

[ryano]

The only thing falling here is snow.... and the temperature.:rolleyes:

 

Can you please send copious amounts of it to North Ga? Thanks :)

Edited February 3, 2015 by ryano

[Ocean Boy]

That is AWESOME!!!!!!!

 

 

Hello! My name is Kevin.

 

Not exactly the word that I was thinking of.

Edited February 3, 2015 by Ocean Boy

[Cavy92]

Heyyyyyyy! We are on the same cruise :) Hi Kevin!!!

 

 

I have been quietly sitting back, being a Ghostie. Usually read and not comment....

 

 

Hello! My name is Kevin.

[Cavy92]

Not exactly the word that I was thinking of.

 

 

I meant I laughed out loud so hard my wife asked me. "What are you watching?" She didn't believe me when I told her I was looking at the CC boards.

 

I am sorry for the Snowpocalypse.

 

 

Hello! My name is Kevin.

[ckrobyn]

I have been quietly sitting back, being a Ghostie. Usually read and not comment....

 

 

Hello! My name is Kevin.

 

Ha Ha! You are one of the Ghosties :p Glad you decided to show yourself - I have been talking to myself on the roll call for weeks :o

[Cavy92]

Ha Ha! You are one of the Ghosties :p Glad you decided to show yourself - I have been talking to myself on the roll call for weeks :o

 

 

I know. It was quite humorous. Like talking to all those in attendance with Robinson Crusoe.

 

"Bueller...Bueller...anyone...anyone..."

 

 

 

 

Hello! My name is Kevin.