Miryam1234 Posted October 2, 2014 #1 Share Posted October 2, 2014 There is a news flash in Finnish newspapers about a Finnish couple who were on their honeymoon on Allure Sep 14-21 cruise. They were on their balcony on the last night, heard some voices in the ocean calling for help. They made a phone call to inform ship staff (the message reached captain in the end) about this, and Allure stopped to search for 3 hours. In the end, coast guard found 3 Cuban refugees on a broken self-made raft. The couple did not know this until they received a letter from Captain Johnny Maevelen. Letter is posted in web - otherwise the news is in Finnish of course http://www.rantapallo.fi/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Allure-of-the-Seas-Saloranta.jpg http://www.rantapallo.fi/matkailu/suomalaispariskunnan-sankariteko-karibialla-haamatkalaisten-neuvokkuus-pelasti-kolme-ihmishenkea/ I think it is very nice that the captain took time to inform the couple about the result. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhuntington3 Posted October 2, 2014 #2 Share Posted October 2, 2014 Very classy! Nicely done, Captain! Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oville Posted October 2, 2014 #3 Share Posted October 2, 2014 (edited) Thank you for saving these peoples lives, but unfortunately they were returned to Cuba. It's simply the law, but you did a really good thing. Edited October 2, 2014 by Oville Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krisko Posted October 2, 2014 #4 Share Posted October 2, 2014 This isn't unusual at all, happen on two cruises I've taken over the last few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coralc Posted October 2, 2014 #5 Share Posted October 2, 2014 (edited) How nice for the follow up and acknowledgement! Good job by the couple that reported, and I'm sure the letter about the outcome is very much appreciated by them. :) Can you imagine reporting something like that...the ship changes course and wanders for a few hours, (with possible delays) and you feel like the person that cried wolf? It was great that Royal Caribbean let them know what happened. That's wonderful that they reported it, the folks were found. And even if they were returned...at least they are still alive. Edited October 2, 2014 by Coralc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Lionesss Posted October 2, 2014 #6 Share Posted October 2, 2014 WOW, I bet the refuges are grateful to be alive.....even if they are returned to their location of exile. Sea Ya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miryam1234 Posted October 2, 2014 Author #7 Share Posted October 2, 2014 How nice for the follow up and acknowledgement! Good job by the couple that reported, and I'm sure the letter about the outcome is very much appreciated by them. :) Can you imagine reporting something like that...the ship changes course and wanders for a few hours, (with possible delays) and you feel like the person that cried wolf? It was great that Royal Caribbean let them know what happened. That's wonderful that they reported it, the folks were found. And even if they were returned...at least they are still alive. This is exactly what I thought! Nice gesture from the captain letting them know the outcome. Not having to think for the rest of your life, if you caused some delay without proper reason. I wonder what I had done in similar situation... Probably nothing. I feel sorry for the refugees - for the sake of having such conditions in your home that you would risk your life and illegally try to sneak in another country for a hope of better life. I dont know Cuban situation well enough to be able to justify. Still, I hope they are grateful for being alive. For the most part my reason for posting this was just kudos for the Captain for sending the letter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet524 Posted October 2, 2014 #8 Share Posted October 2, 2014 Gotta love Captain Johnny. He is a real class act. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clott Posted October 2, 2014 #9 Share Posted October 2, 2014 Love captain Johnny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarea Posted October 2, 2014 #10 Share Posted October 2, 2014 To correct Captain Johnny's last name in post #1, it's Faevelen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirian Posted October 2, 2014 #11 Share Posted October 2, 2014 Very nice of the captain to take the time to update the folks who originally contacted the crew. Well done, Captain!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dz9yvr Posted October 2, 2014 #12 Share Posted October 2, 2014 We had the same situation on our Aug 3 Allure cruise. The crew on the bridge of the Allure did not see the raft/boat and the passengers had to call and tell them there were people in the water. I would hope RCCL can look into some additional training for the bridge crew so they don't miss small craft in the water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sitzmark Posted October 2, 2014 #13 Share Posted October 2, 2014 We had the same situation on our Aug 3 Allure cruise. The crew on the bridge of the Allure did not see the raft/boat and the passengers had to call and tell them there were people in the water. I would hope RCCL can look into some additional training for the bridge crew so they don't miss small craft in the water. At 3am a broken raft on the ocean is not going to be easy to spot. I think you are looking for a negative angle to the story that does not exist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_G Posted October 2, 2014 #14 Share Posted October 2, 2014 We had the same situation on our Aug 3 Allure cruise. The crew on the bridge of the Allure did not see the raft/boat and the passengers had to call and tell them there were people in the water. I would hope RCCL can look into some additional training for the bridge crew so they don't miss small craft in the water. You've been really cranky about Royal Caribbean as of late. Something crawl up your robe? ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SherriZ366 Posted October 3, 2014 #15 Share Posted October 3, 2014 Gotta love Captain Johnny. He is a real class act.He sure is!! And this another excellent example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beachin2 Posted October 3, 2014 #16 Share Posted October 3, 2014 Very classy - love the "Master's" stamp! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RADICALBURN Posted October 3, 2014 #17 Share Posted October 3, 2014 GOOD JOB!!!! But the questions should be. Were they Quarantined? What precautions were taken by the crew? Masks and gloves or protective clothing, was it used? NOT TO START ANYTHING, but but but.............Anybody sick?.............................RADICAL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dz9yvr Posted October 3, 2014 #18 Share Posted October 3, 2014 At 3am a broken raft on the ocean is not going to be easy to spot. I think you are looking for a negative angle to the story that does not exist. On Aug 9, the Allure passed a raft/boat in the middle of the afternoon. If the Allure is passing rafts that are close enough to hear the occupants voices, it must be very close. The refugees would have been a lot happier if the Allure didn't pass them the first time. The fact that the Allure passes these boats/rafts and other ships don't rely on the passengers to spot rafts/boats is concerning. Perhaps the crew on the Allure needs some additional training. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dz9yvr Posted October 3, 2014 #19 Share Posted October 3, 2014 You've been really cranky about Royal Caribbean as of late. Something crawl up your robe? ;) Not cranky, but I'm not an RCL cheerleader. And yes, you are correct, I was wearing my robe on Deck 15 as I watched the Allure go back for the raft/boat. Always a good day relaxing in my robe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matj2000 Posted October 3, 2014 #20 Share Posted October 3, 2014 We had the same situation on our Aug 3 Allure cruise. The crew on the bridge of the Allure did not see the raft/boat and the passengers had to call and tell them there were people in the water. I would hope RCCL can look into some additional training for the bridge crew so they don't miss small craft in the water. Maybe you should put your suggestion in a letter to the cruise line. They can probably take some sort of correspondence class to learn new skills. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baggal Posted October 3, 2014 #21 Share Posted October 3, 2014 In November 2005 on a Celebrity Western Caribbean itinerary on our way back to Miami, where you can see Cuba in the distance, the ship came upon 6 Cuban refugees in what I would call the equivalent of a child's inflatable swimming pool bobbing in the sea. Surprisingly to me at the time - they waved us off. But, there was a small child with the group of adults and the captain sent a tender to pick them up on humanitarian grounds. I thought there would be a riot on the ship as many passengers knew that they would be returned to Cuba. In any case, the Coast Guard came about 11 p.m. to pick up the adults, using a cage-type apparatus that slid down a wire from the ship to the Coast Guard boat. No tenders were used. The child was left on the ship and was released to immigration officials in Miami. Heartbreaking. At dinner that night, our waiter told us that on this itinerary they find empty "boats" ALL THE TIME. The Cubans try to get out to open water past Cuban jurisdiction any way they can and then they wait, sometimes for days, for smugglers to come by and pick them up in speedboats and try to get them to land in the U.S. Everyone in Cuba knows that if caught, they'll be returned to Cuba. For them, its worth the enormous risks. Heartbreaking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klfhngr Posted October 3, 2014 #22 Share Posted October 3, 2014 Thank you for saving these peoples lives, but unfortunately they were returned to Cuba. It's simply the law, but you did a really good thing. wAh Wah! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sitzmark Posted October 3, 2014 #23 Share Posted October 3, 2014 On Aug 9, the Allure passed a raft/boat in the middle of the afternoon. If the Allure is passing rafts that are close enough to hear the occupants voices, it must be very close. The refugees would have been a lot happier if the Allure didn't pass them the first time. The fact that the Allure passes these boats/rafts and other ships don't rely on the passengers to spot rafts/boats is concerning. Perhaps the crew on the Allure needs some additional training. That's great, the article that was referred to in this thread though specifies that it occurred at 00:30 AM which is 12:30 in the morning, so I stand corrected, however it's still not the afternoon. So we have two incidents here, one in the middle of the night, and yours of which I had not heard of until just now when I read your post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiserdudebobby8 Posted October 4, 2014 #24 Share Posted October 4, 2014 it happened on allure August 16 too Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquahound Posted October 4, 2014 #25 Share Posted October 4, 2014 GOOD JOB!!!! But the questions should be. Were they Quarantined? What precautions were taken by the crew? Masks and gloves or protective clothing, was it used? NOT TO START ANYTHING, but but but.............Anybody sick?.............................RADICAL The Allure did not rescue them. The USCG did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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