fire onboard Insignia

[OCruisers]

JRW (rubric) .... Thank you very much for giving us the details of that tragic day.

LuLu

[Floridiana]

 

 

Lessons learned? If it's valuable, put it in the cabin safe since that's all you get back in a situation like this. If there's a problem and you can leave the ship before it's evacuated, take a bag with a few more things than you'd normally take. Always leave your room clean and like someone else might need to pack it. Fare categories have no meaning when selecting your plastic lawn chair and bread sticks at the warehouse.

 

--- JRW

 

How true.

[globevest]

Background. The evening before the ‘Problem’ my wife and I were playing trivia and one of our team, sitting next to me was a lady. We chatted during the evening. I will call her Dr. S. She is a recently retired Army medical doctor and returned from Afghanistan about a year ago. She was a paratrooper and made 146 operational jumps in her career….repeat…146. Yet the above is not my story. That just provides the flavor. Read on….

 

Story. On the morning of the disaster while being evacuated from Insignia onto the Dockside (about 10.45 am) I spotted Dr.S, stethoscope round her neck, medical bag in hand, administering to an elderly disabled person. In the hot sun (while most passengers tried to shelter in the shade of a dockside building) I watched Dr. S go up and down the 100’s of passengers dealing with people with medical issues. I know of one person who had an asthma attack that Dr.S took care of. I was told (so speculation) that Dr.S gave CPR to a person who had a cardiac arrest and retrieved that person.

 

Dr.S was on the go for 2/3 hours on the dockside in the hot sun before they bussed us about 300/400 yards a covered dock Entrance/Departure building which had wooden benches with backs and plastic chairs but did not have air conditioning. It did have big fans on the walls and the temperature was a little more comfortable.. By this time Dr.S’s dark hair was matted down with perspiration and her clothes were looking a little worse for wear.

All day Dr. S continued to provide medical aid and comfort to passengers. The CD and other ships officers consulted with Dr. S all day. She saw me and asked how I was. She checked my heart for a condition I have, which she recognized immediately. As my meds were still onboard and I was many hours since my last dose, she read my meds list which I keep in my wallet, she took a very similar pill from here bag which I took and she gave me another for later. That took about 5/6 minutes and she was off taking care of others. While Dr.S was examining me I was able to ask a couple of questions…..YES she had volunteer to help sometime near the start of the Insignia problem. I don’t know if other passenger knew that Dr. S was herself a passenger but I doubt it.

 

The last time I saw Dr.S was at 10.50 pm when the bus I was on left the dockland heading to the airport….Watching Dr.S performing for those many many hours, made me forget my issues, my back ache, my sweating, my rumpled clothes, my minor minor issues. Watching Dr.S made me so very pleased that I had had the opportunity of meeting her for even so short a time. I will think of that wonderful, beautiful lady and hope our paths cross again….

[go sea]

Just to let everyone know, I'm on the Royal Princess now in St Lucia and the ship is still here in port.Does not appear to have any power. No smoke out of the stacks

[Minoushka]

About an hour after given the clearance to go ashore at St. Lucia, the power shut off, most remarkable as the ventilation fans went quiet. There was a call of "Code Bravo" over the PA system in our cabin. You know, the PA system that means something serious. A bit later, the Captain's calm voice reported a small fire, nothing serious. We took him at his word.

 

To get off the ship, they manually wrote down cabin numbers since computers require electricity.

 

We walked around St. Lucia for a bit, dodging cab drivers soliciting fares: in St. Lucia, the taxi hails you. Just before 11:00, came back to check for a status update to find an ambulance and EMTs furiously working on someone.

 

The update: we are working on the problem. Some passengers taking them at their word waited outside forward for the problem to be resolved. Meanwhile, aft, someone was dying.

 

Decided to leave and walk about as we waited. Returned at 4:00, where we took them up on what was being presented as an "option" to wait at the ferry terminal. The terminal is a big warehouse with two big rooms. Got there too late for the food, so we had bread sticks, cookie crumbs, and bottled water.

 

I mentioned the two big rooms, right? At first, announcements were made in the room on the left, so the right-roomers kind of missed a lot of information updates. Kudos to the General Manager and "blue shirts" who got things running more efficiently as the night went on.

 

After sitting on plastic lawn chairs in a warehouse for almost 10 hours, surviving on bread and water, we boarded busses to the main St. Lucia airport. Much like the warehouse experience, the airport food ran out before I got there.

 

Miami was pretty organized. We got a hotel room even though Oceania had already booked a same-day flight.

 

Arrived home in Ottawa, Canada at 9:00 p.m. on Friday, about 30 hours after being sent to the ferry terminal (warehouse) and about 36 hours after leaving the Insignia for the last time with the shirt on my back.

 

Lessons learned? If it's valuable, put it in the cabin safe since that's all you get back in a situation like this. If there's a problem and you can leave the ship before it's evacuated, take a bag with a few more things than you'd normally take. Always leave your room clean and like someone else might need to pack it. Fare categories have no meaning when selecting your plastic lawn chair and bread sticks at the warehouse.

 

--- JRW

 

 

All I can say is thank god you are home .Im sure this was a difficult siruation for all concerned.knowing about what happened to 3people and then having to deal with no clothes to head back home ..my heart goes out to all of you.reading a bootom posters tale of a Dr .i can only say thank God for people like that ...who step up to the plate when called upon

Kudos to all brave people who helped out

 

Will you get your luggage back ?

Who was the person in the water ...how did that happen

It sounds like chaos yet I thought most pax were already gone for the day ...what a shock to no longer be able to board

I know when i go for the day i carry minimum $$$ ,no credit cards ,only a copy of my passport and the clothes on my back ..and flipflops...how many did the same that day ...wow ....how did they get home ? I can only imagine the difficulties ...no winter clothes to speak of to head backto nordic climes

 

My heart goes out to all of you ....

[HeatherInFlorida]

I am in awe of all of you who are posting our experiences and Globevest, when I finished the account of Dr. S, I had tears in my eyes. People like this are who keep my faith in humanity.

 

Buggins, your attitude is amazing. I so hope your husband is okay and I'm saying a little prayer for both of you.

 

One last bit of personal trivia before I hit the sack.

 

We left CMH on Sat 6th Dec to fly JFK then San Juan. At CMH plane had problems and was withdrawn from service. We were switched to CMH to MIA flight for connection MIA to SJU. Luggage was supposed to be switched.

Arrived in SJU 3 am 7th Dec with no luggage. Luggage was in JFK but eventually got to ship 1 hour before sailing. While the luggage was in JFK with no certainty it would get to the the ship my wife said to me "I hope this is not an omen for this trip".

 

Arrive home tonight...no luggage. I have traveled a lot for 45 years and never before have I lost luggage in both directions :cool:

 

I had to laugh at this ... next time when your wife says she hopes something isn't an omen, you might consider canceling the rest of the trip!!!:)

[computerworks]

Just to let everyone know, I'm on the Royal Princess now in St Lucia and the ship is still here in port.Does not appear to have any power. No smoke out of the stacks

 

One blown engine.. a fire down below that had smoke pouring out topside.

 

That ship will be off the grid for a long while.

[smilin jack]

Globevest...What a wonderful story. I have known some Doctors that just wouldn't get involved...Dr. S is a real Doctor!

[luv2travel100]

globevest, thanks for posting that stirring tribute to Dr S. Yes, humanity is filled with wonderful, caring people who all too often are ignored by the media and the rest of us. Glad you and the other passengers came out ok. But so sorry to learn of the fatalities.

[china addict]

I am so moved by this story and in awe of Dr. S's selfless and compassionate actions. Kudos to her. Isn't it strange that the world is filled with silent heroes and a few vocal complainers? My heart aches for the loved ones of those who lost their lives. I applaud the passengers, crew and Oceania staff who handled this terrible tragedy as best they could under difficult circumstances. It was a harrowing experience they will never forget.

[globevest]

Heather.."I had to laugh at this ... next time when your wife says she hopes something isn't an omen, you might consider canceling the rest of the trip!!!

 

We are booked on Riviera in Feb (my wife's birthday cruise) and I will be consulting her every day for 2 weeks before we go to see if she has any 'visions' before we go.:D

[Andy]

Hi Globevest,

 

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Dr S. is a true hero in every sense of the word. Wishing you and all of Insignia Guests and Crew all the best, after such a difficult experience.

[globevest]

Dr.S is a pretty good trivia player....good at medical questions and geography (she has traveled a bit...... lol).

P.S. Her husband (also on the trivia team) is not bad at sports questions... he is a retired NY Jets tight end.

[Andy]

About an hour after given the clearance to go ashore at St. Lucia, the power shut off, most remarkable as the ventilation fans went quiet. There was a call of "Code Bravo" over the PA system in our cabin. You know, the PA system that means something serious. A bit later, the Captain's calm voice reported a small fire, nothing serious. We took him at his word.

 

To get off the ship, they manually wrote down cabin numbers since computers require electricity.

 

We walked around St. Lucia for a bit, dodging cab drivers soliciting fares: in St. Lucia, the taxi hails you. Just before 11:00, came back to check for a status update to find an ambulance and EMTs furiously working on someone.

 

The update: we are working on the problem. Some passengers taking them at their word waited outside forward for the problem to be resolved. Meanwhile, aft, someone was dying.

 

Decided to leave and walk about as we waited. Returned at 4:00, where we took them up on what was being presented as an "option" to wait at the ferry terminal. The terminal is a big warehouse with two big rooms. Got there too late for the food, so we had bread sticks, cookie crumbs, and bottled water.

 

I mentioned the two big rooms, right? At first, announcements were made in the room on the left, so the right-roomers kind of missed a lot of information updates. Kudos to the General Manager and "blue shirts" who got things running more efficiently as the night went on.

 

After sitting on plastic lawn chairs in a warehouse for almost 10 hours, surviving on bread and water, we boarded busses to the main St. Lucia airport. Much like the warehouse experience, the airport food ran out before I got there.

 

Miami was pretty organized. We got a hotel room even though Oceania had already booked a same-day flight.

 

Arrived home in Ottawa, Canada at 9:00 p.m. on Friday, about 30 hours after being sent to the ferry terminal (warehouse) and about 36 hours after leaving the Insignia for the last time with the shirt on my back.

 

Lessons learned? If it's valuable, put it in the cabin safe since that's all you get back in a situation like this. If there's a problem and you can leave the ship before it's evacuated, take a bag with a few more things than you'd normally take. Always leave your room clean and like someone else might need to pack it. Fare categories have no meaning when selecting your plastic lawn chair and bread sticks at the warehouse.

 

--- JRW

 

Hi Rubric,

 

Thank you for sharing your insights with us. I'm glad you are home safely.

[Andy]

It's going to be another long night for me...DH had a seizure. He has had them in the past, but it's been a few years. He's resting now, but I'm keeping a watchful eye. They always seem to triggered with stress and lack of sleep. Miami Dade EMS rocks, as does the hotel security.

 

Hi Buggins0402,

 

Thank you for your insights. Wishing your DH a speedy recovery. Please keep us posted.

[LoveTheSouth]

My DH and 85 year old parents were on the Insignia and are happy to report that we got back home to NC, yesterday afternoon at around 5PM, safe and sound. We thought that the Oceania crew members and staff handled the ship evacuation, relocation of passengers and transportation back to Miami extremely well under the circumstances. They did their best to make us comfortable for the 12 + hours we sat in the ferry terminal. There were some complainers but also several people who volunteered to hand out food, juice, ice and water. Dissemination of information regarding plans for getting us home was a little slow, and it was frustrating not knowing how long we would be there, but IMHO Oceania handled this horrible event better than any other cruise line has handled problems in the past. We did not learn of the 3 deaths until we were on the plane to Miami, and it certainly put our minor discomforts in perspective. In Miami we were given very comfortable rooms at the Epic hotel and a generous allowance for lunch at the hotel restaurant. We were able to get to a store and buy some warmer clothing for the flight home.

 

This was not an ideal vacation and definitely not what we had planned but we are so thankful that the explosion and fire happened while we were docked and not at sea. Our thoughts and prayers are with the crew member and 2 contractors who lost their lives. As far as I know no passengers were ever in any danger, and while we wish we could have gone back on board to retrieve our own belongings, we understand that Oceania was putting our safety first, initially due to the toxicity of the air and then the darkness of the cabins and corridors. We feel that the offer of a full refund and 50% off a future cruise is very fair and we definitely plan to cruise on Oceania in the future.

 

Leigh Ann and Wayne

[LHT28]

What a wonderful story of Dr S

Hope she got some much deserved rest

 

There are wonderful people out there willing to step up & help out in a crisis & then there other the others

 

Hope everyone gets home safe

 

Lyn

 

P.S. heard from Buggins DH is doing better & they are moving hotels & spending a few days in Miami before heading North

Maybe she will have time to post later when settled in

[nana541]

I hope the story of Dr S and her hours of medical assistance to passengers gets to the attention of Oceania Management!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[computerworks]

I spotted Dr.S, stethoscope round her neck, medical bag in hand, administering to an elderly disabled person.….

 

Very cool... thanks for sharing.

[orchestrapal]

I hope the story of Dr S and her hours of medical assistance to passengers gets to the attention of Oceania Management!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

+1

there are heros in every situation and she certainly seems to be one.

[paradiseken]

Globevest, what a remarkable story and so well-written. You must be an author as your story read like it was out of a book. Kudos to you and Dr. S.!

[Wendy The Wanderer]

One blown engine.. a fire down below that had smoke pouring out topside.

 

That ship will be off the grid for a long while.

 

Ron, is this based on personal knowledge, or is this just speculation? I'm sure that the world cruisers are going to be wondering about their big adventure.

[computerworks]

Ron, is this based on personal knowledge, or is this just speculation? I'm sure that the world cruisers are going to be wondering about their big adventure.

 

Not personal at all... I guess speculation, but looking at it logically.

 

I truly hope the WC gang gets off...but I know what smoke damage can be like in a "ten-story" building...

 

...plus, if there was any kind of engine explosion...that's a big piece o'maintenance. :(

[cruisingxpert]

I hope the story of Dr S and her hours of medical assistance to passengers gets to the attention of Oceania Management!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

+2 I was thinking the same thing.

[Waynetor]

Can anyone that was on board at the time of the evacuation tell me if there was any back up power then and if not, how did those who not take the stairs get off the ship?