BOUDICCA fire

[so,ton saint]

notice bbc web site fire on cruise ship ,turned out to be fred,s boudicca thankfully no one hurt and limping to lanzarote

[geezer466]

These things are probably more frequent that we realize..

 

Fractured derv fuel line leaking onto a hot exhaust manifold for example. With x numbers of engines it means more fuel lines and more exhausts and more engineers running round with the oily rags and spanners tightening things up and keeping it all tickety boo. Law of averages and all that.

 

The crew and passengers were probably brought to muster stations simply as a precaution in case the standard drill in things like this fails to work.

 

The Italian Costa disaster means the topic is newsworthy hence the fact it was reported.

 

Good training for the crew and hotel staff though. Nothing focuses the mind in how to be efficient in doing the thing for real.

[so,ton saint]

i think your right geeser,not showng my age my muster station on old QUEEN MARY was the working and stand by of the water tight door in the working ally way, and boat deck on cruise ship ANDES,as we know the worst thing at sea is fire

[stevedeccaman]

These things are probably more frequent that we realize..

 

Fractured derv fuel line leaking onto a hot exhaust manifold for example. With x numbers of engines it means more fuel lines and more exhausts and more engineers running round with the oily rags and spanners tightening things up and keeping it all tickety boo. Law of averages and all that.

 

The crew and passengers were probably brought to muster stations simply as a precaution in case the standard drill in things like this fails to work.

 

The Italian Costa disaster means the topic is newsworthy hence the fact it was reported.

 

Good training for the crew and hotel staff though. Nothing focuses the mind in how to be efficient in doing the thing for real.

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Fred Olsen spokeswoman Rachael Jackson said at no point were holidaymakers asked to don life jackets or gather at muster stations, as the situation was contained by crew members.:cool:

[geezer466]

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Fred Olsen spokeswoman Rachael Jackson said at no point were holidaymakers asked to don life jackets or gather at muster stations, as the situation was contained by crew members.:cool:

 

Yet in the BBC report is says..

 

Gavin Poole, from Wimbledon, south London, said his parents, who are in their 70s, texted him in the early hours of the morning.

 

"The texts said, 'no engines, fire in the engine room, there's smoke, we're in life jackets and the captain says everything is under control'," he said.

 

"I spoke to my parents a bit later at 07:30 BST and they were in their cabin still in their life jackets. The fire was out, but half of the ship had power and the other half didn't, and it was listing."

 

Someone is telling fibs then..

 

And if the fire was damaging enough to cause the ship to list (suspect loss of power to the pumps which adjust the trim) then maybe they should have called everyone to muster.

 

All very well not alarming the passengers in things like this by calling an emergency but vital time was lost in getting half the lifeboats down because the ship listed to far in the Costa disaster.

 

Not a criticism of Olsen as we are not in possession of all the facts. We shall have to wait for the official report.

[geomagot]

we have been on dream during an engine fire (caribbean 2010) we (and many others) gathered at muster stations with our lifejackets...although we hadn’t been told too do so at this stage?

 

we knew there was a problem as lots of codes? and cryptic messages were being delivered from the bridge over the tanoy sytem late at night

 

when i saw the fire screen doors closing and a fire team descending the stairs in breathing apparatus I made the decision off my own back to gather my family on the lifeboat deck anyway...we weren't alone

 

in the event the ship was never in any danger

 

captain also said everything was under control ....eventually we were given the all clear and told to go back to bed (rest in peace?...actual words spoken by captain roy)

Edited January 25, 2015 by geomagot

[majortom10]

I am sorry but I would not believe BBC and cannot understand the logic of any passenger donning thier life jacket and going to muster stations unless instructed to by the cruise company officers onboard it is a total over reaction and could cause more panic and problems for the cruise staff.

Edited January 25, 2015 by majortom10

[geomagot]

and cannot understand the logic of any passenger donning thier life jacket and going to muster stations

 

really...cant you!

 

imagine.... its midnight, you are in the middle of the ocean...an urgent (very urgent sounding voice) comes over the tanoy system announcing various codes that have meaning only to the crew

 

you see the band throw their instruments onto the stage mid song and disappear down the stairs very closely followed by the bar waiters (who incidentaly leave the bar fully open and free for anyone to help themselves)

 

a call is made to close fire doors .... these doors duly close in front of you as you are moving through the corridors (operated from the bridge)

 

a call is made for all officers to report to the engine control room

 

you peer out of your cabin to see a large fire crew descending the stairs in full breathing apparatus

 

your elderly mother in law and 2 of your children are in another cabin elsewhere on the ship?

 

you take a little walk upto the lifeboat deck only to notice that it is filling up with crew in lifejackets, warm clothing and clutching their rosaries

 

various alarm calls and messages continue to be relayed across the ships tanoy system

 

numerous worried looking passengers are milling about (some in tears)

 

the ship is noticeably listing?

 

and you would happily leave your family sleeping in another part of the ship and go back to bed.... really!:rolleyes:

Edited January 25, 2015 by geomagot

[CRUISIN LINDA]

Well said geo, it must have been terrifying.

[geezer466]

I am sorry but I would not believe BBC and cannot understand the logic of any passenger donning thier life jacket and going to muster stations unless instructed to by the cruise company officers onboard it is a total over reaction and could cause more panic and problems for the cruise staff.

 

The Cruise Company and the Ships Officers are two different entity's.

 

Most cruise firms lease their ships from the Company's which own them and they are crewed by employees of that firm.

 

Any so called cruise officers on board are still under the direction and command of the Captain of the vessel.

 

Life (and history) tells us if you are going to be in a panic situation then it pays to panic early.....

 

I completely understand the worry's of those people who took the foresight to don lifejackets, assemble their family and head to the lifeboat decks.

 

If the emergency had turned into a full scale disaster they would already be winching down in the boats whilst others were scrabbling round their cabins (very possibly in the dark from power outages) trying to don warm clothes and find a pair of shoes.

[Sheila49]

really...cant you!

 

imagine.... its midnight, you are in the middle of the ocean...an urgent (very urgent sounding voice) comes over the tanoy system announcing various codes that have meaning only to the crew

 

you see the band throw their instruments onto the stage mid song and disappear down the stairs very closely followed by the bar waiters (who incidentaly leave the bar fully open and free for anyone to help themselves)

 

a call is made to close fire doors .... these doors duly close in front of you as you are moving through the corridors (operated from the bridge)

 

a call is made for all officers to report to the engine control room

 

you peer out of your cabin to see a large fire crew descending the stairs in full breathing apparatus

 

your elderly mother in law and 2 of your children are in another cabin elsewhere on the ship?

 

you take a little walk upto the lifeboat deck only to notice that it is filling up with crew in lifejackets, warm clothing and clutching their rosaries

 

various alarm calls and messages continue to be relayed across the ships tanoy system

 

numerous worried looking passengers are milling about (some in tears)

 

the ship is noticeably listing?

 

and you would happily leave your family sleeping in another part of the ship and go back to bed.... really!:rolleyes:

 

Had an almost identical experience at the sailaway on the first night of our first cruise on the Dream from Palma including the scary sight of the band throwing down their instruments and the bar being abandoned!:eek: (and yes, people were helping themselves to drinks!) This was in the days before the drill was done before sailing so we hadn't a clue what was going on but the staff returned wearing lifejackets and advised us to proceed to the promenade deck and not to return to our cabins. Fortunately we didn't have a MIL or kids with us! We were given lifejackets from those big boxes on the prom deck which were easier to fasten than the ones in the cabins. The worst thing was we still had to do the drill the next morning.:(

[geomagot]

yes.. its a dillemma (when in that situation) we all knew there was a problem (there were lots of clues that there was a potentially serious problem?)

 

the dillemma is...you have to take a leap of faith and put all your trust in one man? the captain, only he can instruct people what to do? and everyone must follow only the captains instructions (no-one elses)

 

its not easy (in that situation) to just carry on drinking/sleeping/dancing/whatever untill the captain tells you that you have to do something?

 

in our situation the captain didnt make any announcements at all throughout...until it was all over when he informed us that the problem was minor and under control

 

without any instruction? people dont know what is best to do?... most people dont want to panic and make any situation worse but most people are, by this time, aware that something is very wrong?

 

the lack of information can then become the problem in itself... the crew are trained in crowd control, they know what the problem is and probably how potentially serious it is, but they are not allowed to tell passengers anything, they tell you to just carry on with whatever you were doing until told otherwise (yeah right!...we all said in unison)

 

when you see the crew assembling with their lifejackets and are not being very forthcoming with any information? in this situation most people would start to formulate some sort of plan of action for themselves

 

in the event, no-one did panic, people calmly donned their lifejackets and quietly assembled near the lifeboats (as the safety drill instructs us to do) trying to keep out of the way of the crew that had various jobs to do... people were upset yes, there were children in their pj's clutching teddy, ashen faced groups of friends trying to stay together, the crew were very efficient, highly trained, but they too were ashen faced and waiting for instructions (coded instructions)

 

the problem may have been minor and quickly brought under control (as was in our case) but we didnt know that

 

so I say too those people that set out to dodge the (cumpolsary) safety drill (and I have met a few who regularly do this) dont miss it! yes its a little inconvenient, a waste of valuable holiday time, but one day you may well wish you had attended and paid more attention, it could save not only your life! but prevent you from putting the lives/safety of others at risk as well

 

.

[Julessmiles]

Well, I am certainly very impressed with the way that FO have handled this situation. By the sounds if things they kept their passengers well informed & advised of what was happening & they are being completely open & honest now with the Media & concerned future travellers. They are also sending staff from their Head office to meet with passengers onboard when they dock in Tenerfie (revised itinerary).

 

I was also most impressed with the safety drills both times we have sailed with Fred on mini cruises & have also seen fire drills even on the mini cruise.

Edited January 26, 2015 by Julessmiles

[gbsailer]

I agree with Julessmiles, I was on the cruise before Boudicca's latest cruise and it had the most comprehensive lifeboat drill of any ship I have been on. It was given before the ship sailed and although we were standing outside in the freezing cold around 5.00 p.m. I did not hear any complaints.

This cruise also stopped at Tenerife and Fred Olsen Jnr. who lives on the island, came on board for lunch, not read any reports that he went to the ship after the mishap !

Edited January 29, 2015 by gbsailer
spelling mistake

[Julessmiles]

Sounds even better now! FO are flying everyone back to Southampton today; giving all passengers 100% refund AND offering 50% discount off any future 2015/16 cruises booked.

 

Customer Service at it's best - making a bad situation a lot better.

 

http://media.fredolsencruises.com/pressreleases/boudicca-update-1109305

[so,ton saint]

Sounds even better now! FO are flying everyone back to Southampton today; giving all passengers 100% refund AND offering 50% discount off any future 2015/16 cruises booked.

 

Customer Service at it's best - making a bad situation a lot better.

 

http://media.fredolsencruises.com/pressreleases/boudicca-update-1109305

 

had all our pax,s on different air craft but every one was reunited by 21 30 with there car,s not every one was happy as we had people seperated on different aircraft, but hey-ho every one home safe, TOM to the rescue with two B737 to bournmouth and three aircraft from a spanish airline to so,ton, the very last aircraft came in at 23-30 to bournmouth but the pax,s were for ABP the only confusion was drop of of people at SO,TON rail station and coach station QUEEN ELIZABETH TERMINAL and OCEAN TERMINAL by the coach driver,s . anyway every one in good spirit and glad to be back.