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NCL Star Propulsion Problems

Ron_L

By Ron_L,
in Norwegian Cruise Line

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Heartgrove

Heartgrove

Posted
Posted (edited)
My feeling about the pod problems is that the demand for size/power has always exceeded the metallurgical design of the thrust bearings. And the design of the early pods that do not allow bearing change from inside was a major mistake. The bearings are getting better but failures still happen.

 

I believe that is one of the improvements with the new XO design. The advantage to an azipod is that the builder can eliminate the rudder and stern thrusters. When I was aboard ship, I can remember having to check the shaft alleys every half hour while on watch. These were in a watertight compartment for obvious reasons. The azipod doesn't require this.

 

But with regards to the current technology, it may be pushing the design limit to only have two units where perhaps three would be better. The Queen Mary 2 for example weighs approximately 54K tons more (roughly 1/3 more) than the Star but has four Mermaid azipods. Part of that is the QM2 was built for year-round crossings as opposed to just cruising. The Mermaid units are 21,500kW x4 in capacity compared to the Star's ABB units of 19,500kW x2.

 

Other companies do have issues as well. HAL customers have reported vibration problems with the two Signature-class ships - but no failures.

 

It does look promising for sailing tomorrow though!

Edited by Heartgrove
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chengkp75

chengkp75

Posted
Posted
I believe that is one of the improvements with the new XO design. The advantage to an azipod is that the builder can eliminate the rudder and stern thrusters. When I was aboard ship, I can remember having to check the shaft alleys every half hour while on watch. These were in a watertight compartment for obvious reasons. The azipod doesn't require this.

 

But with regards to the current technology, it may be pushing the design limit to only have two units where perhaps three would be better. The Queen Mary 2 for example weighs approximately 54K tons more (roughly 1/3 more) than the Star but has four Mermaid azipods. Part of that is the QM2 was built for year-round crossings as opposed to just cruising. The Mermaid units are 21,500kW x4 in capacity compared to the Star's ABB units of 19,500kW x2.

 

Other companies do have issues as well. HAL customers have reported vibration problems with the two Signature-class ships - but no failures.

 

It does look promising for sailing tomorrow though!

 

Yes,the XO pods allow bearing repair without drydocking, but those ships with the older V podscannot upgrade to XO.

 

While rounds of all engine spaces, not just the shaft alley, are sound engineering, most modern ships have sufficient automation to allow unattended operation, where there is no one at all in the engine room for up to 16 hours a day. So manual rounds of either shaft ally or pod is not required.

 

Actually, the Mermaid pods have had more problems than the ABB pods.

 

One of the more high profile ABB V pod failures was RCI Allure that had to design a "partial" drydocking in Freeport, since no dock in this hemisphere could lift the ship.

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Heartgrove

Heartgrove

Posted
Posted

Yes, I agree that it would be cost prohibitive as well to retro-fit to the XO design. I'm sure that the problem will be overcome by the engineers. I am also aware that the Mermaid has a worse track record with multi-million dollar payouts to cruise lines for failures.

 

The ship that I was on was from the WWII-era. We thankfully have come further with technology than then! Technology has allowed prices overall to go down and create a mass-market for the cruising industry. I like that part as I enjoy being at sea. :)

 

Fingers crossed for a sail-away tomorrow!

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zonacruiser25

zonacruiser25

Posted
Posted
I believe that is one of the improvements with the new XO design. The advantage to an azipod is that the builder can eliminate the rudder and stern thrusters. When I was aboard ship, I can remember having to check the shaft alleys every half hour while on watch. These were in a watertight compartment for obvious reasons. The azipod doesn't require this.

 

But with regards to the current technology, it may be pushing the design limit to only have two units where perhaps three would be better. The Queen Mary 2 for example weighs approximately 54K tons more (roughly 1/3 more) than the Star but has four Mermaid azipods. Part of that is the QM2 was built for year-round crossings as opposed to just cruising. The Mermaid units are 21,500kW x4 in capacity compared to the Star's ABB units of 19,500kW x2.

 

Other companies do have issues as well. HAL customers have reported vibration problems with the two Signature-class ships - but no failures.

 

It does look promising for sailing tomorrow though!

 

I can thank the design of the US submarines that we never had a shaft seat problem! In all my years on boats it was never an issue. I am glad we never looked to NCL for design advice!

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chengkp75

chengkp75

Posted
Posted (edited)
I can thank the design of the US submarines that we never had a shaft seat problem! In all my years on boats it was never an issue. I am glad we never looked to NCL for design advice!

 

On the other hand, the "gray funnel line" never has to show a profit.

 

And, as I said, the most common reason for a seal failure is "ingestion" of fishing equipment.

Edited by chengkp75
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Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

Posted
Posted (edited)
On the other hand, the "gray funnel line" never has to show a profit.

 

And, as I said, the most common reason for a seal failure is "ingestion" of fishing equipment.

 

Hello,

 

Greatly appreciate all of your knowledge on this topic. Hope the people get to go on their cruise today. We are on a December cruise on the NCL Star. Thank you and have a great day! Thank you for your service. I salute you!!!

Edited by Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
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Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

Posted
Posted
Yes, I agree that it would be cost prohibitive as well to retro-fit to the XO design. I'm sure that the problem will be overcome by the engineers. I am also aware that the Mermaid has a worse track record with multi-million dollar payouts to cruise lines for failures.

 

The ship that I was on was from the WWII-era. We thankfully have come further with technology than then! Technology has allowed prices overall to go down and create a mass-market for the cruising industry. I like that part as I enjoy being at sea. :)

 

Fingers crossed for a sail-away tomorrow!

 

Hope you have a great cruise. Thank you for all of your valuable input. I salute you too!

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susique

susique

Posted
Posted
Thanks for everyone's input on this thread! Looks like we sail today!!! :)

 

Brandon Girl,

 

Your handle gave me fond memories. I lived in Clair Mel area and was a graduate of Brandon High School Class of 1969. I will also be traveling to Tampa on 11/06/15 to board the Star. Have a wonderful cruise.

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Minimarkel

Minimarkel

Posted
Posted

What a fiasco. Sunday was taken up with standing in line. Breakfast at 7.00 am and the next meal was at 04.30 pm, at the Marriott Hotel. The hotel were not geared up to look after so many guests with the few members of staff they called in. At least they distributed bottles of water as you stood to find out if a room was allocated to you. Many of the passengers had to be transported to other hotels in Tampa as the Marriott could only take so many guests. Could not guess when their day ended. What was absent throughout? A representative from NCL. They just seemed to want you off the Star as soon as they could.

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sjbdtz

sjbdtz

Posted
Posted
What was absent throughout? A representative from NCL. They just seemed to want you off the Star as soon as they could.

 

They were probably busy trying to find other hotels to accommodate people.

 

.

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bajathree

bajathree

Posted
Posted (edited)

Yea....didn't look fun yesterday....long lines of passengers waiting for buses and confused passengers on the phone trying to figure things out. Passengers were still around the port well into the afternoon. But it did look as though they had things fairly organized. There has been moment at the port through the night and the ship is currently getting stocked up.

Edited by bajathree
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jkspringtexas

jkspringtexas

Posted
Posted

NCL handled the situation in an excellent manner! We were not rushed to leave the ship, had a quick time getting thru customs and immigration and shuttle busses were waiting to take us to the Marriott. The check in line moved quickly and we were in our room within 20 minutes with our $100.00 per person hotel vouchers in hand.

 

Yes, it's true about 100 passengers were not accommodated at the waterfront location, but shuttles and transportation representatives were right there to make sure those folks were able to get to their hotel.

 

NCL had representatives from their Care Team in the lobby all day to help everyone. Dinner was going to be a challenge since the restaurant was quickly reserved and the alternative was a large sports bar or lobby bar. However, Marriott stepped up and quickly organized a dinner buffet so all passengers could have dinner.

 

We haven't been down stairs this morning yet so can't comment about how things are going. Checkout isn't until noon and shuttles to the airport are supposed to run every 15 minutes.

 

Again, thank you NCL and Marriott for taking great care of us.

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bitsey66

bitsey66

Posted
Posted

So, is she up and running normally now? :confused: We board in 13 days!!!

What happens when a ship is unable to sail?? Better question....What happens if this propulsion thingy fails in the middle of the ocean???:eek::confused:

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DGP1111

DGP1111

Posted
Posted
Yea....didn't look fun yesterday....long lines of passengers waiting for buses and confused passengers on the phone trying to figure things out. Passengers were still around the port well into the afternoon. But it did look as though they had things fairly organized. There has been moment at the port through the night and the ship is currently getting stocked up.

 

I spent most of my weekend in Tampa, and enjoyed watching all the 'stuff' going on at Channelside and the terminals. Observing the diving operation was pretty cool . . . as the whole process is foreign to me. While watching I kept up with some of the CC posts (including your own) which helped out.

Was sort of like having closed captioning going on for what I was actually looking at. :)

 

.

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