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Carnival Liberty repairs underway

OKC Cruisers

By OKC Cruisers,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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bamaparrotheads

bamaparrotheads

Posted
Posted
Looks like they are staging down equipment now.

 

Just saw the CBP agent with his dog get into a bit of a discussion with the boat operator about his ID, not sure what's going on there.

 

The "bondo" that someone mentioned last night may have been a ceramic backer that prevents air from contaminating the weld. I've seen this used where the backside isn't accessible (like in critical piping, etc.), but its never been spread on, and again, haven't seen this on hull welding before. Will require some research, learn something new every day.

 

Could it be Solar (Soda) Flux?

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chengkp75

chengkp75

Posted
Posted (edited)
Could it be Solar (Soda) Flux?

 

Haven't heard of that. They do seem to be doing some production seal welding on the exterior now.

 

Just looked at it, looks like its for stainless and high nickel content. He may have been applying a ceramic backing tape and using a broad knife to smooth it. Would explain the wide band of paint removal around the cut.

Edited by chengkp75
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chengkp75

chengkp75

Posted
Posted
Just curious - is the USCG the final authority on whether the ship is seaworthy or not?

 

Yes and no. For a foreign flag ship, and a straightforward insert like this, they normally work with the class surveyor and the surveyor normally does the nitty-gritty of the inspections. USCG could be difficult, but their inspectors at the ports are not as well trained as the class surveyors in ship construction. The class surveyor is bonded, and personally certifies the ship as seaworthy.

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The4Cruisers

The4Cruisers

Posted
Posted

Watching them again today... it's really interesting!

 

Mad props to the guys on the little barge that are welding and grinding while moving up and down with the water. That takes a special touch!

 

I wonder if they sent someone to the local Wal Mart to buy 12 cans of white spray paint? :D

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The4Cruisers

The4Cruisers

Posted
Posted

Looks like they're done with the hole in the ship. The little barge and the jon boat have both pulled away from the work area.

 

But , now the guys on the little barge are back and removing the eyehooks from the side of the ship.

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Texasopa

Texasopa

Posted
Posted

I was there yesterday when she left port. Kinda surprised she was escorted by 2 USCG boats. Here is a video I took of her departure. Notice the Tugboat pulling her away. I muted the audio, as I had my 6 yr old grandson asking a lot of questions.

 

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moongal

moongal

Posted
Posted

Why is it being tugged? Was it not fixed? When will it be permanently fixed? Doesn't sound like it was fixed at all if it has to be towed??? I'm booked on this ship in early July, which is why I am worrying about it being broken still.

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Thorncroft

Thorncroft

Posted
Posted
Why is it being tugged? Was it not fixed? When will it be permanently fixed? Doesn't sound like it was fixed at all if it has to be towed??? I'm booked on this ship in early July, which is why I am worrying about it being broken still.

 

The old motor was removed and the new one loaded on to the ship. It will be a few days before the new motor is installed and working. By July you should be good.

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marygoldon

marygoldon

Posted
Posted

Will this ship be deemed safe!??? My trip is 6/9 to Cozumel.

 

Who and when will this be authorized?

 

I do not want to get stuck in the GOM like those poor people last year!

I DON'T WANT TUG BOATS! I want a nice cruise ship for $1600!!!!!

 

CARNIVAL, YOU NEED TO SEND US ALL A LETTER ASSURING US OF OUR SAFETY - WE ARE LEAVING CHILDREN AND PETS AT HOME ON A SIMPLE 5 DAY CRUISE.

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RuthlessBoss

RuthlessBoss

Posted
Posted
Will this ship be deemed safe!??? My trip is 6/9 to Cozumel.

 

Who and when will this be authorized?

 

I do not want to get stuck in the GOM like those poor people last year!

I DON'T WANT TUG BOATS! I want a nice cruise ship for $1600!!!!!

 

CARNIVAL, YOU NEED TO SEND US ALL A LETTER ASSURING US OF OUR SAFETY - WE ARE LEAVING CHILDREN AND PETS AT HOME ON A SIMPLE 5 DAY CRUISE.

 

If the ship wasn't safe, would they have sailed with all those people:eek:

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RuthlessBoss

RuthlessBoss

Posted
Posted
Will this ship be deemed safe!??? My trip is 6/9 to Cozumel.

 

Who and when will this be authorized?

 

I do not want to get stuck in the GOM like those poor people last year!

I DON'T WANT TUG BOATS! I want a nice cruise ship for $1600!!!!!

 

CARNIVAL, YOU NEED TO SEND US ALL A LETTER ASSURING US OF OUR SAFETY - WE ARE LEAVING CHILDREN AND PETS AT HOME ON A SIMPLE 5 DAY CRUISE.

 

If the ship wasn't safe, would they have sailed with all those people:eek:

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chengkp75

chengkp75

Posted
Posted
I was there yesterday when she left port. Kinda surprised she was escorted by 2 USCG boats. Here is a video I took of her departure. Notice the Tugboat pulling her away. I muted the audio, as I had my 6 yr old grandson asking a lot of questions.

 

 

That is a fairly common occurrence of the USCG Sea Marshals escorting a passenger ship within the confines of the port. How often it is done, depends a bit on the MarSec (Maritime Security) level (which doesn't change much) and a lot on the budget of the USCG CotP (Captain of the Port) district. Sometimes this escort by armed RHIB boats will also entail placing 5-6 armed USCG onboard the ship, some on the bridge and some in the Engine Control Room.

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chengkp75

chengkp75

Posted
Posted
Why is it being tugged? Was it not fixed? When will it be permanently fixed? Doesn't sound like it was fixed at all if it has to be towed??? I'm booked on this ship in early July, which is why I am worrying about it being broken still.

 

It is not "being towed". The tug is assisting in moving the ship sideways, which is what the malfunctioning thruster does. It only affects docking and undocking, and ships that don't have bow and stern thrusters use tugs every day. Carnival is using the tugs to replace the bow thruster until it gets fixed. The announced schedule, and one that I can agree with, having done this kind of repair before, is to be done by mid-June. Until then, they will use tugs at every port to dock and undock.

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momof3cruisers

momof3cruisers

Posted
Posted
Will this ship be deemed safe!??? My trip is 6/9 to Cozumel.

 

Who and when will this be authorized?

 

I do not want to get stuck in the GOM like those poor people last year!

I DON'T WANT TUG BOATS! I want a nice cruise ship for $1600!!!!!

 

CARNIVAL, YOU NEED TO SEND US ALL A LETTER ASSURING US OF OUR SAFETY - WE ARE LEAVING CHILDREN AND PETS AT HOME ON A SIMPLE 5 DAY CRUISE.

 

It's okay. It really is. The tugs are not going to tug the boat all over the gulf. It's just for docking and leaving port. The ship is safe and they have been using tugs in port for several cruises now. The part that is broken is not crucial, it just makes things easier.

 

Your cruise will be fine. Let it be relaxing and fun and let the captain worry about maneuvering into and out of port.

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chengkp75

chengkp75

Posted
Posted
Will this ship be deemed safe!??? My trip is 6/9 to Cozumel.

 

Who and when will this be authorized?

 

I do not want to get stuck in the GOM like those poor people last year!

I DON'T WANT TUG BOATS! I want a nice cruise ship for $1600!!!!!

 

CARNIVAL, YOU NEED TO SEND US ALL A LETTER ASSURING US OF OUR SAFETY - WE ARE LEAVING CHILDREN AND PETS AT HOME ON A SIMPLE 5 DAY CRUISE.

 

The ship has been operating without the thruster for a couple of weeks now, and every country it has visited, including the USCG, and the classification society (insurance underwriter) have deemed the ship perfectly safe and seaworthy.

 

If you are referring to the Triumph, that was 3 years ago. And there is a vast difference between an engine room fire and a bow thruster motor that has failed. One caused a catastrophic failure of ship's power, one is a system that is only used for docking and undocking, probably 3% of the total time of your cruise.

 

The tug left the ship immediately after it was pulled sideways away from the dock. It is not there for the whole cruise, it is not there to provide propulsion, and it is not there as an "emergency steering escort" needed if one steering system had failed. It is only there to replicate the thruster.

 

You will get "a nice cruise ship". If you weren't on deck looking on the offshore side of the ship towards the bow during the 1/2 hour or so while docking and undocking, you would never know the thruster wasn't working, nor that a tug was being used. It will have zero effect on your cruise.

 

Carnival no more needs to send out a notification of the "safety" of the ship, than they would every trip. I can understand concern for children, though more so if you felt unsafe and they were coming onboard. But pets? Really?

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doneinne

doneinne

Posted
Posted
Will this ship be deemed safe!??? My trip is 6/9 to Cozumel.

 

 

 

Who and when will this be authorized?

 

 

 

I do not want to get stuck in the GOM like those poor people last year!

 

I DON'T WANT TUG BOATS! I want a nice cruise ship for $1600!!!!!

 

 

 

CARNIVAL, YOU NEED TO SEND US ALL A LETTER ASSURING US OF OUR SAFETY - WE ARE LEAVING CHILDREN AND PETS AT HOME ON A SIMPLE 5 DAY CRUISE.

 

 

WOW!! I don't even know what to say. Maybe you should just stay home? It sounds like you are already getting your ducks in a row for the "I'm platinum and I want a refund" argument. Some people!!

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EdmundXXIII

EdmundXXIII

Posted
Posted
Will this ship be deemed safe!??? My trip is 6/9 to Cozumel.

 

 

 

Who and when will this be authorized?

 

 

 

I do not want to get stuck in the GOM like those poor people last year!

 

I DON'T WANT TUG BOATS! I want a nice cruise ship for $1600!!!!!

 

 

 

CARNIVAL, YOU NEED TO SEND US ALL A LETTER ASSURING US OF OUR SAFETY - WE ARE LEAVING CHILDREN AND PETS AT HOME ON A SIMPLE 5 DAY CRUISE.

 

 

The ship is safe and can travel under its own power. They are using tugs to help it in and out of ports to provide extra maneuverability. Even fully operational ships use tugs sometimes when docking, depending on the port and weather conditions.

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Thorncroft

Thorncroft

Posted
Posted
Will this ship be deemed safe!??? My trip is 6/9 to Cozumel.

 

Who and when will this be authorized?

 

I do not want to get stuck in the GOM like those poor people last year!

I DON'T WANT TUG BOATS! I want a nice cruise ship for $1600!!!!!

 

CARNIVAL, YOU NEED TO SEND US ALL A LETTER ASSURING US OF OUR SAFETY - WE ARE LEAVING CHILDREN AND PETS AT HOME ON A SIMPLE 5 DAY CRUISE.

 

♫♪♫ A three hour tour. A three hour tour. ♫♫♪ ;)

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pghsteelerfan

pghsteelerfan

Posted
Posted (edited)
Will this ship be deemed safe!??? My trip is 6/9 to Cozumel.

 

Who and when will this be authorized?

 

I do not want to get stuck in the GOM like those poor people last year!

I DON'T WANT TUG BOATS! I want a nice cruise ship for $1600!!!!!

 

CARNIVAL, YOU NEED TO SEND US ALL A LETTER ASSURING US OF OUR SAFETY - WE ARE LEAVING CHILDREN AND PETS AT HOME ON A SIMPLE 5 DAY CRUISE.

 

Ships are like automobiles and repairs will be needed from time to time, on every ship, due to normal wear and tear. If Liberty is not safe to sail, Carnival and the USCG will not allow her to.

 

As for the thruster/use of tug boats, it was never an issue when we were on Liberty last September. The thrusters help guide the ship's sideways motion to and from the pier and the tug boats were used as temporary substitutes to guide her in or away from the pier. On our cruise, the tug boats were used in St. Kitts. We saw the tug boats, but thought they were there just in case they were needed. A fellow passenger/friend sent me pictures of the tugboats helping Liberty to the pier the morning we arrived in St. Kitts and they basically just guided Liberty to the pier so she could be docked and tied. Otherwise, we never noticed any difference. As for being stranded in the middle of the ocean without power, that's why all of the Carnival ships now have back up generators now, including Liberty. I also have pictures of that generator.

 

If you're that concerned about leaving children and pets at home, then maybe a land vacation would be a better option. If you are that worried, you will be more concerned about what could go wrong to enjoy your cruise. There are many other things that can affect a cruise ship's schedule besides mechanical issues with the ship (weather, passenger medical emergencies at sea, etc., etc.).

Edited by pghsteelerfan
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