Grand injured

[MTJSR]

I noticed while onboard that these hydraulic tender platforms are just above sea level, so maybe it is leaking real bad in choppy seas??

[Colo Cruiser]

If I were booked on the December 20th cruise I would be concerned. They need to do temporary repairs in Hawaii and then move the ship to the scheduled dry dock in California. My guess is they can't cancel the dry dock. It seems having the ship ready for a December 20th sailing is in question.

 

 

Looks like a new Hydraulic cylinder will do the trick once they pull the door back into position.

[A&L_Ont]

The only real problem I have is to finish drinking the wine I brought on board, challenge accepted!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

That's the spirit, I know you can do it. Save the corks though, just in case you need to help stop the leak.:D

 

All joking aside safe travels back to port and back home, for all of you on the Grand. This trip has been and will be an adventure.

[CineGraphic]

Depending upon what the dry dock involved, perhaps they could get the interior part done enroute from Honolulu to Oregon since they will have an empty ship. Hopefully it all works out for you and the other Christmas passengers on the Grand. I'm guessing that Princess will do everything possible to ensure that your cruise isn't cancelled.

With all of the workmen, carpet, fabric, fixtures, etc...sitting back on the mainland waiting for the ship? I doubt it.

[Colo Cruiser]

Aboard the Grand right now, and its been interesting to say the least!

 

So far, there has been no word of whether the ship will be taking people back to San Fran. They seem to be trying to fly everyone back, unless someones heard otherwise.

 

Also, they say corporate is trying to book people flights back to their home address, even if its a foreign country. Already a lot of people are raising concerns, especially folks from Europe who were planning to continue traveling through(or stay in) America after this cruise. My parents in law are in a similar situation. Even though we wrote San Fran as our preferred airport of return on the cruise personalizer, they say their home address will be used.

 

The front desk folks are quite adamantly saying there is nothing they can do, that corporate will book flights back to the home address, and its up to us to refuse the flight, book another flight with our own money, and then ask corporate for compensation afterwards.

 

Anyone know if this is how things work? And if refunds will come through?

 

If nothing, I cant wait for the comedians act tonight and tomorrow :) And other than, you know, the ship taking in water, its been a pretty great cruise.

 

They are making flight arrangements so I doubt you will be heading back onboard.

You have not heard you are getting compensation?

You are onboard? Right?

I thought I read where someone posted earlier that everyone is getting a 50% refund and a future cruise credit as well?

Edited December 4, 2016 by Colo Cruiser

[Cruise Junky]

Not a good week for Princess. Wasn't someone on the pollution thread saying there were issues tendering in Maui? I think that was the Grand. Happy to see the compensation being offered.

[azbirdmom]

Aboard the Grand right now, and its been interesting to say the least!

 

So far, there has been no word of whether the ship will be taking people back to San Fran. They seem to be trying to fly everyone back, unless someones heard otherwise.

 

Also, they say corporate is trying to book people flights back to their home address, even if its a foreign country. Already a lot of people are raising concerns, especially folks from Europe who were planning to continue traveling through(or stay in) America after this cruise. My parents in law are in a similar situation. Even though we wrote San Fran as our preferred airport of return on the cruise personalizer, they say their home address will be used.

 

The front desk folks are quite adamantly saying there is nothing they can do, that corporate will book flights back to the home address, and its up to us to refuse the flight, book another flight with our own money, and then ask corporate for compensation afterwards.

 

Anyone know if this is how things work? And if refunds will come through?

 

If nothing, I cant wait for the comedians act tonight and tomorrow :) And other than, you know, the ship taking in water, its been a pretty great cruise.

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic, although I'm sure you wish it was under better circumstances. I'm sure others will weigh in but I'm guessing that your options are somewhat limited since it is a weekend. It's usually helpful to write to: customerrelations@princesscruises.com or posting on the Princess Facebook page can sometimes get quick attention. It might just be that things are a bit disorganized right now but I would hope that they would simply fly folks to SFO if they are willing to bear the costs from that point on. In the meantime, you might want to keep checking in with Passenger Services, the Captain's Circle rep, or if possible, the Hotel GM. Good luck to you!

[Colo Cruiser]

I doubt they will adjust the drydock, its been a long time coming.

I don't think this will affect any other cruises IMO.

[Host Jazzbeau]

The only real problem I have is to finish drinking the wine I brought on board, challenge accepted!

 

Bottoms Up! in this context is much more hopeful than the alternative from the pictures :eek:

[chengkp75]

Looks like a new Hydraulic cylinder will do the trick once they pull the door back into position.

 

Two days of hanging down in the sea may cause damage to the hinge bushings as well.

 

Regardless of what caused the rams to fail (and two of them did), you can disconnect the rams completely from the door when it is closed, because the locking rams will hold it in place, so the locking rams either failed or were opened at sea, or were never properly closed. Also, the fact that the closing rams are showing extended (the position they are in when the door is down in the platform position shows that something failed in the hydraulics, because in the static, no power position the system is in when not in use, the hydraulics lock those cylinders in whatever position they were last in.

 

And not to be testy, but "knots per hour" is repetitive, since a "knot" is a "nautical mile per hour", so that is a "nautical mile per hour per hour".

Edited December 4, 2016 by chengkp75

[triptolemus]

 

And not to be testy, but "knots per hour" is repetitive, since a "knot" is a "nautical mile per hour", so that is a "nautical mile per hour per hour".

 

When I saw "KPH" I thought that poster was referring to kilometers per hour.

[Colo Cruiser]

Two days of hanging down in the sea may cause damage to the hinge bushings as well.

 

Regardless of what caused the rams to fail (and two of them did), you can disconnect the rams completely from the door when it is closed, because the locking rams will hold it in place, so the locking rams either failed or were opened at sea, or were never properly closed. Also, the fact that the closing rams are showing extended (the position they are in when the door is down in the platform position shows that something failed in the hydraulics, because in the static, no power position the system is in when not in use, the hydraulics lock those cylinders in whatever position they were last in.

 

And not to be testy, but "knots per hour" is repetitive, since a "knot" is a "nautical mile per hour", so that is a "nautical mile per hour per hour".

 

 

Didn't think about the possible damage from the door moving while underway. Hopefully there is not a bunch of damage and its a fix that can be done without causing much more delay.

[p_mori7]

Didn't think about the possible damage from the door moving while underway. Hopefully there is not a bunch of damage and its a fix that can be done without causing much more delay.

 

A large tender platform like that must weigh several tons...having it swaying on it's hinges in the water for 2 more days & nights would make me very edgy if I were on board.

[triptolemus]

A large tender platform like that must weigh several tons...having it swaying on it's hinges in the water for 2 more days & nights would make me very edgy if I were on board.

 

They'll be lucky if the damn thing doesn't fall off altogether.

[rdsqrl]

If that door/platform/whatever it is is hanging down into the water, is there a danger of it coming loose/banging against the hull? I realize this may be a dumb question, as no doubt it's extremely heavy and thus immovable, but I'm willing to be dumb under the cloak of anonymity.

 

I see great minds are thinking alike.

Edited December 4, 2016 by rdsqrl

[p_mori7]

This is what it normally looks like when it is in the "open" position.

 

[maizer]

They are making flight arrangements so I doubt you will be heading back onboard.

You have not heard you are getting compensation?

You are onboard? Right?

I thought I read where someone posted earlier that everyone is getting a 50% refund and a future cruise credit as well?

 

Right, I was talking about situations where Princess for example books you tickets back to your home address of France, rather than San Francisco, where you are planning to stay for a few more months.

 

Theyre saying you'd have to refuse the tickets, and buy them yourself if you want to go to sf

[maizer]

Welcome to Cruise Critic, although I'm sure you wish it was under better circumstances. I'm sure others will weigh in but I'm guessing that your options are somewhat limited since it is a weekend. It's usually helpful to write to: customerrelations@princesscruises.com or posting on the Princess Facebook page can sometimes get quick attention. It might just be that things are a bit disorganized right now but I would hope that they would simply fly folks to SFO if they are willing to bear the costs from that point on. In the meantime, you might want to keep checking in with Passenger Services, the Captain's Circle rep, or if possible, the Hotel GM. Good luck to you!

 

Thanks for the warm words! This is our 3rd cruise, so it won't affect how great I think the experience is :)

 

Unfortunately the front desk staff were quite adamant that they are gonna use the home address. Oh well, lets see what happens!

 

Also, we seem to be traveling extremely slow, but if 1 watertight door is whats keeping the water out, Im fine with that.

[WupperAV]

11 Knots now

[mrs and mrs]

They'll be lucky if the damn thing doesn't fall off altogether.

 

Or they could very well cut it free, esp if its slappin and a flapping against the hull.

[chengkp75]

I don't follow the schedules or posts about them in these threads completely, but am I correct that the ship was due for shipyard upon return to SF after this cruise on the 8th? If that is correct, then the yard period may slip some, running a few days late, since she won't get back to SF by the 8th. Whether they can accomplish everything in a shortened time frame isn't knowable without knowing what they were originally intending. Yes, they can start demo work on the way back with an empty ship, but the new materials are in SF, and the technical end of things, in particular the time required to paint the bottom is what drives a shipyard schedule.

 

One other thing that gets me, because this is a watertight door on the hull, it must have a "closed and locked" indication on the bridge. This is done using proximity sensors, usually one at each end to show the door is closed, and then one at each locking mechanism location to show all the locks are properly closed. Without all sensors showing closed, the bridge will have an "open" indication on the door, so the moment the first locking ram came loose, crew should have been dispatched to find out what the problem was long before the door fell out.

[diane.in.ny]

.

 

 

This might be just the perspective of the photo but ....

 

The door looks to me like it is swinging loose as I think I see water between the door and the hull

 

Plus, the door doesn't look like it's under the opening. To me it looks like it swung 180 on the short side. Is this door on the starboard side ... I might have missed that. If this is the starboard side, just the ship sailing forward could cause the door to swing aft.

 

And any comments on the hole in the red part of the ship on the right of the picture? Looks like torn sheet metal.

 

Just speculating here ...............

[chengkp75]

Or they could very well cut it free, esp if its slappin and a flapping against the hull.

 

Unless the ship is rolling a lot, I wouldn't expect it to be slapping against the hull, more like pressed there by the wake flowing along the side of the hull. What would worry me is the force on the front of the platform forcing it downwards, sort of rotating it fore/aft, which would put strain on the hinge bushings.

 

As someone said, the door will most likely be welded shut in Hawaii to keep it against the gasketing and sealed, as the parts required are not likely onboard.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Unless the ship is rolling a lot, I wouldn't expect it to be slapping against the hull, more like pressed there by the wake flowing along the side of the hull. What would worry me is the force on the front of the platform forcing it downwards, sort of rotating it fore/aft, which would put strain on the hinge bushings.

 

As someone said, the door will most likely be welded shut in Hawaii to keep it against the gasketing and sealed, as the parts required are not likely onboard.

 

Thanks chengkp75. Your knowledge is invaluable here and in so many places on Cruise Critic.

[ar1950]

Or they could very well cut it free, esp if its slappin and a flapping against the hull.

 

Unlikely. They need the door to plug the hole when they get to Honolulu so the ship can return to the mainland. If it were otherwise the Grand wouldn't have turned around 600 or so nautical miles away from Honolulu to go back there.

 

Edit, sorry, I see that chengkp75 has already addressed this.

Edited December 4, 2016 by ar1950