Caribbean Princess' propulsion issues question...

[rgmacm]

I know that Caribbean Princess is having propulsion issues that are causing port times to be decreased (arrive in port later...depart sooner).

My understanding is that this problem is not going to be fixed until dry dock.

 

So....about cruise PRIOR to that drydock...

Is this propulsion issue going to get worse with time so that port times will be shorter and shorter and shorter with each passing month? or is it a 'stable' condition so that the current port times will probably continue as they have been until it's fixed?

(Yes, I know that no one can predict the future...just wondering if there was someone out there 'in the know' who could shed some light on this...)

[cruzsnooze]

It's impossible to predict if a problem will get worse. I was on The Caribbean Princess in Feb and the problem was significant. The noise and vibration from the propulsion isue were also problematic for me. We had a medical emergency so the captain ran the ship at full speed for a sea day to get to port and that was unbearable because of the vibration and noise. If possable i would avoid this ship until after the repairs.

[paul929207]

We spent 24 days on the Caribbean in January/February. We had no trouble with the vibrations. We were on the Lido deck towards the front.

[impartfish]

Absolutely no noticeable problems with the ship when we were on it last month.

I doubt that the problem will get worse as they have already adjusted all of the sailings. No worries.

[pshaze]

I agree with Cruzsnooze, probably on the same cruise in Feb. We sailed the CB 5 times, 3 times in E731, and the last was really rough. Lots of vibration and movement. Heard all kind of noises (banging, water running through pipes) during the day that we didn't have on the previous 2 stays in E731.

 

Not sure if the destination had anything to do with it (Panama Canal) but we didn't have the same experience when we did the British Isles.

 

If possible I would avoid this ship till it is fixed.

[Eagle_and_hawk]

I agree with Cruzsnooze, probably on the same cruise in Feb. We sailed the CB 5 times, 3 times in E731, and the last was really rough. Lots of vibration and movement. Heard all kind of noises (banging, water running through pipes) during the day that we didn't have on the previous 2 stays in E731.

 

Not sure if the destination had anything to do with it (Panama Canal) but we didn't have the same experience when we did the British Isles.

 

If possible I would avoid this ship till it is fixed.

 

It would be interesting to hear from others who stayed in the back of the ship, being closer to the engines as would expect it to be worse back there.

 

 

We have D736 booked in October, and if there is a lot of noise and vibration back there, then may reconsider rooms.

 

 

We sailed last year, in a window suite, and did not notice any vibrations mid-ship.

[skynight]

We spent 24 days on the Caribbean in January/February. We had no trouble with the vibrations. We were on the Lido deck towards the front.

We also were on for the same 24 days and had no issues. Port times were as corrected and informed. The ship can only go 18 knots vs. most ships which can go 22 knots. Thus it takes longer between ports if ports are far apart. We were aft and felt no vibrations.

[OzCanuck]

Two words: Norwegian Star :D

[Thrak]

Just did 14 days in a forward balcony. Smooth sailing and no vibrations or noise. Didn't have an issue with the ports or speed although they did alter the itinerary to cancel the first port. We were glad they did so as we had so many port days in a row that it was exhausting. We like our relaxing sea days.

[ellie1145]

When IS the dry dock?

[chengkp75]

As noted, it is impossible to predict if there will be another problem with the propulsion system until drydock. The problem that exists currently is that one of the two windings in one of the propulsion motors is shut down, so this problem will not get worse. Whether there will be another failure of a different winding, or any other component of the propulsion system is not possible to determine.

 

From what has been mentioned, the vibration is bad if the weather is bad or if they need to do full speed for an emergency. This is because one propeller is putting out full power, and one is only putting out half power. At the speeds needed to make the revised itineraries, the power is balanced between the two propellers, and so no vibration.

[monakayk]

When IS the dry dock?

 

I would like to know too.

[Omega1]

We were on a b2b in Jan/Feb, cabin C741. We thought there was more vibration that other Princess ships we have been on. It was noticeable but not unpleasant. We have booked another cruise on the CB in November so it can’t have been that bad!

[Blue and Green]

We were in D737 in August, British Isles. There was significant vibration and noise at times, but not a deal breaker for us. Arriving in port late was frustrating...mostly because everyone was anxious to disembark and it was quite crowded, long lines, some crabbiness ;). I do not remember ever having to leave a port early though.

[pshaze]

 

From what has been mentioned, the vibration is bad if the weather is bad or if they need to do full speed for an emergency. This is because one propeller is putting out full power, and one is only putting out half power. At the speeds needed to make the revised itineraries, the power is balanced between the two propellers, and so no vibration.

 

We actually had both. Bad weather and 2 medical emergencies. But I also think they were pushing it because of the distance that needed to be covered. Even on smoother seas we felt more movement than our prior 4 cruises on the CB.

[cruzrbachoua]

I would like to know too.

 

supposed to be April or May of 2019

[RDC1]

As noted, it is impossible to predict if there will be another problem with the propulsion system until drydock. The problem that exists currently is that one of the two windings in one of the propulsion motors is shut down, so this problem will not get worse. Whether there will be another failure of a different winding, or any other component of the propulsion system is not possible to determine.

 

From what has been mentioned, the vibration is bad if the weather is bad or if they need to do full speed for an emergency. This is because one propeller is putting out full power, and one is only putting out half power. At the speeds needed to make the revised itineraries, the power is balanced between the two propellers, and so no vibration.

 

Been on Caribbean Princess a number of times, both before and with the current problem. The noise seems the same. Have noticed that in rough seas the Caribbean Princess tends to generate a lot of noise. Seemed to be tied to the stabilizers or at least coming from the area where the stabilizers are located.

[cruzsnooze]

I agree with Cruzsnooze, probably on the same cruise in Feb. We sailed the CB 5 times, 3 times in E731, and the last was really rough. Lots of vibration and movement. Heard all kind of noises (banging, water running through pipes) during the day that we didn't have on the previous 2 stays in E731.

 

Not sure if the destination had anything to do with it (Panama Canal) but we didn't have the same experience when we did the British Isles.

 

If possible I would avoid this ship till it is fixed.

it was indeed the same sailing Panama Canal.

I was mid ship deck 6

[chengkp75]

Been on Caribbean Princess a number of times, both before and with the current problem. The noise seems the same. Have noticed that in rough seas the Caribbean Princess tends to generate a lot of noise. Seemed to be tied to the stabilizers or at least coming from the area where the stabilizers are located.

 

What kind of noise? Stabilizers are far enough below the water that they don't generate a lot of sound, and the machinery is hydraulic, so pretty quiet. If you're down low, you may be hearing the water flowing back and forth in the anti-heeling tanks, which also try to slow down the roll.

[Lucky TGO]

We were on the Caribbean Princess for 14 days in January no problem at all. We booked the same cruise for 2019 in January.

Tony

[smf81]

We were also on the recent CB 14-day sailing, in a forward Caribe balcony. It was fine. The schedule revision was made and communicated long ago, so we knew what to expect.

 

I did notice some vibration aft, particularly in the Planks/Steamers area and Skywalkers, but it wasn't worse than I remember on some other similar Princess ships of that era like the Sapphire and Golden.

 

There was a fair amount of motion the night we left Aruba and had to make up time after the medical emergency, but it was also quite windy that night. (For what it's worth, my phone's GPS app measured our speed around 21 knots at one point that evening.)

 

Overall it was a great cruise and itinerary and I wouldn't hesitate to sail on her again.

[RDC1]

What kind of noise? Stabilizers are far enough below the water that they don't generate a lot of sound, and the machinery is hydraulic, so pretty quiet. If you're down low, you may be hearing the water flowing back and forth in the anti-heeling tanks, which also try to slow down the roll.

 

Mostly a metallic crashing sound, almost a screeching component, with vibration, seems to correlate with waves. Very loud on deck 5 just a little bit back of the stabilizer location.

[caribill]

For what it's worth, my phone's GPS app measured our speed around 21 knots at one point that evening.

 

 

With the right ocean currents, the ship can go faster.

[chengkp75]

Mostly a metallic crashing sound, almost a screeching component, with vibration, seems to correlate with waves. Very loud on deck 5 just a little bit back of the stabilizer location.

 

Not sure what that would be, but unless the stabilizer was about to rip itself off the ship, it wouldn't be making those kinds of noises. Many of the exterior deck drains (balconies, pool deck, etc.) run down inside the ship and then go directly overboard, below the waterline. Since this piping is inside the ship, and below the waterline, and doesn't have a forceful flow out to sea (just the gravity force on any water), these pipes are equipped with a check valve to stop sea water entering the pipe and possibly entering the ship if the pipe gives way. These are called "storm valves", and in rough weather, sometimes as the ship rolls, and the water level inside the pipe and outside the pipe changes, these valves will open and close, with a fairly loud banging sound.

 

Screeching (don't think I've ever heard that) and vibration would be more propulsion. When one propeller rises closer to the surface as the ship rolls, the cavitation becomes greater as there is less weight of water around the propeller, so it creates more air bubbles from it's spinning. This can lead to some loud high pitch, low pitch "warbling" and a lot of vibration. It all depends on ship speed, propeller speed, possible imbalance between propellers (in the current case), direction of seas, frequency of seas, things like that.

[1AL]

Mostly a metallic crashing sound, almost a screeching component, with vibration, seems to correlate with waves. Very loud on deck 5 just a little bit back of the stabilizer location.

 

THIS!!!

 

We have first hand experience ourselves of this situation...a few years back, on a TransAtlantic, I forgot which

Princess ship it was, we experienced this same exact scenario PLUS insane shaking of the entire cabin. My wife loved the free massage she got with the bed shaking vigorously but I hated that cabin, I think it was like 4-5 cabins down from the International Cafe, possibly cabin P332.

 

It got so bad that Martin Ford, the hotel general director gave us another cabin so most nights my wife slept in one cabin and got her free massage there while I slept in another cabin as we retained both cabins for the entire cruise.