Current Seadream I crossing

[JES4845]

UPDATE: SD1 GOING INTO DRYDOCK.  Pleased to report that per the Marine Traffic web site, SD1 is apparently going into dry dock around 9 AM EST so that’s good news.  Let’s hope the work doesn’t take long and the TA can proceed soon.

[wripro]

3 hours ago, JES4845 said:

UPDATE: SD1 GOING INTO DRYDOCK.  Pleased to report that per the Marine Traffic web site, SD1 is apparently going into dry dock around 9 AM EST so that’s good news.  Let’s hope the work doesn’t take long and the TA can proceed soon.

Let's hope the work is not just a bandaid. Either fix the problem completely or with great sadness let go of the ships. The alternative will be more situations like this crossing which in the end must cost Sea Dream a ton of money. jmo.

[JES4845]

2 minutes ago, wripro said:

Let's hope the work is not just a bandaid. Either fix the problem completely or with great sadness let go of the ships. The alternative will be more situations like this crossing which in the end must cost Sea Dream a ton of money. jmo.

 

Of course need to know the extent of the engine issue and the repairs required.  I was delayed several hours on a United flight last week because of lightbulb and socket that needed to be replaced in the cockpit.  Then again we’ve all faced major delays over more significant mechanical issues, so the reality is in the details.  Perhaps those onboard can enlighten us on those details.  True these things cost money and SD is usually pretty generous in the compensation.  Not sure if business interruption insurance would help out on those costs or not.

[tichbu]

Thanks to all for these updates. Is SD1 in dry dock now.? We were due to sail from Barbados on the 8th,  we’ve now been give an expected date of the 10th and we're beginning to wonder  whether the ship will arrive in time for the rescheduled sailing. By the way we’ve seen no evidence of the generous compensation mentioned by others above. 

We’ d be grateful  to hear any news. 

Thanks. 

[JES4845]

You can keep track of her on MarineTraffic.com as long as she is in or near land/port.  Pretty sure it is free via the web site and the app (though there are premium versions).

 

Type in SeaDream in the upper right hand corner.  I just checked now - Sat. Dec. 1 at 6 AM Eastern Time US - and she is still in drydock only having arrived there just yesterday because, per earlier postings here, another ship took longer in the yard than expected.  

 

Since today is a Saturday, I just don’t know if the yard works on weekends or not.  Also don’t know how long the repair will take.   This is sort of like an airline flight delay - the delay usually grows longer not shorter over time.  Others who have done the TA can educate the rest of us, but from tracking SD TA’s  in the past it is at least 10 days from the Canary Islands to Barbados, so I’d be skeptical about a Dec. 10 departure.  Hope I am wrong for everyone’s sake, just being honest.  Others please chime in!

[oliveau]

In answer to an earlier question:

45 pax on the TA

AFAIK 11 got off and I intending to join, so potentially 36 for revised TA, but I know others would also have to leave if they couldn't be in Barbados by 8 December.

 

We were told "There is a technical problem in the engine room. I am not happy to proceed on a TA crossing". The fact that she has to be dry docked points to a problem below the water line. There was also an unsubstantiated rumour that she was letting in water. Clearly the Lloyd's engineer from Cadiz wasn't happy.

Now I'm not a marine engineeer, but could it be a problem with the sea water inlet for the engine cooling ? We know she will happily run on one engine, [as we did in 2016 after the fire, when we left Malaga on one engine, picked up spares in Madeira and were finally two engined some 5 days out of Barbados] but on a TA with one engine out of action, what do you do if t'other goes kaput in mid-Atlantic.............?

[tichbu]

Thanks everyone for the updates. Looks increasingly unlikely that the ship will reach Bridgetown for the 10th. ☹️

[Jim Avery]

47 minutes ago, oliveau said:

In answer to an earlier question:

45 pax on the TA

AFAIK 11 got off and I intending to join, so potentially 36 for revised TA, but I know others would also have to leave if they couldn't be in Barbados by 8 December.

 

We were told "There is a technical problem in the engine room. I am not happy to proceed on a TA crossing". The fact that she has to be dry docked points to a problem below the water line. There was also an unsubstantiated rumour that she was letting in water. Clearly the Lloyd's engineer from Cadiz wasn't happy.

Now I'm not a marine engineeer, but could it be a problem with the sea water inlet for the engine cooling ? We know she will happily run on one engine, [as we did in 2016 after the fire, when we left Malaga on one engine, picked up spares in Madeira and were finally two engined some 5 days out of Barbados] but on a TA with one engine out of action, what do you do if t'other goes kaput in mid-Atlantic.............?

You are right in that if it needs a haul out it involves more than just the engine itself.  It could very well be a sea chest/sea ***** problem as they do fail with age or it could involve the shaft stuffing box that keeps the sea water from coming in around the propeller shaft.  The engines are all 4 the same model (two on each ship) and are reportedly the originals.  These two ships were originally Sea Goddess I and II.  They originally were on more or less permanent world cruises.  They have lots and lots of miles under their keels and many thousands of engine hours run time.  The biggest problem when SD I had the broken crankshaft was finding the parts for engines no longer made.  I understand they scoured the world for a spare crankshaft and found one where the identical engine was powering a lighthouse generator.  The crankshaft might have had some manufacturing defect causing the failure but the other three crankshafts are original.  In order to put in new engines  would involve cutting away some of the superstructure for access.  When the old engines came out it would then involve a complete stripping of the engine space.  Then the repair/restoration of any exposed areas, new engine mounts, new supply lines, tanks, pumps, controls, on and on and on.  It would require the owners to make a major commitment to running the ships somewhere around another 20 years to hope for any financial payback.  Only they can speak to if that will occur.  Without such commitment though it is inevitable that there will be more issues such as SD I has had.  SD II is one year newer and seems to have a few mechanical differences.  I have spoken with one of the Engineers in the past and he confirmed engine mounts and a few ancillary mechanicals are an upgraded version.  If you have noticed, standing in the pool on SD I and you feel plenty of vibration, it even makes your voice sound a bit off.  Standing in SD II's pool has none of that.  Better type engine mounts.  There are probably more items but I have not been in the engine space of either.  As with you all, we have loved our SD voyages (well there was that one with 30 kids) and wish all those onboard well.  We shall see what happens.

[JES4845]

Jim - thanks, as always, for your expert insights!

[oliveau]

She doesn't appear to have moved since going into dry dock. Not looking good for getting to Barbados.

Very sad

[cburger100]

Mr Avery:   Your post here finally makes sense to me.  It’s a LOT more daunting than just replacing an engine.   Hubby has been in the engine room twice - SD1 and SD2.   He’s been trying to explain to me how complicated an operation this would be, I guess I just could not digest it until now.   This makes me quite sad, and I wonder what the fate will be.   Does Lloyd’s of London have any say so or is this up to the owner ?  

[COCOYOTE]

Looks like SD 1 is out of dry dock and back in harbor position it was in a few days ago.  

[JES4845]

Cocoyote - good catch on watch as she was still in drydock when I checked about 4-5 hours ago.  Highly likely then that work was done over the weekend.  Hopefully we will soon learn from those there and those here with good sources just what the new TA timing will be.  We are all anxious to learn more.  Just last night I was with friends we helped introduce to SD and they’ve mainly been on SD1 with only one voyage on SD2.  My wife and I were onboard a year or so ago with a woman whose family had something to do with the design of the vessels.  She said the basic structures are sound for many more years to come, but as we know that doesn’t capture operational issues after decades of near 24/7/365 engine use.  The technical crew onboard are unsung heroes along with the rest of the more visible public-facing crew.

[Skyking.310]

It looks like it left the harbor and is heading to Barbados. We are booked on the shortened cruise for December 10.

Edited December 2, 2018 by Skyking.310

[Griller]

Thanks for posting all this, we have booked our first SD voyage,   the Eastbound T/A for next spring on SD1 and can cancel now for just a $50 penalty each.  I think having read all of this we might do that, we have not arranged any flights yet.

 

Edited December 2, 2018 by Griller

[JES4845]

Yes indeed SD1 is on her way to Barbados!

[tichbu]

Is there any chance that SD1 can make up time on the TA ? If the crossing usually takes at least 10 days it seems unlikely to arrive in Barbados by the 10th which is our rescheduled boarding date . 

I‘ve read that the usual cruising speed is 15 knots, does anyone know if SD1 can go any faster?

We haven't been told anything apart from the new departure date so it’s thanks to all for putting us in the picture. 

[Skyking.310]

At 15 knots it would take 7/8 days, should be there on the 10th( 2600 nautical miles) We are flying down next weekend , unless we hear otherwise.

[Skyking.310]

Another website has it arriving at 11:00 am on December 10.

[Jim Avery]

2 hours ago, tichbu said:

Is there any chance that SD1 can make up time on the TA ? If the crossing usually takes at least 10 days it seems unlikely to arrive in Barbados by the 10th which is our rescheduled boarding date . 

I‘ve read that the usual cruising speed is 15 knots, does anyone know if SD1 can go any faster?

We haven't been told anything apart from the new departure date so it’s thanks to all for putting us in the picture. 

17 knots max, or so I am told.

[oliveau]

Looks as though she's tramping on on both engines -14 knots plus.

 

I'd love to know what the problem was - Maybe the suggestion of the seal round the propellor shaft was spot on.

[JES4845]

You should be good for Dec 10 based on available data and back of the envelope calculations of distance and speed per above.  Likewise hope we all learn more.

Edited December 3, 2018 by JES4845

[JES4845]

The true mariners on this board can chime in and correct me, but to the posting above about arriving Barbados 11 AM on Dec 10 (one week from today), I think that is UTC time which means it would be 7 AM local Barbados time.  Those on board should be able to disembark per usual starting at 10 AM and thus plenty of time to get ready to welcome those of you on the new voyage departing that same day!

[TrapperZimmy]

We will keep our fingers crossed for everyone's sake that SD1 arrives as scheduled.  With an even smaller complement of passengers making the crossing (does anyone know how many are aboard?), turnover should be a much simpler matter.  Although Jim gave a good explanation of the complexity of replacing the engines (sorry about Saturday, Jim), my simple explanation that they don't fit through the door sums it up pretty well for those of us who don't have his expertise.

Edited December 3, 2018 by TrapperZimmy

[Jim Avery]

5 hours ago, TrapperZimmy said:

We will keep our fingers crossed for everyone's sake that SD1 arrives as scheduled.  With an even smaller complement of passengers making the crossing (does anyone know how many are aboard?), turnover should be a much simpler matter.  Although Jim gave a good explanation of the complexity of replacing the engines (sorry about Saturday, Jim), my simple explanation that they don't fit through the door sums it up pretty well for those of us who don't have his expertise.

Sorry? We won. Great finish. Roll Tide!!! And best wishes to the crossers.🍸😎