Viking Sky survivors

[OnTheJourney]

All I recall as one of the first things the captain told us is that due to some rough seas we might encounter, we were advised to hold onto railings, etc. and to take caution when walking about the ship. Also, he said that they would try to keep to the inside (referring to the many passages and channels, etc. along the coast) to minimize any excessive ship motion, but that would sometimes need to go farther out to sea. 

[Cyber Kat]

From an article I read ...
"The Flewellings said the cruise line has compensated them for their trip and even paid some of their early medical bills, but now Daniel feels forgotten.

“Somebody has to recognize my wife and I, we matter. Nobody’s come and said, ‘how you doin’, are you ok,” said Daniel. “Nobody from Viking has come to look at us yet at all and that upsets me.”"

Seriously?  They are suing because no one came to visit?

https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/Couple-Claims-Viking-Sky-Cruise-Conditions-Caused-Injury-Illness-509667361.html?fbclid=IwAR0j9GKkiNOJv2I867uwJ_g8ElKuxk5CAslTZSwqqRyWnvjlmipwDc-7ILc

[Heidi13]

While I would never discount the dreadful experience that the Sky passengers experienced, these reports are getting somewhat ridiculous.

 

I can't believe that somebody that signed up for a cruise to the Arctic Circle in the middle of winter is so fragile that they expect the cruise line to visit them in hospital and hold their hand. Personally my expectation is for the cruise line to get me safely ashore and return my wife & I back home in an expedition manner, at their expense.

 

We all have different abilities to deal with adversity and emergencies, and accept that not everyone can handle this incident. While rare, dealing with very rough seas is a distinct possibility and  they shouldn't be cruising to the Arctic in Winter. Perhaps they should stick to the Caribbean.

[MBP&O2/O]

Many years ago I was serving as Second Officer on a ship that was crossing the Pacific Ocean. I was under contract to that company but had, as it happened, resigned a month before. The ship ‘sprang a leak’, the engine room flooded and the ship started sinking. I had to take a lifeboat with 22 people on board to a rescue ship ... in wind force 7, gusting 8.

The lifeboat was swamped and we spent several hours adrift. 

In the end all turned out well but I lost all my personal belongings etc when the ship sank.

After being flown home, I heard nothing from the company at all. Zilch. Not a sausage.

The only thing we got was an extra 15 days leave.

 

[OnTheJourney]

4 hours ago, Cyber Kat said:

From an article I read ...
"The Flewellings said the cruise line has compensated them for their trip and even paid some of their early medical bills, but now Daniel feels forgotten.

“Somebody has to recognize my wife and I, we matter. Nobody’s come and said, ‘how you doin’, are you ok,” said Daniel. “Nobody from Viking has come to look at us yet at all and that upsets me.”"

Seriously?  They are suing because no one came to visit?

https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/Couple-Claims-Viking-Sky-Cruise-Conditions-Caused-Injury-Illness-509667361.html?fbclid=IwAR0j9GKkiNOJv2I867uwJ_g8ElKuxk5CAslTZSwqqRyWnvjlmipwDc-7ILc

 

Can't help but wonder also if getting the flu on the way home (if I recall her words correctly) can be attributable to what happened on the ship? I presume they stayed onboard the entire time. Don't get me wrong, I sympathize greatly with the situation since it sounds like Daniel truly has major issues to deal with and if many of them stem from an injury acquired onboard during the excessive motion, that's so unfortunate. But....getting the flu? Just seems like a bit of a reach. Can't speak to Viking reps not showing up at the hospital - would certainly be a nice gesture. In his situation, quite honestly I might expect it as well. Hard to be objective if you're the one laying in the hospital bed weeks after the incident with still much recovery to go the way it sounds. 

Edited May 9, 2019 by gretschwhtfalcon

[Heidi13]

7 hours ago, MBP&O2/O said:

Many years ago I was serving as Second Officer on a ship that was crossing the Pacific Ocean. I was under contract to that company but had, as it happened, resigned a month before. The ship ‘sprang a leak’, the engine room flooded and the ship started sinking. I had to take a lifeboat with 22 people on board to a rescue ship ... in wind force 7, gusting 8.

The lifeboat was swamped and we spent several hours adrift. 

In the end all turned out well but I lost all my personal belongings etc when the ship sank.

After being flown home, I heard nothing from the company at all. Zilch. Not a sausage.

The only thing we got was an extra 15 days leave.

 

Great avatar, I have a similar cap and blazer badge.

 

While I never had to abandon ship, I recall spending 9 months as a cadet on the Wild Auk, when our schedule was 4 on 1 off. The officers and crew paid off in multiple ports, but as cadets we didn't get relieved. Captain eventually advised the company he was sending us home from Yugoslavia. Turns out the company forgot about the other cadet & I.

 

No call or apology for forgetting us, just received orders to join Oriana after 1 month off. Spent 5 months on Oriana, getting a couple of weeks off, before going to college for 2MFG.

 

What ships did you sign-on? Mine were Otaio, Uganda, couple of Straths, Wild Auk, Oriana, Canberra, Island Princess & Sun Princess. Left P&O in 1981. Also did a contract with Pan Ocean Anco - Anco Duke/Post Challenger.

[chengkp75]

On 5/9/2019 at 11:12 AM, Captain_Morgan said:

saw this yesterday but forgot to post it....

 

 

And US courts have been hesitant to disallow the terms of the ticket contract in most cases, the largest of which in this instance is that all claims must be made in Switzerland.    You need look no further than the cruise industry ambulance chaser's website cruiselawnews, to see that even he acknowledges that the US courts will rule that since the contract specifies a court or country where claims are to be made, that that is a binding clause.  This from the US class action suits for the Costa Concordia.  Another similarity is that the court found that filing the suit in Miami was "forum non conveniens" or a non-convenient forum since it took place in Italy (or Norway), and investigations were undertaken there, and witnesses would be from there, or plaintiffs would be from other countries.

[Pushka]

22 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

Great avatar, I have a similar cap and blazer badge.

 

While I never had to abandon ship, I recall spending 9 months as a cadet on the Wild Auk, when our schedule was 4 on 1 off. The officers and crew paid off in multiple ports, but as cadets we didn't get relieved. Captain eventually advised the company he was sending us home from Yugoslavia. Turns out the company forgot about the other cadet & I.

 

No call or apology for forgetting us, just received orders to join Oriana after 1 month off. Spent 5 months on Oriana, getting a couple of weeks off, before going to college for 2MFG.

 

What ships did you sign-on? Mine were Otaio, Uganda, couple of Straths, Wild Auk, Oriana, Canberra, Island Princess & Sun Princess. Left P&O in 1981. Also did a contract with Pan Ocean Anco - Anco Duke/Post Challenger.

When were you on Oriana? Did you sail into Australian Pacific Region in the early ‘80’s? 

[Captain_Morgan]

1 hour ago, chengkp75 said:

And US courts have been hesitant to disallow the terms of the ticket contract in most cases, the largest of which in this instance is that all claims must be made in Switzerland.    You need look no further than the cruise industry ambulance chaser's website cruiselawnews, to see that even he acknowledges that the US courts will rule that since the contract specifies a court or country where claims are to be made, that that is a binding clause.  This from the US class action suits for the Costa Concordia.  Another similarity is that the court found that filing the suit in Miami was "forum non conveniens" or a non-convenient forum since it took place in Italy (or Norway), and investigations were undertaken there, and witnesses would be from there, or plaintiffs would be from other countries.

 

Sad as it is to see/hear that a US citizen (or any non-European) has limited to no recourse against a company who may have acted negligently just highlights the many issues with the industry as a whole.  Add to the fact i'm sure that the vast majority never read the passage contract and simply assume they're 'safe' or 'secure' when travelling onboard only to then discover any attempts to file suit in their homeland (if outside of Europe or Switzerland) is likely to be ignored?!?

 

Question now is how does this work in cases of voyages departing Miami or any US port as covered under the CVSSA (Cruise Vessel Safety and Security Act)?  I know Florida has a very special mandate which gives them jurisdiction on incidences which occur onboard ships departing from their ports, so it would be interesting to see how those examples were to be handled and whether the same claim would be made about the Swiss angle?

[MBP&O2/O]

Heidi13

Time served with BP ... With ref to P&O, Wild Avocet / Marlin / Curlew. A couple of Straths ... including Strathmuir. This was a 12 month contract. They also had a couple of Kuwaiti ships that they managed.

Unusual entry in the old blue book😀

 

 

Note the discharge port!

Edited May 10, 2019 by MBP&O2/O

[Heidi13]

2 hours ago, Pushka said:

When were you on Oriana? Did you sail into Australian Pacific Region in the early ‘80’s? 

I was on Oriana in 1977 & 1978. The first time I signed-on in Southampton in Nov 1977 just prior to the voyage out to Sydney. Completed the entire Aussie cruising season, flying home from Sydney in April 1978. My favourite ship of all time. 

 

When were you on Oriana and do you remember the Captain & any of the officers.

[chengkp75]

3 hours ago, Captain_Morgan said:

 

Sad as it is to see/hear that a US citizen (or any non-European) has limited to no recourse against a company who may have acted negligently just highlights the many issues with the industry as a whole.  Add to the fact i'm sure that the vast majority never read the passage contract and simply assume they're 'safe' or 'secure' when travelling onboard only to then discover any attempts to file suit in their homeland (if outside of Europe or Switzerland) is likely to be ignored?!?

 

Question now is how does this work in cases of voyages departing Miami or any US port as covered under the CVSSA (Cruise Vessel Safety and Security Act)?  I know Florida has a very special mandate which gives them jurisdiction on incidences which occur onboard ships departing from their ports, so it would be interesting to see how those examples were to be handled and whether the same claim would be made about the Swiss angle?

The recourse is the same as if you were involved in an incident in a foreign country, their laws apply, not ours.  The same with ships, which are under the laws of the flag state.  As for their being an "issue" with the industry, how do you propose to legislate for your laws to cover your citizens in a foreign country.  Now, if you mean that cruise ships sailing from the US should be US flag, I have no argument with that, but I am enough of a realist to know that the cost would kill the industry.

 

Lots of people think of the CVSSA as a "protection" for US citizens.  In reality, all it does is strengthen the training for shipboard security personnel in crime scene security and investigation, and strengthen the reporting of crimes against US citizens.  It does not apply US laws to these crimes in all cases.  The US has long before the CVSSA claimed "extraterritorial jurisdiction", meaning that they can prosecute crimes against US citizens (and only US citizens) when on a foreign flag ship that is in international waters, meaning that if the crime occurs in another country's territorial waters, then the US can only request "interested party" status to review the investigation.

 

Florida does not have any "mandate" for ships departing from Florida (and Florida cannot prosecute any case that occurs outside of their 3 mile limit), but the cruise lines know that the Federal Circuit Court in Florida has been traditionally friendly to the cruise lines, so their ticket contracts stipulate that all claims must be made in that Federal court.  State courts are limited to their jurisdiction in admiralty (maritime) cases.  Cases brought under the Limitation of Liabilty Act, where the shipowner is trying to limit its liability to a group of claimants (like this case), can only be heard in Federal Court.

 

And, since Switzerland is not part of the EU, their laws can be different (don't know details), unless they are covered by the bilateral treaties between Switzerland and the EU.

 

If you want full protection under US law, you need to stay within the US.  Stepping foot outside the country, whether on a ship or to the country itself, places you under their jurisdiction, not the US.

Edited May 10, 2019 by chengkp75

[MBP&O2/O]

The sinking I referred to earlier happened in International waters ... nobody had jurisdiction so there was no ‘protocol’ to follow. The whole ‘international law’ scenario is a minefield. A couple of classic examples from MSC Divina on the pic. 

[Pushka]

23 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

I was on Oriana in 1977 & 1978. The first time I signed-on in Southampton in Nov 1977 just prior to the voyage out to Sydney. Completed the entire Aussie cruising season, flying home from Sydney in April 1978. My favourite ship of all time. 

 

When were you on Oriana and do you remember the Captain & any of the officers.

 

I think 1991 so we almost crossed paths! We didn’t meet any officers from memory. It was enjoyable but the weather and seas were quite rough and hubby doesn’t do sea sickness well. It was our very first cruise and it left from Sydney. Which as you know is quite the experience. 

Edited May 10, 2019 by Pushka

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Nice to see the old salts having a good chin wag!

 

As for this suit, can't the lawyers pursue it in Swiss courts?

[Pushka]

3 minutes ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

Nice to see the old salts having a good chin wag!

 

As for this suit, can't the lawyers pursue it in Swiss courts?

 

They may have to do exactly that. 

[capriccio]

12 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

If you want full protection under US law, you need to stay within the US.  Stepping foot outside the country, whether on a ship or to the country itself, places you under their jurisdiction, not the US.

 

Based on the stories - some funny, some tragic - I heard while my DH was posted at US embassies in Europe (including Rome and Athens) in the 80s and 90s, this warning should be posted on every US passport! 

[Heidi13]

16 hours ago, MBP&O2/O said:

Heidi13

Time served with BP ... With ref to P&O, Wild Avocet / Marlin / Curlew. A couple of Straths ... including Strathmuir. This was a 12 month contract. They also had a couple of Kuwaiti ships that they managed.

Unusual entry in the old blue book😀

 

 

Note the discharge port!

Wow, interesting entry for the discharge port. You were a few years ahead of me, as I started on the Otaio (Cadet Training Vessel) in Aug 1975, The Straths I was on were Strathteviot (DD & UK Coastal) then Strathnairn (UK to Persian Gulf).

 

Spent 9 months on Wild Auk doing the UK/Haifa shuttle then around the world with various cargo - tractors, freezer and citrus.

 

Left P&O in 81 and moved to Canada, working on ferries.

[MBP&O2/O]

I was P&O from 75 to 80 ... same time as you.

Arghhh! The dreaded tractor run! We did one that was part of a full circumnavigation. Cool trip. It was quite amazing  some of stuff we carried.

 

Did you experience the fiasco of 'Port Registration' in the Arabian Gulf? This delay was known to be up to six months in some places.

There were some good yarns about ships at anchor at the Shatt Al Arab!

One concerned a ship that had been at anchor for several months and when the call came to 'up anchor' and berth - she could not heave in the anchor as it had settled too deep in the mud. Someone had been lazy!

The second story - and I can believe this - was set on board a ship that again had been at anchor for several months. Someone had managed to obtain a full size, replica, human skeleton. One day when the Port Authority boat was doing its 'rounds' of the anchorage, , all personnel on the ship were moved out of sight and the skeleton was draped over the bridge wing wearing nothing but a uniform cap - and that was the only sign of occupancy that were seen by the port staff on their boat. Rumour was they were not amused!

Enough! I am getting nostalgic. :-)

[Heidi13]

We were lucky, only took tractors from Antwerp to South Carolina. Other cadet and I spent every day checking and tightening each of the lashings (Spanish Windlass).

 

On Strathnairn, I joined her when already loaded just before departure UK. On arrival Persian Gulf, we did the rounds of Port Registration and then went to Dubai, where we anchored with a group of other P&O ships. Made it easy to trade films. Flew home from Dubai a few days before going to South Shields for phase 1 of 2MFG.

 

At anchor off Dubai, the Captain let me do an anchor watch, with me diligently putting the ship on the chart multiple times a shift. Just before paying off, he explained that he spent his entire career to/from the Gulf and the holding power of the bottom is incredible. Thanked me for diligence and showed me techniques to monitor position without having to put ship on the chart.

 

The Lauritzen Peninsula Wild boats were great ships. While I went to Wild Auk, one of the other cadets went to Wild Avocet.

[OnTheJourney]

2 months ago today.....

[ptkelley]

Hi Everyone, 

just checked Viking Cruises website. For January 26, 2021 the Viking Venus is scheduled for the Iberian Explorer, Barcelona to London cruise. 

[JDincalif]

43 minutes ago, ptkelley said:

Hi Everyone, 

just checked Viking Cruises website. For January 26, 2021 the Viking Venus is scheduled for the Iberian Explorer, Barcelona to London cruise. 

Great news! Hope that will be our "Viking Sky Reunion Cruise"! Thanks!

Edited June 14, 2019 by JDincalif

[Windymiller]

Ive started up a support group on FB 

‘viking sky northern lights march 2019’

chit chat, support and sharing stories 

[DGHOC]

Reading the other threads I suspect that our invited cruise may be from Italy to Barcelona where it will take on its first fee paying guests to London. Therefore starting mid January ending 26th Jan. We have had no word from Viking yet though they have released a cruise schedule for the Venus and cabins are selling.