Sunshineliving Posted January 4, 2020 #301 Share Posted January 4, 2020 4 minutes ago, retafcruiser said: It isn't even certain that it will be repaired prior to the transatlantic. It could sail to a drydock in Barcelona. After just spending a week on the ship, it's funny the things you hear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookingmom Posted January 4, 2020 #302 Share Posted January 4, 2020 I have been following the NA's troubles closely since we are booked on her March 14-21 cruise. Honestly, if there were any good alternatives, I would "jump ship" and transfer my booking. I have serious concerns about possible shortened port times, skipped ports, and excessive vibration. Not to mention being stranded be a failure of the overworked azipod! Naturally, things can happen during a cruise ( i.e. Weather, medical emergencies, etc) necessitating adjustments, but to run this ship in its present condition, is as unwise as driving a car without a spare tire! And some are praising HAL for their new found transparency regarding this issue. Count me out of that group! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chengkp75 Posted January 4, 2020 #303 Share Posted January 4, 2020 2 minutes ago, cookingmom said: I have been following the NA's troubles closely since we are booked on her March 14-21 cruise. Honestly, if there were any good alternatives, I would "jump ship" and transfer my booking. I have serious concerns about possible shortened port times, skipped ports, and excessive vibration. Not to mention being stranded be a failure of the overworked azipod! Naturally, things can happen during a cruise ( i.e. Weather, medical emergencies, etc) necessitating adjustments, but to run this ship in its present condition, is as unwise as driving a car without a spare tire! And some are praising HAL for their new found transparency regarding this issue. Count me out of that group! There is nothing "overworked" about the remaining azipod. It is being run at the rated power, and rated power is where the machinery is rated to operate indefinitely if recommended maintenance is kept up. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kochleffel Posted January 4, 2020 #304 Share Posted January 4, 2020 Meanwhile, on board, passengers at lunch were praising HAL for excellent maintenance and for taking the ship out of service for a week to "fix" the azipod, although one man called it a stabilizer. This was before receiving the letter substituting St. Croix for Sint Maarten because of a "technical problem." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare TiogaCruiser Posted January 4, 2020 #305 Share Posted January 4, 2020 (edited) 2 hours ago, cookingmom said: I have been following the NA's troubles closely since we are booked on her March 14-21 cruise. Honestly, if there were any good alternatives, I would "jump ship" and transfer my booking. I have serious concerns about possible shortened port times, skipped ports, and excessive vibration. Not to mention being stranded be a failure of the overworked azipod! Naturally, things can happen during a cruise ( i.e. Weather, medical emergencies, etc) necessitating adjustments, but to run this ship in its present condition, is as unwise as driving a car without a spare tire! And some are praising HAL for their new found transparency regarding this issue. Count me out of that group! There are some cars that are sold without a spare tire: just run-flat tires and a can of latex. (Subaru hybrid Crosstrek, I’m looking at you).😜 Edited January 4, 2020 by TiogaCruiser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcanevazzi Posted January 4, 2020 #306 Share Posted January 4, 2020 3 hours ago, retafcruiser said: It isn't even certain that it will be repaired prior to the transatlantic. It could sail to a drydock in Barcelona. This is true. But they had to get permission to continue cruising the Caribbean with one azipod. I’m skeptical that they would traverse the Atlantic with only one. It would be much harder to rescue the ship if there was a disaster than it would be in the Caribbean. Like many others, just guessing! No one wants their vacation canceled. My trip is in the Mediterranean this spring. I really wish that the executives would be more forthcoming ... they might win over customers rather than lose them. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatcat04 Posted January 5, 2020 #307 Share Posted January 5, 2020 On NA in an aft port cabin right now. She is running smooth. Feels no different than she did last year. If I didn't know about the azipod, I wouldn't suspect anything based on the way she is cruising. Seas seem real nice atm too. I'll report back if that changes. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatcat04 Posted January 5, 2020 #308 Share Posted January 5, 2020 Woke up bright and early and was greeted by beautiful Mr. Sun and calm seas. Sitting out on the balcony I feel a little bit of a vibration that I didn't get in the cabin but nothing again I would have given much thought to were I not aware of the NA's azipod issue. We felt nothing in the mdr last night either but the wine we had with dinner probably helped with that. So far so good... a happy sea day ahead. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavArch64 Posted January 5, 2020 #309 Share Posted January 5, 2020 To fatcat04 …. anytime that you can post a screenshot of the azipod RPM display in the Crows Nest while underway at sea would be interesting to the shoreside observers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare *Miss G* Posted January 5, 2020 #310 Share Posted January 5, 2020 Or just enjoy your holiday. 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare rafinmd Posted January 5, 2020 #311 Share Posted January 5, 2020 21 minutes ago, *Miss G* said: Or just enjoy your holiday. Especially this. Roy 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredric22 Posted January 5, 2020 #312 Share Posted January 5, 2020 Was the "Tropical Caribbean" itinerary affected by the reduced speed? It seems this current Eastern route may have had the most distance to cover. I'm hoping that our Tropical Caribbean itinerary isn't affected too much as I really like the itinerary! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatcat04 Posted January 5, 2020 #313 Share Posted January 5, 2020 2 hours ago, NavArch64 said: To fatcat04 …. anytime that you can post a screenshot of the azipod RPM display in the Crows Nest while underway at sea would be interesting to the shoreside observers. As the earliest of birds and thus the designated coffee fetcher this am, I was up at the swanky coffee bar and glanced at the 2 big screens while waiting. They were both cycling through multiple informational screens. Weather conditions, heading, etc. Did not see the azipod one pop up but I wasn't there long. I will pop back in at some point. At present, after 1st, 2nd, and 3rd breakfast, we are on the balcony, sipping bubbly and doing absolutely nothing. 😊 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatcat04 Posted January 5, 2020 #314 Share Posted January 5, 2020 6 minutes ago, Fredric22 said: Was the "Tropical Caribbean" itinerary affected by the reduced speed? It seems this current Eastern route may have had the most distance to cover. I'm hoping that our Tropical Caribbean itinerary isn't affected too much as I really like the itinerary! Our St Maarten stop has been changed to St Croix with a $50 pp compensation. We had a letter in our mailbox yesterday that is posted in a couple threads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredric22 Posted January 5, 2020 #315 Share Posted January 5, 2020 6 minutes ago, fatcat04 said: Our St Maarten stop has been changed to St Croix with a $50 pp compensation. We had a letter in our mailbox yesterday that is posted in a couple threads. Thanks. The Tropical Caribbean itinerary is different and does not include any stop in St. Maarten. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatcat04 Posted January 5, 2020 #316 Share Posted January 5, 2020 21 minutes ago, Fredric22 said: Thanks. The Tropical Caribbean itinerary is different and does not include any stop in St. Maarten. Gotcha. 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare 3rdGenCunarder Posted January 5, 2020 #317 Share Posted January 5, 2020 56 minutes ago, fatcat04 said: As the earliest of birds and thus the designated coffee fetcher this am, I was up at the swanky coffee bar and glanced at the 2 big screens while waiting. They were both cycling through multiple informational screens. Weather conditions, heading, etc. Did not see the azipod one pop up but I wasn't there long. I will pop back in at some point. At present, after 1st, 2nd, and 3rd breakfast, we are on the balcony, sipping bubbly and doing absolutely nothing. 😊 I like your style!!! 🥂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
v702 Posted January 5, 2020 #318 Share Posted January 5, 2020 1 hour ago, fatcat04 said: At present, after 1st, 2nd, and 3rd breakfast, we are on the balcony, sipping bubbly and doing absolutely nothing. 😊 And this is what cruising is all about! 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bahalter Posted January 5, 2020 #319 Share Posted January 5, 2020 (edited) Just got off the Nieuw Amsterdam- all was well with one azipod- had a clear view in an aft cabin. The times in ports were shortened somewhat which was most annoying in Grand Cayman but otherwise it was fine. We attended ask the captain and he said he went to see the spare azipod in Freeport the week of the cancelled cruise and then plan is to take the ship out of service for a week in February- did not specify which week -and put the "spare" azipod on. They will then repair the motor on the old damaged azipod and reinstall it when they go to dry dock in 2021. The read outs in the Crow's Nest were taken down- visible when the cruise began but absent towards the end. It was a great cruise! Edited January 5, 2020 by bahalter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavArch64 Posted January 5, 2020 #320 Share Posted January 5, 2020 4 minutes ago, bahalter said: Just got off the Nieuw Amsterdam- all was well with one azipod- had a clear view in an aft cabin. The times in ports were shortened somewhat which was most annoying in Grand Cayman but otherwise it was fine. We attended ask the captain and he said he went to see the spare azipod in Freeport the week of the cancelled cruise and then plan is to take the ship out of service for a week in February- did not specify which week -and put the "spare" azipod on. They will then repair the motor on the old damaged azipod and reinstall it when they go to dry dock in 2021. The read outs in the Crow's Nest were taken down- visible when the cruise began but absent towards the end. It was a great cruise! Excellent "new" information from bahalter … we now know more than we did a little while ago. The picture is getting clearer slowly but surely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare HappyInVan Posted January 5, 2020 #321 Share Posted January 5, 2020 5 minutes ago, bahalter said: We attended ask the captain and he said he went to see the spare azipod in Freeport the week of the cancelled cruise and then plan is to take the ship out of service for a week in February- did not specify which week -and put the "spare" azipod on. They will then repair the motor on the old damaged azipod and reinstall it when they go to dry dock in 2021. You're sure that the captain said it was a motor problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chengkp75 Posted January 5, 2020 #322 Share Posted January 5, 2020 24 minutes ago, HappyInVan said: You're sure that the captain said it was a motor problem? Why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare molemaui Posted January 5, 2020 #323 Share Posted January 5, 2020 We all understand mechanical issues. We've all been delayed on flights, etc. Bottom line-safety cannot be compromised. We go out on 2/15. If they're going to cancel, do it. I would then have time to book something else whether it's another cruise or just stay in Florida until my 2/23 cruise. What I don't want to happen is be on the NA and not get back to FLL in time on the 22nd to catch my next cruise! HAL-make a decision, keep us informed. That's all we ask. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavArch64 Posted January 5, 2020 #324 Share Posted January 5, 2020 Well said molemaui. Not too much to ask. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamsno Posted January 5, 2020 #325 Share Posted January 5, 2020 Thanks for taking the time to share recent first hand info bahalter and fatcat. Balcony sitting and sipping definitely falls under doing something or doing nothing category of best cruise activities. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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