Rare twangster Posted March 8, 2020 #701 Share Posted March 8, 2020 (edited) Day 8 Update We have been following out track towards Spain. That group of islands above us is the Azores. Oasis class is too big for Ponta Delgada (per a bridge officer) but other transatlantics do stop here on occasion. I went forward after lunch to see if I could see the propellor blades on the helipad. The Captain made an announcement that we would be slowing while we waited to hear back on his request for a helicopter medical evacuation. This morning shortly after 8am there was an Alpha call to the Flowrider area Starboard. Flowriders aren't open until 9am so I don't know the Flowrider was involved or if it was in that general area. I was eating breakfast at the time. Not long after a guest was paged to contact guest services. Family I'm guessing. As I was checking out the propellor blades they've begun preparing the helipad for the evac by removing the benches and other items. That's when they started closing forward public decks. That's SOP for a helicopter evac as there is risk involved. Sometimes they even evacuate forward facing oceanview cabins. The Captain has confirmed we are changing course to close the distance between us and the Azores where the helicopter is coming from. New course: Picking up speed on our new heading. We are roughly 158 nm from Ponta Delgada if that is where the helicopter is coming from. Update: We've taken up a heading of 330°. Based on that I'm guessing the helicopter is coming from Terceira Island 235 nm away. Edited March 8, 2020 by twangster 3 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Sea Dog Posted March 8, 2020 #702 Share Posted March 8, 2020 Thank you @twangster for your updates and pictures. My thoughts go out to the patient and family. I am assuming the helicopter will lower a basket instead of trying to land on the helipad. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suzyluvs2cruise Posted March 8, 2020 #703 Share Posted March 8, 2020 1 hour ago, John&LaLa said: Correct, but they may not have known. They typically gift these separately. No Pinnacle picture on the Feb 23 Allure cruise. Allure typically doesn't do one. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare twangster Posted March 8, 2020 #704 Share Posted March 8, 2020 1 minute ago, Sea Dog said: Thank you @twangster for your updates and pictures. My thoughts go out to the patient and family. I am assuming the helicopter will lower a basket instead of trying to land on the helipad. That's typically up to the helicopter crew. At some point the bridge may begin following instructions as opposed to telling the helicopter what to do. Ship heading, speed and basket vs. landing will typically be up to the helicopter crew. Once it's closer the helicopter pilot will most likely request specific adjustment to ship heading and speed based on sea conditions and winds to optimize their approach and to minimize ship motion based on sea swell, etc. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The sea calls my name Posted March 8, 2020 #705 Share Posted March 8, 2020 37 minutes ago, John&LaLa said: Pat was telling me about landing helicopters on his carrier. Very dicey since the jets need 17 knots to launch Yes, thus the reason many times ships return to port when able rather than add this risk to the safety of the crew and the patient. Many prayers for safety for all involved. Hoping to receive a good report in a few hours. Also hoping the lovely Laura is well again. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigeck Posted March 8, 2020 #706 Share Posted March 8, 2020 1 hour ago, twangster said: Preparing for helicopter evac. That alpha call this morning must have been serious. We've turned to close the distance to the Azores. In 2 1/2 hours times the helicopter should be here. Friends on board said someone had a heart attack on flowrider at 8am this morning. As you said, headed to Azores for medivac 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare twangster Posted March 8, 2020 #707 Share Posted March 8, 2020 2 minutes ago, bigeck said: Friends on board said someone had a heart attack on flowrider at 8am this morning. As you said, headed to Azores for medivac I wonder if The Key had early Flowrider hours before the published 9am opening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare A&L_Ont Posted March 8, 2020 #708 Share Posted March 8, 2020 (edited) John, ask your Genie if they have an extra mug for you or Pat. Doesn’t hurt to ask. Edited March 8, 2020 by A&L_Ont 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigeck Posted March 8, 2020 #709 Share Posted March 8, 2020 7 minutes ago, twangster said: I wonder if The Key had early Flowrider hours before the published 9am opening. Probably is. Never thought of that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted March 8, 2020 Author #710 Share Posted March 8, 2020 Going through some pictures while Genie Jay sets up for Laura's birthday party. Dje is at the spa getting hair done. The high diver, but off the springboard 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Sea Dog Posted March 8, 2020 #711 Share Posted March 8, 2020 Wish Laura a very happy birthday from me. I hope her trip around the sun was a great one and cheers to her as she begins her new trip. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare A&L_Ont Posted March 8, 2020 #712 Share Posted March 8, 2020 Yes, please wish her a happy birthday from our household as well. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The sea calls my name Posted March 8, 2020 #713 Share Posted March 8, 2020 Ditto, a very Happy Birthday and such a beautiful way to spend it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polly1922 Posted March 8, 2020 #714 Share Posted March 8, 2020 Wishing Laura a very happy and healthy birthday xxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagsfan Posted March 8, 2020 #715 Share Posted March 8, 2020 3 hours ago, John&LaLa said: Uh, oh. We seem to have stopped Yikes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagsfan Posted March 8, 2020 #716 Share Posted March 8, 2020 We had a middle of the night medivac off the coast of Spain in April on Crown Princess. Were not used to announcements in the cabin and were asleep when a loud voice told us to turn off cabin lights unless drapes are closed. Next announcement said forward cabins were being evacuated for a helicopter evacuation. We were too foggy to get up and look, but the helicopter was the loudest I’ve ever heard. Next announcement said turn off all balcony lights. And the last one...no flash photography or flashlights. This was repeated several times. I wonder sometimes if people are stupid at home, or just on cruises! A woman at lunch said they were in a forward cabin and woke up when a man standing at the end of the bed said “Here’s a blanket. Follow me, please.” They gathered more people as they went. We never heard anything else, so could only hope the passenger was ok. An officer told us the helicopters never land (at least on Princess) for safety reasons. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFerrington Posted March 8, 2020 #717 Share Posted March 8, 2020 Happy Birthday to Laura !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tee & Chilli Posted March 8, 2020 #718 Share Posted March 8, 2020 11 minutes ago, jagsfan said: We had a middle of the night medivac off the coast of I wonder sometimes if people are stupid at home, or just on cruises! A woman at lunch said they were in a forward cabin and woke up when a man standing at the end of the bed said “Here’s a blanket. Follow me, please.” They gathered more people as they went. We never heard anything else, so could only hope the passenger was ok. An officer told us the helicopters never land (at least on Princess) for safety reasons. Maybe she didn’t hear the announcement because she’s deaf. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AxyP Posted March 8, 2020 #719 Share Posted March 8, 2020 Thank you for all of the information. I was glad they finally announced in the rooms, since I could not hear the hallway announcements. It is disconcerting to see all the activity with the helicopter(s). It makes me sad for whoever is involved. This has been going on for a long time now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joand452 Posted March 8, 2020 #720 Share Posted March 8, 2020 Happy Birthday to LaLa! Love the birthday sign! Everyone should celebrate like that! Our middle daughter's birthday is next week; her boyfriend doesn't understand the concept of the "birthday month"! Stick with us, kid, and we'll be celebrating yours for a month, too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare twangster Posted March 8, 2020 #721 Share Posted March 8, 2020 Patient away and enroute to Ponta Delgada. We seem to be returning on a heading towards our destination. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagsfan Posted March 8, 2020 #722 Share Posted March 8, 2020 1 hour ago, Tee & Chilli said: Maybe she didn’t hear the announcement because she’s deaf. By the time the announcement was made, the forward cabins had been evacuated by security. The forward cabin people were all taken to a lounge to wait wrapped in blankets till it was over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jk04 Posted March 8, 2020 #723 Share Posted March 8, 2020 Hope Laura has a wonderful birthday!! Love the decorations. Thoughts and prayers for a full recovery for the medical evac. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted March 9, 2020 Author #724 Share Posted March 9, 2020 Bella says goodnight 27 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFerrington Posted March 9, 2020 #725 Share Posted March 9, 2020 How was the birthday party ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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