Port Canaveral experts - Enchantment - Tug assist today?

[BillOh]

In my 5 cruise out of PC, only once did I see tugs aside the ships leaving the port and that was on a very windy day. I assumed with the high wind they were there if the ship got pushed too close to the side of the channel.   Today I was surprised to see the tug Escambia attach to Enchantments front starboard side as the East basin. It didn't seem that windy, perhaps she was headed into a tight spot? I've seen her berth there before without assistance.

[zebra36]

Just hope this is not related to any propulsion problems which would not bode well for subsequent cruises!

[bowler15547]

Enchantment sucked a mooring line into its bow thruster leaving Charleston on its last cruise. I assume that is causing some reduced thruster functionality until they can get it fixed. 

[BillOh]

2 hours ago, bowler15547 said:

Enchantment sucked a mooring line into its bow thruster leaving Charleston on its last cruise. I assume that is causing some reduced thruster functionality until they can get it fixed. 

Seems like a reasonable guess, she was mooring close to other ships on her starboard side.

[BND]

2 minutes ago, BillOh said:

Seems like a reasonable guess, she was mooring close to other ships on her starboard side.

That is why.  No propulsion issues but it's not safe to dock without the control of the thrusters,  hence the tugs.  Ships without thrusters use tugs routinely.  

 

Also, your question was answered earlier on the live EN thread being done by DragonoftheSeas.

Edited March 28, 2022 by BND

[BND]

3 hours ago, zebra36 said:

Just hope this is not related to any propulsion problems which would not bode well for subsequent cruises!

It's not.

[esrescuer]

I was on Enchantment the day it happen. It was the evening of March 23rd around 7-7:30pm when we started to pulling away from the dock at the Charleston port, which can only handle one cruise ship at a time, got about 20 feet from the dock when we felt the ship learch. The Captain came on about 15 minutes later and explained what happen and they were working on it. A mooring rope that was floating in the water got sucked into the port side bow thruster. After just shy of four hours a tug was brought in to help us leave Charleston because they we're not able to get the rope out. However, the Captain put pedel to the metal to get back to Baltimore in time for us to disembark the ship, also needed a tug to dock there too. They left Baltimore with the thruster still out of commission, however, my husband did mention today they were able to get the rope out of the thruster so now they can repair it. So I'm not sure if they will do it in a port or drydock her to do it.

[esrescuer]

On 3/28/2022 at 12:56 PM, BND said:

It's not.

No, it only effects her side way movement, like pulling into and out of the dock.

[TBurr]

Charleston must be unlucky for RCCL. A few years ago I was there on the Grandeur and as we were docked, they dropped a lifeboat, which sank, and they could not recover it. An expensive place for their ships.

[BillOh]

Just watched her leave PC again, looks like bow thruster is working again. At least I think so, as she pulled out her aft came out quicker, but that might have been intentional as she doesn't need the nearby turn around basin?

 

[chengkp75]

29 minutes ago, BillOh said:

as she pulled out her aft came out quicker

The "stern" may have come out faster, but she doesn't have an "aft".  Enchantment has two bow thrusters and one stern thruster, so even with one bow thruster not working, she can still maneuver well, but some ports may require tug assist, or it could be a company requirement.  Most times, cutting the line loose (they tend to melt into a ball of plastic if the thruster is not stopped quickly) is all that is required to fix the thruster.  The propeller on the thruster (just like all the propellers on the ships) have a "rope guard" to prevent damage due to taking a line into the propeller.