Celebration off to a rough start?

[Ilovesailaway]

Just off Celebration and I had a great time. The food was great. No long lines. Friendly staff.

Now my concern:

To my knowledge there have been 3 incidents already that have required an emergency response plan to be initiated. Fire in the engine room, fire or smoke alarm in the incinerator area, and a random automated announcement of technical difficulties and directions to follow crew instructions with doors closing off compartments of the ship. 

I honestly don't know if its common for a new ship to experience issues like these but this all occurred in the span of 8 days and as I said its just the problems I am aware of. A lot of ppl who were on the ship with me during some of these problems had no idea they even happened.

[EngIceDave]

I heard the fire announcement on "Deck zero, locker 17," on the final night

 

Other than the medical issues, that's the only one I heard, but maybe I was a sleep?

[Ilovesailaway]

The incinerator alarm/code was in the first couple days and the automated instructions with doors closing was toward the end of the cruise.

I was in the 820 area when the automated announcement happened. Passengers didn't seem concerned and just kept on eating and drinking. Several higher ranking staff quickly went to the mid stairwell and started going down while looking for updates on their phones. After seeing that I went to the outside deck to look around but saw nothing.

The incinerator alarm elicited a similar response by staff and a similar utter lack of awareness or concern by passengers. I was sitting next to a family member of an officer at Latitudes when the alarm went off. Her family quickly found her, whispered in her ear, then ran off... came back after all clear.

Honestly as concerning as the alarms were the complete lack awareness by the passengers is mind blowing. 

[BlerkOne]

Are you sure none were drills?

[Ilovesailaway]

14 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

Are you sure none were drills?

An announcement was made after the incinerator incident explaining the problem and that we were clear... I couldn't hear exactly what was said because no one even bothered to quiet down to listen.

The automated announcement with doors closing was not explained but the surprised and concerned response by the staff seemed genuine. 

I do not believe these were drills.

We did have your standard drills and practice alarms during a port day but they were very careful to announce that they were only drills.

[AtSeaWithChris]

On the inaugural sailing there were alarms for an hour or two that automatically shut off overhead music and entertainment leaving a hot mic for crew and passenger instructions     It was said to be a false alarm. 

[BlerkOne]

3 minutes ago, AtSeaWithChris said:

On the inaugural sailing there were alarms for an hour or two that automatically shut off overhead music and entertainment leaving a hot mic for crew and passenger instructions     It was said to be a false alarm. 

If that was on the TA, I missed it entirely. I guess I was enjoying the silence.

[kwokpot]

1 minute ago, BlerkOne said:

If that was on the TA, I missed it entirely. I guess I was enjoying the silence.

No it was the Nov. 21st sailing. It was very obvious, you couldn't have missed it.  

 

Edited February 6, 2023 by kwokpot

[kdr69]

If you didnt end up in a lifeboat whats the issue?

[Ilovesailaway]

8 minutes ago, kdr69 said:

If you didnt end up in a lifeboat whats the issue?

Wow I didn't think of it that way. Onboard fires, passengers not hearing or choosing to ignore alarms? 

Well I feel better thanks

[starstruck05]

I don't think it was as big of a deal as you are thinking it was. (Not knocking your experience,  just going from MY experience) Had it been a passenger safety issue, TRUST, you would know and been directed on what to do. The ship will be completely silent and announcements will be blasted in all the rooms and halls. The ones you heard were really only specifically for crew first and foremost. They would never involve passengers unless absolutely necessary. 

[kdr69]

6 minutes ago, Ilovesailaway said:

Wow I didn't think of it that way. Onboard fires, passengers not hearing or choosing to ignore alarms? 

Well I feel better thanks

Glad to know my words were of some comfort😉.  

[Ilovesailaway]

3 minutes ago, starstruck05 said:

I don't think it was as big of a deal as you are thinking it was. (Not knocking your experience,  just going from MY experience) Had it been a passenger safety issue, TRUST, you would know and been directed on what to do. The ship will be completely silent and announcements will be blasted in all the rooms and halls. The ones you heard were really only specifically for crew first and foremost. They would never involve passengers unless absolutely necessary. 

Thank you for your logical response. And I agree that if the problems had escalated to the point of needing to direct passengers it would not be as casual as what I saw.

I kinda wanted to start this post to see what other peoples opinions are on having such a new ship have what seems like a lot of issues. I don't know if it's just working out the kinks?

[chengkp75]

Incinerator fires are pretty common on cruise ships.  They are most commonly inside the incinerator, which is equipped with fire suppression equipment, but if the smoke/heat alarm goes off, it is treated like any other fire.  They usually happen when crew are not completely diligent in sorting trash to go into the incinerator.  There is a shredder that can cause a spark if metal or things like AA batteries are shredded, and this spark can smolder for hours, before the alarm happens.

 

An "automated alarm" with door closings sounds like a fire detector in that zone went off.  When a fire is detected in a fire zone (one section of the ship from keel to top, and there will be 5-7 zones typically, and are delineated by the fire doors in the passageways), the doors will automatically close, and ventilation will automatically be shut down in that zone.

 

Fires reported in the engine room can be caused by a lot of things other than fire.  A steam leak can set off a smoke detector, or overzealous use of anti-seize compound on exhaust manifold bolts can burn off when the engine is first run again, causing smoke and odors and false alarms.

 

It sounds more like the crew are still learning the ropes regarding the safety systems onboard, and things are being handled over cautiously.  Typically, all these would be a "code Bravo" call with a location, not a general announcement of a fire.

[Ilovesailaway]

Very helpful.. thank you chengkp75.

[mz-s]

1 hour ago, kdr69 said:

If you didnt end up in a lifeboat whats the issue?

 

Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?

[chengkp75]

2 hours ago, Ilovesailaway said:

Honestly as concerning as the alarms were the complete lack awareness by the passengers is mind blowing.

Actually, that is the reason for the "code" calls, to not alarm the passengers.  You would get a "code Bravo" call for a fire in a trash can in a crew cabin, that was extinguished with an extinguisher by the person who reported it, is that something that the passengers need to be aware of?

 

As the "on scene commander" for all shipboard emergencies on the cruise ships I worked (I was the Staff Chief Engineer, no the Captain is not "on scene", he is on the bridge), I was responsible for the emergency response teams, and the prosecuting of the emergency.  Only when I felt, in consultation with the Captain, that the passengers needed to be removed from all areas of the ship and mustered for accountability, would I recommend that the "passenger muster" signal should be sounded.

 

This is really the only alarm that passengers need to be concerned with, the "passenger muster" alarm, as until that is sounded, whatever emergency is ongoing is under control.  And, note, that contrary to most passengers' notion, the "passenger muster" signal is not the "abandon ship" signal, it is known to crew as the "fire and general emergency" signal.

[EngIceDave]

When I heard it, I was aware and I also paid attention, but I did not get up and run around Chibang like my hair was on fire.

No one in the Chibang crew seemed concerned, why should I be? Same when flying, if the FA is calm, it's all good.

 

I was sleeping during one other, my wife was being woo'd into a crazy expensive ring by the giant head guy

[ontheweb]

4 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

Actually, that is the reason for the "code" calls, to not alarm the passengers.  You would get a "code Bravo" call for a fire in a trash can in a crew cabin, that was extinguished with an extinguisher by the person who reported it, is that something that the passengers need to be aware of?

 

As the "on scene commander" for all shipboard emergencies on the cruise ships I worked (I was the Staff Chief Engineer, no the Captain is not "on scene", he is on the bridge), I was responsible for the emergency response teams, and the prosecuting of the emergency.  Only when I felt, in consultation with the Captain, that the passengers needed to be removed from all areas of the ship and mustered for accountability, would I recommend that the "passenger muster" signal should be sounded.

 

This is really the only alarm that passengers need to be concerned with, the "passenger muster" alarm, as until that is sounded, whatever emergency is ongoing is under control.  And, note, that contrary to most passengers' notion, the "passenger muster" signal is not the "abandon ship" signal, it is known to crew as the "fire and general emergency" signal.

Since they only did the e-muster, no one would have known what to do if a muster was really called other than watching a video.

[mz-s]

1 hour ago, ontheweb said:

Since they only did the e-muster, no one would have known what to do if a muster was really called other than watching a video.

 

I do love the convenience of the current e-muster process but I can't help but wonder that you're right and we are a disaster away from realizing it all too well.

[jimbo5544]

We had a similar thing on our cruise.  It is head scratching.

[ontheweb]

10 hours ago, mz-s said:

 

I do love the convenience of the current e-muster process but I can't help but wonder that you're right and we are a disaster away from realizing it all too well.

And let's remember the crew. How many of them are new and inexperienced? Do they have the "muscle memory" to know instinctively what to do in a real muster situation? We do read on these boards of inexperienced stewards and waiters. It would not be surprising if this also applied to other crew members.

[mz-s]

26 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

And let's remember the crew. How many of them are new and inexperienced? Do they have the "muscle memory" to know instinctively what to do in a real muster situation? We do read on these boards of inexperienced stewards and waiters. It would not be surprising if this also applied to other crew members.

 

I see what you mean. I'd like to think crew will be better equipped when the inevitable happens because they do so many drills. How often have we seen crew launch a life boat while docked in Nassau etc.

[chengkp75]

20 minutes ago, mz-s said:

 

I see what you mean. I'd like to think crew will be better equipped when the inevitable happens because they do so many drills. How often have we seen crew launch a life boat while docked in Nassau etc.

And, would that crew be as well trained if they came to the drill one at a time, had their name checked off, and listened to a presentation of how to launch a lifeboat?  Sound like the description of another drill that many claim is just as effective as doing an actual muster?  Over on the NCL board, there are complaints that the in person muster drills are a shambles, much worse than before the e-muster, and could this be due to the fact that the crew has not had any recent training in actually handling crowds?

[mz-s]

3 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

And, would that crew be as well trained if they came to the drill one at a time, had their name checked off, and listened to a presentation of how to launch a lifeboat?  Sound like the description of another drill that many claim is just as effective as doing an actual muster?  Over on the NCL board, there are complaints that the in person muster drills are a shambles, much worse than before the e-muster, and could this be due to the fact that the crew has not had any recent training in actually handling crowds?

 

True, launching a boat in Nassau or doing the e-muster process we have now is nothing like an actual emergency...I pray this e-muster is never put to the test, but eventually it will be and frankly I think it will be found wanting to say the least...