Infinity - Pod Problems

[tom_uk]

One poster mentioned this has happened multiple times. If this true, it would seem that the cruise line has made a decision to continue sailing with the faulty pods. I can't understand why these problems would be allowed to continue.

 

I don't know, of course, but it's possible that Celebrity are in the position where there is nothing they can do. They don't make the pods themselves, of course, they are a part of the ship which they have bought from the builder. The pods are 'bespoke' items, created especially for this design. The pod manufacturer has attempted repairs/changes on numerous occasions, and I understand that Celebrity has received considerable sums of money from them in damages, yet still the problems continue. Maybe the problem is actually not solveable? - Perhaps it's not possible to design an efficient pod, to the dimensions specified, with the output required?

 

Other classes of ships with pods perhaps have different requirements: different pod dimensions, different output requirements, etc. That would explain why there have been far fewer pod failures in other classes. It certainly seems that the M-class ships are turning out to be a special case.

[dkjretired]

I don't know, of course, but it's possible that Celebrity are in the position where there is nothing they can do. They don't make the pods themselves, of course, they are a part of the ship which they have bought from the builder. The pods are 'bespoke' items, created especially for this design. The pod manufacturer has attempted repairs/changes on numerous occasions, and I understand that Celebrity has received considerable sums of money from them in damages, yet still the problems continue. Maybe the problem is actually not solveable? - Perhaps it's not possible to design an efficient pod, to the dimensions specified, with the output required?

 

Other classes of ships with pods perhaps have different requirements: different pod dimensions, different output requirements, etc. That would explain why there have been far fewer pod failures in other classes. It certainly seems that the M-class ships are turning out to be a special case.

 

I have read the same thing that they cannot be repaired permanently. I would really love for someone to give a real educated explanation and whether or not they can be fixed.

[iandjm]

I have read the same thing that they cannot be repaired permanently. I would really love for someone to give a real educated explanation and whether or not they can be fixed.

 

I would imagine anything can be fixed, its a matter of is there the money and incentive there to do so?

 

We must remember the 'M' class pod design dates from the late 90's and pod manufacturers have had up to 8 years since then to improve the designs. Lets all hope something is sorted soon, as apart from the pod problems the 'M' class ships are totally fantastic.

 

Ian :D

[flutepilot]

...apart from the pod problems the 'M' class ships are totally fantastic.

 

Ian :D

 

Yes and ...except for that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?...

 

That being said, we are looking forward to Millie in February.

 

Dan

[tom_uk]

I would imagine anything can be fixed, its a matter of is there the money and incentive there to do so?

 

We must remember the 'M' class pod design dates from the late 90's and pod manufacturers have had up to 8 years since then to improve the designs. Lets all hope something is sorted soon, as apart from the pod problems the 'M' class ships are totally fantastic.

 

Ian :D

 

I have a feeling that the industry may be quietly thinking to itself "we learned a lot from the M-class pod design....".

 

As regards 'anything can be fixed....', it would also depend on what the fixers want to be paid, ie is it at all affordable. I don't know, but if I worked for any other pod manufacturer (and I believe there are only two!) I think I might want an absolute ton of money even to look at fixing a competitor's mistakes. In fact, I probably wouldn't want to get involved with it; far better to stay away and keep talking about my successes with other designs. So Celebrity may be in the position of having to keep working with the original suppliers who made the mistakes and who have already been sued half to bankruptcy....

[princess pasta]

Hi Karynanne- princess pasta here. Just read your post re; pod problems on the Infinity & that you are sailing on her next month. Is that the Hawaii cruise leaving from LA on 10/22?? If so my friend and I will also be on that cruise. Have you signed up for the Connections party yet? It would be great to say Hi when we meet on board.

I've been periodically looking to see if there were any other posts for this cruise but until today - without success.

I hope you're right about the chances of another pod failure so soon being pretty slim. I'm a bit skittish about being at sea for 4 days in a row as it is...

[Karynanne]

Hi Karynanne- princess pasta here. Just read your post re; pod problems on the Infinity & that you are sailing on her next month. Is that the Hawaii cruise leaving from LA on 10/22?? If so my friend and I will also be on that cruise. Have you signed up for the Connections party yet? It would be great to say Hi when we meet on board.

I've been periodically looking to see if there were any other posts for this cruise but until today - without success.

I hope you're right about the chances of another pod failure so soon being pretty slim. I'm a bit skittish about being at sea for 4 days in a row as it is...

 

Hi Princess...Yes, we are on the 10/22 sailing. 4 days at sea is my kind of heaven! So relaxing...

 

Even if there was another pod issue, it would only slow the travel rate down, not completely stop the ship. So relax, have fun and enjoy. This will be the 3rd Hawaii cruise for us, and I really enjoy this cruise. Yes, we have signed up for the Connections party. We also have a Roll Call started. Just scroll up to the top of the page...on the right corner is "Join The Party". Click details.

 

Karyn

[Drew B]

From what I have been told (and I talked to a LOT of people about this while aboard the 5/7 Summit cruise). THESE pods can not be permanently fixed. In order to completely rectify the problem, they would have to design a completely different propulsion/steering system (wouldn't be "pods" at all) and add them to the existing ship. This would cost many MANY millions of dollars, as it would effectively mean designing and building (at least a big chunk of the mechanics) four brand new ships.

 

X has clearly decided through their cost/benefit analysis that it is a much better bet to run these ships despite the known wear-and-tear on the bearings. When the bearings wear, it is detected immediately and nobody is in any danger (if anybody was, THAT would probably be enough to make them stop running these ships). They then slow the ship down (resulting in things like missed ports) and plan a drydock as soon as possible to replace the worn bearing.

 

All in all, the M-Class ships run effectively at full speed MOST of the time. Hundreds of thousands of passengers sail on these ships each and every year without ANY ill effect from the bearings or the pods. However, every once in a while (it seems like about once a year for Infinity and less for the other M-Class ships - Constellation has had the fewest problems), the pod problems rear their ugly head again, and people on one cruise have their trip affected adversely and people on the next cruise have their trip cancelled as the ship goes into drydock. When these problems arise, Celebrity makes some effort to compensate the passengers affected. This compensation has ranged from a nominal shipboard credit to a full-refund plus a free cruise. There is RAMPANT disagreement as to the fairness of this compensation...

 

 

If it were up to me, I would design the M-class ships' sailing schedule with a planned drydock every 9-10 months or so in which the bearings are replaced (worn or not). I think this would only take three or four days, and would probably save the company a great deal of money if they no longer had to compensate passengers for ruined or cancelled trips. What it would save them in a PR sense is incalculable...

[Cachecara]

I like your plan Drew. I wish it were up to you!:)

[c-legs]

:D Same here !!!

I think the name for such a brilliant plan is ''common sense''.... However, I don't know if such basics are absorbed easily over at RCI's management team and its layers and layers of '' management people''....

Drew: well said

 

Cheers

Claude G

;)

[Drew B]

Thanks. The bad part of my plan is that the crew is hit hard by any time in which they can't earn tips. Of course, a PLANNED drydock is no worse than an UNplanned one as far as their income goes, so as long as the ships are having to be repaired somewhat regularly anyway...

[cechase]

There is just one problem with Drew B's hypothesis, the last problem with Infinity was not with the bearings, but with the electical system and electrical motor that actually operates the shaft and propeller. If any of you have ever had the opportunity to be on the bridge of a M-class vessel, on the main console as well as the duplicate consoles on each wing of the bridge, the pods are operated by two fairly simple levers. [they are U-shaped devices] Pushed forward, they increase the power to the shafts and the propellers, but they can also be rotated left or right to change the direction of the propellers, giving the conning officer the ability to make rather precise right and left movements of the vessel.

 

We were on Infinity for its 9/3/2006 cruise, just before it went into drydock in Victoria. We had no lost ports, arrived and left each port at the designated time [except docking in San Francisco one hour late because of very dense fog in the Golden Gate - we had a very hard time seeing the Golden Gate Bridge from our veranda because of the fog]. And despite comments from others, we got so close to the Hubbard Glacier that you felt that you could almost reach out to get some ice for your martini :D.

 

All of this was accomplished at a reduced speed of 19 knots - which was announced well prior to our cruise. Frankly, we believe that these are magnificant vessels. Each of you have a choice - a customer's choice - book or not book - but quit carping!

 

We made our choice, we are on Millie for her TA out on Barcelona on 12/2/2007! :D

[Drew B]

There is just one problem with Drew B's hypothesis, the last problem with Infinity was not with the bearings, but with the electical system and electrical motor that actually operates the shaft and propeller.

 

Has THAT problem happened before on any M-Class ships? If not, then it is an aberration and a fluke and doesn't belong in the discussion of the recurring M-Class pod problems.

[golfnkitties]

Hi Karynanne- princess pasta here. Just read your post re; pod problems on the Infinity & that you are sailing on her next month. Is that the Hawaii cruise leaving from LA on 10/22?? If so my friend and I will also be on that cruise. Have you signed up for the Connections party yet? It would be great to say Hi when we meet on board.

I've been periodically looking to see if there were any other posts for this cruise but until today - without success.

I hope you're right about the chances of another pod failure so soon being pretty slim. I'm a bit skittish about being at sea for 4 days in a row as it is...

 

Saw your note to Karynanne and wanted to also say Hi ! We'll be sailing on the 22nd also. Come on over to our roll call thread and see what a great group of folks will be with you ! 65 folks are registered for the Connections Party, have you signed up yet ??

Hope to see you on the thread ! :D:D

[Superman of Inaction]

Has THAT problem happened before on any M-Class ships? If not, then it is an aberration and a fluke and doesn't belong in the discussion of the recurring M-Class pod problems.

 

If I recall they completely replaced both pods on the Infinity last September. If the battery on my car does not work, I would not replace the transmission. Maybe Celebrity was just too embarrassed to admit that it was another pod problem and decided to call it something else.

[tom_uk]

'claude.g' made this comment in September this year:

 

......The electrical pod system powering the port side pod showed sign of impending failure.

The decision was made to replace the entire pod apparatus.

 

Previous '' pod'' problems affecting the '' M '' series of ships were centered on a premature wear failure of the radial thrust bearing in the pods....nothing to do with this current episode.

 

Infinity seems a bit jinxed however, as she 's also the one most often affected by the bearing problems, symptomatic of the design flaw which is affecting the entire class....