Feb 16, 2000 - 11:46 AM

Partial Repair of Technical Glitch Gets Cruise Ship Under Way--cruise cancelled, ship headed for home port

The Associated Press

MIAMI (AP) - The Carnival Cruise Lines ship Carnival Destiny canceled its Caribbean port stops and sailed toward home early Wednesday after more than a day adrift in the ocean.

It was near the Turks and Caicos Islands southeast of the Bahama Islands early Tuesday when one of two cycloconverters malfunctioned. Cycloconverters transmit electricity from a ship's diesel engines to a propulsion motor. As ship engineers were trying to diagnose the problem, the second cycloconverter went down, Carnival spokesman Andy Newman said.

One unit was repaired early Wednesday and the ship initially headed for San Juan, the first port of call on its cruise schedule, at 10 to 12 knots (roughly 12 to 14 mph) - about half its normal speed. But the cruise line later decided instead to return to its home port in Miami.

It was not immediately clear when the ship would arrive or how passengers would be compensated for their troubles, Newman said.

The ship, carrying 2,956 passengers on a seven-day cruise, left Miami on Sunday. All shipboard functions were normal and passengers had air conditioning, running water and working toilets, Newman said.

Link:

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGIEXQV5R4C.html

-- Carl Jenkins (Somewherepress@aol.com), February 16, 2000

Answers

Here are two consecutive posts on two different Carnival cruise ships having difficulties at sea. With the other two that have had fires onboard at sea in the past year or so, I wouldn't go on a Carnival cruise if it were given to me free. When airlines have problems, they are investigated promptly. Is anyone investigating this seemingly negligent line?

-- Elaine Seavey (Gods1sheep@aol.com), February 16, 2000.

Nope. The country where the ship is registered has authority over its vessels in the high seas. US can't touch 'em.

Look at the ads, down in the bottom at the small print "Ship's registery = ....."

The reason WHY they register in these countries (Greece, Liberia, Bahamas, Turkey, Lebonan, Malaysia, etc.) is to avoid the inspections and certifications and port authorities and taxes and expenses that "real" registrations impose.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), February 16, 2000.

Ms. Gods1Sheep,

The two ships are owned by 2 different companies (Carnival and British Airtours). Before you get yourself in a lather, why not actually understand the problem? Reading things twice might help.

-- (Huh@Huh.com), February 16, 2000.

Huh, I may not have read it correctly this time: yes, it was two different lines here. However, that is STILL three out of four of the Carnival ships I "got right," and that's three more than it takes to make one cautious, if not outright afraid, of going on a Carnival cruise. Remember the one of the two recent fires, in which the crew locked themselves up and protected themselves and the food, leaving the passengers hungry and terrified? Or is your memory too short, like your reply to me was?

-- Elaine Seavey (Gods1sheep@aol.com), February 17, 2000.