So if DCL was to have a problem like the Carnival Triumph...

[WebmasterMike]

...what provisions are in place? Do they have have back up electrical and drive power? Do they have contracts with 3rd party companies in place for the displacement of the passengers?

I would be curious to see how DCL would handle the same scenario.

 

[cmwade77]

I would like to know as well.

Of course form what I have been reading, the chances of this happening on Disney are far less because of how they handle maintenance compared to Carnival.

 

[Disneybridein2k3]

Plus I imagine once one company screws up (Carnival AGAIN), each cruise company can learn and plan from the mistake.

 

[OKW Lover]

Some good questions Mike. I would hope that there is some smart management in place that has already sat down and looked at this exact question. It is certainly hard to foresee all eventualities but you would think that there would be some fairly detailed plans to handle a ship becoming stranded at sea.

 

[OKW Lover]

Just thought more about this and perhaps Dreams (as a big DCL TA) has enough clout to actually get to somebody at DCL to ask them exactly this kind of question. It might make for a very interesting segment on the PodCast.

 

[Tink rules]

My mom said she's packin a few extra granola bars and a flashlight next time she cruises...

 

[mytripsandraces]

My mom said she's packin a few extra granola bars and a flashlight next time she cruises...

Maybe DU should add a flashlight to their gift basket!

 

[*NikkiBell*]

Just thought more about this and perhaps Dreams (as a big DCL TA) has enough clout to actually get to somebody at DCL to ask them exactly this kind of question. It might make for a very interesting segment on the PodCast.

I wouldn't be surprised if this was something being planned already.

 

[Joshua_me]

My mom said she's packin a few extra granola bars and a flashlight next time she cruises...

^ Great advice !

Those, plus a small ( 8-inches tall, or so...) LED lantern with extra batteries can become your best friend in such an emergency.

Also, a solar-powered charging station for all your devices is a lifesaver. They're a little pricey, but worth every penny. (Brookstone carries them along with several other companies, I'm sure.)

I'd like to think that the response from DCL would be handled more efficiently, (right or wrong, it's my impression that their maintenance is superior)

But then again, I'm reminded of that horrible storm they had no business sailing through a few months ago. (I'm sure someone here knows the date)

Bottom line: You take a cruise and you take your chances.

 

[WebmasterMike]

(I'm sure someone here knows the date)

Bottom line: You take a cruise and you take your chances.

http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-865019

 

[Tink rules]

You know.. if you bring along a Mini Mag lite... you can screw off the top and use it as a base and then it becomes a candle... (a very romantic flashlight for camping...) and you only have to bring AA batteries (there's an extra light bulb also under the bottom battery cap...)

 

[toonaspie]

Given that DCL caters alot to small children, I could imagine things being even more difficult, especially with the sanitation issue. I could survive without lights or even electricity but not without toilets. I would recommend that Disney invest in some sanitation buckets or portable toilets (one for each room) that could be used in a bathroom emergency. And a surplus of complimentary diapers.

Also have a surplus of non perishable food that isn't just junk and have a distribution/rationing plan.

 

[Joshua_me]

http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-865019

^ And a video to boot !

(((Thanks))) k5jmh !

 

[Joshua_me]

You know.. if you bring along a Mini Mag lite... you can screw off the top and use it as a base and then it becomes a candle... (a very romantic flashlight for camping...) and you only have to bring AA batteries (there's an extra light bulb also under the bottom battery cap...)

^ Thanks for the tip, Tink !

I've never seen Mag lites like that before. I think I'd prefer a lantern in an emergency, but come to think of it, a dozen or so of those scattered around the cabin might make for a very interesting evening all it's own !

(...Said Joshua in a very G-rated, Dis-approved way.... )

 

[MommaluvsDis]

I wonder if the mechanical setup on the Disney ships is the same type or different to guard against the possibility of this happening.

 

[Julylady]

Prior to the Disney Fantasy - Hurricane Sandy cruise, I would have said that Disney would always err on the side of caution, with guest experience being the bottom line when making these types of decisions. Sadly, I no longer believe that. I believe that both Carnival and Disney will make the decision that is most favorable to them financially. I think Carnival knew they had engine issues and took a chance that everything would be okay because they didn't want to cancel a cruise. Unfortunately, Disney took that same gamble with the Fantasy last fall.

I was on a Disney Magic cruise several years ago (2006?) that had engine issues. We ended up not leaving St. Thomas until a part and a person to install the part were flown in from Norway (I think). We finally were underway about 2:30am. Due to that delay, we missed Castaway Cay. People on the ship were furious and we ended up getting 1/2 off a future cruise. I personally was thrilled with that offer! My concern is that if that identical situation happened today, the Magic would have left St. Thomas and potentially had a problem while at sea. If that had occured, we would have been in the exact same situation as the Carnival ship.

 

[North of Mouse]

...what provisions are in place? Do they have have back up electrical and drive power? Do they have contracts with 3rd party companies in place for the displacement of the passengers?

I would be curious to see how DCL would handle the same scenario.

From what I understand about the seas, etc. at that time, it would have been too dangerous to try to transfer the passengers, even if another ship had been sent. That would have been quite an endeavor.

 

[darrengs]

The IMO enacted a new guideline that all ships built on or after July 1, 2010 having a length of 120 meters or more or having three or more main vertical zone, must follow. The "Safe Return to Port", basically calls for ships to be able to "limp" back to port with basic functions due to redundancy.

http://www.gl-group.com/en/15494.php

So the Dream and Fantasy would be better suited in this situation then the Wonder and Magic.

Also as you can the Cruise Industry is not some type of rogue industry running around willy nilly "unregulated" as the media has been reported. Between the Coast guard, IMO and CDC, they are not "unregulated".

 

[OKW Lover]

The IMO enacted a new guideline that all ships built on or after July 1, 2010 having a length of 120 meters or more or having three or more main vertical zone, must follow. The "Safe Return to Port", basically calls for ships to be able to "limp" back to port with basic functions due to redundancy.

Interesting. Weren't the Dream/Fantasy already under construction at that point? Or at least had their design specifications finished? Do they fall under this new guideline?

 

[JimmyV]

Interesting. Weren't the Dream/Fantasy already under construction at that point? Or at least had their design specifications finished? Do they fall under this new guideline?

I'm not positive, but I think that the redundancy requirements were written in 2006, to be fully implemented by July, 2010. That would mean that the newer Disney ships should have been built with full knowledge of the requirements. I don't know if that means that requirements were mandatory. But they were certainly known. It's hard to imagine a ship like the Fantasy beginning to sail in mid-2012 without adhering to two-year-old rules that had been passed 6 years earlier. But what do I know?