CARNIVAL TRIUMPH being dragged into Port...

[brooklynite]

CNN has live video from a helicopter. Looks cold, but nobody's hanging out in the hot tub...

[Cirque du So-What]

1. Coming soon...

Carnival not-so-triumphant being dragged into court.

[petronius]

2. LOL! Well played...

It will be interesting to see what this does to Carnival in the coming years; I'm not sure their handling thus far has been totally ideal. And while it probably won't stay a big story in general media, I bet the cruising community will keep their teeth in it until Carnival makes good or sinks...

[Cirque du So-What]

5. AFAIK they're still dealing with the legal fallout from the Costa Concordia

It's the little things like this that piss me off.

[leftynyc]

13. So far

they've only offered a full refund plus $500. That offer is so ridiculous, I'd sue them on principle.

[CTyankee]

33. Did I hear that they also offered a free cruise? I was making my breakfast yesterday

and thought I heard Willy Geist say that and everyone around the table at MJ just groaned.

If it's true, Carnival is in greater trouble than I thought...

[leftynyc]

36. NOt even a free cruise

A DISCOUNT on a future cruise. Sickening.

[KharmaTrain]

8. They're Lined Up On The Docks...

This will be the ultimate Shakedown Cruise...

[nadinbrzezinski]

23. CNN 'bout to talk to lawyer that specializes in these cases.

[TeamPooka]

34. Good luck suing them in Liberia or wherever the boat is registered. nt

[1983law]

39. You got that right.

I never solicit clients, because of the whole "ambulance chasing" thing, but seeing the owner living it up art a BB game while his employees and guests are suffering pisses me off.

[greytdemocrat]

3. Ha

From what I saw in the paper this morning, the ship has had other
mech. problems prior to this cruise. I'd be expecting a lawyer feeding frenzy.

[riqster]

10. Link to paper's website?

I'd like to read the article.

[greytdemocrat]

19. Hey.

It was in the Sarasota Herald Tribune http://www.heraldtribune.com/

Just a little mention in their "In Brief" section, page 2. I don't think it's
even online.

[riqster]

29. Thanks! (nt)

[monmouth3]

4. Considering the $ they will have to pour out, including lawsuits, they probably will go out

of business. I go on cruises every few years or so and Carnival would be the last line I would ever book with.

[bullwinkle428]

6. Part of my family is planning an Alaska cruise on the Princess line (part of Carnival)

in June. Should I be urging them to consider a change in cruise lines?

[Earth_First]

9. I would.

The Norwegian line Jewel will be making the Alasakan passage that time of year when the Breakaway starts porting in New York.

We took this particular ship on a 7-day from NYC in December and we absolutely loved the ship.

The crew will probably be much of the same too, as many of these crew contracts are 6 or 9 month obligations.

[bullwinkle428]

18. Thanks for the advice! I'll definitely be passing it along, although one

member of the family (in-law) is particularly stubborn and not so willing to take advice, so we'll see how that turns out.

[nadinbrzezinski]

24. After the last one I told sis to cancel hers

Well, now it's the third ship...maybe next time they will (not) listen

[TeamPooka]

35. I've only cruised on Royal Carribean and they were great the two times I went. nt

[Lurker Deluxe]

11. Carnival is going to go out of business?

Really?

Even if the lawsuits won, which they won't ... how much do you think each person would get?

Even if everyone got a million, that would be 3 Bil. A ship cost about a bil, that's three ships. You don't think they are big enough that they could take that hit? Plus they are insured against this kind of thing.

They are a monster. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnival_Cruise_Lines

They also employ 35K or so and support alot of jobs besides that.

Carnival will not miss a beat, and the Triumph will be back out there toting people around the gulf in less than a month.

[leftynyc]

14. Would you book a trip with them?

They've already had to cancel a bunch of cruises because of this. I don't know if it will put them out of business but their insurance company will either drop them or jack up their rates to the sky. Offering a refund with $500 is an insult after what these people have gone through.

[Lurker Deluxe]

17. Yes I would

In a heartbeat.

But, it's worse than that. The company I work for works directly on these boats and although I do not travel much anymore I could have been on that very boat during this.

What these people went through was uncomfortable, surely, but they were not in danger and are about to be returned to their lives. Any time you get on a boat, in a plane, on a train/bus you are taking the chance that mechanical difficulties will arise and make your trip uncomfortable, even miserable. If you decide to sue all of these companies out of business prepare to walk ... alot.

Carnival will make restitution, and anything else will most likely go through arbitration. As far as the cruises being canceled what I know about it ... ships were delayed providing service to the vessel in distress and could not make their next scheduled call.

[backscatter712]

28. Um, the reason that ship had to be towed to port was because it had an engine fire.

Thankfully, enough safety systems and procedures kicked in to put the fire out, but engine fires can sink ships.

So yeah, the passengers were in danger.

[monmouth3]

15. LOL, in your dreams. Their image is very poor...n/t

[zipplewrath]

16. Slight detail

Carnival will not miss a beat, and the Triumph will be back out there toting people around the gulf in less than a month.

I don't particularly disagree with your assertion, but the reports are already out that the ship is so badly damaged (and was in such lousy shape to begin with) that it is probably going to be out of service for 6 months or so. I'd suspect the Coast Guard (or where ever they are flagged) will be doing the "extra special" inspection on this one. Truth is, Carnival is probably going to get extra surprised inspections for the next few months.

[Lurker Deluxe]

20. The reports??

I do not know who you work for, but I know for a fact that we have people on this boat right now. If I was to tell anyone anything about the status of that vessel, what caused this, or estimated damages, and it was found out that I said it.

I would be unemployed.

The vessel hasn't even landed any someone is saying what about what?

They know jack. Promise.

The last one with an engine fire, Splendor, was due to a total failure of an engine. That is as bad as it gets .... and it was not down six months.

Triumph is an older boat, but is not in bad shape. These vessels are inspected by the USCG at every landing and would not be allowed to sail if they were not seaworthy.

[zipplewrath]

21. Oakie Doakie

I'll admit, I was a bit surprised at the suggested time. That's a long time to have a boat out of service. As for the inspections, there are short ones and long ones, and punitive ones. I'd bet on the last this time around. (My background is in FAA aircraft inspections. Some are little more than paperwork checks. Get into trouble and they can open up ALOT of panels.)

[Lurker Deluxe]

30. very true

Most USCG inspections are paper checks, and all of these boats have an engine in state of disrepair, always. The inspections are performed by third party people who check the dimensions and tolerances of the engine components as the repairs are being performed. When the USCG does it's thing that is what they are looking at, inspection reports and service reports. Not unlike an aircraft that needs it's inspections on systems determined by operating hours, that vessel needs the same inspection report to be cleared to sail. Most of the time when the operating hours determine an inspection is needed on certain systems they are simply removed and sent into the OEM's facility for reconditioning.

The USCG is not about to start opening up panels and prodding around, they have no idea what they are looking at. There are just as many power plants on boats are there are in planes and those inspections are done by qualified people, and then the governing body checks to make sure they have been done.

Carnival, just as any other passenger carrying service, is highly regulated and inspected.

No matter how well you service things, things break. You can only be redundant on so many things practically.

[ScreamingMeemie]

7. OMG, CNN, leave that poor kid alone.

"Can you tell us...? Is it an announcement? What are they saying???"

[Puzzledtraveller]

12. It's a cathartic experience, they should be happy for it

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. I just love the lack of mention

Of where those tug boats came from.

They should have taken to Veracruz, for passenger and crew safety.

[nadinbrzezinski]

25. Mexican Navy offered a heli evacuation for medical need

Per international law...so they are doing what they can to avoid any exposure to any naval review if they can.

[hedgehog]

27. I imagine the entire pasenger quarters will need to be stripped to the steel

before it can go into service again.

[PufPuf23]

31. Here is a (boring) live feed of CNN curtesy of ABC

http://www.abc15.com/generic/news/live-video

[Skidmore]

32. After hearing a report yesterday about elderly on board

running out of medications and young children being stressed, I think Carnival should be held negligent. There certainly should have been some way to evacuate the vulnerable from that ship given the number of days it has been disabled at sea. Or to deliver supplies to them. No one could hover a helicopter over the ship to drop a flat of supplies? Or, was that just too costly? I rather think the lawsuits to follow are going to cost the corp a hell of a lot more.

[Grammy23]

37. One report I read indicated food and a generator were dropped onto

the Triumph and the passengers were served a hot meal last night.

As for people running out of medication, isn't it their responsibility to carry just a little bit extra? Just in case.....just saying. They were supposed to be back in Mobile last Monday so would it have been asking too much to bring along a few extra days of medication, especially medication for health issues like hypertension? I take medication for my blood pressure and I assure you that I NEVER, EVER go anywhere without a few extra days of my medications or a way to refill them. If they had just enough to get them back into port, shame on them. If you read the information they send you when you book the cruise, you should know that things can and do go wrong. Ports of call may have to be skipped, routes changed due to weather and yes, once in a great while there are unforeseen events like engine fires that disable the ship. Use your head, people. Do not assume that everything is going to go as planned. And take along a few extra capsules, especially if it's a life threatening condition you're managing. Would a diabetic bring just enough insulin to get him or her back to port? I sure hope not.

[CTyankee]

38. I always take a couple of extra days' b.p. meds when I travel, just in case. But I go to places

where I fly and where I am in a city where there are resources, even if my prescriptions have to be translated into another language.

You make a good point that this is a ship on the seas. That would give me pause if I were traveling that way, but I would never take this kind of cruise...it simply isn't my thing. However, I have considered river travel in France, but it is usually close enough to a town or city that you could prolly get help rather quickly. BTW, I always take my meds in the original bottle for that reason...it's a good idea...