[gocubsgo]

I am so glad all those poor people are back on dry land and getting food and SHOWERS!

Here's what baffles me...why didn't Carnival send out another ship when all this first happened and transfer the passengers? Why did they leave them on that nasty ship for days on end in those filthy conditions? How hard would it have been to do that?

I read this morning that the crew quickly picked up all the mattresses on the deck and "suddenly found food they didn't know they had" and set out a small buffet table right before they pulled into Alabama. Hmmm...

[saratogaman]

While I fully sympathize with the plight of the passengers, cruise lines do not have spare ships sitting around to quickly launch for a rescue.

[kbace6]

Originally Posted by saratogaman

While I fully sympathize with the plight of the passengers, cruise lines do not have spare ships sitting around to quickly launch for a rescue.

Although it seems like it makes sense to do something other than what the cruise line did, the logistics of sending out another ship is just not feasible.

[gocubsgo]

What about the coast guard sending another ship out?

If I was the CEO of Carnival, I would have rather of forfeited the income from a cancelled cruise to use that ship for rescue than to have dealt with not only the bad publicity from this but, the lawsuits you know will be forthcoming.

[Madelaine Amee]

Originally Posted by gocubsgo

Here's what baffles me...why didn't Carnival send out another ship when all this first happened and transfer the passengers? Why did they leave them on that nasty ship for days on end in those filthy conditions? How hard would it have been to do that?

The logistics of moving 4,000+ passengers and crew would have been a nightmare scenario. It would only have been possible to move passengers from one ship to another by tender, how many tenders would be needed to accomplish this, how long would they take to get to the ship? Can you imagine trying to remove passengers from a ship of that size whilst the ship is being moved by the windy conditions in the Gulf? How would you have removed infirm passengers, people confined to wheel chairs, young children etc. etc? I don't like getting on and off tenders when you are in port and the ship is tied up, let alone one that is drifting around.

These cruise companies are experts at their business, and I know it was miserable conditions for these poor people, but I don't think there was an alternative unless the ship was sinking, then things would have been very different.

[buggyone]

Madeline is 100% correct in her posting that it is just too dangereous to transfer passengers from one ship to another while in open seas.

I was on a tender once in Cozumel going from shore back to the ship. The tender engine quit and we had to transfer in the rather choppy harbor in Cozumel from one tender to another - before our powerless one hit some huge rocks! That was difficult enough to do and I can see how it would have been so much more dangerous going in a lifeboat from one ship to another on the open sea.

Carnival did all they could do in those terrible conditions. Remember, what you hear or what is reported is just one side. As someone once said, there are 3 sides to a story - your side, their side, and THE TRUTH. Lots of these stories are going to be exaggerated for the sake of possible lawsuits, etc. It still had to be terrible to be in such filth and no running water, etc for that time period.

It is not going to deter me from my future cruising - but I like Celebrity and not Carnival.

[Madelaine Amee]

Originally Posted by buggyone

Madeline is 100% correct in her posting that it is just too dangereous to transfer passengers from one ship to another while in open seas.

I was on a tender once in Cozumel going from shore back to the ship. The tender engine quit and we had to transfer in the rather choppy harbor in Cozumel from one tender to another - before our powerless one hit some huge rocks! That was difficult enough to do and I can see how it would have been so much more dangerous going in a lifeboat from one ship to another on the open sea.

Carnival did all they could do in those terrible conditions. Remember, what you hear or what is reported is just one side. As someone once said, there are 3 sides to a story - your side, their side, and THE TRUTH. Lots of these stories are going to be exaggerated for the sake of possible lawsuits, etc. It still had to be terrible to be in such filth and no running water, etc for that time period.

It is not going to deter me from my future cruising - but I like Celebrity and not Carnival.

I am also sure that the Carnival CEO was in constant touch with the Coast Guard and any other Government Agency in the event of needing emergency help. Also, do people really think that these poor people were left floating around for days in filthy conditions when there was something anyone could have done. I am sure he and his Board of Directors sat there day after day hearing the kaching kaching of the waiting Attorney's cash registers!

[sandybill2]

My husband and I cruise at least 3 x a year --- for the last three years--we have only cruised Carnival and go out of Canaveral because of the closeness to The Villages. I can't imagine what the passengers went through but it was an accident and under the circumstances they handled it as best they could. I know the passengers will be compensated with full refund, another cruise for free and 500.00 but I would like to hear that Carnival is doing something for the crew as well. Can you imagine what they went through?---they already work from early morning to late at night when the cruise is going smoothly. Their cabins are either deck 0 or 1---I am sure they did not have the option to sleep on the deck--which I am sure wasn't very comfortable. I know the passengers had a horrible experience but for some reason, I think of the crew. We have thoroughly enjoyed each and every cruise --just got off the Carnival Dream 2/9---our 12th with Carnival and a good part of our enjoyment is the friendliness and service we receive from the crew.

[Serenoa]

And to add insult to injury, I just read that one of the buses that was carrying some of the ill-fated passengers from Mobile to New Orleans last nite had their bus break down somewhere en-route to New Orleans.

Those poor folks must have been thinking & saying: What next?

[batman911]

Anyone who has served in the Navy will tell you that transferring people at sea between ships is a dangerous evolution. Even for trained people. Attempting to do that with civilians and a crew who has not trained to do that would lead to disaster. The bottom line is that the passengers were in no immediate danger, only uncomfortable. Carnival and the Coast Guard did the right thing.

[2BNTV]

I read on article of this and it was so disgusting with what the passengers had to put up with.

Truly, a trip from He**.

[gocubsgo]

I heard on the noon news that Carnival knew this ship needed repairs 2 weeks before this cruise but sent it out anyway.

Oh Oh...

[janmcn]

Originally Posted by gocubsgo

I heard on the noon news that Carnival knew this ship needed repairs 2 weeks before this cruise but sent it out anyway.

Oh Oh...

If this turns out to be true, the passengers should really be outraged and the lawyers are probably already lined up.

[billethkid]

we must all keep in mind that our only source of information is the main stream media and they are only to report what is bad or disgusting or will suck in listeners/readers.

And when they interview the passenger we all know they will seek out the disgusting most sensationalizing interviewees.......

My guess is that like most things in life the other 80-90% that were OK will never...EVER.... be heard. And yes, none of us would opt to trade with even the OK folks on that adventure.

Take, as usual, the media with a grain of salt. Their job is to be first....not accurate.

btk

[gomoho]

Actually, most of the folks I saw interviewed were simply grateful to have survived the
experience and not sensational at all.