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Cruise Commodore |
Best regards, Raoul Fiebig |
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Cruise Commodore |
Hello Tony,
I understand the wave was approx. 20-25 meters high (which translates to approx. 65-80 ft.). I do not believe it has caused structural damage, however. As mentioned in the below update from NCL, the ship is underway to New York and its next cruise will depart tomorrow. There's no doubt that this incident caused a lot a "cosmetic damage", i.e. broken glass etc. - but it would have been impossible to repair any structural damage within 24 hours. Also, it would have been utterly ridiculous to evacuate (!) the ship in those heavy seas. I'm 100% sure that as far as its seaworthyness is concerned, the ship was never in any danger of sinking, which would have beeen the only reason I can think of which in that situation would have justified an evacuation. By the way, I have read a report from somebody onboard the ship (a passenger that is!), who wrote that NCL managed the situation in an excellent matter. There's no doubt whatsoever that this must have been a horrible experience for the people onboard, not only passengers but crew, as well. However, freak waves are very rare, and the risk of encountering one is extremely small, indeed. I hope those injured will recover, soon. It appears, however, that indeed nobody was seriously hurt. The following is the most recent update from NCL:
Best regards, Raoul Fiebig |
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| <Tony>
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Firstly Raoul; I hope you didn't think I was contraticting your report I was just "quoting" a Canadian news report, Who have since now gone as far as playing a couple interviews with passengers one who said "it was actually several waves and he was a couple rooms down the hall from ones with windows smashed out" and " we were thrown around like rag dolls for awhile" .They also mentioned again the "structual damgage, but not taking on water" and "broken glass in many restruants, and furniture" . Your report was great and I look forward to hearing/ reading more first had reports, Either way a frightening night I don't wish on anyone,
ps sorry I didn't see other thred when I post on other forum? C YA  |
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Cruise Commodore |
Hello Tony, don't worry. It's just that the mass media often report, well, rubbish when it comes to incidents like this one.  Best regards, Raoul Fiebig |
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| <Tony>
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GOOD MORNING RAOUL, found alot of interseting info on another site, not the least was this www.nydailynews.com under "trip was hellon the high seas". Very interseting read with, "quotes from passengers..." as the one I heard from passengers and also about the Coast Guard investigating a call for help from capt. they have no record off? I have seen a few pictures now , and unless you work for NCL, youd have to say they are quite real and not "rubbish". Unfortunate freak of nature that could happen anytime. Have a nice day. end of story.
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Cruise Commodore |
Hello Tony,
it amazes me again and again that people trust the mass media more than those media that are specialized in a certain area. Do I work for NCL? No, certainly not. Actually, if you browse through past postings, you will see that I have critizised NCL many times including most recently in regards to their IMHO very poor handling of the S/S "Norway" saga. If "Norwegian Dawn" had indeed been structurally damaged, both the U.S. Coast Guard and its Classification Society would not have allowed her to leave Charleston or even embark for her next cruise today. I have no doubt whatsoever that the freak wave caused lots of damage, including broken glass and furtniture and the results of flooded cabins. However, I can only repeat it once more: There has been no proof whatsoever that there is any structural damage. Do you think those passengers who said that despite the horrifying situation, NCL did a good job to take care of them (isn't it interesting that hardly ever find statements like that in tabloid newspapers?) have been paid by NCL? Best regards, Raoul Fiebig |
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Serious Cruiser |
Hi there Raoul!
I’m so glad to have you’re account of this unfortunate incident with my favorite ship. While I do love NCL and the Norwegian Dawn I am by no means blinded by the fact that NCL is a corporation and thus have their best interests , specifically their image, in mind. Indeed, if you read the press release on their site their spin on the incident is very toned down. With that said, it is obvious that this incident, while horrifying to all and sundry aboard was just that, an incident. Furthermore, this is directed to Tony, I notice that you quote "The New York Daily News". I think I'd believe "The National Inquirer" before I'd believe them...they are the worst of all the "fish wrappers" out there – bar none! Please realize that all newspapers and the news media in general are more interested in selling toothpaste and automobiles than they are in reporting the news in a straightforward and honest manner. Unfortunately, sensationalism sells and simply reporting a freak wave, some broken windows and flooding is just plain boring to the blood thirsty news hungry public. The fact that The Dawn is already back on a scheduled itinerary is testament to the fact that A. As I stated before, this is only an incident, not a horrifying accident and B. She's a well-built, solid ship and I'm glad she took this like the lady that she is. Paul and I are booked for the 12/11 cruise for 11 days and I'm glad she'll be with us! Take care everyone. Darryl |
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Cruise-Chat.com Founder Cruise Guru |
Darryl, thank you for your reason. I have to completely agree with you. The media sees headlines like this as good business. This morning, I was at the gym working out and I heard people talking about the incident, as it was reported in San Diego. You would have thought that thousands of people must have died.
Tom |
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| <Tony>
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Morning, Thanks for your reply, Firstly the only cruise line I have sailed with is NCL , And I loved it so this was not a bash at them. I live in Canada not NY and one paper to another means nothing, This paper and the radio station I heard like that on CNN ( I believe there reputable ) were "quoting " passengers on BOARD SHIP AT THE TIME; NOT ON A MESG BOARD) .I also stated I would love too hear more first hand reports as the story had only just broken (in MY AREA) when Rauol and I first spoke. IN closing for good , another site had a lot more talk on this "incident" Darryl snd some was sent threw with pic. i.e.
http:/community.webshots.com/user/gissjp if that doesn't work look at cruise critic site under NCL, thats were I found a couple pictures of NCL staff replacing the missing steel hand railing and hot tubs and perhaps other minor Stuctual damage? (to me the structural damage is more than than breaking the ship in two, it includes broken doors, railings, interior walls) Either way all are safe, it was an "incident" that was unforseen and life goes on. YA all have a good one. C-YA  |
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Cruise-Chat.com Founder Cruise Guru |
Tony, I don't think that anyone was finding fault with your post at all. Some of us are just so fed up with the way the media hypes everything. Here is a great example.
The Pacific Ocean had a huge winter swell that got all of the major breaks in the northern Pacific maxing out. I am a surfer and keenly interested in such things. Hawaii closed out and Mavs by SFO was huge. The swell was supposed to hit the San Diego area during an extremely high tide, so all the weather men were calling for coastal flooding because of the combined swell and tide. It was big news. Our local news channels were interviewing "experts” about the potential damage, they had maps drawn up and were trying to guess the areas that would be most affected, and so on. Well the swell was too steep to get into San Diego. I spent the entire day at Swamis (a break that could handle a large swell) and it never got over 5 feet. On the six o'clock news the weather guy was disappointed that there wasn't more damage and then showed pictures of the massive surf that had pounded the coastline. The picture they showed was taken at Cortez Bank, some 110 miles due west of San Diego and I am not so sure that it wasn't old footage. And on it goes. So, I am suspect of anything that has to do with the way the media handles any cruise incident. The cynicism directed at the message was based on this reality, not your post. I am glad that there wasn't more damage and that more people were not hurt in the incident. Tom |
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Serious Cruiser |
Hi All:
Thanks Tom for clarifying on my behalf. I do have a bad habit of getting a bit cynical when it comes to any news reporting and my temper will flare a bit. Tony, I hope you realize what Tom said is true, we're directing our criticism at what Benjamin Hoff, and author of "The Tao of Pooh" and "The Te of Piglet" terms "the negative news media". I will close with something interesting I heard through Paul from his mother. She has been following this incident knowing Paul and I have sailed on the Dawn before and are booked on her in December and she saw that the one woman who was really bashing NCL was not even affected (other than the fact that she was on board) and that she left the ship in Charleston. She's complaining that NCL is not offering her any compensation but she was not in an affected cabin and since the cruise continued after the delay I figure NCL doesn't owe her a thing. Anyway, the person who was bashing her is a gentleman that was actually injured in the incident. He reports that she was blowing it out of proportion and misrepresenting the whole thing to try to gain some advantage (and no doubt to get her name in the papers!) This gentleman went on to say that NCL handled everything extremely well and compensated him with a free cruise when in fact he would have been happy with just a partial credit for the cruise he was on. As I say, this is third hand information but if true just goes to show how nuts people can get if they think they can make a scene. My life is far too busy to bother with such nonsense! Maybe it's my background in the travel business and my training as an aviator but I would have looked at the whole thing as an adventure. That's just me though...Paul would have had a totally different view!  Anyway, enough rambling from me, take care all. Darryl PS: Paul takes exception to what I said and says in fact that after the initial fright he would have turned it into an adventure too! After 3 years of marriage (just this past wednesday) he still continues to surprise me! |
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| <David Landry>
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Good Thing it didn't sink, or the headlines would have read: NORWEIGAN DAWN DOWN!
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Serious Cruiser |
Cute David!
Let's hope that never happens! She's a lovely thing and still so young! Darryl |
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Cruise-Chat.com Founder Cruise Guru |
Now here is some interesting information about the incident. Apparently the Dawn was returning late for a paid for advertising slot on the Apprentice television show. This kind of changes the situation in my mind. Here is a link to the article.
http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/entertainment/article.adp?id=20050420160009990008 Tom This message has been edited. Last edited by: NancyN, |
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| <Tony>
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OK Tom , as I LOL , I jokingly ask if this is a good source, and if so, do you think the Helsman ( I am not a sailor but hope I thats right) will hear Trumps now famous words due to damage I see in pics on Grandeur's crash.
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Cruiser |
the source of this story is the Bergen record, a midsized newspaper in Nothern New Jersey. This is my daily newspaper, and I can say its a very reliable source.
so what has become of this story? Did NCL really alter their itenary for the trump appearance..I would be furious if I was on this cruise and found out about this. |
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Cruise Commodore |
snowdenj,
from what I have heard, it has been confirmed by NCL that the ship was to be five hours early in NYC for this shoot. However, NCL claims that all passengers were informed long before the cruise that the Nassau call would have to be cancelled. Also, NCL heavily denies any reports that the ship was ordered to be in NYC as early as intended by any means. This is backed by the fact that the ship was traveling very slowly at the time it was hit by the wave and it would have likely missed the intended ETA, anyway. So, honestly I do not see this connection between that TV shoot and the incident with the wave. Of course one could say: "Well, if they'd been their five hours later, they wouldn't have encountered the wave." Most likely, yes - but that is something NCL could not have known. The pure nature of natural events (I'm not using the term disaster here!) is that it is not possible to predict them. Best regards, Raoul Fiebig |
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Cruiser |
Dear Raoul:
Let me start by saying I was on the Norwegian Dawn with my husband and 2 children, when the freak wave hit. We booked this cruise with 4 other families (8 adults and 5 children) six months ago. In reply to your comments of April 25th, I would like to correct you on a few things: first: we received notification from NCL on Thursday, April 7th,(3 days prior to departing) that our itinery was being changed, we needed to be back in New York five hours earlier than scheduled and we would not be visiting Nassau; the only reason we were given: "due to an unscheduled event aboard the ship". Might I add that while boarding, several passengers were just being made aware of this change. Not only was Nassau eliminated, but the remaining intinery changed as well: Original itinery: Pt. Canaveral on Tuesday Miami on Wednesday Great Stirrup Cay on Thursday Nassau on Friday depart at 2:00 pm CHANGED itinery: Pt. Canaveral on Tuesday Great Stirrup Cay on Wednesday Miami on Thursday-depart at 1:00 am Friday Our shore excursions were all compromised by these changes. Our tour guide in Miami told us everything was overbooked because it wasn't the Dawn's normal porting day. We couldn't go parasailing at the private island, yet, next to our ship was another ship, and guess what those passengers were doing - parasailing! Now also take notice that we departed from Miami 13 hours earlier than when we would have been leaving Nassau. Does that make any sense???????? Had we not had to be back in New York, for this "unscheduled event" we would not have been in that vacinity of the ocean. No, you cannot second guess mother nature, however, I am very displeased with NCL's decision to pay over $1 million for a few minutes of fame, and compromise our whole vacation. If this has been scheduled long before the cruise, why weren't we given more notice? And with the modern technology, I cannot fathom that no one was aware what was happening with those pressure systems in the Atlantic. I truly feel that the captain knew why we needed to be back in New York hours earlier. Second, the captain slowed this ship down to 4 knots only after realizing we were being bounced around the ship at 25 knots! On Friday evening around 7:30 pm we were at dinner, when we experienced a loud crash; glasses tumbled on the tables, the champagne bottle on our table fell and broke, you could hear glass breaking in the kitchen area of the Aqua restaurant; because our children were in the kid's program, we raced to get them. Enroute to their location, a steel ceiling tile fell out of the ceiling to the floor between me and two other mothers. Bottles fell from the bars, and crashed to the floor. Hours later, around 1 am tables fell over in the casino. The whole night was sleepless and yes, we were all scared. Please do not make light of this voyage. It was not pleasureable for anyone on board. |
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Cruise Commodore |
landluvr,
it is surely not my intention to "make light" of your trip - certainly not. I'm sure it was a horrifying experience. However, parts of the mass media have created a huge story from this, up to an extent where I can no longer stop thinking that they've gone crazy. In my humble opinion - as horrifying as the situation must have been for you, your loved ones, your fellow passengers, and last but not least the crew - it is highly arrogant and a hideous disgrace to compare this incident with the sinking of the "Titanic", a disaster which claimed more than 1,500 lives. Also, on the very same day "Norwegian Dawn" was hit by the freak wave, a coach carrying people bound for a Mediterranean cruise crashed in Switzerland, killing twelve. I'm sure few people have heard about this tragic accident. If what you write is correct, i.e. that NCL did not advise about the itinerary change as far in advance as they claim, that's certainly by no means okay. Actually, I've heard from a German passenger which sailed on "Norwegian Crown" in South America earlier this year who was given a note during embarkation that she was free to cancel the cruise (while on the pier already!) due to a Norovirus outbreak on the cruise before. Most ridiculous after you've traveled to the end of the earth from Europe! Best regards, Raoul Fiebig |
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