Comments for SeaSite Blog & Cruise Events Forum

Comment on Rest Safe & Secure on a Cruise Ship by Mark Courtney

Mark Courtney — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 07:25:37 +0000

As a security service provider to high end clients (for 18 years now!) I concur with the comment made by Maureen. The security on a vessel is far superior to that of land based facilities – on a dollar for dollar basis even more so – the vessels are ‘controlled spaces’. Vessel owners and their Captains are very cognisant of any maritime based threats and manage the risk accordingly.
We have had the pleasure of working with L&K on a number of occasions and they, too are aware of any risks and certainly plan accordingly.

Comment on MSC Poesia Assists in Rescue at Sea by claude

claude — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:41:38 +0000

je trouve cela désolant de voir que tout le monde essait de prendre les merites de cette histoire .Car je suis la personne qui a vu les naufragés sans mon intervention le capitaine n aurait rien vu il a meme faillit passée dessus .,j’etais seul avec ma famille vers 22 heures sur le 2ieme pont quand jai entendu des cris de detresses venant de l’eau. J`ai regardé dans l’eau et j’ ais vu le bateau a l,envers avec quatre personnes. J’ai tout de suite communiqué avec un membre de l`équipage par téléphone. Meme si je ne parle pas tres bien anglais j’ai quand meme fini par me faire comprendre .J`ai du jurer sur la tete de mes enfants avant qu`il me croit. Ensuite le comandant a arreté le bateau et est revenu en arriere pour chercher les personnes a l`eau.Finalement apres 1h 30 de recherche nous les avons retrouvé. j’ais resté tout ce temps sur le pont seul avec ma fille. Par la suite, les coasts guards sont arrivé, j’etais tres heureux de voir que tout le monde etaient saufs . Le soir du souper du capitaine le commandant ma remercié assez rapidement pour ensuite prendre tout les merites car si je ne me trouvais pas sur le pont a ce moment precis, le bateau aurait passé tout droit . …

I find that afflicting to see that everyone essait to take the merits of this history. Because I am the person who saw the shipwrecked men without my intervention captain N would have anything considering it has same failed last top. , I was alone with my family around 10 p.m. on the 2nd bridge when jai heard distress cries coming from water. J `looked in water and I board considering the boat have L, towards with four people. I immediately communicated with a member of L `crew by telephone. Same if I do not speak very quite English I nevertheless finished by me rendering comprehensible. J `have to swear on the head of my children before qu `it believes me. Then the joint mandator stopped the boat and retrogressed to seek the people has L `water. Finally after 1:30 of research found we them. I board remained all this time on the bridge alone with my daughter. Thereafter, the coasts guards arrived, I were very happy to see that everyone were safe. The evening of the supper of the captain the commander my thanked rather quickly for then taking all the merits because if I were not on the bridge at this time precise, the boat would have passed straight. …

Comment on MSC Poesia Assists in Rescue at Sea by Dennis Olcott

Dennis Olcott — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 23:49:02 +0000

The Captain and crew of MSC Poesia did not spot the capsized boat. In fact, it was pure luck that we passed close enough that some passengers sitting on their balcony saw the capsized boat 50 yards to the side with the limited external lighting, yet didn’t actually hit the boat. The passengers called the ship phone operator, who ignored them (typical – the crew mostly ignored the guests onboard all week anyway) and said that the ship’s bridge would have seen the boat.

Fortunately, the passengers didn’t accept that answer and went to the bridge. Eventually the bridge believed what they were saying (the passengers had been drinking, and the story was quite improbable that in the dark of night we passed close enough for them to actually be spotted and hear them yelling for help) and turned the ship around and called the coast guard. Another cruise ship also started looking as we saw them turn around. The search seemed to take more like 90 minutes rather than 30 minutes. Eventually the crew did spot the submerged vessel, a coast guard helicopter came over and spotted them as well, and then a rescue boat from shore came. Our cruise ship, Poesia, was pushed by the strong winds over toward the capsized ship. The crew couldn’t run the bowthrusters for fear of hurting the 4 people on the capsized boat. One person was rescued by a lifering on a rope and pulled to the rescue boat. But then the capsized boat and three remaining people were pulled into the side of Poesia and went underwater. I’m guessing the Captain put the ship in reverse to allow them to float past the front of the ship, because that is where they were pulled aboard. It was quite frightening to watch and for several moments those of us watching on the ship thought the three had perished as they went under for what seemed a long time.

The real congratulations and thanks goes to the determined passengers who wouldn’t accept the crew’s rude and dangerous dismissals and the rescue boats that came from shore in dangerous conditions to actually pick up the stranded boaters.

Comment on Smart Women Travelers and Business at Sea by 2/12/2010 Update « MissGlobe

2/12/2010 Update « MissGlobe — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 05:23:06 +0000

[...] Smart Women Travelers and Business at Sea | SeaSite Blog & Cruise … [...]

Comment on Cruise with a Purpose: Report from Labadee, Haiti by Sally Zalk

Sally Zalk — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:27:56 +0000

Karen, Nice article! You must have felt good being there to help out. Thanks for sharing the experience

Comment on Cruise with a Purpose: Report from Labadee, Haiti by Kim

Kim — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 22:54:56 +0000

Thanks for the article. It doesn’t matter how “far away” you are from a disaster. I’m glad to see the cruise lines going there. I’m sure every bit helps. I know many people that are there now helping out. Not everyone can go and help, so by donating money you are still helping. I personally can’t go right now, but would love to be on a plane right going to Haiti to help.

Comment on Chilling out at NCL’s Ice Bar Event by KM

KM — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:59:08 +0000

The Norwegian Epic will be a facinating ship.

I hope she receives as much press and attention as the other larger ships did when they arrived in South Florida.

NCL is right on the money with this one!

Comment on Support for Royal Caribbean in Haiti by Cherie Weinstein

Cherie Weinstein — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:37:28 +0000

I absolutely agree that the influx of tourist dollars from cruise guests is badly needed revenue into the Haitian economy. Cancellation of the port calls would be a devastating economic loss when the country needs help most. I applaud the generosity of the guests, most of whom understand that their purchases in the market are a big help to our Haitian neighbors.

Comment on Cruise with a Purpose: Report from Labadee, Haiti by Alyssa Logan

Alyssa Logan — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 21:50:40 +0000

Thank you for sharing your first hand view point of this very important port of call and for shedding a positive light on what it means for the ships to continue to stop here and support Haiti!

Comment on Cruise with a Purpose: Report from Labadee, Haiti by Tim

Tim — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:00:21 +0000

I was on the Solstice as well for the January 22nd stop in Labadee. I watched the U.N. Trucks leave with supplies. I spent a few hours on Labadee in a low key manner. I have read the media’s version of my trip in which they labeled me as being “well-off” and “gluttonous”. Accoding to them we should have stayed away from Haiti and not delivered all the aid they so desperately needed, not to mention the personal donations and the proceeds from the shore excursions. Apparently they think that being 100 miles from a disaster or 12,500 miles makes some sort of difference.

I disagree. The Haitian government wanted us there to keep the tourist dollars flowing, the media would prefer that they stopped along with any visits.