Yeah, this was an elemental Systems failure.
MAN obviously has a glaringly-crappy SOVAT routine to miss this one.
IMO they probably removed the oil reservoir baffles to save fuel.
Sucks to be them.
No excuses on the ocean.
But I’m with Viking on the Go/No Go decision for the storm. If the ship doesn’t sail insurance wont cover. If the ship sinks insurance covers. Always sail.
Systems Operation Verification And Testing.
It's a real sound economic decision. Not so much for people on the ship.
My past few cruises, I've noticed not just cutting corners on entertainment, food, free stuff to do. Turn around times of just a few hours in home port seem to have cut into basic maintenance and doing a deep cleaning between cruises. On the cruise after ours on the Pride, they lost most engine and limped through an altered cruise of full duration. I got that because it was Thanksgiving week, and alternate plans might've been near impossible. They gave people a credit for another cruise. The week after that, they did the cruise, which people could either take financial benefits or cancel for free! That would go with your philosophy.
I bring this up because it supports your statement. They lose the most money if they don't sail, so they suck up the risk.
But when does the risk/reward equation change? At what point do people still willing to put up with the mounting imperfects not fill all of those mega-ships vying for a consumer base?