Posted on 11/12/2010 9:45:32 AM PST by Kartographer
Their ship lost power after an engine fire Monday and was adrift about 200 miles outside San Diego and 44 miles off the coast of Mexico.
At that distance from land, it was out of cell phone range for much of the ordeal. The fire left the ship without air conditioning, hot water or hot food. The casino was closed and, for a time, so were the bars. The swimming pool was off-limits because the pumps wouldn't work.
Mark and Ginger Kalin and their 9-year-old daughter Parker were on the cruise as part of a magicians' convention.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
At least these people now know what it would be like to live under a socialist government.
“their pants”
Been there, done that. Sitting DIW with no hotel services is not much fun. If there’s no electricity at all, it’s stuffy and dangerous to move around, too. At that time it dawns on you, “Hey, I’m living in the middle of a metal box and the nearest land is over the horizon.” It’s an easy thing to forget.
“Let me tell you something about humans, nephew: They’re a wonderful, friendly people - as long as their bellies are full and their holosuites are working.
“But take away their creature comforts, deprive them of food, sleep, sonic showers, put their lives in jeopardy over an extended period of time and those friendly, intelligent, wonderful people...will become as nasty and as violent as the most blood-thirsty Klingon.”
Quark from: The Siege of AR-558 (#7.8)” (1998)
I was thinking the same thing as I watched the video of the glistening white ship being towed back to the dock. Not a single brown streak down the side. Nobody had the sense to bail out their backed up commode.
They’re probably shopping around for a Lifetime movie of the week as we type.
Those photos make good arguments for why gays shouldn’t be there.
Deer Camp
Mike
They got their money back AND a voucher for another cruise. So their “trip of a lifetime” was hardly ruined. They need to quit whining and thank their lucky stars things didn’t turn out MUCH worse!
I don't wait long.
No. Nobody would have heard their cries for help.
First Sailor Still no sign of land ... how long is it?
Second Sailor Thirty-three days, sir.
First Sailor Thirty-three days?
Second Sailor Yes. We can’t go hold out much longer, sir. We haven’t had any food since the fifth day.
Third Sailor We’re done for, we’re done for!
First Sailor Shut up, Maudling. We’ve just got to keep hoping someone will find us.
Fourth Sailor How are you feeling, captain?
Fifth Sailor Not too good ... I ... feel ... so weak.
Second Sailor We can’t hold out much longer.
Fifth Sailor Listen ... chaps ... there’s one last chance. I’m done for, I’ve got a gammy leg, I’m going fast, I’ll never get through ... but ... some of you might ... so you’d better eat me.
First Sailor Eat you, sir?
Fifth Sailor Yes. Eat me.
Second Sailor Uuuuggghhh! With a gammy leg?
Fifth Sailor You don’t have to eat the leg, Thompson, there’s still plenty of good meat ... look at that arm.
Third Sailor It’s not just the leg, sir.
Fifth Sailor What do you mean?
Third Sailor Well, sir ... it’s just that ...
Fifth Sailor Why don’t you want to eat me?
Third Sailor I’d rather eat Johnson, sir. (he points at fourth sailor)
Second Sailor Oh, so would I, sir.
Fifth Sailor I see.
Fourth Sailor Well, that’s settled then. Everyone eats me.
First Sailor Well ... I ... er ...
Third Sailor What, sir?
First Sailor No, no, you go ahead, I won’t ...
Fourth Sailor Nonsense, nonsense, sir, you’re starving. Tuck in!
First Sailor No, no, it’s not just that ...
Second Sailor What’s the matter with Johnson, sir?
First Sailor Well, he’s not kosher.
Third Sailor That depends how we kill him, sir.
First Sailor Yes, yes, I see that ... well to be quite frank, I like my meat a little more lean. I’d rather eat Hodges.
Second Sailor (cheerfully) Oh well ... all right.
Third Sailor No, I’d still prefer Johnson.
Fifth Sailor I wish you’d all stop bickering and eat me.
Second Sailor Look! I’ll tell you what. Why don’t those of us who want to, eat Johnson, then you, sir, can eat my leg and then we’ll make a stock of the Captain and then after that we can eat the rest of Johnson cold for supper.
First Sailor Good thinking, Hodges.
Fourth Sailor And we’ll finnish off with the peaches. (picks up a tin of peaches)
Third Sailor And we can start off with the advocados. (picks up a two advocados)
First Sailor Waitress! (a waitress walks in) We’ve decided now, we’re going to have leg of Hodges ...
Yea every ship has them but they are designed for limited use. It would take a HUGE back up generator to power the HVAC system. One as big as the main generators itself. Emergency generators on ships are mainly used to get the ship back operational when the main one fails. They are designed to run lights and firemain pumps for the most part plus the machinery needed to get the main engine back on line again. The HVAC system is the biggest consumer of electricity on most ships. In a loss of power sense it is not a priority.
Another thing to consider as well is the fire may have taken out an electrial switchboard or two which requires work arounds and likely leaves part of the ship with no power at all. I've seen what happens when a ship looses a switchboard first hand. We had 5 more but still we lost useage of one of four boiler rooms among other things.
We have Spam with PopTarts; Spam with Eggo’s and Spam with
Spam!
I would have been upset also and I know a lot of you who are telling them to man up would also have been upset if you had paid for one thing and gotten a completely opposite experience.
Maybe you should put yourself in their shoes before you spout off with the so called advice.
WTH do they think our troops live in in Afghanistan 24 - 7 365, the RITZ Carlton? And they can't tolerate it for a few days? Wusses!
Then my advice to them is next time don't take a ship. There is no such thing as a ship without mechanical failures or worse shipboard fires. The crews knowledge and skills likely saved many lives and NO ONE got seriously hurt. That speaks well for the skills of the ships crew. It could have been far worse and I know what I'm talking about on this matter.
As long as ships go to sea military or pleasure there will be dangers like fires. It doesn't mean someone sets them but rather even the best top of the line and well maintained equipment can fail. When fire happens on a ship {any fire} it is very serious until it is put out. You can't run to the neighbors down the street and help isn't coming. You put it out or it kills you. No other options usually. The fire must be put out by the crew and ship fires are different in nature and how you deal with them than fires on land.
All in all I think the company has given them a fair deal. People need to remember we do not live in a failsafe world. Things happen sometime beyond any ones control. The crew got the passengers back to shore safely under extreme adverse conditions. Inconvenience for the passengers? Yea no denying that. That's life.
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