# Why haven't they rescued the cruise line passangers? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 13, 2013, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-they-rescued-the-cruise-line-passangers/650135 "2013-02-13T00:20:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-they-rescued-the-cruise-line-passangers/650135/41 "2013-02-14T07:51:57Z")
> [@TimToyGeek](#): > > I worked for one of the bigger premium cruise lines for a while, and the slogan in the industry was that Carnival was everybody’s first cruise and nobody’s second cruise. Not that I’m going to be planning a cruise anytime soon, but…who IS everyone’s “second (and third) cruise”? I mean, I presume there are options between “RMS Onionrhea” and “tramp steamer headed to Skull Island”…right? ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-they-rescued-the-cruise-line-passangers/650135/42 "2013-02-14T09:36:28Z")
> [@Ranchoth](#): > > Not that I’m going to be planning a cruise anytime soon, but…who IS everyone’s “second (and third) cruise”? > > I mean, I presume there are options between “RMS Onionrhea” and “tramp steamer headed to Skull Island”…right? I’ve been on 2 Carnival cruises. The first was 16 years ago, before they went to megaliners. The ship held 850 passengers. It was very nice, good service, good food and the staff was happy. Two years later we were on a much bigger ship. It was awful. The staff was about the same size for over twice as many passengers. After that we stayed with Princess and RCCL. Both are very nice. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-they-rescued-the-cruise-line-passangers/650135/43 "2013-02-14T14:21:54Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > these are bad smells from raw sewage. They aren’t nearly the threat to life and limb that evacuating passengers would be. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-they-rescued-the-cruise-line-passangers/650135/44 "2013-02-14T14:28:26Z")
> [@picunurse](#): > > Two years later we were on a much bigger ship. It was awful. The staff was about the same size for over twice as many passengers. It’s not just the crew-passengers ratio, which isn’t too different across the various sizes. It’s that the megaships are absolutely everything you go on a cruise to get away from, unless you like living in a shopping mall. They tend to be on the shit runs as well (absolutely no lead-story pun intended) and crammed with people you wouldn’t want to spend an elevator ride with, much less a week or two. Emphasis on crammed. NCL. Mid-size ships. That is all. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-they-rescued-the-cruise-line-passangers/650135/45 "2013-02-14T14:31:18Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > They aren’t nearly the threat to life and limb that evacuating passengers would be. If you’re imagining some kind of breeches-buoy or Titanic-lifeboat “evacuation,” you’ve evidently never been on a cruise ship. You go down to Deck 3, through a door, and into one of the ship’s tenders. Anyone not in a hospital bed or iron lung can do it. (Meaning some passengers do stay ashore at those stops.) Of course, the tenders do need somewhere to go within ~20 miles and it typically takes about 4-5 cycles of them to get all passengers to shore. But it’s not particularly hazardous. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-they-rescued-the-cruise-line-passangers/650135/46 "2013-02-14T14:43:29Z")
> [@NitroPress](#): > > Of course, the tenders do need somewhere to go within ~20 miles Right - the ship is being towed to shore. And once it’s within 20 miles, it’s just as easy and quick to tow it the last 20 miles. Is there evidence that those bad smells have become a serious health threat? I haven’t heard this. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-they-rescued-the-cruise-line-passangers/650135/47 "2013-02-14T14:52:40Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Wait- the ship everybody’s pooping on is called Triumph? yes, and when I was on it one of the activities was a comedy show with an insult comic who made fun of the audience. so it is triumph the insult comedy ship for me to poop on. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-they-rescued-the-cruise-line-passangers/650135/48 "2013-02-14T14:52:48Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > the ship is being towed to shore. Or is it? I heard this, but there also seem to be reports that it’s under its own power. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-they-rescued-the-cruise-line-passangers/650135/49 "2013-02-14T15:33:11Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > It doesn’t take long without working toilets before the whole place just stinks of human waste. So apparently the fire or whatever disabled most of the bathrooms. The (not very well-written, IMO) article in the OP didn’t make that clear. I couldn’t imagine how 2 extra days at sea could so overwhelm the plumbing system, but it makes sense if the bathrooms weren’t working since day 3, and this gives me much more sympathy for the passengers under those conditions. > [@alphaboi867](#): > > According to an interview I just saw with one of the passenger’s son not only are the lines really long when food is served the staff are allowing passengers to take as much as they want. Which sucks for the passengers at the back of the line because people are hoarding food and it’s causing fights. Sounds then as if the crew is mismanaging the food supply they do have. It shouldn’t be that hard to impose some sort of portion control measures. You’d think there’d be contigencies in place for such a situation. ---
**Author:** ![60wag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/7ba0ec/32.png) [@60wag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/60wag)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-they-rescued-the-cruise-line-passangers/650135/50 "2013-02-14T16:33:17Z")
Why don’t cruise ships have backup generators? Yea, it would take up some space but being able to run sewage pumps, ventilation fans and refrigerators seems like it would be worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-they-rescued-the-cruise-line-passangers/650135/51 "2013-02-14T16:36:09Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > portion control measures Ha ha ha ha ha ha… on a \*cruise \*ship… ha ha ha ha ha… on a _cattle-car_ cruise ship… ha ha ha ha… ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-they-rescued-the-cruise-line-passangers/650135/52 "2013-02-14T16:47:54Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > Which sucks for the passengers at the back of the line because people are hoarding food and it’s causing fights. What kind of fights… are they flinging poo? [QUOTE=Xema] Is there evidence that those bad smells have become a serious health threat? I haven’t heard this. [/QUOTE] All I’ve heard reported is that the human filth causing these smells is widespread, contaminating rooms, halls, decks, etc. That combined with inadequate water for washing and there’s a huge potential for a serious outbreak of Norovirus or the like. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-they-rescued-the-cruise-line-passangers/650135/53 "2013-02-14T16:57:55Z")
The next load of passengers on the \*Triumph \*will be getting sick from Lysol smells. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-they-rescued-the-cruise-line-passangers/650135/54 "2013-02-14T17:27:48Z")
What are they going to do once it gets to Mobile - hose the ship off into Mobile Bay? I am sure the residents of that area are concerned about that, and the smell of the ship wafting their way. I heard they cancelled the next 12 sailings for that ship, and expect it to be back in service in April. Really? If things are as bad as they sound, it would seem like it is going to take a much longer time to get the ship not only in working order, but also habitable. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-they-rescued-the-cruise-line-passangers/650135/55 "2013-02-14T19:02:53Z")
Well, they should be docking in a few hours. It’ll be at least another day or two before they are back home in their own beds. I’d be on one of those buses to Galveston tonight if it were me. One night in a hotel and I’d be headed home Friday. > **[Crippled cruise ship returns; passengers happy to be back | CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2013/02/14/travel/cruise-ship-fire/index.html)** > > Finally, after days of listing on a disabled Carnival cruise ship, thousands of passengers finished disembarking early Friday morning. > [@](#): > > Carnival promises an army of about 200 employees will take care of its passengers once they clear customs. > > Passengers can board buses to Galveston, Texas, where the cruise originated, or to nearby Houston, or spend the night in a hotel in New Orleans. > > Carnival said it has reserved and arranged approximately 100 motor coaches, more than 1,500 New Orleans hotel rooms, multiple charter flights from New Orleans to Houston on Friday and transportation from Houston to the Port of Galveston so that guests may retrieve their cars if they drove to the port. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-they-rescued-the-cruise-line-passangers/650135/56 "2013-02-14T19:20:07Z")
That CNN article isn’t very clear. The ship will dock at Mobile Alabama. Buses are waiting to take them either to New Orleans (2 hours away) or Galveston ( about 7 hours). The people that go to New Orleans will get flown back to Houston Friday. All costs paid by Carnival. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-they-rescued-the-cruise-line-passangers/650135/57 "2013-02-14T19:20:39Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > …I couldn’t imagine how 2 extra days at sea could so overwhelm the plumbing system, but it makes sense if the bathrooms weren’t working since day 3, and this gives me much more sympathy for the passengers under those conditions… > [@60wag](#): > > Why don’t cruise ships have backup generators? Yea, it would take up some space but being able to run sewage pumps, ventilation fans and refrigerators seems like it would be worth it. According to CNN most of the backup generators output is devoted to propulsion, and they only have a limited ability to power everything. The toilets work on a vacum suction system and the plumbing system can’t operate without power. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-they-rescued-the-cruise-line-passangers/650135/58 "2013-02-14T19:59:25Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > That combined with inadequate water for washing and there’s a huge potential for a serious outbreak of Norovirus or the like. So, like any other cruise then… ---
**Author:** ![ducati](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-they-rescued-the-cruise-line-passangers/650135/59 "2013-02-14T20:37:15Z")
After about the 4th hour on a runway or taxiway, I’m pulling a slide and walking to the terminal. I simply wouldn’t be detained against my will in sight of food or facilities. 5 or 6 miles from the harbor, but cruising at 1 mph? I’ll try dropping a lifeboat and take care of myself. They have food, water, a nice motor that will take me the rest of the way in an hour, instead of 10. I realize it’s not exactly Buchenwald on board, but why stay if you don’t have to? Besides, the Coasties will come pick me up in a few minutes anyway! I’ll plead insanity should any charges arise.😃 ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2013, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-they-rescued-the-cruise-line-passangers/650135/60 "2013-02-14T20:50:13Z")
> [@ducati](#): > > After about the 4th hour on a runway or taxiway, I’m pulling a slide and walking to the terminal. > I simply wouldn’t be detained against my will in sight of food or facilities. > > 5 or 6 miles from the harbor, but cruising at 1 mph? I’ll try dropping a lifeboat and take care of myself. They have food, water, a nice motor that will take me the rest of the way in an hour, instead of 10. > > I realize it’s not exactly Buchenwald on board, but why stay if you don’t have to? Besides, the Coasties will come pick me up in a few minutes anyway! > > I’ll plead insanity should any charges arise.😃 I think you should definitely try this. Report back how it works out. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-they-rescued-the-cruise-line-passangers/650135.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-they-rescued-the-cruise-line-passangers/650135.md?page=4)