Tag Archives: propulsion system

Royal Caribbean Cancels Cruises Onboard Radiance of the Seas

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Royal Caribbean International is cancelling a second sailing onboard the Radiance of the Seas.

Facing propulsion problems, the 2001-built vessel remained docked in Seward since Sep. 1 and is no longer going to sail as scheduled on Sep. 8.

“As you may know, Radiance of the Seas’ propulsion system experienced a technical issue. Our crew started working on restoring the system immediately and we deployed the best experts,” Royal Caribbean said in a statement sent to booked guests.

“Despite our efforts, we were unable to complete the needed repairs to make it in time to Vancouver. As a result, we’ll be cancelling our Radiance of the Seas September 8th, 2023 sailing,” the company added.

Spending the summer in Alaska, the 2,000-guest vessel was scheduled to offer a seven-night cruise on that date.

Sailing from Vancouver to Seward, the open-jaw itinerary included visits to Juneau, Sitka, Skagway and Icy Strait Point, in addition to scenic cruising at the Hubbard Glacier.

“We know how much time and effort go into planning your cruise, and we’re truly sorry for this disappointing news,” Royal Caribbean said.

Affected passengers will receive a full refund of the fare paid for the cruise, in addition to a 100 per cent Future Cruise Credit (FCC) to be used towards a future sailing departing within one year.

The reimbursement will be processed within 14 business days, Royal Caribbean said and will include taxes and fees, pre-paid packages and gratuities, amenities, shore excursions and any flights purchased through the company.

Royal Caribbean will also reimburse guests for non-refundable pre-purchased travel fees incurred, including flight, hotel, train ticket or rental car. The company is set to cover up to $250 per guest for domestic changes or up to $500 per guest for international changes.

Citing propulsion problems, Royal Caribbean had already cancelled the Sep. 1 sailing onboard the Radiance of the Seas.

Ovation of the Seas Drydocks in Zhoushan

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Ovation of the Seas

The Ovation of the Seas is in Zhoushan, China, for an unscheduled drydock at a COSCO-run facility, prompting the cancellation of the ship’s the Sept. 21 and Sept. 26 cruises from Tianjin, China.

“We must conduct unscheduled maintenance on Ovation of the Seas,” Royal Caribbean said in a statement released to Cruise Industry News.

“Unfortunately, this means our September 21 and September 26 cruises from Beijing, China must be cancelled,” the company said. “Our booked guests will have the option to choose another sailing date on Quantum of the Seas or request a full refund of their cruise fare. The unscheduled work will help ensure guests continue to enjoy their time on board Ovation; there is no issue or concern with the seaworthiness of the ship. The decision was not taken lightly, and Royal Caribbean apologizes for the effect this adjustment will have on our guests’ vacation plans.”

In April of 2017, Royal Caribbean was also forced to cancel sailings on the ship for “maintenance on components of the ship’s propulsion system.”

U.S. Coast Guard: Anthem of the Seas Azipod Damaged in Storm

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Photo credit: CANARYLUC / Shutterstock.com

Anthem of the Seas

One of two diesel-electric azipod units used to propel Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas sustained damage as the ship battled an intense hurricane-force storm off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina on Sunday.

The storm-damaged cruise ship returned to the Liberty Cruise Terminal in Bayonne, New Jersey on Wednesday evening and as crews continue to test the critical systems onboard the vessel while in port.

Representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard, the Bahamas Maritime Administration, and other organizations have been working closely with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and technical specialists to ensure the ongoing repairs to the ship’s equipment are functioning as designed, the Coast Guard said Friday.

While damage from the storm has been reported as mostly cosmetic, the Coast Guard said Friday that the cruise ship’s port azipod unit, which is one component of the vessel’s propulsion system, burned out all four clutches and as a precaution had to be shut down for ship’s the return voyage to Bayonne.

Technicians aboard the cruise ship are replacing the clutches on both the starboard and port azipods as a precaution. Repairs and subsequent testing of the azipods are still ongoing.

Related Video: The Azipods Used to Power the World’s Largest Cruise Ships

All critical safety and lifesaving systems are also being tested under the supervision of the Bahamas and the U.S. Coast Guard officials to ensure that all equipment is functioning as designed prior to departing on its next voyage, which as of now is still expected for this Saturday.

Minor damage to the ship’s lifeboats is being addressed and thoroughly tested by the lifeboat manufacturer, the Coast Guard says.

“At this time all repairs appear to be on track and all systems tests are progressing satisfactorily,” according to the Coast Guard. “However, if anything is discovered during testing, the Coast Guard Captain of the Port will not allow the ship to sail from Bayonne until both Coast Guard and Bahamas Maritime Authorities are satisfied. The vessel will not be cleared to leave the port until all safety of life at sea requirements are met.”

As gCaptain has reported, the Coast Guard is supporting the Bahamas Maritime Administration in an ongoing investigation that will help determine if there are any contributing causal factors or lessons learned from the incident that could help prevent injuries or damage in the future.

The Royal Caribbean cruise ship Anthem of the Seas departed Bayonne, New Jersey last Saturday carrying 4,500 passengers and 1,600 crew on what was scheduled to be a 7-day roundtrip to the Bahamas. But by Sunday afternoon, the ship had sailed directly into the path of an rapidly-developing storm off Cape Hatteras, with 75 m.p.h winds and waves greater than 30 feet.

Coast Guard officials conducting the investigation are being assisted by personnel from the National Transportation Safety Board, according to the Coast Guard. The ongoing investigation could take some time but should not delay the vessel’s scheduled departure.

Royal Caribbean’s two Quantum-class ships, the Quantum of the Seas and the Anthem of the Seas, are fitted with two 20.5-megawatt ABB Azipod XO2300 propulsion units.