Aurora: Current Engine problems/Missing Ports

[jake26]

I think a lot of people won't be happy with having to miss Bora Bora, Napier, and Wellington.

[frintonite]

Article by Captain Greybeard on problems

http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/captain-greyb ... ruise.html

[Greenie Mike]

When has the Aurora done a world cruise without having problems. So glad we have booked Arcadia for next year.

Sue

In 2008.

In 2006

[melsea]

No problems in 2007 when I sailed on her the first time.

[Kendhni]

Article by Captain Greybeard on problems

http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/captain-greyb ... ruise.html

I was just reading that story, rightly or wrongly, my perception is that ships under the Carnival corp seem to have more than their fair share of problems ... I wonder if there is a maintenance issue.

[Shirleybee]

Spoke to FIL this afternoon (Just after announcement was made that they are currently as far away from the UK as possible - apart from space travel) They have been informed that they are now back on the original itinerary so will not be missing Napier & Wellington. Great news I'm sure for all onboard!

[jake26]

I agree - a good result. I wouldn't be surprised if strength of feeling by passengers caused the change of heart, and rightly so.

[melsea]

I thought they must have got back on track as I saw they were in Napier yesterday. It's a really quirky place and one we really enjoyed. Wellington is equally a lovely place.

Just in case anyone might want to know but Aurora is now ahead in the time zone and no longer behind us.

Mel

[Jackie]

That is good news as I'm due to join her in Sydney!
Jackie

[Romig1]

I thought they must have got back on track as I saw they were in Napier yesterday. It's a really quirky place and one we really enjoyed. Wellington is equally a lovely place.

Just in case anyone might want to know but Aurora is now ahead in the time zone and no longer behind us.

Mel

I do hope it wasn't anyone's birthday on the day they missed. Having said that, it would be credible to claim that they were a year younger than they actually are if they didn't have a birthday?

[Quizzical Bob]

We flew from Auckland to Honolulu around this time last year. There were a couple of Kiwi women on board and for one of them it was her birthday. She took off on her birthday, landed in Hawaii the day before and then had the whole of the next day to celebrate all over again. Apparently they did this every year.

[Romig1]

We flew from Auckland to Honolulu around this time last year. There were a couple of Kiwi women on board and for one of them it was her birthday. She took off on her birthday, landed in Hawaii the day before and then had the whole of the next day to celebrate all over again. Apparently they did this every year.

That's what I call style...but surely that makes her several years older than she should be?

[Mervyn and Trish]

I don't think Aurora actually breaks down any more often than other ships - it's just that since the failure of the bottle to break on naming day every time anything happens every problem since is rehashed. We've been on her a number of times and never experienced any issues, while on other ships we have had delayed departures due to engine issues, problems with thrusters, missed ports due to reduced speed, blocked toilets, failure of water supply (both fortunately corrected quickly), power failure, etc etc.

On Ken's point about Carnival I suspect it may just be the case that Carnival operate so many ships (on a recent list I looked at it seemed almost half the world's total of cruise ships) that it is inevitably involved in a high proportion of incidents which do occur.

[melsea]

I see they are now docked in the beautiful city of Sydney. It's so strange not being there having sailed into Sydney the last 5 years. It's looking like a lovely sunny day....

[jake26]

I hope it stays sunny, we are off to Heathrow today, and flying to Sydney tomorrow to join Arcadia next Thursday (28th). A few days in Sydney is most welcome after the rain and the cold here.

[Shirleybee]

All passengers were warned before leaving Sydney earlier to secure all their belongings in the cabins as they are due to hit a storm and are expecting bumpy ride!

[Wina G]

Is your FIL doing the full worldie Shirleybee?

[Shirleybee]

Hello again Wina. Just to clarify FIL gets of in Brisbane!

[oldbluefox]

All passengers were warned before leaving Sydney earlier to secure all their belongings in the cabins as they are due to hit a storm and are expecting bumpy ride!

If that's what they are saying then it must be getting bumpy. We've never had that before.

[Shirleybee]

They were advised that they expected to hit a major storm 2hrs after leaving Sydney!

[melsea]

This is not unusual. My OH was on the old Adonia that did a worldie back in 2004 as they sailed towards Sydney from the North they had terrible weather and were late getting into Sydney. But I will say on the ocassions we have been together the weather has not been too bad.
One good thing is that Aurora copes very well in bad weather.

Shirley is your FIL flying straight home or will he be staying on to holiday more in Australia?

[Shirleybee]

Hi Melsea, he is coming straight home this time!

Just spoke to him and they are in Force 10 with force 14 winds at the moment with swells from 5 to 8 metres. making it difficult to walk but the hardened seaman and those with the confidence of Aurora are braving the storm!

[melsea]

Shirley

Sounds like a barrel of fun. And we would have been the ones moving around the ship I have to say.
Have just received an email from friends who joined her in Sydney. They have been on quite a trip so far having left UK last October I think it was. They inform me that the prop of the engine will be repaired when they reach Dubai as it is here where they will be for two days. Also this is a place that parts will be easier to get and to send expertise from UK and other places. Last time they flew from all over the world to get to Auckland with divers who specialise is this type of thing.
Friends also tell me that Aurora will not be docking in its usual place but at the Grain Terminal as the Europa will be at the Portside terminal. It is only a small ship, 480 pax but is 7 star and has influential people on board. Looking at a map the grain port is a long way up river and will be a lot further to travel into Brisbane. Although they will be there on a Sunday, the shops are open but since its so far away I wonder if they will extend the day a bit. The normal terminal is about 15 to 20 mins by shuttle bus or you can take the city cat boat which is a really fun way to travel and is quite cheap.

Sorry gone on a bit there. Hope your FIL has a safe journey home and will no doubt relay more stories to you when he gets back.

[melsea]

Just had a peek at a webcam and Aurora are docking now and from the map I am seeing looks like they are at the mouth of the estuary and not up river at all. Looks all sunny there too.

Mel

[Dorsetcruiser]

It was not an engine that caused the problem but a propeller, although I think they did have trouble starting the engine at one of the Caribbean ports. We were on the cruise until Sydney. What also annoyed people was that we were told we would miss Bora Bora, Napier and Wellington but would have 2 days in Auckland to do repair. Some people altered their arrangements to fit in with this revised itinerary, then a few days later they reinstated Napier and Wellington and reverted to one day in Auckland, saying that the propeller would now be fixed in Dubai.