It is now being reported that the Carnival Ecstasy has suffered a minor power disruption on her way back to Port Canaveral.
These reports came from guests currently sailing on the ship, some suggesting that the ship experienced an engine fire. While reports of a fire are unconfirmed, Carnival has confirmed that the ship experienced a minor power failure for roughly 12 minutes on Wednesday. At the time, the ship was spending the day at sea. All hotel services were restored minutes after the ship lost power.
According to Carnival, all hotel operations and propulsion systems are currently operating. The Carnival Ecstasy is expected to arrive in her home port of Port Canaveral later this afternoon.
One reply on “Carnival Ecstasy Experiences Minor Power Outage”
This isn’t too unsual on occurance on a cruise ship. From my own experience, I have been on a cruise ship that experienced a short (60 minutes or less) power outage once in roughly every 20-25 days of cruising. A couple of times, that even meant losing propulsion power, as well as power to hotel services. Never once were any of the ships — or passengers — in any danger. It was a minor inconvenience to passengers and most crew (except for those scrambling to restore power).
These are such complex machines that it is inevitable that there will be power outages from time to time…..just as we experience with the power grid ashore. (We all mourn for those poor pierogies the other evening! :))
And, keep in mind, when a ship is navigating “at close quarters” (i.e. entering or leaving port; sailing in crowded waters; or in any other adverse conditions, the ship will have fired-up additional generators to carry the load, should one of them fail for whatever reason, to ensure safe navigation/propulsion).
(And, of course, a ship’s anchors, in the vast majority of cases, are gravity-driven/dropped….so the anchors can be dropped at a moment’s notice, should there be a propulsion problem close to shore/in shallow waters. That’s why the anchors are put “at the ready” as a normal routine for entering/leaving port.)
The above just offered as a little background and perspective from my own experience driving US navy vessels for many years…..and doing lots (and lots!) or cruising since retiring.