Cruise to Carribean

[Cruisemarsh]

I remember a cruise from 2000 when we cruised on QE2 across the Atlantic to Fort Lauderdale and then onto the Carribean. It was a stop at St Croix that nearly ended in disaster for the ship. The QE2 had ordered tugs to assist her into her anchorage but when we got there, there was no tugs and the Captain had to anchor the ship alone and as he put the back anchor down, the back end of the ship began to go lower into the water and they had to take the anchor up quickly. The captain appologised to us all over the tannoy but sounded very very very angry and I am sure he would have said a strong word to Cunard and the port agents.

[Peter Mugridge]

More details please; how could this happen?  Was she drifting a bit with the anchor caught firm on something?

[Blue Bombay]

That does happen, i remember once in Geiranger when the QE2 almost went onto the rocks.

Louis

[Cruisemarsh]

More details please; how could this happen?  Was she drifting a bit with the anchor caught firm on something?

Yeah. She was swinging around quite a bit and narrowly avoided the rocks. The tugs were supposed to have helped her into position without swinging about too much and perhaps when they put the anchor down at the back  the ship wasn't in the right position, perhaps a bit of quess work from the Captain and pilot as they really needed the tugs that day. If I remember correctly there was quite a wind that day too. They then raised the back anchor and after about an hour or so they finally arrived at the proper position without the tugs help I may add. I am sure the captain that day must have had a full and frank discussion with the Cunard head office about that.

[highlander0108]

We were on this cruise, or at least the 5 day Carribean portion of it.  It was billed as the Carribean Sampler cruise.  We sailed round trip out of Ft. Lauderdale.  It was our first time on board, but to be honest, it could easily have been our last time.  We had a 5 deck cabin, which was okay, but the dining service in Mauritannia was dreadful.  Couple that with the mix up or "cock up" in St. Croix, left us with not the best impression of Cunard, especially for my wife, who really did not appreciate Captain Paul Wright's message regarding the tugs.  Here is what I remember happened.

We were scheduled for a full day in St. Croix, but when we arrived, the tug was not available to keep us off the reef beyond.  As was explained to us, a tug would be needed to hold us in place and prevent us from swinging over into the shallows.  For whatever reason, the agent for Cunard did not have the tug arranged and we waited to about mid day until the tug arrived before the ship anchored and we could tender in.  We ended up taking a taxi into town, but did not go on any excursions.  Our time was extended due to the late tendering.  

There were alot of upset passengers onboard, us included, but apparently there were many that really took it out on the staff and crew.  We were on one of the last tenders getting back to port.  Once back onboard, the captain made an announcement, explaining the events of the day and did not offer an apology per say, but explained that his first concern is for the safety of the ship and that he surely did not want to be responsible for having QE2 make headlines in St. Croix.  I actually taped his announcement and when I figure out how to transfer the mini8 tape to digital, I wiil post it.  My wife was put off by his attitude.  I cut him more slack and understood, but since we only had two ports on this cruise, it was very disapointing that Cunard messed this one up.

We still had a great time onboard and are still friends with our tablemates.  In fact, the trip just went by too fast.  It was our first taste of a real liner and that trip  set me up for our next trip, a transatlantic crossing, but with a eight year gap between cruises.