Spectrum of the Seas has propulsion problems and is stuck in Japan. This is Royal’s fourth ship with propulsion issues this year, following Radiance, Brilliance, and Icon. What’s going on with these ships?
It sounds like maintenance might be the issue, or maybe the system they use on all the ships has some big design flaws. I think it’s a bit of both.
Noe said:
It sounds like maintenance might be the issue, or maybe the system they use on all the ships has some big design flaws. I think it’s a bit of both.
And don’t forget about profit-focused maintenance budgets. They’re bound to cut corners somewhere.
@Vesper
Yeah, there’s definitely no profit to be made in a dry dock. But without that maintenance, here we are.
Noe said:
It sounds like maintenance might be the issue, or maybe the system they use on all the ships has some big design flaws. I think it’s a bit of both.
I’m not sure if these ships actually share a lot of the same tech. Icon’s brand new and has advanced tech like multi-fuel engines, which probably needs ironing out. Radiance and Brilliance are old… over 20 years now.
Complex systems are prone to problems, even with regular maintenance. RCCL (Royal Caribbean) would probably love to avoid this—shortened or canceled cruises hurt their reputation and lead to financial losses.
@Keir
All these ships do use azipods, which are great for maneuverability but can be a real maintenance headache.
Think about it: massive electric motors hanging out in seawater, pushing tons of thrust… no wonder problems pop up.
That’s nuts! So what happens to the passengers? Are they getting any kind of reimbursement for their cruise fares?
If you’re gonna be stuck anywhere, Tokyo’s not a bad spot… plenty to see and do if you’re there for a couple extra days.
@Morgan
The cruise line probably won’t refund them for missed ports or changed plans since the contract allows them to make those changes. But good cruise insurance usually covers missed ports, as long as you get documentation from the cruise line itself. Head over to the help desk to sort that out.
@Shay
Sometimes they give you a credit if it’s a mechanical issue that makes you miss a port (different from skipping a port due to bad weather or other uncontrollable factors). They usually offer a credit or something. If the whole cruise is canceled, then you’d get a refund… though it’s not ideal if you already paid for flights to get there.
Could it be that the new mega ships are just too big to manage?
Reagan said:
Could it be that the new mega ships are just too big to manage?
I wouldn’t consider any of these as mega ships except maybe Icon, so I doubt size is the issue here.
Reagan said:
Could it be that the new mega ships are just too big to manage?
I wouldn’t consider any of these as mega ships except maybe Icon, so I doubt size is the issue here.
Plus, Icon isn’t actually much bigger than Oasis class ships, and those have been around for about 15 years with no major issues.
Reagan said:
Could it be that the new mega ships are just too big to manage?
Not really a size problem. Icon’s the first ship in its class, and there are always issues with first-of-its-kind ships, whether they’re cruise ships, oil tankers, or cargo vessels.