Cruise Talk: Are Older Ships Avoiding Coast Guard?

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Topic: Are Older Ships Avoiding Coast Guard?

asoowal
First Class Passenger
Member # 485

posted 01-19-2000 04:34 PM

Are some of the older ships avoiding the Coast Guard inspections and regulations by not calling on a US port? What comes to mind are the older vessels departing from Dominican Republic, Aruba, and various Mexican ports.

Posts: 68 | From: Plymouth Meeting, PA, USA | Registered: Feb 99 | IP: Logged

sholmes
Just Boarded
Member # 778

posted 01-20-2000 03:45 AM

Thats a very interesting point you have made. What I would like to know is, are these ships that go out from non US ports subjected to any inspection at all?

[This message has been edited by sholmes (edited 01-20-2000).]

Posts: 8 | From: UK | Registered: Sep 99 | IP: Logged

gohaze
First Class Passenger
Member # 586

posted 01-20-2000 06:57 AM

The answer is Yes...to a certain extent they are. A lot of these ships are operating low cost group fly-cruises for Europeans - a week on the beach and a week on the ship with everything included, even the booze on some - that type of thing. So the last thing they need is any extra costs involved in going to US ports, which would include USCG and health inspections.
As far as being inspected goes...again Yes they are. ALL ships have to pass mandatory surveys at specified intervals in order to obtain the Certificates they have to have to be able to sail. Some, such as the "Safety Equipment Certificate" show that the ship complies with the requirements of the International "Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS)" convention. Others, such as the Hull Certificate, are issued by the Classification Societies (American Bureau of Shipping is one) and the ship cannot be insured without them.
More and more countries today are joining together to carry out random safety inspections called "Port State Control" and share the results. Canada has a target, for example, of inspecting 25% of vessels entering it's ports, and has been doing this type of thing for over 30 years.
Just because a ship has not been inspected by the USCG does not mean it's unsafe, the Rules and Regulations are the same regardless. What does differ is the extent to which they are enforced.
The Certificates are required to be posted in a conspicuous place on all ships, so the next one you go on have a look, the Pursers office can tell you where they are.
Hope that helps a little.

Posts: 1909 | From: Vancouver.BC | Registered: Sep 99 | IP: Logged

sholmes
Just Boarded
Member # 778

posted 01-20-2000 10:30 AM

Thank you gohaze for your very explicit reply, I think I prefer to go on a ship that I can check the sanitation scores for, I know that a ship can fail for a very small item, but at least all the records are there and you can check the ships history of sanitation scores.

Posts: 8 | From: UK | Registered: Sep 99 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 01-20-2000 11:10 AM

On the subject of santition: The following article is an edited version from 'The Sunday Times' newspaper (UK) 1st Aug 1999:

**TOP CRUISE SHIPS FAIL HYGIENE TESTS**

Some of the world's top cruise ships are breaching basic hygiene standards, with
cock-roaches, rodents and toxic mould posing a threat to passengers health, according to new data from the United States.

Among the worst offenders is the QE2. In an inspection carried out April last year,
health officials found 12 violations including cockroaches in the Lido and Queens
grill restaurants. They also found mouse droppings in a food store.

Although the QE2 was passed as satisfactory, it scraped through with a mark of
87. A mark of 86 is the minimum pass. A year earlier it failed an inspection when it
returned to American waters after an outbreak of diarrhoea among the passengers.
The previously unreported findings show 21 violations, including raw and cook fish stored together, black mould in a juice machine and cockroaches in one of the
kitchens.

Other ships, which have not met the basic hygiene standards, include the Dawn
Princess, the Black watch and the Norwegian Star. Additionally, sixty-two passengers who travelled on the Sudream, last year suffered a stomach bug and are suing Airtours.

(Article written by Stephen Bevan and Jack Grimston)

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

gohaze
First Class Passenger
Member # 586

posted 01-20-2000 12:01 PM

Malcolm......to add a little more on the subject this is taken from the London Telegragh of 24/04/98.........
The tour operator Airtours bowed to pressure this week and agreed to give a full refund to all 680 passengers on board it's cruise ship SUNDREAM after 50 of them caught gastric flu.
The ship had been beset with problems, with 3 separate outbreaks of gastric flu on board in the last month
Airtours called the virus a "Canadian Flu" and banned Canadians from the Ship. Richard Carrick, the company's Marketing Manager (must be a real loser) said there had been a flu epidemic in Vancouver (no such thing - either outright lies or a good imagination)
Thompsons were also having problems.
Evidently the real reason was the totally unhygienic food at the hotels they were staying at in the Dominican Republic as part of the package.
It comes back to the old story "Caveat Emptor" - Let the buyer beware.
yours...peter

Posts: 1909 | From: Vancouver.BC | Registered: Sep 99 | IP: Logged

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