Cruise Talk: Airtours and ship inspections

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»	Cruise Talk » Cruise Lines » Airtours and ship inspections

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Topic: Airtours and ship inspections

topgun
First Class Passenger
Member # 928

posted 06-11-2000 12:38 PM

I shall probably return to cruise with Airtours this fall.
One problem arises and I will appreciate any input on this.
The problem is sanitation and inspections.

On both cruises with Air Tours I have noticed the smell of sewer gas in the public washrooms and a musty smell in the corridors.

Other reviews of Air Tours ships have also made reference to this.

To the best of my knowledge,none of these vessels visits US ports and are not subject to the rigorous safety and hygiene requirements of the US coastguard.

Am I correct in this. If so are there any standards and inspections other than those of the owners?

Posts: 759 | From: Burlington ont,canada Cruise center of North America | Registered: Nov 1999 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 06-11-2000 12:54 PM

I've no idea.

But even 'luxuary' ship such as the QE2 have recieved very poor scores on occasions, almost failing!

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

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 06-11-2000 01:25 PM

It's funny that you mention this one time when we have been on one of HAL's ships, we noticed a smell of rotten eggs or diesel fuel or something, inside the cabin and out on the verandah. Seemed to be coming through the air conditioning. When I mentioned this to the CO, he just shrugged his shoulders and said he couldn't smell anything. We have no idea what the smell was or where it came from.

[This message has been edited by sympatico (edited 06-11-2000).]

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 06-20-2000 06:04 PM

surely other countries, such as the UK, have regulations on hygine too?

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

gohaze
First Class Passenger
Member # 586

posted 06-20-2000 07:25 PM

Hi Malcolm....Canada does and has for at least the last 30 years. In fact it was in Vancouver that the infamous incident of the Oronsay occurred, when she was held for about a month with typhoid, and that was after coming from LA and San Fran. where she had already had problems.
Anyway...the site www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ohsa/csipgm.htm
...peter

[This message has been edited by gohaze (edited 06-20-2000).]

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

topgun
First Class Passenger
Member # 928

posted 06-21-2000 08:51 AM

Thanks for the replies on this subject.
I would still like to know if Airtours vessels are subject to independant inspections for the protection of passengers.
Can anybody in UK find out?

Posts: 759 | From: Burlington ont,canada Cruise center of North America | Registered: Nov 1999 | IP: Logged

Peter P
First Class Passenger
Member # 374

posted 06-21-2000 02:35 PM

What these ships has to do whit UK?

Most of these ships never even visits any port in UK.

I might be wrong again.

Posts: 329 | From: Finland | Registered: Sep 99 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 06-21-2000 02:53 PM

Topgun, if you have experienced 'smelly' Airtours ships, I think the time has come to look elsewhere!

Thompson (UK) and Festival do some excellent priced cruises.

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

topgun
First Class Passenger
Member # 928

posted 06-21-2000 03:31 PM

I smell something , and it seems like a coverup.

Posts: 759 | From: Burlington ont,canada Cruise center of North America | Registered: Nov 1999 | IP: Logged

M.S.Grumple
First Class Passenger
Member # 1340

posted 06-21-2000 04:13 PM

I'm confused !
Have been following this topic with interest as I have travelled on both 'Sundream' & 'Sunbird', really enjoying both cruises.
I now feel very concerned about the Safety & Hygiene requirements on these vessels as nobody seems to be addressing the original topic.
Surely someone knows the answer to such an important question. I thought for sure the British 'buffs' would know.
Airtours is after all a UK company. As a former 'Brit'I hate to feel the UK lags behind both Canada & the States in this matter.

Posts: 280 | From: Burlington, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Jun 2000 | IP: Logged

Paddy
First Class Passenger
Member # 357

posted 06-21-2000 04:22 PM

Oh come on, will you all puh-lease stop being so melodramatic. If anyone here has been on any boat where there haven'b been strange smells please let these people know!
There will alays be strage smells on boats because that is their very nature, but that doesn't mean that they are unsafe. Like all cruiselines, passengers have becoms sick, but very rarely. And it has bnever been conclusively proven that hygeine onboard was the problem. You have sailed Airtours twice in the past and found it to be wonderful, so don't let something which may not even be there, and even if it is, is present on every ship (i.e. QE2) get in the way of a fab vacation. And can I say that Airtours ships are considerably newer and purposely built that Thomson, whose ships seem to leave a lot to be desired. Festival seem quite good, but I feel there is very little to worry about with Airtours, at least on Sunbird anyway.

Posts: 763 | From: Belfast, Ireland | Registered: Aug 99 | IP: Logged

gohaze
First Class Passenger
Member # 586

posted 06-21-2000 04:26 PM

Hi...the British should be doing these inspections as part of the overall Port State Control program, but I suspect it's easier to give some poor little Cyprus registered fellow a hard time....Was looking at the BBC Watchdog site where there is an article about Airtours Carousel dated march. Lots of sewage and water problems on the besides the grounding, been going on for trips.
I'm surprised that Carnival puts up with it....peter

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

M.S.Grumple
First Class Passenger
Member # 1340

posted 06-21-2000 07:12 PM

Ever heard of e.coli Paddy?
It's a killer and doesn't necessarily have an odour.
I don't consider myself melodramatic but also don't believe "ignorance is bliss".

Posts: 280 | From: Burlington, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Jun 2000 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 06-22-2000 12:44 PM

Judgine from recent press articals 'ship hygine' is a major issue for all Cruise lines and ships. Even some of the worlds most prestigious ships have failed or gained very low hygine inspection scores (QE2 inc.) Only new ships tend to score full marks. So yes, I agree with MS Grumple, it is important!

I have no idea of the answer to the original question?

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

Brenda
First Class Passenger
Member # 1377

posted 06-23-2000 07:34 PM

Ok, lets get the facts right.
This ship HAS a major sewage problem. There have been hundreds of complaints regarding sewage smells, illness, hygiene and safety on board this ship. Its about time that Airtours seriously considered taking this ship out of service and deep cleansing her. They owe that much to the passengers who continually sail on her and return home with holidays ruined and reporting cases of illness.
The ship will this year be docking at Southampton and she will be under the close eye of the Port Health Authorities each time she docks. After meeting with the Port Health Authorities recently, I made it quite clear to them that there are currently hundreds of holidaymakers pursuing claims in Group/Class Actions for illness after sailing on this ship and they are well informed of her previous history. They do communicate with the CDC in the USA, you know.
So come on Airtours, act responsibly, get your act together and give value for money to the British and Canadian passengers who sail with you. You could do with spending a little more of your profits on refurbishing some of the cabins on board and sorting out this sewage problem.

Posts: 52 | From: UK | Registered: Jun 2000 | IP: Logged

topgun
First Class Passenger
Member # 928

posted 06-24-2000 06:53 PM

Thanks Brenda, can you answer the question?

If I cruise the Caribbean on an Airtours vessel, who other than the owners are responsible for checking onboard hygiene?

If nobody checks, let us know.

We just went through an E coli disaster in Ontario due to tainted water and we are sensitive to these problems.

Posts: 759 | From: Burlington ont,canada Cruise center of North America | Registered: Nov 1999 | IP: Logged

gohaze
First Class Passenger
Member # 586

posted 06-24-2000 07:32 PM

Hi..Airtours vessels are registered in the Bahamas. The UK authorities usually act for the government of the Bahamas and seemingly, outside of Port State requirements, they appear to be devolving most of their duties to the Classification Societies. They, I would suggest, are not very interested in Health matters. As for Port Health in Southampton, I recall that the officer there said that her Companies, Cunard and P&O, were top notch...that was right after the QE2 had problems again earlier this year so it will be interesting to see what happens...peter

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

Brenda
First Class Passenger
Member # 1377

posted 06-25-2000 03:06 PM

If you book a cruise with a tour operator in the UK, the tour operator is responsible for the hygiene on board the ship because under UK law the tour operator is or can be held liable for failures of hoteliers(the cruise being the hotel)suppliers and services. This is governed by the 1992 Package Travel Regulations. I do not know if there is a similar law in the USA, I suspect not. People may be able to bring a claim for failure under Consumer Law. The UK does not have a Vessel Sanitation Program the same as the United States, but we do have the Port Health Authorities, who are tightening up their act. Of course there is also the Athens Convention which governs all shipping and maritime claims and is far too complex to go into or enter into a discussion on this forum. Experts in Travel Law would answer these questions better than I can.

Posts: 52 | From: UK | Registered: Jun 2000 | IP: Logged

scorpio
First Class Passenger
Member # 1245

posted 06-26-2000 07:55 AM

On a recent Sunbird cruise, on two occasions there was a foul smell from a public washroom. The cause was sanitary items being flushed contrary to clear instructions, and blocking the system. It took only one phone call to the pursers desk on each occasion for the maintenance team to clear the blockage and return the washroom to its fresh and clean condition. This problem apparently repeats itself because people will not follow instructions (or don't care), but give the staff a chance to resolve problems if they can.

Posts: 92 | From: UK | Registered: Apr 2000 | IP: Logged

topgun
First Class Passenger
Member # 928

posted 06-26-2000 06:41 PM

It took a while, but we seem to have most of the answers

Airtours vessels, or any others, are only subject to inspection by the Briish Port health authorities if they enter a UK port.

The standards of inspection may not be up to the North American levels for any number of reasons. Possibly because the importance of health inspections of Cruiseships is not a great political issue.

Carousel will undergo inspections in the UK when she starts her new itineraries. This should be interesting.

Unless things change Sunbird and Sundream will ply the Med and Caribbean without any government health inspections.

Please correct me if my summary is incorrect.

Meantime, Health Canada has an expert staff trained for ship inspections. With our close ties with the UK, I"m sure that we can find a few volunteers to do on site inspections, especially during our winter months

Posts: 759 | From: Burlington ont,canada Cruise center of North America | Registered: Nov 1999 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 06-27-2000 04:04 PM

Although Cruising is not totally new to the UK, the Cruise industry is not as yet as highly developed as it is in the States. Cruising is a growing segment of the UK Holiday Industry. For example, it is only in the past couple of years that it is begining to appeal to 'joe public'. Airtours opperation is a bit like the early days of Carnival.

Of course, this is no excuse for poor hygine onboard the ships that visit our ports. We obviously need to get our 'act together' if we are not already doing so!

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

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