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Author Topic: FRIGHTENING  (Read 7857 times)

DickyD

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FRIGHTENING
« on: May 18, 2007, 04:03:41 pm »

Not a photo but should be read :o
Printed in tonights  Southamptons Southern Daily Echo newspaper:

A monster unlike anything before will be soon on its way to the city.

This trend of "big is best'' looks set to shape the cruise ships of the future as the industry sets a course to tempt growing numbers of passengers to the good life on the ocean wave.

But just how big is too big? That is the question some are now asking, as the capacity level of some ships pushes through the 6,000 passenger mark.

There seems to be no physical restraint to the continuing supersizing of cruise ships, as lines build larger and larger, allowing them to save with economies of scale and to add more attractions on board.

The largest cruise ship in the world, Liberty of the Seas, loomed high in the Southampton skyline recently, but it won't be long before even this enormous floating holiday resort is dwarfed by the next generation of ships - at this stage known as Project Genesis.

However, even this ambitious plan could be trumped. In Japan, moves are under way that could lead to a true sea-going colossus - the 370,000-ton Princess Kaguya which, according to the people behind the ship, will arrive in Southampton in 2012.

At first the Japanese backers wanted the 20-deck ship to be a mind-boggling 450,000 tons - equivalent to 1,125 fully loaded jumbo jets - but this has been reined in. Nevertheless, the plans still call for enough cabins to accommodate 12,400 passengers and crew.

There is no small degree of scepticism within the cruise industry about a vessel on such an unprecedented scale, but already a detailed itinerary for Princess Kaguya has been drawn up, and on August 26, 2012 she is due to make her dramatic entrance in Southampton Water.

A little earlier, sometime during the autumn of 2009 - if the cruise line Royal Caribbean International (RCI) follows its normal pattern of inaugurating new vessels - Southampton will witness an arrival that would have been impossible to imagine just ten years ago.

Miami-based RCI has built up an international reputation for bringing into service ships with unrivalled passenger facilities, such ice rinks, surfing pools and rock-climbing walls, as well as a shopping and restaurant complex centred around the Royal Promenade - an interior "street'' that runs almost the whole length of the vessel.

RCI is being rather coy about Project Genesis, but it is known that the 220,000-ton ship will have accommodation for 6,400 passengers, will be longer than three football pitches laid end to end, and with a price tag of more than $1 billion, it will be the most expensive vessel in the history of commercial shipping.

It is expected that Genesis will not only incorporate the many attractions to be found on Liberty of the Seas, but also plenty of new innovations.

Richard Fain, RCI's chairman and chief operating executive, once said: "Think of things that would be impossible to put on a ship, and Genesis will have them all.'' RCI maintains that passengers will not be put off by the size of Genesis, but rather they will experience more activities, on-board services and amenities.

In 2008, Southampton will become the home for the Independence of the Seas - sister ship of Liberty of the Seas - which is still being built in Finland.

As Independence of the Seas comes alongside the City Cruise Terminal next door to Mayflower Park, she will signal the start of a new era of ocean travel for British holidaymakers.

At a staggering 160,000 tons - the same as 400 fully loaded jumbo jets - Independence of the Seas will not be alone next spring.

Rival operator P&O Cruises is bringing into service the superliner Ventura, the latest addition to the company's Southampton-based fleet.

Ventura, being built just outside Venice, will accommodate 4,300 passengers and crew and feature a 3D cinema, a virtual Grand Prix circuit, 1,550 cabins and circus school.

By that time, Cunard's new Queen Victoria will also be operating out of Southampton, alongside Queen Elizabeth 2 and Queen Mary 2, while Norwegian Cruise Lines is bringing its vessel, Norwegian Jade to the city for a summer-long programme of voyages.

As technology grows more and more advanced, designers are able to incorporate passenger facilities that only a decade ago were just a dream.

However, these days there are ships roaming the oceans of the world fitted with West End-style theatres, water parks with hot tubs cantilevered out over the side of the vessel and ten-pin bowling alleys.

Queen Mary 2 boasts a planetarium and computerised virtual golf courses, while other ships feature 300 sq ft open-air cinema screens and even stabilised snooker tables so passengers can play in rough seas.

Southampton has the advantage over other UK ports as it has the dockside facilities to handle this new breed of 21st century cruise ships, together with a long-established experience of passenger shipping.


Scanned artists impression of Colossus attached.
I know it's not a good one.

Richard ;)
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OneBladeMissing

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Re: FRIGHTENING
« Reply #1 on: May 18, 2007, 04:39:20 pm »

If they build a ship big enough, Bernie Ecclestone will want to run a Grand Prix around the deck!
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DickyD

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Re: FRIGHTENING
« Reply #2 on: May 18, 2007, 04:42:59 pm »

Great, then when it sinks he can go down with the other 12,399 on board.
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sinjon

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Re: FRIGHTENING
« Reply #3 on: May 18, 2007, 05:22:19 pm »

Frightening and awful, just imagine being 'cooped' up with hundreds if not thousands of happy holiday makers.
Getting away from it all, I don't think so.
I am not a cruise ship person, the thought appalls me, I did once take a slow 'cruise' down the Nile, I suppose there were about 50 of us, very gentle and slightly quaint.
Horses for courses I suppose.

Colin
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RickF

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Re: FRIGHTENING
« Reply #4 on: May 18, 2007, 07:57:10 pm »

I'm with you, Colin. Five days on the Rhine with sixty-odd people is enough for me. Lifeboat drill for 12,00 plus - no thank you!
Rick
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slewis

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Re: FRIGHTENING
« Reply #5 on: May 18, 2007, 09:45:59 pm »

I think its madness !
When will it all stop ? I presume that will happen if and when a major accident or sinking happens !
Imagine if one of those went down and all passengers were lost !!!!
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Colin Bishop

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Re: FRIGHTENING
« Reply #6 on: May 20, 2007, 07:30:22 pm »

Quote
Imagine if one of those went down and all passengers were lost !!!!

Looks like a new method of population control!

Looking at it practically, what ports could these megaships visit? Even if you could get the majority of the passengers ashore for the day they would totally swamp most, if not all, ports of call. So the ship is essentially a destination in itself, in which case why not build a land resort and have done with it? What we are looking at here is "Las Vegas at Sea". These are not cruise ships but floating resorts. I wouldn't touch one with a bargepole!
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omra85

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Re: FRIGHTENING
« Reply #7 on: May 20, 2007, 08:15:13 pm »

I think you've hit the nail on the head, Colin.
These ships are to cater for people who want everything provided.  The logic would be that they don't need to get OFF the ship to spend their cash in someone else's Taverna, Bistro, Tapas Bar, etc. etc.  but would have the pleasure of spending it in one of the many bars, restaurants and shops on board, whilst enjoying the ever changing vista of a new bit of land half a mile away very morning.  The fact that it would take them a fortnight to walk round the ship fits nicely in with the average holiday length.
Ah - the age of capitalism - brings out the inventiveness in us all ::) ::)

Danny
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taxi

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Re: FRIGHTENING
« Reply #8 on: May 20, 2007, 09:11:18 pm »

Just think what those monstrosities are doing for global warming.   Right from the start the mining for the iron ore, the smelting,  the various oil refined products, the forest of fine woods consumed, the workforce employed in the mining / construction  all travel and consume oil in one way or another, not forgeting the a*******s who will drive / jet from wherever to wherever just to send a postcard of the latest "we've been there" all consuming and poluting as they go,    they probably couldnt tell you where they have been five minutes after they have been there.
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Colin Bishop

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Re: FRIGHTENING
« Reply #9 on: May 20, 2007, 09:35:05 pm »

Quote
they probably couldnt tell you where they have been five minutes after they have been there.

Sadly, I feel that this is all too true!
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Bryan Young

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Re: FRIGHTENING
« Reply #10 on: May 26, 2007, 05:58:04 pm »

Please...can someone who really knows tell me how these monsters get around the Bramble. Southampton is not the easiest entrance in the world. Ta. BY.
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Bunkerbarge

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Re: FRIGHTENING
« Reply #11 on: May 26, 2007, 07:10:27 pm »

Please...can someone who really knows tell me how these monsters get around the Bramble. Southampton is not the easiest entrance in the world. Ta. BY.

Large numbers of very big side thrusters, you can spin anything around in it's own length with enough thrusters, but goodness knows how much would be considered enough!!
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PSSHIPS

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Re: FRIGHTENING
« Reply #12 on: May 26, 2007, 08:18:46 pm »

Here's a thought for BIG ships.
 Back in the 80s, I was lucky enough to do a bit of a swap between some of our crew on the ship I was serving on when I was in the RN and some of the crew from the USS Enterprise, the aircraft carrier.
 There was a story going around on there of a hidden compartment as certain things didn't match up to the internal layout drawings.
 Apparently years later while the ship was in refit and being refuelled etc, they found the "hidden compartment by accident while modifying another space.

 There were three dead welders in there according to the story, from when the ship was built origionally, they welded themselves in, How spooky is that??

 Infact three dockyard employees were reported missing at the time and never found.

 That is fightening!

 I don't know if it is true, just something I have been told and heard.

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PSSHIPS

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Re: FRIGHTENING
« Reply #13 on: May 26, 2007, 08:32:20 pm »

Another gost story for you. The last RN surface ship to refit at Chatham before it closed. HMS Hermione, Leander class frigate, I was on her from Feb 83 untill December or so, 84.
 One middle whatch, I was in the fridge space. I wear glasses and thought at the time it was a reflection in my glasses.
 BUT, I saw something swinging as on the end of a rope in my right lens, when I looked around there was nothing there accept a clip board on the space notice board.
 A couple of days later we where talking down the MCR while at anchor and one of the lads said, "WIERD! A DOCKY HUNG HIMSELF DOWN THERE A FEW MONTHS BACK"

 How spooky is that?
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Shipmate60

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Re: FRIGHTENING
« Reply #14 on: May 26, 2007, 09:17:44 pm »

Paul,
Strange what CSB can do!!   :)
I was at Chatham then too.

Bob
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PSSHIPS

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Re: FRIGHTENING
« Reply #15 on: May 26, 2007, 09:27:32 pm »

Thought I recognised your picture in one of the posts, couldn't place you!
 Did you hear that story too then Bob?
 It is true as far as I know matey!
 Paul...
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banjo

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Re: FRIGHTENING
« Reply #16 on: May 26, 2007, 09:42:24 pm »

If I were a Pirate or the modern day equivalent, then I shall start planning now.... what a hit!
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Bunkerbarge

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Re: FRIGHTENING
« Reply #17 on: May 26, 2007, 10:05:24 pm »

Here's a thought for BIG ships.
 Back in the 80s, I was lucky enough to do a bit of a swap between some of our crew on the ship I was serving on when I was in the RN and some of the crew from the USS Enterprise, the aircraft carrier.
 There was a story going around on there of a hidden compartment as certain things didn't match up to the internal layout drawings.
 Apparently years later while the ship was in refit and being refuelled etc, they found the "hidden compartment by accident while modifying another space.

 There were three dead welders in there according to the story, from when the ship was built origionally, they welded themselves in, How spooky is that??

 Infact three dockyard employees were reported missing at the time and never found.

 That is fightening!

 I don't know if it is true, just something I have been told and heard.




In the days of large riveted hulls they used to use children on the insides of the hull as they could crawl into the spaces easier to hold the riveting anvil on the backside of the rivet while they hammered it on the outside.  Apparently there were more than one who were accidentally panelled in.
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Bunkerbarge

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Re: FRIGHTENING
« Reply #18 on: May 26, 2007, 10:10:21 pm »

Now this one is actually true because I read the report only a year or so ago.

An engineer was doing a final inspection inside the scavenge space of a large slow speed marine engine after a cleaning session.  The door swung closed under a slight movement of the ship and one of the dogs fell across the door. 

No one realised he was inside so they dogged up the door and left port not even realising he was missing.

Can you begin to imagine sitting in the pitch black inside a diesel engine, waiting for the moment when it would burst into life, ending yours, and there was absolutely nothing you could do about it?
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PSSHIPS

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Re: FRIGHTENING
« Reply #19 on: May 26, 2007, 10:35:53 pm »

Lets see if we can have a Saturday night ghost story thread?
 This topic may have some legs?
 What dya reckon Bunky?
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Bryan Young

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Re: FRIGHTENING
« Reply #20 on: May 26, 2007, 11:03:57 pm »

This one is'nt frightening, but it is certainly true (cos it was me wot found it)
Refit in Smiths Docks (North Shields) on RFA "Olwen".
Once all the yard workers had left (no night shift) as duty officer I had to do "the rounds" to check all was secure before handing over to the night duty officer. Generally ambling around and looking about I heard a plaintive cry of "help" (I wish I could put that in very small letters).  The sound came from one of the cargo tanks...Olwen was a tanker, primarily. On investigation I found a dockyard worker at the bottom of a cargo tank. "xxxxx" as a newt. He and his mate (ALWAYS supposed to work in pairs) had decided to "split the shift" and one would go off to the nearest pub for a pint and then let the other idiot do the same. One pint too many and one of them just went home...leaving his "mate". These guys were "caulkers". That is, using a tool to make steel seams oil/waterproof.
(a big jackhammer in other words). This clown had managed to cold-weld his hand into a seam and was stuck. I found it hilarious but obviously serious...police, fire brigade and yard management were called. It was a late night getting home, but I have often wondered what would have happened if we had done a bit of test flooding. ALL shipyards (including the RN ones) were guilty of this sort of behaviour so I am not surprised to read of the ghost stories.....I have a couple of those as well, but for another day. Maybe.
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Bunkerbarge

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Re: FRIGHTENING
« Reply #21 on: May 26, 2007, 11:12:44 pm »

Lets see if we can have a Saturday night ghost story thread?
 This topic may have some legs?
 What dya reckon Bunky?

Great idea Paul, I'm sure all us old sea dogs have a wealth of spooky stories ranging from the personal experience to the beer elaborated legends!!

Now there was a "Shore Side Bosun" in my cadet days by the nickname of "Oddjob", used to hang around our ships in Montreal, to a 16 year old cadet they didn't come much more frightening than her!!

But you ddin't mean that kind did you!! ;)
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PSSHIPS

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Re: FRIGHTENING
« Reply #22 on: May 26, 2007, 11:16:03 pm »

Possibly, Bunky? all kinds, eh, what dya reckon? It would have to be sensored for those ones though!
 Paul...
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Bunkerbarge

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Re: FRIGHTENING
« Reply #23 on: May 26, 2007, 11:17:33 pm »

Go for it Paul.  Lets start a Ghost stories thread.
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PSSHIPS

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Re: FRIGHTENING
« Reply #24 on: May 26, 2007, 11:18:50 pm »

Lets email Martin for a new topic and make sure it just sticks to the topic, have a vote or something?
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