Like a ship out of water? How about just…a ship out of water? It happens to cruise ships regularly, when they go into “drydock” for repairs or renovations, or both. When it was time for the Sea Princess to dry out last fall, National Geographic was on the scene to film the whole process.
Tomorrow (June 10) on the National Geographic Channel, we get a chance to see the “whole process” — from drydocking to sea trials in 15 days. It’s on the NGC’s top-rated show, World’s Toughest Fixes. Make sure to check listings in your area for the time, because this is an encore performance, as they say, and not the regular Thursday night showing of World’s Toughest Fixes.
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The latest outbreak of the dreaded norovirus on a cruise ship was aboard the Sapphire Princess last week. When the Sapphire docked in Seattle on Sunday, 96 passengers had been isolated in their staterooms by the disease, and countless others isolated themselves as a precaution.
Norovirus is a highly contagious, common gastro-intestinal virus that can cause vomiting and diarrhea that usually lasts 24 to 48 hours. It is common on cruise ships because of the closed quarters and the highly contagious nature of the virus, which can only be spread by direct contact.
It’s becoming a record year for the norovirus. Three Royal Caribbean ships were infected earlier and two Celebrity ships, one of them (the Mercury) twice. According to a website that tracks suc things, there have been 5,771 cases of passengers and crew falling ill so far in 2010, from 31 reports. At that pace, there will be more sick people and more reports of sick people on ships than in 2006, when the figures were 7,215 and 54, respectively.
The 5,771 people who have been ill is already No. 2 on that list, dating back to 2002.
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By November 2011, Celebrity will have all four of its Solstice Class ships in the Caribbean for the first time, and eight of the 10 ships in its fleet. By then, the Silhouette will have arrived (August is its inaugural cruise) and the Mercury will be gone (sold to TUI Cruises).
The only Celebrity ships not in the Caribbean by then will be the Infinity — its seasons are in South America and Alaska — and the Xpedition, which sails to the Galapagos Islands year-round.
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How long does a new ship stay modern? A decade would probably be the rule of thumb. Silversea re-introduced its refurbished 382-passenger Silver Whisper last week, after 14 days in drydock in Genoa, and it had the usual furniture and restaurant upgrades.
The Whisper is 10 years old. Among the features not available then: an alarm clock with an iPod dock.
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That’s it, we’re done.