Princess (STAR Princess) to Antarctica 1/10/2008 - ARE THEY ABSOLUTELY STUPID??? - Cruise Line Fans: Cruise Forum, Reviews and Chat From Real Cruisers

Cruise Cat · 12-21-2007, 10:42 PM

We just had the M/V Explorer, one the toghest built for ice cruise ships sink near King George Island and the South Shetland Islands off of Antarctica, so now Princess Cruise Lines is going to try to repeat that feet by sending in a standard hull cruise ship with thousands of people on it to the South Shetland Islands as well.

ARE THEY ABSOLUTLY STUPID OR WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!

I guess since Princess could not sink the Star Princess by having her on fire, they though they would sink her by hitting an iceberg instead

Here is the January 10, 2008 Itinerary: (hope the formatting stays)

Port

Arrival
Departure
1

Buenos Aires, Argentina5:00 PM

2

At Sea

3

At Sea

4

Falkland Islands (Stanley)

8:00 AM

6:00 PM

5

At Sea

6

Antarctica Peninsula (Scenic Cruising)

10:00 AM

7

At Sea

8

At Sea

9

Antarctica Peninsula (Scenic Cruising)11:00 AM

10

Cape Horn (Scenic Cruising)

5:00 PM

6:00 PM

11

Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego), Argentina

7:00 AM

4:00 PM

12

Punta Arena, Chile

7:00 AM

7:00 PM

13

At Sea

14

At Sea

15

At Sea

16

Montevideo, Uruguay

8:00 AM

5:00 PM

17

Buenos Aires, Argentina

7:00 AM

Also, check out this map from the itinerary:
http://www.princess.com/mapgen/images/SSA160lg.jpg

Deception Island, Elephant Island!!!! Here iceberg, iceberg! Come and hit us please!

Check out the web yourself. Look at Antarctica and it's Ice Pack. Yes, it is Summer down there; but, that is when the icebergs and packice move!

Will they have a special captain and pilot aboard, or will they let a guy who just finished cruising near the equator steer the ship in the middle of the night? Remember, its the iceberg you don't know about or see that gets you!

January 10 Itinerary Link
http://www.princess.com/pb/itineraryDetails.do?subnav=true&voyageCode=9802&to urCode=&resType=C&noOfPax=2&shipId=TP&shipName=Sta r+Princess&co=US&productCode=SSA160&departureDate= Jan+10%2C+2008&productDesc=Antarctica+%26+South+Am erica+-+Roundtrip+Buenos+Aires

Hopefully, Someone in Canival Corporation (CCL), the parent company of Princess will realize just how stupid and dangerous it is to send a ship like Star Princess down there.

UUUGGGGHHHH!

LuLu · 12-21-2007, 11:07 PM

Cruise Cat! Totally agree with you!

Always have wanted to go to Antarctica (just because it's there). Actually, wanted take a cruise with an excursion that would allow me to "step foot" on Antarctica.

The sinking of M/V Explorer made me have second thoughts so I started doing a bit of research. Now, I no longer wish to do this....

Cruise Cat · 12-21-2007, 11:34 PM

I would have gone on the explorer and if the opportunity ever presents itself to go on a ship built for ice, with a crew trained for that, then I would still go.

But they've got to be kidding just sending a normal ship down there like that.

I checked the Roll Calls over on CC. There are over 60 of them going on that cruise. I looked at the posts around the time of the Explorer sinking (11-23-2007). There were two mentions of it, almost in passing, and a couple others a few days later. No one responded or paid any attention to it. It is almost like they are in denial, or no one wants to speak of such a thing.

hanna · 12-21-2007, 11:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cruise Cat

I would have gone on the explorer and if the opportunity ever presents itself to go on a ship built for ice, with a crew trained for that, then I would still go.

But they've got to be kidding just sending a normal ship down there like that.

I checked the Roll Calls over on CC. There are over 60 of them going on that cruise. I looked at the posts around the time of the Explorer sinking (11-23-2007). There were two mentions of it, almost in passing, and a couple others a few days later. No one responded or paid any attention to it. It is almost like they are in denial, or no one wants to speak of such a thing.

Just goes to show you what kind of people post on CC

LuLu · 12-21-2007, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cruise Cat

I checked the Roll Calls over on CC. There are over 60 of them going on that cruise. I looked at the posts around the time of the Explorer sinking (11-23-2007). There were two mentions of it, almost in passing, and a couple others a few days later. No one responded or paid any attention to it. It is almost like they are in denial, or no one wants to speak of such a thing.

Agree .... They don't want to consider that it very well could happen to them.

On the other hand, I'd HATE to see that ban of tourist travel to Antarctica proposed by NATO! People should have the option to go if they wish.

Cruise Cat · 12-22-2007, 12:01 AM

I agree. The NATO thing is out of fear of possible damage to the environment. I'm worried about a bunch of tourists going down there and a cruise ship not meant for that environment with a crew not trained for it.

It comes down to one thing: Greed on the part of the cruise line!

MD11F · 12-22-2007, 12:12 AM

Chuck, I saw the Itinerary for the Star Princess to Antartica, over the past weekend, and wondered the same thing. All I know is, I will not be on that ship there.

Cruise Cat · 12-22-2007, 12:32 AM

I read an Article on it on Missing Passengers On Cruise Ships - Cruise Ship Missing Passengers - Passengers Overboard On Cruise Ships Then I checked out what they were saying for myself and was shocked.

The only thing they have wrong is the discussion on the second cruise later that month. That cruise hugs the south american coast and doesn't worry me. In fact, I researched that one last month when the Explorer sunk and someone mentioned the princess thing. It was just tonight when I read the cruisebruise thing that I found out about the 1/10/08 itinerary.

Star Princess Cruises To Antarctica Tempting Fate With A Single Hull December 3, 2007

The other thing I saw that was not an cruisebruise is that earlier this year another cruise ship grounded itself near Deception Island. (a Norweigian I think called nor something) This is a very trecherous area around the island. It is similar to Santorini as it is formed from a volcanic crater.

cruisin' chick · 12-22-2007, 04:20 AM

It seems strange that Princess would be doing this itinerary, and more than that, sending in a major size ship, such as the Star. I wonder if these cruises will sell out.

canarymoon · 12-22-2007, 10:57 AM

OK - this may not make a whole lot of difference, but wouldn't January be part of the Antarctic summer???

"Antarctic Summer" seems like an oxymoron to this Floridian, but there realy IS such a thing... technically, anyway.