Sky Wonder - latest problem causes a passenger revolt due to Pullmantur's handling

**Ally** · 03-28-2008, 05:50 AM

The passengers are definately not happy with the way Pullmantur handled the grounding of Sky Wonder...

Quote:

Around 1,300 mainly Spanish and Portuguese tourists are back home after their cruise from Istanbul to Athens had to be aborted after the ship got irrevocably grounded in Kusadasi port last Tuesday.

It seems that the captain of the'Sky Wonder' made a mistake as he was manoeuvering the elderly vessel towards the dock, and given that the ship's reverse gear was not working and that the Turkish port's tug boats were out of action, could do nothing to prevent her from slowly drifting on to a sand bank where she became stuck.

The passengers only agreed to abandon ship after receiving guarantees from the Pullmantour company that organised the cruise.

According to one of the passengers, Marta (26, from Madrid), "at the start they only offered us a 50% discount on our next cruise."

A protest meeting was organised and the passengers - already fuming about not being kept informed about the situation - opened negotiations, eventually agreeing to accept not only a full refund (around €900 euros), but also the promised 50% discount.

The 'Sky Wonder' was built in 1984.

Spanish tourists back home after botched cruise

**Ally** · 03-28-2008, 06:21 AM

I like the way they called the ship 'elderly'....at 24, Sky Wonder is not one of the oldest ships around, but she does have a rather checkered history which seems to be still causing a few problems.

I am surprised that the ship was in service with a problem as significant as the reverse not working though...and it does appear that the captain did not know the port approaches too well either.

I can quite understand why the passengers demanded more than just a discount on another cruise. They were well in their rights to demand a refund under the circumstances IMHO.

**neil** · 03-30-2008, 07:18 AM

Hi

It has been reported that the ship has now been moved and left the port.

The ship had the same trouble some years ago when on Australian cruising for P&O.

At that time she was dry-docked in Brisbane and out of service for over five weeks while some new parts were made in the USA for her gear box.

She should be in Piraeus this weekend for a passenger change over but the port AIS system is not listing her this morning.

Neil

**Ally** · 03-30-2008, 07:22 AM

Welcome to the family, Neil

Yes, old Wonder has had her fair share of problems over the years...she ran aground in January 2007 off Buenos Aires, then she had a power failure of Punte del Este this year...but she was also in the news whilst under P&O Australia ownership after the Brimble case...Diane Brimble died aboard her.

She definately has had some bad luck. Apparently the Kusadasi tugs were having problems getting her off the sand, so it does not surprise me at all that she isn't showing up where she is meant to be today. Very unfortunate for her next set of passengers

**neil** · 04-01-2008, 09:09 AM

Hi

Has anyone has any information on what has happened to Sky Wonder.

She should have sailed on another cruise from Piraeus yesterday, 31st March, but nothing was showing on the AIS systems in that area for her.

It could be that in addition to reverse gear problems her AIS system is not working.

At present the webcam camera that covers the passenger terminal in Piraeus harbour is also not working, and stuck on a night time picture from last Friday, so it is not possible to monitor ships alongside.

Pullmantur Cruises website shows her as cruising still.

I wonder if they have decided to drydock her for repairs rather than running her as she is and having to pay out more compensation if she breaks down again.

Neil

**Ally** · 04-01-2008, 09:24 AM

From what I can gather in the Turkish press, she was eventually towed off the sandbar, confirmed no damage done. As to where she is now, no idea whatsoever. I would like to hope that her reverse thrust will be sorted before she embarks on any further cruises, however, I doubt Pullmantur can take her out of service unless forced to by authorities. The lack of reverse could be looked upon as a safety violation...but as she has suffered this for many months and was infact transferred to Pullmantur from P&O Australia in the state she is in now, your guess is as good as anyone's as to what future plans there are for her.

The only ships that could possibly take over from her are Empress and Ocean Dream...Empress has now ended her time with RCI and is on her way over for refurb somewhere in Europe and Ocean Dream (ex Pacific Star) is...or was...in Singapore last week after being handed over by P&O Australia. It should be noted that like the Pacific Sky (Sky Wonder), the Pacific Star (Ocean Dream) has had more than her fair share of problems over the past few months.

There doesn't seem to be anything on the Pullmantur site as to what is happening with Sky Wonder...which in itself is pretty poor for an RCI owned outfit

**neil** · 04-01-2008, 09:52 AM

Hi

Many thanks for your reply.

I have checked all the usual sources of information and nothing.

I even had a look at the Suez Canal transits in case she was heading east !

I also checked out the AIS for Malta, in case she was visiting the dry-docks there, but nothing.

Its as if she has sunk !

Re the ex Pacific Star, which Pullmantur Cruises have recently bought, she has also had more than her fair share of problems after sailing from Auckland in to gale force seas and getting her bow badly damaged, and other equipment destroyed, which resulted in a dry dock visit and the replacement of a large area of the bow.

On her next cruise she had more problems with what appeared to be a leak and again a cruise was cancelled and she had another dry-dock visit.

Although I did work at sea for P & O for many years, and am an ex P&O now Carnival share holder, I start to wonder if they are giving away the old Australian ships at a rock bottom price with their history of problems.

I can not see anyone paying a full market price for them.

Neil

**Ally** · 04-01-2008, 09:59 AM

I agree with you..although it was quite unusual at the time for a CCL company to be selling its ships to the 'opposition', ie an RCI owned company. I think both ships are pups and CCL dumped them onto Pullmantur knowing that and have probably been laughing all the way to the bank ever since

The two ships have always had problems, maybe it is time to send them to the breakers. I think another RCI ship is due to join Pullmantur...Sovereign of the Seas IIRC. Empress will soon be taking her place in the line-up and once the RCI TUI jv is up and running, I imagine there will be quite alot of ship shifting...not just with Pullmantur but with Island Cruises too, which is another venture with RCI attachments.

**middy** · 04-01-2008, 10:49 AM

Sky wonder should be in Patmos today. Can't find a web cam at mo.

**Ally** · 04-01-2008, 10:55 AM

She seems to have gone AWOL, Middy..ever since she was freed from the sandbar last week. All very strange that Pullmantur have failed to post any news or guidance on their website about what is going on. RCI/Island Cruises/Celebrity/Azamara are all red hot when it comes to things like this.

Although, tbh, as Neil has already pointed out, I dare say there is some level of embarrassment over the way things have gone with Wonder since she entered service, 2 groundings & 2 breakdowns in a little over a year is pretty bad...even for an 'elderly' ship in her 20's.