QE2 POWER LOSS ON NEW YEAR EVE AT SEA

Stowaway2K who is on board the QE2 on the Christmas/ New Year trip that set off when we disembarked in NYC on 21 Dec, posted this on a Yahoo group about a power loss on the QE2 at 2am on the New Year Eve into New Year night. Interesting after the discussion that there has been from people on the crossing about the state (good and mixed) of the ship..

He wrote:

"Happy New Year from QE2 enroute to NY from San Juan. Early this morning QE2 suffered a total power loss at about 2am ship's time. The ship was totally dead in the water, at the mercy of the swell that kept her rolling whilst totally still otherwise.

The ship was partially lit by emergency lighting, so that one could find one's way about in the corridors and public rooms, but the staterooms were without any light. About 30 minutes later some power was restored, but QE2 lay continued to lay still.

New Years festivities were still going strong, with the casino and Yacht Club packed with people celebrating.
Some passengers managed to harrass whatever crew they could find, some were visibly nervous, but mostly we took it in stride and enjoyed the strange sensation of being at sea on a powerless ocean liner, at night, in a choppy sea. Approximately 2 hours after the power loss we were underway again.

Captian McNaught made a few announcements to reassure passengers, but most of us were simply ammused by it all. A strange start to 2005 for QE2, especially after the New Years Eve immigration fiasco in San Juan that had Captian McNaught obviously annoyed. Apparently QE2 advised San Juan authorities of the ship's immigration needs, but they went ignored, and at 1:00 pm with the immigration just then completed, authorities left the ship insulting the Captain on their way"

Sounds quite scary to me!!!!!

He later let us know the cause of the power loss: "In the captian's noon announcement he said that the problem was anover-heated 3.3 kilovolt transformer, made to automatically shutdown at a certain temperature to avoid fire"

GODFREY B later also wrote: "We just got back and I must admit the power loss caused me some concern as we were 'adrift'.

The captain came on and reassured us several times that 'the ship is safe, I repeat the ship is safe' but the tone of his voice indicated that there was some concern. After 2 hours he announced that 'we will be setting sail for New York shortly', but it seemed to me that the engines started and then promptly stopped again and nothing more happened for several hours.

I heard some people were on deck with their life jackets on, but I understand the crew did not seem bothered.However, no one but myself seemed to realize that this 'electrical failure' happened right in the Bermuda Triangle!"

Still sounds scary!