Carnival Ecstasy

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Carnival Ecstasy in Port Canaveral, Florida
Career
Name: Ecstasy (1991–2007)
Carnival Ecstasy (2007-present)
Owner: Carnival Corporation & plc
Operator: Carnival Cruise Lines
Port of registry:  Panama
Route: Western Caribbean and Bahamas
Builder: Kvaerner Masa-Yards
Helsinki New Shipyard, Finland
Completed: 1991
In service: 1991–present
Refit: 2009
Identification: Call sign: H3GR
IMO number: 8711344
MMSI number: 353479000[1]
Status: In service
General characteristics
Class & type: Fantasy-class cruise ship
Tonnage: 70,367 GT
Length: 855 ft (261 m)
Beam: 103 ft (31 m)
Draft: 7.80 m (25 ft 7 in)
Decks: 12
Installed power: 2 × Sulzer-Wärtsilä 8ZAV40S
4 × Sulzer-Wärtsilä 12ZAV40S
42,240 kW (combined)
Propulsion: Two propellers
Speed: 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph)
Capacity: 2,056 passengers (lower berths)
2,634 passengers (all berths)
Crew: 920

Carnival Ecstasy is a Fantasy-class cruise ship which began operation with Carnival Cruise Lines and is currently the second oldest ship in the fleet. The Fantasy Features include a pool, four whirlpools, a variety of dining options, nightclubs, a casino, and duty-free shopping. [2]

Ports of call

Carnival Ecstasy offers three- and four-day Western and Eastern Caribbean itineraries out of Miami, Florida,[3] The three-day cruise departs every Friday, stopping at Nassau, Bahamas, while the four-day cruises departs every Monday, and stops at Key West, Florida and Cozumel, Mexico.

After Hurricane Katrina, the ship spent six months in New Orleans serving as quarters for evacuees and relief workers.

Accidents and incidents

Fire

On the afternoon of July 20, 1998, Ecstasy departed the Port of Miami, Florida, en route to Key West, Florida, with 2,565 passengers and 916 crewmembers aboard when a fire started in the main laundry room shortly after 17:00. The fire migrated through the ventilation system to the aft mooring deck where mooring lines ignited, creating intense heat and large amounts of smoke. As Ecstasy was attempting to reach an anchorage north of the Miami sea buoy, the vessel lost propulsion power and steering and began to drift. The master then radioed the U.S. Coast Guard for assistance. A total of six tugboats responded to help fight the fire and to tow Ecstasy. The fire was brought under control by onboard firefighters and was officially declared extinguished about 21:09. Fourteen crewmembers and eight passengers suffered minor injuries. One passenger who required medical treatment as a result of a pre-existing condition was categorized as a serious injury victim because of the length of her hospital stay. Carnival Corporation, Inc., the owner of Ecstasy, estimated that losses from the fire and associated damages exceeded $17 million.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the probable cause of fire aboard Ecstasy was the unauthorized welding by crewmembers in the main laundry that ignited a large accumulation of lint in the ventilation system and the failure of Carnival Cruise Lines to maintain the laundry exhaust ducts in a fire-safe condition. Contributing to the extensive fire damage on the ship was the lack of an automatic fire suppression system on the aft mooring deck and the lack of an automatic means of mitigating the spread of smoke and fire through the ventilation ducts. Passengers received a full refund and were offered a complimentary cruise for the inconvenience. [4]

Suicide

On July 1, 2007, David Ritcheson, the victim of the April 22, 2006 Harris County, Texas assault incident, jumped off the deck of Carnival Ecstasy and died.[5]

Emergency turn

On April 21, 2010, at approximately 12.55 pm U.S. central time, the ship was forced to perform a maneuver to avoid an object in the water which resulted in the ship briefly listing to the port side. The object was a large buoy which was adrift and mostly submerged thereby preventing it from being detected by the ship's radar. Carnival Ecstasy was on the final leg of a five-day cruise that departed Galveston on Saturday, April 17 with stops in Cozumel and Progreso, Mexico. [6]

According to a passenger, "The ship was shuddering. Just shake shake shake and that's when all the dishes were coming out. It was a mess, it looked like a food fight and that's when everybody jumped up screaming and running trying to get outside ... We thought we were going over. We really thought the whole ship was going to be tipped over ... They had to close down stores, all the glass went flying and it broke the glass on the outside of the liquor store. People were crawled all over everybody and screaming and it was horrible and we finally got out to hang on the side of the balcony railing because it was tipped so much, if you didn't, you'd be sliding back into the restaurant." Subsequent reports from Carnival Cruise Lines indicate 60 passengers were treated for minor injuries after the ship listed 12 degrees. From passenger reports of half the water being dumped from the pool, and the amount of damage to fixtures aboard ship, the approximate list is estimated to be between 25 and 30 degrees. The list of a ship is measured by a device called an inclinometer. The maximum list which a standard inclinometer can measure is designed to be 28 degrees from vertical, either port or starboard.

Power failure

On April 17, 2013, Carnival Ecstasy experienced a mechanical problem that caused a power failure at sea for 12 minutes, which affected the propulsion system. This delayed her return to Port Canaveral by a few hours.[7]

"Evolutions of Fun"

Carnival announced their new program that applied to all Carnival Fantasy-class ships that involves many upgrades to the Fantasy ships. After Ecstasy completed her Hurricane Katrina charter, she went into drydock where she received some of the upgrades that are part of the Evolutions of Fun program. These include a new mini golf course on the sports deck, refurnishing of all the staterooms, new children's facilities, and the remodeling of the gift shop and Lido deck restaurant, The Panorama Bar And Grill. In 2009 the ship received the Full Evolutions of Fun which includes the children's water parks and "Camp Carnival" where parents can drop off their child, the card room converted into the "Circle C lounge" for 12 to 14 year-olds, "Serenity" adult only decks, refurbishing of the ship's aft lounge, additional 98 balconies and other small improvements.

Gallery

Ecstasy docked in New Orleans 
Ecstasy before her "Evolutions of Fun" refit 

References

  1. ↑ "Carnival Ecstasy (8711344)". Equasis. French Ministry for Transport. http://www.equasis.org/EquasisWeb/restricted/ShipList?fs=ShipSearch&P_PAGE=1&P_IMO=8711344. Retrieved 16 October 2013. (subscription required)
  2. ↑ "Carnival Ecstasy Schedule". Cruise Ship Schedule. Retrieved January 7, 2014. 
  3. ↑ "Carnival Ecstasy Cruises | Ecstasy Cruise Ship | Carnival Cruise Line". Carnival. January 6, 2012. Retrieved February 15, 2013. 
  4. ↑ "Ten Years of Cruise Ship Fires - Has the Cruise Industry Learned Anything?". 11 March 2010. Retrieved 5 August 2013. 
  5. ↑ "Cruise tragedy: Teen jumps ship". KHOU. 1 July 2007. Retrieved 28 May 2013. 
  6. ↑ "Carnival Says 60 People Were Injured on Cruise Ship". 21 April 2010. Retrieved 5 August 2013. 
  7. ↑ "Carnival Cruise ship Ecstasy back in port after losing power at sea". CFN 13. Retrieved April 18, 2013. 

External links

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