Despatches CH 4 Monday 8.00pm

[Ray Scully]

Secrets of your Cruise

Could be interesting

Ray

[Kendhni]

Thanks for the reminder, be interesting to see what 'secrets' they come up with

[david63]

I may be wrong but I thought I had read that it was mostly about pollution

[Ray Scully]

I may be wrong but I thought I had read that it was mostly about pollution

David

My understanding is that it majors on the adverse environmental effects of cruising. Perhaps smokers will be discussed, i.e a large assemblage polluting the ocean skies.

[Mervyn and Trish]

More knee jerk science I expect. Not allowed to do anything enjoyable these days!

[Mervyn and Trish]

There's an article in the Times this morning about this programme. Some of the figures look dodgy to me. For example a 3000 pax cruise ship dumps 79,000 litres of sewage per day. Even allowing for crew that's about 4 gallons per person. Sorry to be crude but that's a lot of poo even after curry night. Something not quite right.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Oh and to add. However much the correct figure is we'd still be producing it at home.

[towny44]

I did attend an environmental talk on Celebrity once, and from memory they only pump "grey waste water" into the sea, and then only in specified deep water areas well away from land. The other waste called "black water" is pumped ashore as required at various ports of call; the environmental officer was very proud of their system and claimed it's pollution level was well below most western counties land based systems.
But this is channel 4's flagship controversial investigative TV programme, so we can expect lots of dubious facts and figures.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I had dealings with Despatches in my professional career and my impression was that they were more interested in controversy than truth. In fact I gave evidence at the GMC in support of one of our doctors who was victim of their tactics. He was cleared.

[Jack Staff]

Dispatches does have a reputation for shock journalism. I'm sure we remember the one on cruise crew, which revealed how badly they were paid and the conditions they had to work under (pretty sure it was Dispatches, I might be wrong). Though horrendous to our western eyes, the fact that this was still the best option for the crew to provide for them and their families was ignored.

While I am expecting some 'shocking' revelations, we need programs like this as companies such as Carnival, living mostly in international waters, think they can get away with anything. They need to know that someone at least is keeping an eye on them. Many years ago (and I do mean many) it was a regular sight to see sacks of rubbish falling from the side of the ship and disappearing into the night. Thankfully those days have gone, but the companies can always come up with new ways of saving a few Quid ... http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/1524535 ... pollution/

[barney]

Well that was half an hour I'll never get back. Mrs Barney made her excuses and left the room . Shock news is oil burning engines pollute.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Shock news is oil burning engines pollute.

Who knew?

[david63]

Who knew?

Not the woman who had done 64 cruises!

[Jack Staff]

Many years ago (and I do mean many) it was a regular sight to see sacks of rubbish falling from the side of the ship and disappearing into the night. Thankfully those days have gone, but the companies can always come up with new ways of saving a few Quid ... http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/1524535 ... pollution/

I was wrong.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Who knew?

Not the woman who had done 64 cruises!

Some people struggle to put their pants on the right way round!

[qbman1]

Mrs C used to buy hers from C&A so she always knew !

[Boris+]

I didn't believe much of the 'stats' and claims made on this prog. The image of the emission from the funnels was potentially more influenced by an uv camera, which shows heat - as seen in various double-glazing tv adverts.

I don't give any weight to what was said on the program, and I think that this woman should not have interrupted passengers in their enjoyment of a cruise.

So, it doesn't bother me, won't put me off - the only use of the program for us was a sneaky peak at the interior (and sun deck) of Oceana.

[david63]

Let's just look at some of the program.

1. There is no way that she would have been able to "sneak" the camera and emissions monitor onboard in her case, as she purported to do, as it would never have got past security - and if it did then there are serious questions to be asked about security in Malta.

2. She joined a seven night cruise and left after four days giving an impression that it was not safe.

3. As Boris pointed out UV cameras show heat - why would that be a surprise coming out of a ship's funnel?

4. By her own admission the particle readings were only high downwind of the funnel - yes that would be obvious. How many of the crew spend all of their time on the Sun Deck?

[Kenmo1]

I think my lungs are more at risk from walking into town past the queue of cars stuck in traffic with their engines running as they try to get on to our totally useless, badly thought out roundabout.

I'm happy to take my chance on Oceana and any other cruise ship.

Maureen

[Stephen]

Never saw the program but perhaps Despatches might want to do a comparison.

powerplant.jpg

[qbman1]

I didn't watch it either (and I have absolutely no intention of doing so) but I suppose some impressionable people actually believe this claptrap because it is presented in a "serious" format on a "mainstream" TV Channel. From what you all say, it reminds me a bit of the Labour Party election strategy - all false info to lure in the masses who know no better !

[screwy]

Never seen so many empty sunbeds...

[qbman1]

It was probably all just a cunning plan to get space on the sun deck !

[Ranchi]

If the uv camera picked up stuff from the funnel, I'd pack my factor 50!

[towny44]

I think it might result in the stern facing balcony cabins being less desirable.