 |
| MS Bimini Superfast at Terminal "F" in the Port of Miami, FL |
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
JUNE 28, 2013;
Ok here we go - well not quite it turns out!! In this mornings The Miami Herald there was a wrap around page advertising the MS Bimini Superfast and at last the website at www.rwbimini.com and phone at 1-888-930-8688 for all the booking and service details starting in July 2013. NAUTICAL LOG will definitely be going but later when things have settled down into a regular routine as this should be a fun trip.
NAUTICAL LOG has learned from local sources that the MS Bimini Superfast was indeed delayed by USCG-MSO requirements. In prior days this was often the point at which NAUTICAL LOG was contacted to conduct "tune-up" Drills and correct training problems identified by the USCG-MSO. Kind of miss those days!!
JUNE 27, 2013;
JUNE 28, 2013;
Ok here we go - well not quite it turns out!! In this mornings The Miami Herald there was a wrap around page advertising the MS Bimini Superfast and at last the website at www.rwbimini.com and phone at 1-888-930-8688 for all the booking and service details starting in July 2013. NAUTICAL LOG will definitely be going but later when things have settled down into a regular routine as this should be a fun trip.
NAUTICAL LOG has learned from local sources that the MS Bimini Superfast was indeed delayed by USCG-MSO requirements. In prior days this was often the point at which NAUTICAL LOG was contacted to conduct "tune-up" Drills and correct training problems identified by the USCG-MSO. Kind of miss those days!!
JUNE 27, 2013;
To date there does not seem to be a booking website for the Genting vessel MS Bimini Superfast though she was listed as making her first passage this Friday however that it seems may not happen. NAUTICAL LOG suspects that the delayed departure may well be due to the U.S. Passenger Vessel Certificate not yet being obtained.
Prior to any passage being allowed she and her crew must pass the USCG-MSO Passenger Vessel Safety Inspections. The vessel has a Flag State of Panama and the crew will be exercised in Fire and Evacuation Drills under the watchful eye of the USCG-MSO Officers. Once these Drills are passed the MS Bimini Superfast will be issued a U.S. Passenger Vessel Certificate allowing her to carry passengers to the number allowed by that U.S. Certificate to and from U.S. Ports but not Inter U.S. Ports. In her case this will be the Port of Miami, FL and thereafter she will have these same USCG-MSO Inspections every three (3) months.
NAUTICAL LOG does not know if the Safety Inspections have been carried out or whether the vessel passed those Drills. Coincidentally there was a Change of Command ceremony at the Seventh Coast Guard District on Wednesday when the current Commanding Officer Rear Adm. William Baumgartner USCG handed over to Rear Adm. John 'Jake' Korn USCG. It could well happen that recent Inspections done by USCG 7th. District MSO would be reviewed by the Staff of Admiral Korn. In view of the recent concerns and actions by Congress regarding cruise vessels in general this would not be surprising.
Prior to any passage being allowed she and her crew must pass the USCG-MSO Passenger Vessel Safety Inspections. The vessel has a Flag State of Panama and the crew will be exercised in Fire and Evacuation Drills under the watchful eye of the USCG-MSO Officers. Once these Drills are passed the MS Bimini Superfast will be issued a U.S. Passenger Vessel Certificate allowing her to carry passengers to the number allowed by that U.S. Certificate to and from U.S. Ports but not Inter U.S. Ports. In her case this will be the Port of Miami, FL and thereafter she will have these same USCG-MSO Inspections every three (3) months.
NAUTICAL LOG does not know if the Safety Inspections have been carried out or whether the vessel passed those Drills. Coincidentally there was a Change of Command ceremony at the Seventh Coast Guard District on Wednesday when the current Commanding Officer Rear Adm. William Baumgartner USCG handed over to Rear Adm. John 'Jake' Korn USCG. It could well happen that recent Inspections done by USCG 7th. District MSO would be reviewed by the Staff of Admiral Korn. In view of the recent concerns and actions by Congress regarding cruise vessels in general this would not be surprising.
Also as yet we have not seen public confirmation of the MS Bimini Superfast departure date, time or a website to find the latest available data. Genting is playing its cards close to its chest it seems.
 |
| MS Bimini Superfast |
ORIGINAL POST:
Berthed at Port of Miami Terminal "F" from which NAUTICAL LOG has sailed on several cruise ships she is named MS Bimini Superfast and it is stated by her owners GENTING World Resorts, will operate from Miami to Bimini, Bahamas with two trips daily. Details are still sketchy and one hopes for a website to spring up soon so we can to book a trip.
The proposed trips are departing Miami 0900 returning 1900 departing again at 2100 returning again at 0500. Tickets start at $49.00 and the passage of 50 miles can be done in two(2) hours as the ship has a top speed of 28 knots.
The proposed schedule sounds pretty tiring for the crew and one wonders how it is going to work out having done something similar years ago. At that time NAUTICAL LOG remembers that the USCG stepped in and limited the number of second trips based on the total Watch-keeping hours worked by the crew. Perhaps the MS Bimini Superfast is going to have additional Officers but one doubts it.
Anyway this is just a first Post based on the first news this morning in The Miami Herald so we shall be around the Port of Miami on Friday to see how things go with this latest venture on a run that has not seen success to date.
Good Watch.
Comments