"Adventure" on board Prinsendam last night

[chanteur]

Received a note from a friend who's aboard the Prinsendam:

 

"Seems that the high winds that kept us from anchoring at Portree, Isle of Skye and Scrabster had a few more surprises in store for us last night.

 

Things started getting a little rough during the 7 PM cocktail hour but really not too bad. Dinner was another story entirely. Gale force winds stated to buffet the ship at about 8:15 PM. We were seated at a table for 4 towards the back of the Pinnacle Grill. Next thing you know, we were holding on to the glassware and the table for dear life.

 

The large window next to my seat made a sound like a shotgun and shattered but didn’t break as it is safety glass. It scared the hell out of us. We could hear all hell breaking loose in the kitchen. I shudder to think of what happened to all of that lovely Bulgari china.

 

The Captain came on to the P.A. system to tell all passengers to remain seated, if possible, or to get down on the floor as we were in for some really rough seas. What an understatement. A window was blown out in the showroom and water started pouring in there during the entertainment.

 

One of my table-mates was the Event Manager for the Prinsendam. She had to leave and see to passenger safety and help move people out of harm’s way. We sat and held on to our wine and water glasses and ate bread. Best way to avoid mal de mer is to keep something on your stomach. All around us we could hear pots, pans, dishes, glassware flying in the kitchen while the staff was trying to secure all flying objects. One waiter was stationed at a marble topped cart to keep it from sliding all over the dining room.

 

The worst part of the rocking and rolling went on for about 1.5 hours. As all of the craziness was going on the staff of the Prinsendam remained calm and did an outstanding job of protecting the passengers and securing the ship. I can’t say enough about their skill and calm demeanor throughout this unexpected event.

 

The Captain kept us all informed of what to expect and was a calming and professional voice. The Pinnacle staff was superb. Picking up where they left off as if this was just a little glitch in an otherwise normal day.

 

When we got back to our cabin, we found that anything that wasn’t secured was on the floor. Good thing we’re neat. It didn’t take too long to put things back in order. One of our neighbors couldn’t get back into their cabin until the winds died down as their balcony door had opened and the wind kept them from opening their cabin door."

 

And later:

"Update to the adventure. It turns out we unexpectedly hit a force 12 storm. That's hurricane force. We lost about 50 windows and there is a dent in the prow of the ship. What a 'fun' ride."

[JWJs]

chanteur ~ WOW. It's heart warming to know the Prinsendam staff did such a fine job taking care of the passengers and the ship! It was interesting to note that your friends kept eating bread...to settle their stomachs. I will remember that and put the knowledge to good use in the future. Thanks for the report.:)

[harrodsfan]

That is guite a story. Wonder if anyone took videos..

[Copper10-8]

From Prinsendam's Captain Schoonderbeek's blog:

http://www.hollandamericablog.com/albert/?p=3323#comments

[HamOp]

Not sure if this is the Prinsemdam, but CNN has video posted today of a cruise ship that hit rough seas. The story doesn't give the name of the ship or the line.

See it here http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2010/09/08/las.fotos.del.dia.09.08.cnn?hpt=T2

[sparky-elpaso]

Not sure if this is the Prinsemdam, but CNN has video posted today of a cruise ship that hit rough seas. The story doesn't give the name of the ship or the line.

See it here http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2010/09/08/las.fotos.del.dia.09.08.cnn?hpt=T2

 

That video is from 2008 - not sure of the ship. If you search on YouTube for something like "cruise ship waves" you can find a bunch of others from that ship. Not sure why the news is suddenly showing video from 2 years ago.

[Krazy Kruizers]

That video is from 2008 - not sure of the ship. If you search on YouTube for something like "cruise ship waves" you can find a bunch of others from that ship. Not sure why the news is suddenly showing video from 2 years ago.

 

All 3 of our local stations also showed that video last night -- which is really from 2 years ago.

Can't figure out why they are showing this now.

[Krazy Kruizers]

WOW -- that was some night they had on the Prinsendam.

 

Has anyone heard if anyone got hurt?

[Dana'sDaughters]

My parents are also on that cruise. They were in the showroom when water started coming in...scary!!! They said their room was a mess with broken glass from shelves, drink trays and cologne bottles...

[Bescotti]

All 3 of our local stations also showed that video last night -- which is really from 2 years ago.

 

Can't figure out why they are showing this now.

 

The ship was the Pacific Sun off New Zealand and a passenger who was injured on that cruise is now suing P&O Australia - the case is presently before the courts in NZ, hence the renewed interest in the video coverage. I think the passenger was seen in the video being injured. All up the reports said 77 passengers and crew suffered injuries.

[boards]

We were shown that video here in Canada last night as well. It was recently shown on a thread here somewhere and that be how it got picked up again.

[Krazy Kruizers]

The ship was the Pacific Sun off New Zealand and a passenger who was injured on that cruise is now suing P&O Australia - the case is presently before the courts in NZ, hence the renewed interest in the video coverage. I think the passenger was seen in the video being injured. All up the reports said 77 passengers and crew suffered injuries.

 

Thanks -- all 3 of our local news stations never mentioned about anyone suing the company.

All they talked about was the rough seas and showing the footage where everything is going from one side to the other.

[Krazy Kruizers]

My parents are also on that cruise. They were in the showroom when water started coming in...scary!!! They said their room was a mess with broken glass from shelves' date=' drink trays and cologne bottles...[/quote']

 

Sounds as though your parents are all right.

Did they mention if anyone was hurt? Crew? Passengers?

[cruisinjudy]

That sounds really scary!

[Hflors]

Thanks -- all 3 of our local news stations never mentioned about anyone suing the company.

All they talked about was the rough seas and showing the footage where everything is going from one side to the other.

 

Katie Curiec said the video just "surfaced" I told my dh I saw it about a year ago atleast and thought of sending cbs an e-mail that they should read CC if they need news!!!!!!!

She made it sound like CBS had a scoop!!!!!!!

[DrFUN]

Hope pax and crew on P-dam are all OK....

[3rdGenCunarder]

Katie Curiec said the video just "surfaced" I told my dh I saw it about a year ago atleast and thought of sending cbs an e-mail that they should read CC if they need news!!!!!!!

She made it sound like CBS had a scoop!!!!!!!

 

I had ABC news on at 11 PM and they made it sound like this just happened yesterday. I was about to turn off the TV when they hyped it in a teaser ("This just in..."). I kept the TV on to see what happened, and they did not make it clear that this was from 2 years ago.

[IRL_Joanie]

All 3 of our local stations also showed that video last night -- which is really from 2 years ago.

 

 

Editing due to info already being posted.

 

Also to send prayers for all aboard the Prinsendam and their families!! Keep them all safe Captain Albert!!

 

Joanie

[RuthC]

The worst part of the rocking and rolling went on for about 1.5 hours. As all of the craziness was going on the staff of the Prinsendam remained calm and did an outstanding job of protecting the passengers and securing the ship. I can’t say enough about their skill and calm demeanor throughout this unexpected event.

 

The Captain kept us all informed of what to expect and was a calming and professional voice. The Pinnacle staff was superb. Picking up where they left off as if this was just a little glitch in an otherwise normal day.

I've been in some pretty rough seas, but nothing as intense as the Prinsendam just did. I do hope that everyone is all right.

You have no idea how reassuring it is to read that the crew's training kicked in, and they rose to the occasion and took care of what needed taking care of. Not that I want any of us to have to go through something like this, still, it's nice to know how professionally the crew acts when a crisis happens.

[bepsf]

Thanks for the post Chanteur -

I had read something similar from a friend of mine aboard Prinsendam as well on her Facebook update - I wonder if it's the same person?

Ruth - You remember Joyce, don't you?

 

I'm looking forward to seeing her in NYC for drinkes and dinner later this month and hearing all about the "Festivities"!!!

[Kween Karen]

Yikes.....I will be anxious to hear about an update. I am curious as to how they fix that damage while out at sea.

[RuthC]

 

I had read something similar from a friend of mine aboard Prinsendam as well on her Facebook update - I wonder if it's the same person?

Ruth - You remember Joyce, don't you?

The Countdown Kid! Of course I remember Joyce. :) She's on this Prinsendam cruise? More power to her!

I would love to hear her tale when she returns.

[bob brown]

I was on the Norwegian Dawn in 2007 and on the Rotterdam a few years earlier, both of which had suffered damage from rogue waves on the previous cruise. The crews of both did an amazing job of repairing all the broken cabin windows, and other damage. There were only a few traces left...a few specialty windows in one of the shops, that were not stocked and had to wait for replacement parts to be sent to the ship.

 

This recurring problem makes me wonder if they culdn't make the windows stronger, enough to endure through the roughest weather?

 

I guess it boils down to a cost/loss analysis as to whether it 'pays' to do that, but with passenger injuries resulting, I would think that it would.

[Peacham]

From Prinsendam's Captain Schoonderbeek's blog

 

A quick clarification: Blogger Albert Schoonderbeek is captain of the Veendam. Captain Halle Thon Gunderson is the able master of the Prinsendam, has been ever since she was launched as Royal Viking Sun.

[Copper10-8]

A quick clarification: Blogger Albert Schoonderbeek is captain of the Veendam. Captain Halle Thon Gunderson is the able master of the Prinsendam, has been ever since she was launched as Royal Viking Sun.

 

Sorry Peacham!;) Capt. Schoonderbeek was one of the two captains of Veendam. He joined Halle Thon Gundersen as Prinsendam two captains back in August 2009. As a heads up, each of the fifteen ships in the HAL fleet have two captains assigned. When one is on vacation (as Capt. Gundersen is at the moment) the other is in command.

Capt. Schoonderbeek replaced Capt. Chris Turner on Prinsendam in AUG 09. Capt. Turner went to Zuiderdam. Capt. Schoonderbeek's place on Veendam was eventually taken by Capt. Pieter Jan van Maurik. The captain's assignments to the various ships rotate on a semi-regular basis