Sailing through thunderstorms?

[kmflutist]

We will be taking our first cruise in May and I was just wondering if cruise ships sail through thunderstorms or if they try to go around them (kinda like airplanes). Has anyone been on a cruise ship out at sea during a storm? Is it scary? Thank you in advance! :)

[All4fun&fun4all]

We sailed through a thunderstorm on our cruise out of Charleston. It POURED! The lightning was so beautiful out at sea. We did feel a bit vulnerable out there. We were under the overhang on lido. I definitely wouldnt go running around the sport deck while it was happening

 

[nytraveller53]

On the Freedom of the Seas back in 2008, we sailed through a huge thunderstorm. It was really amazing. It was during dinner, and every time there was lightning, it lit up the whole 3-deck dining room. It's really cool - not scary IMO:D

[kmflutist]

We sailed through a thunderstorm on our cruise out of Charleston. It POURED! The lightning was so beautiful out at sea. We did feel a bit vulnerable out there. We were under the overhang on lido. I definitely wouldnt go running around the sport deck while it was happening

 

Thanks! Did it get really rocky?

[kmflutist]

On the Freedom of the Seas back in 2008, we sailed through a huge thunderstorm. It was really amazing. It was during dinner, and every time there was lightning, it lit up the whole 3-deck dining room. It's really cool - not scary IMO:D

 

Sounds really neat. I always imagined the sea getting really "angry" and the ship rocking back and forth, ya know? :o

[j603]

That would be really cool

[PROCRUISE]

Sailed through a thunderstorm one night, near San Juan, and it was spectacular, though a little scary. Watching the lightening from our balcony was initally amazing and then we decided we'd move back into the cabin!!!

[regjr13]

We actually traveled parrallel to a hurricane, it rocked for a bit and churned up, we skipped a beat on the dance floor, but it wasn't too bad until we tried to sleep, at that point..."it felt like the Minnow would be lost." But it was a pretty view from our balcony with the lightning at sea and the waves swailing up.

[nytraveller53]

Sounds really neat. I always imagined the sea getting really "angry" and the ship rocking back and forth, ya know? :o

Well, the Freedom of the Seas is a huge (160,000 gross tons) ship, so I don't think anything could "rock" it!:D;)

[Albrin1914]

We will be taking our first cruise in May and I was just wondering if cruise ships sail through thunderstorms or if they try to go around them (kinda like airplanes). Has anyone been on a cruise ship out at sea during a storm? Is it scary? Thank you in advance! :)

 

On my first cruise to Cozumel on the Fascination, we encountered a storm. We also lost one of the engines during dinner time which caused the ship to sway quite a bit but it wasn't scary. As for sailing through, I believe we caught the edge of it.

[kmflutist]

We actually traveled parrallel to a hurricane, it rocked for a bit and churned up, we skipped a beat on the dance floor, but it wasn't too bad until we tried to sleep, at that point..."it felt like the Minnow would be lost." But it was a pretty view from our balcony with the lightning at sea and the waves swailing up.

 

I'm glad we're not cruising during hurricane season. :) I probably would have freaked out.

[kmflutist]

Thanks for the input everyone. I feel a bit better. Sounds like it's not such a big deal if we hit a storm. ;)

[halos]

Well, the Freedom of the Seas is a huge (160,000 gross tons) ship, so I don't think anything could "rock" it!:D;)

You underestimate the power of an angry sea....

[Delnatha]

If it is a big tropical storm or a hurricane the ship will try and sail around it. But a regular thunderstorm is something they sail right through.

 

It takes a lot to rock these ships. Back in the old days everything on a boat was either nailed down or stowed away unless it was in use. They don't worry about that so much anymore because it is very rare that you would have seas rocky enough to start knocking things off of shelves, etc. If you are nervous or sensitive to motion a big storm can make you uneasy. But in reality these ships list very little, maybe a couple of degrees from side to side. For me, it just rocks me to sleep

[stargate fan]

We will be taking our first cruise in May and I was just wondering if cruise ships sail through thunderstorms or if they try to go around them (kinda like airplanes). Has anyone been on a cruise ship out at sea during a storm? Is it scary? Thank you in advance! :)

 

We sailed through a thunderstorm, our first at sea, on Miracle back in Oct. 2009. It was one of the coolest things I have ever experienced. It was in the middle of the afternoon, so we were on deck at the time. We saw low clouds off the port side, then a brilliant bolt hit the water, followed by loud thunder. Thunder at sea sounds differently than thunder at home-I think it's because there are no other structures (trees, buildings, cars, etc.) for the sound to reverberate off. (Are there any scientists or meteorologists here that can confirm/disprove my theory? I'd love to know if I'm right.) The storm continued for only a few minutes, or we sailed away from it-not sure which one. ;) Saw a rainbow, also our first at sea, a little while later.

[PA Dutchman]

We have gone thru alot of thunderstorms. We like to sit on the balcony when we go thru a thunderstorm it really puts down the rain out on the ocean. You don't want one of the rear cabins they don't have a roof on them to be outside when it rains. Done that. Lido gets alittle slick and people running around the storms come up quick. In port is when you sometimes have a problem if you are somewhere you can't find cover. You just get wet and head back to the ship like drowned rats.

[G'ma]

The ship doesn't divert to avoid storms. There is no danger at sea.

 

They will divert for hurricanes.....

[JonV]

This is one of my favorite things while cruising as I live in Northern California where thunderstorms are very rare.

 

I hope you relish them as much as I do while you are cruising. Crusing allows you time to sit back and appreciate nature and the beauty of it all.

[kmflutist]

Interesting stuff! Now I kinda hope I get to experience one. :D I've been on lots of small boats up to larger ferries in rough waters and have never had trouble with sea sickness. I don't anticipate a problem in that regard... I have a pretty strong tummy when it comes to that sort of stuff. My biggest concern was safety.

[All4fun&fun4all]

Thanks! Did it get really rocky?

 

It didnt get rocky at all. Just one heck of a light show. We just kept saying "wow!" over and over.

[Anjanu]

I don't think I'd be afraid of the thunderstorm itself, just the possibility of a water spout. :eek:

[jhale]

Our first run out of NOLA on the Fantasy we left over an hour late, putting sail-a-way in the middle of a severe thunderstorm. Seriously, there were warnings and everything. It was the first time we'd had a GS so we were NOT going to miss sailing past the riverwalk on our balcony, lol. I have some great video of it, I'll have to try and get it online to share. The lightning over the city was amazing!

[Justsyd]

We've been through one. Awesome lightning, and the ship rocked a wee bit, slowly, though nothing to be concerned about. We really enjoyed it!

[Haoie]

Thunder/lightning is pretty cool.

 

Any first hand pics of that out at sea?

 

Also I don't suppose lightning strikes ships often, haha.

[Nanaimobound]

Been through a couple of big storms going to Alaska.

one we went through they said there were 16 ft swells. It was rockin and rollin for sure! The halls were empty except for the staff, who never seemed bothered at all. My solution is to return to bed until its over. it worked both times for me, however i was a little green looking that afternoon!;)