Any stories of rough weather????!!!!

[Bookish Angel]

On January 17 and 18 of this year I crossed The Drake Passage aboard Orient's Marco Polo enroute from Tierra del Fuego to the Antarctic peninsula. I was in bed and could not sleep due to the listing, rocking and creaking of the ship and my cabin's drawers pulling open then slamming shut.

 

I heard the next day that the seas were a relatively mild 25 to 35 feet though a couple of folks on higher floors said that they'd been tossed from their beds the previous night. I never left the bed but I fully expected to do so. The captain said that was actually one of the MILDER Drake Passage crossings. The return trip was mercifully gentle.

[Annadrisk]

Our cruise in May of 2006 was unbelievable we traveled Celebrity Zenith. I knew right before the ship left the dock that we were going to be in for rough weather. As I looked around on the pool deck all the chairs and trash cans were tied down. Our sleeping experience was very interesting, you have your feet above your head and back down the waves were so bad they were literally knocking you off the bed. You need to keep pulling back up to the top of the bed.

 

We could sleep so we went up to the Windjammer very earlly about 5:30 a.m. and all the buffet table trays were coming on the the bins and fell on the floor, doors were slamming open and shut all through the restaurant, it was like ghost ship. We never got sick. During lunch they had to help you to your table with your dish of food otherwise it would be all over the floor. The waiter did very well keeping track of every and not spilling a drop, how I don't know. We thougt it was prettey cool. I do get sea sick and was not sick the whole time. I was amazed with the size of the waves we felt.

 

We were on the ship with alot of elderly people and there were quite a few who got hurt and broke bones. It was very interesting walking down the hallways. It was a though you were drunk and we didn't drink a thing.

 

They did cancel quite a few shows because they did not want the dancers to get hurt wearing high heals. The bingo board could not be used because is would not stay on the stage. If the crew needed to go out on the cruise deck they would teather them so they would not fall over board. I should have known by the way things were tied down.

 

Everything throughout the ship was very quiet on days it was bad, you could go and do anything you wanted with out a problem of not having enough room. We really had a good time.

[dolfansam]

Unfortunately, the first cruise I went on we went through Hurricane Andrew. The boat was rocking the entire time. My brother-in-law and my oldest niece were literally green. All hopes I had of getting any snorkeling in were wiped out since the waters were too murky and not worth renting the equipment when we got to CoCo Cay. Although, I was able to see some nice fish while watching my family in the play area they have set up. We left from Baltimore and have heard that cruises along the East Coast can tend to be rougher than those leaving from Florida.

 

If that cruise was not bad enough, the next cruise (out of Norfold) 5 months later we went through a Noreaster with 20-30 ft waves. I was on the 3rd or 4th deck and the waves appeared to come up to that level. The boat really rocked from front to back, which is much worse than side to side because you really cannot brace yourself while walking. At least rocking side to side you can spread your gait a little wider to keep your balance. The crowds at dinner got smaller and smaller as the cruise wore on.

 

I was beginning to wonder if all the cruises I was going to take were going to be this way. I found out that was not true. Last summer I cruised out of Baltimore again, it was the perfect all around cruise. Weather was fantastic. We had very minimal if at all rocking until the next to the last night, but nothing like the previous cruises.

 

Despite the weather problems, I thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience with no regrets.

[janniebabe]

Five years ago we were on the Holiday out of New Orleans. The

first hurricane (Isodore) came in while we were celebrating my 45th birthday in NO. The next day we cruised out to sea and really the weather wasn't bad - keep in mind that these hurricanes were nothing like Wilma - until we hit open water. We met another couple of CCers, from Louisiana, and she said that maintenance showed up at their stateroom and bolted iron

porthole covers over their portholes - and that is when things started getting rough. People falling UP steps - broken bones -

people vomiting in potted plants - Thank goodness for ginger capsules and meclizine (both of which I learned about on these

boards). I went down to the infirmary to see what it was like (I'm a nurse!), and saw trays of Benedryl all drawn up in syringes for the seasick patients. A small child in one of the

suites towards the top of the ship was actually thrown out of

bed and hit the wall, he was in a cot in the infirmary. Apparently he was okay. We ended up inside with the doors shut a couple of nights, and in spite of it all, had a great time.

Didn't miss any ports, just reversed a couple. Then we had the great fun of having hurricane Kyle chase us back into NO when the trip was done - Good Times!

And Yes, I would cruise during hurricane season again!

[Chaz6614]

March 06 on Rhapsody of the Seas from Galveston to Key West (first port), 17 foot seas... felt like you were drunk trying to walk down the hallways.. people looking green all over the place, seasickness bags placed all over in case anyone needed them.... not a problem here.. we tried to keep enough drinks in us so we didn't even notice the seas.... was our first cruise, so didn't know it wasn't supposed to be that rough...

[Jetscot]

Hit a tropical depression and two days of 20foot seas, on the Voyager, in January 2000. It was my birthday on our last port day,Cozumel (not that you need an excuse to drink too much there). I remember it was the country night and the line dancing was hilarious:p . I had an extra 'couple' of drinks and slept soundly. My husband and some other family members didn't do so well. I felt a bit rough the next morning (probably more through a hangover), but after a plate of oatmeal and a couple of beers I was fine again. I think the Royal Promenade on the Voyager was the best part of the ship to pass the day and not look outside. The noise the ship made was scarey though:eek:

[Lanky Lad]

I have a good video of the pool on Caronia empty itself :) sorry not digital so can't post it.

 

Was on QE2 in 2000 in December in "the bay", I knew it was going to be rough as the tray in my cabin with the glass and Ice Bucket had been put on the floor and all the glassware in the shops had been take off display.

 

It did not seem to bad, but at about 2.30 am I was woken by the noise of breaking glass. The ashtray which was still on the dresser, had gone flying off and managed to land on my water glass. :eek: My alarm clock which was on the dress was now on my pillow.

 

Here is a picture I got from one of the Costa ships a while back, glad I was not onboard at the time.

[whitehme]

In August 2005 we were on the Carnival Elation coming out of Galveston and we hit the edge of Hurricane Katrina. I don't recall how high the swells were, but I know that you could not go outside your cabin without nearly getting sick from the smell of everyone else who had gotten sick. It was the first time I had to take Dramamine after several cruises, and I simply slept through the worst of it. I think I feel more sorry for the crew than the passengers when people get this sick.

[vowsatsea]

Don't know how real this is, but I found this on YouTube

 

[STiVo]

Don't know how real this is, but I found this on YouTube

 

 

 

That video appears to be a fake to me, but check out this video from this thread. It took me a couple minutes for the video to load, but it's some rocky weather for sure.

[vowsatsea]

That video appears to be a fake to me, but check out this video from this thread. It took me a couple minutes for the video to load, but it's some rocky weather for sure.

 

 

Wow...that was rocky weather. At least it looked like the couple was still having fun!

[molamola]

My first and only cruise so far (my second is in less than 5 weeks) was this past December on RCI's mega-ship Explorer. I love the ocean, and being in boats, so I wasn't bothered by the rough seas but it was an experience.

 

We hit high winds leaving Miami that whipped up the waves in such a way that the ship both bounced and rocked. We had an oceanview on deck three, and I have a picture of a piece of algae that was splashed on our window! The pools were empty because the sloshing was enough to empty them anyway, and you couldn't walk to the bow of the ship due to the excessive winds. Walking the stairs felt like you were floating above the ground one second and pressed into it the next. It was funny to see everyone staggering around the Promenade like we'd had one too many so early in the morning (it lasted all through our sea day on Sunday).

 

I talked to other passengers, and only one couple (35 cruises) had experience worse winds and seas. Over half the ship needed medication, so the infirmary was giving it out free. My sister succumbed before dinner, but besides half a second's worth of a 'hmm, that didn't quite feel right' I was fine.

 

The rest of our voyage was great, and I'm ready for my next.

[ecs66]

Dec. 5, 2006; Island Princess 15-day; L.A. - Hawaii - L.A. Seas were so bad that some seasoned Navy guys going to visit Pearl Harbor were having problems. In fact, Pearl Harbor Day -- Day 3 of the cruise -- was the worst. Apparently, the ship was in a place where three big storms were converging. Dining rooms were almost empty for several days, people were seasick, impossible to walk without bumping in to hallway walls. Pools were drained. Shops were closed.

 

The good news: We didn't get seasick, and I credit ginger pills for that. Also, the days in Hawaii were wonderful! Our table-mates were lovely people and we still keep in touch.

 

The worst thing was that no information was provided to the passengers as to projected time the weather would last. The CC TV info station showed wind speed, sea conditions, waves, etc., but the data was so NOT true. We never did get accurate information on the ship. When we returned home, our minister and my co-worker commented on how horrible the seas were; they had checked sea conditions online.

 

It was so bad I said I'd never take that cruise again. OK... in five more days we board Diamond Princess to do it all over again. We figure that it'll just have to be better this time!

[vtjean]

My paternal Grandmother and I were on QE2 in Jan. '70 for 10 days out of NYC....great weather BUT on the way back, off Cape Hatteras, it was ROUGH, they had wetted the table cloths and there weren't too many in the Columbia dinning room.....

What does "wetted the table cloths" mean? Thanks, Jean

[BEARFACE]

Jean,

 

The term refer's to placing a damp tablecolth on the table so the china and silverware don't slide off the table during rough seas.

[asten77]

In Jan or Feb 2002, I was on my first cruise with the ex-who-shaln't-be-named. Carnival from Miami with stops scheduled for Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios.

 

The night after Grand Cayman, we hit insanely high winds. It started out not too bad, but after dinner while watching a show, it was jerking so suddenly and hard side to side that performers on stage were falling over. Someone next to us told us they dumped the pool early because it was sloshing out. They ended the show early, pretty much everyone was green, and even the crew was getting sick. Our steward said he'd never seen anything like it in 5 years. Laying down in our rooms was enough to overcome the nausea, but barely.

 

To top it all off, we couldn't dock at Ocho Rios the next morning. We sat a few hundred yards off the shore for half the day, and then left early, steamed around in circles, and went back to Miami.

 

I'm hoping for better luck this time :cool:

[Seago2]

In Jan or Feb 2002, I was on my first cruise with the ex-who-shaln't-be-named. Carnival from Miami with stops scheduled for Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios.

 

The night after Grand Cayman, we hit insanely high winds. It started out not too bad, but after dinner while watching a show, it was jerking so suddenly and hard side to side that performers on stage were falling over. Someone next to us told us they dumped the pool early because it was sloshing out. They ended the show early, pretty much everyone was green, and even the crew was getting sick. Our steward said he'd never seen anything like it in 5 years. Laying down in our rooms was enough to overcome the nausea, but barely.

 

To top it all off, we couldn't dock at Ocho Rios the next morning. We sat a few hundred yards off the shore for half the day, and then left early, steamed around in circles, and went back to Miami.

 

I'm hoping for better luck this time :cool:

 

Good luck! You deserve it-

[Canuker]

On the QE2, in the North Atlantic, about 5 years ago, the storm was so strong that the captain could only head straight into it. The ship has a video camera mounted above the bridge so you can see ahead from your cabin TV.

The waves were crashing over the top of the camera! Eventually it was turned off (broke?). In typical British understatement, the PA would announce "It is recommended that passengers not venture outside on deck". You would have been swept away instantly!

The captain told us it was a force 12 storm and the worst he had experienced in over a year. 24 hours after the storm the sea was like a millpond, with golden light simmering across the water and porpoises dancing around the ship - unreal.

The ship was delayed in New York to make repairs to the hull.

My sea bands worked brilliantly throughout.

[Water Nymph]

My first experience with rough weather was crossing the English Channel in the late 1980s. DH and I were crossing from Calais to Dover, and we were warned that the Channel was rough - we had no idea! Piles of dishes were actually falling and smashing in the galley, and it seemed that everyone on board was sick. Fortunately DH and I don't get seasick, but it sure was difficult to keep a good grip on that mug of tea!

The second experience was on Carnival's Glory. A hurricane was headed for the U.S., and we detoured around it. The ship was rocking enough to slosh most of the water out of the pool; both the pool and slide were closed for a few days. We found that the best place to be was in the hot tub! As long as you keep your drink in hand, you can hardly feel the motion while in the water! Or was that the alcohol? LOL

:p

[cscurtiss]

August 2005...Carnival Fantasy celebrating 20 years with my wife. Katrina brewing in the Bahamas and we still went. Did feel sick for a few hours for sure.

[juliebug52]

We experienced rough seas and winds the day before our Montego Bay port of call. We were at the art auction and noticed that the boat was starting to list to one side. We could see only ocean on one side looking out the windows and only sky on the other. We saw deck chairs and towels going overboard. About 50 glasses fell off the shelves in the bar in the room we were in for the art auction. Of course the crew director came on the PA system and asked that no one go outside. Waves were splashing over the bow. I heard there was glass breakage (windows) from other passengers but never saw it. The girl who gave me a facial in the spa told me she had never seen the ship list like that. She said the sinks in the spa treament rooms backed up. We had a drain in the floor behind the toilet in our stateroom and black sludge came out on the floor. We saw lots of wet vacs and fans. A few days later we talked to a couple who were on deck 6 (same as us) who had the balcony room in the front of the ship. Their room was flooded by 2 inches of water. They said waves were crashing against their balcony window. I asked if they moved them to a new room and they said no but Carnival comped them $400 on their ship bill. They brought a new captain on in Jamaica. (I am not sure if this is unusual or not but in the middle of a cruise?) The couple told us that they removed the other captain for not taking around the storm. They heard it from crew members...so this is second hand info...or third depending on how you look at it.

[buckanear]

Norwegian Majesty 11/17-11/25/05. For 3 out of the 7 days we had rough seas, but then Hurricane Gamma kicked up, and that caused us to have some rough swells. Grand Cayman was cancelled because of rough seas and high winds. They closed the port because it wasn't safe to operate the tenders and the winds were too fierce, so we turned out of the harbor and headed on to Cozumel. There were about 9 other cruise ships docked and waiting for the harbor master to clear, but the bad news came down, and you could see us all turning away in unison.

Hubby and I went straight to the spa and got massages. The rocking motion actually added to the experience! The massage therapist, a nice Jamaican lady in her 40's, told me of some cruises where they had to clear objects off the tables and tape drawers shut because the rocking was so bad!

After that, I went back to the cabin and took a nap. The creaking made me a little nervous, though.

We averaged about 10-12 foot swells and ate at the dining room in the stern. We did a little jumping in the surf, and because the dining room was astern, some glasses fell over. A couple of us were doing the technicolor yawn, and yes, there were barf bags strategically placed.

That pack of Dramamine was the best investment I could've made on that cruise!

 

I have to admit that I'm very proud of my fellow cruise critics and your upbeat attitudes about things like this. You're absolutely right--a situation like this is what you make of it. :D

 

I was on the Elation for Hurricane Gamma! Loads of fun :D From the time we started back home until late into the day at sea, it was rockin' and rollin'. Even though I'm one of those people who gets sick if my computer screen scrolls too fast, I didn't seasick at all.

 

With 12 foot seas, there weren't a lot of people out, so we actually got really great service.

[jules815]

We've sailed on Mariner of the Seas twice now (eastern and western routes) and have had calm seas both times. The first year (eastern) we had a few nights where you could feel a little movement -- we had taken Bonine and thought it was a little bit fun, and last year the water was like glass for the entire cruise. We're doing eastern again next month, and are bringing along another couple who has never sailed; and he gets horribly sea sick, although has never cruised, and only been sick on smaller fishing boats. He's already gotten a scrip for the patch from his doctor, and we'll be sailing eastern caribbean.

 

Anyone ever experienced very rough seas while doing the Eastern Caribbean? I know anything can happen, but we're crossing our fingers for him.

[sabandmom]

Jules,

Glad to hear you had calm seas in June. Hopefully, it will hold true this year as well. We are sailing next month.

Has anyone experienced rough seas in June?

[TorOntCruiser]

I was on the Carnival Triumph in June of last year for a Western Caribbean cruise. We had some mild motion as the captain opened the throttles on the way back to Miami but nothing at all to worry about.