Our heavenly week became the cruise from hell

[kjbacon]

We have had the most wonderful time on The Gem (February 8-February 17) and my review was going to gush over the near perfect vacation. But yesterday, we were in such rough conditions, I do not think that I will ever take another cruise. We have just become platinum level, too. I do not know yet what the specifics were last night but suffice it to say how relieved I am this morning and the conditions are listed as 26.2 ft waves and 41 knots wind speed. It's still difficult to stand or walk but it is not harrowing like it was from approx 8 pm till 3am. I cannot understand how we did not hang back near Florida for several extra hours yesterday instead of sailing right into this thing. Earlier this week, the captain made reference to his 8:00 flight home on Monday and we are now wondering if that is an am flight or pm flight. I am sad to think that we forged ahead to ensure an early arrival for his convenience.

[Demonyte]

Sorry you had such rough weather but one needs to think about the convience of the next cruise's passengers too - if the captain can't be sure that the weather would improve without any doubt, there is no point of delaying the next cruise too.

[deladypilot]

So sorry you are having to suffer through the rough waters ending your cruise on a bad note. I do not however think that the Captain is trying to make an 8 am flight as once he gets to shore, he has to make sure all the passengers are off the boat and brief the relieving captain.

 

Weather is a funny thing. Just like at home..The "experts" get it wrong. The captain can only go on what is forecast. Once he has committed if things change there is not much he can do.

 

I do hope you recover quickly and that everyone is safe

[sparks1093]

We have had the most wonderful time on The Gem (February 8-February 17) and my review was going to gush over the near perfect vacation. But yesterday, we were in such rough conditions, I do not think that I will ever take another cruise. We have just become platinum level, too. I do not know yet what the specifics were last night but suffice it to say how relieved I am this morning and the conditions are listed as 26.2 ft waves and 41 knots wind speed. It's still difficult to stand or walk but it is not harrowing like it was from approx 8 pm till 3am. I cannot understand how we did not hang back near Florida for several extra hours yesterday instead of sailing right into this thing. Earlier this week, the captain made reference to his 8:00 flight home on Monday and we are now wondering if that is an am flight or pm flight. I am sad to think that we forged ahead to ensure an early arrival for his convenience.

 

Ships are built to withstand the wind and the waves. There was no reason for the Captain to hang back or alter the ship's route. I hope you don't let this one bit of rough weather keep you from cruising but when you are on a ship the weather does not always cooperate.

Edited February 16, 2014 by sparks1093

[Macadian]

Ships are built to withstand the wind and the waves. There was no reason for the Captain to hang back or alter the ship's route.

 

Agreed, the possibility of a "drop of rougher's' is ever present when cruising....goes with the territory so to speak, relatively infrequent as it is in general terms.

[bonniboo1]

Bummer for the rough weather. I will be on the Gem for the second time this May. Tell us about the good parts please. Do not waste your Platinum Status.

[DinaS]

We have had the most wonderful time on The Gem (February 8-February 17) and my review was going to gush over the near perfect vacation. But yesterday, we were in such rough conditions, I do not think that I will ever take another cruise. We have just become platinum level, too. I do not know yet what the specifics were last night but suffice it to say how relieved I am this morning and the conditions are listed as 26.2 ft waves and 41 knots wind speed. It's still difficult to stand or walk but it is not harrowing like it was from approx 8 pm till 3am. I cannot understand how we did not hang back near Florida for several extra hours yesterday instead of sailing right into this thing. Earlier this week, the captain made reference to his 8:00 flight home on Monday and we are now wondering if that is an am flight or pm flight. I am sad to think that we forged ahead to ensure an early arrival for his convenience.

 

I live in NJ. Yesterday, we had another couple of inches of snow, and then the storm passed and it was all over.

 

I had no idea that the wind was suddenly going to pick up, so when I opened my front door, and didn't hold onto it, the wind grabbed it and it blew back out and almost shattered all the glass.

 

I keep track of the weather, and this extreme wind gust wasn't in the forecast.

 

Weather isn't always predictable.

[mjkacmom]

Snow was coming down, and the wind was blowing, most of yesterday. The east coast was hit pretty hard BT mother nature this week! If the OP parked at the pier, I hope they packed a shovel!

[Demonyte]

What I didn't realize when posting my first reply: how come can an experienced cruiser say that one unexpected weather incident would turn a whole "heavenly week" into a "cruise from hell"?

 

I do understand that bad weather isn't too nice but to my understanding that would make it a "night from hell" at most. Bad weather happens sometimes, that's just a normal part of cruising.

[Turtles06]

What an over-the-top thread title, not to mention that the OP has impugned the professionalism of the Captain.

 

Just as planes sometimes hit turbulence, ships sometimes sail through rough waters.

 

One uncomfortable night is a "cruise from hell"? Give me a break.

Edited February 16, 2014 by Turtles06

[Medtech2]

I thoroughly sympathize and I know you must have been extremely uncomfortable but please don't let one night negate the other six. I'd love to hear about the heavenly parts! I am sure this will be like childbirth; as time goes on you may just think about another one.

[QuickieGlenn]

When you cruise out of NY in February you have a good chance of getting your butt kicked. Happen to us 3 out of 4 cruises, twice on the GEM. It's all part of cruising. The first time on the GEM at the Meet & greet the Captain commented on how rough it was, people were lying on the floor in the atrium, wearing life vests. almost rolled out of bed that night. I always think that was going to be the end of my cruising until I think about the rest of the cruise, and I plan my next one

[PorkChopKid]

When you cruise out of NY in February you have a good chance of getting your butt kicked.

 

I TOTALLY agree with you and we'll take the chance and continue to enjoy the lower rates these winter cruises provide. It saddens me to hear someone say that ONE bad night will keep them from cruising again. Not us, we'll keep on cruising....

Edited February 16, 2014 by PorkChopKid

[LadyShiva]

Huh... those wave heights are larger than what the Jewel sailed through during Superstorm Sandy. I had a blast watching the waves from the window over the tub! My family and the ship crew... not so much.

 

Did the European and US East coast storms merge, as the weather casters were predicting yesterday? The weather was all over front page CNN yesterday, but I see nothing this morning.

[biker@sea]

We figured out we can sail into anything After 35 ft following seas ( with the propellers shuddering the whole ship as they came out of the water Twice ) on M/S Norwegian Dream .

 

It was better than a roll coaster ride .:D

[xcell]

Omg what a suck. You are never going to cruise again because you had rough waves? You survived, so I guess they weren't that bad. I could understand or at least sympathize if the boat caught on fire and you were adrift had had little food, had to go to the washroom in buckets, etc... But large waves??? You must be the type that also complains that the room was too dark and didn't have enough plugs for all your chargers....sheesh. suck it up...As you said you had a great cruise except for the waves

 

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Forums mobile app

Edited February 16, 2014 by xcell

[Crusin6]

We can all really just ignore this thread/rant as we are not going to hear from the op again until the cruise is done. Unless of course it becomes a priority for the op to check back in here.

 

This is what cruising up the east coast will bring you in winter. And to question the captains motives was insulting and total conjecture

[Tralfie]

If a night of rough waves soured everyone on sailing, there'd be a lot more room on the pool deck and in the hot tubs for the rest of us!

 

Richard/Tralfie

[OceanDreaming2]

We cruised into a Nor Easter (also on the Gem) with 50 ft. waves, so 26 sounds kinda tame! And it wasn't just overnight, it went on for days!

 

Never, ever will cruise in or out of NYC in the winter if you have a fear of rough weather!

 

So, OP, any report of damage from the storm? There was a LOT of damage during our storm ... lots of liquor lost because it wasn't secured, gift shop displays, marble columns in the spa, and china plates in the buffet, dining rooms, etc. Notice the buffet now has plastic plates? I'm sure it's because a towering stack of china plates is quite a mess to clean up when it has tumbled to the floor.

 

Yup, we earned our sea legs! :p:p

[SissasMomE]

We have had the most wonderful time on The Gem (February 8-February 17) and my review was going to gush over the near perfect vacation. But yesterday, we were in such rough conditions, I do not think that I will ever take another cruise. We have just become platinum level, too. I do not know yet what the specifics were last night but suffice it to say how relieved I am this morning and the conditions are listed as 26.2 ft waves and 41 knots wind speed. It's still difficult to stand or walk but it is not harrowing like it was from approx 8 pm till 3am. I cannot understand how we did not hang back near Florida for several extra hours yesterday instead of sailing right into this thing. Earlier this week, the captain made reference to his 8:00 flight home on Monday and we are now wondering if that is an am flight or pm flight. I am sad to think that we forged ahead to ensure an early arrival for his convenience.

 

Please don't misunderstand - I do feel bad you had rough weather ... but for the life of me, I never understood folks who sail from the NE in the winter and then complain about the rough water! It's not uncommon for nor'easters this time of the year.

[Seanote]

Wow. I echo the other sentiment here. Indeed, sometimes the ocean is smooth as glass, other times it can be a beast. Cruise enough and you're going to experience the beast, probably more than once.

 

Our record was on the Spirit in 2007 in a Nor'easter. 40 foot waves and hurricane force winds. It was impossible to sleep. Anything on a table was on the floor rolling around. Drawers and cabinets were opening and closing themselves all night long. Our takeaway? We now bring bungees and duct tape to keep things in place during very rough weather.

 

Shame on you for accusing the Captain. His job is to keep everyone safe, which apparently he did. Indicating he should delay the ship's return because you didn't like the weather is preposterous.

 

Ship happens.

[Cruzn Bills Fan]

Wow talk about an overreaction! Sounds like I'll have one less family I'll have to compete against in the buffet line. :D

[mking8288]

Dang, I almost spitted my morning coffee now after coming inside to warm up from shoveling the snow on the sidewalk again, we got more of it last night and I would trade places on the Gem anytime. It was another fast-moving clipper or nor-easter yesterday that came up the coast, blasting the New England states with near blizzard conditions, shutting down airports again - and by extensions, rough seas can radiate outward for hundreds of miles from land as the weather system head out to the Atlantic.

 

We are Gem survivors that sailed last November right after Sandy, we had very rough seas - in excess of 30 foot waves at times, gale force cross-wind blowing across the deck and the Captain plotted a course that partially hugged the coastal water for probably 12 to 15 hours until we're down by the Carolinas, some elevators shutted for safety reasons - doing 23 to 24 knots but at times 25 knots, we sailed right into and thru the storm. The ship is built to handle it and we got to our next port of call safely and on time, and the buffet line upstairs had far fewer people.

 

If OP's stateroom was higher up on the deck count, it would've definitely worsen FWD and/or AFT (i.e. those warp-around corner balcony) - the roller coaster is what any experienced cruisers should know & accept as a given. Perhaps s/he isn't aware so we should cut some slacks - there are remedies to mitigate a rough ride.

 

If they're in "heaven", oh dear :eek: - we had an almost midship/forward & lower deck location, with a "submarine" style oceanview going & coming back up the coast.

 

Some folks prone to motion sickness don't fly or even ride the bus for the same reasons, just saying. :rolleyes:

 

Being sick & tired of all that snow this winter and in a cranky mood this morning - I say, try a river cruise. :D

Edited February 16, 2014 by mking8288

[shof515]

you have a mid-ship deck on the lower decks, you would of felt less motions. this is why i love inside lower deck cabins

[mugtech]

Can't see anyone speaking ill of the Captain of the Gem, he and the crew were great in October 2012 for beating Sandy to NY, only to have the port closed, so we spent Hallow'een in Boston and had a 9 day cruise that lasted 13 days, no extra charge, no service charges the last 4 days. Rough seas and big waves closed the elevators for a day, and some music was too dangerous to play, but the 4 extra days at sea meant we did not have to spend 4 days at home with no power, as the electricity came back a few hours after we got home. I cruise every October looking for another adventure.