weather at sea

[justanother1dlover]

I am off on a transatlantic cruise from Southampton to the Caribbean on 31st oct and i am unsure what to pack! Anyone done this cruise before and know what the weather will be like before we get to the Caribbean?

 

Thank you :)

[mmlives]

Hi! Well I heard from my sister who has a friend out on a cruise at the mo who said its been choppy so whatever you take it sounds like you need pockets, lol. Be interesting to hear people's advice :D x

[CASPALL]

We did this cruise at end of October a few years ago and sailing was delayed 14 hrs because of high winds

The first few days were cold and rainy and passengers moaned that it was not the cruise they had paid for! People were caught out having only packed light clothing so the onboard shops did a roaring trade in fleeces and jumpers!

By the time we reached the Caribbean the weather was fine although expect a few showers at this time of year.

So pack layers - and maybe an umbrella just in case.

The weather might be wonderful - who knows! Its always going to be better than home so enjoy your cruise!

Caryl

[vizzog]

I am off on a transatlantic cruise from Southampton to the Caribbean on 31st oct and i am unsure what to pack! Anyone done this cruise before and know what the weather will be like before we get to the Caribbean?

 

Thank you :)

 

 

I am a sad git and write a daily journal here are some excerpts.

 

Weather on our Caribbean Transatlantic from 2012

Did it last year as well and the weather was very similar we visited the Azores not Madeira that was a overcast day but a warm 20 degrees.

 

Sat 3 Nov (first day after leaving Southampton)

Woke up 210 miles from Southampton off the Brest peninsular weather scattered clouds and sun but a chilly 10 degrees

 

Sun 4 Nov

Just off the north coast of Spain still scattered clouds and sun a cool 13 degree todays course will take us down the coast of Portugal lets hope I can start getting the summer clothes out and the temperature starts rising

 

Mon 5 Nov

8.30am south of Lisbon heading southwest towards Madeira 1000 miles from Southampton weather bright but overcast and 16 degrees

11am balcony door now open the sun is trying to shine and it’s a ‘balmy’ 17 degrees maybe it will reach 20 by this afternoon…yes it did!

 

Tue 6 Nov

Madeira weather very showery and 18 degrees

 

Wed 7 Nov

First of five days across the Atlantic broken cloud a few showers 18 degrees, 2700 miles to Tortola not yet level with the Canary Islands so expecting to get warmer once we turn south.

 

Thu 8 Nov

1000 miles out in the Atlantic sunny and 21 degrees

 

Fri 9 Nov

Weather really getting hot now midday temperature 27 degrees

 

Sat 10 Nov

Still 1000 mile to go but 23 degrees at 7am scattered clouds and sun mid twenties by midday again

 

Sun 11 Nov

3578 miles from Southampton with 475 miles to Tortola overcast but very warm at 26 degrees at 8am

 

Mon 12 Nov

Land at last Tortola it’s a steaming 27 degrees but heavy showers and sunny intervals typical Tortola weather travelled 4059 miles since Southampton.

[PurpleMoonlight]

That's very useful vizzog, thanks.

 

I'm doing the round trip over Christmas/new year.

[justanother1dlover]

I am a sad git and write a daily journal here are some excerpts.

 

Weather on our Caribbean Transatlantic from 2012

Did it last year as well and the weather was very similar we visited the Azores not Madeira that was a overcast day but a warm 20 degrees.

 

Sat 3 Nov (first day after leaving Southampton)

Woke up 210 miles from Southampton off the Brest peninsular weather scattered clouds and sun but a chilly 10 degrees

 

Sun 4 Nov

Just off the north coast of Spain still scattered clouds and sun a cool 13 degree todays course will take us down the coast of Portugal lets hope I can start getting the summer clothes out and the temperature starts rising

 

Mon 5 Nov

8.30am south of Lisbon heading southwest towards Madeira 1000 miles from Southampton weather bright but overcast and 16 degrees

11am balcony door now open the sun is trying to shine and it’s a ‘balmy’ 17 degrees maybe it will reach 20 by this afternoon…yes it did!

 

Tue 6 Nov

Madeira weather very showery and 18 degrees

 

Wed 7 Nov

First of five days across the Atlantic broken cloud a few showers 18 degrees, 2700 miles to Tortola not yet level with the Canary Islands so expecting to get warmer once we turn south.

 

Thu 8 Nov

1000 miles out in the Atlantic sunny and 21 degrees

 

Fri 9 Nov

Weather really getting hot now midday temperature 27 degrees

 

Sat 10 Nov

Still 1000 mile to go but 23 degrees at 7am scattered clouds and sun mid twenties by midday again

 

Sun 11 Nov

3578 miles from Southampton with 475 miles to Tortola overcast but very warm at 26 degrees at 8am

 

Mon 12 Nov

Land at last Tortola it’s a steaming 27 degrees but heavy showers and sunny intervals typical Tortola weather travelled 4059 miles since Southampton.

 

 

......well I don't think you're a sad git - that is fab info! Thank you :D:D:D

[vizzog]

......well I don't think you're a sad git - that is fab info! Thank you :D:D:D

 

Glad to help :)

If there is any other info you want let me know I might of made a note of it :o:o

[justanother1dlover]

Asking caspall & vizzog: what did you get up to when it was showery/cold and was the cruise busy/full up?

[vizzog]

Asking caspall & vizzog: what did you get up to when it was showery/cold and was the cruise busy/full up?

 

There is a lot going on around the ship, you can go to dance classes or watch :D they advertise for anyone to join a ships choir they practise the days at sea and put on a concert in the atrium on the last sea night before reaching the Caribbean. You can be as busy or relaxed as you choose personally I read, shopped ate :o then hit the gym for an hour:D:D:as soon as the pools were filled I swam everyday as I swim outdoors in the English summer so use to a chilly wind:eek:

we did a galley tour went and watched cookery demos, there are guest speakers

Just use the ships daily paper to plan as much or little as you want to.

[dsrdsrdsr]

As you probably know, exact prediction of UK weather is tricky. But the chances are in Southampton it'll be not very warm, possibly windy, maybe raining or maybe not. Think of a typical October/November day in the south of England, it'll probably be like that.

 

As you cross the ocean, it'll get warmer, until you reach the Caribbean. The weather there is also a bit variable, but the chances are it'll be a fairly typical Caribbean day. A lot depends on whether there's a hurricane in the area or not.

 

So in summary, getting to the port will be the coldest part of the trip. The heavy weather clothes you wear to get to Southampton will do you for the first part of the cruise. Maybe carry an extra sweater in case you spill your soup or something.

 

The swimming pools will be fine, they're all heated. You might want to scurry pretty quickly into your clothes/your changing room in the early part of the cruise.

Edited October 18, 2014 by dsrdsrdsr

[bobstheboy]

We did a Canary Island cruise from Southampton last November. First two days out and last two days back the weather kept us below decks, so never again.

 

We have done several repo cruises from the med to the Caribbean and we are on the Ventura on Wednesday for another one. So far we have had very good weather for the crossing because you start heading west by the Canary Islands, a warm start.

 

If you know what you are facing and accept it fine, to expect to be sunbathing before day four, forget it.

[Spikey M]

The first few days were cold and rainy and passengers moaned that it was not the cruise they had paid for! People were caught out having only packed light clothing so the onboard shops did a roaring trade in fleeces and jumpers!

 

Haha! "Dear P&O, we were aghast to find that your cruises from Britain include British weather! How dare you?"

 

I read an article where people on a cruise to Alaska packed only summer clothes and complained. As if the cruise line should change the weather somehow...

[jaceyar]

I don't fancy ever cruising from Southampton because of that 2 or 3days before you get anywhere, and of course the dreaded Bay of Biscay. Having said that, we are also on the cruise from Malaga to the Caribbean and I'm sure the Atlantic will compare with the Bay of Biscay! It will be hot when we sail off though.

Edited October 19, 2014 by jaceyar

[bobstheboy]

I don't fancy ever cruising from Southampton because of that 2 or 3days before you get anywhere, and of course the dreaded Bay of Biscay. Having said that, we are also on the cruise from Malaga to the Caribbean and I'm sure the Atlantic will compare with the Bay of Biscay! It will be hot when we sail off though.

 

I have never had a bad crossing from the Canaries to the Caribbean. Nothing like the Bay, which I have crossed many times (ex RN). I spent two years on a survey ship crossing from the African coast to the Caribbean and back. Took us three weeks each way and was usually very good.

[justanother1dlover]

Thanks for all your advice :D I am hoping the English weather is going to stay like it is at the moment as that's pretty good for October, lol! Bet hey whatever it is will be worth it once we hit the sunshine .....can't wait!!! :D

[justanother1dlover]

Haha! "Dear P&O, we were aghast to find that your cruises from Britain include British weather! How dare you?"

 

I read an article where people on a cruise to Alaska packed only summer clothes and complained. As if the cruise line should change the weather somehow...

 

That made me laugh - I work in a hotel and a guest wanted a refund because the rain hitting the window kept him awake at night!!! :rolleyes: the Great British Public never let us down!

[richleeds]

I don't fancy ever cruising from Southampton because of that 2 or 3days before you get anywhere, and of course the dreaded Bay of Biscay. Having said that, we are also on the cruise from Malaga to the Caribbean and I'm sure the Atlantic will compare with the Bay of Biscay! It will be hot when we sail off though.

 

We are the same, much rather fly out to the sunshine to join the ship than waste a couple of days either end of the cruise getting there and back.

 

Though we have done ex Southampton sailings and would again, but not as a first choice.

 

Only thing we have never done is a transatlantic, while we appreciate they are value for money, I'm not sure we would like a solid 5-6 days at sea and if the weather is not on your side, I dont think there would be enough to occupy us.

[indiana123]

Not a problem for us. Just pack a few jumpers and stuff for the first few days.

 

My partner works 7 days a week in the leisure industry from March to November, then five days for the rest. Fridays and Saturdays finish at 1.30 am... so we love those lazy sea days, just lounging around doing not a lot!:)

[Spikey M]

Is the Bay of Biscay always rough? I know it's famous for having particularly rough seas, but is that just during storms?

 

We were looking at a Western Med cruise next year, but don't much fancy getting bounced around for a couple of days!

[bobstheboy]

Is the Bay of Biscay always rough? I know it's famous for having particularly rough seas, but is that just during storms?

 

We were looking at a Western Med cruise next year, but don't much fancy getting bounced around for a couple of days!

 

Short answer is no.

 

I have been through the English Channel, North Sea and even the Med when it has been bad in a storm. Luck of the draw, can be like a Mill Pond, or Force 10 :eek:

[Josy1953]

Is the Bay of Biscay always rough? I know it's famous for having particularly rough seas, but is that just during storms?

 

We were looking at a Western Med cruise next year, but don't much fancy getting bounced around for a couple of days!

BoB is unpredictable, we have gone through when it has been as calm as the park lake and at other times it has been quite rough, though the number of calm crossings far outweigh the numer of rough ones. The quietest one we had was going to the Canaries last December and the worst was on a summer cruise a few years ago. I say just go on your cruise and don't let the BoB discourage you, it is fascinating to watch the waves if it is really rough.

[dsrdsrdsr]

Is the Bay of Biscay always rough? I know it's famous for having particularly rough seas, but is that just during storms?

The Bay of Biscay, I'm told, has an unusual sea bed in that there's a relatively shallow flat bit, then a deep trench, then another shallow flat bit. It's a steep-sided trench, and down below, the sea can swirl down one side of the trench and up the other, causing funny conditions on the surface.

 

In a storm I don't think it's necessarily worse than anywhere else, but you can get funny swells even when it's not stormy. Given good weather, though, and more particularly good weather for a few days before you sail, it's fine.

[Presto2]

Is the Bay of Biscay always rough? I know it's famous for having particularly rough seas, but is that just during storms?

 

We were looking at a Western Med cruise next year, but don't much fancy getting bounced around for a couple of days!

 

As others have said, no. We did BOB in August and it was quite boppy and last year we did BOB in early April and it was like a mill pond (very much to our disappointment as we like a rough sea!). :D

 

Its the luck of the draw.

 

PS Like the story of the guest moaning about the rain hitting the windows of a hotel ---- we know of a guest in a sea front hotel in Wales moaning that there were seagulls and the sea too noisy that it kept them awake at night. :rolleyes:

[Spikey M]

We will have a think about it. Thanks all!

[samur]

I don't fancy ever cruising from Southampton because of that 2 or 3days before you get anywhere, and of course the dreaded Bay of Biscay. Having said that, we are also on the cruise from Malaga to the Caribbean and I'm sure the Atlantic will compare with the Bay of Biscay! It will be hot when we sail off though.

 

Yes agree - not keen on cruising from Southampton as on a typical 2 week trip you have 2-3 days each end with what can be dodgy weather - far better to fly to the sun and pick up ship there, but each to their own