New York Departure April: Rough?

[newenglandjim]

Just as I was about to pull the trigger, the wife ran into friends who had a very rough trip out of New York in November and it's got her concerned.

 

I can find a lot on weather temp and an April transatlantic crossing, but can anyone give me insight on New York to the Bahamas--how rough might it be?

 

(We are traveling with 12 year old grandson, which is at the root of the concern)

 

I said that ships sail out of NY all year and people wouldn't keep doing it if it was always awful, but would appreciate some reports from folks who have done it.

Edited February 21, 2015 by newenglandjim

[marco]

Can't predict. We've sailed out of NY/NJ in January and February and it was smoother than when we've left in July. Obviously, the ambient air temperature will be cooler in April then it would be in high summer, but as for the condition of the seas.....no one will be able to say if they will be smooth or rough.

[CruiserBruce]

It might be rough. It might be smooth. It might be in the middle. Not predictable.

[BigOrangeXJ]

My wife and I did a repositioning from FL to NYC (arriving April 25 of 2013) and it was certainly a bit more rough than in the Caribbean, but I didn't mind it. The cold was worth than anything else, musta been 30's. We were actually on the NCL Star that broke part of the pier were the Intrepid aircraft is located. We are currently booking a cruise out of NYC for Jan 2016 and same concerns as you.

[Hlitner]

Like has been said, it might be rough, it might be smooth, and it will not be hot (in April so) bring your woolies and lots of layers. Also, your 12 year old should expect to be about the child on the ship as most kids that age are in school or on spring breaks too short to do a TA. We have done many TA repositioning cruises that time of year and a majority of the cruisers are retirees.

 

Hank

[newenglandjim]

Thanks for your replies.

 

Let me be more specific--we are fairly seafaring folks, regular sailors in LI Sound, so pretty used to being on the water.

 

The family concern isn't really about seasickness (which we can handle if necessary in a few different ways) but how potentially "terrifying" it might be if things are really rocking and rolling.

 

We are used to a 26 ft boat, so hard to scale this to our experience. The Breakaway is a pretty big ship, so this might help?

 

[also, this week is school vacation in many places in Northeast, like MA, so hope to have a few kids around :)]

[navybankerteacher]

Sailing south out of New York in a cold season is a great experience. My favorite time is January, when you leave temps in the 20's or worse, one afternoon and find yourself in the seventies the next afternoon. Of course, going down the Hudson, past the Statue of Liberty, and sliding under the Verazzano Bridge, with the sun dropping over New Jersey is almost worth the entire fare.

 

As far as rough waters: the Atlantic does its own thing; any month of the year you might think you are on a mill pond after you pass Sandy Hook - or you might plow through thirty-plus foot seas --- but isn't experiencing the new and unexpected part of your reason for booking the cruise?

[LHT28]

We are used to a 26 ft boat, so hard to scale this to our experience. The Breakaway is a pretty big ship, so this might help?

 

 

No comparison to a sailboat in rough seas

 

If you feel the ocean then you can always head to mid ship where you will be fine unlike a 26 sailboat ..you cannot escape the rough seas ;)