Bay of Biscay in the Summer

[tring]

Wondering about the chances of the seas being bad in Biscay in summer (probably June/July/August), especially if visiting ports to the west of France or north of Spain.

 

We are well cruised and have the sense to realise weather conditions are what they are anywhere and anytime, but have actually done very little sailing south out of the UK and when we have it was never in the summer, so a general idea of whether seas are genuinely calmer at that time of year in that region would be very useful to us.

 

Also can I ask what the P&O ships cope in bad seas, while we are less likely to choose one of the bigger P&O ships, we are thinking we may just try one on a shortish cruise, if we can obtain a balcony at a reasonable price.  Not looking to book right now.

Edited September 10, 2020 by tring

[grapau27]

3 minutes ago, tring said:

Wondering about the chances of the seas being bad in Biscay in summer (probably June/July/August), especially if visiting ports to the west of France or north of Spain.

 

We are well cruised and have the sense to realise weather conditions are what they are anywhere and anytime, but have actually done very little sailing south out of the UK and when we have it was never in the summer, so a general idea of whether seas are genuinely calmer at that time of year in that region would be very useful to us.

 

Also can I ask what the P&O ships cope in bad seas, while we are less likely to choose one of the bigger P&O ships, we are thinking we may just try one on a shortish cruise, if we can obtain a balcony at a reasonable price.  Not looking to book right now.

The Bay of Biscay can be like a pond or a force 11 at any time of year.

At least in the summer it will be warm on deck or your balcony.

If stabilisers are used the ship burns more fuel but they make a big difference.

Oceana has gone now but I had 1 of only a couple of bouts of seasickness on her.

If you get a midships balcony on a mid level deck you will be okay on almost any P&O ship.

Graham.

 

[AnnieC]

Unless they've cured it, Ventura lists quite alarmingly in rough seas.

[tring]

Thanks for the replies, much appreciated.

 

[purplesea]

We had calm seas, both ways, when we crossed in May last year, but had we gone a week later it would have been a different story!

 

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, grapau27 said:

If you get a midships balcony on a mid level deck you will be okay on almost any P&O ship.

 

Totally agree, especially about the balcony. Being confined to an interior cabin, or having to sit in crowded public areas, during bad weather, is my idea of hell. 

[Hampshire Steve]

When things are normal we are making a habit of doing a Canaries cruise late November early December have been fortunate enough not to have any bad experiences in that area this has been on Arcadia or Ventura, we have been in 10 metre seas off Iceland in Arcadia and that coped very well.

 

We are off to Bilbao with Brittany Ferries this weekend from Portsmouth, often do that April and October and again not had a bad crossing, it's all a matter of luck so we wish you good luck!

[Zombatar]

Definitely avoid Ventura, she is awful in rough seas. We did a TA to Caribbean and back on her last year and the listing on the way back was really scary.

[AnnieC]

22 minutes ago, Zombatar said:

Definitely avoid Ventura, she is awful in rough seas. We did a TA to Caribbean and back on her last year and the listing on the way back was really scary.

Is Azura the same?

 

It was so bad on Ventura that the captain came through to all the cabins in the middle of the night to assure us we were not going to capsize. I was not entirely convinced.😮

[ann141]

43 minutes ago, Zombatar said:

Definitely avoid Ventura, she is awful in rough seas. We did a TA to Caribbean and back on her last year and the listing on the way back was really scary.

Was that the 28 nights in January? That is the only time on a ship when I have felt nervous due to the sudden listing!

[Adawn47]

We normally cruise  October/November time and have never had the same BOB seas once. It's been like a millpond, a gentle roll to severe gales. We only use the smaller ships and they've coped well. We've never felt worried at all and also have complete confidence in the Captain. 

Avril

[Harry Peterson]

Puzzled by the warnings about Ventura, and by implication Azura.  Been through some very rough seas on both, aft too, without any particular problems.

 

It’s never going to be ideal on any ship, but are these two really any worse?

[terrierjohn]

2 hours ago, Zombatar said:

Definitely avoid Ventura, she is awful in rough seas. We did a TA to Caribbean and back on her last year and the listing on the way back was really scary.

We must have been on the same cruise, I had to hang onto my DW's wheelchair in the theatre end lift foyer, otherwise she might have disappeared out onto the portside promenade deck.

 

[Gettingwarmer]

8 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

Puzzled by the warnings about Ventura, and by implication Azura.  Been through some very rough seas on both, aft too, without any particular problems.

 

It’s never going to be ideal on any ship, but are these two really any worse?

Haven’t been on Ventura or Azura but I have been on several Princess Grand class ships and they don’t have problems. Presume it is just Ventura. 

[jeanlyon]

Have sailed Biscay in a sailing boat in early spring and autumn.  Like a millpond both times.  Since starting cruising we have crossed it loads of times at different times of the year.  Had every force of wind on the scale.  I don't think summer makes any dfference.  We had horrendous gales 2 weeks ago in August.

 

Azura was awful in rough weather in the Med on south coast of France and Spain.  I would say Aurora would be the best in rough seas, because she is built like a liner, the others are not.  They are top heavy and that would cause the roll.

[Son of Anarchy]

Done two TA's on Azura. Weather a bit choppy somedays, but no problems.  Been on Ventura when it was lumpy, they did have to shut down some lifts due to water ingress from one of the pools.  Other that didn't notice anything.  Did a TA on Britannia where for about a day she was constantly heeled over a few degrees.  But the winds were a constant 40ish knots, gusting to just under 100 (from what the Capt said on the tannoy).

[Adawn47]

16 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

Puzzled by the warnings about Ventura, and by implication Azura.  Been through some very rough seas on both, aft too, without any particular problems.

 

It’s never going to be ideal on any ship, but are these two really any worse?

There may have been a problem with Ventura's stablisers. We had a very similar thing happen on Adonia. We were caught in a very strong Mistral in the Med and were coping really well until a stabiliser jammed, the ship then began to list badly, and it was the force of the waves that had caused the stabiliser problem.

Avril

[wowzz]

12 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

say Aurora would be the best in rough seas, because she is built like a liner, the others are not.  

Arcadia was scheduled to be a "Queen", and as such was built as a liner, rather than a cruise ship.

[grapau27]

51 minutes ago, Adawn47 said:

There may have been a problem with Ventura's stablisers. We had a very similar thing happen on Adonia. We were caught in a very strong Mistral in the Med and were coping really well until a stabiliser jammed, the ship then began to list badly, and it was the force of the waves that had caused the stabiliser problem.

Avril

We have been on Ventura several times with no listing problems so the stabiliser jamming would cause the list as would non use of stabilisers to save money on fuel.

[Angel57]

I have always found Aurora to be the most stable ship. Have had a couple of very rough times on her between January to March and she rides the bad seas very well (altho on any ship you normally feel the motion of the ocean when above a force 9).
As other posters have said, if you worried about the movement chose cabin which is not too high up and ideally mid-ship.

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, wowzz said:

Arcadia was scheduled to be a "Queen", and as such was built as a liner, rather than a cruise ship.

Arcadia is just as flat bottomed as all the other P&O ships, AFAIK QM2 is the only modern cruise ship built like an old style ocean liner.

Edited September 10, 2020 by terrierjohn

[AnnieC]

3 hours ago, Harry Peterson said:

Puzzled by the warnings about Ventura, and by implication Azura.  Been through some very rough seas on both, aft too, without any particular problems.

 

It’s never going to be ideal on any ship, but are these two really any worse?

Harry, it was pretty awful - I'm not going to bang on about how many cruises, ships etc. I've been on. but it's a few, and I've never experienced anything like it. Think it was a combination of rough seas and very high winds, but simply walking from the sofa to the bathroom was like ascending Porlock Hill.

[ann141]

We have sailed on Ventura several times and have only had the problem on the Caribbean round trip January 2019.We are booked to do the 35 night trip on her in january 2021 so it hasn t put me off sailing on her but there were quite a lot of people who had been cruising for years who said they had never known anything like it.

Edited September 10, 2020 by ann141

[Harry Peterson]

Just now, AnnieC said:

Harry, it was pretty awful - I'm not going to bang on about how many cruises, ships etc. I've been on. but it's a few, and I've never experienced anything like it. Think it was a combination of rough seas and very high winds, but simply walking from the sofa to the bathroom was like ascending Porlock Hill.

I don't doubt what you say for a minute, Annie.  We must have been lucky - always the same position (aft suite) on both Ventura and Azura and we've not had a problem, even in 9/10 gales.  Others obviously have, so a lot must depend on the angle of the wind to the ship and other factors?

 

Harry

[tring]

Well that page of discussions seems to have given me an excellent answer, as well as being of interest to others as well.  These forums are great things for sharing information - what would we have done without them.

 

Thanks to everyone.