The List Of The Century

[0ldog]

It was about 6:20 PM, early dinner seating on the first day of our cruise. We were at a table for ten just beginning our appetizers when I noticed the ship starting to list. I watched as my water glass began to empty it’s self. Most of us grabbed our glasses expecting momentarily for the ship to start to roll the other way. To our amazement the list continued, both silverware and dinnerware began sliding off the table.

Crashing sounds could to be heard through out the dining room. Tray tables piled high with food started to tumble. Our waiter was at the soup station, miraculously he was able to save the tureen from ending on the floor. Servers stood, legs apart, trying to balance huge trays piled high with food as the list continued. 5 degrees, 10 degrees, 15 degrees, how far will it go? Too far and the ship capsizes, the Poseidon adventure all over again. The woman across from me started to look like Shelley Winters.

As suddenly as it started, it stopped. As it started back toward level we wondered will it continue and go the other way? Thankfully it didn‘t.

Cheering rang out throughout the dinning room. Surprisingly no one seemed to panic. We were told later that the auto pilot had malfunctioned and sent the rudder to a full right turn.

I could go on and on about the damage through out the ship. All that neatly stacked souvenir glass ware in the shops, liquor bottles in the lounges, dinnerware in the galleys not to mention those ice buckets and water carafes. (many ended up in open suitcases)

Any other stories from those on the ship with us (02/04/06)

 

0ldog

[Druke I]

Last week on Grand Princess, they had a similar list - and it has generated hundreds of posts on several threads - very many disgruntled people.

 

The ship was making a 180 turn to "meet" a Coast Guard Cutter for a medical evacuation.

[Danno]

It's a ship...perhaps if they are "disgruntled" they should consider a land based vacation. These things happen on ships...always have, always will.

[Cracker Ken]

I agree with Danno. When we were on Century the last week of Nov 05, I was in the bathroom, when we had a sharp starboard list. Must have been at least 15 degrees or better. The mirror door over the vanity (that conceals the shelves behind it) flew open. Knocked the ice bucket and glasses off of the counter, water and glass everywhere. It's always scary when this sort of thing happens, but that's life at sea. The Capt. announced that they had to change course quickly because of some fishing nets ahead of the ship. I guess folks were disgruntled about this incident too, but they would have been even more disgruntled if the nets got caught up in the props and disabled the ship. A lot of people seem to be quite naive about ships at sea. Folks want "compensation" when a list causes someone to fall, or when heavy seas cause a fall, etc. They sit around and gripe because the stabilizers must not be in use, when the sea is rough and the ship is pitching. I heard a new one on the Century cruise - Some folks were upset (a group sitting in the atrium lounge area) because the Capt. was violating maritime laws - because he was passing close enough to another ship that it could be seen. :rolleyes:

 

Ken

[Danno]

We sail a 28'er...it only starts to get fun at 15 degrees!!

 

I'm not goming to get worried until I hear a request that pax hike out on the high side, rail....then I'm going to want compensation ;) .