Sunshine and weather

[NCMtnBoys]

We sailed through the same storm Friday night and most of Saturday enroute from Ocean Cay to New York on MSC Meraviglia. We sailed a very slow 7-8 knots while in the storm. At one point the captain said we would arrive three hours late in New York, but we made up time on the other side of the storm and arrived just one hour late on Sunday morning. The winds and swells were high but Meraviglia handled it very well.

Edited May 30, 2023 by NCMtnBoys

[flamingos]

12 minutes ago, Itried4498 said:

Was it on this voyage?  I’ve seen multiple media reports that have used stock/ archived footage of previous flooding instances.  The only photos I’ve seen of flooding on this crew are those of crew spaces, which have been misidentified as passenger areas by various outlets.

 

 

About 30 seconds in.   

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/carnival-cruise-passengers-outraged-after-terrifying-ordeal-through-storm-178145349517

 

Other coverage pointed out that most of this was overnight when they normally do not do announcements. 

[Itried4498]

9 minutes ago, flamingos said:

About 30 seconds in.   

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/carnival-cruise-passengers-outraged-after-terrifying-ordeal-through-storm-178145349517

 

Other coverage pointed out that most of this was overnight when they normally do not do announcements. 

Good catch.  Looks like water entered the hallway but not his cabin.  Note that the person who provided the footage, is the one who tells increasingly embellishing stories.  Per the report, the swells reached 17 feet not 30, 40 or 60 :).

[Hlitner]

Perhaps the big story is that the ship did dock, debarked their passengers, and embarked another group.  "Severe damage" would have certainly caused the cancelation of the following cruise.

 

Hank

[StephPS79]

24 minutes ago, flamingos said:

About 30 seconds in.   

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/carnival-cruise-passengers-outraged-after-terrifying-ordeal-through-storm-178145349517

 

Other coverage pointed out that most of this was overnight when they normally do not do announcements. 

 

Sorry, but that clip is 1000% sensationalism.  "Nightmare."  Come on.

[flamingos]

3 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

Perhaps the big story is that the ship did dock, debarked their passengers, and embarked another group.  "Severe damage" would have certainly caused the cancelation of the following cruise.

 

Hank

 

I imagine it was a lot of work for the crew, especially room stewards. They person who was on board talked about broken glass in her cabin and hers was probably not the only one.  But they DID manage to leave that day, so it was cosmetic, not structural.

[bunzini]

I think what bothers me the most is that many likely are taking their first cruise and if they were on this one, it likely will be their last.  Sometimes I think the cruise lines need to think these things through EVEN if they need to arrive late or another day for the next cruise.  It makes them look as if they have no regard for their passengers (or crew) and alienates many from considering cruising.  JMO

[Greyhoundcat]

1 minute ago, bunzini said:

I think what bothers me the most is that many likely are taking their first cruise and if they were on this one, it likely will be their last.  Sometimes I think the cruise lines need to think these things through EVEN if they need to arrive late or another day for the next cruise.  It makes them look as if they have no regard for their passengers (or crew) and alienates many from considering cruising.  JMO

 

Exactly. I am speculating, but any delay would probably cost $$ and we know how that goes with company decisions. What bothers me the most is the lack of communication. Seasoned cruisers saying it wasn't that bad were not there. I am a seasoned cruiser and I would have been scared to death. This event wasn't as bad as some say and was worse than the company will say. Yes, the staff had a huge mess to deal with. I think of them and the very frightened passengers who felt alone.

[StephPS79]

5 minutes ago, bunzini said:

I think what bothers me the most is that many likely are taking their first cruise and if they were on this one, it likely will be their last.  Sometimes I think the cruise lines need to think these things through EVEN if they need to arrive late or another day for the next cruise.  It makes them look as if they have no regard for their passengers (or crew) and alienates many from considering cruising.  JMO

 

Honestly, if someone decides not to cruise again because of this, it might be for the best that they don't.  It was rough seas.  There was no danger.  Believe it or not, if there had been an actual threat of danger, it would have been communicated.

 

The storm was a Nor'easter, coming up the coast from the south, just like the ship.  The port closed.  I doubt the captain and crew had no regard for passengers.  Not sure why we all think we are ship captains and could do a better job.  But again, these were rough seas, it wasn't a hurricane.  A few things fell off shelves, and there was some wet carpet.  This isn't going to sink the ship.

 

[flamingos]

Just now, StephPS79 said:

 

Honestly, if someone decides not to cruise again because of this, it might be for the best that they don't.  It was rough seas.  There was no danger.  Believe it or not, if there had been an actual threat of danger, it would have been communicated.

 

 

 

If you were a new cruiser, how would you know there was no danger?  If the conditions on board were bad enough that many people seem to have been awake, they could have made a bridge announcement.  They certainly could have acknowledged that it happened during morning announcements.  Communication could have avoided a lot of this.

 

[StephPS79]

3 minutes ago, flamingos said:

If you were a new cruiser, how would you know there was no danger?  If the conditions on board were bad enough that many people seem to have been awake, they could have made a bridge announcement.  They certainly could have acknowledged that it happened during morning announcements.  Communication could have avoided a lot of this.

 

 

Pretty sure it was announced that there were rough seas.  Beyond that, I'm not sure if people were expecting a play-by-play.  There were no further announcements because there was nothing to announce - there was no immediate danger.

[geovet]

I read that a rcl ship also sailed thru it but no news of any problems.

[Hlitner]

30 minutes ago, bunzini said:

I think what bothers me the most is that many likely are taking their first cruise and if they were on this one, it likely will be their last.  Sometimes I think the cruise lines need to think these things through EVEN if they need to arrive late or another day for the next cruise.  It makes them look as if they have no regard for their passengers (or crew) and alienates many from considering cruising.  JMO

Poor babies!  We are not talking about cruising into a major hurricane (that happened to me on the old Celebrity Meridian) but simply moving into some rough seas.  To avoid those seas would have meant going hundreds of miles off course (assuming they had the time), being at least 1 or 2 days late into port (causing major issues for those aboard and all those waiting for the next cruise), etc.  Many of those now whining because they had a rough night would have whined because they missed their flights, had their schedule messed-up, etc.  My goodness, just look at the Carnival blog and you can already see folks asking about "compensation."  For what?  A rough night.

 

Like I said, my recent cruise had nearly a week of constant rough gale force weather.  So what?  We never heard anyone asking for compensation.  If you are on an airline flight that hits some turbulence, should you get compensation?  

 

While I agree with you that being a day or two late might be necessary for safety, if the info is correct that the Sunshine hit 70MPH winds and 17foot seas....this is just not that big of a deal under normal circumstances.  That is why we are curious about the water issues inside that ship.

 

Hank

 

 

[ZoeyVictoria]

3 hours ago, Itried4498 said:

 

 

 

Traveling through a storm is a frightening experience.  Cyn874's own narrative is that she and her fellow passengers were freighted.  The majority of what she posted is what she read on social media afterward... again, not her experience, and again, sensationalism.  I'm sure many of those reports are from people seeking attention on social media and/ or compensation from Carnival.  Again... frightening, yes, but "bad," no.  The ship did a quick turnaround with all public facilities open.  The "evidence" that the ship was destroy is ridiculous -- e.g. pictures of the Fun Shops with literally a handful of unsecured items on the floor.

 

This is what you consider to be a “handful of unsecured items”?

 

[flamingos]

16 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

That is why we are curious about the water issues inside that ship.

That is my question.

 

That video of the flooded crew hallway looks like there is a broken door or something.  It would be interesting to know where that was.

[bunzini]

19 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

Poor babies!  We are not talking about cruising into a major hurricane (that happened to me on the old Celebrity Meridian) but simply moving into some rough seas.  To avoid those seas would have meant going hundreds of miles off course (assuming they had the time), being at least 1 or 2 days late into port (causing major issues for those aboard and all those waiting for the next cruise), etc.  Many of those now whining because they had a rough night would have whined because they missed their flights, had their schedule messed-up, etc.  My goodness, just look at the Carnival blog and you can already see folks asking about "compensation."  For what?  A rough night.

 

Like I said, my recent cruise had nearly a week of constant rough gale force weather.  So what?  We never heard anyone asking for compensation.  If you are on an airline flight that hits some turbulence, should you get compensation?  

 

While I agree with you that being a day or two late might be necessary for safety, if the info is correct that the Sunshine hit 70MPH winds and 17foot seas....this is just not that big of a deal under normal circumstances.  That is why we are curious about the water issues inside that ship.

 

Hank

 

 

I never said anything about compensation.  I am simply stating that sometimes I believe the cruise lines need to think through these decisions.  Was it worth it for them to get all this negative press?  I followed your cruise with the rough weather for five days because there was someone I knew on the ship.  No matter what, those types of conditions are not fun.  And yes, I am an experienced cruiser.  When RCL had a situation like this once (I believe it was worse), they hired a meteorologist (which he very recently left the company).  I thought that was a good move to give people at least a sense of security?  Just saying this reporting whether sensationalized is just what makes some say they never want to cruise or in this case, maybe never want to cruise again.

 

 

[e150club]

batten down the hatches

: to prepare for a difficult or dangerous situation

[Itried4498]

22 minutes ago, ZoeyVictoria said:

This is what you consider to be a “handful of unsecured items”?

 

Yup, nothing that can’t be cleaned up in 15 minutes.  Minimal damage, too.

[EngIceDave]

They're pros at this, be cleaned up in no time.

[StephPS79]

28 minutes ago, ZoeyVictoria said:

This is what you consider to be a “handful of unsecured items”?

 

That's certainly not a nightmare.  And to be honest, other than the crew hallway, this is the worst damage being shown.

[Hlitner]

15 minutes ago, bunzini said:

I never said anything about compensation.  I am simply stating that sometimes I believe the cruise lines need to think through these decisions.  Was it worth it for them to get all this negative press?  I followed your cruise with the rough weather for five days because there was someone I knew on the ship.  No matter what, those types of conditions are not fun.  And yes, I am an experienced cruiser.  When RCL had a situation like this once (I believe it was worse), they hired a meteorologist (which he very recently left the company).  I thought that was a good move to give people at least a sense of security?  Just saying this reporting whether sensationalized is just what makes some say they never want to cruise or in this case, maybe never want to cruise again.

 

 

The compensation issue has been raised on the Carnival blog :).  No question that some folks on the Sunshine will avoid ships in the future.  But such is life on the high seas.  The real cruise lovers will simply accept this as part of the game.  We have a relative that was on the ill fated Viking Sky cruise that nearly rang aground off the coast of Norway.  She was snatched off the deck at 3am, by a Norwegian Coast Guard Helicopter.  Of course the Viking Sky, because of a near miracle, managed to restore power and save the ship.  Our relative, who at one point was sure she was going to die on that ship, has since gone on 3 more Viking cruises.  

 

Stuff happens.  Some adjust and move on..and others do not!  No different then all those folks who now go through life with constant fear of COVID (I wonder if "covidphobia" is an accepted term).  Most of us have adjusted and move on with our lives.  But others will never be the same.

 

Hank

[kidz_rn]

“Such is life on the high seas.”  HAHA

 

The question is: “how high”?

[tidecat]

4 hours ago, Hlitner said:

The question I have about the Sunshine is why they had any flooding on the crew decks.  They obviously had plenty of notice with more than enough time to "batten down the hatches."  Unless there was some kind of breach of a hatch or a broken window,  there is no reason why 17 foot (or even 30 foot) seas should cause flooding.  It will be interesting to hear the real facts.

Waves likely came in over the bow (Deck 3) and/or in the mooring area (aft of the ship, I believe on Deck 1). This would explain why areas like the Crew Bar (3 Forward) were flooded. If you've done Behind the Fun on Sunshine, you've visited the Crew Bar. I'm at a loss as to why Deck 4 would have any flooding, unless if the motion of the storm caused a pipe to burst, or if there was one or more very leaky windows. It may have been easier to evacuate the crew from Deck 4

[Boatdrill]

2 hours ago, bunzini said:

 Was it worth it for them to get all this negative press?  

From what we know so far, yes.

The ship returned intact with all 3000 passengers, plus crew, no muster to lifeboats was needed (weather and seas were too rough anyway)  and the ship came home  under her own power. 

Kudos to the Captain and crew for bringing everyone home safely. 

 

 

Edited May 30, 2023 by Boatdrill

[sparks1093]

I haven't read the entire thread but I am amused by the number of experts on this board that have enough experience to second guess a qualified Ships Master who was making the best decision the he could based on the data he had available. Of course there's guys like the Master of the Concordia that do something so hairbrained that it begs second guessing, but fortunately those are very few and far between. Ships are made to sail in storms and sometimes they just can't be avoided.