Weather on an upcoming transatlantic cruise

[ColleenHale]

will be on a transatlantic cruise at end of October 2023, from the UK to NYC - what will the weather be like on the crossing?

[Host Kat]

20 minutes ago, ColleenHale said:

will be on a transatlantic cruise at end of October 2023, from the UK to NYC - what will the weather be like on the crossing?

 

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[Hlitner]

The weather and sea condition questions can only have one answer which is that nobody knows more than a few days in advance.  You could enjoy perfect warm weather and calm seas or awful weather with hurricane driven seas.  Most of our TA cruises (we have been on dozens) have been nice and a few have truly rocked and rolled.

 

Hank

[Heidi13]

20 hours ago, ColleenHale said:

will be on a transatlantic cruise at end of October 2023, from the UK to NYC - what will the weather be like on the crossing?

 

I have crossed the Atlantic many times, having experienced everything from millpond to 100' seas. Sorry, but it is impossible to speculate what you will experience.

 

At least weather forecasting and weather routing services have improved significantly, so Masters have a greater chance of avoiding the worst weather.

[Hlitner]

On 10/13/2023 at 4:44 PM, Heidi13 said:

 

I have crossed the Atlantic many times, having experienced everything from millpond to 100' seas. Sorry, but it is impossible to speculate what you will experience.

 

At least weather forecasting and weather routing services have improved significantly, so Masters have a greater chance of avoiding the worst weather.

100 foot?  I know mariners and fishermen never exaggerate (even slightly) but that is hard to swallow (or surf).  We once experienced waves/swells estimated to be around 40 foot (August 1991 on the Celebrity Meridian during Hurricane Bob) which was quite exciting.  I have read about a recorded 84 footer off of Norway (1995) but if I ever saw that my head would be between my legs kissing you know what goodbye.

 

I also have heard about the 100 footer off Alaska, but do not believe it was ever recorded by any kind of instrument.  Surfers (like Mariners) claim to have surfed 100 foot waves at Nazare, Portugal but some question whether that size wave would happen well out to sea.  

 

Hank

[Heidi13]

13 hours ago, Hlitner said:

100 foot?  I know mariners and fishermen never exaggerate (even slightly) but that is hard to swallow (or surf).  We once experienced waves/swells estimated to be around 40 foot (August 1991 on the Celebrity Meridian during Hurricane Bob) which was quite exciting.  I have read about a recorded 84 footer off of Norway (1995) but if I ever saw that my head would be between my legs kissing you know what goodbye.

 

I also have heard about the 100 footer off Alaska, but do not believe it was ever recorded by any kind of instrument.  Surfers (like Mariners) claim to have surfed 100 foot waves at Nazare, Portugal but some question whether that size wave would happen well out to sea.  

 

Hank

Since we don't have instruments to measure wave height and there are also 2 common metrics, it is a very subjective subject.

 

Those that publish wave heights, usually use significant wave height, which is an average of the highest 1/3 of the waves (from trough to crest). Therefore, published significant wave heights are lower than actual max wave heights.

 

Frankly, when you are hove-to in a storm, it is irrelevant whether the waves are 75' or 100', they are all still huge.

[Hlitner]

40 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

Since we don't have instruments to measure wave height and there are also 2 common metrics, it is a very subjective subject.

 

Those that publish wave heights, usually use significant wave height, which is an average of the highest 1/3 of the waves (from trough to crest). Therefore, published significant wave heights are lower than actual max wave heights.

 

Frankly, when you are hove-to in a storm, it is irrelevant whether the waves are 75' or 100', they are all still huge.

LOL with that we can agree.  While I felt comfortable in 40 foot waves, while on a large cruise ship with a deep hull, there is no way I would ever want to experience anything bigger or winds over the 90 knots we encountered in Hurricane Bob.  I cannot even imagine being hove to in high seas.  I assume nobody was drinking hot coffee :).

 

Hank

[Heidi13]

10 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

LOL with that we can agree.  While I felt comfortable in 40 foot waves, while on a large cruise ship with a deep hull, there is no way I would ever want to experience anything bigger or winds over the 90 knots we encountered in Hurricane Bob.  I cannot even imagine being hove to in high seas.  I assume nobody was drinking hot coffee :).

 

Hank

 

Affirmative, when the ship was rolling and/or pitching excessively, the galley ceased providing hot meals, as it wasn't safe to cook.

 

Wind speed was easier to determine, most of the time. On one ship the wind was so strong it blew the business end of the anemometer away. 

[biomedbob]

We took a cruise out of Fort Lauderdale when the whole staff in the dinning room was unavailable because of the seas.  We had the buffet to ourselves True story!