Rough seas anyone?
 

I have sailed on 15 cruises and should also say I work in the cruise/travel industry. I thought it would be fun to share rough sea stories, given the current hurricane season and many passengers dodging rough seas as we speak. Now, I don't mean this to be a negative thing...actually it is amazing to me that the captains of ships can manuever around hurricanes within 100s of miles and you don't even know it's there and other times the weather can seem perfect and your being tossed. I will start:

In 15 cruises my worst was the Disney Magic on a 7 night cruise about 3 years ago. It was on our last night returning to Port Canaveral and I heard it mentioned that the waves were 15-20 feet. We had a balcony on a high deck and I would believe it because from the balcony the water would spray all the way up to my balcony!! I also remember having to brace myself against the wall in bed to keep from falling out of bed. Although I was shaken awake a few times, with the help of a couple stiff drinks I did sleep! Everyone had stories to share the next morning at breakfast before debarking the ship. And a couple people I saw leave the disco green the night before looked their regular shade as well.

I should add that one other time I had rough seas on Holland America. We were delayed leaving Tampa in the winter due to 60 knot winds. They even announced we should go to our cabins and secure everything. However, much to my suprise it did not come close to the Disney experience!

Anyone else had a rocking good time?

I forgot to add a fun observation in the disco during high seas. Everyone shifts from side/side in mass leaving one side of the floor empty...then the other side empty.......

I was on a small cruise ship in the Coral Seas about 1 1/2 years ago that was skirting the edge of a cyclone. We had 24 hours of high winds and 40'waves (we were more than 80 miles from the cyclone's eye). Every time the ship hit a wave there was a hugh pounding noise, felt like the ship was going to come apart. Several times during the night the door to the refrigerator in our room flew open and bottles of water and cans of soft drinks were strewn about the cabin floor. On occassion we heard crashing sounds from the dinning room and bar area as plates and glasses were smashed. The ship had an "open bridge" policy so a few of us hardy souls spent some time there watching the crew man the ship. The views of hugh 40' waves crashing over the bow of the ship was nothing short of spectacular (like a scene from an old WW-II Hollywood Naval epic movie). Three-quarters of the passengers never made it out of their cabins for the entire time, half of the ones that did looked like little green men. I, for one, found the whole experience, to be quite unique and a bit thrilling (somewhat akin to being on a roller coaster ride that never stopped) but I'm not sure I'd want to go through it again.

Celebrity's Horizon coming home from Bermuda. Oh My Gosh!!! It was very bumpy but then at dinner all heck broke loose. Our last night at sea and we were at our dinner table and it was like we hit a brick wall and everything fell to the floor from the table. People were turning green at the table and finally no one could eat so we got up and tried to leave. It was like we were on a roller coaster and we had to hold on to chairs, tables and whatever we could find to make our way out of the dining room. What we found in the hallways was pretty scary. It was impossible to either move bacward or forward and we were pushed up against a wall and saw people just dropping in the halls and being handed little bags by staff because several people were ill. We made our way around these people with my husband literally pulling me and he was pulling himself up the stairs by the bannister, made it to our cabin where I collapsed and he was sick (even though he had the patch on). I did my research though and was prepared for this because I know it can get a bit rocky in those waters, but this was our first cruise and it made for quite a story when we got home.

We were on a 3 day RCCL Miami cruise (husband had business meeting with group on ship). Afternoon of one day tenders took us to the "private island" and after about 2 hours there one of those tropical monsoon thunderstorms with wind and sideways rain descended on us. No shelter on island, waves were huge. They told us it was too rough for tenders to travel back to mother ship.

Finally they crammed half of island guests on one tender and let the rest of us sit on the second one. The first one made 2 attempts to dock with mother ship and finally had to return to island - surf too high. Captain then maneuvered mother ship towards island and at a different angle to block some of the waves, and we were able to make the trip back. But the whole time waves were crashing over the sides and front of the tenders. Mosat terrifying experience of my life.

Date: 09/14/2004, 11:37 am

Message: Was in Category 9 storm off New Zealand. I had inside, low midship cabin. I was wakened by the drawers sliding open and then closing. Stuffed socks into sides, and went back to sleep. Next day discovered we had major damage on 11th deck front where plexiglass panels had been broken, radio mast gone, windows in 7 floor lounge broken.
This was RCCL LEGEND
We had to change direction so itinerary changed. Pier in Christchurch was wrecked anyway. No lives lost in that storm, but a cargo ship did go down.

I was disgusted when I heard passengers accusing captain of exagerating danger just to save money! He did publish a letter apologizing for the disappoinment. I wrote back saying, "Put all the complainers in a room and show the Titanic!"

I felt sorry for the wait staff. They were sick too, and very tired. Because over 75% missed meals, room service was very popular. wait staff were doing room service too.

Some events had to be canceled. Lecturer retreated to her cabin. Dance troupe were troupers! More singing than dancing.

I did stay mainly in my cabin as walking was a problem, but I didn't get seasick. I did get major
migraine 24 hours BEFORE storm hit.

My advice,. if you are susceptable to motion, use preventative meds., cabin as low and centered as possible, and when outside, breathe deeply and look at far objects like clouds. Stay hydrated.

Hello, Sun Princess Sept 2001. Hurricane Juliette. Off the coast of Ca.Waves 60 ft winds 100 knots. Tiles around the pool shoting like bullets. Waves crashing into the cabins on the Lido deck. breaking the doors to the balcony.water running down the stairs.People with life jackets on. it was the worst I have seen. One gentleman we had met early, was telling us his wife was terrifed, so he went and got the cabin steward and thought he would be able to calm her down. The cabin stewards advice to the gentle English lady, "Pray". with that he went running.I was never so glad to have my husband with me. Since he is retired from the Navy I knew he would tell me if is was bad. As a matter of fact he told a group of us sitting at a bar (the best place to be, accourding to him) to look at the great deal we were getting. you pay big to go to water parks for this kind of thrill, and Princess was not going to charge us anything extra for all this fun. I made him go to bed. But you make the most of what you are given, and I think what a story we have. Happy cruising

Wow! Glad I wasn't there.

Wow! These stories sure beat mine! I hope I NEVER see 60 foots waves from shore OR sea! Are there any more storm stories out there?

I haven't had rough seas but on our honeymoon in the Bahamas, we sailed on a windjammer. As we headed toward Grand Bahama Island (about 1/2 day out), a waterspout came out of nowhere on a clear, sunny day, proceeded to pass within 200 or so yards of the ship and disappear. Everyone on deck was thoroughly drenched. Luckily no one was pulled overboard.
Well, we WERE in the Bermuda Triangle.