Does size really matter?

[Soonerbaby]

We just got off the Conquest a couple of weeks ago and I am looking into booking a cruise for just DH and myself. I just want a 5 day this time though. It looks like there is a considerable size difference between the Triumph and the Ecstasy/Elation. We got a little seasick on the Conquest when the seas got rough and I was wondering if the smoothness of the ride depended on the size of the ship. Woudl the Triumph be better than the other two?

[Tapi]

I think that sea conditions will determine whether you have a smooth ride.

 

Some of the smoothest sailings I've been on were on Fantasy class ships (like the Ecstasy).

 

The choppiest sailings I've been on were on the Destiny (sailing out of New York to the North Atlantic. HORRIBLE), and on the Liberty (we were trying to outrun a hurricane). Both of these ships are similar in size to the Conquest.

[JRock59]

IMHO it depends on the weather and the Ship sailed on the Ecstasy in Oct with some girlfriends seas were a bit rough and ship did rock and roll. I've sailed on her before and to me it was normal but to one of my friends who had only sailed on the Conquest and Grand Princess it was a lot more motion than she remembered from other Cruises.

[jimbo5544]

I agree it has much more to do with the seas vs. the size of the ship. I used to think bigger meant a more stable ride. You can make the case that bigger (as in the Dream) might be a somewhat rougher ride from wind (bigger surface area) but I have no facts to base that upon.

[*Mach*]

It's not nearly as much the ship as it is the weather. All Carnival ships are equipped with stabilizers to minimize roll... rocking from side to side... but none can do much of anything to minimize pitching... the bow or stern rising and falling.

 

It's luck of the draw. I've been on Fantasy Class ships and never noticed a bit of motion. We were on the Dream and experienced more pitching and rolling that I've ever been exposed to.

 

 

:)

 

[cb at sea]

The larger the ship, the less motion you generally feel, unless it's REALLY rough....after all, any ship, no matter the size is simply floating on the ocean....if the water is moving, the ship will, too!

[CRJ700]

It's not nearly as much the ship as it is the weather. All Carnival ships are equipped with stabilizers to minimize roll... rocking from side to side... but none can do much of anything to minimize pitching... the bow or stern rising and falling.

 

It's luck of the draw. I've been on Fantasy Class ships and never noticed a bit of motion. We were on the Dream and experienced more pitching and rolling that I've ever been exposed to.

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, your saying its not the size of the ride but the motion of the ocean.

[TOgal65]

So, your saying its not the size of the ride but the motion of the ocean.

 

:D WOW - I don't think anybody could ask for a better set-up! lol :D

[maldenmusic]

I've been on the Fantasy class ships (Fantasy and Elation) and never had any problems with motion sickness. Even once when we had some rough seas the Duragesic patch I was using kept me just fine.

[Two-Step]

Hmmm got me thinking, I didn't get sick on the Spirit but Conquest is a smidge bigger so I better bring some ginger, patches or pills just in case. Thanks for bringing this up!

[mygirlchandler]

Hi Soonerbaby! I'm also from Oklahoma :) Will you depart from Galveston?

 

I'm trying to worm in a trip for our Christmas gift this year and I'm looking at the 4 day Ecstasy from Galveston. Want to travel in Jan or Feb.

 

The thought of sailing rough seas scares me. But then again, I'm a weirdo and I don't mind the feeling in my tummy from going up and down (like on an airplane). But you are buckled in on a plane and who knows where we would be if we were on a ship that pitched.

 

Does the engine ever come out of the water (like on a boat or a personal water craft)? Wouldn't that be a scary sound... a massive ship engine racing! I think I'd have a panic moment!

 

I've never been sea sick. The closest I got to feeling queasy was when I tried to sun on an aft upper deck. I just went down a few levels to mid ship and I was fine and dandy! Also, I don't like looking down into the water from the balcony or deck. It makes me want to jump!?! Isn't that weird? If I look out on the horizon, I don't have that feeling of 'what if I jumped off of the ship?'.

 

Sorry to hijack with my babble!

[Soonerbaby]

Hi Soonerbaby! I'm also from Oklahoma :) Will you depart from Galveston?

 

I'm trying to worm in a trip for our Christmas gift this year and I'm looking at the 4 day Ecstasy from Galveston. Want to travel in Jan or Feb.

 

The thought of sailing rough seas scares me. But then again, I'm a weirdo and I don't mind the feeling in my tummy from going up and down (like on an airplane). But you are buckled in on a plane and who knows where we would be if we were on a ship that pitched.

 

Does the engine ever come out of the water (like on a boat or a personal water craft)? Wouldn't that be a scary sound... a massive ship engine racing! I think I'd have a panic moment!

 

I've never been sea sick. The closest I got to feeling queasy was when I tried to sun on an aft upper deck. I just went down a few levels to mid ship and I was fine and dandy! Also, I don't like looking down into the water from the balcony or deck. It makes me want to jump!?! Isn't that weird? If I look out on the horizon, I don't have that feeling of 'what if I jumped off of the ship?'.

 

Sorry to hijack with my babble!

 

Yes, I would like to sail out of Galveston. Still unsure what to do though. The pitch is what got to us...not so much the rolling.

[Soonerbaby]

Hmmm got me thinking, I didn't get sick on the Spirit but Conquest is a smidge bigger so I better bring some ginger, patches or pills just in case. Thanks for bringing this up!

 

So...would we be LESS likely to get sick on a smaller ship. Getting on the tender was kind of a crap shoot because it was bobbing up and down so drastically, but that motion didn't bother me at all.

[Wyattcruiser]

So...would we be LESS likely to get sick on a smaller ship. Getting on the tender was kind of a crap shoot because it was bobbing up and down so drastically, but that motion didn't bother me at all.

 

Nope.......like everyone said.......all depends on the ocean. Our worst was on the Elation and Ecstasy.....

[Grits53]

I can say without the slightest doubt in my mind that the type of movement that the Ecstasy makes in rough seas will make me seasick every time, when the Triumph will NOT make me seasick in the same seas. I have taken 3 cruises on the Triumph this year, and we have had some very rough seas on that ship. It seemed to me that the Triumph handles rough seas better than or as well as any ship I've been on (which includes Fantasy, Ecstasy, Miracle, Conquest, Glory, and Triumph). After 3 tries on Fantasy class ships, I have vowed NEVER to set foot on one of those again. I got seriously seasick all 3 times on that class ship, when I have never gotten more than a little queasy on the bigger ships. Also, both times on the Ecstasy, I was midship, deck 2. So if you can believe me based on my experiences, it is a no brainer. Take the Triumph and ENJOY your cruise! :)

[chasinraynbowz]

I am getting ready for my 5th cruise.... 4 on Fantasy sized ships and one on the Ruby Princess (which is huge). I take my Bonine each night and have never gotten sick. We hit rough weather once on the Fantasy and one day on the Ruby. I did fine one both.

 

Just an FYI - I get sick in ANYTHING that moves (cars, planes, trains, etc).

[OSUKNIGHT]

It's not nearly as much the ship as it is the weather. All Carnival ships are equipped with stabilizers to minimize roll... rocking from side to side... but none can do much of anything to minimize pitching... the bow or stern rising and falling.

 

It's luck of the draw. I've been on Fantasy Class ships and never noticed a bit of motion. We were on the Dream and experienced more pitching and rolling that I've ever been exposed to.

 

 

:)

 

 

I'll second this comment.

[DanJ]

 

Does the engine ever come out of the water (like on a boat or a personal water craft)? Wouldn't that be a scary sound... a massive ship engine racing! I think I'd have a panic moment!

 

 

If a cruise ship's props ever came out of the water, I think the next sound you would hear would be the sound of the ship breaking in half. A standard prop configuration would be around 30 feet under the surface of the water. A podded system would be under the stern of the ship, so even deeper in the water.

[mariamherrera]

So, your saying its not the size of the ride but the motion of the ocean.

 

 

LOL! I wish this was facebook so I could "like this" :D

[k2excursion]

I'm sure the ship has something to do with it, but I'm not sure if it's too considerable. My roughest cruises by far were on the Celebration and Holiday, very tiny ships by comparison to today's ships. My smoothest cruise was on the enormous Dream. Valor rocked a little bit when we were sailing at high speeds against the wind. Conquest seemed to rock more than the Valor, even though they are practically identical ships. Elation was very smooth, as were the wind and waters we were sailing. Just as an fyi, Triumph is a little smaller than the Conquest.

 

The best thing to do if you're worried about motion is to book midship on Riviera, pray for calm seas and calm winds, and bring your Bonine and ginger and Pepsi . . .

[Despegue]

It mainly depends on weather conditions as said so many times before AND the design of the hull of the ship.

Most modern cruise-ships are designed to maximize useable space for a certain tonnage and volume. They then will create a hull so that it can float. Prime examples are on Carnival: Destiny/Conquest/Dream/ Fantasy class. They do not have very good sea-manners, and are designed for sailing in calm waters, not North Atlantic during winter... (other example: Grand Class of Princess)

 

Some modern ships are designed with a "HYDRO-DYNAMIC" hull instead. These ships are designed by first looking into its seakeeping capabilities and speed/consumption and then by looking what they can fit into this designed hull. The best example of this is the Queen Mary (which also has a very deep draft), but also the new Solstice-Class by Celebrity Cruises is designed this way, as are (to a somewhat lesser extent) the Spirit-class of Carnival and Costa (and Vista on HAL and Cunard).

[DryCreek]

If a cruise ship's props ever came out of the water, I think the next sound you would hear would be the sound of the ship breaking in half. A standard prop configuration would be around 30 feet under the surface of the water. A podded system would be under the stern of the ship, so even deeper in the water.

 

The Azipod and Z-drive pod systems are actually tucked up under where the keel makes a rise to the stern. The pod type drives are noted for allowing the shallow draft necessary for some ports, and hence the beginning of their inclusion on some larger yachts. What is strange is that the prop is mounted on the forward end of the pod, in a "puller" configuration to take advantage of the natural slipstream flowing up from the keel.

 

Not an expert on the cruise ships, but as I recall, any ship with a wide beam and shallow draft will tend to "feel" the sea state more than a narrow-beamed, deep drafting ship (as far as pitch and roll). They will tend to right quicker, giving more "snap" to the rolling motion, and "float" to the pitch. Anyway, it has to ride better than a submarine! Picture a cardboard tube from a paper towel roll with a rounded nose trying to push through sea state 6 or higher leaving Norfolk. First you hammer into a wave and then roll side to side. While standing in the lower level engine room, you watch the greenish-slime from oil and water in the bilge wash up one side of the rounded hull and then then the other. It was fun - for about 30 minutes.

[somerlea]

OMG, I just laughed OUTLOUD at my desk when I read the quote about the size of the ride and the motion in the ocean!!!