Just off Freedom caught in storm October 9th

[BecciBoo]

Freedom has her own doppler, don't you remember seeing it?

[LeeBe]

This may be considered a little off topic but I thing it ties in with the current discussion. We left Huatulco on the Radiance and we had gone down for dinner at the early seating (yes I know a bit uncivilized;)) but I'll blame it on our travel mates. We were about 25 minutes into dinner and the ship really healed over to one side, extremely noticeable and uncomfortable!

Capt. Trim came over the PA and told us everything was fine, they had just encountered some unexpected high winds and they had emptied the pools and took on additional ballast and the problem would not be as noticeable.

 

A couple of days later he held a Q&A and was asked about the incident. He stated that these winds were very common after leaving Huatulco but there was not any way of knowing how strong the winds would be. These winds are called the Tehuantapec Winds and were very unpredictable, they knew that they could be there, but just did not know how strong they would be. Our encounter with the winds exceeded 80mph, and it was a bright clear, beautiful evening. So much for the prognosticators:rolleyes:! In less than an hour it was history.

 

I guess the moral of this story is watch out for all those storms with a name... but really be careful when the storm does not have a name!!

[gmacruiser418]

Valid point. Unless those of us here on CC have experience in this situation, I'll leave the judgment on what to do with the people on board best able to make that decision -- the Captain and the Bridge Officers.

 

Michael

 

from Ben Borgie, a captain and member of the Canaveral Pilots Association, said Freedom of the Seas was positioned in such a way at its terminal that it could leave the port safely. The terminal positioning of the Dream and Sensation made it less safe in the weather conditions at the time for those ships to leave because they would have had to make a complicated maneuver in the port’s turning basin to get out of the main channel.an article in the florida today:

 

here's the link:

http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20111012/BUSINESS/310120012/No-name-storm-rocks-Royal-Caribbean-cruise?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Home|s

[alohanails]

I was originally going on a scuba trip this past weekend. Because of the weather forecast I tried to switch to a cruise, got on the wait list for Majesty but didn't make it and ended up just canceling my whole trip and staying in Texas.

 

Thank goodness :(

 

Cibolo Tx here too!! Glad you guys stayed put!

[celebrity]

Damages to shops, glass warres, dishes and other components in the MDR and Galley; nothing structural

 

Injuries; 13 reported; cuts, bruises, strain and one ankle fracture.

 

That's awful!

[retiredonthesea]

We board in 18 days so am sure everything will be back to normal--just hope the weather is good to us! Been in one bad storm--don't ever want to be in another!

[tomko2]

Sounds like a good argument for packing along a roll of wide masking or other tape! Has anyone tried that in this kind of situation?

 

We're going on Allure in early January...is there a possibility for such a storm then? (gulp):eek: (obviously I'm a Caribbean cruiser newbie)

 

Hurricane season ends in early December so we should be fine in January. We have sailed lots in December/January and March in the Caribbean and other than some really cold days starting out all has been fine.

We are on the same cruise; have your joined our Roll Call?

Kathy

:)

[whirlybird3]

Just came across new videos of the storm that Freedom encountered. There are several from the same person.

 

[bajathree]

Just saw this this AM....I know this story takes place about flying but thought it sounded similar in ways to the Freedom incident.

 

http://abcnews.go.com/US/passenger-colleen-oneal-sues-continental-airlines-turbulent-flight/story?id=14723972

[uksimonusa]

Just came across new videos of the storm that Freedom encountered. There are several from the same person.

 

 

Seas dont seem that bad as the pilot boat is sailing alongside

[Lynnees]

Just saw this this AM....I know this story takes place about flying but thought it sounded similar in ways to the Freedom incident.

 

http://abcnews.go.com/US/passenger-colleen-oneal-sues-continental-airlines-turbulent-flight/story?id=14723972

 

Gee - rather a crock. Good way of getting the money for the position she was passed over for. I understand that "things" happen. Maybe the plane shouldn't have been in the air and probably Freedom shouldn't have left. But this lawsuit is too much.

 

RCL has a habit of leaving with others won't. Look at the Brilliance last December. A lot of injuries on that one and the other ships stayed in port.

[bajathree]

Gee - rather a crock. Good way of getting the money for the position she was passed over for. I understand that "things" happen. Maybe the plane shouldn't have been in the air and probably Freedom shouldn't have left. But this lawsuit is too much.

 

RCL has a habit of leaving with others won't. Look at the Brilliance last December. A lot of injuries on that one and the other ships stayed in port.

 

I think on that one they were actually on their way into the port. http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=4269

[Dezi]

You cannot blame the ship or the cruise line for unpredictable weather this time of year. Thats why the rates are usually lower. You are taking a gamble if you cruise in Sept. or Oct. or even Nov. Its called "hurricane season"! It was an unfortunate experience, but don`t be turned off cruising because of it. Try it again in May or June, you will have a wonderful time!!

[PH8]

You cannot blame the ship or the cruise line for unpredictable weather this time of year. Thats why the rates are usually lower. You are taking a gamble if you cruise in Sept. or Oct. or even Nov. Its called "hurricane season"! It was an unfortunate experience, but don`t be turned off cruising because of it. Try it again in May or June, you will have a wonderful time!!

Based on that theory,June wouldn't be good either.............June 1st starts hurricane season.

[orville99]

Hurricanes can occur in every month of the year, June-December is the "official" season. If you want to completely avoid the possibility of being on a ship in a hurricane, avoid ships:eek:

[PH8]

Hurricanes can occur in every month of the year, June-December is the "official" season. If you want to completely avoid the possibility of being on a ship in a hurricane, avoid ships:eek:

I remember a couple of years ago when there was a hurricane or threat close to New Years

[garnetpalmetto]

I remember a couple of years ago when there was a hurricane or threat close to New Years

 

That would be Tropical Storm Zeta during the '05 season, which was the most active season on record (so much so they ran out of names and had to go to the Greek alphabet). Zeta formed on 12/29/05 and finally dissipated on 1/6/06 - the second-latest storm in recorded history and one of only two in history to span two calendar years

[orville99]

I remember a couple of years ago when there was a hurricane or threat close to New Years

 

The only one I know of was Hurricane Ana (cat 1/80mph) which formed on NYE, and lasted until the 6th or 7th of January back in the 50's (became the underlying plotline for the Poseidon Adventure). In 2005 we actually ran out of names and went into the greek alphabet well into December (TS Zeta formed on 12/30 that year, but never made landfall anywhere).

[garnetpalmetto]

The only one I know of was Hurricane Ana (cat 1/80mph) which formed on NYE, and lasted until the 6th or 7th of January back in the 50's (became the underlying plotline for the Poseidon Adventure). In 2005 we actually ran out of names and went into the greek alphabet well into December.

 

I think you're talking about Hurricane Alice. There weren't any tropical cyclones in the '50s named Ana. Alice, meanwhile, was a Category 1 that formed on 12/30/54 and dissipated on 01/06/55. It was not part of the underlying plotline for The Poseidon Adventure in any format though - in the novel and first film, it capsized as a result of a tsunami stemming from an underwater earthquake, in the second film (2005) it was from a terrorist bomb, and in 2006 from a rogue wave.

[gr8.guy]

I would love to see photos or video should someone happen to have it.

[orville99]

I think you're talking about Hurricane Alice. There weren't any tropical cyclones in the '50s named Ana. Alice, meanwhile, was a Category 1 that formed on 12/30/54 and dissipated on 01/06/55.

 

You're right, my bad. One of the problems of being old enough to remember the 50's ;-)

[Aquahound]

I remember a couple of years ago when there was a hurricane or threat close to New Years

 

Like garnetpalmetto said, that was the 2005 season when it went to the Greek alphabet and hurricanes continued through December and in to January. Zeta formed at the end of December and went in to January.

 

I will never forget the 2004-2005 seasons. Between the 2 years, we had 8 hurricanes come through the Keys.

[PH8]

Like garnetpalmetto said, that was the 2005 season when it went to the Greek alphabet and hurricanes continued through December and in to January. Zeta formed at the end of December and went in to January.

 

I will never forget the 2004-2005 seasons. Between the 2 years, we had 8 hurricanes come through the Keys.

and we had 2 hurricanes actually hit here inland in 2004.........lost power for days and lots of trees down(Ocala has been named Tree City 20 years in a row) Hurricane hitting here like that is unusual..

 

 

Thanks all for the Zeta info.....

[garnetpalmetto]

 

I will never forget the 2004-2005 seasons. Between the 2 years, we had 8 hurricanes come through the Keys.

 

I'll never forget it either! I was getting ready to go to grad school and over the summer it looked increasingly like my first choice program would not be able to find any sort of funding to bring me up whereas my second choice program was offering me funding. At almost the last moment my first choice program called and said they had found funding for me and I could enroll there. The second choice I nearly went to? University of New Orleans. A few months later, along came Katrina and as I watched the aftermath from my apartment at NC State, I couldn't help but be glad funding had been found!

[Mewissy]

Hurricanes can occur in every month of the year, June-December is the "official" season. If you want to completely avoid the possibility of being on a ship in a hurricane, avoid ships:eek:

 

So true! (but made me chuckle!)