Does any one know who will conduct an investigation of the incident on the Dawn?

[Zeno]

I think there should be a huge NTSB, FBI, CIA, INTERPPOL investigations. I think that Congress should hold hearings and then that dastardly mother nature will be put right in her place. Damn Her Damn Her, Jail to mother nature. he he he

 

Actually it was a plot between Mother Nature and NCL and the coastguard ! And of course the captain (in league with demons) was deliberately looking for the roughest seas to bring up the quota of injured passengers and do expensive damage to the ship!

Seriously it is unfortunate it happened. We should be glad no-one was seriously injured. But really rogue waves are NOT predictable and it was a rogue wave that caused the damage and injuries not just rough seas.

[mbisson]

But really rogue waves are NOT predictable and it was a rogue wave that caused the damage and injuries not just rough seas.

 

There ya go using truth and Logic. How I can I ever win an argument when you do that?

 

LOL

-Monte

[Zeno]

There ya go using truth and Logic. How I can I ever win an argument when you do that?

 

LOL

-Monte

I know Monte - using common sense and logic will be my downfall

[Suite Travels]

I have an idea!!! Maybe someone will sue GOD for earthquakes tornadoes and Rogue waves. Not one intelligent attorney will take a case against NCL for an act of God. Remember I said intelligent.:D

 

I am just happy that everyone is ok. Oh, how we forget 911.

[Debe7ing]

Yea.....I tend to agree.

 

All of you that think that God did this in Kahoots with the Captain that was trying to make better time/get a bonus/or whatever else you can come up with for a reason that someone other than Mother nature was at fault for a rogue wave....need to quit cruising and stay safely on shore allowing us that understand that "you-take-your-chances" cruise at reduced rates due to all you doom and gloomers refusing to sail! LOL ;)

 

PS...before I get slammed, this was said tounge in cheek to try to help you put things into prespective.

[vllygrrl]

You guys who weren't on the ship, I understand where your coming from with the "wave". Of course they aren't predictable. However, we weren't simply in "rough sea's". The waves were averaging 40 feet and above during a long portion of the storm (you would have sworn that the seventh deck was at the water line).

 

The point people who were on the cruise and did experience what happened are making is that we should NOT have been in that position to be hit by the wave.

[Host CMLA]

I live in Fla and I can tell you that a rogue wave is not predictable and can happen anytime anywhere. Also, FYI hurricanes occur during season in both the eastern and western carribean. Hurricanes travel slower and are tracked by NOAA Satellites 24hrs a day. Ships are able to avoid hurricanes and tropical storms. Rogue waves can appear suddenly from quickly forming severe storms. the sky can be blue one hour and the next you are in a gale force wind.

 

Weather is not an exact science. Anyone who sues NCL for this is not a realist.

Thank you for your thoughts on this. I think members here are saying that the storm is what prompted the rogue wave. Even though every bit of evidence says that rogue waves are unpredictable and can happen anywhere...people here are saying that A (the storm) caused B (the rogue wave). I have no way of knowing if that's indeed true. Is there a correlation? Or could a rogue wave happen in the calmest water?

 

The ship was on its way back to NYC a few hours early. Who's to say that if the ship was 5 hours later going through that same area there still wouldn't have been a storm and the possibility of a rogue wave. We'll never know.

[Medic1330]

My wife and I have been on the Dawn twice before in January 04 and January 05 and had some rough seas. It sounds like the captain did absolutely the right thing. I think that if the Captain had not turned into this "rogue" wave, we would be reading and seeing on the news about a ship that had almost capsized and had many injuries and possible deaths. This ship is built like a tank and able to withstand a lot. Like many people are saying, this was an unusual occurance. Mabe an investigator should go out and interview that big wave and his little friends to find out what really happend.

[vllygrrl]

I'm not faulting the captain. He did a wonderful job under the conditions. The bottom line is we should not have even entered the storm.

 

When we were pulling into Charleston, there were between 10 to 15 freighter ships (some as big or larger than our ship) that were scattered about the intercoastal area. They got out of the deeper Atlantic Ocean and out of the middle of the storm. Did they have a different weather forcast than us?

 

We should have done the same thing. That's all.

[vllygrrl]

Sorry, double post.

[johnql]

When we were pulling into Charleston, there were between 10 to 15 freighter ships (some as big or larger than our ship) that were scattered about the intercoastal area. They got out of the deeper Atlantic Ocean and out of the middle of the storm. Did they have a different weather forcast than us?

 

We should have done the same thing. That's all.

Just curious. Do you know for a fact that some or all of those freighters were there because they were avoiding the weather? Or would they have been there regardless of the weather? I just wanted to separate fact from speculation.

[DragonLips]

A voice of reason!

:cool:

 

If you read the reports, they were stuck in bad weather for ALMOST 14 hours of this cruise. The rough seas started Friday by guest accounts. Regardless of the Rogue wave, I don't see any evidence that the Skipper was planning to work around this storm.

 

I'm set to sail on the Dawn(deck 9) on 5/01. I'm obviously concerned by the news here. Freak waves happen, but the fact that Stuebing would not work out a better storm plan is just plain crazy. Your passenger's experience(and safety) are paramount on a successful cruise. Avoiding rough seas and keeping the propellers in the water to me is a sign of a good captain. The Dawn had the hell beaten out of hit for a almost half a day before this rogue wave made an appearance. To me, that makes me pensive about the pilot!

 

For my first cruise experience, I took the Carnival Victory up to Halifax and Sydney. The north Atlantic is notorious for rough seas that have entombed even some of the great liners. On our last day at sea, Hurrican Juan was directly in our path. Like a great captain, he planned an alernate route and took us around the storm(at high speed) and made it to NY on time. My wife and slept through the whole ordeal and didn't find out about it until the cruise director told us the next morning.

 

I don't know the exact situation with the weather, so excuse my anxiety as it has me speculating. The coast guard was quoted as saying they knew about the stormy conditions and had been following the storm for quite some time. Couple that with the fact that the Dawn's arrival in NY was moved up to make way for a special event on board, and I'm very skeptical at this point. In many ways (so long as my room isn't cancelled), I'm hoping the recent proximity to my sail date has the captain and crew on notice to check the doppler every once and a while. Hopefully we'll have smooth sailing!!

[vllygrrl]

Just curious. Do you know for a fact that some or all of those freighters were there because they were avoiding the weather? Or would they have been there regardless of the weather? I just wanted to separate fact from speculation.

 

We observed most of these ships leave the area without coming into port. Charleston is a busy port, but could not hold all these freighters. So, yes some speculation on my part, but since they all couldn't have been there at once, and most of them left without entering the port, it is my assumption that they had entered the harbor to seek shelter from the storm.

[TucsonCruiser]

We must hold them accountable, and from now on I am only booking submarines:). Sounds like the captain did a great job, and the ship is extremly sea worthy to stand up to a big wave with minimal damage. Anyone with a voucher, send it my way!

[01 Cobra]

We must hold them accountable, and from now on I am only booking submarines:). Sounds like the captain did a great job, and the ship is extremly sea worthy to stand up to a big wave with minimal damage. Anyone with a voucher, send it my way!

 

You obviously didn't hear about the submarine that recently ran into the mountain (highly elevated terrain) underwater. :eek: (true story)

 

From now on I'm just staying in my house. (just kidding)

 

I'm sorry to hear that so many people were scared but I'm glad everyone is alright.

 

I will still cruise...I live life on the edge...what can I say.

 

Mother Nature here I come!!!

[Suite Travels]

First of all Doppler will not pick up a Rogue wave. Doppler and radar on sea surface will give alot of false echos. Having traversed the N. Atlantic and southern you can EASILY get 25-40 ft waves anytime of the year. Cruise ship's do it all the time. Try going around the Horn in S.A. and you can be in for a real ride albeit very safe and every year Crystal and Seabourne <smaller ships> survive.

 

The entire eastern seaboard was engulfed in a cold front with a low pressure to the north. This was far from a hurricane and many cruise liners were out there. It was just the Dawn was unfortunate enough to have a hit by the wave. Perhaps if the ship was two miles south or north the wave would have missed.

 

People who are trying to blame the Captain are not experienced cruisers or have much knowledge of weather. This was not a disaster and I feel that NCL is doing a good job of compensating the customers. If your flight was cancelled or if you had heavy scary turbulence and your pilot landed you safely. Would you complain? I would be shaking his or her hand.

[dave415]

Typical media. I understand NCL is going to give 50% refund and 50% on future cruise. What more can you expect from an act of God. But then you had the man and his mother sue Holland America for hemorrhoid surgery and more because the ship wasn't clean and some of the crew was talking to hookers in port.

 

And to think it all started with a hot cup of coffee from McDonalds.

 

it's always lovely going from the absurd to the bizarre, what's up with this hemorrhoid and hookers case on HAL?

 

as far as the Dawn, investigate what?? waves hit ships, big waves hit ships, **it happens. The sea is what makes cruising unique, if you're afraid to get wet, stick to vegas.

 

in all fairness though putting stateroom balconies overlooking the bows of a ship isn't all it's cracked up to be. first of all, even under the best conditions, if the ship is under way it's like being in a wind-tunnel and secondly any openings on that aspect of the ship should be secured with watertight doors, not glass.... The Dawn and some of her sisters do give the impression that someone tried to uplift a landside resort and squeeze it onto a keel.

 

anyway, still dying to hear about the piles and pimps

[damiensmom]

Hi DragonLips,

These accounts are exactly right. The ship was in the storm for around 17 hours total with around 10 hours of it being intense. The storm started becoming unruly around 7PM or so and got really bad around 10PM. That is when we had to leave our cabin on the 11th deck forward because glasses, mugs, trays were flying around and breaking. We went to the atrium, took a spot on the floor with other frightened passengers and waited to see what would happen. For the next 8.5 hours that ship got tossed around like a rag doll in the hands of a 5 year old, and people kept asking "what is going on, why aren't we getting out of this storm??" During this time the captain made several announcements about how he was waiting to hear from Miami to "see what his options were". This says to me that he was not calling the shots. Not until the storm did damage that caused the ship to start taking on water were we taken out of that horrific storm, and believe me it was horrific. We got off in Charleston and took Amtrak home. It was our first and last cruise. But that is just me..I have heard of others who slept through it. Go figure...

 

 

If you read the reports, they were stuck in bad weather for ALMOST 14 hours of this cruise. The rough seas started Friday by guest accounts. Regardless of the Rogue wave, I don't see any evidence that the Skipper was planning to work around this storm.

 

I'm set to sail on the Dawn(deck 9) on 5/01. I'm obviously concerned by the news here. Freak waves happen, but the fact that Stuebing would not work out a better storm plan is just plain crazy. Your passenger's experience(and safety) are paramount on a successful cruise. Avoiding rough seas and keeping the propellers in the water to me is a sign of a good captain. The Dawn had the hell beaten out of hit for a almost half a day before this rogue wave made an appearance. To me, that makes me pensive about the pilot!

 

For my first cruise experience, I took the Carnival Victory up to Halifax and Sydney. The north Atlantic is notorious for rough seas that have entombed even some of the great liners. On our last day at sea, Hurrican Juan was directly in our path. Like a great captain, he planned an alernate route and took us around the storm(at high speed) and made it to NY on time. My wife and slept through the whole ordeal and didn't find out about it until the cruise director told us the next morning.

 

I don't know the exact situation with the weather, so excuse my anxiety as it has me speculating. The coast guard was quoted as saying they knew about the stormy conditions and had been following the storm for quite some time. Couple that with the fact that the Dawn's arrival in NY was moved up to make way for a special event on board, and I'm very skeptical at this point. In many ways (so long as my room isn't cancelled), I'm hoping the recent proximity to my sail date has the captain and crew on notice to check the doppler every once and a while. Hopefully we'll have smooth sailing!!

[lorn63vt]

I watched the weather channel that day and they spoke of the unusual conditions in that area due to a low pressure system that produced hurricane conditions. It was unual weather conditions for April. I was under the impression that ships were supposed to avoid situations like this and it seems the Dawn was going straight thru it. I'm sure there will be an investigation...I hope so....it seems odd they did not sail around the system. :)

 

I have to agree with this. I was on the Dawn during this whole thing, and the captain, at one point, specifically said the storm was not predicted. I am hearing differently. The waters started getting rough earlier in the day,the rogue wave did not hit ship until 5 or 6 am, and I was sliding from one side of my bed to another WAY before that wave hit. I don't understand why we had to keep going through that storm when we first hit it. One hates to think it's because NCL had to make NYC by 5am on Sunday, but what else in one suppossed to think? The storm was very rough hours before the rogue hit us. we had 47 foot swells. When does a cruise boat decide to avoid a storm is my question. How bad does it have to be?

[MikeyM]

I posted this in another Thread... AGAIN I dont mean to start a flame war

 

 

Hello Everyone,

 

 

 

I know this is my first post, so it looks like I am here to start a flame war, but I AM NOT. I am looking forward to sailing the Dawn in 5/1/05, I have been lurking these boards since I booked the cruise in December. My heart goes out to the poor people who where on this rough ride, as well as the crew, because I think they did a wonderful job.

 

 

I do though have a “theory” on why the ship went through such a rough ride. Could it be that that Niklas Peterstam the captain of the Norwegian Dawn felt pressure from the big wigs at NCL to get the boat back in time to film this commercial that was supposed to go on Sunday (4/17)?

 

 

Again just an idea, I am NOT trying to start trouble, I have been on NCL before (Norway 1996 I am so happy I got to sail on a great classic ship!!) and had a great time. I am looking forward to my stay on the Dawn. It is just a “theory” of mine….. It may have been posted already, so sorry for the double post if that’s the case.

 

 

- Mike M

 

 

[Steamboatin]

Ok you doubting Thomas out there and those from the "show me" state.

 

This website has several pictues of ships in very very rough seas. One of a vessel in 100+ foot waves.

 

Now remember to notice where these pictures were taken. They are in waters that cruise vessels travel in. Just that the cruise vessels travel in those waters at a different time of the year.

 

Taken your sea sick medicine yet. If so, go to:

 

http://tv-antenna.com/heavy-seas/

 

Now that is rocking and rolling big time. These guys earned their money on these voyages.

[vllygrrl]

I posted this in another Thread... AGAIN I dont mean to start a flame war

 

 

Hello Everyone,

 

 

 

I know this is my first post, so it looks like I am here to start a flame war, but I AM NOT. I am looking forward to sailing the Dawn in 5/1/05, I have been lurking these boards since I booked the cruise in December. My heart goes out to the poor people who where on this rough ride, as well as the crew, because I think they did a wonderful job.

 

 

I do though have a “theory” on why the ship went through such a rough ride. Could it be that that Niklas Peterstam the captain of the Norwegian Dawn felt pressure from the big wigs at NCL to get the boat back in time to film this commercial that was supposed to go on Sunday (4/17)?

 

 

Again just an idea, I am NOT trying to start trouble, I have been on NCL before (Norway 1996 I am so happy I got to sail on a great classic ship!!) and had a great time. I am looking forward to my stay on the Dawn. It is just a “theory” of mine….. It may have been posted already, so sorry for the double post if that’s the case.

 

 

- Mike M

 

 

 

The people posting about "why not sue mother nature" and discounting legitimate gripes just don't get it.

 

1) Rogue waves - Unpredictable. Of course they are, and not one person of any sense would post otherwise.

 

2) Storms are unpredicatable- That also is true. Living on the Jersey Shore, I know this first hand, getting caught on boats in the bay when a thunderstorm pops up suddenly.

 

Also living in the Jersey Shore, I am very weather savy and familiar with "nor'easters". And for those that don't know, where do these storms form and hit the northeast? Off the Carolina Coast! And except for it's trek southward, it was a classic formation of a "nor'easter.

 

The point here is not the rogue wave. It is a storm that WAS known, and WAS known to be intensifying as we drew closer. Even after entering the worst portion of the storm (which, ironically, was close to Charleston, our saving port) we kept going when we could have pulled off.

 

This is about circumstances that when put together, one MAY conclude (when you take into account the canceling of the Bahamas stop prior to the cruise as well) that NCL wanted that ship back in NYC for 5am Sunday and decided to take a chance and go through the storm to do it.

[Host CMLA]

Having traversed the N. Atlantic and southern you can EASILY get 25-40 ft waves anytime of the year. Cruise ship's do it all the time. Try going around the Horn in S.A. and you can be in for a real ride albeit very safe and every year Crystal and Seabourne <smaller ships> survive.

I cruised the N. Atlantic in September 2001...weather and seas so bad that all outside doors were locked and everyone was asked to stay in their room and secure belongings. I also sailed around the horn in S.A. in March 2002 and there's really nothing to describe what those seas felt like. It continued as we rounded to the west and went in and out of some straits. Very very bad... Thankfully we didn't encounter any rogue waves. Oh...both of those cruises was on the NCL Dream.

[mshe]

2) Storms are unpredicatable- That also is true. Living on the Jersey Shore, I know this first hand, getting caught on boats in the bay when a thunderstorm pops up suddenly.

 

Sort of, but most storms can be predicted within 24 hours - especially if you have access to satellite maps and weather feeds. Cruise ships have all this equipment, so they would have seen the storm coming.

[vllygrrl]

Sort of, but most storms can be predicted within 24 hours - especially if you have access to satellite maps and weather feeds. Cruise ships have all this equipment, so they would have seen the storm coming.

 

I meant to say Storms CAN be unpredictable in that line