Bay of Biscay

[cshellz]

I have been impulsive and booked what was advertised as a Mediterranean Cruise, the agent listed the ports as France, Spain and Portugal.

 

After booking, I have checked the itinerary and this is the cruise I have booked. http://www.msccruises.com/gl_en/Cruise-Departures/Cruise-Details-MSC-Opera.aspx?cruise_id=OP20140719SOUSOU&ship_code=OP

 

One of children has autism and gets very travel sick, I am worred that looking at the itinerary we will be in rough seas for too much of the cruise.

 

Trying to decide if the best option is just to lose what I have paid for the deposit.

 

Anybody been on this cruise? Any advice?

[lamchops]

On our TA last November we passed through the Bay of Biscayne from Southampton to Vigo, Spain and it was rough. The captain announced that it is common and we'd be fine once we passed the bay.

[SFCAcruiser]

Here is a link to an old thread about the weather in the Bay of Biscay. Here is another thread, and another. The general consensus is---- it varies. When I cruised there in October 2007, the water was very rough, outside decks were blocked off, had to walk carefully/slowly indoors being always ready to grab onto some support if needed, etc. But this is only one data point.

The Bay of Biscay is not always rough, so your decision comes down to "rolling the dice" regarding the weather. Before entering the Bay of Biscay it might be prudent to take motion sickness medication, before the actual need arises, at which point it may be too late.

[navybankerteacher]

Any significant body of water can be very rough given the right circumstances - the Bay of Biscay, being shallower than the larger Atlantic of which it is a part can permit long seas coming steadily from the northwest to build up and give a rough ride. If the prevailing winds in recent days had been from other points, that would not occur. In fact, because the bay is largely enclosed, winds from the north, northeast, east, southeast, south, and southwest, will result in fairly calm conditions.

 

Yes, Biscay can be a bear --- but the odds are that it will not be.

[dsrdsrdsr]

If you've booked it having been told it was a Mediterranean cruise, you've been missold, because it's not. If it sailed from Southampton to the Med, fair enough, that woiuld class as a Mediterranean cruise, but this one isn't.

 

Go back to the travel agent and tell them the tale, and ask for your money back. From that starting position, you'll hopefully be able to negotiate that your deposit can be transferred to a cruise which does meet what you want.

[Lovemychoos]

As another poster has said, if this was advertised as a Mediterranean cruise, you have definitely been mis-sold. This is classed on the link you have given as Northern Europe, and it is exactly that. It doesn't actually go into the Mediterranean :eek:

 

Having said that, the weather in July is generally kind, although you take a chance anywhere, anytime on finding rough seas. We've crossed the bay many, many times, and you can could on the fingers of one hand the number of times we've encountered rough seas. We've had much worse than the bay at the top of Sicily!

 

If you are at all worried, I would look at maybe a fly cruise straight to the med, but as I've said, you can encounter rough seas anywhere.

 

Good luck.

 

Lou

[jocap]

I agree with most that's been said....we've done a similar cruise to the one you mention, and it's sometimes headed the Iberian cruise, or France and Spain. It is almost completely in the BOB. We've had good crossings, but also perhaps 3 or 4 when the weather has been rough.

You say the person's seasick- has this been on a large vessel? There is a big difference in the size of the ship and the age of it. I cannot remember exactly how many times we've crossed the BOB, but I've only noticed the sick bags once, on the large ships. People who have travel sickness aren't necessarily seasick, though.;)

Good Luck! :)

[John Bull]

I very much doubt t was advertised as a Med cruise, & in any case whether it goes into the Med is largely irrelevant to the sea-sickness issue, cos the English Channel & BoB are en-route to the Med. But I see it also goes across the North Sea to Holland.

 

All three can cut up rough, but your cruise is in July so prospects are that you'll have no problem.:)

 

JB :)

[dark star]

BoB can be rough at any time of year just depends on wind conditions in the previous days.

 

been through 18 times had bad seas about 6 of those, you can get unlucky any time