Question about Cruise Ship's stabilizer technology

[wieslaw]

Thank you Capt BJ and Chengkp75 for all the detailed information - interesting reading for me.

I do appreciate the information that both of you provide on this and many other threads.

[sanmarcosman]

Thanks for the enlightening information about the air cooling systems on modern ships. I know I got a good education on the subject from a professional! :)

[Mike_]

Are there any cruise ships that don't use roll stabilizers? I'd love to be on a ship that actually rocks and rolls. I'd just like to experience it. I was thinking that perhaps the Cunnard line might, like the QM2.

 

I just got off an RCCL cruise in the caribbean that had some higher seas than normal, and it felt like a jack hammer as the ship constantly fought the normal roll of the seas. It went on for two days.

 

Thanks,

 

Mike_

[Vampire Parrot]

Are there any cruise ships that don't use roll stabilizers? I'd love to be on a ship that actually rocks and rolls. I'd just like to experience it. I was thinking that perhaps the Cunnard line might, like the QM2.

 

The Queen Mary 2 has two pairs of stabilizers, which when deployed at optimum speed reduce roll by about 90%.

 

VP

[Mike_]

Thank you, I just read the same while reading an interview with the Captain of the QM2.

 

So, what is left... sailing on a cargo ship to get the real feel of what it's like to sail on the ocean?

 

Thanks,

 

Mike

[chengkp75]

Are there any cruise ships that don't use roll stabilizers? I'd love to be on a ship that actually rocks and rolls. I'd just like to experience it. I was thinking that perhaps the Cunnard line might, like the QM2.

 

I just got off an RCCL cruise in the caribbean that had some higher seas than normal, and it felt like a jack hammer as the ship constantly fought the normal roll of the seas. It went on for two days.

 

Thanks,

 

Mike_

 

Many of the ships will not use their stabilizers all the time. Use of the stabilizers increases fuel consumption, so the Captain will balance passenger comfort with fuel economy.

 

Cunard's "liners" tend to use their stabilizers less than other ships, to keep up speed and fuel consumption down.

 

I don't think that a "jackhammer" feeling was due to stabilizers. What you describe would be more due to slamming caused by the seas coming on the bow, and slamming into the flare of the bow. This happens regardless of stabilizer use, but is a factor of wind/sea direction, ship speed and course, and wave frequency. Stabilizers just put a "delay" in the ship's roll, on a continual basis, more like shock absorbers on a car.

 

The best place to experience ship motion is the US "Gray Funnel Line".

Edited February 15, 2015 by chengkp75

[nybumpkin]

The best place to experience ship motion is the US "Gray Funnel Line".

LOL - Oldest son is home on leave right now. When he gets back he'll be deploying for a 5-6 month tour. He's done pretty well with the motion on his tin can, though.:)

[Mike_]

Well, I thought it was the stabilization effort. I was sitting in the main dinning room next to a support column and it felt like I was in the biggest vibrating chair. We were sailing/steaming from Tampa to Honduras and it it definitely felt "mechanical". However, I guess it could have been a shuddering, but since I thought it was the stabilizers I never bothered to ask.

 

 

Thanks,

 

Mike_

[Mike_]

LOL - Oldest son is home on leave right now. When he gets back he'll be deploying for a 5-6 month tour. He's done pretty well with the motion on his tin can, though.:)

 

Many of the ships will not use their stabilizers all the time. Use of the stabilizers increases fuel consumption, so the Captain will balance passenger comfort with fuel economy.

 

Cunard's "liners" tend to use their stabilizers less than other ships, to keep up speed and fuel consumption down.

 

I don't think that a "jackhammer" feeling was due to stabilizers. What you describe would be more due to slamming caused by the seas coming on the bow, and slamming into the flare of the bow. This happens regardless of stabilizer use, but is a factor of wind/sea direction, ship speed and course, and wave frequency. Stabilizers just put a "delay" in the ship's roll, on a continual basis, more like shock absorbers on a car.

 

The best place to experience ship motion is the US "Gray Funnel Line".

 

Well, I thought it was the stabilization effort. I was sitting in the main dinning room next to a support column and it felt like I was in the biggest vibrating chair. We were sailing/steaming from Tampa to Honduras and it it definitely felt "mechanical". However, I guess it could have been a shuddering, but since I thought it was the stabilizers I never bothered to ask.

 

 

Thanks,

 

Mike_

[chengkp75]

Well, I thought it was the stabilization effort. I was sitting in the main dinning room next to a support column and it felt like I was in the biggest vibrating chair. We were sailing/steaming from Tampa to Honduras and it it definitely felt "mechanical". However, I guess it could have been a shuddering, but since I thought it was the stabilizers I never bothered to ask.

 

 

Thanks,

 

Mike_

 

Ah, now I understand. The MDR was aft, correct? What you were feeling was the vibration caused when the propellers come close to the surface of the water as the ship pitches. When the props lift up in the water, there is less resistance, and they will tend to speed up, and then they are pushed deeper and they tend to slow down. The vibration is caused by a combination of cavitation and waves created that slap the bottom when the prop is high in the water, and also the changing propeller speed will move through the natural frequency of the hull, causing resonant vibration. You will feel this on any ship that is pitching, whether or not they have stabilizers.

[Hlitner]

Ship stabilizers go back to the early 50s when Denny-Brown (an innovative ship building company) came up with an idea of having a couple of retractable fins that would be controlled by a gyroscope and dampen ship movement. Today the systems are more sophisticated but still work in a similar manner. But stabilizers do not do an effective job dampening movement from so-called long swells or high waves which will rock any ship.

 

So here are the standard words of wisdom. A ship sails upon the sea, and anything upon the sea will move with the sea! If you are prone to seasickness then its incumbent upon you to seek out the best meds to help (we like Bonine which is Meclizine Hcl), just put up with your demons, or find another way to spend your leisure time other then on a ship.

 

Hank

[navybankerteacher]

 

So here are the standard words of wisdom. A ship sails upon the sea, and anything upon the sea will move with the sea! If you are prone to seasickness then its incumbent upon you to seek out the best meds to help (we like Bonine which is Meclizine Hcl), just put up with your demons, or find another way to spend your leisure time other then on a ship.

 

Hank

 

Sound advice. Better to not go to sea if you cannot enjoy being at sea.

[chengkp75]

Sound advice. Better to not go to sea if you cannot enjoy being at sea.

 

From what I read, the "resurrecting" poster was looking for ship's motion.

[Hlitner]

From what I read, the "resurrecting" poster was looking for ship's motion.

 

Now that is almost funny except there are those of us who actually do like some rougher days. When DW and I take long cruises (sometimes over a month long) it can get a bit monotonous to have all calm days with glassy seas. Sometimes its nice to be on a ship that feels like a ship rather then a floating resort. We often book cabins near the bow since the extra motion helps rock us asleep :)

 

Hank

Edited February 16, 2015 by Hlitner

[erdoc53]

Where can one find which ships have stabilizers? They never say...

[chengkp75]

1 hour ago, erdoc53 said:

Where can one find which ships have stabilizers? They never say...

I would say that any cruise ship built within the last 20 years has stabilizers.  There may be some smaller ships that don't, it would depend on the initial stability of the design.

[Underwatr]

Queen Mary was fitted with stabilizers in 1957-58 (but she tended to roll).

[clo]

5 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

I would say that any cruise ship built within the last 20 years has stabilizers.  There may be some smaller ships that don't, it would depend on the initial stability of the design.

You might enjoy this link. Hurtigruten's Lofoten was built in 1964. We were on it the night that that Viking ship lost power in the general area. We didn't sail that night. I loved it. I would slide down to the bottom of the bunk and then back to the top. And the water in the shower was a kick 🙂 Not everyone's cup of tea.

https://www.hurtigruten.com/our-ships/ms-lofoten/

[clo]

2 minutes ago, clo said:

You might enjoy this link. Hurtigruten's Lofoten was built in 1964. We were on it the night that that Viking ship lost power in the general area. We didn't sail that night. I loved it. I would slide down to the bottom of the bunk and then back to the top. And the water in the shower was a kick 🙂 Not everyone's cup of tea.

https://www.hurtigruten.com/our-ships/ms-lofoten/

Just for the heck of it, I'm going to link to the deck plans.

https://hurtigruten.crucemar.com/images/barcos/ms-lofoten/ficha-tecnica-ms-lofoten.pdf

We loved last March's cruise so much that we're going back in April.

[Hlitner]

So, we can all read the discussion about how stabilizers work, what they can do, and what they can not do.  But the reality is that folks choose to go on ships that sail upon the sea, and the sea is generally unpredictable.  If you are going to ruminate about rolling, pitiching, waves and swells then take some other kind of vacation on land.  Because when you go on a ship there is always a possibility that the ship is going to move (especially in long swells) and there is nothing you can do about it!  

 

We have been cruising for over 40 years (in the old days they called them Denny Brown Stabilizers).  Today's systems have improved, but still cannot overcome everything.  Folks can ask, all they want, is our cruise going to have rough seas and none of us truly know the answer other then, "maybe yes or maybe no."

 

 I find this topic similar to people whining about muster drills.  This is all a part of being on the sea and it is what it is.

 

Hank

[clo]

1 hour ago, Hlitner said:

This is all a part of being on the sea and it is what it is.

And as I wrote above, I loved the rockin' n rollin'. You know, like we were on the sea 🙂

[lenquixote66]

15 hours ago, clo said:

And as I wrote above, I loved the rockin' n rollin'. You know, like we were on the sea 🙂

Being on a cruise ship is a bit like being on a roller coaster.You know ahead of time that you will feel movement but never know how much.

[ldubs]

To me it is kind of like turbulence during a flight.  Goes with the territory but I would still prefer smooth seas (or calm airs).  And I am fortunate that I do not suffer motion sickness.  

[K32682]

I enjoy rough seas and secretly hope we encounter them.  The sweet spot is weather that is not rough enough to cancel shows, etc. but sufficient to reduce the crowds in the casino and MDR.  The only downside is the occasional missed port and the whining in the aftermath.  My favorite was the woman who was planning to sue her travel agent who assured her stabilizers guaranteed a smooth sail.     

[clo]

4 hours ago, ldubs said:

To me it is kind of like turbulence during a flight.

Not for me. 🙂