Rough Seas????

[asalnars]

This is my first post in the forum but I have been a regular visitor for a long while.

 

I returned this last Sunday from a wonderful Southern Carribean cruise on the Westerdam which was my first experience on HAL. I loved HAL and I thought the cruise was super and we enjoyed all the ports of call.

 

On this cruise we experienced some bad weather and one night there was a force 10 gale blowing and there was a fair bit of ship movement which I loved but which made my wife sea sick.

 

I was maybe thinking of doing a South American cruise in December from Buenos Aires to Valparaiso but I am a bit worried about what kind of weather and rough seas can be expected on such a cruise????.

 

So my question is if other forum members can give me their experience on sea and weather conditions on cruises round Cape Horn.

 

Look forward to your replies and thank you in advance.

 

 

Previous Cruises.

Carnival Valor, Eastern Carribean, June 2006

RCCL Freedom Of The Seas, Western Carribean, September 2007

HAL Westerdam, Southern Carribean, March 2008

[jhannah]

Several "regulars" on this board just recently returned from a South America-Antarctica cruise and will share their experience, I'm sure. But from previous posters, rounding the Horn can be quite a ride or can be smooth as glass. It's all up to Mother Nature.

 

And welcome to the HAL board. Good to see you here. Pull up a deck chair and stay a while.

[Bill S]

When we sailed around Cape Horn a few years ago, the seas were flat-I was a bit disappointed but DW was happy! However, the seas there can be quite difficult, too.

The SA cruise is wonderful!

[innlady1]

This is my first post in the forum but I have been a regular visitor for a long while.

 

I returned this last Sunday from a wonderful Southern Carribean cruise on the Westerdam which was my first experience on HAL. I loved HAL and I thought the cruise was super and we enjoyed all the ports of call.

 

On this cruise we experienced some bad weather and one night there was a force 10 gale blowing and there was a fair bit of ship movement which I loved but which made my wife sea sick.

 

I was maybe thinking of doing a South American cruise in December from Buenos Aires to Valparaiso but I am a bit worried about what kind of weather and rough seas can be expected on such a cruise????.

 

So my question is if other forum members can give me their experience on sea and weather conditions on cruises round Cape Horn.

 

Look forward to your replies and thank you in advance.

 

 

Previous Cruises.

Carnival Valor, Eastern Carribean, June 2006

RCCL Freedom Of The Seas, Western Carribean, September 2007

HAL Westerdam, Southern Carribean, March 2008

 

Check for RuthC's Happy Wanderer recent thread...she's one of the "regulars" I think Jim is referring to...and she and others posted frequently on that thread. I recall that she posted about some rough weather while on that cruise. In any event, you'll find a wealth of information there.

[bruceh4]

As Jim said it is all up to mother nature. When I sailed from Rio to Valpariso a few years ago the seas were almost flat. When we rounded the cape I was disappointed that it was so smooth!!! But the week before a friend on a different line had it so rough that they had a few passengers with broken legs and arms. So you never can tell and that can happen anywhere on the ocean not just rounding the cape. The day before we got to Valpariso after a very flat trip we ran into a squall line which produced 8 foot breakers in the pool. This was only for about 2 hours and then we went back to flat seas. So again it just depends on how mother nature smiles on you!!!

[arzz]

The South America cruise is wonderful -- best trip that we have done to date. The seas, however, as others have said can be smooth as glass to totally wicked -- all depends on what Mother Nature is doing the day that you round the horn.

[RevNeal]

It was a glorious cruise. We had some rather rough seas (force 10 winds and 40 foot seas), particularly in route to the Falkland Islands and in route from the Falklands to Antarctica. We also had rough seas in transit back to South America. However, at the horn itself our seas were nice and calm.

 

For photos from the cruise, check HERE.

 

It's a WONDERFUL cruise. Book it!!!!

[mancunian]

We have just done the Rio - Valparaiso trip. Did not have the sea quite as rough as Rev Neal - the captain said the seas between the Falklands and the Cape were 20 foot but we were in extremely high winds. We were not able to actually sail round the cape, the captain kept in the lee of it. We then went to Ushuia where we were unable to land so sat for a morning looking at it. On the other hand the Falklands was flat and we landed there quite easily. We did also have some rough weather between Buenos Aires and the Falklands. The route up to Valparaiso was then smooth.

 

Before this trip I got quite nervous about the whole question of the rough seas and had since Christmas been doing a daily watch on Ocean Weather Inc. I came to the conclusion that the Cape could be rough or calm, but that you were likely to get somewhere on the cruise where you would hit fairly rough seas. Having said that we thought the Rotterdam coped very well particularly in the roughest weather and we did not meet many people affected by it.

 

It is a wonderful itinerary and I think worth the risk. You can always have an injection. Having said that I have never actually been seasick and people - including my husband say it is terrible.

[Mary Ellen]

I am another who was on the recent South America/Antarctica cruise that has been mentioned. I am also one who does get seasick quite easily (I've joked about being the poster child of seasickness). ! was prepared to get the injection if the need arose. My goal was 'better cruising through chemistry'. This time I did find the combination of treatments that works for me. I used 'the patch' along with 2 ginger capsules in the morning and again in the evening. Neither has worked on their own 100% in the past. I was amazed - NO queasiness - zip, zero, zilch. The others were surprised at how well I handled the seas, but none more so than my DH. He was absolutely stunned. :eek:

 

So, my advise is - if this is a cruise you'd like to do, go for it! But make sure your wife is prepared in case of rough seas. We enjoyed Antarctica so much, we're going back again in 2011. :D

[RuthC]

Thought I heard my name drop. ;)

I've done the Rio-Valparaiso via Antarctica cruise twice now. Both times it was calm as a bathtub rounding the Horn---both times there were other areas, though, that were pretty bouncy. This last time there were two full days I needed my cane walking around. Never had that happen before! :rolleyes:

On that route you have to expect some stormy weather/bumpy seas at some point. It's "gonna" happen.

As Mary Ellen suggests, have your wife find the combination of treatments that work the best for her, and start them early. And have her keep repeating to herself "This, too, shall pass".

It's a great route, and worth taking.

[camNaud]

 

For photos from the cruise, check HERE.

 

Revneal,

 

Thank you for the link to your slideshows of the above cruise. We really enjoyed your tour of The Rotterdam & Sailaway from Rio shots the most. We sail on The Rotterdam next Friday from Rio, so it was great to get a pre-view glimpse of what to expect. This will be our first time on HAL, so we are getting very excited to say the least.

 

Thanks again

[Estella]

Just did that cruise in December and had no rough seas. Thought going around the "Horn" would be rough, but calm seas there too. Don't miss this cruise, it is one of the best!!!!!

[Taxguy7]

Revneal,

 

Thank you for the link to your slideshows of the above cruise. We really enjoyed your tour of The Rotterdam & Sailaway from Rio shots the most. We sail on The Rotterdam next Friday from Rio, so it was great to get a pre-view glimpse of what to expect. This will be our first time on HAL, so we are getting very excited to say the least.

 

Thanks again

 

Rev Neal:

I add my thanks, going on my 1st HAL ship (Rotterdam) 4Nov08. The ship looks extremely gorgous.

Roger:p

[RevNeal]

Revneal,

 

Thank you for the link to your slideshows of the above cruise. We really enjoyed your tour of The Rotterdam & Sailaway from Rio shots the most. We sail on The Rotterdam next Friday from Rio, so it was great to get a pre-view glimpse of what to expect. This will be our first time on HAL, so we are getting very excited to say the least.

 

Thanks again

 

Rev Neal:

I add my thanks, going on my 1st HAL ship (Rotterdam) 4Nov08. The ship looks extremely gorgous.

Roger:p

 

You're both very welcome. I LOVED the Rotterdam ... she's become my favorite HAL ship. I've long preferred the R-class ships, but I hadn't been on the Rotterdam herself until this cruise, and I discovered that I adored her interior decor. She's a LOVELY ship, and a wonderful vessel to take a longer cruise aboard. I look forward to doing so again someday.

[Copper10-8]

North Atlantic crossing anyone?;)

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

We also had several days of very rough seas on our Veendam - 14 day Southern Caribbean cruise -- just got off the ship today.

[asalnars]

I thank you all very much for the information and advice. I would love to do this cruise but I am worried about the wife. As for myself I have sailed on a 40 foot fishing boat in the North Atlantic in winter and was not sick.

[Dorbil]

If you are anticipating rough seas and are prone to seasickness, book a cabin located on a low level, mid-ship.

 

As mentioned above, the medications available today really work, so don't pass up a wonderful, exciting trip to Antarctica -- it's unique!!

 

I, personally, make sure I have crystallized ginger with me for any "moments," but we also had prescription "patches" and also "bracelets" with us just in case...never looked for them, and we were on the aforementioned January/Rotterdam cruise, which had its moments.

[localady]

I would sure get a prescription for your wife and do the South America cruise. Make sure you book a cabin in the center and lower in the ship. It assures less movement.

 

As with others South America was a trip of a lifetime for us but I did suffer my only case of mal de mer between Argentina and the Falklands. We were in a suite with was close to the front of the ship which was located on the highest pax deck.

 

Since then I have used a patch when things get really rough, but it is truly infrequently.

 

Give it a go, and have your wife try some of the suggested remedies, they really do work!

[SharonN]

If you are anticipating rough seas and are prone to seasickness, book a cabin located on a low level, mid-ship.

 

As mentioned above, the medications available today really work, so don't pass up a wonderful, exciting trip to Antarctica -- it's unique!!

 

I, personally, make sure I have crystallized ginger with me for any "moments," but we also had prescription "patches" and also "bracelets" with us just in case...never looked for them, and we were on the aforementioned January/Rotterdam cruise, which had its moments.

 

 

I was also on the Jan/Feb Rotterdam cruise with many of the others that have already posted and agree that you shouldn't let your fear of seasickness keep you from this fantastic journey. One of my tablemates said she had been seasick on every previous cruise to the point of needing an injection. She came prepared this time with patches and though she had a few queazy moments on the rocky days we did have she got over them quickly and was happy with how the patches worked for her and she was very glad she took the trip.

 

Dorbil - Nice to see you post. Hope you've finished your penance from the Ash Wed service!;)

[doxxie]

We just returned on the Noordam out of NYC - My advice for any rough seas : buy a set of SEA BANDS for ea member of your party --they work !! I also brought with me "Bonine" a non-drowsy ,chewable version of dramimine - also - grab a book or embroidery or game and head to the lower decks - midship. Find a nice couch in one of the many bars - get comfortable for the day. The lower decks have less motion --esp when midship.