God forbid your in the middle of a serious storm...

[YFancyface]

Where is the safest place to be? I would guess in your cabin with your life vest on, right? I just watched some horrendous video of cruises in rough water. In one, the ship looked like it was jumping out of the water like a dolphin!! :eek: I think I would die... too much Titantic watching for me! (But not enough Leo :D)

 

But seriously, has anyone here been in that situation? What did you do? How did you stay calm? Espeshially if you had kids with you?

[Jeffy294]

I have not been in this situation, but you would find me at the nearest open bar as long as the waves don't knock me off the stool, the rough seas does not even phase me. Airplanes are another story, somebody can sneeze and I will think we are headed for the ground

[ChrisInRowX]

I was on some Carnival ship (I forget which one) that left out of New Orleans, but on the way back we were trying to out run Katrina back to shore. I couldn't believe how much the boat was rocking. It only bothered me at night when I couldnt see what was going on outside, though. There were a lot of people sleeping on the lounge chairs and stuff in the hallways. I guess no one wanted to be in their cabin.

[charliedog]

I was on an RCCL cruise in the early 80's (1st cruise). The seas were high, you could not tell the sober passengers from the ones who had a few. Walking down the corridors people would hit one side of the wall and then the other, all the way down the corridor. The dance floor was actually quite funny. Everyone would be on one side of the dance floor and the other. We all moved as one. Drinks on the table looked just like in the movies, up one side, down the other, tables didn't move. Had a blast :D

[chelle74]

On my last cruise (only my second!), we went through Tropical Storm Olga. I can't recall how high the captain said the waves were (95 feet??), but our 7th level balcony was soaked with sea water from the waves. We didn't get much rain from it, just tremendous swells. There were sick bags on every railing and a LOT of people laying around in the atrium area. I was very seasick, as was my sister (her first cruise) and we both spent a lot of time in our cabins just because we couldn't bring ourselves to venture out. Our cabin steward told us that even a lot of the crew was feeling ill from the constant rocking.

 

I never felt unsafe, though. The captain was obviously very experienced (he was so cute and young-looking though... reminded me of Neil Patrick Harris) and did his best to keep us out of the worst of the storm.

[tnsunshine]

Once on one of my cruises the ship was rocking so much that most of the women were walking around on formal night carrying their shoes so not to fall on their butts!!! Walking down the halls we all looked drunk going side to side! It was funny!!!!! Another ship we were on a high deck and the waves came up SO high everything on the balcony was soaked and covered with salt. That was a little bit nervy but yet it was fascinating to experience!! Leaving in about two weeks and I placed an order for sunny weather with light breezes!!!

[G'ma]

Where is the safest place to be? I would guess in your cabin with your life vest on, right? I just watched some horrendous video of cruises in rough water. In one, the ship looked like it was jumping out of the water like a dolphin!! :eek: I think I would die... too much Titantic watching for me! (But not enough Leo :D)

 

But seriously, has anyone here been in that situation? What did you do? How did you stay calm? Espeshially if you had kids with you?

 

Over 30 some years of cruising, there have been some good whoppers. Of course, no ship goes through a hurricane and it's not hurricanes I'm speaking of. However, many weather systems can effect the surface of the sea and a strong tropical storm can make for an interesting ride.

 

All that being said, the strongest restriction I've ever seen is the Captain asking passengers to stay inside and not go out on the open decks...and this was in the Atlantic off Cape Hatteras returning from Bermuda.

 

Frankly, I find heavy seas and "interesting" weather to be exhilirating. I don't suffer from sea sickness at all, so that's not an issue. I do enjoy a good ride.

 

One of the best rides was on the Windjammer tall ship Polynesia somewhere west of Saba in 18-20 foot seas under sail. WOW! It was glorious.

 

No fears here. Ships are made to weather storms and the Master of the Vessel is a professional who's sailed for many years in all kinds of weather.

[Ambrosia64]

In '06 we came back up the east coast on the tail of two hurricanes. The boat was a rockin, people were a hurlin. One of the last sea nights the Captain ordered the exterior doors on public decks closed and locked and announced it - was pouring and windy as all get out - very easy to get blown around. Our friends had a balcony cabin on the 10th deck, a couple of times the pools on the 11th deck overflowed and the water rushed down the side of the ship past/on their balcony.

 

It didn't bother me. My oldest got seasick and took a lot of Dramamine that trip. My youngest -it didn't bother him - til we went in the theater for the show that night and he could see the curtain swinging fairly wildly - then he was nauseous. We never even considered going to the cabin and putting on life jackets. We did skip wearing heels for dinner though.

 

Where is the safest place to be? I would guess in your cabin with your life vest on, right? I just watched some horrendous video of cruises in rough water. In one, the ship looked like it was jumping out of the water like a dolphin!! :eek: I think I would die... too much Titantic watching for me! (But not enough Leo :D)

 

But seriously, has anyone here been in that situation? What did you do? How did you stay calm? Espeshially if you had kids with you?

[yakdaddy42]

In 05 we were on the NCL Sea, it was a smaller ship but we were in between Hurrcane Cindy and Daved in the Gulf of Mexico. It was a wild ride but I tuffed it out in the hottub with a dod. The pool got closed but the hot tub was not bad. On that ship the tub shower happend to follow the length of the ship it was like surffing just to take a shower.

[david08]

I have not been in this situation, but you would find me at the nearest open bar as long as the waves don't knock me off the stool, the rough seas does not even phase me. Airplanes are another story, somebody can sneeze and I will think we are headed for the ground

 

Look to the bar stool to the right...im there too!! :D

[Lib0007]

While cruising the Legend down near Costa Rica, we went through a really bad storm and the ship was rocking so bad after dinner, they kept announcing for everyone to go back to their cabins . . . everything closed down . . .

 

We just went to bed and by the next morning, the weather was beautiful . . .

[skylock]

I have had a few wild rides. Was never scared. But the ship does really creak. We were close to the front so the ride was rougher.

 

I recommend not putting anyone in the bunks. My son was thrown out of his. He wasn't hurt, but he didn't get back up there. (17 yrs old at the time)

[amybeth4]

OMG PLEASE don't sit in your cabin with your lifevests on. Go to a lounge and enjoy the wild ride with your fellow passengers and a drink or three. You'll be fine.

[mzloolue]

I was on some Carnival ship (I forget which one) that left out of New Orleans, but on the way back we were trying to out run Katrina back to shore. I couldn't believe how much the boat was rocking. It only bothered me at night when I couldnt see what was going on outside, though. There were a lot of people sleeping on the lounge chairs and stuff in the hallways. I guess no one wanted to be in their cabin.

 

Would this have been Sensation in August 2005?

[DiverDownAZ]

We were off the coast of Washington in a big storm doing 120 degree rolls. walking down a passageway half on one wall then half on the other. Not bumping into the walls literally walking on them.

 

Then there was the time we were doing a 45 deg down angle with the passageway in front of me completely full of water to the ceiling.

 

"Its not just a job its an adventure" and all that. I don't think carnival will ever get that bad

[loveJake]

We were on 2 cruises where we had very bad seas. One was leaving St. Thomas where we were trying to out run a storm, the crew was securing everything on the decks with ropes before we left. You were bouncing back and forth between the walls in the hallways and you felt like you were going to be thrown from the bed. The second one was up and down the eastern coast from Baltimore to Bermuda. Barf bags were placed all over the ship, the outer deck doors were locked, and the shows were cancelled, it was a ghost ship. But for us we just went to meals and laughed about being thrown around. At no time did I fell unsafe, or sick, just a little upset because you were confined as to what to do on the Bermuda cruise, bad seas all the way down and back, we arrived 3 hours late in Baltimore.

[salty dingo]

I would be up high, looking out a window, taking in the show.

 

I remember a situation where the NCL Majesty was coming back from Bermuda in the shoulder season, and the seas can get really rough at times. They got into a situation where a piece of the ship came loose and slammed into a window in the upper observation lounge, breaking and flooding it, and a few passengers were injured, though none seriously.

 

You would think you are safe 10 stories above the sea...

[vacruizer]

I have not been in this situation, but you would find me at the nearest open bar as long as the waves don't knock me off the stool, the rough seas does not even phase me. Airplanes are another story, somebody can sneeze and I will think we are headed for the ground

 

You and I are too much alike Jeffy!!! :p

 

We came through 20 foot seas on the Pride in May and had a blast. Had to wear my casual sandals to formal night after I couldn't walk in heels and our balcony on deck 8 was soaked from the spray. Most of the week was like that and it was one of my favorited cruises! All the outside decks were closed except the portions of Lido that are glassed in.

 

No need for lifejackets at all! My biggest worry was trying not to spill a martini - those tall, top heavy glasses aren't meant for rough seas!

 

An FYI for those of you who haven't been in rough seas yet - ships creak a lot in high seas and it's perfectly normal. I did hear a few people onboard talking about how scared they were at the noises the ship made.

[Crusin6]

Where is the safest place to be? I would guess in your cabin with your life vest on, right? I just watched some horrendous video of cruises in rough water. In one, the ship looked like it was jumping out of the water like a dolphin!! :eek: I think I would die... too much Titantic watching for me! (But not enough Leo :D)

 

But seriously, has anyone here been in that situation? What did you do? How did you stay calm? Espeshially if you had kids with you?

Watch out for the sky...it may be falling. I hope this is a joke thread that you started because if it isn't, you should reconsider taking a cruise. Now, the answer to your question is very simple...the captain will not be in the middle of a storm so do not concern yourself with that. They have equipment for that and regardless of what nonsense is spouted on CC, the cruiselines and the captains do know what they are doing.;)

[Crusin6]

Additionally, yes, I do know there is bad weather at times, so please no flames and I do know that seas get rough....I am just answering the OP in the vain of ....Let's not get neurotic here!! You will survive.

[grandmato4]

Its amazing how the memories of having one "wild" cruise ride will remain with you always like it happened yesterday!:D We had no sense of feeling scare just hoping for it to end sooner rather than later. I do remember that for those 10 hours it made no difference if we were pasengers or crew we were all in it together. I have to wonder if it were to happen again today how much complaining we'd hear from a few other passengers because I don't recall a single complainer or grouchy person but there sure were a lot of sick ones!:D Ours was complicated by the fact that a man suffered a heart attach just as the storm was starting and the Captain was trying desperately to get us out of the storm where a helicopter could evacuate him but unforuntately that didn't happen and he died which was really sad. The Captain kept us well imformed thoughout the evening and night as to where we were, what was going on and what to expect. The storm started about 5 pm and most people with early dining did show up in the dining room but there was a steady line of those becoming more and more seasick leaving the dining room throughout dinner. Very few actually attended the late seating for dinner. All outdoor doors were locked and all shows cancelled. It was highly recommended that you stay in your cabin. The casino did remain open and for the few of us that chose to spend our time there we all had a great time. Every few minutes someone would fall off their chair as the ship rocked and it became a game to see who would fall next or stay on their chair the longest. To attempt to stem the tide of fallen drinks they first changed to using only the largest glasses they had for all drinks and only filled them part way, charging us a lesser charge. Later on we simply were allowed to order what ever we wanted knowing it would be a "short" drink and they charged us nothing so the drinks were free:eek::D We had an ocean view cabin on a lower deck but there was nothing but water out of our window which was really strange. Dh had to lay down to avoid feeling sick but I only felt fine staying upright(well as upright as possible given the rocking and rolling). The stillness when we had finally cleared the storm gave you a strange feeling.

 

Fortunately finding your ship in the middle of a major storm that came up out of no where is extremely rare and the Captain and crew handle things very well. They do everything possible to avoid the situation in the first place.

 

We always laugh now-a-days when we sail and occasionally find rocking and rolling when we hear other passangers complain about the movement. Once you've experienced the REALLY bad stuff everything else is merely a "little" thing! :)

[deepnite10]

nothing is worst than riding out a storm alone in your cabin..misery loves company..so head up to the closest lounge and get happy with everyone else..:o

[richfret]

I have written about this before but will do it again for those that missed it. When I was in the Navy, I was assigned to Damage Control for a short time on a Cruiser. They have a gage that registers the angle the ship takes from the waves. It looks like a clock but has only one dial in the middle that goes from side to side. At both ends of the gage is an area of deep red color. (Don't go there!) Usually the dial will go some degrees to one side and then go to the other side with just a little less angle. It will continue like this until calm water.

 

Now if the dial goes into the red, it means the smoke stack has entered the water and that the ship is going to continue the roll until it is unside down (Like Poseidon). Since that did not happen on our ship, I am happy to be able to write this. On the other hand, we came darn close on a couple of ocassions. In fact in WW11, there were a couple of destroyers that did the roll during a hurricane.

 

So ...................... like finances, just stay out of the red.

[amybeth4]

So ...................... like finances, just stay out of the red.

 

 

Heehee!!!

[WitchyWoman14]

We had some pretty rough seas on the Liberty heading back to Fort Lauderdale. All I know is they said we had "Tropical Storm Force Winds". They locked all the exterior doors, but before they did, we went out (wasn't dangerous then), just to feel the winds! It was crazy! If your hair hit your face it hurt! That's how strong the winds were... At dinner, we would look out the windows on the right side of the ship and see all ocean, the left side, all sky, and vice versa... I never really felt scared and I am TERRIFIED of storms!!! It was all kinda amusing to me.. :D