A Norwegian cruise liner carrying hundreds of passengers weathered a “terrifying” storm before a rogue wave temporarily took out its power, stomach-churning footage showed. "The crew from Deck 0-4 evacuated to the theater, and anywhere they could rest… the crew bar destroyed." MSC also said it offered passengers a choice of sailing to the new destinations or canceling for future credit, "which allows them to put the full value paid for this cruise toward another at their convenience." Richard Reynolds, 60, told The Daily Mail he and his wife were passengers onboard along with his elderly parents.
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The ship reportedly arrived safely at Coco Cay, an island used by Royal Caribbean about 55 miles north of Nassau. “Instead of telling people to come up to the top deck when we have a severe thunderstorm warning, maybe you should be more worried about your guests and employees and tell them to get inside,” he wrote. The 138,194-gross-ton Voyager of the Seas can welcome 3,602 guests onboard at double occupancy, or as many as 4,000 passengers when fully booked with all berths filled. The storm was likely the same squall line that Carnival Dream also passed through when guests and crew members were advised to stay in their cabins.
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“Although itinerary modifications happen from time to time, any decision to change an itinerary is always done with the interest of guest and crew safety,” Heald said. The center also said hurricane-force winds "are expected along the coasts of South Carolina and southeastern North Carolina within the Hurricane Warning area soon," among other impacts. ► Disney Cruise Line canceled a Friday sailing on its Disney Wish ship, according to its website. Passengers booked on the cruise, which was scheduled to leave from Port Canaveral, "will automatically receive a full refund back to their original form of payment," a Disney Cruise Line spokesperson said in an email. Carnival Liberty did not stop at Princess Cays Wednesday during a sailing from Port Canaveral, and Carnival Horizon did not stop at Grand Cayman on its sailing from Miami, opting for a sea day instead. The ship is expected to get back to Port Canaveral Saturday, one day later than scheduled.
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Winter storm delays cruise ships impacting over 10000 passengers - Cruise Blog
Winter storm delays cruise ships impacting over 10000 passengers.
Posted: Mon, 18 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
As is standard procedure, the open decks were closed during the storm and for a period of time afterward while safety checks were performed and the area was cleaned up. Crew members reacted quickly to clean up, including putting towels down to soak up water in flooded areas and to ensure flooring was safe for guests. Security was stationed around the ship to reassure guests and offer guidance as needed. Guests onboard reported that some individuals were injured by slot machines falling, but no severe injuries have been reported. Voyager of the Seas had to sail through a severe sudden storm over the weekend, causing flooding and interior damage on the ship.
Carnival Cruise Line, in particular, undertook a comprehensive review of their emergency response procedures and made several improvements based on lessons learned from the incident. The Carnival Sunshine Storm Incident serves as a reminder of the importance of continuously evaluating and improving ship design to enhance safety measures. "Instead of telling people to come up to the top deck when we have a severe thunderstorm warning, maybe you should be more worried about your guests and employees and tell them to get inside," tweeted one passenger who filmed the storm. One passenger, Alan Grisedale, filmed the enormous waves that rocked Spirit of Discovery in the Bay of Biscay and shared the footage with BBC News. Grisedale said the force against the ship was so great that his wife was knocked over, and furniture was pushed around inside their cabin, the BBC reported. Another passenger on the ship recalled in comments to the BBC that "tables were flying" and waves were "throwing people around all up and down the place."
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Because of this, the cruise has now been shortened by two days and will not depart until Monday, December 18. Guests are receiving generous compensation for the dramatic adjustment, which includes cancelling most planned ports of call due to the shortened sailing time. Carnival Cruise Line’s 133,596-gross-ton Carnival Vista, which was just involved with an at-sea rescue of stranded crew members from a capsized cargo vessel, was forced to skip the scheduled stop in Grand Turk on Thursday, December 14. Allure of the Seas arrived back at Port Canaveral on schedule on Friday morning, though it is likely her next itinerary – a 3-night weekend getaway to Nassau and CocoCay, will also be impacted by the poor weather. Guests were refunded the port fees and any pre-paid shore excursions for missing the popular destination. MSC Meraviglia’s December 16 sailing out of New York City was originally scheduled to visit Port Canaveral in Florida, Nassau in the Bahamas, and its private island of Ocean Cay, also in the Bahamas.
While crossing the bay, the ship's propulsion safety system activated and caused it to jerk suddenly to one direction, which essentially brought the vessel to a halt. Cruise lines will alter itineraries as needed to protect their guests, crew, and vessels. This may mean delaying or canceling a port of call, reversing the order of an itinerary, or substituting an alternate port of call visit away from the path of a dangerous storm.
Another passenger, RJ Whited, wrote in a since-deleted Facebook post cited by Newsweek, "Our cruise ship last night was literally sideways and slung everything in our room breaking, people in the hallways throwing up and sleeping on the stairs." The cruise ship can accommodate up to 5,624 passengers and 1,608 crew members, the cruise line says on its website. Jan Bendall, 75, a passenger onboard the cruise, told the BBC that the vessel didn't move for 15 hours as the storm raged on around them. Several passengers, including Brenda Goodwin Sherbert, posted on social media about broken glass on the ship.
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To ensure the safety and comfort of its passengers, a cruise ship can alter its course and circumvent the rough weather system. In stormy conditions, the crew can deploy the stabilizers, which will prevent the ship from rolling and bucking. The investigation led to recommendations for industry-wide changes, including stricter guidelines for ship stability in adverse weather conditions and enhanced training for crew members on emergency response procedures. Even in the midst of bad weather, however, cruise ships can change their orientation, adjust speed, deploy stabilizers, and take other steps to ensure guests’ safety and comfort as much as possible until the severe weather passes. "The safety and security of our guests and crew is always our number one priority," the spokesperson said, adding that passengers with shore excursions booked through Norwegian at impacted ports would be refunded via their onboard accounts.
Reynolds said his mom was injured after being thrown to the floor when the boat rocked. The Spirit of Discovery, a vessel run by Saga Cruises, was carrying about 1,000 people on what was supposed to be a two-week cruise around the Canary Islands, the outlet reported. Carnival Sunshine, which was headed from the Bahamas to South Carolina, arrived in Charleston behind schedule, according to the spokesman. Some crew cabins needed to be temporarily taken out of service because of water damage.
The vessel was on its way back to Galveston, Texas, as part of a five-night trip to Cozumel, Mexico, according to USA Today. The footage also shows sunbeds piled up on the deck after being tossed around in the powerful storm. “This is my view of Independence of the Seas as she started to get battered by the heavy winds whilst mid-spin attempting to turn around to leave the port,” Pike said in a tweet. Videos and photos shared to different social media sites also show flooding in both public areas and guest staterooms, as well as passengers milling about in general confusion as the situation evolved.
The stop in CocoCay was to have been on Wednesday, December 13, but was not possible due to high winds. Reuters reported that the ship was being towed to Bremerhafen in Germany after the power outage. A spokesperson for the Danish Joint Rescue Coordination Centre told the news agency that a ship from civil rescue firm Esvagt had managed to connect a tow line to the MS Maud. Close to midnight, he says passengers in the hallway reported water leaking from the ceiling into their room. "Our cruise ship last night was literally sideways and slung everything in our room breaking, people in the hallways throwing up and sleeping on the stairs," Whited wrote in the post.
The scheduled port of call to the cruise line’s private island of Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas on December 15 was cancelled. Passengers currently onboard also report that the ship had a brief power failure shortly after departing Nassau on December 14. "The weather was unexpectedly strong, causing conditions that were rougher than forecasted," the statement continues. A dream vacation became a maritime nightmare for those onboard a cruise ship caught in a fierce storm in the Bay of Biscay that left 100 people injured over the weekend, according to media reports.
Weather forecasters are projecting higher than normal activity for the 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season, with the possibility of named storms, of which 6-10 may become hurricanes. He noted that the cruise line gathers information from the National Hurricane Center, U.S. Coast Guard, and other government authorities, and the Carnival Cruise Line Fleet Operations Center is staffed 24 hours a day to monitor conditions. Independence of the Seas' Friday voyage will now leave on Saturday, as well, and will not visit Perfect Day at CocoCay, but will stop in Nassau on Sunday as scheduled. Lupoli said Carnival Ecstasy, which left from Mobile, Alabama, Monday, would reorder its visits to Cozumel and Progreso, Mexico, stopping in Progreso first.
Instead, guests were notified at embarkation that the original itinerary was no longer possible. (WBTV) - Passengers who were on a Carnival cruise ship Memorial Day weekend are sharing their “nightmare” moments after the ship sailed through a storm, leaving behind reported damage. That day, Taylor said the captain made an announcement that the ship may arrive in Charleston later than scheduled due to adverse weather conditions. The captain said crew members "would do everything they could to minimize discomfort," Taylor said. Faust said that cruise lines typically have a "contract of carriage" clause that doesn't guarantee the ports the ship will travel to and allows the cruise operator to change the itinerary for various issues, including weather. Pete Peterson, owner of Storybook Cruises, which is affiliated with Cruise Planners, said cruise ships keep a close eye on weather developments and will adjust their itinerary depending on the severity of the storm.
Cruise ships should be built with reinforced structures and improved stability to withstand rough seas and high winds. In the case of the Carnival Sunshine Storm Incident, it is important to note that storms can be unpredictable and can escalate rapidly. While cruise ships are equipped with advanced weather monitoring systems, unexpected changes in weather patterns can still pose a significant risk. The Carnival Sunshine’s crew swiftly activated emergency protocols to ensure the safety of passengers.
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