Cruise ships are equipped with all kinds of monitors and tools to help detect storms, so that they can sail out of their path.
But sometimes storms can creep up quickly, or there’s just no avoiding it. When that happens, things can get a little scary.
On a recent cruise, I experienced some bad weather which required us to hold on to our wine glasses while eating as some started falling over! But that’s nothing compared to what some have witnessed…
Here are some real stories of passengers who have endured extreme storms while at sea:
“This was the day I accepted death”
Cruise ship caught in a bad storm
byu/newholland32 inSweatyPalms
This tale shows that storms can be very scary indeed! In the Spring of 2005, aboard the MV Explorer for Semester at Sea, the North Pacific delivered a harrowing experience.
The ship encountered waves 60 feet high and winds of 120mph, caused by a convergence of two storms. The waves shattered the bridge windows and flooded the bridge, disabling all four navigation engines.
For 16 hours, the ship was at the mercy of the ocean, tilting up to 37 degrees. Everyone donned life jackets and made their way to the fifth deck where the lifeboats were, though launching them in such weather was impossible. With the frigid North Pacific waters in January, the life expectancy if you went overboard was just seven minutes.
Remarkably, seasickness was minimal since the crew and passengers had already endured a week of 20-foot waves. So it was just the fear caused by these incredible waves, with the narrator saying they accepted death that day. Yikes.
From Redditor LouisIcon
Starting your career on the wrong foot…
A crew member tells the story of how, on their first weekend working aboard a cruise ship in 2016, they sailed through Storm Katie off the British coast. The storm brought hurricane-level winds over 90mph, exceeding the Beaufort scale’s Force 12. For the first few days, the rolling and turbulence were extreme.
Working in the onboard stores, the crew witnessed chaos as stock was thrown off shelves, with Swarovski crystal sculptures swept away like debris. Each morning, the stockroom appeared looted. The bars and galley departments faced even worse chaos.
The ship maintained a permanent list to one side, making simple tasks like walking feel like struggling up a steep hill. Upon returning to normal, adjusting to the ship’s lean was difficult, leading to mishaps like hitting the showerhead.
Shows and entertainment were cancelled, leaving guests with little to do but stay in their cabins. Seasickness was rampant. Compounding the misery, a recent norovirus outbreak had triggered a ‘red level’ hygiene alert. This meant rigorous sanitisation protocols, additional duties for serving food, and a complete loss of deck privileges and events for the crew.
For two or three days, everyone onboard faced a perfect storm of misery. Fortunately, there were no serious injuries or major damage, but the experience gave the worst first impression of the job possible.
From Redditor ElGofre
Scared for our lives
This one was so bad that it made the news in the UK. A passenger talked about their cruise on Saga’s Spirit of Discovery in 2023, on a round-trip cruise to the Canary Islands.
The ship sailed through a storm in the Bay of Biscay to reach La Coruna, only to find that the port was closed, leaving the ship stranded to face the stormy weather. It was so bad that glass balconies were broken and passengers were flung around the ship. Bearing in mind this was a Saga cruise, with mainly elderly passengers, that placed lives at risk.
Five people needed medical treatment, and 100 out of 1,000 suffered some form of minor injury. Passengers said that some guests were writing texts to their loved ones, convinced they were going to die.
In the end, everyone was okay but it was definitely a scary time.
From ITV.com
Too sick for spa treatments
On a November cruise departing from Miami, the weather was initially clear and sunny. However, just 30 minutes out, the ship encountered rough seas and strong winds.
As the passenger tells it, there was no rain but the turbulence was severe enough to make even crew members sick. This overwhelmed the staff’s ability to even keep the bathrooms looking respectable.
The itinerary included a day on an island, but the seas were too rough for the tender boats to approach the ship, leading to another day on choppy waters.
Spa appointments were booked but the therapist, working on her first cruise, was too sick to provide much service. Surprisingly, many passengers continued their day unaffected by the rough conditions, eating and drinking as normal.
After three days of turmoil, the ship returned to Miami, where the weather immediately cleared up, revealing beautiful skies for the remainder of the trip. Typical, right?
Seat belts needed!
In 1995, aboard the old Royal Princess with 1,200 passengers on a transatlantic voyage to New York, a severe storm forced the captain to skip docking in Greenland. The passengers telling this story, whose cabin was far forward, prepared by securing their belongings. But it wasn’t enough.
A glass flew off the bathroom counter and shattered. They used their luggage to block the closet doors from banging open all night, and tried to sleep despite the intense up-and-down motion. They were flying out of bed, and felt like they needed seat belts to even try to sleep!
On the fifth floor above the waterline, they watched waves crashing against the windows above. Eventually, they moved to a lower deck to reduce the motion and seasickness. After 24 hours, the storm finally abated. They sailed on the Royal Princess again, although the husband never appreciated the reminder that they were near where the Titanic sank.
Community spirit as chairs go flying
One cruise passenger tells how she experienced not one but two extreme cruises due to the weather, with all the chaos of flying pool chairs and furniture.
The crew efficiently closed off outside deck access on both cruises and ushered everyone indoors, attending to panicked or injured passengers. Once everyone was safely inside, the atmosphere transformed into one of camaraderie and gratitude.
Passengers showed kindness by sharing seasickness medication and assisting older individuals. The crew’s professionalism earned them random standing ovations throughout the remainder of the voyages. This passenger even said the two cruises remained some of their favourites!
From Redditor MrsMcFank
“I didn’t get to finish my soup!”
A passenger told the story of encountering rough seas on their very first cruise, causing the ship to rock intensely. Many experienced seasickness, resulting in an unfortunate incident of vomiting over a white dress during the ship’s ‘white night’ event.
Despite the discomfort, the passenger said their only regret was not being able to finish the delicious cream of mushroom soup served in the main dining room!
The passenger forgot to bring Dramamine but purchased some upon reaching port, having found previously purchased bands ineffective. Despite the seasickness, they still thoroughly enjoyed their first cruise experience and has taken more cruises since.
From Redditor Suspicious-Mammoth30
Puke everywhere
One cruise guest told the story of a cruise on Carnival’s Mardi Gras, when they encountered a night of very rough seas. While sleeping was enjoyable, walking became challenging due to sudden shifts, though they admit the drinks package probably hadn’t helped!
However, the real challenge was the widespread seasickness among passengers. This resulted in vomit appearing everywhere: elevators, corners, trash cans, bathrooms and hallways. Despite the unpleasantness, the cleaning staff swiftly had addressed the mess by breakfast time.
Conversations the next day revolved around the turbulent night, with nearly every interaction starting with enquiries about the experience. As you would expect, really. Kudos to the crew for getting everything cleaned up so fast!
Like walking on the moon…
A passenger tells how they encountered violent waves that caused the ship to lurch forwards and backwards. In their own words, they felt like Neil Armstrong walking on the moon!
While the ship was moving a lot, these passengers managed to find the fun in it, timing their jumps with the movement to get up to six feet in the air!
They also recommended enjoying alcohol during these rough seas, but I’m not sure how good that advice really is!
From Redditor vzwire
Wheelchair races down the hallway
During a crossing from Australia to New Zealand, known for its rough waters, one guest (then a teenager) was loving the storms initially, playing in the pool despite the water sloshing from side to side. However, conditions worsened rapidly, leading to widespread seasickness and difficulty walking as the ship juddered violently.
The situation was further complicated by a norovirus outbreak. The passenger’s sister was the first to fall ill, resulting in the entire family being quarantined together. Sharing a bathroom under such conditions made for a very unpleasant experience!
Despite the challenges, the narrator recalls having a somewhat good time. Their sister was a wheelchair user and, before anyone got sick, they took advantage of the listing boat by wheeling her to one end of a hallway and letting her go, so she could enjoy the ride! Hopefully, they had her consent…
Sound advice
Having experienced serious storms while cruising, a frequent cruiser has said that the best approach is to stay calm and trust the ship’s crew. Cruise ships are designed for rough seas, and crews will do everything possible to avoid and counteract the storm.
The guest says that you should take care to secure loose items in the cabin, like books and glasses. Heading to public areas to stay with the crew and other passengers usually creates a comforting and secure atmosphere.
In severe storms, the cruiser remains mindful and alert, keeping a cell phone close by in case of emergency.
From Karen Solvig
Final Word
Storms at sea can get pretty dramatic at times, and a lot of people tend to get sick when ships start to list. But there are some people that find even the most dramatic storms entertaining too.
Obviously, if furniture is flying around then you need to be careful, but ships can typically withstand a lot of punishment. So just get to a low deck and try to relax as you see out the storm.
Related Posts:
- The 16 Craziest Stories From Cruises – Thievery, Debauchery & Ghost Cruises!
- How Many Cruise Ships Have Sunk? Every Cruise Ship Sinking Since 1912
- Banned For LIFE! Real Stories Of Cruise Guests Who Are No Longer Welcome
Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
