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Definition of rough seas?


mearsfansinboise

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Pardon my ignorance, but what defines rough seas?

We have only been on 2 cruises - Alaska, and Mexico - and Alaska I recall feeling a little more motion almost exactly when and where Miss Ruth C told me we would feel it. And then when we went to Mexico, pretty much the same thing - leaving and coming back and then there was 1 night where the little room monitor thing said the seas were "rough". We're taking the Hawaii cruise in April and I have mentioned here before that I get the panicky thing with the rough seas issue although it won't prevent me from booking a cruise - LOL - but I am a bit more concerned on this one than others just because it's so long at sea.

And another question....when people say rough seas when they are talking about past cruises, is this for a period of hours or can it last a whole day...? Just wondering how rough is rough....I'm not sure I know....but maybe...and if so, it's not that bad...just seemed like big movement....not like tables crashing or anything like that.

Maybe I'm just rambling....:rolleyes:

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Rough seas -- we have had them last anywhere from 24 hours to 48 hours.

On an Alaskan cruise one time we had 70 knot winds hitting the ship broadside -- stabilizers were useless. It last the better part of 24 hours. Many people were sick. The waves were from 15 to 20 feet high. The pools were emptied, deck chairs, etc. tied down, doors to the outer decks were roped off.

That is my definition of rough.

We have also had rough seas in the Baltic and the Med -- in the Baltic it was so bad I got thrown out of bed.

One time we came out of the Panama Canal on the Caribbean side -- winds were very high -- the captain ordered everyone back to their cabins about 9 PM -- second seating dinner was cancelled. The elevators were taken down as low as possible -- they were constantly banking against the walls. Our waiter broke 2 fingers and his assistant got burned while trying to pour coffee.

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Rough seas -- we have had them last anywhere from 24 hours to 48 hours.

 

On an Alaskan cruise one time we had 70 knot winds hitting the ship broadside -- stabilizers were useless. It last the better part of 24 hours. Many people were sick. The waves were from 15 to 20 feet high. The pools were emptied, deck chairs, etc. tied down, doors to the outer decks were roped off.

 

That is my definition of rough.

****We have had this, more than once in our relatively small repetroir of aobut 15 cruises. Lots of folks uncomfortable for aobut 12 hours. m--

 

We have also had rough seas in the Baltic and the Med -- in the Baltic it was so bad I got thrown out of bed.

 

One time we came out of the Panama Canal on the Caribbean side -- winds were very high -- the captain ordered everyone back to their cabins about 9 PM -- second seating dinner was cancelled. The elevators were taken down as low as possible -- they were constantly banking against the walls. Our waiter broke 2 fingers and his assistant got burned while trying to pour coffee.

 

****We have not had any of this, thankfully. m-- :)

 

I tried to edit this to show my text more clearly but I'm not too adept at this. Trying to say we've had seas like the first depscription by KK but not her second description. m--

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There are many definitions of rough seas, depending on where and when any cruise is going. As to Hawaii, you can be sure the first two days out of Cal. will be rough enough to have some effect on walking, a lot of rocking when trying to sleep, and for those who get seasick best to prepare with medication. On our cruises to Hawaii we have not had more than the two days of rough seas.

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We had seas on our recent Maasdam cruise that "rocked us to sleep". We were on the stern so probably felt it more than others...the first night after leaving Aruba. There were "barf bags" by the elevators, but IMO, the seas weren't that rough.

We enjoy a little motion while we're on a cruise...but then, we've always had boats! I must admit that the 20' seas on our Noordam cruises out of NYC to the Caribbean were not all that pleasant the 1st day...lots of folks got sick. Luckily, neither of us are prone to seasickness.

IMO, anyone not willing to take a chance of "motion in the ocean" would be better off doing a land vacation.

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I think "rough seas" can mean different things to different people. I am somewhat sensitive to the motion, so for me the discomfort starts earlier. I sail medicated with a scolpamine patch, or I'd not be able to tolerate even 10 foot seas.

 

I think the indicator that things may become rough is the appearance of barf bags at the elevator banks. Whenever I see those, I thank heavens I have my patch. Were I to encounter the kind of seas described here so far ... I would stay in bed hugging my pillow. :)

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We had about 24 hrs of rough seas in Alaska, gale force 9-10 and waves around 20' +. DH and I were the only ones at the late night buffet :) so I guess that was rough. The doors were closed to the outer decks IIRC.

 

On our first Mex cruise lots of posters here warned me of rough seas heading back to San Diego. We didn't notice but one travelling companion had difficulty for the 2 days heading back to SD.

 

We lost a dinner companion one night on my last cruise because of the motion, and the waves were not very high.... but they WERE hitting the ship sideways. That person was down for about 18 hours, until the waves changed direction.

 

NOAA has a great website that shows wave height and direction, with forecasts for IIRC the upcoming 6 days or so. We used that onboard on my last cruise to decide if my seasickness-prone friend was bailing out at the next port, seeing as there were two hurricanes in the area. The NOAA model was correct, and we had zero problems with the motion.

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Rough seas -- we have had them last anywhere from 24 hours to 48 hours.

 

On an Alaskan cruise one time we had 70 knot winds hitting the ship broadside -- stabilizers were useless. It last the better part of 24 hours. Many people were sick. The waves were from 15 to 20 feet high. The pools were emptied, deck chairs, etc. tied down, doors to the outer decks were roped off.

 

That is my definition of rough.

 

We have also had rough seas in the Baltic and the Med -- in the Baltic it was so bad I got thrown out of bed.

 

One time we came out of the Panama Canal on the Caribbean side -- winds were very high -- the captain ordered everyone back to their cabins about 9 PM -- second seating dinner was cancelled. The elevators were taken down as low as possible -- they were constantly banking against the walls. Our waiter broke 2 fingers and his assistant got burned while trying to pour coffee.

 

Geez KK, those are rough :eek:. Our worst on a cruise ships were waves in the 12-14 foot range coming from the side. The direction can really make a difference in how rough it feels.

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We define rough as when things start to slide!

 

In the dining room of Volendam heading into Bass strait many trays slid off the serving stations. It was impossible to walk back to the cabin without holding on to something. We all looked like lurching drunks!

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Y'all have me half-scared and half-laughing.

I cruise medicated...I take Ativan - just for cruising panic, I'm not really psycho ;) - and I take Bonine. All of it regularly. Perhaps that is why I didn't think what was quoted as rough seas when we were sailing wasn't all that bad. Our Hawaii sailing is out of Vancouver....will that be rough like leaving San Diego - - -?

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What constitutes "rough" must vary from person to person.

Although I would think most people would agree it was "rough" when the seas breeched the watertight doors on Upper Promenade of the Rotterdam. The waters cascaded down the staircases in front of the stage, making for twin waterfalls. :eek:

Oh, yeah, and when the seas crash against the Crow's Nest windows---it's rough.

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Wow,Ruth! Against the crows's nest windows?Really?

Really. After I came home I didn't believe I remembered it correctly. After all, the Crow's Nest is way up there. Then I watched the video of the cruise.

I was right the first time.

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I think almost everyone who was on the Nieuw AmsterdamTA last fall would be able to tell you what rough was - 35 ft. waves and hurricane force winds. Captain Mercer said that we experienced some of the worst weather he had seen in a long, long time.

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We have been on a few cruises where the bags were hung in the elevator lobbies. I figured that was a true sign of rough seas. I tend not to be bothered, but got a bit of "land sickness" after my last cruise. The best remedy for that was booking my next voyage. It always helps to get "back on the horse"!:o

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I try not to listen to how high the waves are -or at least not let it worry me.

 

HOWEVER, I remember one last night with friends and we were supposed to be packing. dh needed sea meds. I was being bounced around in the cabin. I went to check on my friend. My 'experienced cruisers who nothing bothers them' were truly in rough shape.

 

I went down to the front desk, got enough pills for everyone, packed our bags (as I clung at some points as we were being thrown about) and then went to their cabin and packed theirs.

 

Rule number 1 -never leave packing to the last minute :) It was rough, no question - but a girl's gotta do what she's gotta' do, right?

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I agree with KK's experiences of rough seas. We have had two that I consider really rough - both on 2600 passenger Princess ships - one after leaving Greenland when we basically went nowhere for 24 hours, the winds and sea were so turbulent, passengers were forbidden to go on the outside decks even though many tried - secuirty were at all doors. After 24 hours, we were all told to go to our cabins, put everything breakable on the floor, lay on our beds and hold on as the Captain was going to try some manuver to get us on course again. Whatever he did worked. But we missed the stop in New Foundland and barely made it to NYC on time.

 

The other time was crossing the Tasman Sea from New Zealand to Australia. We again missed a port and the waves and wind were really high. Cannot remember the force though. Both were definitely interesting experiences and the dining rooms were almost empty at meal times. Barbara

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