How rocky are the seas? ~ August 2010

[Junonia]

Hi All,

 

I am getting my papers together for my cruise this coming week and was wondering how the seas have been? I have cruised the Caribbean many times with no real wave action, but experienced some nasty seas in South America (barf bags by the elevators and a lot of green-hued passengers). We are traveling RT out of Seattle beginning 8-27. Does anyone have any insight into how the seas have been or how I might look it up online when we get closer to setting sail?

 

Thanks,

Juno

[wolfie11]

You are on the route that has the potential for the roughest seas. I was on Princess for the first two weeks in August from Vancouver/Whittier/Vancouver and the ship barely rocked anytime during that period. On the other hand I was talking to someone who had come from Seattle last week and they had BIG waves on the outside of Vancouver Island. I suggest you wait until just before your departure and look at a good marine forecast. Try http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/marine/region_e.html?mapID=02

[Yukon]

What the seas are like today is absolutely no indication of what they'll be like tomorrow. You might get calm seas, you might get very rough ones. I've a few photos from a bad night on the Infinity in May posted at http://explorenorth.com/wordpress/?p=160 (I love storms :D )

[Keith1010]

No one can predict whether or not the seas will be rough and if so how rough. The key is to come prepared if you think you will be bothered by the seas.

 

Have a wonderful cruise.

 

Keith

[mpace58]

It can change daily. Our first night out of Seattle it was rough. Balcony doors were banging all over the ship. The next 9 nights were really nice and the seas were almost glass.

[K9pal]

Just returned 8/13 from this same itinerary. We had two rough days - both of them were the 'at sea' days when we were out in open waters. The first day (between Seattle and Ketchikan) wasn't too bad, but I had my Sea Bands on and hubby wore the bands plus took Dramamine. But the last full day, between Skagway and Victoria, was the worst we'd ever experienced and the first time we'd seen the barf bags come out on a cruise. Also the first time I've ever had a problem with seasickness.

My advice is to be prepared.

[Junonia]

YIKES! Looks like there is a huge storm in the area. We are setting sail at 4pm tomorrow (Friday the 27th) from Seattle, so I am hoping it's blown over by then. If anyone more experienced with marine maps and forecasts wants to chime in, I am all ears.

 

Have non-drowsy Dramamine...will sail either way!

[TB08]

YIKES! Looks like there is a huge storm in the area. We are setting sail at 4pm tomorrow (Friday the 27th) from Seattle, so I am hoping it's blown over by then. If anyone more experienced with marine maps and forecasts wants to chime in, I am all ears.

 

Have non-drowsy Dramamine...will sail either way!

 

Here's crossing my fingers for you to have better weather when you leave. I'm always thinking about what the weather is going to be like for us next September but I love that marine map that shows the wave heights per day. Actually, maybe I don't want to know and just make sure I'm ready for anything! :rolleyes: Have a good cruise! Any cruise away from work is perfect not matter what, right?:D

[Junonia]

Where does it show the wave heights? Can you link the page? Thanks!

[lovendag]

Rough seas are subjective.The captain said it was smooth sailing but ask passengers and they would say smooth???? I loved every rock of the ship, but others said if it got any rougher then this they would never cruise again. Where you have to watch is the Gulf of Alaska.

[Yukon]

Where you have to watch is the Gulf of Alaska.

 

...and the open water between Vancouver Island and the Queen Charlottes, and the west coast of Vancouver Island on Seattle departures. I haven't had rough seas across the Gulf yet but sure have on the other 2 spots!

[TB08]

Where does it show the wave heights? Can you link the page? Thanks!

 

This is the one I saw on another post. It's pretty cool. :cool:

 

http://www.wunderground.com/MAR/mmm.html?map=wave&animate=1

[Wallywaldorf]

:eek:

Oh dear, I had no idea that it could get rough on an Alaskan cruise.

 

I leave in 2 weeks, hope it's calm!!!:o

[SeattleCruiselover]

YIKES! Looks like there is a huge storm in the area. We are setting sail at 4pm tomorrow (Friday the 27th) from Seattle, so I am hoping it's blown over by then. If anyone more experienced with marine maps and forecasts wants to chime in, I am all ears.

 

Have non-drowsy Dramamine...will sail either way!

 

Sorry about that, but it is getting worse not better out there through tomorrow. And the long term forecast for next week doesn't look a whole lot better.

[Budget Queen]

:eek:

Oh dear, I had no idea that it could get rough on an Alaskan cruise.

 

I leave in 2 weeks, hope it's calm!!!:o

 

You have chosen the roughest Alaska routing (and least scenic) of the Alaska cruises, with round trip Seatlle. You can "expect" at least one day of rough seas. Be well prepared, is the only solution.

[Junonia]

Well, we have returned and I am here to report on the seas. Once we had 8 footers and once, 12 footers. The night of the 12 footers, I took "less drowsy" Dramamine and felt what could only be described as intoxicated for most of that time and it did make me very sleepy. People did get sea-sick, but it wasn't terribly common. I am very sensitive, so no surprise for me. DH was fine- no meds and no sea-sickness.

 

The weather was gorgeous and the scenery amazing. I actually was wearing a tank top on the back deck in Sitka. No complaints here!

[vbmom87]

Well, we have returned and I am here to report on the seas. Once we had 8 footers and once, 12 footers. The night of the 12 footers, I took "less drowsy" Dramamine and felt what could only be described as intoxicated for most of that time and it did make me very sleepy. People did get sea-sick, but it wasn't terribly common. I am very sensitive, so no surprise for me. DH was fine- no meds and no sea-sickness.

 

The weather was gorgeous and the scenery amazing. I actually was wearing a tank top on the back deck in Sitka. No complaints here!

 

Happy to hear you had such nice weather and that the seas didn't bother you too much. Hard to know how common the seasickness is since most who were sick were likely in their cabins, don't you think?

[Junonia]

Happy to hear you had such nice weather and that the seas didn't bother you too much. Hard to know how common the seasickness is since most who were sick were likely in their cabins, don't you think?

 

Very true! I am basing it on chatter around the dining room and up on the Lido deck. But at least there were no barf bags by the elevator. That is a sure sign things are bad. Anything better than that is a bonus :)

[InternetAgeTraveler]

Sounds like you had a good time for most of it. I was hoping you were already on the ship and missed BQ's comment above. It sounded so ominous but roughest and least scenic are very relative.

 

I can't think of any Alaska cruise as anything but almost constant scenery so not sure how to rate the worst of that.

 

As for roughness, my research this year has shown that Seattle departures do get the most exposure although for the most part hasn't been too many very rough days (and I will say the roughest are the San Francisco sailings since they have the open pacific for almost 5 of 10 days they sail).

[Budget Queen]

 

I can't think of any Alaska cruise as anything but almost constant scenery so not sure how to rate the worst of that.

 

QUOTE]

 

I will speculate you have not sailed out of Seattle?? Even on a few of my round trip Vancouver sailings, I've been on routes with hours of open ocean. Alaska cruises are far from "constant scenery", unless the ocean does it for you? :)

[vbmom87]

 

I can't think of any Alaska cruise as anything but almost constant scenery so not sure how to rate the worst of that.

 

QUOTE]

 

I will speculate you have not sailed out of Seattle?? Even on a few of my round trip Vancouver sailings, I've been on routes with hours of open ocean. Alaska cruises are far from "constant scenery", unless the ocean does it for you? :)

 

I am sure you remember my report from my 2008 trip. I was one of the fortunate ones who had a NB Vancouver one-way sailing that travelled through Grenville Channel and the only time I recall not seeing scenery on both sides of the ship for any length of time was on the last day when we were going to be sailing College Fjords in the evening. Even that day there was scenery on the starboard side for a good part of the day but it was in the distance. It worked out okay because we used that time to pack and didn't feel like we were missing anything.

 

As a first time cruiser in 2008 I consider myself so fortunate that we ended up with the itinerary we did. I have since learned from you that not all captains will take their ships this route either because of weather, tides or personal preference. I think if I ever returned and did not repeat this same experience, I would be disappointed. I am just glad it worked out the way it did for me.

 

As you so often point out, all one has to do is look at a map and you can see what everyone is talking about. I had several maps with me and the route our HAL trip took was actually labeled the "small craft" route, I believe. You can imagine my delight and surprise when our captain took this route. I had assumed incorrectly this was the route the ships like Cruise West took.

[InternetAgeTraveler]

I will speculate you have not sailed out of Seattle?? Even on a few of my round trip Vancouver sailings, I've been on routes with hours of open ocean. Alaska cruises are far from "constant scenery", unless the ocean does it for you?

 

Yes, I have sailed out of Seattle. I've seen whales, beautiful sunsets, porpoises, even an interesting blanket of fog, and yes a lot of water. Some cruises have nothing but water with an occasional island, you don't have to have land to be scenic. I was just suggesting that any Alaskan cruise on any itinerary is a great experience.

[Junonia]

Yes, I have sailed out of Seattle. I've seen whales, beautiful sunsets, porpoises, even an interesting blanket of fog, and yes a lot of water. Some cruises have nothing but water with an occasional island, you don't have to have land to be scenic. I was just suggesting that any Alaskan cruise on any itinerary is a great experience.

 

I agree with you IAT. I cruised 1 way, southbound to Vancouver on Princess about 10 years ago. Fast forward to last week and I did the RT Seattle. I saw less in the way of mammoth mountain ranges, but I saw all of the above that you mentioned, waterfalls, glacier, beautiful cloud blankets...etc. Of course, I was on my honeymoon last week, so miles and miles of ocean suited us just fine ;)

 

My husband and I are sorting through our photos now and we are awestruck at the beauty we captured on camera. I have to say Juneau is my favorite port and photographed beautifully.

[Wallywaldorf]

Well, we have returned and I am here to report on the seas. Once we had 8 footers and once, 12 footers. The night of the 12 footers, I took "less drowsy" Dramamine and felt what could only be described as intoxicated for most of that time and it did make me very sleepy. People did get sea-sick, but it wasn't terribly common. I am very sensitive, so no surprise for me. DH was fine- no meds and no sea-sickness.

 

The weather was gorgeous and the scenery amazing. I actually was wearing a tank top on the back deck in Sitka. No complaints here!

 

:eek:12 footers! OMG

Only 4 days til we leave Seattle.

Hubby just turned green around the gills when I told him about the 12 footers.

Must search for Dramamine asap.

[vbmom87]

:eek:12 footers! OMG

Only 4 days til we leave Seattle.

Hubby just turned green around the gills when I told him about the 12 footers.

Must search for Dramamine asap.

 

We had 7-8 foots waves on a small boat tour out of Seward. I would think 12 foot waves in a big cruise ship shouldn't be too bad. Is my assumption incorrect? I have only been on two cruises and both seemed pretty smooth, although we did feel movement on one.

 

I had been taking Bonine each night on our Alaska cruise so it was in my system for our boat tour in Seward. I did become queasy several times in spite of being on Bonine. Each time I began to feel queasy, I immediately took two ginger root capsules (about 500 mg each). I swear by these. They calmed me down each time. Before taking them though, you should get approval from your MD. Apparantly they don't mix well with all medications. For me they were a miracle drug. I was seasick once and did not want to repeat the experience.