El Nino and West coast cruises

[SwimCarrie]

Hi cruising friends,

 

Super curious for the cheap early February departures...how are the El Nino seas treating you? I've heard from one neighbor who said it was pretty miserable...lots of people suffering from motion sickness. Would love to hear about your experience. (My son and I are prone to seasickness. We use Dramamine and sleep through most of the cruise...lol).

 

Thanks!

 

SwimCarrie

[CruiserBruce]

The West Coast is having, generally, an average winter season. So I would think the seas are relatively average for this year.

 

El Nino affects the temperature of the ocean, not the roughness. To say that the seas are rougher this year due to El Nino would be a pretty long stretch.

[cr8tiv1]

Just returned from a 4 day cruise on the Crown. First time in all my cruising that Princess skipped Ensenada and had to change ports (Catalina for San Diego/sheltered harbor). I watched MarineTraffic.com and the seas were very angry. The Captain went as far south as he could for the sea days. He hugged the coastline all the way back to San Pedro to avoid the large swells/waves further west. Of course, there were 3 El Niño storms barreling into So Cal that week.

 

Hard to say what the ocean will be like at any given point in time. On my 5 days to the Panama Canal it was glassy smooth the entire time. Even the captain remarked how unusual that was.

[jennybenny]

I don't know that the seas are any rougher because of El Nino. I find that West Coast cruises in general have rough seas coming back, the Northbound back to port. So does the trip to Hawaii coming and going.

If the price is right for you to book a February cruise then you should do it. If you are worried about sea sickness try getting a low mid ship cabin.

I am going in April, and hope the seas play nice :)

Edited January 24, 2016 by jennybenny
typo

[Keith1010]

They can be rough in terms of storms but I would just not worry about it.

 

Keith

[peninsula_2014]

Hi cruising friends,

 

Super curious for the cheap early February departures...how are the El Nino seas treating you? I've heard from one neighbor who said it was pretty miserable...lots of people suffering from motion sickness. Would love to hear about your experience. (My son and I are prone to seasickness. We use Dramamine and sleep through most of the cruise...lol).

 

Thanks!

 

SwimCarrie

 

I will be on sail tomorrow. Weather will be nice in South Cal. I expect the seas to be relatively calm. If that's not the case, I will report back upon return. Weather forecast points to mostly good weather until Feb. 23 or so.

 

I made the booking more than a month ago. Took risk on the weather and it is playing out nicely now.

 

In hindsight, with El Nino present, I should have waited closer to the sail time to make the booking. Actually, I find that the prices closer to sail are at, or even lower than a month ago.

[justafem]

Hi cruising friends,

 

Super curious for the cheap early February departures...how are the El Nino seas treating you? I've heard from one neighbor who said it was pretty miserable...lots of people suffering from motion sickness. Would love to hear about your experience. (My son and I are prone to seasickness. We use Dramamine and sleep through most of the cruise...lol).

 

Thanks!

 

SwimCarrie

 

I live about 150 miles north of SF. We've definitely got some El Nino going on. Rain rain rain here. Leaving SF is always an adventure, cold, choppy sea's combined with wind and alcohol.

 

Our cruise is in a month and whatever the weather outside, I'm going to have a blast!

[Cruisin' Chick]

El Nino is really about the moisture. Northern California has gotten quite a bit this last fall and so far this winter (we usually check the weather forecast where our daughter is going to school and it seems to rain more than not). It was raining last Tuesday when we were returning home after taking her back after winter break. Just about most of our route going south. We got back home and found a wet ground...and we sure need the rain in Southern California.

 

Usually we do get rough seas coming north from Mexico just about every time. No matter the weather. You're crossing a current, as you do leaving the west coast to sail to Hawaii.

[SadieN]

The Santa Monica pier is closed because of the surf conditions Happens at least once a year.

 

Far Northern California has had rain almost continuously since December. Hopefully it's enough to save most of the redwoods and banana slugs. It's nice to see the Eel River filled bank to bank.

Edited January 25, 2016 by SadieN

[Cruisin' Chick]

The Santa Monica pier is closed because of the surf conditions Happens at least once a year.

 

Far Northern California has had rain almost continuously since December. Hopefully it's enough to save most of the redwoods and banana slugs. It's nice to see the Eel River filled bank to bank.

 

Here's some photos I took of the Eel River as we were driving on the Redwood Hwy.

[kwahl1]

On the Grand now. Last week's sail across the Pacific was a bit rough for two days, 15' swells. Made more amplified as we are in a forward cabin D114. The third day better, except something was loose or not battened down. Like a steel door or a life boat or a barrel. We would hit a wave a clang or boom would shake out cabin and a very noisy bulkhead sound coming from somewhere deep from within. Don't know if it is now secure. I'll find out on the return trip.

Edited January 25, 2016 by kwahl1

[SadieN]

Here's some photos I took of the Eel River as we were driving on the Redwood Hwy.

 

 

It was even higher last weekend.

[iceleven]

Increased size of swells is typical of El Nino seasons. I can see the ocean from my house with an elevation of about 700 feet. I can see those swells out there from a considerable distance from land. As they come in closer they become very big waves. They have caused our pier to be closed and a major sinkhole (collapse) of the road that is closest to the beach. Some home owners, who live along the beach, are saying the waves are coming in up to their 2nd floor windows. Just my opinion, but you will feel large swells while on the ship but nothing that cannot be managed with the basic seasick meds.

[peninsula_2014]

I will be on sail tomorrow. Weather will be nice in South Cal. I expect the seas to be relatively calm. If that's not the case, I will report back upon return. Weather forecast points to mostly good weather until Feb. 23 or so.

 

I made the booking more than a month ago. Took risk on the weather and it is playing out nicely now.

 

In hindsight, with El Nino present, I should have waited closer to the sail time to make the booking. Actually, I find that the prices closer to sail are at, or even lower than a month ago.

 

Just returned from the cruise. As expected, seas were calm and the sail was smooth. I brought along medication but there was never a need for such. Lots of sun for us.

 

A non-related topic: Vast majority of passengers were very casual even for "dress to impress" evenings. I was the only guy with a tie at the large table.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Today we had a major rainstorm in L.A. At one point, the wind was howling like crazy.

[CruiserBruce]

Today we had a major rainstorm in L.A. At one point' date=' the wind was howling like crazy.[/quote']

 

And that happens a couple of times every normal winter. Very hard to say it is El Nino related. It appears, at least at this point, the main effects of an "El Nino winter" have been focused on Oregon and Washington. But that still can change. Winter is not over here. Right now the forecast calls for dry and upper 60s, maybe a 70 or two in the SF area for this week.

Edited February 1, 2016 by CruiserBruce

[jmf123]

Today we had a major rainstorm in L.A. At one point' date=' the wind was howling like crazy.[/quote']

 

We've received a nice drenching today and the wind is still howling here (San Diego). We are welcoming the rain while we can. I am always surprised to see the hummingbirds at the feeder during the inclement weather. :)

[navybankerteacher]

An El Niño season will give higher average seas, but any given itinerary can experience flat calm. Just as in the Caribbean during "hurricane season" - there is a greater chance of extreme weather, but the overwhelming majority of itineraries will experience fine weather and conditions -- and even in the "calm season" it is possible to experience high seas.

[Cruisin' Chick]

And that happens a couple of times every normal winter. Very hard to say it is El Nino related. It appears, at least at this point, the main effects of an "El Nino winter" have been focused on Oregon and Washington. But that still can change. Winter is not over here. Right now the forecast calls for dry and upper 60s, maybe a 70 or two in the SF area for this week.

 

My daughter's near the Oregon-California border since August and has probably had more rainy days than non-rainy days. At least it seems like it. She claims to still like rain.:rolleyes: