Earthquake During a Cruise?

[Firepath]

So there was a big earthquake in Alaska, 7.8 I believe. No cruise ships this year so it’s a non-issue, but what would happen if an earthquake occurred near a cruise ship?

[Flatbush Flyer]

7 minutes ago, Firepath said:

So there was a big earthquake in Alaska, 7.8 I believe. No cruise ships this year so it’s a non-issue, but what would happen if an earthquake occurred near a cruise ship?

Well, that depends......

[cb at sea]

If the ship was "at sea"...you probably wouldn't even know it.   If it's a type of earthquake that doesn't produce tsunamis, you wouldn't notice it, even if you were in harbor. 

 

If there WAS a tsunami and you're at sea...nothing would happen to the ship....the energy in the water would simply pass UNDER the ship...tsunamis only become apparent as they approach shore.  if you were docked, and there was time, the ship would move OUT to sea, to avoid damage.

 

[navybankerteacher]

13 minutes ago, Firepath said:

So there was a big earthquake in Alaska, 7.8 I believe. No cruise ships this year so it’s a non-issue, but what would happen if an earthquake occurred near a cruise ship?

If the ship is moored alongside a pier and a significant tsunami arose, it could be a disaster. Similarly it there were tall buildings or cargo cranes which collapsed onto the ship — ouch.

 

But if the ship were a mile or so at sea you most likely would not even notice it - nothing to fall on you, and tsunamis only build height as they hit shallow water.  

Edited July 22, 2020 by navybankerteacher

[chengkp75]

Been in this situation twice.  During the Honolulu earthquake in 2006, we were just approaching the pier in Honolulu, when the street lights visible in the bow camera monitors started swinging, and we felt a "bump" on the ship, a lot like when a tug hits a little too hard.  Other than that, nothing.  And this was a 6.8 quake about 20 miles off the Big Island.

 

Then there was one, can't remember the exact year (2004-2008), when a quake near Japan caused a tsunami when we were docked in Hilo, Hawaii.  This caused the harbor to empty and refill about 6 feet in height two or three times, and the ship to surge at the dock, requiring us to shut down the gangways while the wave surges hit.

[babs135]

The Poseidon Adventure comes to mind!!  Great film.

[sanger727]

Been there, done that. Went on a Hawaii cruise in 2018. While we were docked at Hilo, on a shore excursion at Volcano national park, there were a series of earthquakes. Biggest was a 6.9 magnitude. We were on shore at the time in about the worse possible place we could possibly be (in the middle of a volcano). We had driven past the Kilauea Caldera in the morning and there was some light steam coming out of it. After the earthquake we continued driving through the park (we had a guide) and he noticed several tour buses pulled over. We pulled over and now the Kilaueau Calder was spewing enormous amounts of black and orange smoke. We promptly left. There were a few more earthquakes on the way back. Our last planned stop was at a black sand beach but when we arrived it was closed for a Tsunami warning so we headed back to the ship.  The ship stayed docked the whole time. To my knowledge it did not suffer any damage. We did speak to some people later who had remained on the ship and they said they definitely felt it. It seemed like short of it causing a large Tsunami it was mostly a non-issue.

[CruiserBruce]

16 minutes ago, sanger727 said:

Been there, done that. Went on a Hawaii cruise in 2018. While we were docked at Hilo, on a shore excursion at Volcano national park, there were a series of earthquakes. Biggest was a 6.9 magnitude. We were on shore at the time in about the worse possible place we could possibly be (in the middle of a volcano). We had driven past the Kilauea Caldera in the morning and there was some light steam coming out of it. After the earthquake we continued driving through the park (we had a guide) and he noticed several tour buses pulled over. We pulled over and now the Kilaueau Calder was spewing enormous amounts of black and orange smoke. We promptly left. There were a few more earthquakes on the way back. Our last planned stop was at a black sand beach but when we arrived it was closed for a Tsunami warning so we headed back to the ship.  The ship stayed docked the whole time. To my knowledge it did not suffer any damage. We did speak to some people later who had remained on the ship and they said they definitely felt it. It seemed like short of it causing a large Tsunami it was mostly a non-issue.

If the epicenter of the quake was ashore, it would not have generated a tsunami, and the ship would not have been affected much, if at all.

[sanger727]

3 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

If the epicenter of the quake was ashore, it would not have generated a tsunami, and the ship would not have been affected much, if at all.

 

Here's a news story about it: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hawaii-earthquake-today-5-6-magnitude-big-island-kilauea-volcano-eruption-continues-live-updates-2018-05-04/

I have no idea where the epicenter was

[CruiserBruce]

1 hour ago, sanger727 said:

 

Here's a news story about it: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hawaii-earthquake-today-5-6-magnitude-big-island-kilauea-volcano-eruption-continues-live-updates-2018-05-04/

I have no idea where the epicenter was

If you read the article, it says the epicenter was on Kilauea's flank.

[sanger727]

26 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

If you read the article, it says the epicenter was on Kilauea's flank.

 

Alright, I read the article but that fact didn't stand out. Either way, Hawaii closed the beaches on that side of the island for a "tsunami warning" but clearly the captain didn't think the risk was elevated enough to even attempt to leave the dock.

[gooch47]

This is a little bit vague, but we were docked at an island in the Caribbean ... can't remember where or when ... and there was a significant earthquake some miles away, but we felt it.  The ship bounced around a little, not from waves but from being tied to the dock.  The captain came on the PA to explain what happened.

[chengkp75]

1 hour ago, fyree39 said:

I have to wonder if the harbor master has anything to say about this. Is it up to a ship's captain to decide no damage will be done to the dock? I don't know, I'm just asking out of curiosity.

Basically, it is the Captain's call. Any damage to a fixed object by a vessel is the responsibility of the ship. In Hilo, from the small tsunami that I saw there, if you leave the dock, there is a chance of grounding as the harbor empties.

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, fyree39 said:

I have to wonder if the harbor master has anything to say about this. Is it up to a ship's captain to decide no damage will be done to the dock? I don't know, I'm just asking out of curiosity.

If an event is predictable (e.g., hurricane, cyclone), a port captain could certainly order ships to leave. Predicting an earthquake is a very different challenge.

 

Despite the seriousness of earthquakes, I have to chuckle as I remember a not-too-unusual past shaker here in the SF Bay Area where we were seated with our visitor in a popular/crowded/noisy bayfront Tiburon restaurant. When the rumbling started, the room went quiet. At the end of the initial ten second tremor, about half the occupants returned to conversing while the rest of the patrons were still gazing around dumbstruck. Sometimes, it's very easy to spot the tourists!

[KnowTheScore]

On 7/22/2020 at 4:10 PM, Firepath said:

So there was a big earthquake in Alaska, 7.8 I believe. No cruise ships this year so it’s a non-issue, but what would happen if an earthquake occurred near a cruise ship?

 

 

If it's just an earthquake then no big issues TBH.

 

I was still in bed one morning when the cruise ship I was on had moored in the bay at Cefalonia (Greece).   There was an earthquake and all I felt was a vibration as if the ships thrusters were being deployed.  I had no idea there had been an earthquake until I went ashore and people told me. 

 

As others have said, if there is a tsunami then that's a whole different kettle of fish.  

 

[rkacruiser]

When the last earthquake struck Hati, my friend and I were sailing on the Noordam near Hati.  During HH at the Crow's Nest, there was a gentleman sitting near us at the Bar (no, he was not drunk as far as I could tell), but the news of the earthquake in relation to where we were seriously unsettled him.  He was convinced we were going to become like the "S. S. Poseidon".  Both my friend and I who are science educated and have taught a bit about oceanography and the earth sciences tried to assure him that was not going to happen and explained in much detail why we were safe at sea from any effects of that terrible earthquake.  Our attempted "lesson" fell on deaf ears.  We couldn't convince him.  

 

Other guests elsewhere on the ship may also have  been so concerned because it was not too long afterwards that the Captain came on the PA  and assured us we were safe.