what is wave height to be considered "rough seas?"

[Ang in Miami]

Our first cruise was on the Norway in '97, when we left Miami it was a bit rocky. By the evening there were 20' - 25' waves. The ship was really rocking and rolling at that point. There were people seriously green around the gills that night. The funniest thing was that the captain made annoucement saying that "ladies must not wear high heels, please put on 'sensible' shoes"! Hardly anyone could stand, thank goodness for handrails. I just took off my spiked heels and walked barefoot. I love roller coasters so I thought it was great!

 

The next day, the captain made another annoucement, he said that if we had been on a different type of ship, like a much newer cruise ship, it would have been a much rougher ride. I will let those knowledgable about ships tell us why the old Norway was a smoother ride.

 

:)

...because you were on a REAL ship! The Norway was legendary, and it breaks my heart to see her lying on a beach in India being scrapped for her metal.

 

The Norway was a true oceanliner with a much deeper draft (the amount of the hull that is under the water - her depth) than the modern cruise ships which is why she had to tender her guests at most ports where others didn't. She simply could not get to the docks on most islands. The Norway was heavy, deep in the keel (she actually had a keel!), and had a bow shape that allowed her to pierce the waves more smoothly - all of these features provided more stability than the modern ships which pretty much floated on top of the water. The Norway cut through the water. She was also narrow by modern standards which gave her an additional advantage in rought waters. She became a little top heavy after the two upper decks were added back in the late 80s, I think it was - not sure on that date. She was much more tippy after the upper deck addition. The modern ships were and still are fairly flat bottomed beyond the bow as compared to the Norway, and carry much more weight above the waterline than the Norway did. The modern ships were always taller than The Norway, even with her two-deck addition. The more weight above the water and the taller the ship giving more "windage" (more surface area for the wind to push her over from side to side) makes the ship less stable. The roll from side to side can be controlled to a certain extent, not not eliminated, by stabilizers, but the pitch from bow to stern...well, there's no cure for that and the Norway did that dance well, due to her shape under and above the water and her weight.

 

Regrettably, I sailed her only twice.

[ktpc2005]

I must have big waves attracted to me or something because on all 3 cruises that I have been we have had rough seas.

 

In 97 on the Celebrity Horizon, there was an underwater eruption of some volcano that sent the Carribean sea into a 20 ft waves for a little bit. It allowed for some of the best boegeyboarding waves I ever have seen when I was in Barbados.

 

In 2000 on the Dawn, we got caught in a summer storm that was similar to a Nor'easter coming down from NYC to Florida. There were 25-30 ft waves with a strong wind.

 

Last month on the dawn we had according to the TV 20-25 ft waves on the MEd Sea due to a stron 25-30 knot north wind.

 

 

I always find it funny when the jugglers and the dancers are trying to perform as the ship keeps going over the big waves.

[Carnac767]

Once took the family on the ferry from Fishguard, Wales to Ireland. As soon we cleared the breakwater passengers started becoming sick. I took my children down to the movie theater, which was about as close to the ships's center of gravity as I could find. It was a much better ride there and my kids were fine.. If you're susceptible to motion sickness, you might want to try to book a cabin that's low and in the middle of the ship. I've never been seasick myself though I've been pretty scared trying to land at night on a flight deck that's heaving 30 feet up and down.

[alwaysoverpack]

We too have experienced 28ft waved in the N atlantic heading to NYC. WOW! is all I can say.

[SeattleCruiselover]

Rough seas is very subjective, everyone has a different opinion.

But here's the Beaufort scale, used since 1805;

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaufort_scale

 

I would state a Beaufort scale 7 or more is rough seas. Some would state scale 1.

 

At 7 on the Beaufort scale:

Wind speed: 32 to 38 mph

Description: Near Gale

Wave height: 13 feet

Sea Conditions: Sea heaps up and foam begins to streak.

Land Conditions: Whole trees in motion. Effort needed to walk against the wind.

 

In the United States, winds of Beaufort 6 or 7 result in the issuance of a small craft advisory, with force 8 or 9 winds bringing about a gale warning, 10 or 11 a storm warning (or "tropical storm warning" for 8 to 11 if related to a tropical cyclone), and anything stronger a hurricane warning.

 

Don't forget, winds are the primary cause of waves on the open ocean.

 

I would tend to agree with this. We had Force 10-11 gale/storm between Ketchikan and Victoria for 36 hours (give or take) this past September, and waves ranged from 25-30 feet or so (the whole sea looked white because of the blowing spray). We were midships both vertically and horizontally, so didn't feel it much in the stateroom, but it was sure noticeable when we went for meals or activities.

 

And we were on a relatively flat bottomed, shallow draft, huge ship (Golden Princess), so that affected us, as well.

[lhall85917]

Wow! This is an old thread! We had extremely rough seas last summer between Barcelona and Cannes - the roller skaters in the show remained on their feet though!:eek: Pictures of our tv screen here -

http://lancehall.weebly.com/jade.html

[bakerintn]

I would consider waves of 20' plus being rough on NCL ships..at least that is enough to notice the pitching motion and feel the ship slam in to the waves. A lot also depends on the direction the ship is going versus the waves...heading directly in to the waves doesn't cause much rolling motion (side to side) but the pitching is very noticeable. Going directly with waves may typically causes more rolling and hardly any pitching. Heading into the waves at 45 degree angle gives you some of both.

 

I sailed on a much smaller grey ship than the USS Nimitz....here is what happened to us way too often

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/bakerintn/USSHopewellDD681#5185908358254685058

 

These seas were probably only 8-10' at the time, but we are in the wake of the ship that the photographer was on.

[mbisson]

I do think it's funny though, when I know the seas are running only 5' or so, and hear people talk about how rough it is

[SeattleCruiselover]

I do think it's funny though, when I know the seas are running only 5' or so, and hear people talk about how rough it is

 

Me, too, Murray. It's gotta be more like the Bering Sea, a la Deadliest Catch, before I start making cranky remarks about how rough it is.

[biker@sea]

NCL Dream 30ft+ following seas. Twice the props came out of the water. What a rush !! Loved it.

[Gingee]

Props came out of the water? Yee gad. I would think I was on the Titanic and sinking.

Our roughest so far has been to Alaska. Went out of Seattle and mainly inside passage but some outside passage. The water in the indoor pool had waves that spilled out on the floor. My husband thought it was fun. Our assigned tablemates had cruised several times before and she got sick this time. I remember one night feeling like I was going up and down - up and down. I kept watching the tv for the wave length also.

 

I have not gotten sick yet but it does kind of scare me when the waves get high. I always feel like the ship is going to turn over. I am kind of scared about going to Bermuda. It looks so lonely out there in case of a ship tipping over.

[mbisson]

Props came out of the water? Yee gad. I would think I was on the Titanic and sinking.

 

I'd never want to be in seas that rough, but if it happens, I want to book a cabin where I can see the props when they come out of the water ;)

[sjbdtz]

Land Conditions: Whole trees in motion.

 

Sort of like when Birnam forest came to Dunsinane? [Macbeth]

 

 

I would tend to agree with this. We had Force 10-11 gale/storm between Ketchikan and Victoria for 36 hours (give or take) this past September, and waves ranged from 25-30 feet or so (the whole sea looked white because of the blowing spray). We were midships both vertically and horizontally, so didn't feel it much in the stateroom, but it was sure noticeable when we went for meals or activities.

 

And we were on a relatively flat bottomed, shallow draft, huge ship (Golden Princess), so that affected us, as well.

 

Wow....you searched for a 3 year old thread, so that you could say "I agree"?

[halos]

Rough seas to me, are any seas so bad that wearing my heels is a struggle.

I'm thinking this means anything over 9 foot swells :D

[NJ04SS]

Dawn 5/11/08 - 42-47 ft waves. I was seaaaaaa sick (and normally I don't get sick) Thats the roughest water I have been in, I consider that "rough seas" whether other people do or don't lol.

 

Then July 2008 (forget the date), had hmm, 15 or so foot sea's at time going up to CANADA and people were complaining it was "rough seas", and to me it was a walk in the park LOL

[WELLDOITAGAIN]

I do think it's funny though, when I know the seas are running only 5' or so, and hear people talk about how rough it is

 

5 Feet. Hah! When I was 12 years old I took a 13' Boston Whaler with an 18HP Evinrude from Cape Cod to Martha's Vineyard (6 miles) in 6' seas. I'll admit it was right up there with the stupidest things I've ever done!

 

A couple of years ago we took an NCL NE/Canada cruise where we were supposed to tender into Oak Bluffs, and they canceled because it was "too rough", maybe 4'. I was thinking of volunteering to take one of the tenders in...