What are the roughest seas?

[stprdi]

We had a full day at sea from Aruba, on the heels of a hurricane. Not alot of fun.

[sho]

I've had the opportunity to dine at the Captain's table on several cruises and I always ask them their opinion as to which seas are the roughest. Here's what they said starting with the roughest:

 

1. Drake's Passage near Antarctica

2. Tasman Sea near Australia

3. South China Sea

4. North Sea

5. Cape Horn in South Africa

6. North Atlantic in fall and winter

7. Eastern Pacific between Acapulco and San Diego

 

Absolutely agreed with your list. The Cape Horn at the southern tip of South America is notorious with ever-changing weather conditions and strong waves. Most cruises to Antarctica start from here through Drake's Passage and are scheduled in January / February (high summer season in the southern hemisphere). Despite the time of the year, gale force wind up to Level 10 is not infrequent.

 

One of my friends took a cruise from New Zealand to Australia. His final port of disembarkation was Sydney (home). But the Tasman Sea was so rough that after 2 days of such torment, he decided to disembark in Tasmania and flew back to Syndey.

 

Freak waves of more than 50 feet were occasionally reported in Cape Horn of South Africa.

 

Certainly the Carribean can be affected by hurricanes from June to November, and similarly South China Sea affected by typhoons in the summer seasons.

[GJClay]

Have you thought of going on a river cruise? I've done a number of them in Europe, even down the Volga in Russia. They're very different, though, from cruise ships doing the ocean. First of all they're much smaller, usually 2 - 3 decks, with many fewer passengers, 100-250. They're very itinerary oriented, i.e., you're going for the locations you visit, not all the bells and whistles on the large cruise ships. That being said, though, the service is excellent, the food is wonderful. Sometimes they'll bring a local band onboard or other local entertainment for the evening. There isn't a lot of night life. No casino. Everyone heads for bed relatively early in order to be ready for the next destination the next morning.

 

It could really be the best of both worlds for your family. You get the pampering and adventure of traveling new places (taking your floating hotel with you). Your husband gets a smooth ride, in sight of land all the time. The views can be extraordinary depending on the itinerary (think Rhine river overshadowed by crusaders' castles). And this could be an excellent experience for your daughter.

 

Some of the cruiselines are chartered so that only Americans are on them. Others are marketed in both American and Europe so they have a more continental flavor. I prefer the latter, but, that's just a matter of choice.

 

Anyway - thought I'd just mention this as another option.

 

Thanks for the input. River cruising Europe is definitely on my "to do" list. I took a Globus land tour through Europe and have been kicking myself since, wondering why we didn't do a river cruise; I'm sure the scenery is beautiful and the exhaustion of changing hotels every one to two nights as one does on a Charter Bus tour is eliminated. Can't wait to do that one!

[bamafan1292]

Look back 3 replies and you will see the website address for the wave action chart. Address was given to bamafan1292.

[baggirl0609]

If you take blood thinner, consult your PCP before taking Ginger Root. Ginger root is to control the nausea. Bonine is to control the dizziness. Good luck!

 

There is a product called Motionease that is only available on line. motionease.com( I think) or you can google it.

I have never been sick bit TA friends I met on a cruise swear by this product. It is an oil that you dab behind your ear. You can't do too much and so if you feel it coming on there is no harm in using it even if you don't need to. It works in a matter of 5-10 minutes. I have given it to friends who think it is the best! I always take it on a cruise as my safeguard.

[jkloni]

Maybe you could consider a port intensive cruise - you would be docked most of the days. It also seems the Caribbean has had the calmest seas. Don't go out of NY. Atlantic is rough most of the times (we've done it 3 times and leaving in Nov for our 4th - but we haven't been motion or sea sick.)

 

We love cruising too! And I agree - not dwelling on it seems to help when we've been in VERY rough seas. Also, if you start to feel ill go out on deck so fresh air can hit you. Has always helped us....

 

Kathy

[wieslaw]

 

I, too, love cruising, and my husband does enjoy it, although, as I said, he gets nervous when the ship moves, so I was attempting to gain advice as to which itineraries are TYPICALLY the smoothest. I realize there are no guarantees, but I thought this board was for just that; advice. I feel I am being degraded by being told to go camping, which was not anywhere near an answer to my question. Maybe these boards just are not for me, because I feel I'm being ridiculed for my question and it's stressing me out.

 

Hello GJClay,

I can not give you a good and worthy advice, because I do not cruise often enough - once or twice a year is not much, and perhaps the weather was just good during that time, ........ but there are some people that have spent many days 'cruising' as employees of the cruise industry and they probably have seen a lot more of the calm or not so calm seas. One of those 'cruisers' did give you a good advise,..... so please do not take the poster's remark about camping seriously - and camping can be a lot of fun too. I am sure there was no intention in that particular post to offend you - please read some of the other posts by that poster - they are full of good information.

 

I can sympatize with your husband - I have been there - and it is a very misarable feeling for me being sea sick. People that never had the misfortune to be sea sick do not understand that at all, and they are lucky that they do not have to worry about that.

For number of years I was affraid to sail from any other port except San Juan and only on southern Caribbean cruises - I wanted to be a little safer and wanted to stay in the 'calmer' waters.

 

Perhaps you might want to look at the ReliefBand , many people claim it does wonders for them - I am not one of them, but if that works for your husband it would give him a lots of comfort.

 

Wes

[GJClay]

Wes,

 

You seem really nice, but I am so confused as to why I'm talking about camping when I was asking about rough seas.....I love camping! I just bought a new tent! But it has nothing to do with researching what seas may have more of a tendency toward an uncomfortable cruise for a person prone to motion sickness/ fear of extreme ship rocking.

 

I have received a lot of great information and appreciate it. I really do.

 

Thanks so much for those who understand I'm talking about the best manner in which to comfortably cruise. I'm really not trying to be rude, but two posts recommending camping now are for some reason preplexing me. I know everyone is just trying to help, so I'll take the advice that applies to my question.

[Mekamax]

Avoid - Gulf of Mexico as it can get churned up even with a cold front. That means do not leave from New Orleans, Mobile, or Galveston or Houston.

 

Mexican Riviera can get rough - it did on us in May a few years ago on the way back and the way out - 1st and last day.

 

Hawaii on an interisland (NCL Pride of America and one other that do the islands only) would be good but a repositioning across the PAcific is iffy.

 

Probably Southern Carib out of San Juan would be the calmest - out of hurricane season of course... :D

 

Debbie

[wieslaw]

 

Wes,

 

You seem really nice, but I am so confused as to why I'm talking about camping when I was asking about rough seas.....I love camping! I just bought a new tent! But it has nothing to do with researching what seas may have more of a tendency toward an uncomfortable cruise for a person prone to motion sickness/ fear of extreme ship rocking.

 

I have received a lot of great information and appreciate it. I really do.

 

Thanks so much for those who understand I'm talking about the best manner in which to comfortably cruise. I'm really not trying to be rude, but two posts recommending camping now are for some reason preplexing me. I know everyone is just trying to help, so I'll take the advice that applies to my question.

 

Hi GJClay,

 

Please do not be upset about any of the responses that you get. It is a public board ( even that it does belong to someone) so you will get all sorts of answers and advice, some useful and some not - and the useful ones are a free gift as far as I am concern.

 

The reason that I have mentioned camping ( which got nothing to do with your question) because it was in a reference to the post of the cruiser that you were upset about. I do not know that person but I have read and enjoyed many of the posts written by that person.

In one of the 'that poster's posts ' , there is a statement that the poster is a senior officer on a cruise ship and has worked in other positions on the cruise ships. So an advice about calm or rough seas coming from someone that spent so much time 'cruising' is , IMO closer related to the real sea conditions than an advice from someone like me that spends a little time cruising.

I can also understand or maybe try to understand the remark that was there about the camping - for me or many of us that do not cruise much, cruising might sound to be a wonderful way to spent vacations, ........ but it is probably not the same for a person that spent years on the ships, like 'that poster did' - so maybe for someone like that, camping is something that they would rather do. It seems that many of us want what we do not have, or can not have.

 

I hope that you make the right choice for your next cruise and I hope that your husband and you will enjoy the cruise.

Last time I and my wife got sea sick ( she ended up getting injection from the ship's doctor) was on our way to Hawaii from Ensenada.

 

Please look at this board only as a public forum for expressing whatever opinions we have - nothing personal. And after while you might prefer some posters more than others - but I think most of them / us are harmless

 

Happy cruising !

 

Wes

[GJClay]

Hi GJClay,

 

Please do not be upset about any of the responses that you get. It is a public board ( even that it does belong to someone) so you will get all sorts of answers and advice, some useful and some not - and the useful ones are a free gift as far as I am concern.

 

The reason that I have mentioned camping ( which got nothing to do with your question) because it was in a reference to the post of the cruiser that you were upset about. I do not know that person but I have read and enjoyed many of the posts written by that person.

In one of the 'that poster's posts ' , there is a statement that the poster is a senior officer on a cruise ship and has worked in other positions on the cruise ships. So an advice about calm or rough seas coming from someone that spent so much time 'cruising' is , IMO closer related to the real sea conditions than an advice from someone like me that spends a little time cruising.

I can also understand or maybe try to understand the remark that was there about the camping - for me or many of us that do not cruise much, cruising might sound to be a wonderful way to spent vacations, ........ but it is probably not the same for a person that spent years on the ships, like 'that poster did' - so maybe for someone like that, camping is something that they would rather do. It seems that many of us want what we do not have, or can not have.

 

I hope that you make the right choice for your next cruise and I hope that your husband and you will enjoy the cruise.

Last time I and my wife got sea sick ( she ended up getting injection from the ship's doctor) was on our way to Hawaii from Ensenada.

 

Please look at this board only as a public forum for expressing whatever opinions we have - nothing personal. And after while you might prefer some posters more than others - but I think most of them / us are harmless

 

Happy cruising !

 

Wes

 

I guess I was being a little cranky regarding the camping thing. I'm happy to have received so many responses because the info will help me in planning future cruises.

 

GJ

[wieslaw]

Hi again,

 

GJ have you considered the ReliefBand, ..... I am not trying to promote that at all ...... but if that would work for your husband that would be the help that he needs. It did not work for us when we got sea sick ..... but I have read many posts written by others that claim it works great for them.

 

Wes

[GJClay]

Hi again,

 

GJ have you considered the ReliefBand, ..... I am not trying to promote that at all ...... but if that would work for your husband that would be the help that he needs. It did not work for us when we got sea sick ..... but I have read many posts written by others that claim it works great for them.

 

 

Wes

 

Is that the wrist band? I am wanting to get those; the crew on a catamaran trip we were on in Hawaii put those on my son after he got sick, and they seemed to work.

[wieslaw]

Is that the wrist band? I am wanting to get those; the crew on a catamaran trip we were on in Hawaii put those on my son after he got sick, and they seemed to work.

 

Hi,

The ReliefBand is not exactly as the wrist bands but similar in some way.

 

The wrist bands - they are worn as a pair and I guess you have seen them since your son used them. They work on one of the pressure points and some people have good results with them - unfortunately for me, I did not. They are sold in many drug stores or interenet, about 6 to 8 dol for a pair. Some do come in different sizes so the correct size needs to be worn so the pressure point actually gets in contact with the 'pea gravel' that is in the elastic band.

 

The ReliefBand ( that is the correct brand name) is an electronic instrument that looks like a watch. It has two electrodes on the bottom side which make contact with the same area of your wrist as the 'pea gravel' would. There are 5 setings on the dial that one will choose for the strentgh of the signal / mild electric shock ( 15 to 40 mili amps). There is also a gel that is used to increase the conductivity. The electric pulses are felt in the whole hand even that they are directed into the nerve endings of the pressure point. Many people claim that it is a great device and it works for them. The batteries ( 2 - 3volt) last about 140 hours. The device is kind of expensive ( and overpriced IMO) but if it works it is worth every penny that it cost, ...... one does not have to worry about the calm or rough seas ...... if it does not it is just a waste of money.

I did buy two of them and it seems that they do help but when we got sea sick ( at night) and used them afterward to get some relief - nothing happened. Although I have to say that when wife was using the ReliefBand on the road to Hanna in Hawaii she did not get motion sick ( there is about 600 sharp turns).

The device has been "cleared" by the FDA ( not "approved" as some will tell you - and there is a difference between those ratings) for use to control nausea.

It would be good if you could try them before purchase but I am not sure if that possible - so you might have to gamble to buy or not to buy.

You might want to look at these things on the interenet but just do not believe everything what they advertise.

 

Wes

[Suzanne123]

http://www.oceanweather.com/data/index.html - click on the ocean area.

 

My worst seas were sailing from New York to Bermuda (June) and the Eastern Caribbean (after Thanksgiving). I was ready for some really large waves in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand, but got lucky and had very calm water for the two day crossing. I use the Relief Band for every ocean cruise. The drugs, ginger, patch etc. just don't seem to work for me.

I agree with previous poster -- my European river cruise was alsolutely the best for calm water. It's smoother than even riding in a car. Good Luck!

[coach32]

Worst sea's on the Circle line in NYC going thru hell gate.

[San Diego Ellie]

I saw a posting about MotionEaze in this forum. Just want to say that in addition to being available online it is available at Walmart. It is next to the the Dramamine and products like that. I have not tried it yet (did not need it for our recent Hawaii cruise, but am saving it for the Drake on our Antarctic cruise along with my ReliefBand), but it is cheap at Walmart and worth a try. I figure for the roughest water in the world I need more than one weapon in my arsenal. LOL

[daviduk]

I'm a little surprised about two things here:

 

1. There hasnt been more reference to the Mediterranean. Normally during the summer months seas are very smooth - we have been all over, from Spain to Turkey and Ok there are times when you experience some movement, especially between the Greek Islands but overall, in our experience the seas dont often go above 5 feet or the winds above say 25 mph

 

2. Everyone talks about seas and not ships. The traditional thinking is that the bigger the ship the less movement you feel and the closer your cabin is to the middle of the ship the better. I think also that the greater the draft of the ship (that is the depth of it under the water) the more stable it's likely to be. The QE2 and QM2 are good in this respect as they are designed as Atlantic liners and not cruise ships and have a deeper draft.

[martinimadam]

daviduk - you are spot on! The Med could be considered, as it's usually fairly calm. And your point about the draft of the ship is absolutely correct. Some of the newer megaships do not have as much draft, so, even if they're "bigger" it doesn't equate to smoother sailing. And the lower and more mid-ship you are, the less you should feel the motion.

 

I like the high seas. Have been on plenty of cruises where the ship was really rocking and rolling. Waves crashing over the bow! Having to sleep sideways on the bed so I don't roll off! Wheeeee! So, if you're on a cruise in rough seas, look for me in the Crows Nest, or equivalent, enjoying the ocean!

 

GJClay - Just so you can scratch it off your list, the cruises where I've had the most "fun" have all been transatlantic.

[keltic]

Mediterranean can be really nasty, and even wild in some places like the Gulf of Leon, Adriatic, and between Tunisia and Majorca (around Mahon). Some Greek Islands seas could develop rough seas in windy days. Even the calm Black Sea could become really rough.

[Arwenmark]

The cruise from either Boston or New York to Bermuda or other parts south is bad because you have to cross the current that runs northward along the coast.

The worst sea I have ever been in were ahead of Hurricance Hugo when we had 30 to 40ft seas. That was a fun trip!

[Robin7]

We just got back from a New Zealand/Australia cruise. The Tasman Sea was TERRIBLE, the worst we've ever encountered. We had first sitting and dishes and glasses and stuff were crashing everywhere all over the dining room. I get quite seasick and didn't suffer even one minute from it the entire two and a half days!

 

I took meclizine the first day but then stopped as, strangely enough, the motion did not bother me. (This after getting horribly seasick and nearly heaving up my toenails on an excursion! Go figure.) But the Tasman Sea is considered to be one of the roughest bodies of water in the world so we expected it and figured the rest of the trip was worth risking the roughness those days. Your mileage may vary.

 

Robin

 

[usha]

The roughest seas we've ever encountered were in the open Pacific on the way to Hawaii from Ensenada (25 ft seas). Thank the good Lord, we didn't have trouble with seasickness, but the CD was actually recommending that the ladies should wear flats for formal night. It was pretty wild!

[CruisenOne]

I'm voting for the Drake Passage - Between the Tip of South America and Antarctica.

 

The Expedition Ships that go to Antarctica are quite small and the Seas tend to get quite heavy.:eek:

 

Called "The Drake Quake";)

[Dorset Cruiser]

I've had the opportunity to dine at the Captain's table on several cruises and I always ask them their opinion as to which seas are the roughest. Here's what they said starting with the roughest:

 

1. Drake's Passage near Antarctica

2. Tasman Sea near Australia

3. South China Sea

4. North Sea

5. Cape Horn in South Africa

6. North Atlantic in fall and winter

7. Eastern Pacific between Acapulco and San Diego

 

 

I can vouch for the Tasman Sea - whooooo what a crossing. The waves were crashing into the ship so hard that the spray was reaching our balcony on deck 11. It took us hours longer than planned to get into Hobart. Wouldn't have missed it though:D