calm seas... or not?

[mscg2000]

What itineraries do you think tend to have calmer seas? What sailings tend to have rougher seas? How do you figure the time of year imnto all this? I'm particularly interested in Alaska and Europe.

[Travelcat2]

We sailed San Francisco to Alaska last May and had calm seas. Also very calm seas in the Baltic and in the Mediterranean (Istanbul to Athens). The roughest seas we have experienced was about one day out from Ft. Lauderdale on the way to the Caribbean. Have also heard that seas can be very rough from Alaska to Japan.

[cb at sea]

There's no way to predict what the seas will do...it all depends on weather fronts and wind....

Plan for the worst, and hope for the best!

[kitty9]

I've had some of the roughest seas on Alaska cruises. There's not really any one itinerary that will promise calmer seas. It's just the luck of the draw.

[Mary Ellen]

For Alaska your odds are better if you take a r/t from Vancouver (not Seattle) that goes to Skagway (not Sitka) and includes Glacier Bay (not Hubbard Glacier). That itinerary is in more protected waters. Crossing Queen Charlotte Sound (at the north end of Vancouver Island) can still be 'bumpy', but that is only a few hours. I would also suggest not too big a ship, as it won't be able to get through some of the smaller passages and will be in more open seas. I'd stay under 65,000 GRT.

 

There aren't any guarantees, but the odds for clam seas are better. Early and late season also increases the odds of encountering a storm.

 

Cabin selection is important. The lower the deck, the better and a mid-ships location is also important.

[Keith1010]

As others have said there is no guarantee what the seas would be like.

 

In general, Alaska has been calm on all of our cruises. But, I would not start in San Francisco as the seas could be quite rough before you get into say the Inside Passage.

 

I would begin and end in Vancouver on an inside passage cruise.

 

If being seasick is a concern, I would also prepare for the cruise. There are a number of items you can take such as Bonine or Dramamine or possibly a prescription from the doctor for a patch or ginger or a combination of some of these. I would also book a cabin that is mid deck and on one of the lower decks.

 

Keith

[cruiserbryce]

as far as Alaska goes I think most people's experience has been calm seas

[karenem]

My Alaska experience: very rough seas out of the Golden Gate and up the coast. Once we were in the inside passage, smooth as glass.

[mom2girls]

If you're doing the Caribbean I've noticed that the Western itinerary tends to be calmer than the Eastern. But, of course you should travel when it's not hurricane season as well. Hurricane season is June 1-November 30.

[Essiesmom]

Roughest seas recently (March) were Caribbean between Cartagena and Cuba; in the Med. crossing the Bay of Lyons from Barcelona to Monaco. EM

[UlvaZell]

Like anything else that occurs outdoors the weather will have it's say. That includes its effects on the seas. The worst seas Ive experienced cruising were in the Gulf Of Alaska. Even then the ships today are so huge you don't hardly feel then moving...

[navybankerteacher]

Reasonable expectations for calm seas - starting with calmest - down to roughest:

 

Alaska- inside passage

 

Aegean Sea/Greek islands

 

Mediterranean

 

Western Caribbean (not hurricane season)

 

Eastern Caribbean

 

North Atlantic -except hurricane season

 

Pacific

 

If you are really concerned, consider river or canal boat.

[Sailingpeace]

Did the Baltic Sea and learned this beautiful word : "wavelets" ( term used on the TV channel reporting the weather conditions for the ship : waves height , direction of winds etc.)! Very calm seas but only did it once. Only felt some slight motion when sitting ( listenig to a health lecture)on a gym ball on the top deck , barely noticeable and couldn't feel it when standing on my feet.

[Putterdude]

For probably the calmest seas that I can think of try a 7 day return Inside Passage cruise out of Vancouver. The ships sail in waters protected by islands and any rough seas will only occur as the ship passes by Queen Charlotte Sound and Dixon Entrance and we are only speaking of a few hours.:)

[Essiesmom]

We had nine days at sea from Osaka to Honolulu, and seas were quite calm. Some of the roughest were in the Atlantic east of Brazil, for about two days before turning into the Amazon. EM

[Cruisin' Chick]

Our Alaskan cruise roundtrip out of Seattle was our smoothest.

 

If you're trying to avoid rough seas, skip Hawaii. Two out of three of us in my family aren't bothered by rough seas, so we're doing this one again.:D