Cruise Ship windows Smashed in rough seas!!!!

Last week it was reported that Rhapsody of the seas which is currently Sailing in the Med was damaged when it sailed into rough seas.

The ship apparently hit strong winds  at around 5:00 AM. It is believed the ship listed which caused some damage. In a video posted by a passenger who was onboard at the time, you can see the windows in the Viking Crown Lounge smashed along with several other windows on the open decks.

Royal Caribbean provided Cruise Hive with the following statement:

Early this morning, while sailing near Greece, Rhapsody of the Seas encountered sudden strong winds for a brief period of time. The ship sustained some minor damage to public areas, but is safe and fully operational.  Weather conditions have improved throughout the day.

Rhapsody of the Seas continues on its regularly scheduled ten-night itinerary, which includes port calls to Corfu, Greece; Santorini, Greece; Athens (Piraeus), Greece; Mykonos, Greece Kotor, Montenegro and Zadar, Croatia. The ship will arrive in Santorini, Greece, Tuesday morning, as scheduled.

Other passengers posted on social media saying there was damage to windows on the open deck along with 12 windows which were smashed at the Viking Crown Lounge. During the bad weather the captain did make three announcements to say everything was under control.

Rhapsody of the Seas is on an 11-day Greece & The Adriatic cruise and the ship was sailing from Corfu to Santorini, Greece at the time. The good news is no injuries were reported. The ship is scheduled to arrive back at its homeport in Venice, Italy on September 26.

Now, in reality, ships will often hit rough seas from time to time but they are built to cope with it and will prepare the ship to ensure its safe.

When there are high winds during the cruise it can be dangerous to be out on the open decks, Some guests may not realise how gutsy the winds can be so the crew will go into action to keep everyone safe.

Any access to at risk areas will be closed off, chains blocking the stairwells and roped off doorways. There will be a notice at any closed area informing passengers there are high winds.

It’s common for the swimming pools to be covered up with netting,  this is to  stop guests getting in and having a swim when the ship is rocking. When the weather is bad the ship will rock around and you can really see just how bad by seeing the waves in the pool splashing everywhere. Just do a search on YouTube and you’ll find plenty of videos featuring ship swimming pools in bad weather conditions.

The nets will keep guests out but sadly not the water in. Don’t get too close or you’ll be soaked! With most pool areas located outdoors it might be best to stay inside anyway during bad weather. The entertainment staff will put on extra activities and events to make up for it.

When the vessel is hit by bad weather the captain may decide to use the stabilizers. These are two large fin type parts which emerge from both sides of the ship’s hull. Located underwater the stabilizers will help make the ship become more stable through the strong winds and waves. The stabilizers do use more fuel so are usually only used if really needed. They are part of most modern cruise ships

Motion sickness is part of cruise life and the cruise lines are prepared. When there is bad weather the crew will provide guests with seasick bags. Depending on the cruise line, they are provided by the stateroom steward and also put in some public spaces around the ship. To be honest if the motion is that bad it’s best to stay in the cabin, if you’re in a ocean view or balcony then close the curtains so the ocean can’t be seen going up and down.

Often the captain will inform all departments around the ship that a storm or bad weather is on the way.  The gift shops which has all kinds of valuable drinks  displays, racks and merchandise will usually lock everything down. Items will be taken off the shelves and on to the floor and racks will be taped to the walls so they don’t crash over. In the past those bottles have gone smashing all over the floor costing thousands of pounds . Thankfully now the ship is ready for these situations and many movable objects can be stowed away.

Have you experienced rough seas? Share your stories below.