cruise that got caught in storm

Videos capture terrifying moments of Royal Caribbean cruise caught in bad weather

A spokesperson for royal caribbean said the turbulence did not last long and there were no serious injuries., by monica galarza and kaitlyn schwanemann • published june 23, 2023 • updated on june 26, 2023 at 7:27 am.

A sudden storm hit a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, sending passengers running for cover as furniture flew around the deck.

Passengers had just boarded the Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas docked in Port Canaveral in Cape Canaveral, Florida, and were about to depart for the Bahamas when gusts of hurricane-like winds hit the ship.

Videos shared on social media show lounge chairs and tables flying across the deck.

One video captured the terrifying moment when a lounge chair narrowly misses a woman carrying a small child and hitting her stroller. Fortunately, the stroller was empty.

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Another video shows cruise guests running from the turbulent weather.

A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean said the storm did not last long and there were no serious injuries reported.

The cruise was able depart for the Bahamas and arrived at CocoCay on time, the spokesperson said.

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@cornettahh Another angle from the 6/16/23 squall that hit #independenceofthesea while docked in #PortCanaveral around 4pm. It hit so fast and was gone in a matter of minutes! No ship announcements were made before or after so people on the lower pool deck were hit completely without warning. 😳 #hurricaneseason #floridaweather #cruiseship #royalcaribbean #chaos #ocean #sea #squall ♬ original sound - Cora Cornett

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Breaking news, video shows carnival cruise ship in disarray after ‘horrific’ south carolina storm.

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Terrified passengers on a Carnival cruise were left vomiting after a torrential storm pounded the ship in South Carolina — flooding the vessel and ripping doors off their hinges.

The Carnival Sunshine was returning to Charleston following a week-long trip in the Bahamas when it got caught in wild weather and rough seas over the Memorial Day weekend.

Videos shared online by vacationers show flooded hallways littered with glass and other debris, doors ripped off their hinges and downed pipes laying soaked on the floor.

The ship’s crew members were forced to evacuate their flooded quarters, according to a video shared on Twitter that shows the area in disarray.

Throughout the storm, several passengers also complained they were starting to feel sick due to the boat’s rough movements.

One traveler described being able to “smell people being sick walking down the halls,” the Daily Mail Reported .

Cruise-goer RJ Whited, who was celebrating his engagement to fiancé Tracy on the Carnival Sunshine, told WCIV that the ship was shaking “so violently.”

Passengers also complained that they didn’t hear from the ship’s captain or any crew members for hours during the chaos.

“They left us blind,” passenger Daniel Taylor told the outlet. “Not reassuring us about what was going on, where we were headed to, what the plan was. They could have updated us and let us know something.”

Another passenger, Christa Seifert-Alicea, said they didn’t receive word from the captain or crew for more than 12 hours.

“What we endured is indescribable, not only to feel it yourself but to hear and see it set in on every single person around you from adult, child and the elderly is something I will never forget,” Seifer-Alicea said.

Water damage and broken glass were left in the hallways and rooms following the storm.

A Carnival spokesperson said only a “small number” of passengers and crew members required “minor assistance.”

“Carnival Sunshine’s return to Charleston was impacted by the weather and rough seas on Saturday. Guests on board the ship were safe. Our medical staff helped a small number of guests and crew members who needed minor assistance,” the cruise liner said in a statement to WCIV.

“The weather’s prolonged impact on the Charleston area delayed the ship’s arrival on Sunday and as a result, the next voyage’s embarkation was also delayed. We appreciate the patience and understanding of all our guests.”

The spokesperson added that the Carnival Sunshine is now sailing on a five-day Bahamas cruise and will return to Charleston on Thursday.

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Carnival passengers recount ‘nightmare’ cruise as storm floods ship

Videos showed the carnival sunshine cabins and hallways flooding and ceilings leaking.

Matthew Branham and his fiancée, Madison Davis, were lying by a Carnival Sunshine pool on Friday aboard a cruise returning to Charleston, S.C., from the Bahamas when an announcement came over the loudspeaker. The captain was expecting rougher weather that evening, but there was nothing to worry about. So Branham and Davis didn’t worry.

As the day went on, “We noticed it started getting cooler in the afternoon — much, much cooler,” said Branham, 25, of Castlewood, Va. “And then it was like a switch was flipped, and it literally turned into a nightmare.”

En route back to Charleston Friday night into Saturday, the Carnival Sunshine navigated into a strong storm system that battered the southeast over the holiday weekend. Videos emerged on social media showing cabins and hallways flooding, shop floors littered with destroyed merchandise and leaking ceilings . Passenger Brad Morrell snapped a photo of an automated instrument map reporting a 69 knot, or 79 mph, wind.

#CarnivalSunshine : Due to return to Charleston, South Carolina this Saturday, May 27, 2023, has been delayed due to severe weather. The ship is currently off the South Carolina coast and holding position, unable to return to the port because of high winds & rough seas. #cruise 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/2B6HlAn2yD — ∼Marietta (@MariettaDaviz) May 28, 2023

Carnival said in a statement that the weather was unexpectedly strong, causing conditions that were rougher than forecast, but that its fleet operations center team, which relies on outside meteorology resources for itinerary planning, “coordinated to keep the ship in its safest location.”

“Attempting to sail out of the large front could have been dangerous,” the statement continued. “The ship proceeded to the port as soon as the weather began to clear.”

Strong Southeast storm slams Carolinas

Carnival said the captain made “several announcements about the weather and the delay it caused in returning to Charleston, asking guests to use extra precaution while walking around the ship.” Additionally, “some of the worst weather occurred in the overnight hours when announcements are not typically made, but guests and crew were safe.”

The ship’s medical staff did help a “small number” of guests and crew members who needed minor assistance following the storm. Despite the significant damage and a delay in schedule, Carnival Sunshine embarked on its next five-day Bahama sailing on Saturday.

From their sea-view room, Branham and Davis watched as waves surged over their window and braced themselves as the 892-foot-long ship lurched in the storm.

“Waves were hitting the boat so hard that it was like an earthquake experience, jarring you like a really rough roller coaster — even in the middle floor,” Branham said.

They were told to stay in their cabins. Meanwhile, Branham said, TVs were falling off walls, and glassware was sliding off shelves and shattering on the floor. “You could not stand up in your room,” he said. “You could be thrown from the bed.”

They packed up their belongings when their floor started to flood and took shelter in a main lobby area.

“All of the employees were sprinting downstairs with life vests,” Branham said. “There were little kids besides us screaming and crying and throwing fits.”

Throughout the storm, Branham wondered why there weren’t more announcements from Carnival staff. Besides the warning of rougher seas earlier Friday and one Saturday morning after they’d weathered the storm, Branham said they weren’t given any official updates on their situation. When he asked workers what was going on, they told him not to worry.

⁦⁦ @CarnivalCruise ⁩ #carnivalsunshine still 75mph winds at 9:25am. Sitting and spinning in the Atlantic. pic.twitter.com/NITCO2l9Ss — FlyersCaptain™®© (@flyerscaptain) May 29, 2023

“But you see rooms flooded, and you can pick up a handful of sand and you’re kind of like, ‘What in the world? Why is nobody telling us anything?’” Branham said.

Jim Walker, a maritime lawyer and cruise industry legal expert, says his firm has been contacted by some Carnival Sunshine passengers who were injured during the storm, including a man who says he was struck by a door and broke his foot. Others have asked him about the potential for a class-action lawsuit.

While Walker said passengers should make their complaints known to Carnival, he doesn’t believe filing a lawsuit would be an efficient next step. Instead, impacted passengers can ask Carnival for a refund or a credit for another cruise, although there’s no guarantee the cruise line will grant such requests.

Pete Peterson, owner of Storybook Cruises , which is affiliated with Cruise Planners, said cruise ships keep a close eye on weather developments and will adjust their itinerary depending on the severity of the storm.

“Cruise lines monitor the weather all the time. They’re not going to put their passengers in harm’s way,” said Peterson, who has been a cruise adviser for more than 20 years and has sailed on nearly 60 cruises. “Obviously, some cruise lines are better at doing this than others.”

In 2016, Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas returned to port after cruising into a “bomb cyclone,” which damaged the ship amid winds gusting to 100 mph. The ship sailed into the remnants of Hurricane Hermine seven months later, causing additional problems.

To ensure the safety and comfort of its passengers, a cruise ship can alter its course and circumvent the rough weather system. In stormy conditions, the crew can deploy the stabilizers, which will prevent the ship from rolling and bucking.

“You don’t experience the up and down,” Peterson said. “It’s not as rough a ride.”

Both approaches can add to a cruise line’s expenditures, Peterson said. Stabilizers slow the vessel, thereby consuming more fuel. Sailing around the storm can take longer than the original route and disrupt the company’s cruise schedule, leading to delays or cancellations. The cruise line may have to reimburse passengers or provide them with future credits because of the inconvenience.

“When they do something like that, it’s going to cost them money,” Peterson said.

Craig Setzer , a meteorologist and hurricane preparedness specialist, said that even with the hurricane-like conditions and flooding, “I would never be in doubt of the vessel’s integrity,” he said. “Cruise ships are structurally very, very sound and can survive a lot. They’re really rugged.”

Matthew Cappucci contributed to this report.

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Passengers beware: It’s not all buffets and dance contests. Crime data reported by cruise lines show that the number of sex crimes has increased compared to previous years. And though man-overboard cases are rare, they are usually deadly .

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100 cruise passengers injured, some "flung to the floor" and "holding on for dear life" as ship hits fierce storm on way to U.K.

By Emily Mae Czachor

November 9, 2023 / 10:55 AM EST / CBS News

About 100 cruise ship passengers were injured last week when a fierce storm — which had cut short their scheduled trip around the Canary Islands — ended up hitting the ship in the Bay of Biscay as it routed back to the United Kingdom. Five passengers needed treatment in onboard medical facilities for more serious injuries, while the rest were described as minor. 

Nigel Banks, the CEO of British company Saga Cruises, said Spirit of Discovery had safely returned to the U.K. and all passengers had disembarked in a statement to CBS News on Thursday.

"We have apologised to all our guests who experienced such difficult weather conditions; we know that this was a very distressing experience for them," Banks said in the statement. 

Spirit of Discovery was carrying roughly 1,000 passengers on a two-week journey from Portsmouth, in southern England, through the Canary Islands off the western coast of Spain. The 14-night  "Canary Island Quintet" cruise , operated by Saga Cruises, left from Portsmouth on Oct. 24 and completed the first nine days of its prepared itinerary before beginning to confront a bout of bad weather. 

Conditions prompted the ship's captain to cancel their next planned stop in Las Palmas, where they were due to travel from the capital of Fuerteventura, another place in the Canary Islands, on Nov. 2. Instead, Spirit of Discovery changed directions to route toward the northwestern tip of mainland Spain, where the captain intended to dock the ship at La Coruña.

But while en route to the Spanish seaside town on the edge of the Bay of Biscay, the captain received word that the port at La Coruña would be closed because of bad weather. Hoping to stay ahead of the storm, the captain decided to start routing Spirit of Discovery back to the U.K. earlier than originally planned.

Spirit of Discovery encountered massive, tumultuous waves while crossing the Bay of Biscay, a body of water bordering Span and France that is known at times for especially turbulent currents. While crossing the bay, the ship's propulsion safety system activated and caused it to jerk suddenly to one direction, which essentially brought the vessel to a halt. 

A social media user on X said their parents were passengers on Spirit of Discovery during the cruise. 

"My elderly parents on board the Saga Spirit of Discovery and have also had a horrendous time in the storm, including getting flung to the floor in the dining room with tables and crockery falling on them," the post read , adding, "Why did the captain rush from the Canaries into the storm?"

One passenger, Alan Grisedale, filmed the enormous waves that rocked Spirit of Discovery in the Bay of Biscay and shared the footage with BBC News . Grisedale said the force against the ship was so great that his wife was knocked over, and furniture was pushed around inside their cabin, the BBC reported . Another passenger on the ship recalled in comments to the BBC that "tables were flying" and waves were "throwing people around all up and down the place."

Jan Bendall, a 75-year-old passenger who had taken the cruise with her husband, told the BBC that Spirit of Discovery remained stationary in the Bay of Biscay for about 15 hours while "caught in the middle of the storm." Bendall said that she and her husband were "holding on for dear life."

Banks, the cruise line's CEO, said the crew did "everything we could" to keep passengers safe.   

"We operate to the highest health and safety protocols and every decision was made based on advice from the ship's Master and forecasts from our dedicated marine meteorologists," Banks said in his statement. "We did everything we could at all times to keep our guests as safe as possible and to support them through the storm, including expert medical attention for those injured. I want to thank our guests for their patience and understanding and all our crew, who went over and above to care for everyone onboard."

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Emily Mae Czachor is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. She covers breaking news, often focusing on crime and extreme weather. Emily Mae has previously written for outlets including the Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed and Newsweek.

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Video Shows Cruise Ship Passengers Running for Their Lives During Storm

A video of passengers fleeing for their lives on a cruise ship engulfed in a storm while docked at a port in Florida has gone viral on social media. In it, passengers can be seen desperately clinging onto railings as they battle fierce winds.

The clip, which has been shared on Instagram and TikTok , shows metal chairs being flung over balconies and across the deck, seemingly sparking panic among the passengers.

The incident took place on the Independence of the Sea Royal Caribbean Cruises ship on Friday, June 16 at around 4 p.m. local time, according to one of the posters on TikTok, who claimed to be a passenger.

A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean spoke to Newsweek about the incident and said: "While departing from Port Canaveral, Independence of the Seas encountered a sudden gust of high winds.

"This lasted for a brief period and there were no serious injuries to our guests or crew. Independence of the Seas continued its regularly scheduled three-night itinerary, arriving to Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas, on Saturday morning, as scheduled."

The footage has been viewed more than 4 million times on TikTok and has amassed over 142,000 likes on Instagram.

"Just a fun evening leaving Port Canaveral this past Friday. No announcement from the captain before or after, also no mention of what happened. Just pretend like it didn't happen I guess," wrote TikTok user Lucassparrow1110.

In the video, guests can be seen running in all directions as chairs on the deck begin blowing into the air . Some guests on the upper deck are seen clutching railings as they crawl across the deck in an attempt to get out of the area.

At one point, a chair is seen hitting a passenger on the floor, it is not clear if she was seriously injured, however.

A post shared by instagram

The Instagram video includes the clip from the TikTok user, but also features footage from the lower deck. In this a chair is seen falling over a balcony and landing on an empty stroller, narrowly missing the woman who was pushing it while holding a child.

@lucassparrow1110 Just a fun evening leaving Port Canaveral this past Friday. No announcement from the captain before or after, also no mention of what happened. Just pretend like it didnt happen I guess. #portcanaveral #independenceoftheseas #noannouncement #dobetter #royalcaribbean #mikesweatherpage ♬ original sound - lucassparrow1110

Another TikTok post from a user claiming to be a passenger complained about the response from the crew.

"Another angle from the 6/16/23 squall that hit #independenceofthesea while docked in #PortCanaveral around 4pm," TikTok user Cora Cornett wrote as a caption.

"It hit so fast and was gone in a matter of minutes! No ship announcements were made before or after, so people on the lower pool deck were hit completely without warning."

The second video shows guests trying to escape into cover or to get inside as heavy rain and strong winds batter the cruiser.

@cornettahh Another angle from the 6/16/23 squall that hit #independenceofthesea while docked in #PortCanaveral around 4pm. It hit so fast and was gone in a matter of minutes! No ship announcements were made before or after so people on the lower pool deck were hit completely without warning. 😳 #hurricaneseason #floridaweather #cruiseship #royalcaribbean #chaos #ocean #sea #squall ♬ original sound - Cora Cornett

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Update 6/26/23, 9:21 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from a Royal Caribbean spokesperson.

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Gerrard Kaonga is a Newsweek U.S. News Reporter and is based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on U.S. news, politics, world news, local news and viral videos. Gerrard joined Newsweek in 2021 and had previously worked at Express Online. He is a graduate of Brunel University. Languages: English.

You can get in touch with Gerrard by emailing [email protected].

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WATCH: Cruise Passengers Share Terrifying Videos from 'Nightmare' Storm at Sea

The Carnival Sunshine cruise ship made it back to port safely on Saturday after being stuck in a storm between the Bahamas and Charleston, S.C. for 15 hours

The Carnival Sunshine cruise ship made it back to port nine hours later than planned after sailing through a terrifying storm on Friday night.

The ship was on its way to Charleston, S.C. from the Bahamas when it got caught in severe weather, including nearly 80 mph winds. Passengers on board shared details and footage of the chaos and destruction caused by the storm on social media. Thankfully, Carnival told PEOPLE in a statement provided below that "no one was seriously injured."

Crew Center, a cruise ship information site, posted a video on Twitter showing a flooded hallway, torn-off doors and other debris and destruction on board.

"The aftermath aboard Carnival Sunshine after a severe storm," the post read. "The crew from Deck 0-4 evacuated to the theater, and anywhere they could rest… the crew bar destroyed."

brad morrell/storyful

Passenger Daniel Taylor told Newsweek that the captain made an announcement around 4:45 p.m. saying that they would be experiencing a delay due to "adverse weather conditions," expressing that they "would do everything they could to minimize discomfort.

By dinner time, public decks had been closed off, and plates and cups were flying off the buffet areas, he recalled.

By the early hours of Saturday morning, he said, "We were no longer able to see where we were going, how fast we were going, what the wind speed was, or anything. We were blind to what was going on." Swells were hitting the ship "over and over," said Taylor, who also recalled seeing crew members wearing life vests.

At that point, the internet was also out, so those on board couldn't get any additional information or reach loved ones.

Matthew Branham, who was also on board, told The Washington Post , that "waves were hitting the boat so hard that it was like an earthquake experience, jarring you like a really rough roller coaster — even in the middle floor."

TVs were falling off walls and glasses shattering. “You could not stand up in your room,” he said. “You could be thrown from the bed."

Another passenger, RJ Whited, wrote in a since-deleted Facebook post cited by Newsweek , "Our cruise ship last night was literally sideways and slung everything in our room breaking, people in the hallways throwing up and sleeping on the stairs."

Added Whited, "We also found out that they knew about the storm and instead of us staying back to ride it out a few hours they hit it head-on so we could make it back for the other cruise to be on time."

Finally, the ship made it back to Charleston around 7:30 a.m., though it couldn't immediately dock due to continuing rough weather.

At 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, the ship was able to dock.

Summing up the "nightmare" experience, passenger Christa Seifert-Alicea told NBC News 4 : "What we endured is indescribable, not only to feel it yourself but to hear and see it set in on every single person around you from adult, child and the elderly is something I will never forget."

In a statement to PEOPLE on Wednesday, Carnival said: "Carnival Sunshine's return to Charleston was impacted by the weather and rough seas on Saturday. The weather's prolonged impact on the Charleston area delayed the ship's arrival and as a result, the next voyage's embarkation was also delayed. We appreciate the patience and understanding of all our guests." The statement claims that "the ship's crew followed our protocols for rough weather" noting, "thankfully, no one was seriously injured."

"The weather was unexpectedly strong, causing conditions that were rougher than forecasted," the statement continues. "Given the circumstances as they were, the ship's officers and our Fleet Operations Center team using real time meteorology data coordinated to keep the ship in its safest location. Attempting to sail out of the large front could have been dangerous. The ship proceeded to the port as soon as the weather began to clear." The cruise line's statement also said that the captain "made several announcements about the weather and the delay" but noted "some of the worst weather occurred in the overnight hours when announcements are not typically made."

The Carnival Sunshine is already on its next voyage, the cruise line confirmed.

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Cruise ship Carnival Sunshine pounded by large waves during coastal storm near Charleston, South Carolina

Video shared on social media shows dark clouds covering the sky and large whitecaps raging in the surrounding waters of the atlantic ocean. cruise ship passengers reported water damage and broken glass, as well as high waves that battered the vessel..

Passengers aboard the cruise ship Carnival Sunshine were left distressed as large waves churned up by a powerful storm off the Southeast coast pounded the vessel, delaying its return from the Bahamas over the Memorial Day weekend.  

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Passengers aboard the cruise ship Carnival Sunshine were left distressed as large waves churned up by a powerful storm off the Southeast coast pounded the vessel, delaying its return from the Bahamas over the Memorial Day weekend .

Video shared on social media Sunday by Brad Morrell , filmed outside his room onboard the cruise ship that was returning to Charleston, South Carolina , shows dark clouds covering the sky and large whitecaps raging in the surrounding waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

Cruise ship passengers reported water damage and broken glass, as well as high waves that battered the vessel.

HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHER

Video shared on social media Sunday by Brad Morrell, filmed outside his room onboard the cruise ship that was returning to Charleston, South Carolina, shows dark clouds covering the sky and large whitecaps raging in the surrounding waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

(Brad Morrell via Storyful / FOX Weather)

Carnival Cruise Line released a statement to FOX Weather on Monday morning to describe the incident, which was reported to occur Saturday:

"Carnival Sunshine’s return to Charleston was impacted by the weather and rough seas on Saturday. The weather’s prolonged impact on the Charleston area delayed the ship’s arrival on Sunday and as a result, the next voyage’s embarkation was also delayed. We appreciate the patience and understanding of all our guests.

"The weather and rough surf led to some crew cabins being temporarily taken out of service while we clean up water damage. All the public areas of the ship are open and in service and Carnival Sunshine is currently operating its next cruise, a five-day Bahamas sailing."

VACATION TURNS INTO NIGHTMARE FOR A SEATTLE MAN AFTER A ‘ROGUE WAVE’ PARALYZES HIM

The low-pressure system responsible for the harsh weather over the Memorial Day weekend was being monitored for tropical and subtropical development by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) last week, though it remained a non-tropical low throughout its duration.

Forecasters from the NHC had visited the Carnival Cruise Line headquarters in Miami two days before the ship got caught in the powerful storm.

The area of low pressure has now moved inland over North Carolina and will gradually weaken in the days ahead, but not before dampening more holiday beach plans in parts of the mid-Atlantic and generating dangerous rip currents along the East Coast.

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Footage shows moment Royal Caribbean cruise ship was flooded during storm in the Gulf of Mexico

Water flowed into rooms and sunbeds were strewn across the deck as the vessel was battered by the fierce weather conditions.

Friday 2 February 2024 12:39, UK

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Footage has emerged of a cruise ship being flooded during a storm in the Gulf of Mexico - causing water to flow into people's cabins.

Travis Hair, a passenger on the Royal Caribbean vessel, filmed as the balcony of his room on the Voyager Of The Seas was swamped.

Mr Hair said he captured the video while the vessel was "sailing through a thunderstorm" on 26 January.

He added there were "high winds on the deck… platters of food crashing to the floor in the buffet, liquor and other glass breaking, water coming in through the balconies and flooding."

The footage also shows sunbeds piled up on the deck after being tossed around in the powerful storm.

The vessel was on its way back to Galveston, Texas, as part of a five-night trip to Cozumel, Mexico, according to USA Today.

Passenger Chelsea Ireland told the newspaper she felt the vessel tilt as it was battered by heavy winds.

She said: "When we tried to walk across our room, it felt like we were walking up a very steep hill."

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Fellow passenger Elaina Escobedo, 21, went to her grandparent's cabin to check on them during the storm. "There were just things flying all over the place," she said.

Ms Escobedo added that her grandmother was safe on the sofa, but her wheelchair had rolled across the room and cups of lemonade had been knocked over.

The footage emerged after another Royal Caribbean ship, Serenade of the Seas, reportedly flooded last month.

Sky News has contacted Royal Caribbean for comment.

Related Topics

• cruise ships

Carnival passengers recount treacherous conditions after weathering severe storm

by WCIV/CNN/CNN Newsource

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV/CNN/CNN Newsource) - After weathering treacherous conditions at sea, Carnival cruisers spoke to reporters to recount horrific conditions experienced aboard the ship.

Carnival's ship "Sunshine" pulled into South Carolina on Sunday, and disappointed passengers shared their stories. For one couple, the start of their engagement and first cruise was described as a nightmare.

"She got really sick and was at sea all day, but we basically stayed in the room because she couldn't do anything," said RJ Whited, a passenger on the Carnival cruise.

After passing out three times and catching a fever, they were advised to quarantine. His fiancée started to feel better, but then the ship got caught in the storm.

"And it was shaking us so violently we couldn't do anything. We couldn't eat at any restaurants," Whited said.

Carnival cruisers said they were confused after several hours of no communication from crew members.

"They left us blind, not reassuring us, what was going on, where we were headed to, what the plan was, they could've updated us and let us know something," said Daniel Taylor, another passenger on the cruise.

Waterlogged items and broken glass were left strewn throughout the passageways.

In a statement, Carnival responded to the incident.

Guests on board the ship were safe. Our medical staff helped a small number of guests and crew members who needed minor assistance. The weather's prolonged impact on the Charleston area delayed the ship's arrival on Sunday and as a result, the next voyage's embarkation was also delayed.

The couple says even after they got off the ship they still felt like they were on water. As a result, they're not interested in booking another cruise.

"A fun celebration, we had no relaxation, nothing at all," Whited told reporters.

Tue 30 Apr 2024

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Where is the Bay of Biscay? Where Saga cruise ship hit storm that injured 100

The saga cruises ship, spirit of discovery, was hit by a storm in the bay of biscay on sunday.

About 100 passengers on board a cruise ship bound for the Canary Islands have been injured after it got caught in a storm in the Bay of Biscay.

The Saga Cruises ship, Spirit of Discovery , was hit by the storm on Sunday. The “vast majority” of injuries suffered were minor, although five people needed more serious attention in the ship’s medical facilities.

The ship’s crew took the decision to return to the UK when its propulsion safety system was activated in the poor weather, causing it to veer suddenly to the left, bringing the vessel to a sudden halt. About 1,000 passengers were on board.

Where is the Bay of Biscay?

The Bay of Biscay is a gulf of the north-east Atlantic Ocean found south of the Celtic Sea.

It lies along the western coast of France from Point Penmarc’h to the Spanish border, and along the northern coast of Spain, extending westward to Cape Ortegal.

The southern area of the Bay of Biscay that meets Spain’s northern coast is known locally as the Cantabrian Sea.

The Bay of Biscay gets its name from the northern Spanish province of Biscay. In France it is known as Golfe de Gascogne (the Gulf of Gascony) after a former province in the south-west of the country.

The main cities on the shores of the Bay of Biscay are Bordeaux, Bayonne, Biarritz, Nantes and La Rochelle in France, and Donostia-San Sebastián, Bilbao, Santander, Gijón and Avilés in Spain.

The bay has fairly shallow waters due to the continental shelf extending into it, which leads to choppy waters. As such, it has become notorious for experiencing strong storms, particularly during the winter.

It has been the site of a number of historical battles, including during the French Revolution, and the Second World War in 1943, when the Battle of the Bay of Biscay was fought between HMS Glasgow and HMS Enterprise and a group of German destroyers.

What happened on the cruise ship?

The ship was on a 14-night cruise to the Canary Islands when it was hit by the storm.

It is understood the ship had to cancel a visit to Las Palmas as the weather worsened and was instead heading towards La Corona when that port was closed because of the conditions.

Record £573m paid out by insurers for storm damage across UK

Passenger Jan Bendall, 75, told the BBC that she and her husband were “holding on for dear life” during the storm and added: “It was quite frightening, I’m not somebody who frightens easily, it was quite dramatic.”

She described how the staff were “absolutely fantastic” and set up “a makeshift medical area” in the dining room to treat the injured while passengers were told to stay in their cabins for the rest of Saturday and Sunday.

The Spirit of Discovery arrived back at Portsmouth on Monday evening but Saga Cruises has not confirmed if any of those injured require further treatment ashore.

A spokesperson said: “ Spirit of Discovery was sadly caught in the challenging weather conditions this weekend, as she started her return to the UK.

“The ship remained safe at all times, but due to the impact of the storm some guests sustained injuries.

“All were treated immediately by onboard medical staff.

“While the weather is clearly beyond our control, we want to offer our sincere apologies to all those affected who are now safely back, having sailed home in calmer seas.”

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Cruise passengers were watching the weather forecast and begging their captain to head to port before the ship got caught in a severe storm

• Cruise passengers begged their captain to dock before the vessel got caught in a bad storm. 
• The travelers were worried about a bad weather forecast on the ship's path, The Telegraph reported.
• One hundred people were injured when the ship ran into a storm Saturday in the Bay of Biscay.

Passengers on board a recent cruise to the Canary Islands who were worried about a bad weather forecast begged the ship's captain to head to port, according to a report.

But the ship sailed on and got caught up in a terrifying storm that led to 100 people being injured on board.

The anxious travelers called on the captain to dock Saga Cruises' Spirit of Discovery ship after the vessel started to hit choppy waters as the cruise was returning to the United Kingdom and nearing the end of its 14-day "Canary Island Quintet" sail last week, the UK's Telegraph reported .

One guest, a 72-year-old only identified as Jayne, told the Telegraph that the ship was in rough seas as it traveled up the Portuguese coast and that passengers were concerned about storms forecast along the ship's course back to the UK.

"We said to the captain, this storm's coming, and we're going to hit it somewhere in the Bay of Biscay," Jayne said in an interview with the news outlet.

Related stories

Jayne said passengers suggested the cruise ship dock in Lisbon, Portugal, "but we were told that we can't go there because the maritime pilots are on strike," the Telegraph reported.

WATCH: BBC reports "tables were flying" as waves threw people "all up and down the place", say passengers on UK cruise ship 'Spirit of discovery' caught in storm. 100 people got injured as 30ft waves battered the ship windows. pic.twitter.com/NWZh2tL2ff — Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) November 7, 2023

When Insider asked Saga Cruises for comment on Wednesday, its CEO, Nigel Blanks, said in a statement: "We operate to the highest health and safety protocols and every decision – particularly with regard to routes and potential ports of call — was made based on advice from the ship's Master and forecasts from our dedicated marine meteorologists."

Blanks added, "We did everything we could at all times to keep our guests as safe as possible and to support them through the storm, including expert medical attention for those injured."

The Spirit of Discovery was hit by a storm near France

As weather conditions worsened last week, the cruise, which was carrying 1,000 guests on board, decided to head back to the UK earlier than originally planned.

On Saturday, the vessel ran into a storm in the Bay of Biscay, an area off the coast of Spain and France known for its rough seas.

During the ordeal, the ship's propulsion safety system was activated, causing it to suddenly veer and come to a halt, resulting in the passenger injuries.

"A lot of people I spoke to thought they were going to die," one 80-year-old passenger told The Telegraph. "You had people ringing families and saying, 'this could be it,' due to the violent rolling of the waves."

The cruise is now back in the UK and all guests disembarked the ship on Tuesday.

Watch: Cruise ship captain breaks down 8 cruise ship disasters in movies and TV

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Terrified cruise passenger feared she would die in ‘horror’ storm – so she turned on Strictly

Carol lake feared for worst when spirit of discovery ship was hit by storm in bay of biscay, article bookmarked.

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A terrified passenger on board a cruise ship that was battered by a storm has described fearing for her life as 30ft waves crashed against the boat – and revealed she turned to Strictly to get her through it.

The “nightmare” faced by Carol Lake on The Spirit of Discovery was a long way from the electric jive performed by Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin on Saturday’s show, but for the 63-year-old it was the perfect distraction.

After hurting her head when the boat’s safety system caused a sudden jolt during the storm, she, along with the 1,000 other passengers, was asked to go to her cabin as the ship held its position in the rocky waters of the Bay of Biscay on Saturday.

And with the boat “swaying like a pendulum” in the towering waves, the radio presenter turned to the Saturday night television staple watched by millions to distract her from the “horror movie” outside.

“I’d packed my bag early but realised no one in the Bay of Biscay was coming to rescue us if we went over and thought for the first time I wasn’t going to make it,” Ms Lake told The Independent .

“I have had a good life and thought ‘this is it then’ as I could hear others in alarm around me - and so I turned the television on and watched Strictly.

“It was like a horror movie outside with the waves going up so high. I just tried to keep a tad of normality in a situation I had absolutely no control over, plus I could turn the sound up to drown the ferociously howling winds.”

Were you, or anyone you know, on board the Spirit of Discovery? Email [email protected]

The varied dance routines of Strictly’s nine remaining couples offered some comfort to the radio presenter, who had earlier suffered injuries to her wrist and head when the vessel’s safety system forced it to veer suddenly to the left before bringing it to a halt in the worsening storm.

The “almighty crash” happened only moments after Ms Lake had sat down in the main dining hall at the rear of the boat.

“I was sat down when my glass of Hush Heath moved across the table,” she said. “I moved my hand to stop it when there was an almighty crash and everything moved including my table which fell against another table and trapped my wrist.

“I lost control and fell back and hit my head on the wall behind me. I sat up from the floor feeling dazed - I was in shock as I couldn’t really hear anything but people said there was screaming around me.”

Ms Lake was checked on by a health worker before being taken in a wheelchair back to her cabin, where she remained until the extreme weather had passed.

“I was so frightened,” she said. “I thought this is it and I wished I’d rewritten my will because I wasn’t going home.”

Back on dry land at Portsmouth on Monday, Ms Lake and other passengers received a letter from Saga Cruises CEO Nigel Blanks saying they would get details about compensation in the coming days.

The 14-day over-50s cruise had been around the Canary Islands and was intended to moor at La Coruna port in northwestern Spain, before bad weather closed the port and the boat headed across Biscay on the way to the UK.

Ms Lake is among many passengers who have spoken of their nightmare experience on board.

Jan Bendall, 75, told the BBC that she and her husband were “holding on for dear life” during the storm and added: “It was quite frightening, I’m not somebody who frightens easily, it was quite dramatic.”

Out of the 100 guests hurt, the “vast majority” were left with minor injuries, although five needed treatment for more serious injuries in the ship’s medical facilities, according to Saga Cruises.

A company statement said: “Spirit of Discovery was sadly caught in the challenging weather conditions this weekend, as she started her return to the UK.

“The ship remained safe at all times, but due to the impact of the storm some guests sustained injuries. All were treated immediately by onboard medical staff.

“While the weather is clearly beyond our control, we want to offer our sincere apologies to all those affected who are now safely on their way home in calmer seas.”

This article was amended on 8 November 2023. It originally said that Johnny Pacheco and Celia Cruz had performed a dance, but this was inaccurate. They are not on the show and the dance referred to was performed by Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin.

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U.S. tourist faces 12 years in prison after taking ammunition to Turks and Caicos

An Oklahoma man faces up to 12 years in prison on a Caribbean island after customs officials found ammunition in his luggage.

Ryan Watson traveled to Turks and Caicos with his wife, Valerie, to celebrate his 40th birthday on April 7. They went with two friends who had also turned 40.

The vacation came to an abrupt end when airport staff members found a zip-close bag containing bullets in the couple's carry-on luggage. Watson said it was hunting ammunition he had accidentally brought with him — but under a strict law in Turks and Caicos, a court may still impose a mandatory 12-year sentence.

"They were hunting ammunition rounds that I use for whitetail deer," Watson told NBC Boston in an interview conducted last week that aired after their first court appearance Tuesday.

"I recognized them, and I thought, 'Oh, man, what a bonehead mistake that I had no idea that those were in there,'" he said.

The couple were arrested and charged with possession of ammunition. Authorities seized their passports and explained the penalties they faced.

Valerie Watson said in the interview: "When I heard that, I immediately was terrified, because I was like we can't both be in prison for 12 years. We have kids at home, and this is such an innocent mistake."

The charges against her were dropped, and she returned home to Oklahoma City on Tuesday after the court hearing to be reunited with her two young children.

"Our goal is to get Ryan home, because we can’t be a family without Dad," she said.

The couple also spoke about the financial burden of a much longer-than-planned trip. "This is something that we may never recover from," Ryan Watson said.

The U.S. Embassy in the Bahamas issued a warning to travelers in September about a law that strongly prohibits possession of firearms or ammunition in Turks and Caicos, an overseas British territory southeast of the Bahamas that is a popular vacation spot.

It said: "We wish to remind all travelers that declaring a weapon in your luggage with an airline carrier does not grant permission to bring the weapon into TCI [Turks and Caicos Islands] and will result in your arrest."

The embassy added: "If you bring a firearm or ammunition into TCI, we will not be able to secure your release from custody."

The embassy and the government in Turks and Caicos did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The same thing happened to another American, Bryan Hagerich, of Pennsylvania, who was arrested after ammunition was found in his luggage before he tried to board a flight out of Turks and Caicos in February. He said he accidentally left it in his bag.

Hagerich was on a family vacation with his wife and two young children but has now been in the country for 70 days. He spent eight days in prison before he posted bail.

"It’s incredibly scary. You know, you just don’t know what the next day may bring — you know, what path this may take," Hagerich told NBC Boston.

"You know, it’s certainly a lot different than packing your bags and going away with your family for a few days. It’s been the worst 70 days of my life," he said.

Hagerich, once a professional baseball player, was drafted by the Florida Marlins in the MLB 2007 June amateur draft from the University of Delaware.

His case goes to trial May 3.

Patrick Smith is a London-based editor and reporter for NBC News Digital.

US opens investigation into Ford crashes involving Blue Cruise partially automated driving system

DETROIT (AP) — Two fatal crashes involving Ford’s Blue Cruise partially automated driving system have drawn the attention of U.S. auto safety regulators.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation of the crashes, both involving Mustang Mach-E electric vehicles on freeways in nighttime lighting conditions, the agency said in documents Monday.

The agency’s initial investigation of the crashes, which killed three people, determined that Blue Cruise was in use just before the collisions.

One of the crashes occurred in February in San Antonio, Texas, killing one person, while the other happened in Philadelphia in March in which two people died.

The agency says the investigation will evaluate how Blue Cruise performs driving tasks as well as its camera based driver monitoring system.

Ford said Monday it is working with NHTSA to support the investigation.

The National Transportation Safety Board, which already is investigating the Feb. 24 San Antonio crash, determined in a preliminary report that it was operating on Blue Cruise.

The NTSB can only make recommendations, but NHTSA has the authority to take action including seeking recalls for safety issues.

Ford says on its website that its driving systems do not replace human drivers, who have to be ready to take control at any time.

The Texas crash occurred on Interstate 10 in San Antonio. The NTSB report says the Mach E struck the rear of a 1999 Honda CR-V that was stopped in the middle of three lanes around 9:50 p.m. The 56-year-old driver of the CR-V was killed.

Another driver who was able to avoid the CR-V told investigators that neither its tail nor hazard lights were working at the time.

The NTSB said it intends to issue safety recommendations to prevent similar crashes. It has said it opened the probe due to continued interest in advanced driver assistance systems and how vehicle operators interact with the new technology.

The other crash involving a Mach E killed two people around 3:20 a.m. March 3 in the northbound lanes of Interstate 95 in Philadelphia.

The Pennsylvania State Police said Thursday that a Mach E was in the left lane when it struck a stationary Hyundai Elantra that earlier had collided with a Toyota Prius.

The Mach E hit the Hyundai, pushing it into the rear of the Prius. During the crash, the driver of the Prius, who was outside of his vehicle, also was struck and thrown into the southbound lanes, the release said.

A police spokeswoman said a person from the Hyundai also was on the roadway and was hit. Both victims, males ages 21 and 20, were pronounced dead at the scene.

A police news release on the crash says a criminal investigation is underway and a charge of homicide by motor vehicle while driving under the influence is possible against the 23-year-old woman driving the Mach E.

Ford’s Blue Cruise system allows drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel while it handles steering, braking and acceleration on highways. The company says the system isn’t fully autonomous and it monitors drivers to make sure they pay attention to the road. It operates on 97% of controlled access highways in the U.S. and Canada, Ford says.

There are no fully autonomous vehicles for sale to the public in the U.S.

Both NHTSA and the NTSB have investigated multiple previous crashes involving partially automated driving systems.

Last week NHTSA began investigating whether Tesla’s fix for a December recall involving more than 2 million vehicles equipped with the company’s Autopilot automated system took care of the problem. The recall was done because the driver monitoring system was inadequate and posed a safety risk.

NHTSA said it ultimately found 467 crashes involving Autopilot resulting in 54 injuries and 14 deaths.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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War in Ukraine: From Mariupol to Odesa, four naval cadets weather the storm

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Long Read Four young women from Mariupol dreamed of a career in the navy. Burdened by painful memories of the siege in the spring of 2022, they have taken refuge at the prestigious Odesa Maritime Academy, where they are waiting impatiently.

Covered in numbers and brackets, the blackboards at Odesa's National Maritime Academy conjure up distant horizons. "Let's take the case of a cargo ship sailing from Odesa to Naples," began the law professor in the maritime and river management section. "Knowing that the distance between the ports is 1,700 nautical miles and that the ship's speed is 16.5 knots, calculate the journey time if the additional travel time is 0.8 days." At the beginning of spring, another alert disturbed the silence of the classroom. Exercise canceled. Solving the equation of the open sea had to wait. The students of the prestigious naval school, whose reputation has spanned the globe for 80 years, packed up their pens to follow their class leader, recognizable by the yellow chevrons on her uniform.

Among them was Anna R., an 18-year-old student with blond braids, wearing a navy collar and striped shirt. She knows all about shelters and missiles: She's from Mariupol. In recent weeks, she has again heard drones pierce buildings, when Ukrainian anti-aircraft defenses failed to protect Odesa from Russian strikes, often launched from the Black Sea. "In February 2022, the port was expecting a land attack," recalled Dmytro Pletentchouk, spokesman for the Ukrainian naval forces, whom we met in a secluded park. "But the town of Mykolaiv stood firm and prevented the Russians from entering Odesa. Here, the war is now being fought from the sea." On April 10, four more people died, including a 10-year-old girl. A few days earlier, the city had been plunged into darkness. And Volodymyr Zelensky, who met the Greek prime minister at the port on March 6, himself saw a missile crash 500 meters away.

As in 2022, Odesa residents took refuge in the catacombs, which are no longer frequented by tourists. Foghorns and ship's whistles have resurfaced in the harbor of the country's largest seaport since Russia lifted its six-month blockade in fall 2022, but not a single cruise ship has docked in Odesa for two years. For the rare strollers, photos against the backdrop of the Black Sea and selfies in front of the Vorontsov lighthouse are discouraged. The SBU, the Ukrainian secret service, monitors social media, and neither Instagram nor TikTok should give clues to the enemy.

In the windows of souvenir stores, models of cargo ships and sailing boats gather dust, waiting for who knows who, who knows what. In front of the cathedral, destroyed last summer by a strike, amateur paintings of the city languish, kitschy and garish. The Fine Arts Museum, also damaged, is protected by plywood. And the famous International Film Festival, which once welcomed Catherine Deneuve, one of the few French actresses to publicly defend Ukraine, and to which stars from all over the world flocked every July, now takes place in Kyiv and Chernivtsi, in western Ukraine.

You have 84.91% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.

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