Can a cruise survive a storm?

How did they avoid calamity? Today's modern cruise ships are built to withstand storms, avoid them, and even outrun them. Cruise companies follow the weather very carefully, changing itineraries, canceling sailings, and working hard to keep passengers and crew out of harm's way.



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A possible forced stay at sea: If the storm proves too formidable, the ship may need to hunker down and ride it out at sea. A slim chance of sinking: It's an unnerving thought, but the possibility exists. If the ship takes too much damage, it could go down.

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Generally speaking though, a large cruise ship is designed to withstand waves that measure as high as 15-meters or nearly 50 foot waves. While Caribbean storms continue to increase in intensity and our measuring gets more accurate, this is enough to withstand up to the worst parts of the worst category 5 hurricanes.

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Though your itinerary may change, cruises are rarely canceled due to storms. Ships are designed to handle rough seas and can be rerouted to avoid danger. Once you're on board, any port updates will be announced over the ship's intercom or detailed in a notice delivered to your stateroom.

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While highly advanced weather and storm detection systems mean that cruise ships can easily avoid these situations, the fact they can withstand them means the chances of tipping over are very slim.

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Hurricane Season Storms in August and October have a moderate risk of developing into hurricanes while September has the highest risk of all. For these reasons, September is the worst month of the year to take a cruise.

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If a storm is threatening the area a ship was scheduled to sail to, cruise lines will reroute the ships if the forecast is severe enough. While cruise ships can typically outrun most storms, passengers may still experience rough seas as their ship skirts the edges of a weather system.

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The only way that a cruise ship would be able to be flipped over is if it took the wave hit perpendicular on the port or starboard side, along the beam. Most of the time, ships will aim to hit a wave bow-first.

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Over the past 100 years since the RMS Titanic sank in 1912, only 18 cruise ships and some ocean liners have been publicly known to have sunk. And, over the past 50 years, only four cruise ships have sunk while navigating on a cruise.

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In calm waters, ships often can be towed safely to the nearest shore. In rough seas, other options would be considered. Abandoning ship really is a last resort, as moving passengers from one ship to another on the open sea can be dangerous, particularly in inclement weather. As is ordering passengers into lifeboats.

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Cruise ships are actually among the safest modes of transportation you could take. Compared to other methods of travel, cruises have to follow a large number of regulations to keep crew members and passengers safe.

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Generally, modern cruise ships are equipped with stabilizers and advanced technologies to minimize rocking and improve passenger comfort. In most cases, passengers may feel gentle swaying or motion, especially during rough seas, but it is typically not severe enough to cause discomfort for the majority of travelers.

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Large ships don't sink in bad weather because the air that is inside a ship is much less dense than water. That's what keeps it floating!

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How much of a cruise ship sits underwater ranges from 20 to 31 feet, depending on the size of the vessel. However, the safety and stability of a cruise ship aren't due to the depth that it's submerged, but rather a combination of factors such as the shape of the hull.

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In instance of extremely severe storms (like hurricanes), cruise lines will typically allow passengers to cancel without penalty. Cruise Critic always recommends buying travel insurance that covers weather disruptions.

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Most cruise lines will add movies to indoor areas, like the main theater or atrium, when it rains. Many also offer outdoor movie screens that play rain or shine. If you can find a covered spot, you might be able to still enjoy some time outside.

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Someone swimming near a cruise ship could be sucked under by the propulsion power. The power can also cause large sudden swells of water which is very strong. Not long ago the Carnival Vista destroyed a small marina in Italy as it got too close.

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