- Cruise ship experiences a severe storm.
- Guests onboard a cruise ship had a scary experience.
- Cabins were damaged.
The North Sea and North Atlantic Ocean can be dangerous in November as violent autumn storms regularly pass through the area. One Fred Olsen cruise ship experienced that firsthand this week as the ship got caught in a force 11 gale.
Stormy November
The Balmoral was making her way back to the United Kingdom from Norway when the vessel experienced force 11 winds and a sea state of 8, which means waves between 9 to 14 meters (30 to 46 ft). Several cabins were damaged during the storm; several guests were also injured.
Although Norway is a beautiful place to be during this time of the year, with views of the Northern Lights being one of the major draws, it does mean sailing one of the most dangerous stretches of water in the world at this time of the year. The vessel had just concluded a 14-night Northern Lights cruise to Norway, during which she visited the ports of Alesund, Narvik, Alta, Tromso, and Molde, Norway. While transiting between Molde and Dover in the UK, the last port of the itinerary before arriving back in Southampton, the cruise ship was caught in a force 11 storm.
Props To The Crew And Captain
‘During the violent storm, several cabins were damaged, and several guests reported injuries ranging from sprains to broken bones. One guest sustained significant injuries and was transported to the hospital upon arrival in Dover, UK.
Several guests who were onboard the vessel at the time commented on how well the Captain and crew handled the challenging situation. One lady said the following: “We are currently on Balmoral and would like to thank the Captain and all the crew for their continued professionalism and care for all the guests under very difficult circumstances.”.
Balmoral arrived in Dover at lunchtime. Due to the storm, the vessel arrived much later than scheduled. Fred Olsen decided not to sail Balmoral to her home port of Southampton. Instead, the cruise line deployed buses to ferry guests back to Southampton and bring guests on the following cruise to Dover.
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Source: Cruisehive
