How cruise captains avoid disaster in treacherous conditions

From finding safe havens to battening down the hatches, these decisions are often all that stands between a ship and imminent danger

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As every mariner knows – and as one Royal Caribbean cruise captain was reminded last week – the ocean can be a tempestuous mistress, commanding the utmost respect for its volatile moods and capricious nature.
It is up to cruise ship captains and their bridge teams to use their skills and experience – backed by the latest sophisticated technology – to steer the smoothest path through stormy waters, ensuring the safety and comfort of passengers and crew.
Even though tempests can blow up unexpectedly, it is highly unusual for them to materialise without prior warning.
But whatever the circumstances, the ship’s captain must take action as early as possible and, while there are a number of options at their disposal, no two situations are ever the same, so decisions must be made on a case-by-case basis – and, often, when time is of the essence. Broadly speaking, however, there are six courses of action available.
No one wants to get caught in raging seas, so ship captains and officers constantly monitor weather data and use the latest high-tech navigation systems to plot the best route for a safe passage.
Cruise ships are equipped with weather optimising software and routing programs that enable them to follow the most effective course, taking into account factors including the latest storm reports and sea conditions.
Officers and crew can also access a raft of other resources including satellite images and computer models from the US-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which predicts the path of storms.
In some cases, they will consult with meteorologists for additional advice, though the Royal Caribbean Group, which owns Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and upmarket line Silversea, has its own meteorologist who is in constant contract with the bridge teams and captains across its fleet of ships.
Cruise companies also have extensive protocols in place to deal with every eventuality of weather and sea conditions, which are monitored on a minute-by-minute basis as conditions can change at lightning speed.
Cruise ships will do whatever they can to sail away from bad weather and rough seas, and if this means tearing up the itinerary and missing ports, so be it. Companies reserve the right to take such steps if they have no alternative and sea or weather conditions force their hand.
Being able to dodge storms means that lines rarely need to cancel sailings, but revised itineraries can prompt howls of protests from passengers, especially if they booked a voyage on the strength of ports that are then axed.
The most extreme example of this was last December when an MSC Cruise sailing from New York to the Bahamas was diverted to New England and Canada because of tropical storms raging through the islands.
Guests who’d eagerly anticipated the blue skies and warmth normally associated with this tropical archipelago were faced with freezing wintry conditions of the Eastern Seaboard instead, with passengers complaining that they’d need to swap swimwear for snowsuits.
High winds and rocky seas can play havoc with some port calls as it may prove difficult or impossible for ships to moor alongside in such conditions. It can be a similar scenario for tender stops, where ships drop anchor offshore and passengers are ferried in on small boats.
If conditions are too challenging – sometimes it can simply be down to the sea’s strong swell – the captain may have to abandon the stop altogether. This is because it can become too dangerous to manoeuvre passengers in and out of the tender boats, and the tender journey itself can become dangerous.
Monte Carlo, Guernsey, Santorini and Grand Cayman are ports where this can happen as ships generally moor off-shore, though some smaller vessels can squeeze into Monte Carlo’s glamorous harbour to moor up among the lavish gin palaces.
“All ports, whatever the weather conditions, have their own challenges regarding the direction of the quay, space for manoeuvring, and how the wind affects the harbour area,” explained Captain Royer Robertsen, who works for Norwegian line Havila Voyages, which operates regular services along Norway’s coast, serving some of its most isolated communities.
“During each docking we are continuously assessing the situation to consider the safety of our passengers, crew and ship and do not compromise on that matter. If docking conditions are less than ideal, it is often possible to find an alternative berth, which is better located regarding the wind direction. It is unusual not to be able to dock.”
This isn’t uncommon if inclement weather threatens as ships will try to pick the optimum time to arrive or leave, though in extreme circumstances it can mean that cruises may actually start or finish later than scheduled.
In September 2022, at least five cruise ships were unable to return to their ports in Florida as category four Hurricane Ian slammed into the Sunshine State, prompting the closure of three cruise ports.
Instead of being able to disembark as planned, thousands of cruise passengers were trapped at sea as the ships stayed safely out of the storm’s path, arriving back one or two days later than scheduled once the hurricane had passed.
Cruise ships can often outrun storms, but if conditions become too fierce or are unavoidable, they may take cover, seeking shelter in the lee of an island or sailing into a protected bay.
Captains may use their experience and knowledge of an area to seek out such refuges. Captain Robertsen explains: “As Havila Voyages only operates between Bergen in the south of Norway to Kirkenes in the north, I and my crew have an incredibly detailed knowledge of the route and ports we visit, and this is invaluable when dealing with challenging conditions.”
If ships do get caught in a storm, then this centuries-old seafaring term still stands good today. On the sailing ships it originated from, it refers to securing the ship’s hatches (doors) with wooden or metal battens (rods) to stop them flying open and allowing seawater to flood into the decks below – it’s a similar premise on modern ships.
“Prior to meeting adverse weather conditions, our preparation involves securing heavy items, closing portholes, deadlights (metal or wooden shutters fitted over portholes), and shutters as necessary, and emptying swimming pools and hot tubs,” explains Captain Davor Dubravica of Fred Olsen Cruise Lines.
“We advise guests and crew of adverse weather conditions and each department on-board, including deck, engine and hotel [accommodation], have their own specific heavy weather checklists which they refer to.”
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