The videos below are just two of what are likely to have been loads of smart-phone recordings shot during a bumpy ride onboard Disney Fantasy on the 26 and 27 October, when the ship sailed through Hurricane Sandy.
These two separate eye-witness accounts give similar reports of ship, passengers and crew enduring 30-50 foot waves over the course of 12 hours as the ship made its way to Port Canaveral. With winds gusting to hurricane strength and beyond, it probably made for a long night.
Though conditions onboard were surely not exactly enjoyable, at least one of the cruisers on our forums played down the severity of the event. As SeaUs said, “To those of us who have cruised in some rough weather, that was nothing.”
Agree? Disagree? Weigh in in our comments section.
Watch the videos by clicking below.
–”This was taken Oct 26 at 5:30, just hours before passengers on board the cruise spent 12 hours in winds reaching 80 miles a hour and 30-50 foot waves,” writes Jennifer McCarthy, the videographer. You can overhear her understated take on the ordeal in the video when she says, “Not a fun day to be on a boat.”
–Passenger Keri Suess posted this video on YouTube of her son giving a tour of some of the damage onboard Disney Fantasy.
“This video was taken onboard the Disney Fantasy on October 27th in the early morning hours,” she says. “My son was amazed at all the damage that the storm did to the ship! According to the crew, we endured over 12 hours of 20-50 foot waves and up to 80 mile/hour winds. It was quite possibly the worst night of our lives. What was the captain thinking when he sailed a ship full of small children into such a powerful storm??”
–Jamey Bergman
Keep track of Hurricane Sandy in Cruise Critic’s Hurricane Zone.
In the news: Disney Fantasy damaged by Hurricane Sandy.
7 Comments
October 29, 2012 at 3:45 pm
What was the captain thinking?
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
October 29, 2012 at 5:25 pm
It may not have bothered those that are experienced cruisers and earned their sea legs after several cruises in bad weather, but you must also consider those that are on their first cruise. This could be a scary event for them. On our first COMMERCIAL cruise from NYC to Bermuda on a reasonably small ship (Dreamward), we hit the end of a hurricane going and another returning. There was a lot of sea sickness on board. It didn’t bother me at all since I returned from Korea in ’62 on a WWII troop ship with no frills. I got my sea legs on that cruise. So don’t downplay the storm and the people on cruise ships that may be sick on their first cruise. The best we can do for them is offer suggestions like eating oranges and crackers and not looking at the horizon.
October 29, 2012 at 6:34 pm
yikes… i was just on this cruise a couple weeks ago…freaky
October 30, 2012 at 10:45 am
I have read so many terrible things about hurricane Sandy it’s untrue! The devastation that has been caused is terrible. Cruises being cancelled, cruise ships being destroyed, lives losts, flights cancelled. It must be a terrifying experience.
I really hope she has done her worst, and everybody stays strong to pull through this.
October 30, 2012 at 6:08 pm
Wow, my wife and I had considered taking the grandkids on a Disney Cruise. I think we will re-think it considering their priorities don’t include the safety of their passengers.
October 31, 2012 at 10:16 pm
OMG….any day on a cruise ship is better than at work. Cruises should not be adjusted to the smallest child or sickest person. If you didn’t want to sail off in the storm; you should have stayed home. If you get sea sick….fly to an island and lay on the beach. I know sometimes a ship catches a bad wave and has some minor damage or things get thrown off a shelf….but have you ever been on a boat? Every ride in a 19′ runabout on a Lake is rougher than the worse I’ve ever felt on a cruise ship. I’ve been a day late returning to Tampa in a hurricane and left Tampa in a Tropical storm as well as sailing up the east coast through a tropical storm.
All on Carnival Spirit class ships; not the biggest out there. The best place for a ship in a storm is the open sea; they have advanced radar and i’m sure they were never in danger. Maybe you should have stayed in Atlantic City. Come on people; the most dangerous part of a cruise is driving your car to the port. Stop whining!
November 2, 2012 at 8:14 pm
We followed this ship as we had family onboard when the Hurricane started. Per the map on Friday the ship stayed away from Bermuda area as an extra sea day instead and followed the coast of Cuba up to Florida behind the Hurricane.
It could not avoid the wave and wind action resulting but was behind the storm itself.
We were told it was harrowing for those 10 -12 hours and the ship arrived fours late as it had reduced it speed. During the evening passengers were requested to stay in their cabins for safety.
All are fine