The vast majority of cruises go off without a hitch. In fact, the ships are so large that it’s easy to forget that you’re actually on the ocean at all.
Every once in a while, however, a ship hits stormy seas. When that happens, the results can be wild.
That’s what reportedly happened to Princess Cruises’ Crown Princess as it sailed from Australia to New Zealand on a 14-day cruise.
According to a story from 9 News Australia, more than a dozen people were injured when the ship hit strong winds when changing course.
The video shot onboard the ship tells the story of what passengers and crew went through. Video of the ship’s galley shows staff struggling to maintain their footing while dishes slide across the deck.
Another clip shows the ship’s normally placid pools dumping out water so fast they look like waterfalls more than swimming pools.
And then another clip shows the aftermath in the kitchen where food covers the entire floor. Sandwiches have dropped to the ground, while pots said to be scrambled eggs and baked beans have tipped over, coating the kitchen floor in a mess that no doubt took considerable time and manpower to clean.
Take a look:
“The tables and chairs went flying across the room,” one passenger explains to the camera. In fact, that almost sounds like an understatement. In addition to the kitchen and pool videos, multiple photos show shops onboard with merchandise dumped out all over the floor.
As for the “more than a dozen” injured according to 9 News Australia, there was no mention of their status. However, Princess reportedly told the news agency that “at no point was the safety of the ship compromised.”
Despite Wild Video, Events Like This Are Rare on Cruise Ships
While this video and pictures are dramatic, it’s actually relatively rare for ships to encounter events like this.
For one, cruise lines have dedicated teams to tracking storms, and ships are usually well aware of potential weather that could cause issues. With this information, they are able to normally steer clear of rough spots.
As well, modern ships have technology to help to stabilize their movement, including retractable fins under the water that dampen the rolling of a ship. Their size also helps to reduce the impact of rough seas on the ship.
In fact, there is a reason that videos like this are considered news, and that’s because they happen so rarely.
But this video does prove that while cruise lines may be able to reduce the risk of Mother Nature, she is still the one in charge.
