Left Southampton yesterday on the Independence of the Seas

[csziggy]

Weather was poor yesterday, rainy and foggy with gusty winds. Today the ship changed course to avoid Tropical Storm Pablo. Pretty high seas, rain, lots of wind, ship's really rolling right now. It probably won't improve for a day or two until we get past Pablo.

Other than that, it is a good voyage so far! Glad I don't get seasick.

[underpants]

1. Wishing you fair winds and a calm sea

I'm not a sailor but I have been on a few sailboats

[csziggy]

6. Thanks! This was my worry - anomalous late season storms

But at least Pablo is in a location we can avoid the worse.

This is my third cruise, but I am getting used to it, even the rough seas.

[jpak]

2. Bon Voyage

Good Sailing

Glad you don't get seasick!

[CurtEastPoint]

3. What's the ship's itinerary?

[csziggy]

5. We're headed across the Atlantic to Philipsburg, Sint Maarten

Due there November 4, so we have a lot of days at sea. After that, it is Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Labadee, Haiti before we embark at Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Right now, rolling is worse with some booming - not sure if thunder or waves hitting the hull - I think it may be the latter. I looked up lightning strikes worldwide and they did show any near us.

[RGinNJ]

4. Fair winds and following seas !

[unc70]

7. Got caught years ago in bad storm on QE2

Back in the 1970s. Hurricane force winds, 30 foot seas. Had to turn into the storm and ride it out. I think the QE2 had lost an engine and couldn't outrun the storm. Blew out a window in the dining room, made a shambles of things. Had ropes up and down the corridors.

The QE2 was nowhere near as top heavy as crise ships have become; fewer decks and they did not extend the length of the boat.

Good luck and enjoy the adventure

[csziggy]

8. Yes, this thing is a monster - huge number of people onboard

I've read between 3500 and 5500 passenger, with over a thousand crew to take care of them and the ship.

So far even with the rough seas, it has been pretty stable.

We traveled to the UK on the Queen Elizabeth - the newer ship that replaced the QE2. Much smaller - when we had mildly rough seas between Newfoundland and Scotland, it was rougher than what we've had with this storm so far.

[abqtommy]

9. Have a good journey! I sailed from Southampton in 1955 with my family on the French liner Liberte.

It was February so we had a wild Atlantic all the way to New York but what wonderful memories! I wish you the same.