Cruise ships are monstrous vessels, carrying thousands of people across the world on holidays of a lifetime.
Taking people to luxurious locations within days of each other, there is a reason people say you catch the ‘bug’ once you go on your first cruise with it becoming the holiday for you.
While sailing from Europe to Florida, USA the huge ship with more than 5,000 crew and passengers was rocked with drinks flying off of tables and shops left looking like they had been ransacked by rioters.
Explorer of the Seas had been travelling from Barcelona to Miami when it was struck by an ‘unexpected’ gust of wind close to Tenerife, part of the Canary Islands off of the West African coast.
It was quite the gust, mind, with the ship left looking worse for wear in many areas, such as the main shopping precinct in the heart of the ship, which – given its central location – would have been hit a lot less so than the sides.
Passengers holding on during the incident (TikTok/@digitalnomado)
Winds jumped from 46 mph to 86 mph, a passenger on the vessel told CBS News.
In the drinking areas, bottles behind the bar ended up smashed on the floor while clothing racks were left in heaps in the shops.
Passengers were forced to grab onto things to keep their balance given how much the Royal Caribbean cruise ship tilted, with advertising boards also thrown across walkways and into people.
A total mess on board (TikTok/@digitalnomado)
One passenger called Jonathan Parrish told CBS News: “I think there was about five minutes in there where everybody was wondering what was going on, but as soon as the captain came on and made the announcement of what had happened, (it) kind of gave you a sense of calmness.”
Parrish said he felt a ‘hard right turn’ be taken by the cruise ship which was followed by a ‘more intense’ turn.
One person was reported as injured during the incident, with Explorer redirected to Las Palmas in the Canary Islands so that could receive medical help.
A Royal Caribbean spokesperson said: “During an unexpected wind gust near Tenerife, Spain, one of our sailings experienced sudden movement.
“One of our guests was injured and requires additional medical care, so the ship will make a call in Las Palmas, Spain for a medical disembarkation.
“We are communicating these changes directly with our guests.”
Last November, the cruise ship was rocked by a violent storm while passing through the Bay of Biscay en-route back to the UK, being battered by force 11 winds and waves as high as 30ft.
The cruiseliner was battered by a storm last November (Horacio Villalobos/Corbis via Getty Images)
What happened onboard the Spirit of Discovery cruise last November?
An interim report has now been released regarding the incident, confirming that over 100 people where injured during the storm. Eight of these passengers were taken to hospital upon the ship’s arrival back in Portsmouth two days later, and one unnamed person later passed away from their injuries.
The report – which is being conducted by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) with support from the cruise ship’s parent company Saga – found the ship lost ‘propulsion’ at around 12:30 GMT on 4 November, which caused it to sway ‘violently’.
“The propulsion issues, storm force conditions, and vessel motions continued until the following morning when Spirit of Discovery was able to continue its passage,” the report read.
Passengers recalled ‘holding on for dear life’ during the storm (Richard Reynolds)
“During this period, over 100 passengers were injured. Eight of the seriously injured passengers were taken directly to hospital on arrival at Portsmouth, England, one of whom later died from their injuries.”
Various accounts from passengers onboard began to circulate during and after the incident, with images and videos showing the ship in a state of disarray due to smashed glass and upturned tables.
In a terrifying clip captured by passenger Alan Grisedale, you can see some of the huge waves battering the ship’s exterior. Grisedale added to the BBC that he had been filming the situation when his wife was knocked over by the movement.
A crew member can be heard saying ‘Code Alpha’ over the speaker system, which is a term for a medical emergency onboard a cruise ship.
Meanwhile another terrified passenger recalled being told to ‘remain seated or lie down’ as the swayed violently.
“It was quite frightening,” she continued. “I’m not somebody who frightens easily… it was quite dramatic,” 75-year-old Jan Bendall said.
“We were lucky – we’re quite able-bodied, but I think some of the older people and people in their own cabins were quite worried.”
A spokesperson for Saga has since shared condolences with the family of the deceased passenger in a statement, adding that everyone onboard was offered a full refund.
