Viking Star evacuation

Same here BlueBelle- friends have been trying to convince us to go with them- but it really does NOT appeal, at all.
Even more so now.

I was really surprised seeing the funtiture tables chairs etc flying from side to side I would have thought these big boats would have built in furniture that doesn’t move in a problem sea
Never wanted to go n a cruise even less so now

The main problem with ferries is overloading. Apart from the Herald of Free Enterprise, which went out with the front bow not down, there are very few problems in Europe.

We get the new ferries and they gradually age their way around the world with more people piling on and maintenance more and more neglected. Slightly different to cruise ships.

Cruise ships are modern, well maintained and, as we saw have good safety systems that work and well trained crew.

We were on a small cruise ship in a massive storm last year. Bigger waves than those suffered by the Viking ship but were ok as all our engines kept going thank goodness.
We spent 24 hours in our cabin as everything was crashing around outside but captain and crew were fantastic.
We were cruising Norway too ?
Booked again for next year. Hope the weather’s better ?

The smaller ferry boats are built for such conditions even though they're not fitted out with the same anti-rolling components but they can plough through rough seas no problem.
Ferries have been known to sink or have other problems, EllanVannin, in fact I believe that more have had problems than have cruise ships.

I watched this unfold yesterday as it got close to " the edge " and had it gone any nearer touching land it would have rolled sideways. There's too much to go wrong

Was that the view of experts EllanVannin?

It must indeed have been a very scary experience, especially having to be taken off by helicopter in that atrocious weather.

However, I have just asked an expert about whether or not these ships could 'tip over', roll sideways or are top heavy, therefore unsafe and the answer was no.
Ships are designed with stabilisers to combat the weight above sea level; they would normally plough through the waves but, because of the engine failure of this ship, it would be left 'bobbing like a cork' in the rough seas, hence going from side to side (terrifying indeed). It would, however, not 'tip over' unless it hit rocks.

We left Miami once in a hurricane, I was nervous but we sailed out of it. And, by luck, were not on the Brittany Ferry that caught fire en route from Plymouth to Roscoff years ago.

These ships, like the Titanic are supposed to be unsinkable in various conditions.
Ship design has improved somewhat over the last 100 years. The Titanic hit an iceberg, the Costa Concordia hit rocks.

This ship was drifting but luckily they have managed to start the engines again.

Oops wrong name.

That's about the same size as the C&M ship we went on last year to Norway. It was the time of one of those named storms and we had to take refuge in Stavanger and miss one of our points of call. No engine problems thank goodness.

How quick the Costa Concordia went down in 2012. These ships, like the Titanic are supposed to be unsinkable in various conditions.

I appreciate that it was entirely the fault of the captain of the Concordia and the difference being with the captain of the Viking was that there was no comparison between the two as the latter shut down the remaining engines and dropped anchor before the ship drifted.

I've been in exactly that situation in the Bay of Biscay.
Same thing happened, engines stopped.
Fortunately our situation only lasted a few hours.
I still went on cruises, though, after that.

It's actually Viking Sky and is one of the smallest cruise ships. Unlike the huge ones which take 3,500 + passengers the Viking Ocean ships only take 900 + crew.
We were on its sister ship last year. They're beautiful, tasteful, understated ships. No glitz or flashinesswhatsoever.
It was awful to see the videos and tweets from onboard yesterday. I suppose it's the first time we've had access to real time first hand reports like this. Makes you think about eg the Titanic and other shipwrecks.
However, the Sky now seems to be under control and on tow back to a safe harbour. What a horrible experience for all concerned.

No matter the size of those cruise ships they'll never conquer bad weather. So top heavy and ungainly.
I watched this unfold yesterday as it got close to " the edge " and had it gone any nearer touching land it would have rolled sideways. There's too much to go wrong !

I'd already pointed out that as the news broke I was watching a film on Talking Pictures about the Titanic and it was indeed scary.

I could never take a cruise on one of those enormous floating hotels, especially in the Atlantic as I'd always feel uneasy. The smaller ferry boats are built for such conditions even though they're not fitted out with the same anti-rolling components but they can plough through rough seas no problem.
The seas in the Mersey can be atrocious but the ferry to Belfast/Ireland still sails.