Countless cruise ships make trips without hitches, yet they still have a bad rap in popular culture. We have the RMS Titanic, the fictional vessel Poseidon, and news reports detailing rare instances of modern ill-fated ships to thank for that. While most concerns surrounding ships relate to them possibly sinking, dangerous weather is top of mind as well. Such conditions — be it on a river cruise or ocean cruise — can quite literally rock a ship at any time, whether docked or far out at sea.
Voyager of the Seas, operated by Royal Caribbean, encountered a storm at the beginning of 2024. During its voyage from Galveston to Mexico’s Caribbean, it was smooth sailing until the ship was on its trip back to Galveston. Clouds approached, and the vessel was caught in the storm, with water flooding its rooms and balconies. Many passengers put on life jackets and prayed for safety. Guests explained to USA Today that the Voyager tilted noticeably. Chelsea Ireland detailed, “When we tried to walk across our room, it felt like we were walking up a very steep hill … that lasted for about five minutes.”
A passenger filmed the ship as it braved the storm
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Voyager of the Seas passenger Elizabeth Danks Robbins filmed aspects of the ordeal, which occurred on the last day of her family vacation, and posted the footage on Instagram. The video depicts the intensity of the storm, marked by heavy rain and walking difficulty due to uneven floors. This tilt resulted in dinnerware sliding off tables and breaking. “The floor was covered in broken glass,” Robbins detailed.
Luckily, cruise ships rarely go down nowadays. Only four have sunk since 2000, according to Cruise Ship Traveller. Larger ships feel bad weather less harshly than smaller ones, but cruise ships are built to withstand harsh elements. Captain Dag Dvergastein, who has worked with multiple cruise companies over his decades-long career, told The Times, “Each ship is constructed to a class standard such as Lloyds or Bureau Veritas to certify safety.” To further ease potential cruisers’ minds, staff members on cruise ships usually train extensively before making official voyages. This preparation pays off — Robbins wrote in her Instagram caption, “The crew did a fantastic job.”
