Daniel Taylor, a passenger aboard the ship, reported water damage, communication outages, and high waves as he documented his experience after Weather FOX spoke about the timeline of events in the battered vessel, Albemarle, in North Carolina.
The coastal storm near Charleston, South Carolina, caused large waves to pound the Carnival Sunshine cruise ship.
Taylor stated that the weather was excellent before the powerful storm off the Southeast coast churned up the large waves.
Taylor stated, “Every day was pleasant and sunny. However, it was not significant enough to impact our vacation as we encountered a few intermittent rain showers.”
Taylor said he remembers when they started encountering rough seas. The weather began to deteriorate on Friday at 4 p.M., Making the distance ahead look unfavorable.
Taylor stated, “Just 45 minutes later, Captain Contarino utilized the intercom system to inform all passengers that, as a result of unfavorable weather conditions, our arrival in port may be delayed.” “Furthermore, he assured everyone that the crew would make every effort to reduce any inconvenience.”
According to Taylor, what transpired over the following 24 hours was referred to as a horrifying experience at sea. “Barf bags” were placed near every elevator, as stated by Taylor following the captain’s announcement at 4:45 p.M.
7 p.M.
Taylor mentioned that the vessel began encountering significantly bigger waves. He stated:
The heavens slowly became more ominous as the tempest we were heading towards appeared increasingly menacing with each passing moment. I ventured out onto the fore of Deck 6 to capture some videos and snapshots. I departed from the performance to observe the exterior. The illuminated panel on the stage was swaying horizontally, the disco ball oscillating to and fro, and the stage illuminations were trembling. The sound of the waves crashing against the vessel could be discerned amidst the music as I sat in the Liquid Lounge enjoying a performance.
8 p.M.
The staff began to close off the public decks. Taylor mentioned:
“The spacious deck by the pool was being cleared for safety, and I was requested to vacate the forward deck.”
10 p.M.
Taylor mentioned that he went to the buffet section to get a sandwich from the deli. He stated:
“We hit a very large swell which resulted in plates stacked up falling over and cups toppling over at the drink station.”.
11:15 p.M.
Taylor mentioned that he had returned to his room. He stated:
The captain noticed that the ship, which was heading northwest into Charleston, had turned towards the northeast/north and was now also going directly towards the eye of this storm system. We were hitting winds of almost 80 mph (70kts), while the speed of the ship had slowed down to 5.8 mph (5kts). At this time, water was hitting my window porthole on Deck 2, and it was also around this time that I noticed the screen showing us hitting the water.
11:45 p.M.
I opened the door to find their room taking in water, with the carpet drenched and the bed beside the nightstand dripping. I heard the girls in the cabin across from me in the hallway, and they said, “Taylor.”
Saturday
2 a.M.
We were traveling at a fast speed, not knowing anything about where we were going or how fast the wind speeds were. When our internet stopped working, it left us blind to any information about our whereabouts. Additionally, at around this time, the announcement was made and the TV screen was replaced with a standby announcement address. Our cruise information was displayed on the screen from 7:30 a.M. Until they said, “Taylor.”
According to Taylor, there was no communication from the captain or cruise director until the announcement made at 4:45 p.M. On Friday, following the 7:30 a.M. Saturday announcement.
Our pilot informed us that we were delayed in Charleston harbor due to inclement weather conditions.
8:45 a.M.
Captain Taylor informed us over the intercom that we were unable to proceed safely into the port due to the updated situation, which required monitoring our fleet’s operations.
9:45 a.M.
While out at sea, we patiently awaited the upcoming activities as the cruise director, Taylor, provided updates on the guests’ attempts to participate.
11:21 a.M.
We were unable to use App Hub to communicate with other apps or the internet for the entire duration of this time. Taylor announced that there was a problem with the satellites, which affected the Wi-Fi.
2:10 p.M.
Taylor said, “The captain made an announcement that we were going towards the pilot station with the aim of being able to navigate into Charleston.”
According to him, the vessel reached the harbor around 5:30 p.M. And commenced the process of unloading half an hour afterwards.
Taylor said, “Finally, I was able to get off the ship and drive home to Albemarle, North Carolina after a four-hour car ride, arriving at 8 p.M.”
He mentioned that this was his third occasion on board Sunshine departing from Charleston and his fourth with the cruise company.
What Carnival authorities claim
On Tuesday, Matt Lupoli, the senior manager of public relations for Carnival Cruise Line, issued the following statement:
Our medical staff assisted a small number of crew and guests who needed assistance. Thankfully, there were no serious injuries, and the ship’s crew followed our protocols despite the rough weather.
We have heard from many guests who were very complimentary about how they managed the situation and the crew. The ship’s officers worked through the night to minimize discomfort as much as possible, added by the movement caused by the rough ocean. Some of the worst weather occurred during the overnight hours when announcements are typically not made, but the crew and guests were safe. The captain made several announcements about the weather and the delay it caused in returning to Charleston, asking guests to use extra precaution while walking around the ship.
The weather unexpectedly became stronger, with rougher conditions than forecasted, causing given circumstances. Our Fleet Operations Center and the ship’s officers coordinated real-time meteorological data to keep the ship in its safest location. Attempting to sail out in front of the large front could have been dangerous. As soon as the weather began to clear, the ship proceeded to the port.