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Video shows carnival cruise ship in disarray after ‘horrific’ south carolina storm.

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Terrified passengers on a Carnival cruise were left vomiting after a torrential storm pounded the ship in South Carolina — flooding the vessel and ripping doors off their hinges.

The Carnival Sunshine was returning to Charleston following a week-long trip in the Bahamas when it got caught in wild weather and rough seas over the Memorial Day weekend.

Videos shared online by vacationers show flooded hallways littered with glass and other debris, doors ripped off their hinges and downed pipes laying soaked on the floor.

The ship’s crew members were forced to evacuate their flooded quarters, according to a video shared on Twitter that shows the area in disarray.

Throughout the storm, several passengers also complained they were starting to feel sick due to the boat’s rough movements.

One traveler described being able to “smell people being sick walking down the halls,” the Daily Mail Reported .

Cruise-goer RJ Whited, who was celebrating his engagement to fiancé Tracy on the Carnival Sunshine, told WCIV that the ship was shaking “so violently.”

Passengers also complained that they didn’t hear from the ship’s captain or any crew members for hours during the chaos.

“They left us blind,” passenger Daniel Taylor told the outlet. “Not reassuring us about what was going on, where we were headed to, what the plan was. They could have updated us and let us know something.”

Another passenger, Christa Seifert-Alicea, said they didn’t receive word from the captain or crew for more than 12 hours.

“What we endured is indescribable, not only to feel it yourself but to hear and see it set in on every single person around you from adult, child and the elderly is something I will never forget,” Seifer-Alicea said.

Water damage and broken glass were left in the hallways and rooms following the storm.

A Carnival spokesperson said only a “small number” of passengers and crew members required “minor assistance.”

“Carnival Sunshine’s return to Charleston was impacted by the weather and rough seas on Saturday. Guests on board the ship were safe. Our medical staff helped a small number of guests and crew members who needed minor assistance,” the cruise liner said in a statement to WCIV.

“The weather’s prolonged impact on the Charleston area delayed the ship’s arrival on Sunday and as a result, the next voyage’s embarkation was also delayed. We appreciate the patience and understanding of all our guests.”

The spokesperson added that the Carnival Sunshine is now sailing on a five-day Bahamas cruise and will return to Charleston on Thursday.

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WATCH: Cruise Passengers Share Terrifying Videos from 'Nightmare' Storm at Sea

The Carnival Sunshine cruise ship made it back to port safely on Saturday after being stuck in a storm between the Bahamas and Charleston, S.C. for 15 hours

The Carnival Sunshine cruise ship made it back to port nine hours later than planned after sailing through a terrifying storm on Friday night.

The ship was on its way to Charleston, S.C. from the Bahamas when it got caught in severe weather, including nearly 80 mph winds. Passengers on board shared details and footage of the chaos and destruction caused by the storm on social media. Thankfully, Carnival told PEOPLE in a statement provided below that "no one was seriously injured."

Crew Center, a cruise ship information site, posted a video on Twitter showing a flooded hallway, torn-off doors and other debris and destruction on board.

"The aftermath aboard Carnival Sunshine after a severe storm," the post read. "The crew from Deck 0-4 evacuated to the theater, and anywhere they could rest… the crew bar destroyed."

brad morrell/storyful

Passenger Daniel Taylor told Newsweek that the captain made an announcement around 4:45 p.m. saying that they would be experiencing a delay due to "adverse weather conditions," expressing that they "would do everything they could to minimize discomfort.

By dinner time, public decks had been closed off, and plates and cups were flying off the buffet areas, he recalled.

By the early hours of Saturday morning, he said, "We were no longer able to see where we were going, how fast we were going, what the wind speed was, or anything. We were blind to what was going on." Swells were hitting the ship "over and over," said Taylor, who also recalled seeing crew members wearing life vests.

At that point, the internet was also out, so those on board couldn't get any additional information or reach loved ones.

Matthew Branham, who was also on board, told The Washington Post , that "waves were hitting the boat so hard that it was like an earthquake experience, jarring you like a really rough roller coaster — even in the middle floor."

TVs were falling off walls and glasses shattering. “You could not stand up in your room,” he said. “You could be thrown from the bed."

Another passenger, RJ Whited, wrote in a since-deleted Facebook post cited by Newsweek , "Our cruise ship last night was literally sideways and slung everything in our room breaking, people in the hallways throwing up and sleeping on the stairs."

Added Whited, "We also found out that they knew about the storm and instead of us staying back to ride it out a few hours they hit it head-on so we could make it back for the other cruise to be on time."

Finally, the ship made it back to Charleston around 7:30 a.m., though it couldn't immediately dock due to continuing rough weather.

At 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, the ship was able to dock.

Summing up the "nightmare" experience, passenger Christa Seifert-Alicea told NBC News 4 : "What we endured is indescribable, not only to feel it yourself but to hear and see it set in on every single person around you from adult, child and the elderly is something I will never forget."

In a statement to PEOPLE on Wednesday, Carnival said: "Carnival Sunshine's return to Charleston was impacted by the weather and rough seas on Saturday. The weather's prolonged impact on the Charleston area delayed the ship's arrival and as a result, the next voyage's embarkation was also delayed. We appreciate the patience and understanding of all our guests." The statement claims that "the ship's crew followed our protocols for rough weather" noting, "thankfully, no one was seriously injured."

"The weather was unexpectedly strong, causing conditions that were rougher than forecasted," the statement continues. "Given the circumstances as they were, the ship's officers and our Fleet Operations Center team using real time meteorology data coordinated to keep the ship in its safest location. Attempting to sail out of the large front could have been dangerous. The ship proceeded to the port as soon as the weather began to clear." The cruise line's statement also said that the captain "made several announcements about the weather and the delay" but noted "some of the worst weather occurred in the overnight hours when announcements are not typically made."

The Carnival Sunshine is already on its next voyage, the cruise line confirmed.

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Cruise ship passengers left terrified after ship sails through rough seas on return to Charleston

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CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — A cruise ship that navigated rough seas off the South Carolina coast over the Memorial Day weekend has resumed sailing on its next cruise, Carnival Cruise Lines said Monday.

Terrified passengers on the Carnival Sunshine took to social media to post video of water pouring through a flooded hallway on a cabin level and pictures of on-board stores in shambles, with merchandise strewn about on the floor as large waves swelled on the sea.

Passenger Daniel Taylor said the crew “left us blind, not reassuring us what was going on, where we were heading to, what the plan was,” WCIV-TV reported .

“They could have updated us and let us know something,” he said.

The Carnival Sunshine’s return to Charleston, South Carolina, from the Bahamas on Saturday was delayed by prolonged bad weather and rough seas in the area, the Miami-based company said in a statement to The Associated Press on Monday. The vessel’s next cruise scheduled to leave Charleston this weekend was delayed, but is now sailing, the statement said.

No serious injuries were reported.

“We appreciate the patience and understanding of all our guests,” Carnival said.

clock This article was published more than  1 year ago

Carnival passengers recount ‘nightmare’ cruise as storm floods ship

Videos showed the Carnival Sunshine cabins and hallways flooding and ceilings leaking

Matthew Branham and his fiancée, Madison Davis, were lying by a Carnival Sunshine pool on Friday aboard a cruise returning to Charleston, S.C., from the Bahamas when an announcement came over the loudspeaker. The captain was expecting rougher weather that evening, but there was nothing to worry about. So Branham and Davis didn’t worry.

As the day went on, “We noticed it started getting cooler in the afternoon — much, much cooler,” said Branham, 25, of Castlewood, Va. “And then it was like a switch was flipped, and it literally turned into a nightmare.”

En route back to Charleston Friday night into Saturday, the Carnival Sunshine navigated into a strong storm system that battered the southeast over the holiday weekend. Videos emerged on social media showing cabins and hallways flooding, shop floors littered with destroyed merchandise and leaking ceilings . Passenger Brad Morrell snapped a photo of an automated instrument map reporting a 69 knot, or 79 mph, wind.

#CarnivalSunshine : Due to return to Charleston, South Carolina this Saturday, May 27, 2023, has been delayed due to severe weather. The ship is currently off the South Carolina coast and holding position, unable to return to the port because of high winds & rough seas. #cruise 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/2B6HlAn2yD — ∼Marietta (@MariettaDaviz) May 28, 2023

Carnival said in a statement that the weather was unexpectedly strong, causing conditions that were rougher than forecast, but that its fleet operations center team, which relies on outside meteorology resources for itinerary planning, “coordinated to keep the ship in its safest location.”

“Attempting to sail out of the large front could have been dangerous,” the statement continued. “The ship proceeded to the port as soon as the weather began to clear.”

Strong Southeast storm slams Carolinas

Carnival said 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.” Additionally, “some of the worst weather occurred in the overnight hours when announcements are not typically made, but guests and crew were safe.”

The ship’s medical staff did help a “small number” of guests and crew members who needed minor assistance following the storm. Despite the significant damage and a delay in schedule, Carnival Sunshine embarked on its next five-day Bahama sailing on Saturday.

From their sea-view room, Branham and Davis watched as waves surged over their window and braced themselves as the 892-foot-long ship lurched in the storm.

“Waves were hitting the boat so hard that it was like an earthquake experience, jarring you like a really rough roller coaster — even in the middle floor,” Branham said.

They were told to stay in their cabins. Meanwhile, Branham said, TVs were falling off walls, and glassware was sliding off shelves and shattering on the floor. “You could not stand up in your room,” he said. “You could be thrown from the bed.”

They packed up their belongings when their floor started to flood and took shelter in a main lobby area.

“All of the employees were sprinting downstairs with life vests,” Branham said. “There were little kids besides us screaming and crying and throwing fits.”

Throughout the storm, Branham wondered why there weren’t more announcements from Carnival staff. Besides the warning of rougher seas earlier Friday and one Saturday morning after they’d weathered the storm, Branham said they weren’t given any official updates on their situation. When he asked workers what was going on, they told him not to worry.

⁦⁦ @CarnivalCruise ⁩ #carnivalsunshine still 75mph winds at 9:25am. Sitting and spinning in the Atlantic. pic.twitter.com/NITCO2l9Ss — FlyersCaptain™®© (@flyerscaptain) May 29, 2023

“But you see rooms flooded, and you can pick up a handful of sand and you’re kind of like, ‘What in the world? Why is nobody telling us anything?’” Branham said.

Jim Walker, a maritime lawyer and cruise industry legal expert, says his firm has been contacted by some Carnival Sunshine passengers who were injured during the storm, including a man who says he was struck by a door and broke his foot. Others have asked him about the potential for a class-action lawsuit.

While Walker said passengers should make their complaints known to Carnival, he doesn’t believe filing a lawsuit would be an efficient next step. Instead, impacted passengers can ask Carnival for a refund or a credit for another cruise, although there’s no guarantee the cruise line will grant such requests.

Pete Peterson, owner of Storybook Cruises , which is affiliated with Cruise Planners, said cruise ships keep a close eye on weather developments and will adjust their itinerary depending on the severity of the storm.

“Cruise lines monitor the weather all the time. They’re not going to put their passengers in harm’s way,” said Peterson, who has been a cruise adviser for more than 20 years and has sailed on nearly 60 cruises. “Obviously, some cruise lines are better at doing this than others.”

In 2016, Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas returned to port after cruising into a “bomb cyclone,” which damaged the ship amid winds gusting to 100 mph. The ship sailed into the remnants of Hurricane Hermine seven months later, causing additional problems.

To ensure the safety and comfort of its passengers, a cruise ship can alter its course and circumvent the rough weather system. In stormy conditions, the crew can deploy the stabilizers, which will prevent the ship from rolling and bucking.

“You don’t experience the up and down,” Peterson said. “It’s not as rough a ride.”

Both approaches can add to a cruise line’s expenditures, Peterson said. Stabilizers slow the vessel, thereby consuming more fuel. Sailing around the storm can take longer than the original route and disrupt the company’s cruise schedule, leading to delays or cancellations. The cruise line may have to reimburse passengers or provide them with future credits because of the inconvenience.

“When they do something like that, it’s going to cost them money,” Peterson said.

Craig Setzer , a meteorologist and hurricane preparedness specialist, said that even with the hurricane-like conditions and flooding, “I would never be in doubt of the vessel’s integrity,” he said. “Cruise ships are structurally very, very sound and can survive a lot. They’re really rugged.”

Matthew Cappucci contributed to this report.

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Video Captures Terror as Cruise Ship Floods in Violent Storm

One shaken passenger asks, “What were they thinking?”

By David Williams, CNN

(CNN) – Cruise ship Carnival Sunshine was rocked by a storm over the weekend, frightening passengers and delaying the ship’s return to port in Charleston, South Carolina, and the departure of its next voyage.

First-time cruise passenger William B. Blackburn was on deck 6 of Carnival Sunshine during rough weather that started late Friday.

“It was terrifying,” Blackburn told CNN.

Blackburn was on the cruise with his wife and other family members.

“We stayed in our cabin, and prayed we’d be OK,” Blackburn said, and they took note of where the life jackets were stored.

“[We] discussed the fact that it would be very unlikely to survive in the water even with life jackets and doubted that lifeboats could even be launched in those conditions,” he said.

\u201cFootage from the Carnival sunshine cruise \ud83d\ude33\ud83c\udf0a Video credit: \ud83d\udcf9 TT: k8lyns_m\u201d — Wow Terrifying (@Wow Terrifying) 1685403445

Fellow passenger Bill Hassler told CNN he was “surprised I’m still alive” after enduring the storm and said other passengers were “white as ghosts” when they finally disembarked late Saturday.

He shared video footage showing water sluicing through hallways, huge waves outside, and bottles and other items strewn across retail areas.

Hassler criticized the cruise line for allowing the ship to be sailed into such extreme weather.

“Why would you sail into this storm with 80-miles-per-hour-plus winds, I mean who does that? What were they thinking?

“They should’ve stayed down in port in the Bahamas, waited a day for the storm to subside a little bit and then go. Or when they got into the storm why didn’t they go further out into the ocean to get to the other side of it.”

Hassler said at one point, a wave broke the window of his cabin, allowing water to enter.

“When I got home Sunday night, I had to crack open a beer and think about it, and I started shaking because it just set in. I couldn’t even believe I’m still here.”

Carnival Cruise Line addressed the weather disruption in a statement:

“Carnival Sunshine’s return to Charleston was impacted by the weather and rough seas on Saturday,” Carnival said. “The weather’s prolonged impact on the Charleston area delayed the ship’s arrival on Sunday and as a result, the next voyage’s embarkation was also delayed.”

The cruise line said the ship is now sailing on its next voyage.

Blackburn shot his video of the storm around 11 p.m. Friday and said conditions got worse after that. He considered shooting more video but was afraid to open the door again.

“It felt like the ship ran into a wall, all of our stuff went flying off the counters, baggage fell over and slid around,” he said.

“The wind was howling, all I could see outside was a solid wall of water spray and rain mixed. The balcony divider door for the cabin next to us had broken its latches and was slamming back and forth something awful. The ceiling and walls were creaking, and the ship was making horrible noises, and sometimes violently vibrating like the engines were struggling against the surging waves.”

Video posted online from Twitter handle @crewcenter shows water and objects flowing down interior hallways.

Carnival Sunshine has capacity for 3,002 guests and 1,040 onboard crew. The ship has 14 levels.

The-CNN-Wire ™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

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'Devastated': Passengers speak out after Bahamas-bound cruise diverted to New England, Canada over weather

Passengers had the option to cancel for future credit, the cruise line said.

Passengers of a cruise who were expecting a sunny getaway in the Bahamas this week were instead sailed to a much colder climate due to severe weather .

The MSC Meraviglia was forced to sail from Brooklyn, New York, to ports in New England and Canada on Saturday instead of its original destination in the Bahamas "due to unseasonable and rapidly worsening weather that would have made it impossible to safely reach the southern Atlantic Ocean from New York City," the MSC cruise line said in a statement to ABC News.

The move came after heavy storms struck the East Coast and the Bahamas causing flooding, power outages and several deaths.

MORE: 3 dead, 600,000 without power after monster storm tears up the East Coast

"The only alternative would have been to take the more extreme step of canceling the cruise -- and thousands of people's vacations -- outright," MSC said.

"The complexities involved in obtaining last-minute berths for unplanned stops and provisioning the ship along its new route left sailing to Canada and New England as the only viable option," the cruise line added.

MORE: Northeast storm: Maine police searching for 2 missing people swept away in floodwaters

MSC also said it offered passengers a choice of sailing to the new destinations or canceling for future credit, "which allows them to put the full value paid for this cruise toward another at their convenience."

The MSC Meraviglia is slated to arrive in the Port of Saint John in Canada on Thursday, the port wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

Speaking to "Good Morning America," Lakeya Allen, who said she arranged the trip with her best friend Val Montgomery as a joint family holiday to the Bahamas, said she was "devastated" by the divergence of the course.

"Good Morning America" airs at 7 a.m. ET on ABC.

"So this is some of my kids' Christmas gifts," she said. "[T]his was like, 'Hey, you guys, you got to go to [the] Bahamas.' We're from Chicago, so we wanted to change the weather. I never fathomed that we will be back in cold weather."

Allen and Montgomery said they have been planning for the trip for almost a year, since last February.

"When they first sent out that message, I wish they would have given us options right in that message and we could at least have a choice," Montgomery told ABC News. "We didn't have a choice at all."

Allen also said they were given such short notice about the decision to change course, saying, "It was beyond short. Yeah, it was unexpected."

As for the cruise, Montgomery said it's getting "a little depressing because you can imagine as we’re making the most of it, but most people are walking around in coats, gloves and hats."

The cruise ship can accommodate up to 5,624 passengers and 1,608 crew members, the cruise line says on its website . It was unclear how many passengers were aboard the rerouted Bahamas cruise.

Chris Gray Faust, executive editor of review site Cruise Critic, told ABC News this kind of scenario and decision to change the cruise's itinerary is "not necessarily out of the question," and that some other cruise lines were reportedly impacted by the inclement weather.

Faust said that cruise lines typically have a "contract of carriage" clause that doesn't guarantee the ports the ship will travel to and allows the cruise operator to change the itinerary for various issues, including weather.

"Generally weather in December is fairly stable in Florida and the Bahamas, but it has been rough last weekend in particular," she said.

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Watch a freak storm rip through cruise ship in Florida. ‘Like a scene from Twister’

A sudden freak Florida storm sent cruise ship passengers running for cover last week as they were boarding Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas at Port Canaveral in Cape Canaveral.

Videos of the tumult show hurricane like winds whipping through the pool area last Friday, sending lounge chairs and umbrellas into the air, and debris crashing onto the deck.

Terrified people scramble to find shelter, with some scooting on their behinds as they try to stand up.

One woman seen pulling a stroller narrowly escapes being slammed with a flying object as she bolts with her baby in her arms.

“Oh no!” Watch out!” screams a woman off camera.

“Oh my God!” yells another as furniture flies by.

Passenger Jennifer Stancil posted two angles of the chaos for her You Tube and Facebook followers.

“So super scary!!” said her caption. “This storm came so fast!!”

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sunshine State of Mind 305 (@305ssom)

“It just turned crazy,” Stancil later told Fox 35 Orlando. “It looked like a scene from the movie ‘Twister ,’” the 1996 disaster flick about tornado chasers.

About four minutes after the violent weather came, the winds died down, the rain stopped and the skies cleared.

READ MORE: ‘It’s a tornado!’ See a storm rip through a Florida Winn-Dixie

“That was scary,” says a woman in Stancil’s video.

The cruise line released a statement regarding the frightening situation: “On Friday, June 16, while departing from Port Canaveral, Independence of the Seas encountered a sudden gust of high winds. This lasted for a brief period and there were no serious injuries to our guests or crew.”

The ship continued “its regularly scheduled three-night itinerary ,” arriving to Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas, on Saturday morning, the statement said.

Sudden, brief storms, characterized by heavy rains and strong winds, are not uncommon during summertime in the Sunshine State.

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Terrified cruise passenger feared she would die in ‘horror’ storm – so she turned on Strictly

Carol lake feared for worst when spirit of discovery ship was hit by storm in bay of biscay, article bookmarked.

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A terrified passenger on board a cruise ship that was battered by a storm has described fearing for her life as 30ft waves crashed against the boat – and revealed she turned to Strictly to get her through it.

The “nightmare” faced by Carol Lake on The Spirit of Discovery was a long way from the electric jive performed by Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin on Saturday’s show, but for the 63-year-old it was the perfect distraction.

After hurting her head when the boat’s safety system caused a sudden jolt during the storm, she, along with the 1,000 other passengers, was asked to go to her cabin as the ship held its position in the rocky waters of the Bay of Biscay on Saturday.

And with the boat “swaying like a pendulum” in the towering waves, the radio presenter turned to the Saturday night television staple watched by millions to distract her from the “horror movie” outside.

“I’d packed my bag early but realised no one in the Bay of Biscay was coming to rescue us if we went over and thought for the first time I wasn’t going to make it,” Ms Lake told The Independent .

“I have had a good life and thought ‘this is it then’ as I could hear others in alarm around me - and so I turned the television on and watched Strictly.

“It was like a horror movie outside with the waves going up so high. I just tried to keep a tad of normality in a situation I had absolutely no control over, plus I could turn the sound up to drown the ferociously howling winds.”

Were you, or anyone you know, on board the Spirit of Discovery? Email [email protected]

The varied dance routines of Strictly’s nine remaining couples offered some comfort to the radio presenter, who had earlier suffered injuries to her wrist and head when the vessel’s safety system forced it to veer suddenly to the left before bringing it to a halt in the worsening storm.

The “almighty crash” happened only moments after Ms Lake had sat down in the main dining hall at the rear of the boat.

“I was sat down when my glass of Hush Heath moved across the table,” she said. “I moved my hand to stop it when there was an almighty crash and everything moved including my table which fell against another table and trapped my wrist.

“I lost control and fell back and hit my head on the wall behind me. I sat up from the floor feeling dazed - I was in shock as I couldn’t really hear anything but people said there was screaming around me.”

Ms Lake was checked on by a health worker before being taken in a wheelchair back to her cabin, where she remained until the extreme weather had passed.

“I was so frightened,” she said. “I thought this is it and I wished I’d rewritten my will because I wasn’t going home.”

Back on dry land at Portsmouth on Monday, Ms Lake and other passengers received a letter from Saga Cruises CEO Nigel Blanks saying they would get details about compensation in the coming days.

The 14-day over-50s cruise had been around the Canary Islands and was intended to moor at La Coruna port in northwestern Spain, before bad weather closed the port and the boat headed across Biscay on the way to the UK.

Ms Lake is among many passengers who have spoken of their nightmare experience on board.

Jan Bendall, 75, told the BBC that she and her husband were “holding on for dear life” during the storm and added: “It was quite frightening, I’m not somebody who frightens easily, it was quite dramatic.”

Out of the 100 guests hurt, the “vast majority” were left with minor injuries, although five needed treatment for more serious injuries in the ship’s medical facilities, according to Saga Cruises.

A company statement said: “Spirit of Discovery was sadly caught in the challenging weather conditions this weekend, as she started her return to the UK.

“The ship remained safe at all times, but due to the impact of the storm some guests sustained injuries. All were treated immediately by onboard medical staff.

“While the weather is clearly beyond our control, we want to offer our sincere apologies to all those affected who are now safely on their way home in calmer seas.”

This article was amended on 8 November 2023. It originally said that Johnny Pacheco and Celia Cruz had performed a dance, but this was inaccurate. They are not on the show and the dance referred to was performed by Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin.

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Watch CBS News

Passengers describe terror of cruise ship in bad storm

Updated on: February 9, 2016 / 7:27 PM EST / CBS/AP

MIAMI -- Federal transportation officials might soon be looking into a Royal Caribbean cruise ship that ran into high winds and rough seas in the Atlantic Ocean over the weekend.

Sen. Bill Nelson has called for the National Transportation Safety Board to investigate the voyage that forced frightened passengers into their cabins overnight Sunday as their belongings flew about, waves rose as high as 30 feet, and winds howled outside.

"The thing about this storm was that it was forecast for days. So why in the world would a cruise ship with thousands of passengers go sailing right into it?" Nelson said Monday on the Senate floor, according to a news release from his office.

The National Weather Service's Ocean Prediction Center had issued an alert for a strong storm four days in advance, Susan Buchanan with the weather service said. The first warning was issued Saturday for possible hurricane-force winds in the area the ship was scheduled to sail through.

Passenger George Sycip told CBS News the more than 4,500 passengers on board were ordered to ride out the storm in their staterooms Sunday.

"You could hear the waves crashing against the hull, metal twisting and banging all night long. It was scary," Sycip said.

The nearly 200,000-ton liner, which launched last year, is one of the largest vessels of its kind.

Royal Caribbean announced Monday that the ship was turning around and sailing back to its home port in New Jersey. A spokesperson tells CBS News it is expected to arrive around 9 p.m. on Wednesday.

No injuries were reported, and the ship suffered only minor damage.

"I was shaking all over," passenger Shara Strand of New York City wrote to The Associated Press via Facebook on Monday. "Panic attack, things like that. ... I've been on over 20 cruises, I've been through a hurricane, it was never like this. Never."

Sixteen-year-old Gabriella Lairson says she and her father, Sam, could feel the ship, Anthem of the Seas, begin to sway by 2:30 p.m. Sunday. The captain directed passengers to their cabins. There, the Lairsons heard glasses shatter in the bathroom, and they put their belongings in drawers and closets to prevent them from flying across the room. They ventured to the balcony, where Sam Lairson shot video of wave after wave rising below.

"The winds were so strong that I thought the phone would blow from my hands," Sam Lairson, of Ocean City, New Jersey, said in an email. "After that we had to keep the doors to the balconies sealed."

crazy day on board #anthemoftheseas. been stuck in our cabins since 3pm, winds reaching 150 mph. apparently the storm is dying down but the ship is certainly still rocking. couldn't keep a single item on a dresser or counter, everything went flying. can't wait for this to be over, just want to get to the warm weather and calm seas. @nyr230 #theonepackageofcandyisntcuttingit #bored #hungry #wassupposedtohavesteaktonight #rocktheboat A video posted by @leanna_nicole_ on Feb 7, 2016 at 6:57pm PST

The ship - with more than 4,500 guests and 1,600 crew members - sailed Saturday from Cape Liberty, New Jersey. It was scheduled to arrive for a stop at Port Canaveral, Florida, at noon Monday, then move on to other stops in the Caribbean. But Royal Caribbean said on its corporate Twitter account that the ship would turn around and sail back to Cape Liberty.

"This decision was made for guests' comfort due to weather forecasts" that would continue to affect the ship's itinerary," Royal Caribbean tweeted.

Guests will get a full refund and a certificate toward a future cruise. Passengers onboard buzzed happily about that news, Strand said.

Gabriella Lairson said that by early Monday morning, people were out and about on the ship, checking out the minor damage in some public areas.

Lairson praised the crew and captain. "They did everything they could to make us feel comfortable," she wrote to the AP on Facebook. She said she and her father were a little disappointed the ship was turning around, but she called it "the best thing for the safety of everyone."

Fellow passenger Jacob Ibrag agreed. "I can't wait to get home and kiss the ground," said Ibrag, who saw water flowing down stairs and helped some people who were stuck in an elevator Sunday as he made his way to his cabin per the captain's orders. The 25-year-old from Queens, New York, then stayed in his cabin until noon Monday, at one point filling his backpack with essentials in case of an evacuation.

3:10 PM Eastern time, the calm before the Hurricane. #anthemoftheseas #royalcarribean pic.twitter.com/YI7qXxTv4k — Jacob Ibrag (@jaybrag) February 8, 2016

Robert Huschka, the executive editor of the Detroit Free Press, was onboard and started tweeting when the inclement weather hit. He told USA Today that the ordeal was "truly terrifying." He described the cruise director nervously giving updates, and he later posted photos of shattered glass panels on a pool deck.

But Huschka was among passengers who found a silver lining in the storm. On Monday, he posted: "The good news? They never lost the Super Bowl signal. Perfect TV picture throughout storm!"

Royal Caribbean gave guests free Internet access and a complimentary cocktail hour, spokeswoman Cynthia Martinez said in an email. "Feeling better after the happy hour they just put on for the guests," Sam Lairson joked.

And despite her own worries, Strand said her daughter, 8-month-old Alexa, slept through the entire episode.

More from CBS News

Why the journey is the destination when it comes to Alaska cruises

They say getting there is half the fun. Usually, I disagree. When I travel, I want to get to where I’m going as quickly as possible to make the most of my time there. However, sailing Celebrity Edge on its maiden Alaska voyage from Seattle, I was all about the journey.

Staring up at the snow-capped mountains through the ship’s floor-to-ceiling windows and watching for wildlife in the icy waters below, I was mesmerized by the famed Last Frontier. And I realized that on an Alaska cruise , the journey is a destination.

Here’s why and what travelers should know about cruising Alaska.

Why is Alaska a popular cruise destination?

Alaska is a bucket-list destination for many people. Some may wait their whole lives for the trip. While Alaska Airlines and other carriers fly throughout America’s largest state , it isn’t as easy to navigate as the Lower 48.

Cruises allow travelers to visit multiple destinations without taking separate flights, renting a car or moving from hotel to hotel. My Edge itinerary included stops in Ketchikan, which is surrounded by the lush Tongass National Forest ; the state capital of Juneau, which is only accessible by air or sea; and Skagway, home of Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park . The ship also carefully navigated the stunning Endicott Arm fjord toward Dawes Glacier, a highlight of the trip.

The easy trip can also be more accessible for people with mobility issues and other disabilities. Like other cruise lines, Celebrity has a team dedicated to accessible cruising . Numerous guests on board my sailing used walkers, canes or wheelchairs. Plus, it’s just nice to be able to take in the dramatic coastlines from the comfort of a cozy cabin or lounge when it’s chilly outside.

Are cruises to Alaska worth it?

They can be. At last check, the lowest price on a seven-night Celebrity Edge Alaska Dawes Glacier sailing, roundtrip from Seattle, for the remainder of this summer is listed at $778 per person on the cruise line’s website, based on double occupancy in an inside stateroom. That does not include travel to or from Seattle nor any taxes or fees, which can balloon the bottom line on any cruise. Nor does it include promotional discounts, which are pretty much always available. After taxes and fees, that works to about $2,212 for two people or $1,106 per person. 

The cheapest seven-night Southbound Glacier sailing on the Edge’s sister ship, Celebrity Summit , is much less at $249 per person, based on double occupancy in an inside stateroom. It’s worth noting the Southbound voyage goes from Seward, Alaska, to Vancouver, British Columbia, not a round trip. Also the Summit is not an Edge-class ship , The Celebrity Edge is the first Edge class ship to sail Alaska; it was also the first ship in Celebrity’s most recent series, which also includes the new Celebrity Ascent . Edge-class ships were designed to bring guests closer than ever to their destinations, with their signature Magic Carpet cantilevered platform that extends beyond the ship’s edge and other features that bring the outside in. After taxes and fees, the Summit sailing adds up to about $1,231 for two people or about $615 a person.

Both are cheaper than flying between cities and staying at hotels for a week in Alaska, but they're also cheaper than other popular vacations. For example, seven nights at Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort , a value resort at Walt Disney World , costs $955 for the room alone, including taxes and a summer promo deal. Adding seven days of park tickets, without park hopping, and the total becomes $2,195 for two people or about $1,098 per person, excluding food.

Meanwhile, cruises include all onboard meals – except optional specialty dining and alcohol. There are also a boatload of included activities, like nature talks, tai chi classes, guided arts and crafts, trivia, games and childcare. There’s live music available through the day and nightly stage shows. I sampled a little bit of everything, but for me, the best part of the ship was the views.

Inside Ascent: 3 takeaways from Celebrity Cruises' new ship

Do you see wildlife on an Alaskan cruise?

Yes. I saw whale spouts three times from the ship, though the whales didn’t breach above water. I also saw a handful of harbor seals and a dozen eagles from the ship and from shore. Bald eagles are so common in Alaska that a tour bus driver jokingly called them bald seagulls. There are 30,000 bald eagles in the state, according to the Alaska Department of Fish & Game. 

I kept an eye out for bears on an excursion to Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, which is managed by the U.S. Forest Service. I didn’t see any walking along the paved, wheelchair-accessible Nugget Falls Trail, but I did spot all sorts of spring buds and the most beautiful moss.

The ship’s onboard naturalist gave us a heads-up on what to look for and taught us about various species in presentations in the ship’s theater. She also broadcasted live on the ship’s TV channel and inside speakers while traveling through the Endicott Arm. However, her voice wasn’t carried on outside speakers to avoid potentially disturbing wildlife.

What is the best month to go on a cruise to Alaska?

The Alaska cruise season runs from late April to early October, though dates vary by cruise line. Guests who sail early or late in the season may find lower rates than during the height of the summer, but they may miss out on warmer weather.

It was in the 40s to 50s most days of my May sailing, and it rained on our Juneau day. The onboard naturalist warned that there is no bad weather in Alaska, only poor clothing choices.

How much should I budget for an Alaskan cruise?

You should pad your budget with several hundred extra dollars for excursions and dining off-ship. Both can be pricey but enriching. My Mendenhall Glacier excursion was just under $130, including transportation and an off-site Gold Creek Salmon Bake , with all-you-can-eat fresh salmon cooked over a wood-burning fire.  I’ve never had better fried fish than the local halibut at The Alaska Fish House in Ketchikan, and I will be dreaming of the sweet, plump red king crab at Tracy’s King Crab Shack in Juneau for years to come.  If you want freshly caught Alaska seafood, you’ll want to get it at port.

You may be able to spot whales from the cruise ship, but if you really want to go whale watching, salmon fishing, dog sledding, or get up close to glaciers, that’s generally going to require an excursion. Excursions offered through cruise lines tend to cost more than those booked independently, but booking through the cruise line can streamline payment and ensure that the ship won’t leave without you if the excursion runs late.

One port you can enjoy on the cheap is Skagway. You can explore several exhibits and historic buildings on your own, as part of Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. However many visitors splurge on a scenic train ride on the White Pass and Yukon Route Railway up to the Canadian border and back.

Is it worth getting a balcony on a cruise?

Yes and no. The views throughout Alaska are breathtaking, and being able to enjoy them from your cabin any time of day feels luxurious. I loved waking up to mountains, thick with trees, outside my window and scanning the waters for marinelife before bed.

Just over 80% of Celebrity Edge’s staterooms have a balcony. I had an Infinite Veranda , which is unique to Edge-class ships. Rather than a traditional balcony with a sliding glass door, Infinite Verandas incorporate what would be exterior balcony space into the interior of the cabin and have a window that slides halfway down the exterior wall with the push of a button. I loved how much bigger it made the cabin feel and appreciated the extra climate-controlled living space. It was still chilly during my early season sailing, so I rarely put the window down and think I would have enjoyed a non-balcony, oceanview room just as much.

Of course, if you book an inside cabin, you can still enjoy the scenery from public areas of any ship. The Celebrity Edge brings the outside in with tons of windows, including in the buffet restaurant, Oceanview Cafe, where I spotted my first whale spout. In the back of the ship, there’s a relaxing mixed-use space called Eden with three stories of windows that I found myself drawn to daily. The solarium, with its tall windows and rows of lounge chairs, also offered expansive views. 

Do I need a passport for an Alaskan cruise?

Maybe. For a closed-loop cruise that starts and ends in the same U.S. port, like the one I was on, all you need is proof of citizenship. 

“According to U.S. Customs & Border Protection, this includes an Enhanced Driver’s License, which is a state-issued driver’s license that provides proof of identity and U.S. citizenship; a government-issued birth certificate (issued by the Vital Records Department in the state where the person was born) or passport; and if 16 or older, a government-issued driver’s license or picture ID denoting photo, name, and date of birth,” according to Celebrity.

Of course, not all Alaska cruises are closed-loop cruises. Some start or end in Vancouver, Canada. There are also cruises on several smaller U.S.-flagged cruise lines like Alaska Dream Cruises and Uncruise Adventures , which may not require passports depending on the itinerary.

Can you see the Northern Lights on an Alaska cruise?

It’s possible, but because daylight hours are so long during the summer in Alaska, the best chance to see them would be on a cruise late in the season.

I woke up in the middle of the night a few times to look for Northern Light. I didn’t see any, but I heard passengers on a previous sailing spotted them. Then again, so did people all across the country during the solar storm earlier this month.

The reporter on this story received access from Celebrity Cruises. USA TODAY maintains editorial control of reviews.

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Cascadia Subduction Zone, one of Earth's top hazards, comes into sharper focus

by Columbia Climate School

Off the coasts of southern British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and northern California lies a 600 mile-long strip where the Pacific Ocean floor is slowly diving eastward under North America. This area, called the Cascadia Subduction Zone, hosts a megathrust fault, a place where tectonic plates move against each other in a highly dangerous way.

The plates can periodically lock up and build stress over wide areas―eventually to be released when they finally lurch against each other. The result: the world's greatest earthquakes, shaking both seabed and land, and generating tsunamis 100 feet high or more.

Such a fault off Japan caused the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. Similar zones exist off Alaska, Chile and New Zealand, among other places. At Cascadia, big quakes are believed to come roughly every 500 years, give or take a couple hundred. The last occurred in 1700.

Scientists have long been working to understand the Cascadia Subduction Zone's subterranean structures and mechanics, in order to delineate places most susceptible to quakes, how big they might be and what warning signs they might produce. There is no such thing as predicting an earthquake; rather, scientists try to forecast probabilities of multiple scenarios, hoping to help authorities design building codes and warning systems to minimize the damage when something happens.

A new study promises to greatly advance this effort. A research vessel towing an array of the latest geophysical instruments along almost the entire zone has produced the first comprehensive survey of the many complex structures beneath the seafloor. These include the geometry of the down-going ocean plate and overlying sediments, and the makeup of the overriding North American plate. The study was published in the journal Science Advances .

"The models currently in use by public agencies were based on a limited set of old, low-quality 1980s-era data," said Suzanne Carbotte, a marine geophysicist at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, who led the research. "The megathrust has a much more complex geometry than previously assumed. The study provides a new framework for earthquake and tsunami hazard assessment."

The data was gathered during a 41-day cruise in 2021 by Lamont's research vessel , the Marcus G. Langseth. Researchers aboard the ship penetrated the seafloor with powerful sound pulses and read the echoes, which were then converted into images, somewhat similar to how physicians create interior scans of the human body.

One key finding: the megathrust fault zone is not just one continuous structure, but is divided into at least four segments, each potentially somewhat insulated against movements of the others. Scientists have long debated whether past events, including the 1700 quake, ruptured the entire zone or just part of it—a key question, because the longer the rupture, the bigger the quake.

The data show that the segments are divided by buried features including big faults, where opposing sides slide against each other perpendicular to the shore. This might help buffer against movement on one segment translating to the next.

"We can't say that this definitely means only single segments will rupture, or that definitely the whole thing will go at once," said Harold Tobin, a geophysicist at the University of Washington and co-author of the study. "But this does upgrade evidence that there are segmented ruptures."

The imagery also suggests the causes of the segmentation: the rigid edge of the overriding North American continental plate is composed of many different kinds of rocks, formed at different times over many tens of millions of years, with some being denser than others. This variety in the continental rocks causes the incoming, more pliable oceanic plate to bend and twist to accommodate differences in overlying pressure. In some places, segments go down at relatively steep angles, in others at shallow ones.

The researchers zeroed in on one segment in particular, which runs from southern Vancouver Island alongside Washington state, more or less ending at the Oregon border.

The subterranean topography of other segments is relatively rough, with oceanic features like faults and subducted seamounts rubbing up against the upper plate—features that might erode the upper plate and limit how far any quake may propagate within the segment, thus limiting the quake's size. In contrast, the Vancouver-Washington segment is quite smooth. This means that it may be more likely to rupture along its entire length at once, making it potentially the most dangerous section.

Also in this segment, the seafloor is subducting under the continental crust at a shallow angle relative to the other segments. In the other segments, most of the earthquake-prone interface between the plates lies offshore, but here the study found the shallow subduction angle means it probably extends directly under Washington's Olympic Peninsula. This might magnify any shaking on land.

"It requires a lot more study, but for places like Tacoma and Seattle, it could mean the difference between alarming and catastrophic," said Tobin.

A consortium of state and federal agencies and academic institutions has already been poring over the data since it became available to sort through the implications.

As for tsunami hazard, that is "still a work in progress," said Kelin Wang, a research scientist at the Geological Survey of Canada who was not involved in the study.

Wang's group is using the data to model features of the seafloor off Vancouver Island that might generate tsunamis. (In general, a tsunami occurs when the deep seafloor moves up or down during a quake, sending a wave to the surface that concentrates its energy and gathers height as it reaches shallower coastal waters.) Wang said his results will go to another group that models tsunamis themselves, and after that to another group that analyzes the hazards on land.

Practical assessments that could affect building codes or other aspects of preparedness may be published as early as next year, say the researchers. "There's a whole lot more complexity here than was previously inferred," said Carbotte.

Journal information: Science Advances

Provided by Columbia Climate School

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7 Surprising Reasons You Could Get Denied Boarding on a Cruise

D o you have an upcoming cruise vacation? You need to be aware of the reasons why people get turned away at the cruise port. The last thing you want is to go through the check-in process only to be told that you can’t board the cruise ship! It will ruin your vacation! 

Reasons People are Denied Boarding on a Cruise

1. banned items.

You will be denied boarding if you bring banned items, especially dangerous items like guns, ammunition, and drugs. Cruise ships have strict rules against these items, so don’t even think about trying to sneak them on board. It’s just not worth it. 

If you’re caught, you could even be banned for life from the cruise line. In fact, there’s a woman who had CBD gummies in her carry-on bag, and Carnival Cruise denied her boarding. And it’s not just that, they banned her from sailing on any Carnival cruises for life! Make sure to read up on your cruise line’s list of banned items so you know what you can and can’t bring onboard the ship

2. No Parental Consent

If you’re a single parent traveling with your child or accompanying children who aren’t your own, you will need parental consent. Typically, you’ll need a notarized consent form signed by the parents.

If you’re a single parent, the cruise line may also require the other parent to provide consent to travel. It’s best to verify these requirements directly with your cruise line. Make sure you have all the necessary documents. Otherwise, you’ll be denied boarding.

One surefire way to get denied boarding on a cruise ship is if you show up at the port clearly intoxicated. The cruise line has zero tolerance for unruly passengers and will not hesitate to refuse boarding in such cases. 

Aside from being intoxicated, if you look like you are under the influence of drugs, you could be denied boarding on the cruise ship.

4. Late Arrival

The cruise ship will not wait for latecomers! Cruise ships strictly enforce all aboard time. You need to show up by the all-aboard time. Even if you are 10 minutes late, you can be denied boarding! Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to board the ship. It’s best to fly in the night before and stay at a hotel near the cruise port. Better be safe than sorry!

5. Pregnancy

If you’re expecting, it’s important to inform the cruise line. They have specific guidelines regarding how far along you can be to board the cruise ship. This is because the ship has limited medical resources and staff to handle pregnancy-related emergencies. 

For example, Carnival cruises won’t allow women who have reached or surpassed their 24th week of pregnancy from boarding or sailing. If you’re pregnant, it’s essential to confirm with your cruise line before planning your trip.

6. Expired Travel Documents

It’s important to remember that you may be denied boarding if you fail to bring the necessary travel documentation. The cruise line will provide clear information about the documents you must bring well before your trip.

Make sure you have the required visa necessary to travel to the countries you will be visiting. If you are a US permanent resident, you need to have your greencard. And make sure your visa and greencard are not expired because they can deny you boarding if it is. 

In order to cruise, you must have a valid passport. By “valid passport,” they mean the passport should not be expired or expiring within 6 months. Believe it or not, if your passport is set to expire within 6 months, they can refuse to let you board the ship. That passport is as good as expired! 

The only exception to the valid passport rule is if you are going on a closed-loop cruise. Closed-loop cruises allow you to cruise without a passport. Find out more about closed-loop cruises and if it’s a good idea to sail without a passport . 

7. Cancelled Cruise

Another reason you might not be allowed to board is if your cruise is canceled, not by you, but by someone pretending to be you! It may sound unlikely, but a Kentucky family recently experienced this when their cruise was canceled due to identity theft. Check out the article to learn more about what happened to them: A Family’s $15,000 Carnival Cruise Canceled Due to Identity Theft- Don’t Make the Same Mistake!

Check out these free cruise printables

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The post 7 Surprising Reasons You Could Get Denied Boarding on a Cruise appeared first on Suburbs 101 .

Lady Caroline

Review Highlights

“ After casting off near the Clevaland Aquarium we went to Lake Erie for most of the cruise which was very enjoyable. ” in 8 reviews

“ My husband and I took our three teenage daughters on a dinner cruise and I must say we had an absolute blast! ” in 33 reviews

“ We had a wonderful work outing on the Nautica Queen a couple of weeks ago. ” in 10 reviews

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1153 Main Ave

Cleveland, OH 44113

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Tanya W. said "My husband and I have never written a review before, but, we needed to give a shout out. We went to dinner on Friday evening Feb 10th Cleveland location. We haven't been in for a while. Had a small dinner wither a few friends. The…" read more

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About the Business

Lady Caroline is Cleveland's premier dining cruise. She docks and boards on the Flats West Bank in Cleveland. Ohio. We offer Lunch, Dinner, Sunday Brunch Cruises and private charters. Our season runs from April through New Year's Eve. Hours listed are office hours. Ship's cruising schedule varies, offering both weekday evening cruises and weekend cruises. …

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Very good experience, the food was buffet style . Cocktails are available. Truly had a great lunch. Would recommend.

Dinner on the Lady Caroline. Plus a Royal Caribbean Travel Agent event Our hostess Kathy Vesely Killen BDM for RCC invited us. myself and a few coworkers from AAA Travel Agency.. So classy, the ship had engine trouble and we never left the dock. Better to be stuck here then out in the lake. She asked us to stay have dinner and we'll do over another time. She gave a presentation on the new ships for Royal Caribbean Cruise she has been out business manager for years. If interested in a 3-4 day fun cruise call me! Overall the servers did well seeing the ship never left dock. Our Hostess was amazing. The food was ok- banquet food, our problem was tables in order to get you own dish by 1-20 and we were at Table 19. Beautiful evening thanks to the Cleveland skyline.....at the dock :)

See all photos from Rhonda R. for Lady Caroline

Lady Caroline has replaced the Nautica Queen that is retired. It's spacious. Four floors are used for large group entertainment. We went with a large group. First floor is walk in, and has tables and a baby grand piano. Second floor was dining. Very nice heavy hors-d'oeruvres were dinner. Specially drinks were delicious. Service was excellent. Third floor was a large dance floor with seating, and a bar. Fourth floor was the open top with spectacular views of the city. Our cruise on Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River was about two hours, and docked for an hour. We were there from 5-8 p.m. I would go again.

See all photos from Debra V. for Lady Caroline

Salad first with only one type of dressing. Balsamic. Buffet offered: green beans with carrots-Al dente. Mashed potatoes with chives, chicken breast, meat loaf, crab cakes and rolls also pound cake with whipped cream and strawberries. Very pleasant. Waitress needed to be friendly but other waitresses assisted where she fell short. DJ was good. Atmosphere was noisy until guests went to dance. Not a bad lunch affair. Caterer could work on flavors though!

Buffet plate

Exceptional service, value and FUN with out group of 70-80 people on Lady Caroline's first trip. Staff was amazing, getting drinks, and working through the buffet line. Excellent entrees, really tasty fish and chicken. We explored and found the dance floor- DJ was perfect!

The food was not very good. Our lady server was very rude and did not pay any attention to us, so we were forced to have other servers help us, The cruise was nice along the lake and the entertainment was good. For the amount of money that is charged, I would say it was not worth it.

This was so great! Our server was so nice and fun and the dj made a point to mention our anniversary. They accommodated my husbands vegan meal and he said it was amazing. The dancing was fun. It was by no means a packed dance floor but hey, it is what you make it. The view was so cool! We saw a lightning storm in the distance on Lake Erie.

Had a wonderful time yesterday celebrating 34th anniversary. The wait staff was wonderful the buffet was delicious and of course the views of the Cuyahoga River were breathtaking. My bride and I had a wonderful time. Only suggestion- update the ceiling tiles and power wash the exterior. Nevertheless, I give the cruise experience five stars.

Go for the views!! We had perfect weather. Sun was out. Low 80's and light wind. Service was excellent. Drinks were flowing. Food was average hence the three stars. It was a bit confusing on the "masks". When we were boarding we were given a mask. Told to wear it when walking around the ship and up at the buffet. This was not enforced and it was maybe 25% followed the instructions. We did ask and were told "nah you don't have to wear your mask". Would recommend when you have out of town guests.

See all photos from Cindi R. for Lady Caroline

We had a great time. The food was good and the service was good. It's a buffet style and you get your own food. The waiters were very helpful and help you get your food to the table with if you need. We had a baby with us and it was very hard to get around. Having a stroller was a nightmare. They didn't have anywhere we're kids could sit except for a booster seat which is not suitable for a 9 month old. The booster seat also doesn't have a seatbelt so it was just a big no. They call your tables one at a time and being the first few tables made it so much better. Since we had a baby with us, we had to wait in the line again. It's definitely not wheelchair accessible or stroller accessible. They don't allow strollers on the top deck. Point being, this is not kid friendly. If you are without kids, it's perfect and super enjoyable. Best time to go is weekdays or Friday morning.

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Chinese Indie Animation Superstar Busifan on His Annecy Competition Player ‘The Storm’

By Holly Jones

Holly Jones

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China’s unwitting creative phenom Yang Zhigang, known as Busifan , presents an imaginative, heartwarming and gleefully chaotic animated journey in his latest feature, “ The Storm ,” selected to screen in main competition at this year’s Annecy Festival.

The auteur previously worked in telecommunications and never formally studied filmmaking, yet emerged as a self-taught cult figure on China’s animation circuit via its Flash scene in 2004 with “The Black Bird,” a seven-act episodic that craftily followed a wary warrior and his avian aide.

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In his second feature, “The Storm,” Busifan returns to family-friendly fare with a punchy and sly hero’s journey for the ages. The narrative follows a young, spirited rascal named Mantou and his makeshift father, Daguzi, as the two explore a fabled dark ship that has arrived on shore. Legend has it the ship holds treasure that could secure their future, but as they inch closer to the prize, a raging storm in the distance sets the vessel’s terror in focus, revealing a fate the two will struggle to overcome.

“Creating ‘The Storm’ was both a personal and artistic adventure. Through this film, I wanted to take viewers on an immersive journey into the heart of Chinese culture and mythology while exploring universal themes such as family, courage and resilience. I hope this film will touch the hearts and spark the imaginations of everyone who watches it,” Busifan said in a statement.

Quintessential fantasy fodder, the scenery cradles its protagonists tight, anchoring the plot in space and time.

“We want to explore our own understanding of Chinese ink and wash, or more accurately, the impression of Chinese paintings, and how it will be represented differently through animation,” Busifan told  Variety ahead of the film’s Annecy appearance. 

“This is an exploratory process, not something that’s designed or set in stone at the beginning. We looked for a solution that was as satisfactory as possible in terms of our own abilities. Our art director leads the work of the art team, but also the staff of post-production special effects, such as the drawing of water, how to combine it with the art, and so on,” he added.

The film draws from rich cultural lore and deeply personal, broadly relatable themes of belonging, acceptance, grief and trauma. The captivating animation works to embolden the high-stakes set-up in the script and relay them distinctly; a live-action rendering of the same story might fall short.

“On one hand, it comes from the influence of Chinese culture, and on the other hand, it comes from what the eyes see in the ordinary world, and in micro-life, the empathy for the collision of contradictions,” Busifan relayed.

“In fact, the most difficult part of the creative process may be the construction of the fictional world. It’s only when the audience has no doubts about the fictional world that it’s possible to build the emotional part of the characters. Animation, as a means of narration, has its own unique expressive advantages, such as exaggeration and distortion, which can enhance the expression of the characters’ emotions.”

While the film seemingly comes together without a hitch, Busifan admits that getting his ideas from the page to the big screen did come with roadblocks.

“The first challenge is funding. There’s no confusion about that. Then, there’s the production team integration that needs to be faced. For large-volume productions with certain stylistic demands, this can greatly increase the difficulty of realization and become one of the most challenging aspects. In addition, the realization process will have a myriad of problems of all shapes and sizes, and facing them requires some patience. The essence of the realization process is the process of encountering problems and solving them.” 

Ever-providing examples of the depths of Donghua (Chinese Animation), Busifan has faith that the talent pool will continue to drive a push in local production.

“The development trend of Chinese animation is good. In terms of the industry, it feels like it’s starting to mature. There are recognizable patterns of creativity and companies that have sustained production capacity. Of course, the development process is always difficult, and I can see that people are still exploring tirelessly.”

“The Storm” bowed in China in January ahead of screenings in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It is distributed by Play Big (“Kiki”), whose founder Frédéric Puech admits is, “delighted to be presenting ‘The Storm’ at Annecy, a vibrant and visually captivating 2D animated feature. Director Busifan demonstrates incredible visual talent, creating a breathtaking fantasy world. This film marks a new stage for Chinese animation and introduces an international audience to one of its greatest talents.”

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