SOLAS, or safety of life at sea is something every onboard guest hears mentioned in announcements on the first day of every cruise. I would guess that most people consider themselves safe once onboard, and that is generally true. Daily announcements also often include instructions to be aware of raised thresholds in doorways, doors that open and close automatically, and slippery surfaces one is likely to encounter while onboard a cruise ship. Always being aware of your surroundings is a good way to stay safe.
When the weather turns ugly things can go sideways – sometimes literally – on ships quickly. Recently an MSC ship broke it’s mooring lines in high winds and went runaway into a nearby yacht club and impacted several boats as well as piers.
Also recently the NCL Prima broke her mooring lines in Galveston, TX during disembarkation! Some guests had already left the ship when it happened but the disembarkation process was halted until the ship was re-secured. There were no injuries or damage and the ship was able to sail on the next scheduled voyage with only a slight delay.
Both of these incidents occurred in extremely high wind conditions. The mooring lines, if you have ever looked at them when the ship was docking or throwing lines, are really thick, strong lines and they use a lot of them to secure the ship. The danger of being hit by one of these lines if it snapped is huge and could cause significant injury or even death. Seeing something like that happen during passenger embarkation/disembarkation is a huge reason to always be aware and observant and to follow crew instructions without hesitation! – René
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