Normally, if you’d ask me my biggest fears, I’d probably list the numerous ways you can die on the subway. But now, there’s a new fear to add to the top of the list: A cruise ship tilting in “extreme” winds, sending furniture — and people — flying, which is what happened to a recent Norwegian Cruise Line ship.
Not since the story of the infamous “poop cruise” incident of 2013, or that of the “drug-fueled orgy” on a cruise ship featured in a reality show in 2018, has a cruise caused me so much fear. As Time reports, the Norwegian Escape ship was traveling from New York to Florida when it got hit by sudden 115 mph winds. Passenger Aaron Black posted video of the boat’s piano bar during the severe winds, showing furniture sliding, bottles breaking, and passengers crying:
Black told CNN, “I remember thinking about how calm it was for sailing out of New York in March and suddenly we got hit by a large gust of wind and the whole ship kind of just tilted to the side for about 30 seconds. Suddenly everything around me was starting to move.”
The boat, which holds up to 6,000 people, eventually safely arrived in Port Canaveral, Florida. There were “several injuries” reported, and guests and crew were treated by the ship’s medical staff, Norwegian Cruise Line said in a Monday tweet, adding, “There was no damage to the ship; she remains fully operational and continues her scheduled itinerary.”
This is terrifying, but I would probably still go on the Oprah or Golden Girls cruises. It is only if women or TV shows I worship are involved that I could put aside my fear and possibly have fun.