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During the height of the storm, guests were asked to remain secure in their staterooms and meals were delivered rather than having people moving about the vessel in such uncertain conditions. In a letter to passengers Saga CEO Nigel Blanks promised a compensation offer by the end of the week but a group of at least 25 passengers are already compiling evidence in anticipation of a court battle. "We said to the captain, this storm's coming, and we're going to hit it somewhere in the Bay of Biscay," Jayne said in an interview with the news outlet. But the ship sailed on and got caught up in a terrifying storm that led to 100 people being injured on board. Saga confirmed there had been "very limited" damage to some fixtures inside the ship but it "remained safe at all times".
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There are plenty of options to escape the British winter and head to the warmth of the Canary Islands, with their volcanoes, rain forests, mountains, cities and fishing ports. A highlight for the year will be Porto da Praia’s return to Saga’s schedule on the Cape Verde and the Canary Islands cruise. Spirit of Adventure departs from Portsmouth on November 13 for 21 nights taking in Funchal, Santa Cruz, San Sebastian, La Gomera, Porto da Praia, Porto Grande, Santa Cruz, Arrecife, and La Coruña, Spain. Tours to Funchal, Santa Cruz, Arrecife, Cádiz and La Coruña are included. There are also a further six cruise options to the sub-tropical Canaries between February and Christmas 2023. Closer to home but still chasing the warmth, options include the Ancient Cities of the Mediterranean cruise departing March 31 for 22-nights on Spirit of Adventure (also repeated on Spirit of Discovery on September 4).
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She said after the ship halted, it was stationary for about 15 hours whilst "caught in the middle of the storm", during which she and her husband were "holding on for dear life". "People were writing texts to their loved ones in case we capsized," the passenger told BBC News. A social media user on X said their parents were passengers on Spirit of Discovery during the cruise. The company maintains that the ship was adequately prepared for the anticipated challenging conditions. 'I know other passengers wrote notes on their phones to loved ones because they didn't think they were going to make it out of there.
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Five passengers needed treatment in onboard medical facilities for more serious injuries, while the rest were described as minor. "We operate to the highest health and safety protocols and every decision was made based on advice from the ship's Master and forecasts from our dedicated marine meteorologists," Banks said in his statement. 'The ship remained safe at all times, but due to the impact of the storm some guests sustained injuries. A dream vacation became a maritime nightmare for those onboard a cruise ship caught in a fierce storm in the Bay of Biscay that left 100 people injured over the weekend, according to media reports. Jayne, 72, told The Telegraph that the ship started hitting rough seas as it travelled up the Portuguese coast, while passengers could see further storms forecast on the ship’s path to the UK.
Alan Grisedale, a passenger on the ship, said "tables were flying" with waves "throwing people around all up and down the place." 'Three days before the storm hit we were told we were trying to get ahead of if. The five more seriously injured passengers were treated at the ship's medical centre and were taken to hospital last night as a precaution after the vessel finally arrived at Portsmouth Harbour. Other passengers told the BBC that the captain of the pummeled ship sounded 'physically scared' as he spoke to them, while crewmembers were crying and others 'feared for their lives'. Despite the ordeal, she said the staff were 'absolutely fantastic', with the crew and captain gave regular updates and repeatedly reassured passengers 'the ship is safe'. “While the weather is clearly beyond our control, we want to offer our sincere apologies to all those affected who are now safely back, having sailed home in calmer seas,” the spokesperson added.
'We were there chaperoning my elderly parents, my mother was in the medical ward because she had a fall. They were so swamped they had to turn the main dining room into a makeshift first aid area because it was completely overrun. Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville.
Terrified cruise passenger feared she would die in storm – so she turned on Strictly - The Independent
Terrified cruise passenger feared she would die in storm – so she turned on Strictly.
Posted: Thu, 09 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
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Saga’s Ocean cruises are all-inclusive with a complimentary door-to-door chauffeur service, or Saga can arrange car parking near the port, domestic flights or standard class rail/coach travel. Saga Cruises come with all dining and house drinks including a selection of cocktails, draft beers and lagers, wines, spirits, mixers and soft drinks. New this year and in response to guest feedback, a selection of premium label spirits are also available at no additional cost. Highlights of Spain and the Balearics departs on May 6, aboard Spirit of Discovery and on September 24, 2023 on Spirit of Adventure for 15 nights from £3,234 per person. Lisbon and Spain’s Atlantic Coast on Spirit of Adventure departs on May 14, 2023 for 12 nights with prices from £2,767 per person.
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Passengers were injured when the ship made a sudden turn as part of a safety manoeuvre to stop the ship. The ship was eventually caught in a storm in the Bay of Biscay for 18 hours facing gail force winds and 30ft waves. Saga has rejected the claim and said it operates the “highest health and safety protocols’’ with regards to routes and port calls.
The ship’s crew took the decision to return to the UK when its propulsion safety system was activated in the poor weather, causing it to veer suddenly to the left, bringing the vessel to a sudden halt. In May, July and August, Spirit of the Danube will travel through Hungary, Slovakia, Austria and Germany calling at a variety of towns before visiting the small village of Oberammergau in the Bavarian Alps. In 1634 a ‘Passion Play’ was staged there after plague struck the village and the residents pledged to perform it every decade - a spectacle cruise passengers will witness. Prices start from £2,649 per person for the nine-night sailing with departures from various airports around the UK. Giving expert insights and talks onboard will be wildlife presenter Martin Hughes-Games. The final full day includes a trip to the Romanian town of Braila, where passengers can explore independently or head across the border to Moldova.
These are the recollections of a Saga cruise passenger who was on board the Spirit of Discovery, which last weekend got caught up in a major storm in the Bay of Biscay. "A lot of people I spoke to thought they were going to die," one 80-year-old passenger told The Telegraph. "You had people ringing families and saying, 'this could be it,' due to the violent rolling of the waves." “We have apologised to all our guests who experienced such difficult weather conditions; we know that this was a very distressing experience for them.
The vessel will then pause at the historic fishing village of St Georghe for a two-night mooring at the tip of the reserve for further exploration via smaller boats that can negotiate lakes and marshes. The cruise line has assured guests that some form of compensation will be forthcoming, though the exact details have not yet been confirmed. Such compensation could be in the form of partial refunds, future cruise credits, or some other option.
Most of the injuries were minor, but five people were more badly hurt and required treatment in the vessel’s onboard medical facilities. The ship was wrapping up a two-week, round-trip cruise from Portsmouth, England, to the Canary Islands that departed on Oct. 24, according to CruiseMapper. Around 100 of the roughly 1,000 guests on board got hurt after the ship’s propulsion safety system was activated while crossing the Bay of Biscay on Saturday, causing the ship to veer to the left and stop.
Around 100 people were injured Saturday when a cruise ship off the coast of France entered rough seas. Saga Cruises' Spirit of Discovery ship encountered treacherous conditions Saturday in France's Bay of Biscay. The vessel's automatic safety systems were activated, shifting the boat to one side before it came to a stop, according to the BBC. Particular sights include arriving into New York’s port, passing the Statue of Liberty and cruising along the Hudson, the autumn display in Acadia National Park from Bar Harbor and the story-book fishing village of Peggy's Cove in Halifax. Newport, which is considered to be the sailing capital of, is also known for its Gilded Age mansions including the famous, ‘The Breakers’, an 1895 mansion that looks like a Renaissance palace.
Saga said that around 100 of the 1,000 passengers onboard were injured with the majority only receiving minor injuries. Saga cruise passengers caught up in a storm that led to four people being admitted to hospital begged the captain to dock but were refused. A decision was made to return to the UK early due to worsening weather, but on Saturday the vessel encountered a storm in the Bay of Biscay - where boats often encounter notoriously rough seas. Most of the injuries were described as minor by cruise company Saga, but five people were taken to hospital when the ship docked in Portsmouth on Monday. Spirit of Discovery encountered massive, tumultuous waves while crossing the Bay of Biscay, a body of water bordering Span and France that is known at times for especially turbulent currents. While crossing the bay, the ship's propulsion safety system activated and caused it to jerk suddenly to one direction, which essentially brought the vessel to a halt.
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