Kurt Goetzinger (@kurtgoetzinger), an Omaha, Nebraska, marketing professional, had a mostly pleasant Caribbean cruise end in seasickness. But it was all part of the harrowing experience in which 16-foot waves shattered two windows on Royal Caribbean’s Enchantment of the Seas a week ago. The waves flooded cabins and injured two women as the ship rolled through rough Gulf of Mexico seas.
“You know what this is?” Goetzinger asked, pointing to two b### bags as he sat on a staircase. “They’re saying … we have 16-foot waves outside.”
He’s clearly not in the best shape, but it appears to be the case with many on the boat.
“Last night, two of the port windows on Deck 2 blew out,” he noted, adding that water was getting into the rooms. “This is the solarium. And, the pool’s obviously closed and empty. … Had some ginger ale and some ginger tea. That helped a lot.”
Candid Cruise reported on the effects of those few rough days. Royal Caribbean’s Enchantment of the Seas departed Tampa, Florida, on Jan. 31 for a five-night Western Caribbean cruise scheduled to visit Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico, before returning to Tampa on Feb. 5.
On the first night, two oceanview windows on Deck 2 failed under the force of the high-pressure seawater from the 16-foot waves. The rolling and pitching of the boat in the waves wasn’t friendly for the people who typically aren’t used to it.
Passengers shared photos and videos on social media showing water pooling in the corridors, soaked carpeting, and standing water under beds. Crew members were forced to lay towels throughout the hallways to absorb the incoming water.
One woman replied to a woman’s TikTok breakdown, calling out someone who claimed the reporting wasn’t factual.
“It’s all true because I am the woman with the 5-year-old child who was in cabin 2554, [on the floor where] the windows were busted. We had 4 rooms because of this [and] all [our] belongings basically all wet, all electronics broken. So all completely true,” she said.
Candid Cruise further reported that “passengers impacted by the flooding say they are awaiting further updates from the cruise line regarding cabin access and how the remainder of the voyage will proceed. Some guests aboard the sailing have stated that communication has been limited or non-existent following the incident.”
Goetzinger’s seasickness is not at all uncommon on large boats, even in calm seas. It is a form of motion sickness that occurs when the brain gets conflicting signals from different sensory systems. Not everyone gets motion sickness, and those who do can have it in varying states.
The typical symptoms are dizziness, fatigue, headache, nausea, vomiting, and those cold sweats that often precede the toilet runs. If it is already set in, get some air, or redirect your gaze onto the horizon for sensory stability. Many ships have motion sickness glasses or bracelets.
Ginger has long been a staple for motion and seasickness therapy.
For some, it can be partly or wholly prevented by Scopolamine-brand skin patches or oral pills. For the patch, put it behind your ear three to four hours before travel, or in this example, the cruise, and replace it every three days. Dramamine-brand (dimenhydrinate) antihistamine has always been a popular choice. Staying hydrated is always necessary, and eating a light meal with starchy foods before takeoff can help.
If you’re on a cruise, one source says to “book a cabin toward the front or middle of the ship. If you can, choose one on a lower level, closer to the water.”
Despite the experience, Goetzinger says that the trip was fantastic overall and he and his family will “absolutely be cruising with [Royal Caribbean] again.”
“I love when I say I’ll never go on a cruise and ppl are like, ‘you don’t even notice you’re on a boat!’ THEN WHY ARE THERE B### BAGS?” one person commented.
“No thanks – this is not a vacation this is a nightmare,” said another woman.
One person said they’ve experienced even worse: “[16-foot waves] is nothing, we hit 35 foot waves in Alaska once…even the crew was getting sick. High seas is THE WORST.”
But some, like Goetzinger, will always be back. “I’ve been on 33 cruises during every season, and I’ve never had any issues! I will never stop cruising!” one wrote.
AllHipHop reached out to Goetzinger via TikTok message and comment and to Royal Caribbean via email. We will update this story if either party responds.
@kurtgoetzinger Last night on Enchantment of the Seas was intense, and today isn’t much calmer. A major winter storm in the Gulf has brought some serious swells, I’ve heard over 16 feet. On deck 2, two cabin windows blew out and ocean water made its way into rooms and hallways. The ship was locked down for safety, so we stayed in our room most of the night. I started feeling a bit queasy late last night and went out for ginger ale and ginger tea. Seeing b### bags on the handrails definitely got my attention, but thankfully I didn’t get sick. Pools are closed and the top deck is completely shut for now. Riding it out and hoping things settle soon. #BeWellDoGood #lifeboatoftheicon #CruiseLife #RoyalCaribbean #GulfOfMexico ♬ original sound – KurtGoetzinger
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