Stormy weather ... an understatement

By Christine Urio
WARWICK — Warwick resident Sara Donato knows better than anyone that the beginning of a marriage is not always smooth sailing.

She just didn't think the really rough seas would happen that fast.

Donato and her new husband Anthony boarded the Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas, one of the world's biggest and newest ships, only to experience a trip of fear, anxiety and frustration just one day after their wedding.

The Bahamian-flagged ship Anthem of the Seas had just left its home port of Bayonne, N.J., with almost 6,000 passengers and a crew of 1,500 on Feb. 6 for what was scheduled to be a seven-night sailing to Florida and the Bahamas.

But the ship sailed into a mega storm during its voyage, perplexing passengers and mystifying meteorologists who said forecasts clearly indicated a huge storm was right in the ship's sailing path. In media reports, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Ocean Prediction Center said an initial alert was issued 1 p.m. on Friday for hurricane-force winds in the Atlantic. The center upgraded that Friday report and issued an additional warning at 3:34 p.m. Saturday, predicting hurricane-force winds increasing 75 mph until Sunday night.

These conditions left passengers such as the Donatos confined to their rooms - at the order of the ship's captain - for a majority of the trip. After the storm, the ship abandoned the rest of the sailing and returned to Bayonne.

USA Today reported tumbling furniture, smashed glass and collapsed ceilings around the ship, based on passenger information. But thankfully — and almost miraculously — there were just a few minor injuries.

“The first night on the ship was magical, we explored, ate a delicious dinner and then went to sleep in our amazing balcony suite,” she said. “By the second day, the world changed. We ate breakfast and by 11 a.m. the water started to get rough, the sky started to darken and it got harder and harder to walk around the boat, and by 12:30 p.m. we were told to head to our room, but no other information was given.”

Once she heard the ominous announcement, Donato knew it was downhill from there.

“I was terrified, I’m already claustrophobic but on top of that we were in a room that felt like a death trap,” she said. “The only thing that kept me from completely freaking out was my husband Anthony, who reassured me the whole time.”

The storm hit on the second day, preventing the ship from reaching both of its destinations. The 168,666-ton vessel was in the middle of a weather system that grew to have winds of up to 100 mph, creating waves higher than 30 feet, according to USA Today.

“We were able to see how high the waves were and how quickly the wind was moving,” Donato said, who works as a supervisor for QuickChek in Goshen. “During the time we were stuck in our room, the ship made all the pay-per view movies available for no cost — we probably watched five movies that night — but my husband felt being stuck in the room so long ruined the cruise.”

Donato said she felt the required safety meeting the ship holds before leaving dock - including where there is a life vest demonstration - was not helpful. The crew never did a drill in the boats or told passengers what safety boats they would have to go on if there was an emergency, she said.

“The crew didn't seem like they were prepared for it in anyway, most probably had never been in a situation as bad as this,” Donato added.

Because the boat wound up turning around and heading home, Donato felt her honeymoon was ruined.

“It dampened the mood for everyone,” she said. “For the next five days, people who had come on the boat ready for an amazing experience were moping around the boat looking miserable A lot of the shows had to be rebooked, the pools were completely drained, and many of the activities were shut down.”

However, Royal Caribbean did give passengers full reimbursement, plus half off on a future cruise.

The cruise line, in a statement sent to media outlets, suggested the "extreme wind and sea conditions" that hit as the ship sailed south from the New York area to Port Canaveral, Fla., were unexpected, noting that the wind speeds were higher than what was forecast.

“We would like to go on another cruise, but we would probably explore other cruise lines since we're weary to go one the same cruise line or ship knowing that they knew about the storm,” Donato said. “As first time cruisers, we had such high expectations. To travel to new places, to experience new things, and since this experience basically ruined our honeymoon, we would love to replace it, but who knows when either of us will have enough time to go away for another to make up this honeymoon.”

In light of the situation, the Donatos were happy when the boat finally pulled into port.

“It feels amazing to be home,” she said. “We couldn't wait to get off the boat.”

The Donatos weren’t the only ones happy about their safe return. Both sets of parents had been concerned because they did not have an inkling as to what was going with their children during the storm. There was no way for the Donatos to communicate that they were okay.

“We woke up at a whole bunch of messages asking if we were alive or if it was our ship,” said Donato.

And when people ask Donato how her honeymoon trip was, she finds they're filled with amazement when she tells them they were on "that ship."

“The funny thing is now we’re like celebrities, she added. "People freak out and ask a million questions when they realize we were on the 'cruise that survived.'"