Nor'easter Grounds Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship in New Jersey Port
A state of emergency declared in New Jersey late on Saturday night remains in effect, with gusty winds and showers persisting into Monday night. Beaches and ports are closed, leaving thousands of cruise-goers stranded on Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas at Cape Liberty in Bayonne.
The Symphony of the Seas was set to sail to the Bahamas over the weekend, but the nor'easter forced an unexpected extension of its stay in Bayonne.
Elaine McElroy, from Easton, anticipated a week of rain when she boarded the Symphony of the Seas from Cape Liberty last week. However, her experience was largely positive until the return journey.
"We were originally told we'd have rain every day of our cruise, but it was actually beautiful until we were heading home," McElroy shared. "Our main concern was the hurricanes forming in the Caribbean, not the nor'easter."
As the nor'easter approached, dark clouds gathered, and the wind caused walkways and pools to close, making deck standing a challenging and nerve-wracking experience.
"The waves were about 15 feet high, and the wind was worse than the rocking. It was really bad. Our original docking time was 7:00 a.m. on Sunday, but they wanted us back by midnight," McElroy recalled.
McElroy returned early without incident, but the trip following hers was delayed until Tuesday due to the storm's closure of New Jersey ports. The contrast between the warm Bahamas and the cold New Jersey was stark.
"It was in the 80s down in the Bahamas, but now it's cold here. I feel bad for those on the ship," McElroy noted. She also heard that some passengers had left the ship to visit Costco for warmer clothing, a quick 15-minute drive from the cruise port.
Despite the challenging conditions, McElroy's experience was relatively mild compared to the 2010 Hurricane Igor, where she was at sea.
