Do Cruise Ships Rock Back And Forth?

Cruise ship rocking is an inherent part of being on a ship, and it is often overlooked by guests. While some may experience motion sickness, many just notice the ship rocking back and forth. This is because crew members in charge of navigation can account for various types of motion, and ships tend to travel. The general rule is that bigger cruise ships require bigger waves to rock them. The ocean is constantly moving, and this movement can cause the ship to rock back and forth, known as pitch and roll.

Pitch is the up-and-down motion of a ship, with the farther from the middle the more rocking. Wind and waves push against the ship and cause it to rock back and forth. Yaw spins the ship on an invisible middle line, similar to swiveling on a chair. This can be caused by waves moving in perpendicular to the ship’s motion and can change its heading or direction.

While some cruise ships have gyroscope systems to keep the pool table perfectly level at all times, most do not rock at all when paying guests are present. The amount of rocking depends on the seas, and some areas of the ship will feel seas from one direction more.

The degree of movement felt does increase if the cruise ship rocks due to bad weather. In March, my cruise on Harmony was getting really big waves from the Noreasters, and most passengers describe the feeling as a vibration instead of defined movements.

Yaw spins the ship on an invisible middle line, similar to swiveling on a chair. Most noticeable when seated or standing in one place, the rocking usually lasts 3-4 days for me. I kind of enjoy my little cruise souvenir while it lasts.