I'll remember it very well. I was 19 Years old and it was my first crossing on the Qe2. When we departed from Southampton, everyone was talking about a hurricane, but I wasn't any worried about it, because I didn't know anything about hurricanes or how tough they are, we don't have any hurricanes in Switzerland :-). On the 3th or 4th night, we just finished Dinner in the Caronia Restaurant (late seating) when the Captain made an announcement that we are not able to get away from the Hurricane, the ships speed would slow down. Everyone was advised to stay away from open decks and balconies.
Soon after the wind was pushing to the side of the ship, which made it pretty obliquely inside. It looked funny, when people walked around and all the walls were not straight up. At a certain point, I remember being in the Casino, some Blackjack tables were falling down. I then went to the Grand Lounge, were the dancers tried to make a show. But at this time the ship was rolling very hard and they canceled the show. It must have been soon after when one of the windows broke in this area at the portside at the Grand Lounge.
I was finally ending up in the Yacht Club, were the band also stoped playing as their Instruments falled down and rolled through the whole room. I think by then they turned the ship directly into the wind, which means that the ship rolled and shaked very heavy, specific back in the yacht club. They tried to make a midnight buffet, but canceled it, I was wondering that they tried it at all. At this time I was seasick and went back to my cabin, which was on deck 4. While walking down the stairs, I remember that a lot of water was coming down the stairs, it looked like river, very surreal. There were also other passengers walking up the stairs with their duvets and some belongings. I later heard that their cabins on the lower decks got wet through the ventilation system. It was surprised looking at my porthole in my cabin, the wave were so big, that it was most of the time under water. I was asleep when we were hit by the freak wave.
When I woke up in the morning, I feel relieved that the bad weather was over, but unfortunately the ocean was still very rough. At a time, when the see became more calm, the captain speeded up the ship. I've never experienced the Qe2 or any other Ship aftermath with such a high speed.
We arrived a day later in New York. I felt very excited to see all the broadcast helicopters around the ship when we were arriving Manhattan. All passengers were offered to stay one more night on the ship, what I did, as the pier 92 was at a great location and everything was in a walk in distance to mid Manhattan. (sorry for all the grammatical mistakes)
