I'm scared to be in the middle of the ocean.

[Jack23]

I always wanted to purchase a Disney cruise. The videos look so great. I am scared to be out in the middle of the ocean. Did anyone have this fear and overcome it?

 

[Eeyorebabies]

It's a major "highway" for cruise ships, cargo ships, fishing, etc. that the ships go through. So while it may feel like it's in the middle of the ocean, there isn't any point in time that a ship would be so far out that help would be too late. I feel safer on the ship than I do driving down the mountain roads going to and from school and work and home.
I was terrified about the kids and going overboard. But I watch my kids like a hawk, and they would have to drag a chair over, climb up on the chair, and jump out. The railing is so high it's up past my chest. There is so much going on, that it's hard to have time to dwell on any fears out there anyway. Relax and enjoy yourself. Try a short cruise if you are worried and see how you feel.
We have been to Hawaii, Cozumel, Bahamas, Canada, Germany, WDW, DL, and by far, the most memorable and enjoyable time of our lives is hands down, going on a Disney Cruise

 

[Disneyteachers]

DH is afraid of this as well, but is going to give it a whirl. He has titanic visions and has a fear of edges, so he instructed on an ocean view room (no balcony due to the edge) and wanted to be as high up as possible, so we are on deck 7. Logical? Probably not...I think having a verandah would be safer for escape purposes, but when you're dealing w/irrational fear you have to make some adjustments! I figure the worst is that he'll need to take a lot of beverage tasting classes.

 

[bumbershoot]

they would have to drag a chair over, climb up on the chair, and jump out.

Heck, most adults would have to climb up on a chair to get over the railings.

Probably not...I think having a verandah would be safer for escape purposes

I think jumping off a verandah wouldn't be a great escape route. It's a long way down. Go to the muster stations instead.


OP like the first responder said...you're not all along in the "middle" of the ocean. You'll probably see ships the entire time you're on a cruise. Those other ships are all in communication with each other, and should something happen, they are duty and law BOUND to come to help.

 

[LongingfortheKingdom]

I had the same fear until we went on our first cruise. I am not a water person and I did not know how I would feel surrounded by water without being able to see land. I have now completed one 4 night and one 7 night cruise and I have another 7 night cruise booked! If I can overcome this fear you can! The ships are large and as another poster said there are other ships around. I was actually amazed by the "traffic" on the water highway. I suggest booking a 4 night on the Dream. If you check the map you never stray too far from land on that cruise and then once you conquer your fear you can branch out.

 

[DISNEYFAN3260]

I always wanted to purchase a Disney cruise. The videos look so great. I am scared to be out in the middle of the ocean. Did anyone have this fear and overcome it?

I can't say I understand how you feel personally but I have a close friend who does. She really wanted to overcome her fear, so she started with a weekend cruise on the East Coast (not DCL). She says the first step wasn't easy but she managed it and enjoyed herself, overall. Now she is progressively trying longer and more distant cruises and each time it's getting easier. So maybe your best bet if you really want to try it is to start with a 3 night sailing? Just don't push yourself too hard at first. Chances are you'll have such a great time and be too busy to even realize you're not on land! Best of luck and kudos on trying to triumph over your fears!

 

[Starwind]

Unless you are crossing the Atlantic, you aren't in the "middle of the ocean", and even then you would be in well0used ship traffic lanes and thus not alone.

We have sailed twice on Disney: Port canaveral - Nassau, Bahamas - Castaway Cay and back. And Port Canaveral - St Thomas, USVI - San Juan, PR, Castaway Cay, and back.

For the Nassau cruise, you spent a lot of time close to land -- sometimes you have to squint a bit to see it, but then you realize it is there!!. Even when the ship went out to sea overnight to avoid a storm and kill time, it really was not too far from land. And help, should that be needed.

On both cruises, during the daytime, but especially at night when ships are lit up bright, you can see other ships. They and the ship you are on travel in these parallel lines, one after the other. Cruise ships, merchant/cargo ships. Small ones, huge ones. Spaced at what looks like fairly regular-ish intervals. You can see this with the naked eye, and I think it would really neat to see it with some kind of mapping software. It must look like some kind of highway. except on the water, with big huge ships instead of itty bitty cars.

Anyhow, bottom line: there are lots of ships around. If there was every a problem with any ship, there would be bunches of others of all sizes there very quickly to help it. And, because you are close enough to land there are also usually coast guard (ship, helicopter, plane) and sometimes military vessels available to help as well.

We sailed on the Dream and the Fantasy. One of the neat things about them is that on your stateroom TV there is a channel you can turn on at any time that shows you on a map exactly where the ship is, the track it has taken and is expected to take, the speed it is going at, direction it is going at, etc. This is how we knew about the loops at sea at night before they told us in the morning they had done it. On the Fantasy we also discovered a "living picture" on one of the walls near the atrium that had a similar map though as I recall not as much detailed stats to go with it.

Finally, we found lots of places on board where we could relax and you didn' even see the water, or if you deliberately did not look in a certain direction you didn't. And if being too close to the edge is a problem, it is pretty easy to avoid that.

-SW

 

[mevelandry]

I always wanted to purchase a Disney cruise. The videos look so great. I am scared to be out in the middle of the ocean. Did anyone have this fear and overcome it?

I thought I would too. But I remember seing other cruiseships not that far away most of the time. I've been just fine. + with the fire drill you see the safety boats so you know that whatever might happen (that is very unlikely) you'll be safe.

 

[undertheradar]

I always wanted to purchase a Disney cruise. The videos look so great. I am scared to be out in the middle of the ocean. Did anyone have this fear and overcome it?

As someone who was afraid to sail on Lake Hopatcong, I have been on multiple Big Red Boat sailings and DCL sailings. While my parents thought it was crazy booking a cruise, I never felt the panic I felt in a small boat. Book away and enjoy yourself.

 

[ptcbass]

I am too and took a 3 day for my first one. I found that I loved the ship so much that the fear disappeared. It was so beautiful out there and yes we did see other ships a lot!

 

[C6PT7]

Some people cannot rationalize being in the air on a plane.
Hell, even some people cannot even rationalize others touching their clothes!

But anyways, small steps to help them feel more comfortable with their fears is the best approach IMO.
As above, a 3 day would be the best for someone with this fear

 

[perditax]

There are apps and websites that will show you maps of where all the cruise ships are in the FL-Bahamas area. There are a LOT.

 

[bfamily5]

My DH felt the same way. I knew he would love it, so I booked a 7 night on the Fantasy and told him the deposit was non refundable...mean? Maybe a bit, but he never would have tried it otherwise! Well, he did love it. He wouldn't use the verandah, so not booking one of those again, but by the end of the cruise he would look out over the water...not on the rail or anything crazy. Most days you are docked in a port, then it's meal time and shows, then it's dark and you can see the lights of other ships and the islands. He still won't consider a transatlantic, but at least now he knows cruising is a great way to vacation!

 

[DCL4LIFE]

To be honest, the ocean FREAKS me out. Swimming in dark water and not knowing what's below me for thousands and thousands of feet is the stuff my nightmares are made of. We went scuba diving in Cozumel and went to the "drop off" and I about lost it.

Having said that, I've done over 20 cruises and it's by far my favorite form of vacation. Once on the ship, any concerns over the water just vanish. The ships feel so stable and secure, I don't give it a second thought.

 

[JMHDisney]

I definitely felt this way and was pretty panicked the first 24 hours of my first cruise (pacific coast repo). In the Caribbean, I felt like we could almost always see other boats or land and I felt much better.

 

[Jerzee73]

As I get older I'm afraid of heights & I have motion sickness. I HATE standing for example at the top of a lighthouse. That said, being in the middle of the ocean, doesn't phaze me. Don't even think of it. When I look out, I honestly seldom see another ship, but hardly notice that I'm not on a 'private' island, being the ship.
Of course, everybody's different. I can get super sea sick on a small boat a few hundred yards off the coast, but can barely tell I'm at sea when on a cruise ship. Never have had sickness on the 6 cruises I've done, while some people are apparently super sensitive to a cruise ship rocking.

 

[rhinodadz]

There are apps and websites that will show you maps of where all the cruise ships are in the FL-Bahamas area. There are a LOT.

www.marinetraffic.com is a good website for this.

 

[MinnieMama411]

I know that fear. I can't swim in deep water. Not that that will make one bit of difference in an ocean. I sink like a rock whenever I realize I'm in the deep end of a pool. Being on a ship seems safer to me than being 25 miles off-shore on a small pleasure boat with fifteen foot waves coming at you. That is terrifying and something I never want to experience ever again. I feel a bit of fear whenever I'm over the ocean in a plane or when landing when the approach is over water. It's over if I can distract myself. We'll be on our first cruise in a few days as a test to see if I can handle it and if we like this mode of traveling. Despite my fear, a trans-Atlantic crossing is on my bucket list.

 

[JLMDisneyCruise]

Your not alone! This will be my first cruise, and I made a promise to myself for New Yetas 2015 I would go outside my "box". I used to live in a third floor apartment, and for half a year...I could not walk past the half way point inside that appArt,met for fear I would fall out the window! Well, I did have to book a veranda, due to the fear of being "enclosed". Then I wanted more space...so I upgraded to concierge just so I can use the sun deck. My room will be on floor 12! Talk about being freaked! But I'm also looking forward to it!

 

[SillyInventor]

I think having a verandah would be safer for escape purposes, but when you're dealing w/irrational fear you have to make some adjustments! I figure the worst is that he'll need to take a lot of beverage tasting classes.

There is no arguing against irrational fear, but cruising is VERY safe and Disney to date has never had to evacuate a ship.
In this very unlikely event however I must strongly advice against evacuating on your own. It will be your death if you even survive the impact of your dive into the water. A person alone without a beacon will not be found in the Ocean and die. Instead: go to your muster stations and get in your assigned life boat with 50 other people and trained staff. The lifeboat will last long enough for other ships to pick you up. Also it is clearly visible (big yellow floating) and therefor can easily be found by other ships or rescue helicopters. Think about the difference between picking up 40 visible lifeboats or 4000 hard to find individuals out of the Ocean.
Second: you will put other's life at risk as your lifeboat will not be launched until all assigned people have reported. If you evacuate on your own you will severely delay the launch of your assigned lifeboat.

Back to the original topic: chances are very, very small anything will happen on your cruise, but that is the same as chances are very small your plane will crash. Still many people are afraid of flying.