Heavy rains, strong winds and high seas hit the eastern Mediterranean over the weekend with winds of 100 kilometres per hour and waves reaching heights of 10 metres,  sinking the Moldavian bulk carrier, Adriatic, off the coast of Israel and  battering the RCCL cruise ship, Brilliance of the Seas.   The eleven crew of the Adraitic took to life rafts and  were rescued.  There were reported to be up to 30 passengers with minor injuries, as well as damage to the interior spaces of the Brilliance of the Seas.

The Moldavian bulk carrier, Adriatic, was reported to be carrying a cargo of 3,000 tonnes of iron ore, which was said to have shifted in the heavy weather, resulting in the ship sinking.  The 11 crew members from the Adriatic were taken on board a Taiwan-registered ship which responded to the ship’s distress call.

The Royal Caribbean cruise ship, Brilliance of the Seas, is reported to have to have rolled dramatically several times  in high winds and heavy seas while  on its way to the port of Alexandria, Egypt, early Sunday.  Up to thirty passengers suffered what the  cruise  line  characterized as cuts and bruises.  The damage to the ship’s interior spaces was caused by flying furniture and fixtures.

Weather Shakes Up Royal Caribbean Cruise, Causes Minor Injuries

A handful of Cruise Critic members are onboard and have been providing first-hand accounts on the boards.

dirtgirl was in her cabin during the ordeal: “I was flying back and forth. My roomie managed to brace herself. The beds were sliding back and forth!! Broken glass everywhere as everything on it went flying. Tables and chairs upended.” She also added that the “Gym is in shambles – Ellipticals looked like monkey bars; spin bikes everywhere. Only wine, beer, and soda available at the Centrum bar and Schooner bar. Casino closed, shops closed. No one allowed out on upper decks.”

Member jimbo5544 says his son and daughter-in-law are celebrating their honeymoon onboard. “They said all computers had smashed in internet cafe and Grand piano smashed into wall. Much broken glass all over ship, Windjammer closed.”

Later in the day, dirtgirl posted that the “staff have been going non-stop to clear the areas. The amount of work they have done to keep us all fed is amazing. The Windjammer was a disaster area this morning. That it was open for limited dinner service was incredible . . . Venues are being reopened. The Casino is up, and everyone was in the Schooner Bar tonight having a good time.”

She added in her post that Royal Caribbean has given each cabin a $200 onboard credit.

pussywillow6 offered this information from her daughter, who works in the ship’s onboard spa: “You can’t even begin to imagine the damage on the ship, its awful. … Windows, showers, mirrors, the hairdressing basins have all smashed… The whole ship is wrecked… Grand piano smashed through a window…..There were passengers running around with life jackets on, people screaming, all the spa girls were panicking…… its really horrible!”

Royal Caribbean cruise ship battered in eastern Mediterranean

Katie Cannon writes:A passenger aboard the Brilliance of the Seas shared her images with NBC News amid travelers’ reports of being violently tossed out of bed at night, waves crashing over the bow, bloody injuries, damage to rooms and shops and no electricity. A Royal Caribbean statement says the ship has full power and is sailing as normal.

Photos: Alesha Cirillo.  Click on the thumbnails for a lager image.