of course the cars/trucks are tied down...

They don't tie vehicles down on ocean-going ferrys, why would they tie them down on one of these ?!?! There may be rails on either side of the tires but that's probably it. It would take hours just to chock the wheels let alone strap the vehicles down !

interesting... please explain further... i've been on hundreds of ships, bulkcarriers/tankers , clean and dirty/lng, and dozens of car carriers - and every one has been secured - so await your most interesting comment as maybe its a new style which i have not seen

A cruise ship skirting the coast is nothing like a trans ocean voyage... not matter how big the boat is. If they were left unrestrained they would be dented side, top and bottom.

I believe the big dogs or marine salvage are Wijsmuller and Smit Tak. Their videos on YT are great to watch. Not a job for me. Even in my younger days.

still awaiting your answer

You realize with the pic in this thread, it appears every vehicle pictured broke free of its restraints, IF they were restrained in the first place. I am also not certain how much impact forces the restraints would see if the ship rolled over on its side in shallow water. Additionally there is the thought that the cars shifting prior to the capsize precipitated the event. It would seem any restraint system would at the min not break from gravity forces alone of the vehicle. Of course its possible, one vehicle became loose, and it started a mass snowball effect.

I am not convinced from what I have read here, the vehicles were restrained by anything more then being put in park. I see no indications of any wheel guides, but the pic is not detailed enough to confirm.

Here's an article:

https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a35877638/golden-ray-final-voyage/

Mike.

Interesting
So then, it was not apparently weather related
It rolled over, and was pushed by tugs onto a sandbar
The stability designer refuses to testify/comment
No mention is made of load shifting
There is no official declaration of cause yet

Decades back I worked a Day cruise on a large ship concert out of Canaveral. It so happened that during the afternoon there was a nearby shuttle launch announced.
Most of the passengers proceeded to the upper deck to watch the launch. The ship began to list, and the ship quickly turned to present the stern to the launch pad, I believe to even out the passengers and reduce the list. Who would have thought?

all vehicles are tied down..,

You are repeating yourself, but still neglecting to offer anything to support that claim in this incident.

would you trailer your car without it being secured??? and there lies your answer...

quick google search on the subject gave me this.
RoRo shipping is the preferred shipping method for new car manufacturers to ship their own vehicles. In addition to the exact departure and arrival dates, RoRo shipping means that all vehicles are tied down below deck. That way, the vehicles have all the protection against external elements.

would you trailer your car without it being secured??? and there lies your answer...

What i or you, or what is safe, normal and/or logical is not the question here, its what was done on this voyage.

And since something went obviously wrong, and the cause has yet to be determined, IMO, EVERYTHING is still on the table in determining that cause.

When the enterprise got stuck they had the whole crew run from side to side to try and free her.
you can see them all on deck.

They do tie cars down on these ships. I have a pic but no idea how to post.

This is a typical car carrier ship, but I can't find a specific one for that ship. That's if the crew ties them all down.

Another one...

So that's why Home Depot runs out of tie down straps when ships come into port.

Wonder how much list those straps with withstand, meaning they sure don't look substantial IMO.

Nobody can argue the amount of time that strapping would require both in and out, meaning a big motive to avoid the procedure entirely.

A more detailed pic at some point of the salvaged ship ought to clearly show some remnants of any straps in use.

Here is an image taken by the salvage crew using LIDAR equipment