If You Were to Take a Cruise Which CompanyShip Would You Choose

[Erik Wood]

Teri,

The chains are stored in the "chain locker" and do not require any unreveling by any of the crew. For the most part they are contained below and not on the focsle as on the Titanic or Queen Mary. It can last anywhere from 5 minutes to 30 depending on the sea conditions and the ability of the person driving. I have a habit of "putting the hook" in the right place the first time. Although I have once sucked my anchor chain into my bow thruster port which then had to be cut and the company lost an anchor. Once we got home we had to get a new anchor and chain which as a weeks worth of slow moving evolutions.

Another thing to consider when going on a cruise is the time of year. I would not recommend the spring break times nor the mid summer, for any carribean crusies as the ships for the most part are packed. If you are you better plan well ahead and purchase your shore excursions through the travel agent before you board the ship. I know that Royal Carribean has a website that allows ticket holders to buy tickets for shore exersions.

One last thing to consider is to make sure that you carry very little cash and no very expensive personal items on the ship. I can't remeber but I think most staterooms have safes. NEVER leave your wallet purse or anything of that nature out in the open. Every steward on the ship has access to your room and some have a bad habit of lifting things.

Erik

 

[Michael H. Standart]

I recall many a time a ship I was going to anchorage, and the noise of the hook dropping and the anchor chains quite literally thundering over the deck and trough the hawspipes can quite literally wake the dead! (Don't tell spread that one around as it would destroy the market for Oujii Boards.)

On the noise back aft from propeller cavitation, that can be formidable too. A Nimitz Class aircraft carrier supposedly has propellers designed for quiet and efficient operation. Judging from the racket in my laundry plant on the George Washington, I have to wonder at one would consider noisy as we had to wear hearing protection down there when the ship was going at full speed.

Cordially,
Michael H. Standart

 

[Teri Lynn Milch]

Erik,

OOoopsie, the company lost an anchor. Hope the anchor didn't hit a dolphin on the way down!

I am glad to hear that the chains are stored in a "chain locker," as opposed to the focsle. I'll keep in mind the time of year if I ever take another cruise. Beverly is the one contemplating a cruise so hopefully she is taking notes of all this.

And blast those stewards! Bad laddies they are...

Sincerely,

Teri

 

[Parks Stephenson]

Teri,

The ground tackle for the anchor chains is almost invariably on the forecastle. The chain locker therefore is directly underneath the fo'c's'le. Having the ground tackle on the exposed foredeck, like in Titanic, or within the forecastle, like in the USS Constellation, makes no appreciable difference to the severity of the sound of the chain running. The noise and vibration of the anchor letting go can be felt throughout the ship, as the movement of the chain out of the locker and through the hawsepipes transmits through the steel structure of the hull. There is just no way to toally mitigate the sounds of a ship performing its job at sea. The only way to do so is to choose another mode of transport.

Parks

 

[Inger Sheil]

Parks - I must admit I'm not overly fond of the concept of cruise ships...am much happier on the small dive liveaboards, where you lose some of the floating hotel syndrome (thank goodness for the lack of cinemas and multiple restaurants - although I'll be eternally thankful for air-con in tropical climes, the ship's bar, and now the increasing number of bar fridges in cabins. Luxury is an en suite cabin on a dive boat). Stepping off the boat into a dive tender or even for giant stride off the dive deck and a short swim to the dive site, then re-emerging up the french ladder for a bit of fidding around on the dive deck or on the camera tables is the way to do it...the liveaboard motto of 'eat, sleep and dive' is a popular one, with evenings passed stargazing out on the open decks and spinning yarns about the 18 ft manta you saw (or didn't see) during the day, to the gentle rock of the waves (or not so gentle, if you happen to be in moored on the Brother Islands in the middle of the Red Sea!).

Your post reminded me of the constant arrivals and departures during the night - most travelling between dive sites is done by night or during meals, to maximise the number of dives. You become quite accustomed to the sound of the anchor letting go...waken briefly, smile that you've arrived at your destination, then roll over and dream of tomorrow's gin-clear waters.

 

[Parks Stephenson]

Inger,

The sound of the anchor letting go is nothing compared to the launch of a jet fighter from a steam catapult directly overhead (as was the case of my stateroom aboard the USS Constellation), the noise of exhaust of a Harrier VTOL aircraft during takeoff from the deck directly above (my stateroom aboard the USS Belleau Wood), or the sound of a fighter slamming onto the deck above while landing (my ready room aboard the USS Midway). There's no way to pretend that any of those were pleasant. But, as any military (or ex-military) will explain, "the sound of freedom" is sweet, no matter how much it disturbs the sleep.

Parks

 

[Michael H. Standart]

Let's not forget the sound of catapult pistons slamming into the water breaks at the end of the stroke while launching an F-14 on full afterburner.

Hell...how could we?

Cordially,
Michael H. Standart

 

[Erik Wood]

As you could note from the aerial photographs Parks is partly right. None of the anchor tackle is actually on deck out in the open as in Titanic's case but rather below in the same compartment as the anchor pocket, the same goes for a good 98% of merchant ships on the Great Lakes. But it is contained in bow or focsle section of the ship.

Erik

 

[Parks Stephenson]

Erik,

I don't understand your post. What is it I didn't get right? Or is it a matter of comparing naval warships to Great Lakes steamers?

Michael,

Your post is yet another reminder to myself to write more clearly.

Parks

 

[Erik Wood]

Sorry Parks,

I was a crack head and I guess I didn't read your post all that carefully the first time. The second time I read it, it pretty much echoed what I said in my post. I don't know what I was thinking. I guess I was just comparing cruise ships to war ships or something like that.

Sorry again for the mis understanding my brain is all fuzzy.

Erik

 

[Parks Stephenson]

Erik,

No problem. I'm suffering from a similar problem...all my posts lately turn out to be jumbled nonsense.

Parks