Things that I did not know about cruises

[mickeyd]

I have only been on two cruises so much of this link may be generally known to veteran cruisers, but to me it was really informative.

There Is Secret Cruise Code Language
It’s crucial for the staff to have code words so that passengers don’t get freaked out if something goes wrong. A “30-30” means the crew is asking maintenance to clean up a mess; three times during my stint I called in a “PVI” (public vomiting incident). An “Alpha” is a medical emergency, a “Bravo” is a fire, and “Kilo” is a request for all personnel to report to their emergency posts, which happens in the event of, say, a necessary evacuation. Be wary of “Echo,” which is called if the ship is starting to drift, or “Oscar,” which means someone’s gone overboard. A crew member told me he’s had only four or five “Oscars” in 10 years of cruising.

https://www.fa-mag.com/news/9-thing...il&utm_term=0_1899ce8517-f7715deb92-233707017

 

[Nemo2]

2015. We had an early morning "Oscar Starboard" aboard the CDF (now Pullmantur) Horizon, after leaving the Dominican Republic........we happened to have a starboard oceanview cabin and saw all the lights come on.

Appears a 'sixty-ish' Irishman, apparently (the rumor went) suffering from cancer had jumped over..........the ship hove to all day, Coast Guard helos/boats based out of P.R. made countless searches, but the body wasn't recovered.

Horizon Passenger Goes Overboard : Cruise Law News

 

[97guns]

My very first cruise was in the late 80’s on a very small boat through Alaska and we hit some choppy water, my niece was around 6 and she blew her dinner right on the dinner table, the waiter quickly rolled up the whole thing and brought in all new in like a couple minutes including new food, I think it’s standard procedure for them

 

[Meadbh]

Most people are familiar with Code Blue. But did you ever wonder what it means when you are at a hospital and they call a “code white”? Or green, or brown, or.....

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/h...sponse/standardized-hospital-colour-codes.pdf

Note that these may vary depending on your location.

 

[MichaelB]

I know what code brown is - it's what DD calls out to her DH when the baby needs his diaper changed.

 

[Texas Proud]

One time when they had question time with the cruise director someone asked about people going overboard... he said it happens but not often..

He did say once a guy was POed at his GF and decided to get a beer, a life jacket and jumped over knowing (or at least hoping) they would come and get him... they did... but, banned him for life from cruising... said it was good on all cruise lines as they share their banned customers between each other...

 

[copyright1997reloaded]

Most people are familiar with Code Blue. But did you ever wonder what it means when you are at a hospital and they call a “code white”? Or green, or brown, or.....

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/h...sponse/standardized-hospital-colour-codes.pdf

Note that these may vary depending on your location.

My child was in the hospital for a two+ week period this summer, a very scary time. By the end of the stay, we knew a lot of the codes. The one that seemed to be most often was one involving aggression (code white in the pdf you referenced). It didn't really surprise me, given how hospitals seem to be these days.

 

[marko]

...banned him for life from cruising... said it was good on all cruise lines as they share their banned customers between each other...

Of topic, sorry; but I know that the major ski areas do the same for customers who constantly try to get stuff comp'd by being perpetual complainers. Once on the list, you can't even get a hotel room in ski country.

 

[dixonge]

I know what code brown is - it's what DD calls out to her DH when the baby needs his diaper changed.

So your DD tells her DH that their DD has a DD? Hahahaha

 

[Teacher Terry]

I just read that Viking and some other river cruise lines are sailing small ships on the ocean that only hold 1k people total with crew and passengers. I would not want to be on the ocean in a smaller ship and I bet it is expensive with so few passengers.

 

[Moemg]

I just read that Viking and some other river cruise lines are sailing small ships on the ocean that only hold 1k people total with crew and passengers. I would not want to be on the ocean in a smaller ship and I bet it is expensive with so few passengers.

1,000 passengers used to be considered a large ship . I was on the Costa Daphne years ago. She held 500 . The Viking ocean ships are very expensive but they include a lot and it is luxury cruising .I personally think they are making the ships too massive . I have zero interest in going on a cruise with 5,000 people.

 

[Nemo2]

I have zero interest in going on a cruise with 5,000 people.

+100

 

[Teacher Terry]

Actually the cruise we are going on Thursday is a bigger ship then we have been on and it has 5k people total. I am looking forward to all the things they have to do on sea days which is more then the others we have been on. There are 2 class sizes of ships that are bigger and I look forward to eventually trying those too.

 

[Nemo2]

The biggest ships we've been on have been about 90,000 GT - still too large for our tastes - anything larger and they'd have to pay us to take them.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I know that the Viking cruises are all inclusive so you don't pay for excursions, alcohol, get more personal attention etc. On sea days we enjoy the variety of activities on big ships and at night we like to see various entertainers. I have a friend that enjoys ships that are not so big. If we were all the same life would be boring)

 

[audreyh1]

I just read that Viking and some other river cruise lines are sailing small ships on the ocean that only hold 1k people total with crew and passengers. I would not want to be on the ocean in a smaller ship and I bet it is expensive with so few passengers.

I really enjoyed being on a ship with about 100 passengers and probably less than 30 crew. This was Prince William Sound Alaska. Lovely!

And then there was the long range fishing vessel coastal cruising with 20 passengers, 2 naturalist guides and 5 crew. That was an awesome whale watching trip. Almost 24/7 nature watching for 12 days. Went down the Baja Peninsula from San Diego. Stopped at San Ignacio lagoon. Rounded the Cape and spent 7 days cruising the southern Sea of Cortez. Stopped at several uninhabited islands and bays.

So for me 1000 passengers seems huge!

I'll happily pay up for more small boat cruising when I get back around to it.

 

[braumeister]

We have taken only a few cruises since we retired.

First one was Alaska on a 1,400 pax ship and we both said "Never again." It was just too big and the activity was too oriented to shopping.

Second ship was also Alaska, but with 62 pax and we had a wonderful time.

Third and fourth were European river cruises with 190 pax on each. Pretty good, but we're not likely to repeat that experience either.

Fifth was the Galapagos on a 48 pax ship. Fantastic time.

Later this year we're going to Scotland on another 48 pax ship. Looking forward to it.

 

[Texas Proud]

Where do you find the small ships or the ones with 100 or less?

 

[CaptTom]

One saving grace of the larger cruise ships is that most passengers are lemmings.

All day long, they're lined up like sardines on lounge chairs around the pool, getting sunburned or whatever is they do. We have the run of the (air conditioned) interior spaces.

At night, they're all in the bars and casinos. We can walk the decks and look at the stars without much company.

It makes the large ships seem a lot less crowded if you're a contrarian

 

[braumeister]

The little ones are Lindblad Expedition ships. Pricey but well worth it.

 

[mpeirce]

I just read that Viking and some other river cruise lines are sailing small ships on the ocean that only hold 1k people total with crew and passengers. I would not want to be on the ocean in a smaller ship and I bet it is expensive with so few passengers.

We've cruised on the Viking Sky twice (western Mediterranean and an Atlantic crossing from San Juan to Barcelona) and it's a very comfortable ship. Probably quiet for some (no casino, no kids, etc). We loved it. It handled the ocean just fine.

Viking Ocean Cruises it mid to upper cost-wise. More than the huge ships, but less than the really pricey lines.

I saw one article that group them in three broad groups: contemporary, premium, and luxury. Contemporary is the Carnival, Disney, Princess, etc. Premium included Viking, Oceana, etc. and Luxury was Crystal, Silversea, Regent Seven Seas.

 

[mpeirce]

We can walk the decks and look at the stars without much company.

On our Atlantic crossing the night sky was amazing! One evening they turned off the deck lights and the astronomer on board give a wonderful talk under the stars. Not much light pollution halfway across the ocean.

 

[audreyh1]

Where do you find the small ships or the ones with 100 or less?

Cruise West, who we took for Alaska, is longer in business. I’ve been eyeing the Uncruise company. Yes, very pricey.

The small ship out of San Diego’s was chartered by the Marine Society of California or something like that.

 

[Scuba]

The ultimate small cruise IMO is a private yacht. We chartered one in the British Virgin Islands with two other couples in 2017 and were able to customize the itinerary, activities, and food. Loved it! We plan on doing something similar in Greece this year.

 

[gayl]

Actually the cruise we are going on Thursday is a bigger ship then we have been on and it has 5k people total. I am looking forward to all the things they have to do on sea days which is more then the others we have been on. There are 2 class sizes of ships that are bigger and I look forward to eventually trying those too.

I get it. The one I'm going on has 3k passengers, probably 5k total. What are the bigger ships?