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The Wheelhouse can sink down into the superstructure of the ship at the press of a button! All the machinery in the engine rooms is monitored in the Engine Control Room (ECR). The ECR is a room full of screens, lights, alarms, and switches from where the current operational status of every piece of equipment can be checked. In future articles we will have the chance to explore the contents of the engine room in all the excruciating detail that they deserve, so to all the techies out there – I’ve got you covered.
Can You Tour The Bridge On A Cruise?
If you don't see any bridge-related notes, ask guest relations to post a note announcing your search for bridge partners. Nearly every cruise ship has a card room where passengers can meet to play bridge. Some groups also gather at a shaded table on deck (the tables at the pool grill are sometimes ideal), or at a lounge that's hardly used in the morning or afternoon hours.

Main Observation and Lookout Deck
Modern cruise ships normally have a glass-enclosed bridge on an upper deck near the front of the ship, giving the captain and crew a clear view forward. If you want to see a quick example of a cruise ship bridge tour, you can find a video demonstration of a Princess Cruises bridge tour here. The bridge is the most important area of any ship, including all cruise ships. If you think of a cruise ship as a large, complex organism, the ship’s bridge would be the vessel’s brain.
The last Oasis Class ship to pass underneath the Great Belt Bridge was Allure of the Seas in 2010
Or if your friends and family are on the cruise, you can see whereabouts they are in the world. In the image below, you can see that it says ‘Master’, which is another word for captain. Instead, he or she is responsible for everybody on board and has overall command. If you are interested in participating in one, you should look into onboard activities well ahead of time, as the available spots on these tours can sell out very quickly. These behind-the-scenes tours can certainly be interesting, but it is essential to understand that there are limitations. For starters, you likely won’t see too much action, as they are rarely scheduled while the ship is at sea.
Experience a Luxury Alaska Cruise From Seattle
Hundreds of years of history have left jungle ruins from ancient times and vibrant colonial towns with brightly painted buildings reflecting a fascinating history. See towering mountains like Petit Piton in St. Lucia, explore the lush rainforests of Belize, or boost your adrenaline as you zip-line through the treetops of Labadee or Honduras. If calm, contemplative nature is more your thing, spend the day admiring cascading waterfalls in Jamaica and the vivid coral reefs of Bonaire, home to manta rays and parrot fish. Just based on the damage and the rescue operations, we expect it could be a few days until the situation is fully assessed and officials know better when vessel traffic can resume. It’s currently on a 7-day cruise to The Bahamas, according to CruiseMapper.com. In fact, the incident occurred just about five miles from the cruise terminal.
A gyrocompass accurately indicates true north, providing reliable navigation information regardless of the ship’s movement. There is mostly a glass ground on the bridge wing so the group may even see what’s immediately below them. In Captain Kates’s video, she stated that “three distinct teams labored every 4 hours on and 8 hours off”. Bridge teams work in rotation, with teams working a hard and fast range of hours off whilst replaced by using another.
How are nautical charts used on the bridge?

On board, a computer converts these signals into the exact position of the ship at a given time. On large ships, the position indicator is constantly recorded in a so-called electronic nautical chart. Inside the glass-domed bridge’s cockpit, which is known as the heart of the bridge, McCue explains in detail the three different tools that she and her crew use to navigate the cruise ship. When coming or leaving a pier, the command controls may be transferred to both one of the bridge wings. Interestingly, when a harbor pilot comes overseas is one of the few times a deck officer takes the helm and uses the ship’s wheel. Bridge Holidays was developed by Roberta and Arnold Salob, and they offer their programs exclusively on Crystal Cruises.
The electricity is then used in the cabins, on deck and in the kitchens. For twenty-four hours each day, the bridge is occupied by two Deck Officers and two Able Seamen, traditionally in four-hour shifts. The main job of the Officer of the Watch is to monitor the ship’s systems and surroundings, and to ensure that everything is running safely and smoothly. During extreme weather, docking, or other special cases, the Captain of the ship is also present on the bridge to guide the deck officers. What if you want to play bridge onboard but you're not part of a themed bridge cruise or on a voyage where the cruise line offers formal gatherings? You'll still be able to find bridge partners, and you don't even need to wait until embarkation to look for them.
Royal Caribbean is working on options for its cruise ships following Baltimore bridge collapse - Royal Caribbean Blog
Royal Caribbean is working on options for its cruise ships following Baltimore bridge collapse.
Posted: Tue, 26 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
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They ensure the large vessel maintains its speed, direction, and course. The helmsmen or helmsman steers the ship according to the captain’s directions. They also maintain regular contact with navigation officers, ensuring the cruise ship stays on course.
All crew members will report to the staff captain when the captain is away. Basically, their role is to assist the captain and ensure that all operations are carried out safely and according to protocol. Once you're onboard, look for meet-up announcements at the community message board (usually located near the guest relations desk).
If you are interested in visiting the bridge of a ship you are traveling with, look into the exact policies and offerings of that cruise line company. Whether or not this is possible for passengers to visit the bridge depends on the exact policies of the cruise line you are vacationing with. It is also up to the discretion of the captain and other bridge personnel.
With the geography of the area, it’s also the only way in and out from the cruise terminal for a ship. During the cruise or land group individual pictures may be taken for promotional purposes. If you wish to opt out of these pictures please advise one of the bridge hosts or by email to If you have a particular interest in river navigation, the wheelhouse can provide a wonderful insight into the role of the captain and the intricacies of working through locks. On River Cruise ships it is often possible to just pop by and speak to the crew in the wheelhouse, as long as they are not too busy. Steering of the ship can be controlled in several places, including from where the bridge actually extends out over the sides of the ship.
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If there’s a fire or a flood, the bridge team needs to know exactly where it is, and which doors have been closed to contain it. There are displays for this, as well as a whole host of other things that are to be monitored. When arriving at and leaving ports, a port pilot will be taken on board. He will be responsible for navigating the ship safely into port of call. Cruise ship pilots are experts in their particular port, and their role is vital in all countries except Denmark, where taking a port pilot is optional.
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