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Most exciting moment on a cruise


Nottoold
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My first solo voyage, but third time cruising. I found an excellent deal. I flew from Heathrow to JFK and was picked up in a limo. We drove across Manhattan. As we neared the terminal I saw QM2 and audibly gasped. The liner is so elegant close up. I sometimes go to Southampton, but had never been that close before

 

 

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It was actually before our most recent cruise, which was on the 9/20/15 sailing of Carnival Liberty. Two weeks before our cruise, there was an engine fire on Carnival Liberty while they were in St. Thomas. They ended up being stuck in St. Thomas for 3 days before they were given permission by CG to sail back to San Juan, where the cruise originated. The big question was whether the next few cruises would go on as scheduled or not and they did. We flew down to San Juan a day before our cruise and had a hotel on the beach with an ocean front room. The last time we did the itinerary out of San Juan, I had gotten up at 5:30AM in hopes to see the ship, Carnival Valor then, sailing in. Found out later that even thought the schedule says 7AM, the ships get in much earlier. I was not going to set the alarm to get up. I just happened to wake up between 4:30 and 5AM and out of curiosity I went to the window and saw Carnival Liberty sailing back in. She was out pretty far, but with the zoom on my camera, I definitely saw her "whale tail" (funnel). That meant no issues on the first cruise post engine fire and at that point, I knew we would be cruising as scheduled and I felt the excitement that I did as a little kid on Christmas Eve. This was our 7th cruise and each one has had it's exciting moment, but this was THE most exciting for me and it turned out to be our favorite cruise and the one we met some great friends on whom we are still in touch with.

 

Not the best quality...but this is one of the *better* pictures I was able to get of Carnival Liberty sailing in that morning.

IMG_8603-02.jpg

Edited by pghsteelerfan
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Fire alarm at 2:30 AM on the Ryndam or Statendam, I forgot which ship. Wide awake real quick. Small fire on top deck by the stack. All clear in 15-20 minutes but sleep was impossible for rest of the night.

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OP, an interesting question.

 

For me, 2002, the maiden Asia Pacific Cruise for the Volendam leaving from Vancouver: Captain Jonathan Peter Harris informed us prior to our departure from Vancouver that the next day's weather and seas were expected to be fine.

 

Upon waking that next morning, with the ship West of Vancouver Island, King Neptune had decided Captain Harris' prediction was in error. We were in heavy seas. And, that condition continued to occur off and on for most of the rest of the crossing to Russia. Standing in the Crow's Nest, while holding on to some furniture, watching the bow rise on a wave's crest and then fall into its trough while water/spray from such went over the top of the Crow's Nest: THAT was exciting for me.

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  • 1 year later...

for me is was on the norwegian gem and on the way back to new york, our ship got called by the coast guard to help in a search and rescue, so our ship turned around back into the ocean to help find a sinking boat and rescue them, they all made it, but their boat sank. not often you get a cruise and rescue mission at the same time.

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 3 months later...

Aboard Carnival Paradise, on our Baj'05 (Baja Mexico + 2005) cruise. My underage sister got drunk one night. The next morning she went missing. We spent more than an hour looking for her. we even over head paged her multiple times. When we finally found her, she was asleep in her top bunk. Turns out that she went for a morning jog and while we were out looking for her, she returned to our cabin and passed out. Pretty scary.

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For me it was in the early 990's on SS. Ocean Breeze.. Going through the panama Canal, then sailing & docking off the Achipelgo Islands, ( known as The San Blas Islands) seeing the indians in their own handmade Canoes come out to greet the ship, & their children jumping in the ocean to catch the quarters we would throw to them from the ship. Then at the end if the day, as the sun was setting over the mountains as the ship pulled away, seeing the silhouette of a few Kuna Indians paddling back home to their grass huts, infront of an orange sun set, passing the grass huts, with the faint view of the lush green mountains in the background.. Truly Story book right out of Peter Pan..

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I pam enjoying all these comments and hope others are too. Keep them coming!!

 

OOOOOoooh Goodness !! Where too start ? On that bright, sunny day seeing 'cruise ship row' in the home enbarkation port:D Those BIG beautiful white decked 'mountains' serenely sitting there, beckoning. as if to say, ' WELCOME, we've been waiting !! We're not complete till you're aboard !!' Then as we actually walk up the loading staircase and take the entire ship into view and the greeting smile of a ship's officer and THAT crisp 'smell' of a clean ship ! Then, standing on the aft deck, and too hear that magical deep blast of the 'sailaway horn' and feel the deck moving and watch the cobalt blue water rush by and inhale the salt air, feel goosebumps all over ! Then and only then, can you softly say, 'It's good to be HOME !

 

Mac

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For me it was in the early 990's on SS. Ocean Breeze.. Going through the panama Canal, then sailing & docking off the Achipelgo Islands, ( known as The San Blas Islands) seeing the indians in their own handmade Canoes come out to greet the ship, & their children jumping in the ocean to catch the quarters we would throw to them from the ship. Then at the end if the day, as the sun was setting over the mountains as the ship pulled away, seeing the silhouette of a few Kuna Indians paddling back home to their grass huts, infront of an orange sun set, passing the grass huts, with the faint view of the lush green mountains in the background.. Truly Story book right out of Peter Pan..

 

I know I went to San Blas on one of my cruises in the 90's (1995). I believe it was a Dolphin ship...not sure if Dolphin 4 or Ocean Breeze. I actually have a framed embroidered fabric panel done by one of the Kuna women hanging in my living room. That was certainly a unique place. I remember being greeted by boaters paddling up to the ship calling out "money, money, money" and passengers tossing coins out to them. I'll let you know if I have pictures of the ship/ crew if it turns out to be the Ocean Breeze.

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  • 4 weeks later...

In 2011 I was getting my divorce and staying with my daughter. I told her I was going to the grocery store and I'd be back in awhile. I went to a travel agency and walked in. The lady asked how she could help me. I replied- I want to take a cruise! 3 hours later I returned home and my daughter asked what took so long. I told her I went to AAA. She asked why and I said- I'm going on a cruise! In shock, her eyes bugged out and her jaw dropped. She said-you're doing what?? I repeated- I'm going on a cruise! She asked- and who are you going with?? I said- myself! She barely could speak to me for about 2 weeks! I was so excited but after the shock of her mother going on a Caribbean cruise, going out of the country, alone, she took interest in everything I was looking at on my laptop. Now, she just asks me if I have a cruise booked anytime soon! I keep changing plans all the time. I definitely discovered my independence! It was a huge thrill that first day and as I counted down the days, I was beyond ecstatic when I stepped onboard for my first cruise!! That was 7 years ago. I go at least once a year and that walk through the entry walkway, that first step onto the deck, and that feel of being onboard never changes after all these years. I have that proud and sassy smile on my face and I whisper to myself- I'm here!

 

I have since moved on with confidence and book my cruises, transfers, and air directly with the cruiseline. That first agent has since retired but we became great friends and she calls me her "cruising diva"! I smile and tell her- it's all her fault and I love it! Happy cruising everyone! -Lynn

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  • 1 month later...

Several years ago on a HAL ship sailing from Copenhagen to Rome. While sailing the North Sea, approaching the English Channel, we encountered high seas. The waves were huge, they rose above the windows in the Crow's Nest, on the top deck. The ship was rising and falling bow to stern with the rhythm of the waves.

Many people donned their life jackets and

remained in the public rooms. Other fatalists, like ourselves, went to the Crow's Nest without life jackets. The place was pretty full and we kept the waiters busy serving drinks.

It was exciting and a little scary but everyone in the room enjoyed the experience.

It was amazing to think about the old time sailors experiencing this in old sailing ships.

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