Ship horn

[RickEk]

Really this is just a stupid question, but does the ship sound it's horn when leaving ports on an Alaskan itinerary? We'll be leaving from San Francisco, Victoria, Juneau, Ketchikan and Haines.

 

I don't know what it is, but a ship's horn as we leave a port is quite the cruising experience for me... :p

[Rhitson88]

Lol I think for safety issues they are kinda required to. Anyone else can chime in on this as I have never been on an Alaskan cruise but I have been on quite a few and everytime we leave they sound the horn. Just to let people know its moving and if your in the way then move lol. I feel the same way though, pretty awesome.

[robgvic]

I'm not sure if they do in Victoria as they leave so late, around midnight in many cases, and they dont want to annoy the neighbours. I think they may just do it at a lower level but am checking with a bus driver who does the tours

[mikefang]

By the maritime Rules of the Road you will usually hear one long blast on the ship's whistle/horn when getting underway. This is a signal for change of status and is intended to warn other mariners that the vessel sounding the signal is doing just that-changing status. Other signals may be used to indicate that engines are going astern (3 short blasts), rudder indications ( 1 or 2 short blasts) and depending on whether the ship is in inland or international waters the short blasts may be an indicator or a proposal about passing or overtaking in a channel. More to it than that but a little bit of info.

Mike

 

PS It's when you hear 5 or more short blasts that you should look around-danger or some type of bad situation.

[sherryf]

I don't remember about leaving ports, but I can tell you that they sound the horn when traveling in fog... about once every 1.5 minutes... all day long... makes it very difficult to watch a movie on MUTS!:eek:

[dchip]

We have cruised from San Francisco several times and the horn sounded as we went under the Golden Gate Bridge.

 

I love the sound so much, I have recorded it as we are leaving port!!!!!!! Nothing like a digital camera :D

 

Cheers, Denise

[mikefang]

I don't remember about leaving ports, but I can tell you that they sound the horn when traveling in fog... about once every 1.5 minutes... all day long... makes it very difficult to watch a movie on MUTS!:eek:

 

Sherry, a vessel on the high seas sounds a blast on the whistle/horn at least once every 2 minutes when underway in restricted visibility. Be glad the ship is not stopped-the rules of the road require a vessel stopped but not anchored to sound 2 blasts, one second apart, on the whistle/horn at least once every 2 minutes which would make it even harder to hear the movie!

International rules.

Mike

[trvlcrzy]

I've read (and heard announced onboard) that ships aren't even allowed to make announcements over the PA once cleared for customs in Alaskan ports. It has something to do with a sound ordinance.

 

I don't recall hearing the horn in Alaska's ports.

 

On the other hand, the Ryndam and an RCL ship got into a horn contest at Hubbard Glacier during our July 2009 14-day. Fun!

[snowman]

It very moving.

[sherryf]

Sherry, a vessel on the high seas sounds a blast on the whistle/horn at least once every 2 minutes when underway in restricted visibility. Be glad the ship is not stopped-the rules of the road require a vessel stopped but not anchored to sound 2 blasts, one second apart, on the whistle/horn at least once every 2 minutes which would make it even harder to hear the movie!

International rules.

Mike

 

Oh, I realize they were doing it because of the rules. I'm just saying that I've heard the ship horn enough to last me a lifetime!

[stoneharborlady]

I have only experienced leaving from Ft. Lauderdale, but must say that hearing that horn was a thriller for me. Best part of sailaway!

 

Karen

[Shogun]

Hi All

 

The ships horn is the signal that my cruise holiday has started.

 

yours Shogun

[highflyingrealtor]

By the maritime Rules of the Road you will usually hear one long blast on the ship's whistle/horn when getting underway. This is a signal for change of status and is intended to warn other mariners that the vessel sounding the signal is doing just that-changing status. Other signals may be used to indicate that engines are going astern (3 short blasts), rudder indications ( 1 or 2 short blasts) and depending on whether the ship is in inland or international waters the short blasts may be an indicator or a proposal about passing or overtaking in a channel. More to it than that but a little bit of info.

Mike

 

PS It's when you hear 5 or more short blasts that you should look around-danger or some type of bad situation.

 

You're bringing back wonderful memories of a USCG power squadron course I took many many years ago - yes there are rules. Love it! :D

[Druke I]

A huge plus for sailing from Pier 35 in San Francisco is the ship giving three blasts on the whistle (horn) to signal that she is backing into the shipping channel.

 

As noted above, the ship will often give another blast just before sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge, a farewell sign to the pedestrians on the bridge. On rare occasions, the Bridge's foghorn will give a blast in reply!

 

There are a number of videos of ships' whistles (horns) on you tube.

[captainron]

Lol I think for safety issues they are kinda required to. Anyone else can chime in on this as I have never been on an Alaskan cruise but I have been on quite a few and everytime we leave they sound the horn. Just to let people know its moving and if your in the way then move lol. I feel the same way though, pretty awesome.

 

While I am not certain as to the subject matter, on previous cruises I have heard them sound the ship's horn one minute prior to casting off. In addition the master of the vessel may sound the horn in acknowledgement to thank the port and people or other vessels that have sounded their horns as a salutation.

 

Ciao for now!!!

[RickEk]

I've read (and heard announced onboard) that ships aren't even allowed to make announcements over the PA once cleared for customs in Alaskan ports. It has something to do with a sound ordinance.

 

I don't recall hearing the horn in Alaska's ports.

 

On the other hand, the Ryndam and an RCL ship got into a horn contest at Hubbard Glacier during our July 2009 14-day. Fun!

 

I believe that is only in Seattle that there are restrictions from noise and only at the pier that Princess is now using.

 

And hmmmmm... I think a horn battle around a glacier would help with the calving process... :p

 

 

A huge plus for sailing from Pier 35 in San Francisco is the ship giving three blasts on the whistle (horn) to signal that she is backing into the shipping channel.

 

As noted above, the ship will often give another blast just before sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge, a farewell sign to the pedestrians on the bridge. On rare occasions, the Bridge's foghorn will give a blast in reply!

 

There are a number of videos of ships' whistles (horns) on you tube.

 

Can't wait! :D

 

And yeah, there are some good horn battles on YouTube. Look for the one between Queen Mary 2 and Sapphire Princess. The Sapphire's horn apparently gets stuck... :)

[CruisinChris]

Sister ships in port will often salute each other with a blast of the whistle when the other leaves. There's apparently a protocol involving the seniority of the master, in terms of who salutes whom first. I think there's an example of this on You Tube too

[jagsfan]

fun, but not as thrilling is Disney's horns......they play "When You Wish Upon a Star".

Enjoyable to hear.......but not that deep long blast that makes you shiver all over.

[Toddy709]

fun, but not as thrilling is Disney's horns......they play "When You Wish Upon a Star".

Enjoyable to hear.......but not that deep long blast that makes you shiver all over.

 

That was one of my favorite things when we sailed Disney!!

[hydrodriver831]

Hi All

 

The ships horn is the signal that my cruise holiday has started.

 

yours Shogun

 

Absolutely agree!!:D

[StLouisCruisers]

Last Tuesday the Maasdam was docked at Prince Edward Island, Canada (Charlottetown?) within sight of the taping of the Live with Regis and Kelly morning show. When they pointed out the ship docked right there near the audience, the ship blasted its horn three times to the delight of the crowd! About 30 seconds later the horn blasted again three times, interrupting Regis as he commented about it, and the crowd was laughing and cheering again. It was a lot of fun! Someone on the bridge must have been in contact with the show's producers because all was quiet until the Maasdam came on the screen.:D

[Times Prince]

Sister ships in port will often salute each other with a blast of the whistle when the other leaves. There's apparently a protocol involving the seniority of the master' date=' in terms of who salutes whom first. I think there's an example of this on You Tube too[/quote']We sailed on the Sun Princess when the Commodore of the Princess fleet was her master (and we were the largest cruise ship). Nobody, but nobody got the better of the Sun Princess when it came to salutes / warning blasts, etc.

 

It was fun ! :D

[robgvic]

Most Princess ships leave Victoria around midnight so the only times horns are blown at that time is if there is fog, which there is today and when there is water traffic which is rare at that time.

This is in consideration on people trying too sleep especially young children