Anybody Know What This "Secret Code" Means?

[Cruiser 4 Life 66]

On 12/10/10 on the Jewel of the Seas this announcement was made throughout the ship:

 

Alpha Alpha Alpha, deck 4 dining room, starboard side

 

It was said at least 3 times in a row and sounded very serious

 

I assume it's some kind of medical emergency.

A lot of people here seem to know what the secret ship codes mean, so I thought I would check. Thanks.

[jmezmom]

It is a medical emergency code.

[thelion]

Alpha is a medical emergency. Typically one so serious that basic first aid is not enough. It could be as minor as a sprained ankle or as serious as a death.

[Cruiser 4 Life 66]

Alpha is a medical emergency. Typically one so serious that basic first aid is not enough. It could be as minor as a sprained ankle or as serious as a death.

 

You could hear the nervousness in the guy's voice making the annouceement, like he was really shook up. I thought it might be a passenger death or something real serious like a stroke or severe heart attack. I was just curious. Thanks for your reply.

[k9151]

Alpha Alpha Alpha= Medical Emergency

Bravo Bravo Bravo= Fire

Oscar Oscar Oscar= Person overboard

[ivansbride1955]

On our last cruise (HAL Southern Caribbean) we had three medical emergencies --two passengers were flown home from the next port and the last passenger was lifted off the ship by a coast guard helicopter. Very intense!

[bigtoeswim'n]

On our last cruise (HAL Southern Caribbean) we had three medical emergencies --two passengers were flown home from the next port and the last passenger was lifted off the ship by a coast guard helicopter. Very intense!

 

On our Oct New England cruise, it was a C&A sailing. We are in late 50s and felt like the "kids" on board. Lots of gray hair there. With that said, there were several Code Alpha announcements. It is sad to hear such things. Never found out what they were or what happened. Hope they all recovered.

[BillOh]

I've heard the Alpha Alpha twice. Our first cruise an ice skater broker her arm and was helicoptered off on our last day back to Miami.

 

The next was a young 20 something girl who got off Navigator in Belize and got falling down drunk by noon. Our excursion got canceled so she was on the tender back with us. Apparently a good Samaritan couple recognized her and helped her back to the ship. About an hour after they helped her back to her room the code went out to her cabin.

I've heard the Bravo and Charlies only in announced drills.

[smoosh21]

I've heard the Alpha Alpha twice. Our first cruise an ice skater broker her arm and was helicoptered off on our last day back to Miami.

 

The next was a young 20 something girl who got off Navigator in Belize and got falling down drunk by noon. Our excursion got canceled so she was on the tender back with us. Apparently a good Samaritan couple recognized her and helped her back to the ship. About an hour after they helped her back to her room the code went out to her cabin.

I've heard the Bravo and Charlies only in announced drills.

 

I haven't heard those, but I have heard an Oscar. We were in port though, so the ship didn't need to turn around. Luckily, the worker only fell off the Lifeboat deck (and on the water side) and not higher up.

[sbtagent]

Alpha Alpha Alpha= Medical Emergency

Bravo Bravo Bravo= Fire

Oscar Oscar Oscar= Person overboard

 

Interesting to know.

On my last cruise with Adventure, we heard they also mentioned the cabin number and port side, after 3 x Alpha.

I always thought Bravo was was the signal for the training of the crew, as they have once a week a day when they do emergency trials, and that Alpha ment real trouble.

[jmraggs]

Alpha Alpha Alpha= Medical Emergency

Bravo Bravo Bravo= Fire

Oscar Oscar Oscar= Person overboard

 

There are two more but I don't remember what they were called. Once on the bridge for a tour, they told us of a code for a terrorist threat and the other time I heard them use a code to summon security to a cabin where the person was arrested for drug possession.

[Eng23]

I have heard the Alpha and Bravo announcements but always proceeded by this is a "ships crew drill" so as not to alarm passengers. I guess my cruises so far have been lucky to not have any "real time" incidents! :D

[jmraggs]

I have heard the Alpha and Bravo announcements but always proceeded by this is a "ships crew drill" so as not to alarm passengers. I guess my cruises so far have been lucky to not have any "real time" incidents! :D

 

We were in MTD once and they announced the Alpha code during dinner. As I listened to where the medical emergency was I realized it was on our side of the ship in our dining room. I looked around and the table in back of us had an older man slumped over with his head on the table, I didn't even realize that anything happened until the announcement. They must have kept that emergency quiet until that point. We found out that he passed out do to slow blood sugar or something like that, but they did take him out on a stretcher.

[germanyboy]

On a lighter note... On our bridge tour of Celebrity Mercury--no pics allowed or I would have gotten a shot of this sign--right next to the PA system microphone, was a laminated sign:

"In case of vomit anywhere on the ship announce,

'Mr. Purell, report to the X location immediately'

Repeat 2 times "

Who is Mr Purell?

Reminds me of school lockdown drills where the announcement is "Mr McGruff is in the building"

[sissymaryuk]

I've heard the Alpha Alpha twice. Our first cruise an ice skater broker her arm and was helicoptered off on our last day back to Miami.

 

The next was a young 20 something girl who got off Navigator in Belize and got falling down drunk by noon. Our excursion got canceled so she was on the tender back with us. Apparently a good Samaritan couple recognized her and helped her back to the ship. About an hour after they helped her back to her room the code went out to her cabin.

I've heard the Bravo and Charlies only in announced drills.

Well I hope she had some medical insurance, as well as having a good time, as that callout will likely have cost her upwards of $600!

[tonit964]

We were on the Radiance last year when the Carnival Splendor hit us in Puerto Vallarta and the Captain announced " Echo, Echo, Echo" which means some kind of distress to the ship.

 

The radiance still has the dent in the bow to this day. We saw her in Alaska and sure enough it was still there.

 

Happy and safe cruising to all!

Toni

[sissymaryuk]

There are two more but I don't remember what they were called. Once on the bridge for a tour, they told us of a code for a terrorist threat and the other time I heard them use a code to summon security to a cabin where the person was arrested for drug possession.

Charlie is when the ships under threat.

Echo is used for when the ship's drifting or in danger of breaking its bearings.

I've never heard of a code to arrest someone over the PA (not on RCCL anyway). There should be no need as they all carry walkie-talkies, and probably wouldn't want a bunch a slack-jawed gawpers showing up at the cabin to see what's going on.

The Bravo code followed by a location is fire. The Bravo code followed by "go to your stations" would be for incidents such as oil spills, groundings or collisions.

[jmraggs]

Charlie is when the ships under threat.

 

Yes, Charlie does sound very familiar to me now that you say that.:)

[travelgrl1278]

On a lighter note... On our bridge tour of Celebrity Mercury--no pics allowed or I would have gotten a shot of this sign--right next to the PA system microphone, was a laminated sign:

 

"In case of vomit anywhere on the ship announce,

 

'Mr. Purell, report to the X location immediately'

Repeat 2 times "

 

Who is Mr Purell?

 

Reminds me of school lockdown drills where the announcement is "Mr McGruff is in the building"

 

Well Purell is a brand of sanitizer so I would assume its a nice way of letting crew know what happened versus "VOMIT AT X LOCATION"

[starlake]

On a lighter note... On our bridge tour of Celebrity Mercury--no pics allowed or I would have gotten a shot of this sign--right next to the PA system microphone, was a laminated sign:

"In case of vomit anywhere on the ship announce,

'Mr. Purell, report to the X location immediately'

Repeat 2 times "

Who is Mr Purell?

Reminds me of school lockdown drills where the announcement is "Mr McGruff is in the building"

 

Oh Jerry, I remember that well. It was a great cruise wasn't it ?

[kborth]

I heard Bravo Bravo on my last Enchantment cruise on Novemember 27.Wondered what it meant

[jmraggs]

I heard Bravo Bravo on my last Enchantment cruise on Novemember 27.Wondered what it meant

 

A lot of the Carnival people know what that means now as well!

[pcur]

Well Purell is a brand of sanitizer so I would assume its a nice way of letting crew know what happened versus "VOMIT AT X LOCATION"

 

That's probably what it means. Better than saying, "Clean-up on deck 7, starboard"!!!:D

[thelion]

You could hear the nervousness in the guy's voice making the annouceement, like he was really shook up. I thought it might be a passenger death or something real serious like a stroke or severe heart attack. I was just curious. Thanks for your reply.

 

:eek:

 

The person making the announcement should *not* be the one at the incident. Standard procedure under SOLAS says you call to the bridge and the bridge makes the announcement.

 

I haven't heard those, but I have heard an Oscar. We were in port though, so the ship didn't need to turn around. Luckily, the worker only fell off the Lifeboat deck (and on the water side) and not higher up.

 

Only?!? That is still awfully high!

[jonbgd]

We were on the Radiance last year when the Carnival Splendor hit us in Puerto Vallarta and the Captain announced " Echo, Echo, Echo" which means some kind of distress to the ship.

I remember that we were watching the Splendor from our Balcony come in hot and my GF kept on saying they were going to hit us and I said he knows what he is doing and as soon as I said that he hit us