Horn protocol

[bet410]

I LOVE the foghorn! It is my notification tone on my phone now. We were on the Canada/New England tour last September and we had fog quite often, so we heard the fog horn a lot. it was relaxing to me! Here is a short video with the HAL Eurodam foghorn:

 

Love that sound! Thanks for sharing! :)

[jkrislc]

Actually the Fog Horn and the Ship Whistle/Horn are actually two different sounds but on that subject strangley I find the Fog Horn comforting as well. I have been on many sailings where the Fog Horn was blowing day and night. One cruise on the Veendam we were on Navigation Deck in 002 right next to the Bridge and we had solid Fog all the way from Seattle to Los Angeles. Oddly it did not bother us at all :)

 

I agree with you, Lisa. The rhythmic nature of the fog horn is quite comforting. Of course, I was midship; I'm not sure I would have found it as pleasant being as close as you were.

 

Other than Disney, I don't think I've been on a ship that has blown it's horn other than the fog horn mentioned above, and that was only one time. I'd love to see a ship I'm on get into a horn battle as they're fun to watch on YouTube. Unfortunately, it hasn't happened to me yet.

[Typhoon1]

I would love to hear the horn more often.

 

We got a treat back in 2003 on the Zuiderdam. (charter) We left New Orleans after a fog delay. Most of our trip down the Mississippi was fog shrouded and the horn was used quite often.

[Modern_Viking]

I don't know if it is a Cunard tradition (don't remember from QM2) but on QE2, the ship's horn was always blown at noon. She had/has a marvelous, deep voice, and there were people who would drop everything to go on deck to hear the horn. EM

 

The most recent noon whistle I have heard on HAL was in 2004 and that was only because a guest (with connections it seems) asked the Captain to revive the tradition on that cruise.

 

An aside: on Disney Cruise Line in May 2011 there was a noon whistle every sea day (with a pre-recorded PA announcement a minute or two before to alert people of the pending event). In fact other than the rare "get out of our way" warning whistle blasts, all other blasts were preceded by a PA announcement that the "Mickey Horn" was about to sound.

[Modern_Viking]

Other than Disney, I don't think I've been on a ship that has blown it's horn other than the fog horn mentioned above, and that was only one time. I'd love to see a ship I'm on get into a horn battle as they're fun to watch on YouTube. Unfortunately, it hasn't happened to me yet.

 

Technically such events are not horn battles but are "whistle salutes." An old tradition is for the flagship of a line to be given a salute by other ships in that line. Today, ships in the same company (and sometimes rival companies) often salute each other at departure regardless of flagship status.

 

I have heard many ports in Alaska, British Columbia and even Seattle restrict whistle use to emergency/safety purposes only. Then again, one of the longest salutes I have heard was between the Oosterdam and Amsterdam off Sitka, Alaska. Capt. van de Loo found outn just how long the wistle could sound until the system ran out of compressed air (after 6 or 7 blasts).

 

My favorite was between a pilot boat and the Amsterdam when the pilot was using a conch shell to say farewell after he disembarked.

[DizzyDallasDi]

I know they are not forbidden to blow the horns as we sail toward the Striats of Alaska when leaving Port Everglades. I love to hear them blow the horn.

 

I'm trying to figure out how one enters the Straits of Alaska when leaving Port Everglades.

[PathfinderEss]

I LOVE the foghorn! It is my notification tone on my phone now. We were on the Canada/New England tour last September and we had fog quite often, so we heard the fog horn a lot. it was relaxing to me! Here is a short video with the HAL Eurodam foghorn:

Thanks Indycal, I really enjoyed that. Now all we need to do is get the horn blow record so all of us cazy people can have it as a ring tone.:D:D:D

[Boytjie]

The first morning I woke up on the QM2 was to the sound of the foghorn. I just had to get out and go see what it was like outside. :D

[TiogaCruiser]

I LOVE the foghorn! It is my notification tone on my phone now. We were on the Canada/New England tour last September and we had fog quite often, so we heard the fog horn a lot. it was relaxing to me! Here is a short video with the HAL Eurodam foghorn:

 

I did the same. We had slot of fog in alaska and heard amsterdam's horn alot. Got some good recordings and made one my ring tone for certain people. Another ringtone is HAL's "hailing frequencies" alert chime or whatever you call it. My new office mate commented on all the ships noises I'm responsible for.......

 

~TC

[jkrislc]

Technically such events are not horn battles but are "whistle salutes." An old tradition is for the flagship of a line to be given a salute by other ships in that line. Today, ships in the same company (and sometimes rival companies) often salute each other at departure regardless of flagship status.

 

Is it still considered a salute when they go back and forth each blaring their horns as if trying to top/beat the other?

Edited December 14, 2011 by jkrislc

[Modern_Viking]

Is it still considered a salute when they go back and forth each blaring their horns as if trying to top/beat the other?

 

The most common form of the "salute" I have heard of is something like

 

1st ship: three long blasts

2nd ship: three long blasts

1st: three short

2nd: three short

1st: one short/medium

2nd: one short/medium

 

I think we (Americans) tend to see things as a competition, game, quest for supremacy, but I have heard the tradition was started to be a polite and friendly gesture.

 

If it were really a competition, I don't think it would be so scripted.

[jkrislc]

Thanks for the explanation, Modern_Viking.

 

Since I've always heard it referred to as a "battle" (perhaps I should stop watching YouTube), I didn't realize there was a protocol to it. And most of the time, it seemed to take place as the ships were leaving the dock, usually in the Bahamas.

[Linda VH]

We sailed on the QM2 in the Caribbean and I think it was a new route for her because whenever we docked any other ship in port's decks were lined with passengers looking at her. We anchored out in St. Thomas and boats constantly circled her. Anyway, she always blew her horn when leaving port and was saluted by other ships each time. It was the only time I was on deck for sail away from EACH port just to experience the other ships horns and people waving from their decks. Cool!:D

[ariawoman]

I found this horn battle fun, it's between 2 disney ships :-)

 

[ariawoman]

This one is even better apparently they've added many songs to the dream :-)

 

[PathfinderEss]

This one is even better apparently they've added many songs to the dream :-)

 

Thanks ariawoman, those were really fun, made me smile. I had heard that the Disney ships had the best horns and now I believe it. :D:D:D

 

[ariawoman]

Thanks ariawoman, those were really fun, made me smile. I had heard that the Disney ships had the best horns and now I believe it. :D:D:D

 

 

I know! It makes me want to go on one, but then I think about all the kids and think YouTube is good enough LOL :-) I like my more adult crowd cruises like HAL and X. :-)

[bet410]

This one is even better apparently they've added many songs to the dream :-)

 

 

Thanks, ariawoman! Those links were absolutely delightful! I had to share them with others who I knew would get a kick out of them also! :)

[ShipsAreTheBest]

Ports can (and do) sometimes restrict usage. Other times, they require it. New York docking pilots will ask for one long blast (signalling departure) and three short blasts (engines operating astern) when backing into the Hudson. In the days of not that long ago when you could stand on the roof of terminal and be adjacent to the open bridge wing (on smaller, older ships!), I often heard the docking pilot ask the captain for these blasts as they were getting ready to leave. So, sometimes it's captain's preference, sometimes it's regulatory (for or against).

 

During my Veendam cruises to Bermuda, I believe Bermuda requires a blast before passing through Two Rock Passage on the way in to Hamilton Harbour (to warn others a ship is coming through). Also, the Bermuda pilot boat always starts off a nice 3-long blast salute at the pilot station on departure after dropping the pilot (of course, answered by the much deeper voice of whatever ship you happen to be on!)

[PathfinderEss]

Ports can (and do) sometimes restrict usage. Other times, they require it. New York docking pilots will ask for one long blast (signalling departure) and three short blasts (engines operating astern) when backing into the Hudson. In the days of not that long ago when you could stand on the roof of terminal and be adjacent to the open bridge wing (on smaller, older ships!), I often heard the docking pilot ask the captain for these blasts as they were getting ready to leave. So, sometimes it's captain's preference, sometimes it's regulatory (for or against).

 

During my Veendam cruises to Bermuda, I believe Bermuda requires a blast before passing through Two Rock Passage on the way in to Hamilton Harbour (to warn others a ship is coming through). Also, the Bermuda pilot boat always starts off a nice 3-long blast salute at the pilot station on departure after dropping the pilot (of course, answered by the much deeper voice of whatever ship you happen to be on!)

See this is what I was thinking ShipsAreTheBest, that some of these ports have rules for or agonist blowing their horns.

I know or have heard that when your up in the bays of Alaska, they cannot blow their horns, I think some years back a cruise ship was blowing its horn trying to get the glacier to calve. Big no-no and they got fined and could not cruise the glacier area for a period of time.

[ariawoman]

All I know is because of this thread i've spent way too much time listening to various horn battles on YouTube. Love those horns!! lol Thanks to the OP for bringing this topic up, it makes me happy inside. :)

[Happy Scottish Cruiser]

Just back from excellent cruise on QE.(Q606 to Venice and Adriatic). Surprised to find that ship's whistle was not sounded at noon on sea days -just a bell .Is this the norm now ?

[dakrewser]

You do realize this is the Holland-America board, not the Cunard board, right??

[iceman93]

I know! It makes me want to go on one, but then I think about all the kids and think YouTube is good enough LOL :-) I like my more adult crowd cruises like HAL and X. :-)

 

You might be pleasantly surprised. Disney does a great job of keeping the kids entertained in their own spaces, and is absolutely strict about maintaining the sanctity of adults-only areas. And if you take a longer sailing particularly during the school year, there will be far fewer kids aboard than on the short sailings during school break periods. In any event, if you like HAL and X ships and service, you will adore Disney.

[shrimp56]

Sometimes on our Canada/New England cruises, particularly nearing Bar Harbor, we have a lot of fog and the fog horn sounds repeatedly. The first 30 minutes or so of it, I notice it but it quickly becomes background noise and doesn't bother me at all.....

Quite the opposite, I find it mystical and comforting and like it during the night. It does not keep me awake.

 

I'm with you sail. I've had several all-nighters both in the Atlantic and the Pacific. It is very comforting. And yes on the radar.

 

On a related note people complain about the anchor chain and bow thrusters when they are far forward. Me. It tells me someone is paying attention to where we are going.