Anyone know why Radiance did a complete 360 turn in Wellington Harbour tonight?

[jldev]

About 20 minutes ago, I watched Radiance start sailing out of Wellington Harbour - a familiar sight from our house during the summer when cruise ships visit. I wandered off to do things but just looked out the window again to see Radiance stopped in the middle of the harbour now facing the way she had come from (i.e. back towards the port)! Then I noticed she was actually slowly turning and doing a 360 degrees turn in the middle of Wellington Harbour! Wow, I have never seen a ship do that before in our harbour and I wonder why the captain is doing it? It is a lovely sunny evening and we have a beautiful harbour but this is very unique. Anyone have any ideas?

 

P.S. She has nearly completed the turn and I can see, through my telescope, lots of people up on deck :)

[Northern Aurora]

I can only speculate, but can tell you that having a ship rotate 360 degrees in a scenic setting does happen on Alaskan cruises. Particularly at Hubbard Glacier cruise ships will routinely rotate 360 degrees. Passengers on the upper decks can walk from side to side, but folk passengers who choose not to be on upper decks (ie, because of mobility problems) can watch from inside.

 

We were at Hubbard Glacier last May and due to heavy pack ice the Celebrity Infinity did not do the rotation. In 2009 we were at Hubbard Glacier in late June on the Celebrity Millennium. On that trip there was very little pack ice, so the captain and pilot did the 360 rotation. Ship photographers were lowered on a tender and took photos of the Millennium with Hubbard Glacier in the background.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Just another thought as to what it could be.......

We had that happen to us once on Star Princess in Lyttleton Harbour.

Evidently once a year the ship has to test and reset its magnetic compass to comply with Lloyds regulations.....and it does this by carrying out a 360 degree turn.

Our Caprtain announced that it was going to happen and everyone came up on deck to watch. They usually choose a sheltered harbour and calm conditions to carry it out.

 

[jldev]

I can only speculate, but can tell you that having a ship rotate 360 degrees in a scenic setting does happen on Alaskan cruises. Particularly at Hubbard Glacier cruise ships will routinely rotate 360 degrees. Passengers on the upper decks can walk from side to side, but folk passengers who choose not to be on upper decks (ie, because of mobility problems) can watch from inside.

 

We were at Hubbard Glacier last May and due to heavy pack ice the Celebrity Infinity did not do the rotation. In 2009 we were at Hubbard Glacier in late June on the Celebrity Millennium. On that trip there was very little pack ice, so the captain and pilot did the 360 rotation. Ship photographers were lowered on a tender and took photos of the Millennium with Hubbard Glacier in the background.

 

Can you believe that actually what I was doing while this was happening was on my computer looking at the cruises Radiance does in Alaska as we are considering doing a cruise there in 2013? Anyway, I had just read how the ships turn around when you get to a glacier in order for all balcony cabins to have a chance to see it. So, when I looked up and, to my disbelief, realised Radiance was doing at 360, I called out to my DH that Wow, its as though the captain is showing me what he could do for us in Alaska!! Of course my DH just rolled his eyes at me :)

[jldev]

Just another thought as to what it could be.......

We had that happen to us once on Star Princess in Lyttleton Harbour.

Evidently once a year the ship has to test and reset its magnetic compass to comply with Lloyds regulations.....and it does this by carrying out a 360 degree turn.

Our Caprtain announced that it was going to happen and everyone came up on deck to watch. They usually choose a sheltered harbour and calm conditions to carry it out.

 

 

Hmm that sounds like that's what it could have been as it is calm tonight and I guess we have quite a sheltered harbour. In fact the ship had the harbour to itself as on the Blue Bridge ferry came past it while it was in the harbour doing it's performance :)

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Heres a grab of her leaving Aotea Quay earlier this evening..

 

 

[MargoK]

Nice of the Captain to do a 'whirl'.:)

 

When we were on the Celebrity Century in Milford Sound we were turning around, having tendered off two bus loaded of passengers who were doing the overnight trip, and we suddenly noticed we were still going around. We did a 180, then a complete 360 - and why we asked. :confused: Five kayakers decided to cross the Sound in front of the ship! So the Captain had no choice but to go around again! :eek:

 

And to make the Captain even more annoyed, :mad: when he was trying to 'wash the bow under the Stirling Falls' as a real treat, what happened !!! You guessed it, the same five kayakers crossed in front again and totally 'hogged' the waterfall meaning there was no way we could get in close Total spoil sports!:mad: :rolleyes: