2paradise Posted January 31, 2017 #1 Share Posted January 31, 2017 Is there a reason ships travel together? Last Fall we were on the Sunshine and the Breeze followed us the entire week. (Or we followed the Breeze at times). Just curious! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micahs Grandad Posted January 31, 2017 #2 Share Posted January 31, 2017 Good question hope someone knowledgable will answer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare shof515 Posted January 31, 2017 #3 Share Posted January 31, 2017 Safety in numbers. If there is an extreme emergency, help is not far away Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pe4all Posted January 31, 2017 #4 Share Posted January 31, 2017 When I first began cruising many moons ago, there definitely was a "rule" that ships did have to sail within a reasonable distance from each other in the event of an emergency. I don't know if that is still the case, as we have traveled on some ships that haven't had any ships within any kind of eyesight of each other. There are many times we have been in port "alone." I think the ships follow each other now cause they are on pretty much the same itinerary! I know last Feb. Splendor followed Sunshine to every port! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joepeka Posted January 31, 2017 #5 Share Posted January 31, 2017 I am going to guess that it's simply a quirk in the schedules. I'm assuming the Sunshine and the Breeze departed from different ports? If so, it was probably just coincidental they "followed" one another. We have had other ships following the same itinerary as our ship but from different lines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stobe1 Posted January 31, 2017 #6 Share Posted January 31, 2017 (edited) If route planning for ships is anything like aviation, they probably plan their routes baed on sea conditions, currents, winds and weather to get the most economical, efficient and safe route possible. So many ships operating the same itineraries may ''follow'' each other because they know the most efficient and safest way of getting to their next port. Planes often "follow" each other along the same routing because most flight planning software use the same criteria for efficient route planning. Weather, winds aloft and turbulence are just some of the factors that are used to plan routes in aviation. Sometimes, there are air traffic control ''required'' or ''preferred'' routes to expedite the flow of traffic into and out of high density airports. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Forums mobile app Edited January 31, 2017 by stobe1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruise pup Posted January 31, 2017 #7 Share Posted January 31, 2017 (edited) There are also certain shipping lanes that all ships will sail thru, where the water is deep enough and there are no hazzards, like reefs and sandbars. Look what happened to Costa Concordia going off course. Also prevailing winds and sea currents play a part. Edited January 31, 2017 by cruise pup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2paradise Posted February 1, 2017 Author #8 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Such smart people!! :) Great responses! Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cb at sea Posted February 1, 2017 #9 Share Posted February 1, 2017 They're pretty much all going the same places! I sort of like that there are others out there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
easyboy Posted February 1, 2017 #10 Share Posted February 1, 2017 I am going to guess that it's simply a quirk in the schedules. I'm assuming the Sunshine and the Breeze departed from different ports? If so, it was probably just coincidental they "followed" one another. We have had other ships following the same itinerary as our ship but from different lines. It has never caught my attention except when docked in port. But my guess is also coincidental. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Je Souhaite Posted February 1, 2017 #11 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Although sailing with other ships in the same direction is quite fun, there's nothing as depressing as sailing along with a ship you'd rather be on. We were stuck on an NCL ship sailing along a Carnival ship, and just wish we had a boarding pass for the CARNIVAL SHIP. It was with us for all three of our ports. :( It's also fun sailing past a ship going in the opposite direction at night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJHAN Posted February 1, 2017 #12 Share Posted February 1, 2017 (edited) I think its just luck of the draw. We where on the magic a few years ago and Royal Caribbeans navigator of the seas followed us the entire time. Even though we docked at diffrent peirs she was right with us every day. Sent from my SM-G935P using Forums mobile app Edited February 1, 2017 by CJHAN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havingfun2010 Posted February 1, 2017 #13 Share Posted February 1, 2017 1. Protection against submarine attacks (stay in a pack) 2. Protection against the Pirates patrolling the Caribbean (especially near Bahamas). 3. Captains are drag racing. 4. Everyone knows drafting saves gas and energy. 5. One captain is lost, so following the other one to port. Florida has 5 cruise ports, and on any given weekend, it releases a huge amount of ships into the Caribbean. Some go East, some go West, and some go to the Bahamas. My last stop in Bahamas, there were 5 ships docked. My last stop in Cozumel, there were 4 ships docked. They all arrive at the same time (just about) and leave about the same time. Open waters, and ships all lit up, every evening, it is not unusual to see 3 or 4 ships around you. There is no reason, other than it's a traffic jam of ships in the Caribbean!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h_blond2 Posted February 1, 2017 #14 Share Posted February 1, 2017 1. Protection against submarine attacks (stay in a pack)2. Protection against the Pirates patrolling the Caribbean (especially near Bahamas). 3. Captains are drag racing. 4. Everyone knows drafting saves gas and energy. 5. One captain is lost, so following the other one to port. Florida has 5 cruise ports, and on any given weekend, it releases a huge amount of ships into the Caribbean. Some go East, some go West, and some go to the Bahamas. My last stop in Bahamas, there were 5 ships docked. My last stop in Cozumel, there were 4 ships docked. They all arrive at the same time (just about) and leave about the same time. Open waters, and ships all lit up, every evening, it is not unusual to see 3 or 4 ships around you. There is no reason, other than it's a traffic jam of ships in the Caribbean!!! Captains are drag racing has to be the best answer ever! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJHAN Posted February 3, 2017 #15 Share Posted February 3, 2017 1. Protection against submarine attacks (stay in a pack)2. Protection against the Pirates patrolling the Caribbean (especially near Bahamas). 3. Captains are drag racing. 4. Everyone knows drafting saves gas and energy. 5. One captain is lost, so following the other one to port. Florida has 5 cruise ports, and on any given weekend, it releases a huge amount of ships into the Caribbean. Some go East, some go West, and some go to the Bahamas. My last stop in Bahamas, there were 5 ships docked. My last stop in Cozumel, there were 4 ships docked. They all arrive at the same time (just about) and leave about the same time. Open waters, and ships all lit up, every evening, it is not unusual to see 3 or 4 ships around you. There is no reason, other than it's a traffic jam of ships in the Caribbean!!! Interesting points however i have never seen more then 1 other ship. We sail out of Galveston so maybe theres less traffic? Sent from my SM-G935P using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare shof515 Posted February 3, 2017 #16 Share Posted February 3, 2017 Interesting points however i have never seen more then 1 other ship. We sail out of Galveston so maybe theres less traffic? Sent from my SM-G935P using Forums mobile app most ships are about 30-60 minutes apart from each other. so the other ship might be beyond the horizon and out of view of what your eyes can see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SadieN Posted February 3, 2017 #17 Share Posted February 3, 2017 most ships are about 30-60 minutes apart from each other. so the other ship might be beyond the horizon and out of view of what your eyes can see. Yep, Seen the same ship at every port with us, rarely see them at night. Mexican Riviera itins have so few ports it's not that unusual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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