Ship's Coin? (Emerald Princess)

[VLZT]

Our 9 year old  enjoys trying to locate the ship's coin on new-to-her ships.  Does anyone know where the coin is located on the Emerald?  

 

 

~Valerie

 

[MissP22]

The ships coin? That's a new one for me.

Is it hidden ??

[BigTimeCruiser]

Here is some information about the ship's coin.  Link To Cruise Critic Article

[Bgwest]

Fascinating. News to me too. If the coin is truly attached to the keel, gonna be kinda tough for a 9 year old (or anyone else) to locate it. 

 

Looking forward to other responses on this. 

[c-boy]

I've seen it once. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chief engineer showed me a photo of it on his phone.

Edited November 21, 2021 by c-boy

[Steelers36]

I must have read about this tradition before because my first thought was you would have to be keel-hauled in order to have a chance to see the coin - and even that no guarantee as likely embedded in the steel somewhere on the inside.  

[Bgwest]

1 hour ago, c-boy said:

I've seen it once. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chief engineer showed me a photo of it on his phone.

Well done!!😀

[2 cruises a year]

@VLZTSimilar to the coin ceremony, there is also a big bronze plaque to commemorate the ship's commissioning.  It  has the hull number, the date of commissioning, the God Mother, etc.  I always find it and take a picture of it.  On the Ruby Princess, same class ship, it is on the Promenade Deck.  On most ships, it is on the Promenade Deck.  On the Royal Princess, it is at the Lido Pool, this was the hardest one for me to find.  I spotted it by accident as I wasn't looking in that area for it.

Hope this helps, have fun looking.

[chengkp75]

The tradition in the old days was to place the coin under the mainmast, when it was stepped into place.  Since ships no longer have actual masts that go down to the keel, cargo ships will typically have the coin welded somewhere around the keel in the engine room, but cruise ships place the coin in a display case welded to the "mainmast" (the radar mast above the bridge).

[VLZT]

Thank you! 🙂 We've found them on Holland America, MSC and Carnival.   

 

On MSC they were displayed inside.

On HAL and Carnival they were displayed on outside decks.

 

[skynight]

I would ask one of the ship's officers if the coin is in a location visible to passengers. 

[2 cruises a year]

I asked on the Ruby Princess last week.  I had to ask several people, and no one knew what I was talking about.  I finally asked a pretty high up officer (in hindsight I wish I would have remembered his name and position) who told me he would ask the Bridge Staff as they would be more knowledgeable in nautical lore.  He wrote down my cabin number.  A couple of days later he called me to let me know that on the Ruby Princess the coin is welded to the keel and not readily visible.

Thank you @VLZT, now, I will also be looking for the Ship's Coin as well the Commissioning Plaque.

I could not find much history on line, but I have met someone that is also a Docent on the USS Hornet with me, he told me that it is from ancient Greek and Roman history and needing a coin to pass into the afterlife.  There will always be a coin on ships in case they come into a bad circumstance and need a coin.

I will try to find out more.

[VLZT]

@2 cruises a year,  Thank you for looking into it! 🙂 

[chengkp75]

35 minutes ago, 2 cruises a year said:

I could not find much history on line, but I have met someone that is also a Docent on the USS Hornet with me, he told me that it is from ancient Greek and Roman history and needing a coin to pass into the afterlife.  There will always be a coin on ships in case they come into a bad circumstance and need a coin.

This is the myth that you need to pay Charon, the ferryman of the River Styx, who takes the departed to the underworld.  The coins were placed under the mast, since masts would only come out of a ship when it sinks, and then the coins would be available for the crew to use for Charon.  It is the same as the Roman/Greek practice of placing a coin in the deceased's mouth, or the Gallic/Germanic placing of coins on the deceased's eyes.