Where is the ship's bell?

[Avril]

I'm sailing on my 1st HAL cruise in December on the Eurodam and I was just wondering, where is the ship's bell located? I've seem many pictures from different HAL ships of a brass bell with the ship's name and the year she entered service. :D For eample, I was just looking at a picture of a brass bell on a ship that said "Noordam 2006"

 

 

Where will I be able to find Eurodam's bell so I can take a picture of it?

Thanks!! :D

[jhannah]

The Noordam's bell is up at the bow of the ship. Isn't that where most of them are placed?

[iflyrc5]

It is up on the bow on the Zuiderdam.

[Copper10-8]

I'm sailing on my 1st HAL cruise in December on the Eurodam and I was just wondering, where is the ship's bell located? I've seem many pictures from different HAL ships of a brass bell with the ship's name and the year she entered service............

 

Check out this pic of Oosterdam. If you look at the small foremast on the tip of her bow, you can see the copper bell at the base of that mast in between the frame. It's actually attached to a small white painted metal upright that sits right behind that foremast. That's where you will find it on all Vista's, "S" and "R" ships

[Copper10-8]

Close-up of the bell after they hauled it to the Crow's Nest for the New Year's Eve celebrations

[mikefang]

The ship's bell is a low visibility sound signal device required by the nautical rules of the road. It is forward and mounted as to allow it's ringing to be heard over open water. In Copper 10-8's photo it is mounted on the base of the jackstaff and I have also seen it mounted on the forward bulkhead of the superstructure adjacent to the main deck on some naval vessels. It's sound can be electronically duplicated to comply with the rules of the road but many ships still have the traditional bells. In the U.S. Navy ship's bells are often traditionally polished by ship's cooks.

Go Navy! Beat Army! Again!

[Copper10-8]

The ship's bell is a low visibility sound signal device required by the nautical rules of the road. It is forward and mounted as to allow it's ringing to be heard over open water. In Copper 10-8's photo it is mounted on the base of the jackstaff and I have also seen it mounted on the forward bulkhead of the superstructure adjacent to the main deck on some naval vessels. It's sound can be electronically duplicated to comply with the rules of the road but many ships still have the traditional bells. In the U.S. Navy ship's bells are often traditionally polished by ship's cooks.

Go Navy! Beat Army! Again!

 

Thanks for the correcty identifying the jackstaff Mike;) Naval terminology was part of boot camp but I don't remember the jackstaff

[mikefang]

Copper 10-8, Your term beats a lot of things I have heard such as the tall thing on the pointy end! Mike

[Avril]

Check out this pic of Oosterdam. If you look at the small foremast on the tip of her bow, you can see the copper bell at the base of that mast in between the frame. It's actually attached to a small white painted metal upright that sits right behind that foremast. That's where you will find it on all Vista's, "S" and "R" ships

 

 

Is the bow area accessable to passengers? I'd really like to have a picture of Eurodam's bell!! :D I know you can go to the bow area on some of the RCI ships, can you on HAL?

 

Close-up of the bell after they hauled it to the Crow's Nest for the New Year's Eve celebrations

 

 

Maybe they'll do this on my cruise!! We're going over New Years!! :D If it's attached at the bow, how did they haul it to the Crow's Nest?

[Copper10-8]

Is the bow area accessable to passengers? I'd really like to have a picture of Eurodam's bell!! :D I know you can go to the bow area on some of the RCI ships, can you on HAL?

Depends - the hatch is usually locked but they allow access at certain times in port (on Oosterdam on embarkation day in San Diego) and on Panama Canal cruises during the transit of the canal but never when the ship's at sea. All the way forward on Lower Promenade deck (on the "S" and "R" vessels) and on Promenade deck (on the Vista's).

Maybe they'll do this on my cruise!! We're going over New Years!! :D If it's attached at the bow, how did they haul it to the Crow's Nest?

 

 

 

Pretty good chance - they did it the last two years on Oosterdam's New Year's cruise in 2006 (on stage in the show lounge) and in 2007 (in the Crow's Nest). They rang the bell at midnight

[mamaofami]

I assume you were looking at my pictures of the Noordam and her bell. I think she's the only one that says 2006. She is located out on the bow of the ship.The second bell, from the earlier Noordam is located in a case near the front office.

[PalmBeachMom]

John, you have the best pictures!

[PalmBeachMom]

Carol, yours are excellent as well. I just realized I have cruised HAL eight times and never seen the ship's bell.

[sail7seas]

Oh the beautiful Noordam Bell!!! It most definitely is on the bow and last we saw it, was brightly polished and shining in the sun. Zuiderdam and Noordam were docked side by side in Tortola and the bows exactly lined up....... ZUDM's bell needed polishing but Not Noordam's. :)

 

We always visit the bell on all HAL ships we sail. I love to go to Maasdam's just as we sail away on a bright sunny day and get a fresh photo every cruise. (Captain even commented to us last cruise he saw us out there when he was on the bridge getting ready to leave port.)

 

 

 

[sail7seas]

I love when on the ships, we can see the bell on the TV when you see the "View from the Bridge".

[Sbilko]

I am a bit of a Naval History nut! :eek: The ship’s bell was originally used to mark the passage of time, especially “time on watch”. The bell was located by the ship’s helm, (wheel), and was rang by the quartermaster, one ring for every half hour. The chart below, 24 hour clock, should help:

Watch Time Bell Strikes

Middle 00:30 1

01:00 2

01:30 3

02:00 4

02:30 5

03:00 6

03:30 7

04:00 8

The above is repeated in each four hour watch, Morning 04:00 – 08:00, Forenoon 08:00 – 12:00, Afternoon 12:00 – 16:00, and the Evening watch 20:00 – 24:00, but not for the Dog Watches, First Dog 16:00 – 18:00, and the Last Dog, 18:00 – 20:00. The Dog Watches were rung as below:

Watch Time Bell Strikes

First Dog 18:30 1

19:00 2

19:30 3

20:00 4

Last Dog 20:30 1

21:00 2

21:30 3

22:00 8

The reason for breaking the Dog watch into the First Dog, and the Last Dog, is so the same periods on watch, would not be repeated day after day.

This system was started in the days of wooden ships and iron men, when time keeping was done with a glass, (half hour glass).

The reason for bringing the ship’s bell to the Crow’s Nest, on New Years Eve, is a British Naval tradition, were at the stroke of Midnight, the youngest crew member will ring the bell 16 times, 8 for the end of the watch, and 8 for the end of the year.

[JayS]

Here's one from the Rotterdam. The bow area was open during cruising the Chilean Glaciers.

 

Carnival and Princess reserve this area for crew use.:confused:

[Copper10-8]

That's good stuff, SBilko, thanks!

[jmbaker65]

Just came off the Westie today. They opened up all forward spaces, levels 4-8 for passengers to view as we passed through the Narrows just before entering Tortola. I did not know there were so many passengers on the ship until they all showed up on deck at once. The captian simply made an announcement and the crew unlocked all of the forward doors. This was a very cool experience, reminescent of the inside passage we did on the "old" Westie in 1991.

 

Anyways, the bell was at hand and several kids (big and small) took their turns clanging the bell and taking lots of pictures.

[Sunshine91]

On last year's Noordam cruise, we asked for, and received, Security Chief Larry's permission to access the bow while in Puerto Rico to see the bell & take pics.

 

We're hoping that while scenic cruising of the fjords in July on Eurodam, the bow will be open to pax so we can go out there, too. Of course, a private, less crowded moment while in port would be nice, too.

 

Anyone know if Chief Larry will be assigned to Eurodam this summer? He's a great guy. :)

[Copper10-8]

...........We're hoping that while scenic cruising of the fjords in July on Eurodam, the bow will be open to pax so we can go out there, too. Of course, a private, less crowded moment while in port would be nice, too.

 

Anyone know if Chief Larry will be assigned to Eurodam this summer? He's a great guy. :)

 

I'm thinking chances are pretty good since they do it in Alaska and, apparently, in the South American fjords.

That position is still open/unfilled on the latest list