Showing posts with label Sky. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sky. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

More to See at Sea Than Ports

Click images to enlarge
Look Beyond the Destination
Seeing Cruising in a New Light

Exploring the world by cruise ship is a passion that we've had for more than 30 years.  On our first cruises, each destination was a new adventure.  We had not been to the ports of call before, so everything was brand new.

After all those years, we still do have some new ports to explore, but more often than not, we find ourselves visiting some of the same destinations.

Keeping Cruising Exciting

How does one keep cruise vacations exciting? Several ways come to mind, such as cruising to new destinations, booking brand new ships, or trying different shore excursions.

Learning to See at Sea

The image above is the view that the captain has on Caribbean Princess.  What a marvelous view it is, especially on a beautiful day.  In this image, there are some beautiful clouds above the horizon just off the bow of the ship.   There isn't any island in sight - you can look for miles, but all that you'll see is ocean and clouds.   You can become one with nature in these peaceful surroundings.

Give Yourself a Photo Assignment

Looking at the image to the left, several themes come to mind:  sky, clouds, water, relaxation.   What did you see when you looked at this picture taken at sea?

You don't have to be in a port city to find interesting subject matter for your photography.  When you get back, share your images with others.  Encourage them to see the world.

Stormy Skies

Sea days are a favorite time during a cruise for us.  It gives us time to really relax and unwind.  When in ports, we tend to be "on" since we have easy access to the internet and our always-connected life style (checking on our guests needs for example).

It is a little more difficult when at sea, we'd have to bring our phones or tablet along to get connected.   Even on stormy days, one can enjoy the view - especially if the storm is in the distance.

Painting the Sky With Color

Our favorite time of day is dusk when Mother Nature puts on a light show for all to see.   This image, captured off the coast of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, has the sky on fire.

We highly recommend being on your balcony or up on the open decks when the evening is approaching so that you can experience this magical light and, if you want to, capture your own memorable images.


So Much More Than Ports


Hopefully this shows you that even if your ship is sailing to familiar ports, there is so much more to See at Sea.   Make some time during your cruise to lay out on deck and watch the clouds go by.

Do you remember trying to figure out what shapes could be seen in the clouds when you were young?  Why not do that again now, or even share that experience with other family members or friends?



@ChrisPappinMCC
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Friday, August 21, 2009

Keeping an Eye on Hurricane Bill / Cruise Ship Impact


Current Atlantic Tropical Storm Watch

Not the storm you are looking for?  Click Image or Here
Tropical Storm Danny:

We have been tracking Hurricane Bill since Sunday and providing multiple updates each day. This is your one-stop source for cruise-related information and hurricane updates. Continue to monitor this post for updates.



The best defense against a hurricane is to be prepared. This post will continue to focus on regular updates on the storm and impact to the cruise lines. In my post, Hurricane Bill / Current Tropical Storms , I have included a Be Prepared Checklist.


For historical information on Hurricane Bill and Tropical Depressions Ana and Claudette, see my republished blog post: First Atlantic Tropical Storms 2009
UPDATE: 5AM AST Monday, Aug. 17 ...BILL NOW A HURRICANE...THE FIRST OF THE 2009 ATLANTIC SEASON...

UPDATE: 500 AM AST MON AUG 24 2009... BILL LOSES TROPICAL CHARACTERISTICS... MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 70 MPH ...
AT 500 AM AST...0900 UTC...ENVIRONMENT CANADA HAS DISCONTINUED ALLTROPICAL STORM WATCHES AND WARNINGS FOR NEWFOUNDLAND...

GRADUAL WEAKENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. EVEN THOUGH BILL IS NO LONGER A TROPICAL CYCLONE...IT IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE A LARGE AREA OF STORM AND GALE FORCE WINDS OVER THE NORTH ATLANTIC DURING THE NEXT DAY OR TWO.....

THIS IS THE LAST PUBLIC ADVISORY ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER ON THIS SYSTEM. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS SYSTEM CAN BE FOUND IN HIGH SEAS FORECASTS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE...UNDER AWIPS HEADER NFDHSFAT1 AND WMO HEADER FZNT01 KWBC


A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN 24 HOURS.

A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS.

These swells will likely cause extremely dangerous surf and life-threatening rip currents. Please consult statements issued by your local weather office.

Local Weather Statements




Cruise Ship Tropical Storm Updates: <CARNIVAL> <Norwegian Cruise Line> <Royal Caribbean>

Note: These are the only Cruise lines with ships that were in potential danger from Hurricane Bill.
Holland America, Princess Cruises, Cunard, Celebrity Cruises, though in the area, have no announcements.
<Holland America>

Live Cruise Ship and Ocean Liner Tracking: <Interactive tracking map> See where ships are relative to tropical storms.

CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE ANNOUNCEMENTS

(Aug 21) The Carnival Triumph cruise that departed from New York on August 20 will cancel the scheduled call in Saint John. The ship will now navigate a safe course away from the storm and return to New York on Monday as scheduled.
We are not anticipating changes to any other itineraries at this time including the Carnival Triumph cruise departing from New York on August 24. We will update this information if any new information is available.

(Aug 19) For the Carnival Miracle cruise departing on August 20 from New York; and the Carnival Pride cruise departing on August 21 from Baltimore, we are not anticipating any changes to the itineraries for these cruises at this time. We will update this information if any new information becomes available.
NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE ANNOUNCEMENTS

(Aug 21) Norwegian Spirit will depart Boston as scheduled August 21. Depending on the path of the storm, the ship may arrive later than scheduled into Bermuda. The ship's Captain will update the guests on board as to the specific arrival time in Bermuda once it has been determined.
At this time, we are anticipating that the August 23 sailings of Norwegian Dawn from New York and Norwegian Majesty from Baltimore will depart as scheduled.
(Aug 19) Norwegian Cruise Line announced the following itinerary changes: Because of the current path of Hurricane Bill which is forecasted to pass near Bermuda on Friday, August 21, Norwegian Dawn and Norwegian Majesty will depart Bermuda earlier than scheduled, leaving at 5 pm on Thursday, August 20.

ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
Given the current location and projected path of Hurricane Bill, we are altering the itinerary of one ship , and providing the following guidance regarding one sailing:

Ships sailing from the Cape Liberty

Explorer of the Seas, which departs Cape Liberty on Thursday, August 20, will sail a revised itinerary, with its ports of call simply reordered. The ship will visit San Juan, Puerto Rico, Sunday; Philipsburg, St. Maarten, Monday; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, Tuesday; and Kings Wharf, Bermuda, Thursday.

Ships sailing Baltimore, Maryland

Grandeur of the Seas is scheduled to depart on Saturday, August 22, for its five-night sailing to Bermuda. However, guests on this sailing are encouraged to monitor these updates for any possible modifications to the itinerary.
Additional Updates will be posted as information becomes available
Staying Prepared

Cruise lines will do everything to keep passengers and crew safe. A cruise is rarely cancelled because of weather, even hurricanes. The cruise lines monitor progress of any storms both in their main offices and onboard the vessels. They work closely with the various weather services, such as NOAA and NHC, to make determinations about itinerary deviations.

My other blog articles on Hurricane Bill:

Hurricane Bill / Current Tropical Storms (includes a Be Prepared Checklist)

First Atlantic Tropical Storms 2009 (historical notes on Hurricane Bill and the first 2009 storms)

Continue to watch this post, I will provide updates as conditions change. If you are on a cruise this week in the area, be sure to monitor the storm closely.