Repetitive horn blowing on Fantasy

[anna08]

I was just curious if anyone has experienced this - when we were coming home the last night of our eastern Fantasy cruise, the horn started blowing in 5-10 minute intervals at 4am and lasted so long that we really never got back to sleep. We didn't pull into port until after 530am. It seemed that the horn (we assumed for fog) started blowing a long way off the coast. There was a pause somewhere in there, and then began again when we were closer to port. Anyone with maritime experience have an explanation? Is that routinely done for fog?
We joked that they really wanted everyone off the ship extra early so they woke us up on purpose. It felt a bit unsettling, like there was an impending crash coming or a ship that would not get out of the way. Needless to say, the whole family was extra moody and tired with disembarkation day starting at 4am...

 

[PizzieDuster]

This happened to us once sailing on a MR cruise. But it was during the evening on the last night.

 

[bumbershoot]

I would assume it was because of lower visibility. I live on a hill overlooking a port, and if there are visibility issues the container ships are blowing their horns like crazy.

 

[artnerds]

I was just curious if anyone has experienced this - when we were coming home the last night of our eastern Fantasy cruise, the horn started blowing in 5-10 minute intervals at 4am and lasted so long that we really never got back to sleep. We didn't pull into port until after 530am. It seemed that the horn (we assumed for fog) started blowing a long way off the coast. There was a pause somewhere in there, and then began again when we were closer to port. Anyone with maritime experience have an explanation? Is that routinely done for fog?
We joked that they really wanted everyone off the ship extra early so they woke us up on purpose. It felt a bit unsettling, like there was an impending crash coming or a ship that would not get out of the way. Needless to say, the whole family was extra moody and tired with disembarkation day starting at 4am...

We were on the same cruise, and our Concierge Hosts informed us that it was because of the fog. In restricted visibility, they have to sound the horn once every 2 minutes.

 

[iloverags2]

Ships blow their horns continuously when weather, most notably fog, is an issue. Due to the crazy weather we have been having (hot/cold/hot/cold) in Florida as of late, there has been quite a bit of fog especially during the early morning hours.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

There is a number of reasons that would cause the bridge to sound their horn. One is of course is fog. Fog comes in patches so its not unusual for the horn to be started and stopped. Other reasons are of course other traffic in the area, real ships and more likely small pleasure and fishing type boats who are not paying attention and getting in the way of the ship traffic in the channel.

If your going to cruise, you have to expect the horn to go off at all times of the day and night.

AKK

 

[gomagic]

I was on the same cruise. This is what it looked like in the fog.

 

[ptcbass]

Yes they will blow their horns when in fog. I live near a port and they have several miles to go up the channel to the "port" and they will blow their horns every minute or so the entire way in when it's foggy. Cool to hear except when your having trouble sleeping

 

[beckylola]

I was on the same cruise. This is what it looked like in the fog.
View attachment 84066

That is a fantastic picture! Eerie and sort of spooky.

 

[kstaack]

I agree....that is an amazing picture.

 

[jetskigrl]

We had the same thing going into and out of San Francisco on the Pacific Coast Cruise. We were up really early to see the ship go under the Golden Gate Bridge but it was so foggy we didn't even see the bridge until we were right under it. And since we were at the front of the ship, we had full benefit of that horn going off every few minutes

 

[anna08]

That picture is awesome! Guess I'll just have to pack some earplugs next time

 

[FanOfFigment]

Yes, power-driven vessels making way are required to sound one prolonged blast no more than 2 minutes apart in restricted visibility, if I recall correctly. (Assuming no other special conditions apply--like fishing, towing, etc.)

Cool picture!

 

[chamberlain]

That is an amazing picture! We were on that cruise but being in an inside room none of us heard the horns.

 

[nearlyfallinstar]

I'm going to hope that there isn't fog on our cruise! The horn blowing wouldn't bother me, but that picture is creepy! Nothing to see but misty lights from your own ship and the sound of water? No thanks.

 

[mmouse37]

We had the same thing leaving NYC on the Magic on their first Bahamas cruise. It was so foggy it was crazy. They blew the horn every other minute or so. It is eerie to look out and not able to see anything.

As soon as we went under Verazzano Narrows Bridge we entered the fog



Looking straight out from verandah:



Looking to the left:



Looking to the right:

:

 

[Dug720]

On HAL's ms Westerdam last summer, it was all horn all the time for about the first third of Glacier Bay day. We went to the Johns Hopkins one first to hope that the fog would burn off of the big one (I forget its name) - which it did. But man it was foggy!