Crazy question...does the boat sit idle in the ocean?

[TyTysMommy]

I haven't been on a cruise yet, so this question has popped into my head on a few occasions. Do the ships sit idle in the ocean somewhere at night? Do you go really slow, or maybe stop? Or does it actually take all night to get to each port?

And what does the ship do on the "at sea" days? During the day are you cruising or sitting still?

Just curious...and anxiously awaiting my first cruise.

 

[jenseib]

On the cruises I've been on we have always sailed and never sat. I don't know if they take longer routes to places that are close or just go slower. I do know one time the Captain told us we were going to go faster to beat a storm and it really was going pretty fast. I do think they have the routes planned out so that they know how long it takes to get to a port. Some do take a full day and night to get there. Others are super clse. We know it doesn;t take a full day to get from CC to Port Caneveral as the 3 day Wonder gets back the next morning, but the 4 day goes a whole day at sea before returning. So I assume they just either go really slow or sail around a longer route back.

 

[all5ofus]

I think they alwys keep moving, but sometime go very slow and basically go in circles. I know it does not take very long to get from Nassau to Castaway Cay. I think they were going about 3-4 knots one night on the Wonder. Many of the Magic's regular ports that they run near full speed the whole way there.

 

[CraftyMouse]

It depends on where you are headed and how much time you have to get there. On the Eastern Caribbean route the ship has to sail steadily, all night long...both on the way from Port Canaveral to St. Maarten and on the return from St. Thomas to Castaway Cay. There is a lot of ocean to cover and not a ton of time to get there. Other segments do not require as steady a pace so the ship can go slower, but it rarely sits idle. On sea days, when the ship is not heading for a distant port, the captain will often just sail a general area, trying to stay in good weather.

Interesting Note...Many passengers complain about the Pirate Party taking place the night before St. Thomas immigration on the Eastern itinerary. The reason it is necessary is that is the only night they can slow the ship down enough on that itinerary to set off the fireworks. On the other nights the ship has to move more quickly in order to make it to the ports on time.

 

[Laxmom]

Nope, never sit still. It would bob like a cork if it did. They just go a snails pace sometimes though.

 

[rgroves]

During hte day the ship s sails a little slower as to keep a gentle breeze across the decks, but at night she goes faster to make up time and since most people are asleep and not on deck the higher winds don't matter.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

On two occassions the ship has stopped when I have been on it, once was on the 11 night Med cruise, DCL offered 10 and 11 night cruises and they were both the same bar the sea day before La Spezia.

We actually stopped for a lot of that sea day and sat idle, too early to go into port, ( its a tender port) but too much fuel to go elsewhere.

 

[StitchMad]

We have never stopped in the ocean on a Disney cruise, but on our last Royal Caribbean Cruise (August 08) we sat still for around 5 minutes. No idea why.

It may look like you're sat still, but the boat is still actually moving, just very slowly.
Have fun on your cruise.

 

[Capt_BJ]

unless the seas are completley flat ... I'm talking glass .... the ship will be kept moving because it is more stable moving then stopped. Not to say it becomes 'unstable' but stopped in any sort of a swell the ship will fall sideways to the swell and will roll a LOT more than it would steaming on nearly any other course.

Also there are various underwater discharges that are really best to have operate while the ship is moving rather than stopped.

And don't forget that while those distances may not look like much....20 MPH is really haulin' for a ship. So a hundred miles is 5 hours...plus the docking time on each end..... and full speed seldom is the same as most fuel efficient speed.....and if you don't think fuel use is a major factor the master gets rated on by the company.....

Lots of factors for the master to consider....

 

[luvavacation]

My family was on the 4-day double dip Wonder this past June, and when we left Castaway Cay for Nassau, I think the ship stopped moving, and many other people hanging around on deck thought the same.

You could see Castaway Cay, you could see a few other islands, but the ship was very quiet, the water was still, and the horizon did not appear to change. We all just attributed it to higher fuel prices and Disney wanting to conserve that fuel. Previous cruises, Disney has given us a little tour of the islands, this time, we just stayed put, though I don't know for how long because we went off and did some activities, but I do know that Disney cruise was the smoothest I have ever been on!

 

[richsilver]

Just off the Wonder 4day.On the trip out from Castaway Cay for the sea day the ship did seem to be still.I'm sure as others have said it was moving but definitely very slowly.Looking over the side could not see the normal wake made from even slow travel.


rich

 

[JsMom2]

We also sat idle on our Med cruise last summer. I happened to be in Mickey's Mates when I noticed that the engines had stopped. I asked the store manager, and he said that since we had so much time to get to the next port that the Capt had turned off the engines to save fuel, and we were just coasting along.

Since then, I've noticed this on other cruises when we had ports close together. Makes sense.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

We also sat idle on our Med cruise last summer. I happened to be in Mickey's Mates when I noticed that the engines had stopped. I asked the store manager, and he said that since we had so much time to get to the next port that the Capt had turned off the engines to save fuel, and we were just coasting along.

Since then, I've noticed this on other cruises when we had ports close together. Makes sense.

Yes that will be the same as my 11 night Med cruise, Rome>La Spezia.

We drifted for about 6 hours.

FUEL MANAGEMENT

I have looked into this a bit and it is fuel saving for this year.

DCL expects its fuel bill to increase by $20 million this year and is looking at ways in cutting this cost down, Whereas it was posted that the Wonder on its 4 night might go island spotting and the Capitan the flexibility to go where they want, the No 1 rule now is to save fuel.

They are looking at the forth day at Castaway cay all the time, they are looking at changing the order of ports of call, or going slower, ie we will arrive a little later maybe an hour, but they can run on 3 not 4 engines.

The actual ports will not normally change, but for example Tortola saves fuel, as its very close to St Thomas, and they cut St Maarten out.

 

[Tink rules]

On two occassions the ship has stopped when I have been on it, once was on the 11 night Med cruise, DCL offered 10 and 11 night cruises and they were both the same bar the sea day before La Spezia.

We actually stopped for a lot of that sea day and sat idle, too early to go into port, ( its a tender port) but too much fuel to go elsewhere.

I know it probably doesn't count... but didn't you guys have to stop and drop anchor like we did before going through the canal???

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I know it probably doesn't count... but didn't you guys have to stop and drop anchor like we did before going through the canal???

Not this time, in 2005 we did and refueled overnight, this time, we just went straight up. I think we refueled in Columbia.