Have you ever been on a cruise ship and wondered about the logistics of steering and manoeuvring a giant, modern cruise liner into and out of different ports? Let alone the powers of gravity that allow them to stay upright, despite being many metres high and hundreds of thousands of tonnes in weight?
These are all questions that I’ve asked myself on previous cruise holidays, and I’ve been lucky enough to learn some of the answers recently.
Some cruise companies offer marine talks or navigational talks as one of the activities on your daily cruise planner. If you’re at all interested in learning how these massive ships work, what powers them and what all the staff dressed in white do around the ship then this is where you can find out.
Each Ship is Different
Each cruise ship is, of course, different, but in general for every bit of the ship you see above the waves, there is normally about a third of that again below water level. This means that cruise ships are even larger than they first appear!
You can also learn about the impressive safety features modern cruise liners have on board. I was fascinated to learn that there is a control panel somewhere on the ship that is constantly monitored for smoke in case of fire.
In-fact it is monitored so closely that the staff member in charge can actually tell whether you’ve just opened your bathroom door after a shower or not! Features such as this one, any many more like it, serve to make these ships ultra-safe holiday choices.
I also loved learning about maritime navigation, such as how many metres are in a nautical mile, how the captain manages to steer out of tight spaces with such a large ship and who steers the ship when the captain isn’t on duty!
Some ports require cruise ships to anchor whereas other ports, such as Santorini, only have a small number of areas suitable for ships to drop anchor and if they are full the ship is required to keep its engine running all day and correct its position periodically.
And That Food Consumption!
It’s also interesting to find out more about how much passengers eat and drink whilst on board. From the number of eggs that are used to how many litres of ice cream are consumed, it all makes for interesting information.
Learning small details about the behind the scenes running of cruise ships can only serve to make you appreciate them all the more. From the job the staff do, to the level of training it takes to become captain of a vessel, it all comes together to provide a better insight into life at sea.
Thanks Emma