Post the Picture & Decode your Cruise Ship’s Signal Flags

[The Grumpus]

Ever wonder what those flags hanging over the ship mean & and what they really "say"? Well, here's a chance to decode those pictures you took of the ship's flags & saying that when you get back home, you are going to figure out when the heck they mean.

[Britter16]

i used those flags to cross stitch my kids' initials onto a navy hoodie, made unique and interesting design. it was fun to see people's faces that recognized the significance of the patterns.

[TheRoff]

I have always enjoyed trying to "read" the flags. Individual flags have meaning in addition to the alphabet character.



The Grandeur of the Seas is saying that she is Royal Caribbean, respects the USA, and has no bad diseases.

As near as I can figure it, the Oosterdam is saying; I am Holland America, I respect Columbia, but don't pass ahead of me.



Larry

[websailor]

This is the Star Princess docked in San Francisco before departing to Alaska. She is saying "I'm British, Sovereign of The Seas, proud of our Queen Mum. I'm here in our Colony, the United States (those darn renegades!), and ready and willing to give California back to Mexico. Give me a fair wind and I'm out of here!"

[websailor]

I don't know what they are saying here, but they are yakking up a storm! These flags went from top to bottom on all three masts!

I have a question - when using the flags as individual letters to spell something out, do you use your ship's native language? I.E., a ship from Spain would spell in Spanish, and a ship from France in French?

[The Grumpus]

Originally Posted by websailor

I don't know what they are saying here, but they are yakking up a storm! These flags went from top to bottom on all three masts!

I have a question - when using the flags as individual letters to spell something out, do you use your ship's native language? I.E., a ship from Spain would spell in Spanish, and a ship from France in French?

That's a good question. I have no idea though. I always thought the flags like the ones you show there actually wrote something but if I go from top to bottom in the set closest to the camera, unless I'm reading it wrong, it writes: D4LFKV

That doesn't seem to make any sense to me.

[The Grumpus]

Originally Posted by websailor

This is the Star Princess docked in San Francisco before departing to Alaska. She is saying "I'm British, Sovereign of The Seas, proud of our Queen Mum. I'm here in our Colony, the United States (those darn renegades!), and ready and willing to give California back to Mexico. Give me a fair wind and I'm out of here!"

Hehehe! Damn... you read flags well!

[soblue]

Taken early in the morning back in 2004, therefore the 'early morning flag for me'

Andrew

[websailor]

Originally Posted by The Grumpus

That's a good question. I have no idea though. I always thought the flags like the ones you show there actually wrote something but if I go from top to bottom in the set closest to the camera, unless I'm reading it wrong, it writes: D4LFKV

That doesn't seem to make any sense to me.

Thanks. I tried to figure it out also and it didn't make sense. Since it was at a sail fest where they were docked for several days, I figured they just put every flag they had up.

[websailor]

Here is another one like that - this is the Cuauhtemoc, a 270 ft barque from Mexico at the Sail San Francisco 2005 Festival. They had a neat folk dance troupe come on board and a wonderful presentation was made....all in Spanish.

I think they had six of their country flags flying.

[TheRoff]

Thanks. I tried to figure it out also and it didn't make sense. Since it was at a sail fest where they were docked for several days, I figured they just put every flag they had up.

Since the ship was in port, I am going to guess that the flags are "dressing" the ship. You're, right -- just putting most every flag up. It's common in the home or embarkation port.

The Grandeur of the Seas in Baltimore is dressed for the cruise.


And so is the Oosterdam in San Diego.


Larry

[3basenjis]

Originally Posted by The Grumpus

That's a good question. I have no idea though. I always thought the flags like the ones you show there actually wrote something but if I go from top to bottom in the set closest to the camera, unless I'm reading it wrong, it writes: D4LFKV

That doesn't seem to make any sense to me.

That would be the ships license plate...