Carnival Pride Got Buzzed By A Jet

I was on the Carnival Pride last week. On Monday or Tuesday, My wife and I were in our cabin late morning/early afternoon and all of sudden there was the sound of an airplane approaching the ship and it was moving fast and got louder and louder. It sounded like it was getting ready to hit the ship and I dove onto the floor of our cabin. It flew away from the ship and then about a minute later it returned but not quite as close, but still close. It turned out to be a U.S. fighter jet playing with the ship. My wife saw it but I never did because I was on the floor. She and several other passengers said it was about 50 feet away from and ship and just above the water, about even with our deck 7. Some people I talked to who were on lido also thought a plane was going to hit the ship. It scared the crap of me.

We had that when we approached Hawaii after being at sea for 5 days. Helicopters too.

Gunner 13 -

 

Were you Navy P-3?

Heh,heh, yeah - and the last couple of years the Ultimate Fighter in the north Atlantic. Don't remember the Ultimate Fighter? UF-2 or HU-16D or maybe better known as the Grumman Albatross. Although one of my close friends here in Jax did fly P-2Vs after being trained for the jet seaplane program the Navy killed. I'm not quiet as old as he is but seeing the P-8s everyday is making me think I'm ready for display in the Smithsonian!

Yeah, that would have been very cool to see. And I REALLY doubt it was 50 feet away.

Somehow I don't think being on the deck curled up like a cat would have made much difference if a plane hit the ship. :eek:

I doubt it was only 50' away, and as a pilot I am a VERY good judge of distance. Of course you were on the floor, so how could you tell?

 

If you are in international waters they can basically do whatever they want. Now was it a smart thing to do? Probably not, unless he went supersonic and gave you a real audible and visual show. Ever hear a sonic boom?

 

Why would you think it would hit the ship??? Ah, yes, the old 9/11 fears!

 

FA18 breaking the sound barrier, sorry no sound to go with it:

 

I want to clarify my comments above:

When I asked if it was a smart thing to do, I did not ask that from any safety perspective. I was not concerned about the plane crashing into the ship, just a panicked passenger having a heart attack!

As to the captain of the ship advising the passengers of this fly-by; what in Heaven's name would make someone think the captain would even know about it??? They don't have marine radios on these jets, and they pretty much do what they want especially in international waters. Even the aircraft carrier they came off of may or may not have contacted the ship to advise them of air operations in the area.

Okay 'nuff said.

A few years ago, we were on a Celebrity ship in the Mediterranean. We were heading to Turkey, and I want to say that we were in the Straits of Turkey??? DH and I were sunbathing up on the top deck, when out of nowhere, two fighter jets flew over our heads. They were low, fast, and very LOUD. Scared the brains out of us! We ducked down on our lounges. They came back around a second time. We were sure that the ship was getting ready to be bombed! My heart has never raced so fast. We kept waiting for an announcement from the Captain about the fighter jets, to no avail. We later heard from other passengers that a crew member said this was common practice for the military to check out ships. :eek:

Heh,heh, yeah - and the last couple of years the Ultimate Fighter in the north Atlantic. Don't remember the Ultimate Fighter? UF-2 or HU-16D or maybe better known as the Grumman Albatross. Although one of my close friends here in Jax did fly P-2Vs after being trained for the jet seaplane program the Navy killed. I'm not quiet as old as he is but seeing the P-8s everyday is making me think I'm ready for display in the Smithsonian!

Hey, gunner13, watcha got in your avatar. Obviously a Piper Cherokee. It looks like it has the later main gear fairings from 1978 and beyond, so it is either an Archer II or Dakota. Of course my eyes might deceive and it is a Cherokee 180 or early Archer. I used to be a Cherokee 235 and later a Dakota owner, I also flew the Archer; lovely plane.

I can't say that I find anything "cool" about this. One small miscalculation and there could be serious consequences. If this is in fact taking place as often as people say, it should be reported to some one. All it will take is for one plane to hit a cruise ship to send this country into a terrorist tailspin. IMHO, not cool at all.:confused:

And with Carnival's recent luck, it would seem a Carnival ship would be the victim. :eek:

Hey, gunner13, watcha got in your avatar. Obviously a Piper Cherokee. It looks like it has the later main gear fairings from 1978 and beyond, so it is either an Archer II or Dakota. Of course my eyes might deceive and it is a Cherokee 180 or early Archer. I used to be a Cherokee 235 and later a Dakota owner, I also flew the Archer; lovely plane.

Good eye, especially with that low res avatar! It is in fact a 1980 Archer II. Well equipped (IFR GPS, autopilot, Stormscope, etc.) but the best feature is the air conditioning! Sitting on a ramp in August in Florida waiting on a release from the TRACON can cause a human to melt!!

This last few years have been difficult medically speaking but I've managed to hang in. Our USAFA grad daughter is out of the AF and flying a 767-400 for a major. Can't let her Make fun of the grounded old man!

Good eye, especially with that low res avatar! It is in fact a 1980 Archer II. Well equipped (IFR GPS, autopilot, Stormscope, etc.) but the best feature is the air conditioning! Sitting on a ramp in August in Florida waiting on a release from the TRACON can cause a human to melt!!

 

This last few years have been difficult medically speaking but I've managed to hang in. Our USAFA grad daughter is out of the AF and flying a 767-400 for a major. Can't let her Make fun of the grounded old man!

Yeah, Gunner, despite the small size and needing glasses I could detect the bulk in that very shaded main gear fairing, but without seeing the nose I could not tell if Archer or Dakota. They have different noses! I knew it was not a Warrior!

My team once simulated a 1980 Archer for Microsoft Flight Simulator. We also simulated my 1980 Dakota and an early Archer III.

Air conditioning is nice, but the weight! I live in Florida also.

Best wishes and happy flying.:)

Yeah, Gunner, despite the small size and needing glasses I could detect the bulk in that very shaded main gear fairing, but without seeing the nose I could not tell if Archer or Dakota. They have different noses! I knew it was not a Warrior!

 

My team once simulated a 1980 Archer for Microsoft Flight Simulator. We also simulated my 1980 Dakota and an early Archer III.

 

Air conditioning is nice, but the weight! I live in Florida also.

 

Best wishes and happy flying.:)

Ah, we may well have crossed paths! I worked for MS on the FS team for 5 years after retiring. Fora on CIS & MSN. As well as taking FS online via The Zone.

Got the bird at SGJ. Where are you?

Wow, my wife and I were on this cruise as well and never heard a thing! Our cabin was on Deck 8 aft, but we were probably out and about elsewhere in the ship that time of day. Huh.

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