Golf Ball Looking Thing?

[Garavar]

Okay, I gotta ask, and I know its a stupid question...

 

What is the giant white thing that looks like a golf ball on a tee located on top of cruise ships?

 

Radar? Radio Tower?

 

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[Clarea]

Okay, I gotta ask, and I know its a stupid question...

 

What is the giant white thing that looks like a golf ball on a tee located on top of cruise ships?

 

Radar? Radio Tower?

Usually a satellite dish.

[uncfes]

It's where they place bad travelers who drink too much. Ships version of a time out room.

 

 

It's radar/navigation

 

 

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[LindaO]

Satellite Ball, usually used for communications. Most likely not Radar, as Radar rotates and has long arms. On your next cruise if you attend the Captain question and answer session there is usually an Engineer there that will answer such questions in detail.

Edited January 20, 2015 by LindaO

[A2Mich]

Though it could possibly be Doppler radar for weather....

 

 

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[Garavar]

Satellite Ball, usually used for communications. Most likely not Radar, as Radar rotates and has long arms. On your next cruise if you attend the Captain question and answer session there is usually an Engineer there that will answer such questions in detail.

 

What is the Captain Question and Answer Session? Never seen it on Compass

 

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[oneputt18]

The answer is right on cruise critic:

http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=1419

 

 

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[Clarea]

What is the Captain Question and Answer Session? Never seen it on Compass

Usually on the last day of the cruise. Sometimes called "Captain's Corner" in the compass.

Edited January 20, 2015 by clarea

[LindaO]

Usually on the last day of the cruise. Usually sometime after noon. Always an interesting session. (the picture attached is the compass from the Allure Cruise... very well attended and it was a fun event - Capt Johnie always provides an entertaining talk.

[HiCSailor]

Like some have said, the golf balls are satellite antennas, or more accurately, protective covers for the antennas inside. They are called radomes. The antennas inside support a variety of voice and data paths, including internet, phone service, television reception, and stuff the crew needs, like weather reports, safely information, and messages from corporate.

[TravelerThom]

... Most likely not Radar, as Radar rotates and has long arms...

I agree that the "golf balls" on cruise ships are covering satellite dishes and are not protecting radars, but many rotating radars are covered in domes (referred to as radomes, a contraction of radar domes). Also non-rotating electrically steerable phased array radars with no physically moving parts have existed since WWII, and have been in wide use in the military for at least fifty years. Apparently phased array radars are still not cost competitive to build (their search speed and maintenance costs are far superior to rotating radars).

 

Thom

Edited January 20, 2015 by TravelerThom

[aftop]

What is the Captain Question and Answer Session? Never seen it on Compass

 

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On the Legend last week it was posted in the Compass and held around 10AM in the theatre. The Captain, Hotel Director, Chief Engineer and Environmental offer were present and took questions for about an hour.