Silly Question: When do the ships blow their "horns"?

[IBookHePays]

On our first cruise, the Monarch, there was a lot of noise, not only from the ship's horn, but also from the bars as we left port. Since then, I haven't heard that wonderful BLAST that I love so much. Are certain ships and ports different? :confused:

[99florida]

When they want me to hurry up and get back on the ship as they are ready to sail!!! Wouldn't want to leave me as they make some pretty good dough with me on board!

 

Just kidding! I believe (don't know for sure) about 30 minutes before sailing.

[Janice M]

When we were on the Vision coming from Alaska and going under Golden Gate Bridge Captain George sounded the horn several times. What a thrill that was.

 

Jan

[ariel7303]

I was actually wondering the same thing. When we were on Enchantment, they sounded the horn upon leaving Fort Lauderdale. I don't remember then sounding it any more after that once. I didn't think much about it as we weren't always on deck when entering or leaving a port. However, on the Navigator, we were always at our favorite spot, the helipad, and never once heard the horn sounding. I wasn't sure why it would or wouldn't be "tooted". :)

[Aquahound]

Sound signals from the ship's horn all have different meanings. Here are some examples:

 

7 short, 1 long - Abandon ship, Man lifeboats

1 short - Altering Course to Starboard

2 short - Altering Course to Port

3 Short - Astern Propulsion (Backing up)

1 Long - Nearing a bend or other obscured vision

-Also for leaving a dock or berth

1 Long, 3 Short - Backing from a dock or berth

 

The list goes on.....

[leoandhugh]

like some cities that have ordinances against blowing horns, so do some seaports. however, when there is no prohibition some ships will blow their horns when leaving port , particularly if they are using a tug that will blow "goodbye" or sometimes other ships in port will do the same.

they are, of course, used in notifying of an emergency or lifeboat drill - 6 short blasts followed by one long blast - and if the ship is in dense fog with other ships in the area, it will often blow its horn. even though ships are equipped with radar and can "see" each other in a fog. it is viewed as an extra precaution. one trip we made on the old "Norway" transAtlantic we were in heavy fog for over 48 hours with the horn blowing every minute, night and day!:)

[Aquahound]

like some cities that have ordinances against blowing horns, so do some seaports. however, when there is no prohibition some ships will blow their horns when leaving port , particularly if they are using a tug that will blow "goodbye" or sometimes other ships in port will do the same.

they are, of course, used in notifying of an emergency or lifeboat drill - 6 short blasts followed by one long blast - and if the ship is in dense fog with other ships in the area, it will often blow its horn. even though ships are equipped with radar and can "see" each other in a fog. it is viewed as an extra precaution. one trip we made on the old "Norway" transAtlantic we were in heavy fog for over 48 hours with the horn blowing every minute, night and day!:)

 

Sound signals are required by the Navigation Rules. They can be avoided when agreements are reached by radio. Otherwise, they are international rules that took effect in 1977. They were formalized by the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.

 

By the way, the fog rules are to blow one prolonged blasts every two minutes.

[jandjfun]

That just reminded me of a pretty cool happening we had on the Pride I believe it was. We were cruising along (say north) and another carnival ship was cruising (say south) as we passed each other both ships were blowing the horns. They had made an announcement that we were about to pass and everyone should make as much noise and wave as they could. It was really cool! It felt like we were going really really fast as the two ships passed each other.:D

[Coralc]

They always seem to blow it when leaving port. We were on Enchantment a few years ago, along with the QE2 and the Norway in St. Maarten. We all sailed about the same time, and captains were doing a whole "Close Encounters" thing with the ship horns. That whole horn rift that they have in the movie? We would start with the first 2 notes, QE2 would pick it up and Norway would finish with the deep base. It was really fun! All the passengers on all 3 ships were delighted with it. I miss that:D

[jwlane]

By the way, the fog rules are to blow one prolonged blasts every two minutes.

As a runner, I've been startled on deck 11 in Alaska and nearing Galveston in the fog as they sound the horn. Luckily there is somewhat of a hissing sound before the horn starts, slight mitigating the startletedness (is that a word?:confused: ).

 

Also, the Rhapsody and Mariner captains often have a "horn off" at sailing from Cozumel, with little 'ole Rhapsody taking the prize because she was predestined for the Alaskan waters, and thus equipped with a louder horn (I'm sure the Mariner captain tells it the other way around, more or less;) ).

[QM2 Cruiser]

On the QM2 the horn is blown every day at noon, and is followed by a report from the bridge. One of the horns is from the original Queen Mary, and "steams" when it is blown. It's audible for 10 nautical miles too!

[Cardinal Cruiser]

I usually remember the horn blowing when we are leaving port. The disney ships play a few notes of "when you wish upon a star."

 

I do remember a time of leaving Key West. A small boat was weaving in back and forth approx. 100 yards in front of our ship. All of us on the front of the boat found this funny for about a second. We realized he wasn't moving. He repeated this process over and over. Suddenly, the horn began to blast to near ear splitting levels.

So the horn can be used as a "GET THE H*LL OUT OF THE WAY!" device.

[suziehmkr]

I think this really does depend on the port. Sometimes it blows and other's it doesn't. Just on the Pride for New Year's and they blew the horn several times at midnight. We were on the Lido deck so it was very cool.

[wrp96]

I do remember a time of leaving Key West. A small boat was weaving in back and forth approx. 100 yards in front of our ship. All of us on the front of the boat found this funny for about a second. We realized he wasn't moving. He repeated this process over and over. Suddenly, the horn began to blast to near ear splitting levels.

So the horn can be used as a "GET THE H*LL OUT OF THE WAY!" device.

 

Definitely NOT a good idea to play chicken with something that's a whole heck of a lot bigger than you!!

[mikeblum]

not exactly sure why someone in a very small boat would want to be 100 yrds in front of a huge cruise ship...maybe they wanted to check out death before it happens so they'll know what to expect..if the ship doesn't get them the wave may overturn them...dumb dumb dumb...

[Lady_Gamecock]

JCGamecock and I were on the Sovereign for a sail away party. We were standing RIGHT IN FRONT of the "horn section" when an idiot in a speed boat cut us off. Of course, that sounded the horn.

 

I have *NEVER* heard anything so loud in my entire life. It it just seemed to linger in the air.....and in our ears.....for minutes.

 

From this point on, I do not want to be anywhere near the horns when leaving ports! :D

 

Lady_G

[terri23]

Yes, hearing the horn blow on new year's eve at midnight is incredible!! :D :D Hearing the horn blow all night long coming back to galveston in thick fog was a little "less festive" shall we say - naturally DH didn't hear a thing!!! my ear plugs came in handy that night ;)

[Druke I]

One reason I love sailing from San Francisco - as they back away from the finger pier, they signal their backing into the shipping channel/lane by giving three blasts on the whistle (horn).

 

They will often give another long blast when going under the Golden Gate Bridge, in response to the pedestrians on the bridge waving "bon voyage".

 

Love those whistles (horns)!!

[WindinmySails]

Yes, just thinking about the ship horn gives me a thrill. It did even before I started cruising. I would think how lucky all those people were to have such an adventure, and now I am a part of that. :D

[PA Dutchman]

Keil Canel, Germany, to be the last cruise for the Dream, people were lined up at different places all along the 60 or so miles, everytime there were people they did 3 blasts and alot of waving from the people on board and the locals that came to wave goodby. 1000s of them. with blowing the horn 3 sets 50+times. That was alot of horn blowing.

[Druke I]

That Kiel Canal transit is fantastic.

 

We've done it twice; once on the Dream back in 5-99, and again this past Sep on Oceania's Nautica.

 

Great how the locals come out to greet the ships.

[Druke I]

delete - duplicate post (again)

[Elva]

They always seem to blow it when leaving port. We were on Enchantment a few years ago, along with the QE2 and the Norway in St. Maarten. We all sailed about the same time, and captains were doing a whole "Close Encounters" thing with the ship horns. That whole horn rift that they have in the movie? We would start with the first 2 notes, QE2 would pick it up and Norway would finish with the deep base. It was really fun! All the passengers on all 3 ships were delighted with it. I miss that:D

 

That is SO COOL!! Would love to have heard that one!

[IBookHePays]

Yes, just thinking about the ship horn gives me a thrill. It did even before I started cruising. I would think how lucky all those people were to have such an adventure, and now I am a part of that. :D

 

 

That's it exactly!!:D

[Cruising89143]

Love standing up on deck when other ships are leaving port and the horns are blasting. What a great sound.