Enough of the anger - what's the most awesome thing you've ever seen while at sea?

[Yemaya]

On our cruise on the Triumph in we were sitting at dinner the first night and we had an aft table and we looked out and saw a tornado that was near Miami - it was so cool to see in th distance and we wish we had our camera.

[davy jones]

Being at the rail on a clear night at sea. The moon casts its light over the ocean and everything is quiet, except for the ships engines and water splashing from the movement of the ship.

 

These large ships become mere specs when compared to the awesome power and beauty of the sea. You really feel the power of the forces that are far greater than anything that man can make. I get the feeling that we are a relatively insignificant part of a far greater universe.

 

 

 

I get that feeling every time. I felt that way one evening at sea. The next day, we docked in Port Canaveral. We went to the space center where an astronaut spoke. During the question and answer session, he said the same thing, except the reference was looking out into space from the shuttle.

 

That certainly made my feeling of insignificance seem insignificant.

[dotshub]

For me it would have to be the very first time we cruised into St Thomas.

Early morning, as we were just approaching the island, our first view of it and had never been there before. I thought it was the most beautiful place Id ever seen.

[navybaby1113]

I'm still amazed at how blue the water is. We're from Florida so we go to the ocean a lot. It's the same ocean, but some how it looks drastically different from here to there.

[MamaParrotHead]

 

 

Early one morning as we were pulling into Cozumel, I went up on deck to have a cup of coffee, where I watched the sun literally rise over Coz. We went past a HUGE Mexican flag, and suddenly in my mind, James Taylor's "Mexico" started playing in my head. I haven't listened to the song the same way since.

[michelle1836]

Thanks for starting this thread! What a pleasant change from the others going around now. I hope to post my own in a few months. Those who do, add your pictures!!

[WeBeGone]

We have seen all the things previously posted but I'll add a few so that you can add them to your "bucket list":

 

Cruising the Nile under a full moon.

Departing Istanbul with the minarets outlined at sundown, and the sound of the call to prayer errily engulfing the city.

Pulling into Bora Bora through the narrow strait and the bluest water in the world.

Seeing nothing and realizing that there are NO birds at all in the middle of the Atlantic.

Departing Cadiz, Spain - I think every local person lined the cliffs to wave goodbye. Literally hundreds of people.

 

I thank God for all these memories and pray for our health that will allow many more to come.

[UFQ202]

We were sailing on the Valor last year when we found a boat with 7 cubans. You could tell it was homemade and they had been without food and water for a few days. We stayed with the boat until the Coast Guard got there. My kids and some of their friends were with us. We were all thankful that we had the opportunity to take a cruise and live life to the fullest.

[Flash4me]

Sailing past the Na Pali coast at sunset.

 

Thanks all for these great posts. What a great way to start my day !

[gatrbait]

My experience was breathtaking from the moment we sailed past the Lady Liberty...my son and I saw sharks feeding off the rear of the ship, we saw dolphins playing in the wake, we saw whales right from the ship...we also saw flying fish while at sea...oh and as we were leaving one of the ports we saw a tiny island full of seals...

My son and I are always looking for the special moments God gives us and we were very lucky that trip!

Have a great day!!

Micky

[dan40]

Horizontal lightning, way off in the distance, is spectacular!

 

In Glacier Bay, I witnessed a major calving of a glacier. It look like a small piece of ice broke off. But it fell in slow motion and it hit the water with a small splash that was shaped like a VERY LARGE splash???? Then the Cap. came on the PA and announced that there was just a MAJOR CALVING, 7 [sEVEN] miles away and that shortly we would hear the thunderous sound of it. And moments later, it rumbled and boomed across the ship!

 

On EVERY cruise, I make my way to the front of the ship. Above or below the bridge where it is pitch dark. [the only place aboard NOT well lit.} Once my eyes adjust to the night, I can see the ocean, the clouds, if any, and trillions of stars. Just the silence and the wind and darkness is ultra relaxing, but the sea and sky show just adds to it.

 

Going thru the Panama Canal just leaves me agape every time. Not just the locks and how they work, but the entire cut across the country as well as the HUNDREDS of every shaped ship waiting in the approaches.

 

Ships can schedule a time to go through, and cruise ships do that, but small company cargo ships pay a much lower fee if they drop anchor and wait until the Canal calls them. So there is always a panorama of ship design to see.

[winddawn]

We've all had about enough of the anger and whining about missed ports - how about a positive thread for a change? What's the most awesome thing you've seen while at sea and where and what ship were you on? One of those moments that just makes you thankful to be alive, healthy, and able to take a wonderful vacation with your family?

 

I was thinking this morning about one of mine - on the Liberty in 2007, late at night, headed from Costa Rica to Panama we stepped out on the balcony only to see what looked like thousands of shooting stars only they were beside us and not overheard. Looking closer, we realized that it was a flock of thousands of small yellow birds and the ship's lights were reflecting off of them. They were darting around and diving and it really looked like a meteor shower. It was the end of October and probably some sort of migration - never could get a close enough look to figure out what kind of bird they were. But it's one of those moments forever set in my memory. The beauty of nature, the sea, and the love of my life to share it with. :D

 

So what's yours?

Other than our Alaska cruises which all have awesome scenery, one of our best cruising moments had to be from the aft wrap balcony on Carnival Triumph: we saw a double rainbow over the water (out in the middle of the ocean). It was gorgeous and reminded me just how insignificant I am.

[brown_eyedgal]

my first sunset at sea...beautiful.

[jhdoublin]

The look on my daughter's face -she was about 8- when we first saw the boat- I almost had to pick up her jaw! Of course it only got better once we were inside.

 

also-

 

Jellyfish on the water.

Different blues of the water.

The feeling that the world would go on even if the boat sinks-very humbling.

The sound of the sign and sail card dinging!

 

I really like seeing other cruise ships at night beside us- the lights are magical.

 

Leave on the Valor next week-can't wait- great thread!

[flounder315]

My kids sharing a Virgin Pina Coloda in thier pajamas on the balcony. The flying fish, dolphins, turtles and storms too. The sunrises and sunsets and there is nothing like the moonshine on the ocean.

[stitchnfool]

Thank you so much for starting this thread, for all the posts and getting us back to what we're all about here on CC: CRUISING!

I'm still new to cruising so I don't have a lot of memories tucked away YET. Last September on the Conquest, first cruise, first sea day I was overwhelmed by the beauty of everything in my vision. I couldn't believe how fortunate I was to be there to witness the beauty of the sea as she seemed to flow into the sky. I shed a few tears of pure joy, thanked my Maker, and vowed that I would sail again, and as often as possible.

[Crusin6]

1. Getting up close and personal cruising arount Stromboli volcano in the Med.

 

2. Having a very large duck, about 7 feet tall, come up and surprise my kids on the Disney cruise. No they weren't scared....they know better:D

[mudpievelour]

Watching Jamaica emerge from storm clouds just as dawn broke from our balcony on the Conquest.

[iluvdoxies]

We've all had about enough of the anger and whining about missed ports - how about a positive thread for a change? What's the most awesome thing you've seen while at sea and where and what ship were you on? One of those moments that just makes you thankful to be alive, healthy, and able to take a wonderful vacation with your family?

 

I was thinking this morning about one of mine - on the Liberty in 2007, late at night, headed from Costa Rica to Panama we stepped out on the balcony only to see what looked like thousands of shooting stars only they were beside us and not overheard. Looking closer, we realized that it was a flock of thousands of small yellow birds and the ship's lights were reflecting off of them. They were darting around and diving and it really looked like a meteor shower. It was the end of October and probably some sort of migration - never could get a close enough look to figure out what kind of bird they were. But it's one of those moments forever set in my memory. The beauty of nature, the sea, and the love of my life to share it with. :D

 

So what's yours?

 

\\We also had rhousand of yellow birds---so pretty to watch,

 

Unfortunately, a lot of them were found dead on the Lido deck next am--poor things.

[jakz2fun]

Seeing the Green Flash at sunset on a cruise while celebrating my younger brother's life (we had lost him earlier that year). He had always talked about the Green Flash, that was the first time I had seen it and even caught it in a photo. We say that he sent it to us.

[BonnieSte]

More! I want more! Some of these memories have brought tears to my eyes. For me, it is the feeling I get just walking into the cruise terminal, then the smell of the ship, (they all smell the same to me) sitting in the hot tub late at night with nobody around but my husband and I and trillions of stars, seeing storms at a distance, a whale blow water, dolphins, flying fish, having breakfast on my balcony, an afternoon drink on the balcony after a busy day, meeting wonderful people, dressing up, I am sure there is plenty more but I think I will give someone else a chance. :D

[BonnieSte]

Seeing the Green Flash at sunset on a cruise while celebrating my younger brother's life (we had lost him earlier that year). He had always talked about the Green Flash, that was the first time I had seen it and even caught it in a photo. We say that he sent it to us.

 

Precious! I believe he did:)

[GHarkness]

Does the Haka dancer count? I thought he was pretty amazing! This was right before we saw the live volcano in Hawaii last May. Gorgeous sight.....both of them. :-)

 

http://s107.photobucket.com/albums/m291/gharkness/?action=view&current=haka.jpg

 

Truly, there is no end to wonderful things about cruises. One of the nicer sights I remember was going under the bridge leaving Vancouver BC on our Alaska cruise. That was the absolute best thing about that cruise - everything else was downhill - because after that came the next morning ....September 11, 2001.

 

Not a good cruise, but even out of that came some memorable experiences. Several of the crewmembers lost friends in the WTC that day, and they were open enough to share their stories with us. So, despite the awful circumstances, we met some fine people on that trip, and not all of them were passengers.

[rocketship]

Mine would have to be the first time I experienced sunrise at sea... The deck was empty just me and the waves and birds...It was breathtaking. I felt so alive and blessed to be there. I'll never forget it! :)

 

For sure, mine too... I had drank way to much on the sail away party, didnt eat much of dinner and went to bed around 9ish... The wife and I both woke up around 4am or so and couldnt get back to bed. We went and got coffee, then headed up to watch the sunrise.. Absolutely one of the best random moments in my life.

[Chacooe]

Lots of flying fish. I love those little guys.

 

I'd stand on the balcony at night, and watch these fish skim and fly,

as the ship crashed into the waves on a mildly choppy night.

 

Thanks for the picture, I have never seen a flying fish. They really do have wings, how cool!!!