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

[shartellw]

 

 

One of the many sunsets I have experienced from the Conquest.

[TrqoisWtrs]

Don't remember what route, or what ship; somewhere in the Caribbean, but being up late at night on the top deck of the ship and seeing the Milky Way. Very cool.

 

And this was not cruising, but at the Princeville Hotel in Kauai having drinks in the Dining Room and being called out to the balcony by the staff to see a moonbow. Also very cool.

[kruzinRiva]

Thank-you so much for starting this thread and reminding us all of the reasons we are all here -- cruising is a wondrous way to celebrate and experience the joys of life!

 

Two amazing moments come to mind. First was on Serenade of the Seas in Alaska during a VERY stormy spell. Looking out our window we noticed lots of sparkles out in the water which turned out to be a very large gang of dolphins jumping and cavorting about right alongside the ship -- as we watched them the sun came out a bit more and they became surrounded by the most amazing rainbow!! Breathtaking!!

 

Last September we were on the Elation and anchored off Cabo San Lucas. We were on deck and suddenly the air was filled with clouds of butterflies!! I have never seen so many butterflies in one place -- truly a magical moment!

[simplycruizen]

When they first opened Progresso's port, it was a charming lil' place. The children were just getting out of school and had their uniforms on and backpacks and just smiled so sweetly. Then I caught some kids leaning up against their back packs in an open market watching the tv. This lil' sweet lady on the corner sitting there making something. Charming memories there.

And my husband in a tux!

[ScottsSweetie]

I saw flying fish for the first time on a cruise.

 

I remember in one port, while we were still docked, we looked down and saw hundreds of jellyfish right next to the ship. It was eerily beautiful seeing all of them moving in the water.

 

The evening before one of our cruises out of Galveston, we went to the beach at dusk and watched 6 or 7 dolphins play just off shore for about 1/2 an hour. It was awesome.

[vacruizer]

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

 

Oh, good -I'm not the only one that notices the smell of the ship! As soon as I step onboard, it hits me and the happy memories come flooding back.

 

My DH thinks I'm a bit nutty. :p

[vacruizer]

Well, mine isn't nearly as exciting or unusual as most of these, but I'll share it anyway. A few weeks ago, I was on the Conquest with my friend. We went out onto the open deck 3, because we had found this to be a nice, quite place to relax. We were chatting with each other, when I happened to look out at the sea just in time to see two young dolphins doing a double leap near the ship. They were about half grown and were jumping in unison like the trained dolphins do. They did it 2 or 3 more times as we passed them. This was when we were somewhere between Grand Cayman and Cozumel, and I have never seen dolphins in that area before. (Not to say that it's rare to see them there, just that I have never seen them there in 4 Conquest cruises.) It was very cool to see them, and we felt lucky to catch sight of such a treat for our eyes. :)

 

Yours is exciting and unusual to me - in six cruises I've never managed to see dolphins even though I'm always looking for them. :)

[umwife11]

Oh, I am so happy to read this thread! So many of the stories you all have posted have brought me big ole smiles ;)

 

I have a few special at-sea memories that warm my heart...my first was when I was a little girl sailing on the old M/S Caribe. It was my first cruise ever and as we were out on the deck, we sailed close enough to Cuba to SEE Cuba...its mountains, its beaches...and I remember how much that meant to me. My family left Cuba in the 1950s and 1960s to come to the US and create a better life for themselves. But I've always heard about how special "home" was to my parents and grandparents. For me to see that little bit of their home, of this magical place I'd only heard of was something I will never forget. Heck, I was 8 or 9...and I still remember it :)

 

A few years ago, my husband and I sailed Hawaii and as others have pointed out, seeing the Na Pali Coast is amazing...really, sailing along all those islands and seeing those Hawaiian sunsets is something I will never forget. Sailing out of Honolulu at dusk was also incredible...the pinks and purples in the sky. Amazing. Simply amazing.

 

And my last one--and possibly my favorite? For our honeymoon, we sailed on the Destiny out of San Juan...for whatever reason, we left late in the evening so we were able to see El Morro all lit up as we left San Juan. It was my first evening sailaway and standing on that deck, with my new husband...it was one of the most amazing moments of my life :)

[GlendaleCruiser]

For me it would have to be the calving at Marjorie Glacier. The ship stayed there for two hours and got pretty close to it. You could hear the tremendous crackle and then you looked hard to see where it was coming from. Huge icebergs the size of houses dropping off with thunderous explosions and splashes hundreds of feet into the air. I could not contain my excitement. I was like a kid again.

[MICKMAC100]

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.

 

We rescued 9 Cubans on the Valor in September 07

[dommer573]

My first cruise, Leaving San Pedro, catching up to an another cruise ship out of San Diego, a few days later seeing a spinner dolphin spinning off the starboard side of the ship and later the same day watching a large school (at least a hundred) of Tuna swimming past us. Los Arcos in Cabo.

[Longin2cruise]

A full moon shining on the wake of the ship. Too beautiful for words.

 

Sailing away from the White Cliffs of Dover.

[Bamagal in FL]

Glacier Bay, Alaska....also while cruising along on a sea day, a pod of over 50 Killer Whales just playing and jumping. It was awesome to see them just doing what they do.

[MTcruiser]

I would have to say watching whales off my parents balcony on the way to Cabo last summer. Really neat.

[Aplmac]

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 I'd ever seen.

 

 

 

 

 

That's Emerald Princess in front of us, about to dock

.

[carzyboutcarnival]

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.

 

 

That picture is amazing!

 

This is kinda crazy:

But after going to go the Muster Drill we always go back to our room to put the life vests away, then i hear the moters start and look out to the balcony/window and, i scream AAAAHHHH we are MOVING!!! I will never get that picture out of my head, good times!

 

Happy Sailing!

Cbc

[BallFour4]

My wife's smile :) and look of excitement as we step on board.

 

Also looking out upon the vast ocean and knowing man is not responsible for it but a power greater than myself is. :)

 

We have a teenage daughter that has been on several cruises with us where she took a guest. All of them have never been on a cruise before. That moment those girls step aboard is one that warms my heart. Having just one child does mean we have paid the costs of the second kid more than once, but we have shared much.

 

Second, the first morning at sea. We get up early, lace up the Nikes and head to the track. Watching the Lido deck come to life with people, some headed to bed and some that need to go back, chair hogs, couples out for a walk, and kids in tow behind parents...

 

Then, a full breakfast with great pineapple and smoked salmon. We sit for at least two hours and people watch at a table near the door to the casual dining spot.

 

The last one is we take a Sunday drive after mass several times a year to Galveston to watch the ships sail. When you see us in a few weeks watching the Conquest sail know that the next time it leaves the dock we will be waiving from a balcony very high up front! We will be the ones at the pier with the gray-faced Golden Retriever :)

 

Join us next cruise. We are the over 50 couple trying to keep some form of athletic shape...

 

 

.

[Aplmac]

After going to go the Muster Drill we always go back to our room to put the life vests away,

then i hear the motors start and look out to the balcony/window

and, i scream AAAAHHHH we're MOVING!!!

 

 

Lookin forward

Night

 

_____or

 

______ ____Day

Lookin aft

 

 

.

[charotarguy]

On our first cruise, on 4/22/2009 in Roatan, got up early and was out. I saw a wonderful sight of moon and a star. After a while the sky got all pink and the moon and star were still there. It was one of the best things I have seen in a while. Coming from NYC I have not seen such a sight in a long time. Hope you guys can enjoy it as much as I had.

 

 

 

 

Charotarguy

[nodaksvt]

Coast Guard helo coming in to take someone off our boat

[hospsafe]

My naked wife at sunset on our first cruise on our honeymoon. :p

[carzyboutcarnival]

Lookin forward

Night

 

_____or

 

______ ____Day

Lookin aft

 

 

.

 

 

You totally got it!

[jhale]

Oh, good -I'm not the only one that notices the smell of the ship! As soon as I step onboard, it hits me and the happy memories come flooding back.

 

My DH thinks I'm a bit nutty. :p

 

LMAO, I always compare "cruise ship smell" to "new car smell" there's just NOTHING like it!

 

This is one of my favorites, it was about a month after Hurrican Ike devastated the Galveston area and we had to sail out from the Bayport terminal. Usually the island is much closer, but seeing the sunset over it at this distance, just for a moment made all of the Ike drama go away and there was peace.

 

[nvrhome]

Sailed out of Port Canaveral last year and I remember being told not to go to the front of the boat but to go to the back and there would be a sight to behold, well Miss Ava was right! Following the boats wake were a slew of Dolphins jumping back and forth and followed us out to sea! Our kids were amazed as were we. Silly me left the camera in the cabin :(

Mel

[back to the islands]

I've only been on one cruise - San Fran to Hawaii on Pride of America's maiden voyage. Here are a few treasured memories:

 

Sailing under Golden Gate Bridge

Watching the sunset into the "green flash" before it set each night

The full moon shining out on the open ocean

Sailing past the volcano on the Big Island at night - wow!

Rainbows waking up in Hilo

 

Now I want to go back!!! Freedom, here I come in July!