As seasoned sea-dogs, Trevor and I are often asked by friends and workmates (who have yet to be bitten by the cruising bug) various questions. These questions, with their answers, are given below.
If you, dear reader, have any questions you would like to ask us, email us and we will feature them on this page.
Q. At sea, I hear they refer to distances covered in nautical miles. How far IS a nautical mile?
A. As you know, position at sea is measured in latitude (how far
north or south you are) and longitude (how far east or west you are). A nautical
mile is the measure of distance used to describe one-sixtieth of a degree (one
minute). Therefore if you started at the equator and headed north, by the
time you reach 1° N, you will have travelled 60 nautical
miles. The earth has a circumference (at the equator) of 21,600 nautical
miles. One nautical mile = 1.1508 statute miles.
Q. I've never been on a cruise before. What happens if I'm sea-sick?
A. There are several things you can do. (a) Visit the ship's doctor
for an anti-seasickness injection. There is usually a charge for this, but no
doubt it will be worth it. (b) Try chewing on some crystallised ginger. A lot of
ships provide bowls of this or you can go prepared with your own (c) As a last
resort, and if you're really feeling like death warmed up, you can make
arrangements to disembark the ship at the next port of call, then fly home.
Q. I can see the attraction of visiting lots of ports of call, but what happens if you're at sea for days at a time; say, on a transatlantic voyage. Don't you get bored? What on earth do you find to DO all day?
A. Bored ??!! There is absolutely NO CHANCE of
ever being bored. Check the ship's daily programme - there
will be a plethora of activities, lectures, guest speakers,
a cinema, a sports centre, gym, swimming pools, short
courses, a computer centre, internet cafe... and of course
all your fellow passengers to socialise with... not to
mention the numerous cocktail bars, pubs, restaurants. Oh
and duty-free shopping of course. Or you can visit the spa
for a massage or other treatment, or get your hair done...
or sit up on deck enjoying the sun and (literally) watching
the world go by, and.... need me to go on?
Q. Have you ever been out in really rough weather?
A. Oh yes! Some areas of sea are notoriously
rough, e.g. the Drake Passage or the Bay of Biscay. Try
crossing it on a 10,000-tonner in November!!
On a transatlantic crossing you will often feel a gentle
roll to the ship because of the swell. Generally, the larger
the ship, the less you feel the motion. When you disembark
the ship after several days at sea, you will notice that
strange phenomenon of still thinking you are moving, even on
terra firma.
Q. What is the
difference between a cruise ship and an ocean liner?
A. A cruise ship is designed for short 'hops'
between ports of call in the style of a floating luxury
hotel, usually in calmer waters such as the
Mediterranean or
Caribbean. The shape of
the keel tends to be flat-bottomed and the steel thickness
is usually about 12-15mm. The usual cruising speed is
about 15-18 knots.
Ocean liners, on the other hand, are designed for longer
non-stop trips and are therefore built for speed and their
ability to withstand the battering of rougher waters such as
the North Atlantic. Their keels, therefore, are a
pointed shape and the steel is much thicker at 25mm.
There are currently only two true ocean liners afloat - the
QE2 and the QM2,
who can cruise at 32 knots and 28 knots respectively.
