Stargazing

[jagsfan]

Thanks everybody for your responses, I am glad they are doing this and hope to participate in this on the 28 day Tahiti cruise next October.

 

Star Walk is a great app, we use it all the time. Its nice to have some digital help, especially floating in the ocean. I also get aurora alerts, silly thing since I live in Ventura, Ca, but what the heck! Big bucket list thing for me its too see the Northern Lights, which have eluded me so far!

 

We have seen a few meteors while cruising, its easier to look from a balcony where lights are less of a problem, of course when the captain turns off the upper lights for stargazing, that is the place to be!

 

 

I looked in the Apple Store at Star Walk. There's a 2 and a 5, both for 2.99. Is 5 more advanced? Is a Luddite better off with the 2?

[ibfern]

I know about the lights because of an Aurora list I am on, I get notices whenever they are expected! Not that I can use the info here in Ventura Ca but I still like to know! I actually let the ship know about the advent of the lights last September, unfortunately it was completely cloudy and there was no way we could have seen them. And our tour guide also alerted us about them (private tour). I was so bummed out, here we were in the right place, its was dark, they were happening, and we were SOL because of the clouds!

 

Sign up for Space Weather.com notices here:

 

http://spaceweather.com/services/

 

And here is the Aurora list info which you can sign up for:

 

gse-aa mailing list

gse-aa@gi.alaska.edu

http://www2.gi.alaska.edu/mailman/listinfo/gse-aa

[ibfern]

I looked in the Apple Store at Star Walk. There's a 2 and a 5, both for 2.99. Is 5 more advanced? Is a Luddite better off with the 2?

 

I am not sure, when I got the app is was free! The app is very intuitive and easy to use, but I am not sure about the differences between 2 and 5.

 

I do see that there is still a free app called sky walk (its a navigation app), why not try that one first? I have it as well as Star walk (an educational app), both are very good. If you must pay for one, go for 5 since its probably a new generation app!

[jagsfan]

Thanks, I'll look for the free one and then go for the 5.

[Thrak]

My wife and I would probably give this a try if it was offered. The very best "sky" I have ever seen was on a crystal clear night camping at 10,000 feet in Colorado. There were no towns for many miles around. The sky was amazing!

 

It actually made having to get up (twice... sigh...) in the middle of the freezing cold night a bit more palatable. :)

Edited February 25, 2015 by Thrak

[scottb80]

Thanks for posting this. I've done Sky Tours while on the Dawn Princess back in 2007. I contacted the Cruise Director before the trip and offered my services as an experienced astronomer (hobby of 35 years). They put it in the newsletter and we had a good crowd up on deck off of Mexico. The CD gave me a $100 ship board credit for doing it. I'm glad to see that the Regal has this, since we're booked on the 15 day TA from Copenhagen to New York this coming September. I hope we get a few good nights while in the middle of the Atlantic. I'll see how well the staff is educated and offer my services for the more complex questions. :p

[Sailingpeace]

We just did it on the Caribbean Princess. CD Staffer Toby ran it and he was great. We had a good, clear night for stargazing and went to Deck 17, where the lights were significantly dimmed to aid our viewing ability. It's a great addition to the Princess product this year!

 

I was on CB from Jan 31 st to Feb 14 and would have loved to do that. Did I miss it in the Patter ?

P.s. Nice to know that We were on the ship same time as you. Maybe one day we will meet. Thank you for your always informative and interestings posts.

[pompeii]

Thanks for posting this. I've done Sky Tours while on the Dawn Princess back in 2007. I contacted the Cruise Director before the trip and offered my services as an experienced astronomer (hobby of 35 years). They put it in the newsletter and we had a good crowd up on deck off of Mexico. The CD gave me a $100 ship board credit for doing it. I'm glad to see that the Regal has this, since we're booked on the 15 day TA from Copenhagen to New York this coming September. I hope we get a few good nights while in the middle of the Atlantic. I'll see how well the staff is educated and offer my services for the more complex questions. :p

 

We're on the same TA this fall and I was really hoping that there would be some evenings of stargazing where they dim the lights. The last time I read about the "official" stargazing program on Princess it was being rolled out on Caribbean sailings only. So I wasn't sure if there would be anything on other sailings yet. You give me hope and even if it isn't officially sanctioned, it would be awesome to have an astronomer showing us around the sky!

[scottb80]

We're on the same TA this fall and I was really hoping that there would be some evenings of stargazing where they dim the lights. The last time I read about the "official" stargazing program on Princess it was being rolled out on Caribbean sailings only. So I wasn't sure if there would be anything on other sailings yet. You give me hope and even if it isn't officially sanctioned, it would be awesome to have an astronomer showing us around the sky!

 

I'd be happy to Pompeii, are you on the Roll Call for the cruise? I'll make an announcement there about me doing a Star Tour on the TA.

[Wehwalt]

When I was on the Pacific Princess on her Transpacific last January, one night one of the ship's officers had an astronomy class on the top deck. It was reasonably interesting.

[cindysilkid]

My husband has Star Walk on his iPad and loves to go to a top deck every night to play with it. We will likely try this program.

[PescadoAmarillo]

Another fan of your blog! I've been following along and watched your sail away yesterday from Fort Lauderdale on this latest leg of your trip (we live about 25 miles from the port). We'll be on the Caribbean Princess in a couple of weeks - looking forward to it and hoping they offer the stargazing.

 

Thank you! They should offer it. They eve. Squeezed it in on the 5-night cruise.

 

I was on CB from Jan 31 st to Feb 14 and would have loved to do that. Did I miss it in the Patter ?

P.s. Nice to know that We were on the ship same time as you. Maybe one day we will meet. Thank you for your always informative and interestings posts.

Thanks for the thought! I'm not sure about the 2/7 cruise. We were too busy partying on that one. :p. It was offered on the 2/14 and 2/21 cruises.

[PescadoAmarillo]

Ahh! You're on the Caribbean Princess this year! Me too! I'm sorry that I haven't been up to date with your blog. Last year we were on the Emerald together but I was silly and didn't introduce myself when I saw you at dinner. If I see you around the ship this time around, I will stop by and say hello! On board March 7 for a week!

Thanks! I've thought about you a lot this winter. We'll just miss you. We're disembarking on March 7th. Have fun!

 

Was it posted in the patter for that day and did they only do it the once?

Love your blog btw ;)

Thank you! It was posted in the Patter and its been offered once each of the last two cruises at 10pm on Deck 17 forward, just behind the Sanctuqry.

[Wehwalt]

We were in Iceland the same day on the Royal, passed and tooted horns with you guys, but we missed the lights completely because the sky was so cloudy, as we headed back to Scotland! Glad you got to see them...

 

Did the horns play the Love Boat theme at each other?

[pompeii]

I'd be happy to Pompeii, are you on the Roll Call for the cruise? I'll make an announcement there about me doing a Star Tour on the TA.

Yes, I'm on the roll call. We board in Warnemunde. thanks!

[Julia’s Journey’s]

Thanks! I've thought about you a lot this winter. We'll just miss you. We're disembarking on March 7th. Have fun!

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you! It was posted in the Patter and its been offered once each of the last two cruises at 10pm on Deck 17 forward, just behind the Sanctuqry.

 

 

Thanks for the info :)

Wish you were staying on till we board in April to meet, love your blog and following along on your trips, loved the change to Tahiti this year ;)

[ibfern]

Did the horns play the Love Boat theme at each other?

 

The Royal played it (I was on that) while the Ruby just honked! When we passed under a famous bridge (coming toward Copenhagen) late one night the Captain played the Love Boat theme as we passed under it. It was about 11pm at night, and some people were mulling around watching as we just barely sailed under the bridge, and one fellow came up to me asking me why the horn sounded so familiar. I told him it was of course the Love Boat theme! I get goose bumps every time I hear the horn place the love boat theme...:o

[Waynetor]

I just finished 5 B2B on CB. It was offered each time. Only went once but it was interesting. The brighter the moon, the poorer the viewing.

If it is cloudy it will not be rescheduled as the schedule is planned for each night.

[MaisonRose]

 

2015 NEW MOONS

 

MARCH 20. APRIL 18. MAY 18.

 

JUNE 16. JULY 16. AUG 14

 

Sep 13. OCT 13. NOV 11. DEC. 11

[BarbinMich]

We just did it on the Caribbean Princess. CD Staffer Toby ran it and he was great. We had a good, clear night for stargazing and went to Deck 17, where the lights were significantly dimmed to aid our viewing ability. It's a great addition to the Princess product this year!

 

That probably explains why we didn't have it on our B2B on the Ruby, Jan. 10-24! I was disappointed, but did the best I could on my own.

 

Barb

[rianvi]

Sounds very interesting. Thak you for the great info.

 

:)

[CTGirl]

That probably explains why we didn't have it on our B2B on the Ruby, Jan. 10-24! I was disappointed, but did the best I could on my own.

 

Barb

Hi Barb, Cruise with us again and I will go stargazing with you. Didn't we have a stargazing session on that TA we did a few years back. I remember going all the way up and the lights were dimmed. I know it was before this program. It was with a guest lecturer. Very interesting.

[socialworker]

The Stargazing Program was offered on our 2/2/15 Hawaii cruise on the Grand. An astronomer offered daily presentations in the Princess Theater and then one night we went up, up and up some more. At a specific time the lights for that rear section were turned off and WOW! We never guessed there were that many stars above us. One of the entertainment staffers (Nathan) used a laser pointer to show us the visible constellations with a running, understandable commentary. The astronomer was there too answering questions and recommending websites. All in all we loved it.

 

The funniest part is that earlier in the cruise I asked the Future Cruises sales person when the program would be debuting. I saw it advertised on the website as coming to the Caribbean in the Spring but he had no clue what I was talking about. He said he'd have to check with someone that would know and he'd call my stateroom with the answer. I never heard from him. Then the Program pops up in the Patter. Glad we didn't have to wait until Spring.

[JustinPlusLauren]

Thanks! I've thought about you a lot this winter. We'll just miss you. We're disembarking on March 7th. Have fun!

 

Oh no!! Yes I will just miss you. Maybe next year then :) I'm going to binge-read your blog before the cruise when I get the chance. It will get me in the cruising mood (Although I'm always in the cruising mood...LOL)

[RetiredNTraveling]

Thanks everybody for your responses, I am glad they are doing this and hope to participate in this on the 28 day Tahiti cruise next October.

 

Star Walk is a great app, we use it all the time. Its nice to have some digital help, especially floating in the ocean. I also get aurora alerts, silly thing since I live in Ventura, Ca, but what the heck! Big bucket list thing for me its too see the Northern Lights, which have eluded me so far!

 

I was able to get "Star Walk" downloaded on my Galaxy 8 and can hardly wait for a clear night to check it out! ;) There will be plenty of opportunities for watching the stars on the 28 day H,S&T cruise this Oct.!!!! :D :eek: