Ships travel together

[2paradise]

Is there a reason ships travel together? Last Fall we were on the Sunshine and the Breeze followed us the entire week. (Or we followed the Breeze at times). Just curious!

 

Thanks!

[Micahs Grandad]

Good question hope someone knowledgable will answer

[shof515]

Safety in numbers. If there is an extreme emergency, help is not far away

 

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[pe4all]

When I first began cruising many moons ago, there definitely was a "rule" that ships did have to sail within a reasonable distance from each other in the event of an emergency. I don't know if that is still the case, as we have traveled on some ships that haven't had any ships within any kind of eyesight of each other. There are many times we have been in port "alone." I think the ships follow each other now cause they are on pretty much the same itinerary! I know last Feb. Splendor followed Sunshine to every port!

[joepeka]

I am going to guess that it's simply a quirk in the schedules. I'm assuming the Sunshine and the Breeze departed from different ports? If so, it was probably just coincidental they "followed" one another.

 

We have had other ships following the same itinerary as our ship but from different lines.

[stobe1]

If route planning for ships is anything like aviation, they probably plan their routes baed on sea conditions, currents, winds and weather to get the most economical, efficient and safe route possible. So many ships operating the same itineraries may ''follow'' each other because they know the most efficient and safest way of getting to their next port.

 

Planes often "follow" each other along the same routing because most flight planning software use the same criteria for efficient route planning. Weather, winds aloft and turbulence are just some of the factors that are used to plan routes in aviation. Sometimes, there are air traffic control ''required'' or ''preferred'' routes to expedite the flow of traffic into and out of high density airports.

 

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Edited January 31, 2017 by stobe1

[cruise pup]

There are also certain shipping lanes that all ships will sail thru, where the water is deep enough and there are no hazzards, like reefs and sandbars. Look what happened to Costa Concordia going off course. Also prevailing winds and sea currents play a part.

Edited January 31, 2017 by cruise pup

[2paradise]

Such smart people!! :) Great responses! Thank you.

[cb at sea]

They're pretty much all going the same places! I sort of like that there are others out there!

[easyboy]

I am going to guess that it's simply a quirk in the schedules. I'm assuming the Sunshine and the Breeze departed from different ports? If so, it was probably just coincidental they "followed" one another.

 

We have had other ships following the same itinerary as our ship but from different lines.

It has never caught my attention except when docked in port. But my guess is also coincidental.

[Je Souhaite]

Although sailing with other ships in the same direction is quite fun, there's nothing as depressing as sailing along with a ship you'd rather be on.

 

We were stuck on an NCL ship sailing along a Carnival ship, and just wish we had a boarding pass for the CARNIVAL SHIP. It was with us for all three of our ports. :(

 

It's also fun sailing past a ship going in the opposite direction at night.

[CJHAN]

I think its just luck of the draw. We where on the magic a few years ago and Royal Caribbeans navigator of the seas followed us the entire time. Even though we docked at diffrent peirs she was right with us every day.

 

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Edited February 1, 2017 by CJHAN

[Havingfun2010]

1. Protection against submarine attacks (stay in a pack)

2. Protection against the Pirates patrolling the Caribbean (especially near Bahamas).

3. Captains are drag racing.

4. Everyone knows drafting saves gas and energy.

5. One captain is lost, so following the other one to port.

 

Florida has 5 cruise ports, and on any given weekend, it releases a huge amount of ships into the Caribbean. Some go East, some go West, and some go to the Bahamas. My last stop in Bahamas, there were 5 ships docked. My last stop in Cozumel, there were 4 ships docked. They all arrive at the same time (just about) and leave about the same time. Open waters, and ships all lit up, every evening, it is not unusual to see 3 or 4 ships around you.

 

There is no reason, other than it's a traffic jam of ships in the Caribbean!!!

[h_blond2]

1. Protection against submarine attacks (stay in a pack)

2. Protection against the Pirates patrolling the Caribbean (especially near Bahamas).

3. Captains are drag racing.

4. Everyone knows drafting saves gas and energy.

5. One captain is lost, so following the other one to port.

 

Florida has 5 cruise ports, and on any given weekend, it releases a huge amount of ships into the Caribbean. Some go East, some go West, and some go to the Bahamas. My last stop in Bahamas, there were 5 ships docked. My last stop in Cozumel, there were 4 ships docked. They all arrive at the same time (just about) and leave about the same time. Open waters, and ships all lit up, every evening, it is not unusual to see 3 or 4 ships around you.

 

There is no reason, other than it's a traffic jam of ships in the Caribbean!!!

 

Captains are drag racing has to be the best answer ever! :)

[CJHAN]

1. Protection against submarine attacks (stay in a pack)

2. Protection against the Pirates patrolling the Caribbean (especially near Bahamas).

3. Captains are drag racing.

4. Everyone knows drafting saves gas and energy.

5. One captain is lost, so following the other one to port.

 

Florida has 5 cruise ports, and on any given weekend, it releases a huge amount of ships into the Caribbean. Some go East, some go West, and some go to the Bahamas. My last stop in Bahamas, there were 5 ships docked. My last stop in Cozumel, there were 4 ships docked. They all arrive at the same time (just about) and leave about the same time. Open waters, and ships all lit up, every evening, it is not unusual to see 3 or 4 ships around you.

 

There is no reason, other than it's a traffic jam of ships in the Caribbean!!!

Interesting points however i have never seen more then 1 other ship. We sail out of Galveston so maybe theres less traffic?

 

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[shof515]

Interesting points however i have never seen more then 1 other ship. We sail out of Galveston so maybe theres less traffic?

 

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most ships are about 30-60 minutes apart from each other. so the other ship might be beyond the horizon and out of view of what your eyes can see.

[SadieN]

most ships are about 30-60 minutes apart from each other. so the other ship might be beyond the horizon and out of view of what your eyes can see.

 

 

Yep,

 

Seen the same ship at every port with us, rarely see them at night.

 

Mexican Riviera itins have so few ports it's not that unusual.