Coolest Thing You've Seen at Sea

[fireofficer5]

In the Florida straights we say refugees on a raft. Also the same cruise an aircraft carrier doing flight operations. One of the fighters flew by to say hi. If the jet didn't fly by I would not have noticed the carrier about 20 miles away.

[Buzya]

On a whale watch out of Dominica, it was 2 hours of waiting, then two Sperm whales, the captain believed it to be a mother and calf. In addition a pod of dolphins came right up to our boat.

[Mysticks1]

First cruise out of Galveston - embarkation day we sat in the buffet area at a window and watched a couple of dolphins swimming around the ship's dock area.

On our last cruise in the middle of the Gulf we saw a pod of dolphins. They swam alongside right at the bow matching the speed of the ship for several minutes.

It was nice to see them in their natural habitat rather than in an aquarium or show.

I was also amazed at the flying fish the first time I saw them.

[Rocknsoul]

Seeing 20+' waves crash against the ship just below our stateroom window. DH & I couldn't stop staring at them...unfortunately it made DH a little woozy.:eek: But it was marvelous to behold the power of the ocean.

[AVGeek]

In 2004 wife and I are on the return leg of a Disney Cruise. I'm on our balcony around 11:30 and I see some lights in the distance (we were on the starboard side). I waited a little and saw the other Disney boat (they only have two) passing us en route to wherever they were headed. Took a few pictures, but it was too dark and no amount of enhancement could make it viewable.

 

-D

[grammy c]

Sitting on our HAL balcony over holiday cruise2006, we were watching another Hal ship along side (maybe couple hundred feet) as we were both departing their private island, when this HUGE Marlin jumped between the two ships! As we are dedicated deep sea fishers, but have yet to catch one of these, it was a THRILL!!!! Got to do some fishing in the bahamas!

[Caliber1]

Haven't seen any flying fish yet, and Alaska is in the planning stages. But on the Miracle, in the middle of the gulf while eating lunch, a couple of dolphins kept pace with the ship for about 5 minutes. Awesome animals.

[98Charlie]

#1 on my list:

 

Sailing home from Alaska on our aft balcony on NCL Star with nothing but dark blue waters beneath us at night and the Big Dipper direcly above us in the deep blue skies.

 

#2

 

Touching my first sting ray at Sting Ray City. I'm terrified of water, can't swim, but but my first touch of the sea creature's velvet like skin reminded me of petting my first puppy dog when I was a little girl.

 

#3

 

Cruising through a gale a couple of years ago and being out on deck to see it raining like crazy on one side of the deck while the skies were blue and dry on the other side. Almost like sailing on two ships at one time.

 

Dianne

[rellersi]

Or maybe you can. FLYING COWS, thats right cows, I saw cows fly passed our stateroom window. Sometime around 3 or 4 in the morning the captain made an announcement about possible rough seas due to funnel cload activity in the area. The announcement woke me up and I looked out the window and could have sworn I saw cows flying past. I look away, shook my head, and looked again and did see a funnel cload, but the cows were gone.

[poptart]

Nothing really new to add but here's what I've seen and loved--

 

Watching the dolphins jumping in the wake of the ship.

 

Sailing down the Mississipi on a foggy night

 

Watching the "pilot" jump off our moving ship onto the moving pilot boat as we left St. Thomas--wow!! Looked really scary to me and it took several tries for them to get lined up right.

 

Going under the Tampa bridge.

 

Many beautiflu sunsets and few sunrises.

 

Lordy!! I can't wait until September!!!!

[snorkelman]

The infamous "green flash" that lasts a second or two when the sun sets.

 

Yep, the same thing that is mentioned in the most recent Pirates of the Caribbean movie.

 

It doesn't happen all the time and only in certain places (not all Caribbean islands).

[Mikel1733]

1) Flying fish

 

2) Extreme lightning storm at sea

 

3) A U.S. Submarine surfaced a couple of hundred yards from our ship as we sailed from GC to Jamaica

[Caliber1]

1) 3) A U.S. Submarine surfaced a couple of hundred yards from our ship as we sailed from GC to Jamaica

 

Now that would be an awesome sight to see.

[ScottsSweetie]

Another vote here for the trip down the Mississippi - it's pretty cool.

 

Also the flying fish.

 

When docked in some ports, it's pretty awesome to look down and see the ship surrounded by what looks like HUNDREDS of jellyfish :eek: !

[river_sand_bar2]

Ok, this wasn't on a cruise.. but I was out to sea on a sea trials for a new ship I was building...

 

Back in '94, we were about 1200 miles out at sea and it was pitch black... not a cloud in the sky, but a millions stars that lit up the night... then it happened.. 1, then another one and soon there were more then I could count... red ones, blues ones and the most amazing green ones... we were in the middle of a meteor shower...

 

One of the most amazing sights I have ever seen...

[momof4boys]

This is the BEST thread. Just reading it brings to mind so many wonderful memories. Now I am really pumped for my trip.

 

In addition to the dolphins, lightening storms, pilot boat, sun sets, sun rises, and beautiful starry nights:

 

1. Oil rigs in the distance as you leave Galveston.

 

2. Coming into port at Jamaica....staring at those gorgeous mountains, and........DH started humming the Juraissic Park theme song, Honest to goodness I thought I saw a flying dinosaur in the distance!!!:D

 

3. Watching my family and our best friends setting sail on any cruise.

[Thirsty Cruiser]

Tie between the following -- both happened on our first cruise:

• Watching the drawers in our cabin open and slam shut because of rough seas from remnants of hurricane Andrew.
  
• The twin towers reflecting the morning sun on return to New York. (Sadly, something I will ever see again)

[amanda1070]

We saw two manatees next to the ship while still at port in Cape canaveral. That was kinda cool.

[halos]

coolest things I've seen at sea were not from cruise ships but from whale watch boats.

Nothing like being on a 25 ft boat with a 35 ft whale coming up right beside you. :D

[mom23guys]

Alaska is definitely amazing. Scenery 24-7. Whale, otter, porpoises all swimming alongside. Glaciers calving with seals sitting on icebergs floating by. Bald eagles soaring over the Lido deck in Ketcikan.

[trevette1981]

Flying fish- at 1st I stupidly thought they were dragon flies!LOL!

 

Going under Sunshine Skyway!

[MIZZ_K]

The big green sea turtles as we we coming in to calica

[KenM]

Sailing out of Trinidad and watching the setting sun set turn the clouds a magnificent color and pouring a glass of connundrum with two other couples that we have known more years then we can count..THe laughter, the feeling that you are at peace.....

 

The following week, the wife of one our cruise mates died of a blood clot.

 

Bottom line: do it now and enjoy life .. Don't put it off

 

I always remember that night and all the others do also..........

[Wennfred]

Chasing a Russian fast attack Submarine for 3 days while onboard the USS Elliot, a Spruance Class Destroyer used mainly for Anti-Submarine Warfare and then finally making that Russian Sub come up for air. :D We mainly chased them for some Russian Vodka and we gave them Strawberry Ice Cream out in the middle of the Indian Ocean :)

 

The other is watching Flying Fish fly for long distances in the Indian Ocean while the water was steady and flat like a mirror.

 

 

Fred

[the_dylaness]

Leaving Sydney Harbour at night... the opera house, the bridge, everything there made for my most memorable sailaway ever. Absolutely breathtaking.

 

A far second was leaving St Thomas at night, just a couple days before Christmas. It was fun to see the lights and displays twinkling (not as gaudy as some in the US but still a lot of them) as we sailed away... I really enjoyed this, and I don't even celebrate C hristmas!