Panama Cruise Bridge Tour.

One evening during dinner a couple we were having dinner with asked the table if we would be interested in doing a bridge tour of the ship, we said we would definitely be interested. They told us to go to guest services and sign up as they needed at least 15 people to do the tour. When we went to sign up there was another couple in front of us doing the same thing, the fellow at guest services asked us if we had a special occasion because there was a waiting list and only so many spots so people with special events might get priority. The couple in front of us said it was their anniversary so I had to come up with something quick, so I told them that my grandfather used to pilot a ferryboat on Kootenay Lake and I was curious to see the differences in the bridges from when I visited as a child.  Well that little white lie worked and we came back to our cabin and there was a letter for us inviting us on a bridge tour.  It was very interesting.

On duty staff

This ship sails under the Bermuda flag and also whatever country they are sailing into, so when we started in Vancouver they would have had the Canadian flag and the Bermuda flag. This is the case where they keep all of them.

 

When the ship goes into a port to dock, a boat pilot comes aboard to help navigate the port area. They are in charge of the navigation but ultimately the captain has final say except in the Panama Canal. There the pilots have control. 

First Officer, main control area, Don't touch the red button on the far right!

Some Statistics.

The bridge is manned 24/7 365 days a year

There are always 4 officers at all times, working 4 days on 8 days off

The Coral Princess first sailed on Dec 23, 2002 and was specifically built to go through the Panama Canal.  It is 963 ft long and 105 wide.

The maximum speed of the ship is 22 knots (27.5 mph)

It carries 483,000 gallons of fresh water and has a system to desalinate sea water, they can make up to 351,950 gallons per day.

The fuel milage is 41 per gallon

At top speed it takes 1611 metres to stop and takes approx. 356 seconds, this was determined during the initial sea trials.

It took 19,700 tons of steel, 5,550,001 man hours and 375 welders to complete the build

It was definitely an enjoyable tour, the people who told us about the tour weren’t on ours but we did find out later that they did get one as well. Looks like they do them on each sea day and take 15-16 people each tour. So there were 11 sea days with 15 per day is only 165 tours, now there could have been two a day but that is still only 335 tours so I guess coming up with a special reason helped us get a tour.