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Originally posted by DAMBROSI2:
Welcome to the forum Seacruiser12, the reason why...is as far as I can recall, it's for the beginning day of cruising for passengers. It makes it look very festive and a welcome aboard. I'm sure others have a better explanation.

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Thanks DAMBROSI2. How about the lights on some ships that run from the bow to stern too?

However on the mast you will still see the ships flying traditional signal flags. Red for a ship in quarantine or fueling danger, yellow for caution, half red half white for pilot aboard, a blue and white box for about to sail, etc.

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Originally posted by seacruiser12:
Why do newer ships like the Disney Dream and most (or all?)RCI ships don't have the festive lights?

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On the many cruises I have been onboard the SUPERSTAR VIRGO, I have noticed that the lights are very well maintained with only one or two bulbs fused. And the strange placement of the festive lights on the NORWEGIAN EPIC.

Regarding the flags they are just tradition. In days of yore signal flags were hung bow to stern on arriving in port as a sign of happiness [relief? perhaps] of getting there safely. In later years the signal flags were required to be strung in a particular order, so as not to inadvertantly spell out any message.

Even 'etiquette' perhaps these days to hang them when in port as a sign of 'we love to be here'? Some ships have them up on turn around days, some more often and on special occasions. They are not always signal flags any more, MSC hang MSC flags, blue on white, and white on blue.

Cruise ships in Southampton often have them up, and in the MED too - perhaps it is no longer so common in the Caribbean/US? It is always nice to see the ships dressed and I personally think it is 'lazy seamanship' if they are not. I very much doubt that is the case though

Turnaround days.
National (non religious) holidays if in port.
Special celebrations if in port.
Visits by VIPS.

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Originally posted by PamM:
[QB]
Even 'etiquette' perhaps these days to hang them when in port as a sign of 'we love to be here'? Some ships have them up on turn around days, some more often and on special occasions. They are not always signal flags any more, MSC hang MSC flags, blue on white, and white on blue.

[QUOTE]

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I was talking about before the days of modern comforts like air conditioning and stabilizers which would also have been before you went to sea with the P & O / Princess company !

This isn't just related to P&O ships. Sea Princess does this when she home ports here, as to the bigger Seabourn new builds (Odyssey) the Silver ships and so on. And I see all the ships that start cruises in FL flying them when they get back to FL, I guess u see the ship dressed down when you fly in and dressed when you leave the ship as well.

I asked the then captain of Queen Mary 2 Mr. Warwick, when she pulled into Barbados on her maiden back in 2004, why she doesn't fly dress flags and lights? His reply was simple, ship is too long and rigging them is complexed, same for the lights.

Most other ships that are just passing through Barbados for the day, do not fly their dress flags.

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Originally posted by cruiseshipluver:

I asked the then captain of Queen Mary 2 Mr. Warwick, when she pulled into Barbados on her maiden back in 2004, why she doesn't fly dress flags and lights? His reply was simple, ship is too long and rigging them is complexed, same for the lights.

cruiseshipluver

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What about the smaller Royal Caribbean ships, like the Legend Of The Seas. She only flies dress flags on the bow and on the stern but not the middle.

Regarding the lights, why don't ships which have them in front of the bridge switch them on while sailing?

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Originally posted by seacruiser12:
[QB]
Regarding the lights, why don't ships which have them in front of the bridge switch them on while sailing?

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quote:

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Originally posted by seacruiser12:

What about the smaller Royal Caribbean ships, like the Legend Of The Seas. She only flies dress flags on the bow and on the stern but not the middle.

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Yeah I know, some other smaller ships only fly forward of the mast and aft of the funnel, Why I don't know.