Embarking/Disembarking On The Port Or Starboard Side??

Sarge6870 · March 23, 2010

Ok, this can be useful or useless or just plain interesting!! Back in 2007, we Sailed aboard the Carnival Triumph doing the Western Carib cruise. The Triumph at that time had been alternating weeks between the Eastern and Western Carib. I had been watching the ship arrive and leave Port Canaveral many weeks prior via a webcam link. I noticed that 1 week, the ship would dock to the pier on the port side and the next week on the starboard side. We had did the Carnival "Renewal Of Vows" package on this cruise and had the pleasure of having Captain LaFauci (Captain Of The Triumph) officiate our ceremony. After the ceremony, he joined us for cake and conversation. Truly a great man, VERY down to earth and sooo funny!! I had explained to him I had been watching him commandeer the vessel in and out of the channel for the last few weeks and posed the docking question to him. He said, " When we do the Eastern Caribbean, There is no rush to leave (since the trip to the Eastern Islands is shorter) the channel so we can dock the vessel Port to the dock and have time to be last out and manouver the ship the 360 degree turn in the channel to leave. But when we do the Western Caribbean leg (which is a farther trip), the trip takes much longer and we have to be 1st out of the canal with no time to perform the 360 degree turn. So when we return from the Western Caribbean, we can go straight into the docking procedure but when we return from the Eastern Caribbean, we have to do our 360 turn on arrival in the morning so we can go straight out in the afternoon to the Western Caribbean." It made sense! The reason I posted this was because I have been watching the Carnival Dream (which is also doing alternating Western-Eastern Carib cruises) on the Port Canaveral webcam and last Saturday, was docked on the Port side and did it's 360 degree turn before heading to the Eastern Carib in the afternoon. Like I said, may not be useful, but I found it interesting!!

rogue · March 23, 2010

You're right. It is very interesting. I'd like to know who actually plan it.

GottaCruz · March 23, 2010

That is interesting info, Sarge. Thanks for posting it and welcome to CruiseCrazies. Hope to see you posting here often.

DebbieandJerry · March 24, 2010

I'll have to pay attention when we cruise in Nov. We're doing an Eastern/Western back to back on the Glory out of Miami.

Very interesting.

lashl · March 24, 2010

When we sailed out of Miami we were docked on the port side and were the last out. Makes sense.

Thanks!

Sarge6870 · March 24, 2010

That is interesting info, Sarge. Thanks for posting it and welcome to CruiseCrazies. Hope to see you posting here often.

Thanks GottaCruz!! I've actually been a member for awhile on the CC site but haven't been able to cruise in a few years (and I'm going through withdrawls)!! I've been posting some stuff, expect to see more as the cruise approaches. Then, a review and pics when I return at the end of April. Also, regarding this post, I'm gonna watch and see if the Dream docks Starboard side this Saturday to await it's trip to the Western Carib in the afternoon just to confirm what the Captain of the Triumph told me. If it does, I'll post a pic of that too. Your gonna have trouble getting rid of me!!! :rolleyes2: