Day 7 – You Have Permission to Enter the Bridge
Another way cool perk of being in the Garden Villa is that your concierge can arrange for you to meet the captain. Having spoken to him briefly a few days before at the Captain's Cocktail Party, I was very much looking forward to talking more with Captain Kostas Fafalios. He is that rare combination of dashingly handsome in features and unabashedly enthusiastic in character. What's not to like? Beyond that, one look at his face reveals a reflected gleam of Wanderlust—the most reassuring thing an adventurer can see in the eyes of their brave and fearless leader.
When the time came for our interview, Alex met us at our room and escorted us all the way fore to the Bridge. He explained that the Bridge is one of the most secure areas on the ship, and that guests rarely are allowed to visit.
The door marked "GREEN ZONE" opened, and I was instantly impressed by the view of the ocean revealed by the panoramic windows before me. The waves that had seemed big from my 14th floor view suddenly seemed close and threatening, much larger than they had from a distance. Then the Captain approached us, and I forgot the stormy seas.
Captain Fafalios seemed even more gleeful on the Bridge than he had at the cocktail party the other night. You can tell that he is an expert traveller, and that he's proud of the Jewel. After he welcomed us to the Bridge, he started to explain the many special technological features of the Jewel.
I must admit that although I have spent a fair amount of time around boats and ships of all sizes, I have never seen anything like the control panels in the Bridge. The closest comparison I can make between these boards covered with screens and lit-up buttons is to the Bridge on Star Trek. However, in this case, we don't have the option of "warp speed."
The Jewel is outfitted with two Azipod propellers, which can steer in any direction, 360 degrees around. It also has three bow thrusters, which are used for getting in and out of those tight parallel parking spaces. They are situated in three tunnels perpendicular to the ship's hull, and allow the Captain to propel the ship straight away from shore. He then showed us the ship's stabilizers. "They only lessen the amount of roll by about 80%, they don't take it away completely," Captain Fafalios tells us with a smile. I smile too, because I have spent much of the interview stumbling around the bridge despite attempts to remain upright and retain my dignity.
One of the neatest views on the ship is from the Bridge's wing, which extends a few feet beyond the rest of the ship. The Captain stands on the wing while docking, and on either side the main controls of the ship are replicated. There is also a square foot of very thick glass that gives you a view straight down. I was quick to try it out, but I insisted on holding onto the railing next to the panel. The sea swells beneath my feet, and I am once again thankful to be on a plush cruise ship rather than an open Viking boat back in 1000 AD. This is a much better choice.
Our host then brought us off the Bridge, around the corner to the public viewing room. Its walls are lined with plaques representing different ports. Captain Fafalios explains that every time the Jewel goes into a new port, they have a plaque exchange ceremony. The room is also full of other passengers, but they don't seem to recognize that the Captain is in the room with them.
Before saying goodbye, Fafalios invites us to return tomorrow as we leave port in St. John's. He wants us to bring the whole family and watch how a cruise ship operates leaving a port. How cool is that! We then say goodbye to the Captain, and Alex escorts us back to our room. Along the way, I notice that he seems excited, too. "No one ever gets to be on the Bridge for departures!" he tells us.
Well, there's a first time for everything. So tomorrow is St. John's AND another chance to see the Bridge. I'm pretty excited about both of those things, but more so just to get back to North America.
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Back to Travel Diaries
Read the other articles:
Day 12 - Air vs Sea
Day 12 - Homecoming
Day 10 - Battle of the Brews
Day 10 - A Taste of Halifax
Day 10 - Halifax: Ghosts and Breweries
Day 9 - The Cultural CV
Day 8 - Bird's Eye View
Day 8 – A Very Special Privilege
Day 8 – Quidi Vidi Brewery – Beer, with a side of history
Day 8 - Signal Hill and the Village of Quidi Vidi
Day 8 - North America's Far East
Day 8 - New Found Land
Day 8 – Land! Land! St. John’s, Newfoundland
Day 7 – You Have Permission to Enter the Bridge (you are here)
A Peak at the Inner Workings of the Norwegian Jewel
How to Pour Champagne in a Moving Vehicle
Days 5-6 Shetlands to Iceland
Days 0-4 Dover to the Shetlands
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Norwegian Cruise Line
Added 2008/09/28 @ 19:14:28
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