Cruise Ship Adjustments - 1

 Diamond Princess - Cowes, Victoria - January 2010

By virtue of me being a compass adjuster, Port Phillip Sea Pilot Captain Charles Griffiths, a good friend of mine, was able to take me aboard Diamond Princess with him as an observer while he piloted her into Westernport and anchored her off Cowes and then piloted her back out to Bass Strait that night.

Heading out to Diamond Princess in Bass Strait, aboard the Westernport pilot launch on 1st. January 2010.

Charles piloting Diamond Princess to the Cowes anchorage.

Preparing for tendering operations.

Cowes pier from the ship's starboard bridge wing.

(L-R) The ship's Master, Captain Dino Sagani, and the Staff Captain.

The crew pool and jacuzzi.

Disembarking the ship by pilot launch at 0100 on 02/01/10.

Celebrity Century - Melbourne to South Australia and Sydney - November 2015

Just after I returned from my latest Dawn Princess cruises, I was asked to perform a compass adjustment aboard the cruise ship Celebrity Century. I negotiated with the ship's marine superintendent in Miami to perform this adjustment while accommodated in a pilot's cabin from Melbourne on 13th November to Adelaide, Port Lincoln and Sydney on 19th November (end of cruise).

Some of the crew relaxing on the foredeck just before sailing from Melbourne.

The Port Phillip Sea Pilot Captain Tim Fitzgerald took the ship out.

The Staff Captain undocking the ship.

Underway from Station Pier.

The bridge team on departure Adelaide (L-R) the helmsman (out of shot), the First Officer, the Adelaide Port Pilot, the Captain and the Staff Captain.

Approaching Port Lincoln wharf.

Alongside - gangway being put in place.

Sailing from Port Lincoln.

The compass binnacle was in an unusual location - at the aft end of the signal deck. It had to be accessed via an internal vertical ladder and a steel hatch cover.

The ship issued me with a temporary crew pass for my time on board.

The very affable and competent ship's Master, Captain Theodoros Zakkas and me.

Golden Princess - Benoa, Bali - April 2016

I performed this adjustment at  Benoa, Bali while the ship was recovering her tenders. I was aboard from Melbourne to Hong Kong.

The ship's Master, Captain Dino Sagani, (R), Staff Captain, Captain Timothy Graham-Barrett (L) and me on the bridge.

The Italian deck cadet, on his last voyage before he qualifies as a deck officer was an observer while I performed the adjustment.

The last group of passengers on tour returning to the ship.

 Royal Princess - Bridgetown, Barbados - November 2016

Silver Spirit and Royal Princess at Bridgetown, Barbados.

On the bridge with Captain Craig Street

On the compass platform with the Staff Captain (l) and Captain (r).

On the bridge at St. Lucia

Cruise Ship Adjustments - 2

Caribbean Princess - Belize - December 2016

Caribbean Princess at Fort Lauderdale.

At anchor off Belize City.

  

Swinging the ship at anchor.

With Captain Giorgio Pomata,

The Persons On Board status display.

At Cozumel.

  
Regal Princess - Montego Bay, Jamaica - December 2016

Regal Princess anchored at Grand Caymen.

Sailing from Montego Bay.

  Diamond Princess -  Laem Chabang, Thailand - February 2017

 I did this adjustment during a shift-ship.

Sailing from Singapore.

On the bridge at the pre-departure meeting, Captain Graham Goodway (centre).

On the monkey island with the Senior Second Officer.

 

 

Majestic Princess - Shanghai to Sydney - August 2018

 As this was the ship's first foray into the Southern Hemisphere, the Captain asked me to perform a magnetic compass adjustment which I was happy to perform between Brisbane and Sydney. A cameraman filming for the UK ITV series The Cruise filmed the adjustment - unfortunately it all ended up on the cutting room floor!

A Deck Cadet (left) and the Senior Second Officer (middle) assisting.

After the adjustment, Captain Dino Sagani presented me with a plaque of the ship's crest - a most appreciated gift.

   

Golden Princess - Port Denarau, Fiji - January 2019

In Noumea, these two Italian Deck Cadets assisted with my preparations for the upcoming magnetic compass adjustment.

At anchor off Port Denarau, Fiji. The Officer of the Watch swung the ship at anchor while I performed a magnetic compass adjustment here.

Ship's tenders waiting to take passengers ashore.

The personnel on board display on the bridge.

It’s indeed a small world. This young bloke from UK, on board for a familiarisation program, has just joined Princess as a Third Officer. He was sailing his final voyage as a Deck Cadet aboard the container ship CMA CGM Eiffel when I was doing a compass adjustment on that ship, sailing from Melbourne, eighteen months ago.

Compass adjustment and paperwork successfully finished.

The ship's Master, Captain Domenico Lubrano, gave me this lovely bottle of wine in appreciation of the compass adjustment - much appreciated!

Majestic Princess - Hong Kong to Sydney - April 2019

I was pleased to perform a magnetic compass adjustment for the ship, in the South China Sea, en-route Hong Kong. On the compass platform, (L-R) the Deck Cadet, First Officer and Third Mate. The ship's Master was
Captain Dino Sagani.

The bow from the compass platform.