WHEN: April 15, 2010
WHERE: Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center, Norfolk
I was pleasantly surprised to see this sight (and sound) as I rounded a curve on my drive to work in downtown Norfolk this morning.
The Costa Atlantica of Costa Cruises. It's home port is Genova, Italy and is 960ft. long (just to get the facts out of the way ;)
Costa Atlantica from my office.
Bow-facing webcam atop the ship (at 8am).
Stern-facing webcam (with my office in the top left corner!)
Webcams on the ship can be viewed LIVE at the bottom of Costa Atlantic's website (in case you have nothing better to do).
Today marks the "beginning" of the cruise season in Norfolk. Not that the season is impressive by any means but if it means I get to see these ships in the front yard of my workplace, I am excited! At least according to the Cruise Norfolk website, there is a spring and fall cruise season. A different cruise ship - Royal Caribbean's Enchantment of the Seas - is scheduled to make an appearance about once a week during the month of May and twice in June, then cruises don't resume in Norfolk again until October. I was able to catch a couple cruise ships in port last Fall when I first started work in Norfolk. Today was the first time in 6 months since I've seen one and I was not content to observe from a distance. I grabbed my lunch pail and drove to downtown for lunch and ate in the shadows of giants.
Today marks the "beginning" of the cruise season in Norfolk. Not that the season is impressive by any means but if it means I get to see these ships in the front yard of my workplace, I am excited! At least according to the Cruise Norfolk website, there is a spring and fall cruise season. A different cruise ship - Royal Caribbean's Enchantment of the Seas - is scheduled to make an appearance about once a week during the month of May and twice in June, then cruises don't resume in Norfolk again until October. I was able to catch a couple cruise ships in port last Fall when I first started work in Norfolk. Today was the first time in 6 months since I've seen one and I was not content to observe from a distance. I grabbed my lunch pail and drove to downtown for lunch and ate in the shadows of giants.
The bench I ate lunch on today.
The USS Wisconsin
A nearby "tourist park"
Oriental restaurant (Pagoda Garden) within the park
Beautiful flower also inside the park. I just take pictures of them - I don't know names.
Mingling tourists
Never can be too careful when it comes to tourists these days.
Beautiful day in the park!
I asked two couples sitting on a bench if they were on the cruise then asked where it began/was headed. They said it began in Fort Lauderdale, FL and was headed to Quebec, Canada with a stop in New York City tomorrow. One of the couples was from England and the other was from Australia. After spending an hour walking among the hundreds of tourists, they were the first that I heard speaking English. Most appeared to be from the Mediterranean (many looked like they were from Italy or Greece).
I had "walked among the tourists" last Fall as well when one of the ships came in to port. It's a very interesting experience. For one, I'm from Iowa so the fact that I'm standing next to a cruise ship and I'm not on vacation...it's almost confusing. Once I get past the fact that I AM home and it is these people around me that are on vacation, I start to think of where some of these people have come from - from all over the world! I've never been on a cruise (or to another country for that matter) but I feel like I get a taste of it when I am down on the waterfront with these tourists. I'm within arm's reach of hundreds of people from countries I may never visit and from all walks of life I will never experience. It's like I'm setting foot into THEIR lives (not vice versa) but all at once and without leaving home. It's quite surreal and I look forward to doing it a few more times before the "spring cruise season" is over.
I asked two couples sitting on a bench if they were on the cruise then asked where it began/was headed. They said it began in Fort Lauderdale, FL and was headed to Quebec, Canada with a stop in New York City tomorrow. One of the couples was from England and the other was from Australia. After spending an hour walking among the hundreds of tourists, they were the first that I heard speaking English. Most appeared to be from the Mediterranean (many looked like they were from Italy or Greece).I had "walked among the tourists" last Fall as well when one of the ships came in to port. It's a very interesting experience. For one, I'm from Iowa so the fact that I'm standing next to a cruise ship and I'm not on vacation...it's almost confusing. Once I get past the fact that I AM home and it is these people around me that are on vacation, I start to think of where some of these people have come from - from all over the world! I've never been on a cruise (or to another country for that matter) but I feel like I get a taste of it when I am down on the waterfront with these tourists. I'm within arm's reach of hundreds of people from countries I may never visit and from all walks of life I will never experience. It's like I'm setting foot into THEIR lives (not vice versa) but all at once and without leaving home. It's quite surreal and I look forward to doing it a few more times before the "spring cruise season" is over.
Rotating in the channel, leaving port
Off to New York!
I've been keeping track of Costa Atlantica on its jaunt from Norfolk to New York tonight. Big surprise, right? I went to (too much) work making this map; but wasted time in the name of blogging is still bliss! That's debatable.
I need a cruise. On to bed...
Bon Voyage!
I need a cruise. On to bed...
Bon Voyage!
1 comments:
I'm surprised you didn't sneak your way on to that ship! I'm sure you could have charmed them for a tour!! I think you and Stace need to get some last minute tickets and hop on one of those cruise ships for a little adventure :) Cool pictures!
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