The Hellenic Navy (HN) (Greek: Πολεμικό Ναυτικό, Polemikó Naftikó, abbreviated ΠΝ) is the naval force of Greece, part of the Greek Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy has its roots in the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independence. During the periods of monarchy (1833–1924 and 1936–1973) it was known as the Royal Navy (Βασιλικόν Ναυτικόν, Vasilikón Naftikón, abbreviated ΒΝ).The total displacement of all the navy's vessels is approximately 150,000 tons.The motto of the Hellenic Navy is "Μέγα το της Θαλάσσης Κράτος" from Thucydides' account of Pericles' oration on the eve of the Peloponnesian War. This has been roughly translated as "Great is the country that controls the sea". The Hellenic Navy's emblem consists of an anchor in front of a crossed Christian cross and trident, with the cross symbolizing Greek Orthodoxy, and the trident symbolizing Poseidon, the god of the sea in Greek mythology. Pericles' words are written across the top of the emblem. "The navy, as it represents a necessary weapon for Greece, should only be created for war and aim to victory."...............The Hellenic Merchant Marine refers to the Merchant Marine of Greece, engaged in commerce and transportation of goods and services universally. It consists of the merchant vessels owned by Greek civilians, flying either the Greek flag or a flag of convenience. Greece is a maritime nation by tradition, as shipping is arguably the oldest form of occupation of the Greeks and a key element of Greek economic activity since the ancient times. Nowadays, Greece has the largest merchant fleet in the world, which is the second largest contributor to the national economy after tourism and forms the backbone of world shipping. The Greek fleet flies a variety of flags, however some Greek shipowners gradually return to Greece following the changes to the legislative framework governing their operations and the improvement of infrastructure.Blogger Tips and Tricks
This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς....This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς.........

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Cruise Questions...[ 2584 ]

'Stupid' Cruise Questions, Part Deux

By
Published December 26, 2011 //  FoxNews.com

  • Cruise Ship Vacation
    Reuters
In my recent "Stupid Cruise Questions Answered" column, I invited readers to send me their own questions and comments. There were no "stupid cruise questions" I hadn't heard before, but I did receive some clever jokes I had forgotten. Please keep the cruise jokes coming. 
I thought it time to address some more "stupid questions" that, over the months, I have received from cruisers. The most well-known "stupid cruise questions" are in the repertoire of most cruise directors and ship comedians, so I hear them all the time, but I really don't think some are funny. (Maybe because I personally asked some of them at one time?) 
Here's a selection:
"What is our elevation?" Obviously, a ship always floats at sea level - but if you mean "how far above the water line are we when standing on deck 12?" then your "elevation" is closer to 50 ft. That's a perfectly valid question. At least I thought so when I asked it. One crew member said he was in Glacier Bay, Alaska, when he was asked "what is our elevation?" I suppose many people confuse elevation with latitude. Glacier Bay is 58 degrees north. 
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I received an email from one crew member who was asked, "Does this elevator stop at deck 11?" and he replied "Only if you want it to..." 
To me, that is more of stupid answer than a stupid question. Several emails cited "do these stairs go up?" as a hilariously stupid question. I never found this question to be that funny. I once started to ask an officer if a set of stairs went up to deck 10, but he started laughing when I got to "Do these stairs go up..." and I didn't get to finish. I wanted to "deck" that officer, to be honest. 
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Funny Cruise Stories 
A little old lady is invited to dine at the captain's table, where she asks him, "Sir, do these magnificent ships sink very often?" The captain replies, "Only once, madam." Once again, silly question or silly answer? The lady wrote a letter to the cruise line's president complaining she was "forced to eat with the crew."
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April 15 is the 100-year anniversary of the sinking of Titanic. Is 100 years still "too soon?" I will let you be the judge... Bruce Ismay, designer of the Titanic, asked Captain Edward Smith how far it was to the nearest soil. "It's about two miles," the captain replied. "Straight down." 
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Serious Cruise Questions 
Dozens of people sent me serious cruise questions, so I will answer the most popular ones first: 
"What kind of clothes should I pack for my cruise?" For a typical tropical cruise you have daytime and nighttime clothes. Daytime clothes include cargo shorts with lots of pockets; t-shirts and sneakers are fine for on the ship or on shore. You will want a swimsuit for the beaches and swimming pools. Hats and sunglasses are a must for sun protection. 
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During the day, you can wear the same clothes onboard or on shore, except bathing suits are not allowed in dining rooms. Nighttime attire (after 6:00 p.m.) means no jeans, shorts or t-shirts in the main public areas. If you don't feel like dressing up for dinner, the buffet area is always casual. Proper nighttime restaurant attire requires slacks and collared shirts for men. Neckties are optional on "casual" ships, while a dinner jacket and tie qualifies you for "formal night" on almost any ship.
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If you are already booked, check your cruise line's web site for dress code clarification. Price is not always an indicator. Some of the most elegant ships are entirely "cruise casual," while some more "affordable" lines still have formal nights.
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Here is a summary of most cruise line dress codes: 
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Mainstream cruise lines: Carnival, Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean prefer slacks and collared shirts after 6:00 p.m., but if you only brought jeans and t-shirts you will probably be allowed in the dining room. Just keep in mind that you will stand out like a sore thumb, much like at church or a wedding. 
Premium lines: Princess, Holland America, Celebrity, Disney. These lines will not tolerate jeans or t-shirts after dark, and will deny you entrance to the dining room. They will have "optional elegant" nights where most men will wear dinner jackets with ties optional. Women will wear skirts or coordinated pants suits.

Upscale lines: Oceania Cruises, Azamara, Windstar, Great American Steamboat Company and river cruise lines. These lines have relaxed their dress codes, recommending "country club casual" every night. 

Luxury Lines: Seabourn, Silversea and Regent are also "country club casual" almost all the time. This means collared shirts for men (polo shirts are OK) with slacks, dark socks and dress shoes. Skirts or elegant pants suits for the ladies are good. They may have one "elegant" night per 14-day cruise - add a jacket, tie optional. 

There are two luxury cruise lines where you'll still typically see men in tuxedos and ladies in ball gowns -- Cunard Line and Crystal Cruises. 
If true "Golden Age" formal dress is what you want in a cruise you can't beat Cunard's Queen Mary 2 transatlantic crossings. It's ballroom is the most truly elegant place at sea. These days, you only see a handful of passengers in tuxedos on a typical Caribbean cruise. Very few ships mandate formal dress to enter the dining room anymore. 
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True formal dress is now "optional" - a remnant for the people who still want to strut their stuff on ships. Men: With a pair of dark slacks, dinner jacket, dress shirt with necktie, shoes and other collared shirts (polo acceptable) you ready for any dress code. 
For the more casual ships skip the necktie. But taking it up a notch on any ship is a sure way to get the ladies to notice you. Ladies: Mix-and-match packing is the most efficient approach; more outfits can be created out of fewer pieces. Don't underdress, don't overdress. 
If you bring a different ensemble for every night, you will probably stand out more than you want. Bring your best fake jewelry to liven up your wardrobe. Large, colorful bangles go over very well on cruises. 
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Everyone: Do not go overboard buying new clothes for your first cruise - wait and see how regular cruisers dress. Also, avoid the temptation to buy "nautical" themed clothes - epaulets, stripes on armbands, captain's hats, etc. 
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Almost all cruise ships have laundry services for dry cleaning and pressing. A travel steamer comes in handy, but irons are not allowed on ships. Many ships have laundromats on passenger decks with washer-dryers and ironing. 

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