Busy Day crossing the IDL
- Paul Hallman
- Feb 11
- 6 min read
Today was a sea day but we were busy attending a personal guest tour of the bridge, beginning my ukulele lessons, partaking in music trivia, having dinner at the Crown Restaurant and attending two concerts in the Universe Theatre. Yes, we kept so busy that we actually jumped in time, passing through the IDL (International Date Line). Even though this evening is Tuesday, tomorrow morning becomes Thursday. If anyone can come up with a clear and simple explanation please let me know, however all I can say or do, is figure out how to set up time and dates on our Tablets, iPhones, iPads and my smart phone. Oh yes, my laptop is out of whack too ! How did the early explorers ever manage without internet and a GPS ?
A Special Invitation to the Bridge of the Coral Princess
Yesterday, the Captain of our ship sent Jan and I an invitation to tour the Bridge of the Coral Princess, and we were honored to accept. We were part of a small group of just twelve guests, which made the experience feel very personal and special. At the entrance to the Bridge, we were greeted by Captain Domagoj Cuculic himself for our private tour.
Meet Captain Domagoj Cuculic
Captain Cuculic is from Croatia and has been sailing with Princess Cruises for 17 years. His favorite port of call is Alaska, and as he spoke about navigating those dramatic fjords and glaciers, you could hear the affection in his voice. Away from the ship, he’s a family man with three young children. His schedule is demanding: four months working at sea, followed by two months at home, and then back again for another four‑month contract. It was clear that, despite the long
stretches away, he takes great pride in his work and in the responsibility of commanding the Coral Princess.
During our visit, he introduced us to Paolo, one of the Bridge junior staff members. Paolo helped walk us through some of the systems and instruments on the Bridge, answering questions and adding his own perspective on life and work at sea.
The Coral Princess is the oldest ship in the fleet and is scheduled for a refurbishment in December of 2026. The ship has some great woodwork in the interior designs but it needs to be modernized.
Learning About our Ship
As part of the tour, the Captain and his team went over some of the key specifications of the Coral Princess, giving us a deeper appreciation for the ship we were sailing on.
Year Built: 2002
Refurbished: 2019
Length Overall: 964 ft
Width (Beam): 105 ft
Air Draft (height above the waterline): 177 ft
Draft (depth of ship in the water): 27 ft
Weight: 50,000 tons
Propulsion Type: Diesel‑electric & gas turbine
Propellers: Two, each 18 ft in diameter
Thrusters: Three on the port side and three on the starboard side
Passengers: 2000 passengers and 900 crew
The combination of diesel‑electric and gas turbine propulsion powers the two massive propellers, each18 feet in diameter, moving this 50,000‑tonne vessel smoothly through the water. The six thrusters—three on each side—allow the Captain to maneuver the ship with impressive precision, especially in tight ports or when docking in challenging conditions.
The navigation bridge is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days per year, and is the operational center of the ship. It's manned by highly trained and qualified deck officers on a four-hour on, eight-hour off rotation, and comprises of two deck officers and two helmsmen. The senior officer of the watch is assisted by the junior officer, and they're responsible to the captain for safe navigation and overall safety of the ship whilst the helmsman maintains a continuous visual lookout. During busy periods, the manning is supplemented by the captain and staff captain . The navigation bridge is the location of both the navigational and safety command center aboard the vessel and it is called the brains of the ship.
This is the main command center of the Bridge with the two watchers at work
The ship carries a flag for every country that they visit
This is the view the staff have when docking the Ship
Here is a description of key items on the ship that make a difference when cruising:
Stabilizers
To maintain guest comfort while the vessel is making way, particularly in rough seas, the Coral Princess is fitted with two electrohydraulic folding fin stabilizers. These are situated around the midship section of the vessel under the waterline and have a span of 20 feet made of steel and designed in a similar shape to airplane wings. When extended, the fins tilt up and down to actively reduce rolling, the effect of the water flowing over the fins as the ship moves ahead produces a lifting moment, creating a force to counteract the vessel's rolls and provides a comfort cruising level for the passengers.
Thrusters
The Coral Princess is fitted with three bow thrusters and three stern thrusters. They can be used to move the ship sideways at speeds of up to 6 knots, and when stopped, the ship can be turned 360 degrees using thrusters alone in under 10 minutes.
Propulsion
The ship is fitted with two inward‑turning, fixed‑pitch propellers cast in bronze. Each propeller has a diameter of 18 feet and weighs 39,000 pounds. The ship is fitted with two inward‑turning, fixed‑pitch propellers cast in bronze. Each propeller has a diameter of 18 feet and weighs 39,000 pounds.
Navigational Equipment & Radar
Coral Princess was one of the first passenger vessels certified to use electronic charts as her primary method of navigation. The ship also uses radar to determine the distance to an object by measuring the time it takes for a pulse of energy to travel from the transmitter to the object and back again. This data is used to create a picture on the radar display, alerting the officers on the bridge to the presence and position of other ships, land, or obstacles.
Safety and Management Systems
The systems aboard the Coral Princess tie all major shipboard safety functions together and are managed through a computerized network. Approximately 15,000 sensors are located throughout the ship, including smoke detectors, temperature sensors, and many other safety control devices, all working together to monitor conditions and help ensure passenger and crew safety. It also monitors all watertight doors and flooding sensors, providing continuous oversight of the ship’s integrity and enabling a rapid response in the event of an emergency.
Whale Watching
When at sea the "Watch Staff" are always on the lookout for other ships, sea life and other potential obstacles that can harm their path, or even be injured or killed. A major concern is the presence of whales in the waterway, Whales face significant dangers from vessel strikes, not just from large ships but also from recreational, fishing and offshore vessels. The risk is particularly high in regions with dense whale populations or where migration routes overlap with busy shipping lanes. Navigational equipment, no matter how advanced, cannot always pick up a whale recovering just one meter below the water level.
The ship maintains a list of whales and their identification so the "watch staff" can pick them out as they cruise through open waters. Here is a set of photographs with the various kinds of whales that the ship watch team are looking to find,
Whale Watching Photos
The staff in the Bridge were kind enough to allow us to have our photos taken at the helm. It was a good feeling to be behind the wheel of a cruise ship, if only for 1 minute. And for those that understand, with Captain Paul at the helm there were NO HALLMAN EXPERIENCES today either. Maybe because Jan was there beside me to ensure safety.
A Memorable Experience
Being invited to the Bridge of the Coral Princess was a privilege we won’t soon forget. From meeting Captain Cuculic and learning about his life at sea, to being introduced to Paolo and hearing about the technical side of the ship, the tour gave us a whole new appreciation for what goes on behind the scenes. The next time we’re out on deck watching the ship glide into port, we’ll be thinking of the Bridge high above, the team at work, and the incredible vessel carrying us on our journey.
Later today the Hawaiian teaching team that led the hula group and Ukulele class put on a concert and dance show for the passengers. About 40 played Ukulele and another 20 dances for the audience. Over 70% of the Ukulele players had never played a Ukulele prior to boarding in LA.
Final Goodbye to the Eukelele & Hula Classes
There was a 10 year old girl that never played Ukelele before that learned how to play
Bye Bye American Pie
Our day ended with a stage show featuring Grant Galea and his final act, impersonating former Presidents and some actors speaking the words from Don McLean's song American Pie. Enjoy the last bit of our day as we cross the International Date Line.
Tomorrow is Wednesday in Canada and in the USA, but for everyone on the ship it is Thursday. I can't explain it very well but even living through the time change it is complex. Stay in touch as we Time Travel around the world to Apia, West Samoa.
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