Captain Kate McCue's "Captain's Log" video series gives viewers a special look into how cruise ships operate.
Sometimes this looks at something small, like how the coffee machine on the bridge works. On other occasions she offers a true behind-the-scenes look at how she and her bridge crew run the ship.
In a recent edition of the video series, she went deep into something many passengers likely never thought about.
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"Today's Captain's Log, let's talk bridge wings. I wanted to bring this up because someone asked the other day if we ever navigate from the center cockpit because they only see videos of us out on the bridge wings," she shared.
Celebrity Beyond, the ship she commands, has enclosed wings that extend from either side of the bridge to provide visibility down the sides of the ship.
"For the most part, we navigate from the center cockpit and then we'll manually take the controls out on the bridge wings as we start the docking maneuver or vice versa for undocking," she added.
"We use the wings when navigating narrow waterways as well, like the Panama Canal or when we're operating the magic carpet for tender operations."
The Magic Carpet is an added space on the side of Celebrity Beyond that can be moved up and down a ship. It's used in different ways, including as a boarding area for tender ships, the small boats that bring passengers to ports where the big ships can't dock.
Image source: Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity's Captain Kate warns about windows
The bridge wings enable the bridge crew to see what's happening on the ocean. That's why warnings are posted in some balconies and ocean-view cabins. They ask the passengers in those rooms to turn off their lights at night when using the balcony or having the curtain open for the balcony or window.
"Windows in the deck of the bridge wings also give us a great vantage point when we're anchoring," Captain Kate says. "The equipment on the wings mimics the equipment in the center cockpit so that we don't have to keep running back and forth. The wings have radars, electronic charts, radios, thruster, and azipod controls, dynamic positioning, and my favorite, the whistle."
Azipod controls enable a ship to stay in place without dropping an anchor.
McCue also outlined a common interaction with passengers, along with a warning.
"It's funny because we do an inside access tour for guests, and when they come up to the bridge, we take them out on the bridge wing and we always hear the same thing. They say, oh, we can see you from our room," she said. "Yes, we can see you too, all of you."
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Having worked on a variety of ships, McCue likes the design of Celebrity Beyond.
"I've sailed on ships with open and enclosed bridge wings and after being in chilly Alaska or the heat of European summer I'll take enclosed bridge wings any day because it means you're not maneuvering while standing out in the elements, be it rain, sun, snow, wind or hail," she added.
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