R
Rubysky
Guest
It is called Dressing the Ship
Except for a few signals it is just done to look good. There is no real meaning when this is done.
Here is an exerpt from yacht club Flag Etiquette I expect it is the same for cruise ships.
Dressing Ship
From time to time on national holidays, at regattas, and on other special occasions you may wish to dress ship. Your International Code signal flag set should be of sufficient size to go from water line in the bow to water line in the stern. Flags and pennants are bent on alternately. Since there are twice as many letter flags as numerical pennants, the practice is to follow a sequence of two flags, one pennant, two flags, one pennant, throughout. The recommended sequence is: AB2, UJ1, KE3, GH6, IV5, FL4, DM7, PO Third Repeater, RN First Repeater, ST Zero, CX9, WQ8, ZY Second Repeater. Except in a parade you should not get under way while dressed ship.
Except for a few signals it is just done to look good. There is no real meaning when this is done.
Here is an exerpt from yacht club Flag Etiquette I expect it is the same for cruise ships.
Dressing Ship
From time to time on national holidays, at regattas, and on other special occasions you may wish to dress ship. Your International Code signal flag set should be of sufficient size to go from water line in the bow to water line in the stern. Flags and pennants are bent on alternately. Since there are twice as many letter flags as numerical pennants, the practice is to follow a sequence of two flags, one pennant, two flags, one pennant, throughout. The recommended sequence is: AB2, UJ1, KE3, GH6, IV5, FL4, DM7, PO Third Repeater, RN First Repeater, ST Zero, CX9, WQ8, ZY Second Repeater. Except in a parade you should not get under way while dressed ship.
