What does 'code alpha' mean on a cruise ship?

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This was published 6 years ago

What does 'code alpha' mean on a cruise ship?

By Michael Gebicki
The announcement "Mr Mob", or "Oscar, Oscar, Oscar", is the signal for "man overboard".

The announcement "Mr Mob", or "Oscar, Oscar, Oscar", is the signal for "man overboard".Credit: iStock


It could mean a medical emergency, or it could be a fire somewhere on board, it all depends on the cruise line. Cruise operators use these codes transmitted over their PA system to alert the crew that a situation on board requires attention.

It could be minor, "such as someone threw up on the pool deck, crewman with mop and bucket to attend". On the other hand it might signal something far more serious, such as the announcement "Mr Mob", or "Oscar, Oscar, Oscar", the signal for "Man overboard". The captain does not necessarily want passengers to know what's happening since it could cause panic on board and hamper whatever actions the crew needs to take to remedy the situation, and therefore the coded message.

Unlike the flags or the horn blasts that vessels use to signal to one another, there is no international standard for these alarm codes. Each cruise line uses its own set of codes, since the purpose to the code is to transmit information on a need-to-know basis. Despite that, cruise passengers usually have a way of figuring out what a particular code means on a particular cruise line.

Some codes, though, are almost universal, and they're most likely the ones you really don't want to hear. "Charlie, Charlie, Charlie" will usually indicate a security threat, "Code Red" will probably signal an outbreak of norovirus, but "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot" does not mean "let's party, the discotheque is open".

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