What are Tiger Deployments in Relation to the US Navy?

Question

My husband is in the Navy and has heard of "Tiger Deployments" where the spouses or family members of a sailor can deploy on the ship.

These deployments are only for a day usually just out in the ocean and back. He heard that sometimes they dock in another country and family members can buy tickets to fly there and are shipped back on the ship with their sailors.

I was wondering if anyone has heard of these "Tiger" Deployments? Can you really be shipped back across an ocean with the sailor (if you fly to an international port)? Is this an actual fact?

Answer 1

You basicly have it right. Going out for one day is a dependents cruise, and usuall can bring your entire family for the day.

Tiger cruise is when male children are allowed to go out with dad (age limit) usually 1-5 days from the states and forieng ports. This is space available because each child must have thier own rack (bed) assigned to them.

I have seeen them where the ship is coming homme from deployment, the family flyes to Hawaii spends a week, with dad, then the kids are allowed to return to the states with dad on the ship. Have seen manny, 23 years experiance in the Navy. Need any more info e-mail me.

Answer 2

It is not a "Deployment"


It is called a "Tiger Cruise" and yes they are real.

A Ship returning from a six month overseas deployment will usually have a Tiger Cruise from its last stop before Home and Home.

For a West Coast based ship this Means a Tiger Cruise from Hawaii back to San Diego ( Or wherever else it is based)

At the Time I was in only males could be on a Tiger Cruise ( Women were still not allowed on combat ships.) and it was also restricted to immediate family. Brothers, Fathers, or Sons.

Usually about a third of the ships crew got advanced leave and left the ship in Hawaii. The space freed up would be for the "Tigers" to travel with the Ship.

Another type of Cruise was the "Dependants Day Cruise" and was open to all family, Male and Female as well as more distant relations as well. My Wifes Family He Mother Sister and Brothers went with us on a Dep Day Cruise once.

A Dependants day Cruise is done when a ship is NOT on deployment. Usually done shortly BEFORE a ship deploys for six months or more. The ship will leave homeport in the morning and just go offshore outside the harbor. It will return by late afternoon after only having been gone a few hours.

On Both types of cruises there are a variety of activities and demostrations showing the ships capabilities and the training and jobs of the various Familymembers that are in the service.

Answer 3

Tiger Cruises typically take place at the end of a long deployment. Certain friends and family members get on board at the last Liberty Port before returning home and transit the final leg of the voyage., usually about a week or so

NO SPOUSES are allowed. Children must be 9 years old to embark. they are typically limited to one or two family members/friends.

Family Day Cruises spouses may go on. It is a one day affair, where they will leave home port for the day and show off, fire the guns, maybe have a flyover, toss in a Steel Beach Picnic.

The Last Tiger cruise, my husband actuall got off the ship in Hawai'i and stayed with me for three days before flying back to San Diego. Of course, when the ship pulled in to San Diego, he was the only one going on board her while everybody else was getting off. because he got to leave early, he had to be Command Duty Officer the day they got back, so that somebody who hadn't gotten to see family could go home.

Answer 4

Yes they have "Tiger Cruises" but it is usually a short distance and not international, like from Norfolk, Va to Florida and back. Officers can fly their families out internationally to meet them at foreign port sometimes but not the lowly enlisted.

Answer 5

They are for the kids and parents of the sailor, NOT the spouse. They usually go from HI to CA. I have heard it is really fun.