RCI policy re inviting non passengers on-board?

Has anybody had any experience with the above? We sail into a Port where our Daughter & Son-in-Law live & as we have an overnight stay, we would like to invite them aboard to join us at a speciality restaurant. Is this possible?

Has anybody had any experience with the above? We sail into a Port where our Daughter & Son-in-Law live & as we have an overnight stay, we would like to invite them aboard to join us at a speciality restaurant. Is this possible?

You would have to request this weeks in advance, through the corporate office, provide identification of the individuals visiting, and even then I don't believe it would be allowed. Since 9-11, ships and ports have instituted the IMO's ISPS Security Code, and visitors are extremely limited. The only cruise line that I know of that allows any visitors is HAL, which in a limited number of ports allows the "Bon Voyage Experience" where visitors can pay for a tour of the ship, after providing identification in advance, and must be escorted by crew at all times.

It can't hurt to ask, but due it well before your cruise in case there are any formalities to go thru. However, I doubt you will get permission.

It probably depends on how important you are. I don't think the ships would allow this for a typical passenger anymore.

You would have to request this weeks in advance, through the corporate office, provide identification of the individuals visiting, and even then I don't believe it would be allowed. Since 9-11, ships and ports have instituted the IMO's ISPS Security Code, and visitors are extremely limited. The only cruise line that I know of that allows any visitors is HAL, which in a limited number of ports allows the "Bon Voyage Experience" where visitors can pay for a tour of the ship, after providing identification in advance, and must be escorted by crew at all times.

The Bon Voyage Experience is a Princess thing, not HAL. EM

I believe that you will find that RCCL spells out in its policies that guests are not allowed on board.

The only lines that seem to allow this are the very tiny luxury lines.

The Bon Voyage Experience is a Princess thing, not HAL. EM

And the Bon Voyage experience is only at the port of embarkation, not at any port called at during the cruise.

As an alternative, you might want to disembark with an overnight bag and spend the night at their house. You could have dinner at a nice restaurant in their city and enjoy breakfast together the next morning before returning to the ship.

If you do get permission to have them join you onboard, will you please let us know? It is information that will be beneficial for all.

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

I believe that you will find that RCCL spells out in its policies that guests are not allowed on board.

As an alternative, you might want to disembark with an overnight bag and spend the night at their house.

There you go, this is what most likely will have to happen.

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After 9/11, it's unlikely. Call Crown and Anchor..they might be able to help you...otherwise, plan on spending time ashore with your family.

We've been to two weddings on ships as non-sailing guests. You need to be there about two hours before the wedding, which happens around 11:00 am on embarkation day. In advance you need to provide them with your full legal name, address, DNA sample, and a list of every street in the city in which you reside. (OK, a little exaggeration ;) )

When you arrive you need to leave either your drivers license or passport with them and then board. Then you wait until they are ready to let you on about 30 minutes later.

Because you board about 90 minutes before before general boarding begins, there is nothing open and very few places you can go to wait. Around 10:30 you go to the designated place where the wedding is being held. The ceremony lasts about 10 minutes, then you go to one of the MDR's where there is a reception/lunch and cake. About an hour before the ship is scheduled to leave they make an announcement that you need to get off. They get more vocal about it 10-15 minutes later as you are giving your friends hugs goodbye. You leave the ship and get your ID back, then go home.

You are off the ship before it sets sail on the first day of the cruise. I don't believe that any main stream cruise allows people to come on board after the cruise has begun.

Thank you for your responses. I will look further into this matter. Yes, we will be meeting our rellies anyway (we live in the same state & visit regularly & have dined at a lot of the local restaurants), we thought a different venue for them would be welcome. We introduced them to cruising in February on Celebrity Century & they are hooked so would like them to have this dining experience.