Tour of the Bridge

When we first started cruising in 1995 on good old Canberra - I remember one of the activities laid on for sea days was a tour of the ship/bridge - classed as a behind the scenes tour. It was free and usually conducted by one of the entertainment officers. It was limited in number and first come first serve. I was shocked to see on Azura last week that a similar tour was offered - only this time it was £75pp!! I'm sure it was a very interesting thing to do but amazed that there was such a charge! Sign of the times I suppose!

When we first started cruising in 1995 on good old Canberra - I remember one of the activities laid on for sea days was a tour of the ship/bridge - classed as a behind the scenes tour. It was free and usually conducted by one of the entertainment officers. It was limited in number and first come first serve. I was shocked to see on Azura last week that a similar tour was offered - only this time it was £75pp!! I'm sure it was a very interesting thing to do but amazed that there was such a charge! Sign of the times I suppose!

That's been around for a couple, of years and can be very popular. Sometimes they have to put it on twice

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

It is an outrageous cost for an hour of someone's time. Especially if that person is not a watchkeeping officer so would be unable to answer any technical questions.

It is an outrageous cost for an hour of someone's time. Especially if that person is not a watchkeeping officer so would be unable to answer any technical questions.

Simon it is not like it was before you meet the top people in each department and end up in the Captains private quarters for drinkies.

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

I believe that the tour now covers several areas - not just the Bridge -

When we first started cruising in 1995 on good old Canberra - I remember one of the activities laid on for sea days was a tour of the ship/bridge - classed as a behind the scenes tour. It was free and usually conducted by one of the entertainment officers. It was limited in number and first come first serve. I was shocked to see on Azura last week that a similar tour was offered - only this time it was £75pp!! I'm sure it was a very interesting thing to do but amazed that there was such a charge! Sign of the times I suppose!

A sign of the time indeed. I always remember going on a bridge tour on my first cruise (with Cunard) and being surprised how small the wheel was - I had expected a huge thing like they used to show in pirate films, not something like the steering wheel in my car. The tour was conducted by one of the officers without any charge. I was never offered a tour by P&O, their reply when I enquired was that they had been discontinued for security reasons.

We did the tour last year on Azura, the tour takes in the medical centre, waste disposal, engine control room, food store, galley, stage, forecastle and the bridge. The tour is is taken by an entertainments officer with all the heads of departments explaining what area they are in charge of including a chat with the captain on the bridge and a photo with the captain on the bridge. The tour takes around 4 hours finishing of in the glasshouse with a glass of Prosecco and canapé.

I have looked at this tour several times.

Each time I have decided that £75 is just to much money.....

It's not as if it costs P&O anything to put the tour on.

I can also see why it's priced that way, it's to stop it getting totally over subscribed I guess....

Exactly. It costs P&O nothing to put on and is just a simple fund raiser.

Yes I would always love to do a full 'behind the scenes' tour but I still think £75 is too much. Of course regular readers will know I spent the first half of my working life as a watchkeeping officer at sea so I would not see anything I have not seen many many times before. But the sea is in my blood and I never tire of seeing the action on a working vessel.

On the Bremen (Antarctic trip we have just done) there was an open Bridge policy and I spent many many hours up there chatting to the officers. I also got to know the Chief Engineer and ended up spending an afternoon down in the pit with those engineering bears. If you have never gone round a ship's engine room you should. It is an amazing place. #bigboystoys!

On Ocean Majesty about 6 years ago, we were put on a table with the Captain, and we were talking about our sailing experiences, one of which was going through the North Sea Canal into Amsterdam. He asked if we would like to come up to the bridge the following day to see what it's like going through on a ship. Obviously we gratefully accepted. We were on the bridge for about 2 hours. Great fun.

Wouldn't pay £75 though, and don't think I would be interested in waste disposal or the galleys. Do enough kitchens at home! LOL

I too looked at this tour last week and as interesting as it mayhave been £75 is a ridiculous fee. More P&O pennypinching methinks.

I too looked at this tour last week and as interesting as it mayhave been £75 is a ridiculous fee. More P&O pennypinching methinks.

Hardly,

It is a service the company are offering. It is expensive, it has very limited numbers. It is often full. People enjoy it, and say it was worth the money. So where is the problem.

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

Exactly. It costs P&O nothing to put on and is just a simple fund raiser.

Yes I would always love to do a full 'behind the scenes' tour but I still think £75 is too much. Of course regular readers will know I spent the first half of my working life as a watchkeeping officer at sea so I would not see anything I have not seen many many times before. But the sea is in my blood and I never tire of seeing the action on a working vessel.

On the Bremen (Antarctic trip we have just done) there was an open Bridge policy and I spent many many hours up there chatting to the officers. I also got to know the Chief Engineer and ended up spending an afternoon down in the pit with those engineering bears. If you have never gone round a ship's engine room you should. It is an amazing place. #bigboystoys!

I am sailing with Star Clippers again this summer. They too have an open bridge policy which applies at all times except when manoeuvring in and out of port.

Hardly,

 

It is a service the company are offering. It is expensive, it has very limited numbers. It is often full. People enjoy it, and say it was worth the money. So where is the problem.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

The point is that many of us cruise on a budget. There are many things I would like to either do or own.

To do life I give up around 50 hours a week of my time to someone else. Every penny of our cruising budget is earned the hard way.

I have already said that I would like to do the tour. I personally, and several others, just can't justify £75 of hard earned cash to do it.

Quite agree and considering £75 is double the price of a whole morning tour ashore, it seems well over-priced to me.

The point is that many of us cruise on a budget. There are many things I would like to either do or own.

 

To do life I give up around 50 hours a week of my time to someone else. Every penny of our cruising budget is earned the hard way.

 

I have already said that I would like to do the tour. I personally, and several others, just can't justify £75 of hard earned cash to do it.

I doubt I could justify it either but there would appear to be many who can and do as they fill up very quickly.

I look at it like one of those things money can't buy, only in this case it can. As has been said it's a four hour tour of the places on the ship you cannot normally go. It was the comment made, not by you about penny pinching I could not see.

The company offers lots of things to do on board some free some which there is a charge. I do not think this can spoil anyone's holiday just because other people decide to spend their money on a ships tour.

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app