Ultimate Ship Tour **Review**

[DougH]

The robe I'd use every morning after my shower but the chef jacket will be useless to me. Anyone want to bid on ebay? :)

[Janet Foster]

The robe I'd use every morning after my shower but the chef jacket will be useless to me. Anyone want to bid on ebay? :)

eBay might be worth a try!!! LOL

[mulliganmonkey]

Just did this yesterday on the Coral. It was well worth the $150 to us. It was a bit rocky at the start but we trudged on. We brought our small cameras but it wasn't mentioned if we could take photos or not, so we didn't. I was very impressed with the Captain and the amount of time he gave us and the questions he answered. We were on the land tour prior to the cruise and we didn't arrive at the ship until 7:30 pm (boarding began at 1:00.) As soon as we got on board we went to passenger services and signed up. We were the first to sign up. Passenger services said our group size was 12 but we had an hour time change the night before so it seems some people backed out. We ended up with only 8 on the tour. When we signed up for the tour we had to write down our size.

[JerseyGuys]

eBay might be worth a try!!! LOL

 

 

They show up on ebay once and a while...

[Janet Foster]

How funny. You never know what you'll find!

[caribill]

eBay might be worth a try!!! LOL

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Super-Cool-CHEF-COAT-PRINCESS-CRUISES-Emblem-SZ-MEDIUM-/200523342719

[kath00]

I want one of those robes! Anyone want to sell theirs? Unused preferrably. ;)

 

Katherine

[Vexorg]

When I did the tour on the Ruby Princess back in April they didn't include the funnel, but they did include the forward mooring deck, and the bridge tour came from Commodore Romano, who was in command of the Ruby Princess at the time. I imagine they probably vary whether or not they include the medical center as well depending if it's being used or not (when we went, it was not in use.) Definitely worth the money, although I'm not sure if I'd need to do it more than once.

Edited July 3, 2011 by Vexorg

[A1A]

Great review!, Sounds like a great time, really 3 hours long?! What was the best part? Now to get the DW interested in this before or Emerald trip next year!

Thanks!

Ken

[Janet Foster]

Best part was being up on the bridge. You just really would never get that opportunity. The second best was going through the food galley and I also enjoyed the laundry facilities. All in all an enjoyable 3hr excursion with take away items.

[Rascal1]

I had heard this also Karen. My camera is too bulky to slip in my pocket but hey! Still worth a try!

 

No one pulled out a camera or asked to take personal pictures. If you can bring it, try it!

 

Hi, we did the tour on the Star Princess in April/May on the TA and we were allowed to take photo's anywhere, we always asked just in case but they said it was just video camera that wasn't allowed. The Captain and other members of the crew were happy to pose for photos with personal cameras as well as the official ones they take. When we were on the bridge, we were talking on one side of the bridge as a group and DH asked if he could go over to the other side to take a photo as our cabin was on that side, again no problem but he was followed by the Security man that was with us for the whole tour. My principle is if you don't ask you don't get, but just ask nicely.

[vickie_bernie]

I want one of those robes! Anyone want to sell theirs? Unused preferrably. ;)

 

Katherine

 

you can buy one in the on board stores, both types, waffle type and heavy terry cloth type

[fnewman]

Took the tour on the Sapphire this summer. Great tour, but this one did not include the funnel. They did take photos of the group at every stop but personally, I don't have a lot of use for pictures of a group of "unknown" passengers. Also the package with the robe, chef's coat, etc. is very bulky - would easily fill up a carry-on bag, so make sure you have room to get it home.

[abbydancer2003]

We took the tour on the Star last year. No funnel either. It was worth it to us - although the chef's jackets are still in their protective plastic.

 

A highlight for us was the stage, as we danced on it for a minute or two. We're kind of collecting stages to dance on. (We once did a backstage tour of the Lion King on Broadway and danced on that stage. This year we danced on stage at Disneyland - for an audience!).

[Mist_ynight]

I did the UST on the Crown in February and I loved it. It was expensive but I had it given to me by family for a birthday gift. It was really rough the day we took our tour, it was hard to stand still up on the stage. It gave me a whole new respect for the dancers. Besides the bridge I liked the Laundry the best. It was interesting to see the giant washers and the folding machines. We didn't get to go the the funnel due to high winds but I wasn't dissapointed. I didn't like the engine control room, it was way too technical for me. I would do it again if it was a cheaper price without the robe and chef's jacket. The robe is really nice but I don't really wear robes so it's hanging in my closet. If your planning on buying a robe it's almost worth it to do the tour, the robes are $90 in the store. I wonder how much they could lower the price if they didn't include that.

[canmark]

The Ultimate Ship Tour (or the fact that I didn't get to go on it) was my one big disappointment from the Ruby Princess Grand Mediterranean cruise June 21- July 3.

 

I had read about the tour on this very board, and was excited to do it (I was even looking forward to receiving the chef's jacket!). I saw it advertised in the Patter on the first day and I rushed down to the Purser's Desk and signed up--I was the first person on the list!

 

A few days passed and I didn't hear anything. I returned to the Desk and ask about the tour. In retrospect, I must have mis-heard the purser as I thought he said the tour was over-subscribed and I would have to wait for details. Again, I was warned about the possible "lottery", so I expected this (and kept my fingers crossed).

 

The day before the tour I still had not heard anything so I returned to the Desk and asked. They said it was cancelled! It seemed that the tour was under-subscribed: only 2 people had signed up. They told me they needed 6 to 12 people to do the tour. I asked, If it was under-subscribed, why wasn't it advertised more? As far as I could tell, the tour was advertised in the Patter only twice--at the beginning of the cruise.

 

I was very disappointed. I can't believe that on a ship with 3,000 passengers that a properly advertised tour couldn't attract more than 2 people. Why do other ships need a lottery? My contention was that it was under-promoted. If people didn't see the notice and sign up the first or second day (when they were possibly distracted by the newness of the cruise and the extensive line up of activities on the ship), how would they know the tour even existed? And knowing that the tour needed more people--why not promote it more? You can't expect that people (other than me) are going to sign up on day 1 for a tour that takes place on day 7. You need reminders. And why not explain all the neat things you see, the behind-the-scenes places you go and the swag you get for your $150 (the Patter ad provided no details)?

 

So, now I will have to wait for my next cruise for the chance to take the tour. :(

Edited July 15, 2011 by canmark

[caribill]

I can't believe that on a ship with 3,000 passengers that a properly advertised tour couldn't attract more than 2 people.

 

Based on many posts that have been on these boards, many people do not read closely the first day's Patter and thus miss seeing the UST announcement.

[Cuizer2]

I was very disappointed. I can't believe that on a ship with 3,000 passengers that a properly advertised tour couldn't attract more than 2 people.

 

So, now I will have to wait for my next cruise for the chance to take the tour. :(

 

At $150 per person I've had no trouble avoiding it. These tours used to offered for free.

[kath00]

Exactly! Why not charge $50 per person and give the tour to 20 people instead of charging the ridiculous $150pp and have no one go on it! What a lame idea.

 

Katherine

[BratDet]

My husband & I did the tour last summer on Caribbean Princess. I brought my camera along in my pocket.

 

When we got to the bridge, I asked permission to take pics.....and I got some awesome ones in the furthurmost corner...over the water...looking back at the ship

 

Remember they take pics of you along the way...I made sure to wear a black shirt to hide my cruise waistline expansion!

 

Bernadette

[Parvatiiv]

My husband & I did the tour last summer on Caribbean Princess. I brought my camera along in my pocket.

 

When we got to the bridge, I asked permission to take pics.....and I got some awesome ones in the furthurmost corner...over the water...looking back at the ship

 

Remember they take pics of you along the way...I made sure to wear a black shirt to hide my cruise waistline expansion!

 

Bernadette

 

Thanks for the tip! I'm really excited to do this in alaska, hope i get picked. Just to make sure, they run it on sea days right?

[spyro1952]

I did the UST last October on the Emerald. I really enjoyed it and wear my bathrobe daily in the cold weather. I haven't worn the Chef's jacket as I don't cook. I feel the tour is worth doing once. The bathrobe alone is $90 in the on board stores. I also enjoyed the champagne, snacks, & meeting the Captain, Marco Fortazze.:)

[Cuizer2]

My husband & I did the tour last summer on Caribbean Princess. I brought my camera along in my pocket.

 

When we got to the bridge, I asked permission to take pics.....and I got some awesome ones in the furthurmost corner...over the water...looking back at the ship

 

Remember they take pics of you along the way...I made sure to wear a black shirt to hide my cruise waistline expansion!

 

Bernadette

 

So, where is your picture of me? :confused:

[Cuizer2]

Thanks for the tip! I'm really excited to do this in alaska, hope i get picked. Just to make sure, they run it on sea days right?

 

Sometimes they run it on days you can't sea.

Edited July 16, 2011 by Cuizer2

[SuiteLady]

WoW....came across this post and was shocked....we had a tour of the galley....and the bridge tour was free...We also took a tour of the "behind the scenes" stage tour in the theatre~~free too!! This was both on Carnival and RCCL!! Now, I do have to say that we were in a suite on Royal for the bridge tour, but in a balcony room for the galley tour and stage tour ....all were very interesting!! Can not believe they r charging $150 for this, even though it seems that some other parts of the ship were toured and gifts included...but I am with some of the other posters...if they charged less, they would make more money:D If anyone is staying in a suite, I would ask the concierge about a tour of what u want to see, and you might be surprised...;)