Behind the Royal Advantage - All Access Tour

[Song and a Dance]

Anyone done the All Access Tour? I'm wondering about Oasis but if you've done it on another ship I don't mind hearing your thoughts as well. Personally LOVE behind the scenes things but it's pricey so I'm wondering if you felt it was worth the money?

 

Also how do you sign up? RCI website is vague of course...

[AlaskaGolden]

The tours are 3.5 hours in duration and cost $150 per passenger. The All Access Tour can be purchased onboard with the Concierge, Crown & Anchor Society Loyalty Ambassador, or at guest relations.

[Sparky74]

Anyone done the All Access Tour? I'm wondering about Oasis but if you've done it on another ship I don't mind hearing your thoughts as well. Personally LOVE behind the scenes things but it's pricey so I'm wondering if you felt it was worth the money?

 

Also how do you sign up? RCI website is vague of course...

 

We did it on Rhapsody of the Seas in February and really enjoyed it. I've been meaning to write a review of the tour but haven't got around to it yet. I'll try to do so in the next couple of days.

 

Was it worth the $150? Hmm... It was a lot of money for us (x 2 = $300) but it was DW's 40th birthday cruise. A lot of people we spoke to (who didn't go on the tour) felt the cost was exorbitant but we reckon RCI have got to limit the numbers somehow. If it was free, everyone would want to do it.

[copnlpn2]

I've posted about this before but will recap my comments here...

 

I did the All Access Tour on the Freedom in November and felt it was well worth the money. The tour was nearly 4 hours long and very informative/revealing; included was a sit-down event with a special 3-course menu personally signed by each officer/department head we met on the tour, and the gift beach bag was brimming with free gifts.

 

I did the tour on the Navigator in December. It was also informative and included some areas the Freedom tour didn't; there was a 15-minute break to have cold (stale) pastries, coffee and tea, and the beach bag had a few items (much less than on the Freedom). Not worth $150, but in comparision with the Freedom, maybe $100.

 

I was going to do the tour on the Jewel this past week but didn't after learning there was no sit-down lunch and minimal gifts in the All Access beach bag.

 

I contacted RCCL and the rep was VERY surprised to hear of the disparity between each ship's tour...said they should be standardized fleet-wide and supposed that some ships were trying to outdo the others. I was told the differences would be corrected, but to date nothing to my knowledge no standardization has occurred.

 

I'd recommend that you check onboard about exactly what the tour includes, such as areas of the ship toured, length of the tour, meal arrangements and gifts presented at the completion of the tour. If you like what you hear, reserve the tour. Otherwise, save your money but voice a complaint about being offered less than on other ships, such as the Freedom...

[SandyAtSea]

I agree with you. I did the tour on the Monarch last year ($75) and it was much better than the one I did on the Allure this year ($150.) On the Monarch we had a sit down lunch in the MDR with the two crew members who escorted us (security & guest relations) AND - heard this NEVER happens - since there were only 3 of us on the tour, the chief engineer actually took us into the actual engine room (not the engine control room.) We were right there in the same room as the engines and even saw the propellor shaft spinning - no azipods on the Monarch! On the Allure, maybe because it was so big, it seemed like we were just rushed from place to place to check off the boxes. We hardly saw anything of the laundry, only the bridge wing not the main part of the bridge, etc. We did spend a lot of time in the engine control room with two engineers who were great hosts. We also had a break in the crew bar under the helipad though where we could order whatever drink we wanted, but no sit down lunch afterwards.

[Song and a Dance]

Thanks everyone this is great info! :)

[Kesstral]

The tours are 3.5 hours in duration and cost $150 per passenger. The All Access Tour can be purchased onboard with the Concierge, Crown & Anchor Society Loyalty Ambassador, or at guest relations.

 

Any idea if a first time cruiser can do the tour?

 

Edit: Nevermind.. finally found the info on their site. It's available to everyone. :)

[sergeant655]

I did the tour on both the Oasis and Radiance. Both were almost the same except that champange and canapes were served in the crew mess on the Radiance and Oasis let you keepthe pass while Radiance wanted it back at the end. Oasis also allowed us toseethe liquor stores.

[negc]

Any idea if a first time cruiser can do the tour?

 

Edit: Nevermind.. finally found the info on their site. It's available to everyone. :)

 

As you now realize, the only requirement is that you be willing to give up $150 per person. Frankly, having done all of the included tours for free, I have a hard time believing that the extra goodies that are included make it worth the price, but those who have taken this tour seem to have been pleased with it.

[lady_cruiser]

We are sailing on The Navigator January 2013 and hopefully they will change the All Access Tour to match that of the Freedom. If they do I think I will surprise my sister with it since she will be celebrating her 66th birthday while on this cruise.