any recent info on the "ship tour" activity?

[amyphil]

My husband and I will be sailing on the Monarch of the Seas, in August. I notice in the Cruise Planner that they offer a "ship tour" which tours the galley, engine room, crew quarters and bridge.

 

I don't remember seeing this on our previous cruises...but it sounds like a fun activity. They only take 20 at a time and it's offered the last day (Nassau day)...

 

Has anybody taken this tour? If so, would like some info on it.

 

Thanks,

Amy

[Clarea]

Many have reported enjoying the tour, especially since the price has gone down.

 

Also, I would be very surprised if you will be taking a tour on Monarch of the Seas.

[amyphil]

Haha...you are correct...I meant Mariner of the Seas...got my M's mixed up...

 

Thanks for your input...yes, the price is not too bad..$89/pp for an hour and a half tour...

 

Amy

[Smyles]

We did this tour on our Carnival cruise (our first ever cruise). It was well worth doing. But, we don't feel the need to do it again on any other ships we sail. It's a once in a life time kind of thing. We also saw the laundry rooms, the food storage, garbage areas, crew bar. All sorts of really neat places. It is pretty neat to see behind the scenes.

[amyphil]

Smyles..

Thanks for the update...the tour really sounds like fun, but like you said, maybe a once in a lifetime thing.

 

Looking forward to it....

 

Amy

[Blackthorne]

We just did the tour on Liberty last week. There were 7 of us in our family group (our whole tour was under the 20 cap) and we all enjoyed it. The tour lasted about 2 hours. In order: dining room, galley and food storage, engine control room, bridge. There was a general tour guide but each stop had a ship's officer talk to us and answer questions. Security was taken very seriously as we were all wanded before entering the engine control room and bridge plus we had two security officers with us from that point of the tour until the end. One of them looked like he could have been the starting linemen for any NFL team.

 

The tour utilized I-95 which was fun to see and look around. There is a fair bit of walking but my 78 year old mother-in-law had no problems. We would definitely recommend it.

[amyphil]

Blackthorne....wow, sounds like a great tour....can't wait till August.

 

Thanks,

Amy

[luvabargain]

I know this is a little bit older thread, but I signed up to do the ship's tour on Mariner in August. I've thought about doing one before on my Carnival cruises, but felt it would be too spendy with the whole family, this time it is just dh and myself so I'm splurging. I probably won't do one again, as I think all the cruise ships probably have a similar behind the scenes operation.

[maryjaden]

DH and I did this on Oasis a few years ago. It was when it was still at the higher price ($150 ea) and lasted longer (ours was 3 1/2 hours). We loved it and thought it was well worth the money. Now that the price has come down and is a bit shorter, I would still recommend it. As others have said though, I wouldn't do it on every ship all the time but maybe on a different class every 7-10 years just to see the differences.

[Nekochan]

I just came off the adventurer of the seas and went on this tour. I'm glad I did it, but I didn't like the way it was done. You do get to see the galley, bridge, engine room, laundry and 'I-95' (a hallway that runs the length of the ship underneath floor 1 where guests don't go.

 

However, after the galley tour the 'head' of the 'head waiters' came to talk to us and spent about 40 minutes bloviating about his philosophy of service. Then, when we got to the bridge, we got another very long talk by the guide about the various dimensions, azipods etc. I wish that instead they had us sitting for each of these talks, or that they just do away with the head waiter discussion. I feel like the tour could be cut down to about an hour - at least for me, I just wanted to see the areas and didn't need need a technical description of how the azipods work and all that. But maybe that's me

[Clarea]

I just came off the adventurer of the seas and went on this tour. I'm glad I did it, but I didn't like the way it was done. You do get to see the galley, bridge, engine room, laundry and 'I-95' (a hallway that runs the length of the ship underneath floor 1 where guests don't go.

 

However, after the galley tour the 'head' of the 'head waiters' came to talk to us and spent about 40 minutes bloviating about his philosophy of service. Then, when we got to the bridge, we got another very long talk by the guide about the various dimensions, azipods etc. I wish that instead they had us sitting for each of these talks, or that they just do away with the head waiter discussion. I feel like the tour could be cut down to about an hour - at least for me, I just wanted to see the areas and didn't need need a technical description of how the azipods work and all that. But maybe that's me

I would have loved the azipod technical talk!:)

[2Long2NxtCrz]

DH and I did the all access tour last year on the Brilliance and we utterly loved it. It was informative and interesting and really eye opening.

 

And during our Harmony cruise, hubby and DS went on that tour and both marveled at it. Hubby had done the smaller ship tour so he could compare the differences and he found that added to his experience.

 

But I agree, once you've done it, it's not necessary to do it every time or even on every ship. The general workings are the same, just differently scaled.

[Ocean Cat]

Is the all access tour something you can make reservations pre cruise or will I have to wait until I board?

[Clarea]

Is the all access tour something you can make reservations pre cruise or will I have to wait until I board?

I've seen it available pre-cruise.

[Tee & Chilli]

If available, it’s been in my cruise planner for purchasing prior to boarding.

[Hoopster95]

There's incorrect information in this thread....

 

You do not see the engine room.... you get to see the Engine Control Room for about 10 mins which is a small office where the ship engineer's process and control the major functions of the ship. This office/room is on the I-95 corridor and no where close to the engines. Also you do not get to see the staff quarters anymore.... you used to. You do not see their bunks, room, their staff areas such as their version of Windjammer, their nightclub and cafe. There are other areas no longer visited as they were on the old 3+ hour tour formerly provided by RCL. However, if you have never been on the bridge, this tour is awesome. The bridge is a highlight if you love ships and seeing the workings up there.

[Ocean Cat]

Thanks. Also is it something that someone who is overweight and out of shape or the elderly can do? I'm thinking lots of narrow steep steps.

[Hoopster95]

Thanks. Also is it something that someone who is overweight and out of shape or the elderly can do? I'm thinking lots of narrow steep steps.

 

I think it's fine.... Once Galley tour done, elevator down to the I-95 on deck 2 and that's about it. The only time you go down a deck by steep steps would be the Housekeeping/laundry area.... the tour guide or other staff could help down a staff elevator for that one deck if you need. Once done on deck 2, elevator up to the bridge deck. Enjoy :D

[geomancer]

I took the free tour on YouTube. Not the same as being there, sure, but you also don't have to listen to the head waiter speak for 40 minutes either ;)

[Ocean Cat]

We were on the carnival breeze in Jan and went to sign up for the behind the scenes tour and was it was sold out by the first day. They also required closed toed shoes and said the tour was for people in moderate condition. I'll look for the pre cruise sign up reservations this time around.