Visitor pass on the ships?

[88coup]

Does anyone know what the visitor passes are and how to get them? We were on the Allure at the end of June and we noticed that there was a section for visitors and they also announced that all visitors had to leave right before the muster drill. My father in law really wants to go on a cruise but the mother in law is not sold on it. I was thinking since they are always down in coco Beach every February they could maybe take a look on board to see if they like it.

[Clarea]

Royal does not have a program for allowing the general public onboard the ships. Sometimes they have travel agents, local law enforcement, etc. come onboard and maybe you saw some of those.

[Janet524]

Anybody remember the good old days when, if there was another RC ship in port you could show your seapass from your ship and go on board the other? Did that a number of times in St. Thomas when Song of Norway and Sovereign of the Seas were docked near each other. (Sorry, didn't mean to hijack the thread.)

 

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[steamboats]

As Bob said, there´s no program for individuals to get onboard as a visitor. Those with passes are local travel agents, media groups or local authorities. And these (except for the authorities of course) are invitation only.

 

 

steamboats

[Bobal]

As Bob said, there´s no program for individuals to get onboard as a visitor. Those with passes are local travel agents, media groups or local authorities. And these (except for the authorities of course) are invitation only.

 

 

steamboats

 

You forgot families. It's always nice to see a crew member proudly showing his/her family around :)

[steamboats]

You forgot families. It's always nice to see a crew member proudly showing his/her family around :)

 

You´re right, family members of crew members can get a pass too.

 

steamboats

[FLACRUISER99]

Does anyone know what the visitor passes are and how to get them? We were on the Allure at the end of June and we noticed that there was a section for visitors and they also announced that all visitors had to leave right before the muster drill. My father in law really wants to go on a cruise but the mother in law is not sold on it. I was thinking since they are always down in coco Beach every February they could maybe take a look on board to see if they like it.

Very common if Florida for local TA's to offer ship tours including lunch in the MDR for a small fee. Maybe if you contacted RCI CS they could tell you what TA's are doing this.

[88coup]

Thanks everyone for the info. That all makes sense now. I guess it was the first time I noticed that section.

[sandebeach]

Not Royal Caribbean, but another line, Princess Cruise Lines, periodically offers, for a fee, lunch and a tour for visitors. I was surprised when a friend told me about it. If they offer it again in the fall out of Port Everglades I might try it out! I have never sailed Princess, so would be a fun opportunity to tour the ship and try out their lunch menu.

 

 

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[88coup]

Honestly I don't know why they all don't do it. You'd think it would be an easy way to make a little extra money. They could limit it to let's say the first 200 people or so depending on the size of the ship and charge like $20 each. For one it's usually not very crowded for the first few hours on the ships, two when the ships hold 4,000 people or more you wouldn't even notice an extra 200 people on board for a couple hours, and three you'd think that it would be a great way to get people interested in your line if they've never sailed with you before. I know my wife and I are always thinking of trying a new line but never do because we don't want to spend all the money on a vacation that might be a disappointment.

[Ourusualbeach]

And just one of those unescorted people not departing at the proper time could result in a huge search involving many of the crew and a possible delayed departure.

[Silver Sweethearts]

Honestly I don't know why they all don't do it. You'd think it would be an easy way to make a little extra money. They could limit it to let's say the first 200 people or so depending on the size of the ship and charge like $20 each.

 

Just to note, while your travel agent may be able to arrange such things (and we have enjoyed a number of ship visits on other lines), you have to consider that each person must submit various paperwork (such as a passport, etc.) usually a month or more in advance so that they may be checked and cleared by the cruise line and to comply with whatever other security they require. This is not a drop-in sort of thing, nor do you wander around the ship unguided. A nice idea, but they really don't need extra people to worry about on what is a busy enough day for them already even though it may not appear so.

[steamboats]

Here in Germany a couple of cruise lines do offer ship visits for a fee (and most of them include lunch) but only when the ship is in a German port. You do have to sign up in advance and provide your passport information.

 

 

And yes, it´s a security risk and a lot of extra work for the crew as the groups of course are not allowed to be unattended.

 

 

I think I remember that RCI did offer ship visits too but that´s at least 20 years ago. With tightened security those ship visits stopped.

 

 

Recently when the Navigator had her first call in Hamburg a ship visit was offered for media. But not for "regular" people.

 

 

 

steamboats

[leaveitallbehind]

There also are occasions when there are weddings held on board the day of departure with the ceremony taking place prior to departure. The call for visitors to leave the ship is also for guests of those ceremonies to leave the ship. We were on an RCI ship in Bayonne one year when there were two weddings that took place on board in that manner. The new couples and some of the party then stayed on board for their honeymoon.

[steamboats]

RCI now has the permission to perform weddings at sea too.

 

 

steamboats

[leaveitallbehind]

RCI now has the permission to perform weddings at sea too.

 

 

steamboats

 

....as do a number of other cruise lines.

[KmomChicago]

Anybody remember the good old days when, if there was another RC ship in port you could show your seapass from your ship and go on board the other? Did that a number of times in St. Thomas when Song of Norway and Sovereign of the Seas were docked near each other. (Sorry, didn't mean to hijack the thread.)

 

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I was not in a position to remember this (first RC cruise was just this past March) but I think all of the lines, if they were thinking smart, would offer an excursion (for a fee of course) to tour a sister ship in port - like the onboard backstage tour you can get on your own sailing. "While in Nassau," for instance, "we will be offering a backstage tour of Something of the Seas," or even step it up as applicable to a sister company ship, say a Celebrity ship that will be berthed right next door. Just my humble opinion but I think it would be a popular seller, particularly in commonly visited ports like Cozumel or Nassau where some experienced cruisers may not be very excited about repeat visits.

[TEXASMUNK]

Just a thought. Can you see the outrage from the D+ and above for seeing "non-passengers" being allowed onboard? Even worse, allowed onboard before them?

[leaveitallbehind]

Just a thought. Can you see the outrage from the D+ and above for seeing "non-passengers" being allowed onboard? Even worse, allowed onboard before them?

 

Not sure why you think we would care.....would you?

 

And BTW, the D+ and above that I know nowhere fit your rather snarky stereotype - which is rather humorous coming from a D+. ;)

[cruisinfanatic]

Just a thought. Can you see the outrage from the D+ and above for seeing "non-passengers" being allowed onboard? Even worse, allowed onboard before them?

Sounds like you're the one that has the problem

[CruisingCaribbean]

I have an Instagram account with 40,000 followers, would this make it easier for me to obtain a visitors pass?

[Clarea]

23 minutes ago, CruisingCaribbean said:

I have an Instagram account with 40,000 followers, would this make it easier for me to obtain a visitors pass?

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

[Biker19]

35 minutes ago, CruisingCaribbean said:

I have an Instagram account with 40,000 followers, would this make it easier for me to obtain a visitors pass?

Probably not unless RCI can somehow guarantee your feedback was positive.

[WeMissSeaView]

On 7/5/2018 at 8:28 PM, Janet524 said:

Anybody remember the good old days when, if there was another RC ship in port you could show your seapass from your ship and go on board the other? Did that a number of times in St. Thomas when Song of Norway and Sovereign of the Seas were docked near each other. (Sorry, didn't mean to hijack the thread.)

 

Sent from my Lenovo TAB 2 A10-70F using Forums mobile app

I wish they would still do that.  A couple of months ago I was in St. Thomas at the same time a friend was there on another RCI ship.  It would have been great if we could have had lunch together in the Windjammer.

[mikenbon]

I wish RCL and other lines allowed guests on embarkation day. We purchased the pass to spend a few hours onboard a Princess ship, enjoyed lunch in the MDR, a tour and group photo. We were onboard ahead of the other guests, but we embarked with a cruiseline staff member, in a different area from the other priority guests. It was a great way to experience for a few hours what a different ship and for us, a different cruiseline was like.