Charging $$ on Galley and Bridge tours now?

[BND]

As D+ we get offered free galley, theatre and bridge tours and have for multiple trips.  We did the theatre tour once and galley once.  Neither were that exciting.  We do the bridge tour on every trip because my DH is a retired US Navy Captain and he enjoys it.  On our trip on Anthem in Oct, the young bridge officer gave some incorrect answers which surprised us.  Nothing that was a safety issue, but just incorrect info.  So, you never know what you'll get, question or answer wise.  But, it is fun to be up there.  Some Captains even come in during tours, but it's usually a young bridge officer doing them.  They are also offered to GS and above guests.

[Iamcruzin]

1 hour ago, CeCe_ said:

 

Really?  what year they started charging ship tours?   My original post wasn't asking for whole ship tour.

Your title said galley and bridge tours and your first post only quoted price and didn’t clearify the question. I understood it to be a full ship tour and at that price it should be.

[CeCe_]

1 hour ago, Iamcruzin said:

Your title said galley and bridge tours and your first post only quoted price and didn’t clearify the question. I understood it to be a full ship tour and at that price it should be.

 

Thank you for the information.  

[CeCe_]

1 hour ago, BND said:

As D+ we get offered free galley, theatre and bridge tours and have for multiple trips.  We did the theatre tour once and galley once.  Neither were that exciting.  We do the bridge tour on every trip because my DH is a retired US Navy Captain and he enjoys it.  On our trip on Anthem in Oct, the young bridge officer gave some incorrect answers which surprised us.  Nothing that was a safety issue, but just incorrect info.  So, you never know what you'll get, question or answer wise.  But, it is fun to be up there.  Some Captains even come in during tours, but it's usually a young bridge officer doing them.  They are also offered to GS and above guests.

 

Thank you for the information!  

[Loonbeam]

4 hours ago, CeCe_ said:

 

Thank you for the information.  

As an FYI and hope I threaded this right - Princess has a paid tour that covers multiple areas (exact ones vary according to conditions).  Their paid tour also gets a lot of swag (or it did 2 years ago) There are also free 'tours' of the galley and backstage as noted.  Complimentary bridge tours are no longer offered, security being cited.

 

Oddly enough, the best one we have been on in a long time was just on Carnival Magic.  I am a big fan of these kind of tours, we will likely do it on Oasis (have done it on RCCL Liberty, NCL Escape, Carnival Magic, Royal Princess, Island Princess so far - missing one on that list at least, can't recall - plus many less formal tours like Art of Disney on the Disney Dream).  Many things are the same across lines, many are different, the interesting things are who you meet and talk to.

 

 

 

[katiel53]

6 hours ago, CeCe_ said:

 

The galley, bridge, backstage, engine room.... isn't exactly my things.   The ad just popped up when i logged on to my account getting ready for my upcoming cruise.

What was the ad that popped up saying there was a charge for a galley tour?  What ship?  For my upcoming Harmony trip the only thing that mentions galley is the brunch and you are basically paying for the brunch, not just seeing the galley.  I don't see anything different on my Allure cruise planner either.

 

I do see the all access tours on both, but the description explains it is more than just the galley so I don't see what you are seeing, at least not for the ships I am sailing.

[ONECRUISER]

29 minutes ago, Loonbeam said:

As an FYI and hope I threaded this right - Princess has a paid tour that covers multiple areas (exact ones vary according to conditions).  Their paid tour also gets a lot of swag (or it did 2 years ago) There are also free 'tours' of the galley and backstage as noted.  Complimentary bridge tours are no longer offered, security being cited.

 

Oddly enough, the best one we have been on in a long time was just on Carnival Magic.  I am a big fan of these kind of tours, we will likely do it on Oasis (have done it on RCCL Liberty, NCL Escape, Carnival Magic, Royal Princess, Island Princess so far - missing one on that list at least, can't recall - plus many less formal tours like Art of Disney on the Disney Dream).  Many things are the same across lines, many are different, the interesting things are who you meet and talk to.

 

 

 

Yeah I'd forgot until you said that. Right after 9/11 Royal had also stopped the Free Bridge tours except for much later the C&A ones. Before they'd take hundreds in a day for a 10min peek tour. I cruised with my kids getting home on 9/10 2001, then again in Nov and by then many changes...

Edited December 23, 2018 by ONECRUISER

[NateUpNorth]

On 12/22/2018 at 10:58 AM, Host Clarea said:

 

The free tours for all guests have been gone from Royal for many years.  Royal still does offer free bridge/galley tours for high loyalty point cruisers. 

 

The tour that costs $119 is around 2 hours and covers more areas than the free loyalty tours.

 

Last week on Navigator $25 for my wife and the 7 year old daughter was free. As Food Network addicted ladies they said it was more than worth it. Full brunch spread and bottomless champagne.

[SRF]

On 12/22/2018 at 10:58 AM, Host Clarea said:

 

The free tours for all guests have been gone from Royal for many years.  Royal still does offer free bridge/galley tours for high loyalty point cruisers. 

 

The tour that costs $119 is around 2 hours and covers more areas than the free loyalty tours.

 

Or full suite guest.

[frank808]

10 hours ago, SRF said:

 

Or full suite guest.

Sky class on oasis and allure does not get bridge tour or galley tour.  At least that is what was explained to me before making D+.

[stevendom57]

I did the all access tour on the Mariner in this last November. We went in the galley, cold storage, engine control room, laundry, environmental control area, and the bridge. We spent about 20 minute on the bridge and the officer in command answered any and all question that we asked. It was very informative and I enjoyed it, but I would only do it once. It cost $89.

Edited December 24, 2018 by stevendom57

[hova]

Last month on the Celebrity Summit, all passengers were offered a free Galley tour. We (and about 100 other people) took them up on the offer.  Tour was good, but I would never pay for one.

hova

[A&L_Ont]

On 12/23/2018 at 7:15 AM, CeCe_ said:

 

Really?  what year they started charging ship tours?   My original post wasn't asking for whole ship tour.

 

We did a Princess behind the scenes tour at cost over 10 years ago. They were actually doing it before RC was. 

[CeCe_]

15 minutes ago, hova said:

Last month on the Celebrity Summit, all passengers were offered a free Galley tour. We (and about 100 other people) took them up on the offer.  Tour was good, but I would never pay for one.

hova

 

[crystalspin]

dr'spin did the AllAccess tour this month on RhOTS for $59. He enjoyed it. I spent the same amount on (5) tee-shirts on the twofer sale! We both were happy with the morning's activity! 

 

Also, they told him SO MUCH STUFF, that he could barely remember any of it to tell me! and he has a good memory. So it surely was more than a "walk-through".

[SRF]

12 hours ago, frank808 said:

Sky class on oasis and allure does not get bridge tour or galley tour.  At least that is what was explained to me before making D+.

 

I have not sailed on a ship with Sky/etc classes.

 

We were on Grandeur in a Grand Suite and I asked about a bridge tour. And they set up one for all the suite guests that wanted to, and possibly higher level C&A.  There were at least two groups.

 

We did the galley tour as part of the brunch.

[lazydayz]

I can confirm the bridge tour was not offered to us in Sky Class on Allure in September. I asked about it but no go. We just made Diamond Plus and are in a Grand Suite on the Adventure this coming weekend. Hopefully get to do the bridge tour this cruise.  Have done a galley tour on Holland, which I enjoyed but would not pay for it. 

 

[MD_Dan]

On 12/24/2018 at 4:34 PM, stevendom57 said:

I did the all access tour on the Mariner in this last November. We went in the galley, cold storage, engine control room, laundry, environmental control area, and the bridge. We spent about 20 minute on the bridge and the officer in command answered any and all question that we asked. It was very informative and I enjoyed it, but I would only do it once. It cost $89.

I signed DW and myself for a tour on Adventure of the Seas recently.  I was mainly interested in the Bridge and had very little interest in the Galley and Engine Room.  They had a window into the bridge so passengers could view (for free).  The blinds were closed most of the time but open when I watched as they pulled out of port one day.  They had displays showing the stations and a brief write-up on each.  I canceled the $89 (each) tours.

[stevendom57]

48 minutes ago, MD_Dan said:

I signed DW and myself for a tour on Adventure of the Seas recently.  I was mainly interested in the Bridge and had very little interest in the Galley and Engine Room.  They had a window into the bridge so passengers could view (for free).  The blinds were closed most of the time but open when I watched as they pulled out of port one day.  They had displays showing the stations and a brief write-up on each.  I canceled the $89 (each) tours.

The peek-a-boo bridge was interesting on the Mariner also. But it was very interesting actually being on the bridge and asking questions and looking around close-up. The engine control room was also interesting. Was it worth $89. Probably, but once was enough. I wouldn't do it again.

Edited December 26, 2018 by stevendom57

[bobmacliberty]

We were not able to get a free bridge or galley tour while in a GS on Serenade in February.  Did the all access tour instead which I believe was $89. Was worth it once but wouldn't pay for it again.

[vacationlover_mn]

Carnival had them for free 20 years ago, but I haven’t seen a free tour since then...  looking forward to the $119 all access tour on Symphony 🙂

Edited December 27, 2018 by vacationlover_mn

[cft8]

We enjoyed the all-access tour on Navigator this summer ($89 pp). I’m always fascinated by the logistics of how things work and so it was great to see so many different areas and learn about all the work that goes in to making the cruise happen for guests. We are on Ovation in September and I am thinking of doing it again to see how a larger ship works, but I probably wouldn’t do it more than once on the same or a smaller class. 

 

My mom has done the galley tour with brunch twice and enjoyed it also. 

[RRFPresident]

On ‎12‎/‎25‎/‎2018 at 5:01 AM, SRF said:

 

I have not sailed on a ship with Sky/etc classes.

 

We were on Grandeur in a Grand Suite and I asked about a bridge tour. And they set up one for all the suite guests that wanted to, and possibly higher level C&A.  There were at least two groups.

 

We did the galley tour as part of the brunch.

We sailed on the Grandeur in a Grand Suite in 2016. Asked the concierge about being included in any tour invites and was told that it was only for those with a Diamond loyalty level and above. He then offered to "sneak me in" to the backstage theater tour by telling me when it was and to tell the person at the door that I'd simply forgotten my Diamond invite. We turned down the offer because we'd already done a paid behind the scenes tour in the past (on that other line) and didn't care to see the theater again. 

 

In contrast, we've sailed on Princess for years in a suite every time and never got offered tours for free. To be fair, we didn't bother to ask either. Sailed in a Royal suite on Celebrity and after asking the concierge it was arranged for us as part of a scheduled group with I'm guessing other suite cruisers. Sailed on Oasis in Star Class this past April and the bridge and then a galley tour on a separate day were included on the schedule for every Star Class guest. We passed on the galley tour.

 

We recently booked the Grandeur again for this year so we'll see what the answer is this time.

[villager70]

Bridge tours and galley tour were free on many lines for many years. Use to tour galley the day of the grand night buffet and see all the carvings and watch ice carvings being carved.Galley tours later restricted  on some lines while in port. 9/11 changed it all  later then they found they could charge money. Royal for years has given Pinnacles & Diamond plus free Bridge ( while underway, galley and behind scene ent. tours. The last couple we did on Oasis class & Freedom they searched all of us, about 20 or so, before we went on bridge.

[frank808]

14 hours ago, villager70 said:

Bridge tours and galley tour were free on many lines for many years. Use to tour galley the day of the grand night buffet and see all the carvings and watch ice carvings being carved.Galley tours later restricted  on some lines while in port. 9/11 changed it all  later then they found they could charge money. Royal for years has given Pinnacles & Diamond plus free Bridge ( while underway, galley and behind scene ent. tours. The last couple we did on Oasis class & Freedom they searched all of us, about 20 or so, before we went on bridge.

In Oct on Allure the D+ bridge tour was on a port day.  First time I have ever seen a bridge tour on port day.  Explained to loyalty ambassador that I was on a ship tour in Costa Maya when our bridge tour was scheduled.  She said was that was the only time available for the D+ for bridge tour.  Asked if we could get another time slot and basically was told if you cant make it, too bad.  Asked the suite concierge if she had any space available for a bridge tour on a sea day.  She was able to add my son and I to a D+ tour on a sea day.  Was not impressed at all with the loyalty ambassador on Allure for sure.