Ventura Embarkation Day Southampton

[charabanc]

Dear Fellow Critics,

 

Hoping someone can help me on this one.

 

We are booked on Ventura in September and have friends taking us to Southampton, and we are wondering if there is any way we can get them on board for a look around the ship before it sails?

 

I know it is unlikely, but thought I would ask just in case anyone knows if or how this might be possible, or even if there is a cost involved?

 

Looking forward to replies.

charabanc

[LibraLass41]

Sorry no chance whatsoever.... been that way for at least 5 years now if not longer.

[Bestbubba]

Dear Fellow Critics,

 

Hoping someone can help me on this one.

 

We are booked on Ventura in September and have friends taking us to Southampton, and we are wondering if there is any way we can get them on board for a look around the ship before it sails?

 

I know it is unlikely, but thought I would ask just in case anyone knows if or how this might be possible, or even if there is a cost involved?

 

Looking forward to replies.

charabanc

 

Princess have just started offering this again - for a fee;) All the cruise lines stopped allowing it a few years ago due to heightened security. Why not give P&O a ring and then you will have the definitive answer:)

 

Sue

[Rum Rat]

Can be done, but you have to be in the know.

 

Know the Captain or a Senior Officer

 

Have booked through 'Friends and Family' or crew or staff.

 

The Invitation comes from the Captain or Senior Officer (wink wink know what I mean?)

 

I know of two cases of where this has been done.

 

As someone else has suggested. ASK what have you to lose?

 

Good luck

 

 

.

[lynbee]

Went on Ventura last year and while we were waiting to embark P & O were taking groups of people onto the ship who were obviously just there for a visit. The ship had been in service for over a year so it wasn't that it was brand new, but they may well have been travel agents or something.

 

Might be worthwhile asking them if anything is possible, but my first instinct would be to say no they wouldn't, obviously for reasons of security. Just the same as not letting non-travellers past the departures entrance at an airport really (which I believe was common practice in the USA prior to 9/11).

[LibraLass41]

Went on Ventura last year and while we were waiting to embark P & O were taking groups of people onto the ship who were obviously just there for a visit. The ship had been in service for over a year so it wasn't that it was brand new, but they may well have been travel agents or something.

 

Might be worthwhile asking them if anything is possible, but my first instinct would be to say no they wouldn't, obviously for reasons of security. Just the same as not letting non-travellers past the departures entrance at an airport really (which I believe was common practice in the USA prior to 9/11).

 

Ships visits are arranged weeks in advance and are by invite only (I've done a couple) Friends at shoreside who would like to see your ship is a no-no like you say in 2nd paragraph for reasons of security.

[Merlin7]

........................

[LibraLass41]

Your quiet Merlin - do you agree that pre-arranged ship visits are not quite the same as letting strangers onboard on embarkation day? I've never heard of this happening in the past 5 years or more especially since 9/11...

[Merlin7]

The post which I had second thoughts about, was not in reply to your post LibraLass41.

 

As has been mentioned, visitors on board on embarakation day are usually TA's or other providers of ships services.

 

I am sure that they are far too busy on embarkation day to cope with sightseers, as well as the additional security measure that this would entail.

 

Frankly, ths ship is busy enough once the, 'cabins are ready,' announcement is made, without having to avoid extra people cluttering up the corridors.

[LibraLass41]

I agree.

 

Although ship visits are occasionally arranged for interested cruisers usually P&O first timers. My Artemis invite came from HO you have to pay a small amount - about £20pp and it is by invite only as others asked how I got it , they tried to get one after I gave them contact info and were told invite only...Rum Rat had one too and was on my tour, both of us have cruised before with P&O so why we got one was a mystery but I took up the invite offer as Artemis was the only ship I hadn't sailed on in the present fleet and I wanted to photograph her and see her for myself.

 

After lunch onboard they gave us info on P&O, written to tempt the new cruiser. All rather strange, can only think it was because I had trouble logging in to pando site and had to change my user name and start from scratch and they thought I was new....like this site. I have been here since 2005 not 2007 and probably posted twice as much as my count on here, as had log in probs here in 2007.

 

But security wise yes they are too busy these days with disembarking cruisers from 9-11am and new embarking cruisers from 12 onwards to control day visitors who haven't been vetted before the day who want a look around.