What is the Ultimate Ship Tour.

[John1519]

Whis is the ultimate ship tour and what does it include? I read that you must be "choosen"for it? Can anyone help clarify this for me.

 

Thanks

[paul929207]

The UST covers pretty much all the behind the scenes areas of the ship. It includes places like the bridge, galley, engine room, back stage, etc.

 

You sign up for it at the Passenger Services Desk. If too many sign up, there is a drawing.

 

Cost is $150 per person. I think it takes about 3 or 4 hours.

 

You get photos, bathroom and other momentos of the tour.

[Loonbeam]

I think the previous poster meant bathroom.

 

Do a search for UST, there will be plenty of reviews and comments.

[antsp]

I think the pervious and the other previous meant bathrobe......... We got there in the end, unless they give you a bathroom

[Kenswing]

I think the pervious and the other previous meant bathrobe......... We got there in the end, unless they give you a bathroom

And here I was trying to figure out how to get my new bathroom home.. :p

[Kinkacruiser]

The bathrobes are the luxury variety and are huge/bulky. You many need an extra suitcase, if you're not debarking in a home port. The treats you receive on the way would almost cover the cost of the tour...but you have to win the booking. Good luck :)

[Bogof1]

We were lucky enough to get on the UST only to have it cancelled the next day due to Noro Virus. maybe that's why you now get a bathroom LOL

[Pam in CA]

The tour also includes the Medical Center, laundry, food storage areas and the Bridge. On mine, we also climbed a ladder at the top of the ship to go behind the SeaWitch logo area to see the gas turbine engine which is located there. The ships with a gas turbine engine (usually used only when extra power is needed) have what looks like a couple of jet engines. Those are just decoration.

 

If you like to know how things work, this is a terrific tour and worth every penny.

[ChiefBoats]

The U.S.T. consist of a guided tour of the theater/stage/dressing rooms, forward line handling area, medical, engineering control room, print shop, laundry, galley areas (this will include the food dry and cold storage and finally the bridge). Each area will have staff to explain what is going on. On the Coral when I took the U.S.T. on the bridge Captain Bonetti was our guide and explained the bridge operation. During the tour we were given campaign and chocolate cover strawberries which the Soue (sp) Chef's were making in the pastry galley. We also had additional refreshments at the end in the Captain's conference room on the bridge.

 

At a number of the areas pictures were taken. My steward later delivered a package to our cabin which contained a Chef's jacket, one of the nice bath robes (better than the ones they furnish you in your cabin (I use mine all the time), and a copy of the photos. Be aware that it is about a four hour tour. If you can not use stairs you are normally not allow to take the tour since some of the areas you go will require climbing stairs. Also there is only one tour per cruise and that it is limited in number of people taking it. If you want to take it you need to get your name on the list as soon as you can. Normally at the customer service desk. If there are more people than allowed then use some method to select who gets it. It took me three cruises before I made it.

 

It was good tour and I make take it again on another ship one of these days.

 

___________________________

Previous Cruises

Alaska - 2008 Island Princess

Alaska - 2009 (B2B) Island Princess

Alaska - 2010 Royal Princess

Alaska - 2011 Golden Princess

Panama Canal - 2012 Coral Princess

Alaska - 2012 Star Princess

Western Caribbean - 2013 Crown Princess

 

Future Cruises

Alaska - 2013 Island Princess

Western Caribbean - 2013 Caribbean Princess

Eastern Caribbean - 2014 Royal Princess

[DISNEYANGELA]

Is this often wait listed? Or what are the odds you get in if/when you sign up? Can one person sign up others that are traveling with them?

[jrzebird]

OK, I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. I'm relieved they don't give you a bathroom. I already have one.

 

I did the UST on my repo last year and it was amazing. We didn't receive the chef's jacket, but a really nice apron instead. And we also climed up that ladder and went behind the Seawitch to the stacks. That was unforgetable. As was our visit to the Bridge.

 

Hoping to do it on the Royal next year. :-)

[Love.II.Cruise]

The bathrobes are the luxury variety and are huge/bulky. You many need an extra suitcase, if you're not debarking in a home port. The treats you receive on the way would almost cover the cost of the tour...but you have to win the booking. Good luck :)

 

This is not always the case. On our Jan. 2012 cruise when we did the ship tour we got the cheap bath robes that are in the room (not the nice plush ones). We were disappointed and didn't complain about it ... we just assumed they stopped giving out the nice robes.

[Sumar76]

We just got home from our trip and did the UST. We loved it.

One of the really interesting things for me was the laundry area.

Unbelievable the amount of towels that go thru there! And the folding machine for the sheets and pillowcases, lol.

We did get the plush bathrobes. Not easy jamming them into our suitcases to take home.

Very interesting and enjoyable tour. Well worth it.

[Stevesan]

The UST is primarily a $150 compilation of three ship's tours that were previously offered gratis:

[Stevesan]

The UST is primarily a $150 compilation of three individual ship's tours that were previously offered gratis:

[GHDPeter]

Is this often wait listed? Or what are the odds you get in if/when you sign up? Can one person sign up others that are traveling with them?

 

I signed up all 8 of our group as soon as we boarded the Sun in December, I just had to have all the names and cabin numbers. On our cruise they did 2 tours.

[SoBaycruiser]

Is the UST done on all the ships including the Ocean and Pacific Princess?

[Wehwalt]

Is the UST done on all the ships including the Ocean and Pacific Princess?

 

I've done 42 nights on the Pacific and 30 on the Ocean. Never seen or heard of it. On the Ocean, there was a walk-through galley tour, it was given twice. My trips on the PP were fairly port-intensive and by the transatlantic part, people had carelessly brought back the norovirus in Gibraltar, which meant they started taking precautions fairly early on and I'm sure tours would not have been given even if previously planned.

[GHDPeter]

The tour is advertised on the first couple of days of the cruise in the Princess Patter and is conducted on a sea day.

[bob123]

Is the UST included for suite guests? The amenities listed for suite guests mentions it, but it doesn't say it is necessarily included in the suite price.

 

Thanks

 

bob123

[Babr]

Is the UST included for suite guests? The amenities listed for suite guests mentions it, but it doesn't say it is necessarily included in the suite price.

 

Thanks

 

bob123

 

Not that I know of. We paid for it.

 

I'm not sure what you are referring to. I do not see it listed under suite amenities. Maybe it means suite passengers get priority if too many sign up.

[h20vacations]

Questions:

We sail on Saturday 8/31/13 - the only true sea day is Sun 9/1/13 will they do the tour that day only?

or

we have 2 days in the glaciers would they conduct the tour on either of those days?

 

do they offer the Ultimate balcony dining on port evenings?

 

Thanks