Cruise Ship Tours

[skoola]

If you are in port does Royal Caribbean allow you to tour their other ships? Do any of the other cruise lines let you tour their ships?

[negc]

It has been quite some time (since 9/11 at least) since that was allowed without special advance permission, and then it is usually restricted to members of the travel industry and their clients or local government authorities.

[chengkp75]

It has been quite some time (since 9/11 at least) since that was allowed without special advance permission, and then it is usually restricted to members of the travel industry and their clients or local government authorities.

 

This is correct. As fallout of 9/11 the ISPS security code was developed and implemented by the maritime industry worldwide. Ship Security Plans, required under ISPS, vary some by shipping company, but generally, visitors to a ship would have to provide identification and the reason for the visit at least 24 hours in advance so that the ship being visited could notify the home office to get permission and to check identity. Even cruise line employees visiting a ship need to be put "on the list" in advance. How would security check you onto and off the ship, if you weren't in the computer with your S&S card?

 

Also, visitors who are not company employees or contracted workers must be escorted at all times by a crew member. HAL has the Bon Voyage Experience in some ports where you can pay to tour the ship, but you must provide your ID in advance, and it is an escorted tour. They will credit the cost of the tour if you book a cruise within a certain time frame.

Edited March 19, 2015 by chengkp75