Possible to visit other Royal Ships while in port?

[Overtyme]

We'll be on Anthem in July and am wondering if anyone knows if it's possible to visit other Royal Caribbean ships if they're in port on the same day?

I've heard that sometimes on turn-around days, TA's are allowed to take customers on-board to have a look around.

I wonder if something similar is in place for current guests when ships from the same company are in port.

[Clarea]

We'll be on Anthem in July and am wondering if anyone knows if it's possible to visit other Royal Caribbean ships if they're in port on the same day?

I've heard that sometimes on turn-around days, TA's are allowed to take customers on-board to have a look around.

I wonder if something similar is in place for current guests when ships from the same company are in port.

There is no program in place for current guests to visit other ships in port.

[BecciBoo]

It is possible, but only if you have a special invitation from the Master of the other vessel.

 

I know this because I tried to view Allure right next to us in Cozumel. One of our CC members and an acquaintance of ours was meeting Cpt Johnny for lunch and I tried to request a visit...alas no such luck.

 

In case you don't believe me, it was Rick Yaekel.

Edited January 2, 2016 by BecciBoo

[Kamloops50]

Security won't allow it.

[Overtyme]

I wonder if I request it well in advance through C & A.

[ChipLondon]

It is only possible if you have a senior contact on board the ship, who makes a request for a visit in advance, and the required security checks have been made. This is the same requirements that are needed for any day visitor like local port officials ( like The Mayor or similar ).

 

So for regular Joe Public, I am afraid the answer is No.

[Clarea]

I wonder if I request it well in advance through C & A.

I would expect them to tell you it's not possible. As others have mentioned, if you know the right person, then it's a different story.

[knittinggirl]

I'm not sure I'd want to do the security hassle just to visit another ship. It would be like another embarkation day to me. Maybe embarkation and deembarkation all in one, then another visit in security to get back on my ship.

Edited January 2, 2016 by knittinggirl

[MommaBear55]

This is actually a very cool idea. Royal, you listening? I, for one, would be glad to pay a token amount to offset the extra security staff costs. There could be a planned excursion time, the onboard Loyalty Ambassador could do the tours....

[BecciBoo]

Rick even called Cpt Johnny to ask for an invite for us, but Cpt told Rick there are just too many asking for invitations....so its not like its rare, many people would like to do it. I tried every avenue in my case:(

 

They have been personal friends for years.

[Garavar]

Crystal Cruises lets you do this, so I dont see why Royal wouldnt let you...

 

My girlfriend is board member of local charity here in Fort Lauderdale and she called Royal last year and they let us board Freedom for board member and donor lunch in MDR.

 

We had waiters and everything. No charge. I dont see why Royal couldnt do 1 tour a day to build up people's hype and want to book ship

[Clarea]

Crystal Cruises lets you do this, so I dont see why Royal wouldnt let you......

Princess has a program to do this too. However, Royal does not.

[TravelerThom]

...My girlfriend is board member of local charity here in Fort Lauderdale and she called Royal last year and they let us board Freedom for board member and donor lunch in MDR. We had waiters and everything. No charge. I dont see why Royal couldnt do 1 tour a day to build up people's hype and want to book ship

I have seen Travel Agents commonly allowed onboard both in US and non-US ports. IME Royal is a little looser allowing non-passengers aboard at turn-around in US ports than they are at downstream ports. Purchase a wedding held onboard before sailing and you can invite guests. I have been a winner of a local Baltimore newspaper contest and was invited to visit the ship in port for lunch and up until muster drill. It may well make advertising sense to build hype with ship tours, but remember that especially on boarding day the ships tend to be quite busy.

[ramanda]

They used to do this years ago. The Monarch of the Seas came to Boston for a day back in 1992 and it was open to the public and we got to go on board for the day and I WAS HOOKED! I had never been on a cruise ship before and never would have thought of it seriously if I had not toured that ship. I immediately booked a cruise aboard the monarch for the following year. We had a fabulous time -best vacation ever but then got busy with other things in life and did not take another cruise. But now we have Allure of the Seas booked for August in a Grand Suite and I am super excited! It's sad that they don't do this anymore as I am sure it would get a lot of people bitten with the cruising bug who otherwise would not really think about it much

Edited January 2, 2016 by ramanda

[Overtyme]

This is actually a very cool idea. Royal, you listening? I, for one, would be glad to pay a token amount to offset the extra security staff costs. There could be a planned excursion time, the onboard Loyalty Ambassador could do the tours....

 

 

I think it would be awesome. It may also encourage others to book their next cruise sooner!

I wish they would do this.

A long time ago, in a cruise port far, far away...

I used to go down to the terminal in NYC to visit new cruise ships when they came into port.

They also used to have Bon Voyage parties where pretty much anyone could come and party before the ship left.

I think each cabin was allowed to invite 4 or 5 people.

 

Those were the days ...

[searoses]

A VERY long time ago my grandfather brought my brother and me on board a Cunard ship to see my parents off to bermuda.....it was enchanting to a 10 yo country girl...will never forget it.....the steward's name was david.....jaunty little cap on his head...music playing and lots of streamers as they pulled away.....over 50 years later we took our own cruise to bermuda....

[Overtyme]

A VERY long time ago my grandfather brought my brother and me on board a Cunard ship to see my parents off to bermuda.....it was enchanting to a 10 yo country girl...will never forget it.....the steward's name was david.....jaunty little cap on his head...music playing and lots of streamers as they pulled away.....over 50 years later we took our own cruise to bermuda....

 

 

Exactly!

Same experiences out of New York, but on Home Lines and then eventually Celebrity and Royal.

[Eng23]

I wonder if I request it well in advance through C & A.

 

Not likely.

[Eng23]

I think it would be awesome. It may also encourage others to book their next cruise sooner!

I wish they would do this.

A long time ago, in a cruise port far, far away...

I used to go down to the terminal in NYC to visit new cruise ships when they came into port.

They also used to have Bon Voyage parties where pretty much anyone could come and party before the ship left.

I think each cabin was allowed to invite 4 or 5 people.

 

Those were the days ...

 

Then the best thing to do is to draft a letter to the CEO of Royal Caribbean suggesting they create a program to do this. The worst response you would get is no. You could debate it for days here and it will have no impact on getting your wish to happen.

[rubrrick]

It is only possible if you have a senior contact on board the ship, who makes a request for a visit in advance, and the required security checks have been made. This is the same requirements that are needed for any day visitor like local port officials ( like The Mayor or similar ).

 

So for regular Joe Public, I am afraid the answer is No.

 

David is correct in his statement.

 

I'm the guilty one that BecciBoo mentioned (although it is Yeak, not Yaek) and that goes back a few years, when the Mariner of the Seas was cruising out of Galveston.

 

All port stops, save for the port of embarkation/disembarkation, are considered secure, for the benefit of all passengers that are on that cruise. So if someone wants to come aboard for a visit, or a look around, it must be cleared with both the Master of the ship, and corporate, so that security has the name of the person that will visit the ship, 24 hours in advance. More on this in a moment.

 

Princess has a program that allows visitors, for a price, to visit the ship on the day of disembarkation/embarkation, as do a few other lines. Royal Caribbean, at this point, has no such program.

 

I mentioned security, and all visitors must be attended to by an officer of the ship, at all times. I could not just walk around the ship unattended, so that puts a crew member, that could be spending time ashore, or just resting, to be on duty.

 

As I know some of the work that goes on behind the scenes, I quit asking any staff member for a visit a few years ago.

 

And David is absolutely correct in saying that for 99.99 percent of all passengers on Royal Caribbean, may not be permitted to visit another ship while in port.

 

Happy New Year everyone!!:)

 

Rick

[mpoole3]

I was emailing back and forth with CEO Adam Goldstein last year about these kind of tours. He loves the idea, and would love for guest to see other ships. However, due to the safty and logistics behind it the program never launched. So the only work around I can think of, is sail on every ship! :D

[Setting sail for fun]

IMO - Things changed after 9/11/2001 and it will never be the same.

[rubrrick]

IMO - Things changed after 9/11/2001 and it will never be the same.

 

You are correct. Policies were put into place, but many were not implemented till the sinking of the Concordia. Interesting that when an inept captain makes a mistake, and a major one this was, the penalty is taken out on the passenger. Go figure???

 

Rick

[Firefighterhoop]

The ONLY times I have heard of this are Travel Agents (Where it has been pre approved) and personal friends of high ranking officers (Directors and Captain), so you may be out of luck.

 

Personally I think this would be a great marketing tool for RCCL - to do tours of other ships for people currently on RCCL Ships.. obviously this would have to be arranged on board prior to the day that they would do this, but everyone on board is already pre screened and documented. Treat it just like a Travel Agent/VIP tour that they do in select ports already where it is a guided tour. Again, there obviously would be some complications with this but just thinking outside the box. :p

[GUT2407]

Nope.