Platinum free tour

[GORDONCHICK]

We became platinum after our last cruise so will get the perks on the next one. My question is about the free platinum tour - where does it take you? I've seen people say that the tour many times conflicts with the CC M&G party (which I'm coordinating so I think I'm expected to show up for it). I know it's usually held on the first sea day, but is it usually morning or afternoon or does it just vary?

[KeithJenner]

I've only ever made it to one, as it does conflict with other things sometimes.

 

We did the recycling area, kitchen, laundry and bridge.

 

On our last couple of cruises they have been quite early in the morning, but I can't remember which days.

[jvsnana]

Congrats on turning Platinum!

 

On the Spirit we did the kitchen, laundry, recycling, I-95 crew corridor and the Bridge viewing room.

 

I also hosted the Meet and Greet and had the same concerns about conflicting times, so I emailed the Special Events Coordinator for our ship and asked her the hours of the BTS Platinum tour. She contacted the ship and found out they did not conflict, so it was a win win :)

 

There will be a letter in your stateroom with the times of the tour...you will have to sign up for it by a certain deadline to grab your spot. Also, remember you have to wear close toed shoes for the tour :p

Edited March 9, 2016 by jvsnana

[GORDONCHICK]

Thanks for the info! Even when we weren't platinum, I tried to get a M&G time that wouldn't conflict with the tour but have always been told that they don't know when it will be - which I've found hard to believe, but haven't pushed the issue. I might just request an afternoon M&G. I've had people in the past who didn't come because they just wanted to sleep in on their first day on the ship.

[mizLORInj]

It takes you through the kitchen areas, laundry, trash disposal, behind the stage (on Gem but not Breakaway). I don't think either tour included the actual bridge (Gem there is the bridge viewing room).

 

Yes, sometimes it does conflict and NCL told me our M&G was when it was and the BTS tour was when it was, sorry if it's a conflict. I think the M&G is usually 11am (on those 2 ships anyway). Maybe if there are a lot of platinums they'll do more than one tour.

 

There will be a certificate in your cabin when you arrive and you'll need to call the Cruise Consultant to confirm your participation in the tour and then you'll get the details of time/date and location.

 

Enjoy your platinum perks!

Edited March 9, 2016 by mizlorinj

[mugtech]

Last May on the Sun 10 day Alaska cruise they had two different times, saw laundry, I-95, backstage, but no bridge.

[I love doxies]

I would like to see NCL sail out of San Francisco.. We live in the area.

[rochelle_s]

I set up the M & G for an upcoming cruise and I specifically asked about the Platinum Behind the Scenes tour. For that particular cruise it is consistent with what others have reported and will be on the same day as the first M & G. The tour is at 9:00 am and the M&G at 11:00. A very tight squeeze if you are the one making the arrangements for the Cruise Critic group.

 

 

Rochelle

[mugtech]

I would like to see NCL sail out of San Francisco.. We live in the area.

Next May the first Alaska cruise sails out of SF.

[dexddd]

I would like to see NCL sail out of San Francisco.. We live in the area.

 

The POA is sailing out next Tuesday - we'll wave.

[I love doxies]

Thank you mug tech I will check that out.

[OceanDreaming2]

What the others are saying is correct. The invitation came in our welcome aboard packet. If we wanted to go on the tour, the deadline to sign up was something like 6pm on the first night. I didn't even see it until the next day.

 

The tour and the M&G were scheduled for the same times.

[MandyGirl]

Does anyone know when the Platinum tour is on the Escape? Hoping 9am like mentioned above - I can't remember what time it was on the Dawn last month - but leave Saturday for Escape and our M&G is Sunday 11:00 Cagney's. :confused:

[suometar]

On the Breakaway last month it was at 9 AM. We saw the backstage areas, the laundry, and the kitchen. It lasted about one and a half hours.

[martinchem]

Our last tour was a watered down version of what was offered a few years ago. No bridge, no behind the seen theater. ..

[Medtech2]

If you don't see the letter or invite in your packet the first day make sure you ask the cruise consultant and insist on the info. We did not have it and the cruise consultant was, shall we say, slack. By the time he gave us the information the deadline had passed but I then went to the concierge with the problem and luckily she was able to help us.

 

I was not at all happy with the cruise consultant believe me.

 

We got a watered down version of the tour we had done a few years ago on the Sun. Just a walk through the galley, laundry, and bridge viewing room.

 

On the Sun we actually went into the different cooking areas and saw how they made the fresh baked breads, huge vats of fresh soups, hand carved the meats, etc. saw demos in the laundry, went back stage. I would really be interested in knowing if anyone has done both the paid tour and the Platinum tour recently to know what the differences are. With all the changes in recent years I have no idea if the paid tours are still as in depth as the one we went on...

[MandyGirl]

Our last tour was a watered down version of what was offered a few years ago. No bridge, no behind the seen theater. ..

 

 

The bridge tour on all lines has pretty much been on hold in light of escalated security levels with the events of Brussels and Paris (at least I was told)

[mking8288]

Previously on NCL, not that long ago, the complimentary & free BTS tour for Platinum members last 2 to 3 hours, including a stop at the ship's bridge viewing room (Gem has one, open to all - check posted hours ... where the mermaid statue is)

 

See this post from another CC from 2013 - http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=34686812&postcount=2

 

They shortened it again, skipped the recycling area below deck - and, probably don't go thru the gallery & food storage/refrigeration area faster.

 

Access to the bridge was optional, at each ship captain's discretion - for obvious security reasons ... ever since 9/11, however. Our M&G group on the GEM was privately invited to a actual visit/tour of the bridge on a later sea day - no videos allowed, however.

[Demonyte]

Previously on NCL, not that long ago, the complimentary & free BTS tour for Platinum members last 2 to 3 hours...

 

At least two years ago, we had shortened tours only guided by the cruise consultant (no staff from their respective departments except for 3rd officer in bridge viewing room) already in 2014.

[mking8288]

... we had shortened tours only guided by the cruise consultant ... already in 2014.

What a difference, LOL, between the paying "ship tour" which I believed had gone from $50 p/p a few years ago to $75 & higher (on the BA last year - 3 hours was the advertised time, apparently they still had space - used to the popular on the Jewel/Dawn class ships, typically soldout) to the "accelerated" platinum tour (it was still about 2 hours on the BA in the Spring of 2015, although I didn't go - chose to stay with the M&G) Now it's "streamlined" to 90 minutes ... plan to do it next month (even if it conflict with Roll Call's M&G) just to see how the fast track tour (and, come back to share a quick summary)

 

The invite to join the Platinum BTS tour was inside the stateroom as part of the Welcome Abroad package, and, it needed to be reserved/booked with the onboard liaison by 5 or 6 PM on embarkation day.

 

No news (status quo is "good news" these days, sadly) on the Godiva chocolate (gone from 8 pc. to a 4 pc. box already) or the downsized coated strawberries - might as well do away with the tiny mints on the pillow each night since one of our little grand nephew no longer eats them as we bring home for him as a "treat". To refresh memories, they looked like - https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/64025118/NCL%20Gem%202012%20Photos/SDC10353b.JPG