Behind the fun

[slwillwin]

Can you only sign up for this on the ship? Is it worth it? How about kids? I have a 7 and 9 year old.

[nchikk]

Can you only sign up for this on the ship? Yes, and sign up as soon as you board.

 

Is it worth it? Yes it is...was to us anyway. You will see and learn things you would not have otherwise.

 

How about kids? I have a 7 and 9 year old. I'd say no. It's about 3 1/2 hours long and involves walking and going up and down stairs. At $95/pp (depending on cruise length), it may be a bit much for them...but you can makeup your own mind on that.

[bakersdozen12]

It's definitely worth the money, but I agree that I don't think it's for kids that young. There is a lot of standing around, listening to people like the head chef, an engineer, etc, talk about their jobs. Kids that young would probably find it very boring. For adults, though, it's fascinating.

 

 

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[Shmoo here]

Can you only sign up for this on the ship? Is it worth it? How about kids? I have a 7 and 9 year old.

 

Yes, do it as soon as you get onboard.

Yes, would do it again, if available.

I believe the minimum age is 8 (at least it was on our tour), so your 7 year old = no; your 9 year old = yes.

[WLHyatt]

We will probably do it on the Breeze in May. We did do it on the Conquest in 2012, and we normally wouldn't do it again but I am a huge nerd and want to see the differences between the different areas on the ship.

 

It is worth the cost if you have any interest in the logistics of how to power a ship, feed 6000 people 3 or 4 or 5 times a day, how things like training are handled, and how they navigate among other things.

 

The best part was going out on the bow of the ship and getting a photo (since that's a crew only area), and the bridge. The view from the bridge is unbeatable.

[LaFrimaire]

Husband did the tour and thought it was well worth the price. Got to see a lot of behind the scenes action, photo with captain and treats delivered to your stateroom post cruise. Only one 13yo kid in his group.

[CruisinCrow]

According to the Carnival website the minimum age is 8: https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1386/~/carnival%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%98behind-the-fun%E2%80%99-tour

 

On Paradise and Victory, the tour cost $55 and lasted about 2 and a half hours. It is longer and more expensive on the larger ships.

[springs741]

According to the Carnival website the minimum age is 8: https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1386/~/carnival%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%98behind-the-fun%E2%80%99-tour

 

On Paradise and Victory, the tour cost $55 and lasted about 2 and a half hours. It is longer and more expensive on the larger ships.

 

It was $95 on the Miracle, Conquest and Magic.

 

Also, it is held on the last sea day at the same time as the Seuss at Sea Breakfast.

[OSUcruiser]

Where do you sign up for this? Excursion desk?

Thanks...

[vwrestler171]

Yes you sign up at the Excursion desk. Be prepared for a lot of walking and stairs and make sure to take closed toed, closed heel shoes. A previous poster was correct, 8 years old in the minimum age.

[riclop]

Can you only sign up for this on the ship? Is it worth it? How about kids? I have a 7 and 9 year old.

Try it you will like it.

[DallasGuy75219]

Where do you sign up for this? Excursion desk?

Thanks...

 

Suggest buying these as soon as you board you're really interested, as there are a limited number of spaces. Guest Services can also book for you if excursion desk is closed when you board.

[kct5]

What areas do they cover? I'm thinking of surprising my husband with this excursion on our next cruise.

[Shmoo here]

What areas do they cover? I'm thinking of surprising my husband with this excursion on our next cruise.

 

We went to the engine control room, crew mess, crew lounge, bridge, galley.

[mzlinda]

On the Fantasy, we also went to the laundry room, walk in cooler, and backstage to meet with the head dancer.

[Wheatie59]

On Splendor, we saw the bridge, backstage and on the main stage, the HR guys office/training room/amazon package store room (he was our tour guide), the crew outdoor deck at the very front of the ship, staff dining room, laundry, drinks storage areas and trash collection areas, morgue and brig (in passing, didn't go in), engine control room, and steakhouse. We glimpsed the much larger crew dining room from the hallway, but weren't allowed in. We were told the distinction was crew gets a share of the tips, staff does not. We had group and individual pictures with the captain on the bridge and group pictures out on that fore deck. We didn't linger there long, it was very windy. Didn't get to see the engine room, except on the monitors on the control room. They said it was to hot, dirty, and smelly. But, hey, I spend a lot of summer Friday nights at the hot, dirty, smelly drag strip so I would have dealt with that for a close up look at those engines.

[diamonddaddy]

Yes it's worth it.

[miguestner]

Kids that young would probably find it very boring.

[CruisinCrow]

What areas do they cover? I'm thinking of surprising my husband with this excursion on our next cruise.

 

I recently wrote out the tour in my Victory cruise review.

Scroll down to post #29: http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2337039&page=2

 

It goes over all the areas we visited. I believe the tour on the larger ships go to additional areas. You don't actually visit the engine room but you do visit the engine control room.

 

Your husband would love the tour. We've done it twice now and it's very interesting.

[Savlamara]

I thought Behind the Fun was excellent. I enjoyed every minute of it, got to see things in person that I'd only heard about. I would definitely do it again, but on a bigger boat. If your into knowing how things work, or have been on a few cruises and like to know the ins and outs, I would do it.

 

In addition to crew areas, we saw the backstage and customing areas of the theater, props, full kitchen, prep, food storage, the infamous I-95, computer room, etc... Lots to see. Dont forget to leave your camera! They take that rule VERY seriously.

[CruisinCrow]

Dont forget to leave your camera! They take that rule VERY seriously.

 

No cell phones either.

[missholly24]

Can you only sign up for this on the ship? Is it worth it? How about kids? I have a 7 and 9 year old.

 

Hi, I had about the same exact questions about a month ago. I did some research and came to the conclusions, yes you can only sign up on the ship, yes its worth it, and yes I am taking my 9 year old but not my 7 year old. I haven't told him yet in case it is sold out, but he will be ECSTATIC to know he is going on this. My 7 year old can't sit still for one full minute, so he is not going (and it does say on the Carnival website that the minimum age is 8 so we have no room for arguments here anyway). He will hang with my husband.

Edited April 7, 2016 by missholly24