Ultimate Ship Tour

[Bridget2]

We are aboard the Caribbean Princess next month. Does anyone know anything about the Ultimate Ship Tour? The website mentions it, but very little info. Do they offer it on every cruise? How do we find out which day it would be (sea day?)? How much does it cost? Is it worth the $$? How do you register for it? Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[nukesubsailor]

We are aboard the Caribbean Princess next month. Does anyone know anything about the Ultimate Ship Tour? The website mentions it, but very little info. Do they offer it on every cruise? How do we find out which day it would be (sea day?)? How much does it cost? Is it worth the $$? How do you register for it? Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

It has been a few years since I took the tour. At that time you needed to go to the passenger services desk and sign up for the tour. Do it as soon as you board as the tour is limited to only a dozen or so people and it is supposedly a first come-first served event. It cost $150 per person and if you consider the retail value of the gifts we were given after the tour, it was well worth it. A letter was delivered to our cabin telling me that I had been selected for the tour. It gave me the date, time, and place to meet to begin the tour. It also told me that there would be a lot of walking and climbing of stairs and suggested wearing comfortable and appropriate shoes.

During the tour we were given canapes and Champaign in both the galley and on the bridge. The gifts I received included a terry bath robe, a framed photo with the Captain, personalized stationery, and other items I cannot recall. We visited the galley, laundry, print shop, medical facility, engineering control room, bridge, theater back stage, costume storage facility and dressing room. We had photos taken at various places during the tour.

Everyone should do this at least once as long as they are physically able. I would not recommend it for anyone with mobility issues.

[NeurosurgeryNP]

We really enjoyed it when we did it on the Carribbean several years ago. Think of it as an excursion. The gifts were great. Loved seeing the behind the scenes stuff. Toy recommend it.

 

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[NeurosurgeryNP]

Totally. Oops.

 

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[TheRabbit]

It has been a few years since I took the tour. At that time you needed to go to the passenger services desk and sign up for the tour. Do it as soon as you board as the tour is limited to only a dozen or so people and it is supposedly a first come-first served event. It cost $150 per person and if you consider the retail value of the gifts we were given after the tour, it was well worth it. A letter was delivered to our cabin telling me that I had been selected for the tour. It gave me the date, time, and place to meet to begin the tour. It also told me that there would be a lot of walking and climbing of stairs and suggested wearing comfortable and appropriate shoes.

During the tour we were given canapes and Champaign in both the galley and on the bridge. The gifts I received included a terry bath robe, a framed photo with the Captain, personalized stationery, and other items I cannot recall. We visited the galley, laundry, print shop, medical facility, engineering control room, bridge, theater back stage, costume storage facility and dressing room. We had photos taken at various places during the tour.

Everyone should do this at least once as long as they are physically able. I would not recommend it for anyone with mobility issues.

The robe I received was not the normal lite weight one, but a very heavy and longer robe. Thank god we were driving from the port to home and not flying. Also received a Princess Chef's shirt along with the other items mentioned above. Our's started on the main theater's stage, went in the back and saw where the storage and staff rooms where and down under through the "Freeway" to the above mentioned locations and then ending on the bridge. When I did this, they took 6 pages of names and only drew 12 to 15. I have heard it is now first come. It was $120 in 2009 when I did it so it has not gone up that much. Well worth it.

[FLCruise7]

We just did it on the Regal last month - scoot to the Guest Services ASAP (we were on board fairly early and were about number 6/7 to sign up)! Our tour was limited to 15 people - you needed closed-toe shoes & long pants. The release form looks like you'll be climbing through the engines, but you don't! Gifts were: Bathrobe, apron, photos from the tour (group shots with some entertainers, Control Room Chief, Lines Chief & Captain), frame for the large photo with captain & personalized notepad. Places visited: Medical Center, Theater including backstage & dressing room, galley, laundry, photo shop, print shop, engine control room, forward area where they have the mooring lines & anchor, and the bridge. Cost was $150/person and the tour took about 3 1/2 hours. My only complaint was that it was the last sea day & we had to meet at 8:00 (no sleeping in that day!).

 

We really enjoyed it & would recommend it to anyone - fun thing to do at least once.

[Kenswing]

Here's the official from Princess.. https://www.princess.com/news/backgrounders_and_fact_sheets/factsheet/Ultimate-Ship-Tour.html

[EMS8]

We just did the UST last month on Royal Princess. We signed up at guest services a few hours after boarding and we were # 9 and 10 on the list. We only had 10 people on our tour. It was $150 pp and I would say well worth it. We toured all the places that were previously mentioned and were given good quality Princess robes, a very nice and colorful chefs apron, a nice picture frame with 3 pictures that were taken on the tour and personalized stationary. Overall it was a very nice tour of the ship.

[JF - retired RRT]

We just did it on the Regal last month - scoot to the Guest Services ASAP (we were on board fairly early and were about number 6/7 to sign up)! Our tour was limited to 15 people - you needed closed-toe shoes & long pants. The release form looks like you'll be climbing through the engines, but you don't! Gifts were: Bathrobe, apron, photos from the tour (group shots with some entertainers, Control Room Chief, Lines Chief & Captain), frame for the large photo with captain & personalized notepad. Places visited: Medical Center, Theater including backstage & dressing room, galley, laundry, photo shop, print shop, engine control room, forward area where they have the mooring lines & anchor, and the bridge. Cost was $150/person and the tour took about 3 1/2 hours. My only complaint was that it was the last sea day & we had to meet at 8:00 (no sleeping in that day!).

 

We really enjoyed it & would recommend it to anyone - fun thing to do at least once.

That was pretty much our experience.

The robe is heavy (2 pounds each).

The tablets are also fairly heavy and the size of 1/2 of a sheet of 8X10 paper.

Each participant receives all of the mentioned items. So if there are 2 of you, everything is doubled (including the pictures and the frames).

We knew before we boarded that we were going to sign up, so we packed closed toe walking shoes (required) and left space in our suitcases. Still didn't leave enough room and had to put the robes in my backpack that I use for excursions.

If you're flying, plan on an additional 10 pounds in your suitcase on the way home.

[Jezabel2924]

Are you able to take photographs on the tour? If so, are there areas that are restricted? I am thinking engine room might be.

[TheRabbit]

Are you able to take photographs on the tour? If so, are there areas that are restricted? I am thinking engine room might be.

Did not get to go to the engine room, but you do go to the command center. I do not remember if we could take pictures there or if any other place was off limit for pictures. I did go back through the pictures I took and did not have any from the command center, so it may have been off limits for picture.

[Bridget2]

Thanks. Great information. My husband was in the Navy, stationed on a ship and this is something I have always wanted to surprise him with. He has glaucoma and is losing his sight, so seems this is the time. Hope we can get on the list, as he may not have another chance. I just want to be sure it is on a sea day, as we have reserved excursions for port days.

[Eagle_and_hawk]

Are you able to take photographs on the tour? If so, are there areas that are restricted? I am thinking engine room might be.

 

No, you are not typically allowed to take pictures on the tour. I have heard some flexibility when on the bridge, if you happened to have taken your camera, even though they state in the letter not bring them along.

 

 

On the UST's we have done, you visit the engine control room, and not actually the room where the engines are located as too loud.

 

I believe we have done three, and enjoyed all of them.

 

This is a picture of what we received on the last tour:

 

UST2017 by Cool Runnings, on Flickr

[TheRabbit]

Thanks. Great information. My husband was in the Navy, stationed on a ship and this is something I have always wanted to surprise him with. He has glaucoma and is losing his sight, so seems this is the time. Hope we can get on the list, as he may not have another chance. I just want to be sure it is on a sea day, as we have reserved excursions for port days.

It was on a sea day and lasted around 90 to 120 minutes.

[aknursemom]

Is the UTS any more or less popular on Alaska cruises? It is my fiance's first cruise and his heart is set on doing this.

[reedprincess]

Is the UTS any more or less popular on Alaska cruises? It is my fiance's first cruise and his heart is set on doing this.

Similar popularity to any other destination. If he really wants to do it, he better hustle to Guest Services right away on boarding and sign up.

[geoherb]

Here's a link to my description of the Ultimate Ship's Tour from my live thread on the Regal in February. We had a great time. I made the mistake of eating lunch first before heading to passenger services to sign up. We were on the waiting list. Apparently there was enough demand that they offered two tours on the last sea day. The first group had a dozen people and ours had 11.

 

I'm glad we had driven to the port. I tried to do the tour the last time we drove to Port Everglades, but they did not offer it on those cruises since they were short ones (back-to-back 3- and 4-day cruises).

[WisCruiser2]

We did this on the Crown in February as we had a lot of OBC, it was well worth the $150! It was so interesting to see all the "behind the scenes" areas of the ship. The robes we were given are NOT the terry cloth ones, but lighter weight, had no problem stuffing them in the suitcases.

The letter we received informing us about the time, etc., stated "no cameras" and before we went to the Bridge we were told to also turn off any cell phones. Then as the First Officer was telling us about the Bridge, he said we could go ahead and take pictures!

[mevs904]

We took the tour on the Royal in January and really enjoyed it and also learned a lot of interesting information. We liked the idea of taking it on one of the larger ships where the technology was a little newer and the different areas were a little bigger.

[Cruise2End]

It’s one of those things everyone should do at least once, as it gives you a much better understanding of the amount of food prep, laundry, entertainment show prep, etc goes into each cruise. We did it on a Hawaii cruise because we were driving to the port, not flying and we had a good amount of onboard credit with no ship excursions booked ... a win win for us.

[hm9912]

We just did it on the Regal last month - scoot to the Guest Services ASAP (we were on board fairly early and were about number 6/7 to sign up)! Our tour was limited to 15 people - you needed closed-toe shoes & long pants. The release form looks like you'll be climbing through the engines, but you don't! Gifts were: Bathrobe, apron, photos from the tour (group shots with some entertainers, Control Room Chief, Lines Chief & Captain), frame for the large photo with captain & personalized notepad. Places visited: Medical Center, Theater including backstage & dressing room, galley, laundry, photo shop, print shop, engine control room, forward area where they have the mooring lines & anchor, and the bridge. Cost was $150/person and the tour took about 3 1/2 hours. My only complaint was that it was the last sea day & we had to meet at 8:00 (no sleeping in that day!).

 

We really enjoyed it & would recommend it to anyone - fun thing to do at least once.

 

I did it on the Caribbean Princess, I did it on the Regal Princess, and I did it on our last cruise on the Royal Princess.

Guess what?

I'm going to do it again on our next cruise on the Royal Princess again because I enjoy it.

 

Howard

[aknursemom]

Similar popularity to any other destination. If he really wants to do it, he better hustle to Guest Services right away on boarding and sign up.

Thank you for the information. We are going to the port early and have splurged on a suite, so hopefully we will be boarding early enough to make it happen. My plan is to go straight to signing up.

[ChrisB123]

I've wanted to do this ever since hearing about it, the problem is...Dh doesn't want to spend that much. :')

[TheRabbit]

I've wanted to do this ever since hearing about it, the problem is...Dh doesn't want to spend that much. :')

Just sign up for a spa day and go! Who checks the bill at the end, him or you? If you, no problem. "Look at the robe I got from the spa dear!"

[ChrisB123]

Just sign up for a spa day and go! Who checks the bill at the end, him or you? If you, no problem. "Look at the robe I got from the spa dear!"

OMG! Ha ha ha ha ha.... I'll consider it.