Has anyone taken a tour on a ship ?

[Heidi13]

Although some pax still visit the Bridge at sea, in my experience, most Bridge visits these days are in port. Back in the 70's & 80's we did Bridge visits every 1/2 hr, but only at sea. Although sign-up was required, all pax were welcome and they certainly didn't charge a fee. All the other areas of the ship tours were also free.

 

It costs nothing to provide tours of a cruise ship, so just can't imagine paying money for an all access tour. Yet another nickle & dining.

[SantaFeFan]

2 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

Although some pax still visit the Bridge at sea, in my experience, most Bridge visits these days are in port. Back in the 70's & 80's we did Bridge visits every 1/2 hr, but only at sea. Although sign-up was required, all pax were welcome and they certainly didn't charge a fee. All the other areas of the ship tours were also free.

 

It costs nothing to provide tours of a cruise ship, so just can't imagine paying money for an all access tour. Yet another nickle & dining.

 

I have visited the bridge on 7 cruises on 3 different cruise lines, all while under way. None were in port. Only one required a fee, and that was a 3 hour tour of various areas of the ship. The other visits were just to the bridge and were the result of me asking at customer service desk on the first day. Those had nothing to do with being a frequent customer or part of a special group. They happened simply because I asked politely. 

Edited March 30, 2019 by SantaFeFan

[MicCanberra]

50 minutes ago, SantaFeFan said:

 

I have visited the bridge on 7 cruises on 3 different cruise lines, all while under way. None were in port. Only one required a fee, and that was a 3 hour tour of various areas of the ship. The other visits were just to the bridge and were the result of me asking at customer service desk on the first day. Those had nothing to do with being a frequent customer or part of a special group. They happened simply because I asked politely. 

Good job, sometimes politely asking is all the charm that is needed.

[leaveitallbehind]

9 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

Although some pax still visit the Bridge at sea, in my experience, most Bridge visits these days are in port. Back in the 70's & 80's we did Bridge visits every 1/2 hr, but only at sea. Although sign-up was required, all pax were welcome and they certainly didn't charge a fee. All the other areas of the ship tours were also free.

 

It costs nothing to provide tours of a cruise ship, so just can't imagine paying money for an all access tour. Yet another nickle & dining.

Our bridge tours in recent years have included only one in port, with the rest at sea. And all of our separate bridge, galley, and entertainment tours over the years have been at n/c.

 

You make all good points.  But a lot has changed since the 70's and 80's with respect to total passengers on board, now typically in the 3-4,000 count on average (with some in excess of 6,000), which may make tour logistics far more difficult from your day just based on these sheer numbers - not to mention since 9/11 with security concerns, etc.  I think its just a different environment on board today then it was back then.

 

Regarding the all access tours, while there may not be a direct cost identified per se for these tours, someone has to arrange and conduct the tours, which typically last about 3 hours. Not denying that it now generates revenue, but I don't see it as "nickle and diming" to charge for this option so much as charging for a somewhat unique opportunity for those who would want to see this - especially given the number of passengers on board as mentioned.  They typically only conduct one or two per sailing with about 50 participants per tour.

Edited March 30, 2019 by leaveitallbehind

[SantaFeFan]

2 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Regarding the all access tours, while there may not be a direct cost identified per se for these tours, someone has to arrange and conduct the tours, which typically last about 3 hours. Not denying that it now generates revenue, but I don't see it as "nickle and diming" to charge for this option so much as charging for a somewhat unique opportunity for those who would want to see this - especially given the number of passengers on board as mentioned.  They typically only conduct one or two per sailing with about 50 participants per tour.

 

Completely agree. The tour I took cost $150. It was entirely optional. They were not "nickle and diming" me for something that should have been free. It was a unique and rare opportunity since only one tour was conducted during that 10 day cruise, and only 35 people out of 2,800 were allowed. I considered paying for it no different than paying for a shore excursion. If I didn't like the cost, all I had to do was not go. And, not going would not have been detrimental to my cruise in any way.

 

However, that tour did inconvenience ship operations. Ship activities had to be curtailed or minimized while we were in the area. Normal job tasks were affected by us being in the way. In all locations, at least one crew member was tasked with explaining the processes conducted there. Instead of doing their normal work load, they now had to pause and put on a "class" or demonstration. In other areas, work was stopped entirely while we were there, presumably both for safety and for loss of efficiency. 

 

There IS an impact on ship functions when these tours are conducted. Which means there is a cost to ship operations.

 

 

Edited March 30, 2019 by SantaFeFan

[CruiserBruce]

3 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Regarding the all access tours, while there may not be a direct cost identified per se for these tours, someone has to arrange and conduct the tours, which typically last about 3 hours. Not denying that it now generates revenue, but I don't see it as "nickle and diming" to charge for this option so much as charging for a somewhat unique opportunity for those who would want to see this - especially given the number of passengers on board as mentioned.  They typically only conduct one or two per sailing with about 50 participants per tour.

 

This must vary significantly by cruise line, or there is serious error in this statement. On HAL, the group is 12 max, not 50. (I can't imagine 50 in some of the smaller spaces the tour goes.) It is offered once per cruise. You not only get the 3 hour tour, with guide, you get a picture, usually with the Captain, various gifts, and a couple drinks and food treats either on the tour, or at the end, or both. So there is a cost associated with the tour.

 

As I indicated earlier, we think it is a great tour.

[nybumpkin]

We've done this tour twice on Carnival - 2010 on Carnival Conquest and 2018 on Carnival Horizon. It's $95 PP, 16 people per tour. No phones or cameras permitted - they wand you before the tour starts. If you insist on having your phone with you, the guide will hold it during the tour. I don't know why they ban cameras, but I could see it being disruptive with people stopping along the way to take pictures. We did get three photos taken by a ship's photographer - on Conquest, it was a group photo on the bow, a group photo with the Captain on the bridge, and an individual photo with the Captain. On Horizon, instead of the bow group photo we had a group photo in the brewery.

 

This isn't something I'd do every cruise, but it's fascinating and well worth the cost. Last year on Horizon we were skirting a hurricane and it was great to hear firsthand from the Captain and the Chief Engineer how the ship would navigate around it and see the instruments they were using.

[MicCanberra]

4 hours ago, SantaFeFan said:

 

There IS an impact on ship functions when these tours are conducted. Which means there is a cost to ship operations.

 

 

I also do not see it as nickel and diming, but implementing a cost does several things, firstly it compensates the line for running the tour, the gifts, etc and loss of constructive work time for the staff involved. Secondly, the cost incurred means that only people who really want to do it will pay for it and as such will limit numbers, (aka Tragedy of the commons) while if free everyone would want to do it.

[SRF]

21 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

 

On our bridge tours with RCI / Celebrity we've always been allowed to take pictures - just not videos.  That restriction must vary by cruise line.

 

And there are a couple of things you are not allowed to photograph at all.

 

We did a brunch with gallery tour and a bridge tour.

 

Both were quite interested.

[leaveitallbehind]

6 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

 

This must vary significantly by cruise line, or there is serious error in this statement. On HAL, the group is 12 max, not 50. (I can't imagine 50 in some of the smaller spaces the tour goes.) It is offered once per cruise. You not only get the 3 hour tour, with guide, you get a picture, usually with the Captain, various gifts, and a couple drinks and food treats either on the tour, or at the end, or both. So there is a cost associated with the tour.

 

As I indicated earlier, we think it is a great tour.

I could be overstating the number - it may have been more like 25. But on our upcoming RCI Ovation cruise (which is 11 nights, so that might make a difference) it is offered at least twice.

 

And there usually is a gift and some galley snacks included.

[leaveitallbehind]

1 hour ago, SRF said:

 

And there are a couple of things you are not allowed to photograph at all.

 

We did a brunch with gallery tour and a bridge tour.

 

Both were quite interested.

Other than the no video rule, there have been no restrictions on what we have been able to photograph on the bridge with RCI / Celebrity.  And all other areas on the tour allowed unrestricted video and pictures.

[MicCanberra]

We were not allowed to photograph in the bridge.

[Bizmark'sMom]

On the expedition cruises I have done, the bridge is open unless we are specifically told it is closed. (Sailing through the remnants of a hurricane that are making the conditions rough. Or coming in to a tricky port.)  It's fascinating. 

[leaveitallbehind]

1 hour ago, MicCanberra said:

We were not allowed to photograph in the bridge.

Just curious - what cruise line / ship?  Clearly the policies vary.

[SantaFeFan]

43 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Just curious - what cruise line / ship?  Clearly the policies vary.

 

Celebrity Infinity and Constellation allowed it the times I visited the bridge.

 

Edited March 31, 2019 by SantaFeFan

[leaveitallbehind]

6 minutes ago, SantaFeFan said:

 

Celebrity Infinity and Constellation allowed it the times I visited the bridge.

 

 

Yeah agree - I have similar pictures from several ship's bridges.  (RCI/Celebrity)  (Nice pix BTW).

Wonder what ships don't allow this....

Edited March 31, 2019 by leaveitallbehind

[MicCanberra]

3 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Just curious - what cruise line / ship?  Clearly the policies vary.

Cunard QM2 (2015) and Celebrity Infinity (2011), puzzling that we were not allowed.

[MicCanberra]

2 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

 

Yeah agree - I have similar pictures from several ship's bridges.  (RCI/Celebrity)  (Nice pix BTW).

Wonder what ships don't allow this....

Hmm, interesting that we were not allowed.

[SRF]

18 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Other than the no video rule, there have been no restrictions on what we have been able to photograph on the bridge with RCI / Celebrity.  And all other areas on the tour allowed unrestricted video and pictures.

 

On Grandeur there were a couple of sections with info on emergency procedures, that we could look at, but NOT photograph.

[CanobieFan]

A few years ago I was on one of the first RCCL Cuba sailings and our excursion in Cuba got canceled 3 days before leaving.. So while asking at the help desk for other options since we had booked the Cuba sailing... for Cuba! They gave us passes for the Behind the Scenes Tour on Empress. Got to do the bridge tour, got to sit in the captains chair. Was a fun tour, but long. Took us all across the ship in backstage areas.