"All" Access Tour - Opinions

[TwinMamainMN]

Several years ago, we did this type of tour on Carnival Dream and loved it. On Dream, they have an escalator going up and down from the galley to the MDR as it was not all on the same floor. It was fun to see and imagine a crazy busy MDR with people going up and down an escalator like at a shopping mall, but with trays of food instead of shopping bags. We saw much the same stuff as referenced above and really enjoyed it. I am already looking to do the All Access Tour on Radiance when we sail next May and am budgeting for it. We didn't do it in Alaska last summer and I've been kicking myself for missing it ever since.

[rusty nut]

1 hour ago, vacationlover_mn said:

Weird!  We did this tour on Symphony, including I-95, and saw no crew members smoking at all...

Symphony may be different. I don't know the specifics of smoking/non smoking zones below deck 4 but we could not escape the smoke, especially in the corridor, it was bad.

[Sitzmark]

The reviews of tours I’ve read make it sound like they spend a lot of time in the galley and not much time in the other areas.  I seem to be in the minority but that is a big price to pay for a tour of what really amounts to a commercial kitchen.  

[John&LaLa]

19 hours ago, Host Clarea said:

They cover bridge, galley, engine control room, laundry, and maybe another area or two.  Takes about 2 hours.

 

Is there any other way to get an engine control room tour. 🤔 Taking our Navy son on Serenade TA. He was a reactor operator on the Reagan, so I'm sure he'd like to see it.

[LrgPizza]

5 hours ago, copter said:

Why do pants need to be worn on these tours?  Just asking because the only pants I bring on board are those I wear to dinner.

 

16 hours ago, vacationlover_mn said:

Important note!  They said that they required pants and closed toed shoes on ours!  However, there was 1 lady in a dress, and one guy in shorts, and they let them do the tour.

 

2 hours ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Nothing specified with regard to pants, but depending on the part of the ship they intend to vist,  they might want closed toe shoes.

 

They did specify pants and closed-toed shoes on ours, and they did make one person go back and change her shoes. They let one man in shorts stay, but they discussed it with him for a bit. His shorts were longer, and he had on longer socks, so very little leg was exposed. I believe it's in the contract/waiver you sign that pants must be worn.  I think it's because they don't want your nasty leg hair flying around the galley. Nah, probably for some kind of safety reasons. 

[rusty nut]

19 minutes ago, Sitzmark said:

The reviews of tours I’ve read make it sound like they spend a lot of time in the galley and not much time in the other areas.  I seem to be in the minority but that is a big price to pay for a tour of what really amounts to a commercial kitchen.  

Yes, a lot of time was spent in the galley, however, there is a lot to see, there. For example, I did not know that the wait staff has access to a full bar located in the galley and are capable of making their own drinks for the diners.

[Clarea]

8 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Is there any other way to get an engine control room tour. 🤔 Taking our Navy son on Serenade TA. He was a reactor operator on the Reagan, so I'm sure he'd like to see it.

 

I'll bet if you asked the Suite Concierge they could do something for you.

 

We lucked out once and got to see the actual engine room.

[mayleeman]

12 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Is there any other way to get an engine control room tour. 🤔 Taking our Navy son on Serenade TA. He was a reactor operator on the Reagan, so I'm sure he'd like to see it.

I don't know about other tours availability, but on FOS a few years back I took the tour and ended up walking with a passenger who was a nuclear plant control room operator. He was fascinated by all the stuff in there, so I would just go on the whole thing. Incidentally, when we did it we could take pictures of everything in the control room. He and I arranged to exchange pictures after we got home, which helped eliminate the FOMO syndrome on the tour.

Edited April 3, 2019 by mayleeman
clarify

[LrgPizza]

1 hour ago, mayleeman said:

I don't know about other tours availability, but on FOS a few years back I took the tour and ended up walking with a passenger who was a nuclear plant control room operator. He was fascinated by all the stuff in there, so I would just go on the whole thing. Incidentally, when we did it we could take pictures of everything in the control room. He and I arranged to exchange pictures after we got home, which helped eliminate the FOMO syndrome on the tour.

 

We were allowed to take pictures in the control room in November on Mariner. Nothing was ever said about it one way or another. 

[Lionesss]

We have always sailed in GS or above on our cruises, and everyone of them the concierge offered us some type of ship tour for free.  The best one was on the Freedom, bridge and galley and that was only our second cruise on RCI.

 

Others have only offered  galley and theatre  (Allure/ Oasis) and on a rare occasion bridge (Mariner).

 

We got all the locations when we paid like on Allure.

 

Safe travels.

[Sitzmark]

On 4/3/2019 at 9:39 AM, rusty nut said:

Yes, a lot of time was spent in the galley, however, there is a lot to see, there. For example, I did not know that the wait staff has access to a full bar located in the galley and are capable of making their own drinks for the diners.

Should have been easier to get a drink with dinner then.

[CruisinCrow]

On 4/3/2019 at 7:14 AM, icsys said:

I don't disbelieve you, but I would have thought that even the crew would have designated smoking areas.

 

Surprised about that too.  We've been on the all access tour on Carnival twice and I never smelled smoke or saw anyone smoking. 

[vacationlover_mn]

On 4/3/2019 at 8:15 AM, Sitzmark said:

The reviews of tours I’ve read make it sound like they spend a lot of time in the galley and not much time in the other areas.  I seem to be in the minority but that is a big price to pay for a tour of what really amounts to a commercial kitchen.  

I feel like ours on Symphony was 1/3 galley, and 2/3 everything else.... it still was super cool!!

[vacationlover_mn]

On 4/3/2019 at 9:44 AM, LrgPizza said:

 

We were allowed to take pictures in the control room in November on Mariner. Nothing was ever said about it one way or another. 

We could take pictures everywhere on our Symphony tour 🙂

[chengkp75]

On 4/3/2019 at 9:31 AM, John&LaLa said:

 

Is there any other way to get an engine control room tour. 🤔 Taking our Navy son on Serenade TA. He was a reactor operator on the Reagan, so I'm sure he'd like to see it.

Have him write to the Chief and drop it at Guest Services.  Explain the connection and interest.  On a TA, the Chief or Staff Chief should be able to come up with an hour or two.

[John&LaLa]

2 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

Have him write to the Chief and drop it at Guest Services.  Explain the connection and interest.  On a TA, the Chief or Staff Chief should be able to come up with an hour or two.

 

Sounds like a plan, thank you.

[Paulette3028]

On 4/2/2019 at 1:43 PM, vacationlover_mn said:

We did one, on Symphony, in Feb.  LOVED IT!  Per the people on my tour, who've done many of these, even on the same ship, they said they are a little different each time, depending on the guide, and the various workers in each area.  Most of our time was spent doing these things: 1- Galley tour; 2 - tour of the fridges, freezers and general food receiving area; 3 - tour of the bridge; 4 - tour of the "highway" that the workers use 🙂; 5 - tour of the laundry; 6 - tour of the garbage area.  Definitely worth it!!!  I think it's especially worth it on the big ships.

We have done it on Majesty (small ship) and I believe it was Navigator (larger ship)....and when you do a big and little ship, you realize just how amazing both environments are to provide the kind of services that cruisers enjoy....as well as meet standards of operations that they have.  

 

We had a GREAT time on both ships....and yes, the guide has a lot to do with the knowledge you will walk away with on the All Access tour.  

[Bear79]

We are going on Symphony is October.  Does the tour use the stairs for all of the tour, or do they use elevators as well?  I'm traveling in a group and a couple people have trouble with a lot of steps.

[vacationlover_mn]

16 hours ago, Bear79 said:

We are going on Symphony is October.  Does the tour use the stairs for all of the tour, or do they use elevators as well?  I'm traveling in a group and a couple people have trouble with a lot of steps.

There were a couple of spots with lots of steps...

[mondsd]

Is this tour discounted or free for Diamond plus members?  If so how do you reserve it? TIA

[Clarea]

1 hour ago, mondsd said:

Is this tour discounted or free for Diamond plus members?  If so how do you reserve it? TIA

 

Not discounted or free for any C&A level. 

 

There are usually some behind the scenes tours offered to D+/PC members, but these are handled through the concierge once onboard, and they are much less comprehensive than the All Access tour.

[spookwife]

On 4/3/2019 at 8:31 AM, John&LaLa said:

 

Is there any other way to get an engine control room tour. 🤔 Taking our Navy son on Serenade TA. He was a reactor operator on the Reagan, so I'm sure he'd like to see it.

 chat up CHENG during one of the big meet n greets.   or  try a Concierge..   and if he's still AD,  wearing Cracker Jacks( if applicable)  on Formal night would  carry some weight as well.  

[John&LaLa]

7 minutes ago, spookwife said:

 chat up CHENG during one of the big meet n greets.   or  try a Concierge..   and if he's still AD,  wearing Cracker Jacks( if applicable)  on Formal night would  carry some weight as well.  

 

Had the concierge arrange it. The chief had more questions for him. Pat also ended up at the Captains table hosted by the CHENG.