HAL Behind the Scene Tour

[I like vacation]

Has anyone taken a Behind the Scene Tour recently?  We tried on the Oosterdam in January but they couldn't get the minimum of 4.  We will be on the Nieuw Statendam in October and want to try again.  Here is a link I found for a tour on the Kdam in 2016:

 

http://halfacts.com/pinnacle-class/behind-the-scenes-tour-koningsdam/

[rafinmd]

I hope you have better luck on the Nieuw Statendam than I did.  It was NEVER publicized anywhere and of course they didn't get the minimum.  Do sign up though.  As a consolation prize I was invited on a tour of the bridge which was free.

 

Roy

[ski ww]

On our recent Eurodam cruise it was in the daily. "When & Where" for $150, as much as I would like to see behind the scene that's a little expensive. I have done the bridge & back stage for free, but would like to see the engine control room. On another cruise it was never publicized but by asking at the front desk a couple of us got a free tour. 

[joekerstef]

I did the behind the scenes tour on Zuiderdam in December. We learned of it at the CD's coffee chat with the first engineer. Went right down to the front desk to sign up since half the room looked like they wanted to do it. There was a nondescript sign advertising the tour posted at the front desk. And I do recall that it was advertised once in the When and Where. We had something like 16 people and we did get a bunch of freebies for our $150 including a photo with the captain on the bridge, a couple of adult beverages and snacks, and a goodie bag with some cups and a cookbook. I might do it again on a different ship. Note that it involves a LOT of walking and standing for three hours, and on Zuidy there were free tours offered of both the galley and backstage in the theater. Very interesting though. 

[MAVIP]

I did the kitchen tour a few years ago on ms Rotterdam and DH and I in February/March last on the m.s. Maasdam. Free (but, of course no goodies and I would not be too interested to get them either…..).

[Alberta Quilter]

I did one on the NS in February.  We were on a B2B; they only did the tour the second week of the cruise.  It was not publicized so check at the Front Desk and get your name on a waiting list.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I did the tour on Zuidy back when they were first offering it. There was just one little notice in the when & where (or whatever it was called back than) on embarkation day. Easy to miss. Fortunately, I had read about it here (thank you, CC!) and went right to the front desk to sign up. It was fascinating and we thought it was worth the price--think of it as an excursion for a sea day. 

 

[I like vacation]

Thanks for the replies.  The only reason I know of this tour is from reading about it here on CC.  When we where on the Oosterdam in January we went to guest services on Day 1 to sign up.  Never saw it mentioned in the "When and Where" all week.  I'll have to mention it to the October roll call and see if there is any interest.

[TheEmerson]

I have booked a BST on every cruise I have taken, it never gets old.  When on the Noordam last I asked the Neptune Lounge concierge that I was interested in booking it, she told me a private one will be scheduled for both Pinnacle Suites later on in the week.  And sure enough three days later we were invited with the other PS guests on a private tour.  It was a nice time.  

[lcand1923]

I was on the Nieuw Statendam for its Westbound Transatlantic in December.  The tour was not advertised, but I had read about it on Cruise Critic.  I went to the Front Desk and asked to be put on the list.  The Front Desk said it may not be offered since the ship was still getting fitted out, etc. 

 

It was offered.  The group was small, maybe 12 people.  Most had been on Behind the Scenes Tours before whether on Holland America or some other line.  If you want to take it, go to the Front Desk on the first day and ask to be added to the list.  I don't remember the price, but I felt it was well worth it.  (By the way, they said the tour would last about 2 hours.  It lasted closer to 3 and half hours.)

[sue1898]

We did the tour and found it fascinating! Ours was done over 2 days and was as I recall 1 1/2 to 2 hours each section. At the end we were given goody bags including a HAL cookbook and were treated to our favorite adult beverage.

[simplyrubies]

What is the price for this tour? I remember reading somewhere that it was $150, but I can't remember where I read this and how accurate that estimate still is today. Thanks all.

[Alberta Quilter]

53 minutes ago, simplyrubies said:

What is the price for this tour? I remember reading somewhere that it was $150, but I can't remember where I read this and how accurate that estimate still is today. Thanks all.

It was $150 in Feb/19.

[oceanmom]

Loved this tour. We did it as a family of four and they were very careful that we each got a different cookbook. (And I ended up with all four of them!)

[3rdGenCunarder]

44 minutes ago, oceanmom said:

Loved this tour. We did it as a family of four and they were very careful that we each got a different cookbook. (And I ended up with all four of them!)

 

That's so nice! DH and I got the same cookbooks, but it was OK. The extra one was a good souvenir for a friend.

[travelholics]

We also read about it here and went to the desk on our first day on Westerdam in January. Husband loved the Engineer room the most whilst  I was fascinated by the laundry. Only 6 of us and the first time the CD had taken a tour, so he was as interested as we were! Again split over 2 days, just before sailing on a port day and the remainder on the next sea day. Recommended.

 

[rothbury]

Did this tour on Koningsdam in February.  I think there may have been 10 of us on the first day.  The bridge tour is on a port day.  It is a security thing.  No video recording allowed on the bridge.  They did take a nice picture in front of the control panel.  The next day was a sea day and that was the rest of the tour.  A few people dropped out on the second day.  The engine control room was not expecting us and there was no one who spoke English who could narrate what we were seeing.  The rest of the tour was the laundry and food storage area.  The gift bag was the usual tote bag, one of the embarkation glasses with the flashing lights (looked used) and the cookbook.  The recipes are of dishes served onboard.  Probably never use it.  Was it worth the $150 cost?  That is subjective but I enjoyed it.  Would I do it again?  Probably not.  I guess my overall review would have to be that everywhere we went they were not expecting us and were mostly unprepared to explain what you were looking at.  That was the only disappointment.  Our tour guide was not the CD and he kept repeating that crew were supposed to be available to explain things and he didn't know why there was no one meeting us.

[joekerstef]

Our tour in December was on a sea day and it was three hours all in one day. Might have preferred it broken up, it's a lot of walking and standing.

[3rdGenCunarder]

42 minutes ago, rothbury said:

Did this tour on Koningsdam in February.  I think there may have been 10 of us on the first day.  The bridge tour is on a port day.  It is a security thing.  No video recording allowed on the bridge.  They did take a nice picture in front of the control panel.  The next day was a sea day and that was the rest of the tour.  A few people dropped out on the second day.  The engine control room was not expecting us and there was no one who spoke English who could narrate what we were seeing.  The rest of the tour was the laundry and food storage area.  The gift bag was the usual tote bag, one of the embarkation glasses with the flashing lights (looked used) and the cookbook.  The recipes are of dishes served onboard.  Probably never use it.  Was it worth the $150 cost?  That is subjective but I enjoyed it.  Would I do it again?  Probably not.  I guess my overall review would have to be that everywhere we went they were not expecting us and were mostly unprepared to explain what you were looking at.  That was the only disappointment.  Our tour guide was not the CD and he kept repeating that crew were supposed to be available to explain things and he didn't know why there was no one meeting us.

 

Wow, that is very different from my experience. For $150, they should make an effort. When I did the tour, staff were waiting for us at each stop and ready to talk and answer questions. The best bit was when we got to the cold stores, the guide opened the door and inside was a waiter with flutes of champagne. A cute touch. 

 

[beaming90]

I didn't get to do it on my last cruise on Carnival because our ship broke, so I hope to be able to do it on the Oosterdam in August!!!!