Guests on board

[billrau]

This is my first time with Cruise Critic, sailing on JEWEL OF THE SEA, April 30th, transatlantic. Has anyone had success in getting guests on board? We have American cousins, living in France, with two small kids, who would love to visit. I'll appreciate any advice. Thanks...billrau

[Seaside2358]

It will never be allowed...You will need to go visit them.

[superjerryw]

No guests are allowed on board for security reasons. In addition, if they did allow guests, how would they control what they had access to. For example, someone could bring some guests on the ship and then take them to the dining room to eat. Since ID's are not checked when you enter the dining room the guests could eat for free. I think there is also a liability issue. It's enough trouble dealing with the mishaps that befall the passengers without having to deal with the mishaps that befall people that don't even belong on the ship.

[madforcruising]

As the others said there are no guest allowed onboard for security reasons.

Don´t be confused once onboard when you see people with tags saying "Visitor" on them. These are not visitors from guests onboard but officials, port agents or other somehow to the cruise line related personnel being onboard for business reasons. The cruise line also sometimes invites travel agents to visit while the ship is in port.

 

Only way the cruise line allows not sailing guests on board is for pre-arranged onboard weddings. I think wedding parties can include guests that won´t sail on the ship but attend the ceremony while in port.

 

So I´m sorry but I don´t see a chance for your relatives to visit.

[sanjoseca]

Regardless of what has been said here, I would quietly send a note to the Captain through guest relations a few days into your TransAtlantic giving logical reasons why he may want to give your friends permission to board in LeHavre. The worst that can happen is that he says no.

[nerak]

My daughter and I were guest on board the March 4th sailing of the Serenade while they were in San Juan. As the poster stated above, we had to wear a 'visitors' badges. We were allowed anywhere passengers were allowed, including the dining room to eat. We had to submit our birthdates and passport numbers in advance. We had to check in with security where the crew goes in and special papers were waiting for us. We then took them to the crew enterance on the ship where we were issued the badges. The only bad thing I can say about doing this was that we had to be off by 7:30 as every one began to prepare for the muster drill as we really wanted to sail with them again. :o I have no clue as to how one would go about doing this on their own and doubt that it would be possible without an invitation such as we had. I know RCI states that no guest will be allowed on board with a passenger.

[superjerryw]

Regardless of what has been said here, I would quietly send a note to the Captain through guest relations a few days into your TransAtlantic giving logical reasons why he may want to give your friends permission to board in LeHavre. The worst that can happen is that he says no.

 

The worst that could happen is that the Captain says yes and he loses his job. The cruise line rules say no guests. Why put anyone in an embarassing position by asking them to break those rules and put their job at risk.

[GMoney]

The worst that could happen is that the Captain says yes and he loses his job. The cruise line rules say no guests. Why put anyone in an embarassing position by asking them to break those rules and put their job at risk.

 

They also say no bridge tours, but we all know those happen as well...

[negc]

The worst that could happen is that the Captain says yes and he loses his job. The cruise line rules say no guests. Why put anyone in an embarassing position by asking them to break those rules and put their job at risk.

 

I don't think that any reputable captain would break the rules or place his job in jeopardy, but to the degree that Captains have a certain amount of discretion, if this is one of those areas, he might grant a polite request. If he doesn't have that discretion, I don't see that it would be embarrassing for him to politely decline the request explaining that regulations won't permit it. As was said, the worst that can happen is that the request is denied. I suspect that the OP won't be able to bring his guests onboard, but I see little or no harm in asking.

[sanjoseca]

The worst that could happen is that the Captain says yes and he loses his job. The cruise line rules say no guests. Why put anyone in an embarassing position by asking them to break those rules and put their job at risk.

That's just rediculous. Captains are given the latitude to make way more important decisions than this. There's no harm in asking and there is no harm in the Captain saying no if it's beyond his empowerments.

[superjerryw]

My point is that a rule is a rule. If it's OK to ask the captain to allow guests on the ship why don't we ask him to break other rules as well. Perhaps we can ask the captain if we can bring our booze on board, or our irons. Maybe the captain will tell me it's OK to save chairs near the pool. With all the issues about security and terrorism I'm surprised that so many people think it's ok to ask the captain to go against policy and let guests on board the ship.

[sanjoseca]

Now you're really getting rediculous. I'm done with this discussion.

[KathieKata]

SuperJerry: I think you've SNIFFED just a little too much of the BIO-HAZARD STUFF FROM YOUR AVATAR!!

 

Give it a rest already! Move on!

[threeofus]

My point is that a rule is a rule. If it's OK to ask the captain to allow guests on the ship why don't we ask him to break other rules as well. Perhaps we can ask the captain if we can bring our booze on board, or our irons. Maybe the captain will tell me it's OK to save chairs near the pool. With all the issues about security and terrorism I'm surprised that so many people think it's ok to ask the captain to go against policy and let guests on board the ship.

 

I couldn't agree more.....there are so many posts about putting the ship and passengers at risk with an iron on board - imagine allowing guests to visit the ship in different ports?????? The possibility of terrorism is too great these days.