Adventure of Seas - behind the scene tour

[firedug]

Hi all,

 

Let me say 1st off how good a group we have on this message board. Very professional, no flaming (that I've seen), VERY educational, etc. Thanks much to so many of you....I've learned a lot and even though wife and I have only taken 2 cruises so far (both RCI), through forums like this they get better and better!

 

Now if you could only help me with my spelling and typing speed ... but I digress.

 

We're scheduled on AOS 1/27/08 and am wondering if anyone knows if RCI offers "behind the scenes" tours.

 

By my day-job I'm a civil engineer (before environmental engineering became established) and specialize in potable water treatment, hydraulics, water chemistry, etc. and am very interested in how a city-at-sea handles water production and also waste water treatment (due to my connection with collegues who work the dark-side-of-the-force as we say) and solid waste handling.

 

Is such a tour, I'm assuming with their engineering department, available??

 

thanks,

 

dug

[VacationsRme]

firedug,

 

I am not sure if you can get a tour this extensive or not. I know sometimes you can get a tour of the bridge, but I'm not sure that would do. We saw a special on the travel channel on the Voyager of the Sea showing all the things that you talked about. It was really interesting. We are in the water purification business and we were amazed at how they refine the water on ship. Check the travel channel and see if you can find it.

[margord]

Sometimes you can get a galley tour or a behind the scenes tour for the shows.

[Hypo]

I too, am a retired engineer from a nuclear power plant. I have tried to get a tour of the engineering spaces, on all of my RCCL cruises. No luck.

 

I have had a long and informative conversation with a chief engineer, who told me that he would lose his job if he were to grant a tour. He told me that the only way that it was allowed, was when the passenger had prior permission from corporate offices, and the ship is notified by corporate that a tour was granted.

 

As a consolation, you can sometimes get a bridge tour, if you ask nicely. (Staying in a suite, I asked the concierge, he suggested that I write a letter to the Captain, it worked)

 

Also, many sailings offer a very extensive backstage tour by the entertainment staff. On our last AOS cruise, we went backstage at the theatre, say the lifts for the stage platform, visited the light and sound booths for the main showroom, toured backstage at the ice rink, (Saw their "Zamboni") and viewed the moving floor, that they use over the ice for various shows in Studio "B". It took about two hours for this tour. It was very nice, and it helps you to understand what all of the "behind-the-scenes" people do to make your cruise more enjoyable.

 

Here is a trivia question for all of you: "What is the round dark spot in the center of the ice rink? It is embedded in the ice".

 

Hypo

[Brandis]

A couple of years ago, they did a Safety tour on Adventure. The safety officer explained the safety features of the ship, like the fireproof doors, they demonstrated the heat-sensitive cameras they use to evacuate people from smoky rooms and we could try the high-pressure water hoses.

 

Not sure which ship, but I once was at the purser's desk when a passenger said that he is an engineer and would like to see the engine room, the purser took his details and said they would forward it to the chief engineer and he would get in touch with the passenger.

 

Marc

[Ocean Boy]

Here is a trivia question for all of you: "What is the round dark spot in the center of the ice rink? It is embedded in the ice".

 

Hypo

 

I can't say that I remember seeing it but....A drain?

 

I'm a physician and I couldn't even get a tour of the medical facility on Serenade. I can't quite figure out what is so sensitive about that area of the ship. I guess you have to get sick or injured first.

[Brandis]

Thermal insulation, because the engines are right under the icerink?

 

Marc

[silky_mommy]

Probably a safety issue .... remember Bin Laden had an engingeering degree .... not saying that you are dangerous but safety first

[Hypo]

Well, I waited all day for someone to answer the trivia question. "What is the dark spot in the center of the ice rink? (It is embedded in the ice.)

 

According to the member of the entertainment staff that conducted our behind the scenes tour of the entertainment venues, it is a tradition for skaters, when they are forming a new sheet of ice, to place a coin from each of their countries in the center of the rink and embed it in the ice.

 

They do it for good luck.

 

Hypo

[Twaincruisers]

We did bridge tours years ago, but not since 911 except on the Mississippi Queen. There is often a kitchen tour, but never heard of anyone getting an engine room tour...even on the MS Queen you had to view it through a window.

[Brandis]

They did Bridge tours on Brilliance last March.

 

Marc