Touring ships in port?

[Rivercat]

Since I live near San Francisco, I'm wondering if any lines will allow people to come onboard and tour the ships before sailing, or if security is just too tight these days?

 

I remember as a teenager back in the mid-80s a friend of mine and her family were departing out of SF for Alaska and they invited me and another friend and her parents onboard before they sailed. I can't for the life of me remember which line it was, but they even let us have a drink in the bar :eek: :D

 

Kate

[sail7seas]

Sometimes a ship will host Travel Agents and such for a luncheon or a tour but it is almost impossible for an individual to come aboard without special permission that is rarely granted.

 

If you have a close friend aboard, it is sometimes possible to visit them but a security check is done in advance of the day of the visit.

 

[cb at sea]

No--only ticketed passengers are allowed on the ships.

[firefly333]

Do you know anyone getting married on a ship? Thats one way to get on the ship before it pulls out of port.

[paul929207]

If you know someone on the ship, they may be able to get permission to bring you on board. However, the official policy is no visitors.

[Mark]

Unfortunately the Achille Laurel hijacking did away with the old visits to ships in ports as well as bon voyage parties...that is unless you are some VERY important VIP such as a mayor, governor, actress etc...

[Kudos2Fly]

Or a wedding.. On our last cruise was a wedding going on. They were leaving as we were coming on. But I'm sure that was pre-arranged before hand.

 

Besides nowadays it seems there is so much going on just to turn a ship around for the next sailing. That doing a tour of the ship would be impossible.

[Happy ks]

I've been on a couple ship tours and one shipboard wedding.

 

The tours were through a travel agent, but we're not allowed to give out names here. He's in S. CA, though. It is arranged a couple months in advance, we have to register with him and provide identification.

 

The wedding was my nieces in Seattle, they had the wedding onboard and cruised to Alaska for their honeymoon. None of the guests cruised, we were all escorted off the ship around 3:30pm.

 

But to just tour a ship, sorry you will not be able to do that.

[Pam in CA]

Due to not just the Achille Lauro but also 9/11, non-ticketed people cannot board or tour a ship unless it's by special invitation, such as travel agents. There are some lines that when a new ship comes to a major port for the first time, such as New York, they invite their premium past cruise passengers a day onboard to explore the ship. I know that Princess does this very occasionally. But again, this is by invitation-only.

[Rivercat]

Gosh, I'd completely forgotten about the Achille Lauro. What a nightmare that was.

 

Yeah, touring a ship in port seemed like an unlikely proposition, though it would be such a good way to attract new customers. Oh, well!

 

Kate

[PennyAgain]

The exception to the rule is Crystal Cruise lines. See that topic for more information on visiting. There is mention of it on the World Cruise thread.

[kitty9]

Crystal will allow people on board, BUT you have to be the guest of a ticketed passenger. You just cannot call Crystal and be allowed to come on board the ship. I've had a friend join me for lunch on Crystal on embarkation day, and I had to write a letter and get permission to do this. So, unless you know someone actually sailing on Crystal, you can't just go and visit.

[Rivercat]

Crystal will allow people on board, BUT you have to be the guest of a ticketed passenger.

 

Crystal is one of the lines I'd love to sail sometime in the future; their themes and activities sound great, and from what you've said on other threads here, Darcie, it sounds like they're much more welcoming to solos than most.

 

Kate