Welcome to Cruise Talk the Internet's most popular discussion forum dedicated to cruising. Stop by Cruise Talk anytime to post a message or find out what your fellow passengers and industry insiders are saying about a particular ship, cruise line or destination.
>>> Reader Reviews >>> CruisePage.com Photo Gallery >>> Join Our Cruise Club.
Latest News...Norwegian Cruise Line celebrated the debut of the all-new Norwegian Aqua to Port Canaveral, Fla. on Saturday, April 26, 2025, where she commenced her inaugural season of round-trip Caribbean cruises as the newest ship in port. This past weekend, approximately 3,700 guests embarked on Norwegian Aqua's first week-long voyage to the Caribbean from Port Canaveral, Fla., her initial homeport ...
Latest News...Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL) today reported first quarter Earnings per Share ("EPS") of $2.70 and Adjusted EPS of $2.71. These results were better than the company's guidance due to stronger than expected pricing on close-in demand and lower costs mainly due to timing. Royal Caribbean said that it is increasing its full year 2025 Adjusted EPS guidance to $14.55 to $15.55...
Latest News...Holland America Line announced itineraries for its two Grand Voyages sailing in 2027, offering guests the choice to embark on an ambitious 129-day circumnavigation of the globe on the 2027 Grand World Voyage or a 70-day, region-specific in-depth exploration on the Grand South America & Antarctica Voyage. As revealed today by the cruise line's president Beth Bodensteiner to guests on board...
quote:Originally posted by mike sa:$55 for a 2 hour tour and $150 for (and get this ) a SEVEN hour tour...
Ah yes, but the seven hour tour is better value than the two hour one!
How many times have we heard that before?
quote:Originally posted by mike sa:where are they taking them, inside the sewerage works ?!
Some people are interested in these things. I have conversations like this sometimes:
"So you go on a lot of cruises?""Yes.""Ever been in the ... (insert strange place)?"No.""Why not?""I've never asked."
Rich
quote:Originally posted by Cunard Fan:Personally I would love to do that tour.
You know, you will have to book a cruise in order to do that
Someday it will happen!!
quote:Originally posted by Linerrich:I see that the 7-hour tour includes a pre-dinner cocktail party and dinner at Cagney's. Not sure how many people would be up for that if it's right after they've tramped through the galley, the laundry, and the engine room!
After traipsing through the back alleys of the ship for seven hours I think I would want at least a shower and change and maybe a nap (!) before having a cocktail party and dinner.
A better plan would be to have the big meal first, then spend seven hours running all over the ship, burning off all the calories!
I can see how people really interested in ships could be drawn to the tour. The inner workings of a cruise ship are really quite interesting. This being said, once you have seen the crew areas of one modern cruise ship, you have pretty much seen them all.
It kind of reminds me of the "back stage" tours of Disney. Very interesting and quite successful.
Ernie
quote:Originally posted by eroller:I'm glad I had the opportunity to work onboard. This way the cruise line paid me to rummage through the crew areas, not the other way around. Irony at it's best.Ernie
You know, I was about to post something similar "i'm glad my dad was an officer and I had the freedom to go anywhere", we were on the CB last year and the wife asked me if I wanted to take the tour, the look I gave must of carried the "are you crazy" thoughts going through my head.
While I would be more than happy to take a tour, paying for it is another thing. Now if they were to say ask for donations to a ship board charity heck yes I would, but not to the line.
BTW, while being on the bridge of the Song of America rates as one of the top things I have done, there are two others that beat it and if you can ever get the chance to do them grab.
The first one was on the bridge of a supertanker in a storm and the other would be on the flight deck of a 747, both mind blowing in such different ways.
quote:Originally posted by eroller:I'm glad I had the opportunity to work onboard. This way the cruise line paid me to rummage through the crew areas, not the other way around. Ernie
Just what were you rummaging for?
Ditto here, mind you compared to Ernie I was even OTR! ;-)
When I was on Eurodam in February we were docked next to her at Grand Turk. Now called Artemis I made me feel nostalgic looking down on her from the Eurodam top decks.
During crew drills I was bridge secretary on Royal Princess so even now I have no desire for a bridge tour. Queen Mary 2 has a window where you can peek at the bridge which is quite a ncie feature. (However I don't think the bridge officers must be terribly happy with it)
Reint
quote:Originally posted by oslo dutch: Queen Mary 2 has a window where you can peek at the bridge which is quite a ncie feature. (However I don't think the bridge officers must be terribly happy with it)Reint
I was on QM2 during a westbound crossing in 2005, watching the bridge through that viewing window when a real SOS/MayDay call came in from a fishing trawler which had burned and was sinking off the Grand Banks. Commodore Warwick was on the phone, coordinating a rescue with the Canadian Coast Guard. After a few minutes the officers noticed us watching and listening, and they closed the curtains.
A few minutes later it was announced over the tannoy that we were altering course to go to the ship's aid--this was mid-afternoon. Within an hour we were on the scene, but the crewmembers were already aboard other fishing boats, and we didn't stay long, resuming our course just before the trawler sank.
quote:Originally posted by oslo dutch:Queen Mary 2 has a window where you can peek at the bridge which is quite a ncie feature. (However I don't think the bridge officers must be terribly happy with it)
The Voyager Class has 'peek-a-boo' bridge, a window which looks down upon it. I don't think the freedom class does (anyone)? It's probably not popular with the officers, especially if the pax try and take flash pictures!
I think they said Epic will have a viewing window. Maybe it will have a coin slot?
quote:Originally posted by Malcolm @ cruisepage:The Voyager Class has 'peek-a-boo' bridge, a window which looks down upon it. ... It's probably not popular with the officers, especially if the pax try and take flash pictures!
quote:Originally posted by Malcolm @ cruisepage:I think they said Epic will have a viewing window. Maybe it will have a coin slot?
Don't give NCL any new ideas .....
quote:Originally posted by Malcolm @ cruisepage:The Voyager Class has 'peek-a-boo' bridge, a window which looks down upon it. I don't think the freedom class does (anyone)? It's probably not popular with the officers, especially if the pax try and take flash pictures!
Actually, the only thing you can really see through this window is the Star Trek like command chair. Most of the bridge is out of sight and officers can work in all privacy.
quote:Originally posted by dougnewman:This is a standard feature on most of the current NCL ships (at least the ones designed for Star Cruises). (The viewing window, not the coin slot!)
It's actually kind of nice if you haven't seen it. They have many of the bridge instruments installed in the vestibule (like chart plotter and radar) and there was a lot of info and pictures of the ship buildout as well
quote:Originally posted by Pascal:Actually, the only thing you can really see through this window is the Star Trek like command chair. Most of the bridge is out of sight and officers can work in all privacy.
Explorer of the Seas: taken through the peek-a-boo window.
Ultimate Bulletin BoardTM 6.1.0.3
More Vacation & Cruise Specials...