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These tours operate once per cruise, so you need to book as soon as you can. There's time set aside to pose for photos with the captain. Bookings are only taken at the Shore Excursion Desk once you have boarded the ship. The price varies upon the length of the tour (which is based upon the length of your itinerary) and ranges from $55 to $95. The tour starts backstage in the theater, so you meet the production crew and some of the cast and see the costumes and dressing rooms. In the galley, you enjoy a glass of Champagne with the chef, a canape tasting and a tour of the storage and food preparation areas.
Carnival Venezia's New Cabins Have Hammocks
Regardless, it was worth it to go behind the scenes of a cruise ship. Most guests don’t get to see all the decks of a boat or behind the scenes of a cruise ship. I found it interesting to see this highly guarded zone below the water level.
Do you take your passport on shore excursions?
You'll get to see backstage in the theater, the laundry room, provisions area and the galley. A TikTok video showed the couple waving and begging the crew to wait for them, even though the gangway appeared to have already been removed. According to WPDE, the group flew to Gambia on Sunday, hoping to rejoin the ship at another port. The Campbells, who had a working card, said they covered $5,000 worth of expenses for the group in food, toiletries, and hotel bills. The São Tomé and Príncipe Coast Guard even took the passengers to the ship, but they weren't able to get on and had to turn back, WPDE reported.
Guided Excursions vs. Free Time:
Others focus on one destination or activity, like a trip to the Mayan ruins from Cozumel. It's up to you whether you'd prefer to see many things for short amounts of time or focus on one place in depth. Finally, there's a stop in one of the ship's specialty restaurants with a chance to meet the chef and try some of the food, with a chef's apron as a souvenir.
Day 2 Breakfast at The Local
This room is continuously operated by someone who ensures the boat runs smoothly. In the middle of the room is a large table showing a schematic of the ship’s decks. Getting backstage in the entertainment areas (including the incredible wardrobe) is a highlight of Holland America's Back of the House Tour. You'll also check out the navigation bridge, engine control room, laundry, waste management room, marshalling area and a selection of storerooms. Most of the stranded passengers didn't have their medication or working credit cards, WPDE said.
Last September, more than 200 people got stuck in a remote part of Greenland after their cruise ship ran aground. But the worst part was when the Captain came out and, even though I was sitting second row center, didn’t even acknowledge my week-long attempts at seduction with a little wink or nod or some other sign that he knew I existed. In a final desperate grasp at my dream, I imitated what I’d seen like 2,000 crazed women do earlier and flashed him while bobbing up and down and shouting in a glass shattering tone, “I love you Ringo” and back to the brig I went.
Although it's expensive, at $150 per person, a lot of consideration has gone into planning the three-hour onboard "excursion," and you do come away with several decent freebies. And last November, passengers were stranded at a Brisbane port after a Royal Caribbean ship was overbooked. A couple says they were stranded on a small African island after they missed a cruise ship's boarding deadline, according to local media.
While I got to see The Bridge, it was not as artsy-farty as I expected. I’m not sure, but other than the views of the ship (not the men), this was not my favorite part of the tour. Ironically, as impressed as I was, Wonder of The Seas still uses what’s considered a manual system that requires lots of humans. We were told that the newer ships have automated assembly line machines. The crew actively monitors every critical system aboard the ship.
It’s always magical, ethereal, with so many lessons to teach me. And it’s never, never the same. In October, as the environment around me began settling into winter, I witnessed the retreat, slowing down, and self preservation necessary for surviving a harsh season. Tonight is “Dress up or Not” night (see the second photo for a description of NCL’s “formal night” policy). Now seems like a good time to educate you on what we Seattleites consider formal. This is pretty much as dressed up as we get with rain boots mandatory from about October through May (hat is optional, but I hate being cold and this is Alaska in April, so I figure better safe). This particular Fahrenheit 555 also happens to be the biggest on the fleet, and offers a wide range of cuts, as well as seafood dishes and wine pairing.
There are some cruise lines that hold your passports for you throughout the cruise. In those cases, you should carry a copy with your photo ID. With few exceptions, you are free to walk off the cruise ship and do your own thing. However, if you prefer guides or easy transportation, a shore excursion is probably for you. To give you the skills to make the most of your days in port, read on for our advice on what to expect from shore excursions and maximize the fun on your cruise vacation. The service tonight was…off, until it got really comically bad.
By way of a quick introduction, I’m Sarah, also known as “Prof. Cruise.” I retired after 10 years as a college professor to pursue my passion for cruising, moving across the country to Seattle where I now live downtown and within a five minute walk of the NCL cruise terminal at Pier 66. My passion for cruising is only equaled by my love for Alaska. I’ve cruised there so many times locals now wave to me, ask me to take in their mail when they travel, and flag me down to see if they can borrow a cup of sugar to which I reply, “you know I don’t actually live here, right? ” I’ve cruised to Alaska dozens and dozens of times on nearly every cruise line and itinerary. If you're a first-time cruiser, it can be helpful to have a few hacks to make your shore excursion experience amazing.
If you want a more serene spot to enjoy your buffet breakfast without having to walk all the way back to your cabin, go one deck down to the Observable Lounge. It’s not crowded in the morning, there are plenty of nice spots to eat, there are beverage stations, and there’s a continental breakfast set up to supplement your buffet items (fruit, pastries, cereal, deli meats, and cheese). It’s not often that I’m tempted by multiple salads, but tonight I wanted all of them. But then I worried about being a stereotype (vegetarian, salad, you know). So I went with the obvious choice, the one with candy in it.
The crew bar and crew cabins are sacred areas, so respect the crew’s privacy and peace. To my horror, my choices were either not go on tour or get creative. You’ll get to meet the captain; if you are lucky, you’ll chat with him. This is where any cruise fanatic, engineer, or person interested in nautical technology will have an orgasm. Cruises get a terrible rap for omissions and other environmental concerns. I was impressed with how Royal Caribbean approaches recycling.
We skipped the cruise ship excursion and went with ToursByLocals — here's what happened - The Points Guy
We skipped the cruise ship excursion and went with ToursByLocals — here's what happened.
Posted: Thu, 25 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Anyway, the food was very good, but only about 10% better than what I’ve been enjoying in the MDR and certainly not worth the extra $49 (not including the wine) it would have cost me without the voucher. Sitka is the first and oldest city in Alaska so it’s fitting that it was the very first port of the 2024 cruise ship season. I last visited here in late October on the very last cruise of the 2023 season. And I did essentially the exact same thing today as I did 5 months ago. Then I hit the waterfront on the way back to the ship where I snapped some photos and saw my first eagle of the trip perched in a tree near the playground stalking tourist children fattened up from 45 soft serve cones in two days. Shore excursions are designed for all activitiy levels in almost any mainstream cruise destination.
Prices start at $99 and vary depending upon the tour length. You'll get to stroll down the I-95, the main corridor that runs the length of the ship, named after the main interstate highway on the East Coast of the U.S. because of its motorway-like quality. You'll see the laundry room, galley, provisions area, engine room and finally, the bridge, although this may be subject to change. Here are our top picks for the most interesting cruise ship tours.
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