Can I bring guests on board for the day?

Hi everyone, sea re on a cruise in August on Riviera. I am wondering if we are allowed to bring 2 friends on board for lunch/ tour of ship? I know Seabourn do it and was wondering of Oceania are the same? I have searched on here but couldn't find a thread, hopefully I'm not repeating!! many thanks for any help.

I don’t believe you can. The only lunch guests I have seen aboard are officer families (rare) or local travel representatives. Just based on my opinion.

I think there are security issues.

Donna

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I don’t believe you can. The only lunch guests I have seen aboard are officer families (rare) or local travel representatives. Just based on my opinion.

 

I think there are security issues.

 

Donna

 

 

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Agree but check with your travel agent or Oceania.

I did it just a few weeks ago in Papeete. A mate of mine happened to be in Papeete so I wrote to the GM and provided a copy of my friend’s passport. My friend then brought the original passport along on the day which was kept for the time he was on the ship. I was charged a small amount for his lunch.

So first step is to send a note to the GM of the ship.

No it is not allowed unless things have changed in the past few years

DEAN that is interesting

Thanks everyone for advice. I will of course speak with my travel agent but this site is such wealth of information and helpful people that it's my first port of call ( no pun intended!!)

I don’t believe you can. The only lunch guests I have seen aboard are officer families (rare) or local travel representatives. Just based on my opinion.

 

I think there are security issues.

 

Donna

 

 

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I imagine it's more than security. If this were easily allowed everybody and their brother would be inviting "friends" in every port.

I'm curious about Dean's experience also. Was that on Oceania?

When Insignia docked in NYC last year on the RTW cruise, our friends had their family come aboard both days. We met them in person at lunch, so this is first-hand experience I am reporting. Our friends had to make arrangements in advance ... passport/ID information had to be provided and the family members had to have those IDs with them for inspection when they boarded. I know they had lunch at the Terrace Cafe. My recollection is that other passengers similarly had family/friends come aboard in other ports.

That said, check with Oceania as rules and requirements could easily change.

I guess it is who you know

I tried to have friends come onboard at a port stop agreed to pay a fee for their lunch

We wanted them to see the Oceania way of cruising

But it was NO to the request

We just went ashore & met them for lunch

It's nothing to do with security as both Seabourn and Silversea offer this service. I imagine it's just much easier to manage on smaller ships.

The guest policy has recently been changed. We learned of it by chance when we were disembarking in Bermuda on Sirena last month. We overheard the people on line next to us mention that friends were coming aboard for lunch.

We inquired of the Concierge and learned of the policy. You need to request the visit 48 hours in advance and fill out a form with the guests’ information including passport number. There is a fee for each meal. I think lunch was $35 p.p., so much for high tea, so much for dinner, etc. We subsequently took advantage of this and it worked well.

I guess it is who you know

 

I tried to have friends come onboard at a port stop agreed to pay a fee for their lunch

 

We wanted them to see the Oceania way of cruising

 

But it was NO to the request

 

We just went ashore & met them for lunch

We found that if you ask 3-6 months in advance, and provide documentation to O, that it can be done. We went on a tour of a Regent ship a couple of years ago in Miami to check it out with friends for lunch...it was arranged 6 months in advance however. So, tried it on the Riviera 1.5 yrs ago, and went through my TA 4 months in advance of our sailing, and provided names (and passport info) of friends, and they were allowed to visit us for 6 hours when we were in port in San Juan. The key may be, to provide as much information as possible as far out as possible about the prospective visitors, and they may allow.

I guess I learned something new today. Did not realize this was an option. Moot point for me as I have no friends that live in port cities.

The guest policy has recently been changed. We learned of it by chance when we were disembarking in Bermuda on Sirena last month. We overheard the people on line next to us mention that friends were coming aboard for lunch.

We inquired of the Concierge and learned of the policy. You need to request the visit 48 hours in advance and fill out a form with the guests’ information including passport number. There is a fee for each meal. I think lunch was $35 p.p., so much for high tea, so much for dinner, etc. We subsequently took advantage of this and it worked well.

Thanks David

this is new

maybe next time we have friends in a port we will try it :halo:

It was 4 yrs ago when I asked so things have changed

I am with ORV I do not usually have friends in the ports ;)

Lyn

We found that if you ask 3-6 months in advance, and provide documentation to O, that it can be done. We went on a tour of a Regent ship a couple of years ago in Miami to check it out with friends for lunch...it was arranged 6 months in advance however. So, tried it on the Riviera 1.5 yrs ago, and went through my TA 4 months in advance of our sailing, and provided names (and passport info) of friends, and they were allowed to visit us for 6 hours when we were in port in San Juan. The key may be, to provide as much information as possible as far out as possible about the prospective visitors, and they may allow.

Regent officially does accommodate guest visitor visits requested through one's TA.

The guest policy has recently been changed. We learned of it by chance when we were disembarking in Bermuda on Sirena last month. We overheard the people on line next to us mention that friends were coming aboard for lunch.

We inquired of the Concierge and learned of the policy. You need to request the visit 48 hours in advance and fill out a form with the guests’ information including passport number. There is a fee for each meal. I think lunch was $35 p.p., so much for high tea, so much for dinner, etc. We subsequently took advantage of this and it worked well.

Good to know. Their website still has the old policy:

"Do you allow visitors onboard?

Due to stringent security and safety regulations visitors are not allowed onboard. Only guests who are sailing are allowed to board the ships."

And the 48 hour in advance is more surprising as Regent, who do have a procedure to invite guest visitors, have a policy that is 30 days in advance of departure.

Nice that O now allows this though I suppose they want to keep it low key so they do not get too many invitations requests.

I imagine it's more than security. If this were easily allowed everybody and their brother would be inviting "friends" in every port.

 

I'm curious about Dean's experience also. Was that on Oceania?

Yes, it was on Insignia. The process I used was exactly as outlined by LAexNY.

We inquired of the Concierge and learned of the policy. You need to request the visit 48 hours in advance and fill out a form with the guests’ information including passport number. There is a fee for each meal. I think lunch was $35 p.p., so much for high tea, so much for dinner, etc. We subsequently took advantage of this and it worked well.

Do the guests have to have a passport or could other I.D. be used ?

Do you recall if there were other choices for I.D. ?

Lyn

Do the guests have to have a passport or could other I.D. be used ?

Do you recall if there were other choices for I.D. ?

 

Lyn

I believe they would have accepted a drivers license but I’m not positive. We don’t usually have friends in port either but my sister and her husband happened to be vacationing in Bermuda so it was a nice treat.

Also, I believe Oceania reserves the right to say no as I imagine they don’t want too many guests coming aboard.

Thanks again everyone for your very helpful and informative advice! I shall contact my travel agent and ask them to look into it for me. Allan

Hi everyone, sea re on a cruise in August on Riviera. I am wondering if we are allowed to bring 2 friends on board for lunch/ tour of ship? I know Seabourn do it and was wondering of Oceania are the same? I have searched on here but couldn't find a thread, hopefully I'm not repeating!! many thanks for any help.

Security prevents this. I don't know who told you Seaborne allows it. As far as I know NO cruise line has allowed this in years! The only time I've heard of it is for Travel Agents & advertisers.

Security prevents this. I don't know who told you Seaborne allows it. As far as I know NO cruise line has allowed this in years! The only time I've heard of it is for Travel Agents & advertisers.

Seabourn have only fairly recently stopped this.......Silversea still do offer this, check their website.

Security prevents this. I don't know who told you Seaborne allows it. As far as I know NO cruise line has allowed this in years! The only time I've heard of it is for Travel Agents & advertisers.

Nobody told me, I did it with friends on a cruise in Caribbean in March. They came on board and it was very easy to sort out. So I don't know who gave you your information but I can confirm you are incorrect.

I wish O wouldn't allow this. I'm sure the vast majority of the time everything would be fine, but in this day of security issues, I'm surprised that they still allow ship visits from non-passengers or non-crew during a cruise.

I believe they would have accepted a drivers license but I’m not positive. We don’t usually have friends in port either but my sister and her husband happened to be vacationing in Bermuda so it was a nice treat.

Also, I believe Oceania reserves the right to say no as I imagine they don’t want too many guests coming aboard.

Thanks David

If I ever find friends in port again I will check it out ;)

Lyn