Bon Voyage Experience

OK I have now booked the "Bon Voyage Experience" for some guests of mine to come onboard before departure and have a tour of the ship and lunch in the MDR with wine and then a photo. Looking forward to it.

Emerald Princess departing on the 2nd January for Tasmania and then backing up for the 10th January to NZ South Island.

I didn't realise they were doing this in Australia. You'll have to report back on how it went.

BTW How did you book it? Through the Personalizer or did you have to phone Princess?

How or with whom did you book it?

I did not think it was available in Australia. Some agents do organise tours and put on a lunch when a ship is in port and make a small charge. Be great if Princess are offering it, but I believe they limit numbers.

I wonder what took them so long.

Things which used to be free are increasingly becoming "user pay" and you can't beat "word of mouth" from impressed guests.

please tell us.....

How did you book it???

Princess have always told me not available here.

I'm the same as everyone else. How did you manage to book it ?:cool:

There was some discussion on this last year me thinks. Memory tells me you book through a travel agent, but the me memory is wandering:eek:

There was some discussion on this last year me thinks. Memory tells me you book through a travel agent, but the me memory is wandering:eek:

I recall something along those lines as well. I think it was a Sydney agent, numbers were very limited and the cost was around $90, refundable as part of your deposit if you booked a cruise with them.

OK here is what I did:

First of all I contacted my T/A and mentioned to them if the "Experience" was available.

I will be doing a B2B on Emerald in january 2017. They in turn contacted Princess and then me to say it was a goer. You have to book thru the T/A at least 6 weeks or more before sailing, the cost is I believe $39.00 per person and that includes a tour of the ship, Lunch in the MDR with wine and a Souvenir Photo. People going on the "Experience" must be travelling with a paying passenger who is travelling on the day and your visitors have to have all the security clearances as if they were also sailing on the day. They have to fill in their own Personalizer, etc. and quote a credit card in-case they have extra drinks, etc.

I am looking forward to it and I hope Princess don't pull it off before we sail.

OK here is what I did:

First of all I contacted my T/A and mentioned to them if the "Experience" was available.

I will be doing a B2B on Emerald in january 2017. They in turn contacted Princess and then me to say it was a goer. You have to book thru the T/A at least 6 weeks or more before sailing, the cost is I believe $39.00 per person and that includes a tour of the ship, Lunch in the MDR with wine and a Souvenir Photo. People going on the "Experience" must be travelling with a paying passenger who is travelling on the day and your visitors have to have all the security clearances as if they were also sailing on the day. They have to fill in their own Personalizer, etc. and quote a credit card in-case they have extra drinks, etc.

I am looking forward to it and I hope Princess don't pull it off before we sail.

Thanks John, I've sent an email off to my Princess rep to see if I can arrange it, would love to take mum.

If it can be booked, then I will have to work out how to get her there and back home, but I think she'd love it.

Thank you for your reply :)

Got a reply from Princess today, they say no way.

Got a reply from Princess today, they say no way.

Oh that is a shame :(. I was following this one with interest as I would have loved to have shared that experience with family too.

Sorry you didn't get a chance to treat your mum GUT

Got a reply from Princess today, they say no way.

That's a shame, Gut.

Oh that is a shame :(. I was following this one with interest as I would have loved to have shared that experience with family too.

 

Sorry you didn't get a chance to treat your mum GUT

Got to be honest and say I wasn't surprised.

Mum would love a cruise but some have persuaded her it wouldn't be for her, so thought if I could take her for lunch she'd at least get a feel.

Some TAs seem to be able to arrange it on select ships, normally Cunard I've seen it for, so I'll keep an eye out for one of those.

That's a shame, Gut.

I'm glad they take security seriously anyway.

I am completely muddle Is it a concensus that BVE is NOT available for us in Australia or that it has to be booked via a specific TA in Sydney?????

I am completely muddle Is it a concensus that BVE is NOT available for us in Australia or that it has to be booked via a specific TA in Sydney?????

Princess say not available.

I'm doing the same B2B as the OP and would be interested in this as well. All of my Sydney relatives are actually travelling on the second half of the B2B with me but they might like to come onboard and dine before my earlier cruise so that they get a sneak peak at the ship pre- their cruise.

I hope I am not been misled by my TA, as I have asked my family as to who wants to come and have the experience.

I hope I am not been misled by my TA, as I have asked my family as to who wants to come and have the experience.

Ask for it in writing...;)

Ask for it in writing...;)

Never a bad idea.