Galley tour for Select members?

[Baseball fan]

I am a lowly select member sailing on the Equinox TA in November. Do they offer galley tours to non-elite members? If so, what is the cost and how will I know when they offer them?

 

Thanks, Dena

 

 

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[joanne2]

I am a lowly select member sailing on the Equinox TA in November. Do they offer galley tours to non-elite members? If so, what is the cost and how will I know when they offer them?

 

Thanks, Dena

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

I was last on Celebrity in 2011 and galley tours were offered to anyone who signed up (first time cruisers as well as elites). But I'm getting the impression from some posts that they may now charge for these tours. Hopefully some recent cruisers will respond.

[cle-guy]

I was last on Celebrity in 2011 and galley tours were offered to anyone who signed up (first time cruisers as well as elites). But I'm getting the impression from some posts that they may now charge for these tours. Hopefully some recent cruisers will respond.

 

There's a free tour and a paid tour. I did the free tour on last cruise. Was no more than like 20 minutes, basically a quick trip thru the u-shaped galley off main dining room and right back out. It was posted in the daily and they took groups of like 15 thru at a time, probably had 6 groups. I was on a TA, so maybe the length of cruise they offered the free tours.

 

There was also advertised a behind the scenes tour that took a few hours, that included galley, engineering, bridge and I think some other places. I seem to remember it was $150 or so, but I'm not POSITIVE on that amount, I remember thinking to myself, "really that much?".

[micmacmissy]

It's been awhile since we were on our last Celebrity cruise, but we just asked the maitre'd if he could arrange a galley tour for us.

 

He did: on the last sea day, there was a group of about 8 of us that had a wonderful hour long tour of the galley. It was very interesting, and they even had some dessert bites for us to taste.

 

I was hoping we could do the same on our upcoming Silhouette cruise, since we'll be cruising with friends who have never cruised before.

[CruzPotato]

There's a free tour and a paid tour. I did the free tour on last cruise. Was no more than like 20 minutes, basically a quick trip thru the u-shaped galley off main dining room and right back out. It was posted in the daily and they took groups of like 15 thru at a time, probably had 6 groups. I was on a TA, so maybe the length of cruise they offered the free tours.

 

There was also advertised a behind the scenes tour that took a few hours, that included galley, engineering, bridge and I think some other places. I seem to remember it was $150 or so, but I'm not POSITIVE on that amount, I remember thinking to myself, "really that much?".

 

On my Eclipse cruise this past August, the Behind the Scenes tour was $150 pp and was scheduled for the last sea day (or possibly the day before disembarkation) and you had to sign up with the Concierge and even with that hefty price tag it was fully booked with a waiting list by Day 3. Do not recall seeing a "free" tour mentioned in the dailies but I have heard of passengers asking at Guest Relations if one was offered. It doesn't hurt to ask when you first board the ship.

[ozark74]

Been on the Solstice 4 times this year and they have had free tours of the galley on all of them. They only took about 20 or 25 per group so it takes awhile.

[MoyCoy]

Been on the Solstice 4 times this year and they have had free tours of the galley on all of them. They only took about 20 or 25 per group so it takes awhile.

 

 

I am sailing Solstice for the second time next year. This past cruise we experienced hit and miss service. In comparison, our Infinity sailing to Alaska in 2009 , the service was spectacular~!

 

Have you experienced lack luster service on your cruises? Have you ever sailed in AQ? If you did ,what was your experience?

 

Thank You in Advance!

[patty1955]

Do not recall seeing a "free" tour mentioned in the dailies but I have heard of passengers asking at Guest Relations if one was offered. It doesn't hurt to ask when you first board the ship.

I've never seen it mentioned the dailies either, in fact they always ask us to keep quiet about it. We always talk to the Captains Club person at the welcome party and we get an invite a couple of days later.

[ghstudio]

Clearly, it's handled "the celebrity way"...that is each ship and personnel on board decide if and how they want to do galley tours. We have been on cruises this past year where the galley tour was on the daily schedule one day. While we have never looked for it, we have never seen the $150 tour offered (four cruises this year).

 

I agree with other posters...if you want to do a galley tour, go to guest relations and ask if they will have one. If they say no, I suggest you go back the next day and ask again :) (sorry, but based on experience, this is also "the celebrity way"). You might also check with the concierge or butler depending on what type of cabin you've booked.

 

Finally, if you get no positive reaction from those folks, mention your interest to the Food and Beverage Manager or head chef when you run into them at some event.

[ozark74]

I am sailing Solstice for the second time next year. This past cruise we experienced hit and miss service. In comparison, our Infinity sailing to Alaska in 2009 , the service was spectacular~!

 

Have you experienced lack luster service on your cruises? Have you ever sailed in AQ? If you did ,what was your experience?

 

Thank You in Advance!

 

On the first three the service was very good. Those 3 were b2b2b so everyone we were in contact with knew we were on for 6 weeks and knew what we liked. In August we did Alaska and a lot of new crew members were onboard. The service was lacking.

 

All 4 cruise were in Aqua. The best part of Aqua is Blu. Love the food and eating when you feel like it. We did like the Persian Garden also. From now on Aqua is our first choice.

[keesar]

There have been FREE galley tours on each of our cruises for anyone. They post it in the daily program. As previously mentioned, there are groups of 20-25 and one group goes thru the galley upstairs and another goes downstairs. You do see different preparations. However, the floor is the luck of the draw.

 

The Behind the Scenes Tour costs $150 per person. I also was surprised that they sell out rather quickly. I thought it was a hefty fee.

[joanne2]

Another suggestion for OP is to check your roll call. They often organize galley or bridge tours.

[Baseball fan]

Thanks to everyone for their feedback. I am in Concierge so will try that route. I may need to try other ideas too. I don't want to see the galley that bad to pay $150. I've done a bridge tour on a previous cruise so no interest in that.

 

Thanks again.

Dena

 

 

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[We're The Groupnors]

Thanks to everyone for their feedback. I am in Concierge so will try that route. I may need to try other ideas too. I don't want to see the galley that bad to pay $150. I've done a bridge tour on a previous cruise so no interest in that.

 

Thanks again.

Dena

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

On our last two cruises (one as Select, only most recent as Elite) we had Galley Tours offered. They were specifically for Select AND Elite members, and were outlined in a letter that was in our cabin upon arrival. It was accompanied by our coupons, and outlined all the Select (and/or) Elite events for the week. On our Baltics cruise, when we were Select, there must not have been many Select or Elite members on board, as we seemed to get access to all the perks the Elites did, save the Elite breakfast and cocktail party.

[Pilot70D]

Instead of a galley tour let me suggest this. Think about doing the Chef's Table. In addition to a fabulous dinner you'll get an up close and in person view of the galley in action.

The Chef's Table dinner launches from Michael's Club but the table is set up in a part of the galley itself.

We have done the Chef's Table dinner four or five times and find it fascinating and different each and every time.

Just a thought. Everyone out there have a great week and enjoy that next cruise.

:):):)