Ultimate Ship Tour worth it?

[Womble99]

How much is it on the ships that operate in Australian waters and everything is charged in AUD? Not everything seems to be a direct conversion to AUD from USD?

 

Found the answer to my own question in the Patter thread. For the Dawn Princess sailing Nov 2014 Melbourne - New Zealand loop the UST is listed at $175 AUD in the embarkation day Patter.

[warpdrvr]

Sounds like something I want to do on our cruise on the Crown in October. Where and when does one sign up? I'm sure it's gonna be a dash for me to get to the location to sign up....

[shredie]

Will they do it on a 4 day California Coastal?

 

Same question. I would really like to do this for my SILs.

[ChiefBoats]

I took the ship tour on the Coral a couple of years ago and I enjoyed it. As for as I'm concerned it was worth the cost. Being retired Navy it was interesting. We went to:

1. Theater (included back stage)

2. Deck 3 - viewed the storage (included cold storage)

3. Dessert kitchen, bakery & main kitchen)

Had Champagne and Chocolate Covered Strawberries

4. Print shop

5. Medical: Toured Medical and talked to ship Doctor

6. Laundry: Got to feed the sheet and towel folding machine.

7. Forward line handling room: Talked to Chief Boatswain

8. Engineering Control Room

9. Bridge: Tour by the Captain.

Finished in Captain meeting room with drinks and snacks.

 

Received latter in the day:

1. Plush Terry cloth robe

2. At least 5 pictures taken a different stops (Bridge with Captain included)

3. Personalized note pad

4. A Princess Chef's jacket

 

This was worth it to me and I put my name down just about every cruise to do it again, especially on different ship classes.

 

Since it is a lottery (they take only twelve people) if you decide to take it get your name on the list (at service desk) as soon as you are on board. You may get it you may not. It took me a couple two or three tries to get selected.

______________________________________

Island Princess 2008 Alaska, Island Princess 2009 (B2B) Alaska, Royal Princess (Old) 2010 Alaska, Golden Princess 2011 Alaska, Coral Princess 2012 Panama Canal, Star Princess 2012 Alaska, Island Princess 2013 Alaska, Crown Princess 2013 Western Caribbean, Caribbean Princess 2013 Western Caribbean, Royal Princess 2014 Eastern Caribbean, Royal Princess 2014 New England, Emerald Princess 2014 Western Caribbean, Emerald Princess 2015 Western Caribbean, Ruby Princess 2015 Alaska

Edited August 24, 2015 by ChiefBoats
Grammer

[shredie]

It's not always a lottery is it? First come first served?

[nukesubsailor]

Sounds like something I want to do on our cruise on the Crown in October. Where and when does one sign up? I'm sure it's gonna be a dash for me to get to the location to sign up....

 

The two times I did the ship tour I signed up at the passenger services desk as soon as I boarded the ship. Those tours were on the Golden and Sapphire.

[Smokeyham]

Here is a review I did for the Ultimate Ship's Tour on board Star Princess (California Coastal) in October, 2014. The OP asked about this for Alaska. We did not sign up for it for that cruise because they only offered it on the day when were in port (Skagway).

 

Ultimate Ship’s Tour

When I first boarded I had hurried to the Passenger Services Desk and asked about signing up for the Ultimate Ship’s Tour. I was delighted to hear that this would be on our second sea day. When I had asked about this on the Sapphire Princess in Alaska I had learned it was going to be on a port day, in Skagway, and we already had activities planned for that day.

 

On Friday morning at 8:30 AM we met at Crooners bar. We handed in our liability forms and were introduced to a staff member from the Cruise Directors staff and a security officer who would be accompanying the 11 of us who had signed up. The cost is $150 per person, and I thought it was well worth it. We headed off to see the Ship’s Medical Center and the ship’s doctor gave us a presentation and showed us the facility. From there we went to see behind the scenes on the ship’s stage and cast areas. We were taken through the control both and given a presentation by the stage manager. From there we went to see the ship’s fo’c’sle, which is where the anchors and mooring lines are stored and deployed. We also got to see the ship’s laundry (7,000 towels a day are washed), and the print shop, ship’s galley, and the provisioning and food storage areas, as well as the Engine and Control Room and the Ship’s Bridge. It was fun to get to walk down the “M1” which is the passage which runs down the center of the ship. At each stop the presentation was very good and on the bridge we met Captain and were given a very good presentation by a Third Officer.

 

During the tour you may not take any photograph’s, but a ship’s photographer took five group photos which were later given to us. Since I did not know any of the other people in the group the group photos didn’t mean much, but they do help to remember what we saw.

 

We ended the tour in the “Hearts and Minds” ship’s chapel, were we were given champagne (or orange juice) and hors d’oeuvres. This was also a chance to ask more about what shipboard life is like for the staff and to learn about how their contracts work.

 

Later that afternoon we had some gifts delivered to our cabins. These were: the five group photos, a nice photo frame capable of holding a 10” x 8” photo, a nice fluffy robe, a tote bag and a Princess cooking apron. I had particularly want to do the ship’s tour on this voyage because I did not have to worry about luggage weight since I was not flying. The total weight of the gifts was 5.8 lbs. If you have read other Ultimate Ship’s Tours reviews you might note that the personalized stationery and a Princess chef’s coat were not provided. Not sure what I would do with a chef’s coat, so the apron is more practical.

 

I would say that this tour is well worth the cost. I will enjoy the comfy robe for many years to come!

[ladyaero]

I checked the Princess website and searched on CC, but can't find anything that lists the minimum age for the tour (I'm assuming there is one, as I did the behind the scenes tour on a Carnival ship and young kids were not allowed). Does anyone know what Princess' age restrictions are? I would like to take my 15 yo son on the tour when we are on the Grand this summer.

[Cruise2End]

This tour is not available on a 3 day or 4 day cruise... So disappointed.