being seen off

[Misterandrews]

Crossing in May NY-Sh on QM2. It will be my first cruise of any kind. My question: can your friends come aboard to see you off? I know they do in books and movies, but suspect this is the sort of thing that has passed away in our security-conscious era.

[Underwatr]

It can no longer be done. But your friends can stand on shore and wave as the ship leaves its berth.

[Aussieflyer]

Sadly no more. I remember in the early 70s my FiL was leaving from Melbourne to sail to Southampton (not on Cunard). We were able to join them in their cabin before they sailed. No streamers either these days (DH has photos of family seeing them off from Southampton in the 60s all holding streamers). Think that those days are not well and truly over.

[david,Mississauga]

Cunard abolished the practice of visitors aboard their ships a long time ago. It may have been after a bomb scare in 1972 which involved a bomb disposal team being parachuted into the Atlantic. Our first Cunard voyage on the QE2 was one year later and it was announced that no visitors were permitted. There have been some rare exceptions to the rule - and I don't mean visits by our Queen:).

 

Other lines we have cruised or crossed with permitted visitors well into the 1990s, although in most cases a pass had to be obtained from the office or port agents.

[njkruzer]

As late as 1990 we had visitors onboard to see us off. That was on a Carnival ship out of Miami. I think that was the last time. I know that it didn't happen when we sailed the Norway in 1991. I remember my dad spilling champagne in our cabin onboard the Oceanic in 1971 and then the streamers as we sailed from NYC. So many changes.

[MCC retired]

Those Bon Voyage parties years ago are sadly missed .

Seeing your friends off was quite an introduction to cruising for those that never cruised .

Got me hooked back in the 70's .

Glad I got to experience cruising when it was cruising .

[Colin_Cameron]

It didn't stop as long ago as you might think.

 

We have had visitors aboard on Cunard throughout the nineties and right up to August 2001. I'm fairly sure it was events the following month that were the final nail in the coffin.

 

As for streamers, we definitely had them on QM2 in 2004 but not on QV in 2007.

 

Colin.

[Solent Richard]

It didn't stop as long ago as you might think.

 

We have had visitors aboard on Cunard throughout the nineties and right up to August 2001. I'm fairly sure it was events the following month that were the final nail in the coffin.

 

As for streamers, we definitely had them on QM2 in 2004 but not on QV in 2007.

 

Colin.

 

I was allowed onboard 'as a visitor' as recently as March 2014 when Queen Mary 2 was in Darwin.

[luckymal]

Crossing in May NY-Sh on QM2. It will be my first cruise of any kind. My question: can your friends come aboard to see you off? I know they do in books and movies, but suspect this is the sort of thing that has passed away in our security-conscious era.

I think the only people who are allowed on ship when in a port are Travel Agents, and Crew members family.:')

[Lilydes]

They sometimes have charity lunches as well.

[TheOldBear]

Back in the 1960s, my wife experienced the full bon voyage party experience a couple of time when her aunt and uncle sailed to England on both the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth.

Her father was a Merchant Marine officer [Chief Engineer] who seemed to know everyone in and around the Port of New York.

They were able to stay on board [on the bridge] for the sail away, and then took the jacobs ladder down to the Pilot boat for the trip back to NY. It sounded like quite the adventure.