Visitor

[GettingOlder]

Sorry for the dumb question. I've Cruise princess 34 times but unfortunatly never with Holland America. princess has a program where you can visit the shipe just for embarkation morning they call it bon voyage program I was thinking about trying to do the same with the Eurodam in Seattle does anyone know if they offer this kind of program

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Sorry for the dumb question. I've Cruise princess 34 times but unfortunatly never with Holland America. princess has a program where you can visit the shipe just for embarkation morning they call it bon voyage program I was thinking about trying to do the same with the Eurodam in Seattle does anyone know if they offer this kind of program

 

It's not a dumb question. I'm not aware of such a program with HAL (Holland America Line). I have been on several tours on HAL ships while they were in port in Seattle, but always through the arrangement of my travel agent, and as part of a group of clients doing business with that particular agent.

[rafinmd]

A quote from my recent live thread. It sounds like HAL SOMETIMES allows visitors but only on longer voyages and several days into the voyage, but almost certainly not on embarkation day.

 

Actually, HAL does give guests/pax the ability to have visitor(s) on board, but only during the grand voyages and those above and beyond the routine seven, ten, and fourteen-day Carib/AK and Europe voyages. Those requests have to be in at least 72-hours prior to arrival in the concerned port and need to be approved by the staff captain

How is the westbound ride, Roy?

 

Roy

[GettingOlder]

Thanks for your replies I was taking my brother-in-law up to the Eurodam for his Alaska trip and thought I could spend some time on board but maybe I'll go across the Pier to the Ruby Princess after I drop them off and spend the morning screaming at them from across the pier. Thanks again.

[sail7seas]

A quote from my recent live thread. It sounds like HAL SOMETIMES allows visitors but only on longer voyages and several days into the voyage, but almost certainly not on embarkation day.

 

 

 

Roy

 

 

We have 'been the ' g uest' and have ' 'hosted guests' with prior appro val from staff Captain both on 7 and 10 day cruises.

[KroozNut]

We have 'been the ' g uest' and have ' 'hosted guests' with prior appro val from staff Captain both on 7 and 10 day cruises.

 

What?:confused:

[Infi]

HAL doesn't have anything like the BVE program on Princess, which is too bad. We were allowed to bring a visitor with us on embarkation day in July 2017. This was a 7 day Bermuda cruise out of Boston, so it is possible but honestly, it was quite difficult to arrange.

[3rdGenCunarder]

HAL doesn't have anything like the BVE program on Princess, which is too bad. We were allowed to bring a visitor with us on embarkation day in July 2017. This was a 7 day Bermuda cruise out of Boston, so it is possible but honestly, it was quite difficult to arrange.

 

They want to minimize visitors for a lot of logistical reasons. I remember on our first few cruises (HAL, 70s and 80s), friends of passengers could come onboard for a bon voyage afternoon. It was a lot of fun, but looking back on it, all those extra people underfoot, exploring the ship, must have made luggage delivery more difficult. And imagine the security issues if they did that now. A few years ago we did a tour of a ship (Oceana, maybe?) arranged by our travel agent. We were given visitor passes and we had to surrender our ID in exchange.

[jenp123]

September 2017 in Victoria they allowed me to bring my father on for dinner. We got approval from front desk and captain. Really easy process and we had a great time

[VennDiagram]

September 2017 in Victoria they allowed me to bring my father on for dinner. We got approval from front desk and captain. Really easy process and we had a great time

 

That's lovely! <3 I'm glad you were allowed to do that :)

[rafinmd]

I think my policy statement (from a VERY knowledgeable HAL source) is accurate. There are surely exceptions for very highly traveled mariners and special situations (even for me after I invited the Amsterdam security officer to lunch on the Crystal Symphony) but I have no doubt about the policy.

 

Roy

[sail7seas]

I think my policy statement (from a VERY knowledgeable HAL source) is accurate. There are surely exceptions for very highly traveled mariners and special situations (even for me after I invited the Amsterdam security officer to lunch on the Crystal Symphony) but I have no doubt about the policy.

 

Roy

 

Surely with all your experience, you have witnessed many an excepion with/by HAL.. even for a Platinum Mariner like me. "sarcastic: I'll repeat, we do not always know what we don't know.

 

 

I will choose to not detail or mention any of our personal situations. I prefer to not.

 

It is no one's business b ut mine and those who shared with me and my late Dh>

Edited May 6, 2018 by sail7seas

[VennDiagram]

I think my policy statement (from a VERY knowledgeable HAL source) is accurate. There are surely exceptions for very highly traveled mariners and special situations (even for me after I invited the Amsterdam security officer to lunch on the Crystal Symphony) but I have no doubt about the policy.

 

Roy

 

I have confidence in the accuracy of the information you provided (y) I'd say you have an unimpeachable source :) I would love to invite someone from Vancouver aboard but I am not on a long cruise, nor am I a high star Mariner. Thank you rafinmd.

[innlady1]

A quote from my recent live thread. It sounds like HAL SOMETIMES allows visitors but only on longer voyages and several days into the voyage, but almost certainly not on embarkation day.

 

 

Roy

 

 

If anyone is still interested in inviting guests on board, you could post the question here to Copper, a Security Officer, and long time CC poster. He was on the World Cruise so must be on break now.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited May 6, 2018 by innlady1

[sail7seas]

Have a nice night, Sheila.

[Sea girl 23]

Unfortunately, as there start to be more "incidents"(shootings, etc.) I can see the ability to visit cruise ships being very limited(or there will have to be some sort of vetting system/background check.)

[Infi]

They want to minimize visitors for a lot of logistical reasons. I remember on our first few cruises (HAL, 70s and 80s), friends of passengers could come onboard for a bon voyage afternoon. It was a lot of fun, but looking back on it, all those extra people underfoot, exploring the ship, must have made luggage delivery more difficult. And imagine the security issues if they did that now. A few years ago we did a tour of a ship (Oceana, maybe?) arranged by our travel agent. We were given visitor passes and we had to surrender our ID in exchange.

 

Yes, I know. Living in Ft. Lauderdale, we were very fortunate to be able to visit ships on embarkation day for lunch and to walk around the ship up for many years, up until the 90s...1992 or 1993 was probably when that ended. I mentioned the difficulty because even though we were allowed to bring aboard a visitor last year for embarkation day on our Bermuda cruise, it wasn't an easy process and I don't imagine HAL allows this to happen very often. OP (or anyone who tries to do this) should probably go in with zero expectations and be pleasantly surprised if they are allowed to bring aboard a visitor.

[chengkp75]

There are a couple of factors in play here. In order to get a guest onboard, it must be allowable under both the ship's and the port's ISPS code (International Ship and Port Security). Typically, this would require submitting ID for the guests a certain amount of time in advance, so that both the cruise line and the port can do background checks on the potential guests. Then, there may be a requirement that the guest be escorted either by port security or a ship employee from the gate to the ship, and there may be restrictions on the guest when on the ship. It all depends on how the ISPS code is written for that company/port, and what the insurance company feels is a safe level of risk in guest access.

[sail7seas]

When we were invited, we ALWAYS gave DRIVER'S LIC, NUMBER OR Pass porT NUMBER IN advance.

 

i will not say tthe position of person (s) w e visited.

 

 

When we boarded, we were given a visitors pass and left our license with Security on t he gangway.

 

When we left the ship our iD was returned to us and we returned the pass.

 

We did this at least 12+ times on 3-5 ships.

[chengkp75]

When we were invited, we ALWAYS gave DRIVER'S LIC, NUMBER OR Pass porT NUMBER IN advance.

 

i will not say tthe position of person (s) w e visited.

 

 

When we boarded, we were given a visitors pass and left our license with Security on t he gangway.

 

When we left the ship our iD was returned to us and we returned the pass.

 

We did this at least 12+ times on 3-5 ships.

 

This also changes things, if you are visiting, and were invited by crew, as differentiated from being invited by a passenger.

[OlsSalt]

Good reminder: when making conclusive statements about any personal onboard experience, it is helpful to include date and location of that personal onboard experience.

 

This same issue has come up in many other situations - for example:" I will never sail ship XYZ because it had no A/C or the toilets did not work". Helps to provide date, nature of the problem and location of the cruise to give those personal claims better context. Ship XYZ is boring, or ship XYZ stinks, is another personal conclusion that needs more time and place info.

[sail7seas]

They want to minimize visitors for a lot of logistical reasons. I remember on our first few cruises (HAL, 70s and 80s), friends of passengers could come onboard for a bon voyage afternoon. It was a lot of fun, but looking back on it, all those extra people underfoot, exploring the ship, must have made luggage delivery more difficult. And imagine the security issues if they did that now. A few years ago we did a tour of a ship (Oceana, maybe?) arranged by our travel agent. We were given visitor passes and we had to surrender our ID in exchange.

 

 

 

I was invited to lunch on Slver sea when a ship was in Boston. it was nice having a chance to view their ship though I imaigine I was there so they couldt ry to get our business. They didn't. get any from us .

[Sea girl 23]

I don't doubt people get passes to visit ships; what I find hard to believe is that what's going on in the world, just giving ones' name/having it out there is a instant invitation. That's meant with no disrespect whatsoever.

[chengkp75]

Okay, I'm going to make one more statement regarding this, and then I'm gone. This is based on my professional experience with the ISPS code, since it was promulgated in the wake of 9/11.

 

Yes, people can get invitations to visit the ship.

 

No, you can't go up to the Guest Services desk and say, "when we're in port tomorrow, can my brother-in-law come onboard for a visit?"

 

Yes, there is some vetting and background checking done for every guest and this requires submission of ID in advance (how far in advance is up to the cruise line/port)

 

Is it easier to get approval if a "known personage" vouches for the guest (ship's officer, corporate official, well known TA, etc)? Yes.

 

Does this still happen today? Yes.

 

Does this vary from cruise line to cruise line, and port to port? Yes.

 

Can a cruise line okay a guest, and the port deny it? Yes, and vice versa.

 

So, that's the long and short of ISPS. If you're real interested read up on it. Know, however, that each cruise line's and each port's ISPS code is a restricted document, and onboard the ship, only the Captain, and perhaps (not always) the Staff Captain are aware of all the procedures and policies pertaining to security. So, you will never get to see a company's ISPS document, and you will never find a ship's officer who will discuss the ISPS code with someone without the "need to know" (whether passenger or crew).

 

So, enough, ladies, stop the squabbling.

[Sea girl 23]

Okay, I'm going to make one more statement regarding this, and then I'm gone. This is based on my professional experience with the ISPS code, since it was promulgated in the wake of 9/11.

 

Yes, people can get invitations to visit the ship.

 

No, you can't go up to the Guest Services desk and say, "when we're in port tomorrow, can my brother-in-law come onboard for a visit?"

 

Yes, there is some vetting and background checking done for every guest and this requires submission of ID in advance (how far in advance is up to the cruise line/port)

 

Is it easier to get approval if a "known personage" vouches for the guest (ship's officer, corporate official, well known TA, etc)? Yes.

 

Does this still happen today? Yes.

 

Does this vary from cruise line to cruise line, and port to port? Yes.

 

Can a cruise line okay a guest, and the port deny it? Yes, and vice versa.

 

So, that's the long and short of ISPS. If you're real interested read up on it. Know, however, that each cruise line's and each port's ISPS code is a restricted document, and onboard the ship, only the Captain, and perhaps (not always) the Staff Captain are aware of all the procedures and policies pertaining to security. So, you will never get to see a company's ISPS document, and you will never find a ship's officer who will discuss the ISPS code with someone without the "need to know" (whether passenger or crew).

 

So, enough, ladies, stop the squabbling.

 

Thank you for clearing that up.