Behind the scenes tours

[caribill]

Does HAL offer a behind the scenes tour like Carnival, Celebrity, Princess and some other cruise lines do?

 

Thanks

[Crew News]

Yes.  Cost is $150 and limited to 12 guests.

[Alberta Quilter]

But only on Vista or higher ships.  Not on R or S class ships.

[Krazy Kruizers]

As soon as your get on the ship, go to the front desk to sign up for it (if your ship offers it).

 

If enough people sign up for it, they will have it.  On one ship that we were on, only 4 people signed up and they cancelled it.

 

Be prepared to walk a lot of stairs.

[cruisin'mama]

My son who has Down Syndrome loves commercial kitchens since his brother is an executive chef.  He has gone on just a galley tour before as well as Behind the Scenes tours. We will be on the Westerdam in a NS and wondered if there are available galley tours, not the full Behind the Scenes tours.  That would be high on his wish list to do!

[CruiserBruce]

37 minutes ago, cruisin'mama said:

My son who has Down Syndrome loves commercial kitchens since his brother is an executive chef.  He has gone on just a galley tour before as well as Behind the Scenes tours. We will be on the Westerdam in a NS and wondered if there are available galley tours, not the full Behind the Scenes tours.  That would be high on his wish list to do!

The are galley tours on every HAL ship, usually the first sea day at 10 or 10:30.

[cruisin'mama]

The are galley tours on every HAL ship, usually the first sea day at 10 or 10:30.

 

Thanks CruiserBruce!  This is perfect!

[bobpell]

If you plan on making cruising your preferred holiday experience I highly recommend at least once doing a $150 tour. Ours was on the Noordam.

It might seem like a lot of money but it opens your eyes to what makes your cruising experience so effortless and fun.

At the end we were given a tote bag of books and a picture of our group on the bridge with the Captain and crew.

Visiting the laundry, bakery and walking down I-95 with the crew was eye opening

Did not go to crew cabins or the engine room

Yes there was a mortuary room next to booze storage compartment

We were glad we did it and have been on 16 cruises since then

Enjoy

Bob

[Canadianweaselette]

18 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

The are galley tours on every HAL ship, usually the first sea day at 10 or 10:30.

 

This is fantastic to know. My son wants to be a chef and he'd love to see the galley. He won't be on our next cruise this Fall but hopefully the one after that he can join us.

[Crew News]

6 hours ago, bobpell said:

If you plan on making cruising your preferred holiday experience I highly recommend at least once doing a $150 tour. Ours was on the Noordam.

It might seem like a lot of money but it opens your eyes to what makes your cruising experience so effortless and fun.

At the end we were given a tote bag of books and a picture of our group on the bridge with the Captain and crew.

Visiting the laundry, bakery and walking down I-95 with the crew was eye opening

Did not go to crew cabins or the engine room

Yes there was a mortuary room next to booze storage compartment

We were glad we did it and have been on 16 cruises since then

Enjoy

Bob

 

Here is a link to my Behind the Scenes Tour on the Oosterdam:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/photo-reviews/hal-ms-oosterdam/hal-ms-oosterdam-behind-the-scenes-tour

[Tennessee Titan]

6 hours ago, bobpell said:

If you plan on making cruising your preferred holiday experience I highly recommend at least once doing a $150 tour. Ours was on the Noordam.

It might seem like a lot of money but it opens your eyes to what makes your cruising experience so effortless and fun.

At the end we were given a tote bag of books and a picture of our group on the bridge with the Captain and crew.

Visiting the laundry, bakery and walking down I-95 with the crew was eye opening

Did not go to crew cabins or the engine room

Yes there was a mortuary room next to booze storage compartment

We were glad we did it and have been on 16 cruises since then

Enjoy

Bob

On our 2017 Koningsdam tour, we DID go into the engine room and crew quarters (in addition to all mentioned above). Appears to depend on the ship....

[caribill]

1 hour ago, Tennessee Titan said:

On our 2017 Koningsdam tour, we DID go into the engine room and crew quarters (in addition to all mentioned above). Appears to depend on the ship....

Engine room or engine control room?

[Alberta Quilter]

I've done the tour twice.  First time we went to the engine control room (I think you'll get there for sure). The second time, in Feb/19, we also got to go to the engine room. 

[AV8rix]

2 hours ago, Crew News said:

 

Here is a link to my Behind the Scenes Tour on the Oosterdam:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/photo-reviews/hal-ms-oosterdam/hal-ms-oosterdam-behind-the-scenes-tour

 

47 minutes ago, Alberta Quilter said:

I've done the tour twice.  First time we went to the engine control room (I think you'll get there for sure). The second time, in Feb/19, we also got to go to the engine room. 

 

OMG!!  How did you both manage to do that???

 

I've only been on one tour -- Eurodam -- because I prefer the S-class or R-class ships.  I'm a retired engineer (aeronautical) and there were quite a few other engineers in our group.  Of course we spent time in the control room but we really wanted to see the engines.  We were told that we were not permitted there because of "security" constraints.  I'd have cut my right arm off at the ankle to have had a look at the big diesels.

Edited June 28, 2019 by Av8rix

[Crew News]

Just now, Av8rix said:

 

 

OMG!!  How did you both manage to do that???

 

I've only been on one tour (Eurodam) because I prefer the S-class or R-class ships.  I'm a retired engineer (aeronautical) and there were quite a few other engineers in our group.  Of course we spent time in the control room but we really wanted to see the engines.  We were told that we could not be taken there because of "security" constraints.  I'd have cut my right arm off at the ankle to have seen the big diesels.

 

I think it all depends on the Chief Engineer.  The security excuse is a sham. 

 

Lots of narrow passageways and steep steps.

[rkacruiser]

20 minutes ago, Crew News said:

 

I think it all depends on the Chief Engineer.  The security excuse is a sham. 

 

Lots of narrow passageways and steep steps.

 

This is a very accurate comment.  On some of the Behind the Scenes Tours, one only visits the Engine Control Room.  On a couple of others, after the ECR visit, we were taken down a flight of stairs to the Engine Room, being able to walk through a part of that and see the Engine Room's workshop.  Very interesting and very much worthwhile if one is so interested.

 

When I first posted on CC that I had been able to visit the Engine Room, I was told by more than one poster that I was lying, I didn't know where I was during the tour, and other not very flattering comments.

 

Worth whatever they charge?  Absolutely!  (But, the next time when I do the tour, may I have an end-of-the-tour gift of something other than a bag of Chef Rudi's cookbooks?)

[AV8rix]

31 minutes ago, Crew News said:

 

I think it all depends on the Chief Engineer.  The security excuse is a sham. 

 

Lots of narrow passageways and steep steps.

 

4 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

This is a very accurate comment.  On some of the Behind the Scenes Tours, one only visits the Engine Control Room.  On a couple of others, after the ECR visit, we were taken down a flight of stairs to the Engine Room, being able to walk through a part of that and see the Engine Room's workshop.  Very interesting and very much worthwhile if one is so interested.

 

When I first posted on CC that I had been able to visit the Engine Room, I was told by more than one poster that I was lying, I didn't know where I was during the tour, and other not very flattering comments.

 

Worth whatever they charge?  Absolutely!  (But, the next time when I do the tour, may I have an end-of-the-tour gift of something other than a bag of Chef Rudi's cookbooks?)

 

Well, if I'm ever again on one of the enormodams or humungoudams I will try to get an audience with one of the engineers to find out in advance if we will be permitted to view the engine room.  I'd pay the $150 again to see that, otherwise no. 

 

And thank you both for clarifying the "policy" regarding admittance to those spaces.

[Crew News]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

When I first posted on CC that I had been able to visit the Engine Room, I was told by more than one poster that I was lying, I didn't know where I was during the tour, and other not very flattering comments.

 

The same happened to me so I just posted a picture of one of the engines.

 

My favorite part of the Engine Room was the detailed descriptions of what all happens down there:  engines, A/C, heating systems, fueling operations, water purification, gray water handling, etc.  I was surpised at how clean the Engine Room was kept. 

[Tennessee Titan]

Here are a couple of pictures

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, Tennessee Titan said:

Here are a couple of pictures

 

That's what I saw and more!

 

Crew News mentioned in a prior post how clean the area was and that was also my experience.  Noise:  yes, there was some, but it was not unpleasant.

 

"IT's Good to Be on a Well Run Ship".

[TAD2005]

We got a full engine room tour back in 1998 on the Norwegian Crown.   We got to know the Chief Engineer, and he gave us a personal tour.  We were issued hearing protectors due to the deafening noise of the multiple diesel engines.   We did have to climb up and down metal stairs, and wear hardhats.   We also saw a few playmate calendars hanging around.  The whole area was very clean, not oily or greasy, and well air conditioned.   

Edited June 29, 2019 by TAD2005