Equinox Behind the Scenes Tour

[blueboro]

Just curious if anyone has done this Behind the Scenes tour on Equinox?  If so, how was it and was it worth the time/money?  Saw where I could get it for about half off...less than $50 per person.

[Jim_Iain]

I have never personally done it bu we were traveling with friends from Sydney who took the tour.   They very much enjoyed it.  You will be seeing the Bridge, I-95, Laundry Facility, Crew Mess, Engine Control Room etc. 

[bluehengal]

For that price, I'd do it.  I've heard great things about it and everyone seems to enjoy it.  I just can't see paying $99/person for it, but for less than $50, I'd definitely sign up.

[cmhdoogalsatsea]

If you have any curiosity about the running of the ship I'd say go for it! They do a great job of running things--everyone gets a wireless headset so that you hear the guide and whichever officer is explaining a given section.  While the Bridge is always a treat I remain fascinated with the laundry myself. 

i've done the tour on a few ships and haven't gotten bored of it.

[albi]

Definitely enjoyed it when we did it a couple of years ago!

[blueboro]

Thanks all...just booked and paid $49.30 per person which seemed like a pretty good price.

[lovedecruise]

HI, where do you book  the "Behind the Scenes" Tour.  Have looked on my cruise planner but can't locate it.  Is it only offered once you board?  I will be on the Solstice.

[blueboro]

Not sure if it is available on all cruises.  I got an email about some special offers on shore excursions for our February Equinox sailing and it was one listed at a significant discount.  Available on the two sea days at 9:00am and 1:00pm.

[mayleeman]

3 hours ago, lovedecruise said:

HI, where do you book  the "Behind the Scenes" Tour.  Have looked on my cruise planner but can't locate it.  Is it only offered once you board?  I will be on the Solstice.

 

If not in the opening "featured" items in your Cruise Planner, it is, oddly, sometimes listed in the excursions. I think they are usually on sea days.

[thon]

55 minutes ago, mayleeman said:

 

If not in the opening "featured" items in your Cruise Planner, it is, oddly, sometimes listed in the excursions. I think they are usually on sea days.

That’s where I found it on my upcoming Silhouette cruise.  Why they list it under ‘shore excursions’ is anybody’s guess.  For my cruise, it seems to be offered on a number of sea days but not all of them.  I’ve booked it and I’m looking forward to it.  I took a free tour (courtesy of my TA) of the kitchens last year which was really good.

[Northern Aurora]

We did the "Behind the Scenes" tour on the Millennium several years ago when we had a significant amount of non-refundable OBC to use, and we both enjoyed it very much.  In addition to some of the locations already mentioned, one of the most interesting places was the onboard recycling center.  And the tour is paced by the participant questions, so in the engine control room our group had quite a lengthy discussion about elevator management issues (I will never complain about a slow elevator again), and on the bridge a retired commercial airline pilot started a very interesting discussion about emergency checklists.  In the galley our group backtracked so the chef could answer a woman's questions about how they handle gluten free foods, so it was very different than the free galley tours.

 

If folks check their cruise planner and look at the excursions offered on sea days it should pop up.

 

 

[hrhdhd]

Just booked at $49/pp for our March cruise. Thanks for the heads up. 😉

[NMTraveller]

I did this tour on the Edge.  I have been through the kitchen tour before.  That was nothing new.  The laundry room was interesting but laundry.  The Bridge was a nice part of the tour.  I would do it for that price.

[lovedecruise]

I've checked through my excursions page, 2x, and can't find any offers for the "Behind the Scenes"  tour.  Maybe it varies from ship to ship.  Maybe they'll offer it when we board in Jan, but I will keep checking in the meantime.  They are offering hot glass classes but that is listed under Internet and More section.

[lovedecruise]

Just checked through my daily papers from our January 2019 cruise and see we were offered an "Inside Access" tour for $139.00.  Your deal of $49 sounds a steal.

[fleckle]

 

We signed up for the "Inside Access Behind-the-Scenes Ship Tour"  because we had non-refundable OBC left to use up.  We had previously taken all the separate tours that Celebrity used to  provide free of charge (such as bridge tours, engine control room tours, galley and restaurant tours, backstage theater tours).

 

The "Behind the Scenes" tour for a fee seemed rushed as they tried to cram it all into just over 2 hours, so we kept being told that we needed to move on.

 

It did not even include the backstage theater area, which they were now selling as a separate tour for an additional fee.

 

It did include the laundry room, and some storage areas that we had not visited before.

People who had taken the same tour previously reported that they also got to visit some of the crew quarters, so we were expecting to do the same.

However, we were disappointed to be informed that crew areas were off limits to us when we took it.

 

By comparison, the free separate ship area tours that Celebrity offered in the past were much more leisurely and comprehensive.  They used to offer a beverage of choice (alcoholic or non) and snack (often chocolate covered strawberries) at each location visited. 

On the free galley and restaurant tours, we would be offered several foods to sample.

 

That did not occur on this latest combination tour, for which they charge a hefty fee, considering that it costs them nothing at all to provide.

  

 

  

Edited December 6, 2019 by fleckle

[micheleata]

12 hours ago, lovedecruise said:

I've checked through my excursions page, 2x, and can't find any offers for the "Behind the Scenes"  tour.  Maybe it varies from ship to ship.  Maybe they'll offer it when we board in Jan, but I will keep checking in the meantime.  They are offering hot glass classes but that is listed under Internet and More section.

So after you sign in and go to manage my vacation, you scroll down to the cruise planner.  Click on book excursions, and scroll down.  On the left you will see your itinerary, including the sea days.  You actually have to click on Day ? Sea Day and it should come up.  I would hate for you to miss this sale..  I booked for the Edge yesterday at $49.30 each!    Hope this helps.

[thon]

10 minutes ago, micheleata said:

So after you sign in and go to manage my vacation, you scroll down to the cruise planner.  Click on book excursions, and scroll down.  On the left you will see your itinerary, including the sea days.  You actually have to click on Day ? Sea Day and it should come up.  I would hate for you to miss this sale..  I booked for the Edge yesterday at $49.30 each!    Hope this helps.

That’s exactly what I did micheleata when I booked it too.  But it may not be available on each sea day so you may have to click on each day..  I’m with you - would hate to see the OP miss this sale.

[Firepath]

16 hours ago, lovedecruise said:

I've checked through my excursions page, 2x, and can't find any offers for the "Behind the Scenes"  tour.  Maybe it varies from ship to ship.  Maybe they'll offer it when we board in Jan, but I will keep checking in the meantime.  They are offering hot glass classes but that is listed under Internet and More section.

I signed up for it on the Solstice but for Alaska. It is offered on both of the two sea days.

[lovedecruise]

3 hours ago, micheleata said:

So after you sign in and go to manage my vacation, you scroll down to the cruise planner.  Click on book excursions, and scroll down.  On the left you will see your itinerary, including the sea days.  You actually have to click on Day ? Sea Day and it should come up.  I would hate for you to miss this sale..  I booked for the Edge yesterday at $49.30 each!    Hope this helps.

 

Many thanks for your help.  I tried what you suggested and have come to the conclusion they are not offering anything for sea days at present.  Maybe they will offer the tour when we board.  This is what my cruise planner offers: