"Touring" a Ship

[Cookie2boys]

Is there a such thing as "touring" a ship while it's drydocked?

[Host Mick]

I doubt it.

While in shipyards, the ships are a construction area requiring people to have a construction related reason for being there. The ships are not in showplace shape having a lot of work in progress on them. They are not a place for tourists.

The only time that I've heard of ships being open for tours are events aboard brand-new ships usually for some company employees and travel agents (for obvious reasons).

[Capt_BJ]

Having been a ship captain while the ship was in dry dock I can tell you that it is a very dangerous place. For liability reasons the ship yard wants no visitors at all. On the flip side, the ship is very concerned about who should and should not be aboard for security reasons. It is hard enough keeping track of the authorised workers.

 

I can tell you from experience living and working very close to the shipyard in Norfolk where all previous DCL work has been done that the normally tight control was ramped up when a DCL ship was there because of the acknowledged high interest. This is happening at a shipyard that is usually working on several Naval vessels at the same time. Folks who work at the ship yard can't get near the ship unless they have business to be there.

 

That said, assuming the drydock to host Magic is the same that has been used in the past, the ship will be very visible from downtown Portsmouth VA, and Norfolk VA near Waterside & the Nauticus Center and the battleship Wisconson. The Norfolk to Portsmouth ferry will provide an excellent close up view for the small charge of a dollar a ride.... Motorists passing thru the I-264 / I-464 interchange will also have quite a view.

 

In the past the ships have been in the floating dock Titan at BAE / Norfolk Ship Repair http://www.norshipco.com/n_n_ds.html