Need help with visit to the bridge on the EOS 6/25/09

[doulaamy]

Make sure the kids research the ship before the cruise so they can ask teh Master various questions when they meet him at his reception. Be sure they are dressed nicely for that formal night, stand in line, meet him or her for that matter, have the kids express interest in all things Navy (er nautical) and get the captain to answer a few questions. That will put a nice spark in his/her mind about the children, mention you dropped a note to him about the kids wanting to learn more about the ship etc...

 

DD asked two of the North American home based captains why ships float, the first was caught so far off guard she answered for him, the other from a bit further North and who shares an oil field background gave a great explanation to DD. A bit of fun chat can help the cause as well.

 

As was said though it's generally stacked against folks. I know in a couple weeks DD wants to go see the bridge, DW does as well, so I will ask nicely, and hope that sharing the same deck as the wheelhouse in a nice size cabin will help the cause. I know at the reception DD will share with the Master all about the Longhorns from Voyager being at our ranch now so that is a good tie to Voyager as well. (I hope Gordon is aboard as Hotel Director when we sail since we got to know him a bit...)

 

That is a great idea and I will talk to my oldest son about it. After all the hype I've been givng this cruise, he's been pretty excited! We will do our research! Thanks for the great advice!

[doulaamy]

I do not understand it either as I read it as a simple question as her boys would love to see the bridge. I've been on many bridge tours and I love taking pics from there and I've met a variety of people on the tours that are not Diamond Plus nor staying in a suite. In April on the Ex. a WW2 vet and his family ( first time cruisers) were with us on the bridge and his son in law simply walked up to the Captain during the Welcome Reception and said his father in law was in the Marines on a ship in WW2 and asked if possible could he see the bridge area and the next day they received an invite. If I had met this family first I would have had them included on one of my tours. D plus members include family and friends on tours all the time so I do not see anything wrong with this lady asking for a tour for her sons as the worse that can happen is they will say no. Tours are given all the time on the Ex. including as recent as 3 days ago. On my 11/30/08 we had a young couple, first time cruisers that were invited by the Captain himself at our table for a bridge tour and they were thrilled! I met another person last year that wrote a note to the Captain ( first time cruiser) and just dropped it off at Guest Relations and received an invite.

 

Good luck to the OP and I hope your sons get a chance to see the bridge! If not as Dave said you can take them to the peek a boo bridge on the Ex. where they can look down into the bridge area. You have a great itinerary on a great ship and I hope your family enjoys the cruise! :)

 

Thank you. I appreciate your words. My children are very proud of their dad and what he's done. It's time for us to close this chapter of our lives and we plan on doing so in style, of course. I will write a note and send it to the captain using all the advice you wonderful people have given to me.

Thanks so much!

[doulaamy]

Dont sweat it Doulaamy...I see Hurricane Sally aka barb...is still the same.

She doesn't like people with children.or most people for that matter.

Good luck and happy sailings

 

Wow, how sad. especially when there's a photio of a child as her avatar.

Maybe she should chose adult only sailings or sailings without anyone else, like a captain to lead the ship. I suggest a personal yacht?

 

What a sad way to live your life.

[doulaamy]

I have no advise other than what has already been said. I just wanted to add my thanks to you and your family for all the sacrifices you've made for all of us! I hope your boys get to see the bridge and I wish you all a great cruise and a happy civilian life!! It's a big adjustment for all of you!!

 

Yes, it is..thanks for your words. They mean a lot.

[doulaamy]

OP - Just ignore Sally. She's the same person who argues on these boards with 14 year olds who are passionate about cruising. We all understand what you are trying to do. Good luck to you.

 

Thank you. Anyone who takes the time to argue with 14 year olds needs a life.

 

I will continue to ignore her.

[HurricaneSally]

Wow, how sad. especially when there's a photio of a child as her avatar.

Maybe she should chose adult only sailings or sailings without anyone else, like a captain to lead the ship. I suggest a personal yacht?

 

What a sad way to live your life.

 

 

Don't feel sorry for me, there is nothing sad about my life. Just because I don't pile on useless knowledge like everybody else here, doesn't make me sad. Did you ever notice when someone asks a question, twenty people answer the question, with the same answer? Boring... At least I'm not boring.

[doulaamy]

Don't feel sorry for me, there is nothing sad about my life. Just because I don't pile on useless knowledge like everybody else here, doesn't make me sad. Did you ever notice when someone asks a question, twenty people answer the question, with the same answer? Boring... At least I'm not boring.

 

It's not your life that's sad, it's your attitude towards others.

If you don't like the way questions are answered, maybe you should go to another board. And, I also like how 3 other people said the same thing about your aggressiveness and you chose to address me.

 

I think your only answer is to create your own cruise line, your own boards and sail your own ship. It appears you are only happy when putting others down. That is a sad sad attitude to have.

 

You are my mother's age. It's amazing that you haven't learned to tolerate life better. Sounds like it's time to grow up. All of this happening after I asked a simple, straight forward question. Find another thread to hijack.

[abmaharg]

Hey cruisers..

I've found out that the "backstage tours" are reserved for those who are of higher status. My sons are absolutely obsessed with ships and marine life. Meeting the captain in the bridge would be incredible for them. I know that the capt and his team do walk around the ship.

 

Is it possible for those that qualify to transfer it to other cruisers?

Is this something that would even be possible? I realize that they have strict rules for security reasons, but I know they try to accomodate requests also. We are celebrating A LOT on this cruise...10th wedding anniversary, the conclusion of our 2nd and final deployment, and starting a new life without the military lifestyle! It's a very important vacation for us.

 

Thank you!

 

I will answer based upon my 10-25-08, Liberty OTS. We are Diamond Plus and have been offer behind the scene tours on Voyager and Freedom Class Ships. We were cruising with my Mother and Sisters in October. We were in a suite and the rest of my family were in balcony staterooms. We were offered the Bridge tour and I asked the concierge whether I could substitute my three sisters for the two Diamond Plus members. The concierge said that there is a limit on the amount of people on the tour; however, she would check and get back to me. My sisters were allowed to go on this tour.

 

Checked with the Concierge, Loyalty Ambassador, or Guest Relations with your request after you get onboard. The officer conducting the tours have been very gracious with their time and allowing pictures on the Bridge even sitting in the Captian's chair. The Captian generally will come up later to meet and greet. The crew all appear to genuinely enjoy talking about their job and answering questions. I hope your sons get to go on this tour. Happy Cruising.

[NorbertsNiece]

Do hope you get your wish. On Independence I asked about the possibility of a Bridge Tour and was denied. I like the idea of writing a letter first which I will consider for my next cruise. As a mother, any little gesture to acknowledge your children is so special; they learn from that gesture that they are appreciated and in time will pay it forward. Let us know how you get on.

[uksimonusa]

We were on a New Years Cruise on Mariner, relaxing in the cabin one afternoon, when the phone rang, the caller id said Bridge.

 

It was my daughter,13, who had befriended the children of an RCI exec who was sailing with his family. He was friends with Captain Per (sp) and the Captain had taken the kids on a tour of the bridge and his suite. Very Cool was how she described it!!

[NorbertsNiece]

We were on a New Years Cruise on Mariner, relaxing in the cabin one afternoon, when the phone rang, the caller id said Bridge.

 

It was my daughter,13, who had befriended the children of an RCI exec who was sailing with his family. He was friends with Captain Per (sp) and the Captain had taken the kids on a tour of the bridge and his suite. Very Cool was how she described it!!

 

How special was that! Little gestures like that go such a long way.

[negc]

Thank you. I appreciate your words. My children are very proud of their dad and what he's done. It's time for us to close this chapter of our lives and we plan on doing so in style, of course. I will write a note and send it to the captain using all the advice you wonderful people have given to me.

Thanks so much!

 

Just wanted to revive this thread to advise you of what Princess has come up with on its newest ship, Ruby Princess. For a mere;) $150 per person, guests can get the "Ultimate Ship's Tour" which, I understand, includes a bridge tour, galley tour, backstage tour and a tour of the engine control room and offers participants a Princess robe and cook book. A bit pricey to my way of thinking but finding new sources of revenue is clearly on the minds of the folks at Princess and most other lines as well.:) Perhaps RCI will watch this new development and adopt some of its features on its ships. I guess the security issues related to bridge and engine room tours comes in second to the issue of increasing onboard revenue.:rolleyes:

[BillPatrice]

The suggestion has been made in the previous posts that diamond plus and "suite" passengers will get a Bridge tour invite. Is this true -- and does it happen automatically or do you have to request it thru the concierge.

[madforcruising]

The suggestion has been made in the previous posts that diamond plus and "suite" passengers will get a Bridge tour invite. Is this true -- and does it happen automatically or do you have to request it thru the concierge.

 

I might be wrong but I think the behind the scene tours are organized by the LA and not the Concierge and they are for D+ C&A members. I don´t think they are offered to suite guests.

D+ members will get the invite without inquiring.

[Retired LEO]

The suggestion has been made in the previous posts that diamond plus and "suite" passengers will get a Bridge tour invite. Is this true -- and does it happen automatically or do you have to request it thru the concierge.

 

Suite passengers do not get an invite.

[bchalker]

Thank you. Anyone who takes the time to argue with 14 year olds needs a life.

 

I will continue to ignore her.

 

If you email me at bchalker at aol dot com I will share how we have done four bridge tours. We have been fortunate enough to see the Majesty (twice), Radiance, and Liberty. If you see the videos on our signature there are some of the bridge tours we have been on. Hope you enjoy your trip either way. Thanks for all your family has given.

[flsunnymommy]

I really hope your kids get to do the bridge tour. My son loved it and learned so much. Also it was his first cruise and one of the highlights of his trip

[tjmaher]

doulaamy, coming from a military family who has been greatly effected these past few years, I truly wish you and your family a great vacation and the begining of a non-military life. Hopefully, the captain will see that the boys get a tour. Anyone with feelings and insight into what the children of military parents go through would certainly understand. As you stated, missed trips, birthdays, Christmas, etc. Hopefully a very negative poster will never be effected by a family member serving for the safety of her and her family and her country. You boys scarificied a lot in missing their dad, hopefully the tour will come through. Thank you husband for protecting our country so my family can be safe while he was away from his. Remember it the talk must all be in the name.....Hurricane!

[kathyemma]

I might be wrong but I think the behind the scene tours are organized by the LA and not the Concierge and they are for D+ C&A members. I don´t think they are offered to suite guests.

D+ members will get the invite without inquiring.

 

This is correct. We are D+ and the LA put an invite in our room. I had just gotten married and my dh was not invited! I had to ask and the LA finally agreed to let him come along. C&A was supposed to change him from gold to d+ but they did not. (The only reason I was doing the tour was for him!) We had a few others on the ship with us and they would NOT let them join us. I really hope you and your family get a tour of the bridge.

 

Kathy

[dutchess43]

To the OP I too hope your sons get to experience the bridge. Back in the day pre 9/11 when my kids were young their first HAL cruise they were so delighted to get a chance to see the bridge & take pics. I have been on several trips to the bridge & enjoy each & everyone as if it was the first time. If I was invited to the bridge & I was sailing with you I would definately give up my spot to your sons so they could get possibly share one of the best experiences of their lives.

I hope on your cruise they get a chance to see the bridge!

[cnickcruiser]

Suite passengers do not get an invite.

 

 

On the Explorer of the Seas in August. D+ and Suite guests got formal

letters for the invite. One formal letter is for D+. and another letter

was for Suite guests. I know this because I attended these tours

and this is what I was told by the Hotel Director. Both get the

invite.

[FL_Cruiser64]

What is that supposed to mean?

My sons lives have been FILLED with disappointments. All they have ever known is their dad being gone with the Marine Corps, missing birthdays, school events, etc. Just trying to have a nice vacation here and learning the ropes while I'm at it.

 

 

Well, the easiest way to get on the bridge is to participate in the 'Make-A-Wish Foundation' auction. Most ships have that and a bridge tour is usually part of the auction. Spend a couple hundred dollars and you can fulfill your kids dreams.

 

To answer your question: a D+ member usually can not give the tour to you since there is heavy security involved.

[GMoney]

 

To answer your question: a D+ member usually can not give the tour to you since there is heavy security involved.

 

I'm just curious - what do you mean by "heavy security?" I've been on umpteen bridge tours and have never witnessed anything more than a locked door. :eek:

[cruisePRN]

We were invited to the bridge last year on Voyager and they allowed us to bring our friend who was more interested in the tour then we were. earlier this month we got an invite under our door to tour the behind the scenes but not the bridge. I find the galley tour more interesting. Your boys hopefully will get their wish, I think writing a letter to the captain should do the trick. Don't turn down a galley tour if it comes your way :D

[Laoghaire]

On the Explorer of the Seas in August. D+ and Suite guests got formal

letters for the invite. One formal letter is for D+. and another letter

was for Suite guests. I know this because I attended these tours

and this is what I was told by the Hotel Director. Both get the

invite.

 

Hello...We were on the Explorer OTS in a GS a week ago, and did not get an invitation to the Bridge, but did get invites to a backstage tour, and private use of the ice rink. Our Bridge Tour came from an invitation from Captain Sverre Ryan while dining with him.

 

Helen