bridge tour ??s

[rsjj]

please help! when do they offer bridge tours? are the tix hard to get? do you get them at gs, on the first day? (right after you get on the ship?) bridge tour...that's the tour of the place where the captain is at, right? how long is it?

i know you all have inside scoop, and is full of info!! thank you so much. i'm thinking of doing this for DH. i think he might enjoy it! again, thank you for any info you can send this way!

 

[kcashner]

On the 7 day cruises, they are given as part of the Navigator series (which is different from the Navigator you get every night in your cabin). They are usually on sea days. Keep an eye on the Navigator each night re tickets...we didn't have any trouble getting them.

There are separate bridge tours for the kids programming, so the ones in the adult series are adults only. The adult tour was about 30 minutes including the question/answer period with either the captain or one of the senior officers.

 

[rsjj]

On the 7 day cruises, they are given as part of the Navigator series (which is different from the Navigator you get every night in your cabin). They are usually on sea days. Keep an eye on the Navigator each night re tickets...we didn't have any trouble getting them.

There are separate bridge tours for the kids programming, so the ones in the adult series are adults only.

i was "studying" the navigators...trying to see the bridge tour...but didn't see any. it just stated bridge tours, but didn't list it on the time slots? maybe i'm missing something. am going back to double check again!

how do we sign up for the kids programming bridge tour? for the kids?

i assume you've been...how long was it? and pretty interesting? any details you can provide would be greatly appreciated! thanx!

 

[kcashner]

Yes, the tour was interesting....about 30 minutes total. Basically, it is announced in the Navigator. You get a ticket and go to the meeting place. You are then taken on a short tour of the working parts of the ship, ending in the bridge. They explain a little of the equipment in each area. Then there is a short "welcome" talk and it opens for a few questions. It is not always with the captain (he does have other responsibilities, especially if you sail at hurricane season), but will be with either the captain or a senior officer.

For the kid's tour, it will be listed in the kid's Navigator that you get on the first day. You just check them into the club or lab about 15 minutes before the activity. There is no sign up other than the club/lab registration.

If you can't find it in the Navigator, just go to Guest Services and ask.

 

[DIS NURSE]

bump!

 

[PPFQP]

Actually, our experience was quite different from what's been described. In March, the bridge tours were only offered while the ship was in port, and by the time we got tickets (on Sunday afternoon), the times were really inconvenient. We had the option of a time on Wednesday (Cozumel day) that was smack in the middle of an excursion we'd already paid for, or 3:00 on Friday (Castaway Cay day). We got tickets for Friday, but were having way too much fun at CC to leave and go back to the ship, so we didn't go.
My recommendation is to go to Guest Services and inquire first thing after you board so that you have the most options.

 

[mommykeg]

On our July 9th West Coast Cruise, the bridge tours were only offered while the ship was in port...on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons. We got tickets at guest services soon after we boarded...but didn't end up going because we got back from Mazatlan later than expected.

 

[rsjj]

thanx everyone! so i should go to gs right when we board...to try to get the tix, and the best option, as far as time & day. can't wait!

 

[Eeyorefan12]

Yes, the tour was interesting....about 30 minutes total. Basically, it is announced in the Navigator. You get a ticket and go to the meeting place. You are then taken on a short tour of the working parts of the ship, ending in the bridge. They explain a little of the equipment in each area. Then there is a short "welcome" talk and it opens for a few questions. It is not always with the captain (he does have other responsibilities, especially if you sail at hurricane season), but will be with either the captain or a senior officer.

This wasn't quite our experience on the Magic in June. We signed up for the tour because it was offered to us when we met with the concierge (we had a Cat 3 but hadn't cruised before so we didn't know what to ask for.) It sounded pretty cool because I love to know about how everything works so I got tickets. There were both adults and older children in our group. We met the rest of the group of about 25 people just outside the bridge and one of the CM's (who had been doing a little of everything on the ship) took us inside. Basically, we just stood on the catwalk overlooking the bridge, looking down on an empty room, while the CM told us IN teeny tiny DETAIL what each screen supposedly shows. (The view was the same as you'd get in the fitness room looking down, just on the opposite side.) We were in port so nothing was happening at the time. One officer wandered out for a moment, checked a screen, wrote something down on a clipboard and left without even glancing up at us.

I have to be honest--except for some fun little tidbits of information (such as how many passengers were on board and that the captain pilots the ship out of port while standing on a little balcony on deck 7...or 8...or whatever), it was all very dry. The question and answer session was actually the most informative but it lasted about 3 minutes, while the whole tour took 30. The word 'tour' is misleading, though, because we just stood in the same spot on the catwalk the whole time. I felt a bit embarrassed because I was the one who'd dragged our whole traveling party on this in the first place and I could tell they were trying to be polite while they checked their watches a lot. Sigh.

Maybe we just got an extra slow day? I hope they liven up the one they do for the kids-only!

CB

 

[nixieh]

Does anyone know if it is available on the 3/4 night cruises?

Thanks

Nicola

 

[Mickey&Co]

My family and I just returned from a four night cruise and the bridge tour was offered only while the ship was in port in Nassau. It was posted in the Navigator. In addition the tour was offered to the kids at the Oceaneer Lab on Nassau day.

Hope this answers your question.

Enjoy!

 

[drclaws]

Also agree that it's only available on days while in port, and it's from a walkway above (I believe) the bridge area. You don't go in the actual bridge.

 

[ljql_5969]

god info. Thanks!

 

[knyisles]

Everyone mentions you need tickets...so I assume you get them at the guest services counter.......my question is are the tickets "free" = first come first served or is there a fee?

 

[clten]

Now bridge tours are only given on port days. (The people who did them on sea days had to have done the tours a few years ago. I believe it was changed to only port days for security reasons.)

The tours are given by a member of the cruise staff. So depending on which member gives the tour may determine how interesting it was. (Think this has changed over the years as well. Think they use to be done by someone who works on the bridge. Nothing against them, but they might not have the same interpersonal skills that the cruise staff people have.)

You do just walk out to the catwalk and stand there. The cruise staff member walks around the bridge (below you) and points out the different equipment. You may or may not see the people on duty. Each time we went, they did poke their heads out and say hello. (Now when the Magic goes into drydock and they remove the catwalk, don't know if they will continue the bridge tours and if they do, don't know where you would stand.)

The tickets are free. You go to Guest Services and let them know which port day you are interested in and they'll let you know what times are available. I think they only list in the Navigator that you can get tickets at Guest Services, I don't think they list the days/times available and they don't list the tour times in the activities section either.

If you really want to do the tour and don't have tickets, I would check with GS on the times, show up at the meeting point and ask the Cruise Staff member if you can still join them. Since they are done on port days, I'm sure they have a lot of people no-show. My last tour, there were only about 7 of us.

 

[Eeyorefan12]

The tours are given by a member of the cruise staff. So depending on which member gives the tour may determine how interesting it was. (Think this has changed over the years as well. Think they use to be done by someone who works on the bridge. Nothing against them, but they might not have the same interpersonal skills that the cruise staff people have.)

Although this is a good point, I couldn't resist pointing out that the CM who did our "dry" tour (which I previously mentioned in this thread) was a guy who was the emcee for many of the shows. He has a lot of energy and loves to crack jokes but I think even the best of 'em may not always be able to make a blank computer screen interesting.

CB

 

[cruzings]

Bridge tours are only given on port days. When you first board the ship, go to Guest Services immediately and get tickets for this. You will find, however that the times are not very conevenient unless you decide to stay onboard during port days. Or if you're out you'll have to be back on the ship by mid-afternoon to do the tour.

 

[WatchYourHeadNStep]

On the 7 day cruises, they are given as part of the Navigator series (which is different from the Navigator you get every night in your cabin). They are usually on sea days.

The Navigator series was a three part education!

1. First day underway consisted of a video showing the Making of Disney Magic followed by a QnA with 2nd Chief Engineer and 2nd Navigator.

2. Second day consisted of the bridge tour which was inport! No one is allowed on the bridge during the underway period due to security reasons. Disney Magic as a MarSec 2 which essentially prevents anyone from entering the bridge and other secure areas when underway.

3. Third day underway consisted of a video show the shipyard period for the Disney Magic in 2003. We also met the 2nd Captain and Chief Engineer, very briefly!

Once you get onboard, go to or call Guest Services to find out the schedule. The Personal Navigator will show you the schedule as well when they come out.

Our first day onboard, we stumbled upon Travis of South Africa giving a ship's tour. It was a great tour because he brought you to all the main areas of the ship in which you would be spending most of your time in the up coming week.

If you can get a bridge tour, do it NOW! The Disney Magic goes back into the yards when it returns to Port Canaveral. The Vista Spa is going to be expanded directly over the bridge which means that really cool walkway that surrounds the bridge is going away! After that I believe there will be no more bridge tours because of the security reasons! Enjoy it while you can!