Cruise Buzz

Cunard Line’s new Behind the Scenes Tour

Cunard Line announced the addition of a Behind the Scenes Tours for cruise guests sailing on Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth. The tour, which lasts three and a half hours, will cost $120 per person.

Under the leadership of Cunard senior officers, the tour gives cruisers a behind he scenes tour of hard to access spaces that are not open to the general public. Expect to see the Medical Center, Engine Control Room, Butcher’s Shop and the Mooring Deck.  During the tour, cruise visitors can ask questions about how the ship runs, including topics about the environment impact of the cruise ship, how the ship recycles, and how the ship orders, stores and cooks the groceries for a Cunard Line voyage.

Is a Behind the Scenes Tour worth the money?

I have taken similar tours on non-Cunard Line ships and I loved the experience.   What I  liked was a first-hand look at the recycling operation and what the ships do with all their trash. A tour like the one on Cunard Line really exposes the ship for what it is: a miniature floating city. Not to be missed.

This from Cunard Line….

“Similar to a feat of magic, our seamless ocean travel experience results from a delicate balance between what’s seen and not seen,” said Peter Shanks, president of Cunard Line.  “Our Behind the Scenes Tours offer the inquisitive guest an intimate glimpse of what goes into the way we run our ships to ensure their comfort, safety and satisfaction.”

Here is a summary of Behind the Scenes Tour highlights:

• The Bridge – At the widest part of the ship, the captain and navigational officers greet guests and give a tutorial of all the dials, buttons, radars and navigational charts that help them safely helm Cunard’s Queens.
• Royal Court Theatre – Guests peruse more than 3,000 costumes in the costume store, and light and sound engineers give hands-on lessons in operating the stage equipment.
• Galley and Provisions – Guests catch a glimpse of the complex logistics of moving provisions around the world in containers and picking them up in different ports mid-voyage, to accommodate 11 tonnes per day. The tour includes stops at the Food Stores, Butchers Shop, Freezers, and the Galley.
• Mooring Deck – Guests learn the purpose of the anchor winches, windlesses and other critical machinery on the most forward part of the ship.
• Medical Center – Guests tour Cunard’s floating hospital and meet the exceptional medical staff that keeps everyone on board healthy and well.
• Burma Road – Guests tour the only main crew passageway to run the entire length of the ship and get a behind the scenes look at where the crew and officers socialize after work.
• Waste Handling Room – Guests observe Cunard’s round-the-clock waste handling operation, and learn the differences between five waste sorting streams: hazardous, recyclable, suitable for incineration, food waste and suitable for donation.