Touring a Disney Cruise ship while it’s in port in your city?

[nicynot]

Is that even possible? On the 23rd we’ll have a ship in our city for the day. I’ve never been on a cruise ship and would love to see one up close

 

[Mainsail Minnie]

No, only passengers would be allowed on. You can view the exterior from the dock, of course.

 

[LambertLion]

Yeah, there's not likely any feasible way they could manage crowd control and people trying to sneak into the passengers without a huge amount of additional security. Would be nice if they could tho.

 

[squirk]

Is that even possible? On the 23rd we’ll have a ship in our city for the day. I’ve never been on a cruise ship and would love to see one up close

Nothing personal, and I understand your curiosity, but I'd be pretty mad if DCL allowed people to come onto the ship while it was in port.

Setting aside security issues, how would you stop the looky-loos from using ship resources (buffet, pool, elevators, movies, etc.) and thus clogging things up for the passengers who paid to use those things?

 

[cwis]

Setting aside security issues, how would you stop the looky-loos from using ship resources (buffet, pool, elevators, movies, etc.) and thus clogging things up for the passengers who paid to use those things?

Don't give them the idea to actually make day guests pay to use the ship while on dock.

 

[BadPinkTink]

The Disney Magic was in my city Dublin on September 10 2019. I went down to the port to see the ship and take photos. I could only go so far and then there was a security check, where only people with Keys To The World cards could go past. Even in a taxi, the passengers had to show that they had Keys To The World cards.

The only way you can visit a cruise ship when it docks in your city is to be an official invited guest. I know that when the Disney Magic had the inaugural port visit in Dublin, there were official tours for some media, travel agents and The Tourist Board.

Other ways to get on the cruise ship when it docks in your city would be to work in the port and have a job which requires you to get on the ship. However you would probably be very limited as to the parts you would see and most likely would not have access to passenger areas.

 

[squirk]

Don't give them the idea to actually make day guests pay to use the ship while on dock.

We joke, but.........

 

[Donna M]

I lived in Ketchikan, Alaska while in a volunteer program, and a married couple in our group pretended to be on vacation with cameras around their necks. They boarded a Princess cruise ship and walked around without any problem. Of course this was years ago, 1980 or so. It was a very different world back then security wise. Ketchikan had only the Princess Cruise ship come by once in a while, no lumberjack show, not too much touristy stuff.

 

[BadPinkTink]

I lived in Ketchikan, Alaska while in a volunteer program, and a married couple in our group pretended to be on vacation with cameras around their necks. They boarded a Princess cruise ship and walked around without any problem. Of course this was years ago, 1980 or so. It was a very different world back then security wise. Ketchikan had only the Princess Cruise ship come by once in a while, no lumberjack show, not too much touristy stuff.

cute but in todays world that wont work, the ports are high security areas just like airports now. Remember how years ago you could go to airport departure gates even if you were not flying, but now you have TSA security bag checks and boarding card checks. Its the same with ports, they have their own TSA type security checks, and Key To The World cards are scanned when you get on the ship and when you leave the ship.

 

[Mainsail Minnie]

Nothing personal, and I understand your curiosity, but I'd be pretty mad if DCL allowed people to come onto the ship while it was in port.

This. I wouldn't feel that my son and I were safe if random people were allowed to board at ports. And I wouldn't appreciate the additional crowding, either.

cute but in todays world that wont work, the ports are high security areas just like airports now.

Not to mention the legal penalties you'd have to deal with if you got caught trying to pull such a stunt these days.

 

[SamFaniam]

I lived in Ketchikan, Alaska while in a volunteer program, and a married couple in our group pretended to be on vacation with cameras around their necks. They boarded a Princess cruise ship and walked around without any problem. Of course this was years ago, 1980 or so. It was a very different world back then security wise. Ketchikan had only the Princess Cruise ship come by once in a while, no lumberjack show, not too much touristy stuff.

I remember episodes of the Love Boat where there would be an announcement advising guests were not sailing to leave the boat before they sailed. Things have changed!

 

[Dug720]

I remember episodes of the Love Boat where there would be an announcement advising guests were not sailing to leave the boat before they sailed. Things have changed!

Well, a lot on that show was inaccurate...it was entertainment and not a documentary after all.

But that was well before security tightened as to who was allowed on board. It could have been permitted then - I cannot remember if there was such an announcement on the Emerald Seas when we were on her in the early 80s when I was in 6th grade. I do remember being very confused that the pool was only open when we were in port - not when the ship was moving.

 

[Deb T.]

I remember episodes of the Love Boat where there would be an announcement advising guests were not sailing to leave the boat before they sailed. Things have changed!

We've heard that announcement on Disney cruises, as recently as last July. Sometimes, they have outside contractors come onboard to do work. Often, family/friends of crew come aboard to visit for a few hours. The announcement comes about 30 minutes before the Mandatory Life Station drill.

 

[Disneyland_emily]

One of my friends is a harbor master at a frequent Disney traveled port and their family often spends the day on board ship while in port- so it definitely happens but they obviously are not the ‘general public’

 

[nicynot]

Alright. I’d didn’t figure there was a way. Where it docks in our city.. it’s right in front of a building, and you can’t access the boardwalk behind the building at any time. I’d like to see it, might take a harbour cruise hahahaha

 

[Capt_BJ]

it can happen with special advanced arrangements ..... for the 'general public' the short answer is no

it is not uncommon for there to be special tours arranged ... groups of travel agents for example or other VIP ... I've even gotten tours arranged for groups of school kids - this was initiated through someone I knew who worked for the local 'ship agent' company ......

prior to 9/11 this WAS common. Many times we were able to have the person who drove us to the port come on board for a drink before the ship departed and when living in Miami, local 'organizations' would routinely arrange luncheons on cruise ships while they were on a turn around day.

 

[Chirple]

Funny story. Way back in the '80s my friend was going on a cruise with another friend. The ship was leaving from Manhattan so she invited me to their bon voyage party in their cabin. I got to the terminal and was given a pass to board the ship. There were two ships docked next to each other (do you see where this is headed?). I headed down to her cabin and waited. And waited. No one I knew was showing up. An older couple arrived, and I told them my friend was supposed to be in that stateroom. No, they were.

I boarded the wrong ship.

 

[SamFaniam]

Funny story. Way back in the '80s my friend was going on a cruise with another friend. The ship was leaving from Manhattan so she invited me to their bon voyage party in their cabin. I got to the terminal and was given a pass to board the ship. There were two ships docked next to each other (do you see where this is headed?). I headed down to her cabin and waited. And waited. No one I knew was showing up. An older couple arrived, and I told them my friend was supposed to be in that stateroom. No, they were.

I boarded the wrong ship.

Perhaps you could’ve just stayed on and enjoy the cruise!

 

[Jessicabr]

If you like to visit a ship you need to be invited by a passenger or crew member. They have to fill in a form with lots of details and a copy of your ID. I believe this has to be sent to the head office a minimum of 72 hours before the visit. If you are with a passeger you will only be allowed in the guest areas. If you are with a crewmember, you can also go to the crew area. But lots of areas are restricted these days for anybody to go...

 

[Karin1984]

The only way is to know a crew member. A colleague has a sister who worked on the Wonder. They were able to tour and have lunch and leave before the ship left the port.