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Fascinating Behind the Scenes Ship Tour of The Norwegian Joy

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Have you ever been curious about what goes on behind the scenes on your cruise ship? We took a behind the scenes ship tour on Norwegian Joy, and here’s what it was like.

As you set foot onto the Norwegian Joy, you’re immediately greeted by an atmosphere of elegance and excitement. From the grand atrium to the panoramic ocean views, every corner of the ship has been meticulously designed to offer an unforgettable experience for its passengers.

Behind the scenes, though, nearly 1,800 crew members work together to bring this elegance and excitement to life. Through hard work and diligent management, the crew makes running a cruise ship seem effortless, but that is just a facade. It takes incredible teamwork to make the magic happen.

On our recent Caribbean cruise on Norwegian Joy , we took advantage of an NCL Latitudes perk to take a free behind the scenes ship tour. The tour covered four areas: the theater, the laundry, provisions, and the galley. Several tours were scheduled for early in the morning on a port day, were limited to groups of about fifteen to twenty passengers, and were guided by a member of the CruiseNext team.

Note: To participate in the tour, guests must wear closed-toe shoes and be able to climb steep stairs.

Norwegian Joy takes entertainment to new heights, boasting a vast array of exhilarating shows and performances. During our tour, we explored the areas backstage where these stunning performances are brought to life.

First, we were taken backstage to where the set for the show Elements was taken apart and neatly stacked into a surprisingly small pile. The set is completely broken down each night after a performance, then reconstructed for the next show to appear. It takes a team of backstage workers several hours to make this magic happen.

Next, we visited the wardrobe/dressing room, where cast members prepare for the show. The costumes are surprisingly lightweight and are designed to tear away easily for quick costume changes. A wardrobe specialist is responsible for maintaining, repairing, and laundering each costume after every show, preparing them for the next.

One thing I didn’t know is that most of the cast members of Footloose also star in the acrobatics production, Elements , which is why the shows are spaced out and aren’t presented every night.

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After exploring the theater backstage, we were led through various crew hallways and staircases to the laundry, where the temperature rose quite a bit.

It is amazing how much laundry goes through this department each day. The sheer number of sheets, tablecloths, and napkins that are processed daily is mind-boggling. Machinery including washers, dryers, ironers, towel folding machines, and more help to automate the processes as much as possible.

Fun Fact: The Joy has two machines that tag the laundry of guests and crew to ensure your laundry makes it back to you safely.

First, we saw the area where guests’ laundry is washed, dried, and carefully folded. 

In addition to restaurant linens, bed linens, and guest laundry, the crew’s uniforms are also processed here. We were given a demonstration of a machine called a Hurricane for shirts that took a wet uniform shirt fresh from the washer to a dry, perfectly pressed shirt in a moment. It was incredible!

Next, we were taken to the bed linens processing area, where bed sheets are taken from the washer and carefully hooked one by one to a machine that dries, presses, and folds them into a neat square.

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Our next stop on our behind the scenes ship tour was provisions, where the provisions manager told us about the huge amounts of food needed each day, both for the passengers and the crew, and how those foods are stored. We were taken to the freezer, which looked to be the size of a small warehouse!

Each week, tons of food provisions are loaded onto the Joy and must be stored properly. To give you an idea, each week the ship brings on board 7,500 pounds of rice! Also needed weekly are 5,600 dozen eggs, 45,000 pounds of fresh fruit, and 35,000 pounds of beef.

The provisions department even has a huge defrosting refrigerator that slowly and safely defrosts food. Clever, right?

Norwegian Joy takes culinary excellence to a whole new level. On our behind the scenes ship tour, we got a peek at the immense logistics behind delivering thousands of meals each day, all with impeccable quality and presentation.

The Joy has several galleys or kitchens:

• Main Hot Galley: Located on Deck 6, this galley prepares all the meals for the main dining rooms (Manhattan, Taste, and Savor).
• Specialty Restaurants: Each specialty restaurant has its own galley.
• Crew Galley: Located on Deck 5, this galley prepares all meals for the crew members.

The Joy also has several distinctive galley stations. One is the pantry, where all of the cold appetizers, salads, sandwiches, canapes, and cold food items are prepared for the lunch and dinner buffets. All ice, vegetable, and fruit carvings are also done here.

Other galley stations include those for the various types of meat: beef, poultry, pork, and seafood.

Our next stop was the beef station. One of the things we learned was that each type of protein is prepped in a separate kitchen using color-coded cutting boards to avoid cross-contamination. Here we got a glimpse into the beef kitchen, where cuts of meat are broken down into the sizes needed for recipes. Note the red cutting board, which is only used for beef.

Next, we followed our tour guide to one of the galleys, where we watched as some of the 865 crew members assigned to the food and beverage team were hard at work, creating meals for the guests.

All bakery products are made onboard in the bakery, which operates 24 hours a day. Below, you can see a station where cookies and other desserts are being made, their consistency is ensured by the recipes with presentation photos seen on the counter.

Fun Fact: The bakery uses over 200 pounds of white chocolate and 300 pounds of dark chocolate per cruise!

How to Get a Behind the Scenes Ship Tour

Norwegian Cruise Line has a loyalty program, called Latitudes , whereby you earn points for nights cruised. The program has seven tiers, and once you reach the fourth tier, Platinum, you are eligible to participate in the Behind the Scenes ship tour.

To sign up, simply go to the CruiseNext desk onboard on Day Two of your cruise and ask to be added to the tour list. Don’t delay, because these tours fill up fast.

Final Thoughts on our Behind the Scenes Ship Tour

Our behind the scenes ship tour took about an hour, allowing us to witness the dedication and passion that goes into creating an unforgettable experience for each passenger. For me, it gave me a better appreciation of the behind the scenes effort that goes into making our cruises perfect.

Happy cruising!

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Last Updated: January 7, 2022

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The Programme is an individual-oriented programme. Your cruise summaries and promotion materials will be sent to the address or email address you provide. You are responsible for advising the Programme of any changes. Norwegian will not have any liability for misdirected post or the consequences thereof.

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The amount of the shore excursion discount is determined by the Latitudes tier level of the guest booking the excursion: 10% for Silver, Gold and Platinum members, 15% for Sapphire and Diamond members, and 20% for Ambassador members.

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If a guest pre-books a shore excursion before embarking on the cruise, the applicable discount will be applied on board. If a guest pre-pays for a shore excursion before embarking on the cruise, the applicable discount will be applied at the time of booking/payment. Discounts are not reflected in the shopping section of My NCL on ncl.com. You will see the discount in the shopping cart upon check out. The discount is only combinable with Norwegian's Free at Sea promotion. It is not combinable with any other promotion or discounts. If a Free at Sea shore excursion credit is on the reservation, the Free at Sea credit is to be taken off the total bill first and then the Latitudes shore excursion discount is applied.

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The amount of the bulk bag laundry service discount is determined by the Latitudes tier level of the guest claiming the benefit: Gold members receive fifty (50%) percent off of retail price of bulk bag laundry service, and Platinum, Sapphire, Diamond, and Ambassador members receive one (1) bag bulk bag laundry service at no cost.

Bulk bag laundry service is subject to availability. The discount will be reflected on the final bill at the end of your sailing. Any request by Gold, Platinum, Sapphire, Diamond, and Ambassador members for bulk bag laundry service must be made pursuant to the terms of the promotion guidelines. To resolve any billing discrepancies, guests must visit a Latitudes Rewards representative (CruiseNext Manager). When utilising bulk bag laundry service, Norwegian shall in no way be held responsible for the occurrence of any of the following:

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Behind-the-Scenes Tour – Platinum, Sapphire, Diamond & Ambassador

All Platinum, Sapphire, Diamond and Ambassador members are eligible to join Norwegian on a complimentary Behind-the-Scenes Tour of a Norwegian ship. Behind-the-Scenes Tours are only available on sailings five (5) days or longer. Norwegian reserves the right to cancel these tours for any reason at any time, in its sole discretion. In the event of a cancellation, Norwegian will attempt to notify the guest as soon as reasonably possible. The number of guests on one tour cannot exceed 20 per group. As space is limited, places are allocated on a 'first come first served basis'. There is no minimum number of guests needed to run the tour.

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Platinum, Platinum Plus and Ambassador members will receive complimentary Internet minutes on board for the following amounts: 30 minutes per person for Platinum members. 60 minutes per person for Platinum Plus members. 100 minutes per person for Ambassador members.

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The Internet minutes are per person; one login per eligible member. They have no cash value and are non-transferable. They are only combinable with the Free at Sea promotion. It is not combinable with any other promotion or discounts.

Internet minutes do not offer service ashore at Harvest Caye or Great Stirrup Cay, but are available onboard the ship when in those ports.

Internet minutes includes the activation fee but any subsequent Internet purchase made by the guest will incur an activation fee.

For reservations made before February 3, 2017, present your keycard in the Internet café to receive your free Internet minutes.

For reservations made on or after February 3, 2017, your free Internet minutes will be automatically added to your onboard account.

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Platinum, Platinum Plus and Ambassador members who arrive first to the pier will be allowed to embark in the earliest embarkation group available. Guests who check in once embarkation has commenced, may have to board in order of arrival.

Priority embarkation will take place immediately following the completion of embarkation for guest who require special assistance and The Haven™ and Suites guests.

Priority embarkation may not be available at all embarkation ports.

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The amount of the internet package discount is determined by the Latitudes tier level of the guest: 15% for Platinum, 20% for Sapphire, 25% for Diamond and Ambassador members.

Internet package discounts are eligible for the Unlimited 1 device and Unlimited Premium 1 device Wifi packages. Discount is not valid on Free at Sea Wifi Packages Upgrades or time-based Wifi Packages. Discount may be applied online if the Internet Package is purchased prior to the cruise or once the guest is onboard.

Internet package is based on number of cruise nights. There will be one login provided for the stateroom. Each internet package can only be used on one device at a time. The internet package discount benefit has no monetary value and is non-refundable.

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Platinum, Sapphire, Diamond, and Ambassador members are eligible for early pre-booking access for onboard activities, dining, and entertainment. Platinum, Sapphire, and Diamond members that are booked in standard or Club Balcony staterooms are eligible to pre-book dining, onboard activities, and entertainment beginning at 125 days prior to embarkation day. Platinum, Sapphire, and Diamond members that are booked in suites or the Haven are eligible to pre-book dining, onboard activities, and entertainment beginning at 130 days prior to embarkation day. Ambassadors booked in any stateroom category are eligible for early pre-booking access for onboard activities, dining, and entertainment at 130 days prior to embarkation day.

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All Platinum, Sapphire, Diamond and Ambassador members are eligible to join a complimentary Wines Around the World Tasting experience. Wines Around the World Tasting experience are only available on sailings five (5) days or longer. Norwegian reserves the right to cancel these tastings for any reason at any time, in its sole discretion. In the event of a cancellation, Norwegian will attempt to notify the guest as soon as reasonably possible.

The number of guests on one tour cannot exceed 50 per group. As space is limited, places are allocated on a 'first come first served basis'. Platinum, Sapphire, Diamond, and Ambassador members may sign up for the event at the CruiseNext desk by 9 pm on embarkation day. Guests will be advised of the details for this benefit including the date, time, and place where this event will take place at the CruiseNext desk on embarkation day. There is no minimum number of guests needed to run the tasting. Invitations for this event are non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash value or other beverage experiences. Norwegian reserves the right to remove any individual from the tasting should such individual behave in a manner which Norwegian deems disruptive.

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All Diamond and Ambassador members are eligible to join a complimentary Sail & Sustain Mixology experience. Sail & Sustain Mixology experiences are only available on sailings five (5) days or longer. Norwegian reserves the right to cancel these events for any reason at any time, in its sole discretion. In the event of a cancellation, Norwegian will attempt to notify the guest as soon as reasonably possible.

The number of guests on one tour cannot exceed 15 per group. As space is limited, places are allocated on a 'first come first served basis'. Diamond and Ambassador members may sign up for the event at the CruiseNext desk by 9 pm on embarkation day. Guests will be advised of the details for this benefit including the date, time, and place where this event will take place at the CruiseNext desk on embarkation day. There is no minimum number of guests needed to run the event. Invitations for this event are non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash value or other beverage experiences. Norwegian reserves the right to remove any individual from the tasting should such individual behave in a manner which Norwegian deems disruptive.

One-Time Free Cabin Upgrade – Diamond

Diamond members will be offered a one-time complimentary cabin upgrade once they have reached the Diamond tier. The cabin upgrade is valid for one category increase from the category that the guest booked. The Latitudes member must first make their booking, then call to redeem their complimentary cabin upgrade. The cabin upgrade is not eligible for Suites or Haven. The highest cabin category that a member may be upgraded to is Club Balcony. Eligible members will have one (1) year to take the complimentary cabin upgrade after graduating to the Diamond tier.

The complimentary cabin upgrade may only be redeemed once for each member. There are no destination restrictions but holiday sailings are excluded. All upgrades are subject to availability. This benefit is not combinable with other cabin upgrade promotions or offers. Taxes and fees are not included. Complimentary cabin upgrades are non-transferable.

Terms and conditions are subject to change and inventory is subject to availability.

Special Ambassador Gift – Ambassador

Upon graduation into the Ambassador tier, Ambassador members are eligible to receive a special milestone gift. The gift will be mailed to their home address. If an ambassador does not receive their special milestone gift, they may contact the Latitudes support inbox to request their gift

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Ambassador members will be offered a one-time complimentary 7-day cruise. The cruise is for two people in a balcony stateroom, third and fourth guests will be at prevailing rates. Eligible members will have one (1) year to take the complimentary cruise.

There are no destination restrictions but holiday sailings are excluded. No promotions are included. Taxes and fees not included.

Service charges not included.

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Behind the Scenes Tour

By emmajo , August 19, 2023 in Norwegian Cruise Line

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I’m trying to find feedback on this tour on the Norwegian Sun. If anyone has recently done this tour, I would appreciate your comments. This is listed under entertainment and therefore isn’t eligible for any excursion credits. It will cost C$117 per person. Thanks for any information!

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smillerholmes

I was on the Sun in April.  I did the free tour.  The tour was conducted by the CruiseNext staff.  It consisted of laundry area, galley, and theater.  It is my understanding the paid version is a little more thorough even though the bridge is still off limits.  My opinion is that I would *not* pay for the experience.  The only reason I went on the free one is because I like to do it once per ship in the hopes that I will see something awesome in the process.  I have yet to be wowed - I keep hoping...

We did the paid Behind the Scenes on the Star in June and in addition to the above we saw Engineering and The Bridge.  The Captain came onto the Bridge when we were there.  I really enjoyed it.

 Catherine 

4 hours ago, smillerholmes said: The only reason I went on the free one is because I like to do it once per ship in the hopes that I will see something awesome in the process.  I have yet to be wowed - I keep hoping...

The best reason to do the free tour is that, in the kitchen, you can see all the meals scheduled for the entire cruise. Helps with planning when you want to book specialty restaurants!

happytotravel

Which ever one you choose it is very interesting to see some of the behind the scenes of a ship.

The majority of people have no idea want goes on or how really hard the "behind the scene" crew work.  If you have never done a tour taking the paid one would be good to see the bridge and engine.  Something I believe worth seeing.

Enjoy your cruise, happytotravek

hawkeyetlse

32 minutes ago, alanstarr said:   The best reason to do the free tour is that, in the kitchen, you can see all the meals scheduled for the entire cruise. Helps with planning when you want to book specialty restaurants!  

You can even see photos of what each dish is supposed to look like! But it's only useful if they schedule the tour near the beginning of your cruise… If you search around you can probably find photos that other people have taken of that wall in the galley. All the ships have the same menus, on the same rotation (although they occasionally experiment with different concepts, and you never know if they will have to rearrange something because of itinerary/supply issues on your specific sailing).

We've done a Behind the Scenes tour, it was on a different cruise line.  If it's offered on a sea day it's a great way to spend part of your day, really enjoyed, learned a lot worth the $'s.  With that being said, been there done that, probably wouldn't pay again, figure all are about the same.

genealogyfan

5 hours ago, smillerholmes said: I was on the Sun in April.  I did the free tour.  The tour was conducted by the CruiseNext staff.  It consisted of laundry area, galley, and theater.  It is my understanding the paid version is a little more thorough even though the bridge is still off limits.  My opinion is that I would *not* pay for the experience.  The only reason I went on the free one is because I like to do it once per ship in the hopes that I will see something awesome in the process.  I have yet to be wowed - I keep hoping...

The bridge is not off limits anymore, at least on the ship I was on. I was on the Epic in April and my paid behind the scenes tour included the bridge.

I’ve done the Latitudes “Behind the Scenes” tour.  I’ve always enjoyed it.  

It consists of a tour of the Galley and the Theater.  Enjoyed those tours the most.  The sheer volume of food and drink they acquire, store and prepare daily is staggering.  Even the Theater tours are amazing given they have their own costume repair and seamstresses on board.  Seeing the hugeness of the large production facilities and the machinations they go through to put on the shows is impressive.

The Breakaway and Getaway tours are very similar, as they’re nearly identical ships.  The Bliss and Escape were a bit different, particularly the theater tours, as they were much larger.

I think they take about an hour +.  You view the galley, the freezers where they store food, the back stage operations and the “I95” areas where the crew traverse when they’re not working where we can see them.

Thanks to everyone for your input. Exactly what we were looking for. We don’t have latitudes perks so we will fork out the $$ lol. We will likely choose a sea day during which to experience the tour . As suggested, it is probably something we would only do once, but it sounds interesting and informative. Appreciate you sharing your opinions!

www3traveler

1 hour ago, emmajo said: Thanks to everyone for your input. Exactly what we were looking for. We don’t have latitudes perks so we will fork out the $$ lol. We will likely choose a sea day during which to experience the tour . As suggested, it is probably something we would only do once, but it sounds interesting and informative. Appreciate you sharing your opinions!

The Tour is only offered on Sea Days and sells out very quickly.  Book as soon as possible.  Enjoy

I was on the Sun a few months ago and I took both tours. Staff may have changed by now but the staff doing the tour were for the most part super passionate about their jobs, so both tours were interesting and fun IMHO.

Each ship is different so I'll probably keep going on the latitudes tours, but maybe pay for the longer tour on some as well. The theater arrangement is probably the biggest difference and very interesting. And it was comforting to me to see that there was an official "whale watcher" on duty on the bridge. Now if we could only convince them to make an announcement when they spot whales...

I have had several Captains and Staff Captains make announcements when they spot whales.

21 hours ago, genealogyfan said: The bridge is not off limits anymore, at least on the ship I was on. I was on the Epic in April and my paid behind the scenes tour included the bridge.

And the free used to include bridge visit plus sometimes just a bridge tour if in a suite.

3 hours ago, dexddd said: And the free used to include bridge visit plus sometimes just a bridge tour if in a suite.

This was 11 years ago, a group of about 15 that attended the CC Meet & Greet on the Gem were privately invited to do just the bridge tour on a sea day, met outside & escorted in ... photo ops, free & complimentary ... not part of the complimentary BTS tour as given then.  Subsequently, bridge tour was discontinued and excuse given was for security reasons  😎   perhaps, they're afraid that passengers on these tour would hijack the bridge from within - although security was present,  guarding from a distance. 

By the time we did the Breakaway's BTS tour for Platinum, it was most definitely excluded and watered down to 90 minutes with the 3 stops only, and with a fairly large group of 30 plus signed up, split into 2 smaller group, each with 2 uniformed guard escorting while the CruiseNext team member (Alvin O. was Asst CD then, since promoted when we saw him again in 2016 and more recently on another ship - he's among the best that really enjoy his work & has a great slide show presentation doing cruise ship operations in the atrium lobby)   The most recent one we did was on the Epic, which we rated as the worst of the worst, CN staff ran thru the whole 3 "stops" like a high speed train wreck in about 45 minutes, stated absolutely zero still photography allowed anywhere & anytime during "his" tour, as those are his "rules" - what a j e r k  😤  - stalled the group for 10 minutes down holding at I-95 while provisioning was moving crates & boxes around, doing absolutely nothing but stand & watch.  

Obviously, security isn't a safety factor anymore as they are taking money first and cheerfully give the paid tour with stops in the engine control room AND the bridge, or else, I struggled to see how they can stretch the 1 hour tour to 3 hours, unless they slow walk everyone these days, offer wine & cheers, and permit photos (which, evidently, had been taken freely & liberally as of late, posted here on CC) for the convenience of all.  At $129 to $149 p/p for the paid tour, no way but that's just me. 

Interesting enough, laundry operations on the newly & larger ships are more automated and AI / robotic assisted than the older & "smaller" ships, despite the larger quantities and sheer volume of pieces to be washed, dry, folded and sorted - that ship operations require fewer crew members working around the clock to run that department.  

Will see what's changed since we last the Escape 5 or 6 years ago, as we are going to be onboard soon again ... the Prima tour should be interesting as the design is likely different belong the pax decks, re-booked after cancelling her twice. 

  BTW, what's new with you lately  😉   sailing the Viva across this November, MSC ?? and/or busy at work. Regards. 

BirdTravels

12 hours ago, dexddd said: And the free used to include bridge visit plus sometimes just a bridge tour if in a suite.

We have been on the Sky when the concierge arranged for a tour of the engine control room done by the Chief Engineer, tour of the galley done by the Executive Chef, and a tour of the bridge done by the Captain. The bridge tour was pretty cool because the Captain spent over an hour with us just chatting about topics people asked him about (career, favorite ports, plans). We were on the bridge at GSC as the ship secured from tendering, weighing the anchor and got underway back to Miami. The bridge officers all did their jobs while the Captain chatted with us. 

11 hours ago, BirdTravels said: We have been on the Sky when the concierge arranged for a tour of the engine control room done by the Chief Engineer, tour of the galley done by the Executive Chef, and a tour of the bridge done by the Captain. The bridge tour was pretty cool because the Captain spent over an hour with us just chatting about topics people asked him about (career, favorite ports, plans). We were on the bridge at GSC as the ship secured from tendering, weighing the anchor and got underway back to Miami. The bridge officers all did their jobs while the Captain chatted with us. 

That would definitely be a great experience.  Our special bridge tour was with Captain Benggston (sp).  He is a quiet guy but spent a solid hour with a couple families.  Talked about his career.  Definitely a great time had by all.

11 Years ago I did my second tour of the Gem. It was a small group of a dozen. At the end of the tour we found out we were going to the Bridge. I don't recall the name of the Captain but he spent an hour with us

On 8/21/2023 at 10:30 AM, mking8288 said:   BTW, what's new with you lately  😉   sailing the Viva across this November, MSC ?? and/or busy at work. Regards. 

Ahh you got me.  Booked MSC yesterday out of your fine town mid-October to the same lobster areas you went on recently IIRC.  Maybe you were on the Joy??

Think latest time we've ever booked.  Been on the ship twice already so third time should be a charm.

azappraiser

On 8/21/2023 at 4:26 AM, dexddd said: And the free used to include bridge visit plus sometimes just a bridge tour if in a suite.

DW & I were in a mini-suite on the Gem in 2013, at the forward end of the companionway on deck 11; the door to the bridge was to our right when we stepped out of our cabin.

We had done several activities and an excursion with the folks staying in one of the Garden Villas.  We were able to tag along on their private bridge tour.  Then we went back to the Garden Villa for the rest of the day... unbelievably huge suite!

I did the paid tour a couple of times pre-covid, there were a couple of places with photography restrictions- the costumes in the theatre dressing rooms, and staff notice boards along I95. On both tours a ship’s photographer took a picture of each person on the tour in the Galley posing with some cooking equipment which was printed and mounted by the end of the tour. On those tours we did the backstage of the theatre, galley, food storage, butchers area, laundry and recycling. 

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Behind the Scenes Tour

(or, a bunch of things we couldn’t take pictures of).

The I-95, the tunnel washer, and the joystick. All critical parts in the function of the mega-hotel-laid-on-its-side known as a cruise ship. For various reasons, two of the three were things we couldn’t photograph or video. And there was a Security Officer with us to make sure we did not use our prohibited devices in places they were prohibited…and you’ll be glad to know no scalawags were made to walk the plank because of an errant snapshot! We did get to take a long shot of the I-95 — all in due time, my young Padawan, all in due time.

The way to a guest’s heart is through their stomach

And the way to the tour begins with that most-important of places, the galley! (Seafarer-speak for what most of us call “gobs and gobs of stainless steel.”

We didn’t get to take the escalator from Savor into the kitchen galley, but we did have to dodge the bussers readying dirty tablecloths for the quick trip down five decks to the laundry (but again, I get ahead of myself).

Ready for some stainless steel?

Then down we went to the provisions…where we saw part of the food stores — including the meat locker. “You can’t go in there for your own safety” because it’s so cold. But look in? That we could…

We learned a lot about the length of the supply line to the ship. Except for fresh fruits and vegetables and dairy (I believe), all food stores are provisioned through Miami. That means a couple of things:

• the shortest lead time (2 weeks or so) on stock ordering is for ships out of Miami. We were told the meat you see above had been ordered three weeks before we sailed. For a European cruise, that time lengthens out — to two-ish months!
• the ship carries, at any given time, at least enough food and supplies for double the length of the present sailing. If I understood correctly, at the current rate of consumption Escape had on board Saturday (the last full day of the cruise) enough food and supplies for 14 days from then.

Now while that sounds like a tremendously long lead-time, especially for food, that is the lead time for the raw products. The food is all fresh, prepared onboard, and if you consider the lead times of your local food store along with time amount of time things sit on the shelf both at the store and in your pantry or refrigerator, I’d bet the farm to table time for what you eat on the ship isn’t actually that much more than for most food you eat at home or in a restaurant.

An example of on-ship preparation: the butcher shop!

So-named because it is the only direct route from stem to stern of the ship on any deck (all others are interrupted or weave around somehow), the I-95 is much like the US highway for which it is named…

I-95 on Escape, around 11:15 in the morning on a sea day. The thoroughfare is substantially busier and more full of “stuff” in the hours around the end of one cruise and the start of the next — the time known as “turnaround.” Given the substantial logistics involved and the sensitivity of some of the stuff that goes on, non-crew members cannot be in those spaces then (or really any other time without an escort).

The sensitivity is the reason we were given for photography not being allowed along the I-95, and in the engine control room, and for the limitations we had in what and how we could photograph or video in the bridge spaces. The walls of the I-95 are jam-packed with things like a complete muster list of crew members, which (I think) included emergency contact info at home; detailed diagrams of the ship; and other things that would be competitive gold to a person who knew what they were seeing. Of course we didn’t know what we were seeing and we were not permitted to loiter except in a couple of designated “safe” spaces. One of those was the public area of the deck that’s used while tender operations are underway and another was outside the payroll and personnel office where if someone did take a photo all they’d have gotten was a view of the crew enrichment calendar.

I suspect the restrictions around the bridge and the engine control room are not so much for competitive reasons as for regulatory/compliance reasons — whether it be an error caught on video (that NCL doesn’t control…precious little happens on the ship that isn’t under a watchful video eye), or because regulations prohibit non-crew (or only allow specific crew) to make any record of reading/positions of gauges, controls, etc. I don’t expect it’s any different anywhere else, and as a visitor I found the restrictions well within what I considered appropriate and acceptable. (Of course, it *is* their playground, so those were the rules I had to follow if I cared to play…)

The next space we were allowed to photograph or video as much as we cared to was the laundry operation.

Here we go round and round — in really bigly fashion….

Washers that process 44lb of laundry in 2.5 minutes, others that handle upwards of 150lb of laundry (before it’s wet). I actually took less photos here than I thought I did…. from our lowest venture on the ship, Deck 2 forward, where incoming laundry is sorted and fed to the washers, to Deck 3, where it comes out of the dryers and is trundled off to the folders before being loaded into a bright yellow “clean laundry” cart, it’s a pretty impressive operation.

Upstairs, out of Crew World, then backstage in the Theater

Again, nothing to show there — in the places I could take photos I was so fascinated by the surroundings I forgot, and in the dressing room where photos were not allowed. (Had to chuckle when one of the actors rehearsing for the performance that night let drop an F-bomb, only to be quickly reminded by the director there were guests backstage!)

So Whose Stateroom is Room 15301?

Hint: he’s the guy you really don’t want to have to wake up in the middle of the night to get him to come the 5 steps to the bridge. (This being NCL, the answer is not “Captain Kate”)

After being reminded that our camera lenses could only be used pointing in any direction that was entirely OUTside the bridge (so, toward the sea, or as you’ll see, down the ship, straight down, etc….just not toward any controls, people, or anything else (including the mortgage certificate for the ship, prominently posted near the entrance door to the bridge).

(At which my mind takes the “squirrel” bait and HAS to look it up:

….an inordinate amount of time passes….

So apparently the ship is actually owned by the NCLH subsidiary that holds the mortgage, not directly by NCL itself. The notice appears to be a requirement so that anyone who attempts to make a claim against the vessel is advised of the priority claim of the mortgage holder. In other words, a regulatory and business house of mirrors cooked up and written in federal law, or maybe something dating in maritime law back before the founding of the country, I’m not clear. Once you start digging into the CFR, you often need a lawyer to find your way back out into normal space.)

All these photos have been approved and blessed by whomever

Private for those in the large balcony rooms on deck 8…

(Yes they can look through the floor of the bridge and see everything you’re doing on that balcony…so it best not be anything bad!)

Kudos to the person who took the personal training (situp?) bar with them on the trip — I didn’t ask anyone on the bridge crew if it was actually used at any point during the cruise or if it was just put on the deck so someone would think the person was keeping up their regimen….

So there you go — behind the scenes on Norwegian Escape, with quite a few interesting pictures and nothing we weren’t supposed to photograph .

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Behind-the-scenes tour?

By craig01020 , February 27, 2023 in Norwegian Cruise Line

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Just got off a Royal cruise where they offered a behind-the-scenes tour for $179 pp!  I wanted to do it, but not for that price.

Does Norwegian offer a similar tour and, if so, any idea how much it costs?

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It's a perk at platinum level, it was stopped over covid but reports say back (on Star), so maybe more?

www3traveler

I believe that the Tours are back on a ship by ship and cruise by cruise basis.  Ask at the Cruise Next Desk.

A couple of years ago(well maybe 4 years ago) the cost was around $79 on NCL.

34 minutes ago, ziggyuk said: It's a perk at platinum level, it was stopped over covid but reports say back (on Star), so maybe more?

The paid tour was better / longer than the free one you got. On the Getaway in January I 'heard" when they bring them back it will be $149 per person for the paid tour. I think the first one I did was $50

Treasure Hunter

Just got off the Getaway. Missed the free Platinum tour first sea day. Wanted grandson and daughter to go so signed up for last sea day. $129 per person. Supposed to be two hours but lasted almost three. They ran over because of lots of waiting around for other tours to finish( they ran ones  20 minutes). Daughter said it was boring. Saw very little with no presents or snacks. I was so disappointed as we did one on Regal Princess that was terrific. 

NCL's free BTS tours - many years ago (long before Covid shutdown) were up to 2 hours, 90 minutes more typical but some were shorten to about 75 minutes or less with 3 stops, as others said.  Paid NCL BTS tours for all passengers were $79 or $80 and last up to 3 hours, with 2 additional stops.  

1 hour ago, Laszlo said: The paid tour was better / longer than the free one you got. On the Getaway in January I 'heard" when they bring them back it will be $149 per person for the paid tour. I think the first one I did was $50

It was offered on the Star, I heard $99 - but that also could have been the price after the $50 discount. The free latitudes one covered the theater, laundry, and kitchen. The paid one also takes you to the bridge I believe.

3 hours ago, Treasure Hunter said: Just got off the Getaway. Missed the free Platinum tour first sea day. Wanted grandson and daughter to go so signed up for last sea day. $129 per person. Supposed to be two hours but lasted almost three. They ran over because of lots of waiting around for other tours to finish( they ran ones  20 minutes). Daughter said it was boring. Saw very little with no presents or snacks. I was so disappointed as we did one on Regal Princess that was terrific. 

Presents or snacks?

21 minutes ago, Laszlo said: Presents or snacks?

when i did the behind the scenes tour on carnival back in day i got a plate of cookies, picture with the captain and a backpack of goodies like a hat, lanyard and other things

carnival is the only that provides this form what i noticed. Norwegian, Royal give you nothing for doing the tour

Princess gave monogrammed stationery and an apron  plus cookies strawberries and champagne 

BirdTravels

1 hour ago, Laszlo said: Presents or snacks?

Pre covid, you used to get a photo holding large galley utensils. 

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The Eye-Opening Tour Rick Steves Says Is An Absolute Must On A Mediterranean Cruise

H ave you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of a large cruise ship? Some of these vessels are so enormous, their occupancy could be compared to the size of a small city. Each day, the crew prepares thousands of meals, turns over countless loads of laundry, and navigates the ship from port to port through unpredictable weather conditions. All of this activity goes on almost imperceptibly, with the staff accessing secret passageways, private stairwells, and a control room that could rival NASA. Rick Steves, beloved travel host and author, discovered a secret during a Mediterranean cruise that everyone should know about. Per his website , he found out that an exclusive "insider access" tour can give passengers a chance to see what's really taking place on a large cruise ship, allowing you to witness the behind-the-scenes operations.

The cruise ship industry continues to grow year after year, with a total of 30 million passengers expected to climb aboard by the end of 2024 (via Cruise Market Watch ). That is, quite frankly, a lot of people eating a large number of meals and generating a ton of laundry! How does the crew on these ships keep pace with this activity and even make it look easy? On his travel blog, Steves describes the insider tour on a large ship as "an amazing two-hour look at how the ship and its crew manage to run the entire show in a parallel world that is invisible to the typical cruiser."

Read more: The Best Budget-Friendly Tourist Destinations To Visit In The Mediterranean

Travel Down A Secret Corridor On A Cruise Insider Tour

Many of the large cruise companies offer the same type of tour that Steves recommends, such as the Inside Access Tour by Celebrity Cruises . Passengers get an exclusive look at areas such as the main galley, the engine control room, and the ship's massive laundry room. Be sure to include good walking shoes when you consider how to pack for your cruise vacation , as guests will travel along the main crew corridor to visit these operations. Commonly called the "I-95," this passageway extends the length of the ship and is named after the longest stretch of highway on the East Coast of the U.S.

An average of 25,000 meals are prepared every day in the galley, and visitors have a chance to see the provision room where all of the ingredients for these gourmet meals are stored, which is like a gigantic pantry for a cruise ship. The volume of supplies required for a single cruise might include 10,000 bananas, 32,000 potatoes, and 8,500 pounds of watermelon. Guests will also have a chance to visit the engine control room, where the ship's engine and every other onboard system is monitored around the clock. The tour will also witness firsthand how thousands of beach towels, table linens, and bedding sets are cleaned each day in the laundry, through the use of industrial washers and dryers. A typical machine has a capacity of 264 pounds, which means it can handle the equivalent of 14 loads of laundry at once.

Learn What Happens Behind The Scenes On A Cruise Ship

Many ship tours will also offer guests an opportunity to visit the bridge, an exclusive opportunity to witness firsthand how the captain and crew rely on sophisticated equipment and sharp observation skills to navigate the vessel. On Steves' Mediterranean cruise, these navigational techniques really stood out. "Ship geeks will marvel at how these newer massive ships no longer use an old-style shaft and propeller," he writes. "They are nimbly maneuvered by Azipods (pods with propellers that can rotate 360 degrees and, with the help of bow thrusters, can jockey a 300-yard-long ship into whatever pier is required)." It's an amazing look at how these systems function together, and it's certain to create an appreciation for the talented crew members who make it look so effortless.

These insider tours will appeal to experienced travelers as well as first-time cruisers who are learning what to expect when boarding a cruise ship . Many companies also put their own spin on these tours to offer a slightly different experience. For example, Carnival calls its ship tour "Behind the Fun," and it provides guests with snacks, photos, and a commemorative baseball cap. MSC Cruises offers a "Backstage" tour that includes a chance to actually go backstage, behind the scenes of the ship's entertainment. Getting a chance to see the costumes, props, lighting, and sound systems that are part of the ship's entertainment productions might especially appeal to the younger members of any family-friendly cruise .

Consult The Guidelines For Insider Tours

It's important to be aware of the specific guidelines and minimum age restrictions that each cruise line requires. Tours can last between two and four hours long, and they involve extensive walking and standing. Guests will also be required to climb and descend multiple sets of stairs. Most cruise companies have a minimum age requirement of 6 or 8 years old, while some companies (such as Cunard ) require guests to be 18 years old. It's common to see requirements for closed-toe shoes and pants for visitors' safety and comfort. High heels, shorts, skirts, purses, and video cameras are often not permitted on the tours. Many companies, such as Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean , allow you to book this tour before embarkation, but others may ask you to wait until you're on the ship to make your reservation. 

This kind of tour can be a bit pricey, as Steves warns, with an estimated cost between $100 to $150. However, the tours sell out very fast due to the limited number of spots available. As you consider your next cruise itinerary, there are a number of hacks you can use when booking your trip to make it special . Now that you have an insider tip from Rick Steves, consider booking this special tour of the areas that are usually off-limits for passengers. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to observe all the magic that takes place behind the scenes.

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