ncl breakaway behind the scenes tour

A nautical blog about cruising.

Activities Onboard the Norwegian Breakaway

The Norwegian Breakaway offers a variety of activities and amenities for passengers of all ages. Here are some of the things you can do on board:

• Relax by the pool:  The Norwegian Breakaway has three pools, two of which are heated year-round. There are also several hot tubs and a waterslide.
• Go for a swim:  The Norwegian Breakaway has a 24-hour fitness center, a jogging track, and a basketball court. You can also take a yoga class or a Pilates class.
• Play games:  The Norwegian Breakaway has a casino, a bowling alley, and a laser tag arena. There are also several arcades and game rooms.
• Watch a show:  The Norwegian Breakaway has a variety of shows, including Broadway-style shows, comedians, and other live performances.
• Listen to music:  The Norwegian Breakaway has several bars and lounges, as well as a nightclub. There is always live music playing somewhere on the ship.
• Shop:  The Norwegian Breakaway has several shops, including a duty-free shop, a jewelry store, and a clothing store.
• Get pampered:  The Norwegian Breakaway has a spa, where you can get a massage, a facial, or other treatments.
• Learn something new:  The Norwegian Breakaway offers a variety of classes, including cooking classes, wine tastings, and art classes.
• Take a tour:  The Norwegian Breakaway offers a variety of tours, including tours of the ship, tours of the ports of call, and even a behind-the-scenes tour of the kitchen.
• Relax in your cabin:  The Norwegian Breakaway has a variety of cabins, including standard cabins, balcony cabins, and suites. All cabins have private bathrooms and televisions.

The Norwegian Breakaway offers something for everyone, whether you are looking to relax, have fun, or learn something new.

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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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The 6 best cruise ship waterslides and watery fun zones

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Call it the Battle of the Waterslides.

In the last few years, the big boys of the cruise industry — Royal Caribbean , MSC Cruises , Norwegian Cruise Line and Carnival Cruise Line — have been locked in a game of one-upmanship when it comes to waterslides and watery fun zones on vessels.

In addition to such over-the-top, new attractions as go-kart tracks and roller coasters , the brands behind the biggest megaresorts at sea have been packing the top decks of their vessels with even more over-the-top watery allures.

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Royal Caribbean, for instance, added an 800-foot-long “water coaster” to the back of its 3,386-passenger Navigator of the Seas just a few years ago. It’s one of more than two dozen giant waterslides the line has added to more than half a dozen ships in the last seven years.

Royal Caribbean also plans a record six waterslides on its next new ship, Icon of the Seas, which is scheduled to debut in January 2024.

But as recently as early 2016, Royal Caribbean didn’t have a single waterslide on any of its vessels.

MSC Cruises also has gone big with giant water parks in the past seven years, with as many as four waterslides on more than half a dozen of its newest vessels. Norwegian has loaded up its most recent ships with giant water parks, too — some have as many as five waterslides!

Not to be outdone, Carnival, an early adopter of waterslides on ships, has added sprawling water park areas with multiple waterslides to almost every vessel in its fleet.

A brief history of water attractions at sea

In the beginning, there was the pool. As watery cruise ship attractions go, it has long been the staple — something found on nearly every cruise vessel going back to the 1970s.

But as early as 1978, at least one line was spicing up its Lido decks with a little waterslide fun — little being the operative word. That’s the year Carnival added a single slide into the pool on its 728-passenger Festivale — a slide so small it’s now hilarious to think it was touted as an attraction.

Often cited as the first waterslide ever on a cruise vessel, the Festivale slide was of a sort that was found at backyard pools at the time. The cruise industry was still in its infancy, of course, and ships were orders of magnitude smaller than they are today. Festivale measured just 32,697 tons, about one-seventh the size of today’s biggest cruise vessels.

Carnival, the so-called Fun Ship line, would go on to become the early leader in waterslides at sea. The 2,056-passenger Carnival Fantasy, which debuted in 1990, was the first cruise ship with a significant waterslide. It measured 115 feet in length.

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Just six years later, in 1996, Carnival would make news with the unveiling of a 214-foot-long corkscrew waterslide on what then was called Destiny. (The ship currently sails as the Carnival Sunshine after being rebuilt in 2013.) At the time, Destiny was the biggest cruise ship in the world.

In more recent years, Carnival has gone into waterslide-building overdrive. The line has added full-blown water park areas with waterslides, watery play zones and other features to all but four of its 25 ships. All but one of Carnival’s ships (Carnival Luminosa) now have at least one waterslide.

One of the Carnival water parks, on the line’s 5-year-old Carnival Horizon, even has Disney-style theming revolving around Dr. Seuss characters.

Norwegian, MSC Cruises and Royal Caribbean only began going big with waterslides on ships in the past decade or so. Many of the newest vessels from the brands have massive water park areas. Some of the brands are retrofitting big waterslides onto older ships, too.

Additionally, family-focused Disney Cruise Line now has major water attractions on all its vessels.

Where you’ll find the biggest waterslides at sea

If your idea of the perfect cruise ship is one loaded to the gills with waterslides and watery fun zones (plus all sorts of other over-the-top attractions), you’ll want to stick to the biggest floating megaresorts operated by Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, MSC Cruises and Carnival.

At Royal Caribbean, that means the giant Oasis-class vessels , which include Wonder of the Seas — the world’s largest cruise ship. At Norwegian, you’ll find the biggest waterslides and water parks on the line’s relatively recently built Breakaway Plus-, Breakaway- and Epic-class ships. At MSC Cruises, the new Seaside-, Meraviglia-, Meraviglia Plus- and World-class vessels have the line’s big water parks.

Big lines that have steered clear of the water-park-at-sea trend include Princess Cruises, Holland America and Celebrity Cruises. Geared more toward couples than families and typically drawing an older demographic, all three of these lines have stuck to a more subdued feel for the outdoor areas of their ships. The top decks of vessels operated by Princess, Holland America and Celebrity still mostly revolve around traditional swimming areas with pools, hot tubs and lounge chairs.

Ready for a splashy, top-deck thrill? These are the most spectacular watery attractions at sea.

The Perfect Storm

Where you’ll find it: Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas.

This isn’t just one giant waterslide; it’s a whole complex of waterslides, each one among the most exciting you’ll find anywhere on the world’s oceans.

The Perfect Storm is found on four of Royal Caribbean’s massive Oasis-class vessels — Wonder of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas — as well as the smaller Liberty of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas. The complex includes two four-deck-high racer slides called Cyclone and Typhoon, where you can do side-by-side speed tests with your travel partner.

On the four Oasis-class ships, there’s also a third, Champagne bowl-style slide called Supercell. It’ll swirl you around a big basin before plummeting you “down the drain” into a plunge pool. On Liberty of the Seas, a third slide called The Tidal Wave sends you screaming down a steep hill on an inner tube to a nearly vertical incline. Zooming upward, topping out and dropping back, you’ll get a blissful moment of complete weightlessness.

Note that Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas also has a waterslide area called Perfect Storm — but it’s completely different. More on that in a moment.

The Blaster

Where you’ll find it: Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas.

The Blaster is the Big Daddy of waterslides at sea. At 800 feet, it’s the longest ever built on a cruise ship. Added to Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas in 2019, it’s a seemingly endless stretch of yellow and orange tubing that winds around the back deck of the vessel like a snake.

A true sight to behold, The Blaster is so long because it’s what’s known as a water coaster. It features water jets that propel you up, down and forward — extending the ride — as you careen around the ship’s basketball court and surfing simulator in an inner tube. At times, you go flying over the side of the ship, over open water (not that you have much time to take in the view).

Royal Caribbean has named the area on Navigator of the Seas where The Blaster is located the Perfect Storm — the same name used for waterslide areas on six other ships — but the area is completely different than what you’ll find on the other vessels. In addition to The Blaster, the Perfect Storm area on Navigator of the Seas includes a headfirst mat racer slide called Riptide — the first of its kind at sea.

Where you’ll find it: Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream.

Leave it to family-focused Disney Cruise Line to come up with the coolest watery family attraction at sea. AquaDuck is a water coaster, like The Blaster on Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas, and is found on Disney’s two Dream-class ships. But don’t expect anything too white-knuckle. The ride is relatively gentle by water park standards, mainly because it’s designed for kids of all ages (and their parents, who can ride along on inner tubes for two).

While AquaDuck is slightly shorter than The Blaster at 765 feet in length, it has a bigger presence, thanks to its prime location encircling the main pool area. If you’re lounging up top, it’s hard to miss the massive, clear acrylic tubing of the ride, which is held up by 46 giant white stilts.

In addition to AquaDuck, the two Disney ships with the attraction (Disney Fantasy and Disney Dream ) have a relatively small, kid-friendly waterslide next to the centrally located Mickey’s Pool. Dubbed Mickey’s Slide, it’s held up by a giant Mickey hand, which is delightful. Both ships also have a watery play zone for toddlers called Nemo’s Reef. Plus, Disney Fantasy has a watery fun zone with water jets, geysers and bubblers called AquaLab.

Note that Disney’s newest ship — Disney Wish — has a water coaster attraction similar to the AquaDuck called the AquaMouse. The big difference: Riders will see animated shorts while riding up the ramp at the start of the ride.

Carnival WaterWorks

Where you’ll find it: Nearly all Carnival ships.

When it comes to waterslides on ships, cruise giant Carnival is still the undisputed king. The Fun Ship line began adding them to vessels way back in 1978, and there’s now at least one waterslide on every ship in the Carnival fleet — something no other line can say.

Indeed, on all Carnival ships, there’s now not just a single waterslide but a whole water park area. Called WaterWorks, these areas vary in size and features from vessel to vessel, but they typically have one or two big waterslides, a watery play zone with interactive water features and a large continuously filling dump bucket that periodically soaks everybody within range.

You’ll typically find the biggest Carnival water park complexes on the newest Carnival ships, such as Mardi Gras , Celebration and Carnival Venezia . All three have three waterslides — one more than most Carnival ships.

Aqua Park (Norwegian Cruise Line)

Where you’ll find it: Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Joy, Norwegian Bliss and Norwegian Encore.

Norwegian Cruise Line began going big with waterslides in 2010 when it debuted Norwegian Epic. And boy, did it go big! Norwegian Epic offers three monster waterslides, including the thrilling Epic Plunge — a 200-foot-long tube ride that ends in a swirling bowl. Epic Plunge is part of Norwegian Epic’s Aqua Park, the first water park on a Norwegian ship. Norwegian has since added Aqua Parks to six more new vessels, including its biggest ship, the 4-year-old Norwegian Encore .

Norwegian’s Aqua Parks vary in size and attractions from ship to ship, but some of them, such as the one on Norwegian Breakaway, have as many as five separate multistory waterslides. Yes, you read that right: Five waterslides on a single cruise ship!

On Norwegian Breakaway, the lineup includes twin free-fall slides that drop passengers nearly straight down several stories; two side-by-side twisting racer slides; and a family-friendly slide with a more modest drop. For sheer variety, the complex is hard to beat.

Aqua Park (MSC Cruises)

Where you’ll find it: MSC Seascape, MSC Seashore, MSC Seaview, MSC Seaside, MSC Meraviglia, MSC Bellissima, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Virtuosa, MSC Euribia, MSC World Europa.

Fast-growing MSC Cruises has joined the waterslide wars in the last few years — and in a massive way. Each of the 10 ships the line has unveiled since 2017 offers a full-blown water park on its top deck that’s packed with waterslides and other watery fun.

On North America-based MSC Seaside, the Aqua Park has four waterslides and a children’s play area with interactive water features. The waterslides include two massive, 525-foot-long dueling slides that extend over the sides of the ship. The top of the Aqua Park on MSC Seaside is also home to the liftoff point for a zip line that soars 344 feet across the top of the vessel.

Other MSC Cruises water parks at sea include the winter-themed Polar Aqua Park on MSC Meraviglia, which offers a suspended-in-the-sky ropes course in addition to four waterslides. There’s also the Aquaplay area for the little ones.

A handful of ships even have virtual reality waterslides that involve riders wearing virtual reality headsets as part of the experience.

In all, 14 of MSC Cruises’ 22 vessels now have at least one waterslide on their top decks.

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Installing For The Record on Norwegian Escape

We’re amping things up on the Norwegian Escape , literally. Whilst some shows, such as Burn the Floor, are on multiple ships, it is rare for one show to be installed twice on the same ship. Beginning April 9th, For The Record: The Brat Pack moved out of the Supper Club and headed upstairs to its new home, the Escape Theatre. After Midnight has been here since the Escape opened and For the Record is the newest face on the marquee.

Originally performed as an immersive three-course dinner in the Supper Club, For The Record is a rock-style musical combining scenes and songs from popular 1980's Brat Pack movies, The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink and Ferris Bueller's Day Off, to name a few. The show is currently in install, a period during which the cast, musicians, creative team and production staff layer the show together into its final product. Simply installing a show on land is a large project, and doing so on a ship is just as huge an undertaking with some added logistical obstacles. We begin install with the technical elements of the show: scenery, lighting, video and sound equipment.

On day one of our install the technicians loaded in several pallets of scenery, lighting, video and sound equipment, costumes and props onto the ship. To do so took coordination with the Port Agent and the Bridge to confirm details such as the ship's docking side and crane usage to lift the pallets onto the ship. The technical aspects of For The Record are overseen and coordinated by a Project Manager. She coordinates all of the orders, shipments and deliveries of the equipment and scenery in the show. Most of our items boarded the ship with the new cast of Brats in Miami, our home port.

But what happens if something goes missing or doesn't make it onto the ship? It isn't as simple as it is on land, when a lost package gets reordered, reshipped or redelivered to the theatre the next day. Our theatre travels from port to port on a set timetable , so the Project Manager must first locate the missing items and determine how we can most efficiently get them on board. She also checks with the designers and technicians to determine how the missing items impact the show's install timetable . It's just like being on a tour.

Next, the designers oversee the technicians loading the items into their places: scenic platforms placed amongst rows of audience seating, lighting fixtures and cables, speakers and monitors for sound. The Escape Theatre is home to Broadway scale and quality production shows. However, unlike a Broadway theatre, multiple shows live in the Escape theatre at the same time. We perform the shows on a rotating basis. This means the shows share both a timetable and space backstage, just like siblings sharing a bedroom. The Production Manager and Production Stage Manager on board create a plan for how After Midnight and For The Record will share space onstage and backstage. In their plan they must consider the secure storage of items with both smooth and stormy seas in mind. Should the ship encounter rocky weather, no person or structure of the ship should be damaged by insecure items.

In addition to a Production Manager, the technical aspects of For The Record are overseen by a team of designers and technicians, called contractors, who are hired specifically for the installation period. By combining the contractors and the ship's technicians there is enough manpower to work around the clock for 24 hours a day until the contractors are finished programming and finessing For The Record.

By now we're almost ready to bring the cast and musicians onstage and take them on a safety walk of backstage and begin rehearsals. Stay tuned for more behind the scenes information and fun facts as For The Record: The Brat Pack rapidly approaches Opening Night!

• Norwegian Cruise Line

Does the Escape have a "behind the scenes" tour?

By myra711 , December 23, 2017 in Norwegian Cruise Line

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I've always wanted to do one of these....

If there is one, is it only available to Haven pax? Alas, that isn't me!

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Check this youtube video:

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Money talks as long as you don't mind paying, Haven guests don't get a free tour. Platinum Latitude members get a shortened tour. Paid one is open to all and longer on sea day, about $80 p/p, must wear closed toes shoes for safety & involve walking, standing & up/down some stairs, i.e. stairs in backstage. Check Freestyle Dailies & ask/sign up with Excursion Desk.

via Nexus 5X Oreo 8.0 w Tapatalk, VPN secured.

Thanks Easyboy! How did you sign up for this? And how much was it?

WashyWashyHappyHappy95

What's the thrill of seeing a huge laundry facility?

Money talks as long as you don't mind paying, Haven guests don't get a free tour. Platinum Latitude members get a shortened tour. Paid one is open to all and longer on sea day, about $80 p/p, must wear closed toes shoes for safety & involve walking, standing & up/down some stairs, i.e. stairs in backstage. Check Freestyle Dailies & ask/sign up with Excursion Desk.   via Nexus 5X Oreo 8.0 w Tapatalk, VPN secured.

The logistics of running such a large resort is interesting to me, and hopefully to see a little bit of how the crew live, too.

I guess I'm just nosy!

BirdTravels

I've always wanted to do one of these.... If there is one, is it only available to Haven pax? Alas, that isn't me!

No free tours for Havens.

$80 gets you a 2 hour lecture on the cruise line and tour of the laundry, galley (with free photo), environmental and theater. Sign up at shore ex desk. Done on sea days. They discontinued the bridge tour after tee roost attacks in Paris a few Years back.

Check this youtube video:   Sent from my iPhone using Forums

note: free tour for platinums, not the $80 tour

Halifax Dude

Just off the Escape and did the Platinum tour. It was about 90 minutes long, but not very informative. Listened to the stage manager drone on about the current shows (not one peep about the technical side of the theatre, which would have been interesting), then viewed the laundry facility, galley and what they call the I95 (long corridor that connects all of the crew areas). I was looking forward to the tour, but it was pretty boring. Definitely not worth any cash.

The paid tour is different than the platinum tour, you go to a few more places. Other lines do it better but it's still interesting.

If I recall correctly, we went backstage at the smaller venue, the laundry, the galley, the butchery, the recycling room... I've done a bunch of these on different ships, they start to blur together.

We did the behind the scenes tour on Getaway. It is expensive and I was not expecting much but boy was I wrong. I really liked going behind the scenes in the kitchen, garbage, laundry, entertainment and even going into the bridge. We got to see where the crew eats at their own cafeteria. But the reason for the high price is the photo they give you ($45 value easily). They took a photo of everyone separately working in the kitchen with a chef's hat on. NCL frames it in one of their professional photo package books. Every member of your party gets their own separate professional photo in one of those books. Very cool IMHO. I would have really enjoyed the tour more but I was so hung over that morning :eek:

MadeInDetroit

I did the platinum tour on Epic last January. Don't remember seeing any theater spaces, but I do remember the Tomahawk steak they pulled out of the reefer to show us! Is it true no one serves those any more? We'll be on Escape next month, love to get one.

No free tours for Havens.   $80 gets you a 2 hour lecture on the cruise line and tour of the laundry, galley (with free photo), environmental and theater. Sign up at shore ex desk. Done on sea days. They discontinued the bridge tour after tee roost attacks in Paris a few Years back.

It's disappointing Norwegian doesn't include the bridge tour. It's obviously a corporate decision, as I did the tour on Royal Caribbean this summer and they included the bridge (but not the theater). That was the highlight of the tour and it included a peek into the officer suites.

Just off the Breakaway yesterday. The Platinum Behind the Scenes tour was at 10am on Saturday, the Meet and Greet (which I organized) was at 11am. We went backstage in the Breakaway Theatre, saw the lifts and told how they change sets between Rock of Ages and Burn the Floor (a 3 hour process done at midnight), saw the giant bank of LED screens they used (really cool), then saw the dressing rooms with all the costumes and the sewing room with all the machines and the wiggery. Again really cool. We had a Q and A with the stage manager who was really informative.

After that we went to the laundry area. It was an unbelievable experience. I had no idea how huge this area was. I've got a bunch of pictures from there. No pictures were allowed during the theatre part. The Laundry Master came and showed us around there and answered lots of questions as well.

After that we were going to go to the galley, which was what I wanted to see most, but it was almost 11am and I needed to get to the Meet and Greet. They escorted a few of us that wanted to go there out from the laundry area and to the Meet and Greet.

They did offer a longer paid for tour on Thursday (the last sea day) for $79, but I didn't choose to go. Maybe next time.

Thank you for sharing the video.

Thanks for the link.:)

The places you go was pretty consistent for us but the last trip they swapped stage and dressing area for the environmental area. I guess they figure people find the stage and costumes more interesting than garbage and recycling.

Did it overlap with the CC M&G - that seems to be the norm.

I have been on both the paid tour, and the condensed Platinum tour, in the past, but since they have "dumbed it down", and eliminated the bridge tour, I declined the free Platinum tour on my last cruise. And, IIRC, they offer a galley tour free to all passenger's at some point.

I have done similar paid tours on many different lines....all considerably more expensive than what NCL charges...

The best one ever, was on the Carnival Vista....We toured the backstage and dressing room, the galley (where we were treated to some chocolate dipped strawberry's), down to "I-95" to see the laundry, storerooms, environmental area, engine control room, crew mess (dining room), crew bar, human resources (training room), the brig (!), the morgue (!!), both thankfully unoccupied, then finally up to the bridge, where photo's was taken with the Captain, and later given to all of us. At each stop, the department leader gave us a talk, and answered questions. At the conclusion of the almost 4 hour tour, we were given a champagne toast, and received a Carnival bag loaded with logo goodies....Well worth it....:cool:

I have done similar paid tours on many different lines....all considerably more expensive than what NCL charges... The best one ever, was on the Carnival Vista....We toured the backstage and dressing room, the galley (where we were treated to some chocolate dipped strawberry's), down to "I-95" to see the laundry, storerooms, environmental area, engine control room, crew mess (dining room), crew bar, human resources (training room), the brig (!), the morgue (!!), both thankfully unoccupied, then finally up to the bridge, where photo's was taken with the Captain, and later given to all of us. At each stop, the department leader gave us a talk, and answered questions. At the conclusion of the almost 4 hour tour, we were given a champagne toast, and received a Carnival bag loaded with logo goodies....Well worth it....:cool:

i did the tour on the Carnival Vista cruise, on my tour in the gallery the chef allowed to try some of the cookies. Wow, they are amazing like hot of the oven fresh. soo much better then the cookies at the buffet

i never did any kind of tours on NCL yet. I am thinking of doing it on the Escape or i might wait a few more cruises until i turn platinum.

I have been on both the paid tour, and the condensed Platinum tour, in the past, but since they have "dumbed it down", and eliminated the bridge tour, I declined the free Platinum tour on my last cruise. And, IIRC, they offer a galley tour free to all passenger's at some point.   I have done similar paid tours on many different lines....all considerably more expensive than what NCL charges... The best one ever, was on the Carnival Vista....We toured the backstage and dressing room, the galley (where we were treated to some chocolate dipped strawberry's), down to "I-95" to see the laundry, storerooms, environmental area, engine control room, crew mess (dining room), crew bar, human resources (training room), the brig (!), the morgue (!!), both thankfully unoccupied, then finally up to the bridge, where photo's was taken with the Captain, and later given to all of us. At each stop, the department leader gave us a talk, and answered questions. At the conclusion of the almost 4 hour tour, we were given a champagne toast, and received a Carnival bag loaded with logo goodies....Well worth it....:cool:

No free galley tour on any NCL trips we've been on outside of Plat BTS tour.

It's actually Captain's discretion (with the lines guidance being NOT to do it but they can) on many lines (NCL, Princess, Carnival and RCCL at least), but because of security measures in place it's actually very disruptive to bridge operations. Certain equipment has to be locked down or disabled, there needs to be additional security on the bridge, etc. Some lines require a metal detector check for bridge guests now in some cases. Plus, after the Concordia disaster there is a negative impression of guests on the bridge.

So in general other than the more social captains, they tend to exclude it. Our best was on Princess, where the Captain (who's name I am blanking on right now but was wonderful), not only allowed tours of the bridge but photos at the wheel AND invited us all into his ready room for snacks and conversation - the tour went almost an hour over because he kept talking). Whereas on NCL the bridge was excluded, on RCCL we got to peek in from a door where they had a tiny roped off section just inside, etc...

As to which locations are visited, that's set by the hotel director in consultation with the individual department heads. Certain locations are generally fixed - usually the laundry, galley and some form of food prep, others are often situational or based on the design of the ship and spaces (for example, to use Princess again, on the Coral class, they have a secondary engine room where the turbine is, so they can show that without dealing with any of the access/security concerns of main engineering, but you only see that on those ships. Or on the Escape they said they show the smaller venue as with the way the sets were staged for the current production it was very difficult to move a group through but for a different show they could do it more easily.)

Sometimes its just luck, we were on RCCLs Liberty and they were doing service on the ice rink so the person in charge offered to show the guts to the tour that day....

If they are skittish about actually allowing bridge visits, then I would hope they would include a "Bridge Viewing Room" on future design's (or redesign's)....IIRC, the only NCL ships featuring them, are the Spirit, Pearl, Gem, and Epic......

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‘Dune Part 2,’ ‘Girlfight,’ ‘The Crow’ and ‘Bad Lieutenant’ Arrive on 4K in May

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In this digital-dominated era, the allure of physical media like DVDs and Blu-rays remains robust, transcending mere nostalgia. These formats offer a tangible, personal connection to the artistry of film and television—a curated collection that one can physically handle, showcase, and possess.

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The upcoming releases for May, including the blockbuster “Dune Part Two” directed by Denis Villeneuve and timeless classics like “The Crow” featuring Brandon Lee and “Girlfight” starring Michelle Rodriguez, underscore that cinema’s pulse is ever-vibrant. These releases celebrate the enduring spirit of the films, highlighting that regardless of the prevailing trends, the cinematic experience is perpetual and revered.

“Dune Part II” (Warner Home Video)

It may be difficult to contain Denis Villenueve’s operatic vision to the small (or smaller, anyway) screen, but this 4K release, featuring a Dolby Atmos audio track and eight featurettes, will attempt to meet that herculean challenge. After mesmerizing audiences on the big screen, the pristine transfer of this disc offers a new opportunity to explore the moral complexities of young Paul Atreides’ messianic ascent. Releasing May 14.

“Girlfight” (Criterion Collection)

In her striking directorial debut, Karyn Kusama presents the invigorating story of Diana Guzman, dynamically portrayed by Michelle Rodriguez, set in Brooklyn. Oppressed by her father and alienated at school, Diana finds solace in a dilapidated boxing gym that becomes her refuge, offering her an outlet for her frustrations and a new sense of identity. Kusama’s direction skillfully balances the raw, intense boxing scenes with quieter moments of personal growth, emphasizing the film’s theme of self-realization. The authenticity of the setting and the characters’ struggles is vividly brought to life with a new 4K digital restoration, supervised by Kusama and director of photography Patrick Cady. The re-release is enhanced by a 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack, immersing viewers in the gritty world of the gym and Brooklyn. New interviews with Kusama, editor Plummy Tucker, composer Theodore Shapiro and an essay by acclaimed author Carmen Maria Machado provide deeper insights into the film’s creative process, themes, and cultural impact. Releasing May 28.

“Cry Baby” (Kino Lorber Classics)

In an era when Eisenhower led the nation and Rock ‘n’ Roll dominated the cultural landscape, “Cry Baby” features Johnny Depp as the quintessential bad boy, Wade “Cry-Baby” Walker. Depp’s charismatic rebel character captures the hearts of many with his singular talent for shedding just one tear—a trait that particularly enthralls the girls at his high school. The deluxe 4K UHD and Blu-ray edition brings this vibrant spectacle to the highest visual quality, including the original theatrical cut, now in a brand-new HDR/Dolby Vision master, along with 4K from the original 35mm camera negatives. John Waters’ vision in two distinct versions allows for a deeper appreciation of this cult classic’s artistry and thematic depth. Releases May 28.

“The Crow” (Paramount Home Entertainment)

Broth tragically and triumphantly, Alex Proyas’ directorial debut, an adaptation of James O’Barr’s comic antihero, immortalized star Brandon Lee upon its debut—underscoring the young actor’s charisma and screen presence even as it served as a eulogy for a career that ended far too early. Featuring a new 4K restoration, this new edition pays proper tribute to the film’s achievements and the loss of Lee, with two commentaries, a three-part documentary, extended scenes, and more. Releasing May 7.

“Once Upon a Time in the West” (Paramount Home Entertainment)

The greatest Western of all time? Perhaps. Even if not — and director Sergio Leone himself made a few films equally worthy of consideration for that title — Paramount’s 4K restoration of the 1968 film starring Charles Bronson, Claudia Cardinale, Henry Fonda and Jason Robards showcases its virtues more vividly than ever before. In addition to a ton of legacy bonus material, the reissue features a new commentary track and a featurette where Leonard Maltin sings its praises. Releasing May 14.

“Peeping Tom” (Criterion Collection)

Michael Powell’s 1960 thriller about a photographer who murders women and records their deaths offers one of cinema’s most piercing and thought-provoking examinations of the power of the medium. Long venerated (not least of which because of Criterion’s earlier editions), the distributor offers a stunning new 4K restoration of the film alongside extraordinary insights from the likes of Martin Scorsese and his editor, Thelma Schoonmaker. Releasing May 14.

“The Bad Lieutenant” (Kino Lorber)

One of the 1990s’ most provocative films, Abel Ferrara’s story of a corrupt, gambling, strung-out police detective investigating a rape case has lost none of its power over the years since its release. A New York locations featurette and a new interview with cinematographer Ken Kelsch augments legacy bonus content, including a commentary by Kelsch and Ferrara and a retrospective documentary, on top of a 4K restoration that gives the gritty film a sumptuous new luster. Releasing May 21.

“Sex and Fury” (Discotek Media)

This wild East-meets-West collaboration between “Thriller — A Cruel Picture” actress Christina Lindberg and Japanese pinky violence superstar Reiko Ike must be seen to be believed. Discotek media’s new Blu-ray edition only includes the film’s trailer as bonus material, but the arrival of this cult classic in high definition — much else for the first time on physical media in almost 20 years — instantly shortlists it for anyone who loves 1970s exploitation, and especially fans of its two unforgettable lead actresses. Releasing May 28.

“King Kong” (Paramount Home Entertainment)

Excluding spinoffs or crossovers, John Guillermin’s 1976 remake of “King Kong” trails a distant third among films with that title. But it’s not without its charms, including Jessica Lange’s debut performance and the only full-scale Kong ever created (never mind that it barely worked). Featuring both the film’s theatrical cut and an extended TV version running a whopping 46 minutes longer, this 4K release guarantees you can watch its anachronistic (but Oscar-winning!) visual effects more clearly than ever before.

“High Noon” (Kino Lorber)

One of the most famous — and controversial — Westerns ever made, Fred Zinneman’s “High Noon” feels especially ripe for rediscovery in today’s heightened political climate. Kino Lorber’s special edition offers a brand-new HD master from a 4K scan of the original camera negative, two new audio commentaries, and a dense collection of featurettes contextualizing everything from its production to its legacy.

“City of Hope” (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)

Though a handful of his films have begun to appear in the libraries of the Criterion Collection and elsewhere, writer-director John Sayles remains one of American independent cinema’s most underappreciated voices. Never before released on disc, his 1991 film “City of Hope,” about crime, corruption and redemption in a fictitious East Coast city, arrives on Blu-ray from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment with a new feature commentary by Sayles. An Independent Spirit Award nominee for Best Feature, Sayles’ film is woefully overdue for rediscovery.

“I Am Cuba” (Criterion Collection)

Long withheld from circulation in the U.S. until Martin Scorsese and others mounted a campaign in the 1990s for its restoration, Mikhail Kalatozov’s propagandistic anthology film remains one of the most extraordinary works of cinematographic ambition ever attempted. Newly inducted into Criterion’s pedigreed library, the film is presented in 4K for the first time accompanied by interviews with Scorsese and cinematographer Bradford Young (Oscar-nominated for “Solo: A Star Wars Story”) and the 2004 making-of documentary “I Am Cuba: The Siberian Mammoth.”

“Steel Magnolias” (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)

Herbert Ross’ 1989 film starring Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis and Julia Roberts celebrates its 35 th anniversary this year with a new 4K release featuring remastered picture and sound. Included are legacy bonus features such as a commentary from Ross, the featurette “In Full Bloom,” and ten deleted scenes, as well as the 1990 TV pilot for CBS starring Cindy Williams, Sally Kirkland, Elaine Stritch and Polly Bergen. The film exemplified a particular era of “women’s films” — to be followed by the likes of “Fried Green Tomatoes” — and earned Roberts an Oscar nomination (and Golden Globe win), and its return to disc offers a welcome opportunity to re-experience it — perhaps for the first time in a generation.

“Rolling Thunder” (Shout Factory)

Written by Paul Schrader, John Flynn’s “Rolling Thunder” is a bloody, magnificent tale about a PTSD-afflicted Vietnam veteran (the beautifully taciturn William Devane) who enlists a fellow serviceman (Tommy Lee Jones) to exact revenge on the men who kill his wife and son. Shout Factory complements a new 4K transfer with two audio commentaries and two newly-created featurettes in addition to the film’s legacy content. If you need further incentive to check it out, Quentin Tarantino is reportedly recreating the film’s climatic shootout for his upcoming film about a 1970s film critic.

“The Departed” (Warner Home Video)

Martin Scorsese’s films have really only begun to trickle out onto 4K, but the arrival of the film for which he finally won a Best Director Oscar is a welcome addition to that slim collection. In addition to two featurettes and a whopping nine deleted scenes, each introduced by Scorsese himself, the 4K release includes “Guilt and Betrayal,” a new documentary exploring the origins of the film and its legacy — cinematically and within the director’s expansive filmography.

“Goodbye Uncle Tom” (Blue Underground)

Proper exploitation filmmakers Gualtiero Jacopetti and Franco Prosperi decided in 1971 to draw upon true events to recreate the landscape of antebellum America and depict the conditions that Africans faced under slavery. Whether you feel they shed light on the extraordinary inhumanity of the period or were simply exploiting it in order to provoke audiences, it’s become a truly notorious film, and Blue Underground’s four-disc set includes both its English and Italian versions, a feature-length documentary about its making, featurettes about its directors, composer Riz Ortolani and other collaborators, and a CD of the soundtrack. It’s truly a gobsmacking film in many ways, but this presentation gives audiences a chance to assess it more clearly than ever before — for better or worse.

The “Ocean’s” Trilogy (Warner Home Video)

There are few films in my collection that are more repeatedly watchable than Steven Soderbergh’s “Ocean’s” films — not just fun and star-studded, but absolutely beautiful on screen. This new set offers a welcome upgrade, along with all of the incredible legacy content that audiences have been able to enjoy since they first debuted on disc: commentaries, featurettes and more. If by some chance you don’t already own these films, you no longer have an excuse.

“Andor — The Complete First Season” / “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier: The Complete First Season” / “Obi-Wan Kenobi — The Complete Series” / “Moon Knight: The Complete First Season”

Disney has always maintained a robust presence in the physical media market, so the fact that they’re now issuing hard copies of series that premiered on the company’s streaming service isn’t surprising. But for completists like yours truly, and the few fans of Marvel and/ or Lucasfilm who don’t have a subscription to Disney+, having these series on disc is a godsend. Personally speaking, I’m most excited about “Andor,” which is extraordinarily cinematic and has such beautiful visuals, but having these on the shelf next to theatrical MCU projects offers a new opportunity to view them in the context of a larger storytelling network. That they all come with featurette and documentary content to further explore their worlds is a welcome bonus.

“Fear and Desire” (Kino Lorber)

Stanley Kubrick’s long-lost first film first debuted on disc in 2012, following its restoration in 2011 by the George Eastman House. The film joins Kino Lorber’s growing library of 4K-restored classics, this one referenced from a 35mm camera negative, and pairs it with three early short films from the iconic director (also restored). Perhaps most excitingly, this set features for the first time ever the 70-minute premiere cut of the film, which in typical Kubrick fashion, the filmmaker cut after its initial screening. Meanwhile, the set also features two new audio commentaries and trailers for other Kubrick films “Killer’s Kiss,” “The Killing” and “Paths of Glory,” all three of which Kino previously released in 4K. (Feb. 27)

“Wonka” (Warner Home Video)

One of several films released over the holiday 2023 season whose distributor oddly downplayed its status as a musical, Paul King’s origin story about the mischievous chocolatier starring Timothy Chalamet comes home on multiple formats. In addition to a Dolby Atmos audio option, the film is supplemented with featurettes focusing on director King, composer Joby Talbot, production designer Nathan Crowley, costume designer Lindy Hemming, and real-life chocolatier Gabriella Cugno. (Feb. 27)

“Dream Scenario” (Lionsgate)

Even among Nicolas Cage’s idiosyncratic recent output, this film from up-and-comer Kristoffer Borgli (“Sick of Myself”) stands out as wonderfully odd (and oddly timely), about a biology professor who begins appearing in his students’ dreams — to eventually disastrous effect on his waking life. Though it was overlooked during the firehose of awards season, this disc offers a second chance to appreciate the Norwegian filmmaker’s unique perspective. The Blu-ray includes a commentary track from Borgli, a 10-minute featurette and a short collection of deleted scenes. (Feb. 27)

“The Abyss” / “Aliens” / “True Lies” (Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment)

James Cameron spoke to Variety in December 2023 to commemorate the one-night theatrical re-release of “The Abyss,” which preceded the long-awaited 4K remastering of these three of his earlier films on physical disc. Updated versions of “The Abyss” and “True Lies” in particular have eluded collectors almost since the beginning of DVD, but it’s unclear if the versions released on disc will be the same as those that were criticized during their digital releases in December. Even if so, Cameron’s belief that “more is more” promises hours upon hours of bonus materials, some from earlier releases and others looking back contemporaneously. (March 12)

“Ferrari” (Neon/ Decal Releasing)

Michael Mann’s portrait of the automotive legend failed to make waves either at the box office or during awards season, but its debut on disc gives it a fresh start for greater appreciation. The release includes multiple featurettes focusing on Mann himself, the vehicles depicted in the film, the famous Mille Miglia race around which the fate of Ferrari’s company revolves, and the incredible lead performances of Adam Driver and Penelope Cruz. (March 12)

“To Die For” (Criterion)

Gus Van Sant’s 1995 film starring Nicole Kidman shrewdly skewered celebrity obsession at precisely the moment it was becoming a national epidemic. Criterion’s new 4K edition was restored with the approval of Van Sant and cinematographer Eric Alan Edwards, and boasts a 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack. The Blu-ray edition (included with the 4K UHD disc) features an audio commentary by Van Sant, Edwards and editor Curtiss Clayton, deleted scenes and a trailer for the film. (March 26)

“Primal Fear” (Paramount)

To call Edward Norton’s performance in this legal thriller a “breakthrough” is a wild understatement; playing an altar boy who suffers from multiple personality disorder, the then-newcomer quite literally defined versatility with one unforgettable role. Part of Paramount’s limited-edition “Paramount Presents” series, the 4K release comes in a slipcase that replicates the original poster art for the film, and the disc itself features a new interview with executive producer Hawk Koch and additional legacy content. (March 26)

“Phase IV” (Vinegar Syndrome)

A graphic designer best known for the title sequences he designed for filmmakers like Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick and Martin Scorsese, Saul Bass only ever directed one feature himself: the 1974 sci-fi odyssey “Phase IV.” Oddly, its raison d’etre — phase four of its story — was cut out before the film was originally released, and not restored until 2012, but the film has since cultivated admirers leading to a bare-bones release in 2015, and now this deluxe edition in 4K. Vinegar Syndrome pulls out all of the stops for their release, which features newly-restored presentation of both the 84-minute theatrical version and the 89-minute “preview version” now including that fourth phase, a commentary track with film historian Matthew Asprey Gear, a 48-minute documentary by filmmaker Elijah Drenner, a featurette focused on the score and sound design, additional deleted shots and raw footage, and a gallery of promotional materials. (March 26)

“The Warriors” (Arrow)

Until recently, the original cut of Walter Hill’s “Warriors” was largely unavailable after Hill recut an alternate version that transformed the thriller into a comic book come to life. After first releasing an elaborate box set of the film in January as an exclusive as an limited edition featuring the original poster art, Arrow Video is now releasing it everywhere with different packaging and a bounty of extras. Not only does their set include 4K remasters of both the 1979 theatrical cut (in its correct 1.85:1 aspect ratio for the first time) and the 2005 alternate version, but a new commentary track by film critic Walter Chaw, a roundtable appreciation of the film featuring filmmakers Josh Olson (“A History of Violence”) and Lexi Alexander (“Green Street”), interviews with the film’s editor and costume designer, and a profile of composer Barry De Vorzon. (March 26)

“Simon Killer” (IFC Films)

Though it was nominated for the Gray Jury Prize at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, Antonio Campos’ psychological drama “Simon Killer” was never released domestically on physical media — until now. Costarring Mati Diop, who would go on to direct “Atlantics” in 2019, the film arrives on Blu-ray with a newly recorded commentary by Campos and his co-writer and star Brady Corbet, a separate interview with the filmmaker on the film’s aesthetics, another of his short films, “The Last 15,” and additional materials examining its making and its impact at Sundance. (March 26)

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