Williams Family Blog: Carnival Horizon Behind the Fun Tour

 

During our first Carnival Cruise, we were able to book an onboard tour, Behind the Fun, on the Carnival Horizon which took place on our last day at sea.  I learned about the tour during a shopping seminar on the first day at sea.  There are 3 tours on board that guest pay to take--Brewery Tour (which the husband did), the Crew Lounge Tour, and the Behind the Fun Tour, which includes the Crew Lounge and more.  

Behind the Fun costs $130 per person with no discounts for guests with Cheers Package.  I say that because there WAS a discount on the Brewery Tour for guests with Cheers Package.  The tour is slated as lasting 3 hours and 45 minutes, but our was about 3 hours 15 minutes.  The tour has 2 departure times on the morning of the last sea day.

The tour can be booked at the Port Adventures Desk or at Customer Service, but not on the Carnival Hub app.  Tickets were delivered to our cabin in an envelope.  More information was delivered to our cabin the evening before the tour.

There were strict instructions--no sandals or open toed shoes, no cameras or phone.  At our meeting location, we provided our tour tickets and signed health waivers, similar to health questionnaires we have completed prior to sailing with Disney Cruise Line.  (There were no health questionnaires needed prior to sailing on the Carnival Horizon.)  We were given Carnival hats and required to wear them for our first stop on the tour. Then we experienced our FIRST security want scan.

After we left our meeting location, we began our journey using the crew stairs, which are in the same locations as guest stairs, but behind the walls.  Down we went from Deck 5 to Deck 3 to one of the galleys, this one was for the main dining rooms.  Did you know that only electricity is used to cook all food on the Carnival Horizon.  The Sous Chef told us "no fire."   We got to see fruit preparation, bakery preparation, and walk into one of the large refrigerators with the bar manager.  Coke products were being loaded onto the ship the very next day!  I missed it by one day!  The Carnival Horizon has enough food onboard each sailing for 3 additional days.  If the sailing is 6-nights, there is 9 days worth of food on board.  Lido Marketplace on Deck 10 has its own galley as does the crew quarters. Servers use a hand-held device to place guest orders in the dining rooms and then the number associated with guest order is brought up in the kitchen using touch screen terminals to match the order with the guest.  155 crew work 10-hour shifts 7-days a week in the galleys. 

We proceeded down to Deck 0, using crew stairs which are steeper than guest stairs.  There is a long hallway that runs the length of the ship on Deck 0, which crew refer to as I-95, a major North/South Interstate in Florida.  This hallway allows for crew to move quickly from one part of the ship to another and is large enough for skid steers to move pallets of materials back and forth.  We stopped at the recycling center to see the machines that incinerate the trash into cubes of pellets that get disposed of at port--no feeding of the fish.

Our second security wanding was before entering the engine room.  The large room with one small porthole was full of consoles with displays, buttons, and phones, and one wall that was a digital display.  Video feeds, battery monitoring, and engine speed were explained.  The engine room is manned at all times with at least 1 crew member in 4-hour shifts.  Out of the 1400 crew/staff on board, the engine room employs 21.  

There are 3 more decks below Deck 0 that are only accessible to crew--Decks A, B, and C.  These decks are below water.  We ventured to Deck B to see the Laundry facilities.  Large washers can handle 400 pounds of towels and linens.  Large dryers hold 250 pounds.  It is a very noisy area and I asked about hearing protection and monitoring.  Having worked for Disney, I know that extended exposure to noise over 85 decibels can cause damage.  I was told there is noise protection and hearing checks are performed during annual physicals.  Guest laundry (valet) is performed in a nearby room with standard sized washers/dryers along with steamers and large irons for pressing.  Crew costumes/uniforms are also laundered here. Did you know that linens are not dried in a dryer?  Large machines whisk the newly washed linens through a dry-iron-fold mechanism.  Having seen this during a Walt Disney World Textile Services tour, I was not surprised, but other guests on this tour were impressed.

Crew quarters were next on the tour.  There are two mess areas for crew to dine which are open nearly round-the-clock.  Each meal must include a food that originates from each country represented in the crew (135 countries.)  Of course, some may overlap, like rice or eggs. We saw the crew lounge, also known as the happiness room, which is open the evenings.  There is crew learning center on board for online trainings.  Crew are given a social media Wi-fi package for using What's app to communicate with families.  Most purchase internet minutes to check emails.  When in port, crew know where there is free Wi-fi and download movies and music for enjoyment onboard.  Because accessing email requires a purchase of internet minutes, schedules and announcements are printed or provided by word of mouth from supervisors.  Crew cabins are located on multiple decks, typically near places of work.  For example, entertainers and Fun Squad cabins are on Deck 4, as that is close to their work areas.  Crew cabins have a bathroom are assigned 4 to a cabin or 2 for couples and managers.  There is also a crew laundry area with free washers and dryers.  We were told that not all of them are in working order.

As we made our way to the stairs, we walked by the Brig, or jail on a ship--yes it does exist.  We were told that in most cases, guests would be confined to their cabin with security posted outside.  We also walked by the morgue.

Upstairs to Deck 8 to see The Bridge, but we needed a third security wanding and the security officer stayed with us while in The Bridge.  Second officer greeted us, explained what happens on The Bridge, including having an Officer be on hand 24/7 along with a "watch."  Video feeds provide visual access to all sides of the ship, but are out of the visual range of seeing guest balconies.  We learned about drills and safety measures.  I asked about the use of "pilots" who come on board using small boats, to help large vessels navigate difficult or unusual waterways.  Sure enough, cruise ships use pilots!  We then met Captain Nick, who has been serving 18 years.  Did you know that at each port, the flag of the country is displayed on the ship as a sign of welcome and thanks?  All the flags are kept on The Bridge.

From The Bridge we went to the theater, also known as the Liquid Lounge, which was a favorite area for us on the ship.  We got to see backstage, on-stage, the costume and make-up room for performers.  I asked about "flying" and was told that they do not have that rigging on the Carnival Horizon.  They do have electronic set moving, but no trap doors.  Set pieces are stored either under the stage or in an area off stage.  Shows have digital cues for sound and lights.  Performers have ear pieces to receive information from the show producer along with their face-microphones.  

The final stop of the tour was at The Brewery, near Pig & Anchor, on Deck 5.  We met Cole, the onboard brewer.  He greeted Todd by name!  

This tour was not something I had expected to do or had planned to do.  We had onboard credits to use because of a Carnival Cruise credit card offer and I thought the tour might be interesting.  Disney Cruise Line, as of our last sailing July 2024, did not offer anything similar.  

Guests wanting to become familiar with the ship but not wanting to pay for a tour are in luck, too.  We missed the "Get to Know Your Ship" tour listed on the app on the first afternoon onboard (2:00 pm).  There are also Spa Tours offered throughout the cruise. 

At the end of the tour, we were each given a back-pack, got to keep the lanyards and hats, and could pick-up our included picture with the Captain later that day.  Because we paid for two tours, we got two 8 x 10 photos to bring home.  

Remember the part above about guest orders associated with a number from the hand-held device to the galley?  Well, after the tour we were on Deck 5 at Ocean Plaza, a favorite location on the ship, and a crew member from Port Adventures found us.  Seems our Health Waivers were misplaced and we needed to sign new ones.  I asked how he found us.  He was able to track us down based on the recent scans using our guest accounts (Sail & Sign cards).  

Williams Family: Up Close With Rhinos

In the Fall of 2018, Disney's Animal Kingdom announced a new tour--Up Close With Rhinos.  Have already experienced Caring for Giants, we were intrigued by this new one-hour tour.

With a cost of $40 per person, we booked right away and got a 15% Annual Passholder Discount.

The tour is offered daily at 11:00 am, last approximately 60 minutes, and is limited to 16 guests.

 Guests are directed to meet at 10:45 am at the Curiosity Animal Tours kiosk which is located on the left side of the sidewalk just prior to the entrance to Kilimanjaro Safari.

We arrived at the designated time, completed the paperwork--waivers.  Since the boy was not yet 18, we had to sign a waiver for him, giving him permission to be on the tour.  As for age limits, the tour is designated for ages 4 and up.  Children under 18 must be accompanied by a participating adult.

The tour is coined a "hopeful" tour as it is designed around a hopeful interaction with a rhino.

There were 14 guests in our group.  We were guided out the gate, across the parking lot, and loaded into a passenger bus that holds 16, hence the tour limit.

We drove around the perimeter of Animal Kingdom, specifically Kilimanjaro Safari.  We could see the night barns for several different animals that are found on the safari.

Our guide was very helpful and told us about how the animals respond to different sounds/signals to return each night.  We also learned that the animals have choice to stay on safari all night and would be called again in the morning for breakfast.  We learned the animals who choose to do this return tired in the morning.  The reverse is also true, the animals have a choice to go out each day.  One rainy, cold day several rhinos decided that their warm barns were where they wanted to be!

Once we arrived at the rhino area, which is also near the large cat area, an electronic gate was opened for the bus to drive through and we were about to disembark and walk with guides to the rhino barns.

Much time and effort was spent explaining rules for our safety.  There were certain colored lines we could not cross and were expected to follow all directions.

We got a close up look at the rhino barns.  They are heated, have various toys, have padded areas, and are cleaned daily.  The rhinos are rotated throughout various rooms in the barns, as some are larger than others.

On our tour, we learned about Duncan, a young male rhino who recently joined Animal Kingdom in the hopes of breeding.  He had only been with his brother previously, so female rhinos were somewhat foreign to him.  He had a large outside area and had been out to the safari a few times.  When we saw him, he was in the barn area so that Helen, an older female rhino, could socialize him and show him the ropes.

It was Helen who we got to see close up.  Her trainer was using a whistle, hand signals, and food to ask her to come closer to the gate so that we could have turn petting her.  And, she let us!

After a few moments up close, we washed her hands, and were able to ask a few more questions.  The trainers and guides were very knowledgeable and patient with our questions.

Soon, it was time to board the bus and make our way back and re-enter Animal Kingdom near the kiosk.  Our lanyards were returned for re-use, although we got to keep the nametags.

This tour was definitely a highlight of our trip.  In addition to having a unique experience and learning more about rhinos and conservation efforts, it was refreshing to leave the park crowds momentarily all while being well taken care of with the tour.

Click here for the official site for the tour.

180 Days From Trip #13 to Walt Disney World

July 2014

Believe it or not, it has been over a year since we have been to Walt Disney World and in another six months, we’ll be back there again. . . over a year and a half later!  I know, it seems like we were just there to us, too.

Today we are “180 days out” as Disney fans put it, which means, we could make Advanced Dining Reservations for our trip.  So, this morning I was on-line and on the phone securing all the plans that could be made at this stage in our trip countdown.

Advanced Dining Reservations went smoothly. . . well, mostly.  This is the first time that I have actually made the reservation as our travel agent typically does it for us, but it is Sunday.  I made all of them on-line but soon realized that I had made a dining reservation for this evening.  There wasn’t a “button” to cancel, so I picked up the phone and a very helpful Cast Member canceled the reservation for me, waiving the cancellation fee, AND added a note to all of our dining reservations about my birthday.  Yep—all the rest of the Williams Family has celebrated a birthday at Walt Disney World and this time, it’s my turn.  It’s a BIG birthday, too, making it even more special.

After making all of the dining reservations, it was time to do one more thing, something I’ve been researching for months.  We made a reservation for the Ultimate Day of Thrills VIP Tour.  Here’s what the tour includes:

“The day begins at Magic Kingdom park, where you’ll brave the excitement of select attractions such as Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Haunted Mansion and the rollicking new Seven Dwarfs Mine Train—all with expedited admission.
A little later in the day, treat your taste buds to a thrilling occasion, courtesy of a delectable lunch at a Walt Disney World table-service restaurant—which comes included with the cost of your VIP Tour.
Then, brace yourself—this adrenaline rush is just getting started! At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you can take off on attractions like Toy Story Midway Mania!, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and Star Tours – The Adventures Continue.
Finally, go wild as you end your VIP Tour with a trip to Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park, where you’ll brave a perilous race through time on DINOSAUR and embark on a monumental adventure rocketing you through the Himalayas on Expedition Everest - Legend of the Forbidden Mountain.”
The 7 plus hour tour comes with a hefty fee, but we got a 15% discount by using our Disney Rewards Visa.  The tour also includes lunch at the Brown Derby at Hollywood Studios—a new restaurant for us. 
I’ve already added Memory Maker to our reservation which means we’ll get all the ride photos from this day AND the ride videos from Tower of Terror and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Coaster.
When I called to reserve the tour I learned that it is “fast paced,” requires walking, and for guests to wear closed heal and toe shoes—no sandals or crocs.  The Cast Member was very specific about shoes, inclement weather protection, and arrival times.  I’m very excited to give this tour a try.
Whew!  This trip is almost in the bag.  We just need return airfare.  The next milestone is “60 days out” when we can make our Fastpass +’s.

A Walk in Walt's Disneyland Footsteps--Something We Are Very Glad We Did!

Walt Disney's Apartment--July 16, 2015

On the afternoon of July 16, 2015, just hours before the 60^th Anniversary of Disneyland, we stepped foot inside Walt’s apartment on Main Street, U.S.A.  Just recounting it gives me goosebumps.  How did we get this honor and privilege?  We took the Walk in Walt’s Footsteps Tour at Disneyland.

The tour is offered daily at 9:30 am and 1:30 pm and lasts 3 to 3 ½ hours.  The cost is $109 per person, but we got a 20% discount when using our Disney Rewards Visa to reserve and pay for the tour.  This tour, and any others, can be reserved 30 days in advance of your desired tour date.  Know that the tours don’t “load” into the system until 8:00 am Pacific Time.

We reserved the 1:30 pm tour on July 16, our last day at Disneyland.  This particular tour is recommended for tweens, teens, and adults and includes either lunch or dinner, depending on whether you’re on the morning or afternoon tour.

So, shortly after 1:00 pm, we checked into the Guided Tours location just left of City Hall on Main Street, U.S.A.  Guests are asked to check-in 15 minutes prior to the start of the tour and the official location of the check-in is Disneyland Tour Gardens.  There is a kiosk for check-in.

When we arrived, there was a heated conversation going on at the kiosk, so we found tables and chairs.  Soon, another Cast Member greeted us and knew our names.  I think it had something to do with the “Williams Family” shirts and the fact that our names were on his list.  We were given personalized pins and dinner menus.  When the Cast Member returned to take our dinner order, we were also given cold bottles of water.

Soon we were fitted with ear pieces for listening that were worn around the neck like lanyards with an over-the-ear headphone for one ear.  It took some time to figure out the “channel” and volume, but eventually all 18 of us could hear our guide.  The boy’s receiver showed low battery and it was quickly replaced with another one.  We were assured that the earpieces were sanitized between guests. 

It was time to head out and hear the stories about Main Street, U.S.A., the train station, and to look for names on the windows as we made our way down Main Street.  We stopped in Central Plaza, also known as the hub, and listened more about the castle and design of the park.  We walked through Sleeping Beauty’s Castle and into Fantasyland hearing about some of the original attractions that would celebrate their 60^th birthday the next day.

We then headed to the Alice in Wonderland attraction.  This attraction is unique to Disneyland and has recently undergone a refurbishment.  We had ridden it another day and were intrigued by some of the technology found inside the attraction.  Well, we got to ride again, but this time, going in the exit with minimal wait.  Note:  When I had originally done some research about this tour, I had read about other groups going on Peter Pan.  While we did make a stop near Peter Pan, I think the wait times were just too much for us to jump in the exit line (70-90 minutes) so our guide made other arrangements.

Once our tour group had exited the attraction, we walked towards Frontierland via the path that leads in front of Big Thunder Ranch.  And, as we walked by Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, I snuck out of our group for moment and grabbed Fastpasses.  I wasn’t the only one as another gentleman had done the same thing.

We then learned more about Walt’s adventurous spirit and how as a young man had wanted to explore the Mississippi.  Since he wasn’t able to do it, he decided to put Rivers of America in Frontierland along with Tom Sawyer’s Island.  Walt’s wife, Lillian, often accompanied him and one of his gifts to her after an adventure was a large piece of petrified tree that now sits in Frontierland at Disneyland.

We strolled by New Orleans Square learning about Walt’s suite, Club 33, and the Jazz Club that were all located on the second floor of buildings in New Orleans Square.  Seems Walt got his idea for Club 33 when he went to the World’s Fair and experienced the VIP lounges and receptions.  He wanted to have that type of treatment for special guests and visitors at Disneyland.  Note:  Due to the suite being used as one of the prizes for the Disneyland 60^th Anniversary, we did not get to peak upstairs.

Soon we found ourselves standing outside the Haunted Mansion.  Turns out that the building had been at Disneyland long before there was an attraction inside it.  Walt’s participation in the 1964 World’s Fair made it so that Pirates of the Caribbean wasn’t a walk through wax museum as previously planned, but instead a boat ride through scenes with animatronics.  Well, the Haunted Mansion was originally slated to be a museum for the weird.  Animatronics changed all of that, too.  We enjoyed the Haunted Mansion attraction as a group, bypassing the line.

After riding Haunted Mansion, we headed for the train station in New Orleans Square and rode the train to Tomorrowland.  We exited the train, took a bathroom break, and then rejoined to hear about Autopia, another original attraction dreamed by Walt.  Seems that in 1955 Walt was anticipating the freeway system and wanted to give guests an experience to help them learn to drive safely.  We also heard a story about how the attraction went from 35 working cars to 2 working cars on opening day and someone famous got run off the path before their were tracks.

The group circled back towards the Matterhorn Bobsleds and we heard the story of how Walt didn’t want to look at a tall pole in the middle of the park anymore and suggested that a mountain be built around it with a roller coaster inside.  The steel rod technology hadn’t been invented yet, but Disney Imagineers didn’t let that stop them as they did the inventing themselves.  This technology is now used in roller coasters around the world. 

We also learned about how Walt was invited to bring current attractions to the 1964 World’s Fair but he said “no.”  Instead, he got investors to finance new ideas for attractions that premiered at the World’s Fair, such as It’s A Small World, which at Disneyland only has water for the boats and includes likenesses of various Disney/Pixar characters including Princesses throughout the scenes vs. having the entire attraction in water like it is at Walt Disney World.

The tour was coming to an end and we made our way to the Jolly Holiday Bakery where a section of patio had been reserved just for us and our dinner orders were waiting.  Yummy!

While we were dining, each guest was given a commemorative pin to mark the occasion of the tour along with a special Fastpass that could be used on any attraction whether it was a Fastpass attraction or not—at either Disneyland or California Adventure, but only for that day.  Wow!

Just when we thought we were done with the tour and special surprises, we were whisked away to stand near the Fire Station on Main Street, U.S.A.  We were told of the lamp in Walt’s apartment window upstairs was a symbol to remind us that his spirit is still in the park.  When Walt was alive, the lit lamp was a signal that he was in the park.  Guests and Cast Members would look up at the window to find out if Walt was in the park that day.

Then, we were taken backstage and got to climb the steps to the door of Walt’s apartment.  Cameras off and we had to place them on the counter once we entered the apartment. 

The apartment was a mixture of old and new—antiques and yet modern appliances for the time.  Walt loved grilled cheese sandwiches so there was a grill for making them there in the apartment.  His custom bathroom had a shower with four shower heads so that he could find relief for back pain, something unheard of for the time.

After spending many moments there and asking all the questions we wanted to ask, our guide then gave us the gift of taking our photo.  Each group posed with the lamp behind them giving them a souvenir of something they would always remember.

When we got back downstairs, the husband and boy found the fire pole that Walt once used to get downstairs from his apartment but was later closed off when strangers appeared upstairs. 

We were so glad we took this tour and especially on the day we took it.  While standing in Walt’s apartment and looking out of the window, I could just imagine him being there 60 years ago and worrying about whether the asphalt was going to dry overnight for the guests who were coming the next morning.  And, I could imagine his excitement. 

Even the boy understood the significance and enjoyed the tour.  He was the only non-adult on the tour.  The other adults on the tour remarked about his ability to understand the history and ask good questions—he’s been raised Disney, you know.

After the tour we decided to use our special Fastpass to ride Autopia—an attraction we hadn’t yet enjoyed and now, we had some history to attach to our participation.  Autopia is typically a Fastpass attraction, but due to construction, the Fastpass machines were temporarily unavailable.  Still, we were able to use our special Fastpass.  And, the bonus, the Cast Member gave it back to us so we could use it again!