Cunard's Behind Closed Doors

For those intrigued about what goes on behind doors marked ‘Crew Only’ or for those who are just plain curious on how an ocean liner ticks, Cunard has just the thing. Adding to its comprehensive range of on board activities, the company is now offering Behind the Scenes Tours. Led by senior officers, the tours offer passengers unprecedented access to private areas such as the Engine Control Room, Butchers Shop, Bridge, Medical Centre and mooring deck.

Participants will see everything from how 15,000 litres of used cooking oil is recycled to how more than 5,000 lines of consumable products, from shower gel to beef joints, are ordered and stocked. During the tour, passengers learn first-hand about the many provisions required to manage Cunard Line’s ocean liners.

Tour stops include:

• The Bridge – The Captain and navigational officers will greet guests and give a tutorial of all the dials, buttons, radars and navigational charts that help them safely helm Cunard’s Queens.

• Royal Court Theatre – Guests will inspect more than 3,000 costumes in the costume store, and light and sound engineers give hands-on lessons in operating the stage equipment.

• Galley and Provisions – Guests will catch a glimpse of the complex logistics of moving provisions around the world in containers, picking them up in different ports mid-voyage, and accommodating up to 11 tons per day on board. The tour includes stops at the food stores, Butchers Shop, freezers and the galley.

• Mooring Deck – Guests learn the purpose of the anchor winches, windlasses and other critical machinery on the most forward part of the ship.

• Medical Centre – Guests tour Cunard’s floating hospital and meet the medical staff that keeps everyone on board healthy and well.

• Burma Road – Guests tour the only main crew passageway to run the entire length of the ship and get a behind-the-scenes look at where the crew and officers socialise after work. Interestingly, the main working alleyway on Cunard ships is known as ‘Burma Road’ to reflect the hustle and bustle as members of the crew go about their business.

• Waste Handling Room – Guests observe Cunard’s round-the-clock waste handling operation, and learn the differences between five waste-sorting streams: hazardous, recyclable, suitable for incineration, food waste and suitable for donation.

Available on board Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth, Cunard’s Behind the Scenes Tours last three and a half hours and cost $120 per person. Currently, one tour with a maximum of 16 guests is available per voyage and can be booked on board through the Tours Office. 

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line, the UK's luxury cruising specialists.

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