Our dinner-table companions Richard and Brilinda are frequent cruisers. So frequent that they belong to the elite Concierge Club, and they get invited to special reserved events. Today, for example, they were invited on a tour of the ship’s bridge. They weren’t supposed to mention this to the hoi polloi, but somehow at dinner last night word leaked out.

So naturally I asked if I might tag along, and we decided to give it a try.

Two security officers greet the exclusive group at the forward elevator lobby on Deck 10, where they check off our names and cabins on the list of reservations.

I, of course, don’t have a reservation. For the purposes of this exercise I have become Bri and Richard’s daughter. The security officer checks my passport and SeaPass card, and graciously allows me to join the group.

As we enter the bridge, we are wanded with a metal detector. Our cameras and cell phones are examined. Our names are once again checked off the list. And we are allowed in.

The bridge is so spacious that the fact that it is full of equipment is not the first thing to register. What registers first are the views. The bridge has two “wings” that project on either side of the ship.

Together with the wrap-around windows, these provide views in every direction but up.

There is a complete control console on each wing. From here, the captain visually docks the ship, his own hand on the controls. The two handles control the rotation of the engines. The knob centered just behind them is the side-console version of the wheel.

There is also a central control console that would do the starship Enterprise justice. And yes, despite persistent rumors among the passengers to the contrary, the ship does have a wheel.