On Board Trivia

[slotl]

I don't know about the "shorter" cruises of 7-10 days, but on the "longer" cruises, trivia is the #1 activity on the ship.

 

My problem is that each ship has it's own series of questions......some VERY WRONG (example: on the Volendam which mainly sails Australia/New Zealand, one of the questions was "What was the 50th state admitted to the United States?" Trivia answer: Alaska.) If you have ever played trivia what they have on their answer sheet is ALWAYS correct - so even if it is wrong, the answer given by the staff is right.)

 

The answers are "old" and sometimes "stale". One of the questions on our last cruise was "how old is Holland America?" Answer given by cruise staff 181 years. Unfortunately, 1853 was the year it began, so even if the cruise member couldn't subtract, the answer given is "correct".

 

On our 55 day cruise, the questions were repeated many times during the voyage because they did not have enough questions.

 

The problem also exists on the daily quizes. If people take back-to-back cruises the questions are repeated and the "new" passengers are at a disadvantage.

 

Suggestion: HAL should create "standardized" trivia and daily quiz questions and distribute to the ship's entertainment staff.....or the trivia and daily quizes already onboard, should be reviewed for accuracy and relevancy. I.e one of the questions was "who is the current PM of Spain". The answer was from 2000 and the person was no longer PM.

 

Any comments?

[jmk22574]

On our recent Zaandam sailing, Cruise Director Mike would go onto the Mensa website daily to obtain his 15 questions for the daily team trivia. That's what he said anyway. We had a great mix of questions and if anyone disputed an answer, he would pull up the facts on his computer.

 

Jill

[Jemima]

I thought the trivia questions were standarized.

[slotl]

On our recent Zaandam sailing, Cruise Director Mike would go onto the Mensa website daily to obtain his 15 questions for the daily team trivia. That's what he said anyway. We had a great mix of questions and if anyone disputed an answer, he would pull up the facts on his computer.

 

Jill

 

Excellent!! I have been told by many of the entertainment staff that "they just don't have the time" or "I have to pay for computer access the entertainment staff does not get special internet priviledges".

[bcd2010]

Yes, we had right answers that were wrong on the Zaandam in Jan/Feb. Only one I can remember was: how many Scrabble tiles have a value of 9 points. Well, I play computer Scrabble every night before going to bed and I KNOW THIS! The answer is zero - Q and Z are 10 points, J and X are 8 points. But cruise director Anthony read the answer on the paper: 2, J and X. NO! Even though I explained how I KNEW the answer, he looked at me skeptically. The next trivia session, my sons brought the Scrabble game from the library and SHOWED him. He finally conceded, but the moment was lost - and we didn't get our points...

 

P.S. CD and DJ told us the questions and answers came from a big trivia book Seattle puts out.

Edited June 8, 2010 by bcd2010

[RuthC]

I've had the same Trivia answers, sometimes even with the same wrong answer, on many cruises over a span of years. That's across a lot of ships, too.

One question, with an incorrect answer, in Jan. 2002, was also on the list, with the same wrong answer, a couple of years ago. That time I got it "right". ;)

My favorite had to do with the date Bob Dylan died. (um, he hadn't. :rolleyes:)

[bob brown]

I don't know about the "shorter" cruises of 7-10 days, but on the "longer" cruises, trivia is the #1 activity on the ship.

 

My problem is that each ship has it's own series of questions......some VERY WRONG (example: on the Volendam which mainly sails Australia/New Zealand, one of the questions was "What was the 50th state admitted to the United States?" Trivia answer: Alaska.) If you have ever played trivia what they have on their answer sheet is ALWAYS correct - so even if it is wrong, the answer given by the staff is right.)

 

The answers are "old" and sometimes "stale". One of the questions on our last cruise was "how old is Holland America?" Answer given by cruise staff 181 years. Unfortunately, 1853 was the year it began, so even if the cruise member couldn't subtract, the answer given is "correct".

 

On our 55 day cruise, the questions were repeated many times during the voyage because they did not have enough questions.

 

The problem also exists on the daily quizes. If people take back-to-back cruises the questions are repeated and the "new" passengers are at a disadvantage.

 

Suggestion: HAL should create "standardized" trivia and daily quiz questions and distribute to the ship's entertainment staff.....or the trivia and daily quizes already onboard, should be reviewed for accuracy and relevancy. I.e one of the questions was "who is the current PM of Spain". The answer was from 2000 and the person was no longer PM.

 

Any comments?

I always enjoy trivia on board. Just got off the Amsterdam 31May, and we had team trivia at least once a day, sometimes in the Explorer's Lounge, other times in the Queens Lounge, or the Crow's nest. In addition, there was 'food trivia', conducted most days in the Culinary Arts Center (where else?). And most evenings we had music trivia in the Crow's Nest. And of course there was the usual library quiz.

I must say the questions were really challenging for the most part. And very eclectic, with few repeats of anything.

Of course, CD Jimmy Lynett gave the usual spiel about his answer's were always right, but he did offer a free prize to anyone who could show proof other than "Wikipedia" that his answers were ever wrong.

Edited June 8, 2010 by bob brown

[arzz]

Hi Slotl!

 

I, too, remember more than one particular incorrect answer that was "correct" for the game. I made the mistake of suggesting after play to Bruce Scudder, one time on the 08 Asia/Australia cruise, that he correct the answer for the future -- that I understood that for that day it was incorrect, but that he really should fix it for the future (it was a simple chemistry question and I am a former chemistry teacher -- he was dead wrong) -- and I was told that he had found the answer on the internet, therefore it had to be correct and that it was my knowledge of chemistry that was off ... he was quite not nice about it.

 

It is not the incorrect answers that bug me, but the perpetuation of the same questions with the same incorrect answers ...

 

OK, here is a dream retirement job for someone to put out to HAL -- offer to produce 15 trivia questions a day and email them to all ships -- all ships use them on the same day ..... certainly HAL appreciates the draw of their trivia games -- anyone who has done a Grand Cruise appreciates that -- it could also make life somewhat easier for the CD's -- they could blame the anonymous "trivia service" -- OK, that's it, even better, set up a trivia question service that provides the questions to many cruise lines -- fresh questions each day ... answers double checked through real edited media rather than the internet ....

Edited June 8, 2010 by arzz

[smslms]

Isn't it just supposed to be a fun way to pass some time? Some people already know all the answers to all lifes' questions and are one of the reasons why many people tell me they don't participate in trivia anymore. After watching two idiots coming to blows over trivia on a fairly recent cruise we haven't been into it much either. :eek:

[English_in_Spain]

I wish they would make the questions more 'international'. There should not be questions about US TV series nor should there be questions about which UK soccer team a player plays for.

Keep the questions to those that everyone has the same chance to answer.

[jtl513]

On our last cruise the MC accepted Holland as "the same country" as The Netherlands, even though the answer sheet did not list that as acceptable. Holland, of course, is not a country, but just a region of The Netherlands (two provinces in the west) analogous to our New England. :mad:

Edited June 8, 2010 by jtl513

[Krazy Kruizers]

I don't know about the "shorter" cruises of 7-10 days, but on the "longer" cruises, trivia is the #1 activity on the ship.

 

My problem is that each ship has it's own series of questions......some VERY WRONG (example: on the Volendam which mainly sails Australia/New Zealand, one of the questions was "What was the 50th state admitted to the United States?" Trivia answer: Alaska.) If you have ever played trivia what they have on their answer sheet is ALWAYS correct - so even if it is wrong, the answer given by the staff is right.)

 

The answers are "old" and sometimes "stale". One of the questions on our last cruise was "how old is Holland America?" Answer given by cruise staff 181 years. Unfortunately, 1853 was the year it began, so even if the cruise member couldn't subtract, the answer given is "correct".

 

On our 55 day cruise, the questions were repeated many times during the voyage because they did not have enough questions.

 

The problem also exists on the daily quizes. If people take back-to-back cruises the questions are repeated and the "new" passengers are at a disadvantage.

 

Suggestion: HAL should create "standardized" trivia and daily quiz questions and distribute to the ship's entertainment staff.....or the trivia and daily quizes already onboard, should be reviewed for accuracy and relevancy. I.e one of the questions was "who is the current PM of Spain". The answer was from 2000 and the person was no longer PM.

 

Any comments?

 

Have only done 22 day cruises as my longest cruises. The trivia on those cruises were Tournament style. Everyone formed groups and had to remain in those groups. No new people could join in. Each time there was a trivia game, one team was eliminated until there was only one team left. The majority of the questions came from the Trvial Pursuit game.

Have done quite a few back-to-back cruises and the questions were only repeated once on the second cruise. Most of the crew are aware of people doing back-to-back cruises.

[realnurse2]

I also like to play trivia, not to win particularly but for the thrill of the game! ( snickers inserted here) I have encountered Many mistakes, most of which can be proved by info available in the library. I was told that the questions and answers are standarized and are printed off daily. Obviously no one ever checks them or corrects the errors!

When President Obama was sworn into office, there was a daily trivia on the cruise I was on with at least 4 errors. I think I annoyed the staff by mentioning it to them particularly because I am Canadian.

[slotl]

Hi Slotl!

 

I, too, remember more than one particular incorrect answer that was "correct" for the game. I made the mistake of suggesting after play to Bruce Scudder, one time on the 08 Asia/Australia cruise, that he correct the answer for the future -- that I understood that for that day it was incorrect, but that he really should fix it for the future (it was a simple chemistry question and I am a former chemistry teacher -- he was dead wrong) -- and I was told that he had found the answer on the internet, therefore it had to be correct and that it was my knowledge of chemistry that was off ... he was quite not nice about it.

 

I was on 08 Asia/Australia with Bruce Scudder. He is the MOST arrogant, self-centered, egotist CD I have EVER MET!! He knows it all......just ask him.

 

One of my favorite trivia questions from that cruise (note: the questions on the Amsterdam were much more interesting and challenging than the questions on the Grand Med/Black Sea).

 

What physicial trait must a chicken have in order to lay brown eggs? Stay tuned, I will post the answer later. Hint: the answer is NOT that the chicken is female.

[Mary Ellen]

The most interesting WRONG answer from our last cruise was 'Which country had the most fatalities in WWII?'. Simple answer (to everyone but HAL) was the USSR with over 20,000,000. HAL's "correct" answer was Switzerland. :confused: :confused: :confused:

[GmaPajama]

No one has more fun at Trivia than we do. But ... we can play Trivia at home, for free, and go for the juggular. On a cruise, we play it for the fun and comaraderie. Although it's always a thrill to win, it's enough to know we are right - especially when the CD is wrong. We don't need a keychain to affirm our intelligence. Though we do tend to fight for the mugs. :)

Edited June 8, 2010 by GmaPajama

[AlexandNessa]

I remember a trivia question on the Ryndam being "What is the official credit card of Disney?" It hasn't been AMEX for years, but that was the answer they threw out. I agree that their trivia leaves a bit to be desired.

[bcd2010]

Only one I can remember...

 

I thought of another one: which country produces the most trash/garbage. Everyone said the U.S. The CD said Mexico - he didn't even stop to think about what we were saying in "protest" - you can GUESS the right answer to this one.

 

When I got home, I looked it up because I was curious about whether Mexico was even on the list of top-trash-producing nations -- they're 6th according to this article, with only about 1/7 of what the U.S. produces.

 

http://greenanswers.com/q/63410/recycling-waste/garbage/what-countries-produce-most-trash/

[bob brown]

No one has more fun at Trivia than we do. But ... we can play Trivia at home, for free, and go for the juggular. On a cruise, we play it for the fun and comaraderie. Although it's always a thrill to win, it's enough to know we are right - especially when the CD is wrong. We don't need a keychain to affirm our intelligence. Though we do tend to fight for the mugs. :)

This is my opportunity to reopen the discussion on trivia prizes.

I haven't been on HAL from my last in 2007 until my recent cruise last month on the Amsterdam.

The cutbacks in expenses were very noticeable in this area.

 

In the past, the prizes awarded to the winning team got progressively better through the cruise. They started with bookmarks, mouse pads (remember those?), then pins, keychains, pens, better keychains, sun visors, water wallets, fanny packs, them 'dam' mugs, and finished with HAL umbrellas, nice picture frames, and the top HAL MiniMagLite.

 

Now they gave out various Amsterdam pins, HAL coasters, set of 3 golf balls and tee's, and then the insulated travel mugs.

 

And they stopped giving prizes for the library quiz entirely.

 

Sure many people say it's only for the fun of playing. I agree with that, but who doesn't like to win prizes? Even though they are not high value,

they are very nice souvenirs and remembrances, that are unique in that they are entirely different from the line of items that you may purchase in the logo shop. And if you win a few prizes, it's fun to trade them for others that you did not. Or simply give them away, as I have done with excess 'dam mugs' over the years.

 

Oh, and I miss the 'dam dollars' too.

[slotl]

We enjoy doing the daily quiz....not for the gifts (although I really do have plenty of luggage tags, key chains, umbrellas, and mugs), but for the "joy" of seeing my winning entry posted.

 

On one cruise (I forgot exactly which one), we participated in the daily quiz on the first day. We lost to someone who answered 20 out of 20 and submitted the entry at 9:05 AM (the questions are available at 9AM).

 

Day 2, again we entered, again the "winner" (same person as the day before) had 20 out of 20 AGAIN and submitted the entry at 9:07AM.

 

On the third day, the theme of the quiz was chocolate.....one of the questions was "how many tons of chocolate chips are produced annually to make chocolate chip cookies?". Again 20 out of 20 at 9:10AM.....same person.

 

Obviously, she took a back-to-back cruise and the questions were repeated on both cruises or she brought "old" quizes with her on the cruise, but obviously she had all the answers at her disposal.

 

This does not make the game fun!!:( Does she need the HAL prizes so badly, she cheated? ...or did she like to see her name posted on the winning entry? Only she knows.

 

Bottom line, no matter what HAL does, it won't be good enough to appease all the trivia buffs onboard.

 

I would like to see HAL create a standard 366 trivia and daily quiz questionnaire and release it to all the ships at the same time each year, then create a new set for the following cruise year. If you notice, your daily food menus are pre-planned and dated on the bottom right.

 

It looks like the food department in corporate has it more "together" than the entertainment people in corporate.

[jmk22574]

Wow....looks like we got lucky on our recent cruise. Maybe having a brand new cruise director and DJ helped?? We love trivia too, and CD Mike really did a great job, and he checked conflicting answers the one or two times someone protested (lightheartedly thank goodness).

 

Hopefully he's not the only cruise director putting a little effort into trivia.

 

Jill

[taxmantoo]

It looks like the food department in corporate has it more "together" than the entertainment people in corporate.

 

And that's the way it should be!;) More people cruise for the food than people cruise for the trivia!

[CaveDiving]

I was on 08 Asia/Australia with Bruce Scudder. He is the MOST arrogant, self-centered, egotist CD I have EVER MET!! He knows it all......just ask him.

 

One of my favorite trivia questions from that cruise (note: the questions on the Amsterdam were much more interesting and challenging than the questions on the Grand Med/Black Sea).

 

What physicial trait must a chicken have in order to lay brown eggs? Stay tuned, I will post the answer later. Hint: the answer is NOT that the chicken is female.

 

Hi Lois,

 

I'm not certain but I believe that a chicken must have red ear lobes to lay brown eggs.

 

Take care, Scott & Karen

[slotl]

Hi Lois,

 

I'm not certain but I believe that a chicken must have red ear lobes to lay brown eggs.

 

Take care, Scott & Karen

 

Hi Scott & Karen,

 

Congrats!!! That is the correct answer. You were "addicted" to trivia on the 08 Grand Asia/Australia.....just like we were.

 

Lois

[luxurysailer]

I and my travel companions particularly enjoy team Trivia; however, we'd like to see the name of the game changed to Significa.