Fox News star's cruise plans sunk

[Oceanwench]

Just read that a group planning a cruise featuring Bill O'Reilly had to cancel plans when sales didn't take off as planned ...

 

The cruise was to be called "The Battle for American Values" and was scheduled to be on the Westerdam 11/13 sailing.

 

The Thomas More Law Center was to share in the profits of the fund-raising trip.

 

Hmmm ... I wonder if there will be a lot of cabins available now? :confused:

 

Maybe I can get a free upgade. :p

[jhannah]

Well I'd certainly think this would begin a concerted scramble to fill the staterooms. And I'd be willing to think at this late date that good deals could be had. Right now, though, the HAL website is still showing this sailing as closed.

 

Too bad it's so soon after our late summer cruise.

[sunshine72]

Just read that a group planning a cruise featuring Bill O'Reilly had to cancel plans when sales didn't take off as planned ...

 

The cruise was to be called "The Battle for American Values" and was scheduled to be on the Westerdam 11/13 sailing.

 

The Thomas More Law Center was to share in the profits of the fund-raising trip.

 

Hmmm ... I wonder if there will be a lot of cabins available now? :confused:

 

Maybe I can get a free upgade. :p

 

I found a link--it's supposed to be the alternative that they're offering

http://www.wonkette.com/politics/media/new-more-affordable-oreilly-eve

you have to scroll down to June 8th's entry...

[HeatherInFlorida]

I never heard this cruise mentioned even once on the O'Reilly Factor. Sort of curious.

[RichGuy]

I can think of nothing worse than a Cruise involving anything about Bill O'Reilly. My wife sometimes watches as much as she can stand, then gets mad and turns off the TV.

 

We go on a cruise to relax, not to get mad!!

 

6 days 'till the Zuiderdam and counting!

[peaches from georgia]

June 6, 2005 - EXCLUSIVE REPORT

 

S.S. O'Reilly Sinks Before Leaving Port

 

 

The Thomas More Law Center’s “The Battle For American Values” cruise with Bill O’Reilly

has been canceled.

 

An automated message at Corporate Travel Service, Inc. didn’t try to hide the fact that there was

little interest in spending eight nights on boat with FOX News Channel’s top personality:

 

 

"Hello and thank you for your interest in the Thomas More Law Center Cruise with

Bill O’Reilly. Unfortunately, the cruise did not have the participation that all parties

anticipated. Although the guest appearance by Mr. O’Reilly and the other speakers

have been canceled, the ship will still sail...”

 

 

Corporate Travel Service told Sweet Jesus, I Hate Bill O'Reilly, Intl. that the goal was to get

800 people onboard for a Caribbean fantasy week with O’Reilly. Even though the cruise was

promoted heavily on The O'Reilly Factor television program, the Radio Factor, and O'Reilly's

Web site, they sold only a fraction of the tickets available.

 

According to the Thomas More Law Center, the response was surprisingly poor. The

organization ultimately renegotiated with Holland America Cruise Line in an attempt to pare

down the expected guest list but maintain the event as scheduled. Sales continued to trickle in

and finally, after two more negotiations with Holland America to reduce the group size, the

event was finally scrapped.

 

Sadly, “The Battle for American Values" will be hard for Mr. O'Reilly to win if he can't manage to

launch a single ship.

[tomc]

Is it true all the cabins were on the right side of the ship?

[csg99]

Is it true all the cabins were on the right side of the ship?

 

lol!!!!!

[Krazy Kruizers]

I have listened to him a few times on the radio lately while traveling around in the car - and I didn't hear anything about a cruise.

 

There is still alot of time for HAL to sell those cabins before HAL thinks about upgrading anyone - 6 months.

[csg99]

June 6, 2005 - EXCLUSIVE REPORT

 

800 people onboard for a Caribbean fantasy week with O’Reilly.

 

It's too bad HAL doesn't post what large groups are sailing on which cruises. When you have something as potentially polarizing as this could have been, it has the potential to affect everyone on board...this would have been almost half the pax, had they been successful. It could have literally ruined the vacations for those not of the same viewpoint.

 

JMHO

[WindyCity]

Just went on the HAL site and it says "This Sailing is closed or the sailing ID is invalid" - we may have to rethink our plans.....

OOPS, just tried to check the other Westerdam sailings in late Nov and Dec - they say the same thing, so must be a HAL glitch:o

[jhannah]

There is still alot of time for HAL to sell those cabins before HAL thinks about upgrading anyone - 6 months.

Not really. The sailing is 5 months from today. Things need to be buttoned up before that. It's really a fairly short fuse for filling a ship the size of the Westerdam.

[RevNeal]

keeeerrap.

Thank God this has been cancelled.

It would have RUINED the second week of our 2 week b2b.

ANY large group is annoying .... and a political one would be even worse (from ANY political wing).

[RevNeal]

Well, I hate to point this out, but ... I've just sent several minutes looking for info on this cruise. It's hard to find. If this were well publicized on both Bill O’Reilly's website and on Fox News.com, one would expect to find references to it still in the internet Cache via search engines like google. However, I've found VERY little about it. NOTHING form Fox or Bill O’Reilly's website. Only ONE advert. from Corporate Travel Services, Inc.

 

Hence, I'm beginning to think that this wasn't very well advertised at all.

 

Thankfully, no matter what the case, it's not going to take place. It truly would have been unfortunate for them to be aboard during the second week of my b2b this fall. I would say this REGARDLESS of the political affiliation and opinions of the celebrity.

[jhannah]

From the tone of your posts, I'm assuming you were not aware of this potential partial charter of the second leg of your cruise. Makes me think of the recent thread about the lack of notice to cruisers regarding significant groups on their sailing. Arguments were made on both sides ... but I would surely appreciate being notified of a major group booked on a sailing I was considering.

[Oceanwench]

I still have the brochure on my desktop which advertises the cruise.

I've checked the history on my computer, and it shows I was on Fox's Web site and O'Reilly's site this weekend.

I have to think I downloaded it from one of those two. Since the cruise was just canceled, maybe the brochure has been removed from the site.

 

Here is some of the info:

 

The Thomas More Law Center Presents: A Caribbean Cruise featuring special guest Bill O’Reilly Host of FOX News’ The O’Reilly Factor aboard Holland America’s newest vessel, the Westerdam November 13-20, 2005

 

THE BATTLE FOR AMERICAN VALUES Sail with Bill O’Reilly and enjoy...

• Two Private appearances by Bill O’Reilly followed by a question and answer session

• Sessions with Admiral Jeremiah Denton, former Vietnam POW, U.S. Senator and American hero

• Symposium by the Thomas More Law Center on how to combat the ACLU • Private cocktail party to meet fellow passengers and hosts

• Eight days and seven nights aboard the newest ship in the Holland American fleet • Depart Ft. Lauderdale with four ports of call: Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, and Half Moon Cay plus two days at sea!

 

Special Offer: Exclusive V.I.P. cocktail reception with Bill O’Reilly limited to 100 Passengers. Additional $250 per person. Proceeds to benefit the Thomas More Law Center. Contributions are tax deductible to fullest extent of the law.

[Oceanwench]

Oceanwench, since we posted exactly the same time I want to be sure you see my post above explaining I wasn't referring to your post.:)

 

Gotcha!!! ;)

 

And I agree -- a cruise with most large groups would not be fun, at least not for me!

 

This must explain why so many people sailing on the 11/13 were told they were waitlisted for dinner seatings! I made my reservations early enough so that wasn't a problem for us.

 

I just thought it interesting that someone *famous* was supposed to sail with us!

According to the NY Daily News, Al Franken was going to book the cruise too!

[HeatherInFlorida]

.....................According to the NY Daily News, Al Franken was going to book the cruise too!

 

Now THAT would have been a sight to see!!! Those 2 on the same ship! Eeeks!:o . There would be furr flying for sure:D

[Host Walt]

Folks, the subject is about a large group booking and the problems that can result. Please avoid digressing into other matters.

 

BTW, I concur 100% that the regular paying customers should have the knowledge of any large group booking, whether it's a company, industry association or something like this, where it's a promotional activity.

 

I was part of such a group in 1994 when we were on a Seine River barge trip. Ours was a group of about 18 people on a boat that had a capacity of 34. I felt bad for the regular customers because they always seemed to be subordinated by the staff in deference to us.

[Robin7]

BTW, I concur 100% that the regular paying customers should have the knowledge of any large group booking, whether it's a company, industry association or something like this, where it's a promotional activity.

 

Our first cruise in 1991 on the Westerdam had TWO large groups. A St. Louis Cardinal's fan group of some kind--including some players--and an herbal company of some kind. I didn't mind the baseball people, especially since one of the players was quite kind to me and I followed his career ever after that--but the herbal people? Pushy, pushy, pushy. Accidentally strike up a conversation with one and get the push to buy their stuff. (It was some kind of multi-level marketing thing.) Plus all of their info was 'accidentally' left in strange places all over the ship. It was very annoying.

 

Robin

[Oceanwench]

A large group booking a cruise is one thing ...

A large group booking a cruise and including someone of celebrity status is another! :)

 

I'm just glad it was canceled and it didn't turn into some kind of circus!

[Santa Fe Jim]

"• Symposium by the Thomas More Law Center on how to combat the ACLU "

 

I suppose I'd have to burn my card to gain entry. Even though I have listened to O'Reilly. Once.

 

I've only had two experiences with groups -- one was fairly large, a Canadian Air Force Squadron reunion -- they were very nice people and unobtrusive (heck, they're Canadian);) , although the formal kilts did stand out (very nicely). Last fall Ms Magazine had a small group on the Zaandam -- they were very pleasant and the only problem they caused was a registration table at the entrance to the Wajang, which is also adjacent to the coffee bar, that caused congestion a few days.

 

I also would certainly appreciate notice (or being able to request information) from HAL of any large, potentially disruptive group. Some of the tales told in threads here would leave me very irritated at the cruise line if I were to run into the sort that is large enough that it would "take over the ship".

 

SFJ

[dougnewmanatsea]

A large group booking a cruise and including someone of celebrity status is another!

And a large group booking a cruise and including a controversial person of celebrity status is yet another after that ;) !

 

I echo some of the comments made earlier - I would certainly rather not be on a cruise with a large group of any sort (unless of course I was part of it).

 

IMHO the best situation for groups like this is if they simply charter the entire ship - then they will be able to do whatever they want without interfering with regular passengers.

 

I know a couple who were once unknowingly booked on a cruise with a large group - and worse, this was a group who refused to have anything to do with outsiders! There was one other couple on the cruise who did not belong to this group - but they didn't speak English. So you had one huge group who would not associate with outsiders, and two couples who couldn't socialize very much with each other since they didn't speak each other's languages. Needless to say it was not a pleasant situation!

[kryos]

Special Offer: Exclusive V.I.P. cocktail reception with Bill O’Reilly limited to 100 Passengers. Additional $250 per person. Proceeds to benefit the Thomas More Law Center. Contributions are tax deductible to fullest extent of the law.

I wonder what they were charging for this particular cruise? My guess is that if they wanted an extra $250 just to attend a cocktail reception with the man, the override on this particular sailing ... just for the privilege of attending a couple of "participants only" lectures was probably astronomical.

 

That's probably why the cruise didn't sell very well. I think there is a very fine line to be walked when organizing these "specialty" cruises. You have to charge extra ... because the major players participating want to be paid. But, then ... if you charge too much ... people won't book it. You have to know just how popular your "hosts" for the cruise are, and what extra benefits can be offered exclusively for participants, and then set a price that the market will bear. Obviously, the market was not willing to bear this one.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[blackbird71]

Per the information I read on another site :p first they promised HAL 800 paxs, then they renegotiated TWICE down from that, and then finally cancelled.

 

I am guessing from the size of the W'Dam they first planned to fill the main show lounge with talks sometime during the cruise....