Reviving an old question

[spongerob]

Has anyone ever been able to get a coherent answer as to why the wooden horse racing on Princess ships has been eliminated? We've talked about it before on these boards. I don't recall that any answers were ever found. Just curious.

[regnig]

Rob have they done away with it entirely? This spring (and the last couple of years) they did one up at the pool deck where they rolled a big die and one of the cruise staff moved the horses a corresponding number of spaces. I believe what they no longer do is the one where people formed a team, bought a horse and made a costume (silks) for their chosen jockey with stuff Princess provided. The jockey had to crank a contraption that actually moved the horse and that really wasn't an easy task. Anyone in attendance could bet on a horse of their choice. We were on a cruise where some guy layed down $800 on one! :eek: Those used to be held in the Vista Lounge or the theater and were far more entertaining than the pool side event.

[marly]

They had horse racing on my Pacific Princess cruise in May.

[Coral]

It was on the Sun Princess in May. People were decorating their own horses on our cruise.

[captainron]

Rob,

Thank God, for a moment I thought we might be dealing with another thread on jeans.

Might I suggest that you try to email the ship ATTN: CRUISE DIRECTOR and ask what the policy is for the vessel you're sailing on. If someone can give me the name of a person to talk/write to at Princess, I'm willing to send a letter to someone higher up than a Customer Service Rep.

Horse races on ships are somewhat of a tradition that have been on ship's voyages for close to 50 years. We had them on the Empress of England in 1959 and as a young boy thought they were a blast then, had them on the Oriana in 1974, but unfortunately haven't seen them since.

It's about time the cruiselines started to listen to what their clients are looking for on voyages...and this is obviously one of them.

 

Ciao for now!!!

[spongerob]

That's the problem, Ron. Up until recently, horse racing was offered on just about every Princess cruise. They were withdrawn suddenly, and I believe at the same RCI made a similar move. There has to be a reason for that, I've just never seen one posted.

[kruisey]

Gambling rules? For instance persons under a certain age....that slot machines

are only in the Casino......not allowed around Hawaii. when a ship is in those waters?

[Genessa]

they had the horse racing where they "sell" a horse and passengers or groups of passengers buy them and decorate them and then race them, on our April cruise on the Dawn.

 

It was a ten day cruise, so maybe they are limiting them to longer cruises with more sea days?

[mommykim]

We just got off the 10 day Regal where there was no horse race. I asked why and was told the higher ups decided it was too easy to fix a race so someone could win. The only one who actually saw the dice was the person rolling them so they got rid of it. Not sure if this is really true or not but it's what I was told. Of course I was also told the reason Princess now gives out coupons for your prizes instead of the actual prizes is to get you into the store and I am CERTAIN that is true!

[snoopy5386]

no horse racing on 7/2/05 CB

[negc]

That's the problem, Ron. Up until recently, horse racing was offered on just about every Princess cruise. They were withdrawn suddenly, and I believe at the same RCI made a similar move. There has to be a reason for that, I've just never seen one posted.

 

If you go back to the earlier Princess and RCI threads on this topic, you will find that horse racing and horse auctions have not been eliminated fleet-wide by either cruiseline. It appears to be a decision left to the discretion of the individual cruise directors. Unfortunately, when the races are not held on a particular sailing, some of the cruise staff explain it away by blaming it on a corporate decision God forbid they should tell the truth and acknowledge that it was their (or the CDs) decision. Then the rumors start all over again. As you will note, even on this thread some cruisers have reported that horseracing was alive and well on their recent cruises. Unfortunately some people will never let the facts get in the way of their stories. :rolleyes:

[Skitter]

I was told that Princess was discontinuing horse races fleet wide as of May 1st. This came from Billy London the CD on the Dawn Princess. It seems like they just want you to go to art auctions and bingo. I would much rather have horse races.

Skitter

[Coolmama_1]

What a bummer! I was looking forward to it on our next cruise!:(

[MelissaDBA]

Boo!!! We are sailing 7-30 on the CB and the horseracing was right up there on things we couldn't wait to see!:cool:

[negc]

I was told that Princess was discontinuing horse races fleet wide as of May 1st. This came from Billy London the CD on the Dawn Princess. It seems like they just want you to go to art auctions and bingo. I would much rather have horse races.

Skitter

 

Did the CDs on Sun Princess and Pacific Princess not get the memo? :) Apparently from the posts above, there was horse racing on those ships after May 1st. Is it possible that Billy London would rather blame the cruiseline than himself for not having horse races on the Dawn Princess?

If so, shame on him. :(

[land lover]

I read a post that said the cruiseline wanted people spending in the casinos(little profit in horse racing)...Maybe they still do it on the smaller ships because the casinos are so tiny..I say bring back the HORSES!!!!!!!!!!so fun

[negc]

Most of the horse races that we have experienced have been held on the pool deck and the people participating were mostly folks who were spending the afternoon around the pool, so I don't think it was cutting into business at the casino. More likely, some of the CDs felt that there were other activities that they preferred to spend their own or their staffs time doing. The amount of time spent on horse racing over a typical 7 night cruise was probably an hour, so I doubt that casino income was noticeably impacted.

[spongerob]

Bill, I appreciate your thoughts on this matter. I guess we'll have to find out for ourselves in a couple of weeks. Personally, I don't think this has anything to do with the CD's, and I tend to believe that the problems with observing the roll of the dice and lack of accountability might have more to do with it.

[negc]

Bill, I appreciate your thoughts on this matter. I guess we'll have to find out for ourselves in a couple of weeks. Personally, I don't think this has anything to do with the CD's, and I tend to believe that the problems with observing the roll of the dice and lack of accountability might have more to do with it.

Enjoy your cruise and let us know what happens on your cruise. It would seem to me that any problems observing the roll of the dice could be easily remedied and the fact that the races continue to be held on some ships seems to call into question the idea that it is a corporate decision and not one made by individual CDs. If they don't hold the races on your cruise I hope that you will pursue the matter with your CD and let us know the result.

[spongerob]

Thanks, Bill. I'll be sure to file a report upon my return. :)