FEB 2016 UPDATE HAL dry docks, charters & groups listing

[anniegb]

Hi

 

Thank you very much for this list.

 

I have 1 question:

 

Road Scholars are listed as having groups on several cruises - what is the average size of their groups ?

 

Thanks

 

Annie

[Happily@Sea]

Hi

 

Thank you very much for this list.

 

I have 1 question:

 

Road Scholars are listed as having groups on several cruises - what is the average size of their groups ?

 

Thanks

 

Annie

 

 

The last 'dam' group I attended we had 16 - including the group leader - Zuiderdam, January 2015. I don't know how many we will have in April - Westerdam - but I know all the rooms weren't sold. So maybe somewhere between 10-30 people. It's an educational program and I've never been in a bigger group than 36 [even on their land-based tours - this will be my 40th program in April] though their literature often reads of which no more than 40 will be Road Scholars when describing the ship and its capacity.

 

We use one the meeting rooms for daily lectures. Does this help?

Edited February 13, 2016 by Happily@Sea

[anniegb]

The last 'dam' group I attended we had 16 - including the group leader - Zuiderdam, January 2015. I don't know how many we will have in April - Westerdam - but I know all the rooms weren't sold. So maybe somewhere between 10-30 people. It's an educational program and I've never been in a bigger group than 36 [even on their land-based tours - this will be my 40th program in April] though their literature often reads of which no more than 40 will be Road Scholars when describing the ship and its capacity.

 

We use one the meeting rooms for daily lectures. Does this help?

 

That is very helpful - thank you very much.

 

Annie

[Happily@Sea]

That is very helpful - thank you very much.

 

Annie

 

Glad to help - as you can see, I really like this organization.

[CJcruzer]

Hi

 

Thank you very much for this list.

 

I have 1 question:

 

Road Scholars are listed as having groups on several cruises - what is the average size of their groups ?

 

Thanks

 

Annie

 

I do not know the size groups, perhaps you could email them...However, some sailings could be removed from their schedule, if not enough interest. I think they probably block out rooms, but not all sailings get a minimum - similar to land tours.

 

Carol

[CJcruzer]

The link for the 14 Mar2017 Noordam note is not working. Can you check that out.

 

hope this link works

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=41008065&postcount=17

 

Carol

Edited February 13, 2016 by CJcruzer

[CJcruzer]

I also found it to be not working. Can you copy it into this thread?

 

I will correct it on next listing, here is the link, hope t works now.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=41008065&postcount=17

 

Carol

[RuthC]

... here is the link, hope t works now.

It does. Thanks for the correction.

[anniegb]

I do not know the size groups, perhaps you could email them...However, some sailings could be removed from their schedule, if not enough interest. I think they probably block out rooms, but not all sailings get a minimum - similar to land tours.

 

Carol

 

Thanks Carol - I have emailed them but while I wait for a reply, I thought I would ask elsewhere.

 

The NZ sailing in which I am interested is already showing waitlist only for 1 category.

 

I am trying to select a cruise with no large groups on board. I have a fall back position - a NCL cruise.

 

Thanks again for your reply.

 

Annie

[summer slope]

Eurodam, March 11-18, 2017 Sandi Patty and Friends Will probably take the ship over again. :(

[CruisinChris]

I'm on the Westerdam to Alaska July 9th (originally July 16th but was told the ship was chartered after I booked so I switched to one week earlier). I see from the list by OP that the Westerdam has a group on the ship every sailing during July and August. Mostly by an Inspirations group. Is this normal that they are on a ship for 8 weeks straight? Has anyone been on an Alaskan cruise with them? Do you think we'll have any issues since this (I consider) is a port intensive cruise?

 

The Inspirations groups is on my Feb 20 Westerdam sailing and they have totally taken over the entire dining room for late seating, including the level allocated to open seating. I have been instructed that I can only dine in the dining room between 5 and 6:30. I don't know what other impact they are going to have on the overall cruise, but this alone is a significant disruption.

[shrimp56]

Oct 29 2016 Westerdam is a vegan charter

Oh that should be interesting LOL

[Old As Dirt Mom]

I'm on the Westerdam to Alaska July 9th (originally July 16th but was told the ship was chartered after I booked so I switched to one week earlier). I see from the list by OP that the Westerdam has a group on the ship every sailing during July and August. Mostly by an Inspirations group. Is this normal that they are on a ship for 8 weeks straight? Has anyone been on an Alaskan cruise with them? Do you think we'll have any issues since this (I consider) is a port intensive cruise?

 

Hi Kathy - Inspiration Cruises is the name of the travel management company who work with different "ministry partners". So it's a different group every week, under the umbrella of Inspiration Cruises. Does that make sense?

[Kathyfromstl]

Is there a way to find out how many people will be in this group? I found the website advertising for this cruise but couldn't see an itinerary. Was wondering if they took over the HAL excursions or if they manage their own. I didn't want to request a brochure and get on their mailing list.

[jhsocal]

Kathy, we are on the same cruise. Booked last November and told we are wait listed for late set seating. Some helpful CC members alerted us to the Inspirations issue. We would we very interested to know the number in their group.

[joepeka]

Since this topic of group bookings has been kind of hot lately, I found this while searching for groups on our 2017 Zuiderdam cruise:

 

http://www.globaleventslist.elsevier.com/events/2017/04/cardiology-issues-in-older-adults-panama-canal-cruise/

 

It appears they expect 50 or less attendees.

[Cruiser Andi]

Is there a way to find out how many people will be in this group? I found the website advertising for this cruise but couldn't see an itinerary. Was wondering if they took over the HAL excursions or if they manage their own. I didn't want to request a brochure and get on their mailing list.

 

 

I am on the July 23rd Westerdam Alaska and so far, there are no groups listed. Maybe you could switch days?

[Kathyfromstl]

That's a good idea except I've got too much planned around the July 16th date already. I'm going to think positive, as a poster above recommended, and hope that the group is contained within their own events leaving general venues less crowded.

[Cruising-along]

Is there a way to find out how many people will be in this group? I found the website advertising for this cruise but couldn't see an itinerary. Was wondering if they took over the HAL excursions or if they manage their own. I didn't want to request a brochure and get on their mailing list.

 

What I did was ask a question on the FB page of the group who will be on my cruise. This way they didn't get my phone number through caller ID, or my mailing address. I got an answer within a few days. Not the answer I wanted, but I did get an answer.

[madera1]

Just read an advertisement in a Sonoma wine region magazine announcing an "Alaska wine and run cruise " June 25-July 2,2016 on the Westerdam. It looks like several partners are involved: destination races, montrose travel and touring and tasting.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[zelker]

Update for the next time you update the list .......

 

I just ran across this (which impacts the first part of our 22 night collector w/TA). They anticipate 25-50 group size.

 

http://www.globaleventslist.elsevier.com/events/2016/10/oral-dermatology-and-pathology-maediterranean-cruise/

 

(whoever posted it misspelled Mediterranean)

[shrimp56]

25-50 isn't an impact that will bother you. We had a group on Zuidy for our Jan. 3 cruise. They blocked the big meeting rooms, but otherwise no real impact that I felt.

[zelker]

25-50 isn't an impact that will bother you. We had a group on Zuidy for our Jan. 3 cruise. They blocked the big meeting rooms, but otherwise no real impact that I felt.

 

Wasn't worried about it impacting me - just adding it to the list.

[shrimp56]

Wasn't worried about it impacting me - just adding it to the list.

Apologies.

[Alberta Quilter]

I sure hope the Quilters on the Aug. 14, 2016 aren't a rowdy group. The Evil Twin and I are going on that one. :-)

 

I'm sure they'll have you and the Evil Twin in stitches!!:D

 

Seriously, we had a similar group on our cruise last year and we barely noticed them. There was also a group of Road Scholars on the same cruise. Again, we barely noticed. The quilters had two or three of the meeting rooms booked so the bridge players had to play bridge in the Atrium (our tablemates were bridge players). The Road Scholars had some of their briefings in the Wajang Theatre just before bingo (which is why I noticed that).