Unhappy people on the Oosterdam 10/15/05

[rickcohen2]

But Windstar... I knew we would get there eventually!

We have sailed Windstar (Windstar, Windsong and Windsurf) and the largest group we ever ran across was my family of 14. Even on the smaller Windstar ships, we only ever constituted 10% of the pax.

 

That's not to say a larger group wasn't aboard, or that others didn't resent our group of 14. It's just that if there WAS a large group aboard, Windstar never made us feel second-class, and if 14 of us was too large a group for somebody else, word never got back to us.

 

The only thing I can think of that the line ever did for us as a "large" group is let us all eat dinner together at the Captain's table, nightly. In hindsight, others may have wondered why we had been allowed to displace the Captain, but it's my understanding that the Captains never use them anyway. Besides that, we tend to keep a low profile, all of us doing our own thing and only meeting-up for dinner.

[ekerr19]

ekerr, every cruise ship has some groups onboard-you can't avoid them! Even on our recent Radisson cruise we had a group of about 30 people from a Japanese TA. There was a group on the Wind Surf as well, and our only Celebrity cruise (goodbye, Horizon, we'll miss you!) also had some groups. A group of 30 or even 100 probably won't have any significant impact on a cruise. A group of 1,000 is another story. Even if everyone were well behaved - which PH apparently wasn't - such a large group would interfere with the enjoyment of other cruisers.

 

Have a great time on your summer, 2006 Celebrity tour. If you like HAL, you'll like Celebrity; but don't kid yourself into thinking that Celebrity would turn down a large group. For individual cruisers, it's pretty much the luck of the draw.

 

I'll grant you that all lines may cater to groups, but it seems to me in the last few years HAL has lowered the standard considerably - especially when it comes to the Caribbean. Once people stopped travelling internationally (as of 9/11) HAL seems to have decided that they can rake in each and every person they can find - and they have pretty much proceeded to do so - if you ask anyone to compare the cruise of 1995 against 2005 - I GUARANTEE there will be VAST differences.

 

HAL will continue to lose those passengers who expect more for their money - and because at this point we want the "experience" regardless of the cost - I guess we will just shop elsewhere.

[trubey]

If anyone is still bothering to read this thread . . .

 

I just went to check if the May 19, 2006 Princess House Alaska cruise on the Zaandam is listed on HAL. I thought maybe they had decided to charter the whole ship.

 

http://www.princesshouse.com/EN/Travel/alaska_cruise_with_PH.asp

 

I didn't see it, on HAL's site, but I did see it listed on my ta's site. Of course, I may have just been blind for a minute and couldn't find it listed.

 

What do you think? If they are planning a full ship charter in May, maybe that is why they were given so much slack this month. susana.

[RuthC]

If anyone is still bothering to read this thread . . ..

I am.

And let me take the opportunity to add my thanks for your website listing out groups on cruises. I hope you're able to keep it up.

[jhannah]

Likewise. I absolutely, positively will not knowingly cruise with any major group. I'll choose another sailing date or cruise line.

[stanford's girl]

If anyone is still bothering to read this thread . . .

 

I am Susana.:)

A group of Red Hat ladies were suppose to be on our cruise and I never saw one of them.

The only large group that HAL told me were booked were the Longboard group (surfers) and there was about 60 of them. Debbie (Heavenly) was part of that group.

But Chumley's Bears (a gay men's group) were on our cruise and I never found a listing for them. There was at least a 150 of them.

So everyone, you can't always know ahead of time who or how big the group is, that you might be sailing with.

[Cruiseoften]

Over the years we've several times been part of a group - probably max. 150 passengers - to my knowledge we've never impacted adversley on other passengers. It should be said that all participants paid their way and cabin location was our personal choice. We've had a corner of the Crows Nest blocked for us, for probably 90 minutes, and perhaps a private cocktail party in the Piano Bar at some off hour. Dining times were our choice - early/late - we never all dined together.

 

Such groups are not a problem. PH and like groups are, I guess, something very different. I'd want to know if one was on board and would definitely change our plans.

 

Trubey, your chart could be very useful, thank you again.

[WNYCRUISER]

Still reading Trubey, and the web site is great. So far, no groups showing on my upcoming cruise!:D :D :D

[Iggipolka]

 

But Chumley's Bears (a gay men's group) were on our cruise and I never found a listing for them. There was at least a 150 of them.

 

http://socialnetwork.meetup.com/150/events/4713537/

 

There they are.

 

It's amazing how many different groups are on ships.

[stanford's girl]

http://socialnetwork.meetup.com/150/events/4713537/

 

There they are.

 

It's amazing how many different groups are on ships.

Nice job Iggy.:) I didn't see them when I was doing a search. How'd you find it?:confused:

[Iggipolka]

Nice job Iggy.:) I didn't see them when I was doing a search. How'd you find it?:confused:

 

Heh..I have a bit of an inside track when it comes to lgbt stuff. ;) I just asked a friend of mine who is a Bear if he'd heard of a Bear cruise on the Oosterdam. He gave me the link and said that the cruise was wonderful, but he was confused because he thought that HAL had traditional dining! We had a looooong conversation about that. :rolleyes:

[stanford's girl]

Heh..I have a bit of an inside track when it comes to lgbt stuff. ;) I just asked a friend of mine who is a Bear if he'd heard of a Bear cruise on the Oosterdam. He gave me the link and said that the cruise was wonderful, but he was confused because he thought that HAL had traditional dining! We had a looooong conversation about that. :rolleyes:

I had heard of Atlantis cruises but had never heard of the Bears. I met quite a few of them out by the aft pool or in the disco.:)

Did he say how his service at dinner? And did they get the same table and waiter every night?

[Iggipolka]

I had heard of Atlantis cruises but had never heard of the Bears. I met quite a few of them out by the aft pool or in the disco.:)

They are a little hard to miss. ;) They are very nice guys once you get to know them' date=' but they can be a bit intimidating at first.[/font']

 

Did he say how his service at dinner? And did they get the same table and waiter every night?

 

He had a different table and a different waiter every night. He sat with the same bunch of friends that he went on the cruise with, but just at different times. He's been on a number of cruises and said that he missed having the same waiter and same table every night. His friends were new to cruising and didn't mind the experiment, but they did say that the staff seemed rushed and unfriendly in the diningroom. They were surprised because the diningroom staff were the only unfriendly staff they met on the cruise. When I talked with him and explained the situation, he thought that maybe it was because they were stressed.

[stanford's girl]

They are a little hard to miss. ;) They are very nice guys once you get to know them, but they can be a bit intimidating at first.

 

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He had a different table and a different waiter every night. He sat with the same bunch of friends that he went on the cruise with, but just at different times. He's been on a number of cruises and said that he missed having the same waiter and same table every night. His friends were new to cruising and didn't mind the experiment, but they did say that the staff seemed rushed and unfriendly in the diningroom. They were surprised because the diningroom staff were the only unfriendly staff they met on the cruise. When I talked with him and explained the situation, he thought that maybe it was because they were stressed.

LOL!! You're right you can't miss them. I learned all about Bears and Cubs. They did seem to take over the aft pool but I just pulled up a lounger and plopped my butt down.:D They wanted to give a stick-on bear tattoo but I said I'd pass. It would have lasted about a week which was a little too long for me.:eek:

Funny story: One day one of the guys chairs back broke and another guy was trying to fix it and couldn't. He was getting frustrated and finally said "where the heck are the lesbians when you need them". Just then a group of 4 women on the side raised their hands and said "we are right over here"!! The whole pool started howling with laughter.:D

Sorry that your friend got stuck at different tables and waiters every night. Our server was really great.

[Iggipolka]

ROFL! That is just too funny! :D Thanks for my laugh of the day.

[stanford's girl]

ROFL! That is just too funny! :D Thanks for my laugh of the day.

I knew you'd appreciate it Iggy!!!:D

[Sailing for Jazz]

We'll be traveling - with a group of about 600 people - on the Oosterdam on the Dec 3rd sailing from San Diego. We've all been assigned early

seating - at 5:30 for heaven's sake - so we'll be able to enjoy the

performances that are at the core of our trip.

 

I've noticed that a few of the posters here object to large groups

"taking over" - in fact, I think it makes the ship more accessible for the

rest of the pax. If we're all listening to music in the Crow's Nest, for example, it means there are 600 fewer people angling for a deck chair at the pool. It also means there are fewer people in the Vista lounge listening to the crew shows, because we're off somewhere else at a private event.

 

love to know what you think. First-time poster.

[jhannah]

I cannot begin to imagine 600 people in the Crow's Nest!

[Joanandjoe]

First of all, I think that if your group is a jazz group, I'd love to join it-but I've already used this year's vacation. Our Jazz cruise from Montreal to NYC on the (Radisson) Seven Seas Navigator, 9/16/05, was fantastic: see our review on this web site.

 

Presumably your jazz group will take over the main showroom or the next biggest room for its concerts. That's great for other cruisers if they can attend as well, bad for them if they can't. Also, 600 people at early dinner might make it difficult for others who like their dinner early - including us - to get the early sitting. Having a late dinner would ruin our cruise for us. The Crow's Nest is our favorite part of a HAL ship-we'd hate to miss sailaways there.

 

A jazz group probably acts as 600 individuals while not watching jazz: no special priorities for the spa, excursaions, or tenders. That wouldn't bother anyone. A group of 600 that takes all the spa reservations, gets priority for excursions, etc. (i.e., Princess House) is likely to bither everyone.

[SLove]

I don't see the difference between groups on a ship or groups in a hotel. All the 4 and 5 star hotels do a lot of business in groups, I don't see why the ships should be any different. Just my opinion. :)

[RuthC]

I don't see the difference between groups on a ship or groups in a hotel. :)

You don't? Hotels have conference rooms away from the main area that other guests need.

Other guests can leave the hotel to dine elsewhere---they are not confined to one main dining room.

Other guests aren't kept out of the pool or spa areas because conference guests have priority.

Other guests aren't kept out of the entertainment lounges.

The difference is that hotels are one place in a larger area that gives all the guests many choices. A hotel is a place to stay.

The ship is a self-confined area; there is no place else to go.

They are not at all the same thing.

[SLove]

You don't? Hotels have conference rooms away from the main area that other guests need.

Other guests can leave the hotel to dine elsewhere---they are not confined to one main dining room.

Other guests aren't kept out of the pool or spa areas because conference guests have priority.

Other guests aren't kept out of the entertainment lounges.

 

The difference is that hotels are one place in a larger area that gives all the guests many choices. A hotel is a place to stay.

The ship is a self-confined area; there is no place else to go.

 

They are not at all the same thing.

 

I still think you have a very weak gripe

 

The ships have conference rooms that are not used during the times that would interfere with the daily activities for all passengers. I was with a large group of ladies last year on the Rotterdam and we had to meet at 7:30am in the showlounge and again during first dining so we wouldn't have any conflicts.

 

Groups do take the aft pools sometimes for sailaway parties but so what? The same thing happens in atriums in hotels for weddings and things. Plus, I don't think guests are going to be kept out of lounges all night but if they are, there are lots of other places to go. I mean big deal. I know people that got upset when I was invited to a Mariner function and they weren't. They need to get over it. All the ships have groups these days.

[Iggipolka]

I still think you have a very weak gripe.

 

Actually, no. She has a very valid point. If you pay money and expect to get full value for your dollar, including using all of the rooms and lounges and pools shown on the ships website and other advertising information, than being denied use of those areas because a group has taken them over, is certainly a valid reason to get very upset.

 

Groups do take the aft pools sometimes for sailaway parties but so what?

 

Because being at the aft pool during the sailaway party is part of the cruise experience and non-group members are not allowed to have that experience that they paid for and expected to have.

 

Plus, I don't think guests are going to be kept out of lounges all night but if they are, there are lots of other places to go. I mean big deal.

 

 

Non-group pax HAVE been kept out of lounges all night. Many people, myself included, aren't into gambling, so that knocks out the casino, walking around the deck is nice, but that gets cold and windy at night, and why shoudln't I have the right to go to a lounge and listen to music and talk with people if I want to! After all, I paid for this cruise too!

 

My guess is that you have only traveled on a cruise while being part of a group. Try being on a non-group pax and you will get a clearer idea of what problems often (not always, but often) come up with groups on cruises.

[ahoymatey3]

well said, iggi

[jhannah]

And besides, if a group fills the bar at your hotel, there's another hotel (or bar) across the street that can accommodate you.

 

Plus, it's not uncommon for a hotel to house 5,000 guests. 600 out of 5,000 doesn't have near the impact of 600 out of 1280.