Card Players Group?

[DSLibrarian]

I just noticed that a Card Players Group will be on our December 3 Westerdam Mexican Riviera cruise. I looked the group up online and the information I found says they have a dedicated poker room on board and they comprise about 25% of the passengers on the ship.

 

Has anyone sailed with this group on board before? Just wondering if it will affect us very much. I also wonder what space would be large enough for their poker room.

[jtl513]

I also wonder what space would be large enough for their poker room.

That would depend on how many are playing at any given time.

[DSLibrarian]

Thank you for your thoughts. To me, it seems that the dedicated poker room, which would be available to this group all day on all 3 sea days and every evening, would have to be a large one. I'd think the Hudson Room (I think that's the normal card room, but I might be wrong) would not be large enough to meet the needs of this large group. Guess I'll just have to wait and see.

[jtl513]

I believe Hudson and Half Moon can be combined by removing partitions ... and maybe Stuyvesant too. Or they might use them all as separate small rooms.

.

Edited May 19, 2016 by jtl513

[RuthC]

I believe Hudson and Half Moon can be combined by removing partitions ... and maybe Stuyvesant too. Or they might use them all as separate small rooms.

.

Yes, all three can be combined. I don't expect that all (roughly) 500 anticipated members of the group can fit at the same time, though.

[DSLibrarian]

Thanks Ruth - That's what I'm afraid of. I'm worried that they will be such a large group that the Crows Nest or someplace else we like to spend our time will be closed off for them.

[qsuzi]

In response to my inquiry, a HAL Customer Service Representative contacted the "Event Coordinator" who stated that the Card Players Group would not be in the Crows Nest. They will be in meeting rooms and the board room.

Edited May 19, 2016 by qsuzi

[jtl513]

They will be in meeting rooms and the board room.

:confused: What's the "board room"?

[DSLibrarian]

In response to my inquiry, a HAL Customer Service Representative contacted the "Event Coordinator" who stated that the Card Players Group would not be in the Crows Nest. They will be in meeting rooms and the board room.

 

Thanks for checking qsuzi - Hmm...I've never heard of a board room..

[qsuzi]

JTL and DSLibrarian, I don't see a Board room on the Deck Plan so I contacted HAL again. The Customer Services Rep (Katie) said to call (800 541-1576) or e-mail the Ship Services Department. I didn't write down the name of the CSR who gave me that information yesterday but she did contact the "Event Coordinator".

Edited May 20, 2016 by qsuzi

[Moonlight Beach]

Years ago I sailed to the Mexican Riviera with a Card Players group onboard. This was on the Oosterdam. It was the worst cruise I've ever been on. The group took over the Crows Nest as well as the meeting rooms; it was closed the entire cruise. I peeked in and the windows were covered with paper. Guess they didn't want any peeking at someone else's hand. It was very disappointing not to be use the Crows Nest the entire cruise. I hope you will have a better experience than I did. Please come back to CC to report.

 

 

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[DSLibrarian]

Years ago I sailed to the Mexican Riviera with a Card Players group onboard. This was on the Oosterdam. It was the worst cruise I've ever been on. The group took over the Crows Nest as well as the meeting rooms; it was closed the entire cruise. I peeked in and the windows were covered with paper. Guess they didn't want any peeking at someone else's hand. It was very disappointing not to be use the Crows Nest the entire cruise. I hope you will have a better experience than I did. Please come back to CC to report.

 

 

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Oh, NO!! Now I'm seriously considering canceling this one. We've already booked air so maybe we'd be better off exploring Southern California for the week.

[murphy*kitty]

Years ago I sailed to the Mexican Riviera with a Card Players group onboard. This was on the Oosterdam. It was the worst cruise I've ever been on. The group took over the Crows Nest as well as the meeting rooms; it was closed the entire cruise. I peeked in and the windows were covered with paper. Guess they didn't want any peeking at someone else's hand. It was very disappointing not to be use the Crows Nest the entire cruise. I hope you will have a better experience than I did. Please come back to CC to report.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

We had the same experience on a Mexican Riviera cruise. So disappointing to see the windows of the beautiful Crows Nest all covered with heavy paper for the entire time. Let's hope this is no longer allowed.

Edited May 21, 2016 by murphy*kitty

[donaldsc]

I just noticed that a Card Players Group will be on our December 3 Westerdam Mexican Riviera cruise. I looked the group up online and the information I found says they have a dedicated poker room on board and they comprise about 25% of the passengers on the ship.

 

Has anyone sailed with this group on board before? Just wondering if it will affect us very much. I also wonder what space would be large enough for their poker room.

 

I would assume that any group that comprises 25% of the ship's passengers will totally ruin it for the remaining 75%.

 

DON

[KenNMB]

Heard about "theme cruises" that are advertised by the cruise line, whether for country music, jazz, LGBT, Mah Jong, natural (nudists) living, Scientologist, or chamber music (etc.) fans. But, I did not think these are essentially organized by the fans' organizing to take over a particular sailing rather than the line designating a particular cruise has that theme. It seems to me that the line should control the space available to assure all customers have access to customarily accessible and popular areas of the ship. Otherwise, most of the pax will patronize a different line, next time. Not good for anyone.

 

 

KenNMB

Volendam: NYC to Bermuda (1978)

Nieuw Amsterdam Seattle to Alaska (2007)

Noordam: Port Everglades TA to Rome (2014)

Zuiderdam: to Panama (partial) (2015)

Veendam: Port Everglades to Montreal (Spring 2016)

Zuiderdam: Quebec City to Port Everglades (Fall 2016)

[qsuzi]

DSLibrarian: Did you contact Ship Services to see what you could find out about rooms the Card Players Group will be using? Another potential resource is ""Group Administration" at 888 425-9477. I am also on a cruise with a group, i.e. Westerdam : 04 June 2016 - 11 June 2016 : Alaska : NW Anesthesia group. HAL just suggested calling "Group Administration" to find out what rooms the group will be meeting at. They are closed today but I will call them in the morning.

[Moonlight Beach]

It seems to me that the line should control the space available to assure all customers have access to customarily accessible and popular areas of the ship. Otherwise, most of the pax will patronize a different line, next time. Not good.

 

 

You're right. I didn't sail on HAL for about 2 1/2 years after the Card Player cruise on the Oosterdam.

[qsuzi]

Spoke with John in "Group Administration" who spoke with "Onboard Events". For our June 4 Westerdam sailing there are several large groups but they don't see anything in the Crows Nest or elsewhere (except 1 cocktail party) that will impact others. For the December 3 Westerdam sailing they suggest checking back prior to final payment to see if additional groups book (this cruise is during low season). At this point, they don't foresee the Crow's Nest being impacted by the Card Player's Group. When I mentioned Customer Service mentioned a nonexistent "Board Room" as one of the rooms being used he said that sometimes the Queen's Lounge and Showroom are used for large groups.

Edited May 24, 2016 by qsuzi