Sports Bar & College/NFL games...?

[bsg_19]

Specific to the new redesign for the BB King and Billboard venues has the sports bar been relocated abandoned or replaced with something similar? Will be in Europe for 3 weekends with a sea day(!) every weekend and would love to catch some games prefer ably not in my cabin! Anybody with experience with European fall cruises and college/NFL game broadcasts on HAL and where to view?

[dakrewser]

You won't get US football games on a European fall cruise - might, possibly, get a Super Bowl broadcast but nothing else.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Do not count on seeing College Football games no matter where your ship is located.

HAL is not going to pay those fees to show them.

[POA1]

I don't think that there's much difference now. However, if you REALLY want to see college playoffs, your best bet is a shore side, USA based hotel, not a cruise ship.

[RuthC]

I was on the Nieuw Amsterdam in Europe for several weeks last fall, ending in a trans-At to Ft. Lauderdale. There were many weekends during that cruise, and I enjoyed watching at least some football on all of them. :D

 

The ship did have both the afternoon NFL games (CBS & Fox), as well as the NBC evening game, on the same station. I don't recall much about the Saturday college games, but think there were some broadcast, too.

 

Remember, though, that the Mediterranean cruises are 6 hours ahead of the early NFL game on the east coast. The 1:00 PM game begins at 7:00 PM; you might catch the end of the night game if you get up early in the morning. ;)

Edited June 1, 2016 by RuthC

[bsg_19]

I was on the Nieuw Amsterdam in Europe for several weeks last fall, ending in a trans-At to Ft. Lauderdale. There were many weekends during that cruise, and I enjoyed watching at least some football on all of them. :D

 

The ship did have both the afternoon NFL games (CBS & Fox), as well as the NBC evening game, on the same station. I don't recall much about the Saturday college games, but think there were some broadcast, too.

 

Remember, though, that the Mediterranean cruises are 6 hours ahead of the early NFL game on the east coast. The 1:00 PM game begins at 7:00 PM; you might catch the end of the night game if you get up early in the morning. ;)

 

Thanks Ruth for your reply...it looks like we got some disagreement between cruisers about NBC and Fox availability on board although I do recall ESPN being available all the time but seemed to be mostly geared towards the European "football" audience. Monday Night football will be a real challenge at 2:30 in the morning!!!

 

So where would be the best lounge/bar now for viewing any sports broadcasts...the lone screen at the casino? or have they refurbished other areas post drydock? I recall on important playoff games they sometimes broadcast them in the screening room but since this is October cruise that probably won't happen.

[RuthC]

...it looks like we got some disagreement between cruisers about NBC and Fox availability on board although I do recall ESPN being available all the time but seemed to be mostly geared towards the European "football" audience. Monday Night football will be a real challenge at 2:30 in the morning!!!

 

I suspect the conflicting information is due to the differences in the TV set-ups on the ships. The Nieuw Amsterdam, which is the ship I was on, has the new on-demand TV system, which includes a station dedicated to "specialty" programing. As I posted, all the CBS, FOX, and NBC weekend games were on the same station.

ESPN has its own stations.

The ships that haven't been changed over yet probably don't have that choice. They didn't used to.

 

Whatever is shown on cabin TV should be shown on the Casino or Sports Bar TVs, if they still have them on the ship you are sailing. The Nieuw Amsterdam did have TVs broadcasting the games in the Sports Bar area.

 

I don't recall seeing your ship mentioned in this thread. If you post that information, someone may have correct info for that ship.

[bsg_19]

Ruth you are a real poster and much appreciated...we are on the 24 day Oosterdam Rome to Rome that just got refurbished with the new music venues and the loss of the sports bar..

[RuthC]

...we are on the 24 day Oosterdam Rome to Rome that just got refurbished with the new music venues and the loss of the sports bar..

Ooo. Bummer.

Not the cruise, or the itinerary, but the loss of the Piano Bar and Sports Bar. Have a good time anyway.

And thanks for the nice words.