Chartered Ship

[Mochama1]

i just found out through a cruise critic roll call that my cruise for next January 2019 has been chartered. I researched the info and indeed Inspiration Cruises has an advertised music cruise on my dates and ship. Oosterdam 1/19/19. How do I know if it’s a full charter and if I will be bumped off, or a partial charter ? What are my options ?

 

Thank you for any insight... this has never happened to me before.

[CruiserBruce]

The cruise line will be in contact very soon if it is a full charter, and will work with you to move you to another cruise. The fact they haven't contacted you suggests it is a group booking, not a charter.

 

They will not contact you if it is simply a large group. No such thing as a partial charter.

 

You are 10 months out. You could, if it bothers you, cancel without penalty (unless you are in a small number of non-US countries).

[3rdGenCunarder]

I'm pretty sure Inspiration books large groups, but does not charter an entire ship. Their website says that you have to book this cruise through Inspiration or you won't be allowed into their group activities.

 

"Booking through a secondary travel agent on the same cruise will not permit you entrance to any event programming."

 

That sounds like it is possible to book this cruise without booking the Inspiration program. And if that's true, you probably won't be bumped off the cruise, maybe if the ship is overbooked. Inspiration groups tend to be very large. You can call your TA (if you used one) or HAL to see what you can learn, but HAL is generally very closed-mouthed about group info. You could also call Inspiration to inquire about a booking and maybe find out how large their group will be that way.

 

Not to hijack this thread, since there are already at least 3 about the nonrefundable fares, but this is another reason to avoid nonrefundable fares. A refundable fare keeps your options open.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Do let us know what you find out.

[Aquahound]

i just found out through a cruise critic roll call that my cruise for next January 2019 has been chartered. I researched the info and indeed Inspiration Cruises has an advertised music cruise on my dates and ship. Oosterdam 1/19/19. How do I know if it’s a full charter and if I will be bumped off, or a partial charter ? What are my options ?

 

Thank you for any insight... this has never happened to me before.

 

I recommend calling HAL. Even if its a partial charter, it can be very disruptive. HAL refers to them as groups but a partial charter by any other name is still a partial charter. Good luck.

 

No such thing as a partial charter.

 

Not true.

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=2972

[sail7seas]

There are charters and there are cruises that might have a large group aboard along with many cruisers not a part of the group. THAT is not a charter, It is a cruise that has a very large group on boar.d

[sail7seas]

A charter means the whole ship has been taken over by a group and only those persons part of the group and buying the cruise through the group can be on t he ship for that sailing.

[Aquahound]

There are charters and there are cruises that might have a large group aboard along with many cruisers not a part of the group. THAT is not a charter, It is a cruise that has a very large group on boar.d

 

A charter means the whole ship has been taken over by a group and only those persons part of the group and buyhing tgh ecruise through the group can be on t he ship for that sailing.

 

Sorry, but you are wrong.

[sail7seas]

Please define a partial charter in terms of : can anyone call HAL and book that curise, same as always through their TA, PCC or on line? OR must they book through the group? IF they book through the group, they are then part of the group, are they not?

Edited March 4, 2018 by sail7seas

[sail7seas]

Sorry, but you are wrong.

 

 

 

Well, don't stop at that. Which part is wrong? You call me wrong but do not say HOW and where I am wrong, in your opinion.

 

IMO, I am correct in what I described as a 'large group vs. charter.

[catl331]

Sorry, but you are wrong.

Some cruise lines may misuse that term to mean there is a large group on board, but there is no such thing as a partial charter. On a charter you must be in the group.

 

char·ter

• 2.the reservation of an aircraft, boat, or bus for private use:"a plane on charter to a multinational company"synonyms:hire, hiring, lease, leasing, rent, ... more
  

Edited March 4, 2018 by catl331

[VennDiagram]

i just found out through a cruise critic roll call that my cruise for next January 2019 has been chartered. I researched the info and indeed Inspiration Cruises has an advertised music cruise on my dates and ship. Oosterdam 1/19/19. How do I know if it’s a full charter and if I will be bumped off, or a partial charter ? What are my options ?

 

Thank you for any insight... this has never happened to me before.

 

The cruise line will be in contact very soon if it is a full charter, and will work with you to move you to another cruise. The fact they haven't contacted you suggests it is a group booking, not a charter.

 

They will not contact you if it is simply a large group. No such thing as a partial charter.

 

You are 10 months out. You could, if it bothers you, cancel without penalty (unless you are in a small number of non-US countries).

 

CruiserBruce has given you accurate information (y)

 

 

If it is a large group, please consider moving to another sailing if possible.

 

There is a thread around here someplace about another cruiser's experience on a sailing that had the Inspirations group. I will try to find it for you.

 

As for the subsequent debate on "charter", "partial charter", and "group", your meaning was perfectly clear to me. Welcome to the HAL board ;)

[Cruzaholic41]

Some cruise lines may misuse that term to mean there is a large group on board, but there is no such thing as a partial charter. On a charter you must be in the group.

 

char·ter

• 2.the reservation of an aircraft, boat, or bus for private use:"a plane on charter to a multinational company"synonyms:hire, hiring, lease, leasing, rent, ... more
  

 

Deja video moment. Hasn’t this been discussed on this board before?

 

 

Since you took the time to google charter, did you take the time to google partial charter? Even Cruise Critic defines partial charter if you just take a second to look it up.

 

 

I am a former cruise travel agency owner. We booked partial charters all the time. HAL is the only cruise line that, for some reason, shies away from using the proper term. I think they do so to not scare people from booking those cruises. I will say though that HAL does recognize and use the term partial charter internally, with TAs and with the charter groups.

 

 

But at the end of the day, it is still a partial charter, regardless of what term HAL uses.

[sail7seas]

Some cruise lines may misuse that term to mean there is a large group on board, but there is no such thing as a partial charter. On a charter you must be in the group.

 

char·ter

 

 

 

 

• 2.the reservation of an aircraft, boat, or bus for private use:"a plane on charter to a multinational company"synonyms:hire, hiring, lease, leasing, rent, ... more
  

 

 

Thank you. That is my understanding, either a ship has been chartered or not.

 

Either ONLY those a part of the group can be on that cruise or anyone can go, same as always.

 

 

We were once on a cruise with a huge group about which we knew nothing until we were already ab oard. they took over Crows Nest every night and we had no use of it,at night for the whole cruise. ( this wsas in tthe days when Crows Nest was fun, and acitve and well populated after dinner. The gorup threw all of us out of aft pool on a gorgeous sea da y so they could have a private pool party.] f after that experience , I would be far happier to have my cruise cancelled with adequate advance notice, because tghe ship was chartered after I booked than to be 'surprised' to board and find a huge group aboard about which I had no prior knowledge. Most cruise lines, even if asked directly if t there are any large groups on a given sailing fall far short of honesty in their answer, for all the obvious reasons.

Edited March 4, 2018 by sail7seas

[Cruzaholic41]

Thank you. That is my understanding, either a ship has been chartered or not.

 

Either ONLY those a part of the group can be on that cruise or anyone can go, same as always.

 

 

We were once on a cruise with a huge group about which we knew nothing until we were already ab oard. they took over Crows Nest every night and we had no use of it,at night for the whole cruise. ( this wsas in tthe days when Crows Nest was fun, and acitve and well populated after dinner. The gorup threw all of us out of aft pool on a gorgeous sea da y so they could have a private pool party.] f after that experience , I would be far happier to have my cruise cancelled wieth adequate advance notice, than to be 'surprised' to board and find a huge group aboard about which I had no prior knowledge. Most cruise lines, even if asked directly if t there are any large groups on a given sailing fall far short of honesty in their answer, for all the obvious reasons.

 

Here this might help. This is a link to a Cruise Critic article. Scroll down a little and you’ll see it defines partial charter.

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=760

[sail7seas]

Here this might help. This is a link to a Cruise Critic article. Scroll down a little and you’ll see it defines partial charter.

 

 

No that does not help.

 

 

 

I still say no such hing as partial charter, it defies the definition of charter.

[Cruzaholic41]

No that does not help.

 

I still say no such hing as partial charter, it defies the definition of charter.

 

Huh? Did you read the whole article? It very clearly defines partial charter, and then goes on to say what the difference is between a partial charter and a group. Just scroll down a little.

[Aquahound]

Well, don't stop at that. Which part is wrong? You call me wrong but do not say HOW and where I am wrong, in your opinion.

 

IMO, I am correct in what I described as a 'large group vs. charter.

 

I do know this is the HAL board and I do know HAL only uses 2 terms....full charter and group. I acknowledge that. However, when you say there is no such thing as a partial charter, factually, you are wrong. Cruzaholic41 provided a link to the definitions. Not sure why you didn't see it in the link, but this is what is says:

 

A full ship charter is when an entity, usually a corporation or major affinity group, approaches a cruise line and says, "We want to take over X ship on Y sailing date." An example of a full ship charter is last year's Atlantis cruise onboard Freedom of the Seas. The big upside is exclusivity: When you take over a ship, that whole ship is then all about your organization or your event. The cons? Cruise lines impose a guest minimum (Carnival, for example, requires at least 2,000 guests in the short cruise market and closer to 3,000 for weeklong trips).

 

Securing a full ship charter is very difficult. And it's not cancellable -- so payment is required in advance in cash or an "irrevocable letter of credit" drawn up from a bank. As a point of reference, the lowest cost for an off-off-peak three-night cruise on Freedom of the Seas would be $800,000 to $900,000 (funds are then raised through the selling of the cabins) while groups on other longer sailings or special itineraries could shell out up to 6 million!

 

A partial ship charter comes into play when a group wants only some cabins. They do have to meet a minimum: Some cruise lines will only draw up a charter contract for 50 percent or more, while others will consider a 20 or 40 percent ship charter. For example, there is a special interest group of motorcyclists ("Hogs on the High Seas") that books a partial ship charter twice a year. Upfront payment isn't required here -- but payment and cancellation terms are more stringent than for the honeymoon couple or family of four booking just one stateroom, and heavy penalties apply for non-booked space.

 

The third option is technically not "chartering" in the true sense of the word, but rather blocking off a number of cabins as group space. This is more commonly a technique employed by travel agents, where applicable; they buy cabins "in bulk" and then pass the extra savings on to their customers.

[sail7seas]

I have not changed my opinion.

[ger_77]

I'm not going to get into the scab picking that goes on on these boards, but I want you to know something - if you continue with your booking and Inspiration Cruises is on the ship with you, you'll never have to wait in line at a bar or happy hour. We were on 1 cruise with about 50% of the ship being the IC folks; they never bothered us at any time, as they used the theatre, etc., during the day, and of course, didn't drink (at least in public . . . the mini bar folks said they were kept running at all hours from the IC group), so we were fine. Your mileage may vary.

 

Let us know what you decide.

 

Smooth Sailing ! :) :) :)

[Boytjie]

I looked up "charter" in a number of online dictionaries:

 

 

• To lease or hire for exclusive use
  
• The reservation of an aircraft, boat, or bus for private use.
  
• The hiring of an aircraft, ship, or motor vehicle for a special purpose.
  
• A trip made by a ship or vehicle under hire.
  
• To hire (a bus or airplane, for example) for the exclusive, temporary use of a group of travelers.
  

 

There seems to be consensus that it means exclusive use of the vehicle.

[sail7seas]

I looked up "charter" in a number of online dictionaries:

 

 

 

 

• To lease or hire for exclusive use
  
• The reservation of an aircraft, boat, or bus for private use.
  
• The hiring of an aircraft, ship, or motor vehicle for a special purpose.
  
• A trip made by a ship or vehicle under hire.
  
• To hire (a bus or airplane, for example) for the exclusive, temporary use of a group of travelers.
  

 

There seems to be consensus that it means exclusive use of the vehicle.

 

Thank you, Peter. hard to misunderstand those deffinitions . :)

[Cruzaholic41]

Thank you, Peter. hard to misunderstand those deffinitions . :)

 

So referring to a transit of the Panama Canal, I take it you’d also not be able to comprehend the idea of a partial transit - because the definition of transit doesn’t allow for only a partial.

 

Sheesh, this has got to be the most closed minded board on Cruise Critic.

[RuthC]

There seems to be consensus that it means exclusive use of the vehicle.

Of course it does, which is why HAL doesn't use the term 'partial charter' to refer to groups. :rolleyes:

[Sea girl 23]

I'm not going to get into the scab picking that goes on on these boards, but I want you to know something - if you continue with your booking and Inspiration Cruises is on the ship with you, you'll never have to wait in line at a bar or happy hour. We were on 1 cruise with about 50% of the ship being the IC folks; they never bothered us at any time, as they used the theatre, etc., during the day, and of course, didn't drink (at least in public . . . the mini bar folks said they were kept running at all hours from the IC group), so we were fine. Your mileage may vary.

 

Let us know what you decide.

 

Smooth Sailing ! :) :) :)

 

This is good to know..not that I've ever had to wait to wait in any sort of line at bars..