How do large groups affect cruises?

[WanderingTheWorld]

For one of my upcoming cruises, I just discovered a large group will be onboard. This group could be up to 500 people!! The ship holds 3600+ passengers, so I know most people onboard will not be in the group. However, I'm concerned that this group might take over public spaces. Does anyone have an experience they could share? How do groups of 100's affect the cruising of other passengers? Will venues frequently be shutdown? Will the daily schedule of events be less full? Thanks!!

[CruiserBruce]

You might want to ask on the board for the cruise line involved. Each cruise line does things a little different, and each group works out different arrangements. Have been on a couple of cruises with groups of around 500 (and smaller ships, like 2200 pax), and not been affected at all. Others report different experiences.

[leaveitallbehind]

We've been on one cruise that had a large group - although not as large as the one you refer to - and in our experience, certain venues like the Solarium, a few of the bars, hot tubs, and other public areas did have a congregation of those attendees did dominate those spaces. There would be a attendance in the theater for many to want to sit together in a section.

 

I typically check an itinerary we are considering and if large groups are listed I avoid them and look at alternatives.

[Elaine5715]

I was on a cruise with 600 member group in a 4000 pax ship. They all wore necklaces with their names so they could identify each other. They may have reserved some of the venues but I wasn't in that area when they did so I never noticed them.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We were once on a cruise with a group of 800 out if 2100 passengers.

It did affect us. Several times the Crow's Nest (on HAL) was shut down all evening for parties.

Also some people were notified about changes in the dining room eating times so that they could all eat together.

The main show lounge was shut down several afternoons causing Bingo and a few other activities to be moved.

Thankfully we now have a person on the HAL board who updates the lists for dry docks, full charters and groups on board so that those of us who don't want to be on a ship with a large group.

[cb at sea]

Most groups don't even KNOW the others in their group....sometimes, it's a "reward" for some big corporation..free vacation for some....and some do have things in common. They don't take over the public areas. They might (and that's iffy) have a meeting or gathering in some private space. It won't mess with your good time.

EVERY sailing has groups...every single one. No worries.

[Kartgv]

Unfortunately the answer is 'It depends" - on the group, on the cruise line. Some groups may be quiet (quilters come to mind), others not so much (Harley riders? Folk Singers?). Unless you know what the group is, that's hard to guess. As for taking over public spaces, they absolutely do at times. It might be confined mostly to conference rooms, or it may be a bar or lounge area (such as Skywalkers on Princess or Viking Crown Lounge on RCI), or a large portion of a dining room so that you can't get your preferred seating time. It might be a formal closure by the cruise line or it might be just an informal 'let's all meet at Crooners at 6:00'.

 

Even if they are present in large numbers, its possible they might not bother you. If it's a group that you'd be uncomfortable sailing with, then that's another thing to consider. If I had a choice, I'd reschedule, first checking online to see if there's also a group on any cruises you consider. Google your cruise ship name and sail date and see what comes up - it's not foolproof, but sometimes there's an obvious listing. There's also a website that some people have mentioned which lists many group cruises - can't remember its name, but someone else will probably chime in with it.

[VennDiagram]

CruiserBruce, thank you (y) :)

 

We have sailed with groups on occasion. Some have been intrusive, and disruptive to normal scheduling. Others have not been noticeable at all. It really depends, imho, on what percentage of passengers the group comprises. And for smaller groups, if their raison d'etre is something you don't want to encounter on your vacation, e.g., sales people, political groups, fans of celebrities you probably want to carefully evaluate sailing with them.

[OCruisers]

We've never found being on cruises with LARGE groups to be a problem.

For the most part the are just like any other passengers. :)

[smplybcause]

I've been in a group on a sailing and we had private parties every night taking over a bar or a lounge. Our activities during the day were in locations that aren't normally open during the day.

 

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[Heidi13]

EVERY sailing has groups...every single one. No worries.

 

Sorry, wrong yet again. Been on many cruises that didn't have large groups.

 

Have been on a couple of cruises with larger groups and have found some lounges closed for private parties, but wouldn't say it affected our cruise. Generally always found somewhere else to go.

[Elaine5715]

I prefer a 600 person group over a 30 person family reunion group.

[JMorris271]

We've never found being on cruises with LARGE groups to be a problem.

For the most part the are just like any other passengers. :)

Exactly.

A lounge is first come gets the seat. Every cruise I have been on, sometimes seating is not available due to the fact that other couples got there before me. The same applies to shows or excursions.

500 people don't move around in unison

[MCC retired]

Yes their are Groups on most every sailing.

They are TA Speculative Groups where guests are booked into the Group and may receive the Amenities offered as part of that Group.

They may never know that they are booked into said Group as there are no events or contact between members.

To be avoided at all costs are Large Affinity Groups that will take over facilities almost daily .

Been there , seen that , wished that I knew before hand .

[Hlitner]

The answer is that it depends on the group and the cruise line :(. Many experienced cruisers do try to avoid cruises where they are aware of large groups because the potential impact is unknown. We have been on (and know of) cruises where large groups have adversely impacted the cruise for others. But we have also been on cruises where one would hardly be aware of the presence of a large group, except to see them having some private functions.

 

Hank

[jagsfan]

We were shocked to find ourselves on a HAL ship with a huge Harley Davidson group.

I thought our cruise would be less enjoyable because of it.

Wrong!

They were super friendly, made even crowded elevators more fun.

They conducted a fundraiser among themselves, but let us join, for kidney dialysis.

They treated some kidney dialysis patients to the cruise and made arrangements to provide them with dialysis during the cruise.

I would be happy to sail with Harley groups any time.

 

 

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[sloopsailor]

My biggest nightmare - a very large group of excited polka and accordion enthusiasts, with every lounge taken over by impromptu accordion duels and non-stop polka contests. May Lawrence Welk rest in peace. :D

[navybankerteacher]

Exactly.

A lounge is first come gets the seat.

 

 

Not if the lounge is reserved for a special activity intended solely for that group.

[George C]

We sailed on a cruise with a large group of first responders , firefighters etc , had a great time playing poker with them .

[cruisemom42]

I think it's more likely to be disruptive if the group is large and the ship isn't.

 

Once, a while back, I was on my one and only NCL cruise and there was a very large group of people who sold products for what, we gathered, was the Canadian version (more or less) of Avon -- called Aloette. They closed off lounges during the day for their talks and events. The worst part was that they would all sit around the edge of the only large pool (shoulder to shoulder) and sing "Alouette" over and over. Prevented anyone else from enjoying the pool -- and NCL staff wouldn't do anything about it.

 

It was not a great experience. Since then, I have avoided cruises with large groups.

[sloopsailor]

I think it's more likely to be disruptive if the group is large and the ship isn't.

 

Once, a while back, I was on my one and only NCL cruise and there was a very large group of people who sold products for what, we gathered, was the Canadian version (more or less) of Avon -- called Aloette. They closed off lounges during the day for their talks and events. The worst part was that they would all sit around the edge of the only large pool (shoulder to shoulder) and sing "Alouette" over and over. Prevented anyone else from enjoying the pool -- and NCL staff wouldn't do anything about it.

 

It was not a great experience. Since then, I have avoided cruises with large groups.

 

It doesn't even need to be a large group on a small ship. We were on Celebrity Constellation, about 2,000 passengers, and there was a wedding party of about 50 people who somehow reserved the forward observation lounge, one of the better venues for evening entertainment, for several evenings, and for at least three nights they had one of the specialty restaurants reserved for most of the evening. We weren't able to dine in our favorite for our anniversary and missed out on something we were really looking forward to because it was closed for that small group.

 

So, yes, a group, even a small one, can adversely affect a cruise.

[JMorris271]

So how does someone go about finding out what groups are booked on a cruise?

[bUU]

For one of my upcoming cruises, I just discovered a large group will be onboard. This group could be up to 500 people!! The ship holds 3600+ passengers, so I know most people onboard will not be in the group. However, I'm concerned that this group might take over public spaces. Does anyone have an experience they could share? How do groups of 100's affect the cruising of other passengers? Will venues frequently be shutdown? Will the daily schedule of events be less full? Thanks!!

We just spent a week aboard a cruise aboard Nieuw Amsterdam (2000+ passengers) with roughly 500-600 part of a Christian group. Other than the name tags that they wore, and the few times that we walked by the theater when it would normally be dark but wasn't (because of one of their group-specific events) we didn't notice the group and they had no impact on our enjoyment of our cruise whatsoever.

[Texas Tillie]

We just spent a week aboard a cruise aboard Nieuw Amsterdam (2000+ passengers) with roughly 500-600 part of a Christian group. Other than the name tags that they wore, and the few times that we walked by the theater when it would normally be dark but wasn't (because of one of their group-specific events) we didn't notice the group and they had no impact on our enjoyment of our cruise whatsoever.

 

And, you might have been able to get seats in the bars easier! Do you know the difference between Methodists and Baptists? The Methodists acknowledge knowing you when they run into you at the liquor store!

[Warm Breezes]

We were on-board with the Escape last year with over 600 Sweepstakers and besides having a conversation with one at the CC M&G, never noticed any of them again. Definitely didn't interfere with our cruise.