Just learned my cruise is a Soca cruise

[PTC DAWG]

12 hours ago, Sailing12Away said:

I feel old.... what is Soca? All I can think of is southern comfort, but that would be Soco...

Don't feel bad, I was going to ask too...

[vacation44]

5 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

Don't feel bad, I was going to ask too...

And I am not sure I still understand........

[styles27]

39 minutes ago, SeaShark said:

 

And how exactly would that be possible? Based on your description, this is nothing more than people with a shared interest booking the same cruise.

 

Without group status, they can't control public spaces on the ship and reserve them for private parties. Without group status, even if they all go to the pool at the same time, they can't control the music played or the scheduled activities.

I agree I don’t see how this would work if NCL isn’t aware of it. 

It appears it was announced in April 2022. This comes up when I searched. I think I would call the  number on this site and ask how big the group is. 
 

https://www.prweb.com/releases/2022/04/prweb18619751.htm
 

 

 

Also found this which says 3&4 pax rooms are sold out. Seems like a huge group. 
https://form.jotform.com/220004346512036

Edited February 21, 2023 by styles27

[styles27]

46 minutes ago, OrangeCatRamblers said:

 

 

Unfortunately the Soca group is not an official charter. They are using independent travel agents to book rooms singly or in small groups. NCL has NO record of this group. It is not sanctioned by NCL. According to NCL, it is not happening. Yet the group is planning private parties and pool deck takeovers. 

If you’re considering going I would gather everything you can find about this group and put it on NCL’s FB page and ask what is going on. There’s no way they don’t know about a group this size I’m not buying their answer to that. 

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, OrangeCatRamblers said:

 

 

Unfortunately the Soca group is not an official charter. They are using independent travel agents to book rooms singly or in small groups. NCL has NO record of this group. It is not sanctioned by NCL. According to NCL, it is not happening. Yet the group is planning private parties and pool deck takeovers. 

Of course NCL has a record of it.

 

Maybe the lowest-level call center person you talked to has no idea,,,, but they are paid to answer calls not negotiate charter deals. 

Edited February 21, 2023 by BirdTravels

[BirdTravels]

12 hours ago, complawyer said:

being the anti-social curmudgeon that i am, i would cancel this cruise post haste

Anti-social curmudgeon aside,,, the question is how much are regular passengers going to be impacted. When they have their advertised pool party, is the pool deck going to be closed to other passengers (on other charters it is). How many restaurants will be closed for the group. Etc.

 

We had a small professional convention onboard during our Prima cruise. At various points, they closed the stadium, the go kart track, venues for their group. They were in the MDR and specialty restaurants, not as an entire convention group, but in large groups, tying up tables for hours, and being loud and obnoxious. 

[OrangeCatRamblers]

23 minutes ago, styles27 said:

If you’re considering going I would gather everything you can find about this group and put it on NCL’s FB page and ask what is going on. There’s no way they don’t know about a group this size I’m not buying their answer to that. 

 

Please help me with the next step. I spoke to a rep, I spoke to a supervisor. They have no record of this group. They can't help me because they see no problem. I was offered a cancellation or a switch to the Pearl (big downgrade from the Prima) both for about $2k. I really, really don't know what to do next. 

[BirdTravels]

1 minute ago, OrangeCatRamblers said:

 

Please help me with the next step. I spoke to a rep, I spoke to a supervisor. They have no record of this group. They can't help me because they see no problem. I was offered a cancellation or a switch to the Pearl (big downgrade from the Prima) both for about $2k. I really, really don't know what to do next. 

Go on your cruise. 

 

Enjoy the beautiful Prima. 

 

Ignore the charter. 

 

Can't do much else. I would never dream of moving from the Prima to the Pearl,,, so that is a total non-starter. 

[Lupush]

All of the NCL official theme cruises are listed on their website at the link below:

 

https://www.ncl.com/themed-cruises

 

Looks like the "Fetetopia Cruise" is the creation of a shady concert/club promoter in Brooklyn.  Judging by their website and social media presence, it doesn't look like something legit.

[OrangeCatRamblers]

Just now, Lupush said:

All of the NCL official theme cruises are listed on their website at the link below:

 

https://www.ncl.com/themed-cruises

 

Looks like the "Fetetopia Cruise" is the creation of a shady concert/club promoter in Brooklyn.  Judging by their website and social media presence, it doesn't look like something legit.

 

 

It is very much not legit. They planned this independently of NCL. 

[styles27]

2 minutes ago, OrangeCatRamblers said:

 

Please help me with the next step. I spoke to a rep, I spoke to a supervisor. They have no record of this group. They can't help me because they see no problem. I was offered a cancellation or a switch to the Pearl (big downgrade from the Prima) both for about $2k. I really, really don't know what to do next. 

I’m happy to help. I will send the links I posted to the contact person on the NCL main FB page. I’ve had good luck getting answers from them. I’ll report back what I am told  

 

We’ll be on the Pearl the week before this cruise. It is an older smaller ship but we went last April also and had a wonderful time.
We take our little grandson with us.

So any questions you have about the Pearl or Boston I’m happy to answer. We live in Rhode Island so we know the Boston  area very well too. 

[OrangeCatRamblers]

25 minutes ago, styles27 said:

I’m happy to help. I will send the links I posted to the contact person on the NCL main FB page. I’ve had good luck getting answers from them. I’ll report back what I am told  

 

We’ll be on the Pearl the week before this cruise. It is an older smaller ship but we went last April also and had a wonderful time.
We take our little grandson with us.

So any questions you have about the Pearl or Boston I’m happy to answer. We live in Rhode Island so we know the Boston  area very well too. 

 

Thank you for your kindness. I live in the city of Boston but have never cruised from there! We love RI, travel down often for shows at PPAC and of course the beaches near Middletown. 

[vacation44]

33 minutes ago, Lupush said:

All of the NCL official theme cruises are listed on their website at the link below:

 

https://www.ncl.com/themed-cruises

 

Looks like the "Fetetopia Cruise" is the creation of a shady concert/club promoter in Brooklyn.  Judging by their website and social media presence, it doesn't look like something legit.

Thank you for posting the link.  

[styles27]

3 minutes ago, OrangeCatRamblers said:

 

Thank you for your kindness. I live in the city of Boston but have never cruised from there! We love RI, travel down often for shows at PPAC and of course the beaches near Middletown. 

Well hello fellow New Englander! lol I’m originally from MA but have lived in RI the past 5 yrs. 
 

You’re very welcome! I messaged the NCL main FB page person asking for some info about this Soca group cruise.
 

I also searched around and found the TA page that is selling this soca cruise so I posted a question about it asking how big the group is.
I found posts about it going back to 04/2022 on FB advertising this cruise so it’s been a long time in the planning stages. 
 

We love PPAC too! Glad you guys enjoy it!

 

So NCL wanted to charge you $2k more to switch to the Pearl?

[bedfordmom]

On one of my Repos on the Dawn from Boston was a Furrie group. Most guests on the roll call  were upset and a couple cancelled. The Furries ended up being a light hearted fun group that just happened to like dressing up in these large furry costumes. Why they want to dress up like that in the Carribean is beyond me.

Edited February 21, 2023 by bedfordmom

[styles27]

4 minutes ago, bedfordmom said:

On one of my Repos on the Dawn from Boston was a Furrie group. Most guests on the roll call  were upset and a couple cancelled. The Furries ended up being a light hearted fun group that just happened to like dressing up in these large furry costumes. Why they want to dress up like that in the Carribean is beyond me.

Well that is a first! lol

When I read it fast I thought you wrote Furbees 😬

I remember my kids having those in the 90’s lol

[shof515]

9 minutes ago, bedfordmom said:

On one of my Repos on the Dawn from Boston was a Furrie group. Most guests on the roll call  were upset and a couple cancelled. The Furries ended up being a light hearted fun group that just happened to like dressing up in these large furry costumes. Why they want to dress up like that in the Carribean is beyond me.

i was on the norwegian breakaway in october 2021 with a large furries group. the only time you noticed that group was when they were walking around in the costume 

[OrangeCatRamblers]

28 minutes ago, shof515 said:

i was on the norwegian breakaway in october 2021 with a large furries group. the only time you noticed that group was when they were walking around in the costume 

 

 

I think the volume and full takeover of the Soca group is going to be a bigger challenge than people in costume. They are planning to takeover all public music on the ship, and the volume and duration will be intense. Look on YouTube for "Uber Soca cruise". 

[JustAPilot]

Gents keep those sunglasses on if your going with your significant other 😂

[styles27]

@OrangeCatRamblersthe NCL fb rep responded to me. This is a screenshot of their response. 
 

Have you tried calling this number?

 

[styles27]

This was my question to them 

 

[OrangeCatRamblers]

Thank you, I will try calling. However, this group did not go through ANY official NCL channels, so there simply is no record of the #s. They booked independently using many different travel agents. 

[shof515]

30 minutes ago, styles27 said:

@OrangeCatRamblersthe NCL fb rep responded to me. This is a screenshot of their response. 
 

Have you tried calling this number?

 

 

according to google that number is for Expedia Cruises which appears to be the travel agent these agents is using to book this cruise.

 

Expedia Cruises will be just as useless since they cant reveal anything over phone due to various privacy laws and things like that

[styles27]

5 minutes ago, shof515 said:

according to google that number is for Expedia Cruises which appears to be the travel agent these agents is using to book this cruise.

 

Expedia Cruises will be just as useless since they cant reveal anything over phone due to various privacy laws and things like that

Ugh you’re kidding

Well it’s clear that NCL is avoiding questions about this. I’m going to respond with the info you provided. Thanks

[JGmf]

Sympathies to the OP.

 

It's going to be a louder and more crowded experience than you imagined. No way around that.  Hopefully you have Vibe passes.