Charter Cruise

[Razz21]

I just found out by accident that my upcoming cruise has a charter.  We are not very happy about this.  Holland should have told us up front when we booked.  We would have changed the date.  Anyone else have this happen?   I called Holland and they said they do not inform guests when booking. 

[esimon]

What exactly is the problem with this.  Passengers are passengers?

[CruiserBruce]

16 minutes ago, Razz21 said:

I just found out by accident that my upcoming cruise has a charter.  We are not very happy about this.  Holland should have told us up front when we booked.  We would have changed the date.  Anyone else have this happen?   I called Holland and they said they do not inform guests when booking. 

If you can book on it, and you aren't in the group, it's not a charter. It's a group of some size. Have sailed with many groups in the 30% (or less) of capacity size, and had zero issues.

 

Before getting too upset, it would be good to know the size of the group, then leading to their likely commitment of spaces and resources. 

[Razz21]

The ship holds 2272 guests, the charter I found out about is around 1000.  I really don't want to get into what the group is.  If I know up front that this group was going to be on I would have picked another date.

[Roz]

Unless they've booked the entire ship, it's not a charter. 

[JohnCoffield]

17 minutes ago, Razz21 said:

The ship holds 2272 guests, the charter I found out about is around 1000.  I really don't want to get into what the group is.  If I know up front that this group was going to be on I would have picked another date.

What ship & when?

[CruiserBruce]

21 minutes ago, Razz21 said:

The ship holds 2272 guests, the charter I found out about is around 1000.  I really don't want to get into what the group is.  If I know up front that this group was going to be on I would have picked another date.

Why can't you cancel? I don't think less than 50% of capacity will be crushing.

 

And I don't think HAL has any obligation to tell you, being it's under 50% of the capacity. 

[CruiserBruce]

5 minutes ago, JohnCoffield said:

What ship & when?

Good question,  given there is a thread here that documents groups and charters.

[Shmoo here]

6 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

Good question,  given there is a thread here that documents groups and charters.

Zuiderdam:

07 September 2024 - 14 September 2024 : Canada & New England : Pastor Benny Tate Group

[JohnCoffield]

16 minutes ago, Shmoo here said:

Zuiderdam:

07 September 2024 - 14 September 2024 : Canada & New England : Pastor Benny Tate Group

Thanks. Sailing in November on Noordam - just checking for purely selfish reasons! (Although the bars may be a bit quieter…)

[Tampa Girl]

I sympathize with the OP. To have almost half of the ship being expected to monopolize at least some of the ship's public area for their particular interests, and  it could mean loss of at least temporary access to the rest of us.  I would change my plans.

[Tampa Girl]

3 minutes ago, JohnCoffield said:

Thanks. Sailing in November on Noordam - just checking for purely selfish reasons! (Although the bars may be a bit quieter…)

...and possibly disapproving!

[Razz21]

We can’t cancel the ship leaves Saturday.  Like I said Holland should have told us when we booked 6 months ago.

[Shmoo here]

14 minutes ago, Razz21 said:

We can’t cancel the ship leaves Saturday.  Like I said Holland should have told us when we booked 6 months ago.

It's really not up to a cruise line to let people know if there are groups onboard.

[broberts]

12 minutes ago, Razz21 said:

We can’t cancel the ship leaves Saturday.  Like I said Holland should have told us when we booked 6 months ago.

 

That presumes the cruise line knew of the large group when you booked.

 

I wonder, do you have a size over which a cruise line should inform you when booking? How about types of groups?

 

At time of booking, did you ask if there were any large groups booked?

[LetItSnow]

While it hasn't happened to me, I have read where groups took over places like the Crows Nest and locked everyone else out.  That's premium space and part of what everyone should be able to use when they want to.

 

[dobiemom]

2 hours ago, Razz21 said:

I just found out by accident that my upcoming cruise has a charter.  We are not very happy about this.  Holland should have told us up front when we booked.  We would have changed the date.  Anyone else have this happen?   I called Holland and they said they do not inform guests when booking. 

Graciously @VMax1700 keeps a list of dry docks, charters, and groups.  It’s updated every couple of months. For next time. 

 

Edited September 2 by dobiemom

[CruiserBruce]

1 hour ago, Shmoo here said:

Zuiderdam:

07 September 2024 - 14 September 2024 : Canada & New England : Pastor Benny Tate Group

Good get, as the OP didn't think it worthwhile info.

[CruiserBruce]

34 minutes ago, Razz21 said:

We can’t cancel the ship leaves Saturday.  Like I said Holland should have told us when we booked 6 months ago.

For less than half full? You think you wouldn't be able to drink? If the group had a true full charter, no outsiders allowed, maybe they could close the bars. But as the cruise line makes a ton of money on booze, the cruise fare would have to be much greater to cover the costs.

 

As others have mentioned,  the bars probably won't be very busy, and you will get a lot more attention from the bar waiters.  Other than that, I don't think it will affect your cruise. Report back your experience please.

[Cruisercl]

I have cruised on ships with 'groups' but not called a charter, a couple of times. It is not the same as cruising without a group. Some were very large groups some medium sized. 

Venues/ bars are closed, dining rooms and restaurants are taken over, entertainment can be affected because the need for a venue or special entertainment, tendering can be affected,, to name a few. They are catered to and too bad for the others.I am sure it is because of the $$$$ the cruiseline gets.

For those who have not had this happen you are lucky. It does impact the rest of the cruise. It does take away from enjoying a cruise.I personally do not care for it.

Not sure what the answer is because no cruise line will tell you.

Safe sailing all. 

 

[Anastas617]

I'll be interested to hear your experience after the cruise. I haven't encountered this on a cruise, but I have been at resorts and other land vacations with large groups and I understand your concerns; in my experience large groups, whether it be conventioneers or some other like-minded group, do tend to take over and monopolize areas as if they are the only guests.

 

Hopefully your cruise isn't impacted negatively.

[Haljo1935]

There was a thread recently where it was reported a large group was allowed express access to one of the MDR which greatly impacted dining for the remaining passengers.

 

I appreciate @VMax1700 list of groups and charters and do check it before booking. With that said, things happen, schedules change... I was bumped (last year) for this months cruise when it became a charter. We're it a group rather than full charter, there would have been no notice from HAL.

 

I hope OP reports back they had a wonderful cruise.

[1025cruise]

HAL and other lines will call it a privacy concern that they won't reveal if a large group is booked. However, the real reason is the reason you stated, had you known, you wouldn't have booked. That leaves a half empty ship.

[Blackduck59]

Any time you get 1000 like minded individuals coming on a cruise you now have everyone not in that group as second class. It does not matter if you paid a high fare for a suite, are a multi star "mariner" or both. The "group" will clog dining venues, any group that large would need the largest venues on the ship for any of their activities and those not in "the Group" can pound sand. 

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

A charter is 8 cabins and up.