Large group on my cruise

[Schplinky]

We just found out the our westerdam 12/10 cruise has a group, AJLI, on board. When I went to their website it states that the price includes a 1 hour cocktail party and dinner at the pinnacle. Does anyone know of a way that we could find out how many from this group will be on this cruise? We have already completed our final payment so changing is not really an option at this point.

 

We actually have three groups onboard ours. In addition to the two I told you, there is a family reunion. I emailed each group and asked how large they were and they were all very forthcoming with telling me so I would encourage you to email AJLI.

[kryos]

We just found out the our westerdam 12/10 cruise has a group, AJLI, on board. When I went to their website it states that the price includes a 1 hour cocktail party and dinner at the pinnacle. Does anyone know of a way that we could find out how many from this group will be on this cruise? We have already completed our final payment so changing is not really an option at this point.

A one-hour cocktail party is no big deal. They'll get one section of the Crow's Nest or a lounge (depending upon their number) for an hour to have their party. Pinnacle will probably be a group dinner one night where, again depending upon the size of the group, other pax may have trouble getting reservations.

 

This doesn't sound like a large group to me. These kinds of groups are on just about all sailings ... and most of the time, you don't even realize they are around.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[we2cruisers]

Thanks Rita,

That is what I was thinking when I read that it was including a 1 hour cocktail party. I also went back on their site and they have pics of previous cruises. I believe that the most people that I counted in any pic was 20, so I feel a lot better.

[we2cruisers]

Thanks Rita,

That is what I was thinking when I read that it was including a 1 hour cocktail party. I also went back on their site and they have pics of previous cruises. I believe that the most people that I counted in any pic was 20, so I feel a lot better.

[kryos]

Actually, Rita, that's exactly what I meant. When I worked in the christian bookstore, people let their kids run all over because they had this "we're all good family people so you'll excuse my children" attitude. Kids would make huge messes and then the family would leave with the Mom smiling this sort of "surely you understand" look and I would clean up the mess. That didn't happen as much in a regular bookstore when I worked there.

All I can say is "Wow!" That's not like the upbringing I dealt with. If I had made a mess in a store, my mom would have surely had me cleaning it up ... and then some ... before we left. Most of the Christians I know today keep their kids on a pretty short leash ... and that sort of thing would never be tolerated.

 

Guess you've seen more than I have then. Maybe the kids on a Christian cruise wouldn't be any better behaved than ones cruising with their parents on the incentive cruise sponsored by dad's company then ... :(

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[Schplinky]

 

However, that said ... if the group is truly 50% of the Westerdam's capacity ... that is close to a thousand people. That's a big group, and you'd better believe, the HAL staff will kotow to them. If they want a private sailaway party on the Lido deck, they will get it and you will have to go elsewhere to enjoy Sailaway.

 

--rita

 

Rita,

 

Would they really make you vacate the lido to accommodate a group at sailaway? that seems extreme to me! I think if HAL is going to treat customers this way, they should just give the charter the whole ship.

[Schplinky]

All I can say is "Wow!" That's not like the upbringing I dealt with. If I had made a mess in a store, my mom would have surely had me cleaning it up ... and then some ... before we left. Most of the Christians I know today keep their kids on a pretty short leash ... and that sort of thing would never be tolerated.

 

Guess you've seen more than I have then. Maybe the kids on a Christian cruise wouldn't be any better behaved than ones cruising with their parents on the incentive cruise sponsored by dad's company then ... :(

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

 

Another thing I have noticed on folks trip reports is that no matter if it's a christian cruise, a gay/lesbian cruise or whatever, the staff tell them their kids are better behaved than "normal" kids. I wonder if that enhances the tips! :)

 

I didn't grow up in a christian household (that came later in life) but if I misbehaved in public, my mom would make me take her hand and would eact the death grip on me. I thnik society as a whole treats children differently than they did 40 years ago.

[zaandam_2]

schplinky - you had a nice mom. mine would take the back of her hand and WHACK :eek:

 

to the OP: i'd certainly cancel this while there is still time.

[Schplinky]

schplinky - you had a nice mom. mine would take the back of her hand and WHACK :eek:

 

to the OP: i'd certainly cancel this while there is still time.

 

You haven't had her squeeze your hand, knowing it will get worse if you start hollering!

[Desdemona01]

we've been on cruises with groups 1/4 the size of the ones you will be dealing with and they do impact your cruise. One group held bible study every afternoon around the aft pool. They were fully dressed, reading their bibles, completely circling the pool and it really intimated some of the people in swimwear, making them self-conscious. Another group of home-party sales reps took over the Queen's lounge on the Westerdam almost every day and very few movies were shown on that cruise. They also used the main show lounge a few times and non-participants were barred.

I know there are no guarantees but I doubt we'll be doing any more 7 day cruises

[earl_m]

If its possible to change and not cost you too much. I would do it.

[sandiego1]

I haven't switched our rez yet, but we are definitely out of this cruise.

Spoke to DH and in-laws. All agree that we should move. We don't care what type of group it is, they will take over the ship.

 

When I first found out about the group, I did do a google on the date and found a Fireman's cruise from WA but that was the only one. Can't imagine it would be that large a group. I do believe the cruise line has a obligation to tell the TAs if there is such a large group on a particular sailing. What I find ridiculous is that Ship Services told me they consider the size of the group and type of group confidential. But you're going to find out once you get on the ship anyway! Why not tell their passengers up front so they can decide for themselves if this group will influence the character of the cruise?

 

And speaking about first class vs. coach - we decided to splurge and booked a full suite entitling us to use the Neptune, etc. I would have been miserable to learn that I couldn't use some of the suite privileges because of this group. It's a lot of money at stake that I could certainly use on something else if I would get little or no enjoyment from the cruise. Again, so glad I found out now when I can still cancel.

 

It's gonna take a lot of work to find another cruise and desired cabins. We're pretty picky about where we are situated. So between finding a decent cruise, at a decent price on the limited dates we have available and finding reasonably priced airline tkts and hotels, it will take quite a bit of research. Already went through this once several months ago. Thought it was all behind me:( Now I have to start over. At least I kept my notes and can use them to narrow down the cruise search. But there will be lots of hours on the phone w/ the TA getting updated pricing and cabin availability.

[wrp96]

If you want to avoid a sailing with a large group on it, also avoid the 2/4/07 Jewel of the Seas sailing out of Ft. Lauderdale as that has a large group of Funeral Directors on it.

[lougee1043]

And speaking about first class vs. coach - we decided to splurge and booked a full suite entitling us to use the Neptune, etc. I would have been miserable to learn that I couldn't use some of the suite privileges because of this group. It's a lot of money at stake that I could certainly use on something else if I would get little or no enjoyment from the cruise. Again, so glad I found out now when I can still cancel..

 

there are only x cabins that can use the lounge and imo it doesnt matter if those pax are sailing solo or part of a group------so the group shouldnt impact your use of the lounge as long as the lounge people keep out the pax that dont belong---

[Schplinky]

there are only x cabins that can use the lounge and imo it doesnt matter if those pax are sailing solo or part of a group------so the group shouldnt impact your use of the lounge as long as the lounge people keep out the pax that dont belong---

 

But if the large group has arranged, say, priority tendering because they have an event on the beach (an example that was earlier used) your suite status will still not get you on one of the first tenders.

[Schplinky]

If you want to avoid a sailing with a large group on it, also avoid the 2/4/07 Jewel of the Seas sailing out of Ft. Lauderdale as that has a large group of Funeral Directors on it.

 

That must be quite an undertaking!

 

(Cannot believe I just typed that)

[bepsf]

What I find ridiculous is that Ship Services told me they consider the size of the group and type of group confidential...

...Why not tell their passengers up front so they can decide for themselves if this group will influence the character of the cruise?

 

For exactly the reason that you're changing your reservation.

 

Their job is to have the ship sail full and for as much as they can charge per cabin.* Any information that goes out that might prevent that from happening is detrimental to the profitability of that cruise.

[JDRMYS]

Having once been burned by taking a cruise (on Regent Seven Seas) on which approximatley half the passengers were made the top producing sales people of one of the country's largest cosmetics companies, we now have our TA ask the cruise line if there are any large groups on board before we make our final payment. He is usually given an accurate answer, including the approximate sizes of any groups on board.

 

Our aforementioned cruise experience was certainly greatly diminished by this noisy group. Being in sales myself, I know how enthousiastic people at sales conventions can be and I have always avoided those of the companies with which I have been affiliated. I did not appreciate finding myself in the midst of one on my vacation. Things got so noisy and confused in the dining room (with many people table hopping throughout the meal) that we had dinner in our cabin on several nights.

[twinkletoes4445]

What's interesting is we gave our TA several dates we could cruise, and she only came back with a price for 2/3 on the Zuiderdam. Come to find out, the week before and after are charters (I believe). I believe HAL knew this and gave her the price for only 2/3, although she didn't tell me this.

 

I am SOOOOO glad we didn't pick the 2/4 Westerdam cruise...because we talked about this one.

 

I also had NO idea it was Super Bowl weekend when I booked this cruise. I was lucky and found $200 air on Midwest (each person). For Feb., I thought that was a good deal, and even a better deal when I found out about Super Bowl.

 

Finding a hotel was another story. Everything is being held for Super Bowl. I did find a room at a hotel in Deerfield Beach, and we do have one held at a place in Plantation, but we're going to go with HAL's hotel program. They're putting us in the Marriott in Hollywood Beach. It's not the greatest location, but we'll have a car, so we'll be able to get out and about.

 

Is it possible to switch to the Zuiderdam that leaves on Saturday? I read through the threads, but I didn't see where you say what day you are coming in town. And I am glad we're leaving out of FLL. There's no way I'd want to be in Miami on Super Bowl weekend.

 

I can say without a doubt that if we get bumped, and shoved around because a large group was added or exists on our cruise (and we didn't know about it), I'll never get my husband on a cruise ship again. We're spending a week in Grand Cayman in January, and if I get bumped around, I'll just find another flight and head down there for another week in Feb.

 

I have to say I am very disappointed in reading this. And this isn't the first thread like this. There's several other posters who have found themselves on group charter cruises, and HAL refused to tell them this so they could move to another cruise (which they were going to have to do-Shonuf is the one that comes to mind when I think about her issue).

 

Good luck!

[Nectarologist]

That must be quite an undertaking!

 

(Cannot believe I just typed that)

 

That is too funny! Your post about the hand squeezing brought a chuckle but this was good, my type of humor. I wouldn't have been able to resist either :)

 

The hand squeezing post made me think of something I often tell people when such a topic comes up...My mom only had to hit me once...that was all it took for me to learn to stop what I was doing one I got "the look."

[kryos]

That must be quite an undertaking!

 

(Cannot believe I just typed that)

Yeah, and who knows ... that sailing could very well become a charter. I'm sure there are a lot of folks just dying to get on it. :)

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[saginaw]

We are also booked on this cruise and we are now considering changing our booking. I contacted our TA and he called Holland America and they denied there was a large charter. They said the only charters they have are taking place in January. How did you find out about this group? Do they have a website?

I'm lost, I don't know who to believe! This is the only week we can travel this winter so we are stuck! I thought the Super Bowl was bad luck but this is really bad luck! And we were so looking forward to travelling with Holland America!

saginaw

[hammybee]

We are also booked on this cruise and we are now considering changing our booking. I contacted our TA and he called Holland America and they denied there was a large charter. They said the only charters they have are taking place in January. How did you find out about this group? Do they have a website?

I'm lost, I don't know who to believe! This is the only week we can travel this winter so we are stuck! I thought the Super Bowl was bad luck but this is really bad luck! And we were so looking forward to travelling with Holland America!

saginaw

 

The difference might be terminology, "charter" versus "group". The former is most often used when the entire ship is booked by a special interest group versus a group booking that might be substantial in size, but has not committed to all cabins.

[sandiego1]

saginaw - it's not a charter. They didn't have "quite" enough people to charter the entire ship. But it was pretty close. My TA called Ship Services and they told her that. I called SS and they weren't as helpful. They wouldn't tell me how many cabins or people. But my TA found out it was enough to book both the 8 and 8:30 seatings which is roughly 400 people per seating. So a total of 800, plus 50 or so on that 6:15 seating.

 

I'm having trouble finding flights that are roughly the same cost as we paid for the 2/4 Westerdam. I expect that this switch will cost us about $500 more. We'll lose $100 for our trip insurance plus more for the flights :(

 

We almost went on the 2/3 Zuiderdam. The prices were exactly the same. I decided I'd rather go to St. Maarten instead of St. Thomas so we picked the Westerdam. I'm so sorry now!!

[lougee1043]

saginaw

 

is that like in michigan ---state street and binz apple mtn restaurant --is it still there