Is There a Way To Determine If a Group Is Booked On Your Cruise

[hammybee]

Look here:

 

http://www.nwas.com/mediterranean/08jmez.html

 

My wife and I will be there. This group just may put me to sleep!!

 

How would you check to see how many signed up to go?

 

You can call them and the organizer will tell you how many they anticipate.

[esther e]

Wow. Thanks for all this information. We had 2 horrid cruises with HAL due to "groups." The first was the poker player crew. Terrible. They were loud and obnoxious and had no desire to dress nicely. The second was last year with a group of baseball fans. Wouldn't have necessarily bothered us except when we showed up for dinner, our table was filled with other people (from the group) and we had nowhere to sit. After standing in front of the maitre-d for more than 20 minutes, he found somewhere to put us. Incidentally, we were in a suite, if that matters. I will keep an eye open for charters of groups and if one doesn't suit us, we will cancel. I see a group of MD's are on a cruise we've booked, which is fine. I object to the loud, obnoxious, take-over people.

[puli]

I just booked a Canada - New England cruise on the Maasdam beginning July 18 2009 and was informed that a "card playing" group was booked on the cruise and the entire upper dining room early seating has been reserved.

 

Reserving early seating seems to be standard practice for HAL's special ship services for group bookings. It is possible that the group will not want early seating but until they inform HAL that particular seating shows "closed".

HAL could not or would not tell me the exact numbers nor the group title.

[heavenly]

I don't usually "warn" about our groups, we only number 50-80 typically BUT we do have a large one about to sail the Oosterdam in October, the 25th to be exact. It should be listed as Surfcruisecup.com or davemasoncruise.com.

[Southbound]

We are booked on the 9/1/08 Eurodam sailing and have just learned that a Kosherica group will be on board. Their web site says they specialize in glatt kosher cruises and will have a 5-star kosher chef in charge of dining for the group. Does anyone have knowledge/experience with Kosherica? Is it the type of group that will utilize public rooms (Crow's Nest, etc.) to the exclusion of other pax? Any info would be appreciated.

[hammybee]

We are booked on the 9/1/08 Eurodam sailing and have just learned that a Kosherica group will be on board. Their web site says they specialize in glatt kosher cruises and will have a 5-star kosher chef in charge of dining for the group. Does anyone have knowledge/experience with Kosherica? Is it the type of group that will utilize public rooms (Crow's Nest, etc.) to the exclusion of other pax? Any info would be appreciated.

 

Other than occasional public signage and/or group desk, most passengers remain unaware of how many groups are onboard. I am blown away at the 50+% premium being charged to passengers booking with this group, on any sail. If you are concerned about size and/or potential to dominate, why not give them a call and ask how many passengers they hope to attract to your sailing. My best guess is that it's going to be a drop in the ole bucket.

[Two if by Sea]

I am blown away at the 50+% premium being charged to passengers booking with this group, on any sail.

 

Hiring a Glatt Kosher chef and bringing onboard an entire collection of kosher kitchen utensils, dishes, etc., not to mention probably having to build an entire separate kitchen somewhere onboard -- that's got to cost money!! Divide by a small number of people and the cost will be quite high.

[Southbound]

If you are concerned about size and/or potential to dominate, why not give them a call and ask how many passengers they hope to attract to your sailing. My best guess is that it's going to be a drop in the ole bucket.

 

 

HB -- I had already tried that and it was like pulling teeth. Eventually, I was told at present it is an "intimate" size group but "projections are good" for a very positive response for this sailing. So, your best guess could be right on target.

[Southbound]

Hiring a Glatt Kosher chef and bringing onboard an entire collection of kosher kitchen utensils, dishes, etc., not to mention probably having to build an entire separate kitchen somewhere onboard -- that's got to cost money!! Divide by a small number of people and the cost will be quite high.

 

Then Kosherica must be counting on a bonanza, both in bookings and $$$-wise, as they've blocked cabins on: Westerdam (7/6, 8/17, 8/24/08); Prinsendam (8/21/08); Zuiderdam (8/12/08, 1/18/09); Noordam (8/15, 8/25/08); Eurodam (9/1/08) and Veendam (1/18/09). They also have cabins blocked on several Costa sailings, as well.

[Smoke Fan]

The list of charters is fantastic, as well as all of the information this thread provides. I see on the list that there is a "possible unverifed charter" for the Nov 29 sailing on Eurodam. Any further information on what group this is or number of passengers?

This is our first HAL cruise and I would hate to see it cancelled.

Patty

[Two if by Sea]

I see on the list that there is a "possible unverifed charter" for the Nov 29 sailing on Eurodam. Any further information on what group this is or number of passengers?

This is our first HAL cruise and I would hate to see it cancelled.

Patty

 

One person posted a tease of a post suggesting that that would be the next cruise to be chartered but gave no further information. Rich, if nobody else has come up with any reason to believe it, and the OP on that topic has not returned, perhaps those unverified charters should just be removed from the list?

 

Or has someone heard more about those since the topic first came up?

[Roz]

JazzSea Cruise on the Statendam Jan. 3-10, 2009. Don't know if it's a group or charter, but if it's a group, it's a large one.

 

I was going to book the Statendam for those dates, and noticed that all the balconies were sold out, which seemed odd. I Googled the dates and ship and got the JazzSea website.

 

Now I'm looking at the Westerdam.

 

Roz

[puli]

JazzSea Cruise on the Statendam Jan. 3-10, 2009. Don't know if it's a group or charter, but if it's a group, it's a large one.

 

I was going to book the Statendam for those dates, and noticed that all the balconies were sold out, which seemed odd. I Googled the dates and ship and got the JazzSea website.

 

Now I'm looking at the Westerdam.

 

Roz

 

Roz, how did you do that? I want to find out the name of the group planning to "take over' the Maasdam on the July 18 2009 cruise. All I was told is they have reserved the upper dining room fixed time slot.Do I pull up google and then just put in Maasdam and the sail date?

[Roz]

Puli,

 

That's exactly what I did.

 

Roz

[hammybee]

One person posted a tease of a post suggesting that that would be the next cruise to be chartered but gave no further information. Rich, if nobody else has come up with any reason to believe it, and the OP on that topic has not returned, perhaps those unverified charters should just be removed from the list?

 

Or has someone heard more about those since the topic first came up?

 

I have been watching this too. I had hoped Caribbean Boy was going to be a good source but thus far, it's been unsubstantiated claims that got a few people worked up, probably for nothing.

 

Any poster can claim anything on any message board and some of them do.

[mikjr]

I would think... that the longer the cruise, the less "organized" groups you'll find onboard the ship.

 

Does that sense or sound logical to anyone else?

[hammybee]

I would think... that the longer the cruise, the less "organized" groups you'll find onboard the ship.

 

Does that sense or sound logical to anyone else?

 

The majority of large U.S. groups sail 7 day intineraries from U.S. ports. The same can be said of charters.

[Nutrioso]

group with quite a few big name performers are on the Nov 01, 2008 Veendam from Tampa - 8 days western carib. We cancelled and rebooked on the Ryndam Nov 10th Sea of Cortez. Penny

[lvz2cruz]

Hal booking agent says group has reserved all early dining 12/14/08on Veendam. I'm guessing it would not be party group if they eat early. Any idea on who it could be? There is no roll call so far, so maybe it's a big group.

Thanks for any help.

[richwmn]

My search so far only came up with a travel consolidator having some rooms. I would not imagine that would be enough to reserve, nor would everyone from a consolidator want, a specific dining time. Maybe someone else knows.

 

Rich

[lvz2cruz]

Rich,

You're good. Was that the Blueseas or something like that link?

[quartetman]

Does anyone have any info on the MOAA group on the 11-7-08 sailing of the Noordam? Thanks in advance.

Rick

[hammybee]

Does anyone have any info on the MOAA group on the 11-7-08 sailing of the Noordam? Thanks in advance.

Rick

 

Is this the Military Officers Association of America?

 

If so, they seem to hold group space on many cruises on all the different cruise lines. I doubt it's a big group. If concerned, why not give them a call and ask about the size of the group.

[hammybee]

Hal booking agent says group has reserved all early dining 12/14/08on Veendam. I'm guessing it would not be party group if they eat early. Any idea on who it could be? There is no roll call so far, so maybe it's a big group.

Thanks for any help.

 

50-50, it's a nursing home of nursing home consortium.

[harryjr]

Apparently the 12/14/08 Veendam has a 700 passenger "unknown" group booked according to the link found at the beginning of this thread.