HAL Charters and Group Cruises

[bepsf]

Since a number of folks have made reservations for HAL cruises which have been disrupted by groups or canceled/postponed due to charters - we should have a consistent thread to let each other know about them when we come across them.

HAL currently has two sailings on their 2006 schedule which I understand are going to be full-ship charters: the Feb 26 and March 5 Westerdam sailings.

If anyone else knows or finds out about charters or groups - please keep us updated!

[sail7seas]

What a great idea, Brian. Thank you.


If I might make a suggestion?

How about if we also inform each other if we hear about huge groups which will be aboard a ship for a given cruise. Groups over say 350-400 really impact everyone else aboard who is not a part of the group. IMO

[tomc]

I'm on the Rotterdam NE/C June 25 and there's some sort of religious group going to be onboard. They get coy when I ask how many, but insist they aren't going to take over the ship. They will do their thing and I will be able to do mine.

THAT remains to be seen.

[bellebaby]

The Amsterdam is chartered (full ship) July 10-17 by Templeton Tours for In Touch Minstries/Dr. Charles Stanley.

http://www.templetontours.com/TTIAK.HTML

[ekerr19]

A Google search netted the following lesbian group cruises...

4/3/05 - 4/10/05 - Westerdam
5/8/05 - 5/15/05 - Veendam
10/29/05 - 11/5/05 - Oosterdam

[jhannah]

I've heard of religious groups chartering entire ships. Since the casino and bars are all closed, I often wondered how much it would cost passengers ... since this revenue loss would have to be made up. In checking the In Touch Ministries website, I see where the veranda cabins are going for $3k per person. Pretty steep for a 7-day cruise.

[heyabbott]

A Google search netted the following lesbian group cruises...

4/3/05 - 4/10/05 - Westerdam
5/8/05 - 5/15/05 - Veendam
10/29/05 - 11/5/05 - Oosterdam

If I can get my wife to visit her folks any of those weeks, sign me up.

[dakrewser]

If I can get my wife to visit her folks any of those weeks, sign me up.

Ah, that explains a lot....

[kryos]

If anyone else knows or finds out about charters or groups - please keep us updated!
May 28 to June 4 ... Oosterdam Alaska departure. Maui Writer's Retreat at sea. While they don't charter the boat, at least last year that had probably about 300-400 participants. I have no idea what the group is shaping up to be this year since I'm not attending.

As I posted before, though ... they are really a "non-intrusive" group. They use quite a few of the lounges for meetings and stuff during the day, but I think the areas used are ones that are either shared with the rest of the passengers (a corner of the Crow's Nest, for example), or are rooms that are normally not put to use during the day. Participants are seated together at each dinner seating, at tables located in the same section of the dining room.

At night, there are really not many group activities, though they did have a champaign welcome aboard party the first night of the cruise last year. I have no idea where it was held since I missed embarkation in Fort Lauderdale.

Writers are a crazy group ... you might actually enjoy sailing with them. :)

Blue skies ...

--rita

[dakrewser]

Writers are a crazy group ... you might actually enjoy sailing with them.

I crusie to get away from [other] writers! :rolleyes:

[tomc]

Writers are a crazy group ... you might actually enjoy sailing with them. I was having lunch with a friend and, out of nowhere, said to him, "I think the National Geographic Magazine uses too many semicolons." He looked at me rather oddly.

[KSCnCA]

tomc: personally, I like semicolons. :) I guess I like all punctuation! Better too much punctuation than none at all!

[bepsf]

I was having lunch with a friend and, out of nowhere, said to him, "I think the National Geographic Magazine uses too many semicolons." He looked at me rather oddly.


***Looking at tomc rather oddly***

[Orcrone]

I crusie to get away from [other] writers! :rolleyes:What a coincidence. They said that they cruise to get away from you.:D

Disclaimer: Just a joke.:)

[arzz]

I; thought; Tomc cruised to get away from semicolons;;;;;;;;;;;;

[dakrewser]

What a coincidence. They said that they cruise to get away from you.:D

Disclaimer: Just a joke.:)


No, they cruise to get away from editors. I used to be an editor, then I realized no one who talk to me socially...:(






[That's another joke, folks. Honest. You can trust me on that!:rolleyes: ]