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Apparently, Celebrity has chosen to cancell their Bridge program


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Hi All,

 

Apparently, Celebrity will no longer be offering "Bridg Play and Instruction", on their cruises. Any comments or thoughts?

 

I know many passangers who love their Bridge on sea days, what about you.

 

One more way to not give the passengers something they really enjoy for free!!!!

 

Regards,

 

Shannon

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One of the reasons we began to cruise in the first place. Where did you hear of this? Our last cruise had 8 seadays and Bridge was what we did. Fortunately our next cruise has only 2 seadays out of 11. If this is true, I hope they reinstate it.

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Hi All,

 

Apparently, Celebrity will no longer be offering "Bridg Play and Instruction", on their cruises. Any comments or thoughts?

 

I know many passangers who love their Bridge on sea days, what about you.

 

One more way to not give the passengers something they really enjoy for free!!!!

 

Regards,

 

Shannon

 

This really surprises me, because on our last few Celebrity Cruises there was so many bridge players that some of us had to play in another room. Are you sure about this? If so, how did you hear about it?

 

I will be very upset if they go though with this because I love Bridge and look forward to it on sea days. My husband and I have also found that we always meet the nicest people playing bridge.

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Hi guys,

 

I am Shannon's husband and I an a Bridge Director for a number of companies, including Sixth Star Entertainment who provides Briddge Directors for a number of cruise lines, including Celebrity.

 

Sixth Star was informed by Celebrity that with t he exception of Trans-Atlantic, Trans-Canal, and one other type of cruise, that they will not be offering organized Bridge. Several of my friends who teach and direct Bridge have had their cruises cancelled.

 

We have cruised Celebrity and enjoyed our Bridge, so naturally we are very sad about this.

 

Jay

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First X cuts benefits of the Captain's Club, we hear rumors of the end of the dance-host program, now organized bridge will be cut back... Death by a thousand cuts..:(

 

Come writers and critics

Who prophesize with your pen

And keep your eyes wide

The chance won't come again

And don't speak too soon

For the wheel's still in spin

And there's no tellin' who

That it's namin'.

For the loser now

Will be later to win

For the times they are a-changin'.

Dylan would say: "I can't really say that adults don't understand young people any more than you can say big fishes don't understand little fishes. I didn't mean ['The Times They Are a-Changin'] as a statement... It's a feeling."
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When we switched to cruising, we really liked it mainly because we stay out of the sun and there is very little else to do at a beach resort....but if Celebrity eliminates the activities...they eliminate one of the main attractions of cruising! We are not interested in the Casino, bingo, trivia, etc. So, it will be back to reading books, just like we did on land.....not too enticing!

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It's likely too late for 2007, but maybe a bunch of letters or emails to Celebrity will show interest and perhaps prompt reconsideration.

 

Jay

 

I just called Celebrity to express the way I feel about their decision to eliminate bridge, but the person I spoke to was unaware of the situation. Who at Celebrity knows and is in a position to do something about it?

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Hmmmmm. Each ship has a card room. I wonder what revenue-generating activity is going to replace bridge and utilize those dedicated rooms?

 

Seems as though a letter writing campaign is in order --- and quickly!

 

Hi Everyone !

 

While I have no personal interest in Bridge... for those that do enjoy it, I am sorry to hear it is being removed. I am wondering if Celebrity has plans to make this an extension of the Casino.... a Poker Room perhaps ? Just a thought.

 

For those that are upset about this decision, by all means... call and email Captains Club, and let them know how you feel. If enough people let Celebrity know... perhaps they will reconsider. Good Luck !

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Hi again,

 

As I said before, my source is Sixth Star and whoever gives them their marching orders at Celebrity is the source and there can be no doubt as to its accuracy. As to what might take the place of Bridge, it may be as simple as eliminating the Bridge Teacher/Director position and keeping the card room. That would save them the cabin that we occupy. Doesn't seem like very much.

 

I have no firm source for this, but there are whispers that there are plans to install an Internet cafe which is viewed as revenue producing. This would go in the current card room. This RUMOR is spreading about Celebrity and other lines as well.

 

Good luck with your letter writing.

 

Jay

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I'm not looking to defend X's decision here, but one does have to acknowledge that bridge, sadly, is a game whose minions are rapidly diminishing in the U.S. I'm in my 40s and virtually none of my friends even know the basic concepts of the game, let alone have ever played. Yes it's thriving on the Internet, but few of the players I encounter there are American. Yes Bill Gates and Warren Buffet want school kids to learn it (let's hope they put their $ where their mouths are on that one), but in the meantime one is hard-pressed to find American bridge players younger than the older baby-boomers.

 

So X is just acknowledging, I think, that a small and diminishing percentage of its customer base cares about bridge.

 

Having said that, nothing stops bridge players from gathering amongst ourselves in the card room and forming foursomes to play. We witnessed this on Connie, where the card room was daily full of incidental bridge games. (Coincidentally, on our cruise Connie also carried a large group of Australian bridge players who had taken the cruise as part of an organized bridge event - they played duplicate among themselves down in the conference rooms.) But in the card room, score pads and playing cards were handy, you just sat down and waited for other bridge players to come along.

 

The lack of formal instruction and organization may be a blow, but it won't stop hardy bridge fans from finding their game on board.

 

On the other hand, if Celebrity goes so far as to do away with the card rooms, now that would really stink.

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Hi Baltigator :)

 

I agree that Bridge is not popular with the younger generation, and could understand Celebrity's decision if their Bridge Program did not attract many of its passengers. However, during our last few cruises, people who came to Bridge Class at the last minute had trouble finding a seat, while the afternoon Bridge game had so many players it was necessary to use an additional room for it.

 

During the sixties, many people learned how to play Bridge in college dorms/fraternity houses and that is supposedly the type of passenger that Celebrity aims to attract.

 

The only possible reason I could think of for this decision is that Celebrity is trying to attract a younger demographic and wants to revamp its programs accordingly.

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My suggestion to Bridge lovers is to find a production company to bankroll a program on TV. Like Poker and ballroom dancing, perhaps this is what it takes to cause a resurgence in interest?!

 

Personally, I am concerned that the LIBRARY will be closed next. After all, does the target demographic actually "read"?

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Bridge is being increasingly marketed to young people, one reason this cut surprises me.

 

My husband and I play for the Canadian National Junior team and we just returned from the world championships in Thailand. We are actively involved in the promotion of bridge among younger people. Heck, if there are tournament players here I wouldn't be surprised if you know us in real life! We get to a lot of events in the USA as well.

 

I'm disappointed because we were considering applying to becomes bridge teachers with Celebrity. Personally, I'd rather not play on a cruise ship because the standard is more social than competitive and it's not my style, but I think this was a poor decision because I am sure a significant percentage of cruisers enjoy playing while on vacation.

 

What's next?

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Congratulations on making the Canadian National Junior team, Susie. That is quite an accomplishment. Our BIL competed on the Canadian National Team in Japan....in 1991...but we still talk about it.....!!

 

Rats, dh won't cruise and here I was woo-ing him with promises of Duplicate Bridge games everyday. Is it true that the players can earn points if a Director is present? Provided that they are still hired to direct games.

 

Their are other cruise lines that hire Bridge teachers and Directors...friends of ours just came back from several contracts of teaching and directing Bridge. They loved it.

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