Groups on Cruises

There have been discussions about HAL having large groups on its cruises. I guess the political, religious, jazz, etc. groups don't sound so bad when you read this article about a British family's experience on RCI.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2254382/Royal-Caribbean-How-2-500-hairy-bikers-ruined-familys-4-000-cruise.html#comments

:eek:

There have been discussions about HAL having large groups on its cruises. I guess the political, religious, jazz, etc. groups don't sound so bad when you read this article about a British family's experience on RCI.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2254382/Royal-Caribbean-How-2-500-hairy-bikers-ruined-familys-4-000-cruise.html#comments

 

:eek:

I am SHOCKED at the last sentence/Quote from the Cruise Line Spokesman, "On this particular sailing, the majority of customers had a great holiday."

Well of course the majority of the passengers had no complaints and had a great cruise........Duh!!!!!!!!!:rolleyes: That more than 2500 of the 3600 passengers were happy............No thought to the roughly 1100 others who were not happy at all....

I am glad though that some of those roughly 1100 UNHAPPY passengers were able to get some compensation better than the original 150 Pounds.

Joanie

I just finished reading this story online in the Daily Mail. Even more interesting were the responses, and their view of cruising in general. Makes it sound like always the holiday from hell anyway, only "losers" go on cruises and cruises are "Butlins at Sea" - the Brits will get that one.

I went over to the RCI boards and didn't find any comments on this particular cruise.

The photo of Mom and the two children says it all.

Those kids should have wide smiles and Mom should look happy.......

They look positively miserable and who could blame them?

If that sort of huge group wants to sail, they should be required to charter the ship. It is so unfair to subject others to that atmosphere when they are spending their valued vacation time and funds. It's just blame wrong IMO

What Mom/Dad wants children that age exposed to that atmosphere..... and pay for the misery on top of it?

Unbelievably bad. I can't imagine, I would be totally upset to be on that cruise. In a case like this I would be wanting my money back.

The photo of Mom and the two children says it all.

Those kids should have wide smiles and Mom should look happy.......

They look positively miserable and who could blame them?

If that sort of huge group wants to sail, they should be required to charter the ship. It is so unfair to subject others to that atmosphere when they are spending their valued vacation time and funds. It's just blame wrong IMO

 

What Mom/Dad wants children that age exposed to that atmosphere..... and pay for the misery on top of it?

While I agree with you, Sail, it should be remembered that the photos are staged.... and the Daily Mail is a tabloid looking for sensationalism. The cruise was in October, this newspaper item appears at the end of December. I'm sure they haven't been sitting around with sad looks ever since.

I just checked the RCI boards again, and found out that this is a fundraiser cruise, all in a very good cause. Mind you, I think the other pax should have been informed.

That you are the article.

Really feel sad for those 1100 passengers.

That happened to us once years ago on a Princess ship -- small ship -- not many places for we regular passengers to go expecially in the evenings as the couple of bars were taken over by a large group.

We were once subjected to a huge group on an "S" class ship. It was AWFUL!!!

We were on for ten days and it was a very long ten days.

We didn't care about 'compensation'..... we wanted the chance to enjoy our vacation but it was very hard to do so given all the parts of the ship from which we were barred including aft pool on a gorgeous sea day and Crows Nest every night.

I specifically check the list that Carol (English in Spain) is currently maintaining, and carefully avoid booking cruises with known large groups.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=36388163&postcount=26

Smaller groups don't bother me - it's just the ones that take over the public spaces.

the bikers sure look like they were having fun though....;)

"A cruise around the Caribbean aboard one of the world’s largest passenger ships carries connotations of glamour, elegance and sophistication."

On Royal Caribbean?! :eek: :confused: :D

"A cruise around the Caribbean aboard one of the world’s largest passenger ships carries connotations of glamour, elegance and sophistication."

 

On Royal Caribbean?! :eek: :confused: :D

I thought this comment re: Royal was strange too. I've been on several cruises on Royal Caribbean. They always have belly flop, hairy chest and other poolside contests. I really don't see why the family had a complaint? :confused:

I would take anything originating in the Daily Mail in the UK with several pounds of salt. Tatty tabloid sensationalism at its worst.

I wonder perhaps why the daughter still hadn't unpacked her carryon bag after two months - I can't believe the Daily Mail would stage this photo? Surely not.

I would really like to hear from fellow passengers and their experiences of the group before taking the "Glums" as the sole source of information.

I'm surprised the Daily Mail couldn't come up with a reason to blame the cruise disaster on Britain's membership of the European Union.

If your cruise has a large group booked. You are probably better off canceling.

It should be your cruise, not theirs.

IMHO when a group is more than half of the guest complement they should be required to charter and if it is not sold out then it could be offered to the public but completely known that there is a very large group.

Other than that though, Royal does belly flop and hairy chest contests on their regular sailings...and anyone could be wearing any t-shirt at any time.

Douglas...Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

IMHO when a group is more than half of the guest complement they should be required to charter and if it is not sold out then it could be offered to the public but completely known that there is a very large group.

 

Other than that though, Royal does belly flop and hairy chest contests on their regular sailings...and anyone could be wearing any t-shirt at any time.

 

 

Douglas...Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

On HAL, they are required to charter if the group gets to half the passenger count.

But I sure don't want to be on a ship with ANY group, no matter what it is they stand for/do/share, that is any larger than 20 - 25% maximum of the total passenger number. Even that makes for inconvenience and possible disruption and denial of access.

Most cruise lines court these groups and I understand the $$ benefit but I think it lousy they keep it as secret as they possibly can. They know how much it impacts those not part of the group.

We were on a cruise on the Oosterdam early this year. It was at least half full of a gospel group. I admit I was a little worried. Turned out to be very quiet Canadians and they were lovely to cruise with. I worried for nothing. Gotta love those Canadians.

What a hideous experience... I'm trying to imagine a vacation trapped with that batch of lowlifes. My blood pressure would soar.

I thought the story on cruise critic was pretty bad about a doll cruise (American Girl dolls?) a while back...the hundreds of kids ran amok, the parents let them, the non-group people couldn't use the pool often due to the private events. The large dollies were brought to the dining room, often occupied bar stools and pool lounges, etc. But this biker thing looks a lot worse.

We were on HAL's Veendam once with a very large religious group that planned to do mission work ashore in Guatemala and elsewhere. They all had big name tags on at all times (a bit much) but were fairly low key otherwise. The ones we chatted with were very pleasant.

Also we were on the Noordam once with some group that made a great deal of noise every day in the private meeting rooms alongside the Explorations Cafe. Other passengers would close the room door and they would immediately reopen it. Destroyed the ambiance of the Explorations for much of that sailing.

We were once subjected to a huge group on an "S" class ship. It was AWFUL!!!

We were on for ten days and it was a very long ten days.

We didn't care about 'compensation'..... we wanted the chance to enjoy our vacation but it was very hard to do so given all the parts of the ship from which we were barred including aft pool on a gorgeous sea day and Crows Nest every night.

 

I agree completely. We've been on similar cruises and even some elevators were restricted for the group only. A disgrace.

There was quite a controversy a few years ago when a large group of "Swingers" and I don't mean swing dancers, presented quite a problem. I don't want to get into what the reported antics were but undergarments on the door handles and signs on the doors created quite a stir. One of our Maasdam cruises had a large gay women's group and there was never a problem. We had a great cruise. I would imagine the rowdiness of the bikers up there with the Swingers.

There was quite a controversy a few years ago when a large group of "Swingers" and I don't mean swing dancers, presented quite a problem. I don't want to get into what the reported antics were but undergarments on the door handles and signs on the doors created quite a stir. One of our Maasdam cruises had a large gay women's group and there was never a problem. We had a great cruise. I would imagine the rowdiness of the bikers up there with the Swingers.

Did the crew try to do anything about the antics or just let it be?

Don't really know, sail7seas, this was a few years ago and I just read the thread. I doubt it. Can't say that I remember the crew ever doing much regarding discipline on any cruise I have ever sailed. I am not sure if it is a "don't get involved" attitude or "don't bite the hand that feeds you." Most of what I have seen involved unruly kids or chair hogger fights. Never anything major. My father did see a family get kicked off when the father got drunk and knocked over the Christmas Tree.

I agree completely. We've been on similar cruises and even some elevators were restricted for the group only. A disgrace.

That is so wrong! :eek: :mad:

Don't really know, sail7seas, this was a few years ago and I just read the thread. I doubt it. Can't say that I remember the crew ever doing much regarding discipline on any cruise I have ever sailed. I am not sure if it is a "don't get involved" attitude or "don't bite the hand that feeds you." Most of what I have seen involved unruly kids or chair hogger fights. Never anything major. My father did see a family get kicked off when the father got drunk and knocked over the Christmas Tree.

Thanks. :)

I agree they usually try to 'stay out of it' unless there is real damage or injury happening.