Bars, casinos and Christian groups

If this poster is not on the cruise, they have no business posting or participating in a roll call for the cruise. You should be reporting any postings from this poster to the board administrators as nuisance postings.

Please!!! Live and let live. Mary is a legitimate cruiser/poster.

Please show us the rule that says someone not on the sailing can't post to a Roll Call. I've participated in several Roll Calls where people who were not booked posted. Especially if someone is on another sailing of the same itinerary. I found the "cross pollenization" helpful.

 

And while the accuracy of part of the post is in question, was anyone aware of the partial charter prior to WA's post? (And aren't you better off knowing in advance or would you prefer to find out after boarding? If you have a lot of tender ports and they have private tours it gives you a chance to make a back up plan or adjust tour start times for Shorex.)

WRONG!!!!

 

Someone who has just finished a particular itinerary may want to share thoughts with people slated for a later one. Alternatively, checking roll calls for particular itineraries may help someone decide whether to book or not. If you want to be punctilious, you might suggest that someone not booked on a particular cruise might think of letting roll call members know.

 

What no one has any business doing is unthinkingly posting "rules" such as these.

Totally agree with you both.

Anyone is welcome on our roll calls. They are either considering the cruise or coming on to share information :) or ask for some.

I met a very good friend through roll call -- and we were cruising different weeks. Her roll call people came on our roll call to joke with us and trade barbs and what not.

All in fun -- like "don't drink all the liquor on the ship before we get there!"

The good friend and I met on a subsequent cruise and now cruise together as often as we can!

As for Christian groups, there was one on board one of our cruises, and the casino and bars were business as usual.

Thank you everyone for your posts.

As for people posting on roll calls wrt to cruises they are not on, it's not a problem unless someone is giving the wrong information or trying to start an argument. I do not know why this person keeps posting her messages on our roll call. It's almost like she has some kind of an agenda. Perhaps if she scares people away from this cruise, the price will go down and she will then book it?

As for knowing about this group being on the cruise, as usual, I found out about it on CC. You certainly would never find this out from HAL or a TA. I have booked this cruise as a 2-week cruise (starting January 4). I thought of cancelling it when I found out about the group, but I couldn't find another comparable cruise at this price. I cruise solo and the single supplement was reasonable.

If the person has posted that probably inaccurate information many, many times then on the latest post I would click the orange triangle and say to the moderator

this is the 10th (whatever the number is) time this person has posted this same probably inaccurate information. The cruise is not a charter so this info is probably not true.

Then leave it up to the moderator.

Over 75 % of Americans identify themselves as Christian. So basically every cruise leaving from the US is a Christian cruise. :p

:D

hic

:D

I like my gin with agnostic bitters :D

Now THIS is FUNNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;)

That is absolutely not true. You really should not post such misinformation.

WRONG!!!!

 

Someone who has just finished a particular itinerary may want to share thoughts with people slated for a later one. Alternatively, checking roll calls for particular itineraries may help someone decide whether to book or not. If you want to be punctilious, you might suggest that someone not booked on a particular cruise might think of letting roll call members know.

 

What no one has any business doing is unthinkingly posting "rules" such as these.

We shall have to agree to disagree. While I don't believe that there is a literal rule that states that someone who is not on a cruise cannot post to a roll call, I draw your attention to the following:

What are Roll Calls?

Roll Calls are discussions where you can "meet up and chat with" other Cruise Critic members on the same cruise on-line before you sail! Your Roll Call is the place where members can get to know one another before they sail, and exchange tips and information about their particular line, ship, Ports of Call, shore excursions/tours, transportation, etc.

Some Roll Calls get started very early, others start closer to sailing dates; some are very active; some tend to be a bit more quiet. Regardless of how active a Roll Call is, this is a great opportunity to meet your fellow Cruise Critic members sailing with you.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=44773

emphasis added by me.

I interpret this to mean that roll calls are for fellow passengers who are actually sailing.

I always heard : it used to be called Anglican in the States but after prohibition they changed it to E'pis'copalian!

If the powers that be at CC wanted to discourage people from posting on a roll call if they are not taking that particular cruise, I would think they would put that in black and white in the guidelines.

Thou Shalt Not Post on a Roll Call Other Than Thine Own.

I've seen lots of people post on roll calls of cruisers who've just returned to ask about entertainers, CDs, etc.

I think as long as someone is upfront that he or she is not cruising with them, and isn't doing it for some untoward purpose, then there is no harm.

(As in - "I'm not on your cruise, but I want to tell you that in the Piano Bar there is a great guy ... don't miss him!")

Perhaps one of the mods will weigh in here and settle the matter.

Over 75 % of Americans identify themselves as Christian. So basically every cruise leaving from the US is a Christian cruise. :p

Does that mean if there is more than 50 percent women booked, it becomes a women's cruise? :p

I've sailed a few cruises on other lines where there were partial-charter groups on board. In my observation, the charter group *might* take over *some* bars/venues for their daytime events and meetings. Everything goes back to normal at night. I can't see where it'd be any different on HAL.

I am booked on a Nieuw Amsterdam cruise in January that will have a Christian group on it. There is someone who has budded into our roll and keeps insisting that the bars and casino will be closed on the ship because of the Christian group. Here is a sample of her posts: hi Christian groups usually take over the ship No booze or gambling on the ship. check with HAl call as soon as possible

To me, this sounds absurd. How is HAL going to make money from this cruise if the casino and bars are closed? Any comments?

As others have said anyone has a right to post on a roll call..On many roll calls I've been on, we've often had people post who are not on the cruise, to give us info or even wish us a Bon Voyage..

I just posted on your roll call & left a message for Mary who happens to be a legitimate poster who gave you the incorrect info..I'm sure she means well but does not understand the difference between group bookings on regular scheduled cruises & complete ship charters...

However, as of now you are booked on a regular scheduled cruise with a group on board.. If this group increases, they could ask HAL to charter the ship.. If it's feasible & not completely booked with other groups or individuals, then HAL will offer very good incentives to you & other Psgrs to rebook..The chances of this happening at this late date are almost impossible, so I wouldn't worry about it.. As of this time your booking is safe..

Totally agree with you both.

 

Anyone is welcome on our roll calls. They are either considering the cruise or coming on to share information :) or ask for some.

While I don't agree with cbr663's narrow definition of who should be allowed to post on roll calls, I will say that yours may also be a little broad.

CC has experienced issues in the past with folks who "claim" to be sailing on a particular cruise and who want to set up private tours. Then the poster backs out once the tour is set up, getting someone else to take responsibility. In some cases, the poster has been found out later to be a shill for the private tour company. This has primarily occurred on European/Mediterranean cruises.

And where two or three Episcopalians are gathered, there’s usually a fifth.:D

Love it and I'm an Anglican, the Canadian equivalent.;)

While I don't agree with cbr663's narrow definition of who should be allowed to post on roll calls, I will say that yours may also be a little broad.

 

CC has experienced issues in the past with folks who "claim" to be sailing on a particular cruise and who want to set up private tours. Then the poster backs out once the tour is set up, getting someone else to take responsibility. In some cases, the poster has been found out later to be a shill for the private tour company. This has primarily occurred on European/Mediterranean cruises.

Oh my cruisemom, I certainly didn't mean it that broadly :D

I do think that someone has to be forthright when they post. "Whether it be I'm on your cruise", "looking at this cruise and lurking", on the same cruise next year and wondering about xyz., etc.

I've heard about the issue you outline. I normally set up a lot of private tours and I would hope I would be smart enough to catch something like that. If someone is setting up private tours, I still check out the company for myself. The less I know about the particular poster the more I will check. Those that I know that do private tours I know how they research and trust them.

we each owe it to ourselves to do a bit of checking and not be like sheep when a tour is posted:D

Love it and I'm an Anglican, the Canadian equivalent.;)

If I ever get an urge to go back to a church, the Canadian Anglican church is where I would go. I think they are the most tolerant and non-judgmental church there is. They are open to female clergy, stay out of people's sex lives, love the gay community, and just basically have an open door to anyone who wants in. Besides, they don't prohibit anything that's fun. :D

HAL is not going to cut off the revenue from the bars ...but as far as religious groups onboard I recently read a posting on these boards(I believe it was on a HAL ship) that the uppermost lunge on the ship was closed off during the entire cruise for this group(I believe they were of the Jewish faith).

The posters complaint was that it was an Alaskan cruise and the top most lounge would of been the most popular for seeing the scenery as it was too cold to stay out on deck for long(sort of like closing off one of the pools in the Panama Canal cruises).

And the cruise line's attitude is tough luck on everyone else!!!

Definetly find out what restrictions / limitations will be in place due to any group being onboard!!!!

Call HAL's Group Administration Department at 1-888-425-9477 and ask them for details about the group on your cruise. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Let us know if they refuse to tell you, since according to the HAL President's Office they will. I was originally booked on your cruise until I found out that a large group would be on the ship. I cancelled, tried the Eurodam, it ended up being chartered, so I went with a Celebrity ship instead.

Over 75 % of Americans identify themselves as Christian. So basically every cruise leaving from the US is a Christian cruise. :p

Not really. In some parts of the country, "Christian" is code for "evangelical" Not all Christians are evangelical.

Windsailer - I love HAL but I'm starting to get annoyed with all these groups they allow on non-charter cruises. I had to cancel a cruise a couple of years ago because of a large on board. What is really annoying that unless you are a member of CC and pay attention, you will not know about a group on your sailing. I have never had a large group on any Princess cruise. I would love to try Celebrity, but their solo rates are always double and HAL still gives us singletons a bit of a break.

Windsailer - I love HAL but I'm starting to get annoyed with all these groups they allow on non-charter cruises. I had to cancel a cruise a couple of years ago because of a large on board. What is really annoying that unless you are a member of CC and pay attention, you will not know about a group on your sailing. I have never had a large group on any Princess cruise. I would love to try Celebrity, but their solo rates are always double and HAL still gives us singletons a bit of a break.

dot73 - I completely agree with you. HAL is out of control on letting large groups on board and chartering ships - and even tho it's a charter not telling anyone not part of the group who has already booked until 6/7 months from the cruise. And bumping us off.

Thanks heavens for the CC list of groups and charters - at least that's a start. And unlike European cruises I now won't book air to FLL until 3 or 4 months before the cruise, costing me more. And I'll book real 14+ days cruises (not the HAL 7 day B2Bs) as it seems that groups are much less likely to book cruises longer than 7 days.

If I ever get an urge to go back to a church, the Canadian Anglican church is where I would go. I think they are the most tolerant and non-judgmental church there is. They are open to female clergy, stay out of people's sex lives, love the gay community, and just basically have an open door to anyone who wants in. Besides, they don't prohibit anything that's fun. :D

HAHA! That's true! We wanted to get married in the church - husband Catholic; me Anglican. Catholic : not without hoops to jump through as I was married before. Anglican: clergy said 'that's okay, we allow mistakes'. Now that's a standard line in our house when someone messes up!:)

Langoustine:Not exactly, although that's a funny line. The church was organized after the American Revolution, and it operates within the Anglican Communion as a church separate from the Church of England, whose clergy are required to swear allegiance to the British monarch as Supreme Governor of the Church of England, something that would have been awkward after the revolution.

Okay, for fun's sake lets say that before prohibition they were Ecopalian's. Afterwards they were Episcopalians!!:D

I just went to the website of the group in question. It seems they are bringing several artists (singing groups?) as well as the usual speakers with many performances, devotions, and meetings planned. While I don't think the bars or the casino is at risk, I would be concerned that the public spaces might be impacted throughout the day. If they use the theater or the lounges, it could impinge on activities that usually take place there.

We were on a transatlantic several years ago, and I observed some interesting behavior from a lady who may have been part of such a group. Since there were several sea days, people made good use of the screening room (Nieuw Amsterdam). It would fill up early, and people would drag in straight-back chairs form the nearby meeting rooms and put them in the aisles until the ship's officers put a stop to it. After that there was a placard at the door admonishing people not to do that and not to reserve seats as well.

So - we went 30 to 45 minutes early. Often we would see people around us reading their Bibles to pass the time. Regularly I'd see the same lady come in with an armload of books and a cup of coffee. She'd place a book in each seat in a row, then sit down to drink her coffee and read until her friends arrived and the movie started. Once she occupied the row in front of us, and I couldn't help noticing that the books she was using to save seats was a large paperback edition of the Bible.

I was struck by the irony, but I think it was lost on her.

So to the OP and anyone else on the cruise - have you called HAL today to clarify?