Did not know it was High Seas Rally cruise

Yikes ! Hubs and I are 2 of the bikers on the 11-3 RC High seas rally. We are in our 60's, ride motorcycles but are very tame folks. We are a retired stock broker and retired Marine/ Cop. We do not have any tats, do not drink at all and simply enjoy raising money for worthy charities. We will be enjoying the outdoors and exploring the islands just like any other cruisers would. I think you will find most bikers do not fit your conception of Hells Angels or Sons of Anarchy types. We're mostly just normal folks with a passion for riding motorcycles. Whatever you do decide to do I hope you and your family really enjoy bonding during your vacation time.

I think some of the 'neatest' parts so to speak were all the door decorations and seeing everyone's leather vests with all of their patches on them. You guys are a great group and I was honored to be able to share time with you:)

Now our only option is to go on the biker cruise we have booked, pay additional $6000 to go on different cruise (not likely) or don't go and loose the airfare and 50% cruise money.

If those are the only options, then go. You don't give up thousands of dollars just in case you might not like something. If it's really intolerable or unsuitable, then keep records and chase a refund later.

Yikes ! Hubs and I are 2 of the bikers on the 11-3 RC High seas rally. We are in our 60's, ride motorcycles but are very tame folks. We are a retired stock broker and retired Marine/ Cop. We do not have any tats, do not drink at all and simply enjoy raising money for worthy charities. We will be enjoying the outdoors and exploring the islands just like any other cruisers would. I think you will find most bikers do not fit your conception of Hells Angels or Sons of Anarchy types. We're mostly just normal folks with a passion for riding motorcycles. Whatever you do decide to do I hope you and your family really enjoy bonding during your vacation time.

I think you're the type of bikers I waited on all those years ago. Have a great time! I'm sort of jealous I won't be on your cruise. I think I'd feel kinda safer from your ordinary creepers with a bunch bikers "on watch", so to speak. Because the stupid ones would be stupid enough to be chased off by the leather and the riding club t-shirts.

(Can you tell I grew up with a biker in the family?). :D

i think the OP's main issue is not the group per se, but that there will not be many kids for her children to interact with...I can totally understand that perspective.

You can't take a cruise the last week of Oct and expect a ton of teenagers. Many of them are between school breaks, the cruises with lots of teenagers will be during school breaks, i.e. Thanksgiving/Xmas, Spring break, etc. Just food for thought.

i think the OP's main issue is not the group per se, but that there will not be many kids for her children to interact with...I can totally understand that perspective.

Maybe it's an east coast thing, but I've never heard of a school break in early November, so I wouldn't have expected a lot of teens on this cruise to begin with. OP, if you've already made other arrangements and won't lose any money, then I hope that whatever you decide to do you have a great time. But if you would lose a bunch of money from airfare changes, hotels, etc., and in light of your husband's health issues, maybe this is the time to tell your kids that this cruise is important to all of you as a family at this time in your lives, and go ahead with it as some serious family bonding time. My girls cruised with us when they were teens and unfortunately even though the cruise was in August, schools had started in Texas the very week we cruised. My 17 year old was the only one who showed up to the teen club the first night! Nevertheless, we had a great family cruise and no one was too bored!

A friend and I were camping in Barstow California when a group of Hells Angels camped next to us. We were quite nervous, to say the least. On the other side of our site was a group of clean cut guys that we thought would be ok. Well, guess what? The clean cut guys started really harassing us to the point that we thought about leaving. But, a couple of the bikers saw what was going on and they came over and basically told the guys to back off and told us they would keep an eye on us all night. The next morning one of the bikers came up to us with a new headlight for my car. He noticed one of my lights was out and he went into town, bought a new light and changed it for me---and wouldn't take a dime. I have a soft spot for bikers ever since.

I have been on HAL, X, Princess and RCCL cruises in late Oct October and not one of them had any teenagers that I can remember. There were a lot of children under 6 on the Oasis cruise I took last October and that was the only 7 day cruise I went on.

I sincerely hope that everything works out for OP, both cruise wise and health wise. Have a great vacation.

With or without the group, there would have been very few teens on the ship in early November. OP should consider herself lucky that the Cruiseline is giving her the option to switch to a different date because of the group. Normally this would not be allowed.

How about the 7 night Western Caribbean leaving Nov 3 out of Fort Lauderdale?

Or there are quite a few 4 day cruises leaving Nov 4 from various Florida Ports.

Could you switch to one of those and just rent a car one way and drive to the port?

After going back and forth for few days we've decided NOT to go on this cruise and switch it to a cruise in March on Allure with similar itinerary. RC applied the money we paid to the future cruise. The Nov cruise actually has now MORE availability than when we booked including Family Rooms so I am guessing that other families might have switched. RC was very quick to allow us to change our date of sail.

We will go to Florida that week so we can use our airline tickets and we'll do something (TBD) :)

First week in Nov is known in Florida and on cruises as "Jersey week" since kids have off from school (teacher convention). All other RC cruises are full for that week (we tried to switch to a different ship) I am guessing partially for that reason. I expect that Florida will be also unusually crowded for "off season" since New Jersey is the single biggest market for Disney/Universal.

Thank you all for our comments and good wishes. We are close-knit family and our children spend a lot of time doing "stuff" with us. We plan on doing lots of things together on the cruise when we go but also want the kids to have some other fun when my husband is too tired to do stuff, needs a nap or go to bed early or just not feeling well. We can have great time together and hopefully the kids can make new friends and have fun with other kids. Either way it should be lots of fun and now we are even more excited to go on Allure.

Have you considered going on a cruise from Bayonne? There's one leaving on November 3 (11 nights might be too long though), that goes to Southern Caribbean. There are bound to be a lot of Jersey kids on that one.

Driving to port has some advantages....it's faster and easier than flying, and you don't have to weigh your luggage.

Given the circumstances with your husband's health, and that you really wanted to do a family cruise, I think it's worth considering even if your kids need to miss a few days from school.

Congrats on figuring out what to do with your family vacation; I'm glad it all worked out for you.

Have you considered going on a cruise from Bayonne? There's one leaving on November 3 (11 nights might be too long though), that goes to Southern Caribbean. There are bound to be a lot of Jersey kids on that one.

 

Driving to port has some advantages....it's faster and easier than flying, and you don't have to weigh your luggage.

 

Given the circumstances with your husband's health, and that you really wanted to do a family cruise, I think it's worth considering even if your kids need to miss a few days from school.

Thanks for checking it out for us. We did consider it but it is too long - my husband would not like being on the ship for that long and with my kids heavy load of Honors and AP classes and college essays and applications it is just too much. Bayonne is only 45 min away - my husband is from Bayonne :)

He'll just have to either stay well enough long enough or go through treatment early and go into remission so we can go on a cruise :)

Also, I just checked the roll call for March cruise and apparently it is spring break for some so there are already bunch of teens listed on a roll call.

I still have work to do to cancel existing arrangements and re-book new stuff for Florida and new air fair for March but it all feels good now that we made the BIG decision.

Thanks for checking it out for us. We did consider it but it is too long - my husband would not like being on the ship for that long and with my kids heavy load of Honors and AP classes and college essays and applications it is just too much. Bayonne is only 45 min away - my husband is from Bayonne :)

He'll just have to either stay well enough long enough or go through treatment early and go into remission so we can go on a cruise :)

Yes, I'm kind of surprised given the whole "Jersey Week" phenomenon, that RC doesn't have a 5 or 7 night cruise out of Bayonne during that time.

Ah, I remember those years when my kids were in high school. What was I thinking suggesting they miss a few days!? :eek: ;) (There needs to be a forehead-slap smiley!) Are you a member of the "other" CC yet? (CollegeConfidential.com)

I wish all the best for your husband and the rest of your family. Enjoy your Florida vacation!!

Yes, I'm kind of surprised given the whole "Jersey Week" phenomenon, that RC doesn't have a 5 or 7 night cruise out of Bayonne during that time.

 

Ah, I remember those years when my kids were in high school. What was I thinking suggesting they miss a few days!? :eek: ;) (There needs to be a forehead-slap smiley!) Are you a member of the "other" CC yet? (CollegeConfidential.com)

 

I wish all the best for your husband and the rest of your family. Enjoy your Florida vacation!!

Thank you for the link to the other CC - did not know about it - will definitely check it out.

We have been on the High Seas Rally (formerly Hogs on the High Seas) cruise every year since 2006. It is always the end of October/beginning of November and you don't see a lot of kids on the cruise. If you are looking for a cruise with more kids then definitely go during spring break. But don't be nervous about cruising with us bikers! We have so much fun (you would too) and we raise enough money to pay for the cruise plus dialysis for 15 patients that come with us! BTW the fireworks on last year's WC cruise were courtesy of High Seas Rally! First time for RCCL.

We have been on the High Seas Rally (formerly Hogs on the High Seas) cruise every year since 2006. It is always the end of October/beginning of November and you don't see a lot of kids on the cruise. If you are looking for a cruise with more kids then definitely go during spring break. But don't be nervous about cruising with us bikers! We have so much fun (you would too) and we raise enough money to pay for the cruise plus dialysis for 15 patients that come with us! BTW the fireworks on last year's WC cruise were courtesy of High Seas Rally! First time for RCCL.

Thank you for confirming what I've suspected about lack of kids. We were going on that cruise mainly because of kids so now I'm glad I cancelled. I think I said that before that if it was just my husband and I we would definitely have gone on that cruise - I think it would have been a lot of fun :D but the kids really did not want to go.

Have a wonderful cruise, maybe one of these days when kids no longer travel with us we will see you on a cruise.

We have been on the High Seas Rally (formerly Hogs on the High Seas) cruise every year since 2006. It is always the end of October/beginning of November and you don't see a lot of kids on the cruise. If you are looking for a cruise with more kids then definitely go during spring break. But don't be nervous about cruising with us bikers! We have so much fun (you would too) and we raise enough money to pay for the cruise plus dialysis for 15 patients that come with us! BTW the fireworks on last year's WC cruise were courtesy of High Seas Rally! First time for RCCL.

You sound like a great group! I bet the 15 patients were able to have a fantastic time thanks to your efforts.

What does WC stand for?

What does WC stand for?

Western Carib.

Sounds like a great cruise...with great folks...wish I were going !!

Enjoy

Woody

Bump for High Seas Rally 2017 on The Brilliance of the Seas. First time charted cruise. Departs Tampa Mon, 12/4

Bride and I will be on our second HSR, with friends who've been on most.

I'm sorry the OP chose not to partake. On my first we did the Bob Marley Experience in Jamaica. Met a beautiful woman from England who chose to do the excursion alone. We had a great time together and communicate often on FB. Her young teenage son waits patiently for his day to become a biker!

Just go for it and enjoy your cruise.

 

Most of these "bikers" are normal people with normal jobs who just like to "ride".

 

We were on a cruise once with a smaller group of them (maybe 60) and they turned out to be very nice. They were especially good in helping those using wheelchairs and walkers get an elevator when it was crowded.

They liked to have their own fun but were always polite and considerate to others. :)

 

LuLu

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+1. We shared a cruise to Bermuda with a group of bikers. No problems at all. I will bet that many of the bikers make more money than the rest of us and are professionals in the working life?

DON

It's a great update! Love your story, have a great cruise!

It's a great update! Love your story, have a great cruise!