Motorcycle Cruise?

Just learned that our 2018 Silhouette cruise is being advertised by a special interest agency as a motorcycle cruise where cruisers can book space for their motorcycles and I assume do special group excursions, ,.,or ride on their own in various ports,

Just wondering if anyone has done such a cruise or been on board with such a group...We are mostly wondering how large a group this might be, as we do not like to cruise with big groups onboard...

Also would they have likeky have night time events that would affect venues on board...

Not planning on canceling but just want to get some basic info,..

Thanks...

We were on a 14 day southern Caribbean cruise with one of these groups. I would guess there were 50 motorcycles because in the morning you could watch them ride out one at a time. Many were two to a motorcycle but many were singles, so probably less than 100 were involved. We saw them out and about on a couple of our excursions and they were having a great time. They didn't take any of the venues inside the ship (that I know of) and it wasn't such a big group that you noticed them all the time. Once inside the ship the only way you could tell they might be with the group is a shirt that some of them wore about the motorcycle cruise.

They seemed to be having a fun time. We enjoyed watching them from our balcony some mornings as they left, and if we were back we saw them ride back in.

That's kind of what we figured.. they .could not take an enormous number of bikes on board...without having logistical issues, Online photos of past groups seem like a small enough number of folks...just having a great time!

Thanks for posting!

Just back from Bermuda last month and they had a motorcycle group on board. I would guess there were about 50 bikes and the only way you knew they were on board was by some of the shirts they wore.

Interesting that in Bermuda they were required to be escorted by Bermuda Police on Bikes. Bermuda has apparently a limit on the size of the engines on the scooters people are allowed to use in Bermuda. The motorcycles were much bigger.

We were on a Caribbean cruise with them once too and I would second everything Claudia said. We didn't notice any disruptions or notice any spaces being reserved for them. In fact, we wouldn't have even known they were on board except for seeing them load the motorcycles on/off the ship and that was fun to watch.

We cruised in early June, with a Harley group, on the Summit. Looking at the pictures on my phone, there were 15 motorcycles on the ship. So around 30 in the group. All had double seats, except for one of the motorcycles. They stored the motorcycles in-between the embarkation, and disembarkation doors on level 2. All cordoned off, with warnings not to touch them! Had a ball watching them drive them back onto the ship, before leaving Bermuda. Wish I could post my video. No issues at all. Saw the group all around the ship, but mostly in the smoking section on 10. I would book without any hesitation.

We cruised in early June, with a Harley group, on the Summit. Looking at the pictures on my phone, there were 15 motorcycles on the ship. So around 30 in the group. All had double seats, except for one of the motorcycles. They stored the motorcycles in-between the embarkation, and disembarkation doors on level 2. All cordoned off, with warnings not to touch them! Had a ball watching them drive them back onto the ship, before leaving Bermuda. Wish I could post my video. No issues at all. Saw the group all around the ship, but mostly in the smoking section on 10. I would book without any hesitation.

I was on the Eclipse for 14-day Caribbean with my bike with this group in Feb/Mar of this year. They take a max of 25 bikes, which includes their rode captains, in our case we had 24 bikes total. There were 3 of us ladies riding our own with our DH on their own, and the rest were 2-up. So I guess our group was about 40.

I would certainly hope we were no imposition to the other passengers - we departed before everyone and returned after, had our own designated seating in the dining room, and typically spread out on the ship on sea days and crashed pretty early each night as the days were long! I do not recall any large formal gathering for the whole group any evening. Though we often gathered in small groups as friends cruising together would - though to be clear, this was a group from all over US and Canada, and we did not know each other until sailing.

There is no port where you are allowed to ride on your own. All riders stay together and we were met by local motorcycle groups and local police and escorted around the island for the day. We went through strict customs each day before we left and upon our return by local authorities.

Hope this eases your mind a bit, but feel free to ask any other questions you'd like. :)

~Cyndi~

Just back from Bermuda last month and they had a motorcycle group on board. I would guess there were about 50 bikes and the only way you knew they were on board was by some of the shirts they wore.

 

Interesting that in Bermuda they were required to be escorted by Bermuda Police on Bikes. Bermuda has apparently a limit on the size of the engines on the scooters people are allowed to use in Bermuda. The motorcycles were much bigger.

We had the same experience in Bermuda and also had no problems. We saw the motorcycle people at several of the places we visited in Bermuda and we did not see a police escort. I did not actually count the number of motorcycles however but it did seem like there was a large group.

Better a motorcycle group than some of the alternative groups that have been described on CC. There is a current thread somewhere on CC describing problems that people have had coping with large groups on board and it seems as they have been horrible.

DON

Finding it all very interesting...so thanks for the helpful replies...

Seems to be popular.....sounds like it is well organized and fun...

We were on the Eclipse 14 day cruise with the motorcycles one time. We didn't even realize they were there until we saw them leave the ship from our balcony. We did see them out in town having fun riding around. Noticed some of the shirts, but other than that there was no way to know they were on board. If you have a balcony you should watch them leave the ship. If not, I would find a place where you can. Cool to watch.

A few years ago we were on a 10 night Equinox cruise with ETA. We met and hung out with one of the groups ride leaders named Rick...he was a riot and we had a ton of fun with him and some of the riders. It was so fun watching them leave in the morning and arrive back on ship in the afternoon. These were high end bikes...some ranging at 50K plus. Several riders were CEO's of companies along with regular riders etc. Never fear...great people!

I have fantastic photos of them coming in after a long day of riding. The best is when they rode down the long dock in st. marteen. very cool

This topic is somewhat amusing. You see, one of the regular Silhouette Captain's (and a very popular "Greek" guy) is Captain Demitrius. And Captain Demitrius loves motorcycles and often has one of his Harley's on the ship! Wouldn't be surprised if he led a group of motorcycle passengers on a tour of one of their ports :).

Hank

We had the Harley group on our Eclipse 14-night Caribbean cruise. Apparently they have to pay a lot extra, because the motorcycles are stored on deck 2 and that gangway has to be opened for them to get off and on at each port [and then as noted above there are often police escorts for their tours]. They were great people to meet on board. That was back when there were still formal nights -- and I was happy to accept a heavily embroidered denim jacket as formal wear!

A few years ago we were on a 10 night Equinox cruise with ETA. We met and hung out with one of the groups ride leaders named Rick...he was a riot and we had a ton of fun with him and some of the riders. It was so fun watching them leave in the morning and arrive back on ship in the afternoon. These were high end bikes...some ranging at 50K plus. Several riders were CEO's of companies along with regular riders etc. Never fear...great people!

 

I have fantastic photos of them coming in after a long day of riding. The best is when they rode down the long dock in st. marteen. very cool

We might have been on that same cruise ... ours was in March 2013.

Either way .... the group was great and we also watched them ride off the ship at each port.

They caused zero problems and didn't overtake the ship. I would say there was about 50 bikes onboard, many of which had two riders. I wouldn't hesitate to book with this group onboard ... wouldn't even give it a second thought.

My question would be that if you have 50 motorcycles onboard each with a filled gasoline tank, how does the ship secure them and what special arrangements does the ship make in the event of a fire?

My question would be that if you have 50 motorcycles onboard each with a filled gasoline tank, how does the ship secure them and what special arrangements does the ship make in the event of a fire?

Excellent question. First of all, there are never 50 motorcycles. The large S class have room for the most bikes, max 25. As to the gasoline, we are NEVER permitted to have more than 1/4 tank of fuel when we load onto ship. Many of us were running on fumes each day when we returned as we were only fueled up each morning at a local gas station with just enough fuel for the day. Then, before boarding, each tank is opened and injected with some type of pressurized gas to dissipate fumes (sorry, don't remember what it was).

Each bike is held in the hull by wheel chocks and if rougher seas are expected, we use tie-downs in addition to the chocks. I will try to find a pic of them in the hold...pretty amazing we fit 25 bikes in like we did.

Can't answer your last question, fortunately it has never happened. The safety precautions and security surrounding our arrival and departure were pretty strict.

My question would be that if you have 50 motorcycles onboard each with a filled gasoline tank, how does the ship secure them and what special arrangements does the ship make in the event of a fire?

ETA is the name of one of the organizers. I'm sure they have space for the bikes and safety protocols in place.

According to their website, it's not cheap either:

1. $450pp deposit due at time of initial booking for cruise reservation.
    
   
2. $350 per bike is due via check to ETA. This fee is nonrefundable if you cancel your cruise. Check to be received in our office no later than 14 days after initial deposit reservation has been made. This fee will be applied as a payment towards you reservation balance.
    
   
3. Additional Fee $535 PER BIKE NOT PER PERSON: Island Fuel, Port Services, Insurance for all island rides. This fee is paid (cash) on first night of cruise at the ETA Welcome Aboard Reception. Fee can change due to increase by any port.
   

Here's a pic from the Eclipse in Feb of the bikes in the hold.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

ETA is the name of one of the organizers. I'm sure they have space for the bikes and safety protocols in place.

 

According to their website, it's not cheap either:

 

1. $450pp deposit due at time of initial booking for cruise reservation.
    
   
2. $350 per bike is due via check to ETA. This fee is nonrefundable if you cancel your cruise. Check to be received in our office no later than 14 days after initial deposit reservation has been made. This fee will be applied as a payment towards you reservation balance.
    
   
3. Additional Fee $535 PER BIKE NOT PER PERSON: Island Fuel, Port Services, Insurance for all island rides. This fee is paid (cash) on first night of cruise at the ETA Welcome Aboard Reception. Fee can change due to increase by any port.
   

The 450 is the standard cruise deposit and goes towards cruise fare, 350 to them also goes towards whatever the cruise fare is (it's not in addition to the fare they have for the group), and the 535 for that particular itinerary equates to excursion fees one would normally pay. So all in all, we found it very affordable as it was really no more than any other cruise with multiple excursions taken.

Our 7 day Silhouette cruise last year had a group on board and I don't think there were more than 50 in the group. We quite enjoyed watching them ride in port and had no issues on board with crowding or venues being closed. I think they did en event the first night but it was in a conference room sort of place so its not like its any place we would have missed. Most of the time they were just mixed in with all the passengers.

I was on the Eclipse for 14-day Caribbean with my bike with this group in Feb/Mar of this year. They take a max of 25 bikes, which includes their rode captains, in our case we had 24 bikes total. There were 3 of us ladies riding our own with our DH on their own, and the rest were 2-up. So I guess our group was about 40.

 

I would certainly hope we were no imposition to the other passengers - . :)

 

~Cyndi~

We've been on two with bike groups. Never saw a problem and rather enjoyed the reverb when they left in the morning and returned later in the day. Both time we were docked opposite another ship and this made a perfect canyon for the more deep throated bikes when they made their way in what was a steel echo chamber. Great bunch of people from what we saw.

bosco

Excellent question. First of all, there are never 50 motorcycles. The large S class have room for the most bikes, max 25. As to the gasoline, we are NEVER permitted to have more than 1/4 tank of fuel when we load onto ship. Many of us were running on fumes each day when we returned as we were only fueled up each morning at a local gas station with just enough fuel for the day. Then, before boarding, each tank is opened and injected with some type of pressurized gas to dissipate fumes (sorry, don't remember what it was).

 

Each bike is held in the hull by wheel chocks and if rougher seas are expected, we use tie-downs in addition to the chocks. I will try to find a pic of them in the hold...pretty amazing we fit 25 bikes in like we did.

 

Can't answer your last question, fortunately it has never happened. The safety precautions and security surrounding our arrival and departure were pretty strict.

Thanks for your answers. I too am often running on fumes with the Celebrity Go Big package.

I was on the Eclipse for 14-day Caribbean with my bike with this group in Feb/Mar of this year. They take a max of 25 bikes, which includes their rode captains, in our case we had 24 bikes total. There were 3 of us ladies riding our own with our DH on their own, and the rest were 2-up. So I guess our group was about 40.

 

I would certainly hope we were no imposition to the other passengers - we departed before everyone and returned after, had our own designated seating in the dining room, and typically spread out on the ship on sea days and crashed pretty early each night as the days were long! I do not recall any large formal gathering for the whole group any evening. Though we often gathered in small groups as friends cruising together would - though to be clear, this was a group from all over US and Canada, and we did not know each other until sailing.

 

There is no port where you are allowed to ride on your own. All riders stay together and we were met by local motorcycle groups and local police and escorted around the island for the day. We went through strict customs each day before we left and upon our return by local authorities.

 

Hope this eases your mind a bit, but feel free to ask any other questions you'd like. :)

 

~Cyndi~

Hi, Cyndi. This sounds like a cruise my FIL would love! He loves to ride and has taken his bike (BMW) all over the country, Alaska included. The Alaska one was done thru a cruise line but the smaller ships. I think he'd love to go to one of these, since he loves meeting new people. Can you tell us how he could get more information on cruises like these? Might make a good gift from us to him! Thank you!

We were on one and other than them getting off first and seeing them ride out, we never noticed anything.