How can you tell if your cruise has been chartered?

[garycarla]

so HOW do you FIND OUT if there is large groups aboard:confused:

 

First off, define large. Not easy. Depending on the "culture"of the group, you may or may not even notice.

 

Second, the cruiseline is not about to advertise anything. They just want to rooms full.

 

Sometimes you can find some via some internet searches. For example, if a radio station is sponsoring a cruise on a certain date, it might show up somewhere in their blogs, advertising, press release, etc.

 

If it is a company trip for top sales people, slim chance it will show anywhere.

 

You might find somebody on your roll call for that group.

[klingoncruiser]

If it really is a "gay" cruise, you will want to book a different cruise. Sooner or later you will not be happy with what is going on. Why get angry when you can just move on and have a better cruise.

 

Not your fault, but at least you found out before it was too late to do anything.

[hawaiideb]

Our first trip to Alaska on Carnival Spirit was a Star Trek Fan Club cruise. Other than one person one time wearing a Star Trek one-piece "outfit" to dinner, the only thing we suffered was camera inferiority! (Man, did some of those folks have amazing cameras :)

[OceanDreaming2]

We had 2 large groups on the Star last week. One of them had dining rooms/conference rooms tied up for the week. They were loud, demanding, and RUDE! They made the spa area and the library unpleasant whenever they were there. They definitely did not know how to use their "indoor" voices. And their children - well, the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree.

 

The other group, while large, was quiet and kept to themselves.

 

It would've been nice to know these groups were on the ship, but in the grand scheme of things, it really doesn't matter at all.

[leslierx]

On our RCCL Cruise on Enchanment of the Seas, there were 2 large groups on board. There was some sort of baptist convention (which kept the bars and casino empty!) and some sort of group of elderly disabled people on scooters. None of them bothered us much, except we had to laugh because everywhere you went some elderly person was about to run you down with their moterized scooter. One lady went all over the ship and if there was a line, she would just honk a horn and yell "woman driver comin' thru". We kind of found it funny. The only problem it cause for us, is that the cruise ended up being pretty boring execpt for us and the couple who went with us, there didn't seemed to be many others our age (mid 30's at the time). We still managed to have a good time, but sometimes the people around you on a trip liven things up a bit!

[Cruise_More_Often]

so HOW do you FIND OUT if there is large groups aboard:confused:

Google the date of your cruise all the ways that you can imagine, and if information about a group cruise is published, I bet it will appear in the results of your searches. Such as (just using the date below as an example):

 

Pearl January 11, 2011

Pearl 1/11/2011

Pearl 01/11/2011

Pearl 1/11/11

Pearl 01/11/11

Pearl 2011/1/11

Pearl 2011/01/11

[k9Rulez]

Google the date of your cruise all the ways that you can imagine, and if information about a group cruise is published, I bet it will appear in the results of your searches. Such as (just using the date below as an example):

 

Pearl January 11, 2011

Pearl 1/11/2011

Pearl 01/11/2011

Pearl 1/11/11

Pearl 01/11/11

Pearl 2011/1/11

Pearl 2011/01/11

 

CruiseMoreOften,

Thanks for the advice on checking by date. I looked up our Epic Cruise dates and found that they are holding an Emergency Medicine Conference.

I feel so much safer already.

Rob

[docroger56]

RSVP Vacations

 

Hawaiian Islands Cruise

 

NCL's Pride of America

 

October 30 - November 6, 2010; roundtrip Honolulu

 

RSVP will celebrate its 25th anniversary in the all-gay travel business with its first-ever cruise to the Hawaiian islands. Passengers onboard the 2,138-passenger Pride of America (the only American-flagged cruise ship sailing year-round from Honolulu) will enjoy a spectacular "Best of Hawaii" trip that will include full days in port on the Big Island (Hilo and Kona) and full overnights in Maui (Kahului) and in Kauai (Nawiliwili). The Aloha Islands offer dazzling beaches, water sports, and endless active options like kayaking, diving, horseback-riding and helicopter tours. Although there are no sea days on this jam-packed Hawaii cruise, the evenings will be filled with the usual array of RSVP's signature onboard excitement -- from parties and speakers to name-brand entertainment. NCL's Pride of America is known for excellent "Freestyle Dining" choices, lively entertainment and multiple bars and lounges.

[cruiser willy]

I'm not looking to start any lengthy debates with readers. I just want to tell the O.P. that: You need to start exploring other options. The group sailing on this cruise will no doubt eventually charter the ship. When this happens you will not have the option of maintaining your reservations. You will only be allowed access to that sailing if you contact the private group and book through them....likely at a totally different rate.

This happened to us a few years back. We happened to catch wind that Rosie O'Donnel was negotiating with NCL to charter the Jewel on the week that we had long-standing reservations. When we contacted our travel agent, who knew nothing of Rosie's plans, our agent contacted NCL and was told that nothing had been finalized, but if an agreement was reached with Rosie, we would be removed from the reservation list for that week. Just for kicks, I contacted Rosie's travel group: R Family Vacations - who was ready and willing to take my reservation that minute for that week....at a MUCH higher rate. Rosie's group was showing my exact AF Mini-suite as being available!!!!!......despite that fact that I had reserved it several months earlier! We ended up on the Pearl (a newer ship, that was just being built at the time of our quandry) instead that week, and were given a considerable price break for our trouble. Rosie did end up negotiating the charter for that sailing...and everyone who had previously been booked was cancelled. Similarly, the sailing you're concerned about will be cruising with a group of folks who have a very specific type of entertainment, etc. Whereas Rosie's cruises tend to be rather laid back and family-style, I'll bet this other cruise will more likely be a huge bash with club style entertainment. There may be couples, but it will be more of a singles atmosphere. NCL or your agent will likely notify you very shortly that you must change your reservation. Unless you have alot in common with the charter group and are willing to to pay their rates, I would communicate your feelings to NCL or your agent and see what they can do for you.

[speedcat]

Maybe I'm naive but it seems wrong to me for there to be a charter and at a minimum, pre-booked passengers not be notified and offered the opportunity to change to a different week FREE, with some compensation for any other expenses incurred by the change. When you book a cruise you are contracting for a specific itinerary of course, but there are also standard expectations of activities and a mix of guests, not a large percentage belonging to a specific group/family etc. What are normal cruiseline practices for this type of situation?

 

Well, I don't know about groups of 500, but last year we were part of a scrapbooking group on another cruise line. There were maybe 100+ of us, but we did not dominate the ship nor did it change it's itinerary - we chose that ship because of the itinerary! We dined in the same dining rooms as the other cruisers, but we were seated together. We had private parties in one of the rooms and our classes were in the conference center. I don't think most of the other passengers even knew we were there!

 

However, I would be uncomfortable as the minority on an "all gay" cruise, and yes, you should insist on the cruise line coming clean with you and confirming your suspicisions. I would ask for a full refund.

 

We went on a 3 day (weekend) cruise to Ensenada one year and I swear I will not do that again! Those weekend cruises to me are full of alchoalics (sp?) who are rude and obnoxious.

[BarbRN]

Googling your cruise date helps. I found one ship doing a graduation cruise on my dates. UGH!