Am I worrying too much? Bike rally cruise on Freedom March 2011

[retiredonthesea]

We were on the Explorer last June with HOGS on the High Seas. The only reason we knew about it was the noise we heard the morning we docked in Bermuda. We looked down from our balcony and watched them taking the Harley's off the ship. (They were loud) It was really interesting to watch. At every port after that we watched them put the motor cycles back on. At each port they were met by locals who then spent the day with riding around the islands. We never had any issue with anyone on the ship. You couldn't tell who was a HOG and who wasn't.

 

This is not HOHS group as we do not take motorcycles with us as it would be way too many people for the cargo hold to keep all those bikes. Last Nov. on FOS we had 1300 and already for this Nov. we have around 1676 signed up so far. Most people who see all the fun we are having want to know how to sign up for the next HOHS. We're actually pretty well contained to our own events--other than taking up the whole bottom dining area for late seating.

[krisko]

Any bikers that have cash for a cruise should almost surely be respectful. If you don't like tattoos then that could bother you because they'll be out in force. And avoid the bars after 11, but a conservative couple would do that anyway.

[Son of a Cruiser]

My family is going on the Freedom of the Seas, March 13, 2011. I too am concerned about sailing with such a large group (not that they are bikers, just that they are a large group). I checked the website for the Thunder of the Tropics Cruise and it says the cruise is on the Liberty, March 5-13, 2011. See link below. Does anyone know which cruise it is for sure?

 

http://www.thunderinthetropics.com/vendor.pdf

 

Thanks.

 

They changed dates a few weeks ago. It is for sure on the March 13-20 sailing.

 

http://www.cruise-eta.com/thunderinthetropics.htm

[mom3reds]

This is not HOHS group as we do not take motorcycles with us as it would be way too many people for the cargo hold to keep all those bikes. Last Nov. on FOS we had 1300 and already for this Nov. we have around 1676 signed up so far. Most people who see all the fun we are having want to know how to sign up for the next HOHS. We're actually pretty well contained to our own events--other than taking up the whole bottom dining area for late seating.

 

My husband and I will be on this cruise with our three children (ages at time of cruise 11, 8, 6). I am not worried about the bikers but am worried about the large number of people in one group. Has anyone else been on a cruise (such as the one mentioned above from Nov 09) that was not part of a large group? How was the pool access? What about other events?

[cruisegirl1]

1800 of ANY group, even on a Freedom class ship is too many for me. The issue is not any particular group – but just a group that size.

 

I would change the sailing.

M

[Trainman-2]

This is not a "biker" issue, it is a "Large Group" issue.

 

The Freedom never seems crowded (except for the parades) because the passengers "Self Disperse" to different activities all over the ship.

 

When you have a large group of passengers that hang together they become very visible and the remaining passengers are squeezed out of the areas where they congregate.

 

DEFINITELY! Change to another time or ship

[BroncosFan2010]

I would not book the cruise, not because I don't like motorcycles (my dad rides a Harley, and I was in the Harley Shop with him today!), but because any large group will change the dynamic of a cruise. I don't know that you will get the "FULL" cruise feeling. Unless I am part of the group, I don't think I would want to cruise with any group.

[kelzer]

Does anyone know if this large group has booked late or early seating at dinner? I think many people must have booked this biker cruise because our price, since booking in March, has gone up 600 per person!

[amybeth4]

This is exactly why I ended up on the Liberty last Nov. instead of the Freedom. Hogs on the High Seas were booked on the Freedom and I did NOT want to be on a ship with such a large group. I first noticed the problem when I went to book the cruise in August and already there was NO late seating available. I was like, "*****?"

 

I was then told about a website where you can enter your ship and your week and it'll tell you any group that's currently booked on your ship. Does anyone know it? I can't for the life of me remember it and I might end up on the Explorer 12/10.

 

Thanks!

[Son of a Cruiser]

kelzer, we are also booked on this cruise. I am pretty sure I read that the group is booked for late seating. Come on over and join the roll call http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1013109&page=31

 

We all talked about "jumping ship" when we heard about the group, but have decided to stay put. In fact we have a couple the group members who have also joined the roll call. They could answer your question "for sure"!!

[maddawg271]

I was on the Explorer in June of 2008 for a 9 night Bermuda and Caribbean cruise with an ETA "biker" cruise... and having been on the EOS previously and since that cruise, I can assure you, you will not notice any difference than if it was just a normal sold out cruise... they didn't take up any more space than any other group on board and caused no trouble what so ever. The ones I did talk to were from more "white collared" places in life... Drs. Lawyers etc... it is Very expensive to take the "biker" cruise... on top of the per person cabin fee, there is also a $1500.00 per bike fee, (at least it was in '07)

"Bikers" get a bad rap to begin with... I know I was one at one time... I've never been arrested, don't drink, smoke and I have NEVER done drugs.... so there is no need to worry about the "Bad Biker People"

Honestly on that cruise I had more problems with the people in their "Jazzy" scooters than bikers...

[esther e]

I live too close to Daytona to appreciate any bikers or bike noise!:eek:

 

Now, having made thousands of enemies, let me further say that we were on a HAL cruise a few years ago with 700 Poker Player.com (or something like that) and it was awful. What upset me so much was the total lack of respect for the dress code of the evening.

 

If we ever found out there would be a large group (read: over 30) of any organization, we'd jump ship and look for another sailing date.

 

This is only my opinion, but you asked.:)

[uksimonusa]

We were on the Adventure when they were filming America's top model, a lot of times whole areas on the ship, including at one time the port side of deck 12 were roped off. I was approached by a member of their staff on a public sidewalk in Aruba and told to get back on the ship and put my camera away. This photo shows what was seen for a while in the window of a PR cabin, until security made the occupants take it down. Shows what they thought of the group

[SherriZ366]

If the group is an ETA cruise, it will only have 35 cabins (70) folks plus escorts. We were on FOS in 2008 with an ETA group and it was fun to watch them re-load the bikes. There is another group of 70 folks on our Feb. 5, 2011 Liberty cruise and I double checked with ETA to make sure that it was a 35 cabin group.

[jsant]

I am also book on the March 13th sailing. We are traveling with two other couples and a total of 7 small children. I was concerned about the large group, but I just got off the phone with ETA travel and I feel much better about keeping my booking. I spoke with a super nice lady there and she told me that there average demographic is in their mid 50’s. When I asked her about the 1800 people, she sounded very surprised. It sounds to me like they are maybe expecting about half that.

We went on the same spring break cruise last year, and there were 1100 children on board that somehow I never seemed to notice. My guess is that I will likely not notice a group of 700 on a boat of over 3000. Am I being overly optimistic?

 

Jennifer

[luddite]

Unless you wanta listen to all those donorcycles, you oughta book something else.

[EmmaCel]

I have nothing wrong with bikers..but I would avoid the cruise. It says on their site that their goal is to fill the entire ship with bikers...to have the first "bikers only" cruise. I wouldn't want to cruise with a huge group since having them all massed in certain areas at certain times would feel crowded. I'd just switch ships.

[jsant]

It says on their site that their goal is to fill the entire ship with bikers...to have the first "bikers only" cruise.

 

 

That's what I read too, but when I talked to the travel agent, she said they are hoping for more like 700. At any rate, there is some big bike event in Datona the week before that is very big with bikers. How many people would be willing to spend a week at that event and then another week on the cruise?

[bajathree]

That's what I read too, but when I talked to the travel agent, she said they are hoping for more like 700. At any rate, there is some big bike event in Datona the week before that is very big with bikers. How many people would be willing to spend a week at that event and then another week on the cruise?

 

The week before you are talking about is Bike Week over in Daytona....it's advertised as the worlds largest motorcycle week....I can tell you from living here in Fl....IT'S A HUGE EVENT.....we even see the effect of it all the way here on the opposite coast.

 

Not for nothing....a group of 700 is a lot....even for Freedom Class.

[bajathree]

Just found this clip....it may interest you to see just how big Bike Week is.

 

2011 Bike Week at Daytona Beach

Various Sites, Daytona Beach, Florida

March 4-13, 2011

 

Daytona Beach Bike Week, the “World’s Largest Motorcycle Event” attracts more than 500,000 bike enthusiasts from all over the world for a raucous 10 days of motorcycle shows, exhibits, live concerts, races at the Daytona International Speedway and, last but certainly not least, hardcore partying on Main and Beach streets. Admission is charged to certain events.

[Envoy2010]

How do you find out if there are in fact a group booked on your cruise?

 

Thanks

[bajathree]

How do you find out if there are in fact a group booked on your cruise?

 

Thanks

 

Just start to Google your ship and sail date...maybe throw the word in "groups" with it....be creative in the search....that's the best way I have found. And don't just look at the first page results....I have sometimes found what I am looking for on the 2nd....3rd....4th...ect page.

[Envoy2010]

Just start to Google your ship and sail date...maybe throw the word in "groups" with it....be creative in the search....that's the best way I have found. And don't just look at the first page results....I have sometimes found what I am looking for on the 2nd....3rd....4th...ect page.

 

Great! Thanks

[Pebblessj]

I have to say I know where your coming from. This past Nov. 2009 we booked a cruise on the Freedom of the Seas. Could not for the life of me get an outside cabin. So we went with an inside. Family of 4, first time taking our kids, 20 and 12 on a cruise. Found out on this thread 2wks. before sailing that there was a large group going called "Hogs on the High Seas". Did some research was alittle nervous at first. But I must say we went and we had a great time! The bikers were the nicest people to be around. No problems at all on the ship. We would sail again with the Hogs on the High Seas anytime. We made lots of friends that week with some wonderful people. Go relax and have fun. Nothing to be worried about take it from a fellow passenger who has sailed with the HOHS.