Ship Building Contest Suspended for a while

[kazu]

My next cruise, the CCers are planning to do their own contest. It's true we don't need HAL to do this but it is a lot more fun with them. HAL, if you are reading this, please reinstate this contest before my April 13th cruise. :)

 

good for you:D:D

[bob brown]

My next cruise, the CCers are planning to do their own contest. It's true we don't need HAL to do this but it is a lot more fun with them. HAL, if you are reading this, please reinstate this contest before my April 13th cruise. :)

Perhaps if you generate enough interest and enthusiasm on board, the CD might be moved to 'take over' the running of the contest. ;)

 

Regardless, I applaud your intiative, and wish you good luck!:)

[jtl513]

CC'ers here on the HAL Board know how great Cruisinetta's models are and know they don't have a chance of winning. :eek: I would never dream of submitting an entry in the same competition. Mine would look pathetic. :o :D

That's the way I feel too. At the very least there should be a "professional" class and an "amateur" class of people who have never heard of the contest before boarding, and scrounge all their materials from around the ship, bringing nothing aboard. That's probably the way the contest was originally?

 

We have never seen one of Lynn's creations (or any contest for that matter), and was looking forward to it once, but she cancelled and switched to another cruise. However, I would never dream of entering a contest in which she participated.

Edited February 4, 2012 by jtl513

[Cruisinetta]

jtl, after reading your comment, I decided to take the night to think of a response. After much thought, I can say that your remark disappoints me. I am NOT a professional. I have had many jobs in my life but none of them involved building, architecture or art. I did take a course in college and got a C in it. I love seeing other peoples' ships. I don't enter the contest to show people up. I enter it because it's fun. I don't even care if I win. In fact I have lost many times. Spinner2 can tell you that my ship, the Antsterdam, did not even place. There were 6 ships in that competition. I encourage people to enter. It's just for fun, it's not a "show off" competition. HAL, please bring this fun event back asap.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Personally I am glad to see that the ship building contests will be gone.

Years ago they were great.

But lately we have seen where people get on the ships with all the stuff they need to quickly put together a ship. That was not the way it was years ago. People came onto the ship -- found whatever they needed to make a ship on the ship or in the ports.

We were talking to a CD some time ago as there were 2 different groups (or people -- however you want to word it) that had everything they needed for their model when they came onto the ship. All they needed to do was assemble the ship.

These people who come all prepared to build a ship are cheaters.

That is just my opinion.

[jtl513]

These people who come all prepared to build a ship are cheaters.

IMO it's not cheating if it's within the rules ... but I think there should be levels like "expert", "intermediate", and "beginner". Edited February 5, 2012 by jtl513

[dobiemom]

IMO it's not cheating if it's within the rules ... but I think there should be levels like "expert", "intermediate", and "beginner".

But I think the rules say you have to use materials you find ON the ship or in ports and NOT bring any materials when you board.

 

I think that's why you can't announce it prior to embarkation. People might be tempted to bring ship building materials with them.

Edited February 5, 2012 by dobiemom

[bob brown]

But I think the rules say you have to use materials you find ON the ship or in ports and NOT bring any materials when you board.

 

I think that's why you can't announce it prior to embarkation. People might be tempted to bring ship building materials with them.

True, but what's the difference if you bring it with you before you board, or acquire it at a port of call? One could even buy a whole ship model kit along the way and just redecorate it the 'whateverdam'......

Edited February 5, 2012 by bob brown
sp

[jtl513]

But I think the rules say you have to use materials you find ON the ship or in ports and NOT bring any materials when you board.

I don't know the rules, but what makes the embarkation port different from any other? Edited February 5, 2012 by jtl513

[ASIWISH]

What is the "donation center"? Is that someplace on a HAL ship?

 

Also, my two cents: Bring it back!

 

I think having a "professional" group would be incredible to see!!!! No rules, bring on what you'd like! Maybe hang them off the back of the ship and see which makes it furthest from port!:D

[localady]

Personally I am glad to see that the ship building contests will be gone.

Years ago they were great.

But lately we have seen where people get on the ships with all the stuff they need to quickly put together a ship. That was not the way it was years ago. People came onto the ship -- found whatever they needed to make a ship on the ship or in the ports.

We were talking to a CD some time ago as there were 2 different groups (or people -- however you want to word it) that had everything they needed for their model when they came onto the ship. All they needed to do was assemble the ship.

These people who come all prepared to build a ship are cheaters.

That is just my opinion.

 

If people derive pleasure from the activity while onboard, and it is not illegal or immoral nor does it affect you, why in heavens name would you be "glad" that their activity has been cancelled??? :eek: :eek: :rolleyes:

 

That is truly a shame KK :(

 

Lynn- I am really sorry to hear about this. Although I never participated, I have been totally entertained as well as amazed with the creativity of the participants of this contest.:D You are so totally right, it isn't about winning, it is about the community this activity can generate. The Lido pool was packed the day we did the "sail off" on the Hawaii cruise and we all had a blast!

 

Maybe they can keep it on the longer cruises like Hawaii where there is no problem with a lack of sea days ;)

Edited February 5, 2012 by localady

[kazu]

All I can say is that we really enjoyed the one on the Prinsendam (we didn't build). And I think everyone on the Lido did as well.

 

One team built this huge monstrosity of a thing. After loading the cans, he removed them and to prove it would float with any weight, he put it in the regular pool (the tests were in the hot tub) and he hopped on it. and it did float (and he was not a tiny person).

 

Now his ship was the ugliest of the all IMO but everyone was so amazed on the Lido that his team won by nature of what they pulled off:D

 

It's a great way to spend a sea day and I enjoy seeing the ingenuity of others and basking in their creations.

 

I hope it is brought back.

[Taxguy77]

I am on the Noordam right now and was told by the CD that the shipbuilding contest was going away for good. After going back and forth with Seattle, I found out it is just going to be put on the back burner for a while. NOT HAPPY!!!! I will get in to it deeper when I get home.

 

Shame.

On our only HAL cruise I enjoyed the contest, which was the only ship-sponsered event I attended.

That did not make up for the misinformation at the ports!

[Cruisinetta]

Bless you Locallady! I have been thinking about my times on Holland America and have come to conclusion that I am totally bored aboard their ships since the Dam Dollar program left. Without shipbuilding, I would probably jump off the ship from boredom. I think after these next two HAL cruises, I will probably jump cruise lines for a while. I am sure I am not the only one who feels this way. I applaud their effort to come up with new things, but these new things are just not my cup of tea. When HAL comes up with things like they offered with the Dam Dollar program, I will be back. This really bums me because I have been a loyal HAL cruiser for almost 10 years with 37 HAL cruises under my belt. Once again, I will be building on my next two cruises for CCers aboard the Ryndam and Statendam. So long HAL.

[Spinner2]

I had a very interesting discussion with a CD who didn't speak "on the record" so I won't supply the name but after being fortunate to be on several cruises with this individual and having many interesting conversations as we have other interests in common, I think I can reliably share what I was told.

 

It seems that increasingly some people cannot just go aboard and enjoy the "home-grown" entertainment that has been arranged, not worrying about winning or losing or what you get out of it; just planning to have a little innocent fun. And as a result all of us have lost a few things that we've enjoyed.

 

Example, having nothing to do with ships: One of the main reasons that the DAM Dollars program went away is because (can you believe it!) people were coming aboard with fake DAM Dollars, ready to turn them in. It isn't hard, probably; take a a few home with you, photocopy, cut apart, and there you go. My CD contact found two things wrong with this. First, the ordinary participants, proud of their 10 or so Dollars and hoping to take home a little souvenir that could be "show and tell" with their family, were amazed to see that at redemption time folks they'd never seen at any of the contests showed up with HUNDREDS of Dam Dollars to redeem. The CD said that the regular players felt insignificant and somehow "poor athletes" in the face of what seemed to be a lot of talent the regular cruisers didn't have. They just didn't go away from the events with a very good feeling and it showed in their comment cards. They felt cheated and certainly that wasn't HAL's intention. We all know how seriously HAL takes comments on those cards.

 

And, as my contact frankly pointed out, there's a budget for these things. Not a lot of money on a single cruise, but across the fleet, handing out prizes that weren't earned did begin to add up. Many people had enough DAM Dollars to pick out something of value. The staff didn't feel they could call out anyone for all these slips of paper so they'd redeem them, but everyone knew it wasn't right. So the decision was made to just quit doing it.

 

Trivia is, I'm afraid, in trouble also. I've read on several threads recently where it's almost turned into a brawl on some cruises as schoolyard epithets are hurled (cheater! seems popular) and as people have fought for seats; other participants have been found to google under the table for answers (who has the money to spend on internet time to cheat at a simple little game?) and once again, HAL takes the hit in remarks on the comment card that encourage any sane entertainment director to just steer clear of all this negativity.

 

I don't think there's anything we can do about it as an organization for it's not our role either to call out the troublemakers, but even simple inexpensive entertainment is sometimes falling into the "no good deed goes unpunished" category.

 

And for the record? Those of you who imagine the shipbuilding contest deprives people of endless days and hours in the pool, that's not the case. The pool (or a jacuzzi) will be needed just once, generally on the last day at sea, and near lunchtime when usage of the pool is minimal anyway, for perhaps a half hour at most. Which body of water they use pretty much seems to depend on the sizes of the entries.

 

And there's no need to get complicated, with "classes" of entries and all. People don't all admire the same things; as Lynn has said she's often not won and she's a great sport about that. People vote for what they want to vote for, every CD doesn't run the contest in the same way so really, one can't tell what the judging might be based on. One's model ship creation is not a judgment of your worth as an individual; it's just for fun. Every ship could probably win in some category.

 

Regardless, a good-sized crowd usually gathers; at lunchtime there are a lot of people around. They all seem to enjoy seeing the entries and how they look in the water. A lot of people have a few minutes of fun for very little of HAL's time and probably no more money than the cost of the items that the shipbuilders scrounged.

 

After all, when Cruisinetta needs 8 soft drink cartons or some such those were going into the trash anyway. Now, after she uses them, they just go a little later. Shopping bags that she gathers up for the hull were given out anyway and if you look closely you can see the little dividers on her cabin balconies are often discarded menus, carefully cut out. That's part of the fun, I think.

[kazu]

I had a very interesting discussion with a CD who didn't speak "on the record" so I won't supply the name but after being fortunate to be on several cruises with this individual and having many interesting conversations as we have other interests in common, I think I can reliably share what I was told.

 

It seems that increasingly some people cannot just go aboard and enjoy the "home-grown" entertainment that has been arranged, not worrying about winning or losing or what you get out of it; just planning to have a little innocent fun. And as a result all of us have lost a few things that we've enjoyed.

 

Example, having nothing to do with ships: One of the main reasons that the DAM Dollars program went away is because (can you believe it!) people were coming aboard with fake DAM Dollars, ready to turn them in. It isn't hard, probably; take a a few home with you, photocopy, cut apart, and there you go. My CD contact found two things wrong with this. First, the ordinary participants, proud of their 10 or so Dollars and hoping to take home a little souvenir that could be "show and tell" with their family, were amazed to see that at redemption time folks they'd never seen at any of the contests showed up with HUNDREDS of Dam Dollars to redeem. The CD said that the regular players felt insignificant and somehow "poor athletes" in the face of what seemed to be a lot of talent the regular cruisers didn't have. They just didn't go away from the events with a very good feeling and it showed in their comment cards. They felt cheated and certainly that wasn't HAL's intention. We all know how seriously HAL takes comments on those cards.

 

And, as my contact frankly pointed out, there's a budget for these things. Not a lot of money on a single cruise, but across the fleet, handing out prizes that weren't earned did begin to add up. Many people had enough DAM Dollars to pick out something of value. The staff didn't feel they could call out anyone for all these slips of paper so they'd redeem them, but everyone knew it wasn't right. So the decision was made to just quit doing it.

 

Trivia is, I'm afraid, in trouble also. I've read on several threads recently where it's almost turned into a brawl on some cruises as schoolyard epithets are hurled (cheater! seems popular) and as people have fought for seats; other participants have been found to google under the table for answers (who has the money to spend on internet time to cheat at a simple little game?) and once again, HAL takes the hit in remarks on the comment card that encourage any sane entertainment director to just steer clear of all this negativity.

 

I don't think there's anything we can do about it as an organization for it's not our role either to call out the troublemakers, but even simple inexpensive entertainment is sometimes falling into the "no good deed goes unpunished" category.

 

And for the record? Those of you who imagine the shipbuilding contest deprives people of endless days and hours in the pool, that's not the case. The pool (or a jacuzzi) will be needed just once, generally on the last day at sea, and near lunchtime when usage of the pool is minimal anyway, for perhaps a half hour at most. Which body of water they use pretty much seems to depend on the sizes of the entries.

 

And there's no need to get complicated, with "classes" of entries and all. People don't all admire the same things; as Lynn has said she's often not won and she's a great sport about that. People vote for what they want to vote for, every CD doesn't run the contest in the same way so really, one can't tell what the judging might be based on. One's model ship creation is not a judgment of your worth as an individual; it's just for fun. Every ship could probably win in some category.

 

Regardless, a good-sized crowd usually gathers; at lunchtime there are a lot of people around. They all seem to enjoy seeing the entries and how they look in the water. A lot of people have a few minutes of fun for very little of HAL's time and probably no more money than the cost of the items that the shipbuilders scrounged.

 

After all, when Cruisinetta needs 8 soft drink cartons or some such those were going into the trash anyway. Now, after she uses them, they just go a little later. Shopping bags that she gathers up for the hull were given out anyway and if you look closely you can see the little dividers on her cabin balconies are often discarded menus, carefully cut out. That's part of the fun, I think.

 

very sad Spinnner - now here's the question - if they are going to drop the ship building contest and trivia (which seems to be a big hit on all of my roll calls), then what are they going to replace it with?

 

HAL - are you listening - you have very few entertainment things (which is fine) but if you take away these - then it will cause a real concern among a lot of passengers.

 

I never saw an issue at Trivia but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened. After the NA we've moved back to the smaller ships. they seem to follow their own rules anyways :D:p:D:D

[Spinner2]

Don't get me wrong; I haven't heard any official word about Trivia. There's a thread running right now that mentions the war games that have happened at trivia on that cruise and I've seen some of this myself on cruises. Trivia is very popular and I can't imagine a cruise without it but what's going on at some games is ruining it for the ordinary players. One of the bar staff on a cruise we took last year said with a smile, "It takes a brave person to run Trivia!"

[GeriatricNurse]

My next cruise, the CCers are planning to do their own contest. It's true we don't need HAL to do this but it is a lot more fun with them. HAL, if you are reading this, please reinstate this contest before my April 13th cruise. :)

 

Are you planning to reserve the Lido pool online before your cruise? :confused:

[kazu]

Are you planning to reserve the Lido pool online before your cruise? :confused:

 

They don't need to - most contests are done in the hot tub from what I have seen - so it's a pleasant - do you mind for 1/2 hour?:D It's not a long thing and it's a lot of fun - join in and enjoy:):)

[GeriatricNurse]

They don't need to - most contests are done in the hot tub from what I have seen - so it's a pleasant - do you mind for 1/2 hour?:D It's not a long thing and it's a lot of fun - join in and enjoy:):)

 

 

I've only seen the "contests" done in the Lido pool! There was so much congestion around the pool at those times that I just 'vacated' the area! :( It's just not my thing! Been there, done that! I wasn't really impressed anyway! I just went for (another) brisk walk around the Promenade Deck instead! ;)

[Rockfan2]

My DH was a participant in our last cruise (17 day Circle Hawaii). There was only one other entrant. It turned out he was a museum curator specializing in miniature reproductions.

 

DH was most patint during the cruise as he solicited empty water bottles from fellow passengers and even sweet talked a bartender into lending him a curtain rod to use as his mast.

 

After living with his entry in our cabin for a week, I was proud to support him when he presented his entry at the appointed time.

 

It was an Outrigger with sails that went up and down. We had spent a lot of time in the Casino and we had Casino advertisement on the sails and cards in the bottles. We called it the Casino at Sea.

 

After the competition we took the ship up to the Casino to show it off. Lots of pictures and congrats all round.

 

BTW...the contest was supposed to happen in the hot tub but it was decided that they should sail in the main pool. Instead of carrying a 6 pack of Coke they carried a dozen.

 

Both were named winners.

 

Rockfan2 :)

[amster65]

I've only seen the "contests" done in the Lido pool! There was so much congestion around the pool at those times that I just 'vacated' the area! :( It's just not my thing! Been there, done that! I wasn't really impressed anyway! I just went for (another) brisk walk around the Promenade Deck instead! ;)

 

Sounds like we need an attitude adjustment hour...:cool:

[Cruise Organizer]

Ship building has be offered on one Alaska cruise and one Caribbean cruise for us.

The Caribbean cruise had 12 entries - our first competition. the winner was a six foot model with excellent detail. the winners spend 4 days building the ship.

There was one ship that was a pre-fab from home. The builders all had costumes, but their ship sunk. We didn't place, but it was fun and the whole pool area was cheering.

On the Alaska cruise - we won, but we were the only ship.

Last year, the Caribbean cruise had no event., nether did the Europe cruise.

We will be cruising the NA in March.

[philnsand]

my wife and i really enjoyed the ship building event. lynn did a great job on her poordam. we enjoyed the roll call activities and thank you for your efforts in organizing. i hope we cruise together again. the highlight for us was the pub trivia which our team won

[Raring to go]

On our cruise last week the Zaandam did have the shipbuilding contest, but I believe there were only 3 or 4 entries. We did not know anything about it and just happened to see it as we were leaving lunch. I have noticed that most of the organized activities seemed to have fallen off on our last 3 or 4 cruises. On the Zaandam, I saw 3 or 4 people in the Wii sports competition. "Name That Tune" pulled 4 or 5 teams, about 20 or so people. Trivia seemed to pull the largest group, but we went to Scattegories one day and there were only 2 teams.