There's a BINGO group on my cruise!

[JimmyVWine]

 

However, my dh still wants us to take our chances saying that we'll find out their schedule and either beat them to the dining room or go after then (when he thinks it'll be empty). I really have concerns about this, hopefully it'll work out.

 

While it my not be proper, (or even legal) to shout "FIRE" in a crowded theater, I don't see any harm in shouting "BINGO Game Starting Up In Explorer's Lounge!!" if there is a huge line waiting to get in to the MDRs for dinner. That ought to clear out a path pretty quickly. :D

 

I really got a kick out of the brochure and the reference to the fact that the included pre-cruise stay was at a casino resort in South Florida that has an early bird 9:00 a.m. BINGO session on the day of departure. Plenty of time to squeeze in a few extra games before boarding the ship! Sounds likie they need an addiction support group on this ship! And while the BINGO games on board will be in the theater, the slots, poker and Blackjack tournaments will be in the casino. So this group definitely plans to take over those venues. Best of luck and enjoy your solitude at the pools!

 

For those wondering, interested or concerned, next year's trip will be on Golden in Alaska the week of 9/13.

[kaylynn723]

I emailed the tour promoter and asked him if most of the people had selected Anytime or Traditional and I got a response this morning that "most have chosen Anytime."

 

However, my dh still wants us to take our chances saying that we'll find out their schedule and either beat them to the dining room or go after then (when he thinks it'll be empty). I really have concerns about this, hopefully it'll work out.

 

Their "flyer" says that the bingo games will be held in the theater, so that's where they'll be.....empty loungers by the pool, I guess.

 

 

Thanks everyone for your help and sympathy.:)

 

Well I'm on this cruise with Mafig!! I'm exstatic that I won't have to struggle for my pool chair. Yes I'm a saver and admit it!! I'm up and out by the pool by 8:30 and I do reserve a chair for a friend!!! But I am in my chair most of the day!!! I'm hoping this group adheres to the Non-smoking areas or I will have some words with the likes of a bingo player or two!!!

 

Was just on the Crown in April and I am hoping that my same pool waiter is there!!! The last large group I encountered on a cruise was a group of gay guys like 150 of them!!! Man that was a fun time in the Disco. Haven't danced that much in years!!! ;) I guess I can presume the DJ to be mine for the week on this cruise!!! Does Bingo and Dancing mix??? LOL

 

I will make the best of it as always!!!

[dchip]

We have a group of 500 or so Chumley Bears on our 11/3/2013 Royal Princess cruise.

 

It will be interesting to see how a group this large impacts the pools and MDR. I have heard that they all go to dinner together. I am guessing one MDR is reserved for them. Since we are on the cruise before and after the Chumley Bears, we will be able to see if there is much difference.

 

Also watched a U-Tube video where they filled the aft pool one by one. :D Pool time is going to be fun for sure!!!

 

Cheers, Denise

Edited October 8, 2013 by dchip

[Ethel5]

We have a group of 500 or so Chumley Bears on our 11/3/2013 Royal Princess cruise.

 

It will be interesting to see how a group this large impacts the pools and MDR. I have heard that they all go to dinner together. I am guessing one MDR is reserved for them. Since we are on the cruise before and after the Chumley Bears, we will be able to see if there is much difference.

 

Also watched a U-Tube video where they filled the aft pool one by one. :D Pool time is going to be fun for sure!!!

 

Cheers, Denise

 

Quite by chance, we were on 2 cruises with the Bear's groups. The first had 500 members and they did take over the aft pool. They also had several private parties-one of which was a Halloween party and the costumes were wonderful and outrageous!. The second cruise had 300 and we hardly knew they were there. In general, they are well educated, funny, well dressed and socially capable of holding an intelligent conversation-unlike some travelers I've sailed with! :)

[Liz54]

Quite by chance, we were on 2 cruises with the Bear's groups. The first had 500 members and they did take over the aft pool. They also had several private parties-one of which was a Halloween party and the costumes were wonderful and outrageous!. The second cruise had 300 and we hardly knew they were there. In general, they are well educated, funny, well dressed and socially capable of holding an intelligent conversation-unlike some travelers I've sailed with! :)

 

Donna - so glad to hear a calm response to the bears, there has been some rather unpleasant commentary on them in the past. I'm an old straight woman, but as they say: (about other groups) "Some of my best friends are Bears!!"

[blueboro]

They may have the option of Anytime Dining but I have seen groups who take up an entire deck or section in the Dining room with traditional dining.

[dchip]

Quite by chance, we were on 2 cruises with the Bear's groups. The first had 500 members and they did take over the aft pool. They also had several private parties-one of which was a Halloween party and the costumes were wonderful and outrageous!. The second cruise had 300 and we hardly knew they were there. In general, they are well educated, funny, well dressed and socially capable of holding an intelligent conversation-unlike some travelers I've sailed with! :)

 

Thanks, Donna.

 

We are looking forward to the Bears. We, too, have many friends that could be Bears.:D

 

Still interested in seeing the impact on the pools since there has been much discussion on this subject.

 

Cheers, Denise

[DrivesLikeMario]

Mafig - At least you're aware of them being on 'your' cruise ahead of time and can work around their schedule. Let us know how it impacts your cruise (if at all) when you return. Bon voyage!

[mafig]

Thank you. I will.:)

[ThirdPalmTree]

Amazing.

 

Some of you people are so incredibly snobbish and judgmental.

 

Worrying about 10% of the ship's population rushing to eat at the same time, or rushing to the casino, or grabbing your pool chair?

 

What's to stop 80% of the ship's population deciding to all go eat at the same time? Or to gamble?

 

Karma, people, karma.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Amazing.

 

Some of you people are so incredibly snobbish and judgmental.

 

Worrying about 10% of the ship's population rushing to eat at the same time, or rushing to the casino, or grabbing your pool chair?

 

What's to stop 80% of the ship's population deciding to all go eat at the same time? Or to gamble?

 

Karma, people, karma.

 

Let's see, you have a group of obnoxious people taking over venues and dining rooms. Yes, that can affect your cruise. As I stated in my first post, I've been on cruises with groups (as just about every cruise has various sizes of groups on board), and wouldn't have even known they were onboard, except for a sign or two. But then there's groups that are inconsistent. To me, that was the cruise I was on that had the bingo tourney. The only other big group that had a negative effect on any cruise I've been on was a large (I heard 52) extended family -- many of us had at least one very bad encounter with them, especially with their unsupervised kids (one of them pushed my daughter in the pool -- both my husband and I talked to this kid, who didn't seem sorry at all, and there were no parents rushing over to find out who was lecturing their kid; some on our roll callers were pushed by the parents or kids or otherwise harassed).

 

Hopefully you'll never be subjected to one of these groups, but until you do, don't lecture us on being judgemental.

 

Well, it is an itinerary with three sea days, so 6-8 hours of Bingo a day and you've pretty much covered it. I seem to recall actually seeing a Travel Channel special about this World Bingo Championship at one point, but couldn't be bothered to actually watch it so I just flipped past it. With a group that large I'm guessing they'll end up in the theater, since it's pretty much the only venue that would handle all of them. I also suspect that the "regular" Bingo games might not happen on this one since the equipment will be tied up (unless they're bringing their own.)

 

Speaking of Bingo, how the heck do you manage to become a world champion of Bingo anyway? Isn't that pretty much just one step up from being the World Champion of the Lottery?

 

I wondered about that too. Being the champion of a spelling bee, a Jeopardy show (one of our tablemates a few cruises ago had won on Jeopardy, according to her proud brother), contract bridge life tournament...when there's intelligence, knowledge, skills involved, I would be impressed. Winning a raffle, lottery, bingo match -- that's just luck and not something to be impressed about.

[mafig]

Mafig - At least you're aware of them being on 'your' cruise ahead of time and can work around their schedule. Let us know how it impacts your cruise (if at all) when you return. Bon voyage!

 

 

I'm back. There was no problem at all with the Bingo group. Didn't even know they were there except on the last day we were behind one who was explaining to someone how they went with a group and they were pooling their winnings.

I was concerned about Anytime Dining, but we again had no problems. We went at different times and were given a beeper twice. Both times we were told the wait would be about a half hour, but it was only about 10 minutes.

They also did not impact the pool area. It was still crowded.:o:p

See, I worried for nothing.:D

[Love.II.Cruise]

I'm back. There was no problem at all with the Bingo group. Didn't even know they were there except on the last day we were behind one who was explaining to someone how they went with a group and they were pooling their winnings.

I was concerned about Anytime Dining, but we again had no problems. We went at different times and were given a beeper twice. Both times we were told the wait would be about a half hour, but it was only about 10 minutes.

They also did not impact the pool area. It was still crowded.:o:p

See, I worried for nothing.:D

 

I'm glad you had a great cruise!