Equinox chartered

[lavender29]

Hi we are looking at a 2x7 night BtoB cruises on july 23 2016 on Equinox. they are also chartered out to a gay and lesbian group. Has any body been on a cruise before like this, is it quite noticeable, do we still have use of all facilities, friends were on a cruise a few years ago with a motorbike group, that were given sole use of the sky lounge every night. So others could not use it before midnight.

[Pushka]

Hi we are looking at a 2x7 night BtoB cruises on july 23 2016 on Equinox. they are also chartered out to a gay and lesbian group. Has any body been on a cruise before like this, is it quite noticeable, do we still have use of all facilities, friends were on a cruise a few years ago with a motorbike group, that were given sole use of the sky lounge every night. So others could not use it before midnight.

 

 

If chartered by Atlantis then I think you wont be able to book. We were on the cruise before the current Atlantis charter and I asked several crew what it meant. All of them said - they come to party. One crew told us all the bathrooms became unisex. There were no alcohol packages sold. A gay couple on our cruise told us they would never book an Atlantis cruise as they thought it would be filled not with long term couples but gay singles. Dont know if thats true. But no way would I be onboard!

[lavender29]

This cruise is only partly chartered with Pied Piper gay cruising, so is also available to the public.

[WestLakeGirl]

Yif it's a full-ship charter you won't be able to book the. Raise unless you go through that agency, you wouldn't be able to book through Delebrity or any other travel agency.

 

If, on the other hand, there are groups who have booked a large number of cabins but not the whole ship you could still go but as you found out sometimes these groups are large enough to dominate the facilities.

 

There also may be cruises with groups on board but not large enough in numbers to take over venues on a regular basis.

 

Which is happening next year on Equinox? It isn't a full ship charter so I suggest calling the company organizing the group to ask what their plans are and which venues might be used

Edited August 23, 2015 by WestLakeGirl

[BEAV]

If you go to the Atlantis website, you will not see a charter on Equinox during this time frame (July 23-Aug 6). When Atlantis charters the ship, it is a full ship charter and is closed to the general public.

 

There is a Travel Agency who specializes in gay groups (who's name we can't mention due to CC posting rules) who has a group booked on Equinox July 23-Aug 6, 2016. This is far different than a full ship charter, but instead a group traveling on a regularly scheduled cruise that is open to the general public. While I've never booked with this group before, I believe their groups are generally under 100 participants.

 

Huge difference between a full ship charter and a group of perhaps 100! ;)

[lavender29]

Thankyou for your replies it is not the aspect of having a certain group of people on board, its the thought of having certain venues closed etc.

[cruisestitch]

While you may have identified a group in this case there really isn't s good way to know if any other groups might be on any particular cruise. Large travel agencies sometimes have so many passengers on board that they send their own agents to coordinate group activities. Special interest groups, from investment clubs to quilters to Jimmy Buffet fans, can book out large numbers of rooms, and reserve different venues for their meetings and parties. I've even been on with some large family reunions that reserved whole public areas. It's not much different than booking a large hotel and finding out there's s convention there. My worst experience in that regard was booking s hotel where a huge group of clog dancers had a competition on. They practiced all night long and the racket was unbelievable.

[JFontaine]

This cruise is only partly chartered with Pied Piper gay cruising, so is also available to the public.

 

I was on with this group early this year. A wonderful group of extremely well-dressed, kind, respectful men. Would travel with this group again in a minute. If there were any room closures they were so minimal I didn't notice.

[lavender29]

Thankyou all for replies I shall still book the cruise. I was more worried about maybe not being able to go in the sky lounge, as that is one of the only bars we use.

[gold1953]

I was on with this group early this year. A wonderful group of extremely well-dressed, kind, respectful men. Would travel with this group again in a minute. If there were any room closures they were so minimal I didn't notice.

 

 

 

We also cruise with Pied pipers and look forward to seeing them on a future cruise

[Velvetwater]

As a general rule I would never book a cruise with any chartered group on board (even if it was small) as I have heard countless stories of rooms being shut off to general cruisers because of an event and shows catering for that group or the CD often addressing the group at shows and whatnot. Maybe there are better stories out there but I would exercise caution.

 

To some it may be ok but I would not be happy if I couldn't use all the ship spaces I had 'paid' for.

Edited August 23, 2015 by Velvetwater

[WestLakeGirl]

There are so many unknown groups you would never be able to learn about, big wedding parties or family groups, anyone can rent out any public lounge. You may be able to Google a cruise's date and see if any affiliate group is advertising it, but it could be a private group and you would not know until you see their signs that you are traveling with a sports team fan club or a group of Esperanto speakers

[cle-guy]

\

To some it may be ok but I would not be happy if I couldn't use all the ship spaces I had 'paid' for.

 

curious, how do you manage to be in all places at one time on a cruise?

 

Ships are giant spaces. it's kind of hard to understand how 1 small space closed off for 1 or 2 hours can cause any issues of the bulk of passengers.

 

I also don't get how it matters if 200 of the 2000 passengers know each other, or if no one of those 2000 passengers know each other.

 

Is it too tough to fathom that maybe 200 people filled a space before you could get there, and you therefore you couldn't get in as it was at capacity?

 

So Qsine is closed because they have 200 reservations, what matter is it if it is 1 group of 200 or 100 groups of 2?

 

Ot the group assembles at Martini bar, as do most passengers on any cruise before dinner. 200 people is 200 people be it a group to 200 singles.

 

That's really all these groups end up being. They just got to the space before you(we) could. Move on to another, and it'll be open in an hour or so.

Edited August 23, 2015 by cle-guy

[Pushka]

I get what VW means about groups. When people who know each other well travel in large groups they make much more noise than the same number of 'strangers'.

[Velvetwater]

curious, how do you manage to be in all places at one time on a cruise?

 

Ships are giant spaces. it's kind of hard to understand how 1 small space closed off for 1 or 2 hours can cause any issues of the bulk of passengers.

 

I also don't get how it matters if 200 of the 2000 passengers know each other, or if no one of those 2000 passengers know each other.

 

Is it too tough to fathom that maybe 200 people filled a space before you could get there, and you therefore you couldn't get in as it was at capacity?

 

So Qsine is closed because they have 200 reservations, what matter is it if it is 1 group of 200 or 100 groups of 2?

 

Ot the group assembles at Martini bar, as do most passengers on any cruise before dinner. 200 people is 200 people be it a group to 200 singles.

 

That's really all these groups end up being. They just got to the space before you(we) could. Move on to another, and it'll be open in an hour or so.

 

Probability.

 

Groups book public spaces quite often.

 

If there a group n board the probability of say...the sky lounge being unavailable goes up.

 

I have also heard of theatre seating etc being reserved for groups (again you probability of a good seat goes down). Then theres the examples of a certain music genre group on board and the cruise line changing their shows around to suit that group.

 

Who knows with my luck/timing. I was in the mood for some quiet time in the Sky lounge on my cruise and it happened to be Elite party time in there...ah well.

 

I wasn't really factoring in the bars or special restaurants as we do not use them often/sit somewhere else anyway.