Large Charter caused dining problems

[Karen13]

We have just been on our first HAL cruise on the Nieuw Amsterdam on 25th June to Alaska. Whilst we enjoyed the cruise generally and the ship, we and others experienced problems due to the fact that HAL had decided to accept a booking from a christian religious group of over 900 on a cruise of just over 2000 passengers.

This group held a prayer gathering every evening, and also initially objected to sharing a dining room with anyone consuming alcohol (we were told by a staff member they insisted on having a physical barrier between them and others if this was the case). The result was that anyone who had requested late dining was bumped onto early dining, so this group could occupy the whole of the dining room at 8.00pm. We had requested anytime dining (usually up till 9.30) but were told we had to dine by 6.45. In practice even that was impossible, as the tables would not be free for the group at 8.00pm, so we found that other passengers were asked to queue, sometimes up to 20 groups at a time, whilst tables were kept empty for this group so they could be seated at 8.00pm.

We felt very sorry for the staff who had to deal with large numbers of unhappy passengers. We paid to eat in Tamarind on the first night when it became clear we could not access the MDR. We spoke to others who had eaten at the Lido all week (not out of choice).

Later in the week when by pressure of numbers they were forced to eat at the same time as us it made for an uncomfortable atmosphere, as instead of the usual cheery 'good evening', they would cast their eyes down when they saw a glass or bottle of wine on an adjacent table. We were in a lift carrying drinks between evening venues when one woman came in and actually turned her back on us and faced the wall. How rude. They also insisted in taking over the show lounge for a morning meeting which meant when we assembled for tours we had to meet in the nightclub which was crowded with no seating.

The group was booked by a company called Inspiration Christian Travel. I would certainly not travel on any cruise on which such a group was booked again.

The staff were happy to log all complaints, as they told us 'Head Office' had accepted this booking and they needed to know it had caused problems. Whilst we made the best of it, it made for a very difficult week for them. I would be interested to know if anyone has had similar problems, as it has caused us to think again about booking another cruise with HAL, despite the features we enjoyed.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Sorry that this happened to you.

That Group was listed on the dry docks, charter thread at this link:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2354486&highlight=dry+docks

[jtl513]

:( IMO a group like that should be required to take over an entire smaller ship (e.g. Veendam or Maasdam), not half of a large ship.

[PatsyAnne]

At the very least, they should have been told that they could not control other passengers' legal activities, including disrupting dining. If they don't want to be around alcohol, they should charter an entire ship. JMO.

 

(Sorry, simultaneous post.)

Edited July 4, 2016 by PatsyAnne
Simultaneous post saying the same thing

[jtl513]

(Sorry, simultaneous post.)

Just goes to show great minds think alike. :D

[Topsham]

Can't have been R.C's.!

[OHCruiser]

I feel that this is a case where HAL should lay out to the group, at the time of booking, that NO special accommodations will be made for any prejudices that they may hold and that other guests will not be deliberately inconvenienced for the comfort of the group. If they run the other way, well, so be it.

 

If being insular and judgemental of others is what makes their day, then they need to go be insular and judgemental somewhere other than a cruise ship with 1100 other people who don't share their limited views of life and pleasure.

 

Prigs are welcome to be prigs, but no one should make accommodation for them--paying guests or not.

[sail7seas]

We have just been on our first HAL cruise on the Nieuw Amsterdam on 25th June to Alaska. Whilst we enjoyed the cruise generally and the ship, we and others experienced problems due to the fact that HAL had decided to accept a booking from a christian religious group of over 900 on a cruise of just over 2000 passengers.

This group held a prayer gathering every evening, and also initially objected to sharing a dining room with anyone consuming alcohol (we were told by a staff member they insisted on having a physical barrier between them and others if this was the case). The result was that anyone who had requested late dining was bumped onto early dining, so this group could occupy the whole of the dining room at 8.00pm. We had requested anytime dining (usually up till 9.30) but were told we had to dine by 6.45. In practice even that was impossible, as the tables would not be free for the group at 8.00pm, so we found that other passengers were asked to queue, sometimes up to 20 groups at a time, whilst tables were kept empty for this group so they could be seated at 8.00pm.

We felt very sorry for the staff who had to deal with large numbers of unhappy passengers. We paid to eat in Tamarind on the first night when it became clear we could not access the MDR. We spoke to others who had eaten at the Lido all week (not out of choice).

Later in the week when by pressure of numbers they were forced to eat at the same time as us it made for an uncomfortable atmosphere, as instead of the usual cheery 'good evening', they would cast their eyes down when they saw a glass or bottle of wine on an adjacent table. We were in a lift carrying drinks between evening venues when one woman came in and actually turned her back on us and faced the wall. How rude. They also insisted in taking over the show lounge for a morning meeting which meant when we assembled for tours we had to meet in the nightclub which was crowded with no seating.

The group was booked by a company called Inspiration Christian Travel. I would certainly not travel on any cruise on which such a group was booked again.

The staff were happy to log all complaints, as they told us 'Head Office' had accepted this booking and they needed to know it had caused problems. Whilst we made the best of it, it made for a very difficult week for them. I would be interested to know if anyone has had similar problems, as it has caused us to think again about booking another cruise with HAL, despite the features we enjoyed.

 

 

 

I'M sorry to read how negative ely gthisgrOU IMPACCTEDpactedcso many not a part of the group. HAL and other cruise lines do not tellguests when there is a big Group booked even if they are Asked directfly. MAKES IT HARD TO AVOID THE GROUPS.

 

dID THEYEY HOLD their evening pryer in the MDR ?

Edited July 4, 2016 by sail7seas

[jhsocal]

This is very disappointing news. We will be on Westerdam July 9th with an Inspirations Group.We were waitlisted for late seating since October, final papers show open seating. Hope our group is not as large. This is one of five Westerdam Alaska cruises with this group. Our schedule would not permit us to work around them. Thank you for alerting us.

[Kathie859]

Ack!! It sounds like an uncomfortable cruise with judgmental people. I don't find their brand of "Inspirational" Christian Travel to be "inspirational" and I would not a good traveling companion match with this group.

 

it sounds like you had a decent time in spite of the tour group and thanks for the reminder to check for charters and group bookings.

[rafinmd]

This mob (and I think mob is appropriate given how they are controlling other people) also has groups July 9,16,30, and August 6 next year.

 

Roy

[lazey1]

Karen

 

Thank you very much for posting this. I also will avoid travel with this group. That is some of the most unchristian behavior I have heard of.

[catl331]

hopefully, anyone who is thinking of those cruises next yr will spread the word and true HAL passengers will avoid these cruises. HAL wouldn't like empty rooms and also no income from cocktails and wines!!

[Old As Dirt Mom]

I hope HAL corporate in Seattle gets an earful. I think karen13 has a very good attitude and calmly reported the facts for us.

 

Just fyi, "Inspiration Cruises and Tours" is merely a travel management company and booking agent. They book different churches, groups, and congregations, from all over North America, so it doesn't mean the passenger component will be the same on each cruise. Here's a link to their website if you want to avoid inadvertently sharing the ship with the various groups they book:

 

http://www.inspirationcruises.com/

Edited July 4, 2016 by middle-aged mom

[Karen13]

Yes we did enjoy our cruise in spite of all of this. Felt more sorry for the staff who were very stressed with all the complaints. They had been told by head office we had all been told about the changed arrangements which was totally

untrue.

 

I agree HAL should not bend over to such demands.

 

Two tips If you are unfortunate - pay the small $20pp supplement to dine in Tamarind a couple of times which was totally amazing in service and food, and if you complain, the MDR staff will try their best to try and find a table for you around 7.00pm.

 

Hope you all enjoy your Alaska cruises anyway!

[dockman]

I'm surprised they didn't try and storm the casino and try and stop all those gambling "sinners"....hey why not also go to the pool and make sure no bikinis are on view....and hey some of those dvd's and movies are R rated. What's next...complain because the staff is muslim?

 

SHAME on holland america for allowing any group to ruin a cruise for the other passengers who have every right to late dining, cocktails, etc.

 

Holland should apologize to all the other passengers and make it crystal clear to any such future groups that this type of behavior will not be tolerated.

[yerdua]

Hmmm. We're on the Westerdam end of July with a Thrive/Inspirations group. We were locked into the date by the air travel (FF miles). Hopefully it won't be as large (or judgemental) as this NA group was. On the plus side... there should have been plenty of room in the bars and casino!

[Karennella]

Goodness what religion were they? Even our friends who are strict Protestants all drink in our country!

[RocketMan275]

Not at all surprised. Down here in the South, one encounters this kind of behavior. When we first got a AA baseball team, they tried to prevent beer sales in the park.

 

Often these groups claim their behavior isn't religiously based, that they just want to keep alcohol away from children.

[Roz]

I live in the Southern US, and we have several large denominations that don't drink alcohol (at least in public :D).

 

Roz

[hobo1937]

I think a letter to the President of HAL is in order. You paid good money to take this cruise and should not have to deal with the kind of treatment you received.

[Kathyfromstl]

Karen, did you have any issues of the large group taking over any of the other public room? I'm on Saturday's cruise with a large group and wondering if I'll be spending extra time on my balcony.

 

Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk

[Hlitner]

All the mass market lines, including HAL, continue to show their disdain for most passengers by continuing to put large groups/charters on ships with regular passengers. This usually ends with many passengers being unhappy because the groups often take over many public venues to the exclusion of everyone. We continue to believe that this problem will only be resolved when there is a decent "passenger bill of rights" voluntarily entered into by the cruise lines...or some kind of class action law suit (this finally resolved many of the games that used to be played with port taxes/fees).

 

Hank

[Cruising-along]

Ugh. I've known for awhile that "Mercy Me" Inspirations group will be on the 2nd half of our Koningsdam Caribbean cruise in January.

 

Unfortunately we can't change our plans....Tamarind is a good idea. Hopefully they don't take that over too. :( On a Maasdam cruise we never were able to have lunch in the Pinnacle because groups onboard had it reserved. And they weren't extra-large groups either.

[RocketMan275]

I live in the Southern US, and we have several large denominations that don't drink alcohol (at least in public :D).

 

Roz

 

You know how to take a Baptist preacher fishing and keep him from drinking all your beer?

 

Invite another Baptist preacher to go along...