?? for Past Cruisers with Jewish Music Festival at Sea

[JayhawkFans]

I discovered last night that the cruise we have selected .. Allure Jan 12, 2020, is also the booked as the Jewish Music Festival at Sea.  Looking for input from others who might have sailed the same time as this Music Festival in the past.  I realize there will be a large contingent of people cruising as part of this festival.  Will we find that the regularly scheduled Broadway Shows, Ice Skating Shows, Aqua Shows, etc., be unavailable due to use of the space for private shows for the music festival attendees??   

[mets123]

Without getting into details, if you're not Jewish, you may want to look into another date or ship. Just search these boards for Jewish holiday cruises.

[katiel53]

Last January we were on Harmony when the same agency had a Yeshiva week cruise.  The Solarium cafe served only Kosher food so it was not the same food we would have enjoyed there.

 

There were about 1500 people in that group and aside from the obnoxious teens throwing pizza around while in the hot tubs, throwing ice cream at each other,  and crowding the pool deck, it wasn't all that bad.  Quite a few felt they were part of the "entitled" people with the guest services people.

 

We were booked on Allure for the week you are sailing and changed it to Harmony as the agent I spoke to at the agency told  me they would have areas on the ship for their music and they bring on their own food, have an area set up for them to eat, which again, may or may not be the Solarium although on Allure it becomes Samba at night, but perhaps not that week.  I decided I didn't want to deal with that group again.  YMMV.

[venicia]

Once was enough for us, NEVER again with that group.  This was on Oasis and I had to beg DH to ever go on a Royal ship with me again.  For the first time in our lives we could not wait to get off our favorite class ship.  The way they treated the crew was beyond horrible and I don't know why they are still allowed to ruin other cruises vacations by being obnoxious and rude.

 

Yes, they bring their own music and food and there are areas that are reserved for only them the entire week.  Expect to see rude unmannerly behavior all over the ship.  As mentioned before:  NEVER AGAIN.

[amber1002]

30 minutes ago, katiel53 said:

Last January we were on Harmony when the same agency had a Yeshiva week cruise.  The Solarium cafe served only Kosher food so it was not the same food we would have enjoyed there.

 

There were about 1500 people in that group and aside from the obnoxious teens throwing pizza around while in the hot tubs, throwing ice cream at each other,  and crowding the pool deck, it wasn't all that bad.  Quite a few felt they were part of the "entitled" people with the guest services people.

 

We were booked on Allure for the week you are sailing and changed it to Harmony as the agent I spoke to at the agency told  me they would have areas on the ship for their music and they bring on their own food, have an area set up for them to eat, which again, may or may not be the Solarium although on Allure it becomes Samba at night, but perhaps not that week.  I decided I didn't want to deal with that group again.  YMMV.

 

2 minutes ago, venicia said:

Once was enough for us, NEVER again with that group.  This was on Oasis and I had to beg DH to ever go on a Royal ship with me again.  For the first time in our lives we could not wait to get off our favorite class ship.  The way they treated the crew was beyond horrible and I don't know why they are still allowed to ruin other cruises vacations by being obnoxious and rude.

 

Yes, they bring their own music and food and there are areas that are reserved for only them the entire week.  Expect to see rude unmannerly behavior all over the ship.  As mentioned before:  NEVER AGAIN.

I find these comments very offensive and anti Semitic. I am Jewish and have encountered very rude behaviour from people who are not on a “Jewish music cruise “, why make the distinction with such horrible comments. 

[Ourusualbeach]

12 minutes ago, amber1002 said:

 

I find these comments very offensive and anti Semitic. I am Jewish and have encountered very rude behaviour from people who are not on a “Jewish music cruise “, why make the distinction with such horrible comments. 

No where did they say all Jewish people were like this all the time.  They were referring to that one specific charter cruise and they were simply reporting what actually happened and what they observed. It’s been documented by various people on this board that that particular cruise was not typical of all Royal Caribbean cruises due to the charter group.

 

There are other groups that charter the ship that those comments would probably apply to as well however no one asked about those.

Edited May 5, 2019 by Ourusualbeach

[amber1002]

19 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

No where did they say all Jewish people were like this all the time.  They were referring to that one specific charter cruise and they were simply reporting what actually happened and what they observed. It’s been documented by various people on this board that that particular cruise was not typical of all Royal Caribbean cruises due to the charter group.

 

There are other groups that charter the ship that those comments would probably apply to as well however no one asked about those.

I never said I thought these comments said Jewish people were like this all the time. I said that there were cruises I had been on where behaviour was as bad. However, it is implied on these posts that all the people in this group behaved atrociously, what all 1500 of them!,

[katiel53]

20 minutes ago, amber1002 said:

 

I find these comments very offensive and anti Semitic. I am Jewish and have encountered very rude behaviour from people who are not on a “Jewish music cruise “, why make the distinction with such horrible comments. 

The OP asked specifically about this group.  If the OP asked about a quilting group and I had a bad experience with that group, I would post my feelings. 

 

I felt that we did not get to use the solarium bistro because the food was not what is normally served there.  I don't care what group it is that prohibits or inconveniences others who have paid for their fare just because they are a particular group on the cruise whose needs/wants  are not the same as the rest of us.  

 

I have been on many cruises and have never seen kids throwing pizza in the hot tubs or having ice cream fights on deck.  No parents tried to stop these kids.  I have also not seen as many people feeling entitled as I did on the Harmony cruise.  Being Jewish itself, has nothing to do with my feelings on this cruise.  I just don't want to be inconvenienced again nor do I want to be denied areas of the ship where I might normally go but won't be able to because the group is taking over the venue.  

 

I had read about the January cruises and the problems on the ships, but I have cruised many years in January and had never run into what I posted.  Once was enough.  

[amber1002]

Not quite the same as commenting on a quilting group is it? It’s a little more sensitive subject than that. I have witnesses many occasions where children have run riot on a cruise and parents did not step in. Perhaps you should avoid any cruise which have large group bookings so that you are not inconvenienced.

[Palmetto Pilot]

56 minutes ago, amber1002 said:

 

I find these comments very offensive and anti Semitic. I am Jewish and have encountered very rude behaviour from people who are not on a “Jewish music cruise “, why make the distinction with such horrible comments. 

Give me a break, nothing about that post was offensive or anti semitic......way to try to pull that card though. 

[venicia]

I will only repeat what I wrote earlier.  Being on the ship with that particular group was the worst cruise we have ever been on in over 50 cruises. I'm sorry that it has upset you, but the facts remain the same.  I as well have observed many times when children were not behaving and cruisers were rude to staff and unmannerly, just never as bad as that cruise was.  Was it all of the 1500 persons????? Truthfully it seemed as though it was double that and the persons not with that group were the outsiders.

 

I wish I had taken video to show you some of the disgusting treatment and obnoxious behavior of these persons.  It wasn't only the children that were running wild, the adults were totally rude and unmannerly.  They would push elderly and disabled persons aside to get on the elevators, they would have their books and papers laying all over tables and chairs that were not reserved for them.  When crew would ask them to move some items, they would be verbally loud and not comply.  

 

By the 5th day it was getting so unruly that many cruisers were telling them to move or just pushing their stuff on the floor.  We observed one male, I don't know if you would call him an elder or what, but there was a section reserved for the group and at one time the elder screamed at the waiter "you don't serve me like that" and knocked the plate of food to the floor.  We were there and that ended our eating in the MDR.

 

The hot tubs were always packed with the children and yes they had ice cream in there, dropping it on the floor and no one cared.  The Wipe Out Cafe was reserved for them only the entire week, I have on idea how long it must have taken the crew to clean it as it was a disaster area.

 

Would you like me to continue?   

 

Again I will say, NEVER AGAIN with this group and if it upsets you, well, then that's just how it is.

[katiel53]

37 minutes ago, amber1002 said:

Not quite the same as commenting on a quilting group is it? It’s a little more sensitive subject than that. I have witnesses many occasions where children have run riot on a cruise and parents did not step in. Perhaps you should avoid any cruise which have large group bookings so that you are not inconvenienced.

Believe me, I do check before booking to see if I can find any large group going on the cruise I am considering.  Some groups don't show up though unless I word the request exactly as it is listed.  

 

I feel you are are stretching to make my post anti-semantic when it is not.  You are trying to make my post and another post into something it isn't.  I have said what I said and I don't apologize for my post.  I just posted my experience with this group as asked by the OP.  Simple as that.

[ownedbypets]

I'm Jewish and don't find these comments offensive at all. We have cruised with some large groups in the past and most of them didn't affect our cruise at all but there was one that was a nightmare.  It was a Quinceanera group.  100 families and a lot of them acted like they were the only ones on the ship.  It doesn't matter what type of group it is, if their behavior is bad it will ruin your cruise.

[weejasser]

4 hours ago, katiel53 said:

Last January we were on Harmony when the same agency had a Yeshiva week cruise.  The Solarium cafe served only Kosher food so it was not the same food we would have enjoyed there.

 

There were about 1500 people in that group and aside from the obnoxious teens throwing pizza around while in the hot tubs, throwing ice cream at each other,  and crowding the pool deck, it wasn't all that bad.  Quite a few felt they were part of the "entitled" people with the guest services people.

 

We were booked on Allure for the week you are sailing and changed it to Harmony as the agent I spoke to at the agency told  me they would have areas on the ship for their music and they bring on their own food, have an area set up for them to eat, which again, may or may not be the Solarium although on Allure it becomes Samba at night, but perhaps not that week.  I decided I didn't want to deal with that group again.  YMMV.

 

I was on the same Harmony Cruise in January and totally agree with your comments. We missed the Solarium cafe as it’s something we enjoy on Oasis Class ships. In future I’ll avoid any cruise that has any large group booked on it

[mets123]

Since when is stating facts Anti-Semitic? We're only describing what we saw. They are facts that have been verified many times over. I will end with a question that was asked during the Captain's q and a session during the Jan 2018 Jewish holiday cruise on the Anthem. He was asked what was the most difficult cruise he ever had. His answer was just 2 words, "This one".

[MixerDave]

6 hours ago, JayhawkFans said:

I discovered last night that the cruise we have selected .. Allure Jan 12, 2020, is also the booked as the Jewish Music Festival at Sea.  Looking for input from others who might have sailed the same time as this Music Festival in the past.  I realize there will be a large contingent of people cruising as part of this festival.  Will we find that the regularly scheduled Broadway Shows, Ice Skating Shows, Aqua Shows, etc., be unavailable due to use of the space for private shows for the music festival attendees??   

Can I ask how you found out?  The site I go to looking for groups does not show this.  Perhaps you have a better one.

[cb at sea]

All of your regularly scheduled shows will be available.  The "group" will have it's own functions and they won't bother you.

[JayhawkFans]

18 minutes ago, MixerDave said:

Can I ask how you found out?  The site I go to looking for groups does not show this.  Perhaps you have a better one.

If you go to do a google search for Jewish Music Cruise 2020 it pops up ... or www.kosherica.com

[Ourusualbeach]

10 minutes ago, cb at sea said:

All of your regularly scheduled shows will be available.  The "group" will have it's own functions and they won't bother you.

Did you even bother to read anyone’s responses who has been on this same charter.

[Merion_Mom]

Yeshiva week is for families when the children aren’t in school. (Yeshiva is the word for their school). 

 

Is this Music Festival during a school holiday?  If not, you’ll be dealing with adults not kids. 

 

And yes, I have witnessed kids throwing pizza and ice cream and misbehaving in hot tubs and I have never been on a charter cruise. 

[rbschultz]

If I had to guess this is a Yeshiva week cruise which also happens to be a Jewish Festival cruise. Yeshiva week happens around that time every year. This past year on NCL there were ~1500 as part of the group. 1 of the MDRs was Kosher all week and reserved for the group. Any large groups traveling together will cause disturbances that many will find aggravating as they're more likely to "act out" with their friends and colleagues than with random strangers. My cruise was not negatively impacted by this group, but I know there were other people on board that complained about the large group. 

 

If you're concerned I'd say its best to book another date/ship.

[katiel53]

5 minutes ago, rbschultz said:

If I had to guess this is a Yeshiva week cruise which also happens to be a Jewish Festival cruise. Yeshiva week happens around that time every year. This past year on NCL there were ~1500 as part of the group. 1 of the MDRs was Kosher all week and reserved for the group. Any large groups traveling together will cause disturbances that many will find aggravating as they're more likely to "act out" with their friends and colleagues than with random strangers. My cruise was not negatively impacted by this group, but I know there were other people on board that complained about the large group. 

 

If you're concerned I'd say its best to book another date/ship.

On Allure next January they are two different weeks.  Our cruise on Harmony was Yeshiva week, but next year it's going to be on Allure and the music festival week is the first one and the Yeshiva week is the week after.

 

[mets123]

From what I experienced, the adults were as much to blame as the children.

[Blizzard54]

I am Jewish and did not find the post to be anti-Semitic.  The group is advertised as a Jewish Music Cruise.  Any large group can have some issues.  In reference to the Yeshiva Week cruise the following week,  I have seen posting that they had behavior issues.  But other that setting aside kosher dinning venues they are no different than any cruise with high numbers of kids.  One of the worst we have experienced was the Liberty Thanksgiving week with 1500 kids.  Along with overcrowding the Solarium, one day they took over the Diamond Club.  We were also on the Liberty one week when Mexican schools were out. about 600 very well behave kids....interesting contrast.

 

This coming January we will be onboard for both the Music Group and the Yeshiva Group.  We are not part of either group.  It will be interesting to see how they compare to other groups we have sailed with.  During the Yeshiva cruise there will also be a music group from Chicago. 

[tlund]

We will be sailing on the January 12th cruise and are hoping the Jewish Music Group won't be that large.  From what I am hearing the next week will be a Yeshiva week cruise.  That is confusing because we have friends that will be sailing on the 19th with a Chicago Music Cruise group.  I can't imagine being on a cruise with 2 different large groups.  I would think it would be difficult for the cruise line to try and accommodate private spots for both groups while keeping venues open for all of the non-group passengers.