Large musically themed group on our two cruises…impact on the rest of us?

[vmom]

We will be on the Sky and Regal for a total of 3 weeks.
I found out that one week has a large musically themed group cruise for about 800 passengers and another week has a music themed group cruise for 600-800 passengers.

I’ve never been on a sailing with a large group before, especially one that because they are music themed, could use the main venues for concerts and group events. 

Curious to hear any feedback as to how this impacts the passengers who are not part of the group? 

Wondering if this will make it easier to get a seat in the main theater or will there be fewer shows available for the rest of us? How about other public venues?

[PacnGoNow]

12 minutes ago, vmom said:

We will be on the Sky and Regal for a total of 3 weeks.
I found out that one week has a large musically themed group cruise for about 800 passengers and another week has a music themed group cruise for 600-800 passengers.

I’ve never been on a sailing with a large group before, especially one that because they are music themed, could use the main venues for concerts and group events. 

Curious to hear any feedback as to how this impacts the passengers who are not part of the group? 

Wondering if this will make it easier to get a seat in the main theater or will there be fewer shows available for the rest of us? How about other public venues?

When is this on the Regal?

[Rick&Jeannie]

14 minutes ago, vmom said:

Wondering if this will make it easier to get a seat in the main theater or will there be fewer shows available for the rest of us? How about other public venues?

I can't imagine this making it *easier* to get seating!!

[vmom]

5 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

When is this on the Regal?

Jan 29th sailing. It’s an Irish themed cruise with Irish bands and singers. 

[vmom]

4 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

I can't imagine this making it *easier* to get seating!!

Well…I wondered if they had an event in a different location maybe that would be 600-800 fewer people trying to get a seat in the main theater. 

[Rick&Jeannie]

Just now, vmom said:

Well…I wondered if they had an event in a different location maybe that would be 600-800 fewer people trying to get a seat in the main theater. 

There is no other location on board the ship that would accommodate that number of people...

[Rick&Jeannie]

As far as there being "fewer shows available..."  no, they are not going to cut shows due to the presence of a group.

[PacnGoNow]

I wonder if they will be part of the entertainment?  I bet the parties will be longer into the evening.

 

I don’t see any interference with the theater for the shows.  Maybe during the day.  They may, however,  sew the early show, so they can eat later in the MDR?

 

We have been on ships with large groups and didn’t notice much, except some venues were closed due to private meetings or parties.  That large, they may scatter the times for them to attend.  
 

 

[capriccio]

There is a current 'live from' an 80s themed cruise on the Regal.  I would post your question there.

 

 

[reedprincess]

13 minutes ago, capriccio said:

There is a current 'live from' an 80s themed cruise on the Regal.  I would post your question there.

 

 

Big difference. The 80s cruise isn't a private charter group. It's a Princess offering, the entire sailing, sold by Princess themselves with an 80s theme. They also have a couple comedy themed cruises and culinary themed cruises on offer too.

 

The ones being referenced by the OP is a private charter group. It's a partial charter. They'll have their own venues for their activities, and unless you're part of the charter group, you won't be able to attend them.. 

[reedprincess]

1 hour ago, vmom said:

We will be on the Sky and Regal for a total of 3 weeks.
I found out that one week has a large musically themed group cruise for about 800 passengers and another week has a music themed group cruise for 600-800 passengers.

I’ve never been on a sailing with a large group before, especially one that because they are music themed, could use the main venues for concerts and group events. 

Curious to hear any feedback as to how this impacts the passengers who are not part of the group? 

Wondering if this will make it easier to get a seat in the main theater or will there be fewer shows available for the rest of us? How about other public venues?

Unless you're part of the private partial charter, you won't be able to attend their events.

They'll likely be in the Vista Lounge for their performances, plenty of space in there for the the 500/60oor so that are currently booked for the Irish charter.  Or the theater during the day.

There may be some performances in the more public venues like the atrium or on deck that anyone would be able to enjoy also..

 

It won't affect normal cruise activities or entertainment - evening theater shows as normal, atrium activities, Princess Live, etc. The charter activities will be separate and not listed in the Patter..

(as has been my experience onboard past partial charters)

 

There was a 500+ Porsche group aboard Regal in December, 10-18 and the many people didn't even realize they were there! 

 

There's a polka partial charter in Regal on the Jan 22nd sailing, that should be interesting! Lol..

 

[bjkTX]

I would think if they plan to go to any venue as a group, or sub group, it could get tricky for others to get in.  Maybe you can identify a member or two on the Roll Call and ask them if they have an "itinerary" while on the ship - and plan to be where they aren't - unless it looks like fun 🙂

[bjkTX]

4 minutes ago, reedprincess said:

We'll be visiting St Lucia next year on a Princess cruise - it will be our third visit that we are very much looking forward to 🙂

 

 

[Honolulu Blue]

3 hours ago, vmom said:

We will be on the Sky and Regal for a total of 3 weeks.
I found out that one week has a large musically themed group cruise for about 800 passengers and another week has a music themed group cruise for 600-800 passengers.

I’ve never been on a sailing with a large group before, especially one that because they are music themed, could use the main venues for concerts and group events. 

Curious to hear any feedback as to how this impacts the passengers who are not part of the group? 

Wondering if this will make it easier to get a seat in the main theater or will there be fewer shows available for the rest of us? How about other public venues?

I don't have any answers for you that haven't already been said elsewhere.  But I want to put some notes down about the difference between full charters, partial charters, and cruise line themed cruises:

 

• FULL CHARTER - The charter controls the bookings and the prices for the cabins.  They have full access to the ship and its facilities for the duration of their rental.  It's not possible for regular people to randomly book a full charter, so mixing and mingling is limited.
• PARTIAL CHARTER - The charter company pays a fee for access to certain facilities on a cruise ship and the right to book some rooms through it.  The cruise company reserves the right to control everything else, which means they try to keep things as normal as possible for the rest of the passengers on the ship.  Sometimes it works better than others.
• CRUISE LINE THEMED CRUISE - The cruise line retains full control over the ship, but the entertainment and such will have a theme to it (80s, comedy, cooking, etc.).  Beware if you don't like the theme.

[voljeep]

and Princess will not disclose if a large group is on board prior to the cruise.

[CanadianBurger]

I was also on the Regal before Christmas when the 600+ Porsche Club was on board. Honestly,

other than seeing the lanyards, you wouldn’t know they were there. The only exception was a model prize event in the Piazza, which was interesting to watch. 

[tipofthehook]

Yikes, I’ve been onboard when a group such as this burst into song in the MDR without authorization. The passengers didn’t know if it was a Princess sponsored group or not so they tried to be accommodating at first. But it turned into a *”%@ show with wait staff being blocked from serving the tables, passengers upset and angry that the dinning room was not quiet as expected. Passenger Services was inundated with complaints.

Oh boy, the next evening, no more singing and LOTS of white coats stopping by the tables to reassure the guests the remaining nights will be normal. 
I’m sure that Princess has tweaked the rules since then and the Patter will keep you fully updated. 

Edited January 12, 2023 by tipofthehook

[MJC]

We once boarded the week following a cruise with lots of bands, and we experienced a long wait while they disembarked because of all the instruments. Long wait in the hot sun to just get into the terminal.

[WoodstockGirl]

When any of them show up to play some of the various music-themed trivia games, they always know all the answers, and they always win!

Just sayin'

[Coral]

I would expect some venues to be closed during the day due to "private parties". Yes - large groups over-run the ships. I have also seen where they have an entire dining room to themselves.

 

Some groups are more annoying than other groups.

[Thrak]

11 hours ago, vmom said:

Jan 29th sailing. It’s an Irish themed cruise with Irish bands and singers. 

 

Ahhh... I believe I read another thread here at one time regarding what was probably this same group. Venues repeatedly closed for private functions. The poster was not happy. When I books a cruise I expect to be able to use all of the public venues during the cruise. (No, I don't use them all but am not interested in being blocked out of the ones I do use.) The people from the group said they weren't a problem for others but the "others" definitely had a problem with the group.

 

Hopefully things will be fine on your cruise but I'm certainly happy I'm not sailing with you and this group.

[dog]

6 hours ago, tipofthehook said:

Yikes, I’ve been onboard when a group such as this burst into song in the MDR without authorization. The passengers didn’t know if it was a Princess sponsored group or not so they tried to be accommodating at first. But it turned into a *”%@ show with wait staff being blocked from serving the tables, passengers upset and angry that the dinning room was not quiet as expected. Passenger Services was inundated with complaints.

Oh boy, the next evening, no more singing and LOTS of white coats stopping by the tables to reassure the guests the remaining nights will be normal. 
I’m sure that Princess has tweaked the rules since then and the Patter will keep you fully updated. 

Same.   Rules don’t apply to some.

[dog]

2 hours ago, Coral said:

I would expect some venues to be closed during the day due to "private parties". Yes - large groups over-run the ships. I have also seen where they have an entire dining room to themselves.

 

Some groups are more annoying than other groups.

Same here.

[justafem]

I was on a cruise a during spring 2022 that had a LARGE family reunion.  LARGE like 600.  It was fun to watch.  They'd converge on the buffet enmass, then broke off like schools of fish, into smaller groups. 

 

It was interesting. No issues for other pax. 

 

And I'm on the comedy theme in April.  Looking forward to that!

Edited January 13, 2023 by justafem

[Honolulu Blue]

I will note that I have been on two full charter music cruises and will be going on two more this year. None are on Princess. I was on one of Princess' 80s themed cruises in 2021 and will be going on another later this year. I have not, to my knowledge, shared any ship with a partial charter on any cruise line. I suspect my time will come eventually. I'm not looking forward to the experience.