Football games onboard

[OceanSea]

My DBF is panicking about the possibility of missing a college football game on the first day of our cruise. What is the likelihood of this being broadcast somewhere on the ship?

[seahawkfan]

Do they have ESPN on the tv's in the rooms?

[Eng23]

I have asked this same thing on another discussion board and got many different answers. Any TV feeds are going to be satillite based so depending on the team you want to see it all depends on what network or channel the ship receives. If you are lucky your ship might have a sports bar if not you will have to search the ship to find a place showing the games. I do feel your pain though. Good luck!

[Eng23]

I see that you are on Freedom of the Seas the week before I cruise the same ship. From what I have been told there are a few places the games might be shown since Freedom does not have a sports bar. I think you will have to inquire about this when you board the ship to get a true answer. Once again good luck!

[yogimax]

There are probably ten or more games that are televised each day. No one knows if his particular team will be featured.

[sailingawaysoon]

While on the Freedom last year during football season they showed several games. One was in the Schooner bar and another in the Olive or Twist. You just need to ask one of the bartenders when you get on board and they will tell you which game and where. Have a great cruise, the freedom is awesome!

[negc]

If your college's game is carried on ESPN or one of the major networks such as CBS or NBC, there is a reasonably good chance that it can be seen onboard the ship, but if it is on something like the ACC or Big Ten Network, it is less likely. Any game that is available on the ship should be available on your stateroom TV as well as the TVs in the public lounges. Best bet would be to program your DVR to record the game so that you can watch it when you get home after the cruise.:)

[Blue Darter]

My DBF is panicking about the possibility of missing a college football game on the first day of our cruise. What is the likelihood of this being broadcast somewhere on the ship?

 

Odds are high he'll be able to watch some college football on board....on the other hand, odds are very low he'll see the game he wants to watch. Most of our recent cruises have been in the fall (carefully coordinated with the UF schedule prior to booking :)) and there's always games available on Saturdays but usually only one in each time slot (i.e. noonish, late afternoon and early/late evening). Although there's been a few exceptions (e.g. CBS telecast of SECCG in 2008 after bugging guest relations for the entire first half) the games are typically ABC/ESPN broadcasts.

 

If he's anything like me, he'll drive himself nuts watching the ESPN scroll for score updates or really go crazy and spend big $$ trying to do the same over the ships web interface (note: ship on-line experience makes dial-up look like the fastest wireless available today!).

 

Sorry I couldn't offer some reassurance, but consider this a lesson learned. Never schedule a cruise (or a wedding for that matter) without first consulting your (or your boyfriend's) favorite team's football schedule. :)

[Blue Darter]

Do they have ESPN on the tv's in the rooms?

 

Typically ESPN Deportes although they generally pick-up a couple of ABC/ESPN college games on Saturdays. The Sportscenters are really informative....if you want soccer and cricket highlights (yeah, yeah, yeah...I know. It can't always be about America, but it's FOOTBALL SEASON!). They also show Sunday Night (NFL) football (believe they have the international rights to NBC's feed) as well as the Monday night game.

[negc]

Typically ESPN Deportes although they generally pick-up a couple of ABC/ESPN college games on Saturdays. The Sportscenters are really informative....if you want soccer and cricket highlights (yeah, yeah, yeah...I know. It can't always be about America, but it's FOOTBALL SEASON!). They also show Sunday Night (NFL) football (believe they have the international rights to NBC's feed) as well as the Monday night game.

 

It is sometimes ESPN and sometimes ESPN Deportes depending on where your cruise ship is at the time. In the same vein, you may see CNN or CNN International depending on where you are. We watched the Patriots on a Monday night game once when it was on the ESPN Deportes channel. Broadcasters were the regular Monday Night Football crew and only the commercials were in Spanish. We have frequently seen CBS and Fox Sunday afternoon games followed by the NBC Sunday night game and the Monday Night game.

I think that occasionally the Sports Center programs are taped and are shown when satellite coverage is unavailable.

[gmacruiser418]

my DH is a huge college football fan and is always able to find a game. but as other posters have said, no telling which game. sometimes you can arrange for a certain game, but they usually cater to the big games. We been in the lounge with large crowds watching the game of their choice. we always go to the 14th floor, i think that's the olive and twist. arrive early for a good seat!

[gmacruiser418]

BTW, i see you're sailing FOS, the college games are on Sat. it sails on Sun. it will be your last day, a sea day.

[pltag]

The Sportscenters are really informative....if you want soccer and cricket highlights

Hillarious ........ Soccer .. all day, everyday!! :)

 

To answer OP's question, unless it is the SuperBowl, The BCS National Championship game or a Finals Game 7.... the best approach is the plan on NOT being able to see it and to be pleasantly surprised if you do.

[Toast1412]

My DBF is panicking about the possibility of missing a college football game on the first day of our cruise. What is the likelihood of this being broadcast somewhere on the ship?

 

Depends who you are trying to see. If it's going to be a typical network broadcast they should be able to find it. Just ask.

 

No issues with pro games but many of them pick up the Spanish broadcast, which is actually pretty entertaining in itself.

[rolotumasi]

On Explorer last October they showed game 1 of the World Series in Studio B and had Vikings vs Pittsburgh and Dallas vs Atlanta in the Weekend Warrior Sportsbar and on t.v. in your cabin. The funny thing was the next day I was in the sportsbar and they replayed Vikings vs Pittsburgh. 3 guys came in and asked me and a couple sitting there if this was the Monday night game? At 2 p.m. in the afternoon I don't think so:rolleyes:

we were docked in Bermuda did they think the time change was that different? As far as college goes Saturday was sail away day so I really did not pay attention to what games were on but people were watching in the sportsbar. The Irish were off that week so I did not ask about the NBC feed on the ship. Whatever college game was shown on saturday night in prime time was on the t.v. in the casino. John

[tikimon]

No RCL does not play football aboard their ships only basketball :p

[negc]

Hillarious ........ Soccer .. all day, everyday!! :)

 

To answer OP's question, unless it is the SuperBowl, The BCS National Championship game or a Finals Game 7.... the best approach is the plan on NOT being able to see it and to be pleasantly surprised if you do.

 

Actually during football season you can pretty much count on seeing the nationally televised NFL games on Sundays (afternoon and evening) and the Monday night game. When ESPN Deportes is carrying the game you will get the US (English language) feed with Spanish commercials. Your favorite team's games may not be available (we were in Nassau on a cruise out of Miami last November when the Patriots were playing Miami) and the ship was showing the Cincinnati Bengals game. Most of us headed for Atlantis so that we could watch NE beat Miami.:)

[wwcruisers]

Actually during football season you can pretty much count on seeing the nationally televised NFL games on Sundays (afternoon and evening) and the Monday night game. When ESPN Deportes is carrying the game you will get the US (English language) feed with Spanish commercials. Your favorite team's games may not be available (we were in Nassau on a cruise out of Miami last November when the Patriots were playing Miami) and the ship was showing the Cincinnati Bengals game. Most of us headed for Atlantis so that we could watch NE beat Miami.:)

 

Thanks -- DH and I had been wondering whether we would be able to catch any of the NBC Halloween broadcast of the Steelers/Saints game on Mariner. Should be on around 5:30 pm Pacific time. Where would you suggest trying to see it? Sports Bar seems like the most logical choice. :cool:

[rlse9]

Most ships will have the ESPN college games during the day on Saturday, the ABC national game on Saturday night, either the national FOX or CBS games (depending on which station has the doubleheader, I believe) during the day on Sunday, and both the Sunday and Monday night games. The games will be broadcast in at least a couple of the bars and also available on your stateroom TV.

[OceanSea]

Depends who you are trying to see. If it's going to be a typical network broadcast they should be able to find it. Just ask.

 

No issues with pro games but many of them pick up the Spanish broadcast, which is actually pretty entertaining in itself.

 

Oh thank you so much. He looks forward all year to see his team (University of Cincinnati) and was threatening not to go!!! :eek:

[cb at sea]

Actually, he should tape whatever he "can't" miss, just in case. They don't carry EVERY game or every channel!

[OceanSea]

BTW, i see you're sailing FOS, the college games are on Sat. it sails on Sun. it will be your last day, a sea day.

 

Game in question is the first day of the cruise, September 5th.

[yj_eugene]

Oh thank you so much. He looks forward all year to see his team (University of Cincinnati) and was threatening not to go!!! :eek:

 

Since you're saling 9/5, the UC game in question is the noon 9/11 game vs Indiana State being broadcast on Fox Sports Ohio. I wouldn't get my hopes up about that game being shown on the Freedom. My guess is they'll be showing the South Carolina-Evil^H^H^H^HGeorgia game at that time, and you'll have to get the UC score off the crawler. Hopefully he'll be OK with that; Indiana State shouldn't be much more than a glorified scrimmage for UC anyway. Good luck, and Go Gators.

[hoosier1971]

We will be between Bar Harbor and Halifax when the Dolphins play Monday night (10/4) on ESPN. We are hoping that we will be able to watch it in the sports bar.

[suezyq50]

While on the Freedom last year during football season they showed several games. One was in the Schooner bar and another in the Olive or Twist. You just need to ask one of the bartenders when you get on board and they will tell you which game and where. Have a great cruise, the freedom is awesome!

Just got off Freedom. They had it in the compass what bar was sawing what game.