Sandi Patty and Friends, Inspiration cruises,Nieuw Amsterdam Feb 23-March2,2014

[homeschoolmama]

Think it is at the last show in the theatre

 

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[PathfinderEss]

Just because you are booked on a cruise that has another large group on it, doesn't mean that you can attend their meetings/concerts. Just be aware of that. Sometimes they will only allow those guests that paid the money and booked through the specific agency running the group to attend. If it's important for you to attend these concerts and meetings, I would recommend switching your reservation over to Inspiration if you are not already past any penalties and they still have room in their group. We have encountered this in the past, so just a fair warning.

Good advice indokiwi. You should be very aware if this group is that large, they may take over venues on the ship, especially the Crows Nest. We just ran into this on the Statendam with a Jazz group. They closed down that venue 11 nights out of a 12 day cruise and there was only 250 of them.

Personal I have no problem with Jazz groups or gospel singers but do have a problem when they close down public venues and I become restricted in using them. These ships are not that big and have limited public areas. Hal has a problem about not telling you that you won't have access to them.

Like indokiwi says - fair warning......

[rileylewis]

Any cruise critic people signed up to sail with Sandi?

 

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My husband and I are going thru Inspiration Cruises and are so excited! (and it's our first cruise ever!!) We are also going to be in the choir. This is to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary as well as my husband's 50th birthday!! We have been singing "More Than Wonderful" for 25 years ourselves, too! So, this is a very special cruise for us.

 

My husband and I are musicians ourselves and love all kinds of music (well, I'm not a big "Southern Gospel" fan...and not "Rap" or "Heavy Metal" hee hee:p) I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Selah and Sheila Welsh!!!

 

Ok, can you tell I'm excited????

[homeschoolmama]

Rileylewis, we are excited too. I will also be in the choir. Been trying to get the music memorized! Maybe we will meet up. Real names are Jan and my sister Cheryl. See you in a few weeks!

 

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[homeschoolmama]

With all due respect to those who are worried, I sort of doubt the crow's nest will be where this group frequents. If anything, I would expect this group may be some of the most respectful people you might ever cruise with. I hope that would be true and really think it will be the case.

 

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[PathfinderEss]

With all due respect to those who are worried, I sort of doubt the crow's nest will be where this group frequents. If anything, I would expect this group may be some of the most respectful people you might ever cruise with. I hope that would be true and really think it will be the case.

 

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Well I hope you are right, but with that big of group you will be taking over some venues for your gospel singing, probably the show lounge. I hope for the sake of the other passengers that are not part of your group, you don't monopolize public areas. I know your all excited about your cruise and that is wonderful but please think about the other passenger. Please don't ruin their cruise.

[homeschoolmama]

Wow! In all my 30 plus cruises I have never heard this sort of opinion. There are groups on virtually every ship you will board. That is the nature of cruising. To be part of a group such as this you generally pay much more than the listed fares, and this cruise is no different. That doesn't provide more entitlement than another cruiser, but there will be meetings and the extra fare does cover those costs. The ship has multiple venues and last I checked there is no restriction for you to use them, nor for me to use them. Do you feel the same way when loyalty cruisers have their meetings in various venues? Next time you are on a cruise make a note how many times venues are used for groups, be it AA, church services, super bowl parties, insurance salesmen, family reunions, or dare I say a christian group. It happens on every cruise. Please be careful this is not just a dislike for the type of group sailing. I truly wish you happy and safe travels wherever they may take you.

 

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[hearts4ka]

Best friend and I are booked on Sandis cruise...and are going to be part of the choir. Would love to hear from any one else signed up for this once in a lifetime opportunity! Have been a fan of hers for lots of years.

[homeschoolmama]

Rileylewis who posted above is going with her husband. I am going with my sister. Jan is my name and Cheryl my sister's name. I will be in choir too. Trying to memorize the music :). Maybe we will meet up!

 

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[rileylewis]

Rileylewis who posted above is going with her husband. I am going with my sister. Jan is my name and Cheryl my sister's name. I will be in choir too. Trying to memorize the music :). Maybe we will meet up!

 

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Best friend and I are booked on Sandis cruise...and are going to be part of the choir. Would love to hear from any one else signed up for this once in a lifetime opportunity! Have been a fan of hers for lots of years.

 

My name is Deanna and I sing Soprano. "hearts" and Jan are you girls alto or soprano?

 

Also, do you know when we get to pick if we are early or late dining? Do they usually sit the choir in the same area for the main dining room? (I'm a newbie to cruising....:p)

[homeschoolmama]

Hi Deanna, I am soprano, sister not singing. My understanding is we all have the same dinner seating due to the timing of the events. I was told it would be late seating, but on my cruise documents we are listed for main dining. So that doesn't do much to answer your question.

 

Usually you select dining at booking. The people we booked with really don't have much info about the actual cruise. I did finally get someone to tell me last week that a schedule will be placed in our room on arrival. That is pretty normal to enter your cabin and find alot of things to read. Apart from that I can't say much more. When you fill out your online checkin ( which can be done anytime using your confirmation number) it should say if you have a dining time scheduled, but again that may even chage.

 

Where do you live? I am in Minnesota.

 

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[Mary Ellen]

I was told it would be late seating, but on my cruise documents we are listed for main dining.

Late seating is the same as main dining. That is the second seating of dinner. Early - well, that is the first seating of the evening.

[homeschoolmama]

Some ships call main dining the 6 o'clock seating and this ship seems to be one of them. My documents say main dining, followed by 6:00pm. The key is looking for the actual time listed.

 

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[rileylewis]

Hi Deanna, I am soprano, sister not singing. My understanding is we all have the same dinner seating due to the timing of the events. I was told it would be late seating, but on my cruise documents we are listed for main dining. So that doesn't do much to answer your question.

 

Usually you select dining at booking. The people we booked with really don't have much info about the actual cruise. I did finally get someone to tell me last week that a schedule will be placed in our room on arrival. That is pretty normal to enter your cabin and find alot of things to read. Apart from that I can't say much more. When you fill out your online checkin ( which can be done anytime using your confirmation number) it should say if you have a dining time scheduled, but again that may even chage.

 

Where do you live? I am in Minnesota.

 

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OK so my hubby just informed me that we got an envelope a long time ago and he stuck it away. :p He dug it out for me and it says that we eat at 7:45. So, I already had the info and didn't know it. Ha Ha!

 

I'm coming from Alabama but am a transplant to the state.;) I love it though. Great people here and it's warmer than when I lived near the DC area. It doesn't compare to those low temps in Minnesota!:eek:

[homeschoolmama]

Did you get that info from inspiration cruises? I never got anything in the mail from them. If I should have something I better get then tomorrow.

 

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[homeschoolmama]

I am definitely going to be on the lookout for you, Deanna from Alabama: :)

 

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[Mary Ellen]

Some ships call main dining the 6 o'clock seating and this ship seems to be one of them. My documents say main dining, followed by 6:00pm. The key is looking for the actual time listed.

 

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I'm sorry, but the names of the different seating are consistent across the HAL fleet. I've actually copied this from the HAL site for a Nieuw Amsterdam sailing. It's entirely possible that the promoter of this group has used their own terminology, rather than HAL's. Did your documents come from them or HAL?

 

Open Seating

Guests that choose this option can dine anytime the dining room is open (5:15 to 9:00PM). Seating will be based on availability.

Early Dining

Main Dining

[rileylewis]

The information came from the travel agency and gave our dining time as 7:45 which I assume is late dining. I'm guessing they used their own terminology for whatever they called it?

 

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Edited January 13, 2014 by rileylewis

[homeschoolmama]

Mary Ellen, thanks for the info. I had been making reference to other cruiselines, not just HAL. Your copy is quite helpful because it is on my documents from online checkin. I will just call and clarify, so thanks again for the tipoff. :)

 

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[OutofNJ!]

Wow folks! Everybody calm down!! You know.... it's a cruise:D. Live and let live! Sandi Patti and her group will do their own thing and the rest of the pax will do theirs. No one is going to jump anyone and drag them to a gospel festival or pour bloody Mary's down anyone's throat. We're doing a back to back during this cruise. We're sandwiched between a nudist cruise and a Christian cruise. Hmmm..... being somewhat of a germ-o-phobe, I think I might prefer sailing with group number two!! Again no judgments, I'm just sayin':rolleyes:. Our biggest problem with Sandi's group aboard is that our gang can't get late seating. I'm assuming that the group has second seating due to scheduling concerns. Oh well, we'll just do open dining at 8:30. No biggie!! There's always a work-around! Again.... it's a cruise. No cooking, no cleaning, no nothin' but blue water, blue skies and smooth sailing. OK. Enough of my 70's-Hippie-I'm-OK-You're-OK preaching for now. We're all gonna have a great time!!

 

MB.

 

PS: (You guys should start a roll call to continue your chat!)

[motherchic]

"Again.... it's a cruise. No cooking, no cleaning, no nothin' but blue water, blue skies and smooth sailing. OK. Enough of my 70's-Hippie-I'm-OK-You're-OK preaching for now. We're all gonna have a great time!!"

I will give a strong AMEN to that MB !!!!!!!! :-)

[PathfinderEss]

Wow! In all my 30 plus cruises I have never heard this sort of opinion. There are groups on virtually every ship you will board. That is the nature of cruising. To be part of a group such as this you generally pay much more than the listed fares, and this cruise is no different. That doesn't provide more entitlement than another cruiser, but there will be meetings and the extra fare does cover those costs. The ship has multiple venues and last I checked there is no restriction for you to use them, nor for me to use them. Do you feel the same way when loyalty cruisers have their meetings in various venues? Next time you are on a cruise make a note how many times venues are used for groups, be it AA, church services, super bowl parties, insurance salesmen, family reunions, or dare I say a christian group. It happens on every cruise. Please be careful this is not just a dislike for the type of group sailing. I truly wish you happy and safe travels wherever they may take you.

 

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Wow, I hate to differ with you, but in my experience in over 50 cruises there are not groups on every ship you board. Lots of groups that do cruise have meetings yes, and Holland has rooms for that but I presume you will be singing, and you will need the venues that have that kind of equipment, which only gives you the Crows Nest, the Show Lounge, Ocean Bar and Piano Bar. Of these venues only two are big enough to handle the size of your group. The Crows Nest and the Show Lounge and I would guess you will be getting together every day. We just got off a cruise where there was a jazz (250) group on board and they monopolize the Crows Nest for 11 nights. We were not allowed the usage of that public area, because of this group for the entire cruise and that is wrong. Yes, there are get together's going on all the time for different things such as Mariners, Suite, 4 and 5 'star' events but they usually don't take over an entire public area and it only happens once a cruise.

 

Like I said before I don't dislike any groups, but when they monopolize a public area that then that keeps me from utilizing it, I do object.

 

[rileylewis]

Best friend and I are booked on Sandis cruise...and are going to be part of the choir. Would love to hear from any one else signed up for this once in a lifetime opportunity! Have been a fan of hers for lots of years.

 

Rileylewis who posted above is going with her husband. I am going with my sister. Jan is my name and Cheryl my sister's name. I will be in choir too. Trying to memorize the music :). Maybe we will meet up!

 

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I started a "Roll Call" for this group so we can continue and additional discussions there. I was going to private message you two, but couldn't figure out how to do it since I am new here. :rolleyes:

[homeschoolmama]

I am sorry this thread has created this much negative dialogue. After the original poster had their guestion answered, my goal was solely to seek out others in the Sandi patty cruise. If you are part of that group please continue to share with each other. If you are going to voice concerns about monopolizing venues please know your concerns are duly noted. I will personally be sensitive to that and will say something to decision makers if it is abused by others.

Enough is enough, so please no more bashing just because this is a group of christians. I truly want all fellow passengers to enjoy their cruise , and I will too, whether this one or one where I am not part of a group. So to all of you who have expressed your concerns, please enjoy every minute of your cruise. Now please let this thread get back to finding those who are fellow participants. Thanks.

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[rileylewis]

I am sorry this thread has created this much negative dialogue. After the original poster had their guestion answered, my goal was solely to seek out others in the Sandi patty cruise. If you are part of that group please continue to share with each other. If you are going to voice concerns about monopolizing venues please know your concerns are duly noted. I will personally be sensitive to that and will say something to decision makers if it is abused by others.

Enough is enough, so please no more bashing just because this is a group of christians. I truly want all fellow passengers to enjoy their cruise , and I will too, whether this one or one where I am not part of a group. So to all of you who have expressed your concerns, please enjoy every minute of your cruise. Now please let this thread get back to finding those who are fellow participants. Thanks.

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If you are a participant in the Sandi and Friend's group, please come to the roll call page. :D How fun!