Princess To Drop Bridge Games

[BridgeMates]

We are still disappointed that Princess canceled the organized bridge games and won't book another Transatlantic or long cruise with them again. We did 30 plus days with Holland America. They had a fabulous bridge team for all the sea days.

[Griller]

As a non-bridge player and someone who has been thrown out of card rooms in the past as the bridge players had allegedly booked it for the day I can only rejoice.

[BridgeMates]

I appreciate what you're saying; however the organized bridge games I'm talking about were way too big for a card room and were held in one of the Dining Rooms. These days they put cards and games in one of the specialty restaurants and you hope to find people to play with. It works but I still miss the organized games with a "bridge director."

[JEH]

Glad to see that an attempt is being made to bring Dupicate Bridge back to Princess. Hope to spread the word at the Nationals in Chicago in August . Leaving today for London boarding the Royal British Ilses cruise 6/2

[bridgenuts]

We were on the Royal Princess for 10 nights in March 2015. There was no organized bridge with an ACBL in teacher/leader. This practice has ended! In my opinion, we do not need an organized group for a 7-night or less cruise, but for longer ones it is necessary. Cruise staff have told us that Princess has found that there is not enough interest being shown in that activity. Who are they kidding - especially when attendance is almost non-existent (usually less than 5 or 10 on a ship with over 3,000 passengers) at MANY actiivities - book club, napkin folding, mask (or such) making, sometimes pop choir, karaoke (sp?), etc., etc. On our Royal cruise, it was advertised in the Patter that there would be a passenger hosted session daily in the afternoons. It turned out that the passenger was a 90+year old woman (most traveled Princess passenger on the cruise) who did not know how to set up a game, keep score, have rotations, etc., etc. It was ridiculous to advertise this activity with this woman leading. There are many wonderful cruise companies that still offer a GOOD game for pleasure or points.

[RickEk]

We were on the Royal Princess for 10 nights in March 2015. There was no organized bridge with an ACBL in teacher/leader. This practice has ended! In my opinion, we do not need an organized group for a 7-night or less cruise, but for longer ones it is necessary. Cruise staff have told us that Princess has found that there is not enough interest being shown in that activity. Who are they kidding - especially when attendance is almost non-existent (usually less than 5 or 10 on a ship with over 3,000 passengers) at MANY actiivities - book club, napkin folding, mask (or such) making, sometimes pop choir, karaoke (sp?), etc., etc. On our Royal cruise, it was advertised in the Patter that there would be a passenger hosted session daily in the afternoons. It turned out that the passenger was a 90+year old woman (most traveled Princess passenger on the cruise) who did not know how to set up a game, keep score, have rotations, etc., etc. It was ridiculous to advertise this activity with this woman leading. There are many wonderful cruise companies that still offer a GOOD game for pleasure or points.

 

The difference is that Princess has to pay a bridge director (free cabin). Those other activities basically don't cost them anything. If bridge players move on to other lines, I guess that's okay, because Princess will be able to sell those cabins anyway. Seems to me that it's a purely economic decision.

[JEH]

It will be interesting to see how the reintroduction of bridge goes .

[paul929207]

We were on the Royal Princess for 10 nights in March 2015. There was no organized bridge with an ACBL in teacher/leader. This practice has ended! In my opinion, we do not need an organized group for a 7-night or less cruise, but for longer ones it is necessary. Cruise staff have told us that Princess has found that there is not enough interest being shown in that activity. Who are they kidding - especially when attendance is almost non-existent (usually less than 5 or 10 on a ship with over 3,000 passengers) at MANY actiivities - book club, napkin folding, mask (or such) making, sometimes pop choir, karaoke (sp?), etc., etc. On our Royal cruise, it was advertised in the Patter that there would be a passenger hosted session daily in the afternoons. It turned out that the passenger was a 90+year old woman (most traveled Princess passenger on the cruise) who did not know how to set up a game, keep score, have rotations, etc., etc. It was ridiculous to advertise this activity with this woman leading. There are many wonderful cruise companies that still offer a GOOD game for pleasure or points.

When Princess had the director, it was only on cruises that had at least 4 sea days

[Griller]

I appreciate what you're saying; however the organized bridge games I'm talking about were way too big for a card room and were held in one of the Dining Rooms. These days they put cards and games in one of the specialty restaurants and you hope to find people to play with. It works but I still miss the organized games with a "bridge director."

 

When bridge players are sharing a games room we other passengers there playing board games are often too noisy for the bridge players, and we don't appreciate being told to shut up or get out.

So I am all in favour of a dining room being used and the serious bridge players having exclusive use of it.

Don't seem to be so many dedicated games room on newer ships, I was just on the 25 year old ex-Celebrity Horizon and the card/games room and library and cigar bar were spacious, well appointed and elegant best public rooms on the ship.

[BridgeMates]

Glad to see that an attempt is being made to bring Dupicate Bridge back to Princess. Hope to spread the word at the Nationals in Chicago in August . Leaving today for London boarding the Royal British Ilses cruise 6/2

 

Haven't heard anything about this. What do you know about them bringing back the organized games? Hope it's true!

[paul929207]

Haven't heard anything about this. What do you know about them bringing back the organized games? Hope it's true!

I think the only thing being done is the guy who posted on here that he has permission to run the game on the Ocean Princess 89 day cruise autumn 2015.

[winncruiser]

Anyone on recent Emerald cruise notice if bridge is being played and if so, where and when? Thank you!

[mr green]

IMO the cutbacks that Princess has made over the past few years are getting too detrimental for the companies' good.

Just consider 'SHOGUN', a long time Princess cruiser who is now leaving our ranks, I wish him well, and in part due to lack of Bridge Games, I may well follow suit. It makes me very sad!!!

 

john