Organized Bridge Play

[jos12]

As a bridge player I want to be sure if bridge tournaments and lessons will be organised on board when the ship is at sea for many days. If the website says 'yes'  (mostly with a picture) is it always guaranteed?

[LHT28]

There are bridge games on every cruise  some are just organized amongest the passengers

If it is one of the Bridge  cruises  then I would think  they would happen as stated

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/special-offers/bridge-program/

[Shawnino]

LHT28's link is good.

I was told as a rule of thumb, there's more bridge on cruises with more sea days.

 

On our Riviera TA there were 20-22 duplicate tables every sea day meeting in Polo, and at the same time there was a social bridge group around the corner in Toscana. 

The standard was absolutely horrible. 

One pair quite clearly knew what they were doing and were a well-oiled machine.

There were three or four more pairs (including me and my pick-up partner: he has been playing Bridge three years but is a sound card player and is likely of genius IQ) who had some vague notion how to play and the odd implosion.

The rest were pretty brutal.

 

As the cruise went on, instead of more camaraderie in the group, the number of agitated Director Calls intensified, but not from the better pairs (partner and I never called Director once... we're on a ship FFS). Zero the first day, to a crescendo at week's end. One spell saw four calls in ten minutes.  The husband-and-wife directors did well to keep their cool.

 

One gracious/competent fellow who I'd never met before was from my city. He kept saying that, after the cruise was over, he needed to get me back out to the local Duplicate. Sure, I initially said. As our cruise carried on and the Director Calls mounted, I began to remember why I'd sworn off our local club all those years ago 🙂 

[bitob]

If the cruise has sufficient sea days there will be an ACBL sanctioned game in the afternoon and lessons (beginning and intermediate) in the morning.  The bridge instructors are certified instructors but of course they vary in quality.  You will find a real mix of players and skill levels on a cruise ship.  You will also find that many players who regularly play social bridge join the duplicate and don't really know the difference in rules and strategy.  You will also find some husbands and wives who never play together at home playing together on board and that can be interesting.  LOL

 

If you are a bridge player who enjoys duplicate on vacation it's fine.  If you want a first rate experience for bridge at sea, take a Larry Cohen bridge cruise on Crystal.

[jos12]

LHT28, When the organisation has to be done by the passengers, that means it's not organized at all.

Of course most afternoons some people are playing then, but there will be between 0-5 tables. Many times impossible to join because these people have already their arrangements. 

Organized bridge including tournaments is fun. The lessons in the morning are entertainment for some players and eye openers for others. A bonus for (almost) every bridge player.

 

Shawnino has probably been very unlucky. Though 20 tabels is very nice it does not help when many players are not nice at all.
My own experience is that, as in probably all other (sport)clubs, about 10% of the people are not nice but the rest is ok and often much nicer than just ok. That will be the same in all sport clubs and also at the ship when playing bingo and trivia, being in the casino, having tea, dinner or whatever.

 

Bitob (see above) is very right. However sometimes a bridge instructor is missing, even when there are about 50% sea days. That's why I started this topic.

 

Edited January 18, 2019 by jos12

[LHT28]

12 minutes ago, jos12 said:

LHT28, When the organisation has to be done by the passengers, that means it's not organized at all.

Of course most afternoons some people are playing then, but there will be between 0-5 tables. Many times impossible to join because these people have already their arrangements. 

Organized bridge including tournaments is fun. The lessons in the morning are entertainment for some players and eye openers for others. A bonus for (almost) every bridge player.

 

Shawnino has probably been very unlucky. Though 20 tabels is very nice it does not help when many players are not nice at all.
My own experience is that, as in probably all other (sport)clubs, about 10% of the people are not nice but the rest is ok and often much nicer than just ok. That will be the same in all sport clubs and also at the ship when playing bingo and trivia, being in the casino, having tea, dinner or whatever.

 

Bitob (see above) is very right. However sometimes a bridge instructor is missing, even when there are about 50% sea days. That's why I started this topic.

 

If you already knew the answer why ask??

On all the O cruises  I have been on there are bridge games  some have a director & some do not

I did not say all the games are organized by passengers

 

If it is advertised as a Bridge cruise  why would they not have  the Instructors?

I do not play

 

[bitob]

Oceania has a list of "bridge cruises" posted on line.  All that means is that there will be  ACBL sanctioned duplicate bridge.  You can always call O and inquire.

 

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/experience/enrichment/bridge-program/

[ponstad]

Just returned from a cruise on the Marina -  we spent several happy afternoons playing social bridge.  There were no lessons or duplicate games.