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Keith1010

By Keith1010,
in Crystal

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TER777

TER777

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, bitob said:

 I have heard a rumor that there might now only be one agency left.  Were they owed money?  Were they stiffed?  I cannot imagine it is a fortune.  Easily remedied if the NC is willng to pay that debt to get the bridge program back.  YES -- I know they don't have responsibility for the debt.

No. No money is owed. That is not how the bridge etc brokers/instructors programs are structured. 

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Txcotn

Txcotn

Posted
Posted
55 minutes ago, TER777 said:

Ballroom dancing to live music! And live music in the Palm Court till?

 

55 minutes ago, TER777 said:

Ballroom dancing to live music! And live music in the Palm Court till?

Ballroom dancing - fine but not our thing - DH can't dance🤯

 

Palm Court? Lovely but a real snooze.

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ChatKat in Ca.

ChatKat in Ca.

Posted
Posted
9 hours ago, bitob said:

One "fly in the ointment" with respect to the bridge program is what happened with the two agencies who provided the ACBL certified directors when Crystal went under.  At the time there were only 2 agencies who could provide ACBL sanctioned games.  I have heard a rumor that there might now only be one agency left.  Were they owed money?  Were they stiffed?  I cannot imagine it is a fortune.  Easily remedied if the NC is willng to pay that debt to get the bridge program back.  YES -- I know they don't have responsibility for the debt.

There are 2 different sources of Bridge Directors. 

 

The "charter" Cruises you can find in the ACBL Magazine where the famous bridge instructors come from and they hold the Sectionals at Sea. If you did not book via the Group Bridge Program, you cannot play.  There were 2 sources of these instructions/games. One was sold and they had a group on our recent cruise.  It was the transition to the new owners/directors and it did not go well. The other well known group is still booking the charter sailings.

 

Regular Passengers who play in the Crystal games also have ACBL sanctioned Bridge Directors and you can earn points just like any land based Bridge Club.

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May B Great Review Rare

May B

Posted
Posted (edited)
20 hours ago, ChatKat in Ca. said:

There are 2 different sources of Bridge Directors. 

 

The "charter" Cruises you can find in the ACBL Magazine where the famous bridge instructors come from and they hold the Sectionals at Sea. If you did not book via the Group Bridge Program, you cannot play.  There were 2 sources of these instructions/games. One was sold and they had a group on our recent cruise.  It was the transition to the new owners/directors and it did not go well. The other well known group is still booking the charter sailings.

 

Regular Passengers who play in the Crystal games also have ACBL sanctioned Bridge Directors and you can earn points just like any land based Bridge Club.


Hi Kathy,

 

I agree that Larry Cohen, Robert Todd and Michael Berkowitz are the best-known instructors. However, their cruises (exclusively run by a travel agency I shall not name, b/c I think it isn’t allowed on Cruise Critic) were Regionals at Sea. I expect they will be up and running as soon as their terms can be negotiated. Unless the infamous owner of that agency carries such a grudge against OC that he refuses to book NC. They have a RaS advertised for December on another cruise line.
 

However, Ginny and Jeff were famous enough that bitob was looking forward to cruising with them, and they were running Crystal’s bridge program. I am personally acquainted with five others who directed/taught in Crystal’s bridge program. Four are very experienced players and teachers, and the other one is a very experienced club director. 

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Posted
17 hours ago, ChatKat in Ca. said:

But there is another Bridge Sailing Entity that was recently sold. Our friends were on that sailing (with us) but we did not participate.  They told us it was a mess.


There are several who run organized bridge, after blocking space (staterooms, and playing space). I’m guessing I know who you mean, as I can only think of one who is new to the market, and they seem to have taken over for the previous couple.

 

That previous couple had a huge number of loyal followers, b/c they did a beautiful job. I actually stopped in to say hi once, on Symphony. Their game was in Prego! The husband was extremely gracious. One year they went directly from the holiday cruise, ending in Miami, to Australia to board the other ship. I was impressed!

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May B

Posted
Posted
On 3/10/2023 at 5:25 PM, suzeluvscruz said:

 

 

On your first point - we aren't big gamblers but do enjoy the casino after a late show. As it looks now, all there is to do after a show is to go somewhere and drink. Unless there is entertainment of some sort (other than the lone piano in the Cove), that leaves the Avenue. Might it be so crowded that no one else can squeeze in? Oh yeah, there's the disco, but we're way too old for that! Dinner, a show (maybe) then off to the suite to read....heck, we can do that at home for a lot less $$$!


I was thinking there was a movie in the Hollywood Theatre at 10:30.

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AtA

AtA

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, suzeluvscruz said:

There is but not exactly a social venue and most of the movies really sucked. 

Agree. Most did suck but every once in a while, they'd come up with a gem.

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ctjon

ctjon

Posted
Posted

Yeats ago the movies were quite good - the hits just after they left the theaters.  Now those same movies are on streaming services so probably a lot harder or much more expensive for a cruise ship to get and show.

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ChatKat in Ca.

ChatKat in Ca.

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, May B said:


There are several who run organized bridge, after blocking space (staterooms, and playing space). I’m guessing I know who you mean, as I can only think of one who is new to the market, and they seem to have taken over for the previous couple.

 

That previous couple had a huge number of loyal followers, b/c they did a beautiful job. I actually stopped in to say hi once, on Symphony. Their game was in Prego!

On Serenity they played in the Starlight Lounge on one cruise.

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May B

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Posted
21 hours ago, ChatKat in Ca. said:

On Serenity they played in the Starlight Lounge on one cruise.


Absolutely, but I don’t think that was the (retired) Salobs. I could be wrong.

 

It was the Regional at Sea, in the daytime, for sure. They have to be in a separate room from Crystal’s bridge program. In the evening the regional moves into the bridge room.

 

 

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