Polka Cruise

[Visaman666]

8 hours ago, antmaril said:

We were on the polka cruise this year (not part of the group).  For the most part, the Vista Lounge and Take 5 were unavailable during the week.  Not a huge deal for us, but, to be honest, I will try to do more research about groups on board when booking my next cruise.  
 

 

Yes! We took them over. There was over 600 of us this year. We also took over the dining room at 5 PM.

[skynight]

"Yes! We took them over. There was over 600 of us this year. We also took over the dining room at 5 PM."

Have your fun, but Princess should not permit your fun to deny 3,000 other paying guests. Princess should let other passengers know when large groups are on board, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

[Thrak]

8 hours ago, antmaril said:

We were on the polka cruise this year (not part of the group).  For the most part, the Vista Lounge and Take 5 were unavailable during the week.  Not a huge deal for us, but, to be honest, I will try to do more research about groups on board when booking my next cruise.  
 

 

 

If I was on a cruise and found Take 5 closed for a "special group" I would be extremely unhappy. On our recent Discovery Princess cruise (the first ship we've been on that had Take 5) my wife and I were there every evening. It was by far our favorite venue to date.

[Visaman666]

33 minutes ago, skynight said:

"Yes! We took them over. There was over 600 of us this year. We also took over the dining room at 5 PM."

Have your fun, but Princess should not permit your fun to deny 3,000 other paying guests. Princess should let other passengers know when large groups are on board, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

This is why we have this board.

[memoak]

2 hours ago, skynight said:

"Yes! We took them over. There was over 600 of us this year. We also took over the dining room at 5 PM."

Have your fun, but Princess should not permit your fun to deny 3,000 other paying guests. Princess should let other passengers know when large groups are on board, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

You can google cruise ships and dates and usually find out well in advance if there are large groups booking. They usually have web sites. 

[antmaril]

2 hours ago, skynight said:

"Yes! We took them over. There was over 600 of us this year. We also took over the dining room at 5 PM."

Have your fun, but Princess should not permit your fun to deny 3,000 other paying guests. Princess should let other passengers know when large groups are on board, but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

I agree.  We had no idea until it was too late.  It would have been nice to know and be able to make an informed decision.  

[donaldsc]

I don't care what group or interest it is - any group of 600 people on a ship will be intrusive and will end up taking ship venues.  Problem is that it is hard to keep track of them.

 

DON

[voljeep]

I track one particular group so we are NEVER on a cruise with them again.

 

I would not book the SUN P for 10/26/24 ...

 

j/s

Edited June 21 by voljeep

[Dothan1952]

What group is on Sun Princess 10/26/24 ?

Edited June 21 by Dothan1952

[voljeep]

18 hours ago, memoak said:

You can google cruise ships and dates and usually find out well in advance if there are large groups booking. They usually have web sites. 

what specific wording do you use and I will try for a date we may be looking at

[memoak]

2 minutes ago, voljeep said:

what specific wording do you use and I will try for a date we may be looking at

For instance Grand Princess August 14. Once we found a group of 400 SF 49er fans on a 4 day coastal

Edited June 21 by memoak

[voljeep]

2 minutes ago, memoak said:

For instance Grand Princess August 14. Once we found a group of 400 SF 49er fans on a 4 day coastal

SUN P October 26 - I find nothing specific - but know a specific group is on by going directly to their website.  Can you find anything just from a google/ other search?

[memoak]

Also many bloggers have group cruises and you can look at their website 

[Thrak]

54 minutes ago, Dothan1952 said:

What group is on Sun Princess 10/26/24 ?

 

47 minutes ago, voljeep said:

SUN P October 26 - I find nothing specific - but know a specific group is on by going directly to their website.  Can you find anything just from a google/ other search?

 

I checked a website for a certain group with a "wildlife name" and see they are sailing on that Sun Princess cruise. Given their reputation for taking over venues such as the pool and for their reputation regarding public behavior onboard I would avoid that sailing.

Edited June 21 by Thrak

[voljeep]

9 minutes ago, Thrak said:

 

 

I checked a website for a certain group with a "wildlife name" and see they are sailing on that Sun Princess cruise. Given their reputation for taking over venues such as the pool and for their reputation regarding public behavior onboard I would avoid that sailing.

I did glance at the roll call for that cruise and it has been noted that group is on board - Halloween cruise - look out!!!

 

we caught the 2nd half of that group on a prior Halloween cruise - the main cruise was the week before and these were the b2b holdovers

[vakamalua]

22 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

If I was on a cruise and found Take 5 closed for a "special group" I would be extremely unhappy. On our recent Discovery Princess cruise (the first ship we've been on that had Take 5) my wife and I were there every evening. It was by far our favorite venue to date.

 

We love(d) hanging out in Take 5 on the Discovery during the day & for the music in the evenings.  Sure you've heard by now that they converted half of Take 5 on Discovery & Enchanted into casino space leaving no more room for a band & no more quiet during the day.  Really UNHAPPY!

[Thrak]

1 hour ago, vakamalua said:

 

We love(d) hanging out in Take 5 on the Discovery during the day & for the music in the evenings.  Sure you've heard by now that they converted half of Take 5 on Discovery & Enchanted into casino space leaving no more room for a band & no more quiet during the day.  Really UNHAPPY!

 

Take a venue that was packed every evening and trash it. Makes perfect sense. At least it must make sense to someone. Having a jazz venue was awesome.

[wcook]

I’m picturing a cruise where 24/7 there is a band somewhere onboard playing “Roll out the Barrel.” 

[startedwithamouse]

We had a very large group actors who play Santa Claus on our Alaska sailing!

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/03/arts/when-santa-goes-on-vacation.html

 

Sadly, we tragically lost a few guests at our first port of Ketchikan.

 

 

Edited Friday at 11:04 PM by startedwithamouse

[startedwithamouse]

3 hours ago, vakamalua said:

 

We love(d) hanging out in Take 5 on the Discovery during the day & for the music in the evenings.  Sure you've heard by now that they converted half of Take 5 on Discovery & Enchanted into casino space leaving no more room for a band & no more quiet during the day.  Really UNHAPPY!

When was the Discovery changed?

[Thrak]

28 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

When was the Discovery changed?

 

It would have to be after April 13 of this year as we were on the ship until then.

[Visaman666]

2 hours ago, wcook said:

I’m picturing a cruise where 24/7 there is a band somewhere onboard playing “Roll out the Barrel.” 

There were 5 bands playing Sweet Caroline.

[paddingtonbear]

11 hours ago, voljeep said:

I track one particular group so we are NEVER on a cruise with them again.

 

I would not book the SUN P for 10/26/24 ...

 

j/s

How many people would there be in a group like that?  They obviously take over one of the venues!!!  OH I see, the Take 5 is also part of the casino too now so they took over both venues.  

Edited Saturday at 04:50 AM by paddingtonbear

[georgetheblue]

On my last Sky Princess cruise Jan 2020 I was on for a B2B and there was a “speciality” group each of the weeks.  Not Jimmy Sturr.  PITA for both weeks,  They not only were afforded private venues each night but were given the“early” assigned dining room for every night. The passengers who had chosen the early dining were then moved to the anytime dining room forcing everyone else long waits. It was a nightmare.  The large groups took over most bars and the pool area.  Even the Elite and Suite happy hour venue got bumped a couple of days.  Until that date I was not aware that Princess was the acting “pimp” for large groups.  It’s very unfair to the other passengers who also don’t get that great group discount.  Hope to never sail with any of those large groups again.    

[Dothan1952]

Not sure if information on group cruises are readily available using google( Ive tried several times using different wording with no success) . Maybe a travel agent that does a lot of bookings on that particular cruise line might get that information over the phone .Seems like its information the cruise lines don't want people to know about.