Change of use for Take 5?

[memoak]

Take 5 was our favorite place for pre dinner drinks on the Discovery 

[pppatpc2]

We are on the Enchanted 10/22 and we’re greatly looking forward to Take 5.  We truly enjoyed listening to jazz in the Bayou Steakhouse bar on the Island and were planning on frequenting this venue often on our 22 day voyage.  Will be be greatly disappointed if not there.  We also spoke to some musicians on the Caribbean who said it was their favorite venue to play.  Princess, if you are listening,  remember your target audience.  We are Elite on Princess because it is one of the last cruise ships that recognizes the desire for elegance.

[lx200gps]

1 hour ago, satxdiver said:

I did not realize that Sky did not have a Crooners.  I was under the impression they all did.  This means that we will never go on the Sky anytime soon.  We love Crooners and spend a lot of time there each night.  

FWIW, while the Sky does not have a Crooners, both the Enchanted and the Discovery do. It's still in the Piazza though in a different location than on the other ships. We don't care for it as they have reduced the tables for 2 to only four in the entire venue, the other tables being for four to six or eight. 

[Torfamm]

1 hour ago, booklady26 said:

I also find it interesting that a number of posters on this thread love Take Five. I have rarely seen more than a few people in there at any time, whether it's early or late in the evening. 

That is interesting.  I noticed it was packed every night on the Enchanted this summer. It was challenging to get a seat sometimes when we'd arrive after dinner, around 9 or 9:30.

[lx200gps]

CRASH STOP, ALL BACK EMERGENCY. . Some helpful soul on our Roll call did some better due diligence on this and reported back as follows:

 

Hello all, it’s “temporary” I spoke with ship officers. Princess has a special Gambling Tournament” contract event in a couple weeks just like the recent Magic Castle themed cruise. They will expand the Casino into Take-5 to accommodate the tournament. They will remove the gambling equipment afterwards and Take-5 will reopen.

[Guest Snaxmuppet]

I really hope that is the case because if Take 5 is removed from Sky for our cruise in April we will cancel. We will have to have confirmation before the final payment date in December but what with the star port being removed and now this we will not want to go.

 

We spend most evenings in Take 5. It is nearly always packed and getting a seat is often difficult but it is the only place on Sky with decent live music after dinner. 

[calvin31]

27 minutes ago, lx200gps said:

CRASH STOP, ALL BACK EMERGENCY. . Some helpful soul on our Roll call did some better due diligence on this and reported back as follows:

 

Hello all, it’s “temporary” I spoke with ship officers. Princess has a special Gambling Tournament” contract event in a couple weeks just like the recent Magic Castle themed cruise. They will expand the Casino into Take-5 to accommodate the tournament. They will remove the gambling equipment afterwards and Take-5 will reopen.

Phew!! 🙃

[AtlantaCruiser72]

1 hour ago, lx200gps said:

CRASH STOP, ALL BACK EMERGENCY. . Some helpful soul on our Roll call did some better due diligence on this and reported back as follows:

 

Hello all, it’s “temporary” I spoke with ship officers. Princess has a special Gambling Tournament” contract event in a couple weeks just like the recent Magic Castle themed cruise. They will expand the Casino into Take-5 to accommodate the tournament. They will remove the gambling equipment afterwards and Take-5 will reopen.

 

Much as I had speculated above - thanks for the update!

[nasa1974]

Now I haven't cruised Princes since our inaugural cruise on the Sky in 2019. It is true that the Sky does not have Crooner's. Which we did miss. But Take 5 was crowded every night. I would have no problem going to either on a given night. 

Good to hear that Take 5 will be staying. Just give me an option of to do both on a cruise.

[Ombud]

It was a sports bar during March Madness and very well attended. Had beer, bar snacks .... remember popcorn. Yknow. Stuff to eat watching bb. Hope it's the same in Nov / Dec. Would be a good place to see the football games. (USA style / not FIFA) 

[pootsien2]

On the Royal a few weeks ago(short trip to Vancouver from Seattle), there was a big electronic poker table with a screen on the wall so that if you were standing (only 2 of us were watching!)you could see the action. It had been announced that there was a poker tournament but this is the first time I have seen one of those tables. There were also some slot machines which had been there earlier (at least in July) when i was on for a cruise to Alaska. It was non smoking and there still was a pretty large bar area with some sports on. Maybe the arcade games were just in a temporary section where it used to be cigar smoking. No kids were playing there. 

[cruisingrob21]

1 hour ago, pootsien2 said:

On the Royal a few weeks ago(short trip to Vancouver from Seattle), there was a big electronic poker table with a screen on the wall so that if you were standing (only 2 of us were watching!)you could see the action. It had been announced that there was a poker tournament but this is the first time I have seen one of those tables. There were also some slot machines which had been there earlier (at least in July) when i was on for a cruise to Alaska. It was non smoking and there still was a pretty large bar area with some sports on. Maybe the arcade games were just in a temporary section where it used to be cigar smoking. No kids were playing there. 

I think the Majestic had the best use for this space - originally it was a high limits area when she was stationed in Asia, but other than some additional machines and tables, most of the area is a really nice sports bar area with a few different tvs showing the few sports they get via satellite.  The Royal has a similar set up, but the Majestic does the best version of this.  A sports bar is something that I think a lot of the Princess ships are missing, and the casino bar isn't the most comfortable place to watch sports.

[bkcoogler]

7 hours ago, lx200gps said:

CRASH STOP, ALL BACK EMERGENCY. . Some helpful soul on our Roll call did some better due diligence on this and reported back as follows:

 

Hello all, it’s “temporary” I spoke with ship officers. Princess has a special Gambling Tournament” contract event in a couple weeks just like the recent Magic Castle themed cruise. They will expand the Casino into Take-5 to accommodate the tournament. They will remove the gambling equipment afterwards and Take-5 will reopen.

I’m really interested in finding out what cruise this is in reference to. We sail on the Discovery Princess on Oct 28.

[memoak]

54 minutes ago, cruisingrob21 said:

I think the Majestic had the best use for this space - originally it was a high limits area when she was stationed in Asia, but other than some additional machines and tables, most of the area is a really nice sports bar area with a few different tvs showing the few sports they get via satellite.  The Royal has a similar set up, but the Majestic does the best version of this.  A sports bar is something that I think a lot of the Princess ships are missing, and the casino bar isn't the most comfortable place to watch sports.

The Discovery used that as a jazz bar and it was fabulous 

[Cruise Puss]

10 hours ago, lx200gps said:

CRASH STOP, ALL BACK EMERGENCY. . Some helpful soul on our Roll call did some better due diligence on this and reported back as follows:

 

Hello all, it’s “temporary” I spoke with ship officers. Princess has a special Gambling Tournament” contract event in a couple weeks just like the recent Magic Castle themed cruise. They will expand the Casino into Take-5 to accommodate the tournament. They will remove the gambling equipment afterwards and Take-5 will reopen.

Oh, you are a bringer of wonderful news!!

Thank god it's only temporary.

I started this thread as we love Take 5 and would be gutted if they closed it.

It would also be a terrible shame for all the performers.

Anyway, you have come to the rescue with your answer! 😁👍

[lx200gps]

11 hours ago, Cruise Puss said:

Oh, you are a bringer of wonderful news!!

Thank god it's only temporary.

I started this thread as we love Take 5 and would be gutted if they closed it.

It would also be a terrible shame for all the performers.

Anyway, you have come to the rescue with your answer! 😁👍

Thanks for the kind words. I do have a follow-up, having just had a chat with a particularly helpful CSR at Guest Services, who was able to confirm what had been posted on our Roll Call. Take 5 is being modified right now in preparation for a slot pull tournament happening ON THE NEXT CRUISE after ours, so the voyage departing right after we disembark, on October 14. The modifications to Take 5 are temporary and he said Take 5 would revert back to its former glory right afterwards. Thinking out loud, I'm not sure it could be turned back into its former self fast enough to be available to folks embarking on the following cruise, so it may still be out of action for a week or so after this tournament has gone away.    I did peek into T5 just now, and the work has started, there being some slot machines already installed, along with some signage about the tournament.

[JimmyVWine]

4 hours ago, lx200gps said:

Thanks for the kind words. I do have a follow-up, having just had a chat with a particularly helpful CSR at Guest Services, who was able to confirm what had been posted on our Roll Call. Take 5 is being modified right now in preparation for a slot pull tournament happening ON THE NEXT CRUISE after ours, so the voyage departing right after we disembark, on October 14. The modifications to Take 5 are temporary and he said Take 5 would revert back to its former glory right afterwards. Thinking out loud, I'm not sure it could be turned back into its former self fast enough to be available to folks embarking on the following cruise, so it may still be out of action for a week or so after this tournament has gone away.    I did peek into T5 just now, and the work has started, there being some slot machines already installed, along with some signage about the tournament.

Seems like a lot of effort (and perhaps cost) to add a modest amount of gaming space for a single cruise. That said, I’ll bet we will start seeing sports book lounges popping up soon given the popularity of FanDuel and DraftKings. Also, we probably need to start getting used to ships with fewer watering holes. Until recently, bars and lounges were the highest and best use of square footage to generate revenue. But under the more modern approach of Plus and Premier, the ship already has your money in its pocket and bars no longer generate as much revenue. They are simply an order fulfillment station that doles out that which has already been purchased. Indeed, once the ship already has your money, it does better by squeezing you out of the ability to drain down the liquor inventory. Before: The more drinks you order, the better they do. Now: The fewer drinks you order, the better they do. 

[Cruise Puss]

13 hours ago, lx200gps said:

Thanks for the kind words. I do have a follow-up, having just had a chat with a particularly helpful CSR at Guest Services, who was able to confirm what had been posted on our Roll Call. Take 5 is being modified right now in preparation for a slot pull tournament happening ON THE NEXT CRUISE after ours, so the voyage departing right after we disembark, on October 14. The modifications to Take 5 are temporary and he said Take 5 would revert back to its former glory right afterwards. Thinking out loud, I'm not sure it could be turned back into its former self fast enough to be available to folks embarking on the following cruise, so it may still be out of action for a week or so after this tournament has gone away.    I did peek into T5 just now, and the work has started, there being some slot machines already installed, along with some signage about the tournament.

Not a problem. ☺️

 

Thanks for the update.

 

Stupid question, but what ship are you on?

 

[mike&elena]

On 10/9/2023 at 2:21 PM, pppatpc2 said:

We are on the Enchanted 10/22 and we’re greatly looking forward to Take 5.  We truly enjoyed listening to jazz in the Bayou Steakhouse bar on the Island and were planning on frequenting this venue often on our 22 day voyage.  Will be be greatly disappointed if not there.  We also spoke to some musicians on the Caribbean who said it was their favorite venue to play.  Princess, if you are listening,  remember your target audience.  We are Elite on Princess because it is one of the last cruise ships that recognizes the desire for elegance.

 

We like your style!  We'll be on the 22-day Enchanted cruise this month too and we look forward to joining you in Take Five.  It appears that the daily Elite and Platinum reception will be held there.

 

Mike & Elena 

 

 

On 10/9/2023 at 2:21 PM, pppatpc2 said:

 

 

[DCThunder]

On 10/9/2023 at 10:26 PM, Ombud said:

It was a sports bar during March Madness and very well attended. Had beer, bar snacks .... remember popcorn. Yknow. Stuff to eat watching bb. Hope it's the same in Nov / Dec. Would be a good place to see the football games. (USA style / not FIFA) 

On Regal last November/December, Take 5 was the spot to watch the FIFA World Cup matches.  On Sundays, there were one or two TV dedicated to the NFL games, but otherwise it was futbol. 

 

Turning Take 5 into a real sports bar/sports book would be a good idea, especially if they allowed live betting.  During the Caribbean cruising season, they'd have NFL, CFB, NBA, NHL, and NCAA hoops, (both women and men), to bet on.  I'd see this as a REAL money maker.

[lx200gps]

5 hours ago, Cruise Puss said:

Not a problem. ☺️

 

Thanks for the update.

 

Stupid question, but what ship are you on?

 

Discovery Princess, 7 Day California Coast out of LA

[pppatpc2]

1 hour ago, mike&elena said:

 

We like your style!  We'll be on the 22-day Enchanted cruise this month too and we look forward to joining you in Take Five.  It appears that the daily Elite and Platinum reception will be held there.

 

Mike & Elena 

 

 

 

I recognize the names.  Were you on the Iceland/ Greenland voyage last year or the 28 day Tahiti?  See you guys in Take 5, so glad to hear they are not ditching it.

[mike&elena]

1 minute ago, pppatpc2 said:

I recognize the names.  Were you on the Iceland/ Greenland voyage last year or the 28 day Tahiti?  See you guys in Take 5, so glad to hear they are not ditching it.

We haven't been to Iceland or Tahiti.  Our most recent 'long' cruise was 20 days on the Diamond last year to Central America.  More recently, we've taken the Emerald to Alaska and along the California Coast.  You'll probably recognize Mike because he's 6'3".  See you soon!

Mike & Elena

[JimmyVWine]

1 hour ago, DCThunder said:

Turning Take 5 into a real sports bar/sports book would be a good idea, especially if they allowed live betting.  During the Caribbean cruising season, they'd have NFL, CFB, NBA, NHL, and NCAA hoops, (both women and men), to bet on.  I'd see this as a REAL money maker.

You left out the Premier League!

I have to believe that a real sports bar/sports book is coming and that the future state includes a dark bar with a mystical, magical theme as being in addition to a sports book bar and not instead of one. 

[pppatpc2]

2 hours ago, mike&elena said:

We haven't been to Iceland or Tahiti.  Our most recent 'long' cruise was 20 days on the Diamond last year to Central America.  More recently, we've taken the Emerald to Alaska and along the California Coast.  You'll probably recognize Mike because he's 6'3".  See you soon!

Mike & Elena

Tell him to look down for me, I might crack 5 feet on a good day.😂 Verymuch looking forward to meeting you and for this trip.  On the Tahiti cruise our CD was Olivia Guthrie and I see she is on theEnchanted.  She is delightful and very hard working.  BTW we have a wonderful private tour out of Livorno to Cinque Terre.  If you are interested I can send you the details or you can look at it on the roll call.

See you soon!