Is this a ligit beef with N.C.L. I think so .What do you think

[dolittle]

Ok not earth shattering but, on the Escape last week (great cruise and nice group of people) BUT the choice of T.V. channels had no major  (or minor) American sports channels . The ship was in New York and the N.Y Jets were playing the Phila. Eagles . Many if not most people are from these two areas no game on any T.V. on the ship, also no baseball games from the playoffs . There were however two channels of English premier league . soccer and cricket. The ship is on the east coast of the U.S. not Europe  so get with it N.C.L. ''when in Rome'' . 

[Szt]

We were on the escape last year during the Super Bowl. I think they showed it at the Irish pub sports bar. It was so crowded we couldn’t even get close. The ship was in Miami running to the Caribbean at that time. 
I agree they should at least have those major sporting events at a couple of bar tvs. But I’m sure there is some huge contract price to show those. 

[mjkacmom]

It costs them extra to air those events, don’t cruise if you care about what is shown on TV.

[ontheweb]

1 minute ago, mjkacmom said:

It costs them extra to air those events, don’t cruise if you care about what is shown on TV.

Or pick a time of the year when you will not have to worry about missing your favorite sports event.

[genealogyfan]

1 hour ago, dolittle said:

Ok not earth shattering but, on the Escape last week (great cruise and nice group of people) BUT the choice of T.V. channels had no major  (or minor) American sports channels . The ship was in New York and the N.Y Jets were playing the Phila. Eagles . Many if not most people are from these two areas no game on any T.V. on the ship, also no baseball games from the playoffs . There were however two channels of English premier league . soccer and cricket. The ship is on the east coast of the U.S. not Europe  so get with it N.C.L. ''when in Rome'' . 

What about all the other NFL teams? I'm sure there were passengers who wanted to see other NFL teams play? Just because a ship leaves a certain port, doesn't mean everyone is from that area or want to see specific games. A major sporting event, like the Super Bowl, they should air, but just regular NFL games, no. Someone would complain they are airing a specific team and not another. I don't think it's an issue. 

[MaisonRose]

I was on the MSC SEASIDE during the World Cup last Nov/Dec and they showed every match…it made the trip so exciting (a TA ROME TO NYC).

I realize of course that MSC and NCL shouldn’t be compared.

[DCGuy64]

1 hour ago, dolittle said:

Ok not earth shattering

I would've stopped right there. I get that it's disappointing, but to be fair, you're on a cruise. I never cruise with the intention of watching TV. I only enjoy watching European TV news in my cabin while relaxing, but the appeal for me on a cruise is the ship, the food & drink, the people, and the ports. TV sports? Not so much. (I did catch some of the World Cup last year, and that was cool) 😁

[RedwingHockeyFan]

26 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

I would've stopped right there. I get that it's disappointing, but to be fair, you're on a cruise. I never cruise with the intention of watching TV. I only enjoy watching European TV news in my cabin while relaxing, but the appeal for me on a cruise is the ship, the food & drink, the people, and the ports. TV sports? Not so much. (I did catch some of the World Cup last year, and that was cool) 😁

But at the same time, they do have TVs in the staterooms and the bars, and they do show sports.  If the demographic on the cruises is largely American passengers, then why wouldn't they have a better variety that included sports popular with Americans?

 

I sailed on the Breakaway the week of the 2020 Superbowl and they had it on the big screen in the atrium, the big screen in Spice H2O, most of the TVs in O'Sheehan's and on a TV channel in the stateroom.

 

[mking8288]

OP, the issues apparently has to do with NCL licensing when the ship is in port ... we're on the Escape last month and had to hightail back to NY due to approaching storm, 3 evenings onboard our floating hotel, docked within swimming distance of Staten Island's shoreline, inside the VZ Bridge with a great view of NY's skyline, excellent cellular signal but no access to TV channels onboard, not even weather or BBC news, etc. for 3 days until disembarkation, nevermind any kind of sports or premium channels.  Can't vouch for those PPV access, free for suites & Havens, etc.   

 

Thankfully, we're able to stream using our cellular coverage, live using Samsung TV app on the smartphone - as a workaround, ship's satellite too slow for HD signal and besides, we didn't bother upgrading our limited FAS WiFi airtime minutes anyway, was a calculated move knowing we'll likely be skipping & cancelling ports.  It is what it is.  

 

If only NCL make it easier & user-friendly for us to plug in our own streaming stick, Android or Apple TV box & cast the signal ... but, it's not our typical Marriott or Sheraton stays.  

[BirdTravels]

2 hours ago, dolittle said:

Ok not earth shattering but, on the Escape last week (great cruise and nice group of people) BUT the choice of T.V. channels had no major  (or minor) American sports channels . The ship was in New York and the N.Y Jets were playing the Phila. Eagles . Many if not most people are from these two areas no game on any T.V. on the ship, also no baseball games from the playoffs . There were however two channels of English premier league . soccer and cricket. The ship is on the east coast of the U.S. not Europe  so get with it N.C.L. ''when in Rome'' . 

Have you noticed that you're not on an U.S.A. cruise ship. On our cruise out of New York last week, there were passengers from 48 different countries. I am not from New York and could care less about the Jets or Eagles... and would prefer that they show games from my home town. NCL is pretty good about paying for a few games to show on your stateroom TV. If it was my home town,,,, even better. 

[hallux]

I was on the Bliss out of LA in 2019, couldn't find the World Series anywhere, even at The Local.

[DCGuy64]

30 minutes ago, RedwingHockeyFan said:

If the demographic on the cruises is largely American passengers, then why wouldn't they have a better variety that included sports popular with Americans?

I'm an American passenger, too, just one who thinks that if you're on a cruise, watching TV isn't the highest priority.

[mjkacmom]

19 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Have you noticed that you're not on an U.S.A. cruise ship. On our cruise out of New York last week, there were passengers from 48 different countries. I am not from New York and could care less about the Jets or Eagles... and would prefer that they show games from my home town. NCL is pretty good about paying for a few games to show on your stateroom TV. If it was my home town,,,, even better. 

I’m from the NYC area and have no interested in the Jets of Eagles. My sons watch football but would prefer soccer over those two teams.

[JGmf]

I think @dolittle admitted it's not a big deal, so don't pile on with platitudes about what he/she should or shouldn't do a cruise.  You could read a book at home, too, so why don't you complain to that crowd about reading onboard?

 

This topic nonetheless begs the question of why NCL doesn't more routinely show important games (playoffs) or generally accepted to be widely popular US sports (read: NFL games) on their lousy TV channels.  No, not all of the games, but selected games.  Pick one, it doesn't have to be a regional home port team (but that would be smart).

 

I think we know the answer is money; they don't want to pay for it. 

 

Somehow we'll survive - let's get another drink and stand in line for Syd Norman's....

 

[jsn55]

37 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

I'm an American passenger, too, just one who thinks that if you're on a cruise, watching TV isn't the highest priority.

Agree ... watching TV on a cruise is something I'd do if I ordered room service because I didn't want to 'go out'.  The rest of the time?  No interest at all.  TV shows are such a matter of personal preference, how could a cruiseline provide a good experience to the pax, other than a few of them who want to watch a game of some sort?  I'm surprised they even have TVs in the staterooms.  So you have no beef with NCL at all.  Perhaps some clever company could offer sports on a pay-per-view basis to cruiseships.  Then the sports fans could see their games when they wish.  

Edited October 25, 2023 by jsn55

[CruiseMH]

23 minutes ago, JGmf said:

I think @dolittle admitted it's not a big deal

 

 

But obviously big enough to open a separate thread for it.

 

23 minutes ago, JGmf said:

I think we know the answer is money; they don't want to pay for it. 

 

 

Exactly.

But it is always a matter of how much you invest and how much you get in return.

I guess the number of people choosing another cruise line over NCL just because of missing US sports on TV is way to low to even think about getting the licenses.

 

The licenses would cost much more than they could ever generate additional revenue with.

[yakcruiser]

I have found they do show big events like the super bowl, Indy 500 and Kentucky Derby. I even watched the Seahawks complete a miraculous comeback against the Packers at the pool bar one year with a bunch of drunk cheeseheads. Not a sadder sight to behold than a Packers fan who lost a game they thought they had won. Would our favorite Packers fan like to comment?

[JGmf]

Just now, yakcruiser said:

Would our favorite Packers fan like to comment?

 

I'd like to comment.  Officiating won that game for the Seahawks.

[cindyhere]

RCCL is the best cruise lines for sports. They have a great sports bar and have multiple college and professional games on. 

 

[yakcruiser]

32 minutes ago, JGmf said:

 

I'd like to comment.  Officiating won that game for the Seahawks.

I knew that was coming. I asked for it. More on topic I remember that 75% of the passengers onboard didn't give a bleep about that game that was so important to myself and those cheeseheads. What about them? NCL has to look at the overall picture when deciding if they want to pay a fee for a sporting event.

[DCGuy64]

Maybe NCL could add "access to live sports events" as a line item, e.g. charge admission to a section of O'Sheehan's so people who wanted to watch the game would pay for it. I'm sure it costs them something, so if people want to see football that bad, then pay. Easy-peasy.

[Two Wheels Only]

1 hour ago, yakcruiser said:

I even watched the Seahawks complete a miraculous comeback against the Packers at the pool bar one year with a bunch of drunk cheeseheads. Not a sadder sight to behold than a Packers fan who lost a game they thought they had won. Would our favorite Packers fan like to comment?

 

1 hour ago, JGmf said:

I'd like to comment.  Officiating won that game for the Seahawks.

 

 

 

This game? 😄

[IAcruising]

3 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

Maybe NCL could add "access to live sports events" as a line item, e.g. charge admission to a section of O'Sheehan's so people who wanted to watch the game would pay for it. I'm sure it costs them something, so if people want to see football that bad, then pay. Easy-peasy.

 

I think the license fees would be far more than the amount they would get in "a section of O'Sheehans". And which game would be shown? I see fisticuffs on that horizon.

 

Edited October 25, 2023 by IAcruising

[DCGuy64]

1 minute ago, IAcruising said:

And which game would be shown?

Don't they have to make decisions about that now, anyway?

[IAcruising]

1 minute ago, DCGuy64 said:

Don't they have to make decisions about that now, anyway?

 

I guess so. But it's soccer. Does anyone really care? 🤣