Charter Cruise

[craig01020]

A few years ago I was at an all-inclusive resort enjoying my vacation when multiple buses showed up with hoards of people in a group. They completely took over the resort. I escaped to a different resort. Not an experience I'd like to repeat.

 

While it's true that "no cruise line will tell you" about large partial-ship charters, that doesn't make it right.

[albingirl]

I think the only time I would be concerned is if I was on a nude charter.  That would be a problem for me.

[3rdGenCunarder]

25 minutes ago, Gail & Marty sailing away said:

A charter is 8 cabins and up.

 

Where does this definition come from? The usual meaning of charter is to book the whole ship. (At least two corrections on this above)

[Sir PMP]

14 hours ago, JohnCoffield said:

Thanks. Sailing in November on Noordam - just checking for purely selfish reasons! (Although the bars may be a bit quieter…)

 

14 hours ago, Shmoo here said:

Zuiderdam:

07 September 2024 - 14 September 2024 : Canada & New England : Pastor Benny Tate Group

Nah, don't worry, it's a nudist group.

[3rdGenCunarder]

15 hours ago, dobiemom said:

Graciously @VMax1700 keeps a list of dry docks, charters, and groups.  It’s updated every couple of months. For next time. 

 

 

I always check this list when I'm researching cruises. I also google the ship and date to see if any of the large groups pop up, just in case there's a group booking that hasn't been reported yet. Thank you, @VMax1700!!!

[VMax1700]

Again I would ask if anyone finds info on groups to please post to the latest thread.  It serves a twofold purpose.....first, i can use that info in the next update, and second, it gives me a source to monitor for further events!

[CNSJ]

We have sailed with large (>500) groups before and I did not like the access restrictions to some venues and the lesser amount of entertainment as a result.  Groups "tend" to be on shorter sailings - 7-10 days.

 

Don't confuse large groups that monopolize the Main Stage with what I consider benign groups like the "knitting group" - other than 300 women carrying sharp weapons around, I have had no issues with them!

[CNSJ]

3 hours ago, Gail & Marty sailing away said:

A charter is 8 cabins and up.

I think a "group" is 8 cabins, a "Charter" is the whole ship.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

3 minutes ago, CNSJ said:

I think a "group" is 8 cabins, a "Charter" is the whole ship.

My mistake you are correct.

[igraf]

On 9/2/2024 at 4:04 PM, Cruisercl said:

I have cruised on ships with 'groups' but not called a charter, a couple of times. It is not the same as cruising without a group. Some were very large groups some medium sized. 

Venues/ bars are closed, dining rooms and restaurants are taken over, entertainment can be affected because the need for a venue or special entertainment, tendering can be affected,, to name a few. They are catered to and too bad for the others.I am sure it is because of the $$$$ the cruiseline gets.

For those who have not had this happen you are lucky. It does impact the rest of the cruise. It does take away from enjoying a cruise.I personally do not care for it.

Not sure what the answer is because no cruise line will tell you.

Safe sailing all. 

 

 

Thanks for the accurate information.  This has happened to us as well, with some groups being more disruptive than others.  My wife and I were once able to quickly rebook to avoid a large church group, but only because of the information posted here on this forum.  No heads up from HAL.

 

There was an amusing posting about how the church members were intolerant of any alcohol served at dinner for anybody, but then they ran the room stewards ragged keeping their in-room mini bars stocked!

 

I really wish that the "HAL is always good" forum posters would give it a rest.  This is very much a valid concern.  A private group should never disrupt the cruise experience for others, especially by causing key common areas (other than meeting rooms) or entertainment venues to become unavailable for nonmembers of the group.

 

igraf

 

[TRLD]

On 9/2/2024 at 2:13 PM, CruiserBruce said:

Why can't you cancel? I don't think less than 50% of capacity will be crushing.

 

And I don't think HAL has any obligation to tell you, being it's under 50% of the capacity. 

Even over 50% they have no obligation. Same with all the other cruise lines.

[maggiev]

 Have been part of a 1/2 ship “group”

Yes, we all had 2nd seating dinner & everyone else had first, lido, or specialty, Yes we had private pool parties that closed Lido for 3 hours, Yes we had private shows, BUT, no venue was ever closed 100% of the time.  
I was with a group that would have caused many to cancel, however by the end we were all friends & many wanted to, & did, join our group next year.  
DO NOT judge a group by their name. 
We were on a cruise of 3000 & 1500 were bikers! Would have turned many people off but once people sailed with us, they realized we were there for a cause & wanted to be a part of the group

 

[Blackduck59]

I think you will find that most people not in the "group" really don't care about their "cause" only that the "group" is impacting the cruise that they paid full fare for and weren't given the opportunity to say "ya, no I don't want to be on a cruise with that group". I have many friends who ride motorcycles, great people, I enjoy their company when we get together. Do I want to spend a week with 1000 members of their motorcycle club? Probably not. And somehow I don't think my motorcycle riding friends would either. I think "groups" that are that large should charter the whole ship and at least the ship is full of like minded people. Of course that way half the group would be excluded or inconvenienced while the other half took up every seat in the dining room, or theatre or coffee shop, or bar.

[AKJonesy]

@Razz21 I would not think to check to see if my cruise was chartered and I've been cruising for a long time.  I guess I've just lucked out.  But, now that it is brought up, I will look for the charter information.  Still, have a wonderful cruise and btw, don't mind any snarky answer here. You have to ignore people like that.   

[srsurman]

Maybe there's a silver lining...HAL will actually ensure the entertainment is good and plenty to put on a good face for the mega church.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Just now, srsurman said:

Maybe there's a silver lining...HAL will actually ensure the entertainment is good and plenty to put on a good face for the mega church.

 

I would expect less. Most groups have sole access to their events, and if they're taking up large spaces, HAL won't have anywhere to do anything special for the rest of the passengers. 

[3rdGenCunarder]

28 minutes ago, AKJonesy said:

@Razz21 I would not think to check to see if my cruise was chartered and I've been cruising for a long time.  I guess I've just lucked out.  But, now that it is brought up, I will look for the charter information.  Still, have a wonderful cruise and btw, don't mind any snarky answer here. You have to ignore people like that.   

 

7-day cruises are usually the ones at risk because they're easier to sell, taking up just a week of vacation time. It's been quite a while since I've seen it, but I recall threads where people had booked well in advance and then had their cruise cancelled because a group chartered the whole ship. It's why I won't do 7-day cruises or B2B made up of 7-day cruises.

[igraf]

24 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

7-day cruises are usually the ones at risk because they're easier to sell, taking up just a week of vacation time. It's been quite a while since I've seen it, but I recall threads where people had booked well in advance and then had their cruise cancelled because a group chartered the whole ship. It's why I won't do 7-day cruises or B2B made up of 7-day cruises.

 

The trick is not to book a 7-day cruise more than a year in advance.  No real reason to do so for a short cruise unless you absolutely have to have a certain stateroom.  A 6-month booking (or shorter) would suffice to avoid cancellation due to a private charter.  Most of our cruises have been 7-days as we have been working up to now, and we never had a cancellation.

 

igraf

 

[AV8rix]

29 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

. It's why I won't do 7-day cruises or B2B made up of 7-day cruises.

Me too -- or rather, me neither.

[fox02554]

On 9/2/2024 at 4:03 PM, Razz21 said:

I just found out by accident that my upcoming cruise has a charter.  We are not very happy about this.  

going to be in the 70's here this week , have you checked in to a retreat cabana ? a quite space of your own ? no crowds 🤷‍♀️ but still a great place to watch the scenery . private's attendants to get drinks and munches . 

[stevenr597]

I agree.  Even though it is not officially a charter, Holland America should be upfront in respect to individuals who are not members of the charter group and have booked on the assumption that 1/3-1/2 of the ship will be devoted to a group who have a special interest which may not coincide with other passengers.  

[Haljo1935]

8 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

...It's been quite a while since I've seen it, but I recall threads where people had booked well in advance and then had their cruise cancelled because a group chartered the whole ship...

Happened to us last year for a cruise this Sept 21-28. We learned about the cancelation when we called to find out why it had disappeared from our bookings.

[3rdGenCunarder]

31 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

Happened to us last year for a cruise this Sept 21-28. We learned about the cancelation when we called to find out why it had disappeared from our bookings.

HAL is not good about communicating changes like that. I had booked a 3-week Caribbean cruise for last winter. Almost a year out, they cancelled it. They stole one of the weeks to lengthen a South America cruise and left the remaining two weeks as a gap in the schedule for about a month. No contact from HAL. I learned about it from the roll call. 

[scooter6139]

It just happened a few weeks ago on Westerdam to Alaska. It wasn't the Effy one either, which was a full charter. I would have moved if I knew about it, as I don't appreciate 800+ people who were very vocal about specific politics, religion, and conspiracy theories.  🙄

[Dancing Shoes]

I don't blame the OP.  Maybe they will break off into small groups and you will not notice.  Come back and let us know how it went.