Groups on Alaska Noordam Cruises

[magictam]

After reading the number of posts under the Lies and/or Dam Lies, ect., I was rather curious if there were any groups sailing w/me on my 8/26 Alaska cruise. After putting a number of different variances of "Noordam, Alaska, 2007" and group, quilting, retreat in Google, I found the following. Only one of these groups are scheduled during my cruise, but I thought others might be interested in what I learned.

6/17 Physic Sylvia Brown

7/15 Neal Donald Walsch

7/18 Abraham-Hicks Group

8/19 School of Dentistry

8/26 Alaska Quilting Cruise

9/2 California Cake Club

9/16 Aquafest

I have nothing against any of the groups cruising but I believe I should be well informed as to what I might encounter on my cruise. For instance if I know there's gonna be a rap group on board w/me I'm bring lots of ear plugs. As I'm a quilter, I'm looking forward to meeting the other quilters. Wonder if I can become part of their group after the fact?

If anyone else is out there Googling and comes across any more groups on my sailing date, please be kind and post here.

Thanks

[hammybee]

There was a woman, somewhere, who once kept track as best she could of groups sailings, on all ships and they were posted on a web site. As I understand it, she retired from this hobby.

 

I think it a marvelous idea to maintain a thread or sticky of such group sailings on HAL. I wonder if CC management would have an issue with this. I will use the " alert" button to see if we can get one of the board hosts to respond.

 

I have have alread developed a fondness for the California Cake Club.

[magictam]

Great Idea

I'm wonder if there's a way for me to stalk the California Cake Club so I can book w/them on their next cruise. Might be more fun than quilting.

[SakeDad]

May 27th has a group for Sailing with Pride. But I don't know how many.

[dakrewser]

A "group" can be as small as 15 or 20 people - hardly a size that will impact your cruise. The other thread you reference was about a theme cruise, a much different kettle of fish.

[mindydaile]

Does the Ryndam (or the smaller ships in general) tend to see as many large groups as the vista class ships?

[hammybee]

Great Idea

I'm wonder if there's a way for me to stalk the California Cake Club so I can book w/them on their next cruise. Might be more fun than quilting.

 

I googled them and they do not have this cruise listed on their web site. But they are planning their annual Cake Camp in Las Vegas, in September. Will cakes made in Vegas stay in Vegas?

[SakeDad]

Oh dear...Vegas....September HEAT:eek: ...I hope they have plenty of icing!:p

[hammybee]

Does the Ryndam (or the smaller ships in general) tend to see as many large groups as the vista class ships?

 

Groups have been sailing most of the cruise lines for years. My sense is that the Vista ships have more groups because the Vista ships tend to sail from popular U.S. ports and offer the most 7 day cruises.

[catl331]

Happy Louie Polka Band has a 12 day Alaska Adv. cruise starting on Aug 15 including cruise on Statendam.:p

[The Screwball]

Consider yourselves fortunate this year. The Harley Owners Group booked their annual cruise on Royal Carribean's Mariner of the Seas Nov. 4 -11. Formal nights gets changed to leathers nights for these cruises. You think the sound of an anchor chain in the morning is annoying in the forward cabins? Try open exhaust pipes!

[caviargal]

Groups have been sailing most of the cruise lines for years. My sense is that the Vista ships have more groups because the Vista ships tend to sail from popular U.S. ports and offer the most 7 day cruises.

 

I book groups for a living , both on cruises and on land.

 

HAL is my first choice and I book Vista because I always need a large number of balconies and lots of meeting space. The smaller ships cannot meet my needs.

[Italy52]

When we went on the Zuiderdam a couple of years ago there was a large group of Garfield fans aboard. I think the creator was also on the ship.

[OHCruiser]

I'm a member of the California Cake Club and I'll be on that cruise! You don't need to stalk us:eek: , but new members are always welcome:D .

 

If you watch Food Network Challenges, you may have seen the 2 celebrity cake decorators who will be joining us on the cruise--Nicholas Lodge and Colette Peters. They'll be doing private demos in the HAL Culinary Center for our group. For cake decorators, this is a big deal.:o

 

The group did it's first cruise in '05 on a Carnival ship to Mexico. It went over so well that they decided to go north this time.

 

Cake Camp in Las Vegas is a blast--we do that in "even" years--and sorry, but cakes made in Vegas don't stay in Vegas--and they are usually very, very dry because they're styrofoam dummies!

 

I promise anyone who might be concerned that although we tend to get silly when we're in a group, we're really pretty nice.

[hog_wild]

May 27th has a group for Sailing with Pride. But I don't know how many.

 

 

What's Sailing with Pride?

[dcdave]

There is a "cruise for a cure" group sponsered by The Quilter Magazine and a group hosted by G. Gordon Liddy on the June 24th Noodam cruise.

[hammybee]

Cake Camp in Las Vegas is a blast--we do that in "even" years--and sorry, but cakes made in Vegas don't stay in Vegas--and they are usually very, very dry because they're styrofoam dummies!

 

I promise anyone who might be concerned that although we tend to get silly when we're in a group, we're really pretty nice.

 

Oh yeah-SURE- easy for you to say. You and your evil group will force cake and icing down our throats, if we happen to share an elevator with you. Icing will be smeared on tables and chairs. Cake will dominate every menu at dinner time. Cake will be served instead of the good nuts with cocktails. And worst of all, we will have to look at all of you wearing your bright pink " Let Them Eat Cake" aprons on formal night. Oh the horror of it all. :) :) :)

[hammybee]

Consider yourselves fortunate this year. The Harley Owners Group booked their annual cruise on Royal Carribean's Mariner of the Seas Nov. 4 -11. Formal nights gets changed to leathers nights for these cruises. You think the sound of an anchor chain in the morning is annoying in the forward cabins? Try open exhaust pipes!

 

I read about this cruise on the Harley Hogs on the High Sea website. They make it clear, they have a private dining facility and leather is indeed required on formal night.

 

And before jumping on this group for their differences, be aware that this is "cruising for a cause" and the cause is a Dialysis Fund. I am sorry to say that none of my fare, for my next cruise, is earmarked for any cause, other than my own self interest. I think the Harley Hogs sound like a bunch of folk with big hearts and rides.

[hammybee]

Happy Louie Polka Band has a 12 day Alaska Adv. cruise starting on Aug 15 including cruise on Statendam.:p

 

I googled and came up empty. Regardless, come on now- it does not get any better than this and ole Happy Louie is famous in the circle of Polkaholics.

[The Screwball]

I read about this cruise on the Harley Hogs on the High Sea website. They make it clear, they have a private dining facility and leather is indeed required on formal night.

 

And before jumping on this group for their differences, be aware that this is "cruising for a cause" and the cause is a Dialysis Fund. I am sorry to say that none of my fare, for my next cruise, is earmarked for any cause, other than my own self interest. I think the Harley Hogs sound like a bunch of folk with big hearts and rides.

 

Hammybee,

 

You have me wrong... I'm a card carrying HOG member myself!

My summer weekends are usually booked solid with rides for different causes. I just did an 80 mile run a few weeks ago for cancer research. We are always MDA is one of our biggest causes as well as the local children's hospital.

 

Eric

[hammybee]

Hammybee,

 

You have me wrong... I'm a card carrying HOG member myself!

My summer weekends are usually booked solid with rides for different causes. I just did an 80 mile run a few weeks ago for cancer research. We are always MDA is one of our biggest causes as well as the local children's hospital.

 

Eric

 

As I said big hearts and big rides. Enjoy your upcoming cruise and make some money. :)

[fcorey]

Another group on Noordam in September is Geek Cruises, they are on the 16th-23rd I think, their website lists several charters they have coming up. One of my coworkers went on one last year and he said that they had at least 200 people in their group

[barbon2]

We were on the Oosterdam in Dec. with a very large poker group, I believe it was 600 or 700 people. The lounge was closed for the week to accomodate them and most did not adhere to the dress code. They were in the most part in jeans. We ARE going to be on the Noordam with the cake group which I understand is much much smaller, HOWEVER, we were wondering if they are overtaking the culinary lounge for the entire cruise. I wonder if they will still have public demonstrations for the rest of the guests. If no, that would be unfair and I definately would think twice about booking HAL again.

[PokerDave]

This cruise is a Carplayer Poker cruise. I am on it, but don't know howe many others there will be...

[OHCruiser]

We ARE going to be on the Noordam with the cake group which I understand is much much smaller, HOWEVER, we were wondering if they are overtaking the culinary lounge for the entire cruise. I wonder if they will still have public demonstrations for the rest of the guests. If no, that would be unfair and I definately would think twice about booking HAL again.

 

I don't know what the "usual" schedules for the Culinary Center are, but per our itinerary, our group is scheduled to be in there Mon. Sept. 3 from 10am-12pm and again on Sat. Sept. 8 from 10am-12pm. Since our tour organizer must pay not only for our presenters, but also a fee for use of the center, it wouldn't be very cost effective for us to be in there all of the time.

 

That leaves plenty of other hours during "at sea" times for HAL to schedule other programs. I'm not aware of any guest chefs scheduled to be on this cruise, but I understand that they usually have some programs run by the ship's culinary staff. I look forward to attending that type of presentation, as well.

 

Rae