RCCL America's Cup Sailing Regatta - SM56???????

[Chesapeake1]

Anyone tried this? If so what did you think?

[mckinna]

This is the best excursion we've ever done on any of our trips- very exciting. You can join in with the activities or just sit back and relax. We had a great time.

[wack001]

Best excursion I have ever done, I am an Americas cup fan, be advised the race is FIXED.

[skiiergirl]

Best excursion I have ever done, I am an Americas cup fan, be advised the race is FIXED.

 

LOL! I agree even though Mr. Ski insists that it isn't "fixed". LOL This is his favorite excursion (that doesn't involve golf that is!).

[spingal]

I did this excursion on a Princess cruise and have a different opinion.

 

It was OK -- I am not a sailor so I had no idea how to tell how we were doing in the "race". Plus I was so busy doing my assigned task that I could not really watch the action. The "beer" person had the best "job"!! They sat back and could see what was happening. I did enjoy being on "Stars and Stripes" but would not recommend the excusion.

 

Just my humble opinion............:D

[queeni]

I know nothing about sailing but am considering this excursion for my 40th birthday. I want to try something different and fun, but I'm a little worried it may be too difficult. How tough is it? I don't want to sit back and watch. I want a job, but I want to be able to do it without my muscles aching the rest of the cruise.

[Sailgal05]

I know nothing about sailing but am considering this excursion for my 40th birthday. I want to try something different and fun, but I'm a little worried it may be too difficult. How tough is it? I don't want to sit back and watch. I want a job, but I want to be able to do it without my muscles aching the rest of the cruise.

 

I know this dates me, (I'm in my mid 50's), this was a blast. As said before by posters, you can opt to do anything or just sit and take in the excitement. Being sailors, we wanted the action, so DH and I were "grinders", sharing the work load with another guest. The wind usually blows there, and the captain and crew were great with our crowd. One guest, in her late 60's, kept wanting to "drive the boat", but was politely given another task. (Guess it's best to let the captain have this responsibility). Anyway, the time went fast, and at the end you can buy goodies from shirts to pictures. Had always wanted to do this and we're glad we did. I had no problems with being sore afterwards, but again, you can choose your "job" aboard.

[MEinNJ]

We sailed True North and won the Regatta on 08.21.08. We are not sailers, and ranged in age from 16-59. You did get to choose your role: active, moderate or passive. We did all enjoy the experience very much. The first time the boat tilted, and I mean tilted, we were all shocked, it was great, and very funny!

 

Ernie was our lead person, and he was not real kind, making disparaging remarks. Turns out he actually owns the operation. He called our boys girls, because they had trouble raising the sails before the race began. Tone of voice is cruical, and it was not a laughing tone -- my daughter was most offended, saying how dare he say girls are less than boys.

 

I was toward the front of the boat, and Ernie steers True North, so I did not hear many comments. Most of the people in our group of 12 were offended by at least one of his negative remarks, targeted at someone in our group. That aspect, was simply not wise on his part. It only created ill-will.

 

That said, if all want to be active, you will be fine. 4 of our 12 wanted/needed passive jobs, and that did not make Ernie happy!

 

As for the stop at the gift shop afterwards, I guess we all had a sour taste. None of us were willing to pay $30 for a photo. I saw 1 person from Stars & Stripes purchase a copy of their photo.

[DocF]

I know nothing about sailing but am considering this excursion for my 40th birthday. I want to try something different and fun, but I'm a little worried it may be too difficult. How tough is it? I don't want to sit back and watch. I want a job, but I want to be able to do it without my muscles aching the rest of the cruise.

 

When we did this trip there were four of us tending the backstays--two winch grinders and two tailers (winch wenches). All four of these jobs would be done by the navigator in a real race in addition to his/her real job of navigating. Given the speed of execution by the crews of rank amateurs, I could easily have handled all of these positions by myself and I'm 65, paunchy, out of shape and diabetic. No one is worked all that hard. These are the real thing, not replicas or plastic copies like one finds elsewhere. We enjoyed a fine race.

 

We will be doing this again in November and I'm ready. I may be an old small boat sailor, but I do love big boat match racing.

 

Doc

[blackrose602]

Ernie was our lead person, and he was not real kind, making disparaging remarks. Turns out he actually owns the operation. He called our boys girls, because they had trouble raising the sails before the race began. Tone of voice is cruical, and it was not a laughing tone -- my daughter was most offended, saying how dare he say girls are less than boys.

 

I was toward the front of the boat, and Ernie steers True North, so I did not hear many comments. Most of the people in our group of 12 were offended by at least one of his negative remarks, targeted at someone in our group. That aspect, was simply not wise on his part. It only created ill-will.

 

Wow! I am truly surprised/sorry that you had such a negative experience with Ernie! We were on the True North with him last week, and it was an absolutely fabulous experience. Dad has a lot of health problems, so he was assigned to Bartender/Timekeeper. One of the girls on our boat was supposed to be a relief grinder, but was scared of the machinery, so Ernie had her just sit and watch for most of the race.

 

Back at the gift shop, we got into a long talk with Ernie. Turns out they can take even severely disabled on the race. There's a flat tender to carry wheelchairs and scooters, and the crew can lift people onto the boat if they can't transfer on their own.

 

Our impressions of Ernie and the whole operation were nothing short of spectacular. Again, I'm really sorry that you had a bad experience, just surprised since ours was the total opposite.

[bookgirl137]

My sister and I did this about 10 years ago. While neither of us is hugely athletic, we both enjoyed it immensely. We bought both T-shirts (that we still have) and a picture.

 

We're thinking about going again, and would definitely recommend it.

[Sheffie]

Best excursion I have ever done, I am an Americas cup fan, be advised the race is FIXED.

 

I do NOT think it is fixed! We won fair and square!!!! Just ask those poor losers on True North! (Oh, they probably think it was fixed.)

 

To the OP. It is a fabulous excursion. Everyone had a job; mine was being a winch wench. At the end of the race, the captain let a couple of us be at the wheel as the Stars and Stripes sailed back into the harbor. What a thrill! (I have pictures in my signature.)

[Mary loves to travel]

This sounds wonderful!

 

I have a couple of questions:

 

- how long is the actual race?

- how long are you on the boat, in total, including Instruction, getting to where the race begins, the race, back to port?

(trying to figure out if we will need our Bonine; we don't get seasick on the cruise ship, and didn't on the boat ride to swim with the stingrays in Grand Cayman, but might on this type of excursion).

 

 

Thanks!

--Mary

[onelegcraig]

How does one transfer from the tender to the sailboat? - by ladder, stairway or other means?

[floatel_lvr]

My sister and I did this about 10 years ago. While neither of us is hugely athletic, we both enjoyed it immensely. We bought both T-shirts (that we still have) and a picture.

 

We're thinking about going again, and would definitely recommend it.

 

Bookgirl,

If you do go again wear your shirt... I was told by the folks there that if you repeat and have your shirt you get another shirt free.

 

We are going again in October and I will be wearing mine!!!

 

To the OP, great excursion. As others have said you could work as hard or not as you would like. Just ask my DW the cooler wench!

RA

[MNSmurf]

How does one transfer from the tender to the sailboat? - by ladder, stairway or other means?

 

If they have the same tenders that they did in '06, the deck heights match pretty well so you just step across to the other boat.....while both boats are moving. It's not as hard as it sounds......;)

[Sheffie]

How does one transfer from the tender to the sailboat? - by ladder, stairway or other means?

 

When we went, there was a floating dock that we were boated to, and then we stepped right onto the sailboat.

[DocF]

We did a transfer directly from the tender to the sailboat. Deck heights are similar and there were plenty of hands to help the less steady. DW and I cannot wait to get back there and do it again.

 

Doc:D

[Willcook4cruise]

Well I'm convinced!!! We sail December 1st and will definately prearrange this excursion!!

Woohoo!!!

[labatsman]

I did this about 5 years ago, Best ever excursion I have ever done, We all had so much fun, We were on the True North and we won the race.

It's not fixed as each captain has an unofficial case of beer bet on each race.

I opted for medium duty and I was given the job of main sail trimmer.

We did taunt the other Boat and that was fun.

 

I highly recommend this excursion:D:D:D

[Northern Voice]

I see mentions every time I read about this excursion about bartender/cooler wench. I've seen mentions of rum punch, and beer/soda/water. It seems like it would be tough to operate a ship after consuming a couple beers and some rum punch, just wondering if someone can give me some insight into that aspect of it. We have serious sailors in our group and others who would be just as happy to sit on the boat and have a few beers, where does this fall in the scheme of sailing race vs. booze cruise?

[gtaylor]

This is VERY FAR from being a booze cruise.

 

I was Assistant Bartender on our outing, and I don't think anyone had even three beers, certainly not more than three, from boarding the ship and throughout the race. No rum onboard that I was aware of.

 

Many had a beer on the quick trip back into port and the dock/souvenir shop, where there was a rum punchbowl available, but that was about it.

 

gary

 

p.s. And this was on an extended ride because

. :)

 

p.p.s.

has put together a pretty good video of what a good day might be like.

[mustangjoe]

We did this 6 years ago, and loved it. We will be St. Martin a year from now, and DW wants to do it again, rather than another excursion.:)

[johneeo]

We did this 6 years ago, and loved it. We will be St. Martin a year from now, and DW wants to do it again, rather than another excursion.:)

 

I have done this twice. Once in St. Martin, once in Cozumel.

 

And I will do it every time I can. Best excursion ever.

 

First, it is a real race, and your Captain wants to win, so pay attention, and do your job.

 

As for beer, there are some relaxation moments that can last for 10/15 minutes with nothing to do. But when it comes to tacking, and moving the boom and grinding, once that starts, it is mayhem, lot of fun, trying to turn, getting in front of the other boat, trying to take their wind, going around the buoys. Then, relax and just go with the wind for a while.

 

Repeat often.

 

I have a lot of pictures of this in my Oasis review if interested.

[pootsien2]

My teenage sons and I did this sailing regatta several years ago and didn't think it was so great. More of a tourist trap. The race results seemed fixed and we just sailed in the harbor because of the weather. We expected something more exciting with the rave reviews! i guess this is why we don't all do the same excursions!