I really don't think anyone does the shooting anymore. The security issues have no doubt removed this option from any cruise ship. The last time I did it was on the Majesty Of The Seas in 1993.
I haven't seen horse racing for a few years either, and I loved it. I bought a horse on Princess once. That was dumb! I don't think RCI or Carnival do it anymore. I don't know about the other lines.
Okay, I know what a carrier landing bar style is, but what is horse racing cruise ship style? (And I would have liked to try my hand with trap shooting, but see where it could be a bit of a security issue.)
It's funny you bring this up. It was just at a party on New Year's Eve someone asked me which ship did trap shooting. I said none, that they had done away with it. The person insisted they recently read there was a ship doing trap shooting. If there is I certainly don't know which one.
I believe the deletion of trap shooting was a combination of security and environmental issues.
Actually they did the horse racing on our Mariner cruise. And of course they have the pig racing on the the Holiday (or at least they did). I never did understand the attraction of the horse racing thing.
I say bring the trap shooting back for the cruise going through the Gulf of Aden (Sp?) I bet those pirates would think twice before coming after a ship with three or four people standing on the aft of the ship with shotguns...
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================================================== ========== Carnival Cruise Lines:
Fantasy 90, Celebration 95, Victory 05, Conquest 05, Spirit 6/06, Freedom 6/08, Holiday 7/08, Victory 6/09, Valor 9/09, Dream 6/10, Splendor 8/10,Conquest 8/11,Magic 11/11,Triumph 4/12,Spirit 7/12,Freedom 11/12, Triumph 2/13 - The fire cruise
NCL Dream October 2006, RCCL Mariner OTS June 2007
Thinking about it some more, with RCI I think it is CD's choice. Most don't seem to like it anymore.
Sparks - it is a broomstick with a horse head and stand. Some lines would auction off 7 or 8 horses to the passengers. Some lines had limits on the price, others didn't. This money was pooled and I think the grand champion owner got most or all of it. On one cruise I saw horses sold for thousands and the purse got up to over 10 grand. They line the horses up on a grid and roll dice to determine who moves and how many spaces. First one to the end wins. They also took bets with odds layed.
Dave - That is about as good a description of cruise ship style horseracing as I have ever read! At least someone is still doing it once in a while. I remember the races as being well attended with heavy betting. Some cruisers went home with the costs of their cruise well paid for! They were, for the most part, the non-casino gamblers!
The trap shooting is another issue entirely but I do not believe I've seen or been able to participate in shipborne trapshooting since the early 90's - which was long before the international security issues became a major problem! It was a lot of fun!
It was fun. I made some money on bets. Even won some daily doubles. I think there was a trifecta once that I won. Something like $120. Those big purses were in the days when it was an all cash deal and there was no documentation. People who owned the champion horse getting handed ten or twelve thousand dollars with a smile and a nod from the CD...the "it's between you, Customs, and the IRS" look.
The horse I owned on the Grand Princess came in dead last. I remember it was exciting though. We carried it around with us and decorated it. You'd enter the dining room with the horse and people would cheer. Some CDs were better than others at calling the races, really kicking up the crowd.
Even as recent as last year, Carnival was still doing the "pig bingo." You win a game of bingo, you get to pop a balloon and see if you win a pig. When all the pigs are handed out, they race to see who wins a prize. It's kind of funny as some of the electronic pigs seem to have partaken of rum punch before the race. I am not someone who gambles in the casinos but I have placed friendly wagers on the pig races.
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