Weirdest Idea Yet

[keehun]

Hi CD.

You can blast me at this idea... Actually this crazy idea just came to me as I was talking to somebody about Internationals and FIRST...

What if... there was a competition on a cruise ship!!!

All the eligible/going teams would RSVP who's coming... Pay for all that... and then FIRST can rent out a ship like Majesty of the Seas (http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/ships/class/ship/home.do?br=R&shipClassCode=SS&shipCode=MJ) and convert the ice rink in to a FIRST competition field.

This way, teams don't have to worry about trying to find the last minute hotel lodging... or any other problems. This cruise-competition will fix all the problems in the world!!!

I mean... This would be SO cheap!!! FIRST also has lots of gold bricks sitting in its offices... just in case you didn't know that.

:)

Ok, my sarcastic mode... now is off. :-)

keehun

[Chris Hibner]

I'm dead serious when I say that this is not a bad idea. When the FIRST Championship used to be held at Disney World, it used to have that feel of a vacation/competition. It was GREAT! It would be cool to go back to that.

[Mr. Pockets]

Especially if it were a Pacific cruise (do they have those?) The Australian teams would be able to compete without having to pay all those flight expenses...hmmm maybe not :P

But no that would be seriously awesome. Dunno how steep the cost would be though :/

[Tyler Hicks]

Actually, think about this: What's more expensive?

Renting out an entire NFL Football Stadium/Convention Center for practically a week. (Plus More.)
-or-
Renting a Huge Boat with enough rooms for 320 teams and all of the members, guests, and staff. Plus Fuel. (Plus More.)

I must agree, it would be epic to have the championship in International Waters. :D

[Andrew Y.]

lets look at it this way...

Competition On Dry Land
Cost of Hotels ~$150+ per room
Cost of food ~$120 per person
Cost of Transportation ~ $200 per person if flown
Cost of Parking at the Area...$1,000,000,000
Cost of Arena Rental


Competition on a Ship
Cost of Food & Lodging...~$250
Cost of Transportation ~ $200 per person
Cost to "BOOK" a whole ship...NO IDEA..

i would imagine it be pretty close to same....maybe a little more for the cruise. but you get SUCH A GREAT TIME ALL IN ALL.

Only downside would be no outside spectators woudl really be able to just "walk in"

[BrendanB]

Hmmmmm, maybe we just would have to book the ice rink? Maybe an after IRI party? :P

[Alex2614]

You also have to take into consideration that the championship is not only for FRC, but for FLL and FTC as well. Not to mention the fact that you would need enough seating for everyone to see the fields. Also, it would be pretty difficult to get visitors to see the championship this way.

However, a "regional" event on a cruise ship would be spectacular!

[Swampdude]

MMMMMMMMMMMMM, oh boy, you just put my 2 favorite things together! Cruises are cheaper when it's cold. I think the voyager class series ships can hold close to 5000 guests. Not quite a Championship crowd but a big regional sized crowd for sure. You could probably work out anywhere from $400-$1000 per guest on a deal like that. Mentors get the suites of course! Man, steak and lobster between matches! Ice cream and pie for finals. Great idea!

[PayneTrain]

This sounds really awesome! With everyone in the championship always on the boat, there can be massive camraderie among the teams. Ship out on Sunday with three days of vacation, and four days of robotics.

Best. Spring Break. Ever.

[Andrew Lawrence]

I'd LOVE that!!!!! My only issue is that a cruise ship will always be surrounded by water, and last time I checked, robots + water = either dead robots or awesome water game! Maybe not this year, but when they announce the water game next year, I want to be on a cruise ship testing my autonomous code off the side of the ship, while my robot floats in the waters below me. That'll be the best year EVER!!!!! :D

[pfreivald]

This sounds like a long prelude to a water game joke...

[548swimmer]

I'd LOVE that!!!!! My only issue is that a cruise ship will always be surrounded by water, and last time I checked, robots + water = either dead robots or awesome water game! Maybe not this year, but when they announce the water game next year, I want to be on a cruise ship testing my autonomous code off the side of the ship, while my robot floats in the waters below me. That'll be the best year EVER!!!!! :D

Since you can't have wi-fi, you're gonna need a REALLY long tether!

[Alex2614]

This sounds like a long prelude to a water game joke...

Water game!? I'm in! :)

[Andrew Lawrence]

Since you can't have wi-fi, you're gonna need a REALLY long tether!

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&safe=off&client=safari&rls=en&q=400+ft+ethernet+cable&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=17612127453577378790&sa=X&ei=QxyITaHbCJC6sQO2gdmeDA&ved=0CEYQ8wIwAg#ps-sellers

[548swimmer]

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&safe=off&client=safari&rls=en&q=400+ft+ethernet+cable&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=17612127453577378790&sa=X&ei=QxyITaHbCJC6sQO2gdmeDA&ved=0CEYQ8wIwAg#ps-sellers

:D

[Nelson]

I would expect an influx on teams from other countries should that happen.

[purpleandplasma]

that would be so legit!

[Joe Schornak]

Robot and pit transportation to the venue could be somewhat of an issue, as would team on- and off-loading. Not sure where they'd put the pits. Gyroscopes and accelerometers could experience some interference from, y'know, playing on a moving field.

Otherwise...
I SEE NO PROBLEM HERE.

Tag on a ROV competition like NURC and you're good to go!

[Tristan Lall]

I love the idea. :P

But it's a little expensive to take the whole ship (http://www.cruise-ship-charter.com/html/cruise_ship_charters_q_a.html).

I suggest you focus your efforts on a small-regional-sized charter—say about 400 people—on an existing itinerary.

And the regional would be at least 200% better if you put the field on the fantail of the vessel, or maybe the helicopter pad....

[Jared Russell]

I love the idea in principle, but there are a slew of reasons it would never work for FIRST. It's hard to get people (spectators, late-arriving team members, VIPs) to and from a ship at sea, and it pretty much rules out having members of the general public attend.

That said, there are many places in the United States where decommissioned aircraft carriers are semi-permanently moored. Between the flight deck and the massive hangers, there would be more than enough space to host Championships (or a really, really awesome regional).

[Racer26]

Speaking as someone who's been aboard at least one ship of every class from Royal Caribbean (except the new Oasis class), I can't think of many places that such an event could be held.

An FRC event needs at minimum:

A 30x60 (and more realistically 40x70) area to put the field.
2400sq ft of pits. (24 teams x 10x10 pits)

UNLESS

You're only running half an elimination bracket (Semis/Finals), in which case, you only need 12 teams.

Studio B (The ice rink) on Voyager and Freedom class ships might work. Its physical dimensions would be close as far as putting an FRC field on it, the problem becomes where do you put the pits. There is a stage, and one of the 3 banks of seating folds away, so you could probably fit a few pits (i would think no more than 16) in those two places.

The only other place I can think of would be the Basketball court. This has a few issues of its own. Its open-air, so the elements could play a role. The field, plus a couple teams could fit on the court, and the area around the court could hold some pits, but I think no matter how you slice it, you're into non-10x10 pits. There just isnt enough free space anywhere on the ships.

In addition to all of that, you have the issue of storage, of tools, robots, carts, field, etc, for the rest of the cruise voyage.

@OP: FYI, Majesty of the Seas does NOT have an Ice Rink.

[theprgramerdude]

If your robot breaks down on a ship, how do you go out and get a spare part you don't currently have? It'd be tough to figure a way to stock a ship with almost any conceivable spare part.

[ratdude747]

the biggest problem i see is finding enough electrical power to run a field and the pits...

[davidthefat]

What if WW3 breaks out and the ship gets torpedoed? Who knows, with the current situation with the Middle East and NK...

[Chris Hibner]

the biggest problem i see is finding enough electrical power to run a field and the pits...

Two words: nuclear submarine.

Just kidding.

[alicen]

if it were for CMP, there would be nowhere near enough rooms for all the people..

on average, a team has at least 10 students and 2 teachers/mentors/parents come to CMP, and the vast majority of teams have 30+ people. Now multiply by the 235 teams that are already committed to CMP this year (plus the 100+ more that will be added as the season goes on). That's over ten thousand people already. Which is about five times the number of people on a cruise ship filled to capacity.

Now, with a regional, it's much more plausible, though personally I'd say it would make more sense to have in on a docked cruise ship. That way the public can still get in to see the competition, and if spare parts are needed, you're not taking a helicopter to the nearest island. ;)

I think most large cruise ships also have a large dining area where the tables might be able to be moved, but other than that, finding a space for pits would still be challenging, unless they were split up somehow.

[MagiChau]

With the idea of a docked ship possibly rent another ship for the sole purpose of pits & machine shop. Might take forever to cart a robot down to the field though.

[JesseK]

Two words: nuclear submarine.

Just kidding.

The Navy sub guy behind me says that the sailors would happily come up and watch. :D

Fun idea in theory.