Meet & Greet on Cunard?

Unless you are Q4, 3, 2 or 1 (On QM2) ...having people over to traipse through in a cabin crawl is basically having them in to your bedroom - even in a Q5, it's big but it's still my bedroom!! I mean c'mon, it's my bedroom! What if I left my bra on the floor.....:eek::eek::eek:

PS - I hope no one took that seriously

... One thing I did refuse to do to please some American guests was arrange a cabin crawl! This was not something I would like so suggested they arrange it themselves. I never happened.

I don't get the fascination with this activity - do people do this at land based hotels? Not only do the proponents want somebody else to organize it, they now expect the "cabin host" to have refreshments.

I didn't attend the "flash mob" M&G on my last voyage because one person repeatedly asked - almost begged - for a cabin crawl. "It was the most fun I ever had in my life!" (I'll be charitable and take it that he said that illustrate a point and didn't mean it literally.:rolleyes:) I could imagine this exchange:

"Are you in first or second sitting?"

- - "Neither. I'm in the Princess Gril."

"I would LOVE to see a Princess Grill cabin!"

"So would I!"

"Me too."

"Won't you please let us see it?"

:mad:

I went with the for mentioned 2.00pm First Sea Day Commodore Club option for our 2014 May WB Crossing, the only downer was it was probably the roughest sea day of the week, so a few people were not feeling up to it or not able to stay for the whole M&G (myself included).

Different passenger mix. RCI tends to draw those who want a more relaxed, folksy atmosphere. RCI also lacks Cunard's daytime programs, so on repositioning cruises or unscheduled sea days perhaps some welcome these activities as a way to break up boredom. On Cunard ships however these tend to compete with scheduled speakers for the same time slots. The organizers are either oblivious or don't care. I don't think I have much in common with a group that prefers to do a slot pull over hearing Christine Roussel.

AMEN !!! Christine Rousell ROCKS!!!!!

FYI. My last Meet and Mingle on a RCI ship in January was actually very nice. Mimosas, champagne and coffee was available. Everyone got to "mingle" and match screen names with actual names. There were about 150 in attendance so very different from any Cunard meeting I have attended. RCI raffled off some very nice prizes. There was a gift exchange but only for the very few that wanted to participate. The slot pull followed in the casino (again for those wanting to participate) with everyone putting in $15 and then taking turns on one machine. Of course, the hope is that someone hits a jackpot that can be shared by all participants. Usually the take out is less than what is put in but I expect that on a slot machine! And many times, part of the money left is donated to RCI's association with Make a Wish foundation. I like that having worked with several terminally ill children who benefitted from that organization. Slots are not my thing but I go to meet more of the roll call members. This time, when I was solo, I met a group of other solo folks and we joined up for some dinners and other activities.

So . . . What I am saying is to each his own. Which do I prefer? Don't know but I know I don't like to be the only one to show up for a meeting which has happened to me several times on QM2.:)

The difficulty with planning a M&G is the timing. 11am conflicts with a morning lecture or possibly the Sunday church service.

Afternoons with the Planetarium (or movie). bridge games as well as having to dash up from lunch, not to mention spa appts.

I've had large roll calls who said they would see you there and possibly 6 showed up because you don't know what your competition will be.

FYI.

 

So . . . What I am saying is to each his own. Which do I prefer? Don't know but I know I don't like to be the only one to show up for a meeting which has happened to me several times on QM2.:)

:):):)

Meeting for drinks (including alcohol free beverages) on the first formal night prior dinner has no appeal? Not much going on at the ship at that time, and we are dressed for the occasion...so why not have an informal gathering then?

Meeting for drinks (including alcohol free beverages) on the first formal night prior dinner has no appeal? Not much going on at the ship at that time, and we are dressed for the occasion...so why not have an informal gathering then?

However, wouldn't that mean those on 1st seating having to get "dressed" even earlier... in order to meet up at say 5pm? Not sure many couples would be keen to miss afternoon tea, and then rushing to get formally "dressed up" in the middle of the afternoon, in order to make a pre-dinner deadline.

Also, at the gathering, there would be a mixture of people in their finest (1st seating), and those (2nd seating & Grills) still dressed day-time casual. I can well imagine some of each group feeling uncomfortable.

2pm on the first sea-day has, for better or worse, become established, and is easy to remember (even for my ever-decreasing number of functioning "little-grey-cells")

Best wishes :)

Sounds good for not clashing with many of the daily-ship-board events that lannp listed (above).

 

However, wouldn't that mean those on 1st seating having to get "dressed" even earlier... in order to meet up at say 5pm? Not sure many couples would be keen to miss afternoon tea, and then rushing to get formally "dressed up" in the middle of the afternoon, in order to make a pre-dinner deadline.

 

Also, at the gathering, there would be a mixture of people in their finest (1st seating), and those (2nd seating & Grills) still dressed day-time casual. I can well imagine some of each group feeling uncomfortable.

 

2pm on the first sea-day has, for better or worse, become established, and is easy to remember (even for my ever-decreasing number of functioning "little-grey-cells")

 

Best wishes :)

Pepper, good points - I guess the first formal evening wouldn't work after all. (I just love fancy dress up parties & I'm forever looking for more occasions :)

Cheers, -S.

I like the 2 pm time as well. I think there are fewer activities going on then so hopefully more will attend. Just booked a summer voyage so I'll check it out:)

Please don't let me be a super-organizer

...although I must confess that years ago, as Activities Coordinator for a non-profit, my nickname was "Julie the Cruise Director."

I've taken the lead on the Roll Call for our crossing next Spring.

In the past, I've attended roll call get togethers primarily to put some faces to names and hopefully find a few kindred spirits to pull up next to at the bar or join with for trivia. I've never led one.

Before our recent cruise in South America, I found the roll call invaluable for finding small groups for 3rd party tours (which are far fewer and more difficult to find than for Caribbean or European itineraries).

For our crossing, obviously excursions aren't an issue, although I am looking to perhaps get a few others for a small group to hire a transfer from Soho to Soton via Salisbury and Stonehenge.

Thus far, I've been simply maintaining a roll call manifest with the info others have contributed. I'm expecting that, and answering any questions I can (as any cc member should) will be my main pre-cruise duties until I schedule the get-together (non-hosted) in the first full afternoon, in the Commodore Club. (I've got a friend crossing in January. I'll check his Daily Programme to guess the optimum time around two-ish ...don't want to conflict with GLBT get together or afternoon tea)

And NO lanyards, silly hats, door decorations or exchanges of crap you don't want in the first place - never mind packing for home!

Mark

Thanks, Mark! I like your plans.

We went to an RCI mix and mingle (on our first cruise) and took our teenagers with us. During the introductions some very full on American adults were quizzing teenagers about school hobbies etc in a very agressive way and it totally freaked my quite shy 14 year old son so much that it actually resulted in him staying in the room except for meals and quizzes we all did together. I would never inflict that on my kids again.

This thread is really making me LOL ��

We were invited to a cavalcade once. It was bedlam!! ��

Our one & only/not-to-be-repeated RCL voyage was a long 28 days crossing the Pacific. We were relatively new to cruising then and now I'm SO glad we didn't know anything about M&Gs, 'slot pulls' and (horror!) 'CABIN CAVALCADES'. Why would a large group of adults want to poke their noses into other peoples private accommodation, wherever it is? If personally invited, lovely. Otherwise, 'my cabin/stateroom/suite is my castle' for the duration.