Why aren't more people active in HAL Roll Calls?

People: I did not say that cabin crawls were alcohol-fueled orgies. I said they probably got their name from the age-old "pub crawl." Yes, you pop from one bar to another, just like you pop from one cabin to another. My town even has a once-a-month "gallery crawl", where you walk among all the art galleries in town. So, it seems that any activity that involves moving from one place to another in a few hours is some kind of "crawl."

But, I do remember back in the day hearing of some people in the different cabins had snacks during the crawls (usually the ones in suites)...

 

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But, I do remember back in the day hearing of some people in the different cabins had snacks during the crawls (usually the ones in suites)...

Was that on HAL? Did you participate in the cabin crawl or did you get a report from someone else who had done it?

If one has no interest in ANY of the things that might be associated with participation in a roll call, then of course you are right -- there is no reason to participate.

 

However, my interpretation of the posts made above is that if one had an interest in SOME but not ALL of the activities, they would be welcomed to participate in those things without pressure to participate in the rest.

That's certainly the impression I've gotten. We have never joined a Roll Call, but likely will for our upcoming cruise, to learn about the area and possible tour ideas. May or may not attend the Meet/Greet, definitely wouldn't be doing any of the other organized things like gift exchanges or slot pulls. But lots of people enjoy those..... who am I to rain on their parade? :)

On the 2017 World Cruise my wife made the name badges for the meet and greet that you sign up for, about 50 people did not show. 🤐😷😔

On the 2017 World Cruise my wife made the name badges for the meet and greet that you sign up for' date=' about 50 people did not show. 🤐😷😔[/quote']

 

I feel for her. I've been in that boat of making name tags as has a CC friend who is far more talented than I.

 

they take time and while we do it because we want to, we also want people to get them. It is frusrating to do the work for naught.

 

Two things I have done that seem to get good results in Meet and Greets. I ask if people are coming and their confirmation. I don't assume everyone on the roll will. Just because someone posts on the roll call doesn't guarantee they want to come to a Meet and Greet.

 

I usually deliver reminders/invites. I don't know if it makes a difference or not but our meet and greet turnouts are usually very good.

One problem is the M&G date and time needs to be set before anyone gets on the ship. Then some other activity shows up on the daily schedule which conflicts with the pre-set M&G time, leading to absentees. Smaller is probably better anyway, so people can recognize each other closer up finally making the screen name associations.

On the 2017 World Cruise my wife made the name badges for the meet and greet that you sign up for' date=' about 50 people did not show. 🤐😷😔[/quote']

 

That happened on the KDam TA last Fall. The one couple had made up awesome Name Tags and about twenty didn't show!

 

The last couple of M&G's that I organized I brought blank Name Tag labels and some Markers. I put a sign asking to please fill out with Screen Name and Name. As people came in they wrote their tags. Worked well!

Was that on HAL? Did you participate in the cabin crawl or did you get a report from someone else who had done it?

No, I did not make it up. It was about 9 years ago on Princess (the Island Princess). VERY small group, maybe 20.

Snacks are also normal on a cabin crawl on NCL. They have very active roll calls.

...funny you should ask.. we always sign up and go. besides, we can tell from the door or from the first fifteen minutes if we want to stay.. so no obligation or pressure. We tend to meet and continually run into people we meet upon embarkation and at the M&G. The are fun and we learn a lot from the posts about dry dock and other important information. Best M&G ever was with the Zuiderdam Princess ( i don't recall her real name ) on the sister ship Noordam. She knew how to throw a party. there were 150 of us with food and cocktails and we all felt very special. I still have my gift exchange and i hope they have theirs too. But not all of them are that grand and it is always hit and miss. Like someone else said, you never know what you end up with, and it costs nothing to try. Good luck. you never know how it will pan out.

[snip]

 

I usually deliver reminders/invites. I don't know if it makes a difference or not but our meet and greet turnouts are usually very good.

a cabin crawl is simply the opportunity to see cabins in different categories. Pictures on the cruise line website don't always tell the whole story and some cabins are different than others.

 

I have no idea where the name "cabin crawl" came from but that's what it is called. You don't "crawl" to the cabin.

 

Glad you got your private tours arranged! Have fun!

And an added 'twist' if you will, is that the hosts of each cabin visited may offer appetizers or a special drink during the group's visit to their cabin.

Please get RID pf the notion that "cabin crawls" involve alcohol. For 'pubs" you drink at each stop. For "cabins" you simply look.

Not necessarily true, as it really depends on the group participating and how the 'crawl' is organized. I've participated in many cabin crawls on various lines, and all of them involved the 'hosts' of each cabin visited offering a drink or munchie during our visit to their cabin.

Seeing the different cabin types is, of course, also a factor in the event.

We had been cruising for about five years before I heard of CC. We had signed up for a 49 day cruise around South America on Carnival. About two weeks before embarkation my daughter recommended I look at the CC website and sign up for the roll call. One of the things people were discussing was the Brazil visa. I had remembered that Carnival had stated that we didn't need any visas for this cruise. I posted on the roll call and asked if I really needed that visa. The reply was "You won't get on the ship without it." Went back to Carnival and they said that this was their first time to Brazil and they made a mistake. Went to my TA and she apologized for believing Carnival. She recommended a visa agent in Miami and we FedExed our passports and got the visas in time. She even picked up the extra fee for expediting.

That was when I learned how valuable CC and Roll Calls can be and I have been participating since that time. I have arranged shore excursions and have joined many others that roll call members have organized which is the other major benefit I have received from CC roll calls, mainly on HAL and Princess.

And this is the reason group organizers ask for cabin numbers -- so they can do as kazu did and deliver reminders to everyone's cabins. When I ask for cabin numbers, I have people email them to me, and I never give those cabin numbers out.

I never give my cabin number to a roll call organizer unless, in the case of three cruises I have enjoyed with Kazu, I know the organizer personally, or from long time interaction on CC.

If I don't know the organizer I simply take note of the time and place of the meet and greet and just turn up without a reminder.

I was actually once kicked off a roll call because I was reluctant to give my cabin number to a stranger.

I never give my cabin number to a roll call organizer unless, in the case of three cruises I have enjoyed with Kazu, I know the organizer personally, or from long time interaction on CC.

 

If I don't know the organizer I simply take note of the time and place of the meet and greet and just turn up without a reminder.

 

I was actually once kicked off a roll call because I was reluctant to give my cabin number to a stranger.

That is inexcusable sapper - being kicked off a roll call for that reason :mad:. I know of no reason to kick anyone off a roll call and didn't think such a thing was allowed ?:eek:

No one owns the roll call nor has the right to do such a thing!

If someone chooses not to give their cabin number, that's their perogative. It's certainly not mandatory - nor should it be. JMVHO

I was actually once kicked off a roll call because I was reluctant to give my cabin number to a stranger.

That is horrible!

I didn't expect so many responses when I posted this. Lots of good points. I started a Roll Call thread for our sailing in September 2018 from Venice. Only one other person has posted, but it's still early. The Roll Calls are useful especially when you're dealing with issues such as VAT etc.

We stopped. Too much personal info. We don't care that someone lives, once lived, grew up, or went to a high school down the road from us. Don't care about the SIL's best friend's neighbor either or the current weather in Kalamazoo.

We found that there was much less hard data on tours, entry requirements, pre and post cruise cities, etc. This is the data that we are interested in. Tripadvisor forums are a much better source and we do not have to sort through the personal comments.

We have never, and would never, provide out cabin number to anyone. Most especially a public forum.

I was actually once kicked off a roll call because I was reluctant to give my cabin number to a stranger.

As a solo traveler, I would also be very reluctant to provide a cabin number. Can you elaborate on the circumstances? I don't imagine that they can actually stop you from participating in the roll call, can they? (Since access is determined by the moderators, I would think.) Did they just stop you from looking at the off-site materials, e.g., spreadsheet?

As a solo traveler, I would also be very reluctant to provide a cabin number. Can you elaborate on the circumstances? I don't imagine that they can actually stop you from participating in the roll call, can they? (Since access is determined by the moderators, I would think.) Did they just stop you from looking at the off-site materials, e.g., spreadsheet?

That was actually how I got to meet Stephen Card.

The roll call leader said she would have nothing to do with a meet and greet that involved me and I think she quietly organized a private gathering.

One member, however, arranged to meet up with us and when we did, she said she was going to meet with Stephen Card in Hamilton and asked us to go along with her and her husband.

It was a small roll call and did not involve spreadsheets etc.

Not necessarily true, as it really depends on the group participating and how the 'crawl' is organized. I've participated in many cabin crawls on various lines, and all of them involved the 'hosts' of each cabin visited offering a drink or munchie during our visit to their cabin.

 

Seeing the different cabin types is, of course, also a factor in the event.

In my experience none had a drink or munchie. Our last cabin crawl involved about 40 people, split into small groups so that each group visited a different cabin in a different rotation . Nothing was offered or expected from the cabin hosts - it really wouldn't have been viable given that number. Plus, we had something like 7 or 8 cabins on the crawl, so had alcohol been involved we'd have had trouble finding our way home - especially as this was before lunch.:D

I have started a roll call for 12/6 partial Panama Canal. Figured with 3 ports could cime up with some decent excursions(pc has to be booked by HAL), i think there are 8 folks si far

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That was actually how I got to meet Stephen Card.

 

The roll call leader said she would have nothing to do with a meet and greet that involved me and I think she quietly organized a private gathering.

One member, however, arranged to meet up with us and when we did, she said she was going to meet with Stephen Card in Hamilton and asked us to go along with her and her husband.

 

It was a small roll call and did not involve spreadsheets etc.

Wow, the attitudes of some people constantly amaze me. It's a shame; when roll calls are good, they're very nice. When not...:eek:

This thread is amusing and sad at the same time. Someone "bossing" other passengers around is a huge turnoff. And I don't get spreadsheets or organizing and reorganizing other people's affairs.

We've met the loveliest people on private tours which has been the focus of most roll calls.

And this is the reason group organizers ask for cabin numbers -- so they can do as kazu did and deliver reminders to everyone's cabins. When I ask for cabin numbers, I have people email them to me, and I never give those cabin numbers out.

Reminds are a good idea, a lot of folks are overwhelmed with so many things happening.