86 days until 9/16/18 Pearl sailing... roll call is crickets

I just booked our 9/16/18 Norwegian Pearl sailing to Alaska and when I checked out the roll call, it had been set up months ago and the OP hasn't posted since. There are maybe four other "real" posts, the rest are those auto-message thingies.

Something that really adds to my enjoyment of a cruise vacation is planning and chatting with fellow cruisers so I am really sad about this! I love feeling as though I have friends already when we board the ship.

For all of my previous sailings the roll calls have been fairly active. My last cruise three years ago (same week, same ship, same destination as my upcoming sailing) the CC roll call did several fun activities and had a well-attended meet and mingle.

Is this now the Cruise Critic norm? I've read some speculation that Facebook groups are pulling the users away, but as far as I can see there's no Facebook group for my sailing either. <|3

I know exactly what you mean. Cruise Critic has been changing and the rolls calls are changing as a result.

Yes, private groups outside of Cruise Critic are causing declining roll call participation...mostly on FB, but there are other sites as well. The auto-post feature doesn't help either. People are making those posts without even being aware they are doing so.

Cruise Critic itself used to be a place to talk about and share the cruising experience, and this was reflected in the roll calls. Anymore, the majority of posts revolve around "how can I argue with the cruise line", "I don't like this rule, how do I break it", and "I'm upset, I want somebody to blame, and somebody to give me compensation" type of posts. Either that, or some version of tipping, smoking, chair hogging, or "how do I get to be first" posts.

The Meet & Greet used to be about meeting and greeting fellow roll call members. Now people just show up to get phone numbers for the officers in case they need to complain. Outside of the officers in attendance, there is very little "meeting" and "greeting" going on.

Cruise Critic itself used to be a place to talk about and share the cruising experience, and this was reflected in the roll calls. Anymore, the majority of posts revolve around "how can I argue with the cruise line", "I don't like this rule, how do I break it", and "I'm upset, I want somebody to blame, and somebody to give me compensation" type of posts. Either that, or some version of tipping, smoking, chair hogging, or "how do I get to be first" posts.

The thing I'm noticing on Cruise Critic after several years' absence is that there seem to be more folks that just enjoy invalidating another person's feelings or questions. For example, someone posted a question about traveling with an infant and there was somebody saying "Why would you want to do that?" instead of just moving on when they didn't have something constructive to say. I asked a question about whether the last cruise of a season might be a different atmosphere on board the ship and several people responded who had no constructive information or actual experience of a last sailing of a season but managed to make me feel dumb for wondering about it.

My roll call is the same. I've posted several times but only a couple of people have come one and they didn't comment much. I finally threw in the towel. On my last cruise is was really slow too. Then a couple of days before the cruise a few people came on and one wanted to know if we wanted to meet. I thought, why would I now want to meet when we haven't even posted until now. Anyway, yep I think I'm giving up on the meet and greets.

I asked a question about whether the last cruise of a season might be a different atmosphere on board the ship and several people responded who had no .

Just curious, is it?

Just curious, is it?

:rolleyes:Oh, well I was ignorant enough to think it might be different, but I was set straight!:rolleyes: The crew member contracts don't coincide with the change to a new itinerary so supposedly it makes no difference to them!

However. People who gave more constructive answers said that often some of the excursions are no longer available and shops in ports may be closed if the season is ending.

My roll call is fairly active, relatively speaking. We are trying to schedule activities but we have nowhere near enough people. Example, some tours want 10 or more people and some of them only have 4 or 5 people signed up.

I wouldn't object if people spoke up at the last minute and wanted to meet. Why not?

My roll call is fairly active, relatively speaking. We are trying to schedule activities but we have nowhere near enough people. Example, some tours want 10 or more people and some of them only have 4 or 5 people signed up.

 

I wouldn't object if people spoke up at the last minute and wanted to meet. Why not?

Meeting the Cruise Critic roll call people at the last minute isn't an issue, but if you want to set it up through the ship and to get the ship's officers to attend (which can be VERY cool for many reasons), it takes a bit of lead time, organization and a commitment in advance to be there by the roll call attendees.

Meeting the Cruise Critic roll call people at the last minute isn't an issue, but if you want to set it up through the ship and to get the ship's officers to attend (which can be VERY cool for many reasons), it takes a bit of lead time, organization and a commitment in advance to be there by the roll call attendees.

I can see your point. Our original organizer can't go. I'm trying to decide if I should do it. I've never been on NCL before.

I can see your point. Our original organizer can't go. I'm trying to decide if I should do it. I've never been on NCL before.

It is some work if you take it on. Event organization is something I do for my job, so it is kind of second nature for me, but you have to keep on people (get their email addresses and real names, don't rely on the roll call board) to make sure they have all the information on time, date and location of your events and that they're still planning to participate.

We did a slot pull which turned out to be a lot of fun and everyone who put in $20 at the start ended up coming out ahead by about $50. My favorite thing was the "cabin crawl" we organized. We went from room to room of everyone that signed up and had a peek at staterooms all the way from a porthole cabin to a three bedroom suite.

My roll call is the same. I've posted several times but only a couple of people have come one and they didn't comment much. I finally threw in the towel. On my last cruise is was really slow too. Then a couple of days before the cruise a few people came on and one wanted to know if we wanted to meet. I thought, why would I now want to meet when we haven't even posted until now. Anyway, yep I think I'm giving up on the meet and greets.

It is what I said before...they want to come to meet the officers and get their phone numbers, they aren't interested in participating in, or meeting, the roll call members. I'd bet if you had a M&G with no officers they wouldn't come at all.

I wouldn't object if people spoke up at the last minute and wanted to meet. Why not?

It isn't an objection, it is just odd. The point of the M&G is to meet and greet the people who you've been interacting with in person. So, if you haven't been participating in the roll call, then why would you want to come meet a bunch of people you never even bothered talking to? What would you even discuss? Its like attending a high school reunion when you never attended the school.

I just hosted two M&G in May. The first was on the Epic. 90 people signed up and 35 showed up. The second was on the Breakaway. 63 people signed up and 20 showed up. The Epic's roll call was very active and it did have a FB page. People mostly wanted to get tour groups together and most did. But then there was a slot pull right after so if you didn't sign up for it you left without meeting and mingling. The Breakaway's roll call was very slow and no FB page. Everyone seemed to already have tours planned and people only posted to ask some questions. No slot pull afterwards but we all stayed and talked for a while. It was very pleasant.

I just booked our 9/16/18 Norwegian Pearl sailing to Alaska and when I checked out the roll call, it had been set up months ago and the OP hasn't posted since. There are maybe four other "real" posts, the rest are those auto-message thingies.

 

 

 

Something that really adds to my enjoyment of a cruise vacation is planning and chatting with fellow cruisers so I am really sad about this! I love feeling as though I have friends already when we board the ship.

 

 

 

For all of my previous sailings the roll calls have been fairly active. My last cruise three years ago (same week, same ship, same destination as my upcoming sailing) the CC roll call did several fun activities and had a well-attended meet and mingle.

 

 

 

Is this now the Cruise Critic norm? I've read some speculation that Facebook groups are pulling the users away, but as far as I can see there's no Facebook group for my sailing either. <|3

Our Aug 5th Pearl is quiet too. I have 4 so far that are interested in a M&G. Last year we did Norway and that crowd was a lot of fun and so nice! Two different pub crawls, a drink in port after running into one of them...and two M&G’s. I guess it depends on the crowd too.

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Our Aug 5th Pearl is quiet too. I have 4 so far that are interested in a M&G. Last year we did Norway and that crowd was a lot of fun and so nice! Two different pub crawls, a drink in port after running into one of them...and two M&G’s. I guess it depends on the crowd too.

 

 

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I dunno, maybe people don't realize there is anything outside of Facebook on the internet these days and because Cruise Critic posts don't have a "like" button, they're just not having it LOL.

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I just hosted two M&G in May. The first was on the Epic. 90 people signed up and 35 showed up. The second was on the Breakaway. 63 people signed up and 20 showed up. The Epic's roll call was very active and it did have a FB page. People mostly wanted to get tour groups together and most did. But then there was a slot pull right after so if you didn't sign up for it you left without meeting and mingling. The Breakaway's roll call was very slow and no FB page. Everyone seemed to already have tours planned and people only posted to ask some questions. No slot pull afterwards but we all stayed and talked for a while. It was very pleasant.

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There weren't any groups for my sailing on that unmentionable social media giant, so I created one today. We are at 82 days until sailing, we'll see if anyone joins or if I end up talking to the walls there too! :rolleyes:

There weren't any groups for my sailing on that unmentionable social media giant, so I created one today. We are at 82 days until sailing, we'll see if anyone joins or if I end up talking to the walls there too! :rolleyes:

Just checking in to see you had any luck with this and ask a general question about this.

I am wondering now what people on quiet rollcalls are doing for excursions? We have mainly done private excursions with the people from the rollcall, enjoying the smaller group, more personal tour.

Are the credits for shore excursions from NCL converting more people to their tours?

Just checking in to see you had any luck with this and ask a general question about this.

 

I am wondering now what people on quiet rollcalls are doing for excursions? We have mainly done private excursions with the people from the rollcall, enjoying the smaller group, more personal tour.

 

Are the credits for shore excursions from NCL converting more people to their tours?

So far it's just me talking to the walls in the roll call. :o

On the last cruise I was on (Alaska) the roll call was fairly small and I don't think anyone grouped up for excursions, we just did a few shipboard activities.

To tell the truth I'd be hesitant to do excursions depending on people I only knew from the roll call the way things seem to be online these days. I'd hate to plan on something working out and end up with it falling through because people didn't sign up/prepay/show up as expected. I'm ok with doing the cruiseline's offered tours or booking just on our own directly with tour providers.

I also am hesitant to rely on those I meet on the roll call for tours. I will tell people the tours I've booked and give them a link (usually through Tripadvisor) and then it's on them to go book the tour if they want to go with me. I tried once and had people cancel (leaving me to pay their part), so now I just go with whoever signs up. On the plus side, my daughter and I had a private Game of Thrones tour in Split, Croatia that was supposed to be a small group because no one else signed up! :cool:

I also am hesitant to rely on those I meet on the roll call for tours. I will tell people the tours I've booked and give them a link (usually through Tripadvisor) and then it's on them to go book the tour if they want to go with me. I tried once and had people cancel (leaving me to pay their part), so now I just go with whoever signs up. On the plus side, my daughter and I had a private Game of Thrones tour in Split, Croatia that was supposed to be a small group because no one else signed up! :cool:

This wasn't on a cruise, but I signed up to take a barbecue restaurant tour of downtown Memphis, TN <oink!> and I was the only one who had signed up so it was a private tour. Fortunately the tour guide was somebody I felt comfortable just hanging out with one on one! Turned out to be great fun.

Sorry to hear that the roll calls have changed, and that the tours have changed. Although organizing them could be a bit more work, they always seemed to turn out well. I guess it is good that there are shore excursion credits.

Will be on the same cruise with you! Always interested in meeting new friends!

Will be on the same cruise with you! Always interested in meeting new friends!

Very good. I am waiting to hear back from the ship about when they can accommodate a meet and mingle for our group.

The thing I'm noticing on Cruise Critic after several years' absence is that there seem to be more folks that just enjoy invalidating another person's feelings or questions. For example, someone posted a question about traveling with an infant and there was somebody saying "Why would you want to do that?" instead of just moving on when they didn't have something constructive to say. I asked a question about whether the last cruise of a season might be a different atmosphere on board the ship and several people responded who had no constructive information or actual experience of a last sailing of a season but managed to make me feel dumb for wondering about it.

I noticed that as well...it seems "confrontational" is the new norm...good thing there is still a lot of critics here that are able and willing to offer unbiased advice for the vacation questions we have.

I tend to go the more funny route where i try to give the reader a nice break from reality and actually chuckle a bit. but yes..the boards are changing and social media as a whole is to blame but unfortunately that is where we are at.

Best,

Mark

People have commented about negativity on CC. I haven't found that to be the case on the roll calls. Most are excited about cruise plans and ideas.

I hosted M&G on Dawn to Bermuda. A few folks never showed up but we still had about 50. I put together a tour of the island and had a bout 20 people. Only one couple didn't show up.

Currently working on meeting for Escape in September. We have at least 50 signed up through separate e-mail. There are over 20 on roll call who haven't responded about meeting, including several who haven't posted since they signed in. Don't know how many cancelled before final payment, and yeah the robo-posts are a pain.