CC "meet and greets" - help!

[Colo Cruiser]

NCL does a great job too..on our last cruise we had over 100 CC members for the M&G...they gave us a whole lounge and moved bingo....:D...most of the senior staff show up, answer any questions and hand out their personal business cards just in case someone need any help...It just good business with minimal cost to the line....I have a hard time understanding Princess's minimal participation...

 

I don't call it minimal.

We had 7 officers/bar/pastries/coffee/tea set up on the Golden.

It was probably one of the best I have seen.

The Ruby also had many officers attend.

[RichNY]

We'll see how it goes on the Ruby in April.....I can only go by my past experiences on both lines..

[captainron]

There is too much going on on a sail date for organization of anything. Crew are predisposed with preparing for dinner, completing and stowing muster drill equipment, cleaning up after luggage deliveries all over the ship, etc etc.

 

I'd suggest you or a fellow CCer take on the organizational role here, pick a bar on deck and wear tacky beads (a la New Orleans) or something to ID your group members. We did this for 4 days before our sailaway in Sydney on the Star and we met more CCers that way even before we got onboard to our Meet 'n Greet.

 

Ship's Officers attended our second get together...Captain, Staff Captain, PSD, CD, Chief Engineering Officer and Food Services Director. Remembering we were on a 30 day itinerary, the Captain could not attend the first and so scheduled a second for our over 100 CCers onboard. Princess (or the Captain) had trays of int'l cafe style goodies for us for the second function.

 

For both functions (one at 1000hrs the second at 1400hrs) we were given sole occupancy of Skywalkers as a private function room.

 

Ciao for now!!!

[Aunt Tina]

Our rep scheduled a meeting in Skywalkers lounge for the first day at sea. She said she invited the officers but no guarantees. Since our first day is at Princess Cay some of us traveling in twos would like to also meet there (without officers, etc. ) for those want to get to know each other.

Any suggestions for a place to meet on Princess Cay?

 

Thanks to all for the info you have given me.

Chris

[srice]

I've arranged M&G s before by emailing the Princess rep at the head office for the ship I would be on.

 

 

How do we find out who the Princess rep at the head office is?

 

I am setting up a M&G for the 28 Feb 2010 sailing of the Emerald Princess. I have the e-mail address of the rep from an earlier sailing which I had planned to use but if I would prefer to make sure that is the correct person to contact.

[paul929207]

Here is the list I have for contacts:

 

Here is the most recent list of meeting/event contact people I have for all Princess ships:

 

 

Berda Davis

Star, Tahitian,

(661) 284-4451

bdavis@princesscruises.com

 

Diana Hall

Diamond, Sun

(661) 284-4449

dhall@princesscruises.com

 

Jenny Streeck

Sapphire, Dawn

(661) 284-4444

jstreeck@princesscruises.com

 

Berna Grayr

Emerald

(661) 284-4448

bgrayr@princesscruises.com

 

Sue Tieman

Grand, Pacific

(661) 284-4446

stieman@princesscruises.com

 

Coleen Reyes

Crown, Sea

(661) 284-4447

creyes@princesscruises.com

 

Renee Wittwer

Island, Coral, Ruby

(661) 284-4443

rwittwer@princesscruises.com

 

Elizabeth Williamson

Caribbean

(661) 284-4442

ewilliamson@princesscruises.com

 

Jan James

Royal, Golden

(661) 284-4452

jjames@princesscruises.com

 

Candice Lemell

Special Diets

(661) 284-4450

clemell@princesscruises.com "

 

Fax 661-284-4885

 

Posted 5/16/2009

[Putterdude]

Paul, I dont know how old your list is but Sue Tieman is no longer with the company and Berda Davis has the Grand & the Star but no longer has the Tahitian; at least this was the case as of 12/4/09.

[paul929207]

I copied the list last May. When I called last summer, the Tahitian person was no longer handling that ship. I called numbers until someone answered. I have not seen a list since May

[Aunt Tina]

This info is correct:

Berna Grayr

Emerald

(661) 284-4448

bgrayr@princesscruises.com

 

She is the person I have been working with.

 

Chris

[agabbymama]

WOW, you guys have a lot better turnout than we did. I organized the Meet and Greet on the Grand Princess in Oct '08. We had 21 from our roll call sign up, so when I contacted Princess Rep, we were given the Wheelhouse Bar as our meeting place. There was a nice sign on a post that it was reserved for a "Cruise Critic" function. Open bar and I ordered "Cheese and crackers tray" (at my expense).

 

We had a waiter for the open bar, but nobody from staff of ship came at all, and only 11 of the roll callers that were signed up, even showed. I didn't bother with a 2nd gathering, but the 11 of us did become quite friendly. We shared tours, ran into each other in ports and on the ship. It was quite fun seeing folks you knew. One couple actually booked and stayed at the same hotel as us in Venice. And we shared a transfer from Rome hotel to the ship with two other couples from CC to save money.

 

I knew Celebrity did a great job on CC M&M, from our Constellation cruise in Sept '06. They officially sanction the function, you even signed up on CC and it stated if you reached 25, Celebrity provided the refreshments. Again we had 28 sign up, but only 15 of us showed. But the refreshments were provided (coffee, tea, juice, rolls, danish, cookies) and the CD did attend, and a photographer took photos of us all.

 

Big difference between Celebrity and Princess, but as another poster stated, RCCI has the contract with CC and the other cruiselines don't.

 

Have fun, and enjoy whatever you get provided.

[srice]

This info is correct:

Berna Grayr

Emerald

(661) 284-4448

bgrayr@princesscruises.com

 

She is the person I have been working with.

 

Chris

 

Thanks Chris and Paul. Berna was the rep for our January 2009 Emerald sailing.

 

I was hoping to find a source for the information so that I could check for updates but it looks like one has to start calling phone numbers at Princess HQ.

 

I appreciate the information.

[paul929207]

The only time I have done the planning for a M&G, I called numbers on the list until someone answered. She took care of it even though she was not listed as the rep for our ship.

[srice]

...but the 11 of us did become quite friendly. We shared tours, ran into each other in ports and on the ship. It was quite fun seeing folks you knew....

 

This is one reason I participate in CC. It can really enhance a cruise experience!

[jdavid]

We sailed Dec 12-19 and had a successful M&G in Adagio. I had simply emailed Customer Relations before Cruise with our time and location. WRONG. No one replied but i assumed it was ok to go ahead. When I saw Patter that day, Trivia was scheduled for Adagio. We had a potential of 70-80 coming at same time. Fortunately Princess was very accommodating...They moved Trivia to Sabitini's and let us have Adagio. Sound provided, a photographer showed up and Captain even came. We certainly appreciated the last minute change but next time I will make sure I have a reply before assuming.

Advice: Don't plan first meet and greet for sailaway day! If the first day is a seaday, use that day as a chance to meet.

[Putterdude]

Advice: Don't plan first meet and greet for sailaway day! If the first day is a seaday, use that day as a chance to meet.

 

I agree, everyone is just too busy settling in on sailaway day to get any kind of a turn out for a M&G.

[Shoalwater]

[quote name='Aunt Tina']I appreciate all the help! I'm, sailing on the 31st! Our first day is Princess Cays, so we won't meet til the second day when at sea.

Chris[/quote]

PC is conducive to a M&G on the beach, why not try it and then have a second one aboard the first sea day since not everyone will go to the beach.

[flamomo]

Does anyone know if Jan James is still the contact person for the Golden? Our roll call for the March 14th sailing is planning to do a M&G, and I want to be able to contact the correct person.

Thanks for your help.

[paul929207]

I was arranging a MG for the Tahitian last summer and the person listed was no longer there. I started working down the list and happened to get Jan. Although she wasn't the one for my ship, she took care of everything. So I would recommend you call her.

[flamomo]

Thanks, Paul. I will do that.

[warringtonian]

We attended one on the Emerald last September and although quite a few people were there the bar was not open and there was no food and no ship's crew so it seemed a bit pointless.

[Seal]

[quote name='warringtonian']We attended one on the Emerald last September and although quite a few people were there the bar was not open and there was no food and no ship's crew so it seemed a bit pointless.[/quote]

That puts the Meet and Greet back to basics which is getting to know your Roll Call friends that you've been conversing--also--a good time to plan a party for those of you who would like to meet again--Fortunately, I'm one of the few who doesn't need the party atmosphere
at the Meet and Greet--I love parties but they aren't always planned for your Meet & Greet. Maybe some of us are expecting too much at an inconvenient time for staff to come visit/bartenders/etc.--Sure--it's great if it works that way--if not--plan to meet with your Roll Call group again in a place that will work to your liking. Good Luck for your future Meet & Greets

Nancy:D

[caribill]

[quote name='warringtonian']We attended one on the Emerald last September and although quite a few people were there the bar was not open and there was no food and no ship's crew so it seemed a bit pointless.[/quote]

It seems that on the Emerald there is a disconnect between the promise of a bar staff and the presence of one.

On the Emerald in December, it appears that the ship was unaware that the meeting was scheduled as there was no sign or bar staff. However, that did not stop the group from having a great time meeting one another in person.

The Cruise Director stopped by for a few minutes as he was one of several staff that had been sent an invitation after the person who organized this boarded.