Why Little Response to HAL Roll Calls?

[LindaM]

I signed up for both Roll Calls for our upcoming cruises -- never even got a "welcome" from anyone -- and others who joined after me were welcomed by various posters on the threads. Now the original person who started both roll calls has cancelled the cruises. A new person took over the first one -- I have never bothered to go back -- figure they don't want me there. The second cruise -- it has died as no one is taking it over.

For our 2 previous cruises -- first one -- they finalized plans for a Meet Greet after we had left for Florida. Second one -- it was nothing more than just a chat room.

Haven't been to a Meet & Greet since our Noordam cruises in 2009.

 

I started our rollcall for Amsterdam 8/9/10. Maybe I am ignorant of protocol, but I didn't think I was the welcoming wagon for this roll call. When new people joined, whomever saw the post first usually welcomed the newcomers. I think that is usually how it works. Don't take it personally!! On these boards, I have asked questions to certain people who never responded---even you. It's no big deal----people don't mean to ignore, they are just busy with their lives.

[janisutx]

I don't think age has much if anything to do with that. It's an easy 'catch all' to describe any unexplainable tidbit having to do with HAL. :rolleyes: This whole age thing with HAL is really getting OLD. (pun intended).

 

Sail, that was funny and true. At least being called old doesn't seem as bad as my son's comments about Princess passengers. He was on his third cruise and couldn't believe how many grossly overweight Princess passengers there were compared to those on his two HAL cruises. It looks like HAL wins in the looks department!

[Boytjie]

And ours on the Rotterdam March 8, 2010 with 1494 posts and 21543 views.

Virgil

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=915046

 

Plus we have 74 people currently signed up for the meet and greet.

 

Ours is a RSVP charter on the Eurodam February 13th, 2010 and our roll call is on the Gay and Lesbian threads, not the regular HAL threads. We are at 2,509 posts and over 59,000 views. Last year's cruise on the Eurodam had 4,774 posts and 92,746 views. We had 110 people at the CC meet-and-greet in 2009 and about 100 have RSVPed so far for this cruise.

 

On the otherhand, Atlantis roll calls have very low participation on Cruise Critic but they have their own message boards.

 

It depends a lot on who is on your cruise. :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

I started our rollcall for Amsterdam 8/9/10. Maybe I am ignorant of protocol, but I didn't think I was the welcoming wagon for this roll call. When new people joined, whomever saw the post first usually welcomed the newcomers. I think that is usually how it works. Don't take it personally!! On these boards, I have asked questions to certain people who never responded---even you. It's no big deal----people don't mean to ignore, they are just busy with their lives.

 

I am not on the Aug 8, 2010, Amsterdam cruise.

[LindaM]

I am not on the Aug 8, 2010, Amsterdam cruise.

 

I am aware you aren't on my cruise, but you responded to one of my posts on the general thread that is open to all on the 14 day cruise. I posted about being waitlisted 7 months prior to our cruise. You responded, and I responded with questions for you. I guess you didn't read the post after you responded. Actually, maybe that's what people do. They don't feel the need to look back after their initial response. I could have taken offense, too!!

 

We are just here to share with each other. I really don't think most people want to offend anyone (except for the OP about people who complain). If some roll calls aren't as friendly, it's probably because that is just the way they are. It usually takes someone with a really outgoing, gregarious personality to get things going. I don't think anyone would NOT be welcomed unless they were well known for snide posts. And even then, most wouldn't even remember!

[alpal1993]

I signed up for both Roll Calls for our upcoming cruises -- never even got a "welcome" from anyone -- and others who joined after me were welcomed by various posters on the threads. Now the original person who started both roll calls has cancelled the cruises. A new person took over the first one -- I have never bothered to go back -- figure they don't want me there. The second cruise -- it has died as no one is taking it over.

For our 2 previous cruises -- first one -- they finalized plans for a Meet Greet after we had left for Florida. Second one -- it was nothing more than just a chat room.

Haven't been to a Meet & Greet since our Noordam cruises in 2009.

 

I hope you come to our Meet and Greet on our Alaska cruise.I would really like to meet you and thank you for all your help patients and kindness.Some CC who are as seasoned as you are tend to be very opinionated and answer like we should know what to doand take the cruise experience for granted as they have done that been there.To ME and DH each cruise we take is a blessing and we are so excited to be getting away for some wonderful experiences

[pris993]

We cruise on HAL, Celebrity and Princess primarily.

 

Once in awhile I will check out a roll call. But to be honest I don't cruise to make friends with other passengers. I would never go to a meet and greet.

 

I find most of the roll calls of little interest - mostly chit - chat among folks.

 

We are not interested in sharing tours, taxis etc. We would rather go it alone.

[JennyandJoeS]

In my humble opinion, I think the lack of response to the Roll Call site is the generally older age of the typical HAL passenger. On our last HAL cruise the typical age was 75-90, and that age group is just not very computer savy.;)

[kelmac]

We have done many cruises and try to use the Roll Calls to get information others may wish to share concerning cruise preparations. We have always had a lot of Roll Call "action", but now that we have scheduled a HAL Alaska cruise for next September, there has been NO response to this trip on the Roll Call. I also notice that there is very little rsponse to most of the HAL Roll Calls. I was just wondering why, as most of the other cruise line Roll Calls have much chatter. Any thoughts on this?

 

Hi Don and Susan,

 

As Randyk47 pointed out, HAL's roll calls usually lack participation. I've cruised HAL eight times and the largest meet and greet was about eight people. Celebrity usually has "standing room only" in Michael's club for the Connections party.

What's strange -- is the Holland America board has many posters and is very active.

Not sure why, just the nature of the beast.

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)

 

PS -- Lauren is an English Teacher and I'm a retired Science Teacher.

[LindaM]

Uh oh...wrong thing to say!! I have only been on 2 HAL cruises and that was not the age group. I would say the average was 50's and 60's---these were 2 week European cruises.

[teacherman]

We also like to "do our own thing". It is nice to share information with each other. It saves time in looking for information. This is why Cruise Reviews are helpful. We have received some great information on roll calls and even been able to form groups for private tours to save money. We do not want to be "joined at the hip" with someone for a week. Someone in an above post used the term "like minded people". That is how I view many people who contribute to Roll Calls. They seem to be independent folk who are looking for the same type of cruise experiences, especially on shore excursions. I never thought that this topic would generate so many responses, but glad to see that it did.

[AlohaPride]

. . .

I don't think age has much if anything to do with that. It's an easy 'catch all' to describe any unexplainable tidbit having to do with HAL. :rolleyes: This whole age thing with HAL is really getting OLD. (pun intended).

 

 

Hee hee hee, that's funny!

 

:D

[LocoLoco1]

Roll Calls people would first need to know about this site. Maybe HAL customers usually book thru 'All-Inclusive' TA's more and thus have no need/interest for public Internet socializing, net-working etc? A "Let's Party" attitude maybe is a more common desire amongst a different demographic clientele and yes, age group. Dunno. Locomotiveman

[AFuncruiser]

In my humble opinion, I think the lack of response to the Roll Call site is the generally older age of the typical HAL passenger. On our last HAL cruise the typical age was 75-90, and that age group is just not very computer savy.;)

 

You took the words right out of my mouth...

 

Dennis

 

387 days at sea

33 cruises

11 cruise lines

T/P, T/A, Hawaii, Central & South America, New Zealand & South Pacific

Booked

21 day TA HAL Prinsondam May 2010

12 day TA Norigian Sun Oct 2010

[airlink diva]

I know for many people roll call action normally don't really pick up until under three months prior to sailing. For example, I was booked on a sailing with another cruiseline for the first week in March. That board was started in July 2009. But since December, the action has really picked up. On my first cruise for this year (April 2010), I know that most likey middle of next month for it to have more action.

Ginder11your cruise is in August, you most likey see more action at the end of June and early July.

People join the roll calls for many reason. The majority like to chat about their cruises and get ideas for what to do on board or in the ports. You will often find people sharing the same tours.

The meet and greets were always nice. I look at it as time to meet people that I've chat with online about the cruise. There are some people that I only see them at the meet and greet, there are others that I see around the ship and ate breakfast and lunch with a few times. There are others who I've shared tours with. It's the same as when you get on board a ship. There are some people that you will click with and others you won't.

When I was on the a board, I didn't know that the person who starts the board was responsible for greeting every new poster. I know regardless of if I start a board or not, if I notice a new poster, I just greet them!

As for the comment about the older cruisers don't post because of their skills, my 90 year old grandmother have more computer skills than my 63 year old mother (this is the same grandmother who beats her 16 great grand on wii games :D:D!)

[Krazy Kruizers]

I am aware you aren't on my cruise, but you responded to one of my posts on the general thread that is open to all on the 14 day cruise. I posted about being waitlisted 7 months prior to our cruise. You responded, and I responded with questions for you. I guess you didn't read the post after you responded. Actually, maybe that's what people do. They don't feel the need to look back after their initial response. I could have taken offense, too!!

 

We are just here to share with each other. I really don't think most people want to offend anyone (except for the OP about people who complain). If some roll calls aren't as friendly, it's probably because that is just the way they are. It usually takes someone with a really outgoing, gregarious personality to get things going. I don't think anyone would NOT be welcomed unless they were well known for snide posts. And even then, most wouldn't even remember!

 

I am so sorry Linda

That general thread -- I just got bored with it within a short time -- my fault -- we knew what we weren't going to be doing many tours having been to many of the ports so many times -- and then everyone was talking about self tours -- kayaking -- etc., -- we rarely do self tours -- don't kayak, etc. After reading for a short time on that general thread -- I knew that we didn't fit in there and I haven't been back to that thread there in months -- not even to read it.

I appologize that for that. A couple of people know that I belong to other sites where they could contact me via PM's -- and I answered them right away. But even that was months ago.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I hope you come to our Meet and Greet on our Alaska cruise.I would really like to meet you and thank you for all your help patients and kindness.Some CC who are as seasoned as you are tend to be very opinionated and answer like we should know what to doand take the cruise experience for granted as they have done that been there.To ME and DH each cruise we take is a blessing and we are so excited to be getting away for some wonderful experiences

 

Oh My Gosh!!

Have I missed something??

Have we set a Date & Time for our Meet & Greet??

Now I am really getting out of it!!