Has a roll call ever caused you NOT to book?

[Can'tstopcruising]

We choose a cruise according to a) time and b) itinerary. The roll call does not factor into it.

 

Although I do read the roll call, I don't participate very much. Like others, I am not interested in cabin crawls, organized meals etc.

If it works out I do go to the sailaway to meet the people and if the time is convenient for us, we will go to the cc party. I have done a couple of slot pulls and they were fun.

 

It's good that the roll call exists because it is an excellent network for some people.

[ghstudio]

Clearly there are many views of roll calls, their value and how to best use them. Unfortunately, they are conflicting views.

 

There are many who want to get to know the other folks on the cruise and start posts in roll calls that cause ongoing threads concerning personal happenings and the other stuff people discuss socially..keeping in touch often prior to the cruise. These discussions can last one or two pages of roll call, in some cases. There's certainly a value to a social get to know your cruise buddies on the internet.

 

The second group is either looking for cruise information...port information, excursion information, weather or something directly related to the cruise. Given that this is cruise critic, that was likely the original intent...post cruise related items in a roll call vs on the general board Arrange shipboard events for your cruise on the roll call, not on the main boards.

 

So both groups meet in a roll call. The social group is happy doing their thing and likely have already set up their excursions and so on many months before the cruise. They are just building friendships. Enter the second group who is either looking for or trying to arrange a shore excursion. If someone posts "looking for someone to join us on a shore excursion in xxxx", it can often quickly fall back a page or two...so when the people you want to see that message come on the board, they don't read from page 1 or even go back a couple of pages...and they never see the post. If someone posts "looking for a shore excursion in xxxx", their post now falls back a couple of pages and the first person doesn't discover the second person.....because of all the social posts.

 

The social folks say if you aren't interested, just skip our posts...but if there are a fair number of folks involved in social posting on a specific roll call, you have to remember what page you even last read because CC doesn't keep track for you...and a new person has just so many pages to skip thru they can't find posts that may be of interest to them.

 

I've suggested two roll calls for a cruise...one ship/cruise related, the other "social" but that hasn't happened and cruise critic pretty much leaves the roll calls free to enter anything unless you enter a TA name. They have in fact banned posting facebook links because that, understandably, competes with CC

 

A highly social roll call doesn't dissuade me from taking a trip because those folks, "the group" will be a small part of the other 2-3000 passengers on a cruise.....but it becomes frustrating before the cruise if you are trying to reach others on that cruise to set up or find excursions.....and the social folks get frustrated if anyone tries to get them to focus on cruise related stuff rather than friendship buidling.

 

I think CC should consider this as something they could improve upon as they think of how to evolve CC and pressures like facebook start to overlap their space. I know of at least on sailing where they have created their own, excellent web site for cruise related information,etc....and that's clearly not what CC wants.....

[Blazerboy]

Only time I steered away from a cruise is when I found out from the roll call that a member of the Jersey Shore cast was going on that cruise. Helped me make my decision to go on a different cruise.;)

 

:eek:That would be enough to make me choose a different cruise LINE!

 

Andrew

[wwcruisers]

ghstudio -- I'm reasonably sure that the "social" posters on an active roll-call thread wouldn't mind you "bumping-up" your shore excursion group post periodically -- as long as you're not crabby about it (which I'm sure you wouldn't be). ;) I was on the ALOHA CRUISE to Hawaii with KelliePoodle, and we had a smokin' hot roll-call! :p I regularly posted my updated cabin crawl list, and the cruiser who organized the slot pull had his list up, every two or three pages. There were folks organizing shore excursions, Mahjong tournaments, and card games. And, believe it or not, we still had time to work in quite a bit of social chatter, too! :D A roll-call thread can be a very big tent -- you just have to make room for everyone! :cool:

[Kellie Poodle]

ghstudio -- I'm reasonably sure that the "social" posters on an active roll-call thread wouldn't mind you "bumping-up" your shore excursion group post periodically -- as long as you're not crabby about it (which I'm sure you wouldn't be). ;) I was on the ALOHA CRUISE to Hawaii with KelliePoodle, and we had a smokin' hot roll-call! :p I regularly posted my updated cabin crawl list, and the cruiser who organized the slot pull had his list up, every two or three pages. There were folks organizing shore excursions, Mahjong tournaments, and card games. And, believe it or not, we still had time to work in quite a bit of social chatter, too! :D A roll-call thread can be a very big tent -- you just have to make room for everyone! :cool:

 

We did have a great roll call for that cruise. You did an awesome job arranging the cabin crawl, which I heard was a success. I didn't sign up.

 

The best souvenir I ever got from cruising was the life-friend I made on the Aloha cruise. I met her on the roll call and we agreed to share a rental car for Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. My friend is coming to visit me in November and I just can't wait. We spend hours on the phone.

 

Another couple we met on the roll call and spent a lot of time with on the cruise may accompany us on an Asian cruise in 2014. We both stayed at a motel in San Diego that was recommended on the CC ports of call board. They had previously sailed with my life-friend and her husband and we all had a pre-cruise dinner the night before we sailed.

 

This never would have happened without the roll call.

 

If I ever get up to the Pacific Northwest, I'm going to look up my sky suite neighbor, Suzanne, too.:D

[rervousneck]

Use the roll call as you see fit. Some folks are more social than others, and they enjoy communicating on the roll call,and getting to know each other on a cruise. Others just want to plan shore excursions with their fellow cruisers, and not be as involved socially.

 

I'll have to admit if I looked at a roll call and discovered a group such as

"Honey Boo Boo" fan club taking over I would not go.:D

[ORV]

I did a little research today and realized our Nov TA roll call is the longest current one on Celebrity.

[richstowe]

I'll have to admit if I looked at a roll call and discovered a group such as

"Honey Boo Boo" fan club taking over I would not go.:D

Could be worse. Could be a Hillbilly Handfishin' fan club charter.

Actually there may be a serious overlap between the two groups.:eek:

[OCruisers]

"Has a Roll Call ever caused us not to book?" Absolutely not! But, Roll Calls have sure caused us to not go to the Meet and Greets :) Hank

 

:D Very much agree!

 

Once we were on a Roll Call where people got so mad at each other they split off and had TWO Roll Calls for the same cruise. No way we wanted to go to anything either of these folks had planned! :rolleyes:

 

~~~~

[Lois R]

:D Very much agree!

 

Once we were on a Roll Call where people got so mad at each other they split off and had TWO Roll Calls for the same cruise. No way we wanted to go to anything either of these folks had planned! :rolleyes:

 

~~~~

 

Hi Lulu,:) I have friends who were on a roll call like that a long time

ago:eek:......I wasn't on the cruise but omg...you would have thought

they were at war or something:(

[Kellie Poodle]

On the same subject:

 

I met a woman on a roll call for a TA. We were in her city so we met her and her husband for lunch. She asked my husband to lead a gift exchange and he explained how he'd done it with other groups and how he was going to do it.

 

We wound up at the same pre-cruise hotel and shared some sightseeing excursions with her before the cruise.

 

When it came to the gift exchange she went all "Mr. Hyde" on us and became really nasty. No one understood her displeasure and her anger. Everyone had a good time (but her)

 

When I was looking at a roll call for another cruise I was considering booking, I saw that she was on it and active on the roll call and decided that I'd rather not cruise with such a nasty person again, so I didn't book.

 

She is much too 'self-important' on another line so she won't see herself here on the X board.:)

[TomBeckCruise]

Could be worse. Could be a Hillbilly Handfishin' fan club charter.

Actually there may be a serious overlap between the two groups.:eek:

 

And not just those two. I would not want a large sports team fan club on board. Atlanta Braves, New England Pats, Roll tiders, etc. Just too much about the fan club, cheers etc. I don't have a problem with them booking a ship or a large block on a ship. I just don't want to be there.

 

Same would hold true for many groups. Not just the ones we have mentioned.

 

There is a website that list groups who are booked on cruises.

[taracruiser]

I kinda agree with OP. I've used roll calls to meet and mingle with a few people. However, I don't like large groups. If I found out a large group was planning to take over a bar, I'd stay away. The cruise is for everyone. Don't try to take over and dominate it, geez. As far as requesting bio's and facebook participation before the cruise, I think that's ridiculous. Luckily, I've had good experiences where I met a few ppl from cruise critic boards, had drinks and socialized and it was nice.

[taracruiser]

And not just those two. I would not want a large sports team fan club on board. Atlanta Braves, New England Pats, Roll tiders, etc. Just too much about the fan club, cheers etc. I don't have a problem with them booking a ship or a large block on a ship. I just don't want to be there.

 

Same would hold true for many groups. Not just the ones we have mentioned.

 

There is a website that list groups who are booked on cruises.

 

Do you happen to know the website? I'd love to check my upcoming cruise.

[Suzy Smith]

We choose a cruise according to a) time and b) itinerary. The roll call does not factor into it.

 

That is exactly how we make our choice.:)

 

I cruise primarily to have a relaxing and fun time with my DH, so the roll call is not a major factor. We do enjoy making new friends on board and have met some lovely people, but one of the good things about cruising is that there are so many opportunities to socialise if you wish to.

 

We tend to book more than a year in advance and the chat on the roll calls about the ports of call, travel to the ship, pre-cruise hotels, etc is my way of enjoying the anticipation of the cruise, but I don't think it really gives you any indication of what the cruise itself will be like. After all, there will probably by thousands of people on the ship who never post on roll calls and have not even heard of CC!;)

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

:D Very much agree!

 

Once we were on a Roll Call where people got so mad at each other they split off and had TWO Roll Calls for the same cruise. No way we wanted to go to anything either of these folks had planned! :rolleyes:

 

~~~~

 

Wow! For the life of me, I can't figure out what there would be to fight about on a roll call.

[Lois R]

Wow! For the life of me, I can't figure out what there would be to fight about on a roll call.

 

Hi Linda:)..it happens......when folks (for example) both have "Type A"

personalities:eek:.....sometimes people don't get along. If you get people

that are controlling, it happens. Miight not be often, but it can

happen.

[TomBeckCruise]

Do you happen to know the website? I'd love to check my upcoming cruise.

 

Well Heck, that website is not up to date, and it has only HAL ships. I thought I had looked at Celebrity ships, but probably not.:o

 

If you google your ship and cruise date you should be able to find groups. It might take a while.

 

sorry

[Jade13]

DH & I are at the very early planning stages for an 18-nt. transpacific cruise in spring 2014, and we're considering several options with slightly different ports. I'm always curious why passengers choose a particular ship/itinerary, so I checked the roll call boards for our top 2 favorites.

 

I thought that was a bit much, but what really turned me off was when they requested a bio for each participant (they supplied the questions), a photo and a "special" screen name to be used only for this roll call. Their target is to get at least 500 people to attend the CC party! They also plan to "take over" at least one bar every evening.

 

Well, that narrowed down our options and we immediately crossed that cruise off our list. Has this ever happened to you?

 

 

No.

 

And, regarding the person who is on Facebook and wants a bio and photo, I would just not participate.

 

That is separate from getting together for shore excursions, a CC Meet & Mingle, group wine tasting, etc.

 

You don't have to participate in someones private website.

[Jade13]

:D Very much agree!

 

Once we were on a Roll Call where people got so mad at each other they split off and had TWO Roll Calls for the same cruise. No way we wanted to go to anything either of these folks had planned! :rolleyes:

 

~~~~

 

I have never heard anything like that. Was this on Celebrity?

[orchestrapal]

A current Roll Call of one of our upcoming cruises has gotten quite nasty.

In addition to that the group seems to be quite rowdy (if that's something one can read from their comments.) Personally we won't avoid the cruise but will avoid the CC group. Grateful for suite and balcony where those folks won't be hanging out.:)

[excitedofharpenden]

:D Very much agree!

 

Once we were on a Roll Call where people got so mad at each other they split off and had TWO Roll Calls for the same cruise. No way we wanted to go to anything either of these folks had planned! :rolleyes:

 

~~~~

I've been aware of this happening on a Celebrity roll call and that a person on one of the roll calls has and is causing issues elsewhere on these boards and is known for it. It often seems to be when one, two or a very small group of people on the roll call consider themselves bigger than the cruise. Everyone should be able to participate without feeling the roll call has been "taken over".

 

I'm sure it's been said elsewhere on this thread. The choice is yours as to how much or little you participate and if you are uncomfortable giving away any personal information then don't. Perhaps I've been lucky. I have been part of some wonderful roll calls although some I have participated in more than others and along with that have felt a greater affinity with them.

 

Oh and to answer the question, no a roll call wouldn't stop me from booking a cruise. Like OCruisers I just wouldn't participate in events.

 

Phil

[Rick-cruiser]

A current Roll Call of one of our upcoming cruises has gotten quite nasty.

In addition to that the group seems to be quite rowdy (if that's something one can read from their comments.) Personally we won't avoid the cruise but will avoid the CC group. Grateful for suite and balcony where those folks won't be hanging out.:)

 

Yeah I agree.... all that fuss about slot pulls..... jeeze

[gillianrose]

"Has a roll call ever caused you NOT to book?"

 

Absolutely.

 

We were booked on one Celebrity cruise a few years ago when it became obvious that one of the most vocal fellow roll call mates was going to be smoking cigarettes everywhere, all the time, and the poster seemed to be very antagonistic to non-smokers, and was going to sit (and smoke) close to the center of the main entertainment room right where the smoking area begins. For that reason (primarily) we cancelled the cruise.

 

Now I check roll calls to see who will be on the cruise and if there is someone who is infamously known to be a chain CIGAR-smoker booked, one who can be expected to light up whenever it is allowed, I don't book that cruise, because the cabins I like best are near the area where the cigar smoking is permitted.

[Lois R]

For the folks who have mentioned the Facebook entries? There

is sticky thread at the top of the roll call forums (for Celebrity

Roll calls anyway) from Cruise Critic saying "Promoting of Facebook"

for roll calls is forbidden.....now, I don't know what/if they are doing

about it when folks are continually saying, "come over to FB and

chat".....just saying what I have seen on the Roll Call boards.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1673036