Has a roll call ever caused you NOT to book?

[TLCOhio]

Our prime reason for booking a certain cruise is about the ports and/or where we are wanting to go/see. A good roll call is a nice "PLUS", but not a make or break factor.

 

Looking forward to our Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Celebrity Solstice sailing, departing Sydney, doing 14 days on this nice ship, finishing in Auckland. Plus, doing some pre-cruise options for Kangaroo Island near Adelaide and then the Great Barrier Reef before departing from Sidney’s scenic harbor. And, probably post-cruise in Queenstown and stopping in Tahiti on the way home to break up that long, long flight back. We have a nice and active roll call going at:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1614754

Welcome to any who want to join us for this trip and/or travel along via the web as we get prepared for that "adventure". Lots of good posters have already dropped by and said "HI!!".

 

BUT, it's all about seeing New Zealand and Australia on our first visit down under. Plus, we have a number of friends from Central Ohio traveling with us on this cruise, making it already covered as to how things are coming together, having others with whom to do private tours, etc.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 100,904 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[Denny01]

Has a Roll Call ever caused me to cancel a cruise? Nope.

 

If for some reason a Roll Call or some of its posters could possibly cause me issues, I just wouldnt show up, or i'd step into it to just see any friends and that would be that. There are 2000+ other people, not counting the crew, that will be on the ship with us and I dont see some small group being an issue.

 

And I cant recall any Roll Call having any issues that caused me any concern, and if it somehow one did, so what. There are a few very isolated cases being referenced here, but I've never even thought of some Roll Call or some poster being an issue for me enjoying a cruise let alone consider canceling over it.

 

There are other potential things that could somehow impact my cruise that I would theoretically worry about or plan around (cant really even think of those either, by the way), and some people posting on a Roll Call doesnt make the Top 10 List, or even the list.

 

Den

[3littlepigs]

Sorry about to do that off topic thing that upsets some...

 

Terry

 

We are just back from Kangaroo Island, let me know if you have any questions. You will LOVE it! Very Australian, very laid back and look out for the Koalas wandering across the road! We stayed in the Lighthousekeepers cottages at Cape de Couedic and Cape Willoughby, if you like a little soft adventure (in comfort) they are highly recommended.

Sally

waddling wombat at g mail dot com

 

Sorry...back to the topic at hand...

[sandancer]

On our current roll call there has been a lot of jokes, social chat etc. (see post by GHstudio) despite that I have managed to arrange to take part in several private tours, including two I have booked and found others to take part. Learned about visas, vaccinations, hotels post and pre-cruise, currency for each country, suitable dress, tender arrangements, etc. etc. All this because I take the trouble to check the roll call regularly. It is not exactly a major effort to skim over posts that are not relative to me. I am just grateful for those posters who take the time and trouble to offer advice.

[MMastell]

A roll call has not caused me to "not" book a cruise but it has made it so that I won't participate in the roll call or the "events". There have been a couple that seem to get taken over by individuals or groups who have a "my way or the highway" type of attitude and made others fee unwelcome. Those I ignore.

 

The thing I have found out is that, in person, people aren't usually as "pushy" as they are online.

 

Take care,

Mike

[Moeve]

No why no-one is going to interogate you at the port to fess up why you didn't join the roll call or its activities for pete's sake. If you don't like the roll call then go and enjoy the trip without taking part.

 

As to being concieved as being "pushy" online - well sometimes especially when the group is big someone has to take the "lead" and there is simply no way of making it just right for everyone. That is a simple fact of life like it or not.

 

If you don't like some activity then don't join it - no one will beat you up for it. We are all out there to enjoy our vacation and these roll calls are fun and sometimes make it easier BUT as everything else in life it may not be for everyone. If you are one of them go and enjoy your cruise and don't worry about the others who do enjoy this form of socialization.

[ExRockyMountainGal]

This is a very interesting discussion. A roll call would never stop me from booking a cruise I wanted to go on. That said, when there have been different cruises with identical itineraries and prices, I have factored in the roll call. I love participating in an active roll call, but I am wary of those that seem to be dominated by one or two people or groups. As other have said, if that's the roll call I have for my cruise, I'm just not as engaged pre-cruise. The cruise itself is always wonderful.

 

Kathy

[ghstudio]

No why no-one is going to interogate you at the port to fess up why you didn't join the roll call or its activities for pete's sake. If you don't like the roll call then go and enjoy the trip without taking part.

 

As to being concieved as being "pushy" online - well sometimes especially when the group is big someone has to take the "lead" and there is simply no way of making it just right for everyone. That is a simple fact of life like it or not.

 

If you don't like some activity then don't join it - no one will beat you up for it. We are all out there to enjoy our vacation and these roll calls are fun and sometimes make it easier BUT as everything else in life it may not be for everyone. If you are one of them go and enjoy your cruise and don't worry about the others who do enjoy this form of socialization.

 

The problem ignored here is that some people come to the roll call to find information, not to make friends, get to know people, etc.. If you are part of the group and have your tours set up, etc., then it's easy to say just don't participate in the roll call....or just don't read the posts that don't apply to you.....but if you want to find or form an excursion group, you want/need to use the roll call...and the social discussion hinders the ability of the new person to use the roll call for real cruise related stuff.

 

There are two sides to this....."if you don't like it, don't participate" is not a helpful position to take and ignores other Cruise Critic participants and fellow cruisers.

[bbappel]

The problem ignored here is that some people come to the roll call to find information, not to make friends, get to know people, etc.. If you are part of the group and have your tours set up, etc., then it's easy to say just don't participate in the roll call....or just don't read the posts that don't apply to you.....but if you want to find or form an excursion group, you want/need to use the roll call...and the social discussion hinders the ability of the new person to use the roll call for real cruise related stuff.

 

There are two sides to this....."if you don't like it, don't participate" is not a helpful position to take and ignores other Cruise Critic participants and fellow cruisers.

I'm guilty of the social conversations because I think they help coalesce a group - but how do you recommend a roll call be managed so that it meets both needs? Both types have reasonable needs, I think. I understand those with a desire for the facts and just the facts, and I hope they understand the desire for a little human interpersonal interaction. I think there is room for both. I do think the roll call is a valuable tool - both for those who desire just the facts and those who do want to become acquainted with some of our fellow cruisers. It takes more than facts to build even a temporary shipboard friendship. Suggestions for how to do this are entertained.

[mylove]

The problem ignored here is that some people come to the roll call to find information, not to make friends, get to know people, etc.. If you are part of the group and have your tours set up, etc., then it's easy to say just don't participate in the roll call....or just don't read the posts that don't apply to you.....but if you want to find or form an excursion group, you want/need to use the roll call...and the social discussion hinders the ability of the new person to use the roll call for real cruise related stuff.

 

There are two sides to this....."if you don't like it, don't participate" is not a helpful position to take and ignores other Cruise Critic participants and fellow cruisers.

 

We have actually encouraged you to post what you need to know and what you have to offer as many times as you seem fit.No one has a problem with this,what we do have a problem with is when one calls other's "old and lonely" is the reason for there posts.That is not kind.You come to our roll call and say "let's keep this roll call to cruise related things only"sorry that is not kind either.It is everyones roll call.I encourage you to once again to post what you would like.If you want to ask about tours every page,none of us will have a problem with it.

[NLH Arizona]

I think those on roll calls that keep their conversations to private/inside jokes and conversations do a real disservice to others. I usually don't join a roll call and/or attend any events if the roll call is too private/inside conversations. I attended one such connections party and all of those that were conversing during the roll call, could have care less if anyone else was there and here I thought it was about meeting new people. About 6 of us ended up leaving after about 10 minutes (we weren't even welcomed by the host) and went to a bar...we had a great time and all of us still remain friends today.

[ghstudio]

We have actually encouraged you to post what you need to know and what you have to offer as many times as you seem fit.No one has a problem with this,what we do have a problem with is when one calls other's "old and lonely" is the reason for there posts.That is not kind.You come to our roll call and say "let's keep this roll call to cruise related things only"sorry that is not kind either.It is everyones roll call.I encourage you to once again to post what you would like.If you want to ask about tours every page,none of us will have a problem with it.

 

First...I misspoke in that post and I'm sorry.

 

I am pretty active here, as you have noticed, and yes, I could "bump" every day....but most think that when they post, others will just see the post...they don't follow the roll calls every day...and their posts either looking for or trying to arrange trips get lost. I've posted and found my post two pages back the next day.

 

There should be a better way to have real "trip related" stuff and "social related" stuff exist on cruise critic without mixing the two.....and that's really a challenge that cruise critic hasn't addressed...which is why facebook is now banned here because it was competing for the social interaction, and it's why some roll calls have formed web pages for the "trip related" content....which also is not what CC wants.

 

I don't know the solution....I guess, given what we have, just mixing social and trip related is the only option, but somehow the idea of two threads for a cruise seems like a better solution that would make both groups happier.

[mylove]

First...I misspoke in that post and I'm sorry.

 

I am pretty active here, as you have noticed, and yes, I could "bump" every day....but most think that when they post, others will just see the post...they don't follow the roll calls every day...and their posts either looking for or trying to arrange trips get lost. I've posted and found my post two pages back the next day.

 

There should be a better way to have real "trip related" stuff and "social related" stuff exist on cruise critic without mixing the two.....and that's really a challenge that cruise critic hasn't addressed...which is why facebook is now banned here because it was competing for the social interaction, and it's why some roll calls have formed web pages for the "trip related" content....which also is not what CC wants.

 

I don't know the solution....I guess, given what we have, just mixing social and trip related is the only option, but somehow the idea of two threads for a cruise seems like a better solution that would make both groups happier.

 

Apology accepted.....ya know if you would just join in some of the conversations you really would enjoy it and also get to know us.We are very nice people.There are many that post there tours and such on our roll calls and have no trouble filling them,as soon as they list them they are snagged up.Our cruise is totally sold out and has been for some time,the chances of new ones booking and needing tours is far to none.So yes we chatter but it is fun and makes for a wonderful cruise.Come and join our fun.

[miched]

Have never looked at or participated in a roll call. Don't see the need or fascination. Always meet interesting people just by being friendly to everyone and not just those that are part of a group from a forum. I don't even mention being a member when someone "brags" that they are a member of a forum and know everything about crsiing because of it. I just play dumb, listen to the BS and act amazed about how much they know. Most times I don't even mention that we have cruised many times unless it is at a past passenger or captains party.

 

If some group takes over a bar that is fine as it means that the other areas will be less crowded and maybe a little quiter.

 

I don't really care who else is traveling but there are certain times that I avoid, spring break and most holidays.

[Jade13]

deleted

[Jade13]

That is not kind.You come to our roll call and say "let's keep this roll call to cruise related things only"sorry that is not kind either.It is everyones roll call..

 

But this is a cruising forum...

[Jade13]

While I wouldn't cancel a trip because of a roll call, it's clear that on some cruises there are groups of folks who enjoy getting to know each other and fill the cc roll call with non trip related posts such as "good morning". It is very annoying for me and others who actually are trying to find out information about the cruise, the ports and cruise related information...but they continue to chatter back and forth.

 

I assume that they will find some place on the ship to continue to chatter away during the cruise. We are joining at least some members of "the group" on one or two shore excursions because the excursions are interesting however from the posts I can see that we have little in common so we won't be hanging out with them.

 

Much of the pre trip "bravado" planning goes by the wayside as soon as the ship sails....so I don't worry too much about their taking over a bar. One of our defenses against groups is booking aqua which creates a somewhat smaller ship experience. We are also elite and they can't "take over" the elite happy hour or breakfast.

 

So yes...some of the roll calls definitely turn me off...but there is little relationship between the roll call and the actual shipboard experience.

 

And waste a lot of space so others have to go back pages to find anything related to the cruise.

[herbanrenewal]

For me the best part of roll calls is both planning and anticipation.

Some roll calls, especially TAs have been enormous. I have always been able to find out about each port and join excursions that fit my agenda.

 

Sometimes the roll calls are fairly small.

I have found that on the really small roll calls with few excursions planned by the posters I can get useful information from another roll call with the same itinerary. You can always look at a roll call that has just finished and post to see how people liked their tours and excursions.

It's sort of looking through all the chatter to find the gold nugget of useful information.

 

The chatter doesn't bother me, and the useful information has enhanced my cruise experiences.

[Miss SeaBee]

American Girl cruise comes to mind. I wonder if that roll call gave any clues to what sort of cruise experience was looming?

[mylove]

But this is a cruising forum...

 

And also a forum where cruiser's get to know one another,make friends,plan,anticipate together all of those things.

[bccolaman]

And also a forum where cruiser's get to know one another,make friends,plan,anticipate together all of those things.

 

Well said!:)

[Gran2five]

If you don't like the roll call pre-cruise "chatter" ignore it. You aren't required to attend gatherings or cabin crawls. Use the roll call to your advantage. It's a great way to learn about ports and contacts for tour guides. We've booked private (2 to 4 people) tours with excellent tour guides mentioned in roll call postings. If you have questions about your specific cruise or ports, ask them. There are fellow cruisers who will be helpful and respond to your questions. This is especially true of European ports and cruises.

 

Totally agree. We book our cruise then check to see if there is a Roll Call. We have gone to some Meet and Greets and on others, we have decided to not attend We enrolled on the Roll Call, posted when we had something to add and gained valuable information especially when sailing in Europe. You don't have to participate if you feel uncomfortable but don't make that the deciding factor in choosing your cruise. It's a big ship

[Jean17]

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.

 

Frankly I was surprised that both already have active roll calls...one that has been going for over a year and with 1000+ posts. The vast majority of posts are made by about 50 people who have obviously traveled together several times in the past. They have a website (with several tabs), a facebook page, and have already organized two exclusive CC parties on-board and several private excursions. 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?

 

Actually it happened to me recently. We were planning a Panama Canal cruise. RCI had one that was a Crown and Anchor members cruise. Everyone on the roll call was diamond and diamond plus. We're only lowly platinum members. We've been on cruises before where diamond members felt like they had to give us constant advice. We do our research. If we want advice we'll ask for it.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

I think those on roll calls that keep their conversations to private/inside jokes and conversations do a real disservice to others. I usually don't join a roll call and/or attend any events if the roll call is too private/inside conversations. I attended one such connections party and all of those that were conversing during the roll call, could have care less if anyone else was there and here I thought it was about meeting new people. About 6 of us ended up leaving after about 10 minutes (we weren't even welcomed by the host).

 

 

To quote a cliche', "been there, done that" I post on some roll calls, lurk on others at times. If a clique is forming I probably will not participate in any events.

 

We've never cancelled a cruise or not booked because of a roll call.

 

Mary Lou

[COMBOY]

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.

 

Frankly I was surprised that both already have active roll calls...one that has been going for over a year and with 1000+ posts. The vast majority of posts are made by about 50 people who have obviously traveled together several times in the past. They have a website (with several tabs), a facebook page, and have already organized two exclusive CC parties on-board and several private excursions. 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. But, I got curious and read some of their posts. There was only been 98 replies and over 1,000 views. Views are anyone interested in what people are posting, but doesn't necessarily reflect whose actually going. It's just a counter of visits to the roll call. This cruise is over 1 1/2 years away; however, giving the length and exotic nature of the cruise this doesn't seen unreasonable to have such an active group this far out. I'm sure people are combining this cruise with B2B sailings and/or land tours. It just seems like a very active group of passengers going, but I hardly believe you would even notice them. Unless this were some sort of special "themed" private group taking over the ship, you shouldn't be worried. I do notice on the longer or exotic cruises people tend to very active organizing shore tours and onboard activities together. Just look at any the 3 month world cruise roll calls on HAL or Cunard. It certainly would make the cruise much for interesting to connect with people prior to the cruise. The more the merrier, but if that's not your cup of tea; that's perfectly OK.