Meet but dont Mingle on Indy ??

[BecciBoo]

It's pretty much up to your roll call to organize the M&M and they always turn out better if someone takes that over. Much better than just the staff efforts. Although I've been to a few which were very well done up. The CD came to several I've been to, but only one show by the Captain a long time ago.

Also been to a couple that were so dull you couldn't wait to get out. The ones in the Dungeon are just too dark. Viking Crown is my favorite venue. I have organized a couple of exchanges and one on Mariner last December that featured a Duct Tape contest that was great fun...but it takes someone making the extra effort to keep it alive. I've sworn off them between cruises but somehow always end up going. Getting involved in the roll call is what helps the most.;)

[BecciBoo]

You can't tell much from this but it's the Duct Tape contest:

View My Video

The winner made jewelry and a purse out of duct tape. Everyone had fun.

[Jeannie333333]

Because that's the way it used to be....and they were called "Rubber Band Parties" . The Cruise Critic members that used to pre-arrange get togethers wore rubber bands on their wrists and we would get together and meet up on our own.

 

Cruise Critic has become an often quoted source in media and Royal Caribbean was the first to jump onboard with sponsoring the official Meet & Mingles.

 

They don't HAVE to do it. It is very, very nice that they do sponsor them....and if they are going to continue to support them, then Royal Caribbean should commit to doing it properly, not as an afterthought. Or they should drop the commitment altogether and we will go back to doing our own thing. We really enjoy getting together with other Cruise Critic members.

 

You should let LauraS and Xplora know if there were problems with your Meet & Mingle on a particular sailing.

 

thanks for the points you have made Coralc...interested in who LauraS and Xplora are ? Are they people on CC who would be interested in this - forgive my lack of knowledge in this area :)

[Jeannie333333]

Well said Jean, total waste of time and if RCCL don't want to do this anymore, why dont they just say so!!:mad:

 

 

Exactly my point Angie :)

[denamo]

In our experience, we've been to M&M's that echo all of the ones given here...some very friendly, able to use the space for about as long as the group wants, to a 30 minute timeframe including RCCL infomercial, raffle for ship donated gifts, and ship obligation for the activity met and move on to next event. We have, however, always had snacks and drink at every M&M.

 

We have found that we are glad to meet up with those who have posted online, put screen names to actual faces, and either move to another location or go on our merry way.

 

We have also liked meeting up on sail away, usually at a top deck bar. We seem to run into others throughout the week that we've seen at sail away.

 

Too bad the OP felt disappointed by their most recent M&M. Our first experience of one like that we felt similarly. Have found this seems to be more the norm now. I think this is probably due to cutbacks on the ship that stretch ship staff. As some have stated here, they have chosen not to participate in the M&M. We usually do go, but if there is another activity happening at the same time that we really want to go to, we have skipped the M&M.

[Grandma Dazzles]

thanks for the points you have made Coralc...interested in who LauraS and Xplora are ? Are they people on CC who would be interested in this - forgive my lack of knowledge in this area :)

 

At the beginning of the thread Laura S is shown as the Community Senior Manager - assume that she would read the threads, as she is the one who sometimes shuts things down, or moves topics. Not sure how to actually contact her though.

[Grandma Dazzles]

QUOTE Too bad the OP felt disappointed by their most recent M&M. Our first experience of one like that we felt similarly. Have found this seems to be more the norm now. I think this is probably due to cutbacks on the ship that stretch ship staff.

[/b]

 

As posted earlier, totally agree with the OP. The location was the major problem ..... We had a very dedicated group of "leaders" that organized great events, including pre-cruise dinner, sail away, cabin crawl, slot pull, chococate party and many other events. You simply cannot "meet and mingle" in almost pitch darkness.

 

RC promotes the Meet and Mingle and encourages participation - it is one of the few activities that can include new cruisers all the way to senior Crown and Anchor members. It should not really stretch the staff to attend for a short time and then leave the guests to mingle. In "the good old days" we attended many that were attended by the captain, or senior officers, cruise director, etc. This one was just plain bad.

[BonTexasNY]

I always thought the point of the M&M is to "chat" with folks on a roll call and then meet on board at the M&M event. So, why is it that more than double of any M&M I have been to are folks that never post on the roll call? I just go to meet the people I have been chatting with for sometimes a year. Why do others show up? The gifts?? We have an active roll call for our upcoming Mariner cruise, and I am totally looking forward to meeting everyone who posts. Not sure I would just show up as a stranger not knowing anybody else in the room.

[Coralc]

thanks for the points you have made Coralc...interested in who LauraS and Xplora are ? Are they people on CC who would be interested in this - forgive my lack of knowledge in this area :)

 

Laura Sterling is the Senior Manager Community here at Cruise Critic. She is very helpful and has been a major liason and driving force for the Meet & Mingles.

 

Her email address is: community@cruisecritic.com

 

Xplora is the email contact address for the Meet & Mingles at Royal Caribbean.

 

The email address is: Xplora@rccl.com

 

You should let them know. If they are not being held properly and are horribly disorganized or double booked, then it should be corrected...or they should let people know if they want to change the program. If people are disappointed or it is held half fast, then they are less likely to attend future ones. :)

[Coralc]

I always thought the point of the M&M is to "chat" with folks on a roll call and then meet on board at the M&M event. So, why is it that more than double of any M&M I have been to are folks that never post on the roll call? I just go to meet the people I have been chatting with for sometimes a year. Why do others show up? The gifts?? We have an active roll call for our upcoming Mariner cruise, and I am totally looking forward to meeting everyone who posts. Not sure I would just show up as a stranger not knowing anybody else in the room.

 

I think a lot of people read the Roll Calls and for whatever reason, they don't post much. They probably feel like they "know" the people on the roll call....while those of us that are involved are going..."Who are you again?" LOL :D:):D

[Grandma Dazzles]

Laura Sterling is the Senior Manager Community here at Cruise Critic. She is very helpful and has been a major liason and driving force for the Meet & Mingles.

 

Her email address is: community@cruisecritic.com

 

Xplora is the email contact address for the Meet & Mingles at Royal Caribbean.

 

The email address is: Xplora@rccl.com

 

You should let them know. If they are not being held properly and are horribly disorganized or double booked, then it should be corrected...or they should let people know if they want to change the program. If people are disappointed or it is held half fast, then they are less likely to attend future ones. :)

 

Thank you for the information. Will follow through - hopefully others from our cruise will also do so.

[Jeannie333333]

Laura Sterling is the Senior Manager Community here at Cruise Critic. She is very helpful and has been a major liason and driving force for the Meet & Mingles.

 

Her email address is: community@cruisecritic.com

 

Xplora is the email contact address for the Meet & Mingles at Royal Caribbean.

 

The email address is: Xplora@rccl.com

 

You should let them know. If they are not being held properly and are horribly disorganized or double booked, then it should be corrected...or they should let people know if they want to change the program. If people are disappointed or it is held half fast, then they are less likely to attend future ones. :)

 

thanks :)