Roll Calls...the Good, Bad and the Ugly

[Vol fan]

 

So sayeth Blazer boy!:cool:

 

 

 

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Right on, Blazer boy!

[Vol fan]

how many folks in this thread I actually know and I met them all first on a roll call. :);):D:o:eek:

 

We of a certain group are guilty of too much chat on more than a few occasions. We even take up loading time with flashing pins. Some of us like big long cruise history lists. Sorry.

 

But the information that some of our group has passed along, the organizing of tours and websites etc. directly related to crusin' (in between weather and grandkids) is just remarkable.

 

But you might miss a lot.

 

I sure am glad that Danny and I didn't miss all of the Mates. Love you guys!

[ORV]

Hi Beth,

 

I'm unsure if you are suggesting creating multiple threads, or otherwise.... but I'd like to offer my insights about multiple threads for Roll Calls :

 

I hope that our members avoid creating multiple threads for each sailing date. It only clutters the Roll Calls, and makes the forum difficult to navigate to say the least. It also creates extra work for the moderators, as I try to keep the Roll Call Forums in good order, so that specific sailing dates are easy to locate. I often spend about an hour or more each day, reviewing various Roll Call forums... and merging threads. There's always work to be done !

 

Another item to consider - with our new search feature, multiple Roll Call dates would create a larger list... which may also confuse our members.

 

I hope this helps clarify. Thanks very much for your understanding.

 

Very good point. It definitely would become unwieldy with 3 or 4 threads for one sailing for the different subjects on a ship's Roll Call board, all up and down the board, but if the software would allow it I think it would be good if a specific roll call could have sub folders for the subjects, i.e. Cabin Crawl, Meet & Greet, Slot Pull, Gift Exchange, Get to know each other, Private Tours etc.

[Kellie Poodle]

Janet, I'm so glad that you didn't take that Carnival ship to Hawaii -- or we wouldn't have met you, on the ALOHACRUISE. Speaking of roll-calls, that was a great one! :D

 

One of the best ever. I am still close with Liz and Richard and they are coming to visit over thanksgiving. Phyllis and Jerry might be joining us on the B2B Asia cruise in late March.

 

I am finished with chemo and trying to climb back up from the depths of side effects. Probably will have scans next week.

[tserface]

Best of luck to you for a clean slate. I have friends and family members who have survived and have wonderful new lives in remission. I pray your scans find nothing of consequence and just bring smiles to your doctor's face.

 

Tom

 

One of the best ever. I am still close with Liz and Richard and they are coming to visit over thanksgiving. Phyllis and Jerry might be joining us on the B2B Asia cruise in late March.

 

I am finished with chemo and trying to climb back up from the depths of side effects. Probably will have scans next week.

[davefl]

Very good point. It definitely would become unwieldy with 3 or 4 threads for one sailing for the different subjects on a ship's Roll Call board, all up and down the board, but if the software would allow it I think it would be good if a specific roll call could have sub folders for the subjects, i.e. Cabin Crawl, Meet & Greet, Slot Pull, Gift Exchange, Get to know each other, Private Tours etc.

 

Website has emoticons, maybe a standard set of symbols for using in the title line to show it is cruise related info or personal chit-chat. Funny symbols might be popular but will make it easy to scan for info if those symbols denoted type of post. No work on part of moderators.

[saatuk]

Some roll calls take on a life of their own, some are stillborn. QUOTE]

 

I'm on one that's past final payment and there are 16 posts. 16! Now it's a Caribbean cruise and it's easier to do those without organizing, but 16!?

 

Meanwhile, the best organized roll call I've been on, also past final payment is over 700 and just starting to get rolling.

 

In other words, you're absolutely right.

[Onessa]

:eek: OMG. There...there...there! These kind of mistakes drive me NUTS...even more than cats with sciatica! Since no one else is allowed to point out my mistake, I thought I'd fall on the sword.

This made my day after wading through an overly long email thread that included three people (all native English speakers) who could not write a grammatically correct sentence if their life depended upon it! -- or should that have been ". . . emale thread which include 3 peeps (all whom speak English there hole lifes) . . ." There is a difference between those of us who are horrified to discover a typo or other "oops" and those who think that you can use any version of the word "to" whereever you want. If I get one more message today that misuses the word "myself" I may lose it (as in "please respond to Joe and myself. . . ") Thanks for taking one for the team BB! I really enjoyed your original post (wrong word and all)!

 

I love serious but non-confrontational threads and I used to have a Vic 20 and an Atari 400 once I got over my PET when our PM had the same initials...

about five or six years ago we went to an exhibit at the Smithsonon (sp?). It had historical equipment and stuff from the early years of the PC. Since DH and I met when we were both selling CPM-based PCs in the early '80s, the exhibit was a walk down memory lane for us. DD (who was 10YO or so at the time) - thought it looked "a lot like our basement" -- and so it did :D. Edited September 25, 2013 by Onessa

[wwcruisers]

One of the best ever. I am still close with Liz and Richard and they are coming to visit over thanksgiving. Phyllis and Jerry might be joining us on the B2B Asia cruise in late March.

 

I am finished with chemo and trying to climb back up from the depths of side effects. Probably will have scans next week.

 

Wishing you all the best, Janet. I do hope that you get to sail to Asia with Phyllis and her "ATM", in the spring. I always chuckle when I read a post from somebody who doesn't want to cruise with a bunch of "retirees". You guys from the ALOHACRUISE would leave most people half your age in the dust! I remember that we had a hard time keeping up with all of you. ;)

[Compass Rose Monica]

"Get a life?" "Knock it off?"

 

Wow. Just wow.

 

I'm sorry if those who haven't been to a port or on a ship before depend on roll calls solely for information. I have been in many cruises, have been to most European ports, and don't do many organized excursions, ship or roll-call organized. So I should only be on a roll call as a resource for others? I should just keep quiet because I don't want slot pulls or cabin crawls? I shouldn't complain about the endless solicitation for cruise tours in which I have no interest? The endless lists of who's going in which van, and how great Gino the driver was/is/will be?

 

What arrogance this displays to assume anyone has the right to tell me what I should find valuable.

 

The "chatter" is how we get to know people ahead of time. The "chatter" is how we see if there might be common interests, and the potential to share a meal or drinks together. The "chatter" also gives me an indication of who I might avoid, so while not always pleasant, it's useful to me.

 

If I am going to give information to others to help their cruise be better, the least they can do is allow me to get something out of the exchange as well.

 

If I "allow" the conversations that have little interest to me, please allow those that hold little interest for you.

 

Maybe instead of separate threads for tours versus chatter, every poster should self identify as "social" or "antisocial!" :D

 

(Sorry, but a few posts pushed my buttons. My back is acting up again, and I have to go back to work tomorrow, so I'm cranky....oh, but wait, you don't allow chatter here!;) )

 

The most useful thing about my current rollcall was finding out that there's a small child who will miss trick or treating, so we'll get some treats for her right before the cruise. This will make my trip far more enjoyable than touring with some group who treats their vacation like a checklist of must-sees, and takes no time to savor the small unique experiences in a new or different culture.

 

So sayeth Blazer boy!:cool:

 

(There. I feel better.)

 

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Forums mobile app

 

Bravo Andrew!!

 

Like you, I find the roll calls very useful, from learning about the ports from others, making tour plans, providing information that I’ve learned from my past cruises, meeting new people, figuring out (most times) whether I’ll have a good time with someone, whether I want to meet someone because he or she strikes me as interesting or fun or that we have something in common; or if I need to stay far away from someone.

 

If I see too much “chatter” on any of my roll calls, I just scroll down until I find something interesting to read. Read what you want, skip what you want.

 

If you find that on your roll call there’s 1-2-3 people that are really annoying, you can block their conversations. I did that once for one person that was obnoxious, but curiosity got the better of me so I unblocked. Now I just skim by that person’s comments.

 

One poster on one roll call actually asked for the ‘chatting’ to stop or be moved to the ‘lounge’ because their discussions were so private the rest of us had no clue what they were talking about. Well, they were apparently offended and now rarely, if at all, post on the roll call. No one asked them NOT to post but to move such private conversations elsewhere.

 

The roll calls should be a good mix of cruise-related discussions (majority) with some sprinkles of non-cruise discussions. That’s how we get to know each other.

 

And like Andrew, I too will be bringing goodies for the youngster on our cruise for Halloween night. Something that will make her feel very special but also something fun/different for us to do.

 

Monica

[Compass Rose Monica]

The Good: We do independent excursions and roll calls are the best place to put a group together. We've made some life-long friends from these groups and have had wonderful times.

 

I too have lifelong friends because of the roll calls.

 

The Best: A month before leaving on a B2B cruise of the Baltics and a TA, I was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer and had to start chemo. I was leading a tour in Dublin and had to hand it off to someone else. The other day I got a hand made card, signed by the entire group of 19 and mailed from Dublin. It doesn't get any better than that!

 

Sorry about your illness and I hope all goes well. KUDOS to your Dublin friends. Wow! That's a wonderful group. Lucky you!

 

The Ugly: I was sent the wrong payment information by a roll call member who offered a spot on a tour she was organizing. After I made the deposit, I realized that it was the wrong tour. I emailed the person and apologized, stating that I might have been partially at fault as I was undergoing treatment. This person responded with the vilest email I have ever gotten telling me that she was glad I wasn't going on her tour and that she didn't want anyone with bad vibrations around her. I've been on CC for a long time and this was the worst experience I've ever had with a roll call.

 

Sorry this happened to you. I hope those on her tour enjoyed it, unless she gave them bad vibrations.

 

Monica

[Islandgirl4242]

"Get a life?" "Knock it off?"

 

Wow. Just wow.

 

So sayeth Blazer boy!:cool:

 

(There. I feel better.)

 

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Forums mobile app

 

Andrew, thanks for posting the link to this on the Roll Call...feel much better now!! ~~Judy

[Sapphire723]

Wow... I did not realize that people were offended by non-cruise info posts in roll calls. Personally, I thought the roll calls were a way to get to know those on your ship. While I wouldn't typically post an inside joke that didn't apply to everyone on the roll call, I've never thought that idle chit chat was harmful.

 

I do like to know bits of info about my fellow cruisers, because I've made several life long friends from my Roll Calls with whom I still keep in touch, invited to my wedding, and even celebrated my honeymoon cruise with them. The best Meet & Greets that I've been to have been those where I cared enough about the poster as a person to want to meet them face to face. Are you celebrating a big anniversary on our cruise? I care. Is it your first cruise and you're worried about seasickness? I care. Do you have a hilarious sense of humor and are fun to be around? I care, and I want to grab a drink with you.

 

I'm a little sad that people find it obnoxious to find out more about their fellow cruisers. Meeting new and interesting people is one of my favorite parts of traveling.

[Texed]

I'm a little sad that people find it obnoxious to find out more about their fellow cruisers. Meeting new and interesting people is one of my favorite parts of traveling.

 

I agree. And, I have met some good folks on our cruises. :)

[Blazerboy]

I agree. And, I have met some good folks on our cruises. :)

 

Yeah...at the waffle bar!;)

 

Andrew

 

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[Germancruiser]

Ah what an interessting Thread- so I can ´t help it I have to through in my one or two , maybe three worthy cents.

Andrew- well done- I couldn´t have said it better myself! That idea to bring the little girl a little something is just to admire!

I also hate organized tours. I wanna be on my own- or with my partner, friend, whoever I am traveling with - I did one or two organized ones- I hated it! Those ambitous tour guides let no stone unturned, which sometimes bored me to tears! I learned my lesson so be it! LOL!

I also love to meet people and chat and isn´t it a nice thing when you walk around the ship and run into different people you know from your Roll Call , share storys , just say hello and such. Hello Texed...! !!!

I hope your back is gong better by the day Andrew-

Greetings

Michael

[Germancruiser]

Ah sorry, forgot to chit chat- got myself a new tux for the upcoming cruise- and you know what- it fits. LOL

[Blazerboy]

Ah sorry, forgot to chit chat- got myself a new tux for the upcoming cruise- and you know what- it fits. LOL

 

Wish I could say the same. I have dig out my "fat" tux unless I lose 12 pounds in the next four weeks!

 

Hope all is well with you, Michael. We're thinking of a Cunard crossing in 2015...maybe we'll finally bump into you on a ship!

 

Andrew

 

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[Germancruiser]

Andrew- I do really hope we run into each other on one of our cruises! LOL- I also have a " fat " tux and my good others still- just in case- to good still to throw away! That is next on my list- a " real " Cunard crossing! Have a great weekend! We are both well, thanks and also strugling to loose some " little" extra kilo´s! Hehe! Hope other then takeing out the " fat " tux, everything is okay for you too!

Greetings from Germany

Michael

Edited September 28, 2013 by Germancruiser

[Suzy Smith]

I also hate organized tours. I wanna be on my own- or with my partner, friend, whoever I am traveling with - I did one or two organized ones- I hated it! Those ambitous tour guides let no stone unturned, which sometimes bored me to tears! I learned my lesson so be it! LOL!

I also love to meet people and chat and isn´t it a nice thing when you walk around the ship and run into different people you know from your Roll Call , share storys , just say hello and such. Hello Texed...! !!!

I hope your back is gong better by the day Andrew-

Greetings

Michael

 

I'm another who doesn't have any interest in private tours (or cabin crawls, slot pulls, etc) but I love chatting on the roll call as it is a fun part of my anticipation of the cruise. If you don't like my silly posts, then just skip them - as I do with posts about tours, etc. I look forward to meeting posters in person at the Connections party and it is lovely to bump into them from time to time on the cruise and stop to say "Hi". That is all we are looking for from a roll call, but folks who want to have much more involvement with other roll call members can also find what they need and I don't believe there is a right or wrong way to run a roll call, it just naturally develops its own character, depending on the particular people who have signed up. Some are looking for a deep meaningful relationship and my style is more a brief holiday fling;):) but I hope no-one would be discouraged from posting on a roll call just because they don't have something "important" to say.

Edited September 28, 2013 by Suzy Smith

[Germancruiser]

My point exactly Suzy- everyone can make his pik from what i like or skip what he doesn´t - i have two Roll Calls running - both are extremly quite- one I even thought " stillborn"! I am sure to Transatlanic Roll Call will turn up speed the closer we get. The other perk of a lively Roll Call is to get time over more quickly until the cruise starts!

[NoobCruise]

The last cruise I booked, I planned on one date, but ended up changing to a different date due to the roll call. We were 8 months out and when I looked, there was already a roll call for the first date with over a thousand posts already. When I opened it, it was ONE person and only one person posting on it daily. She was basically using it as her own personal blog/journal. A thousand posts Eight months out lol I decided to go a different date. I had a feeling this person was the type that would latch on in person and never let you go

[4cats4me]

The last cruise I booked, I planned on one date, but ended up changing to a different date due to the roll call. We were 8 months out and when I looked, there was already a roll call for the first date with over a thousand posts already. When I opened it, it was ONE person and only one person posting on it daily. She was basically using it as her own personal blog/journal. A thousand posts Eight months out lol I decided to go a different date. I had a feeling this person was the type that would latch on in person and never let you go

 

 

My personal favorite is the DAILY countdown, as if I'd forget when I have a cruise scheduled. my pet peeve is when one person insists on taking over or monopolizing the roll call, or in one case of a roll call I was on, one person constantly posted a daily countdown with extra-large font and lots of graphics

with little dancing frogs and cutesie pictures, et cet, which would freeze my old computer. I wish the roll calls were restricted to text-only, which might alleviate some issues

One little cutesie pic would have been enough, but this particular person attached several pics to each daily countdown.

[Crazy Cruzer]

Some people just can't stand it when others have fun with something that they don't, or have more fun with it than they do.

 

I also can't believe people would cancel a cruise, or book a cruise, just because of the roll call.

Wow.

 

The roll calls serve two or three purposes: Let people meet others in advance, let them plan blind dates (or should I say excursions) with people they don't know yet and also let them have fun anticipating their upcoming cruise.

 

But I've never seen any real correlation between the people and activity on a roll call and the quality of a cruise. It's also seemed to me that people have generally been completely different than their roll call personas.

 

So why worry about it? Or should I say: "What, me worry?"

 

People: If you don't like the roll calls don't look at them. If you don't like the images change your CC settings so the images don't display. If you don't know how to do that then email Cruise Critic support as it is one of your options settings.

Edited December 13, 2013 by Crazy Cruzer

[celebrity]

Some people just can't stand it when others have fun with something that they don't, or have more fun with it than they do.

 

I also can't believe people would cancel a cruise, or book a cruise, just because of the roll call.

Wow.

 

The roll calls serve two or three purposes: Let people meet others in advance, let them plan blind dates (or should I say excursions) with people they don't know yet and also let them have fun anticipating their upcoming cruise.

 

But I've never seen any real correlation between the people and activity on a roll call and the quality of a cruise. It's also seemed to me that people have generally been completely different than their roll call personas.

 

So why worry about it? Or should I say: "What, me worry?"

 

People: If you don't like the roll calls don't look at them. If you don't like the images change your CC settings so the images don't display. If you don't know how to do that then email Cruise Critic support as it is one of your options settings.

 

Amen!