Hal no longer sends invitations for cruise critic meetings..........

[50cruiser]

I was informed by my HAL rep that HAL no longer helps with sending invatations for CC meet and greet meetings .. In the past they have... this surprises me... We leve Jan 3rd and HAL Rep tells me I need to hand deliver all the invites myself... We have about 50 CC members coming... They will let us use crows nest and supply coffie and tea and water and a cookie per guest...... .... .. CARL

[cruz chic]

I wasn't aware they ever did this. Every cc meeting I've been to people either posted the info on the roll call or delivered the invites themselves.

[sherilyn70]

I was under the impression that they did not do this. I've read http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=40944676#post40944676 a few times now. It seems like you can ask for assistance delivering invites but that doesn't mean that they will.

[sail7seas]

That really doesn't surprise me. They have less staff and more work. HAL has never 'sponsored' CC M & G's in the way some other cruise lines have. It's nice they still provide coffee/tea and cookies. They do a nice set up from what I have seen the few times I attended.

 

You might recruit a few other people from your Roll Call to help distribute the invitations. Actually, do you really need to issue them seeing everyone on the Roll Call knows when the gathering is planned for and where?

 

I wouldn't be surprised if some ships will agree to deliver the invitations and some will not be able to provide that service. It could vary by ship/sailing.

 

Edited December 30, 2013 by sail7seas

[OVgirl]

On all our cruises with HAL, I have never had and invitation delivered by the ship. I think once the person organizing hand delivered one.

The rest of the time it was up to us to make note of the M&G details.

[50cruiser]

Ive been to many CC meetings on many cruise lines.. Usually I get a card reminding me of meeting times... Im letting everyone on Cc meet site to make note of day and time of meeting,,,,, This is my 1st time hosting a M&G on Hal.. Celebrity and RCL helped me when I hosted a M&G on their ships...I think I know why no one wanted to do it on our cruise... I have all the names and rooms ... I thought they would at least list CC meeting in the daily patter but they wont do that eather.....

[IRL_Joanie]

In my experience with hosting several M&G's over the past 5 years, around 2 per year, I have always had to create and deliver the Invitations myself.

 

HAL has not done them in my experiences and in those that I learned from who helped me with my first M&G.

 

As to getting more than the minimum ngoodies, coffee, tea, cookies, If you want more, you have to order the goodies through HAL and you need to do all of this at least 35 days in advance of the cruise.

 

Sorry you did not know this in advance. There is a Link on every thread, and in fact I see it even now as I type this reply, it is above the Reply to Thread How to Organize a Cruise Critic Meet & Mingle (Meet & Greet) on Board Your Holland America Cruise http://www.cruisecritic.com/rollcall/cruiselinel2.cfm?cruiselineid=21

 

If you read that it will help you for future M&G's:)

 

Joanie

[url=http://www.cruisecritic.com/rollcall/cruiselinel2.cfm?cruiselineid=21][/url]

[Cruzin Terri]

I have run M&Gs. I asked about invitations the first time and was told that there was a fee if HAL printed them. I believe it was $20 per 50.

I always printed my own at my own expense. As for delivery. I always handed them to the concierges in the Neptune Lounge and they were delivered.

HAL never printed the invitations for free.

Terri

[Lady Chew]

I've organized two M&G using the 35-day "rule" but I also organized several more while on board, with the help of the Beverage Mgr one time and an assistant cruise director another. It was absolutely no problem getting this done on board. They were happy to help.

 

They did not, however, write or distribute the invitations. I did that myself, each time. A few times I delivered them late at night/early am, and I loved walking around the ship all by myself.

[richwmn]

I have organized and hosted several M&G's over the past few years. The official policy has always been that they would make and deliver the invitations for a fee ($50 comes to mind but I am not sure).

 

As with everything else, the official policy has been interpreted differently by staff on the ships. When I have met the Beverage Manager or Party Planner on embarkation day, and had invitations already made up and addressed, they were nice enough to deliver them. However, they are not obligated to.

 

As far as Royal Caribbean and Celebrity -- they are "official" sponsors of the M&G and actively participate in the planning. HAL handles the M&G just like any other activity a group of cruisers may wish to set up while on board. They provide the space, munchies, coffee, tea and water. The rest is up to the organizer.

 

Rich

[homeschoolmama]

Now I understand why there are so few m & g for HAL cruises. So different dromrccl and celebrity where they provide ship logo gifts, champagne and gift certificates as raffle prizes at the m & g. I had been looking for a roll call for my Feb 23 nadm cruise but now will stop looking. Very sad HAL can't get behind this as it is a small way to provide goodwill to their most loyal cruisers!

 

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[OVgirl]

Now I understand why there are so few m & g for HAL cruises. So different dromrccl and celebrity where they provide ship logo gifts, champagne and gift certificates as raffle prizes at the m & g. I had been looking for a roll call for my Feb 23 nadm cruise but now will stop looking. Very sad HAL can't get behind this as it is a small way to provide goodwill to their most loyal cruisers!

 

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We have gone to a M&G on every HAL cruise that we have taken.

It's just a question whether the people on a rollcall are interested in meeting each other.

And then someone normally would volunteer to contact HAL for the arrangements. It's not really that hard to do.

[cruz chic]

We have gone to a M&G on every HAL cruise that we have taken.

It's just a question whether the people on a rollcall are interested in meeting each other.

And then someone normally would volunteer to contact HAL for the arrangements. It's not really that hard to do.

 

I think there is a minimum amount of people required. My Panama Canal cruise for April 2014 is dead. We'd be lucky to have 15 people if everyone committed.

[Typhoon1]

HAL has never delivered invitations. It has always been done by the organizers.

 

We have friends who are regular PS guests, they normally host a gathering in the PS and deliver invitations themselves.

[Krazy Kruizers]

The last CC Meet & Greet that I attended was in 2009. A friend of ours was in charge. About 80 people showed up.

He was required to make and deliver the invitations himself -- his wife helped out making them and delivering them once they were on the ship.

HAL did not offer to do this.

[startwin]

Now I understand why there are so few m & g for HAL cruises. So different dromrccl and celebrity where they provide ship logo gifts, champagne and gift certificates as raffle prizes at the m & g. I had been looking for a roll call for my Feb 23 nadm cruise but now will stop looking. Very sad HAL can't get behind this as it is a small way to provide goodwill to their most loyal cruisers!

 

Sent from my SCH-I915 using Forums mobile app

 

We've been to many successful M&Gs on HAL, and it is quite a bit of work for the person on the roll call who organises. We've also been to many Meet & Mingles on RCI, and I admit that is a lot easier. Everyone just registers directly with RCI as soon as the numbers on the roll call get above 25, and they do it all. Invites, goodies, little door prizes, etc.

[solocanadian]

I wasn't aware they ever did this. Every cc meeting I've been to people either posted the info on the roll call or delivered the invites themselves.

 

Same here! No invites delivered to cabins by HAL.

[sail7seas]

Now I understand why there are so few m & g for HAL cruises. So different dromrccl and celebrity where they provide ship logo gifts, champagne and gift certificates as raffle prizes at the m & g. I had been looking for a roll call for my Feb 23 nadm cruise but now will stop looking. Very sad HAL can't get behind this as it is a small way to provide goodwill to their most loyal cruisers!

 

Sent from my SCH-I915 using Forums mobile app

 

 

No need to blame HAL, IMO.

We are an example of HAL frequent cruisers who never join the Roll Call and haven't been to many M&G's in all the years. DH has never gone and I might have attended maybe 4 or 5 out of dozens of cruises. HAL has nothing to do with the fact I don't sign up. I know I am not the only one. Some cruises have a lot of participation and others are very quiet.

 

[startwin]

I wonder how it works with the HAL facebook page roll calls - I understand HAL organises a M&G for embarkation day, but no idea what they provide.

[sherilyn70]

I think there is a minimum amount of people required. My Panama Canal cruise for April 2014 is dead. We'd be lucky to have 15 people if everyone committed.

 

My roll call has 3 people (not counting pluses) so far. We don't need an official meet and greet from HAL to meet up at this point. We'll just meet in a public space. If more people join then great and I'll consider something more structured.

 

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[cruz chic]

My roll call has 3 people (not counting pluses) so far. We don't need an official meet and greet from HAL to meet up at this point. We'll just meet in a public space. If more people join then great and I'll consider something more structured.

 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4

 

Yes, I do realize that you can organize your own. I have done it before. I was was speaking of a HAL sponsored one.

[djhsolara]

Now I understand why there are so few m & g for HAL cruises. So different dromrccl and celebrity where they provide ship logo gifts, champagne and gift certificates as raffle prizes at the m & g. I had been looking for a roll call for my Feb 23 nadm cruise but now will stop looking. Very sad HAL can't get behind this as it is a small way to provide goodwill to their most loyal cruisers!

 

Sent from my SCH-I915 using Forums mobile app

 

 

Just because we're all here on CC, it doesn't necessarily mean we are their most loyal cruisers. There are definitely many loyal cruisers on here, but we (as in CC members) are probably a very small percentage of HAL's loyal cruisers.

 

If every little group that could possibly be onboard would require the services from the ship to print and deliver invitations, that would most likely require a person to be hired just for that. While that's a nice idea, IMHO their resources are better spent elsewhere.

 

Two things...

1) When I was in charge of a M&G a few years ago, I printed reminder cards at home and hand delivered them to the staterooms of those participating. Additionally, I set up a hotmail account specifically for the roll call group (to provide me with their names and stateroom numbers) so I didn't need to give out my personal email to strangers.

2) However, something to remember is that we are all online, so the announcement of date, time and location can easily be put right on the roll call. You can mention right there that there will be no invitation or reminder card issued onboard, so if you plan to attend please make note of the information.

 

 

Sent from my iPad

[sail7seas]

<snip>

 

 

Two things...

1) When I was in charge of a M&G a few years ago, I printed reminder cards at home and hand delivered them to the staterooms of those participating. Additionally, I set up a hotmail account specifically for the roll call group (to provide me with their names and stateroom numbers) so I didn't need to give out my personal email to strangers.

2) However, something to remember is that we are all online, so the announcement of date, time and location can easily be put right on the roll call. You can mention right there that there will be no invitation or reminder card issued onboard, so if you plan to attend please make note of the information.

 

 

Sent from my iPad

 

 

^^ #1 above is one of the reasons I do not participate in Roll Calls. The organizer protects their privacy by setting up separate e-mail accounts (which is just fine) but we are expected to provide the organizer with our full names and cabin numbers. That doesn't work for all of us. :)

Though that is not the only reason for some of us not participating.

 

 

[0bnxshs]

Now I understand why there are so few m & g for HAL cruises. So different dromrccl and celebrity where they provide ship logo gifts, champagne and gift certificates as raffle prizes at the m & g. I had been looking for a roll call for my Feb 23 nadm cruise but now will stop looking. Very sad HAL can't get behind this as it is a small way to provide goodwill to their most loyal cruisers!

 

Sent from my SCH-I915 using Forums mobile app

 

On our Celebrity Infinity cruise, there was absolutely no sponsorship of our M&G even though roughly 85 people registered on the Celebrity site and over 50 attended. There was no bling, no cookies, coffee, champagne, water or gift certificates offered, just the space to hold it in.

 

Different experiences by different people on different cruises of different lines at different times seems to indicate that this is a hit and miss, rather randomly approached process. Our best M&G was on the Prinsendam last May where the Crow's Nest beverage staff walked around with and served cookies and other treats as well as the coffee, tea and water. I know the organizer was offered help by the Neptune staff delivering her invites which she declined as she enjoyed doing it herself. She did put a ton of work into planning it with HAL ship services beforehand, and a great M&G resulted. Our second best M&G was on our NCL cruise where again, the organizer put an amazing amount of work into it and, again, it showed.

 

I think there is an element of getting out of it what one is willing to put into it with these.

Edited December 31, 2013 by 0bnxshs

[0bnxshs]

^^ #1 above is one of the reasons I do not participate in Roll Calls. The organizer protects their privacy by setting up separate e-mail accounts (which is just fine) but we are expected to provide the organizer with our full names and cabin numbers. That doesn't work for all of us. :)

Though that is not the only reason for some of us not participating.

 

 

 

No one that I have ever worked with on a M&G has ever "expected" anyone to provide more information than what anyone was comfortable providing. Doesn't mean you can't participate, just means you might not get a reminder at your door. Asking for information can always be answered with a polite "no, thank you".