dont read this

[geomagot]

this post may turn out to be a little inflammatory

 

has anyone noticed the large cruise critic shaped hole in this forum? I've noticed it...I dont know if any of you have noticed it? you may not even be on this forum anymore to have noticed, you may not care? (in that case you wont be reading this)

 

so (those who are interested)

 

I will admit i am not fully trained in the art of internet cruise criticism this explains why I am not a member of any other cruise related chat forums.....maybe you are....well fair play to you....fair play

 

but...considering all the long hours i (and many others) have put into this particular forum...I’m a little disappointed.... i have noticed that a few members have left here, a few members have never come back, some hardly ever come back, some are members of multiple groups

 

has anyone noticed tho? how some members are actively encouraging other members to join other cruise forums…ok that may be being helpful... posting links etc....but is that really fair to us?...has anyone noticed how quiet its getting on here?....let us speculate on why that may be?......this site will die a death if it cant recruit or keep its members contributing on here....if this happens this will be a great loss to many especially here on the thomsons boards

 

this site is american based and owned by expedia it was initially set up to sell cruises, since then tho these chat boards have become a very successful and an invaluable source of everything cruise related, where anyone novice or seasoned cruiser, those with limited ability on the internet and super bloggers can all get together and share their experiences and insights in an easy and safe online environment

 

once upon a time great efforts were made to gain a thomsons board and a lot of hard work has been put into it by many since then

 

so much hard work that it includes attracting the ear of almost all the cruise industry bosses and encouraging them to take part in our discussions ...as a result members feel that they have gained the ear of the companies/bosses/people that can and do have the ability to listen and change things....the ability to speak virtually face to face with a faceless global company on a subject dear to our hearts is priceless and we should take steps not to lose it...imho

 

no other group can boast this amount of input, some other groups are set up by ordinary individuals who have limited expertise and varying degrees of control over what can and cannot be written, some other groups require personal information, some other groups are not a fully safeguarded online platform to be discussing when you are away from home on holiday and where your children will be etc etc, for instance a lot of facebook members do not realise just how much information they are giving away...to strangers, no personal information is required on this site and most subjects under discussion are rarely moderated by the owners

 

yes....its personal choice, we all have a choice, we are free to join whichever online forum we wish...but please...those members who also enjoy other groups....fair do's, enjoy them...but please play fair...this is not the place to be discussing how great/interesting/friendly some other chat groups are...its encouraging members on here to join up....its poaching…its not fair

 

tantrum over:o

[jimb98]

Absolutely agree with every word; in my opinion this forum has been incredibly helpful and informative. Once again, on our upcoming cruise on Celebration, we have found some companions to share a tour with through this forum.

I know ther are other forums, blogs etc. but let's not forget where we all started.

[Eboracum_d]

Brits are very much in the minority on cruise critic forums but form the bulk of a Thomson clientele so it's perhaps not surprising that the Thomson Forum is relatively inactive.

 

I have noted that most of the line-specific boards tend to have more than their fair share of critical comments.

[kruzseeka]

Just a few of us left geo....................;)

I do agree that this forum has provided me with some excellent tips, advice and information on cruising in general but also ports of call and I would be very sad if it became so little used that my contact and interaction with other like minds came to an end.

 

Apart from the fun and warmth of 'knowing' fellow cruisers it has provided some serious debate, important warnings/advice for others and fantastic general cruise background (yes, and where appropriate, criticism too).

 

Other sites provide a different kind of experience I believe and I understand how much others enjoy using those and from what I hear they can become very addictive too. But for cruise information the likes of that available on here still has an important place imo and I've not found any other sites so informative - and the old adage of 'Use it or Lose it' comes to mind. This is a valuable, current and topical platform for Thomson cruisers imo but could very well not be in the future if trends are maintained and contributions fall to a very low level. :(

Edited January 22, 2014 by kruzseeka

[Little Nell]

A very well written, heartfelt piece, Geo.

 

I am one of the people who use another forum but I am committed to being on this forum too and it saddens me how other valuable members of this group are no longer posting on here. If I haven't posted on here for a few days it is either because I have nothing constructive to add to the discussion or because I haven't had time to be on any forum.

 

I have always maintained that this is the forum where you will get the depth of answer you are looking for. FB doesn't lend itself to that and if appropriate I do advise people on FB that this is the best place for a detailed answer to their question. While it may be difficult to post pictures on here, you can do a search which shows up a wealth of members' previous experiences which you can't do on FB

 

It is sad that the rise of the FB page has been at the expense of CC. I will attempt to encourage people not to abandon this wonderful site.

Edited January 22, 2014 by Little Nell

[kruzseeka]

Sorry, double post.

Edited January 22, 2014 by kruzseeka

[joeholiday2]

I peeked.....

 

I'm with you Geo, well said.

 

Facebook is taking over social media.

People look at you as if there is something wrong with you when you tell them you don't do it.

I find it very intrusive and would only join using an alias to access groups I am interested in. I don't want contacting by old schoolmates who I haven't seen in 40 years, I have moved on.

 

It does have it's uses but on balance I think the privacy concerns outweigh that, for instance, someone at work once phoned in sick, they then posted on facebook about how ill they were. As the phone geo-located the poster it was plain to see that they were on the other side of the Country, not tucked up in bed!!

 

I don't see many links to other forums on here other than to the facebook groups, I think the mods block them to the main other one available.

I do occasionally look at the other one I mentioned, but am not a member as I didn't want to get dragged into all the nastiness that has happened on there.

 

What I like about this forum is, it's generally very friendly, I have had a lot of help from here and post to give some back. That's how it should be.

 

Considering this is the time of year people are looking to book cruises it's very quiet on here, hopefully it will pick up in spring.

Maybe someone who is on facebook could tell us how busy the closed group is? Do people ever get pointed to here from there? ( you beat me to it Nell, been ages writing this in-between other jobs)

 

I see the Thomson staff that are supposed to keep an eye on this board have not deigned us with a response to the Thomson staff please read thread, yet they have responded on facebook, what does that say??

We may be fighting a losing battle, a la myspace....

 

Have you noticed that there are share to, facebook, digg, delicious, etc links on this forum, the owners are encouraging use of other social media. I am not saying that is wrong, it's just an observation....

 

I know we are talking about people moving away from this board, but when you look at this, P&O, and Freds boards and consider the ages that normally cruise on them it's not surprising that they are not "too busy to follow" like some lines boards are. Many people I meet on cruises have never heard of cruise critic... "Don't use that interweb thingy"

 

I am guilty of not being here all the time, sometimes other things in life are more important, and on occasions it has been many months between my posts on here. I would not like to lose this excellent resource however to facebook and agree we should be keeping it alive.

[topsey130]

It has been a little quite of late, i pop in and out and read, and add where i can. It does seem to get busier during the summer months, once people have booked and done some research and stumbled across this site.

[lovecruise22]

I totally agree - this forum has been amazing when i needed advice on previous and future cruises

 

Im not going anywhere :)

[Langtoncouple]

I regularly go onto this forum and post, but at the moment haven't anything worth saying. I also am a fb member. But as I have mentioned before here - its easy to keep track of queires and comments unlike fb which move down so quickly. Also here has a search button and each thread is titled so definitely easier to use.

[geomagot]

many thanks all.....for your encouraging comments and commitments on this issue guys

 

I agree thomson cruises are small line when compared to carnival and the like and appeals to a smaller demographic...so it stands to reason that we will always be a smaller community...but this only serves to highlight just how vibrant and diverse thomsons cruisers are

 

yep...very possibly could just be down to a quiet time of year...winter gloom....thoms have definitely gone to sleep/underground or maybe just counting out the gold somewhere?

 

they havnt been on here at all since mid december.....I dont think they are truly comfortable with open discussion (unlike their facebook/twitter pages which are not truly open) ....but they are still members here so I believe they are still watching (albeit occasionally)

 

but unlike their facebook/social media pages these boards are an invaluable source of open/straight/honest/independent/unbiased/and yes sometimes conflicting information but its friendly/helpful/safe and easy to find the right forum, where things dont get arbitrarily deleted for no good apparent reason......lets try and keep it that way....it would be a sad loss if this forum faded away to other (not quite the full picture) more contrived social media sites

 

on a plus...you only have to type into google any average cruise question such as 'cabin review of thomson dream' and the top hits will point straight to this board....ditto other cruise lines/cruise questions, so this is definitely the right place to start your research...... hopefully stay and join us, and even more hopefully come back after and tell all about it....warts an all

 

interesting that the forum owners are allowing links to other cruise forums/media etc i'm guessing that is because they get paid per click courtesy of google ads...the owners are a commercial company at the end of the day (shot themselves in the teeth a bit there?):confused:

[Julessmiles]

I am a member of both here & FB.

 

I actively put links on the Thomson FB page to here and often mention CC as do quite a lot of the members.

 

Can I clear this up for Joe. There are 2 Thomson FB groups - an official one set up by Thomson which is an open group that anyone can access & post on - this is the one that Thomson Social Media have replied to some queries on. They do by no means answer all the queries on there and it was only set up in the last few months. It is more a marketing group in my mind & not a lot of information is really gained from it although they did provide us with some good photos of the new balcony cabins & the new Explorer's coffee shop on the Celebration.

 

There is an 'unofficial' group which has approx 1800 members which was set up by a young man in the last 2 years I believe. That is a very active group and members are constantly posting on there - certainly sometimes every minute or so when there gets to be a stimulating thread.

 

The good thing about the FB (unofficial) group is that you can post a quick question easily & usually get a response very quickly. You can post & view photos very easily - there is a separate photo section you can access. I have never been able to post photos onto CC but can easily onto FB.

 

I love this forum & I am saddened that people are not posting as much as usual however it certainly is very valuable for reviews and information that is stored & relatively easy to find whereas threads on FB tend to get lost very soon.

 

I will keep posting here - that's if people are happy for me to witter on lol!

Edited January 22, 2014 by Julessmiles

[Little Nell]

I would be very disappointed if you left, Jules.

 

You always have such a positive outlook :)

[Julessmiles]

I would be very disappointed if you left, Jules.

 

You always have such a positive outlook :)

 

 

Thank you Little Nell :)

 

I'm going nowhere ;)

 

One thing I forgot to mention about the 'unofficial' FB page - as it is a closed group, Thomson Management do not have access to it or if they are on there, we are not aware that they are and they do not post as staff.

 

There are several staff who work on the Thomson ships that are there as members but they are not 'active' members as they are not allowed to comment on social media sites. They probably read the threads with great interest but they can not comment.

[jojo67]

I think this is an amazing site for research and Thomson specific questions. I'd assumed it was just quiet at the moment because not many are due to cruise in the very near future, yet many have already booked for Summer 2014. There seems to be a flurry when the brochures are released and people are looking for advice pre booking and then it gets busier in the summer with last minute pre cruise questions and post cruise reviews and comments. I read with avid interest but only post when I have a question or can answer a question.

[stevedeccaman]

eh you lot :D what about me I am stlll here!

agree with Geo very well put

I use FB to keep up with family etc , but to me it has all gone silly and out of hand

IMO

 

We may end up not communicating apart from b****y twiter and the like:eek:

as for me am on this forum with all my good cyberspace friends until I cannot type;) or meet on CRUISE:)

well done Geo

 

Stevie

[CRUISIN LINDA]

I am a member of both here & FB.

 

I actively put links on the Thomson FB page to here and often mention CC as do quite a lot of the members.

 

Can I clear this up for Joe. There are 2 Thomson FB groups - an official one set up by Thomson which is an open group that anyone can access & post on - this is the one that Thomson Social Media have replied to some queries on. They do by no means answer all the queries on there and it was only set up in the last few months. It is more a marketing group in my mind & not a lot of information is really gained from it although they did provide us with some good photos of the new balcony cabins & the new Explorer's coffee shop on the Celebration.

 

There is an 'unofficial' group which has approx 1800 members which was set up by a young man in the last 2 years I believe. That is a very active group and members are constantly posting on there - certainly sometimes every minute or so when there gets to be a stimulating thread.

 

The good thing about the FB (unofficial) group is that you can post a quick question easily & usually get a response very quickly. You can post & view photos very easily - there is a separate photo section you can access. I have never been able to post photos onto CC but can easily onto FB.

 

I love this forum & I am saddened that people are not posting as much as usual however it certainly is very valuable for reviews and information that is stored & relatively easy to find whereas threads on FB tend to get lost very soon.

 

I will keep posting here - that's if people are happy for me to witter on lol!

Well said Julie. Witter away to your heart's content :D

 

I think it is reasonable that people join more than one cruise site. I believe some people are also on cruise.co.uk :eek:

 

As you know, I resisted joining fb, but eventually gave in and I find that the people on the Thomson closed group, very friendly on the whole. Of course it sometimes gets a bit heated (as on here too) but, for an example, when I asked about El Hiero, I got no replies on Fred's boards (still haven't) and it was quite a while before I got any on here. I went on to fb and asked and although no-one really had any specific information and some people had never heard of the place, a conversation soon got going. I find fb a bit more light hearted as we chat about all sorts of things, but I find CC informative and sometimes quite funny too.

 

BTW Geo, if you think it's quiet on here, you should look at Fred and IE boards. Jan (Ekco) is trying to revive IE, but not having much luck, perhaps because IE is out of action at the moment.

 

I think everyone has emigrated (or worse :eek:) on Fred. Lucky to get one post a day :D

 

I do have other interests in my life, not to mention the washing, ironing, hoovering, gardening :rolleyes:but when I turn my laptop on, I always look on here first and then fb, at least once a day and sometimes add a bit of drivel of my own :o

[Jakanne1]

Thanks Geo for giving us something interesting to comment about. :)

 

I read your 'tantrum' earlier this morning but was going out and didn't have time to reply, and this sometimes happens. By the time I have got back on, nearly everything I thought about replying during the day, has already been said!! OK, that saves me some time. :rolleyes:

 

I read on here nearly everyday, and yes I have noticed that it has been very quiet. I have had questions I wanted to ask but was aware they had been answered before so just did a search and found the answer. This is a great plus point for CC over FB.

 

I too, am a member of the 'unofficial' Thomson FB and I also read on there most days. On a number of occasions I, as well as others, have referred people to CC as a great place for more detailed information about ships and ports of call. A few have mentioned that they have had difficulty in logging on or cannot find their way around the site.

 

I have noticed over the past two years that I have been a member on here, that there have been times when people ask lots of questions about a cruise, do the cruise, write or do not write a review and then are silent. And as it happens they do not write on Thomson FB, but perhaps they have gone over to another cruise company forum, like Fred or P&O because they have cruises booked with them.

 

I also know at least 2 people who read on here but do not comment but find the information very interesting. Plus I have spoken to people on a cruise who read our comments but perhaps do not want to commit themselves to print.

 

Another point I was going to make, but has been mentioned, is that I personally have not worked out how to add photos here, whereas it is very easy on FB.

 

I too will continue to direct people to this forum and I certainly will not be abandoning it. :):)

[stevedeccaman]

perhaps we should have a poll;)

 

but if you look at life now has it not changed so much in the last few years with all the techno suff we have

 

next time on a cruise / bus/ train/ airport check out the number of peeps not using some sort of device for communication, perhaps this is the way ahead,maybe we will one day have a device in ones brain etc etc

 

ps when did anyone on this this kind forum last write a letter to someone

not e-mail :eek: ?

 

think about it

 

Stevie:)

[happy v]

Very good thread Geo,

I'm one who tried fb but found unless something was going on while you were actually logged in it was very hard to follow, and I didn't like all the emails.:eek:

I will stick around on here.........whether you want me or not.:p:D

[Little Nell]

perhaps we should have a poll;)

 

but if you look at life now has it not changed so much in the last few years with all the techno suff we have

 

next time on a cruise / bus/ train/ airport check out the number of peeps not using some sort of device for communication, perhaps this is the way ahead,maybe we will one day have a device in ones brain etc etc

 

ps when did anyone on this this kind forum last write a letter to someone

not e-mail :eek: ?

 

think about it

 

Stevie:)

 

I use e mail like I do a letter, Stevie, in fact I use my phone in the same way as I write letters, fully punctuated, paragraphed etc. much to my daughter's amusement. I draw the line with phones at the dinner table.

[skioncruises]

Hi geomagot

 

Love your "tantrum". I'm going nowhere other than popping over to Island Cruises now again. It's about time it was acknowledged that it is part of Thomson as well. In fact, our last cruise in September was on IE and was better run than the ships sailing under the Thomson banner.:eek:

Edited January 22, 2014 by skioncruises

[happy v]

I use e mail like I do a letter, Stevie, in fact I use my phone in the same way as I write letters, fully punctuated, paragraphed etc. much to my daughter's amusement. I draw the line with phones at the dinner table.

 

That's so good to hear. I can't stand all this "text speak" I'm sure the next generation will grow up unable to write at all.

[Stevio]

I am still here... I class myself as a loyal lurker... Actually I must confess to being unfaithful with NCL recently, but I am back considering booking on the Island Escape next summer... Now that's really gone quiet on the IE CC site, I am frightened to post over there in case I wake someone up.

Anyhow, I can't be having it with these new fangled FB sites... If anyone needs to know anything about their next cruise, this is most definitely the place to be, what with Sailaway's , Kruzee's , Linda's & everyone else's invaluable knowledge, & even if you do not need to know anything I find this place always worth a lurk if only for the wisdom & wit of our vey own Geomagot :):):)

On behalf of all us lurkers who look but don't post, keep up the good work. ;)

[geomagot]

 

ps when did anyone on this this kind forum last write a letter to someone

not e-mail :eek: ?

 

think about it

 

Stevie

 

I wrote one yesterday:p ......it was to thoms:( ....ok ok I wrote it....but then I sent it by email :o ...on my camera!....yes my camera has email:eek:

 

but I still send proper birthday cards (with pictures of me in jaunty poses on) ...even to people that I havnt seen for 40 years (sometimes they send them back with pins stuck in them)

 

and I still go down the pub for a chat...usually about cruises;)