HAL Roll Calls - Weak

[POA1]

There is a notice right at the top of this board.. It also includes the ships & several of the roll call links.. Have no idea when it went up but above that is a note about organizing a meet & Mingle (meet & greet) which has been there for years..

 

Both notices are at the very top above announcements in a white box which is entitled "Holland America Line"..

 

The last notice has a big star next to it & it says: New "Find your Holland America Roll Call"

 

 

 

Betty

 

EDITED: Betty offered a correction above. I tried to edit my post, but I missed the 15 minute window.

 

For whatever reason, I can't see the links she's talking about, but it's probably because I'm looking at the mobile app version of CC on my phone.

 

In the words of Emily Littela, "Never mind."

[POA1]

Deleted

Edited April 23, 2014 by POA1

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

It really seems to vary some are hopping and some are dead ...

[jbhcw]

After many many cruises on mostly Carnival and Hal I will have to say it is the luck of the draw on roll calls. We have met folks who are now friends for life on a Hal Hawaii roll call…and the roll call for my Bermuda cruise 18 months away is hopping:D

 

But I have been to ones where only two or three people showed up…I still love the roll calls…such a wonderful way to meet people who love cruising and so nice to see familiar faces during the cruise:)

[eandj]

Too, I think that lots of people use tripadvisor and other sources of info for tours, transportation, hotels info. They don't need to go to a roll call to learn about the ports unless they are looking to form a tour group. I think those that want to "have friends" upon boarding really hang out on the roll calls.

[jbhcw]

Too, I think that lots of people use tripadvisor and other sources of info for tours, transportation, hotels info. They don't need to go to a roll call to learn about the ports unless they are looking to form a tour group. I think those that want to "have friends" upon boarding really hang out on the roll calls.

 

Not sure I agree with you…I don't want to "have friends"…I have enough…I am social enough that I enjoy talking about the cruise coming up..and occasionally talking about some tours…I enjoy saying good morning to people I have met at the meet and greet…. we have made cruising friends in the past…but most of them live on the other side of the country…one couple lives in Australia…I use trip advisor for hard info…also am a frequent reviewer..

[CanuckonaBoat]

I think it's just hit and miss. I'm a new cruiser. Going on the MS Eurodam in June. I love cruise critic. it's a great resource. I've joined my Roll Call - but it's not active at all. I'm sorry to see this - but I use the HAL board instead.

 

we are traveling with a large group - but I was hoping to connect with others through cruise critic before the cruise.

[kazu]

Not sure I agree with you…I don't want to "have friends"…I have enough…I am social enough that I enjoy talking about the cruise coming up..and occasionally talking about some tours…I enjoy saying good morning to people I have met at the meet and greet…. we have made cruising friends in the past…but most of them live on the other side of the country…one couple lives in Australia…I use trip advisor for hard info…also am a frequent reviewer..

 

This would be nearly identical to my statement. We have made wonderful friends through cruise critic. People that we enjoy cruising with and people that have remained friends and we keep in contact with.

 

We are always delighted when they are on another cruise with us.

 

If I hadn't participated in roll calls and gone to the Meet and Greets, I would never have met them.

 

I enjoy our roll calls and the planning is part of the fun of cruising IMO:D

[ippyndad]

Kazu had a tread on 3/28 "Live from Maasdam".

Please see my post # 231, adding to my post, DW loved the magnets we found around our door each day, at the time we did not know who was putting them there, now we do and would like to acknowledge and thank "Bob" for his time and work. They along with the terrific name tags go along to make a great Meet & Greet of a wonderful cruise.

Also a thank you to HAL for there part in helping making it a success.

[Mytime2014]

I expect my roll call to get busier closer to cruise time. We are going to Alaska, on the same ship, to the same ports

I've met a couple of nice people and hope to meet more. But if that's all I know when I sail, it will be 2 more than I knew before I made reservations! There's so much cruise/port/ship information out here already and I'm pretty adept at saying hello to people in person that I doubt I'll be lonely. Plus, the lady I'm traveling with has never met a stranger. in person. She won't be on the roll call.

 

Honestly, I'm hoping for 7 days of relative peace and quiet. I'm on the phone all day as a nurse, so the thought of quiet time is making me giddy!!

[LindaM]

I think it just depends how "chatty" the members of the rollcall are, in real life. I've been on rollcalls where people RARELY posted, but they all showed up at the M&G. Someone said the Alaska ones were dead...ours for the 14 day Alaska was extremely active, but we had a lot of chatty people. (Ruth was on that one!) What I find strange is some of the chattiest end up being very quiet when you meet them in person. That's OK...we are all different.

 

Most of the time, I try to keep the rollcall going. But, I've tamed it down after reading that lots of people don't like to chat, except about planning tours. If I post and don't get a response, I give up (for a while...)!

 

I am anxious to meet the people on our Iceland trip. It is the most dead rollcall I've ever experienced. Maybe people who are drawn to that type of cruise aren't as social. DH picked that itinerary and he is not social at all! The most sad thing is that one of the friendly ones who I actually met, died at a relatively young age recently. Her sisters are still going, but they don't go on CC.

[carri cruiser]

I think it just depends how "chatty" the members of the rollcall are, in real life. I've been on rollcalls where people RARELY posted, but they all showed up at the M&G. Someone said the Alaska ones were dead...ours for the 14 day Alaska was extremely active, but we had a lot of chatty people. (Ruth was on that one!) What I find strange is some of the chattiest end up being very quiet when you meet them in person. That's OK...we are all different.

 

Most of the time, I try to keep the rollcall going. But, I've tamed it down after reading that lots of people don't like to chat, except about planning tours. If I post and don't get a response, I give up (for a while...)!

 

I am anxious to meet the people on our Iceland trip. It is the most dead rollcall I've ever experienced. Maybe people who are drawn to that type of cruise aren't as social. DH picked that itinerary and he is not social at all! The most sad thing is that one of the friendly ones who I actually met, died at a relatively young age recently. Her sisters are still going, but they don't go on CC.

 

Our upcoming August Alaska cruise, doesn't even have a roll call!! why? cause it is only a 7 day??? last years was a 14 collectors cruise, and didn't have a

M& G, so we (6) of us had an informal one on the lido, had only one other couple join us!! we had a good time anyhow!!

[lcand1923]

This thread has made me wonder if I should join the Roll Call for my upcoming cruise.

 

I'm an introvert; sociable, but not friend seeking. I joined the Roll Call of my last cruise after lurking for a good while, but did not attend the Meet and Greet.

 

I sat across from a couple on a Shore Excursion and recognized the woman as a Cruise Critic member based upon what she said. This woman was not on the Roll Call. I asked her if she was her screen name when I next saw her onboard. She said she was and asked for my screen name. She and I exchanged a few pleasantries throughout the rest of the cruise, but I exchanged them with quite a few other people, too.

 

I'm not interested in private tours, so can't see a real advantage to joining the Roll Call.

 

Am I missing something?

[sherilyn70]

Am I missing something?

 

You won't know unless you join. Just popping in and adding hello doesn't obligate you to anything. :) it's nice to know who other members are if you run into them but I'm not looking for anyone to hang out with. If I make a few personal connections is a bonus but I am not expecting to, trying to, nor will I be disappointed if I only talk to them once in the boards here and never again. There have been a few good exchanges of ideas and information.

 

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[winddncer]

So, chiming in here. I sailed on celebrity a few years ago and we had a pretty good thread going.

 

Sailing Tuesday as a last minute replacement for my dad due to recent emergency eye surgery he had. There wasn't even a roll call for my cruise until last night and I finally realized something.

 

1. A lot of people are doing b2b with the Panama Canal trip prior to the repositioning/pacific coastal. They were pretty active on that one.

 

2. The average age of the cruisers on HAL is my parents age. They don't post on message boards. Dad might lurk, but I've never known him to talk to strangers on the internet. Years of working in a black hole of security. Heck, my mom doesn't even have her own email address.

 

I didn't add the roll call myself because, quite honestly, I didn't have time. While I am looking forward to my cruise, it is the week before finals and between getting myself and my fur-babies ready to go away for a week, I've also had to wrap up several grad-school projects earlier than planned.

 

Just my 2 cents. I'm crawling back into my homework cave now.

[Sam.Seattle]

Wow... Friends? A friend is someone I can call when in need or will call me. Better yet a friend will just show up and be there when you need something.

 

Friends are not made in a roll call. They are made in person and become real friends after the cruise. Till then - at best they are online acquaintances IMHO. My DW often says... "are you online with your pretend friends again"?

 

We have meet people on cruises as far back as 25-years ago that we continue to communicate with and also travel with, but are they friends? I guess that depends on how you define a friend.

 

As for roll calls, yes I generally think they have declined overall in the past years on HAL. The exception I have personally noted is the large roll calls on RCI. They are meet and greet and require you to register with them and they use other media forms to fill the room. RCI provides staff, food, raffle gifts and nice invite cards that are in your cabin when you arrive.

[sherilyn70]

Friends are not made in a roll call. They are made in person and become real friends after the cruise. Till then - at best they are online acquaintances IMHO. My DW often says... "are you online with your pretend friends again"?

Let me just say that those "pretend" friends you refer to have been there for me when I needed help. On Facebook I have friends I know really well, friends I know but have only met in person once or twice, and friends that I have never met yet. They all have been there for me through my illness, sending prayers, supplies and even raised over 3k last month to help me cover some of my medical expenses (I needed a stair lift). People I have never met give me more support than others I've actually known in person for years. I've also made strong connections with others that share my rare cancer (leiomyosarcoma) all around the US and hope that one day we will be able to meet before any of us is too sick to travel.

 

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Edited May 11, 2014 by sherilyn70

[sherilyn70]

Oops, double post.

Edited May 11, 2014 by sherilyn70

[Sam.Seattle]

Let me just say that those "pretend" friends you refer to have been there for me when I needed help. On Facebook I have friends I know really well, friends I know but have only met in person once or twice, and friends that I have never met yet. They all have been there for me through my illness, sending prayers, supplies and even raised over 3k last month to help me cover some of my medical expenses (I needed a stair lift). People I have never met give me more support than others I've actually known in person for years. I've also made strong connections with others that share my rare cancer (leiomyosarcoma) all around the US and hope that one day we will be able to meet before any of us is too sick to travel.

 

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Please refer to my entire comment and not just your selected quotation.

 

I was speaking only to Cruise Critic. I completely agree with you that Facebook is a better media source to support causes.

 

Good luck with you battle.

[sherilyn70]

Please refer to my entire comment and not just your selected quotation.

 

I was speaking only to Cruise Critic. I completely agree with you that Facebook is a better media source to support causes.

 

Good luck with you battle.

Those people on my Facebook are friends, I am not a cause, lol. They would be there for me no matter what the reason be, most of them were before I got diagnosed. They sent wedding presents and cards when I got married as well and I have done the same in return.

 

People here start emailing back and forth which leads to Facebook, email or phone calls sometimes from people they've never met before. There is no difference other than the form of social media they meet through.

 

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Edited May 11, 2014 by sherilyn70

[cruisemom42]

While many people have posted that some HAL roll calls are busier than others, which of course is true, my experience is that IN GENERAL HAL roll calls are less active than roll calls for other cruise lines with similar itineraries. I'm not sure why that is.

[Cruising-along]

People I have met on roll calls have become my face book friends too. Lasting friendships over the years, we get together whenever we can and communicate daily. I don't cruise to make friends, but I have made good, lasting friendships because of cruising. ;)

[rafinmd]

I think in part HAL makes it a bit more difficult with all the collectors cruises. Should the roll calls for the individual segments, which could be combined EITHER with the segment before or the segment after. Makes it a bit awkward when somebody starts a roll call for a collectors and somebody else when 2 parties are on half a cruise while one is on the one before and the other the one after.

 

Roy

[jbhcw]

Let me just say that those "pretend" friends you refer to have been there for me when I needed help. On Facebook I have friends I know really well, friends I know but have only met in person once or twice, and friends that I have never met yet. They all have been there for me through my illness, sending prayers, supplies and even raised over 3k last month to help me cover some of my medical expenses (I needed a stair lift). People I have never met give me more support than others I've actually known in person for years. I've also made strong connections with others that share my rare cancer (leiomyosarcoma) all around the US and hope that one day we will be able to meet before any of us is too sick to travel.

 

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well said Sherilyn