Serious question about roll calls

[txflood33]

I'm sure this has come up before...but I wasn't here then and I really wouldn't even know how to search this to find the previous post...(if there is a way and you know how, please don't send me the link)

 

I know roll calls have been here a while...I was here 10 years ago gathering info for my 1st cruise and they were happening then.

 

I guess my question is....why do you sign up and give out room number info? I don't have a concern about unsafe weird internet people, I mean we are in a highly populated area with police?/security? and a jail. But what if I'm just a weird person in general and nothing how you pictured my internet me? Maybe I'm a overly friendly, close talker with bad breath.

 

I find it fascinating there are so many, it seems, that would make their own vacation into a group vacation.

 

Share the thoughts into opening your family vacation.......and then share the story of when you met the close talker....please :rolleyes:

[herbanrenewal]

 

I guess my question is....why do you sign up and give out room number info?

 

One reason - if your roll call has formed groups that are sharing private tours, the organizer may need to contact you if a situation changes.

[BlueRiband]

..I guess my question is....why do you sign up and give out room number info? I don't have a concern about unsafe weird internet people, I mean we are in a highly populated area with police?/security? and a jail. But what if I'm just a weird person in general and nothing how you pictured my internet me? Maybe I'm a overly friendly, close talker with bad breath.

 

I find it fascinating there are so many, it seems, that would make their own vacation into a group vacation.

 

Share the thoughts into opening your family vacation.......and then share the story of when you met the close talker....please :rolleyes:

 

Roll calls will vary by line and ship. On some ships an organizer arranges a Meet and Greet with the ship's cruise director so they want to know how many are showing up. On other ships a meet and greet is very informal and loose - for example on Cunard ships it's in a certain lounge at 2PM the first sea day. People just show up with nothing special planned in advance and just do that the name implies - Meet and Greet fellow CC members.

 

Many roll calls are run by a self appointed "superorganizer". They plan some kind of food and beverage service in coordination with the ship and frequently organize private shore excursions and on board activities. (Cabin crawls, slot pulls, etc.) They become de facto alternative cruise directors. The "spreadsheet" is to keep track of who is signing up for what.

 

Personally, I would never, ever, submit my personal information and subordinate my vacation schedule to the demands of a roll call organizer. (And that's how I see it.) On the opposite end you have people who consider these great fun and appreciate that somebody would plan all these activities. (But I sail on a line that fills its sea days with numerous offerings.)

 

You have to decide where your comfort level fits between those extremes. Join a roll call if you like what you see but run from it if you don't like how things are shaping up. You really cannot pick and choose which activities to join. You will be arm twisted to "have some fun" and/or others will be resentful that you might, for example, want to sign up for the organizer's private excursions but not join them for cabin crawls, etc.

Edited May 12, 2014 by BlueRiband

[Shmoo here]

I'm sure this has come up before...but I wasn't here then and I really wouldn't even know how to search this to find the previous post...(if there is a way and you know how, please don't send me the link)

 

I know roll calls have been here a while...I was here 10 years ago gathering info for my 1st cruise and they were happening then.

 

I guess my question is....why do you sign up and give out room number info? I don't have a concern about unsafe weird internet people, I mean we are in a highly populated area with police?/security? and a jail. But what if I'm just a weird person in general and nothing how you pictured my internet me? Maybe I'm a overly friendly, close talker with bad breath.

 

I find it fascinating there are so many, it seems, that would make their own vacation into a group vacation.

 

Share the thoughts into opening your family vacation.......and then share the story of when you met the close talker....please :rolleyes:

 

On a roll call you can share as much or as little personal info (including room numbers) as you wish. Many times it can just be a place to discuss plans for the cruise or make arrangements to possibly meet up onboard to have a drink.

 

We've participated in roll calls where we went to the Meet & Greet onboard, but had little other contact with the people who we talked to/with on the roll call pre-cruise.

[1025cruise]

I usually join a roll call to try to connect to others on my cruise. Unfortunately, I've had little luck.

 

I will not post my cabin number though.

[Dayenu]

I never had to give my room number. Even giving the real name(s) and location were optional.

 

Maybe if you go on a private tour with others, then they need to know it all, in case you are late, they want to contact you?

[wwcruisers]

TxFld -- the poster who said that you can participate and share as much or as little as you wish on a r/c summed it up best. Roll-calls can be great for organizing tours, as well as activities onboard. Some cruises, like trans-Atlantic and Pacific crossings have lots of sea days. On those, it's nice to have things planned, like cabin crawls, slot pulls, etc. But, some people just come to the meet-n-mingle, and that's it -- no problem. There also shouldn't be a problem with wanting to limit the personal information you give out, on a roll-call thread. Some people don't like to give out their room numbers, or e-mails online -- and they should not have to. If you ever are unlucky enough to get one of those "roll-call-zilla" organizers, who insist that everybody do things their way -- just shine 'em on! ;)

[navybankerteacher]

You do not have to go public on a roll call. If you connect with another person on your roll call and you want to share transfer to a port or a tour, you can give them you email address and only that way give details.

[Cruzman]

Many cruise lines post the names of occupants outside each and every cabin on the ship. What is the big deal? Folks already know that someone occupies the cabin; who cares if they know my name?

 

As far as meet & greet organizers who may offer other opportunities such as slot pulls, cabin crawls, sailaway get togethers, etc., I have never felt any pressure to join in at all. On the contrary, I have often simply come along as a spectator and had a great time doing so! Meeting new and different folks is one of the reasons I love to cruise! If I ever encounter a slug, I think I will know how to handle it (hasn't happened yet).

[Shmoo here]

Many cruise lines post the names of occupants outside each and every cabin on the ship. What is the big deal? Folks already know that someone occupies the cabin; who cares if they know my name?

 

As far as meet & greet organizers who may offer other opportunities such as slot pulls, cabin crawls, sailaway get togethers, etc., I have never felt any pressure to join in at all. On the contrary, I have often simply come along as a spectator and had a great time doing so! Meeting new and different folks is one of the reasons I love to cruise! If I ever encounter a slug, I think I will know how to handle it (hasn't happened yet).

 

We've only been on 3 cruise lines, thus far, and none of them posts names outside the rooms. I'm saying that it doesn't happen, but I'm not sure that it's "many" cruise lines that do.

[calliopecruiser]

I post on the roll call thread to exchange information and/or ask specific questions about that voyage and the destinations. I don't make plans with anyone for activities (including excursions) as I don't know any of those people - they're all essentially strangers to me at this point. They may or may not turn out to be people I'll like and want to spend time with.......I'll make that decision when I meet them on the ship. As a single woman, I also don't advertise where I'll be staying - I don't advertise at home either that my apartment is the home of a single woman. Perhaps people who don't live alone aren't as concerned about people knowing where they live.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Personally, I'm the one who suggests port activities for my family, and then we decide what to do (or if we just want to wing it, which is most of the time). We have never joined up with anyone else. But that's us. On the cruises I've taken since I've joined CC, I may go to a meet and greet (I even was the planner on the first of those cruises, but just the meet and greets. It wouldn't have occurred to me to plan cabin crawls, etc. as I'm not interested). On one cruise some of us formed a regular trivia team, which is my idea of fun (and theirs too).

 

I have seen some people who will come up with a whole slate of port activities for some cruises, but again, not my thing. It's your vacation so don't feel guilty about your level of participation or lack thereof.

 

A cruise or two ago, I did look on the Princess Facebook roll calls and realized it was too easy to look up names on it. So didn't join that. I've noticed that they dropped the roll calls so maybe people were bringing that up (I did post on their page that I felt that way). I guess if you're planning to join up on a private excursion, you can email your cabin number to the organizer. For the roll call I had planned, most people did post their cabin numbers. That did come in handy when the cruise director set up a meet and greet after the cruise had begun -- so I was able to put the date, time, and place on notepaper and deposit in the in-boxes of those who I had the cabin number.

 

I've seen some roll calls that set up a website with whatever info they wish to provide, but they put the link up on a CC post, rather than emailing it to make it more private. On one cruise, the organizer did have everyone's involve in a spreadsheet and handed it out at the sailaway meet and greet, and it didn't bother me to have my cabin number on it. Haven't had anyone knock on my door from a roll call. But I've read that one veteran cruiser got irritated for good reason on a cruise when she started getting impromptu visits and phone calls, often at strange hours, from others seeking info. She got so fed up that she stopped posting on CC.

[wwcruisers]

We've only been on 3 cruise lines, thus far, and none of them posts names outside the rooms. I'm saying that it doesn't happen, but I'm not sure that it's "many" cruise lines that do.

 

I know that RC & X do not. I think I heard that Princess does -- but I'm not sure. Any Princess cruisers who know if they still (or ever) post the pax names on their cabin doors?

[SPacificbound]

We are new to cruising, so you have been around longer then I have. :)

 

These are written words with no inflection, tone, or smile and is not in anyway meant to be negative, disrespectful or argumentative. :):)

 

My opinion (and you know what they say about opinions)........ ;)

 

 

I am one of the people who has given our cabin number to the folks who put together spread sheets for our Roll Calls. I don't consider it to be a risky thing to do.

 

If there happened to be someone who, after meeting them, I did not want to be around them, I don't have to be around them, it's a big ship. Cabin doors have locks for a reason. If all else fails there are security people. I would never, ever let someone in my cabin, when I am by myself, unless I had gotten to know them on a previous cruise or land trip really, really well. My "creep radar" is fine tuned. :eek: Seriously, it is.

 

I have seen a few posts previously where the individual expressed concern about this information being available to anyone who reads CC, so basically the WWW. This is true, it is. I feel the chances of anyone using that information in a negative way is so minute it is not a concern to me.

 

Having said all that, everyone knows that all us Texas folks have lots of guns and all that stuff. :D

[BlueRiband]

....I've seen some roll calls that set up a website with whatever info they wish to provide' date=' but they put the link up on a CC post, rather than emailing it to make it more private. On one cruise, the organizer did have everyone's involve in a spreadsheet and handed it out at the sailaway meet and greet, and it didn't bother me to have my cabin number on it. Haven't had anyone knock on my door from a roll call. But I've read that one veteran cruiser got irritated for good reason on a cruise when she started getting impromptu visits and phone calls, often at strange hours, from others seeking info...[/quote']

 

Last year I saw a roll call with such a link - to a spreadsheet containing real names and cities of residence.:eek: As for impromptu visits... when I do a "live from" blog my cabin number won't be revealed until disembarkation morning.

[OCruisers]

On a roll call you can share as much or as little personal info (including room numbers) as you wish. Many times it can just be a place to discuss plans for the cruise or make arrangements to possibly meet up onboard to have a drink.

 

We've participated in roll calls where we went to the Meet & Greet onboard, but had little other contact with the people who we talked to/with on the roll call pre-cruise.

 

Exactly ... absolutely no reason to give out any information like your cabin number unless you want to.

LuLu

[txflood33]

This is interesting gang. I appreciate the feedback. And I truly hope no one thinks the question was asked to judge.

 

It's just an odd concept to me.

[tickford]

Not bothering with any more roll calls.

 

Princess do still have them on Facebook, just a bit hard to find. (Edit: was just reading something on a FB roll call and someone there says the FB have been stopped by Princess - so how is it the roll call I am looking at still active, although no dates are shown when trying to choose the roll call)

 

I have a shocking memory for some things but yes I think Princess did have our names outside our doors. Obviously it was so memorable it couldn't have bothered me.:D I will let you know in a few weeks after our next cruise whether they are there.

Edited May 13, 2014 by tickford
extra info

[cruisemom42]

 

I guess my question is....why do you sign up and give out room number info? I don't have a concern about unsafe weird internet people, I mean we are in a highly populated area with police?/security? and a jail. But what if I'm just a weird person in general and nothing how you pictured my internet me? Maybe I'm a overly friendly, close talker with bad breath.

 

I find it fascinating there are so many, it seems, that would make their own vacation into a group vacation.

 

 

I travel solo much of the time -- land trips and cruises, for work and for pleasure. I guess you could say I am a "cautious risk taker." I am used to calculating the risk/benefit of various situations and making a decision as to how much or how little information to share with others.

 

I'm not one who would put my cabin number on the public roll call. On the other hand, I often need to take a private tour to get to see what I want to see when visiting a port. I am willing to exchange some personal information via email AFTER some chatting to get a baseline idea that the other party or parties aren't completely "off" in terms of personality. I try to meet up with the others at the meet and greet or other planned location prior to the tour -- if something really set off alarm bells, I could still back out by paying my share but not going on the tour. (So far, this has never happened, but I consider it my safety net.)

 

I suspect the highly specific nature of the tours I plan -- and the fact that I want to keep the number of "sharers" pretty small -- leads to self-selection of those who have similar interests to me. So far I haven't had a bad experience.

 

That said, I don't necessarily spend a lot of time onboard ship with others from my roll call or even that I may share a tour with (unless we hit it off). I'm not interested in making my vacation a group vacation -- in fact, I've been known to say "no" to others who've wanted to come along with me on a trip. I really enjoy traveling alone -- particularly cruising.

[OCruisers]

This is interesting gang. I appreciate the feedback. And I truly hope no one thinks the question was asked to judge.

It's just an odd concept to me.

 

No problem. Never thought your question was to judge.

Glad you ask.

Some feel they can't participate in a roll call without giving out too much personal information. Just because someone on the roll call does a roll call list or is setting up a Meet & Greet does not mean you can't still post without giving the info they request.

LuLu

[elbodans]

i've never given my cabin number on a roll call (not that i would not--i've not been asked so i've not thought about it). but to answer your question 'why would you join one'--i've made five friends (among three cruises) who i now consider to be real-life, forever-friends just by joining a roll call. i've spent time with three of them in real-life since sailing (and the other two are possibly joining me on my next trip--not a cruise). i feel like cruising is great because it offers something for everyone. and if what you desire is to be social, you can be. and joining a roll call helps. (if you're not, you can also be solitary, which i've also done. both are equally enjoyable.)

[sloopsailor]

Many cruise lines post the names of occupants outside each and every cabin on the ship. What is the big deal? Folks already know that someone occupies the cabin; who cares if they know my name?.

 

That's total BS. I have never been on a cruise ship that does that, and I have sailed on several cruise lines. And if I did, I would remove the name as soon as I discovered it. It is nobody's business who I am unless I volunteer that information. To me it is an invasion of privacy if the cruise line stoops to that tactic. It is a failure to respect the privacy of their passengers.

Edited May 13, 2014 by sloopsailor

[uababs]

That's total BS. I have never been on a cruise ship that does that, and I have sailed on several cruise lines. And if I did, I would remove the name as soon as I discovered it. It is nobody's business who I am unless I volunteer that information. To me it is an invasion of privacy if the cruise line stoops to that tactic. It is a failure to respect the privacy of their passengers.

 

Not BS at all. Princess does indeed put pax names on cabin "mailboxes." Easily removed if you wish. Oddly, on our 15 day cruise in March, our cabin steward didn't once refer to us by name, even tho we left our name tags on the mailbox.

 

As for roll calls, I joined my first one last year which turned out to be a large and very fun group. Had three social get togethers on board, one at a portside tavern, one shared excursion. Thought it was fun to run into "familiar" faces around the ship or in ports.

 

I'll continue to check out roll calls and decide just how involved I want to be, once we figure out where we are going next!

[$hip$hape]

Not BS at all. Princess does indeed put pax names on cabin "mailboxes." Easily removed if you wish. Oddly, on our 15 day cruise in March, our cabin steward didn't once refer to us by name, even tho we left our name tags on the mailbox.

 

As for roll calls, I joined my first one last year which turned out to be a large and very fun group. Had three social get togethers on board, one at a portside tavern, one shared excursion. Thought it was fun to run into "familiar" faces around the ship or in ports.

 

I'll continue to check out roll calls and decide just how involved I want to be, once we figure out where we are going next!

Catherine and I agree.

Nice post.

Michael

[fortinweb]

Not BS at all. Princess does indeed put pax names on cabin "mailboxes." Easily removed if you wish. Oddly, on our 15 day cruise in March, our cabin steward didn't once refer to us by name, even tho we left our name tags on the mailbox.

 

Read that post in question again. The poster titled that post "Wow, the paranoia reigns", a criticism of people who don't like their names displayed. Then he claims that "Many cruise lines post the names of occupants outside each and every cabin on the ship", a completely inaccurate claim. He continues to lecture those other posters by writing "What is the big deal? Folks already know that someone occupies the cabin; who cares if they know my name?".

 

Well, according to the math I learned in school, one cruise line is hardly "many". Claiming that "many" do this is indeed incorrect because most do not. Which makes calling such a claim "BS" to be pretty much spot-on accurate.

Edited May 13, 2014 by fortinweb