Roll Calls

[cruiserjanet]

I join the Roll Call as soon as I book the cruise. If there is not one already started, then I start one. It's a great way to meet people and exchange ideas. I've learned a lot of things about cruising just from the Roll Call because there are many people with more experience than me. I've also developed some friendships and enjoy seeing those people on other cruises. Some Roll Calls are great but some don't get very much activity. Either way, they are fun to be on especially as the cruise gets closer and the excitement that builds.

[west coast cruiser]

I found Cruise Critic just before I was set to go on my first Solo Cruise. My husband and I cruised a lot and he had passed away 2 years earlier. I got on the Roll Call and made some new friends. I met a lady who was also widowed and we have become cruise buddies. The only time we see each other is on a cruise.

Over the years I have made many friends and still keep in touch with them. Some Roll Calls have been duds but all the great ones make up for them.

WCC

[Thrak]

I always look for a roll call as soon as I have booked a cruise.

[nanwel]

I love Roll calls, have made some lasting friendships through them. Often meet cruisers before the cruise for a dinner the night before. Funny, in Hong Kong, kept running into a lot of them precruise!

Find Princess has a roll call page, but do not have you register? on other lines, we would get written invites to the meet and greet, because the lines became involved, and knew who we were. I am on 2 current roll calls, for 2 Princess cruses, but do not find anywhere where I actualy sign up??

[geoherb]

I always participate in roll calls for my upcoming cruises. I tend to book late, so a lot of the time the roll call threads are already fairly active by then. Our last few cruises have not had very active roll calls. Nevertheless, thanks to great organizers, we had wonderful meet and greets with active participation of a lot of the ships' staffs including the captains.

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

It's useful if you plan on doing tours together but as far as getting together for a meeting not so much. I can meet plenty of people on the ship anytime I want & there's nothing special about the group that I can see.

[msmoger]

Find Princess has a roll call page, but do not have you register? on other lines, we would get written invites to the meet and greet, because the lines became involved, and knew who we were. I am on 2 current roll calls, for 2 Princess cruses, but do not find anywhere where I actualy sign up??

 

I'm not 100% clear what you are saying.

 

Are you saying that for non Princess roll calls you have received email invitations directly from the cruise line inviting you to join the Cruise Critic roll call?

 

If so, I'm glad Princess doesn't do that. I realize they can read the roll calls anyway, but given that a lot of the posts are concerned with booking private excursions I'd prefer they weren't actively snooping.

 

Perhaps I have misunderstood your post.

[Corfe Mixture]

Always register for the Roll Calls but tend not to reveal my cabin number in public.

 

Had a great roll call and M&G last year for our Christmas cruise on Island and, as a group, we sorted out some really good excursion deals, particularly in Nicaragua where we got a great deal compared with the ship's excursions.

 

We also had enough folks who had done a similar cruise before to make the Roll Call a useful shared information centre.

 

In our case we had previous experience of the canal, which we shared, and in return we got some good tips for both our pre-cruise trip to the Florida Keys and our post cruise trip up the Pacific Coast Highway.

 

Other roll calls, particularly those for the smaller ships, have seemed less worthwhile.

Edited September 15, 2014 by Corfe Mixture
Auto spell correct - went mad

[nanwel]

What I meant, was once you board the ship and go to your cabin, there was a postcard telling me when/where the M&M was going to happen. But the thing I did not like, was the cruise staff did a pat themselves on the back advertising pitch - it was so long most people got up and left.

One line just offered us a drink the cruise planner came out and helped us to faciltate the meet and greet, but did not take over.

Seems to be different on each ship.

I totally goofed on my last cruise - meet was at 1, and 12 they moved the clock to 1 because of time changes - I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and missed it completly!

[beauty1492]

Always join the roll call and have started a couple myself.

Our trip to Tahiti was booked a short time out and the Roll Call took us under their wings and we join lots of shore tours with them. made the tip for us.

 

Some have been active some not. But I love hearing what everyone is thinking about doing. We try to go to the M&G and have done slots pulls and loved it.

[pusywillow]

I join the roll calls and went to the M&G on my last cruise.

[preschool teacher]

I, too, like and join the roll calls...my hubby and I cruise alone so it's nice to meet folks and get to know some of them! One time when we did a cabin crawl we were invited to a a cabin in the back with a wrap around deck....we toured the cabin and had drinks for the sail away...and they were just the nicest people!

Sometimes it is what you put into it even it is small.....

Love the roll calls!

[Viesczy]

I like the roll calls.

 

They let you meet some of the folks you're travelling with, let you pass the time 'til the cruise and maybe arrange a few tours to wherever you're going.

 

The M&Gs are fun to actually see the folks you've been talking with/to for the past few weeks/months, but I'm not the guy who then remembers everyone that they M&G-ed. If anything, the few that gelled with me and I with them I'll remember, but others I'll be all "who you, we actually met?" :o:(

 

Derek

[Thrak]

I like the roll calls.

 

They let you meet some of the folks you're travelling with, let you pass the time 'til the cruise and maybe arrange a few tours to wherever you're going.

 

The M&Gs are fun to actually see the folks you've been talking with/to for the past few weeks/months, but I'm not the guy who then remembers everyone that they M&G-ed. If anything, the few that gelled with me and I with them I'll remember, but others I'll be all "who you, we actually met?" :o:(

 

Derek

 

Sounds like me. I meet people at work, get their name, shake hands, etc. Five minutes later I can't remember their name. Sigh...

[tserface]

I always frequent the roll calls. So far as I know I haven't ever had to do anything special to "join". Sometimes there is someone who likes to collect details and organize stuff and other times there's just a some friendly banter.

 

Other cruise lines (RCI and Celebrity for example) have a more organized Meet & Greet process where you sign up online, but it doesn't matter to me how it's done. We sign up and if there is no conflict (like bingo) we usually, at least, drop in on the M&Gs to put faces to names.

 

There is often interesting information imparted on roll calls and I enjoy that, but I mostly enjoy the friendly banter even if it includes people who already know each other reconnecting. I've never had anyone tell me to butt out if I just joined in or replied to anyone's post. And... most of the time when there's a group that already knows each other, somewhat, they've always been happy to expand the group by adding newbies to their list.

 

For our last cruise one of the guys set up a Facebook page as well and that was a really nice place to banter since it's so much easier to post pictures and "like" what people say, etc.

 

For me, the roll calls are a great way to anticipate and look forward to the cruise several months (sometimes years) before it actually happens. They don't compare with actually being on the cruise, but I love anything that reminds me that we're going soon.

 

I've never had a bad roll call experience, but, like I said, I enjoy the personal stuff.

 

Tom

[Kinkacruiser]

 

For me, the roll calls are a great way to anticipate and look forward to the cruise several months (sometimes years) before it actually happens. They don't compare with actually being on the cruise, but I love anything that reminds me that we're going soon.

 

Tom

 

 

I totally agree. :D

 

On another point... joining a roll call does not require you to attend the M&G, as some posters have inferred. There's normally a list of M&G attendees , but this is purely to get the required numbers for Princess venues. It's 30 for Skywalkers (the most popular venue).

 

Pre-cruise interaction is very enjoyable too.

[shredie]

I will sometimes do the M&G, but DH never has. He always finds something else on the ship he needs to do right now! LOL. I've had good roll calls and duds, but they are the best source for cruise-specific information about the ship or excursions or fares, etc.

[OCruisers]

Hate that some things needlessly keep people from posting on their Roll Calls ....

When people post to their Roll Call, they are in no way obligated to attend the M&G. Nor does anyone have to post any sort of personal information (such as their cabin #) they don't wish for the roll call list.

Some people don't post on their roll call because a slot pull, cabin crawl, etc. is being planned. These activities are only for those who wish to participate not mandatory for everyone who posts and/or attends the M&G.

LuLu

[paul929207]

Hate that some things needlessly keep people from posting on their Roll Calls ....

When people post to their Roll Call, they are in no way obligated to attend the M&G. Nor does anyone have to post any sort of personal information (such as their cabin #) they don't wish for the roll call list.

Some people don't post on their roll call because a slot pull, cabin crawl, etc. is being planned. These activities are only for those who wish to participate not mandatory for everyone who posts and/or attends the M&G.

LuLu

I figure the only thing really need by the Roll Call is your CC id, which cruise(s) you are on if the Roll Call covers multiple cruises, and first names. Home town, last name, cabin, etc are not needed.

 

Of course, if you don't provide a cabin number, you may not get notified of added events.