roll calls and adding people to excursions

[LuckyStar]

As she said, she works full time but is fortunate to be able to cruise often. She has enough on her plate and likes to explore and share her tours with others but has no time to deal with extra paper work. She has stayed away from the roll call for a week now because she doesn't want to respond to this person. I have someone on one of my upcoming cruises that I was on several excursions with on a former cruise and she drove everyone nuts. My friends agreed that we wouldn't go on another tour if we know she is on it. She is kind of doing the same thing on one of my cruises.

 

My friend also said this new person sounds very demanding and pushy. she is also afraid she may end up taking over once the tour starts. Several are tours where the route will be decided once they get in the van.

Your friend is doing this person a favor by organizing a tour at a discount price and they have the nerve to get pushy and demanding? Yep, no good deed goes unpunished. I guess I'm at that age, I'd tell the new person that this is how it is and if they don't like it, they are welcome to book their own tour. More diplomatically, of course. 😇

 

Sent from my SM-T530NU using Tapatalk

[Cindy]

 

My friend also said this new person sounds very demanding and pushy. she is also afraid she may end up taking over once the tour starts. Several are tours where the route will be decided once they get in the van.

 

It might be worth arranging a meet-up on the ship before the day of the tour. We did that last year for St. Petersburg, and it worked well for us as a couple people came with ideas and the whole group discussed them. When we were faced with horrible weather and wanted to make changes the second day, we were all in agreement because we had already talked about it. It would have been a lot harder to make changes if we were starting from scratch.

Edited August 9, 2015 by Cindy

[partybarbie]

I plan private tours and frequently open them up to my roll calls. I enjoy the researching and planning, and like sharing what I find with others. The one thing I don't/won't do is handle money. All the tours I've organized have either been pay the day of or make a deposit directly with the tour operator.

 

 

Exactly! I've organized a few private tours and the monies are always paid directly to the tour operator. I post the information on the roll call and then have the roll call member deal directly with the vendor. It's up to that vendor to try and find a way to guarantee payment for a no show. The vendor knows the number of people he can take, or we can say limit it to 10 persons, etc.

 

I guess I should "knock on wood" because thankfully I haven't had any problems and people seemed to really like the tours.

Edited August 9, 2015 by partybarbie

[sunshine nana]

I agree that the person organizing the tour does not owe anyone a "hold". It's first come, first served. I have appreciated all those who have organized roll call excursions that we have taken on many cruises. We cooperate and don't make demands. I do like the idea of meeting before just to make sure everyone knows what is happening. We had one no show on our last cruise. We still had 3 couples, so it didn't make any difference, but I would not include that couple again.

[RetiredNTraveling]

Well this has certainly been an interesting 3 page read! Up to booking our up-coming cruise, I had only participated in PCL Excursions.

When we started the RC for our cruise (April of 2014), I thought that we needed a Shutterfly site to collect and dispense all of the pertinent info. So I started one, then I quickly found out that I would need a lot of help. (called coordinators) :D

 

Big Difference, a Travel Agent gets paid, the person organizing the private tours does not.

 

Our coordinators spend a terrific amount of time and deserve all of the praise they get. ;) They certainly don't need to take any flack because someone got their nose out of joint! :eek: We currently have in excess of 18 coordinators handling well over 30 events/activities/excursions! Theirs is a labor of Love!

 

I agree that the person organizing the tour does not owe anyone a "hold". It's first come, first served. I have appreciated all those who have organized roll call excursions that we have taken on many cruises. We cooperate and don't make demands. I do like the idea of meeting before just to make sure everyone knows what is happening. We had one no show on our last cruise. We still had 3 couples, so it didn't make any difference, but I would not include that couple again.

 

Some excursions have over 90 people signed up (with over 38 cancellations in the past year and we still have 2 months to go)! :eek:

 

Right now we are trying to decide what to do about cruisers that posted over 12 months ago to go on an excursion. Now we don't know how to contact them or IF they are even still going on this cruise. Well, guess what! We are setting a notification day and if we haven't had an updated confirmation by that date, well I guess it is Bye Bye! If there are cruisers on those waitlists congratulations you will be moved up!

 

If you haven't run a Shutterfly or a Large event/excursion then give it a try and you will appreciate just how much goes into organizing an event/excursion!

 

Sorry but this was just the forum that I need! If anyone has had to drop posters because they dropped off the face of the boards, well let me know. Constructive input is always accepted, but gripe and complaints are disregarded! :rolleyes:

 

Just Mike

[caribill]

Right now we are trying to decide what to do about cruisers that posted over 12 months ago to go on an excursion. Now we don't know how to contact them or IF they are even still going on this cruise.

 

When I organize a tour, I always ask the participants for their full names, e-mail addresses and cabin numbers. I give them the same information about me.

 

So that the information is not public, they do not post it on the roll call but e-mail the info to me.

 

I always verify via e-mail before the cruise that they will still be participating.

[RetiredNTraveling]

When I organize a tour, I always ask the participants for their full names, e-mail addresses and cabin numbers. I give them the same information about me.

 

So that the information is not public, they do not post it on the roll call but e-mail the info to me.

 

I always verify via e-mail before the cruise that they will still be participating.

 

My problem is that the "horse is already out of the barn"! What are our options now?

Edited August 9, 2015 by RetiredNTraveling

[paddingtonbear]

Y

Well this has certainly been an interesting 3 page read! Up to booking our up-coming cruise, I had only participated in PCL Excursions.

When we started the RC for our cruise (April of 2014), I thought that we needed a Shutterfly site to collect and dispense all of the pertinent info. So I started one, then I quickly found out that I would need a lot of help. (called coordinators) :D

 

Right now we are trying to decide what to do about cruisers that posted over 12 months ago to go on an excursion. Now we don't know how to contact them or IF they are even still going on this cruise. Well, guess what! We are setting a notification day and if we haven't had an updated confirmation by that date, well I guess it is Bye Bye! If there are cruisers on those waitlists congratulations you will be moved up!

 

Sorry but this was just the forum that I need! If anyone has had to drop posters because they dropped off the face of the boards, well let me know. Constructive input is always accepted, but gripe and complaints are disregarded! :rolleyes:

 

Just Mike [/color][/size][/font]

 

Your excursions are a lot larger than the ones I organised. We had 4 couples and the first thing I did when they requested a place on a tour was to get their email and communicated the details directly.

 

I guess all you can do now is give people a deadline to confirm. Seems tough though if someone still assumes they are on the tour but doesn't return to your website.

 

Have some people paid? If so you would have to assume they are coming even if you can't contact them again.

 

I'd try and meet everyone onboard the ship before the tours.

Edited August 9, 2015 by paddingtonbear

[Cindy]

Well this has certainly been an interesting 3 page read! Up to booking our up-coming cruise, I had only participated in PCL Excursions.

When we started the RC for our cruise (April of 2014), I thought that we needed a Shutterfly site to collect and dispense all of the pertinent info. So I started one, then I quickly found out that I would need a lot of help. (called coordinators)

 

 

 

Our coordinators spend a terrific amount of time and deserve all of the praise they get. ;) They certainly don't need to take any flack because someone got their nose out of joint! :eek: We currently have in excess of 18 coordinators handling well over 30 events/activities/excursions! Theirs is a labor of Love!

 

 

 

Some excursions have over 90 people signed up (with over 38 cancellations in the past year and we still have 2 months to go)! :eek:

 

Right now we are trying to decide what to do about cruisers that posted over 12 months ago to go on an excursion. Now we don't know how to contact them or IF they are even still going on this cruise. Well, guess what! We are setting a notification day and if we haven't had an updated confirmation by that date, well I guess it is Bye Bye! If there are cruisers on those waitlists congratulations you will be moved up!

 

If you haven't run a Shutterfly or a Large event/excursion then give it a try and you will appreciate just how much goes into organizing an event/excursion!

 

Sorry but this was just the forum that I need! If anyone has had to drop posters because they dropped off the face of the boards, well let me know. Constructive input is always accepted, but gripe and complaints are disregarded! :rolleyes:

 

Just Mike

 

You have quite a conundrum! That's a really large group to try to organize.

 

Why don't you ask people to confirm by e-mail and give them a reasonable deadline? You will need contact information on-board, in case you need to reach people because of changes or to finalize details.

 

You may know this, but under no circumstances should you use ship facilities for any financial transactions. The cruise lines don't take kindly to excursion payments being made on board to anyone but the Shore Excursion Desk!:p There have been a couple threads in the last year or two about passengers getting in trouble on board because they were collecting money for tours. One person was very upset, but they had chosen to do it out in the open at an official ship function!:eek:

[Waynetor]

I agree with the majority here - first to reply to a tour post gets the spot.

 

If a tour organizer has a few roll call members that they want included, then contact them first outside the roll call and then offer any extra spots

 

If too many reply, the organizer has the choice of asking the tour company if they have an extra vehicle or passing the companies name on to one of the late comers to contact the tour company in order to start their own second group.

[Red Hat Cruise Cat]

My problem is that the "horse is already out of the barn"! What are our options now?

 

If the ship hasn't sailed, then your horse is not out of the barn.

 

Immediately, post your e-mail on your Roll Call and tell everyone that has signed up for your tours, that they need to send you an e-mail confirming that they are going on your tour. Have them include:

 

Full names

CC Name

Cabin Number

e-mail

 

Give them a deadline by which to reply, if they don't reply, let them know they are removed from the tour.

 

 

I have arranged many private tours, and usually, you have to guarantee the numbers in order to get a specific price. Unfortunately, since there is no deposit required, some people will sign up and then not show up. Having their names and e-mails, you can contact them right before sailing and again on the ship if necessary. This gives you time to contact the tour operator and adjust the numbers, or find replacements.

Edited August 10, 2015 by Red Hat Cruise Cat

[ar1950]

...................

All the spaces on something you want to do are already pre-booked by the ship. :eek: An example of this was a few years back when I wanted to do the America's Cup yacht sailing in St Martin. At the time, the price was not bad with Princess. They only had private bookings when none of certain lines were in port, so then worked for the folks staying on-island. No idea what the situation is now.

......................

 

Pretty much the same when we did it last December. They would only book you privately if you had local contact information, ie:hotel or private residence on the island.

[shredie]

If the ship hasn't sailed, then your horse is not out of the barn.

 

 

I think I should needlepoint that! :D

[Steelers36]

I think I should needlepoint that! :D

 

And I'm imagining what it might look like. ;). Maybe it could make it to one of the stairwell walls as an art piece - you never know!

[Colo Cruiser]

I think I should needlepoint that! :D

 

 

Yes! :D

[shredie]

And I'm imagining what it might look like. ;). Maybe it could make it to one of the stairwell walls as an art piece - you never know!

 

Throw pillow.

[Nicagal]

Was discussing this with friends last weekend. I don't get real involved in roll calls and haven't signed in lately but my friend organized a number or excursions on their lengthy upcoming cruise. She said a new member signed in (new to cc) and in the first post said they were interested in any excursions available. There were a couple cruise cancellations the next week and when my friend posted that there were openings, this new person sent her an email within 10 minutes asking to be put on them. Same went for other excursions. So here is my question:

 

Do you think new rc members should be able to sign up before members that have been on for over a year?? My friend received an upsetting email from one of the original first month members saying she had asked about joining months earlier. Friend does not like to keep waiting lists - says she is not a travel agent and doesn't want to deal with keeping lists. The note stated this "new" member has not added any information to the rc, just took advantage of good deals on tours. This person wants her to bump the "new" member and give them the spots. My friend doesn't want to post - is afraid of backlash. In every case, this new person posted within a half hour of the tours becoming available - does he live on the roll call page? Or have a buzzer that goes off with a new post??

 

Thanks

 

Any comments??

 

 

As someone who has been putting a lot of effort into planning private tours for my upcoming cruise and looking for others to share the tours with I have to say first come first serve...

Unless it is stated from the beginning that there are rules as to who can join etc.

 

I chose to set everything up in a spreadsheet that everyone on our cruise can see. It shows availability and who is signed up for what. We also asked everyone to provide an email address. When a member wanted a tour posted they posted the info for me or emailed it to me. It is up to the members to keep up with the threads, you miss a day and sometimes you miss pages of posts...some days you miss nothing. You snooze you lose... My cell alerts me whenever there is a new post... That is how active I have CHOSEN to be on my rollcall... You can CHOOSE to be active or not. I also do not think it should be frowned upon for being that active!! Again it's a choice. My phone alerts me, I choose sometimes to respond right away, other times I choose to ignore it. I do not think it is fair that just because someone booked their cruise later than someone that they should not have access to any openings. Now you cannot complain if you are late on roll call and the private tours have all booked up... that is totally different.

 

I arranged my own tours for myself, and if others wanted to join that is great! However, as others have said, there will always be those bad seeds in the group. As someone said they seem like they will take over... We have group leaders and it is their job to be in charge, if you want to be in charge of a group, take the initiative like many others do and set up your own tour! ;)

 

I prefer to do private tours as they are typically cheaper and way smaller groups. I made sure I looked up reputable companies, that if someone no-showed or canceled at the last minute that it would not affect me! The company's take a visa # etc for booking purposes only, you no-show, they charge you...then I don't get stung in the end.

Edited August 11, 2015 by Nicagal

[azdmelani]

No! First come first served. :p

 

Yes, exactly. I assume these are for privately organized tours?

 

I've planned a few for my upcoming trip, and the sooner i get them filled the better. You snooze, you lose!

[caribill]

I do keep a wait list and if someone cancels I contact the waitlist (in waitlist order) before publicizing an opening.

 

Main reason for doing it this way is if pricing is based on # of participants, best way to fill up a cancelled slot. There may not be anyone who sees an opening on the roll call that wants the spots.

[suzyed]

I have to admit, that this has happened to me...a newbie got on CC and got on a tour I was about to join. I was disappointed, since it seems like I am constantly on CC and wondered how on earth I missed it!

 

In the end....I believe...."You snooze, you lose"! ;):p

[mysaddlebred000]

Wow, what a response. That is all but the English teacher that doesn't like the way I write.

 

Just an update. Had dinner with my friend last night. I think she was on the right track not wanting the new person on her tour. Another roll call member sent her an email and told her to stay far away from this person. She went on to say this person is a control freak and managed to talk to the driver behind everyone's back and told him they all wanted to go to a different site than was first arranged on the tour they shared. No one knew the countryside and did not realize it until they arrived at the location. They were all very unhappy with this individual and no apology was offered.

 

My friend planned this tour to go to sites she wanted to see and then she offered spots for others to join her if they wanted to go to those same locations. So, she doesn't want the hassle of the new person trying to change things - I don't blame her. And she offered the two spots to other people and not the new person. It's a different story when you say "we can change the itinerary once we get underway"

[paul929207]

I never understood why she said "we can change the itinerary once we get underway". That is just asking for trouble. She planned the itinerary. It is what it is.

[mysaddlebred000]

I never understood why she said "we can change the itinerary once we get underway". That is just asking for trouble. She planned the itinerary. It is what it is.

 

No, my friend never said that. I have joined tours where the organizer has said that and I was just saying that it is different if the tour was posted saying we can change things once we get on the bus.

 

BUt my friend posted exactly where she had planned to go.

[paul929207]

No, my friend never said that. I have joined tours where the organizer has said that and I was just saying that it is different if the tour was posted saying we can change things once we get on the bus.

 

BUt my friend posted exactly where she had planned to go.

OK. Sorry I misunderstood.