use cruise critic

[bronxboy683]

i often wondered while on a cruise what % of people on the cruises all over the ncl system know about and or use it ? most people i mention it to on the ship never heard of cruise critic??

[mdsgu]

I would venture that most people on NCL (or any other mass market cruise line) do not spend inordinate amounts of time researching their vacations. They pay their money and show up.

[pe4all]

I thought I read somewhere that only 3% of cruisers use cruisecritic. Don't remember where or when I read it....

[KeithJenner]

The best guide is the number of people on a roll call. I know some cruise critic regulars who don't participate in roll calls, but I think it's safe to say that most (90% plus) do.

 

Some cruises, such as the transatlantics of new ships, tend to have a very high proportion of CC users, but even then it is somewhere around 10-20% of the passengers (based on a few hundred people on the roll call of a 2-3000 person sailing (that's from memory).

 

Outside of that, in my experience around 100 people on a roll call is very high. That would indicate a proportion in the region of 2-5% on those cruises.

 

I tend to find that the average for a roll call is a lot less than that, rarely more than 1%.

 

It does appear to differ based on location. European and Alaska cruises often have very small roll calls (many don't have enough for a meet and greet), whereas I believe the Caribbean generally has larger numbers.

 

Remember that many people on the roll calls are not regular CC users, but tend to just use it for the roll calls themselves.

 

I certainly wouldn't expect to bump into other CC users when generally around the ship.

[ColinIllinois]

There is a ton of cruising and travel sites out there on the innerwebz, Cruise Critic is just one of the many.

[sverigecruiser]

The best guide is the number of people on a roll call. I know some cruise critic regulars who don't participate in roll calls, but I think it's safe to say that most (90% plus) do.

 

 

I think that 90% participating in roll calls sounds very high.

 

Lots of people don't cruise to get new friends so even if they are active here they may not participate in roll calls.

 

Maybe I'm wrong, I don't know!

 

I know that many don't do much researsch and know very little about their cruise. I have heared people talk about the Haven and lots of people don't know that it exist.

[ExpatBride]

The best guide is the number of people on a roll call. I know some cruise critic regulars who don't participate in roll calls...

 

I don't participate in roll calls because DH and I like our privacy and don't want to be seen as anti-social or rude if we don't want to socialise with the other roll callers for the whole sailing. We tend to keep to ourselves onboard because it's one of the few times a year we get to be together mostly without the distractions of work.

 

Lots of people don't cruise to get new friends so even if they are active here they may not participate in roll calls.

 

This is us.

[RENEGADETOURSALASKA]

I agree

 

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[garycarla]

I agree

 

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You agree with ______? Number of things being discussed - which part did you agree with?

[fshagan]

Roll calls are probably as good an indicator as anything else. While some of you don't participate, in our last roll call on the Jewel we brought two friends who have never used Cruise Critic, and one person had a group of people she brought (20 seniors, I think).

 

The post-cruise survey asks if you have ever heard of Cruise Critic and if you participate here. Like all things social media, the very low percentage participation has an outsized impact on how much they listen.

[KeithJenner]

I may well be wrong with the 90%. It's difficult to know. However, I doubt whether it is far out.

 

It certainly wouldn't surprise me if the proportion of people who regularly post on the NCL forum here that also use the roll call section is quite a bit less than 90%. However, us regular posters make up only a tiny fraction of the total users of the board.

 

 

Lots of people only use the roll call sections, or the ports of call sections. Of those I would guess a very high proportion (near enough 100% amongst those who just use the roll call section) are active on the roll calls.

 

 

Of course it also depends on how you define a CC user. Does someone who posted once 10 years ago count?

 

 

If we are talking about active users of CC as a whole (rather than just the NCL section) then I wouldn't think that my 90% is too far out.

 

 

Whatever, the conclusion is still the same. The proportion of cruisers who use CC is tiny.

[KeithJenner]

Lots of people don't cruise to get new friends so even if they are active here they may not participate in roll calls.

 

I agree with that. However, roll calls aren't just about making new friends. Just look at the number of people who sign up for the roll call but don't attend the M&G for example. Lots of people join the roll calls for many different reasons.

[Gershep]

I don't think many people know of cruise critic. Whether I mention it to people on a cruise or on land when discussing travel I have never met any one that knows of cruise critic. There are also other travel sites that people aren't aware of. I guess it depends how much information or research one wants to do. Personally I enjoy reading and staying informed on changes and reviews.

[RENEGADETOURSALASKA]

Privacy

 

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[RENEGADETOURSALASKA]

Woops wrong reply to

 

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[leisuretraveler223]

The best guide is the number of people on a roll call. I know some cruise critic regulars who don't participate in roll calls, but I think it's safe to say that most (90% plus) do.

 

I think the exact opposite is true. I think 90% of the people that use cruise critic have never attended a roll call. I know I haven't. I find cruise critic to be both a great information resource, and an enjoyable place to read and share about cruising. But I'm not really interested in meeting a whole bunch of people on a cruise. I cruise with people I want to spend time with.

 

Don't get me wrong. If you enjoy that, great. But I strongly believe the the vast majority of people who come here have a very utilitarian perspective. They're here to get information to make their vacation plans and move on.

 

I would suspect the 3% number for cruisers who use this site is about right. I would further speculate the maybe 10% of that 3% actually socialize with other members via a roll call or other event.

[KeithJenner]

I don't participate in roll calls because DH and I like our privacy and don't want to be seen as anti-social or rude if we don't want to socialise with the other roll callers for the whole sailing. We tend to keep to ourselves onboard because it's one of the few times a year we get to be together mostly without the distractions of work.

 

Sorry, just going off topic a bit, but I'm interested in how not signing up for the roll call protects your privacy when onboard.

 

I can see how it could stop you from attending the meet and greet, as people could recognise you around the ship afterwards, but the fact that someone with a screen name of ExpatBride has signed up on the roll call shouldn't have any impact to you once onboard (as long as you don't wear a name badge). :)

 

I always join the roll call, but often don't bother with the M&G. It is nothing to do with making friends or anything like that, but it's a good opportunity to discuss options for what to do in port, as an example. It has provided useful info on occasion and doesn't hurt to do.

 

Of course, it makes no difference to me whether you do or don't check in on the roll calls. I'm not trying to convert you or anything, but I'm interested in why it would affect your privacy.

[ExpatBride]

Sorry, just going off topic a bit, but I'm interested in how not signing up for the roll call protects your privacy when onboard.

 

I can see how it could stop you from attending the meet and greet, as people could recognise you around the ship afterwards, but the fact that someone with a screen name of ExpatBride has signed up on the roll call shouldn't have any impact to you once onboard (as long as you don't wear a name badge). :)

 

I always join the roll call, but often don't bother with the M&G. It is nothing to do with making friends or anything like that, but it's a good opportunity to discuss options for what to do in port, as an example. It has provided useful info on occasion and doesn't hurt to do.

 

Of course, it makes no difference to me whether you do or don't check in on the roll calls. I'm not trying to convert you or anything, but I'm interested in why it would affect your privacy.

 

Since the ship is our destination and we rarely get off in port, I don't have any need to discuss excursions, things to do, etc., so the only reason for me to join the roll call would be to attend the M&G. Or am I missing something?

[KeithJenner]

I think the exact opposite is true. I think 90% of the people that use cruise critic have never attended a roll call.

 

It looks as though there is some confusion as to what a roll call is.

 

You don't attend one. That is a meet and greet. Far fewer people attend those than sign up on the roll call pages.

 

I could rework my numbers based on meet and greets. In my experience, an average meet and greet will involve around 20-30 people (I've seen some about double that size and many cruises where there isn't enough interest to have one at all).

 

If we say that only 10% of CC users attend the meet and greet (I actually think its quite a lot higher than that, probably more like 30%) then this would suggest that there are about 100 CC users onboard, which is around 2-5% again.

 

Again, I will point out the number of people who do use those sections of this site and rarely, if ever post on the cruise line sections. That will push up the proportion who use the roll calls or attest the meet and greets. That's why I think that the proportions I have used aren't too far out, and would point to an even lower proportion of cruisers being CC users.

[KeithJenner]

Since the ship is our destination and we rarely get off in port, I don't have any need to discuss excursions, things to do, etc., so the only reason for me to join the roll call would be to attend the M&G. Or am I missing something?

 

No, you're not missing much. Most of the discussion on roll calls is about options when in port (and I tend to ignore a large number of posts as they are discussing arranging private tours which I'm not interested in doing). We have on occasion picked up some other info from a roll call, but they probably don't offer anything much for you.

 

If anything they are just a nice opportunity to see people discussing our upcoming holiday.

 

As I said, I'm not trying to convince you they are worth joining, or anything like that, but was just interested on the privacy thing.

[texastennis]

I think the exact opposite is true. I think 90% of the people that use cruise critic have never attended a roll call. I know I haven't. I find cruise critic to be both a great information resource, and an enjoyable place to read and share about cruising. But I'm not really interested in meeting a whole bunch of people on a cruise. I cruise with people I want to spend time with.

 

Don't get me wrong. If you enjoy that, great. But I strongly believe the the vast majority of people who come here have a very utilitarian perspective. They're here to get information to make their vacation plans and move on.

 

I would suspect the 3% number for cruisers who use this site is about right. I would further speculate the maybe 10% of that 3% actually socialize with other members via a roll call or other event.

 

Totally agree with everything you've said. I have found CC to be an invaluable source of information, and I linger on this site daily to learn about the cruise I am about to take and those I am considering. I do not participate in the Roll Call but watch the threads to see what people are talking about and mostly to see how many kids they're bringing. It gives me a sense of who is going to be on the cruise to a small degree.

[NLH Arizona]

i often wondered while on a cruise what % of people on the cruises all over the ncl system know about and or use it ? most people i mention it to on the ship never heard of cruise critic??

I usually ask if someone knows about CC on my cruises and the majority say no. I always tell them to try it, because at times there is very good information on here.

[ExpatBride]

No, you're not missing much. Most of the discussion on roll calls is about options when in port (and I tend to ignore a large number of posts as they are discussing arranging private tours which I'm not interested in doing). We have on occasion picked up some other info from a roll call, but they probably don't offer anything much for you.

 

That's what I figured, thanks for confirming.

[Linda the Book Lover]

I enjoy the roll call and have had upsides and two downsides which is not bad in the years we have cruised. Only once did I feel someone was "pushy" and I realized she was just lonely. We did include her to meet for drinks once and along with another couple once. One time on Carnival there was no M&G and the couple met us in the bar and the wife who was very chatty on the thread decided after hello I was not what she expected and said she had to go. The husband continued to be friendly and waved when he saw us. We have done excursions with another couple and it turned out to be alot of fun. We met one couple that continues to be friends with us and we sailed again together.

 

I have run across people who use CC and mostly they have said they did not want the face-to-face portion just information. Everyone is nice and we chat for a few minutes and move on. I think CC posters share alot of good information and I enjoy reading reviews both pro and con. I agree that many people do not use this before cruising. Do I care if there is a M&G? As long as I am not leading it I will stop in.:D The DH said no more...LOL

[KeithJenner]

Just as a very unscientific test, I looked at a thread on this forum (the top one at the time on the board) and had a quick look at the posting history of the people who had posted there.

 

There were 10 people who had posted there, and 8 of those had a posting on the roll call pages amongst their most recent posts.