MITSUGIRLY Cruise Reviews...What should I do?

[rs45thompson]

Thanks for everyone's suggestions. I really appreciate it.

 

FOR THE MOMENT...I have discovered another url shortening site that I was able to get my space even less. Every little extra letter that's decreased counts. I have been working on my signature line for a few days (it's REALLY a lot of work just trying to get the links to work) and have managed to shorten the links/html/url and keep everything on there AND add my last review (Conquest), with all the new port AND my Aruba land vacation as well. However...with another cruise coming up...I'm not sure if it will even fit.

 

In order to add the signature line like mine, there's a lot of html coding involved to get it to work right. Honestly...I don't know what I would have done without Carl (NightOne) and his expertise on coding and how to change up the html coding in order to drop you right off at the beginning of the review mid-page. Cruise Critic changed their boards and upgraded their vBulletin and it had broken all of my links and they all needed to be redone. One by one. Find review, find first post, click only on that first post, bring up html, copy, replace words within it, add more, copy, go to url shortner link, upload in the right spot on signature line...whew. If anyone else wants to know how all this is done...you can find the instructions HERE.

 

Suggestions:

As far as making another account "Mitsugirly2", I'm not sure if I want the hassle of doing that and trying to figure out which reviews are under which screen name. Having to switch back and forth just might be a little annoying for me. So I'll hold off on that for now.

 

Eliminating the old: I have (over the last year) eliminated a few links (and I don't think anyone noticed lol) because they weren't a popular thing to do (like the Seahorse Sail & Snorkel in Nassau) and a few other things that people didn't ever seem to be interested in, ask questions on, or comment. I may have to continue doing that.

 

Making a post (with a link to it in my signature line) that will list everything there. I LOVE that idea...however, I'm trying to think it out. If I create a thread and just list everything in my signature line there...where does that thread get posted? On the NCL forum? The Carnival forum? What about the ports? Each port? That would become a little "blah" because it wouldn't just pertain to one area. The other issue I see is that when I post this link and this new thread is created, when people follow that thread...they are going to post something on that thread (just like in reviews). This eventually creates a lot of post that people have to stiff through in order to find any additional post I have added when new reviews become available.

 

I honestly don't like the idea of just listing the ships, with the link to that review, and telling which ports are within that review and here's why...my reviews are extensively long...pages long (as you all know) and for instance someone looking at my Conquest review and they want to see the Curacao portion...it would take FOREVER to find that review, by clicking page after page until you come to it. That would be very aggravating to people and they would probably give up (I know I would). This day and age of things, we want information readily available at our fingertips and don't want to sift pages and pages (hence the reason everyone goes to the ports and ask a specific question that has been answered over and over instead of using the search button...it's just easier and less time consuming). I'm all about making things easy on someone.

 

So a blog...this has been brought up to me several times in the past. I honestly don't know much about blogs (or really understand them). Well, I mean I know people will just type the places they go, insert some pictures and so on. But MY reviews...well...whew....it would be forever long.

 

HOWEVER, believe it or not, about 2 years ago I started working on a website for my reviews, listing each thing from hotels, ships, ports and so on. IT TAKES FOREVER. Ugh. I work on it here and there, but with the amount of cruising/vacations I do, the amount I need to add just to keep up is crazy...all while still trying to add the old stuff.

 

I have been working on the ports the most (and a few of the hotels). I'm trying to keep it as easy and simple as possible for people to be able to find what they are looking for. The issue is...I have to come to my reviews here on cc...copy and paste the words, try to read over it to see if it makes sense (when you are not following an entire review) and insert pictures along the way. The other problem is, inserting picture after picture on this site is such a pain and takes forever so I'm pretty much forced to insert a bunch at the same time, which kind of takes it out of sequence of the review. Blah.

 

But I'm frantically trying to get a lot of it done while I have the time. I'm not only doing this for everyone on here, but for my family and especially Sakari. Memories after I'm gone that she will be able to look back on, created by her mother.

 

The other thing I wonder is just how many people will actually take the time to go to it to look for the info they need. I know a lot of people on here have blogs (listed in their signature), but honestly, I'm not one that usually goes to look at others blogs. Every so often I'll really want to know something and I'll go "off-site" to explore a blog. Maybe I'm in the minority?

 

Here's a video of what I have been working on and how the site looks so far. I have a LONG way to go. Sigh But it will give you some type of idea how it's going to function. I'm trying to include (not only the review and pictures), but maps, direct websites and so on.

 

 

nrpOPUGnyBY

Oh wow that is fantastic. Can I change my vote? :D

[mitsugirly]

I would love to look at your site let me know when it’s up!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Video of behind the scenes was posted. :D It's just not live yet...but that's what it will look like and how it functions.

Oh wow that is fantastic. Can I change my vote? :D

 

 

Hehe, absolutely. You like?

[belle2]

You could buy a web address through go daddy (very cheap). On your website you could provide links back to all your reviews on CC Then in your signature line just list your web address!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[alalone1017]

**Caution..Super squishy Mitsugirly love Colin at ya**

 

I love the layout of the website you're creating. It looks super easy to navigate..its not crazy busy..it looks very clean, not like a lot of websites you go to that are SO stressful to look at. I think its just fantastic. Love reading your reviews. Its nice to have someone's perspective that is honest and tells it like they see it. I also think its awesome that you are documenting all these memories for Sakari. Does Kendra do reviews as well? I always thought that would be cool to see you both do a review and get that mother/daughter commentary. See the differences..

 

Sent from my LG-K550 using Forums mobile app

[Ralphinsc]

I like the website layout and cannot wait to look through it when it goes live! You do such a great job and have so much great info. Every thread you post here feels like we are going right along on the adventure with you! You do such an awesome job!

[mitsugirly]

**Caution..Super squishy Mitsugirly love Colin at ya**

 

I love the layout of the website you're creating. It looks super easy to navigate..its not crazy busy..it looks very clean, not like a lot of websites you go to that are SO stressful to look at. I think its just fantastic. Love reading your reviews. Its nice to have someone's perspective that is honest and tells it like they see it. I also think its awesome that you are documenting all these memories for Sakari. Does Kendra do reviews as well? I always thought that would be cool to see you both do a review and get that mother/daughter commentary. See the differences..

 

Sent from my LG-K550 using Forums mobile app

 

Thanks so much. Glad you like it and find it easy to navigate. One of the reasons I decided to go that route (instead of doing a blog) is that I thought it would be easier to navigate. I honestly hate blogs and find them hard to navigate and find things.

 

 

No Kendra doesn't do reviews. She just doesn't have time or the effort to do them. She's not even on the cruise forums.

 

 

 

I like the website layout and cannot wait to look through it when it goes live! You do such a great job and have so much great info. Every thread you post here feels like we are going right along on the adventure with you! You do such an awesome job!

 

Thank you and glad you like it.