Did I Choose Wrong Ship??

[Lovincruisin1321]

I am new to Holland America.

 

I booked the Veendam for a Holiday Cruise on Dec 28. No one seems to be jumping on the roll call except one person.

 

There is also another Holiday Cruise on the Nieuw Amsterdam on Dec 30. Not even a Roll Call started on that one. Where are the fun people???

[Hlitner]

Just a moment of humor (humour for you Brits) regarding HAL. A couple of years ago we were on a longer HAL cruise when we had drinks with some new-found friends. I happened to mention Cruise Critic and they both gave me a funny look and asked "what is Cruise Critic." Now this couple had hundreds of days on HAL (so do we) so I was somewhat surprised. I mentioned that it was the largest cruise oriented web site in the world and we got another puzzled look. They explained that they do not use the Internet and also did not even own a Cell Phone. Such is the nature of some HAL cruisers who have been on the line forever, are world travelers, but who are stuck in the past and do not use ATMs (we have met quite a few of those), Internet, Cell Phones, etc. Is this the norm on HAL? No way. Most are quite up to date. But HAL still does have its share of those who prefer to see a world like it was in the 50s.

 

Hank

[rkacruiser]

I am on Roll Calls for the Royal Princess' December 29, 2018 cruise as well as the Nieuw Statendam's January 6 and 13, 2019 cruises. All 3 of the Roll Calls have been quiet with some participation from time to time. Very recently, the activity and conversations have increased on all 3 of them. As your sailing date approaches, I would expect more participation. Be patient. But, also keep checking and maybe making comments on your Roll Call. That may encourage responses.

[CruiserBruce]

Because the Roll Calls are quiet you think you picked the wrong ship?

 

You realize that perhaps, being generous, 5% of all cruisers are on Cruise Critic? And that not all members here participate in Roll Calls?

 

The activity on Roll Calls will absolutely not affect your enjoyment of your cruise.

[ellieanne]

Are you exited about the cruise and happy with the itinerary?

Are you going to be on vacation, with someone else to do all the cooking and cleaning up for you?

 

If the answer to those questions is Yes, then you did not choose the wrong ship.

[avian777]

... The activity on Roll Calls will absolutely not affect your enjoyment of your cruise.

 

There may actually be an inverse relationship between RC participation and cruise enjoyment!!:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

[dznymom]

I cruise lots of cruise lines, and my experience with HAL roll calls is that they are much quieter than others. In part I think its because so many HAL cruisers are very experienced, and don't need to pick up hints and info from the roll call. Also, Veendam is a small ship, with only 1200 or so total passengers, & the vast majority will have no clue what CC is! But, I have noticed most of mine picked up a bit in the last few weeks before sailing. Hopefully yours will get some traffic soon!

[0bnxshs]

I have noticed that the trend in using Cruise Critic's roll calls has been declining over the years. Don't be too concerned. Often for the roll calls, it takes 1 or 2 super enthusiastic members to really get a roll call going. Jump in and volunteer to host a Meet and Greet (it's really quite easy to set up with HAL), start posting about tours, either HALs or private ones, that you are interested in and the like. Also, check HALs Face book pages; there are roll calls there as well and there may be an active one for your cruise there. But don't wash your cruise or the ship down the drain based on roll call participation here. While a roll call can enhance your fun, give you ready made friends on board and the like, you'll find friends on board so long as you engage in a few activities; happy hours, trivia, bingo, lectures, etc. Sometimes sharing a table at lunch will start up a life-long cruise friendship. Relax and enjoy your cruise! :D

[Krazy Kruizers]

Many Roll Calls are very inactive. That is normal.

I am one who hasn't joined a Roll Call in quite a number of years -- have tons of days on HAL and Princess. Have also sailed other cruise lines.

Just go and enjoy your vacation.

Happy New Year!!

[Hlitner]

I should have added that we are in that group that no longer uses the Roll Call on a regular basis. We only post if we have a specific cruise related reason such as joining with some others on a tour. But over the years we have been generally turned off by Roll Calls after reading about people's dogs, cats, deaths in the family, etc.

 

Hank

[ellieanne]

I don't join Roll Calls anymore because I find they are more about getting people to fill out numbers for private tours than anything else. And I am not interested in arranging private tours.

[Homosassa]

I find that if one is cruising on any cruiseline that has a large number of experienced travelers that already know how they wish to spend time in their cruise vacation, the roll call will be inactive.

 

I have no wish to read daily weather reports from posters in the months leading up to the cruise and have no interest in private tours.

[avian777]

I don't join Roll Calls ... because I find they are more about getting people to fill out numbers for private tours than anything else. And I am not interested in arranging private tours.

 

Ditto. (y)(y)(y) ... additionally, we have no desire to serve as sounding boards for malcontents and other blowhards, pretenders and poseurs.

[kochleffel]

I don't join Roll Calls anymore because I find they are more about getting people to fill out numbers for private tours than anything else. And I am not interested in arranging private tours.

 

OTOH, I am interested in joining some private tours, and I've found Roll Calls useful. In general I'd rather be in a van with seven people I've exchanged messages with than in a bus with 55 strangers. And this spring I was the organizer of a self-guided tour at one port and connected with all but one of the participants through the Roll Call. That cruise was not on HAL and I agree with another post that mentioned the size of the ship as a factor in RC activity.

 

I have not encountered blowhards or malcontents in other lines' Roll Calls, nor have I seen daily weather reports from home, stories about grandchildren or pets, or much of anything that wasn't relevant.

[VTcruisenut]

FYI: there is never a "bad" ship on Holland America! and how can any cruise not be exciting! You will love it. And they decorate so beautifully for the Holidays!

[Globehoppers]

I am new to Holland America.

 

I booked the Veendam for a Holiday Cruise on Dec 28. No one seems to be jumping on the roll call except one person.

 

There is also another Holiday Cruise on the Nieuw Amsterdam on Dec 30. Not even a Roll Call started on that one. Where are the fun people???

 

The "fun people" do not require a "roll call" to have fun. No need for a scheduled midnight conga line around the pool, drunk fest bar to bar, and my favorite "cabin crawls" to see how the "other half" live. Most of all, "fun people" don't need a sub "roll call" managed by a fellow passenger to know how to have fun and keep in touch with others on board.

[avian777]

The "fun people" do not require a "roll call" to have fun. No need for a scheduled midnight conga line around the pool, drunk fest bar to bar, and my favorite "cabin crawls" to see how the "other half" live. Most of all, "fun people" don't need a sub "roll call" managed by a fellow passenger to know how to have fun and keep in touch with others on board.

 

Spot on! (y)(y)(y)

[Adoptionmsw]

I am on the Veendam right now on a cruise to Cuba. We had an active roll call and about 50 people at the meet and greet. The ship is in excellent shape except for one thing. At least 50 of the teak deck chairs on the promenade deck have no cushions. On this cruise there are seven sea days. The front desk has no explanation. I wish I had brought a gym mat or something to sit on.

 

 

 

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