What happened to our Meet & Mingle?

[lola2013]

Just off Jewel of the Seas..."spoke" with other cruisers for over a year in anticipation of this great adventure.  Signed up for the M&M, received an e-mail pre-cruise to let us know we reached the minimum amount of participants for the event to happen...…….and then nothing!  I presumed the details of the event would be left in my stateroom shortly after the trip began.  When there was no notification, I went to Guest Services to ask if I had missed it.  I was told that not enough people had signed up after all.  Our group alone was 12 people; and based on others that I spoke with pre-cruise, we should have had well over the minimum # (which is 25) for the event to happen.  Obviously, nothing can be done about it now...but we were looking forward to meeting all the people that we had gotten to know (if only on C.C.).

 

Not sure who dropped the ball...C.C. or RCCL?

[banzaii]

Has nothing to do with CC, other than they link to RCCL M&Ms

[PelicanBill]

There are increasing reports of invitations not going out with reliability as well.  Some concerns that Royal may be losing interesting in these events.  Tell them in your surveys that you like this event.

 

And organize your own events.  I organized a sailaway and a couple of bar meets for our cruise, and not sure if we will see a meet n mingle next week on Anthem or not!

[Maraprince]

Same thing happened on our Adventure of the Seas 5/31 sailing --  no Meet & Mingle  --  no invites.

 

😞

 

Maraprince

[Maraprince]

What happened to our Meet & Mingle?  Our sailing met the reqjuired minimum number of passengers who signed up.  No invite, nothing????  What gives?????

 

First time ever to have no Meet & Mingle on a RCL ship.

 

Very disappointing.

 

 

MARAPRINCE

[wolfcathorse]

you probably didn't get the invite. The LA would have told you when it was if you didn't have the invite in your cabin when you boarded. It's always the first sea day around 10 or 11 am up in the Viking Crown Lounge (usually, the larger ships that get a lot of people signed up can hold it in the theater or music hall).

[wolfcathorse]

a while back RCI had a glitch (no surprise) that erased all the registrations for the meet 'n mingle. Perhaps it struck again.

[kochleffel]

There seems to be a lot of inconsistency in delivery of the invitations:

 

[Dewaldcruiser]

On our cruise six months ago on the Freedom, we did not receive an invite in our room.  I went to the customer service desk and asked.  Eventually, they were able to track down someone who knew the day & time and we just showed up.  There were only about ten people there.

 

We heard from someone else a couple of days later that they had also never received their invite.  Seems that at least sometimes, the invites are not diligently delivered.  If you are sure that there are the requisite twenty people signed up for your cruise and you do not receive you invite, just go to customer service and ask.

[Maraprince]

 

Too late for that now!!!

 

What a disappointment since it would have been nice to put names to the faces on the Roll Call.

 

MARAPRINCE

[KBYUCougar]

I called RC about hearing reports of problems with the M&Ms this morning. The person I talked to said that RC has very little to do with them and that is all up to CC to put the event on and plan it. She said they couldn't even see if the minimum had been met. Someone on our roll call reported problems signing up and RC told them you register for the event once they were on board the ship. I didn't think it worked this way... But then again this will be my first time attending one of these events.

[DISFANS3]

Is M-M a thing in the past? Great times at M-M 10 years ago, lots of people and food and draw prize from the ship. My last M_M was on the Freedom last March, 25 people made reservation only 6 people showed up, also did not know about time or place until day two. I think the RCI host could care less...  

[Clarea]

1 hour ago, DISFANS3 said:

Is M-M a thing in the past? ...

 

It sure seems that way from recent reports on board and the lack of functionality on Royal's website for the last year or so.

[banzaii]

4 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

It sure seems that way from recent reports on board and the lack of functionality on Royal's website for the last year or so.

So am I wrongly asuming that the M&M list is managed by RCCL, it is on their web page?  The registration page says CC and RCCL are working together to put them on.

 

So who is not doing their part?

[Clarea]

9 minutes ago, banzaii said:

So am I wrongly asuming that the M&M list is managed by RCCL, it is on their web page?  The registration page says CC and RCCL are working together to put them on.

 

So who is not doing their part?

 

In my experience with the M&M, the registration, maintenance of the list, and notification of M&M time/place  have always been Royals responsibility.  I believe Cruise Critic only provides a link to Royal's website.

[ryano]

The cruise lines are trying their best to get away from doing them IMHO.  Same thing is happening on Carnival and Carnival hasnt even been doing them that long.    They can claim "lack of participation" as a reason to 86 them if they dont get the invites out in a timely manner and no one shows up. 

 

Its always best if you are in a Roll call or on a certain social media platform that shall remain unnamed group to set up your own unofficial meet and greet.  They are better anyway IMO.   The last one I set up on a Carnival cruise we had around 200 stop by.  I pre arranged it through John Heald to have it in the Red Frog Pub.  Totally filled the Pub.  The bar attendants made bank on all the extra tips from ordered food and drink.

Edited June 14, 2019 by ryano

[HBE4]

3 hours ago, DISFANS3 said:

Is M-M a thing in the past? Great times at M-M 10 years ago, lots of people and food and draw prize from the ship. My last M_M was on the Freedom last March, 25 people made reservation only 6 people showed up, also did not know about time or place until day two. I think the RCI host could care less...  

 

1 hour ago, Host Clarea said:

 

It sure seems that way from recent reports on board and the lack of functionality on Royal's website for the last year or so.

 

I wonder if part of the problem is that while many people sign up, how many actually show up? I'm guilty of not attending the last M&M I signed  up for (several years ago under my wife's CC account).  It was at 10 am on Day 2 and the severe lack of sleep several nights pre-cruise caused us to sleep in and not wake up until 10:30!!   The M&M before that, it seemed most people were interested in getting a free danish & lanyards. lol.

 

Plus, there are so many more social media platforms theses days and with improved on-ship communication (wif-fi and such), it seems more and more people are arranging informal gathering outside of the Roll Calls. 

 

And maybe the demographics are changing. With larger ships encouraging larger groups (multi-generational families, etc) to travel together, they simply do not have enough time to meet others. Plus with all of the activities on board.....

 

 

 

[DHADEN]

On 6/11/2019 at 8:04 AM, banzaii said:

Has nothing to do with CC, other than they link to RCCL M&Ms

 

The whole premise of the Meet & Mingle Party has EVERYTHING to do with Cruise Critic.  When the CC website began, it was completely Royal Caribbean Chat Board - that's when CC made a deal (I think it was an actual contract) with RCI to put on the party if they (Cruise Critic) could drum up enough interest (via your minimum of 25  registered) with RCI cruises.  The list of REGISTERED GUESTS, is supposed to be emailed to the Cruise Director Staff evey cruise from RCI Corporate;  then the staff onboard is supposed to put out the invitations and set it up.

 

10 hours ago, KBYUCougar said:

I called RC about hearing reports of problems with the M&Ms this morning. The person I talked to said that RC has very little to do with them and that is all up to CC to put the event on and plan it. She said they couldn't even see if the minimum had been met. Someone on our roll call reported problems signing up and RC told them you register for the event once they were on board the ship. I didn't think it worked this way... But then again this will be my first time attending one of these events.

 

Once again, RCI Customer Service does not know what they are talking about.  I don't know if they are TOLD to "Make Something Up when you don't know the answer, or if they just do that because they really don't care.

 

1 hour ago, Host Clarea said:

 

In my experience with the M&M, the registration, maintenance of the list, and notification of M&M time/place  have always been Royals responsibility.  I believe Cruise Critic only provides a link to Royal's website.

 

Cruise Critic CREATED the Meet & Mingle Parties, and also, in cooperation with RCI CREATED the registrations for the party.

 

Hope This Helps.

 

[HBE4]

33 minutes ago, ryano said:

Its always best if you are in a Roll call or on a certain social media platform that shall remain unnamed group to set up your own unofficial meet and greet.  They are better anyway IMO.   The last one I set up on a Carnival cruise we had around 200 stop by.  I pre arranged it through John Heald to have it in the Red Frog Pub.  Totally filled the Pub.  The bar attendants made bank on all the extra tips from ordered food and drink.

 

Now, an afternoon M&M with drinks and food available I could see myself attending. Much like cocktail hour prior to a wedding reception.

[springfire]

On 6/11/2019 at 8:57 AM, lola2013 said:

Just off Jewel of the Seas..."spoke" with other cruisers for over a year in anticipation of this great adventure.  Signed up for the M&M, received an e-mail pre-cruise to let us know we reached the minimum amount of participants for the event to happen...…….and then nothing!  I presumed the details of the event would be left in my stateroom shortly after the trip began.  When there was no notification, I went to Guest Services to ask if I had missed it.  I was told that not enough people had signed up after all.  Our group alone was 12 people; and based on others that I spoke with pre-cruise, we should have had well over the minimum # (which is 25) for the event to happen.  Obviously, nothing can be done about it now...but we were looking forward to meeting all the people that we had gotten to know (if only on C.C.).

 

Not sure who dropped the ball...C.C. or RCCL?

Sorry to hear about this.   We did a cruise on the Jewel in February and they did such a wonderful job with the M&M.  

[HBE4]

9 minutes ago, DHADEN said:

The whole premise of the Meet & Mingle Party has EVERYTHING to do with Cruise Critic.  When the CC website began, it was completely Royal Caribbean Chat Board - that's when CC made a deal (I think it was an actual contract) with RCI to put on the party if they (Cruise Critic) could drum up enough interest (via your minimum of 25  registered) with RCI cruises.  The list of REGISTERED GUESTS, is supposed to be emailed to the Cruise Director Staff evey cruise from RCI Corporate;  then the staff onboard is supposed to put out the invitations and set it up.

 

 

I always wondered why the RC Roll Call thread had "Meet-and-Mingle" in the title....and Celebrity had "Connections".

 

Does that mean other cruise lines (Princess or NCL) do not have M&M?

 

[FionaMG]

The M&Ms used to be great way back when. Everyone would get a notepad on a string to write their screen name on to help put faces to names, there would be drinks and nibbles, and usually some of the senior officers would make an appearance. The very best one I went to was on an 11 night Brilliance cruise to Egypt way back in April 2009. Fantastic party atmosphere. 

Unfortunately it's all been pretty much downhill since then. At the last one I attended, on Navigator last December, it was as if the host couldn't get it over and done with fast enough. He introduced himself, went straight to raffle  (worst prizes ever) and then cleared off. I think all in all it probably lasted about 15 minutes. 

[NancyIL]

12 minutes ago, FionaMG said:

The M&Ms used to be great way back when. Everyone would get a notepad on a string to write their screen name on to help put faces to names, there would be drinks and nibbles, and usually some of the senior officers would make an appearance. The very best one I went to was on an 11 night Brilliance cruise to Egypt way back in April 2009. Fantastic party atmosphere. 

Unfortunately it's all been pretty much downhill since then. At the last one I attended, on Navigator last December, it was as if the host couldn't get it over and done with fast enough. He introduced himself, went straight to raffle  (worst prizes ever) and then cleared off. I think all in all it probably lasted about 15 minutes. 

 

That's pretty much how our Nov. 25 Oasis M&M went - once we found out about it from Guest Services the morning of!

[hallux]

8 hours ago, ryano said:

The cruise lines are trying their best to get away from doing them IMHO

Careful with generalizations.  NCL all but rolled out the red carpet on my cruise in April.  They shut down a venue for the event, had mimosas, pot stickers, chicken wings, egg rolls and introduction of many of the top managers/officers on board with opportunity to mingle with them.  Someone on the board put together the roll call, got a rough number, contacted NCL and got it all set up, with the only cost being anything she printed for reminder cards.

 

I DID hear that Royal, in particular, seemed to be less willing to embrace such events for some reason.

[gadaboutgal]

MSC cruiselines does a wonderful job at hosting a meet and mingle event. Cruise director is the MC and the Senior officers including the captain attend.  There are drinks, nibbles, and cake.  But then again, MSC, is putting on its best impression to win the American market.  Maybe Royal no longer cares?