How to set up a cabin crawl?

[RiverlandGone]

I've never participated in one before, but would like to help set up one for an upcoming cruise in December, so would appreciate any advice, tips or pointers!

[LookingForward2]

Are you participating in your particular sailing's Roll Call on these boards?

That is usually where people set these up.

Check it out to see first if it's been done already.

If not, suggest it on there:

Ask people 'who is interested in showing their cabin'.

Usually try to get only one of each different type cabin.

Organize it by deck levels if possible.

Keep a list of those interested in showing as well as just attending.

We've usually done it after the Meet and Mingle.

 

come back and let us know after you've checked your roll call.

Have fun planning!

[AlohaLivin]

I enjoy them too. Just post in the roll call if it is something you would like to do or to organize. Some people use a google spread sheet to keep track of those who wish to participate as a host cabin or “crawler”, but I find just keeping a list on my computer/iPad and posting it in the roll call occasionally (with a note that anyone interested is welcomed) is just fine. It is often easiest to do the crawl immediately following the Meet & Mingle. Then you go, as a group, from cabin to cabin (the route as short a route as possible between them).

 

I have seen some cabin crawls that were quite “fancy” (lacking a better term) in that each cabin host had some gift or food “goody” and then the final host had almost a party worth of food and drink. While am sure those are fun, we are just as happy with the laid back types because they are fun with less put on the hosts (we like to make little gift bags for the “crawlers”, but we don’t care even a little bit whether the other hosts do or not). This is where you can really start knowing your fellow cruisers and so one of our favorite activities onboard!

 

as @LookingForward2 said, have fun!

[Mr. Candyman]

Timing is the hardest part of organizing a crawl.  Directly after the M&M is easiest but the ships seem to be throwing the Top Tier parties right after.    

[kernow]

I've organised several on longer cruises and have held them on a sea day mid way through the cruise. I usually schedule it for 11 am and then suggest anyone who wants to goes as a group for lunch in the MDR afterwards. Just post on your roll call and ask if people are interested. Keep a list of cabins and a list of just the 'lookers'. I just post the list every so often to remind new people.

 

Just before the cruise arrange the cabins in deck order, I always do low to high and then I walk the route the day before to check the route. I always try to speak to all the cabins earlier in the cruise so people are happy and know what we are doing. It's actually really easy and a lot of fun.

[ZiggaZagga17]

52 minutes ago, kernow said:

I've organised several on longer cruises and have held them on a sea day mid way through the cruise. I usually schedule it for 11 am and then suggest anyone who wants to goes as a group for lunch in the MDR afterwards. Just post on your roll call and ask if people are interested. Keep a list of cabins and a list of just the 'lookers'. I just post the list every so often to remind new people.

 

Just before the cruise arrange the cabins in deck order, I always do low to high and then I walk the route the day before to check the route. I always try to speak to all the cabins earlier in the cruise so people are happy and know what we are doing. It's actually really easy and a lot of fun.

A great way to learn about cabins and what they have to offer too! I learnt all about the Ben n Jerry cabin perk this way and having been a guest in and visited several types of suite, it's a great way for cruisers to figure out for themselves whether that step up is worth the budget.

A truly enjoyable and highly recommended experience!

Edited September 29, 2019 by ZiggaZagga17
Wrong ice cream!

[DragonOfTheSeas]

I have done a number of cabin crawls--mainly because I love to look at the other cabin types.  😁

 

Join your roll call and ask for people to agree to show their cabins. It is easy to get inside, OV and balcony. Suites are harder to get.

 

Tell them in the first posting that you reserve the right to  organize the cabins in the most concise way.  You will not necessarily take the first offered in a category.  Keep a list of the lookers and one of the cabin hosts.  

 

I usually do them immediately after the M and M.  A few days before the cruise I type out a list of the cabins in order and print off some lists. I ask someone in each group to be the leader and take the lists.  If it is a small cabin crawl you do not need to do this.  However, this is the only way to keep a large one organized.  If there are more than 20-30 participants I break the group into groups of 15-20 and send them in five minute intervals.  [I had one cabin crawl on the first Celebrity Mardi Gras cruise that had 150 lookers signed up.  About 120 people actually stayed to participate.]

[Mr. Candyman]

2 hours ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

I have done a number of cabin crawls--mainly because I love to look at the other cabin types.  😁

 

Join your roll call and ask for people to agree to show their cabins. It is easy to get inside, OV and balcony. Suites are harder to get.

 

Tell them in the first posting that you reserve the right to  organize the cabins in the most concise way.  You will not necessarily take the first offered in a category.  Keep a list of the lookers and one of the cabin hosts.  

 

I usually do them immediately after the M and M.  A few days before the cruise I type out a list of the cabins in order and print off some lists. I ask someone in each group to be the leader and take the lists.  If it is a small cabin crawl you do not need to do this.  However, this is the only way to keep a large one organized.  If there are more than 20-30 participants I break the group into groups of 15-20 and send them in five minute intervals.  [I had one cabin crawl on the first Celebrity Mardi Gras cruise that had 150 lookers signed up.  About 120 people actually stayed to participate.]

So in an instance such as that, some of the ones hosting wouldn't get to view all the cabins right?

[Turangi!]

The way we did it was the first group had the cabin hosts and led the way to their cabin in the order established, staying for the next group, and at the end the hosts joined  the final group to all end up at the last stop, hopefully a generous suite owner who provides some food and drink but I do like the idea of going to lunch in the MDR... I think you should plan on a lead organizer and then a final group leader to gather the hosts and keep things moving along... you don’t want people to overstay their visit... it could get crowded in a small cabin...

 

I haven’t planned one but have participated, showing what I called an oversized OV... one of only 8 on the ship....  so would suggest that the organizer try to find the oddball cabins to show... especially the forward or aft cabins... it is all about the view sometimes!  

[DragonOfTheSeas]

23 minutes ago, Mr. Candyman said:

So in an instance such as that, some of the ones hosting wouldn't get to view all the cabins right?

 

 

4 minutes ago, Turangi! said:

The way we did it was the first group had the cabin hosts and led the way to their cabin in the order established, staying for the next group, and at the end the hosts joined  the final group to all end up at the last stop,.

 

 so would suggest that the organizer try to find the oddball cabins to show...

 

I ask the hosts to join the first group if they wish and then stay in their cabins.  They join the last group if they wish.  I have found only a few hosts choose to do this.  Many of them are veteran cruisers.

 

I join the last group to pick up all of the stragglers.  In that way hosts do not have cruisers over staying.  If the last cabin [a suite] hosts a little party that is on them.  I do not ask for it or plan it. 

 

In fact, I advertise hosting on the cabin crawl by saying hosts do not need to do very much.  The cabin steward will make sure the cabin sparkles. "Please let us come and peek at your cabin,  we will be in and out in 20 minutes or less."

 

Yes, I do look for the oddball cabins.  [family cabins, accessible cabins, unusual balcony size/shapes, etc]  

[RiverlandGone]

I am not having any luck getting folks to agree to show their cabins. How do you initiate interest?  I have only one volunteer!!

[kernow]

28 minutes ago, RiverlandGone said:

I am not having any luck getting folks to agree to show their cabins. How do you initiate interest?  I have only one volunteer!!

That's just the way it goes sometimes, depends on the people on the roll call. 

I'm currently on a roll call and have mentioned doing a cabin crawl and no one has picked up on it at all so don't think we'll be having one. Other times we've had so many volunteers we could pick and choose.

[Hogbay]

4 hours ago, RiverlandGone said:

I am not having any luck getting folks to agree to show their cabins. How do you initiate interest?  I have only one volunteer!!

Easy as book Royal Suit And have a big party  we will go .

[biomedbob]

The Royal Suite always has great parties.  On b2b's we connect on the final day and nicely ask for any leftover refreshments!

[Magicat]

We did one where they combined a poker run with it.  Each room gives out cards and at the end you meet up at a bar and see who wins.  That might entice people.

[RiverlandGone]

Dragon on the seas thanks!!  I used this "Please let us come and peek at your cabin,  we will be in and out in 20 minutes or less."

and now have 4 cabins: rooms with balcony and view of ocean, Boardwalk and Central Park, plus a Jr Suite. One in the group has the 4 bedroom villa (!) but hasn’t yet volunteered to show it 😊

[RiverlandGone]

Thanks everyone!  It’s happening. We’ll go from lower floors to upper. I’ve created the event on FB and CC.  How do I communicate room numbers??  Get them privately from hosts and not publish, right?  People on the crawl just follow the leader to next room without giving out a list?

[kernow]

2 minutes ago, RiverlandGone said:

Thanks everyone!  It’s happening. We’ll go from lower floors to upper. I’ve created the event on FB and CC.  How do I communicate room numbers??  Get them privately from hosts and not publish, right?  People on the crawl just follow the leader to next room without giving out a list?

I always make a list with name, room number and category and post it in the roll call (don't think I would post it on FB). Before I leave home I print enough copies to give one to each host onboard and give them out at the M and M. It's a good way to catch up with people and make sure they know what is happening. If I haven't actually spoken in person to any of the hosts I call their cabin the day before to make sure they are still happy to take part.

[DragonOfTheSeas]

6 hours ago, kernow said:

I always make a list with name, room number and category and post it in the roll call (don't think I would post it on FB). Before I leave home I print enough copies to give one to each host onboard and give them out at the M and M. It's a good way to catch up with people and make sure they know what is happening. If I haven't actually spoken in person to any of the hosts I call their cabin the day before to make sure they are still happy to take part.

I did this, too.  I would not post of FB either.  That is a little more public.  

 

I print a couple of pages worth of lists.  [2 or 3 column--I try not to waste paper]  I give copies to the hosts, so they know where they are in the scheme of things.  I also have enough to give 2 or 3 to each group.  Not everyone needs a copy.  However, you may have some that take the stairs and some elevator users that may get separated briefly.  

 

16 hours ago, RiverlandGone said:

Dragon on the seas thanks!!  I used this "Please let us come and peek at your cabin,  we will be in and out in 20 minutes or less."

and now have 4 cabins: rooms with balcony and view of ocean, Boardwalk and Central Park, plus a Jr Suite. One in the group has the 4 bedroom villa (!) but hasn’t yet volunteered to show it 😊

 

Great!  It sounds like it is coming together.  I would make a couple of more pleas for cabins.  Explain you have enough balcony cabins and that you would LOVE to see some suites.  You may have a number of veteran cruisers and they do not plan to attend the M & M.  If that is the case tell them you would be willing to give then a call on the house phone to let them know the M and M is over and people will start coming around.  I found that once people start to volunteer other will, too. 

[RiverlandGone]

I got mixed reviews when suggesting doing this after M&M as we don’t know exactly when that will be. I’m planning this for day 2 of cruise at 1 pm

 

Is there a usual time for the M&M?? 🤷‍♀️

[neverbeenhere]

Ask the cabin folks to put away their items as some crawlers might have "sticky fingers".  - Sad but true.

 

Nice to start at the top of the ship and work your way down hill. (If possible)

 

Nice to end the crawl by meeting for drinks someplace.

 

 

[Mr. Candyman]

On 10/28/2019 at 1:43 PM, RiverlandGone said:

I am not having any luck getting folks to agree to show their cabins. How do you initiate interest?  I have only one volunteer!!

 Is that only people from CC roll call or are you recruiting from FB as well?

[Mr. Candyman]

3 hours ago, RiverlandGone said:

I got mixed reviews when suggesting doing this after M&M as we don’t know exactly when that will be. I’m planning this for day 2 of cruise at 1 pm

 

Is there a usual time for the M&M?? 🤷‍♀️

  I'm guessing it depends on the ship but lately it's been held at 10:00 a.m.

[RiverlandGone]

thanks.  If it's on  Day 2, that won't interfere with our scheduled cabin crawl! 🙂

[RiverlandGone]

Just wanted to send a big THANK YOU to all of you who gave advice re: setting up a cabin crawl, especially to Dragon of the Seas for the verbiage to use.  We had a WONDERFUL cabin crawl!  Started from the bottom and worked our way up to Crown Loft Suite on deck 17-18.  Got to the see the 4 bedroom Villa, as well as balcony rooms overlooking the ocean, the Boardwalk and Central Park, as well as a variety of ocean view rooms.  This really "made" the cruise for me and my husband, who were traveling on our own.  It was really fun to get to meet other people and run into them often during the cruise.  I'll want to do this on ALL my cruises!!  🙂