What's with the roll call t-shirts?

[Markanddonna]

Several of my roll calls receive a petition from a mother of an autistic son who is just starting a business making custom t-shirts for roll calls. They show a mockup of the t-shirt with the cruise name and date. Is is also on FB? Has anyone else seen these?  It appears to be some company in China or other part of Asia.  The person also asks to join the roll call.  To me, it smells of a scam.

[mom says]

Have you reported those posts? Definitely against posting guidelines.

[GeezerCouple]

9 minutes ago, Markanddonna said:

Several of my roll calls receive a petition from a mother of an autistic son who is just starting a business making custom t-shirts for roll calls. They show a mockup of the t-shirt with the cruise name and date. Is is also on FB? Has anyone else seen these?  It appears to be some company in China or other part of Asia.  The person also asks to join the roll call.  To me, it smells of a scam.

 

Doesn't sound appropriate, or it would probably rapidly get out of hand.

😡

 

(We used to create tons of these types of things, but mugs, champagne flutes, post-it pads, pens, a little stuffed animal, etc., except they were ALL left as gifts for our rental guests at our vacation rental properties.  Great advertising, we figured... good memories for them, and perhaps their friends/etc, would see them.  So even though it was a commercial endeavor, we still didn't sell the souvenirs.  It would be so simple for us to do it again, but with a Roll Call... let's see... mugs, pens, tote bags, Oh My!)

 

Did you report this to the Mods here?

 

GC

[shipgeeks]

I have seen it "elsewhere".  One of the following comments was that it is a scam.

[Flatbush Flyer]

DUH! Of course, it’s a scam!

[crystalspin]

1 hour ago, Markanddonna said:

The person also asks to join the roll call.  To me, it smells of a scam.

The three dots, top right of the message, choose REPORT.

[ldubs]

What does it mean by a "person asks to join the roll call"?  Can't anyone join a roll call?  

BTW, agree it sounds fishy and I would avoid.  

[navybankerteacher]

14 minutes ago, ldubs said:

What does it mean by a "person asks to join the roll call"?  Can't anyone join a roll call?  

BTW, agree it sounds fishy and I would avoid.  

Yes -- any one can join a roll call - but that tee shirt bit sounds more like "free enterprise" -- actually not necessarily a "scam" --  if you get the tee shirt you order and pay for;  rather just some aggressive marketing by someone with an idea.

 

I would not be interested in a "roll call shirt" even if were clearly endorsed by the cruise line, and blessed by the Vatican, but that's just me

 

And, by the way, the fact that the tee shirts might be made "..in China or other parts of Asia..."  is hardly significant.   How long has it been since you have seen a tee shirt which was NOT made "...in China or other parts of Asia..."?

Edited December 11, 2022 by navybankerteacher

[ldubs]

3 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

Yes -- any one can join a roll call - but that tee shirt bit sounds more like "free enterprise" -- actually not necessarily a "scam" --  if you get the tee shirt you order and pay for;  rather just some aggressive marketing by someone with an idea.

 

I would not be interested in a "roll call shirt" even if were clearly endorsed by the cruise line, and blessed by the Vatican, but that's just me

 

Yeah, I wear a lot of T shirts but might not want a "roll call" one, whatever that means.   I hope you are right about it not being a scam.  

   

[jsn55]

Why would someone starting a biz making t-shirts mention that she had an autistic son?  Only reason I can see is to gain sympathy so people order her shirts.  It seems like a good idea, but I don't know how many of us wear t-shirts except to do domestic work.

[navybankerteacher]

59 minutes ago, jsn55 said:

... but I don't know how many of us wear t-shirts except to do domestic work.

Or to test the dress code enforcement in cruise line MDR's.

[lisiamc]

This particular approach is popping up on several social media sites, for many different cruise lines and roll calls. The person responsible presents it as being her autistic child making these, but this child must be incredibly busy to make these (potentially) thousands of t-shirts. Just like I don’t believe the friend requests I get with photos of handsome, supposedly widowed military men are real, I also don’t believe the autistic child is real. I would be quite surprised to learn that the t-shirts are real, for that matter.

Edited December 11, 2022 by lisiamc

[ldubs]

2 hours ago, jsn55 said:

Why would someone starting a biz making t-shirts mention that she had an autistic son?  Only reason I can see is to gain sympathy so people order her shirts.  It seems like a good idea, but I don't know how many of us wear t-shirts except to do domestic work.

 

They are kinda everyday wear for me (no not formal night).  

[Shmoo here]

29 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

They are kinda everyday wear for me (no not formal night).  

Ditto.  I have an extensive t-shirt collection (over 40 years in the making).  I can go a whole year and not wear the same t-shirt.

[ldubs]

1 minute ago, Shmoo here said:

Ditto.  I have an extensive t-shirt collection (over 40 years in the making).  I can go a whole year and not wear the same t-shirt.

 

I have a way to go to match your collection but I can fully understand.  It is sad day when one of the favorites gets to the point it has to go in the rag bin.  

 

My current favorite, which I've had a long time, is a Clippers #24 World B. Free T-shirt.  I pretty much wear it only a few times a year on sea days and always get a comment from my fellow old dudes.  Haha.    

[Flatbush Flyer]

7 hours ago, ldubs said:

… Can't anyone join a roll call? …

I thought the CC rule is that posting on a Roll Call is only supposed to be done by folks on that Roll Call’s cruise.

[shipgeeks]

I think the reference to Roll Call is not re CC.  The one I've seen, a couple of times, is on a fb group for a particular cruise.  There will be a photo of a shirt with "RC - X of the Seas - Caribbean Cruise March 3, 2023" or whatever that group is.  Membership in those groups, for particular cruises, do need to be authorized by an admin, but I'm sure some slip through the cracks.  The feeling is that it is a scam.

[GeezerCouple]

9 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

I have a way to go to match your collection but I can fully understand.  It is sad day when one of the favorites gets to the point it has to go in the rag bin.  

 

My current favorite, which I've had a long time, is a Clippers #24 World B. Free T-shirt.  I pretty much wear it only a few times a year on sea days and always get a comment from my fellow old dudes.  Haha.    

 

We both have waaaay too many t-shirts, as that's something we somehow manage to "want" on any interesting trip.  Better than knick-knacks galore, I suppose.

 

One of my favorites is getting a bit worn, and because it was a "really cheap touristy" t-shirt, the print is rubbing off.  It's from Curaçao, and it is bright red with white lettering

Cura Cao

but that white lettering is in the exact style of the script "Diet Coke".

Since I'm a Diet Coke junkie (I'm often seen carrying a bottle around; they should be paying me for advertising!), it's just perfect.

 

But we've never been back.  I should have gotten a few.  (Ah, did I mention how we "somehow" accumulate too many t-shirts!?)  Because the print wearing off, I don't wear it.  Not an ideal way to enjoy a favorite t-shirt. 😡

 

GC

[ldubs]

9 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

I thought the CC rule is that posting on a Roll Call is only supposed to be done by folks on that Roll Call’s cruise.

 

That would make sense.  It would have to be on the honor system I guess.  It looks like the only guideline is that one must be logged on to access a Role Call. 

 

5 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

I think the reference to Roll Call is not re CC.  The one I've seen, a couple of times, is on a fb group for a particular cruise.  There will be a photo of a shirt with "RC - X of the Seas - Caribbean Cruise March 3, 2023" or whatever that group is.  Membership in those groups, for particular cruises, do need to be authorized by an admin, but I'm sure some slip through the cracks.  The feeling is that it is a scam.

 

That clears up a lot - thanks.   

[CHEZMARYLOU]

I am a co administrator on another social media site for an upcoming cruise.  This person, or someone similar, posted the "T-shirt made by my autistic son". It was reported and deleted.

[Mum2Mercury]

On 12/10/2022 at 7:44 PM, navybankerteacher said:

Yes -- any one can join a roll call - but that tee shirt bit sounds more like "free enterprise" -- actually not necessarily a "scam" --  if you get the tee shirt you order and pay for;  rather just some aggressive marketing by someone with an idea.

I agree.  To me, it sounds like a mom trying to build herself a side-hussle for some extra cash -- and perhaps she's a bit over-zealous in her advertising.  

 

Still, such a tee would not appeal to me in the least.  Her attempts at marketing would not bother me; I'd just ignore them.