Do you Appreciate Cruise Critic's Openness to Opposing Views as Much as I Do?

[mnocket]

I feel the need for a minor rant😡

 

I recently branched out and joined several luxury/premium cruise line related FB groups.  It didn't take long to realize that those groups were dominated by moderators and members alike that were ardent fanboys (and girls).  They are extremely intolerant of any views that didn't reflect their fanboy mentality. In fact, they even forbid mentioning any other cruise line.  For example, posts saying "I love Windstar, but they don't sail to Japan.  Do you think I would enjoy sailing on Oceania?" are removed.  Forbidden.  How dare you ask about another cruise line.  They are essentially forums for extolling the virtues of their favorite cruise line. Period.  I just don't understand why so many people these days want to live their lives with blinders on - never hearing or seeing anything that deviates from, or challenges, their perspective. It has made me appreciate Cruise Critic even more.  Sure, there are fanboys and loyalists here, but they don't dominate the forums shutting down dissenting opinions. The good, the bad and the ugly are discussed freely. Comparisons to other cruise lines are always welcome. My foray into FB has been eye-opening.  Kudos to Cruise Critic for welcoming a diversity of thought.  Something that is becoming rarer these days.

 

End of rant.

[CruiserBruce]

FB groups are "owned and operated " by the founders. They get to make the rules.

 

That being said, I joined my first FB group a month or prior to a cruise we just got off of today. It was informing and helpful. However, there was also a couple people,  including one of the moderators, who put flat out wrong info in the posts, and refused to even correct or acknowledge their errors, even when confronted with the actual facts. 

 

No wonder we have so much false info going around that people believe without any thought.

[CDNPolar]

I agree with you on this.

 

I left Facebook a number of years ago, but when we were considering various different travel options friends told me about all these great Facebook groups that I should join.

 

First you have to complete your "application" and in that application make an oath to never do this or that or the other thing, and like you say, heaven help you if you are negative.

 

I also noted that as a new member to one of these groups your posts are put into purgatory until a moderator reviews them and decides if they are worthy of being posted.

 

Cruise Critic discussions can get out of hand from time to time, but this is rare, and only if people are being really disrespectful are things shut down.

 

The folks that look after Cruise Critic are top in their game and I love that you can have opposing views and still be part of the discussion.

 

 

[CruisingAlong4Now]

What's Facebook?  😉

[Mary229]

Facebook is and always was an echo chamber.  It is self congratulatory and a cheerleading squad.  Remember that should you ever be tempted to become informed on more important topics 

[Aquahound]

I dumped Facebook 4 years ago for reasons just like this.  There is too much power to control narratives.  Altering opinions, regardless of how true they are, quickly get erased.  

 

Yes, I totally appreciate Cruise Critic.  🙂

[frantic36]

Totally agree with all the comments. I get asked when cruising if I belong to the group for my regular cruise line and people are very surprised when I say no and suggest I join. I tell them I have heard enough of the false stories both positive and negative the moderators and their fans tell that I would be kicked off pretty quickly because I would challenge them.

[GeezerCouple]

5 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

I agree with you on this.

 

I left Facebook a number of years ago, but when we were considering various different travel options friends told me about all these great Facebook groups that I should join.

 

First you have to complete your "application" and in that application make an oath to never do this or that or the other thing, and like you say, heaven help you if you are negative.

 

I also noted that as a new member to one of these groups your posts are put into purgatory until a moderator reviews them and decides if they are worthy of being posted.

 

Cruise Critic discussions can get out of hand from time to time, but this is rare, and only if people are being really disrespectful are things shut down.

 

The folks that look after Cruise Critic are top in their game and I love that you can have opposing views and still be part of the discussion.

 

About the "Cruise Critic discussions can get out of hand from time to time, but this is rare, and only if people are being really disrespectful are things shut down"...

 

I think CC is *so* much better in this regard than when we started, mid-2013.

Back then, there tended to be more, er, disagreements, and by that, I mean "disagreeable disagreements".  Too many were of the ad hominem type, which is just not appropriate.

I was getting a bit tired of some of these (there were "the usual suspects" plus occasional others, etc.), so I participated less and less.  But we were sort of cruise newbies; DH was about to take his first cruise, and I hadn't cruised for far too many years (those two facts are, er, related! 😉 ).

Thus, we were still benefitting a *lot*, so we didn't leave entirely.

 

And then, almost suddenly (??), it seemed that things were SO much more pleasant!

HUGE difference.  It was really a nice change.

I have no idea if I'm alone in this opinion, or if others noticed a change several years ago, too...?

I give the moderators a huge amount of credit for this, and thank them! 🙂 

 

Anyway, it is a pleasure now.  The collective knowledge here has been invaluable!

THANK YOU, ALL!

 

GC

[clo]

7 hours ago, mnocket said:

I feel the need for a minor rant😡

 

I recently branched out and joined several luxury/premium cruise line related FB groups.  It didn't take long to realize that those groups were dominated by moderators and members alike that were ardent fanboys (and girls).  They are extremely intolerant of any views that didn't reflect their fanboy mentality. In fact, they even forbid mentioning any other cruise line.  For example, posts saying "I love Windstar, but they don't sail to Japan.  Do you think I would enjoy sailing on Oceania?" are removed.  Forbidden.  How dare you ask about another cruise line.  They are essentially forums for extolling the virtues of their favorite cruise line. Period.  I just don't understand why so many people these days want to live their lives with blinders on - never hearing or seeing anything that deviates from, or challenges, their perspective. It has made me appreciate Cruise Critic even more.  Sure, there are fanboys and loyalists here, but they don't dominate the forums shutting down dissenting opinions. The good, the bad and the ugly are discussed freely. Comparisons to other cruise lines are always welcome. My foray into FB has been eye-opening.  Kudos to Cruise Critic for welcoming a diversity of thought.  Something that is becoming rarer these days.

 

End of rant.

I've long thought that we learn nothing when everybody agrees with every body.

And your post that mentioned Windstar just blew my mind.

[clo]

4 hours ago, Mary229 said:

Facebook is and always was an echo chamber.  It is self congratulatory and a cheerleading squad.  Remember that should you ever be tempted to become informed on more important topics 

Not for me. I've had HUGE differences of opinion with lots and lots of folks.

[MBP&O2/O]

FB can prove useful with the private groups. With public groups it is a matter of using  common sense.

Idiots and WUM's will post on FB and some people will believe without question😄

I would also suggest that there are some very VERY vociferous people on CC who will defend their beloved cruise line to the death  😏 and accept no criticism whatsoever.

 

[sparks1093]

40 minutes ago, MBP&O2/O said:

FB can prove useful with the private groups. With public groups it is a matter of using  common sense.

Idiots and WUM's will post on FB and some people will believe without question😄

I would also suggest that there are some very VERY vociferous people on CC who will defend their beloved cruise line to the death  😏 and accept no criticism whatsoever.

 

Yes, there are, but they don't control the narrative and those that have a different opinion about said beloved cruise line are allowed to post it. The Cruise Critic moderators do a fantastic job and there aren't enough positive posts about this group of volunteers.

[Mary229]

10 hours ago, frantic36 said:

Totally agree with all the comments. I get asked when cruising if I belong to the group for my regular cruise line and people are very surprised when I say no and suggest I join. I tell them I have heard enough of the false stories both positive and negative the moderators and their fans tell that I would be kicked off pretty quickly because I would challenge them.

I am done with roll calls even here.  The general and lines boards are great but the roll calls can become very tedious.

[capriccio]

We have little knowledge of how Facebook works because we've never joined for a number of reasons.  This discussion just added another reason to the list.  Thank you.

[CDNPolar]

2 hours ago, Mary229 said:

I am done with roll calls even here.  The general and lines boards are great but the roll calls can become very tedious.

 

Roll calls have their place in my opinion.

 

We have posted that we will be on a particular sailing to absolutely no response from anyone.  We meet people on the ship and don't feel the need to meet people virtually first.

 

But back to the openness of the CC forums - roll calls are part of this experience so I appreciate them for what they are and for who they appeal to.

[capriccio]

We seldom take Princess excursions so I find the rolls calls extremely useful for joining and/or organizing private tours with like minded passengers.  We've had some great successes both joining and organizing them.

[wcook]

17 hours ago, CruisingAlong4Now said:

What's Facebook?  😉

A MySpace ripoff. 

[ontheweb]

3 hours ago, capriccio said:

We seldom take Princess excursions so I find the rolls calls extremely useful for joining and/or organizing private tours with like minded passengers.  We've had some great successes both joining and organizing them.

The best (actually only one) I put together through a roll call was a 10 person private Alla tour in St. Petersburg, Russia. I have also joined from a roll call.  

[SeaSickCecil]

Just wanted to add my thanks to the moderators for running a fun, informative and engaging site to exchange info on what has turned out to be my favorite form of vacation.  I found CC after my first 'adult' (meaning it wasn't put together by my father or my in law) cruise and was looking for info to enhance my next cruise.  The willingness of people to answer questions even if they've been asked and answered 3000 times before and even the cheerleaders and naysayers all make for engaging interaction here.  And let me add to the Facebook blow back...I joined a ship specific group to ask questions because it was a newer ship and I hadn't sailed on it and wanted some 'insider' info.  Had to be vetted and approved before being 'accepted'...asked one question and mentioned that I had heard this info on CC, was it true...and was banned.  Mods said I could 're-apply' in 3 days.  I decided then that they were not welcoming and didn't want anyone who might question their 'expertise'.  Never went back, not even to lurk.  So thank you Cruise Critic and all who make this a place I come back to day after day.

[clo]

15 hours ago, MBP&O2/O said:

FB can prove useful with the private groups. With public groups it is a matter of using  common sense.

Idiots and WUM's will post on FB and some people will believe without question😄

I would also suggest that there are some very VERY vociferous people on CC who will defend their beloved cruise line to the death  😏 and accept no criticism whatsoever.

 

And won't admit they're wrong and apologize 🙂

[Mary229]

1 minute ago, clo said:

And won't admit they're wrong and apologize 🙂

You can’t really apologize for an opinion😉

I am always cognizant that it is that - an opinion or at best an anecdote.  Certainly some may have a personal experience more closely suitable to the question asked but that experience is always shaded by that person’s perspective. 

[clo]

3 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

You can’t really apologize for an opinion😉

I am always cognizant that it is that - an opinion or at best an anecdote.  Certainly some may have a personal experience more closely suitable to the question asked but that experience is always shaded by that person’s perspective. 

But you can apologize for upsetting the other person. 

[Mary229]

Just now, clo said:

But you can apologize for upsetting the other person. 

Oh, well yes.  I would hope most of us would not intend to offend.   I guess there are some who might relish trolling. 

[clo]

2 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

 I would hope most of us would not intend to offend.

And there are people who "offend" too easily IMO

[SelectSys]

In addition to simply sharing viewpoints, I have found these boards to be very useful in answering questions, helping improve my overall travel experience and sometimes even save money.