M&M PARTY

[ddean52]

just filled out a survey for rcc about m&m party and it got me thinking....
the m&m's truely need to be upgraded dont you think?
i think they need a host and open bar and some food. i think a mim. fee of like $5 would cover the costs and alow the the party to become a big deal! what are your views?
dean (and..................alice)

ALICE & DEAN
ADVENTURE 5/23/04 EXPLORER 9/27/03
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[ogradyclan]

We went to our M&M on the Brilliance (3/29/04) and had very nice hors d'oeuvres, a choice of drinks and it was hosted by the Cruise Director. Document holders were passed out and an "Aqua-Mouse" given away. It was very nice and many people attended. I don't think anyone would pay to attend though. Just my opinion.

[superjerryw]

I have to agree with the last poster. If there was a fee, very few people would attend as there is plenty of free food elsewhere on the ship. Many of the events have been poorly attended as it is. A fee would spell certain doom.

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Donuts, is there anything they can't do....

[Rick R]

I think the begining of m&m partys was this web site. Someone would start a thread about their upcoming cruise and the people on the thread/cruise would agree to meet somewhere on the ship. RCL offered to host these partys, which I think was very nice of them. The other cruise lines offer nothing. Now it seems people want them to do everything. The party is what you make it. Our next cruise (4/19) we, the people from our thread are meeting at the pool bar for sailaway. I think most of us will go to the m&m partyand I believe it should be a good one because we are all involved. The partys are what you make, not what RCL makes them to be. When RCL started to host these partys something was lost. I don't blame them as they were only trying to help, but something was lost along the way. If you want a good party be active on your thread and plan to meet on your own and not leave everything to RCL. They can only do so much.

Rick R.

[ddean52]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by ogradyclan:
We went to our M&M on the Brilliance (3/29/04) and had very nice hors d'oeuvres, a choice of drinks and it was hosted by the Cruise Director. Document holders were passed out and an "Aqua-Mouse" given away. It was very nice and many people attended. I don't think anyone would pay to attend though. Just my opinion.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

[B]this is what im talking about. small but "nice touches"[/B]

ALICE & DEAN
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[superjerryw]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Rick R:
I think the begining of m&m partys was this web site. Someone would start a thread about their upcoming cruise and the people on the thread/cruise would agree to meet somewhere on the ship. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

That is correct. The parties were originlly called rubberband parties since we all wore a rubber band on our wrist so we could identify each other when we met.

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Donuts, is there anything they can't do....

[Sailfish]

I got the same survey, and here is my take on it. I believe that Royal Caribbean is rethinking the idea of these parties. Turn out seems to be an issue at just about every party. There are several things at play regarding this; not everyone who signs up gets a formal invitation while on the ship. And a lot of people who sign up just don't end up coming.

I believe the ship's staff (probably NOT land based management or those who do participate in them from CC) sees these parties as a waste of their time. On the ones I attended, short of a photographer and bar tender, neither the social hostess, cruise director nor an officer bothered to show up. I realize my experieces may not be those of the majority - and over time, these parties seem to be going better.

I recently signed up for my Meet & Mingle aboard the Mariner next year and within an hour, received the survey. I have always enjoyed meeting up with people on the fist day, but many of those same people never bother to show up to the party for the reasons stated earlier. I think Royal Caribbean wants to know why, basing it on the type of questions I had to answer. First and foremost, these parties have to be on a day and time when people will show up. The first day seems logical enough to me, but it's probably not possible to find and hold space on the ship on emabarkation day/evening, as lounges are reserved for groups, wedding parties and the like.

Our groups have been meeting in the Solarium around 10pm on the first day. People sign-up though the threads here at CC to bring munchies and bottles of wine and we visit for around an hour. The Solarium is empty, has plenty of comfortable chairs and tables and the time usually works out well for everyone involved.

Anyway, that's my take on things.

Suzi


05 July 2004 Cruise Aboard Royal Caribbean's Monarch of the Seas

21 November 2004 Cruise Aboard Carnival's Pride

20 February 2005 Cruise Critic Group Cruise Aboard Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas

[Desertbelle]

We had a great turn out on the Legend in December....maybe because we had so many sea days. There was a problem with the first set of invitations having the wrong time on them....something like 11pm Viking Lounge...it was supposed to be 11 am. I called to report the mistake and they re-issued the invitations for a different day. Everyone was extremely nice. Some of the gifts given away were quite nice!

Margie

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[MJL]

I have seen average atttendance. I would like them to give away some special coupon booklets similar, but different from the C&A. How much would it cost to have a buy-one-get-one free on a drink or 10% off a gift shop purhcase? Not much.

Also, they might consider a raffle or two. Something to stimulate more interest. Word would travel fast on the boards, and attendance may rise.

Mike

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In Planning Stages

[ogradyclan]

We had great attendance at our M&M and I think that was because many of us got to know each other before hand on the CC roll call thread. It turned out to be a "reunion" of sorts. Many of us met the night before the cruise and then again at the pool on boarding day. I believe that the participation of cruisers at the M&M has a lot to do with their participation on these boards before the cruise. So, why would anyone pay for a get together, if they can get together on their own?