How to plan a cruise critic meeting on our cruise?

[kazu]

Too bad :mad:

They are promoting so many other new things on Oceania a M & G event would certainly be nice.

What is a few invites & snacks going to cost them other than good will :confused:

 

they just have to drop off the trays they do not have to serve people

it is a small thing that people will remember

 

Lyn

 

I don't get this at all. I am following some oceania threads as we are contemplating our first cruise with them. Traditionally, we sail HAL.

 

I find this really strange from a premium line. Holland America gladly helps with M & G's, venue, food, drinks and no host bar ( and sometimes free mimosas, etc.) Their shipboard services are more than happy to help arrange the events and all the officers (including the captain) normally come to the M & G. On our last cruise, the captain thanked us for the first M & G in his announcements and the cruise director announced a reminder of the second M & G.

 

The Oceania board has been very kind answering my questions and it is evident that they are proud of the service and food on this line :) Hopefully Oceania will change it's attitude towards M & G's. It seems like such a small thing for a line that advertises service? JMO ;)

[LHT28]

Hopefully Oceania will change it's attitude towards M & G's. It seems like such a small thing for a line that advertises service? JMO ;)

I am sure we all have the same hopes ;)

[Paulchili]

kazu,

While I agree with you that it would be nice for O to "host" the M&G, let's not forget that it is but a minor portion of a total cruise experience. Not to mention that the vast majority of cruisers have never heard of CC.

The overall great cruising experience on O easily compensates for this particular short-coming. It's not a deal breaker for us.

Perhaps FDR will read and listen to us once again as he has done many times in the past :)

[kazu]

kazu,

While I agree with you that it would be nice for O to "host" the M&G, let's not forget that it is but a minor portion of a total cruise experience. Not to mention that the vast majority of cruisers have never heard of CC.

The overall great cruising experience on O easily compensates for this particular short-coming. It's not a deal breaker for us.

Perhaps FDR will read and listen to us once again as he has done many times in the past :)

 

Actually Paulchili, you might be pleasantly surprised.

 

On our last Nieuw Amsterdam cruise we accounted for 15% on the cruise. We had over 100 people registered. and the captain extended welcomes for others to join.

 

I guess, maybe for some it's not a big deal. As someone who organizes it, the help from the cruise line is very much appreciated.:)

 

Hopefully FDR is reading and listening because to me, the 'overall great cruising experience' should not have to compensate for anything. it should all be great - and that includes meet and greets.

 

Not trying to be difficult yet, I'm just so surprised - this is the first cruise line I have heard of that does not support them - yet they read the board? but don't suppose the M & G? :confused:

 

Sorry, I am a newbie and probably shouldn't say anything so I apologize in advance. Cruise critic is getting better known on every cruise by people that find out.

 

So, I guess despite some of the HAL converts, this is one place that HAL without question exceeds Oceania. :eek: If it's not a big deal to most of you then no worries - if I was the organizer, it would be a big deal. The concierge on HAL will help me deliver invites if I want. :) There is a confirmation when I get in my cabin - just a bunch of things to make it all smooth and very easy once you get on board. I had no idea it wasn't that way on the 'higher end' lines.

[Paulchili]

Like I said - I wish Oceania would do it. It's not a major expense or effort on their part. It would be just a nice gesture of goodwill. They used to do it - maybe if enough people voice their opinion, they will resume it.

I can see how it would be a bigger concern to the person who is organizing the M&G without any help from the cruise line.

I do think that you will like Oceania if you give it a try.

[LHT28]

Like I said - I wish Oceania would do it. It's not a major expense or effort on their part. It would be just a nice gesture of goodwill.

I agree...not a deal breaker just a nice gesture

 

2 more weeks to go :D

Lyn

[Mura]

my understanding from the email I received is that O will not offer any assistance...re invitations, venue procurement...and O didn't even ask me how many CCers we had on the Roll Call...just a flat "no". LuAnn

 

I'm wondering if this might not be a situation where the central office says one thing and the concierge on the ship says another. Mind you, when I set these up I was just asking for a space. We had a cash bar, no hors d'oeuvres. But they sent out official invitations with no problem at all.

 

I'm not saying what you were told is wrong because maybe there HAS been a policy change. But I think it would be a good idea to go the concierge as soon as you board with your list of attendees. Be sure to have the cabin numbers on that list.

 

It's worth a try!

 

If they still say no, then you can all agree to descend upon Horizons at a particular time.

 

I agree with everyone who has posted that hosting these parties would gain O a lot of good will for not that large an expense.

[MightyQuinn]

Like others have posted, I believe it's very nice to have a hosted M&G for CC members, but it's certainly not an essential element of my overall cruise experience. But that said, I find it odd that Oceania doesn't host any CC events. It's well reported here that FDR and other executives read and participate in these forums. In fact, FDR has stated that CC is the most unbiased & direct source of what their guests really like and they (Oceania) take poster comments very seriously. So it seems to me that lending a hand to help arrange a M&G for those very same CC folks would naturally follow.

 

Oceania gets so many things right but I do think they got this wrong. They seem to be the outlier here, as many mainstream and luxury cruise lines have a mechanism for arranging, if not hosting, M&G for CC members. Let's hope they take note and make changes!

[CintiPam]

I arranged two roll call events onboard Regatta last May for our 30-person group, and Oceania assisted our plans.

 

The first was a breakfast in the GDR on our first day at sea (we had an overnight in Venice our first day onboard) because we were not arriving in Dubrovnik until 10 AM. Because we had no sea days at all on this cruise, breakfast was the best time to have an early event near the beginning of the cruise. The boss on duty in the GDR when I went to talk about setting this up while still in port in Venice did not want to reserve the large tables for us (due to the policy of no reservations for GDR breakfast!) but I insisted on talking to a higher-up dining manager because I knew from past experience that the GDR never gets very full for breakfast on any of the port intensive cruises. He overruled the first manager. It worked out fine, the GDR was almost empty, although I found that you do not mingle much among the tables while eating a meal. So you get to know your table mates at those big tables but not those at the other tables.

 

We decided we wanted to have another event, so we did the traditional Horizons cocktail party at 6 PM about four or five days later. Connie, the concierge for the lower-priced cabins (I was in one of these) sent out all of the invitations and arranged for the back right corner (opposite side way away from the smoking area) to be reserved for our group with munchies, tables and chairs. This worked out great. Everyone payed their own bar bill, and we had a lot of servers taking our drink orders, providing excellent service and adding more chairs because a lot of people wanted to sit.

 

I am sure that the concierge will be happy to aid in your efforts, especially checking that there is no room conflict with other groups or conflict with the return guests' party, etc.

[kazu]

I arranged two roll call events onboard Regatta last May for our 30-person group, and Oceania assisted our plans.

 

The first was a breakfast in the GDR on our first day at sea (we had an overnight in Venice our first day onboard) because we were not arriving in Dubrovnik until 10 AM. Because we had no sea days at all on this cruise, breakfast was the best time to have an early event near the beginning of the cruise. The boss on duty in the GDR when I went to talk about setting this up while still in port in Venice did not want to reserve the large tables for us (due to the policy of no reservations for GDR breakfast!) but I insisted on talking to a higher-up dining manager because I knew from past experience that the GDR never gets very full for breakfast on any of the port intensive cruises. He overruled the first manager. It worked out fine, the GDR was almost empty, although I found that you do not mingle much among the tables while eating a meal. So you get to know your table mates at those big tables but not those at the other tables.

 

We decided we wanted to have another event, so we did the traditional Horizons cocktail party at 6 PM about four or five days later. Connie, the concierge for the lower-priced cabins (I was in one of these) sent out all of the invitations and arranged for the back right corner (opposite side way away from the smoking area) to be reserved for our group with munchies, tables and chairs. This worked out great. Everyone payed their own bar bill, and we had a lot of servers taking our drink orders, providing excellent service and adding more chairs because a lot of people wanted to sit.

 

I am sure that the concierge will be happy to aid in your efforts, especially checking that there is no room conflict with other groups or conflict with the return guests' party, etc.

 

sounds good unless you are the organizer (as you were)

 

I don't want the hassle to fight for a spot to meet. I far prefer to have it all arranged before I go. I do up invites with the place and have them delivered (or usually I deliver them personally) to the cabins so no one forgets.

 

Sorry, I am a planner and I far prefer to have everything done before I go on my cruise. No problem with a no host bar but no reason it shouldn't be able to be done in advance. Again, apologies, just my thoughts.

 

it's great you got help, but I don't think you should have to look for it. I think the help should have been there long before you set sail...and then...if you needed the concierge help to get things delivered well and good.

 

I know, to most of you, no big deal. To me, after spending maybe a year on a roll call - I truly enjoy meeting all my cc friends - and I don't think anyone should be waiting until they board to arrange it. Sorry, I'm harsh and still shocked. We'll probably still look at that Oceania cruise that stuck out in our minds - but something so simple as a M & G - if they won't help with that - it leaves other questions in my mind. JMO :confused:

[1985rz1]

There have been numerous threads about Meet and Greet in which many contributors have expressed a strong desire for Oceania to sponsor Cruise Critic Meet and Greet parties, but to no avail. If you want one, Oceania's implicit response is "if you want one, arrange it yourself."

 

Gotta say that this is one of the areas that Azamara has a leg up on Oceania.

[Semolina]

We had a small group of about 18 or so and just agreed on CC, a meeting place at a certain time eg Horizons at 5 pm and everyone just congregated. It worked fine and there was no need for cabin numbers or any other information.

[joanieo]

How can we get a Meet & Greet gathering for Marina Cruise, 'Colonial Crossing, March 28. 2011. We're in 7110. Thanks

[LHT28]

How can we get a Meet & Greet gathering for Marina Cruise, 'Colonial Crossing, March 28. 2011. We're in 7110. Thanks

Check your Roll Call

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1119733&highlight=

 

someone will have one set up

[Paulchili]

How can we get a Meet & Greet gathering for Marina Cruise, 'Colonial Crossing, March 28. 2011. We're in 7110. Thanks

 

I replied to you on our roll call - see Lyn's link above.

LuAnn is organizing it

[LuAnn]

How can we get a Meet & Greet gathering for Marina Cruise, 'Colonial Crossing, March 28. 2011. We're in 7110. Thanks

 

As suggested please join our Roll Call...M&G (which we are having to arrange without O's help :() will be 3/29, 1st sea day, held in Horizons! Hope to see you there and on the Roll Call...and welcome to Cruise Critic!! LuAnn

[Oceans&Rivers]

When I called O and tried to arrange for a venue for a CC meet and greet on our last cruise, they said they couldn't do it because we weren't part of an onboard group, like university alumni groups. So our roll call (about 30 people) just agreed to meet at the Horizons lounge at a specific time. It was cash bar, and those who ordered drinks were supplied munchies. It worked fine, and that's what we'll do for our cruise this month on Regatta.

 

That would work out just fine for me, too. I think all this fretting and over-organization of "meet and greets" and name tags and lists etc. is more bother than necessary, especially for the person who is burdened with "the list", plus I see much of the requested information as just too much data compilation which can be seen by any member of the public who views the roll call or sees the list.

 

I've been to many cocktail parties in my life and find it is easy to mingle with people and remember names, so I would prefer to just agree in a roll call where to meet when and see who shows up and what happens. :)

[hondorner]

Oceania is not going to sponsor a meet and greet for cruise critic as they feel strongly that (1) it competes with their own Captain's Welcome party and Past Guest Party, and (2) that CC represents a small portion of the total passenger list, and they don't want to offend the majority. However, they do support the idea of a get together -- they just are not going to pay for cocktails, canapes and such.

 

Regardless of what the home office says, if the concierge is approached properly, they will prepare a simple invitation and send it to the cabin numbers supplied by the organizers from the roll call forum. They will even go through the cabin numbers to see if the names match. It's much easier for them if you supply last names as well, and eiher cabin or booking numbers. The easier you make the work for them the more likely they are to do it. If you want to pre-print invitations they will use them. Having determined the cabin numbers, the bell boy will deliver them.

 

Unless your group is very small, leave the choice of time and place up to the concierge, so they can avoid conflicts and arrange for enough servers to handle your group. On your roll call, be sure to let participants know that it will be a cash bar if they want a drink, the same as anywhere else on the ship.

 

On both the Maiden and the Inaugural voyages on Marina, the assistant concierge, Keith Hill, handled it all for us after getting clearance from Bruno, the head concierge, and the Food & Beverage manager to arrange extra servers for the time and location.

 

If people in your roll call object to having their last names or cabin numbers published, handle it in a private list put together by someone willing to share their email address.

 

As for whether Oceania needs to follow Azamara or anyone else in this regard, remember that Oceania has always been the trendsetter, not the follower, and really doesn't pay attention to Azamara or anyone else. their methods are working for them or they wouldn't be as successful as they are. Those who think Azamara is the better deal are free to choose them, but M & G parties are only a tiny portion of the whole experience.

[LHT28]

Thanks Don for the info on the M & G

Will contact Bruno when we board glad they will send out invites for us

 

Lyn

[Mura]

I'm glad to hear from Don that the experience I had in setting up cocktail parties is still the case. I was pretty sure that what the head office says and what is actually the case once you're on board were not the same thing.

 

As to publishing names, etc., I made it a policy to keep that private just to be safe. I had people send me their names and cabin numbers privately, and only I and the concierge had access to that list. In fact, I don't think anyone would have objected but I definitely didn't want anything published online. I have found too many posts of mine from message boards when I google myself ...

[winegirl]

Last summer, on the Barcelona to Amsterdam cruise, we met a number of folks on CC roll call, including some with whom we shared tours.

 

One gal, a school teacher, had initiated quite a few tours and consequently got quite a few people involved in her tour groups. So on the first night on board, she organized an informal meet and greet for over 70 passengers in Horizons Lounge. She brought along stick on name tags and a couple pens, and passengers ordered their own drinks. As I recall, there were some bar snacks around, but that may have been normal for Horizons.

 

We communicated the time of the meet and greet to all taking our tours, so we were able to meet our fellow passengers, collect tour fees, and get to know some very nice people right at the start of the cruise. It helped to put names to faces and we almost always had company at lunch or dinner for the entire 2 weeks on the cruise. We still are in touch with some of our fellow cruisers and some have travelled together since then.

 

I believe the second week, the concierge did help arrange another informal get together with invitations, and many of the same people attended. I'm not sure of the details, but as I recall, that one may have been in the ship's Lounge, which has a bar as well.

 

Don't overthink it, just do it. It might be worthwhile to let ship services or the concierge know that a big group will be in the bar at a given time, so they have enough servers and bartenders in that area.

[LHT28]

So on the first night on board, she organized an informal meet and greet for over 70 passengers in Horizons Lounge. She brought along stick on name tags and a couple pens, and passengers ordered their own drinks. As I recall, there were some bar snacks around, but that may have been normal for Horizons.

 

.

That is what we normally do also

I have stick on name tags for those that want to use them

Snacks are normal in the evening hours ;)

 

Lyn

[Mura]

We seem to keep going around and around saying the same things. So I will continue the circle ...

 

On the one hand, O says "no we won't help". Others say, once you're on board, talk to the concierge.

 

Kazu (who I'm sure is not alone) wants to have all plans settled in advance. In that case, yes, it would appear you have to do it yourself. But it's really not that hard ... not unless you have a really large group.

 

My experience in talking to the concierge upon boarding has been that it's very easy to do this way, as long as I know all the names and cabin numbers in advance. The ONLY problem we've had (which wasn't really a problem) was to make sure that the bartenders and waiters are aware that it is a cash bar because sometimes the word just doesn't trickle down to the people actually "working" the party. I didn't mind doing the organizing, but I sure didn't want to pay for everybody's drinks!

 

I like to prepare my own name tags, complete with graphics of fish and ships and the like. It's certainly not necessary, it's just something I like to do. Others bring materials for people to write their own names on a less formal name tag, and still others prefer to dispense with the name tags entirely. It does seem to me that people on board can just as easily announce their names to each other as read a name tag. It's not a big deal.

 

I would be far more concerned if Oceania forbade any assistance once we're on board. The fact is, it doesn't. (That is what I have observed in the past, and what people seem to be saying.)

 

So! If you want to be meticulous in your organization beforehand in arranging such a get together, there is nothing to stop you.

 

Lest anyone misunderstand me, I do think that it would be to Oceania's benefit if it assisted in arranging these parties. On NCL (about which I can say very little that is favorable) they not only assisted in setting up the meetings, they had refreshments available (ours was a morning meeting so we're talking about coffee, tea and sweet rolls), and most of the senior staff was available and gave a little presentation. I'm sure they made a lot of points with the passengers in doing so.

 

But I really doubt that anyone will decide never again to sail on Oceania because of this particular policy.

[CintiPam]

Good summary, Mura.