Meet and Greets

[MagnoliaFly]

This is what happens when you sail a rag and tag cruiseline like Carnival - treat CC people like sh-t

 

:rolleyes:

[martini_guy]

The one hour thing actually seems like a good deal to me for starting your cruise out right. If you're going to have a meet and greet anyways might as well do it right! Also if they can give you the piano bar to use that's abit nicer than some of the other ones for a meet and greet.

 

I'll definitely think about organizing something like that for my next cruise.

 

I wonder if martini's are included? ;)

[westmich]

What is a "slot-pull"?

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

What is a "slot-pull"?

 

Here is a quote from a post I made on our January Miracle sailing:

 

$9 per person --- That will give each individual THREE pulls at a $1 machine playing MAX coin/bet ($3 bet).

 

> We will meet at a predetermined place (casino bar makes sense) at 10:30 am on 1/23/11 (first sea day).

 

> At that time I will compile a list of all participants as I collect the $9 pp.

 

> I will then feed the machine an amount equal to the total collected (likely in larger bills rather than the fives and ones which some will give me).

 

> People will then play in the order that their name appears on the list.

 

After everyone has taken their 3 shots at it, we will see what the remaining balance is on the machine. We can then take a "vote" as to whether we cash out and divide the "winnings", or elect to play out the remaining $ in hopes of hitting a decent payout. In the past, when we opted to play the remaining $, we picked the person who hit the largest payout during the session - not that there is ANYTHING scientific to this process - we can do this any way we, collectively, like!

 

All of the above is my "take" on how I see this Slot Pull being handled - I am up for suggestions if anyone would like to make changes.

 

Tom

 

It ended up working VERY well. Actually TOO well in fact! After an HOUR most people were ready to finally LOSE and get on with the day, but every 20-30 pulls someone would win again, and give us more to work with. I think in the end virtually everyone (something like 35 people playing) got 6 turns at the machine (of 3 pulls each turn). Not too bad for $9! It gave many of us a chance to meet one another for an extended time period. It went on for over 90 minutes!

 

Tom

[happy cruzin]

Here is a quote from a post I made on our January Miracle sailing:

 

 

 

It ended up working VERY well. Actually TOO well in fact! After an HOUR most people were ready to finally LOSE and get on with the day, but every 20-30 pulls someone would win again, and give us more to work with. I think in the end virtually everyone (something like 35 people playing) got 6 turns at the machine (of 3 pulls each turn). Not too bad for $9! It gave many of us a chance to meet one another for an extended time period. It went on for over 90 minutes!

 

Tom

 

Hey!! I think I resemble that remark ;) :D......LOL

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

Hey!! I think I resemble that remark ;) :D......LOL

 

YEP! But it was, nonetheless, FUN! :) :D

 

Tom

[Brighton Line]

I can only say what NCL did for us on the Jewel last September. First Sea Day we all met in the French Restaurant Le Bistro, they had coffee tea and pastries. This was not advertised outside of CC Boards. The entire senior staff was present. Captain, Hotel Director, CD, Asst. CD, F&B, Bar Manager (loudest Applause) and even the Executive Chief.

At the time the ship was having the azipod problems so the Captain addressed that. Each senior staff explained what they did, then they turned the tables and asked us about ourselves why did we choose to sail on the Jewel.

They offered a bridge tour, signup sheet and we got personal invites from the Captain in our cabin for a tour on a sea day. They asked anything else we could do and someone asked for a galley tour. They said they would see what they could do, that they never did that before.

On our bridge tour it was announced anyone that wanted a galley tour to meet in the Bridge Observation room and the Executive Chief took us on a 2.5 hour tour of the galleys, prep rooms and storage areas. Pretty great if you ask me and I assume not the norm even for NCL.

 

Executive Chief:

[crewsin250]

I e-mailed the group event planner and told them we would like to have a cruise critic M&G onboard and give them a date a time and asked if they would save us a spot to meet our new friends. Two days later they e-mailed me back and said they had forwarded our request to the ship group event planner and two days later we have a location saved for our CC M&G. Did not try and hide our group name and was not asked if we wanted to do a one hour all you can drink. Just a confirmation on our time, location, date to have our M&G.

 

Paul

[quickrate]

Not without some cash up front. To avoid paying anything, on the Legend we met at the sports bar before dinner. I had made name tags, and actually we had been communicating for so long, I knew most everyone by their pictures. And to give everyone a non drinking option we met at the tea, again I brought name tags, and everyone brought a stuffed animal. LOL, we most definetly knew who we were. We had such a great time together that a bunch of us met on the last sea day for a "what did you like about the cruise" talk at tea. Very nice, and I have stayed in touch with a few of them for over a year. The last cruise on the Fascination, we met at tea. We even have pictures of the teddy bear mascot. There are plenty of places to meet without paying anything up front, just be prepared!

We usually do a meet and greet at sailaway as well as a private cocktail party that is only around 12.00 a person and is an hour long all you can drink party. They are a lot of fun!

Pat

[quickrate]

The one hour thing actually seems like a good deal to me for starting your cruise out right. If you're going to have a meet and greet anyways might as well do it right! Also if they can give you the piano bar to use that's abit nicer than some of the other ones for a meet and greet.

 

I'll definitely think about organizing something like that for my next cruise.

 

I wonder if martini's are included? ;)

 

I was drinking Cosmos at our last party on the Miracle.

[luv2cruise777l]

I have been able to deal with them directly via email.

 

As for leaving out the fact that yours would be a CC group - I honestly don't see why you would want to conceal that (it's not a scarlet letter). Perhaps you could ask some of the others on here how they went about their plans.

 

On most sailings there has been an entry in the Fun Times listing the time/place of the "Cruise Critic" Meeting. That did not occur on the Miracle, where apparently Malcolm (CD) has continuing problems getting the right stuff on the right day in the Fun Times! :rolleyes:

 

Tom

 

Well I just found out that being Cruise Critic is like a "scarlet letter". :confused: I had my group booked and was making the final head count when the group planners asked me what kind of group we were. I said we were a Cruice Critic group and she got really quiet and her demeaner changed at that point. I could tell that she was not happy. She asked "how was I going to know who was in my group if I didn't know any of these people, show ID?"

 

I could just tell by the way she was acking on the phone that she was not happy we were with Cruise Critic so I guess we do wear the scarlet letter! I think I'll make big CC's for us to wear to identify ourselves for our cocktail party!;):)

[katiel53]

I'm sailing in April with a large group that was quoted $9.78 per person for open bar private cocktail party. Not sure how many people committed or length of party though. We said yes though!

 

I don't think that the person quoted the 15% gratuity. I have arranged a cocktail party on Dream and the cost is $11.45 per person including gratuity. There is a minimum of 20 people required.

 

When I told Carnival that it was a Cruise Critic group, they wanted to provide a cash bar. I told them that wasn't what I wanted and explained how we had parties last year etc. I was told that they will no longer book CC groups as too many people showed up and drank and didn't pay.

 

I think that they now send someone in to count the number of people at the party, and if there are more than what the group leader has told them, the group leader has to pay for the additional people.

 

Carnival suggested to me that I shouldn't post the location as to where it would be to anyone that hasn't paid. I had to have everyone prepay and confirm a final number with Carnival and I have to pay for the number I have given them.

I am providing name tags so that those whose name is not on my list, will not be admitted.

 

 

I agree with Tom that NCL does a much nicer Meet N Greet, but I do know that John Heald has arranged for people to have a room to meet and a cash bar. That way they know they will be paid for everyone drinking. Like Tom, I made our reservations through the groups department.

 

I think the problem with Cruise Critic is also that so many people are making nasty comments on John's blog as well as starting rumors and they all proudly announce they are Cruise Critic members and they make us look like a$$es. There are also those that are told by someone to ask John for xyz and instead of being polite, they demand things and also are rude and insulting to John. Here again, the last part is JMO.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

...

I could just tell by the way she was acking on the phone that she was not happy we were with Cruise Critic so I guess we do wear the scarlet letter! ...

 

...

I think the problem with Cruise Critic is also that so many people are making nasty comments on John's blog as well as starting rumors and they all proudly announce they are Cruise Critic members and they make us look like a$$es. There are also those that are told by someone to ask John for xyz and instead of being polite, they demand things and also are rude and insulting to John. Here again, the last part is JMO.

 

 

Yep - idiots posting on his blog, while waving the CC banner, don't help things!!

 

Tom