New to Princess - is there a "Princess Connections Party" Cruise Critic Gathering

[true45]

1st Princess sailing 7 days February on Grand -- checked the Roll Call - noone mentioned a CruiseCritic gathering -- is it done as on RCCL and Celebrity?

Thanks.

[Pia1913]

1st Princess sailing 7 days February on Grand -- checked the Roll Call - noone mentioned a CruiseCritic gathering -- is it done as on RCCL and Celebrity?

Thanks.

 

If your roll call didn't schedule one, then there isn't any. Princess does not do it automatically like RC and X.

[true45]

Pia, can I ask the others on the roll call if they are interested -- and then get in touch with Princess?

[paul929207]

Pia, can I ask the others on the roll call if they are interested -- and then get in touch with Princess?

Yes, usually someone volunteers to arrage the meeting. This means they contact Princess (I can post contact list if you need it), and arrange the date, time and place. Usually this person will also prepare and send invites inviting officers to the M&G. You just write these up, get the names on board, address the envelopes and drop at the Purser's desk.

[Pam in CA]

Originally, Cruise Critic had a business relationship with RCI and created the means to arrange Meet & Greets on RCI ships. They still do and you can go to the roll section of the RCI brands to sign up.

 

Princess and many other cruiselines take a different approach. It's up to the passengers to express interest and make the arrangements. HAL usually provides beverages such as tea and coffee as well as pastries. They also arrange to have ship's officers show at the party. Princess arranges for a time and place for the get-together, and that's it. It's up to the CD as to whether to provide beverages, pastries or ship's officers. I've been to Princess CC get-togethers where the CD (Lee Childers) never even responded to the organizer's request for beverages and an invite to the ship's officers even after pre-cruise emails and notes sent while on the ship. On the other hand, CDs like Richard Joseph are extremely accommodating, providing mimosas, beverages, goodies, ship's staff and even the featured entertainers. Unfortunately, it's inconsistent. :(

[Cruisin' Chick]

You may want to have one person gather cabin numbers via email (so it's not here public). Just in case you find out that the CD dropped the ball (which happened on a cruise I was on five years ago), you can still contact the members of your roll call about any changes or additions to meet and greets.

[true45]

Thanks for all the responses.

 

On Celebrity, there was lots of activity on a recent roll call for our cruise -- we set up the party through cruise critic & Cel sent the invites -- Celebrity provided coffee & pastries in the morning on a sea day in the disco lounge but only a few cruisers showed up -- and I don't think any officers -- certainly no officers spoke to us. I have also heard that some gatherings are great & some not so much -- people being different.

 

I will ask our Princess roll call -- now I have info so that I can try to get something going if the other cruisers are interested. :cool:

[luvtravel88]

Was on a Celebrity cruise in March and the cruise line set up a really lovely meet and greet on the first sea day. The CD was there as well as a couple of officers. They served mimosas and canapes. There were about 60 cruisers that showed up! It was really great and a couple of days later all 60 of us received an invitation to a bridge tour on our last sea day. They split us into 2 groups an hour apart and we had to RSVP as to whether or not we would be accepting the invite. It was a great touch and one of the reasons I love Celebrity cruise line.

[luvtravel88]

Yes, usually someone volunteers to arrage the meeting. This means they contact Princess (I can post contact list if you need it), and arrange the date, time and place. Usually this person will also prepare and send invites inviting officers to the M&G. You just write these up, get the names on board, address the envelopes and drop at the Purser's desk.

 

Paul, would you please send me the contact list so I can contact Princess to arrange a meet and greet. Our cruise isn't until November 9 on the Island Princess. How far out should I make arrangements?

Thanks so much!!

Kim

[Pia1913]

Paul, would you please send me the contact list so I can contact Princess to arrange a meet and greet. Our cruise isn't until November 9 on the Island Princess. How far out should I make arrangements?

Thanks so much!!

Kim

 

Here's your contact. Do it now.

 

Stacey Anderson sanderson@princesscruies.com

[luvtravel88]

Here's your contact. Do it now.

 

Stacey Anderson sanderson@princesscruies.com

 

 

Thanks Pia!

[Toto2Kansas]

We have sailed on many 7 day cruises, but I have to tell you, never have we had more than a few CC members show up for a cruise of that length. No matter how many have been on the roll call, we have found that many commit, but never show. :(

So, don't be too disappointed if you don't get a big turn out.

[luvtravel88]

Maybe we just had a special group at our last M&G. Oh well, I guess it will be fun no matter who shows up!

[paul8]

Originally, Cruise Critic had a business relationship with RCI and created the means to arrange Meet & Greets on RCI ships. They still do and you can go to the roll section of the RCI brands to sign up.

 

Princess and many other cruiselines take a different approach. It's up to the passengers to express interest and make the arrangements. HAL usually provides beverages such as tea and coffee as well as pastries. They also arrange to have ship's officers show at the party. Princess arranges for a time and place for the get-together, and that's it. It's up to the CD as to whether to provide beverages, pastries or ship's officers. I've been to Princess CC get-togethers where the CD (Lee Childers) never even responded to the organizer's request for beverages and an invite to the ship's officers even after pre-cruise emails and notes sent while on the ship. On the other hand, CDs like Richard Joseph are extremely accommodating, providing mimosas, beverages, goodies, ship's staff and even the featured entertainers. Unfortunately, it's inconsistent. :(

 

Pam, you look familiar as if we have been on a cruise. Regarding what you say about Princess and HAL; I totally agree. You can guarantee something with HAL whereas with Princess it's like N.E. weather!

[Shogun]

Hi There

 

Have been on roll calls with only 6 or 8 folks, as such rather than a meet

 

we asked if we could dine together one evening the maitre d was happy to assist set up a table for us added a couple of extras and got chef to stop by to say hello.

 

 

yours Shogun

[geoherb]

We had around 40 people show up for our Cruise Critic party last week on the Crown. That was a remarkable number considering that many folks had the norovirus and were quarantined and others were seasick from the rough seas.

 

One woman on our roll call arranged for us to have the Wheelhouse Bar reserved for the party. The cruise director (Lisa Ball) came to the event. There were also bartenders available for drinks. Unfortunately nothing was free.

 

We had a small gift exchange (supposedly things from the dollar store plus a postcard from your hometown) but no real formal program. It was nice to put names and faces together and to chat with others.

[Pam in CA]

Pam, you look familiar as if we have been on a cruise.

Paul, we were on the Crown T/A last year although we never met. I got to the M&G late because of the 2-hour wait for a tender back to the ship in Falmouth. Unfortunately, the M&G was planned for during a port day while many were onshore on tours.

[Pia1913]

Paul, we were on the Crown T/A last year although we never met. I got to the M&G late because of the 2-hour wait for a tender back to the ship in Falmouth. Unfortunately, the M&G was planned for during a port day while many were onshore on tours.

 

Who books a M & G on a port day, especially on a T/A with so many sea days? I know, you didn't do it. ;)