Why No Private Message Feature Here?

[Yvonne]

I've e-mailed two moderators from the board, and they have not answered so I will ask my question here and maybe someone will answer.

 

I'm wondering why there is no private message feature on this board, like there is on other message boards?

 

It's kind of frustrating when you want to ask a question of a particular poster, but you can't send them a private message.

 

And I think private messaging would cut down on the rude/nasty posts that occur when a thread gets heated. Seems like it would make the moderator's job easier, they wouldn't have to be deleting posts, or threads, that are inappropriate.

 

So I'm just wondering why we do not have the ability to send private messages here, anyone know?

[compozer]

I asked about it ages ago and there were many people who did not know what a "private message" was. I'd love to see it added. There are many times I'd like to ask someone something but don't want to open it up to everyone. And it would be great for roll calls. Sometimes you really connect to someone after talking on a roll call for months and you'd like to get together with them but if you ask on the roll call, then others ask to join you.

[sail7seas]

:) Whoever owns and operates the forum gets to decide how to do it.

 

As far as I know, CC has never had PM. I would surpmise they have their reasons.

 

[riffatsea]

Expedia owns both Cruise Critic and Trip Advisor.

Trip Advisor has always had a private message function and Cruise Critic does not sooooo not sure why??

Right now on our Roll Call we are trying to collect money for a cocktail party on board and it is a pain trying to get the info on where to send the money.NOone wants to put out their e-mails or home addresses on a public board soo I am not sure how other groups handle that situation?

[DanJ]

There used to be Private Messaging here (maybe back before they moved to the new server address 7 or 8 years ago?), and you ended up with a lot of travel agents trolling for business. Cruise Critic makes its money on advertising, so those TA's were going around that.

[Keith1010]

Yes, there used to be a private message board many years ago.

 

Keith

[shof515]

Also dont forget the servers too...private messages can increase the load on the database that might make the site slow

[Yvonne]

:) Whoever owns and operates the forum gets to decide how to do it.

 

I realize that. I just want to know why.

 

I e-mailed Mach 3 days ago and haven't received an answer, so e-mailed Randy yesterday and no answer there either.

[DanJ]

I would imagine Mach is on a cruise this week with John Heald's blog group.

[sail7seas]

Expedia owns both Cruise Critic and Trip Advisor.

Trip Advisor has always had a private message function and Cruise Critic does not sooooo not sure why??

Right now on our Roll Call we are trying to collect money for a cocktail party on board and it is a pain trying to get the info on where to send the money.NOone wants to put out their e-mails or home addresses on a public board soo I am not sure how other groups handle that situation?

 

 

How about having them set up a yahoo or hotmail account just for that reason. They can close it or ignore it when they are finished with your cocktail party planning?

 

 

 

There used to be Private Messaging here (maybe back before they moved to the new server address 7 or 8 years ago?), and you ended up with a lot of travel agents trolling for business. Cruise Critic makes its money on advertising, so those TA's were going around that.

 

 

I'm sure you're probably right but I joined CC in 2000 and I don't think there was PM then ..... not to say I might not be forgetting. :D

 

[Essiesmom]

With the heated debate on some threads, I think it is a good idea NOT to have a PM feature. EM

[sail7seas]

With the heated debate on some threads, I think it is a good idea NOT to have a PM feature. EM

 

 

I agree.

[paul929207]

Yes, policing things said in private messages would be a nightmare.

[Yvonne]

With the heated debate on some threads, I think it is a good idea NOT to have a PM feature. EM

 

I feel completely opposite, if there were the PM feature people could argue back and forth THERE instead of continue doing it on the thread where everyone else has to see it. And then the mods just have a bigger job of deleting posts of threads.

[Yvonne]

Yes, policing things said in private messages would be a nightmare.

 

Moderators on other boards I go to don't read private messages. They are just that, private messages.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

It would be nice...

[Shorex]

There used to be Private Messaging here (maybe back before they moved to the new server address 7 or 8 years ago?), and you ended up with a lot of travel agents trolling for business. Cruise Critic makes its money on advertising, so those TA's were going around that.

 

This post is, IMO, the most likely explanation and the reason that it is highly unlikely that PM will be reinstated.

 

I for one am grateful not to be receiving unsolicited email ads from TA's.

[room010]

Moderators on other boards I go to don't read private messages. They are just that, private messages.

 

The Mods on other boards I use may SAY they don't read them but I know that they at least have access to PMs and if there's any kind of 'board war' going on (it happens) the Mods have to spend a lot of time and energy trying to mop up the blood. If flamers and other trolls know their comments can only be seen on the public board it does make them think twice.

[boogs]

The Mods on other boards I use may SAY they don't read them but I know that they at least have access to PMs and if there's any kind of 'board war' going on (it happens) the Mods have to spend a lot of time and energy trying to mop up the blood. If flamers and other trolls know their comments can only be seen on the public board it does make them think twice.

 

I'm having a hard time understanding why a moderator would care what two people are saying to each other in 'private' massages. It has nothing to do with the tone of the forum, just the tone of the messages between the two individuals. The potential fight is offline to the other forum members who would have no idea what is being said in those messages, so would be unaffected by them. That is the whole purpose of private messages. If someone were to receive a flame from another poster, they can do the same thing they do with their home email accounts. Ignore and delete it.

[cruisemom42]

There used to be Private Messaging here (maybe back before they moved to the new server address 7 or 8 years ago?), and you ended up with a lot of travel agents trolling for business. Cruise Critic makes its money on advertising, so those TA's were going around that.

 

But isn't that also true of Tripadvisor? They have Private Messaging and it has been very useful to me. Only a couple of times have I ever gotten a PM from a professional (guide or agent) on that board.

[sail7seas]

I don't think the Moderators or owners of this board, who so generously let us come here at no cost to us, have to respond or explain. They have chosen to not have PM's here and that is all we really 'need' to know.

 

JMO

 

[maryann ns]

I have been frustrated sometimes with this policy, but people do manage to communicate.

 

I have put my email address on roll calls and had no problems at all. I also have the same name on TripAdvisor and people have found me there.

 

The idea of a roll call group setting up a special email is also workable.

[Cruisin' Chick]

There used to be Private Messaging here (maybe back before they moved to the new server address 7 or 8 years ago?), and you ended up with a lot of travel agents trolling for business. Cruise Critic makes its money on advertising, so those TA's were going around that.

 

On one site I'm on with PMing, if you get an inappropriate email such as an unsolicited PM for business, you can contact the mods. They'll banned those members who are doing that.

[Hlitner]

What puzzles me is the "Friends" function that exists on CC. Over the years we have had many friends request which we usually approve. But this function seems to be useless since you cannot use it to contact your "friends." One nice compromise would be to allow private messages between "Friends." This gives each CC user the ability to control who can send them messages and makes the "Friends" function make a bit more sense.

 

Hank

[kitty9]

I feel completely opposite, if there were the PM feature people could argue back and forth THERE instead of continue doing it on the thread where everyone else has to see it. And then the mods just have a bigger job of deleting posts of threads.

 

I've been on other boards where PM's got nasty and threatening. Sorry, I can do without the stalkers and nutsos.