HAL and CC Roll Calls .....

[kazu]

I would agree it's many reasons but I also know from my Celebrity cruise in 2005 Celebrity has long embraced and recognized Cruise Critic up to the point of being able to click a box in your pre-cruise on line registration to join a Cruise Critic Meet and Mingle. We had over 100 people show up for the Meet and Mingle on the old Galaxy. They provided refreshments, a cake, and a number of staff including the cruise director to greet and welcome the Cruise Critic members on board. They also took and provided attendees a group picture if they wanted one. Apparently this close relationship between Cruise Critic and Celebrity goes back a long time and Celebrity CC members are very used to this close connection and participate accordingly.

 

Very true Randy - Celebrity is an official supporter of cruise critic. However if you also look at some of those roll calls on celebrity (and several others) there are some posts like - hello, good morning, what's everyone doing today?, etc. Hal's roll calls seem to be more related to the cruise itself or activities on board which would mean fewer posts of course:D

[Randyk47]

I agree but they're just much more use to using the Roll Call section so it's kind of natural that they chat more. Our Celebrity cruise had some 54 active members and they joked with each other, arranged all sorts of things from dinner to excursions to whatever, and just generally were more active/interactive with each other. Many knew each other from previous cruises so all sorts of catching up went on. On the other hand a number of HAL'er took that cruise and participated in the Roll Call. They jokingly welcomed us as coming over from the "dark side" but shared advice, tips, etc. Almost all 54 gathered on the Sky Deck for the sail away and Celebrity actually side aside a bar up there for CC members. I'm not saying HAL Roll Calls don't have some of the same aspects, it's more a part of their section of Cruise Critic.

[deminggraham]

My first HAL cruise will be in November on the Ryndam and I was so surprised to see such an inactive Roll Call. We normally sail Princess and all of our Roll Calls have been very active even though Princess provides no support for the Roll Calls. The smallest M&G I attended on Princess was about 50 people and the largest was attended by over 100. I really enjoy planning excursions with others on my cruise and meeting them onboard. It seems a shame that HAL is so inactive. I just hope people are friendly onboard the ship.

[Beejay4016]

Today we received an e:mail from HAL titled “before you board.” I have copied their message below:

 

Use Roll Call to meet your future cruisemates

 

Before we welcome you aboard, meet your fellow travelers with our newly updated Roll Call feature on our Facebook page. Share travel tips, exchange messages, set up an onboard "meet and greet" and more. It's quick and simple with Roll Call. Here's how it works:

 

(1) Visit Roll Call (link)

(2) Find your departure date and ship and you’re ready to meet your future cruisemates.

 

When I clicked the Roll Call link it took me directly to the Facebook HAL page where I was invited to find my cruise and join the FB roll call.

 

On our previous 5 cruises I have participated in one CC Roll Call (where I learned a lot of good stuff from fellow Alaska cruisers) so I signed up for the CC Roll Call for next March.

 

That said - Having my cruise “talk” on Facebook is the last thing I want. How do others here feel about it?

 

Hi Linda dn Vern,

 

I tried that also, but as I left Facebook recently I'm unable to check out the HAL rollcall. I have no desire to go back onto Facebook so I'll just simply have to miss out on whatever appears on there. I get very angry with so many things - not just HAL, but all sorts of competitions and information - which can only be restricted on Facebook. I've gone onto the CC rollcall for our upcoming cruise simply because - this being my first cruise - it helps to build the excitement.

 

Cheers ..

[sail7seas]

I would agree it's many reasons but I also know from my Celebrity cruise in 2005 Celebrity has long embraced and recognized Cruise Critic up to the point of being able to click a box in your pre-cruise on line registration to join a Cruise Critic Meet and Mingle. We had over 100 people show up for the Meet and Mingle on the old Galaxy. They provided refreshments, a cake, and a number of staff including the cruise director to greet and welcome the Cruise Critic members on board. They also took and provided attendees a group picture if they wanted one. Apparently this close relationship between Cruise Critic and Celebrity goes back a long time and Celebrity CC members are very used to this close connection and participate accordingly.

 

 

Thanks, Randy.

 

Nice Celebrity provides such a welcoming experience for CC'ers.

The best M & G we've had on HAL (and admittedly I've gone to only a few out of our many cruises) was Noordam, January, 2007. There were over 100 of us in Crows Nest and all the Officers were there from Captain and Hotel Manager and CD, to GRM........ it's was a great party with bar and nibbles and whatever. I remember it well.

 

It was a very active CC group ,,,,, RuthC, Rev Neal, Brian, and others well known at the time.

[innlady1]

Since sailing with HAL, I've organized 9 roll calls/meet and greets (I can't help myself...it's what I've always done work-wise ;)).

Next up, the roll call for our upcoming January cruise on the Ryndam (in my working life, this is what I've done for a living so it comes naturally...lol!).

Consistently, those signing on for the Roll Call most frequently do not participate in the HAL board...just the Roll Call. Not sure why that is, but it is true. Perhaps for the Meet & Greet, to sign on for private shore excursions, etc.

[KirkNC]

But even within the HAL roll calls there is inconsistency. Our Feb Nieuw Amsterdam roll call was very active. Not sure what conclusions any of this leads to other then it's inconsistent.

[innlady1]

But even within the HAL roll calls there is inconsistency. Our Feb Nieuw Amsterdam roll call was very active. Not sure what conclusions any of this leads to other then it's inconsistent.

 

Absolutely. There doesn't seem to be any way to explain the inconcistency.

Plain and simple: Some are activ...some are not.

[Hawaiidan]

the last time I participated in a roll call -- it was fun -- I helped a fellow passenger find an upsell -- the meet and greet was fun -- the last trip I didn't work hard to participate -- just didn't feel the need -- I can have fun with anyone

 

 

I pretty much use the roll cal as a method and medimum to gather information about the ship and ports as well as to locate private tours or develop my own. I limit it t that and in the future I generaly avoid the group for the get togetheres. For specific persons yes, we will be working with, but not on group scale.

Several of us on our last cruise, decided the meet and greets were too much to deal with.

:cool:

[kazu]

I pretty much use the roll cal as a method and medimum to gather information about the ship and ports as well as to locate private tours or develop my own. I limit it t that and in the future I generaly avoid the group for the get togetheres. For specific persons yes, we will be working with, but not on group scale.

Several of us on our last cruise, decided the meet and greets were too much to deal with.

:cool:

 

:confused::confused: I'm at a loss to understand this one. Too much to deal with??? You just go - meet people - and if you don't like it - you can leave:rolleyes: It's the best place to meet the people you will be doing tours with and I have met a lot of nice people at our roll calls. You don't have to hang out with everyone, certainly. But without our roll calls I would never have met some charming people that I still consider as friends to this day.

 

I love the planning that goes on in the roll call but I also enjoy finally meeting the people and putting a face to a name.

 

 

what can I say? Your loss IMO. Each to their own;)

 

I look forward to our meet and greets or sail a way or Embassy Suites get togethers - wherever the first place is that I will meet people that I have been spending a year or more planning with. I consider myself blessed with some people I have met.

 

Different strokes;)

[Cqis]

I usuallu post roll call only. I read the boards but promised myself that I will never post on a board again. This is the last time, I hope.

[carri cruiser]

I refuse to use Facebook for any reason. However will participate in CC Board Roll Calls.

I for one, agree with you, I was on facebook for four days... that was enough for me! I have found for some reason that everyone wants to be part of facebook, not me!!!! I enjoy the roll calls here at CC

[Mary Ellen]

I usuallu post roll call only. I read the boards but promised myself that I will never post on a board again. This is the last time, I hope.

:confused:The Roll Calls are boards too. Are you never going to post to them?

 

Me? I rarely post to the Roll Calls. I just don't get a feel for the posters there, particularly those who don't post to the other boards. They are strangers, an unknown entity. Usually the only personality that comes through is from someone wanting to control the Roll Call. I don't want to deal with them - on-line or in person.

 

The last time we shared a private shore ex with 'strangers' from a Roll Call...:eek: We don't want to go through that ever again.

[RuthC]

I totally understand what you are asking about, sail. It seems that there's an entirely different cast of characters on the roll calls than participate on the HAL board. It's a shame, too, since I don't know the people I'll be sailing with, and know I'll never hear from them again. There's no sense of community or group, as I find here.

For the most part, folks on the roll calls seem to be looking for others to share private tours. That is not for me. I do not want to go off with people I don't know, who may want a different pace and linger at spots I don't care about---like shopping.

I agree with Mary Ellen that it's a recipe for disaster to go off with strangers.

If I were to find a roll call where people just chatted, got to know each other, and post such things as "How is your day going?", as others have mentioned, then I would be pleased. But for now? I keep joining them, and participating, and hoping one day I find one I "click" with.

Roll calls used to be like that. What happened?

[dakrewser]

When we cruised the Baltic back a few years on Prinsendam, we had a fairly active roll call. We did "link up" with a lovely couple from Melbourne (Australia, not Florida) for a 3 day private tour while in St. Petersburg. The all inclusive fare for car, driver and guide would have been too much for just the two of us, yet we didn't want to share with half a dozen (or more) others.

 

The four of us had a great time and we did keep in touch afterwards for a couple of years.

 

But that might have just been good luck on our part (although we did exchange quite a few emails before deciding to go in together) YMMV.

[Randyk47]

I don't think I've actively participated in a roll call since 2005 and even that was for our one and only Celebrity cruise. I might have signed into a couple but when the threads didn't show much activity I stopped checking. I do have a Facebook account and use it to stay in touch with a small group of Air Force "brats" who were all at the same Air Force base in Morocco some 50 years ago. I have no interest in HAL's part of Facebook and probably haven't looked at it more than two or three times.

[kazu]

:confused:The Roll Calls are boards too. Are you never going to post to them?

 

Me? I rarely post to the Roll Calls. I just don't get a feel for the posters there, particularly those who don't post to the other boards. They are strangers, an unknown entity. Usually the only personality that comes through is from someone wanting to control the Roll Call. I don't want to deal with them - on-line or in person.

 

The last time we shared a private shore ex with 'strangers' from a Roll Call...:eek: We don't want to go through that ever again.

 

That's really a shame Mary Ellen. I've met a number of great people and shared tours with them and had a great time. I guess it's the luck of the draw:)

 

Our current roll call is quite active and I do feel a sense of community :)

 

There's no rhyme or reason to all of it - and I am not sure if it's because we do Europe a lot or what the reason but those roll calls (especially the Prinsendam ones) have been quite active:D

 

Between the posts and the emails back and forth you start to get to 'know' the people and I for one am looking forward to cruising again with a cc couple we met on the Maasdam (and are still in close contact with), another cc'er from our area who I never met until they signed on to the roll call and looking forward to meeting the other great people on our roll call

 

We already have a cabin crawl set up, a wine tasting, a photo club and now we're working on the other things like trivia etc.

 

I've said it before and I'll say it again - we've met a number of wonderful people that we would happily cruise with again - or have as guests - and still maintain contacts. We feel blessed to have met so many incredible people and think the roll call is a great start to do it:)

 

edited to say - the FB roll calls hold no interest for us

[DaveOKC]

I too have met a number of people on CC roll calls that I enojed meeting and still visit with from time to time.

 

As to FB roll calls - I do not like the way they give out too much information on who you are and when you are traveling.

 

DaveOKC

[Mary Ellen]

There's no rhyme or reason to all of it - and I am not sure if it's because we do Europe a lot or what the reason but those roll calls (especially the Prinsendam ones) have been quite active:D

Actually, the :eek: private shore ex was while we were in Reykjavik on the Prinsendam. One male proceeded to interrogate another member as to how he could afford to cruise. :eek: Later this same male (from a supposedly very 'green' county - think Lord of the Rings) opened his window in the van and proceeded to throw his gum wrapper out of it into the pristine Icelandic countryside.

 

Another couple felt that they didn't need to follow the guide's directions as to where not to go during a stop nor did they need to pay attention as to when to return to the van to get back to the ship. The photo stop, after the visit where the guide had to go searching for them, we were told to be back in 10-minutes. The guy turned to his wife and said "He doesn't really mean 10 minutes". When the rest of us said that yes, he really does mean 10 minutes, they actually said something along the lines 'of course the ship would wait for them'. :rolleyes: They told us of one cruise where they were at the top of the cliffs in Santorini and could hear themselves being paged by the ship waiting to sail. NO big deal.

 

Yes, there were a charming couple on that shore ex with us (Hi Joyce & Matt - if you're still around here) who were as appalled as we were by the behavior of the others. We'd tour with them again in a heartbeat.

 

We usually cruise with friends and have found that we would save VERY little by adding additional people to our private shore ex. Last one it would have saved the each of us (there were 4) $5/pp. It isn't worth risking our enjoyment to share with strangers. We do private shore ex for a better tour experience, not just to save a few bucks. If we save some money, great. If we don't, we've had a wonderful tour not dealing with a bus-load of passengers - and seeing more than they did anyway.

 

We'd consider sharing again if we thought had a good feel for others wanting to join us. This would most likely come because we'd seen their posts on other forums too.

[cruisemom42]

Me? I rarely post to the Roll Calls. I just don't get a feel for the posters there, particularly those who don't post to the other boards. They are strangers, an unknown entity.

 

I totally understand what you are asking about, sail. It seems that there's an entirely different cast of characters on the roll calls than participate on the HAL board. It's a shame, too, since I don't know the people I'll be sailing with, and know I'll never hear from them again. There's no sense of community or group, as I find here.

. . . (excerpted). . .

If I were to find a roll call where people just chatted, got to know each other, and post such things as "How is your day going?", as others have mentioned, then I would be pleased. But for now? I keep joining them, and participating, and hoping one day I find one I "click" with.

Roll calls used to be like that. What happened?

 

 

This is probably not going to be a popular opinion, but I think the main HAL board has become a little insular. The "regulars" all seem to know each other (not personally but I'm sure you get what I mean), and new posters that don't embrace the full HAL party line aren't really welcomed with open arms. Perhaps a reason why posters from roll calls don't post here very often and why regulars to this board don't get the same feeling on the roll calls.

 

At some point in the distant CC past, the HAL board was probably like a roll call, and people invested time in getting to know each other. Now -- for the regulars -- it has become a comfortable place, a known entity. I think people forget that this doesn't happen overnight and you have to put something into it to get something out.

[magandab]

This is probably not going to be a popular opinion, but I think the main HAL board has become a little insular. The "regulars" all seem to know each other (not personally but I'm sure you get what I mean), and new posters that don't embrace the full HAL party line aren't really welcomed with open arms. Perhaps a reason why posters from roll calls don't post here very often and why regulars to this board don't get the same feeling on the roll calls.

 

At some point in the distant CC past, the HAL board was probably like a roll call, and people invested time in getting to know each other. Now -- for the regulars -- it has become a comfortable place, a known entity. I think people forget that this doesn't happen overnight and you have to put something into it to get something out.

 

There is another similar aspect I think. I have found myself less and less likely to ask a question here on the HAL Board because of the type of answers given. For some reason we have a rotating cast of self-appointed monitors (aside from the actual board hosts of course) who take it upon themselves to chastise and correct posters for asking questions. The latest truly annoying response has been "That's been discussed many times here and a search would have given you your answer" or words to that effect. Honestly, the if the regulars here were too busy to answer the same questions repeatedly, they probably wouldn't be regulars here. The people answering the standard questions do so with friendliness and grace; but reading that

 

Conversely, on the Roll Calls, many many of the participants are new or newer to CC, might be first time HAL cruisers, and are REALLY excited about their upcoming cruise. They ask all the same questions and nobody scolds them for asking a question that's already been answered. While we all have something in common, our love for cruising, the RC people have a very specific experience, time and place that they are all looking forward to.

 

I don't book private excursions with people from the Roll Calls, but it is fun to have a group of people with which to share that specific anticipation.

[kazu]

Actually, the :eek: private shore ex was while we were in Reykjavik on the Prinsendam. One male proceeded to interrogate another member as to how he could afford to cruise. :eek: Later this same male (from a supposedly very 'green' county - think Lord of the Rings) opened his window in the van and proceeded to throw his gum wrapper out of it into the pristine Icelandic countryside.

 

Another couple felt that they didn't need to follow the guide's directions as to where not to go during a stop nor did they need to pay attention as to when to return to the van to get back to the ship. The photo stop, after the visit where the guide had to go searching for them, we were told to be back in 10-minutes. The guy turned to his wife and said "He doesn't really mean 10 minutes". When the rest of us said that yes, he really does mean 10 minutes, they actually said something along the lines 'of course the ship would wait for them'. :rolleyes: They told us of one cruise where they were at the top of the cliffs in Santorini and could hear themselves being paged by the ship waiting to sail. NO big deal.

 

Yes, there were a charming couple on that shore ex with us (Hi Joyce & Matt - if you're still around here) who were as appalled as we were by the behavior of the others. We'd tour with them again in a heartbeat.

 

We usually cruise with friends and have found that we would save VERY little by adding additional people to our private shore ex. Last one it would have saved the each of us (there were 4) $5/pp. It isn't worth risking our enjoyment to share with strangers. We do private shore ex for a better tour experience, not just to save a few bucks. If we save some money, great. If we don't, we've had a wonderful tour not dealing with a bus-load of passengers - and seeing more than they did anyway.

 

We'd consider sharing again if we thought had a good feel for others wanting to join us. This would most likely come because we'd seen their posts on other forums too.

 

Then I guess I must consider myself and my DH very lucky people. we've never had an issue - and somehow I have to question your statement about only saving $5???? in Europe??? seriously Me thinks not.

 

Anyways we've been very happy and delighted to meet roll call members at our meet and greets - a sail a way party and to tour with them.

 

There is a whole world out there and a lot of wonderful people. If I hadn't gone on cc roll call I would NEVER have met some of the wonderful people I did. :)

 

And for once I can say this would also come from DH's heart as well as mine:D We consider ourselves very lucky to have met these fabulous people

[Assateague Island Princes]

Totally agree w/the last three posters. I've met some amazing, special people on my last two HAL roll calls (I should clarify - both Alaska sailings), and no, many aren't 'regular' posters on the HAL board. Heck, I don't even consider myself a 'regular' poster on the HAL board, though I do read it religiously.

 

Many of the folks on our Roll Calls were newbies to cruising or newbies to HAL itself, and any questions asked or opinions offered were greeted with the enthusiasm and thoughtfulness with which they were presented. Perphaps we got lucky? but since we met on board, I now proudly consider several of them friends, and we stay in contact, even a couple of years later. For those of you who haven't experienced that "connection" on a Roll Call, I sure hope you get to at some point in the near future. Jacquie summed it up quite nicely by saying that there is a whole wonderful world out there filled with wonderful folks that you may never meet unless you open up a bit and give them a chance.

[magandab]

There is another similar aspect I think. I have found myself less and less likely to ask a question here on the HAL Board because of the type of answers given. For some reason we have a rotating cast of self-appointed monitors (aside from the actual board hosts of course) who take it upon themselves to chastise and correct posters for asking questions. The latest truly annoying response has been "That's been discussed many times here and a search would have given you your answer" or words to that effect. Honestly, the if the regulars here were too busy to answer the same questions repeatedly, they probably wouldn't be regulars here. The people answering the standard questions do so with friendliness and grace; but reading that

 

Conversely, on the Roll Calls, many many of the participants are new or newer to CC, might be first time HAL cruisers, and are REALLY excited about their upcoming cruise. They ask all the same questions and nobody scolds them for asking a question that's already been answered. While we all have something in common, our love for cruising, the RC people have a very specific experience, time and place that they are all looking forward to.

 

I don't book private excursions with people from the Roll Calls, but it is fun to have a group of people with which to share that specific anticipation.

 

 

Oops, I edited this, but it didn't "stick". Should say '...reading that kind of snarky answer tends to drive people away and turn them off participation here.;

[cruz chic]

Oops, I edited this, but it didn't "stick". Should say '...reading that kind of snarky answer tends to drive people away and turn them off participation here.;

I agree, that answer sucks. There seems to be at least one poster that takes great pleasure in saying that. That said, there was a very rude "new" poster here recently that was ripping a new one on the long time posters. Haven't seen that poster for a week or two. Maybe they are on a cruise but I centainly don't miss them. It does go both ways.