Roll Calls...the Good, Bad and the Ugly

[Kellie Poodle]

The Good: We do independent excursions and roll calls are the best place to put a group together. We've made some life-long friends from these groups and have had wonderful times.

 

The Best: A month before leaving on a B2B cruise of the Baltics and a TA, I was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer and had to start chemo. I was leading a tour in Dublin and had to hand it off to someone else. The other day I got a hand made card, signed by the entire group of 19 and mailed from Dublin. It doesn't get any better than that!

 

The Ugly: I was sent the wrong payment information by a roll call member who offered a spot on a tour she was organizing. After I made the deposit, I realized that it was the wrong tour. I emailed the person and apologized, stating that I might have been partially at fault as I was undergoing treatment. This person responded with the vilest email I have ever gotten telling me that she was glad I wasn't going on her tour and that she didn't want anyone with bad vibrations around her. I've been on CC for a long time and this was the worst experience I've ever had with a roll call.

[wwcruisers]

[quote name='Kellie Poodle;40043787

 

The Best: A month before leaving on a B2B cruise of the Baltics and a TA' date=' I was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer and had to start chemo. I was leading a tour in Dublin and had to hand it off to someone else. The other day I got a hand made card, signed by the entire group of 19 and mailed from Dublin. It doesn't get any better than that!

[/quote']

 

OMG, Janet -- when did this happen? :(

I'm so sorry to hear this -- are you still on chemo? You and Barry are in our prayers.

(Suzanne)

[DebbieMacG]

Debbie - I think Cruisenut didn't want to use "dead in the water" :D and I'm sure didn't realize that it could be a sensitive term.

 

Beth

 

Thank you Beth, I think I'm a little sensitive to that word at the moment as my daughter has just lost identical twin girls, its a terrible word to use in that context :(

 

Kellie I'm sorry to hear that you are ill and hope your treatment goes well, your good and bad roll call experiences are amazing for all the right and wrong reasons :eek:

[mjwcruising]

Please edit the quote and turn off your long brag sheet about all the cruises you have completed or will be taking over the next two years if you are posting again and again on the same day... Just check the appropriate box when posting...

 

Arno, never realized you could turn off your signature for just that particular post. See, even old dogs can learn new things on Cruise Critic. :D

 

I am aware of how to edit the quote but do not know how to edit my "brag sheet" and signature. Please enlighten me.

Thank you,

:)

[Redlats]

... do not know how to edit my "brag sheet" and signature...

When you "Reply to Thread", below the reply under "Additional Options" is an option to "Show your signature". Just unclick it.

 

(I don't know what the "Automatically parse links in text" does though)

Edited September 22, 2013 by Redlats

[Lois R]

Janet....so sorry about your bad experience and if there is Karma

anywhere in this life? You will get the good and whoever that vile person

is? The bad will be coming their way.

 

Hope you are doing better..wishing you all good health:)

[jdvmd]

The Good: We do independent excursions and roll calls are the best place to put a group together. We've made some life-long friends from these groups and have had wonderful times.

 

The Best: A month before leaving on a B2B cruise of the Baltics and a TA, I was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer and had to start chemo. I was leading a tour in Dublin and had to hand it off to someone else. The other day I got a hand made card, signed by the entire group of 19 and mailed from Dublin. It doesn't get any better than that!

 

The Ugly: I was sent the wrong payment information by a roll call member who offered a spot on a tour she was organizing. After I made the deposit, I realized that it was the wrong tour. I emailed the person and apologized, stating that I might have been partially at fault as I was undergoing treatment. This person responded with the vilest email I have ever gotten telling me that she was glad I wasn't going on her tour and that she didn't want anyone with bad vibrations around her. I've been on CC for a long time and this was the worst experience I've ever had with a roll call.

Absolutely deplorable. I am so sorry you had to experience this.

[Andy]

One solution might be to put "Cruise or Transfer or Tour info" in the Title, then those who don't like to chat could search for the posts that were critical to them.

 

 

Hi Beth,

 

I'm unsure if you are suggesting creating multiple threads, or otherwise.... but I'd like to offer my insights about multiple threads for Roll Calls :

 

I hope that our members avoid creating multiple threads for each sailing date. It only clutters the Roll Calls, and makes the forum difficult to navigate to say the least. It also creates extra work for the moderators, as I try to keep the Roll Call Forums in good order, so that specific sailing dates are easy to locate. I often spend about an hour or more each day, reviewing various Roll Call forums... and merging threads. There's always work to be done !

 

Another item to consider - with our new search feature, multiple Roll Call dates would create a larger list... which may also confuse our members.

 

I hope this helps clarify. Thanks very much for your understanding.

Edited September 22, 2013 by Host Andy

[67Miner]

My pet peeve has always been people who wish to quote another poster without removing some of the info such as a picture. Five people in a row posting the same very large photo is a slow process, the same for those with long signatures posting several times a day...

 

Please edit the quote and turn off your long brag sheet about all the cruises you have completed or will be taking over the next two years if you are posting again and again on the same day... Just check the appropriate box when posting...

 

I've stopped adding a signature and our future cruise calendar as well as turning off looking at others because posts just load so much quicker.

 

These are comments that I have made before and did it ever raise a firestorm by those who either don't understand posting speed or really wanted to impress others with their past or future cruises.

 

(Off the soapbox now) ;)

 

 

Absolutely agree. There comes a time when there's simply too much minutiae to scroll through to find useful information. Past and upcoming cruise information and countdown clocks are not useful and distracting.

[Smiles3usa]

When I first joined cruise critic I had dial-up service (You remember, "you've got mail"). As you might imagine, the loading of pages was slow. The loading of pages with pictures and long signatures was extremely slow. In response, I just adjusted MY prefereces to not include any signature views. The pages loaded faster and I never looked back. We all have the power to exclude viewing those signatures, if we so choose. Actually, I had forgotten that I had turned them off. Recently, I turned them back on, just to see what I'd been missing. There is some good stuff in the signatures of some folks. I would send some folks a private message asking questions, based on their signatures. But, on balance, I can live without them. Each should make their own choice whether to view or not view the signatures, wihout impinging on the preference of others to post their signatures.

[CPT Trips]

I keep signatures off. When I want to see someone's sig, all I need to do is click on their name in the post.

[robtulipe]

(I don't know what the "Automatically parse links in text" does though)

 

I've wondered about this also.

I've added a link to this thread and un-checked that option.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1917505&page=3

 

PS I saw no difference in the way the link I added functioned so maybe Host Andy can clarify this option.

Edited September 22, 2013 by robtulipe

[Blazerboy]

"Get a life?" "Knock it off?"

 

Wow. Just wow.

 

I'm sorry if those who haven't been to a port or on a ship before depend on roll calls solely for information. I have been in many cruises, have been to most European ports, and don't do many organized excursions, ship or roll-call organized. So I should only be on a roll call as a resource for others? I should just keep quiet because I don't want slot pulls or cabin crawls? I shouldn't complain about the endless solicitation for cruise tours in which I have no interest? The endless lists of who's going in which van, and how great Gino the driver was/is/will be?

 

What arrogance this displays to assume anyone has the right to tell me what I should find valuable.

 

The "chatter" is how we get to know people ahead of time. The "chatter" is how we see if there might be common interests, and the potential to share a meal or drinks together. The "chatter" also gives me an indication of who I might avoid, so while not always pleasant, it's useful to me.

 

If I am going to give information to others to help their cruise be better, the least they can do is allow me to get something out of the exchange as well.

 

If I "allow" the conversations that have little interest to me, please allow those that hold little interest for you.

 

Maybe instead of separate threads for tours versus chatter, every poster should self identify as "social" or "antisocial!" :D

 

(Sorry, but a few posts pushed my buttons. My back is acting up again, and I have to go back to work tomorrow, so I'm cranky....oh, but wait, you don't allow chatter here!;) )

 

The most useful thing about my current rollcall was finding out that there's a small child who will miss trick or treating, so we'll get some treats for her right before the cruise. This will make my trip far more enjoyable than touring with some group who treats their vacation like a checklist of must-sees, and takes no time to savor the small unique experiences in a new or different culture.

 

So sayeth Blazer boy!:cool:

 

(There. I feel better.)

 

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Forums mobile app

[robtulipe]

I agree Blazerboy and accept the not so useful posts on roll calls I've participant in. The useful to me posts more than make up for the less or no interest to me posts. Others are interested in this or they wouldn't be posting those. I just pass them by to get to what is of interest to me.

I like to post information on port stops and cruising in general from our past cruise experience. I got most of this information from other roll call posters before going on those cruises this info was useful for.

I like seeing previous and future cruise information in the signature as it helps recognize people we've cruise with before and might be cruising with in the future. It also gives me an idea what cruise experience information in posts are based on.

[wwcruisers]

I agree Blazerboy and accept the not so useful posts on roll calls I've participant in. The useful to me posts more than make up for the less or no interest to me posts. Others are interested in this or they wouldn't be posting those. I just pass them by to get to what is of interest to me.

I like to post information on port stops and cruising in general from our past cruise experience. I got most of this information from other roll call posters before going on those cruises this info was useful for.

I like seeing previous and future cruise information in the signature as it helps recognize people we've cruise with before and might be cruising with in the future. It also gives me an idea what cruise experience information in posts are based on.

 

You've been a great asset on our roll-call! :) I always appreciate your informative and helpful posts -- and your patience with our chatter. ;)

[bbappel]

Hi Beth,

 

I'm unsure if you are suggesting creating multiple threads, or otherwise.... but I'd like to offer my insights about multiple threads for Roll Calls :

....

I hope this helps clarify. Thanks very much for your understanding.

 

Not at all - I was suggesting that up above in our reply where it says "Title" that you could say Important Info if you were giving that, and then others could skip the other posts. Of course, there could be a disagreement about what someone considers important :rolleyes:

Thank you for all the work you put into this. It does help keep everything flowing well.

Beth

[Hlitner]

A fascinating real eye opening thread. We tend to take longer cruises to more exotic locations (as opposed to the usual Caribbean thing) and the ports have lots of importance to those of us who either take private tours or do our own thing. We like to use the Roll Call for all those port related matters and joining with others on some private tours. But all the other stuff such as ""my cat died," My Mother-in Law is ill, lets do a skit at the meet and greet, lets have a gift exchange, etc. really turn me off to the Roll Calls and normally keep us far away from the Meet and Greets. So I will say it hear! We really do not care about your cat, dog, hamster, rat, mother-in-law, etc!

 

Hank

[bbappel]

We really do not care about your cat, dog, hamster, rat, mother-in-law, etc!

 

Hank

 

Hank, I hope you know you are speaking for yourself (and some others) but there are those of us who do care about fellow passenger's cats, dogs, hamsters, (maybe not so much rats), mother-in-laws, illnesses, adventures in packing, etc. To each his own, but for some of us, that caring is just part of friendly behavior. For others it is intrusive. Along that line, long e-mails bug some people, others relish them. It's an interesting old world, innit?

 

Beth

[patty1955]

I don't so much dislike the "getting to know" post, it's the catching up that I have problems with. There's always a few people who have sailed together (sometimes multiple times) who feel the need to reminisce. Those of us who weren't on the previous trips or don't know the back story about your mother-in-law aren't really interested. It would be nice if that type of post could be communicated privately.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

"Get a life?" "Knock it off?"

 

Wow. Just wow.

 

I'm sorry if those who haven't been to a port or on a ship before depend on roll calls solely for information. I have been in many cruises, have been to most European ports, and don't do many organized excursions, ship or roll-call organized. So I should only be on a roll call as a resource for others? I should just keep quiet because I don't want slot pulls or cabin crawls? I shouldn't complain about the endless solicitation for cruise tours in which I have no interest? The endless lists of who's going in which van, and how great Gino the driver was/is/will be?

 

What arrogance this displays to assume anyone has the right to tell me what I should find valuable.

 

The "chatter" is how we get to know people ahead of time. The "chatter" is how we see if there might be common interests, and the potential to share a meal or drinks together. The "chatter" also gives me an indication of who I might avoid, so while not always pleasant, it's useful to me.

 

If I am going to give information to others to help their cruise be better, the least they can do is allow me to get something out of the exchange as well.

 

If I "allow" the conversations that have little interest to me, please allow those that hold little interest for you.

 

Maybe instead of separate threads for tours versus chatter, every poster should self identify as "social" or "antisocial!" :D

 

(Sorry, but a few posts pushed my buttons. My back is acting up again, and I have to go back to work tomorrow, so I'm cranky....oh, but wait, you don't allow chatter here!;) )

 

The most useful thing about my current rollcall was finding out that there's a small child who will miss trick or treating, so we'll get some treats for her right before the cruise. This will make my trip far more enjoyable than touring with some group who treats their vacation like a checklist of must-sees, and takes no time to savor the small unique experiences in a new or different culture.

 

So sayeth Blazer boy!:cool:

 

(There. I feel better.)

 

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Forums mobile app

 

Hear, hear!

[kroberst]

"G...p

 

Thank you Blazerboy! I couldn't agree more.;)

 

K

Edited September 22, 2013 by kroberst
Quote edited for space as has been suggested

[Blazerboy]

And, conversely, I could care less about your plans ashore. But I am happy to let you chat about them, if you allow me to chat with others on the trip about the hometown we share, or the connection to a college, or our love of Welsh Corgis and Volvos (for example...;) ).

 

The point is that the roll calls have several functions, even according to the hosts here, and some folks want to dictate that these roll calls don't serve any needs other than their own.

 

For the record, I probably don't care about Floppsy the cat or the sciatica of the neighbor's cousin's hairdresser, but I wouldn't presume to say that others shouldn't post on a roll call about it.

 

And, before you pay $129.00 for 8 hours in a van with 3 other couples, wouldn't you like to know before you commit that a person might yammer on about said cat?:eek:

 

Hank, we probably aren't actually that far apart on this, but would both agree that their needs to be some balance!:)

 

Andrew

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Forums mobile app

[Kellie Poodle]

OMG, Janet -- when did this happen? :(

I'm so sorry to hear this -- are you still on chemo? You and Barry are in our prayers.

(Suzanne)

 

Middle of July. Finished chemo on Friday and still trying to get over it.

[Blazerboy]

.....that their needs to be some balance!:)

:eek: OMG. There...there...there! These kind of mistakes drive me NUTS...even more than cats with sciatica! Since no one else is allowed to point out my mistake, I thought I'd fall on the sword.

 

Andrew

[BEAV]

 

And, before you pay $129.00 for 8 hours in a van with 3 other couples, wouldn't you like to know before you commit that a person might yammer on about said cat?:eek:

 

 

OMG! So true. We were on a private excursion of folks from our roll call and all we heard for several hours was a woman who kept offering her dried fruit to the group. Bless her heart for sharing, but hearing every fifteen minutes, "would anyone like some dried fruit", got a little old! :eek::D:eek: