OP for roll calls

[cricketts]

I love the Cruise Critic roll calls! We've made some great friends while cruising, and in almost all cases, the original contacts have come through Cruise Critic.

 

That said, I see a trend where the OP, original poster, for the roll call abandons it or goes inactive. I don't get it :confused: I'm currently on 3 roll calls (feeling very blessed to travel that much) where the OP hasn't posted since last year.

 

I've been the OP a few times, and always feel an obligation to keep up with a listing of names and keep the roll call active. Without someone to take charge, these roll calls seem to be dying :(

 

It's sad... anyone else experiencing this trend?

[scanditaly]

perhaps not the extreme you mention, but definitely happens.

 

I think we all go through phases and different periods of time constraints. Seasons can alter our schedules, as well as "life" getting in the way of our free time.

[twoontheisle]

Lots of lurking as well. Have you ever noticed that the VIEWS to REPLIES ratio is about 100 to 1? I personally don't look at roll calls if I am not on that particular sailing a whole lot. Occasionally I will read them if the title is clever or pertinent to my next sailings. On both of my current roll calls, I have noticed quite a few people introduce themselves and say things like "can't wait to meet everyone", and then they fall off the active list. I find that to be curious. Isn't the roll call itself meeting people? Probably not, if you never come back.

[Desertbelle]

I am not exactly sure what you are saying. Do you think that the person who starts a Roll Call is then responsible for it? Greeting every new person joining, keeping track of people, starting a website, arranging private tours, organizing sail away parties, etc.??

 

I think the person who starts the Roll Call has no obligations in the least. They are simply the first person who thought to add their newly booked cruise to the Roll Call lists. They don't necessarily have any organizing skills or even wish to be involved with keeping a list or planning excursions.

 

I have seen a few Roll Calls not be very active, and some that were extremely active....and I can't say that the OP ever had anything to do with either extreme.

[Langley Cruisers]

I've been the OP a few times, and always feel an obligation to keep up with a listing of names and keep the roll call active. Without someone to take charge, these roll calls seem to be dying :(

 

IMO, it is not the job of the OP of a roll call to keep it going, remain active, or be in charge. It's simply a starting point. Maybe OP cancelled the cruise? Maybe an illness or other disruption came along? Don't take it personally and don't be overly concerned. Yes, we are all blessed to cruise - I agree - but the roll call is really just a little slice of life that (for me) has very little impact on the cruise I am taking.

.

[cricketts]

I am not exactly sure what you are saying. Do you think that the person who starts a Roll Call is then responsible for it? Greeting every new person joining, keeping track of people, starting a website, arranging private tours, organizing sail away parties, etc.??

 

I think the person who starts the Roll Call has no obligations in the least. They are simply the first person who thought to add their newly booked cruise to the Roll Call lists. They don't necessarily have any organizing skills or even wish to be involved with keeping a list or planning excursions.

 

I have seen a few Roll Calls not be very active, and some that were extremely active....and I can't say that the OP ever had anything to do with either extreme.

 

 

Yours is exactly the type of opinion I am curious about! You definitely understood my question. Thanks.

[cricketts]

IMO, it is not the job of the OP of a roll call to keep it going, remain active, or be in charge. It's simply a starting point. Maybe OP cancelled the cruise? Maybe an illness or other disruption came along? Don't take it personally and don't be overly concerned. Yes, we are all blessed to cruise - I agree - but the roll call is really just a little slice of life that (for me) has very little impact on the cruise I am taking.

 

.

 

 

I like hearing other thoughts... Maybe it's not a trend, just circumstances!

[garycarla]

The first person on a roll is just that - the FIRST person. They are not starting a post or roll call program, or anything else. They are just someone that was looking for that ROLL CALL and noticed there was not one.

 

So, they started one.

 

Not sure why anyone would expect THAT person to do anything more.

[Daghis]

At a Meet & Mingle on Allure of the Seas a year and a half ago, the Activities Director was giving away bottles of wine to the person with the most interesting Cruise Critic username or to the person who originally started the roll call thread. In the case of the OP of the thread, she said that in her experience, they've never been at the Meet & Mingle.

 

I've been OP a few times in the past, usually on very small threads for Majesty of the Seas or Monarch of the Seas; three and four night cruises don't garner the same attention in roll call threads as longer cruises.

 

I'm the OP for two of my upcoming cruises. One is on Adventure of the Seas and from what I've seen, those roll calls tend to be somewhat slower. I've been somewhat active, but not acting as an organizer there as I was giving my attention to the roll call thread for a cruise which was coming up sooner. Now that the Adventure of the Seas cruise is coming up next, I'll be devoting more time to that thread, especially once we get past final payment.

[BillOh]

I love the Cruise Critic roll calls! We've made some great friends while cruising, and in almost all cases, the original contacts have come through Cruise Critic.

 

That said, I see a trend where the OP, original poster, for the roll call abandons it or goes inactive. I don't get it :confused: I'm currently on 3 roll calls (feeling very blessed to travel that much) where the OP hasn't posted since last year.

 

I've been the OP a few times, and always feel an obligation to keep up with a listing of names and keep the roll call active. Without someone to take charge, these roll calls seem to be dying :(

 

It's sad... anyone else experiencing this trend?

 

I also love the roll calls. I've participated in everyone and been the OP on many. The activity level does seem to be slowing down a bit. I've started some almost 24 months before the cruise and had them go beyond 6000 posts.

 

I did start one for a cruise on April 30th of 2016, but Royal pulled it from the website for many months. I at least did leave a note on that group that I changed my mine at that time. Since then I've started one for my 2016 Oasis cruise and I've been alone there for a year.

 

My current Freedom one is taking off now after a slow start. I had many people join and then change their minds. The majority came back and left a message about their change of plans, but some didn't, but I could tell from their signatures that they were no longer cruising with us. I do agree participation does seem down a bit.

[BillOh]

At a Meet & Mingle on Allure of the Seas a year and a half ago, the Activities Director was giving away bottles of wine to the person with the most interesting Cruise Critic username or to the person who originally started the roll call thread. .

 

They never came out and said so, but I've twice one a bottle at the M&M and it was both times I started the thread. We will see if that streak continues in 28 days. 4 weeks from this moment our M&M should be ending.

[reallyitsmema]

At a Meet & Mingle on Allure of the Seas a year and a half ago, the Activities Director was giving away bottles of wine to the person with the most interesting Cruise Critic username or to the person who originally started the roll call thread. In the case of the OP of the thread, she said that in her experience, they've never been at the Meet & Mingle.

 

I've been OP a few times in the past, usually on very small threads for Majesty of the Seas or Monarch of the Seas; three and four night cruises don't garner the same attention in roll call threads as longer cruises.

 

I'm the OP for two of my upcoming cruises. One is on Adventure of the Seas and from what I've seen, those roll calls tend to be somewhat slower. I've been somewhat active, but not acting as an organizer there as I was giving my attention to the roll call thread for a cruise which was coming up sooner. Now that the Adventure of the Seas cruise is coming up next, I'll be devoting more time to that thread, especially once we get past final payment.

 

Wine to the most interesting name seems to be the norm lately. We had a cruise on the Freedom that a person on a back to back went to the meet and mingle their first week and found out that this is what the activities director was doing. They then posted on our rollcall with a new user name and won the wine the second week of their back to back.:rolleyes: What people will do for a cheap bottle of wine.

[OCruisers]

The first person on a roll is just that - the FIRST person. They are not starting a post or roll call program, or anything else. They are just someone that was looking for that ROLL CALL and noticed there was not one.

So, they started one.

Not sure why anyone would expect THAT person to do anything more.

 

Exactly! The OP is under no obligation to do anything else!

LuLu

[Paulette3028]

I love the Cruise Critic roll calls! We've made some great friends while cruising, and in almost all cases, the original contacts have come through Cruise Critic.

 

That said, I see a trend where the OP, original poster, for the roll call abandons it or goes inactive. I don't get it :confused: I'm currently on 3 roll calls (feeling very blessed to travel that much) where the OP hasn't posted since last year.

 

I've been the OP a few times, and always feel an obligation to keep up with a listing of names and keep the roll call active. Without someone to take charge, these roll calls seem to be dying :(

 

It's sad... anyone else experiencing this trend?

 

I have participated in 3 rolls calls to date. I will add myself to the roll call for my next cruise at some point. The OP of a roll call doesn't in my view, have any obligation at all. They got it started -- if they would not have, someone on another day would have.

 

There always will be some people in a roll call that are more active, some even seem to 'take control', some become a 'welcoming committee' to the newest members....but the roll call will end up, as good as the participants and it doesn't matter how participating the OP actually is.

[Desert Cruizers]

I have been on several Roll Calls, where you will have your daily posters who keep the board active, then you have those that just read, but I have not been on one where the original Op left the cruise and not announce that due to changes etc, they have canceled. I am very active once I join one but like see a balance where you have ones that enjoy assuming the duties of organizing and those who participate. A Roll Call is a wonderful place to get to know those your sailing with and feel the topics should balance out with topics for your cruise and general chatting.

[Paulette3028]

I have been on several Roll Calls, where you will have your daily posters who keep the board active, then you have those that just read, but I have not been on one where the original Op left the cruise and not announce that due to changes etc, they have canceled. I am very active once I join one but like see a balance where you have ones that enjoy assuming the duties of organizing and those who participate. A Roll Call is a wonderful place to get to know those your sailing with and feel the topics should balance out with topics for your cruise and general chatting.

 

You get out of a roll call proportionally to what you put into the roll call, is my personal view.

 

On my first roll call, I participated only a little....really did not know what was or wasn't appropriate. Wasn't sure, how I wanted to be perceived....participated, but read more.

 

On my 2nd roll call, I was much more active -- I really had a good experience at the Meet N Mingle as a result of the first Roll Call. Met some wonderful people, met some of them the night before the cruise....all was good and even sat with them at dinner throughout our cruise.

 

On my 3rd roll call, I put more into it...did a little organizing for an activity. I will probably not do that again. I will be active, but not an activity organizer. I treated it as important to make the event I was planning fun, and those that RSVP'd probably did not take it seriously..... because attendance was low, and some special things had been arranged for with the help of the cruise line.

 

Being active is fine, being a good roll call participant is better -- be as active as you want to be -- be kind, straightforward, honest at all times.

[cricketts]

Keep the opinions coming!

The last cruise I was on had a roll call with over 2000 posts, and the camaraderie was wonderful :D

I guess I've been very spoiled :(

[Paulette3028]

Keep the opinions coming!

The last cruise I was on had a roll call with over 2000 posts, and the camaraderie was wonderful :D

I guess I've been very spoiled :(

 

Don't mistake my previous post in any way....DH and I developed some wonderful friends and had lots of camaraderie with some of our fellow cruisers......most of that was developed after we met on board.

[skiiergirl]

I love the Cruise Critic roll calls! We've made some great friends while cruising, and in almost all cases, the original contacts have come through Cruise Critic.

 

That said, I see a trend where the OP, original poster, for the roll call abandons it or goes inactive. I don't get it :confused: I'm currently on 3 roll calls (feeling very blessed to travel that much) where the OP hasn't posted since last year.

 

I've been the OP a few times, and always feel an obligation to keep up with a listing of names and keep the roll call active. Without someone to take charge, these roll calls seem to be dying :(

 

It's sad... anyone else experiencing this trend?

 

Like others have said....it is not the OP's place to "organize" or "make lists" of folks joining in the thread. They are simply the person that was most excited about that cruise at the very moment they started the thread. lol Also as others said...circumstances vary. Sometimes folks start the thread and then get too busy with "life" to post often. Also, sometimes they must unfortunately cancel. I have been the OP on a couple of threads that I then "disappeared" from as we had to cancel those cruises. I always try to go onto the thread and "alert" the other posters that we will no longer be sailing on that date.

 

I have participated on very active threads...and I have participated on threads where we don't even get enough folks to have the M&M. Same ship...a week apart. So circumstances definitely change.

 

I do love an "active" roll call though. We have met several lifelong friends through the roll calls!

[bigque]

Keep the opinions coming!

The last cruise I was on had a roll call with over 2000 posts, and the camaraderie was wonderful :D

I guess I've been very spoiled :(

 

Yes I too have been on some very active ones and the one I am on now is the slowest moving of the ones I have participate in. There are only about 3 or 4 of us that post consistently out of 10 people who have come through. Of the 10 about 5 have never posted since their initial post. The OP does not post often and as others have said it is not on them to coordiante anything or to keep the roll call moving. It does not matter anyway as I voluntered myself to to be the person that try to coordinate the roll call as I have done on some past roll calls. We have had 364 post with over 3,100 views so there are lot of folks who have been lurking.

[Little Buddy's Mom]

In some cases, there's a race to be the one to start the roll call. Recently, on the Harmony, someone started a roll call on the main board, because the Harmony hadn't been set up on the roll call board. Guess there's prestige in being the O.P. :)

[Desert Cruizers]

I also believe in welcoming our new arrivals to a Roll Call, have seen many instances where people come in, ask a question and are are passed by. If I am able to answer their questions I will, otherwise I will direct them with a link to the appropiate section.