Holland America Roll Calls

[cynalan]

An interesting observation... most of our recent cruises have been on Celebrity or Royal Caribbean. The Roll Call board for these lines often have hundreds of posts prior to departure. We leave on the Oosterdam in a few months for an Alaska cruise and the number of roll call posts is abysmal... three cruisers in total have posted. Looking at a few other HAL dates, this low posting volume seems typical. Perhaps a different clientele and/or expectations by passengers? Wonder why so different and such a disinterest in roll calls? :confused:

[Danni3ll3]

It has been mentioned that HAL's clientele tends to be from older demographics so could it be that technology is a challenge? Although if my 84 year old dad learned to use a computer, anyone can if they are willing to give it a go.

[freanesi]

On my first cruise (one and only so far!) to the Mediterranean with NCL, the roll call had hundreds of posts and many members talking all the time about anything and everything concerning the cruise, the ship, ports of call etc. DH and I are once again going back to the Med this time with HAL. Our cruise is only 4 months out and there is some activity on our roll call but not very much at all. Sometimes I feel like a stalker because all I want to do is to talk to others about our trip, but there are only a couple of us posting things. I'm not quite sure either why this is so. I could get a complex if I let myself thinki that nobody likes me.:)

[ellieanne]

I've posted in a few roll calls for my HAL cruises, but I find them mainly to be discussions of private tours and other private arrangements in ports. I use HAL's tours in ports. Or, because my family uses cruises as family reunions, any non-ship port activities tend to be excursions with my family, and usually within walking distance of the pier. I'm happy to share my plans, but discussions of private tours don't interest me and I have nothing to add, so I tend to quickly back out of the roll calls.

 

It also seems to be expected that if you're on the roll call participation in the planned group activities -- get-togethers, pub/cabin crawls, etc. -- is a requirement. And I'm not that social. Sometimes the roll call groups are "too much, too fast" for a very shy me, and it can be overwhelming, so I'll stop posting and bow out.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Some Roll Calls on HAL are very active while others aren't. Remember that the people here on Cruise Critic make up only a tiny portion of the actual cruisers on a ship.

I, for one, stopped joining the Roll Calls as I am not interested in exchanging gifts, playing games, cabin crawls, etc. I just like to meet new people and discuss cruising.

Presently on the Westerdam there is quite a large group of CC members and their group was very active on the Roll Call -- the "sail away gang".

[dfish]

I think the Roll Calls are somewhat dependent on where the cruise is going as well as length. When I went to South America/Antarctica, we had a very active roll call. Some members did arrange private tours, but there was also chatter about the cruise in general, the meet and greet and pre cruise activities. We got to know each other well and a group of us got together regularly for trivia and dinner.

 

Other roll calls for shorter cruises to Alaska and Canada/New England have been much smaller and not as active. We've had get togethers on all of them and it was nice meeting people on board and talking about our cruise, but not much of the excursion planning.

 

I've never had a roll call that expected a gift exchange or game playing. On South America/Antarctica we did celebrate a couple birthdays and an anniversary, but that was just a card that we passed around and signed at the Meet and Greet.

 

We did do a cabin crawl on my first cruise to Alaska, but there were only three of us participating on the roll call and it was an opportunity to see the different types of cabins available. I appreciated that as a first time cruiser because I knew nothing. We also got together a few times for drinks after dinner and on scenic cruising days just for fun.

 

Deb

[jtl513]

It takes at least two "spark-plug" members to get a Roll Call going well. Having at least one newbie to cruising or HAL that asks a lot of questions helps a lot too. Otherwise a lot of people just say "We're in, add us to the M&G" and then wait for somebody else to bring up a topic for conversation.

[david,Mississauga]

It is possible that very few members of Cruise Critic are on a particular cruise.

 

Several months ago I noticed that there were hundreds of postings on the roll call for our Alaska cruise. There were relatively few members and everyone seemed to know everyone else and I wondered if an "outsider" would be welcome. So I joined the roll call and immediately found that they were a friendly lot and I didn't feel like I was intruding into a private club. I can understand that some people could be reluctant to participate.

[Ky Colonel]

I've posted in a few roll calls for my HAL cruises, but I find them mainly to be discussions of private tours and other private arrangements in ports. I use HAL's tours in ports. Or, because my family uses cruises as family reunions, any non-ship port activities tend to be excursions with my family, and usually within walking distance of the pier. I'm happy to share my plans, but discussions of private tours don't interest me and I have nothing to add, so I tend to quickly back out of the roll calls.

 

It also seems to be expected that if you're on the roll call participation in the planned group activities -- get-togethers, pub/cabin crawls, etc. -- is a requirement. And I'm not that social. Sometimes the roll call groups are "too much, too fast" for a very shy me, and it can be overwhelming, so I'll stop posting and bow out.

 

... this pretty well sums up my feelings on the subject ...

 

Rod

[Alberta Quilter]

I think it depends on the cruise and the posters. I had two incredibly active roll calls last year, one of which was for a 5 day coastal cruise! This year's roll call has certainly picked up as we get closer to the cruise but it is nowhere close to the two from last year.

[AV8rix]

….noted on a roll call which I started for my upcoming Amsterdam repo cruise (my first attempt at starting a roll call, incidentally). There are only 9 participants in total, including me. Approximately half of responders made only one post. The majority of the posts are by me, welcoming each new responder.

 

Now here’s the strange phenomenon: The total “replies” count is only 38. However, the “views” count is currently 490 and continues to tick up each day, even though the last post on that thread was made by me over a week ago. Who keeps viewing an inactive message thread? <-- (Not I, what’s the point?)

 

And hi, AQ. Enjoyed meeting you on our Amsterdam Alaska cruise last year.

[wander]

Since such a high proportion of Alaska cruisers are first time or second time cruisers (compared with most cruises) many probably do not even know about CC. On my last few Alaska cruises on HAL and Princess I was in the very, very top ranks in terms of days - on most other cruises my days cruised numbers are very insignificant.

[catl331]

Who keeps viewing an inactive message thread?

Maybe folks considering the cruise. wanting to see what the group aboard is like? Maybe some who have booked but aren't ready to "come out" yet?

[Alberta Quilter]

Maybe folks considering the cruise. wanting to see what the group aboard is like? Maybe some who have booked but aren't ready to "come out" yet?

 

Could also be people on other sailings checking out information or tips from that sailing. I did that on last year's Alaska cruise (and this year's Canada/NE cruise). Many people were lurking (and posting) on other sailings' roll calls.

 

Hi back, Av8rix! Hope you're keeping well!

[crusinpsychRN]

I joined a roll call for the 11/28/15 sailing of Westerdam, 2nd person to join. The first then dropped out and no one has joined since....I'm getting a complex!

[ponstad]

I actually started a roll call for our Alaskan cruise on the Oosterdam - we leave on Aug 30th - and there has been surprisingly little activity. Part of the fun for me is cruise planning and anticipating. I have appreciated the four other folks who have posted and look forward to meeting them on board, at least for the opportunity to put faces with our cruise names!

Cynalan - sounds like you will be cruising before we are - would love to hear your impressions of the Oosterdam.

[summer slope]

I joined my roll call in case I had questions for the more experienced cruisers. I'm not a joiner, lots of meetings, etc....but want to meet people I've chatted with.

[marym933]

I joined a roll call for the 11/28/15 sailing of Westerdam, 2nd person to join. The first then dropped out and no one has joined since....I'm getting a complex!

 

 

I started a roll call for our Alaska cruise on July 19, 2015 last October. No one else has posted even though the ship is almost sold out!

[AV8rix]

Maybe folks considering the cruise. wanting to see what the group aboard is like? Maybe some who have booked but aren't ready to "come out" yet?

 

Could also be people on other sailings checking out information or tips from that sailing. I did that on last year's Alaska cruise (and this year's Canada/NE cruise). Many people were lurking (and posting) on other sailings' roll calls.

 

Hi back, Av8rix! Hope you're keeping well!

 

Thanks! Good and logical points, both catl331 and AQ! I never considered any of that but, as I said, it's the first roll call that I ever initiated.

 

I'm fine thanks, AQ. How's your mom doin'? Your marble ring that I was admiring? I ordered one for myself as soon as I got home :).

[towhee]

We've been active on roll calls on Princess, HAL, and Celebrity. We first found out about CC when we sailed on Celebrity about 15 years ago. Celebrity and NCL encourage CC, Meet & Greets, and roll calls, while other cruise lines don't (or they have their own Facebook roll calls). So it seems that you will have more activity on Celebrity or NCL cruises than you will on cruises on other lines. That said, I think it depends upon the CC members that are on a specific cruise. Some roll calls are very active with lots of advice, planning, and chit-chat; others just have mostly advice. It's like any group you belong to; some are very active socially, others are active technically, and others used to be active, but aren't any more.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Some roll calls never make it :(:(

[Hflors]

It seems to me that the longer cruises attracts a larger roll call. On our Hawaii/Tahiti cruise a couple of years ago we had a very active roll call. The group did a number of shore excursions that we participated in, but since we were traveling with two other couples we did a lot of tours with them also. We had two or three meet and greets and had a lot of fun at that.

 

The shorter cruises don't seem to generate too much activity as there just isn't too much time while on the ship.

 

Just my thoughts

[Lady Chew]

We've had several cruises on HAL, shortest was 11 days, longest was 75.

 

Roll Call participation has varied ... some are more active than others.

 

It depends on the personalities involved, and I think the itinerary is very important. Lots of interesting ports generate lots of posts.

 

But - there is certainly no requirement that everyone on the Roll Call participate in anything if they don't want to. We've had Roll Calls with slot pulls, cabin crawls, gift exchanges, other "games" ... we don't do any of those things but we still participate in the discussion.

 

We always go the M&G ... always ... the few times we haven't clicked with anyone, we leave. No big deal.

 

As for private excursions, I have set some up myself and signed up for others ... but there is never any pressure to do either.

Edited April 16, 2015 by Lady Chew

[cynalan]

Cynalan - sounds like you will be cruising before we are - would love to hear your impressions of the Oosterdam.

 

That's right. We are doing a land tour before the cruise. Our actual cruise embarkation is June 28th. Keep an eye on the HAL forum. I usually post a review of our cruises.

[Loreto]

I have enjoyed chatting with fellow cruisers on Roll Call, looking forward to meeting them, the day of the meet and greet arrives and they don't show up.:( I enjoy seeing fellow meet & greet cruisers around the ship and on excursions....a familiar face and a smile....nice to see that on a big ship!

 

My current Roll Call is not very active, and we may not have enough for a M & G. This will be my 3rd time on the 14 day Alaska ....looking forward to it!:)

 

Karen