Does it seem QUIET around here? Have posters quit posting? Or ?

[jtl513]

It appears a lot of the people I remember posting a bunch are no longer with us, and there aren't as many "new" mega-posters to replace them.

I've often wondered how many of the 1,322,800 "members" are still alive, and of those how many have posted in the last year or two? Edited October 24, 2015 by jtl513

[cabinluvn]

I think the same questions get asked over and over because, as far as I know, there is no way to search if that particular question has already been asked. I know I tried to find a similar post a few days ago and couldn't,most asked the question again

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[sail7seas]

I've noticed this since I recently returned to CC, after taking approx. 3 years off from cruising. It appears a lot of the people I remember posting a bunch are no longer with us, and there aren't as many "new" mega-posters to replace them.

 

Nor do there seem to be much in the way of newer topics.

 

Makes me long for a "which way do they have the toilet paper mounted?" threads of yesteryear...

 

There will always be some natural attrition due to death, poster changing cruise lines, no longer sailing, debilitating illness....... change of interests.

 

Through the years, I've noticed someone may come here, post a great deal, ask lots of questions and be particularly visible for a number of months. They take their HAL cruise and we never hear from them again. :)

 

Edited October 24, 2015 by sail7seas

[qsuzi]

I've often wondered how many of the 1,322,800 "members" are still alive, and of those how many have posted in the last year or two?

 

I wonder how many came back under another name or names? :)

[jtl513]

I think the same questions get asked over and over because, as far as I know, there is no way to search if that particular question has already been asked. I know I tried to find a similar post a few days ago and couldn't,most asked the question again

I agree that the CC Search function doesn't work all that well many times. If it fails me, I use Google to search

site:boards.cruisecritic.com keyword (or a list of keywords)

Edited October 24, 2015 by jtl513

[wandrr]

I've often wondered how many of the 1,322,800 "members" are still alive, and of those how many have posted in the last year or two?

 

or how many have been banned...

[mame42]

Perhaps the web site technical difficulties experienced a few months ago gave some of us some space/time to come up for air and discover life outside CC.

 

Also, I think that the banning of mentioning the site which cannot be named and the seemingly random nature of some posting deletions have had a dampening effect.

[pv girl]

Sometimes a thread will get downright nasty, with very hurtful barbs back and forth, and it seems to be the same group of posters, no matter the topic. This gets old and is no fun, and distresses me to read. There are some who will not back down on an opinion, even when someone proves them wrong, and just keep posting and posting the same old thing. There are a few newer posters who seem to have zoomed in on a few of the old-timers and get really nasty. A few threads have been cleaned up by moderators, locked, or have disappeared as a result of this.

 

I came to this thread to learn new things. We do that by seeing current reviews, and seeing questions answered by recent cruisers. It is not helpful to hear what happened on such and such a ship or class of stateroom five years ago. And these same posters, who haven't cruised lately, or haven't cruised to a particular area, will be the first to jump on and disagree with a current, recent poster.

 

I only post to areas I know well - because I have spent a lot of time in an area or have cruised there a lot. e.g. I have only done one Carib. and one Canada/NE and that was about 4 and 5 years ago - so don't think my answers would be relevant there - even to respond to a question about a port as things change quickly. Ask me about the Med, Italy, or especially Netherlands, and I will quickly respond, as I have been there on land trips for many years and cruises recently.

 

Sometimes I will be reading a thread and there is wrong info given, and I am tempted to jump in and correct it, but afraid the "experts" will jump all over me. Had this happen recently when I tried to describe the new "market" concept in the Lido on the recently renovated Rotterdam. Was told it couldn't possibly be so nice. I guess as all the other ships are converted, and folks experience it themselves, then they will get what a nice concept it is.

 

Rant over. Back to sailaway thread. Those are the one place you can count on civility 99% of the time.

[pv girl]

 

Through the years, I've noticed someone may come here, post a great deal, ask lots of questions and be particularly visible for a number of months. They take their HAL cruise and we never hear from them again. :)

 

 

Yes - agree - there was a poster recently all over the board asking about Alaska and might have had a very unique review for us - but we never heard if she hated it or loved it. Even if she hated it, it would have been fun to read why.

[cabinluvn]

A good reminder to come back and give a review!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Crew News]

I wonder how many came back under another name or names? :)

 

We know of at least four who shall remain nameless.

[Lizzie68]

I love lively discussions. I hate when a newbie is told to use the search function (it never works for me.) I also dislike having to read over and over and over again how many days/cruises someone has. It doesn't matter, what matters is the most recent ones. I love to read the blogs too. I also love to hear from people who book cabins "in the basement" (RuthC!) and get their perspective. I love to hear from new cruisers after their first cruise. But so many get shut down before they even have a chance to become a part of the community. I know I felt that way but you can't get rid of me that easily.:D Fortunately I discovered that secret little button that CC provides that allows you to not see some posts and posters and therefore doesn't draw you into contention. (Thanks to the person who told me about that). I think the Hal for Dummies thread is good because it invites posts from newbies. We should be more welcoming.

Has it quietened down? Seems so to me. When I check each morning there seem to be way fewer new threads or new posts since I last looked the day before. Hopefully it will pick up again because when all is said and done, this is a great resource and mostly a helpful community.

I remember so many names that never appear anymore - Mary (in Hawaii), Candy the Zuider Princess, Rev Neal, Brian, and many more. I miss their input.

[Crew News]

Sometimes a thread will get downright nasty, with very hurtful barbs back and forth, and it seems to be the same group of posters, no matter the topic. This gets old and is no fun, and distresses me to read. There are some who will not back down on an opinion, even when someone proves them wrong, and just keep posting and posting the same old thing. There are a few newer posters who seem to have zoomed in on a few of the old-timers and get really nasty. A few threads have been cleaned up by moderators, locked, or have disappeared as a result of this.

.

 

It is sad that we have had so many posters pushed away. Their reviews and answers could have been very valuable. It is fortunate that many have remained in contact with those still here on the HAL Forum via email.

 

When just a child, my parents taught me to only respect the opinions of those that you respect. Keeping that in mind, it is easy to just discount the barbs, the repetitive posts, the hypocrisy, and personal attacks. There are many posters whose posts I do not even read as well as a number to whom I will never respond.

 

Staying above the fray is a good policy and it allows me to contribute to the discussion and be helpful to those with questions that I am able to answer.

Edited October 24, 2015 by Crew News

[WeLoveCruising]

I used to read and post fairly regularly, but haven't been here in probably 4 years or so. We had a long illness and death in my immediate family.

 

My DH and I have a cruise booked on the Oosterdam, so I came back to see what may have changed. I recognize many of the same names, and also see new ones. Most of the topics and questions are the same as they were years ago, but I still enjoy reading the different perspecitves people have.

 

Even though I have plenty of cruising experience, I dont answer threads where I think I probably dont have the most current information. Opinion type posts, though, I have lots of that ;)

Edited October 24, 2015 by WeLoveCruising

[kalliekae]

Part of my totally non-scientific measure of current activity is the number of threads whose last post was "today". For HAL, there are currently 10 threads on the first page that last received a post "yesterday". By way of comparison, two other thread I have open regularly are Celebrity (one "yesterday" on page one) and RCI. For RCI, you need to go to the bottom of the second page before you hit you first two "yesterdays", quite a significant difference. I've no idea why they would have twice as many active threads, or whether this is a long-term trend, but clearly the RCI board is more active. I'd also note that it tends to be more pleasant, so maybe the nastiness on the HAL board has had an impact.

 

I always read the RC board and perhaps one reason they are so active is the number of ships. Lots of questions for each ship plus there are always many questions regarding the Oasis and the Allure. People specifically ask how to book the entertainment or which cabin location is the best, etc. One doesn't find those questions on HAL since one doesn't have to book shows in advance and there are not several neighborhoods to choose from for your cabin location. I would also agree that the RC board has less controversy than other boards.

 

I was away from cruising for a couple of years and did not post on either board. Since returning, I have also noticed that a few long time HAL posters are no longer posting. Perhaps they are not cruising or they just don't have time to post.

Edited October 24, 2015 by kalliekae

[Fouremco]

I always read the RC board and perhaps one reason they are so active is the number of ships. Lots of questions for each ship plus there are always many questions regarding the Oasis and the Allure. People specifically ask how to book the entertainment or which cabin location is the best, etc. One doesn't find those questions on HAL since one doesn't have to book shows in advance and there are not several neighborhoods to choose from for your cabin location. I would also agree that the RC board has less controversy than other boards.

 

I was away from cruising for a couple of years and did not post on either board. Since returning, I have also noticed that a few long time HAL posters are no longer posting. Perhaps they are not cruising or they just don't have time to post.

Good points re RC. As you say, lots of posts with people seeking information that isn't required for HAL. As someone with a first booking with RC, I find the process a great deal more complex and understand why there are so many questions. :eek:

[Lottie Linda]

I wonder if it's the negativity. It's been better lately, but for a few months, this board seemed to be haunted by trolls who just loved to jump into threads and stir up trouble. Some people seemed to be spoiling for a fight. A few fairly new posters said they weren't going to post again. Sad, when there's so much knowledge and kindness here and a few trolls detract from that.

 

Or maybe Cruise Critic needs to change the name to Cruise Cheerleader. Criticism is not tolerated. And it shows. A slight deviation from praise is automatically seen as a troll and is treated as such.

 

The same "everything is wonderful" by the same few 10,000 post personalities is quickly seen through.

 

The news media is full of stories about false reviews. People are not taking reviews at face value anymore and the treatment here by those who disagree send people elsewhere.

 

Change the name to Cruise Lovers and people will come here to find out what's to love about cruising. Call it Cruise CRITIC and marginalize real critics makes it less relevant.

[jtl513]

Or maybe Cruise Critic needs to change the name to Cruise Cheerleader. Criticism is not tolerated. And it shows. A slight deviation from praise is automatically seen as a troll and is treated as such.

 

The same "everything is wonderful" by the same few 10,000 post personalities is quickly seen through.

 

The news media is full of stories about false reviews. People are not taking reviews at face value anymore and the treatment here by those who disagree send people elsewhere.

 

Change the name to Cruise Lovers and people will come here to find out what's to love about cruising. Call it Cruise CRITIC and marginalize real critics makes it less relevant.

There are two definitions of critic:

 

crit·ic

ˈkridik/

noun

noun: critic; plural noun: critics

 

1. 1.
   a person who expresses an unfavorable opinion of something.
   "critics say many schools are not prepared to handle the influx of foreign students"
   synonyms:detractor, attacker, fault-finder, backseat driver, gadfly "critics of the government"
   
2. 2.
   a person who judges the merits of literary, artistic, or musical works, especially one who does so professionally.
   "a film critic"
   synonyms:reviewer, commentator, evaluator, analyst, judge, pundit "a literary critic"
   

 

I believe the CC name is meant to infer the latter synonyms. Balanced reviews are generally taken well, while "everything was terrible" reports are not.

Edited October 24, 2015 by jtl513

[sammiedawg]

Or maybe Cruise Critic needs to change the name to Cruise Cheerleader. Criticism is not tolerated. And it shows. A slight deviation from praise is automatically seen as a troll and is treated as such.

 

The same "everything is wonderful" by the same few 10,000 post personalities is quickly seen through.

 

The news media is full of stories about false reviews. People are not taking reviews at face value anymore and the treatment here by those who disagree send people elsewhere.

 

Change the name to Cruise Lovers and people will come here to find out what's to love about cruising. Call it Cruise CRITIC and marginalize real critics makes it less relevant.

 

Good post

[Rowsby]

There are two definitions of critic:

 

crit·ic

ˈkridik/

noun

noun: critic; plural noun: critics

 

1. 1.
   a person who expresses an unfavorable opinion of something.
   "critics say many schools are not prepared to handle the influx of foreign students"
   synonyms:detractor, attacker, fault-finder, backseat driver, gadfly "critics of the government"
   
2. 2.
   a person who judges the merits of literary, artistic, or musical works, especially one who does so professionally.
   "a film critic"
   synonyms:reviewer, commentator, evaluator, analyst, judge, pundit "a literary critic"
   

 

I believe the CC name is meant to infer the latter synonyms. Balanced reviews are generally taken well, while "everything was terrible" reports are not.

 

I have explained this difference many times....but I also quit explaining or even mentioning CC when we were going thru such a negative patch this last year.....I am glad it has gotten better....

[DaveOKC]

To add to the topic drift - I think the name Cruise CRITIC is not the best and likely turns some people (including ship board staff and crew) off. I know I have had people get the wrong impression from the name, until I explained to them what we really are about.

 

IMO, something like Cruise Info or Cruise Information (I am sure someone can come up with a better name) would be more positive and perhaps generate more interest.

[serendipity1499]

I wonder how many came back under another name or names? :)

 

We know of at least four who shall remain nameless.

 

How can that be done or why would somebody even want to do it :confused: Seriously.. I'm not that great when it comes to understanding how the computer works..

 

Every time I get on CC it says "welcome back Serendipity14" I think it somehow recognizes my computer.. I don't know how it does but it always seems to be able to do it, except if we've had a blackout, then I lose everything & have to sign in again..

 

BTW I don't want to change my name, as our Dear Niece named our boat that, but I'm nosy & wonder why someone else would..:)

 

The only reason I've never posted a review, is because I'm not that good at writing like so many other posters are.. My review would be so boring! I would rather read than write a review..

Edited October 25, 2015 by serendipity1499

[Fouremco]

Unlike many websites that will log you out after a period of inactivity, Cruise Critic leaves you signed in. When you open up the webpage, it identifies you from a cookie left on your computer and welcomes you back. If you log out at the end of your session, you'll need to log back in the next time around.

 

Having a replacement identity is simple. You simply need to create one as you did the first time you joined Cruise Critic. I remember one person who created a new account because her actual identity had been compromised and she was concerned about her personal security. This was a few years ago and I don't recall all of the details. I've no idea why others might have changed identities, unless their credibility was shot and they wanted to start over.

[POA1]

Every time I get on CC it says "welcome back Serendipity14" I think it somehow recognizes my computer.. I don't know how it does but it always seems to be able to do it....

 

The server sets a cookie on your computer. When you come back to CruiseCritic, your computer sends the cookie to the server and the server uses the cookie to look you up. Then, when the server is sending back the information to create the page for you, it fills in your screen name.

 

If you log out, or you delete the cookies, the server no longer knows who you are until you log back in and a new cookie is set.

[chefestelle]

When I first found cc I had lots of questions. I am fairly computer savvy so I tried searches first. Then, when that didn't work (and it is pretty inconsistent on this site) I posted my questions. I was quite taken aback by some of the really unhelpful and even resentful responses but those were more than met by the more welcoming and helpful responses. So I stayed. Boy am I glad I did! I got so much helpful information. Some of the regulars are so funny, too. And I have taken immense pleasure reading live threads. Even tangential threads like the wonderful (although poignant this week) webcams have given me little snippets of pleasure when waiting for DDs practice to end or an appointment to start. I do feel that some people squabble too much and say mean things that are completely uncalled for. Still, it's no different than any other social setting, I suppose. So I hope the threads keep coming and the helpful information keeps flowing. Perhaps we are all just feeling the seasonal change and are slowing down for a wee bit!

Edited October 25, 2015 by chefestelle