Slow Roll Calls

[RuthC]

I'm getting the distinct impression that the lack of interest in your roll calls and your definition of "FUN" are connected.

[mcrcruiser]

I'm getting the distinct impression that the lack of interest in your roll calls and your definition of "FUN" are connected.

 

We don't get it would you please explain what you mean ?

[bra1nchild]

While it is true that many recent roll calls have been commandeered by Excel-crazed autocrats, there are still folks who are interested in meeting and talking to each other. For us, the M&G was the best part of the CC experience. We are still friends with people we met a decade ago. In fact, we still see, FB or write to people from every cruise since 2008.

 

When we organized private tours [and we did 17 on one long cruise], we did it off-line -- posted it once or twice and gave an email address for anyone who was interested. Now, it seems, everyone is accumulating participants on the roll call with someone keeping a spreadsheet about everything; it takes the joy out and replaces it with details.

 

Some members forget that the roll call should be a mutually enjoyable social experience and, instead, high-jack it for their own purposes and glorification. It's no wonder that participation has lagged.

[VMax1700]

I'm getting the distinct impression that the lack of interest in your roll calls and your definition of "FUN" are connected.

 

Ooooh, you are awful, but I like it! ;p

[anniegb]

Yep, let’s keep it as impersonal as possible. That’s always the best way to go. Building relationships and friendships is soooo yesterday.

 

 

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You can build relationships and friendships without roll calls?? Well I can.

 

Annie

[Globehoppers]

I'm getting the distinct impression that the lack of interest in your roll calls and your definition of "FUN" are connected.

 

Fully agree. Pertinent comment. Cruising to play craps, slot pulls, cabin crawls, bar hops, conga dancing around the pool at midnight is not why the majority of people cruise. They travel to experience new ports, meet new people and see new cultures, enjoy the sea, etc. That is considered fun for those of us who have cruised since first crossing the Atlantic at age 5 in 1949. Love of the sea, as well.

 

Also realize that claiming that 30 people, out of say 2,500, are the only ones having "fun," is disingenuous. Plus, passengers on CC roll call threads make up a very small portion of total guests for any one cruise. Max percentage I have seen is 13% of total onboard guests on a small ship out of Mumbai: 69 out of 496 passengers on ship that could accommodate 690. The actual average for larger ships is around 5 percent at best, and not all are "active" on the boards. Worst of all are those passengers who just have to establish their own personal "roll calls" to keep others informed of what is clearly already available on the CC thread. They tend to act like its their ship: "welcome aboard." Maybe if you were paying for my cruise...

 

The CC Roll Call thread is a great way to arrange for shore excursions and exchange information on ports and itineraries. On that cruise out of Mumbai we met a single lady traveling from California on CC. She was looking for companion(s) to do a pre-cruise excursion of the Golden Triangle prior to departing Mumbai for Piraeus. We were able to meet up in Newark for the flight to Delhi and it worked out great for all. That is the fun part of cruising...

[knittinggirl]

Our HAL Voyage of the Vikings 2016 was one of those really active roll calls.

 

 

 

And on Serenade of the Seas, our group was so large, Royal Caribbean had to hold the M&G in the theatre. They gave away something like 30 bottles of wine.

 

 

We have a similar itinerary this year on Veendam, and it's crawling.

 

 

 

Royal Caribbean has those official roll calls, where you can sign up from the link that takes you to a special place on Royal's site. On Radiance, we had a very small roll call, and no commemorative gifts that time. That's the first time we haven't gotten those little notepads. Don't know if it's a cutback or we simply didn't have enough participants for Royal Caribbean to bother.

 

 

 

Our Legend TA was also huge. We had a couple of passengers organizing shore excursions, and also had a sea day luncheon. As well as a scavenger hunt and a cabin crawl.

[cruisemom42]

From the above posts, it seems that some people may have come to expect too much from roll calls -- or that rolls calls have to be PERFECTLY tailored to fit with someone's idea of what they should be before they will deign to participate. Which is a shame, as there is a lot of CC knowledge and experience that could be shared if folks would jump in.

 

You've heard the expression "Be the change that you want to see....?" Perhaps if more seasoned HAL folks took the initiative to actively participate and add to roll calls, they might see more of the sort of information and exchanges that they value.

 

Roll calls may have some things I'm not so interested in, but that's fine. I realize I am only one among thousands of people on any given sailing. I will still participate and exchange info on the things that DO interest me.

[sambamama]

I have been on dead roll calls and very active roll calls. I travel alone pretty much. On one roll call, I found out there was another couple going on my TA staying in the same hotel, and we went out to a classical guitar/flamenco concert together in Barcelona. I never would have known about it without the roll call. The concert hall was gorgeous, the concert amazing and I am so glad I was all on the roll call. I've been on some great private tours I never would have been on without a roll call, and gained knowledge about ports and flying in early without the roll call. On one of the roll calls, a woman made lanyards for the roll call group, which was very nice. Sometimes sailaway parties have been arranged. I work, so I am generally not following a roll call every day, but I prefer an active roll call to a totally dead one. Currently my 20 night Hawaii April 2019 cruise roll call is totally dead-there are 7 of us. I keep thinking it will pick up, but it has yet to do so.

[mcrcruiser]

IMO active roll calls get the best results which add to the enjoyment of that cruise .whether it be scheduling a FUN event onboard for roll Call memners to participate ,if willing or to design a private interesting tour ,it all comes down to partcipation

 

 

 

Roll Calls certainly do not distract from any reason why any individual takes a cruise .In fact they do add to the overall cruise experience ,whether participating or not in the roll call activities .There is so very much to be gained .

 

I personally thank each & every one 's reply on this matter :p

[Bruinboy]

You can build relationships and friendships without roll calls?? Well I can.

 

 

 

Annie

 

 

 

It’s not one or the other. It’s both/and. We can do both on a roll call not one or the other. And believe it or not I can build relationships and friendships without roll calls as well. It’s just fun for me to start the process of meeting people on a roll call and getting to know something about them in addition to ... not in place of ... arranging excursions which are not part of the cruise line’s offerings.

 

I’m glad you like the more impersonal aspect of roll calls. I appreciate both, that’s all.

 

 

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[jagsfan]

Some of my very best shore excursions were booked because of Roll Calls. I’ve enjoyed cabin crawls because it’s fun to experience different accommodations.

On an RCI TA I asked if anyone wanted to play Bunco and was overwhelmed by the response. RCI gave us a meeting room and we had a blast.

The last two or three Roll Calls have been dead. People would join and disappear.

I’m hoping my current one gets hot over the next 8 months. It is picking up, so maybe.....

 

 

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[G&G]

The novelty has worn off. The idle chit chat and exchange of pleasantries gets old. Many of us have no interest in organized silly activities, spreadsheets, slot pulls or ringleaders.

Many of of us continue to lurk looking for private tours or DIY ideas. A lot of private tours organize behind the scenes of cruise critic after someone posts an offering and their email address.

Private tours are great, we enjoy sharing this with others.

 

Ditto, Ditto, Ditto. The thrill is gone :eek:

 

On some of the other cruise line roll calls, the people seem more interested in personal chit chat than recommending tours in port. On an upcoming cruise to the Cariibean I recommended a five star independent tour in port and all I could hear was crickets chirping :D

[Marianne]

I have enjoyed the Roll Calls over the years I've cruised. It's good to put the name to a face after we've communicated via internet. I agree with Ruth -- sometimes we would meet and stay friends over the years. A roll call can be a pleasant experience: we initially meet each other, then see each other on the ship in our comings and goings. And sometimes we plan to meet for an event here and there. Personally I like the Roll Calls and look forward to them.

Marianne

[jagsfan]

I have enjoyed the Roll Calls over the years I've cruised. It's good to put the name to a face after we've communicated via internet. I agree with Ruth -- sometimes we would meet and stay friends over the years. A roll call can be a pleasant experience: we initially meet each other, then see each other on the ship in our comings and goings. And sometimes we plan to meet for an event here and there. Personally I like the Roll Calls and look forward to them.

Marianne

 

 

 

My DH and I cruise by ourselves. It’s wonderful to run into people on the ship that feel like neighbors and friends

 

 

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[bEwAbG]

Some reasons why I stopped participating in them:

 

1) I had one trip that I cancelled/moved or the cruise line cancelled/moved three different times, so I just stopped introducing myself on them. I've booked and changed a couple of HAL cruises already, too. No sense in "meeting" people and then bowing out. 2) one of the first ones I joined was for a cruise over Super Bowl week, and the only thing people talked about was football, which could possibly be the least interesting thing in the world to me. 3) the second one I joined (non-HAL) had another poster join who was very rude on the main board; he was sweet as pie on the roll call but was really vicious, mean, petty, and in at least one or two cases, borderline racist in his public posts, so my inclination was to steer clear of meeting someone like that face-to-face!