Could someone explain why MSC roll calls are so inactive?

[mef_57]

On 1/3/2020 at 9:27 PM, ilya12000 said:

It's the first time in our numerous cruises I see such inactive Roll call forums like MSC roll calls. We have cruise starting on April 26th from Venice and NO ONE answer on roll call to my starting post. Usually we use roll calls very actively and found them very useful - both for sharing information, and for organizing non-ship small tour groups. It is our first time on MSC cruise and I'm just curious why these forums are so inactive. Does anyone has any explanation?

Back to the original question 😉  I expect it really depends on the itinerary and part of the world you are cruising at the time.  The MSC Caribbean cruises draw a bigger North American clientele and so there will be more CC members and more activity.  

I have a Dubai to Venice MSC cruise in April and there are 5 'groups' signed up. 3 solo travelers from US, 1 US family and a British couple who introduced themselves early on and have gone silent. 2 signed on looking for others to do private tours and 2 are 'chatty'. One is doing a number of MSC cruises right now in the area on the same ship so providing ship info, tips and photos.  I don't expect enough to warrant a M&G. 

If you use the MDR and have asked for a table larger than 2, then you would be seated with other English speakers.  That might be the best way to break the ice with meeting others. 

Not sure which ship you will be sailing on, but you can read other roll calls to glean some information.  If you have a ship the same class as Lirica, you can peak at the April 18 sailing for photos and tips.

 

[ISLANDCRUSO]

There was over 200 registered for our M and M not sure of the numbers who attended but the sky lounge was full, regarding the photos it seems that MSC change with the wind direction.

[ilya12000]

Thank you for all replies (especially related to my question, and not to drinks 🙂 ). What is it this mega-forum we're not supposed to mention? With abbreviation TA or it's something that I'm not familiar with? Now I understood a little bit specific of MSC, so may be it is really the reasons for such low activity. For me personally the most interesting part of RC is really not even M&G, but possibility to participate or organize private off-shore tour group, which was very successful on several previous predominantly Norwegian cruises. Pity that it is impossible on this coming cruise. 

[ISLANDCRUSO]

From my point of view one response was answering the question asked by the original poster as to why it is the case that the boards can be poor some times in the roll call section, it was an opinion of that poster as to the reason and did not appear to influence where people should go or look.

[BermudaBound2014]

Some of the social media sites have become quite popular for M&M of all lines (not just MSC). Unfortunately, many social media sites are completely biased. It's not hidden. They state right in the rules that anything  written about a cruise experience that is even remotely negative will not be tolerated. 

 

I just read a thread about a consumer asking about opinions of an excursion offered by the cruise line and negative comments were deleted (even thought the majority of responses stated that excursion was ill run and over priced). Only comments encouraging participation in said excursion were allowed. How is that consumer friendly?

 

I'm not sure what terrifies me more, the blatant censorship of honest reviews (which state both positive experiences and room for improvement) or the encouragement of such censorship by a large body of our population who have no desire to read anything remotely negative. It seems deductive reasoning and critical thinking may very well be skills of the past. Instead, consumers appear to want to be protected from negative information that may (or may not) be valuable.

 

IMO, this is what makes Cruise Critic the absolute best resource for accurate information and I encourage the use of cruise critic to all my friends. Here, all opinions are not only accepted, but encouraged. 

 

 

[jcollin]

HI,

 

If there is no roll call for our med cruise how do we know when or if there will be a meet and greet?  This is for the Magnifica July 3rd.  Also we have the easy drink package so anyone who has more info on that please pass it along.

 

Thanks

[Aulanis]

On 1/13/2020 at 5:37 PM, jcollin said:

If there is no roll call for our med cruise how do we know when or if there will be a meet and greet?

 

You wont!    There is no roll call because no-one has started one-  If you want one you need to start one

see here https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2594924-what-is-a-roll-call-everything-you-need-to-know/   

 

Even so you may not get the numbers for a formal  M&G  so an informal one is best you can do.

I would maybe suggest also that experienced cruisers, may know that in Italy school summer holidays

are from June to September and with MSC being an Italian based line  they often have many children

on board in that period,  and so avoid booking at that time.

 

[NayRN]

I posted on my sailings roll call over a month ago....and still not one reply!

 

I’m sailing solo had hoped that this would be way to get to know some of the others on this sailing. Ummmmmm, not so much. I’ve also checked out the “site that cannot be name on CC” and there was nothing started.....and I don’t know if it’s worth it to start one if nobody is even having any conversations on here. This will be my first MSC cruise and honestly, I’m not feeling the love.

 

Edit: just found a new group on another site! Maybe I can get them to come over here!

Edited January 26, 2020 by NayRN
More info

[sidari]

On 1/11/2020 at 5:52 PM, BermudaBound2014 said:

Some of the social media sites have become quite popular for M&M of all lines (not just MSC). Unfortunately, many social media sites are completely biased. It's not hidden. They state right in the rules that anything  written about a cruise experience that is even remotely negative will not be tolerated. 

 

I just read a thread about a consumer asking about opinions of an excursion offered by the cruise line and negative comments were deleted (even thought the majority of responses stated that excursion was ill run and over priced). Only comments encouraging participation in said excursion were allowed. How is that consumer friendly?

 

I'm not sure what terrifies me more, the blatant censorship of honest reviews (which state both positive experiences and room for improvement) or the encouragement of such censorship by a large body of our population who have no desire to read anything remotely negative. It seems deductive reasoning and critical thinking may very well be skills of the past. Instead, consumers appear to want to be protected from negative information that may (or may not) be valuable.

 

IMO, this is what makes Cruise Critic the absolute best resource for accurate information and I encourage the use of cruise critic to all my friends. Here, all opinions are not only accepted, but encouraged. 

 

 

BB ... The problem is that there are people who cannot reason between negative and informed information! Way back when we were on the first Divina TA to Miami I made mention that the balcony doors would slide shut when the ship rolled from side to side,or slide open when closed if you were on the balcony. I recall some people complained about my negative view and clearly couldn't understand the fact that they were being given information. Somewhat like being told that when the buffet windows are cleaned the aft balconies become wet.

[jkgourmet]

How do y'all track down these other forums that are SPECIFIC to your sailing?

[BermudaBound2014]

31 minutes ago, sidari said:

BB ... The problem is that there are people who cannot reason between negative and informed information! Way back when we were on the first Divina TA to Miami I made mention that the balcony doors would slide shut when the ship rolled from side to side,or slide open when closed if you were on the balcony. I recall some people complained about my negative view and clearly couldn't understand the fact that they were being given information. Somewhat like being told that when the buffet windows are cleaned the aft balconies become wet.

 

Absolutely true,  the ability to read critically appears to be dying skill. However; I take it one step farther.  I think there is a place for down right negative information. If someone didn't like the food, while we all know food is subjective, I'm absolutely fine reading the experience. When every third review mentions bad food or poor service, I'm more likely to take that information into account while I make an informed decision. Doesn't mean I will hate the food or experience poor service, but it does change the odds. IMO CC is a community  to discuss  all cruise experiences, not an action committee designed to do nothing but advertise for cruise companies. 

 

 

[Homosassa]

But all the other hand, there are posters who will constantly bring up negative experiences from the past that either they personally experienced or others reported that have long since been corrected. 

 

Case in point, bad smells due to a design defect in the ship's venting system.

 

And in the case of the "bad " food and service, hopefully a reader of these forums will become acquainted with the background of frequent posters' travel experience and personal foibles and realize that there are many who enjoy the food and service provided on MSC.

[BermudaBound2014]

3 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

But all the other hand, there are posters who will constantly bring up negative experiences from the past that either they personally experienced or others reported that have long since been corrected. 

 

Case in point, bad smells due to a design defect in the ship's venting system.

 

And in the case of the "bad " food and service, hopefully a reader of these forums will become acquainted with the background of frequent posters' travel experience and personal foibles and realize that there are many who enjoy the food and service provided on MSC.

 

It seems we both can agree that reading critically is key :).

[sidari]

HS ... Sadly the poor and Cold food issue is still there as we found on the Xmas Meraviglia cruise, after 7 years you would expect that the issue would no longer arise !

[Cruising_Gals]

On 1/6/2020 at 2:22 PM, jkgourmet said:

 

LOL!  I thought I heard they gave away cocktails during the M&G - at 10am??????  Okay, a bloody mary please.  (oh, wait - that's not on the Easy Program. )  🙂

Yay, 10am!  I'm on vacation, not too worried about day drinking, not like it's something you do every day.  Mimosas, maybe? 

 

This would be my first one, I'm a newbie and haven't cruised much or regularly, hoping to change that.  However, I was disappointed with my roll call Seaside, March 28.  Mostly a couple of families trying to get their kids together to interact, nothing wrong with that, but I asked a few questions and none were answered, no reply at all.  Weird, new posters were welcomed when they joined but my post was ignored.  I posted a question a second time just to see if the first one was missed but no response.  Seemed to be a thread started by a couple of families that were getting together with other past cruisers/friends and if you weren't part of the group...disappointing.  Maybe that's why these roll calls aren't used if they have just become a way for certain groups/friends just to talk to each other and make plans.  I have gotten more useful info skimming through other posts like this one.  Hopefully the M&G will be better, 30 are signed up so far.

 

What are the other forums?  After reading the above I did a Google search but the first three did not seem useful.

[shipgeeks]

We have found MSC roll calls very inactive, too.  I'm sure the reason is that English-speaking passengers on any MSC cruise are a small minority.  

However, even if no useful information is exchanged ahead of the cruise, the Meet & Greet (separate signup) is still very worthwhile.  

[Cruising_Gals]

31 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

We have found MSC roll calls very inactive, too.  I'm sure the reason is that English-speaking passengers on any MSC cruise are a small minority.  

However, even if no useful information is exchanged ahead of the cruise, the Meet & Greet (separate signup) is still very worthwhile.  

 

That makes sense except that Seaside is supposed to be an USA specific cruise, I'm expecting there will be more US than Euro but maybe I'm wrong...still disappointed in my roll call, eight pages but they only talk to each other.

[shipgeeks]

Seaside does sail out of US, but the majority of passengers are not US.  Our recent cruises, with about 4500 passengers aboard, had fewer than 700 Americans, similar number of Canadians, UK ?  More Brazilians than Americans, many French, German, Spanish-speaking, etc.

It really is a different experience from RC/Carnival/NCL/X/HAL etc.

[shipgeeks]

On 1/7/2020 at 1:43 PM, ilya12000 said:

Thank you for all replies (especially related to my question, and not to drinks 🙂 ). What is it this mega-forum we're not supposed to mention? With abbreviation TA or it's something that I'm not familiar with? Now I understood a little bit specific of MSC, so may be it is really the reasons for such low activity. For me personally the most interesting part of RC is really not even M&G, but possibility to participate or organize private off-shore tour group, which was very successful on several previous predominantly Norwegian cruises. Pity that it is impossible on this coming cruise. 

OP, maybe if you post specific questions (such as "Is anyone interested in touring to XX while we are in port at XXX" you will have more success.  That is how I've usually seen such groups started.  

[Nashna]

We had 120 sign up for the M & G on the 12th of January and about 60 showed up.  We had 39 sign up for the 17th of January sailing and at least that many attended.  It was a fantastic event as the captain came around and spoke to everyone in attendance.  On the 12th of January, the captain did not attend.  I just started a new roll call for the January 16, 2021 Seaview sailing.