Do we need a "Watercooler" Thread

[Travelcat2]

If there were a watercooler thread (which my computer does not change into another word - very strange because it misunderstands so much), we likely would not be using the word much ...... only reading or posting on the thread.

 

Regent posters could perhaps put in guidelines to keep it loosely about travel (by air, sea, hotels, ports and experiences that we have including drives that we have taken from the port to areas of interest). It can be whatever this board wants it to be - as long as everyone is kind, polite and understanding of others.  As has been said, no one has to read the thread or post on it.  It would be a sticky just as others are that are not necessarily posted on frequently.

[Bellaggio Cruisers]

Personally, I would be interested to see what folks are interested in discussing. If it not to my liking, I just won’t read it. There are posts that I don’t like on the normal subjects. 
What’s the problem?

Do it!
sheila

[irishwitchy]

5 hours ago, Bellaggio Cruisers said:

Personally, I would be interested to see what folks are interested in discussing. If it not to my liking, I just won’t read it. There are posts that I don’t like on the normal subjects. 
What’s the problem?

Do it!
sheila

I think this is a fine idea.  I have never met anyone in this group, but we do have a few things in common - travel,  adventures and time and money to enjoy life.   I would love to hear about other parts of the US or the world were we really live, but may be unfamiliar to many. 
 

For example,  I live in Northern NJ,  and we are still on lock down - take out only in restaurants.  It is Saturday of Memorial Day weekend and raining at home.  However, it is sunny in Cape May.   We throw a blanket, cooler with ice packs and silverware into the Jeep.  First stop is the Beach Plum Farm,  they supply pork, eggs, vegetables, etc to Congress Hall and a bunch of other great places in Cape May.  We pick up fresh eggs,  baked goods,  jars of stuff, etc.  Normally,  the kitchen is making food and you can have a nice lunch in the garden, but not right now.  
 

Next stop is out to the ocean, but we discover the Rusty Nail, can’t quite serve is a mix drink,  but can sell us a bottle of premixed cosmo, which was better than I expected and a some gin and tonic.  Out to the beach we go (it was around 4 and the badge folks were gone).  You can’t drink on the beaches in NJ, but we did anyway.   
 

Drove around and walked around the mall area - it was like January, no people, but warm - very weird. We had the menu to the Black Duck and they were doing take out.   So we ordered some crab spring rolls,  salmon for hubby and tuna for me.  They had recommended a pocket park with picnic tables that I never knew existed.  However,  rain was coming and we timed this perfectly - pulled in backwards to sunset beach, opened up the back of the Jeep and watched the water and the SS Atlantus.   If you don’t know what that is look it up

 

Over to Wildwood Crest to look at the 1950 hotel signs - very vintage and tacky.   I believe someone did a coffee table book of the signs.  Stopped at Duffers for homemade ice cream.  A great day and now we are driving home.
 

So what is everyone else doing at home?  Since you are getting on a ship anytime soon? 

[Travelcat2]

Irishwitchy - really enjoyed your post.  Would enjoy visiting the places that you mentioned.  Had to laugh that you can't drink on the beaches but did anyway -- that is something that we would do!  After posting this, I'll have too look up the Black Duck - it sounds like a place that I would love.  You're right - there is so much that we could discuss that would be of interest to travelers but are not specific to cruising.  After all, we are in ports a lot and would appreciate knowing places to go, etc.

 

We are basically doing nothing for this weekend.  Our state (and particularly our county) want to meet the requirements to get to the stage where restaurants will open (at 50%).  We are spending time remembering all the men and women lost in the wars as well as those lost to Covid-19.

 

P.S.  Wow - I would order one of everything (if I could eat it all).  Here is a link of their sample summer menu in case anyone else is as interested as I am https://www.blackduckcapemay.com/dinner.html

Edited May 24, 2020 by Travelcat2

[freddie]

As topics regarding any and all aspects of cruising are already included amongst the allowed topics on this board, there is no need for a Watercooler thread to address them.  As anyone who has read the thread on SS can easily see, it is a rather peculiar exercise in self-indulgence and boasting about such things as "what's for dinner" or "which expensive auto does one drive".  Further, as has been pointed out earlier, the thread is dominated by one poster and his acolytes. Considering the fact that this board often teeters on the brink of similar domination (including by a poster who has apparently been manifestly unsuccessful in his/her repeatedly and grandly announced retirement from participation on this board), it is clear that any sort of Watercooler thread would quickly become a thread that many people on this board would have to block in order to avoid the tsouris of reading it.   Sure, sure, we can simply skip that thread or any other thread; but why create a thread that is an instant annoyance to most of the participants on this board?   

[Got2Cruise]

6 minutes ago, freddie said:

As topics regarding any and all aspects of cruising are already included amongst the allowed topics on this board, there is no need for a Watercooler thread to address them.  As anyone who has read the thread on SS can easily see, it is a rather peculiar exercise in self-indulgence and boasting about such things as "what's for dinner" or "which expensive auto does one drive".  Further, as has been pointed out earlier, the thread is dominated by one poster and his acolytes. Considering the fact that this board often teeters on the brink of similar domination (including by a poster who has apparently been manifestly unsuccessful in his/her repeatedly and grandly announced retirement from participation on this board), it is clear that any sort of Watercooler thread would quickly become a thread that many people on this board would have to block in order to avoid the tsouris of reading it.   Sure, sure, we can simply skip that thread or any other thread; but why create a thread that is an instant annoyance to most of the participants on this board?   

Wow Freddie you certainly know a lot about an off topic board you have no interest in. 

 

I think having a water cooler thread is a marvelous idea. 

 

 

[Travelcat2]

Okay, who is willing to contact Host Dan about this idea?   It is certainly worth a try (and I do not see it being the same as the Silversea version).  It would be better coming from someone other than me as I tried to implement it a few years ago and no one posted.  I believe that it will be different this time.

Edited May 24, 2020 by Travelcat2

[pdaniel]

In order to differentiate Regent from the Silversea version, we should call our “watercooler” sticky, Travelchat!

[Secondson]

Why would anyone talk politics when discussing cruising. Love regent and never had a bad experience after being on about 7 regent cruise. Just a fun time.food great. People wonderful. Both crew and fellow cruisers. If you have a negative attitude before going your not going to have a good time.all regent cruisers are lucky to afford a wonderful time. And at my age iam really LUCKY!,,,, really looking forward to my next cruise ,unfortunatly it’s not until next dec.my mind is wide open and I am going to eat myself silly. Mostly on lobster. And I don’t work for regent!!!

[machotspur]

As an occasional poster, but a relatively frequent lurker of the Silversea, Regent & Seabourn boards (and a cruiser of all three cruise operators) I’d add the following observations.

 

The Silversea ‘Watercooler’ thread is to me - as freddie has stated above – a rather peculiar exercise in self-indulgence. (In short a massive ego trip !!)

Initially this irritated me a little, however I soon valued the thread for keeping the individual poster who appeared to offend so many away from the main thread. Since the creation of Watercooler thread he/she rarely posted on the ‘normal’ threads, which is fortunate as it was clear that they appared to have not set foot on a cruise ship for years !

 

So – a ‘Watercooler’ thread may perform a service, however as an occasional browser of the boards I don’t see the type of behaviour observed on the Silversea thread, on the Regent board.

Yes – on all boards you find those that are more dominant/prominent, and those that don’t articulate their point in a manner that one approves of. That’s life !

However, I rarely see the drift away from Regent ‘cruise chat’ in the way that occurred on the Silversea board.

 

I’m personally relaxed either way about the creation of this ‘Watercooler’ thread – as has already been said one can just ignore it !

However – I would draw attention to the fact that the greatest number of ‘likes’ on this thread appear to be given to the posts that detest the Silversea thread, and don’t wish for it to be created on the Regent board.            

[Mahogany]

Since I cruise Silversea, I was curious what the Watercooler offered. The first, and last, time I checked it, there was a discussion on selling one's home and the fact that a prospective buyer had taken a d--- in the guest bathroom and not flushed. Really!! Fortunately, I have not met that woman on my Silversea cruises.  I especially feel badly for her now; if that was all she had to talk about then, her postings recently must really be boring! Certainly not suggesting that Regent's blog would be similar..

[pdaniel]

Agree.  
 

Maybe our most prolific poster will focus attention there so we can ignore them or abide by their promised retirement from this board and we all return to civilized, respectable posts and fewer arguments.

(not bashing... just hopeful)

“Imagine”...(John Lennon)

[Travelcat2]

On 5/24/2020 at 10:23 AM, Secondson said:

Why would anyone talk politics when discussing cruising. Love regent and never had a bad experience after being on about 7 regent cruise. Just a fun time.food great. People wonderful. Both crew and fellow cruisers. If you have a negative attitude before going your not going to have a good time.all regent cruisers are lucky to afford a wonderful time. And at my age iam really LUCKY!,,,, really looking forward to my next cruise ,unfortunatly it’s not until next dec.my mind is wide open and I am going to eat myself silly. Mostly on lobster. And I don’t work for regent!!!

 

I love the thought of you (or anyone) eating themselves silly one lobster.  We have done that before and have no regrets:-)

 

Agree with you and others that don't see a watercooler thread as some kind of threat or self-serving area to post.  While CC is rarely political, some Covid-19 threads do sound like a political divide but I do not think that they are meant that way.  My only hope is that, if this thread goes forward, is that posters keep it civil.  

[cruiseluv]

I was curious, so I went to the Silversea WaterCooler thread. OMG, what an abomination of boring and self serving posts. It was like trying to watch the last episode of Seinfeld without having watched the series before. You are left with saying "Uh?" It's like  trying to interact with a clique, if you dont know the code words and backstory, you will not understand what the heck they're referring to.

Just to add, if you want to further divide this board, go ahead and form that thing.

Edited May 26, 2020 by cruiseluv

[Travelcat2]

1 hour ago, cruiseluv said:

I was curious, so I went to the Silversea WaterCooler thread. OMG, what an abomination of boring and self serving posts. It was like trying to watch the last episode of Seinfeld without having watched the series before. You are left with saying "Uh?" It's like  trying to interact with a clique, if you dont know the code words and backstory, you will not understand what the heck they're referring to.

Just to add, if you want to further divide this board, go ahead and form that thing.

 

I envision the thread being like posts 9, 28 and 29.  There are no cliques on this board (but there certainly is on our TA’s board - a board where nothing negative is permitted to be posted).  There are a lot of regulars on this board that are happy to see newbies that have questions.  Those of us that are interested in this board (whatever it would be called) as a way to share cruising/travel information on a thread where it does not to have something to do with the subject.  

 

In fact, for the first time in the 15 or so years that I’ve been on CC, there are two threads (almost identical) where comments that are on topic are not permitted unless the information is very specific to the thread (according to the Thread Starters).  I thought of doing a third thread for those of us what want to discuss the topic but having three threads on the same topic should be unnecessary.

 

So, if posters can limit what we can post, we likely need a thread where we can discuss related topics.  As I have said repeatedly, it is important to some of us that we be allowed to discuss things without someone coming on and being rude or unkind.   

[WesW]

Having done half our cruises ( 15 on Regent and 17 Silversea), generally participate on both Regent & Silversea cruise critic threads.

 

Absolutely concur with SS Cooler assessments by Marc and Flossie earlier & cruiseluv/Maria's spot on summary of the SS Cooler thread above.  Have observed since the creation of the Silversea Cooler thread a few years ago,  that the personality of the Silversea cruise critic thread, and the  focus on Silversea cruising in general, has changed adversely. 

 

Maybe the intent (discuss related topics) of a Cooler thread here without contentiousness on the Regent board will work, but I doubt it. 

Edited May 26, 2020 by WesW

[mrlevin]

Where is Host Dan?  While Host JazzBeau has been a frequent poster on Silversea board recently, Host Dan has been absent.  It has been noticeable; e.g., there have been a number of threads with same topic that would have been quickly merged in the past.  He also would have piped in on this thread, too, if he were around.

 

Marc

Edited May 26, 2020 by mrlevin

[Host Dan]

I'm here!  If anyone has tried to contact me, I apologize for not answering.  The problem is that my CC email has been down for weeks, so I can't get my CC mail.  In the meantime, my alternate email is prs68@aol.com.

 

I've decided that during this worldwide mess, a Watercooler thread might be fun!  Lets give it a try!

[SusieQft]

10 hours ago, Travelcat2 said:

In fact, for the first time in the 15 or so years that I’ve been on CC, there are two threads (almost identical) where comments that are on topic are not permitted unless the information is very specific to the thread (according to the Thread Starters).  I thought of doing a third thread for those of us what want to discuss the topic but having three threads on the same topic should be unnecessary.

I assume that you are referring to the two threads about refunds.  I would suggest that the original thread, started by Portolan, has evolved into the discussion thread, so although a third thread could be started that it is not really necessary.  With the spreadsheet now available for quick reference, the rationale for restricting discussion on Portolan's thread is no longer applicable.

[Bellaggio Cruisers]

2 hours ago, DeepFreeze63 said:

Great! Now instead of sending a "rude" poster to the woodshed, it's off to the Watercooler.

Why don’t you visit the watercooler. Cooler heads prevail there. 
sheila