Why are there not more Live From threads on the HAL forum?

[Ken the cruiser]

I find this fascinating. For those that know me know that I enjoy posting to a Live From thread on every cruise we've been on since cruising started back up, with my favorite ones listed in my below Signature area. 

 

I can learn a lot about a ship, its entertainment offerings, and other potential fun experiences encountered on a ship from folks that also like to post to a Live From thread. If I go to the Princess, Celebrity, or NCL CC forums, I have no issues finding a variety of them in the first few pages. However, when I just looked through the first 10 pages of the HAL forum, none were to be found. Any idea why so few people post to a HAL Live From thread? 🤔 

 

Could there be technical/bandwidth issues with posting to CC while on a HAL cruise? I know when we cruise with Celebrity, we have to upgrade to their Premium internet package in order for me to be able to post text and photos to my Live From thread and for my DW to access the multi-tiered websites she visits.

 

We're booked for the first time in quite a while on an April 2024 22-day Panama Canal cruise on the Eurodam, and you can rest assured I'll be posting daily to one, unless there are some technical issues to overcome.

 

Edited August 7 by Ken the cruiser

[CruiserBruce]

They are done here with some frequency. They aren't always titled "Live from". I have never titled mine that way, and I have done them for our last 3 cruises, and most likely will do the next 3 we have booked. I don't post pics...but have never had a bandwidth problem. The Starlink system is very good.

 

And I will be following your upcoming thread, as we are doing the same cruise in 2026.

[hankandteri]

I can do one on our October transatlantic aboard Rotterdam. 

[pengu1n]

I don't for several reasons: not something I enjoy, I don't feel like I do anything anyone else would care about, I don't usually bring the laptop, and I don't want to spend my time doing that. I will answer questions afterward, but I don't usually even check cruisecritic unless I'm trying to reach people on my roll call.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I very often do "Live Froms" my next cruise is the last week of this month on the Westerdam to Alaska, I was not sure so late int he season if anyone was interested in a Live From. But may consider doing it. I will admit I have not seen nearly as many Live From threads as there were in years past. That is the same with other cruise lines I sail. It is sort of not as popular as it use to be.

[lstrong]

I miss the live from threads!

[Ken the cruiser]

On my Live From threads, I post pictures from the excursions we go on at practically every port. I also mention which shows we go to in the evening, to include theater, game, and/or comedy shows. And respond to any information requests we get from those following along as well. 
 

I’ll also post the information we receive in the evening for the following day’s events. I also very much enjoy posting wildlife photos of both large and small animals. 😂

 

But to be honest, as we’re in our early 70s and are cruiseaholics, the photos I take with my iPhone and subsequently post after some serious editing efforts of 300-400+ shots, allow me to share our experiences with our family and friends at home as well as certain CC followers that enjoy just following along. However, I will never post photos of food or beverages unless someone specifically asks me to regarding a specific item. But at the same time you will see a variety of some very unique wildlife we see on our cruise. 😁

 

But since we have usually cruised around 100+ days a year since cruising started back up, I also like to refer to them after the fact, such as those where we went to Middle East/Africa with NCL, and Antarctica, Alaska, and most recently Norway and the Baltic with Princess. But at the same time, we can’t wait to cruise again with HAL through the Panama Canal in an aft-facing cabin on the Eurudam, especially since we’ve heard the production shows are coming back. 😁

[vince_g]

53 minutes ago, pengu1n said:

I don't for several reasons: not something I enjoy, I don't feel like I do anything anyone else would care about, I don't usually bring the laptop, and I don't want to spend my time doing that. I will answer questions afterward, but I don't usually even check cruisecritic unless I'm trying to reach people on my roll call.

I totally agree with this, and while there was a time in my life I would have considered doing a semi-live review, I am just not at all interested in it now.  It's not what I want to spend time doing while I am on a cruise. 

[howiefrommd]

Another factor may be the limited number of people who utilize Cruise Critic versus social media.  

[Bagette]

I plan on doing one on my Dec Panama Canal itinerary on the Rotterdam!  As long as the internet package allows it.  ... I do something similar on all my land-based vacations, but I call them "GOOD MORNING <enter place name>"  I typically travel solo, so these are how I feel a little less lonely, plus they let my mom follow along on my adventure.  

 

I've enjoyed reading the few HAL Lives I've stumbled across.  They ARE very helpful to people who, like me, like to know what to expect.  Even when it isn't the same ship or itinerary. Thanks to all who take the time to post them!

[ChinaShrek]

I don't want to spend my vacation posting pictures and commenting on various aspects of the cruise ship and ports. I do not want to answer questions about the cruise or ports while I am on vacation. I only take two or three 7-night cruises a year and I like decompressing during that time. 

[mac_tlc]

I'll be doing one when I am on the 1/28/25 Koningsdam to Hawaii. I have done them from the last 8-10 cruise I have been on, I like doing it. It takes a few minutes in the morning, when I usually recap the prior day. Maybe a post of two during the day if something is interesting. I do it all on my phone. 

 

If I can answer someone's question that may be sailing the same ship as me, I am happy to do so.

 

 

mac_tlc

[VMax1700]

I would willing do one if I was cruising.

Offers of sponsorship/financial support can be posted to this thread 😉

[Btimmer]

I'll be doing one of my "BTimmer's Almost Live" threads at the end of the month.  It's going to be an interesting quasi B2B with HAL's Koningsdam going north to Alaska, and returning on Princess' Grand Princess.  It'll be a good opportunity for a fresh comparison of two cruise lines in Alaska.  Look for it around 8/24/24.

[Ken the cruiser]

3 minutes ago, Btimmer said:

I'll be doing one of my "BTimmer's Almost Live" threads at the end of the month.  It's going to be an interesting quasi B2B with HAL's Koningsdam going north to Alaska, and returning on Princess' Grand Princess.  It'll be a good opportunity for a fresh comparison of two cruise lines in Alaska.  Look for it around 8/24/24.

Thanks! I will enjoy that comparison, as we’ve cruised twice on the Koningsdam back in 2017 for a total of 30 days, and on the Grand Princess for 22 days in May cruising around Alaska. One thing we have found when comparing our past experiences on the two cruise lines is that Princess’ cruise directors and usually 4-5 associates take an active role in coming up with ways of making their guests laugh at various events, such as at various game shows and multiple trivias, where as HAL’s CDs with usually one assistant (back in 2017) were more low keyed where the CD provided PowerPoint port talks with their assistant CD usually participating in one trivia on sea days.

 

With production shows coming back to HAL, it will also be fun to hear how well they are received! 

[Haljo1935]

6 hours ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

I very often do "Live Froms" my next cruise is the last week of this month on the Westerdam to Alaska, I was not sure so late int he season if anyone was interested in a Live From. But may consider doing it. I will admit I have not seen nearly as many Live From threads as there were in years past. That is the same with other cruise lines I sail. It is sort of not as popular as it use to be.

I plan on doing one on what may well be the final AK cruise of the season - Sept 28 - Oct 5. My thought is people planning for future cruises may be interested in excursions, wildlife sightings, weather etc during that time frame. I haven't found a lot for those dates as the season has typically ended before then.

And is there really such a thing as too many pictures of AK? 😎

[julia]

@Ken the cruiser aaand you are the very reason that (just today) we changed our Rotterdam Transatlantic in April to a full-on "Norway Immersion" in September! I cast your recent thread onto our TV, and we totally enjoyed reading and seeing your beautiful cruise. 

[Rubyfisch]

I always do them and really enjoy it. I'm going Zuiderdam in a couple of weeks, so you'll see that soon.

 

I also think there may be more during the winter and spring because that's when a lot of people seem to take longer, more interesting cruises.

[Mary229]

I tried to do one once solely on the overseas hotel package and overland journey.  Oops, the trip had a major disaster and it became uncomfortable discussing the issue.  (I did report the situation with honesty). Lesson learned.  

[Ken the cruiser]

9 hours ago, julia said:

@Ken the cruiser aaand you are the very reason that (just today) we changed our Rotterdam Transatlantic in April to a full-on "Norway Immersion" in September! I cast your recent thread onto our TV, and we totally enjoyed reading and seeing your beautiful cruise. 

Thank you for those kind words. Norway is definitely an easy place to get hooked on visiting, both on and off the ship! 😀

[BermudaBound2014]

Put me in the camp of folks who enjoy doing live threads also, especially when I sail solo. When I travel with DH he interrupts me a lot 😄 

 

For me, it also acts as a diary I can print and revisit later. I just reread the 35 page long live review I did last year in anticipation of re-doing the cruise again this year. It brought back lots of fond memories.

 

Regarding HAL not having as many live threads I'm thinking perhaps two fold. I sometimes wonder if HALs demographic doesn't lend itself live reviews. Not that there aren't a gazillion  people who are much older than me who can leave me in the dust when it comes to using technology, I just think that as a very blanket stereotype, older folks tend to use technology less. I do hope that isn't offensive as this is a super generalized stereotype.

 

Also, HAL's fleet is super small compared to other cruise lines. There are more live threads on RCL because RCL fleet carries ten times the amount of passengers so 10 times more people who could choose to do a live from thread.

 

I do enjoy the live from threads and appreciate anyone who does one but I can also respect those who choose to pass. To each their own 😄 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 8 by BermudaBound2014

[canadianbear]

I enjoy reading live threads.  And when we are on the cruise & someone does one & encourages others on the cruise to participate I do. (Thank you @BermudaBound2014) 

 

 

[julia]

@BermudaBound2014 @canadianbear @crystalspin aaaaand, y'all are the reason we recently booked the K'dam SoPac again! 😲😂  

One could say that I'm easily influenced!

[canadianbear]

11 minutes ago, julia said:

@BermudaBound2014 @canadianbear @crystalspin aaaaand, y'all are the reason we recently booked the K'dam SoPac again! 😲😂  

One could say that I'm easily influenced!

Easily influenced!!  Ha ha!  

[BBQ Bacon]

I may try to do a Live From thread when on the Koningsdam in October on the round trip from Vancouver to Hawaii. It will most likely be an end of day wrap up unless the mood strikes me during the day and a frosty beverage is close at hand!