Are We Passing on Secrets..or creating abuses??

[NJBear]

In our eagerness to pass on "secrets" and helpful hints are we becoming our own worst enemies??:rolleyes:

 

I saw the Well Wishers fall by the wayside and a moderator suggested that it was from all the exposure on these boards that was most likely the culprit for the abuses.

 

We seemed to kill the "Upgrade fairy" banning our calls to NCL to request them here as well.

 

Now there are lines across the street from the piers with people fighting over who was there first for the cab, since orderly number systems are assigned at the pier.

 

I see people wanting to order eggrates and bed toppers to be put on their beds before they even board the ships (The beds may be just right for them without one)

 

And as far as the "little out of the way "secret places" to read and relax...How long can they be secret once they are here?? LOL

 

I wonder??? hmmmmm???.....Maybe it was here that the little 'secret" of putting towels and magazines on pool chairs started out as a "secret"..and Now look what we have!!:D

 

Although this is meant to be light hearted , I have been wondering...Are we helping or hindering ourselves for future cruises? I read one month of a service the ship CAN offer and within 30 days I see posters expecting them as part of the general services??

 

How about that helpful hint to bring a gallon ziplock to grab all the buffet lox on the day before the cruise ends since they noticed it wasn't offered on the debarkation day? <g>

 

 

Any thoughts?:cool:

[mbisson]

Any thoughts?:cool:

 

Only an addition...I love it when someone posts about they smuggle booze on board a ship, and a couple weeks later someone else says that doesn't work. I think I see a connection...

 

-Monte

[Toddcan]

Excellent! I have just printed out your post.

 

Wait, I don't think that was your intent?

 

Seriously though, it all depends on what percentage of cruisers on a ship come to forums like this. If it's significant (10%)?, then yes, perhaps revealing the secrets are killing them. I doubt it though, I just don't think the community here is big enough.

 

I could be wrong.

 

I do like the eggcrate foam mattress idea though ;)

[NJBear]

Excellent! I have just printed out your post.

 

Wait, I don't think that was your intent?

 

Seriously though, it all depends on what percentage of cruisers on a ship come to forums like this. If it's significant (10%)?, then yes, perhaps revealing the secrets are killing them. I doubt it though, I just don't think the community here is big enough.

 

I could be wrong.

 

I do like the eggcrate foam mattress idea though ;)

 

 

Bwahahahahahaha!!!!:D

 

I see you have 11 posts, if you've been reading this for any period of time I'm sure that there's nothing I put in here is anything new.. Please try the beds first LOL--you never know yours can be "JUUUSSSSSST RIGGGHHHHHTTT" ;)

[SailAways]

Interesting topic.

 

So, the folks who now act as described are all CC members, apparently. As the others have obviously not been exposed to these well kept "secrets".

 

It would seem that most cruisers have not even visited these boards - or is that only a "secret" too.

 

Has anyone ever done an equation as to how many cruisers per ship are

actually CC members?

 

Could be interesting, and blow my bubble of thought to smithereens.

 

If it is all CC members acting so badly - shame on us!;)

[Zeno]

Excellent! I have just printed out your post.

 

Wait, I don't think that was your intent?

 

Seriously though, it all depends on what percentage of cruisers on a ship come to forums like this. If it's significant (10%)?, then yes, perhaps revealing the secrets are killing them. I doubt it though, I just don't think the community here is big enough.

 

I could be wrong.

 

I do like the eggcrate foam mattress idea though ;)

 

I can't sleep without the eggcrate mattress - so that is the first thing I ask my steward for. They are a hip and back saver for people who can't tolerate firm matresses.

[NJBear]

Interesting topic.

 

So, the folks who now act as described are all CC members, apparently. As the others have obviously not been exposed to these well kept "secrets".

 

It would seem that most cruisers have not even visited these boards - or is that only a "secret" too.

 

Has anyone ever done an equation as to how many cruisers per ship are

actually CC members?

 

Could be interesting, and blow my bubble of thought to smithereens.

 

If it is all CC members acting so badly - shame on us!;)

 

Well I can attest to this, My partner and I were freely passing on some of these "hints" to people on the ship. tell a friend..who will tell a friend..who will tell a friend ..good news travels fast

 

Also at our CC meet and Mingle we were handed printouts for our cabin doors that read something like "COME JOIN US AT CRUISECRITIC.COM"...and sure enough 1 week after the cruise a man from my deck came here to say he saw the door posters <G>

[hotspur]

If you squeeze the goose that lays golden eggs enough times eventually you kill it. Some people just have to get everything they possibly can in order to be satisfied in life (see the thread about screaming for a refund because someone else on the ship claims to have paid less for a cabin). I have the same problem with this kind of thing as I do with bribing a crew member with a tip up-front in order to get stronger drinks or a robe that comes with higher category cabins or to obtain more of an item or service than what every other passenger deserves given his cabin category.

 

I guess maybe I would draw a line between getting something for which everyone else pays for nothing (or getting around a policy--like bringing liquor on board), and identifying a special spot for sitting or watching, which doesn't cost anyone anything. Somehow, I just think that sort of thing (e.g., port is the best side for viewing the whatchamacallit) is what fora like this one are for.

 

Thoughtful posting, NJBear. Thanks for making it. I suspect one of the reasons it's apparently become more difficult to make reservations for the specialty restaurants (free or additional fee) is that people have written here that you have to make reservations for the entire cruise the instant you cross the gangway. So...what do you think happened as a result?

[pengu1n]

Interesting topic.

 

Has anyone ever done an equation as to how many cruisers per ship are

actually CC members?

 

Could be interesting, and blow my bubble of thought to smithereens.

 

 

I would think you could measure it somewhat based on your roll calls. While you may have some 'lurkers':cool: even if you doubled the number of people in the roll call, it's still a very small number. For my 8/5 cruise on the Spirit, there are 11 different people, most with only single responses. Last year on the Wind, we had a very active roll call, with everyone checking in almost every day and we had a wonderful get together, but still only about 15 families. What's the largest roll call/ CC meeting anyone has ever had?

[dwrist]

Interesting post. Thanks for making us think about becoming our own worse enemies.

I do have a 'secret' question though, does the concierge have a certain percentage of dining reservations available for suite guests?

[mbisson]

I can't sleep without the eggcrate mattress - so that is the first thing I ask my steward for. They are a hip and back saver for people who can't tolerate firm matresses.

 

But cruising is so much fun who needs sleep? ;) You'll just miss something if ya do that.

 

-Monte

[Planer's Edge]

 

What's the largest roll call/ CC meeting anyone has ever had?

 

 

We had 72 on the Jewel last November.

 

PE

[SailAways]

We had 72 on the Jewel last November.

 

PE

 

So, that left 2304 other passengers - Hmmmm.....Wonder if they were just lurkers here!?;)

[NJBear]

So, that left 2304 other passengers - Hmmmm.....Wonder if they were just lurkers here!?;)

 

HMMM? well if those 72 told 5 people and they told 5 people there's 1800 and we ARE a chatty lot :D :D

[PosadaGirl519]

Hiya seasoned cruisers! I am a newbie and must thank everyone who is seasoned and participates in the discussions on this site! I tend to travel with the "If we forgot it, we'll buy it" attitude, which works great on road-trips. Yet a VACATION vacation, I freak and bring way too many inappropriate items. This site is exactly what I needed to find! All of my questions are answered and from reviews, I gatered that the only ppl who aren't satisfied are those unforgiving "what about me??!?" types, such as the person who complained about the variation in rates or the people who blame the cruise line for bad experiences with passengers ruining their cruise. You know, the people who blame ANYONE else because they didn't have the time of their lives. I gather that NCL will do as much as they are able to to assure the satisfaction of their passengers to assure R.O.G.

 

In response to the TMI factor about "secrets", wouldn't it make sense to assume that if passengers figured out how to bend the rules, that the highly lucrative cruise lines would have considered these things as well? The drips and drabs of pseudo-hints, I am sure, are not even close to what the creative cruiser could manifest.

 

My long-winded point here, is to show my apprechiation for those of you who care enough about cruising to enrich the experience for everyone, and to offer serenity through my apprechaition. The comparaison between enhanced satisfaction (such as the comfort I now feel) to the negative exposure of any secret I've come across seems like no competition at all! But I have never been on a cruise before, so what do I know? I always assume that service industries reward the clever consumer. If they didn't want the booze or eggcrate secrets out, they would find some way to alter this site. Or, if they expected everyone to know, they would include a phone book-sized manual in the mail with boarding passes. For me at least, I research everything. This site is the simplest and most convenient path for the inexperienced.

 

THANK YOU AGAIN! You are all doing much more good than harm.

[Host CMLA]

Cruise Critic members represent a very small percentage of cruisers every week. I'd venture to say that on any given week CC members are maybe 2 to 3% of the total of all cruise lines. On some member cruises maybe you get 100 CC members. I think the problem lies in what CC members do with the knowledge they get here. Using Wellwishers as an example. Someone posted here that using Wellwishers was a way around NCL's no outside alcohol policy. Many people were able to use Wellwishers and more and more people caught on. Then people started ordering very large amounts of alcohol from Wellwishers. NCL caught on to what was happening, maybe or maybe not knowing it had anything to do with CC, and they decided to no longer accept deliveries from Wellwishers. Same with upsells. People come to the board to brag about their upsell and they post the number for each ship's upsell person. Next thing you know, you have a few hundred CC'ers calling every other week for sailings happening right away to sailings that are 8 months away. Now NCL doesn't take requests for upsells. If there's an upsell to be had, they call you. I don't think we can say for sure if CC has any affect because our numbers are so low. But it is awfully coincidental that the big conversation topics here usually end up as issues with NCL.

[SailAways]

HMMM? well if those 72 told 5 people and they told 5 people there's 1800 and we ARE a chatty lot :D :D

 

Oh No! CC'ers do not reveal secrets to the masses, do they??:confused:

[NJBear]

Oh No! CC'ers do not reveal secrets to the masses, do they??:confused:

 

I can only speak for myself and the answer is.......YUPPPERS!!:p

[newmexicoNita]

Cecelia says 2 or 3% and I have heard 1%; regardless, this shows how few cruisers really read these posts: sure, some secrets are no longer that, but it is fun to share with others. If I do bring booze on, that I won't share. LOL

 

This is by far the busiest cruise board out there and why? Because we have fun, we share information and we make friends. I don't want to spoil that because someone is afraid their secret will no longer be that. Of course there will be those who will take everything that is posted and run with it. Let them, I will continue to give away all I know. Except for the booze secrets. ONLy kidding guys, maybe?

[CruisinMatt]

"COME JOIN US AT CRUISECRITIC.COM"...and sure enough 1 week after the cruise a man from my deck came here to say he saw the door posters <G>

 

<sarcasm> Be careful, that might increase the amount of "one-post wonders" with negative reviews that everyone has come to love and adore.</sarcasm>

 

Let's keep in mind that there are many people that only read these boards and don't post. ;)

[nyflush]

I think if people take the time to research the cruise they will be taking and log on to CC ask questions read past post on the cruise line etc.. they AKA me deserve a secret or two:)

[seahorse]

Cruise Critic members represent a very small percentage of cruisers every week. I'd venture to say that on any given week CC members are maybe 2 to 3% of the total of all cruise lines. On some member cruises maybe you get 100 CC members. I think the problem lies in what CC members do with the knowledge they get here. Using Wellwishers as an example. Someone posted here that using Wellwishers was a way around NCL's no outside alcohol policy. Many people were able to use Wellwishers and more and more people caught on. Then people started ordering very large amounts of alcohol from Wellwishers. NCL caught on to what was happening, maybe or maybe not knowing it had anything to do with CC, and they decided to no longer accept deliveries from Wellwishers. Same with upsells. People come to the board to brag about their upsell and they post the number for each ship's upsell person. Next thing you know, you have a few hundred CC'ers calling every other week for sailings happening right away to sailings that are 8 months away. Now NCL doesn't take requests for upsells. If there's an upsell to be had, they call you. I don't think we can say for sure if CC has any affect because our numbers are so low. But it is awfully coincidental that the big conversation topics here usually end up as issues with NCL.

 

CC does have an effect. I know from personal experience. It is not always in the negative either:)

 

NCL stopped Wellwhishers because of abuse..IMO, it was connected with this board and from what Wellwhishers told me.

 

Upsells......we were warned over and over on this board not to call so many times..they stopped taking most calls from passengers.

 

Don`t underestimate the influence of Cruise Critic......good and bad;)

 

As far as "smuggling" I suggest that if you found a "new" way........keep it to yourself, don`t brag:)

[Markanddonna]

Hi,

 

My recent NCL Sun cruise to Alaska was greatly enhanced because of all the advice from CC's. I found myself giving advice to an ignorant, complaining non-cc'er and vowed to never give my pearls to the swine again. If some people don't know that you can eat without extra cost at the main dining rooms, then they are welcome to keep heeding the cattle call at the buffets for 7 days. I agree with the original poster that we need to keep some of these secrets to ourselves and only let "worthy" people in on our hard found wisdom!!!

 

Donna

[CruisinMatt]

Remember the good old days when we relied on those smart people called travel agents to give us those tips and tricks?? ;)

[mbisson]

Hi,

 

If some people don't know that you can eat without extra cost at the main dining rooms, then they are welcome to keep heeding the cattle call at the buffets for 7 days.

 

Donna

 

Hi Donna

I'm seeing more & more complaints on the boards about how you can't eat on NCL without paying extra, and for the life of me, I can't figure out where people are getting this idea. Especially since many other cruise lines also have "extra pay specialty dining".

 

Guess I just missed something (or could it be some TA's are telling this to their clients? non on this board of course)

 

-Monte