Do You Stop Participating? Reading and/or Writing?

[sail7seas]

This Board, like all others, goes in spurts of negativity from time to time, I think.

 

Do you find that if there are many negative posts and there is lots of complaining you find yourself reading the Board less and posting less? Or does it make no difference to you whether the mood seems to be in a more positive or negative phase?

[johnlcruise]

This Board, like all others, goes in spurts of negativity from time to time, I think.

 

Do you find that if there are many negative posts and there is lots of complaining you find yourself reading the Board less and posting less? Or does it make no difference to you whether the mood seems to be in a more positive or negative phase?

 

I take ALL complaining and negativity "With a Grain Of Salt".

I love this board and can't let a day go by without my "FIX"

 

I just love reading what everybody has to say.

For thoses that have a bad cruise, I keep saying to myself that "A Cruise Is What YOU Make Out Of It."

And to me any day on a cruise is better then here in the Mountains where the temp. is 45 degrees right now.

 

Have a super day you all. :)

[the2ofus]

Good question, Sail7Seas.

 

When a thread turns negative, and especially if it becomes filled with quotes and back and forth sniping, I just stop reading.

 

I agree that there seem to be phases when everything is negative and then again when all posts seem positive. Hmmm.....I wonder if they coincide with phases of the moon? Or maybe when some major sports events are just past and folks are out of sorts? Might be some good fodder for research here.

[LolaWiz]

I do find myself posting less because i do not want to keep arguing with people... There is no point.

 

I do not stop reading/view the board though, because even in light of the many negative posts, there are a few very interesting tidbits of info.

 

I come here to become enlightened and to share a love of cruising with other folks all around the world. It is very sad when all you have are "trolls" posting stuff to start agruements and people wanting to start fights. Things do go in circles though, so i accept that!

[CruiserBruce]

My focus varies by several things:

 

1. How busy I am at work. Sometimes I have little time, energy and focus to look at the boards. I usually come back a few days or week later wondering what I missed.

2. Repetitive and negative posts. It is easy to skim the 47th post requesting info tipping, or the 435th post on what is included in suite perks. The negative posts are the easiest to skip.

3. Closeness to booking or boarding the next cruise. I am pretty close to booking the next one right now, so my interest is extremely high- easily overcoming the issues listed in numbers 1 and 2 above!

 

I do a huge amount of lurking, but only offer input when my opinion hasn't been expressed by someone.

 

Bruce

[xpcdoojk]

My biggest complaint is the poofing of threads. I think one reason that we keep refighting the same ground is because as soon as some people notice that they are not winning the fight they click the triangle and get the mods to remove "offending" posts and usually this means the entire thread. So the arguements are rehashed over and over and over again. I don't understand why people are so easily offended by anonymous posters in an open internet forum. We will never meet 99.9% of the people that participate in these forums. So why do we all immediately react as if we have been struck in the mouth in the town square when someone says something we don't agree with?:confused: I will never understand why people are so quick to be offended.

 

The people in the HAL forum are some of the most balanced and pleasant of all of the CC forums. You should spend some time in the RCI, Princess, NCL or Carnival forums. Talk about easily offended! :D

 

jc

[kryos]

For thoses that have a bad cruise, I keep saying to myself that "A Cruise Is What YOU Make Out Of It."

I just shake my head in absolute wonder and ask ... "How the hell can ANYONE possibly have a bad cruise?" The worst cruise in the world is better than a day in the grind. :)

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[Randyk47]

I'd have to say my interest goes up and down depending on a lot of internal and external inputs. First of all is our cruise status. The closer we are to a cruise the higher my interest and therefore the more time I spend here. Secondly, what other things are happening in our life like work, family, and health issues. Third, though not necessarily last, the nature of the posts. As with any special interest board this board seems to go through cycles. There are periods where there are a series of posts seeking information, reviews, or the hot subjects (i.e., type of TA's, dress code, cell phones, smoking). I can't say I stay totally away during any of these cycles but I've noticed I stay out of the hot subject discussion more and more as time goes by. Kind of a been there, done that and it gets old.

[kryos]

My biggest complaint is the poofing of threads. I think one reason that we keep refighting the same ground is because as soon as some people notice that they are not winning the fight they click the triangle and get the mods to remove "offending" posts and usually this means the entire thread.

I'd very much like to know why the Jeans thread was locked. I only wish the moderators would put a final post to a thread before they lock it, explaining why. Maybe I'm stupid, but I honestly didn't see anything in there that would warrant locking the thread to prevent further posts. It was a good give and take ... with all of us expressing our honest opinions. What's wrong with that? After all, if we all felt the same way about everything ... dress codes, smoking, shipboard rules, etc. ... this board would be awfully boring. The divergence of opinions is what makes it fun to be here, and I was really enjoying that thread.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[AAAAmerican]

This Board, like all others, goes in spurts of negativity from time to time, I think.

 

Do you find that if there are many negative posts and there is lots of complaining you find yourself reading the Board less and posting less? Or does it make no difference to you whether the mood seems to be in a more positive or negative phase?

 

The Cruise views highway is really what this is.. sometimes the wrecks get pulled off and others putt putt along still ...

 

 

People gain in every way here as I do/shall.

 

No loss as it is really a gain ....to find to see to hear and with no fear.. all the people are so dear...:cool:

 

A view is that so true and a pure personal choice too.. what more American freedom can we all have too?

 

Remember always what happened at Concord and Bunker Hill!

[Karen112999]

I am on the same page as Cruiser Bruce.

 

While I am active on a roll call, I usually read the other threads. I have had my share of being involved in those negative posts. I can easily take and appreciate a poster giving his opinion - negative or positive - because it is their opinion.

 

Usually avoid those posts all together that I know is going to start something - dress code, a prime example....but I could not resists the speedo one today.

 

Overall though, the positives do outweight any negatives 10 times over...and the info i have found, and people I have met have made it all worth it.

 

Karen

[Copper10-8]

I'd very much like to know why the Jeans thread was locked. I only wish the moderators would put a final post to a thread before they lock it, explaining why. Maybe I'm stupid, but I honestly didn't see anything in there that would warrant locking the thread to prevent further posts. It was a good give and take ... with all of us expressing our honest opinions. What's wrong with that? After all, if we all felt the same way about everything ... dress codes, smoking, shipboard rules, etc. ... this board would be awfully boring. The divergence of opinions is what makes it fun to be here, and I was really enjoying that thread.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

 

I happen to agree with that! An explanation why a particular thread is closed, removed or moved would be nice and I've seen them in the past! There's absolutely nothing wrong with disagreeing with someone's opinion. Being able to do that is why we all live here, I would think. As long as someone disagrees civily without personal attacks, sniping, flaming, nastiness, etc. why should anybody have a problem with that? We are all individuals with different opinions, backgrounds, experience, expertese (when it comes to cruising), etc. etc. Reading/learning about those are exactly some of the reasons why I like this particular board

[Mack704]

Since joining CC earlier this year, I believe I've become addicted. I truly enjoy all the banter and info. If I read something negative here, I just assume the poster's having a bad day. If I read about a terrible cruise, or if something's happened to ruin a cruise, I feel sorry for that poster. They must be an unhappy person. How could a cruise be bad or ruined?! A friend recently cruised the Med. on Princecess. They lost his lugguge. He didn't get it back until he got home. He still had a great cruise.

 

I'll never argue a point on these boards. I'll just state my opinion. I see many points argued here, needlessly. They're opinoins and that's the point!

 

We seem to be mostly pro HAL here. I hope I'll stay that way after my first HAL cruise next month. From what I've read here so far, I'm a lock to love HAL and be pro HAL after my HAL cruise.

 

Harvey

 

 

 

Harvey

[OldCodger73]

I find I become very selective as to whether I continue reading a thread that is very negative or, IMO almost as bad, an interesting thread that goes way of topic.

 

I really find Cruise Critic an interest site and look forward to reading it two or three times a day-- yeah I know, get a life. About the only thing that sours me in checking regularly are those time when the CC servers overload and it's impossible to connect to it.

[jhannah]

I come visit most every day. But my participation goes up and down, as others have said, depending on the threads. Many of them ask specific questions I cannot answer. Others banter back and forth so long that there's simply no more point in my reading them ... let alone add to them.

 

I love the information flow here. But sometimes it gets carried away, so I just don't even read those particular posts.

[CanSail]

posting less!!

[Love Cruises]

I just shake my head in absolute wonder and ask ... "How the hell can ANYONE possibly have a bad cruise?" The worst cruise in the world is better than a day in the grind. :)

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

kyros... I agree with you 100%. How can there be a BAD cruise? It's what you make of it.

 

I can't wait to check on to this site each day to read the threads... even if some are negative. You have to see the bad and GOOD it life. But being a forever optimist, the good defintely outweighs the bad.

 

Looking forward to boarding the msAMSTERDAM on a btb cruise on Sept 27.

Counting down the days!

[karen2cruz]

Good question Sail7Seas-

 

This board has given me some great information that has been incredibly helpful over the years. It also has a lot of opinion-giving, which is natural. Two people go on the same cruise and can have opposite experiences. I will keep reading, cant help myself; but I will skip over the threads where the bashing starts.

[Maryandi]

If a thread goes more than 20 posts - it's either an arguement starting or the mega- posters giving their opinion on the subject on & on. So I quit if it has over 20 (except for this one :p ) M.A.

[RuthC]

Do you find that if there are many negative posts and there is lots of complaining you find yourself reading the Board less and posting less?

And miss all the fun? Not on your life! I want to read every single word. It's better than watching a soap opera!

Or does it make no difference to you whether the mood seems to be in a more positive or negative phase?

In all honesty I do enjoy the boards more when it's on a more positive plain, but too much of the simple questions/answers gets boring, too. Passion is livelier.

One thing I really enjoy about this board is getting to "know" the individual posters. I am blessed (?) with a long memory. When I see the same posters over time I can put each post in a greater context; I enjoy that.

[lb0103]

I definitely read more when I am planning and waiting to crusie and as soon as I get back. Then I am a lurker again.

 

I will say the current group of Hal poster is far fairer than a about 4-5 years ago.

 

We were going on our first HAL cruise and I got a lot of helpful tips from this board. I also had high expectations from HAL, as everyone said how great the service is. Well the service stunk, cabin steward and waiter, our wine steward was the best and he helped our waiter when he could. We enjoyed our cruise, like Randy said a day cruising beats everything else.

 

After our return I made a few comments on our service and talk about flaming! It seems everything was OUR fault and WE must not know what good service is. There were a few posters that I haven't seen recently and it did leave a bad taste for me on this board. As I said we enjoy cruiseing and 2 years ago tried HAL again to the Baltics on the then new Westerdam.

 

The service was great and like the other cruises we enjoyed it.

 

I will admit that last year we went to Mex. Riv. on X and the service was the best of any cruise line we have traveled. Now we are booked for the Zu for 10/21 and are looking forward to it. I know we will have a good time, but don't ask for opinions if you don't want the truth. We don't care about ship layout or cabins (we book the minimum we will be happy with if we get an upgrade fine, if not, oh well).

 

We dress appropiately and have seen others that have not and it doesn't bother me.

 

I will definitly say the posters this year are far "nicer" than in the past. There is a great bunch in here and actually post not and then. Like now.

[Tinknock50]

I'd very much like to know why the Jeans thread was locked. I only wish the moderators would put a final post to a thread before they lock it, explaining why. Maybe I'm stupid, but I honestly didn't see anything in there that would warrant locking the thread to prevent further posts. It was a good give and take ... with all of us expressing our honest opinions. What's wrong with that? After all, if we all felt the same way about everything ... dress codes, smoking, shipboard rules, etc. ... this board would be awfully boring. The divergence of opinions is what makes it fun to be here, and I was really enjoying that thread.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

 

I know what you mean......and that goes for "poofing" too. I remember a very interesting thread about various past cruiser benefits on HAL as opposed to other lines. It suddenly disappeared.

[Navy_Chief]

We used to have a saying about complaining sailors that I won't repeat here :D Then there's that other old saying about opinions :D well that makes life interesting. It really depends on the subject if I respond or even read the thread.

[twinkletoes4445]

I tend to post and read more when I am either planning or have a cruise planned.

 

I've also noticed that the posters on the HAL board are very civilized...and you can't say that about all the boards. I suspect that many of the out-of-control posters are just trolls who are trying to stir things up.

 

I don't have a problem when people are discussing things..even if they don't agree, but I do hate to see people being nasty to posters because they've had a bad experience (or whatever). I'm sure it's a big job moderating the boards...and one I wouldn't want.

 

At this point...all I care about is my CRUISE!!!! Yeah...we are so excited. :)

[elmorejj]

At one time I was totally addicted to the board, but now find myself going several days without reading/posting to it. Sometimes it`s because the threads bore me, sometimes it`s because I have no interest in that particular subject. One thing that bothers me is when someone asks a question, it is answered fully, and then 12 more posters have to post the exact same answer. That really gripes me. Other posts I cannot decipher or figure out so I leave them alone...........jean:cool: