Do's and Don'ts for your CC Onboard Meet and Greets

[Fuzzzy]

I love the word critic. It is not a bad thing. In fact, wikipedia defines critic as "(derived from the ancient Greek word krites meaning a judge) is a person who offers a value judgement or an interpretation. (The word is sometimes used pejoratively, especially by defenders of a critic's object.)"

 

People also think judge (as an intransitive verb

) is bad. However, to judge is a matter of opinion.

 

Oh and by the way, an intransitive verb is incomplete without an direct object. :)

 

The lesson is over now. You are free to move about the world.

[Times Prince]

Our last cruise 12/09/2006 on the Grand Princess had a FANTASTIC group of people on the Roll Call who shared both planning and what was going on in their lives beforehand. Joanne and I were excited to meet them before we even set foot onboard!

 

Linda Lou arranged with the Cruise Director for a meet and greet in the Wheelhouse bar - which happened the first day at sea. We also had a less organized Sail Away party on deck with a pre-planned meeting place. So how did we recognize each other? Besides Linda and Kathy wearing bright feathers, we had shared photos, and brief bios beforehand on another web site. (click on the 12/09/06 in my signature). We shared planning ideas for tours and planned a beach party as well.

 

The official Meet and Greet was shared beforehand here on Cruise Critic, so we didn't have to worry about the Patter wording. It was noted by a "private party" sign at the Wheelhouse, and Princess provided bar service.

We introduced ourselves there, and many were surprised when we said both our real names and our Cruise Critic aliases. "Gentleman Gene" moderated and provided additional humor and anecdotes about how some of us came to know each other. Karen brought cruise cups that identified us wherever we went, and special M&Ms.

 

The bottom line is that by meeting and sharing beforehand, and then meeting in person early in the cruise, everywhere we went we met family.

 

It was an outstanding cruise because of it !!!

[AAAAmerican]

I was and have been a G L for a few CC On Board Meet and Greets for more than one C Line.

 

Organization is vital so as knowing what the group(s) have available and the resources to work with are.

 

The most precious one is the people bot on/in the Group also from the the Ship.

 

Having ID is nice in any event as then it is easier to carry a name in conversations with the new and/or known person/people.

 

Inviting Staff and Crew is a very nice affair as most will show up . It is so very mutually beneficial for all throughout the cruise and the next cruises too.

 

Roll Calls are a extremely nice way to textualise events ..personalities... capabilities HELP... and any other matter youall want to discuss etc...

 

Yes I have seen romances blossom too from them.

 

CC does have a Financial Agreement with RCL:NYSE so thats the Pf line here...

 

Other Lines do offer very nice things as well sometimes people from the groups bring items and nick/knacks from there firms or fund the affairs as well.

 

CC Meet and Greets are like Life and Love::

What we make of them!

[actraveler]

I have been cruising for 15 years anywhere from 2-4 cruises per year, and I was on the Grand Princess with Alan & Denise.

 

I thought the idea of Roll Call participation was fantastic and the onboard outcome exceeded my expectations. The social aspect was a bonus for me as I got the chance to meet many wonderful people before even getting on the ship.

 

Our board was like a chat room in some ways, AND a way to share information with others as well.

 

Like all chat rooms or member boards that I have been part of, once you meet people in person, sometimes things change. Cliques develop and some have no interest in participating.

 

In our case, the TA cruise experience was enhanced for us.

 

I was able to organize the 2 Princess sponsored Meet & Greets before hand, and even had the Cruise Director join us for the second. Furthermore, because most of the people were involved, I was able to organize a priority disembarkation in Rome for our group.

 

The informal 5PM get-togethers were a wonderful idea (not mine), and if you went, you went. If you didn't, you didn't. It's your vacation- no pressure.

 

Lastly, I was able to organize a private charter bus for 38 people to get from the ship to the airport and directly to hotels in downtown Rome for those who were interested. The CC board made it possible for all us to use our collective buying power to avoid the overpriced Princess transfers and even let some go right from the pier to the front door of their hotels. NOW THAT'S NETWORKING!

 

I intend to participate in Roll Calls from now on. :)

 

Regards,

Hal

[donna travels]

Our last cruise 12/09/2006 on the Grand Princess had a FANTASTIC group of people on the Roll Call who shared both planning and what was going on in their lives beforehand. Joanne and I were excited to meet them before we even set foot onboard!

 

Linda Lou arranged with the Cruise Director for a meet and greet in the Wheelhouse bar - which happened the first day at sea. We also had a less organized Sail Away party on deck with a pre-planned meeting place. So how did we recognize each other? Besides Linda and Kathy wearing bright feathers, we had shared photos, and brief bios beforehand on another web site. (click on the 12/09/06 in my signature). We shared planning ideas for tours and planned a beach party as well.

 

The official Meet and Greet was shared beforehand here on Cruise Critic, so we didn't have to worry about the Patter wording. It was noted by a "private party" sign at the Wheelhouse, and Princess provided bar service.

We introduced ourselves there, and many were surprised when we said both our real names and our Cruise Critic aliases. "Gentleman Gene" moderated and provided additional humor and anecdotes about how some of us came to know each other. Karen brought cruise cups that identified us wherever we went, and special M&Ms.

 

The bottom line is that by meeting and sharing beforehand, and then meeting in person early in the cruise, everywhere we went we met family.

 

It was an outstanding cruise because of it !!!

thanks for your information, Gentlemen Gene is on my trip June 2 Diamond and has been very informative with cruise information, we are all very excited leaving in 2 days for the land portion of our trip.

[Bucky3]

I wonder if using just the initials "CC Meeting" in the patter would work. If Cruise Critic is not spelled out maybe that would keep away any "outsiders."

[BayCalif-Ariz R Us]

Great to "see" you again - Hal! Thanks for your comments. Since I started this thread (and we've probably beaten the subject to death:o ), here's a few of my final thoughts.

Alan and I (and presumably most cruisers) have plenty of family, friends and neighbors at home. Some of us (but by no means all) think one of the many perks of cruising is meeting new (albeit usually temporary) friends from all over the world. If you don't feel that way you will in all likelihood not enjoy the onboard CC experience and should simply use the boards and threads to learn new stuff. And perhaps some of us do share too much personal invitation in this post-911 world we live in. But, hey, we're grown-ups and we can make that decision.

Feel free to "lurk" on the roll call for your cruise without participating. Just glean the infomation you want/need and disregard the general chat. It's OK to ask questions, but be forewarned that will simly generate a lot of "HEY WELCOME" posts that you may feel free to ignore if you're not seeking to socialize while onboard. Otherwise sign in and join the general banter. Yep, cliques will form (chances are you'll be a member of at least one yourself). But the overall impression should be you're with a group of friends. Did someone say it's like "ON-LINE DATING?????" That's a real stretch to put it mildly!:eek:

If it's really a good CC group, as many as 75% may show up for at least one M&M (that was our case last time). If you're starting out with a large group, definitely go with Skywalkers for the first M&M. In fact, that's a good place for any number to gather as you won't encounter a lot of passenger traffic as you will in the other bars. Great views too.

Do make sure someone has stick-on name badges and a sharpie for the first M&M. Someone should always suggest a time and place for people to meet daily IF THEY WANT TO. Don't like that idea? Don't go.

Appreciate everybody's comments - variety is the spice of life.

[Desert Cruizers]

We will attend our first M & M on our next Cruise. We are looking forward to it and meeting the people we are learning to know. I am sure if my DH & I didn't go, we would probably have met most of them anyway. Will we go on another one, I can't say, but right now it is a new and differant way of meeting everyone so will enjoy.

[Sailfish]

Great to "see" you again - Hal! Thanks for your comments. Since I started this thread (and we've probably beaten the subject to death:o ), here's a few of my final thoughts.

Alan and I (and presumably most cruisers) have plenty of family, friends and neighbors at home. Some of us (but by no means all) think one of the many perks of cruising is meeting new (albeit usually temporary) friends from all over the world. If you don't feel that way you will in all likelihood not enjoy the onboard CC experience and should simply use the boards and threads to learn new stuff. And perhaps some of us do share too much personal invitation in this post-911 world we live in. But, hey, we're grown-ups and we can make that decision.

Feel free to "lurk" on the roll call for your cruise without participating. Just glean the infomation you want/need and disregard the general chat. It's OK to ask questions, but be forewarned that will simly generate a lot of "HEY WELCOME" posts that you may feel free to ignore if you're not seeking to socialize while onboard. Otherwise sign in and join the general banter. Yep, cliques will form (chances are you'll be a member of at least one yourself). But the overall impression should be you're with a group of friends. Did someone say it's like "ON-LINE DATING?????" That's a real stretch to put it mildly!:eek:

If it's really a good CC group, as many as 75% may show up for at least one M&M (that was our case last time). If you're starting out with a large group, definitely go with Skywalkers for the first M&M. In fact, that's a good place for any number to gather as you won't encounter a lot of passenger traffic as you will in the other bars. Great views too.

Do make sure someone has stick-on name badges and a sharpie for the first M&M. Someone should always suggest a time and place for people to meet daily IF THEY WANT TO. Don't like that idea? Don't go.

Appreciate everybody's comments - variety is the spice of life.

 

I do not disagree that many people who participate in these roll call forums get a lot out of it. It's always interesting to note how many actually know one another from past cruises!

 

I believe that most who enjoy the social scene in these roll call forums here at Cruise Critic are in it to make new friends and renew past acquaintences. I have noticed that they are often couples who travel alone. I don't have statics to back me up, but I think a large percentage of people who cruise do so with family and friends. I doubt they are looking to establish new friendships while on their cruise - but I admit I don't know this for sure, so no flames, okay! This is just a general observation - I find some roll call forums a bit obnoxious, especially those that have people that know one another. Others can be quite entertaining. The best ones are those where everyone is included in the conversation.

 

I found this aspect of Cruise Critic in the beginning to be a little strange to me, but like I said earlier, this is how it is in these online communities. It won't be everyone's cup of tea, but many find it very satisfying.

 

Good luck with yours!

[Pia1913]

I have to laugh at those who think putting the words Cruise Critic in the Patter is a good idea. You should have seen what happened in March aboard the Golden. There must have been 50 complainers that showed up. After all, didn't those words mean that they could come to criticize the cruise? Terminology/verbiage is not what you think or expect. No.........decide on a name beforehand and use that.

 

Pia

[sunsetme]

I have had mixed results with CC groups as well, but the good experiences far outway the others. I am able to arrange excursions together, we had a great group in Tahiti. On one cruise someone arranged a Diva party I had no interest in but it turned out to be the best fun. You meet all kinds of characters and can pick the brains of the more experienced cruisers for future cruise tips. I am totally hooked.

[earljr]

we have found that Mardi Gras beads have worked very well on our cruises.

 

Walking around the ship,on the dock waiting to board, etc. we have met folks before the meet and greet --- also pins with a blue and white ribbon bow of Princess colors were a hit on one of our cruises.

[Teeara]

The cruises that I have had the best CC meetings were the ones where we had a group name and special shirts made up. Those are always a hit and it makes it so incredibly easy to find someone who is part of the "group".

 

Theresa

[cdnguy]

we have found that Mardi Gras beads have worked very well on our cruises.

 

Walking around the ship,on the dock waiting to board, etc. we have met folks before the meet and greet --- also pins with a blue and white ribbon bow of Princess colors were a hit on one of our cruises.

Right on Earl. Any ID is good. We especiallly like the name tags maybe because some old guys like me need some help with my memory as to whom I'm speaking to.:D

[bjkTX]

On our first Princess cruise 5 years ago I hadn't heard of CC. We travel alone and would have loved to have met some of our cruise mates ahead of time online, and then at a M&G. We still had a wonderful time, and met lots of great folks - and we got hooked on cruising.

 

The nice thing about Roll Calls is you can pretty well decide if the group is one you want to meet up with or not. On our last 3 Princess cruises we were part of a roll call, and on the last 2 the roll calls were lots of fun, and the people we met at the M&G were fantastic and I hope friends for life. We booked a cruise for next April about 6 months ago and I was shocked when I went to start a roll call that there already was one that was 6 pages long :-) That is going to be a fun group!!

 

But my thought on timing comes from our 2nd cruise, our first roll call. We were all excited about meeting the gang we had been chatting with for months. The M&G was set up for 5pm on the first night (maybe 6) - and we had flowers and beads to identify each other in lines etc. BUT - ship happens - and there was a delay getting on the ship for a couple of hours, and by the time everyone got on board, our M&G time was right during muster drill.

 

No one had a list of the CC members with their cabin numbers, and pretty much you didn't know anything but someones screen name - so we couldn't round up the group for a second try.

 

So plan your M&G for a "safe" time - probably not on sail away day. Whoever is putting together the event should have a list of names and cabin numbers (that can be provided outside the CC board just to that person).

 

We were so disappointed when the M&G didn't happen - don't risk not meeting your roll call mates!

[sonomaphil]

DON'T: Don't schedule your first meet and greet before muster. Have it AFTER muster at sail away on deck at the party. Before muster you have no time and everyone is not on board yet plus you just have to leave right away anyway. After muster, get a drink at the sail away party on deck and enjoy!

[Cruisin' Chick]

right after I booked my last cruise, I decided to check things out on this site, researching my cruise, and I discovered the boards. I started a roll call for my cruise (it was 13 months away at that time) so I became the leader. I emailed the CD about our group a couple of months before the cruise and he replied that he would set up a meet on the way to Hawaii and one on the way back. Somehow he flaked on the first, so I left him a message. After he left a note under my door with an actual date and time for a meet, I quickly wrote notes for each member on our roll call (except for one, whose cabin number I didn't have). We did have a mini meet right about sailaway.

 

In the Patter, it said Cruise Critic Meeting -- for those registered on this site, or something like that. So if anybody showed up to complain, it wasn't apparent to me. One crew member was there to pour us some champagne and we sat around talking and sharing stories. One person who showed up admitted he just lurked, and never participated in the banter.

 

What amazed me was that one person who did join our roll call, posted on another roll call (for one of his many cruises) that we were disorganized. I thought this was strange as he hadn't made any suggestions or took a leadership role. And we were a group that hadn't met on another other cruises like some have. Just seemed strange, imo.

[Fuzzzy]

DON'T: Don't schedule your first meet and greet before muster. Have it AFTER muster at sail away on deck at the party. Before muster you have no time and everyone is not on board yet plus you just have to leave right away anyway. After muster, get a drink at the sail away party on deck and enjoy!

I agree 1,000%. Unless muster and sailaway changes. Than what to do?

[donna travels]

I am going to post the following notice in the Patter Diamonds in the Rough CC Meeting June 3 2:00pm Skywalker Lounge See you then.

I am off to Alaska see you onboard

 

Donna

[Fuzzzy]

I am going to post the following notice in the Patter Diamonds in the Rough CC Meeting June 3 2:00pm Skywalker Lounge See you then.

I am off to Alaska see you onboard

 

Donna

cool. happy voyages and hopeful that you will meet and enjoy other CCs onboard. :)

[donna travels]

cool. happy voyages and hopeful that you will meet and enjoy other CCs onboard. I am not on your cruise. But, how about "Diamonds are forever"?

Thanks Fuzzzy I like your idea since this is our 2007 cruise, we will now be known as Diamonds are Forever. Have to get rid of this head cold to fly tomorrow wish me luck.

[Desert Cruizers]

The cruises that I have had the best CC meetings were the ones where we had a group name and special shirts made up. Those are always a hit and it makes it so incredibly easy to find someone who is part of the "group".

 

Theresa

Teeara, regarding shirts, does each individual have their own shirts made up. We have a gentleman who does shirts here locally and thought that would be nice to have shirts. this is our first M & M so very new to this and find reading the differant ideas very interesting.

[BayCalif-Ariz R Us]

For our cruise to Rio in January, we had pins made up by CafePress.com. Only $2.98 each I think. One person can take orders and then people can pay them on the ship - surprisingly that went off without a hitch on our cruise - even people who dropped out of the cruise sent their money in. CafePress also did t-shirts but I think I was the only one who bought one (at, like $16). I still have it and wear it. However, someone had a contact at CafePress and that person designed our Rio logo for us. But I think anyone can do a design in say, Photoshop. Mardi Gras beads are good for recognizing people, but it's hard to get the guys to wear them. The buttons are cool and make nice souvenirs of not just the cruise, but your CC friends.

[Pia1913]

For our cruise to Rio in January, we had pins made up by CafePress.com. Only $2.98 each I think. One person can take orders and then people can pay them on the ship - surprisingly that went off without a hitch on our cruise - even people who dropped out of the cruise sent their money in. CafePress also did t-shirts but I think I was the only one who bought one (at, like $16). I still have it and wear it. However, someone had a contact at CafePress and that person designed our Rio logo for us. But I think anyone can do a design in say, Photoshop. Mardi Gras beads are good for recognizing people, but it's hard to get the guys to wear them. The buttons are cool and make nice souvenirs of not just the cruise, but your CC friends.

 

 

The person who usually designs all the items for many different cruises, is Lorraine Kennedy. Very talented lady. Her CC name is tkennedy and she lists her email on it.

[BayCalif-Ariz R Us]

Thanks Pia, Lorraine is an excellent contact. A name for your group is really important - at least for those CCers who are getting into the fun of the whole experience (we've heard enough from those few who have posted here who think the idea of friendship/bonding on board smacks of something sinister). One of the best I heard was DUSTS - Down Under Sydney to Seattle. We came up with "Just Say NO to Rio" for that cruise (it left from New Orleans). The best suggestion I've seen so far for our Panama cruise in Sept. on the Island Princess is "The PIPS" for Panama Island Princess Sailing.

Just throw a few names out there - people need to be encouraged because they don't want to sound silly.:o Something will eventually click with everybody.:D