Is it just me???

[sail7seas]

I am truly confused here now.

 

Should we not provide links to previous threads as a method of helping respond to a question?

 

Do you think new posters should just have to find those threads for themselves?

What about a thread we remember that may be 3 or 4 months old? How many people new to this BB are going to read threads back that far? They could remain unaware it exists when it could have provided them with useful information.

 

 

[Golfette]

Yes John, but that is exactly my point - you don't HAVE to "spend your time and effort to repeat it all". Leave it alone and let someone else answer if they want, or be friendly if you are pointing them to another link. Like I said before.... "here is a thread - discussed last week" is not too friendly to a newbie, and is almost telling them not to bother posting unless it is something REALLY interesting for other cruisers.

 

Little Miss - bravo! The post you are referring to is one of the ones I had in mind when I posted above. This is exactly the kind of post I received with a few other choice words thrown in for explicitness.

[u4ea]

My quick opinion, it’s wrong for folks to be rude regarding repeat topics, or really anything. Since this is a free service and a public place, it’s incumbent on the poster read and understand the guidelines. Since not all do that, and/or it takes time for some to learn to do that (like myself:o), it can be irritating. But as mom says “If you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say it at all”

This is funny too…

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/posting

 

Mark….

[Little Miss]

I am truly confused here now.

 

Should we not provide links to previous threads as a method of helping respond to a question?

 

Do you think new posters should just have to find those threads for themselves?

What about a thread we remember that may be 3 or 4 months old? How many people new to this BB are going to read threads back that far? They could remain unaware it exists when it could have provided them with useful information.

 

 

 

Absolutely Sail. Yes I did find your last post "reasonable and helpful". But the point I am trying to get across is that not everyone seems to be trying to be helpful - they seem to be trying to get rid of the thread by stopping it dead. By all means provide a link to a thread that you think might be useful for others, that would be fabulous - but sometimes posters come across like "don't you realise that has been asked a thousand times before and we are bored with it, just do a search and you won't have to keep bothering us important people with your silly questions". Some people do actually do the "roll eyes" thing and actually state how many times this boring question has been asked before!!

 

So what! That is the point. If you don't want to be nice and pleasant to people, then don't even get involved in a thread. If you see it entitled, smoking, dress codes, tipping, bedding, cabin stewards etc etc etc, then skip over it.

 

We are booked on our first HAL cruise next month, but I just hope we have made the right choice! I am having serious doubts!!

[Golfette]

We are booked on our first HAL cruise next month, but I just hope we have made the right choice! I am having serious doubts!!

 

Little Miss, we are booked next month on our 1st HAL cruise also. We have a very active roll call (over 450 posts). None of the delightful people on our rollcall are those type of posters you (& I) are referring to. Several of them have also commented on the rollcall about the rudeness of some HAL posters. I guess we have to remember that the people on CC only represent a tiny portion of those cruising on any ship at any given time.

 

To all you other charming posters who take the time and trouble to answer our questions courteously as best you can, I sincerely thank you.:)

[grsnovi]

In "real life" I read and respond to questions posed by customers regarding computer software. There are many (many) repetitive questions. To try to keep from answering them over and over (and over) we attempt to post a FAQ (frequently asked questions) once a week.

 

It doesn't help.

 

The idea is: I have this huge captive audience of experience and I can just ask.

 

Asking is so easy.

 

Ignoring the same question is also easy. Letting a newer member of the "community" answer and expend some of their enthusiasm is good.

 

Sometimes it is easier to answer than it is to get worked up over the fact that the same question is being asked on the top message thread.

[Harry1954]

In many instances when a new poster asks an "old hat" question it is obvious that the questioner has spent very little time or effort reading what has been posted before ... particularly when the question was asked and thoroughly answered very recently. So why should we spend our time and effort to repeat it all? In that case, I feel a link to the recent thread is by far the best way to answer the question.

many folks simply do not understand searching function nor do they grasp the full power of prior threads .. I suspect providing links to them is productive, but sensitivity to possibly appearing condescending should be considered - i.e., don't be in too much of a hurry, you never know whose feelings you may hurt as emails are black/white and thus very cold appearing.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I have noticed this more on the HAL boards than anywhere else, it is my opinion but I just wondered if anyone else has noticed this.....

 

If someone posts on the same old topics of tips, cabins, dress code, food, etc etc etc, nearly always you will get someone saying - "oh yeah, this has been debated to death", or "here we go again", or "same old, same old" or even worse - "this was debated last week - here is a link to that thread":eek: .

 

Not every topic has been discussed in such a way as to give a poster exactly the information he/she is after, and even if it has, what is the problem? There are new posters here every day and they may just want to join in! No doubt everything has been discussed in some way on these boards over the years, so yes, we could all do a search and no doubt find out the information we need - but then what?? That would be the death of Cruise Critic as there would be no new threads. Is that what people want? There is a limit to how many questions you can ask about cruising after all!

 

If a new poster asks a question, can you please refrain from the embarrassing "been there, done that, don't want to discuss it again" type answer. If you don't want to join in, then just leave the thread alone and let the ones who want to join in and discuss, do so.

 

It does seem to be a minority that want to comment on every single thread - but they are consistent offenders and mostly have over 5,000 posts (and probably know who they are). But that doesn't mean you own Cruise Critic! Everyone is entitled to post here so please don't criticise if you see duplicate questions.

 

Just my opinion, agree or not but I now find myself avoiding the HAL boards as it annoys the hell out of me. Anyone else with me on this??

 

Little Miss

 

I have noticed this as well over the years.

I do not mind answering the same questions, posting menus, etc.

[Ferry Watcher]

One of the nicest and most helpful CC posters is middle-age-mom (Karin). Not only will Karin answer a question, she often times researches and posts a helpful link. I, too have had trouble with the Cruise Critic search engine. I really appreciate the time and effort that Karin and many other posters put into answering so many of the inquiries.

 

Sometimes it's the perceived tone of the post that might annoy some of the 'veteran' cc posters: "My cruise in in 7 months, but I need to know if I can wear jeans in the dining room during lunch" type of questions. Sometimes it is hard to patience with these types of questions, but many cc posters cheerfully answer.

 

Generally speaking, I think that the HAL board is a helpful and courteous board.

[Copper10-8]

I'm sorry but I don't see what's wrong with providing a link to a question or questions that have been discussed before. Open the link and there's your answer and probably more!

People being "mean", "nasty", "adam henry's", etc. Yeah, it happens! I take it with a grain of salt or, if needed, I respond. No biggie, don't let it get to you Little Miss! No need to get into the witness protection program and assume another identity! In my opinion, the vast majority of posters here are helpful.

 

We are booked on our first HAL cruise next month, but I just hope we have made the right choice! I am having serious doubts!!

 

Are you saying that based on your experience posting on the HAL board here?? Do you realize the percentage of HAL pax who are also CC posters on any given cruise is miniscule? Don't worry about it, go out, enjoy yourselves and have a great time!

[Barek]

... If someone posts on the same old topics of tips, cabins, dress code, food, etc etc etc, nearly always you will get someone saying - "oh yeah, this has been debated to death", or "here we go again", or "same old, same old" or even worse - "this was debated last week - here is a link to that thread":eek: .

 

Not every topic has been discussed in such a way as to give a poster exactly the information he/she is after, and even if it has, what is the problem? There are new posters here every day and they may just want to join in! No doubt everything has been discussed in some way on these boards over the years, so yes, we could all do a search and no doubt find out the information we need - but then what?? That would be the death of Cruise Critic as there would be no new threads. Is that what people want? There is a limit to how many questions you can ask about cruising after all!

 

If a new poster asks a question, can you please refrain from the embarrassing "been there, done that, don't want to discuss it again" type answer. If you don't want to join in, then just leave the thread alone and let the ones who want to join in and discuss, do so.

 

It does seem to be a minority that want to comment on every single thread - but they are consistent offenders and mostly have over 5,000 posts (and probably know who they are). But that doesn't mean you own Cruise Critic! Everyone is entitled to post here so please don't criticise if you see duplicate questions. ...

I partially agree with you - but not completely - in fact, I see one type of reply completely opposite of how you see it.

 

I agree that I see it as rude, even condecending to post "here we go again", or "same old, same old", or even "this has been debated to death". Those who post those types of comments need to think what it was like when they were first learning about cruising and the cruise industry. There are a lot of questions, and being new to a forum and not knowing your way around it makes it even harder to even know how to find past conversations on a topic.

 

On the other-hand, on the comment that you flag as being "even worse", I have a completely opposite interpretation. When I read "this was discussed last week/month/year - here is a link to the thread", I read it as informative - and I trully appreciate having the link provided. It often provides much of the information that I want. For the bits it misses, I can post a more specific/focussed question to get at what I'm wanting to learn. I do not consider it rude to see this type of reply to questions, far from it, I see it as informative and helpful.

 

But for both types, I don't believe that the HAL forum has a significantly larger number of users who post either of the types above ... and Cruise Critic isn't unique in having users of these types accross its forums. I've seen these types of replies in nearly every forum on nearly every subject that I've ever discussed on the internet. I don't take the ruder ones too seriously - and I appreciate the helpful ones who provide the links.

[IKE]

I agree with "Little Miss"! We were once new to Cruise Critic and I admit it took me awhile to get around the boards for info. We have to be a little patient with new people. I love Cruise Critic. Have received excellent info over the years and have recommended this board to many friends. Many times I have sent in a reply only to receive a sarcastic reply from another Cruise Critic Member. When this happens, just ignore it. Thats is what I do.

Just my opinion! Ike

[Solstice]

I don't think anything you said was out of line and I'm one of those who has 5,000+ posts.

 

Sometimes I will give a partial answer to one of the frequently asked subject and also provide a link. When I say something like, "We had a conversation about this last week", I mean it in a conversational tone and simply as FYI to the person asking the question. If I know there is a VERY recent lengthy thread exactly about the subject at hand, I consider it being helpful to provide a link to it. If there are 50 posts to a subject, perhaps the person can learn something from that thread about which they probably are unaware. I hope you see there is another side to how people look at 'posting a link' to a previous thread.

 

 

I've only been posting here since late spring and have to say that with only one exception, I've found positive responses. I am more irritated if no one answers my post!

I am not offended by the 'check this prior posting' comments and haven't taken them as rude. I always go to the earlier threads and have found good information there. If I answer your question, but know there have been recent opposing views, by directing you to the old thread you get to read all the comments and see all the opinions. It never occurred to me that someone would be offended by that, but from now on, I will be very careful in the way that I do it. Honestly, it's meant as a very positive thing, just like S7S said.

Kate

[the2ofus]

I think that Little Miss has a valid point. It may be useful to some folks to have links posted, but it is my personal preference to ask specific questions and hope that one or two people might give me an answer. Sometimes I just don't have time to wade through several threads with a myriad of posts to glean the bit of information I am seeking.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Little Miss, I 100% agree with you and I think it's been more prevalent than ever over the past several months.

 

In defense of some CC members, several of them have gotten to know each other very well both on the board and off so they feel they're chatting with a bunch of friends and sometimes forget that new people arrive every day. When a subject has been (in some people's opinion) "done to death", they feel the need to say so for some reason.

 

I think what some forget is that new people do come here every day and they have lots of questions. The "old" people may have the answers. New members may not know every trick there is for finding a topic and it's various answers. Also, things change all the time so what might have been so 6 months ago is very likely not so today. I can't think of any reason the question can't just be answered again unless there's a very recent thread with lots of information. Then I think a link is a good thing.

 

CC does not allow people to post under 2 different names and so this thread may not be here much longer. I've often really wanted to post under another name just so I could say stuff I would never dare say under my own name, but I'm a typical scardy cat and too afraid of being found out and tossed from CC. So me is me and there's no one else:D . Gets me in a heap of trouble, but such is life and I've learned to just let it all roll off me.

 

Whatever anyone has to say about HAL or this board they should feel comfortable saying it as themselves. The very fact that you were not comfortable doing that says an awful lot.

 

(Hope I wasn't one of those people you're talking about!;) )

[Golfette]

I don't think the objection was so much to the posting of links as to the tone of the language used in the post. Links are fine - it's how the poster presents it.

[sapper1]

Thanks Lorekauf - at least one person agrees with me:) and I know I am not alone.

 

x

You are not alone. I totally agree with you also.

[Little Miss]

Little Miss, I 100% agree with you and I think it's been more prevalent than ever over the past several months.

 

In defense of some CC members, several of them have gotten to know each other very well both on the board and off so they feel they're chatting with a bunch of friends and sometimes forget that new people arrive every day. When a subject has been (in some people's opinion) "done to death", they feel the need to say so for some reason.

 

I think what some forget is that new people do come here every day and they have lots of questions. The "old" people may have the answers. New members may not know every trick there is for finding a topic and it's various answers. Also, things change all the time so what might have been so 6 months ago is very likely not so today. I can't think of any reason the question can't just be answered again unless there's a very recent thread with lots of information. Then I think a link is a good thing.

 

CC does not allow people to post under 2 different names and so this thread may not be here much longer. I've often really wanted to post under another name just so I could say stuff I would never dare say under my own name, but I'm a typical scardy cat and too afraid of being found out and tossed from CC. So me is me and there's no one else:D . Gets me in a heap of trouble, but such is life and I've learned to just let it all roll off me.

 

Whatever anyone has to say about HAL or this board they should feel comfortable saying it as themselves. The very fact that you were not comforable doing that says an awful lot.

 

(Hope I wasn't one of those people you're talking about!;) )

 

No, I can still honestly say that I was not referring to anyone on this thread so far!

 

Re posting "incognito" Copper 10-8 - I don't want to be in the "witness protection program":) . But some people do understand why I did it. and I didn't realise it was against the rules. But hey, I bet I'm not the first one, and I came clean about it. Anyone with more than one email address can do it and I bet loads have. I didn't want to deceive anyone, just wanted to get the point across without name calling (both ways). No doubt I will get into trouble soon, but I won't use this sign on again, outside this thread!

 

No poster owns these boards no matter how long you have been around, so let the newbies ask as many questions as they like - and if you don't want to respond, then don't. There are plenty of nice, helpful people on these boards who do not mind answering anything or point people in the right direction (nicely).

 

And Golfette, yes you are right!

[jtl513]

Sometimes I will give a partial answer to one of the frequently asked subject and also provide a link. When I say something like, "We had a conversation about this last week", I mean it in a conversational tone and simply as FYI to the person asking the question. If I know there is a VERY recent lengthy thread exactly about the subject at hand, I consider it being helpful to provide a link to it. If there are 50 posts to a subject, perhaps the person can learn something from that thread about which they probably are unaware. I hope you see there is another side to how people look at 'posting a link' to a previous thread.

EXACTLY! The purpose of this forum is to answer questions and get answers to our own, not perpetuate every repeat thread that gets started! If I repeat an answer that I posted on "last week's" thread but do not provide that link then I am doing a disservice to the questioner, who will not see any of the viewpoints that differed from mine!

 

BTW........ Someone help me out here, please.

 

Isn't it against the rules for one person to post under different names? I thought we were only permitted to register and post as a single 'nickname' and to not come here under different identities.

 

Am I mistaken about that?

 

No, you are correct. From the guidelines:

 

One Account Per Person

 

You are permitted a maximum of one account, active or inactive. If you choose to ignore this important restriction with the intention of deceiving our members, all your accounts will be disabled. If you require a temporary user name for any reason, or if you require a user name change, please contact us. If you have forgotten your log in details and are unable to retrieve them via the system, do not create a new account, please send an e-mail to boards@cruisecritic.com.

[Copper10-8]

Re posting "incognito" Copper 10-8 - I don't want to be in the "witness protection program":) .

 

It's OK, you've outted yourself already so we don't have to move you to to North Dakota

 

Seriously, hope you enjoy your upcoming cruise - don't sweat the small stuff, have a great time and come back and tell us about it!

[ekerr19]

I see MANY of the people on this board going out of their way to be helpful - time and time again. Some of them have been posting the same answers (patiently) to the same questions over and over, for years.

 

Can you please explain why it is necessary to start a controversial thread "in cognito" (which is against CC guidelines) rather than just stating how you feel?

 

I often get into heated discussions with some of the posters here, but at the end of the day, as frustrating as it can get - I own my opinions and observations... even if others don't care for them. :)

[Host Walt]

The references to the rules are correct and we can and do identify multiple user name situations and address them as appropriate.

 

Unfortunately we cannot address the issues raised by "LittleMiss" as easily. Many folks have participated on Cruise Critic since it started in the 90's as an AOL content offering and have read countless repetitions of topics.

 

Fortunately, by and large, most of them (us) recognize that every question has its nuances and that there's no loss in skipping past a repeated subject of any kind.

 

It is impolite (and can be a violation of our guidelines), however, to be critical of someone for posting a legitimate question that may have been discussed earlier.

 

We request that our members refrain from criticizing the posting of any topic that may well have been discussed earlier.

[gizmo]

If someone posts on the same old topics of tips, cabins, dress code, food, etc etc etc, nearly always you will get someone saying - "oh yeah, this has been debated to death", or "here we go again", or "same old, same old" or even worse - "this was debated last week - here is a link to that thread":eek: .

 

Little Miss

 

Recently someone posted about the Noordam leaving NY. I posted the link to a very long thread on the subject. I felt there was a lot of information that the OP might have been interested in. This is suppose to be wrong ???

 

I have also posted links to the Ports of Call boards to help a poster get the port information they were looking for. Is this also wrong ?

 

 

It is impolite (and can be a violation of our guidelines), however, to be critical of someone for posting a legitimate question that may have been discussed earlier.

 

We request that our members refrain from criticizing the posting of any topic that may well have been discussed earlier.

 

Isn't it just as impolite to critize someone because they posted a link ?

[mamaofami]

As someone who has only been posting to this board for a year, I have found many many helpful answers to my questions. When I first started to post, I didn't even know you could do a search for topics, and even when I learned you could, I sometimes have trouble doing it.

 

I feel sad that someone should feel they have to post under a different name so they won't be flamed for asking a question. How else can we all learn except to ask?

 

Personally, I find links helpful. They give me info I don't have. But I do agree that if someone asks a question and another person doesn't want to respond, they should just let the post go by. Someone will always come along and supply an answer.

[Host Anne]

Gizmo ~ there is nothing wrong with posting a link to another thread. I do it all the time, especially to Ports of Call and Roll Calls, if I think the link will be useful to the person asking the question. I do it in such a way that I hope I'm letting the other poster know I'm trying to be helpful. After all, that's what we are truly all about, helping one another.

 

If you are posting links in this manner, it's perfectly fine. There is a difference in trying to be helpful and trying to be sarcastic. It's sometimes difficult to differentiate on a message board where you can only see words. Being helpful is always encouraged!