Would a Roll Call influence your booking?

In the early stages of booking a cruise but haven't decided dates or cruiseline! I've been eavesdropping on the rollcalls for the 3 dates I'm looking at and one is very active and the other 2 almost non-existant.

So, my question is would an active rollcall make any difference to your choice of cruise?

I should point out that I'm not particularly a 'joiner-in' as in cabin crawls, games, etc, but have found rollcalls useful for shore excursions.

In the early stages of booking a cruise but haven't decided dates or cruiseline! I've been eavesdropping on the rollcalls for the 3 dates I'm looking at and one is very active and the other 2 almost non-existant.

 

So, my question is would an active rollcall make any difference to your choice of cruise?

 

I should point out that I'm not particularly a 'joiner-in' as in cabin crawls, games, etc, but have found rollcalls useful for shore excursions.

It shouldn't affect your choosing a cruise. Whether a roll call is busy or slow makes little difference to the cruise as you barely see these people once aboard.

You can easily research shore excursions on the port of call board and ask others to join to defray costs. But, I would never let a slow roll call stop me from booking a cruise.

Jonathan

think of all the folks that don't know about cc or roll calls. usually you have the one or two people who take them over and run 1/2 the folks away anyways.

I don't understand why it would affect anyone's decision to book a cruise. Even on an active roll call, these are only a tiny percentage of the people who will be on board. You can read the ports of call boards to see which private tour companies are the best.

Not at all! Even if a roll call devolved into something angry or petty (someone previously asked a question like that), it wouldn't affect my choice.......Roll calls represent a small percentage of the people on board. As for shore excursions, I'm no more likely to book a shore excursion with a stranger I meet on the internet than I am with a stranger I meet on shore -- but in fact, I'm unlikely to book a shore excursion at all.

What an odd question. Out of 4000+ people on board, why would I care one way or another what a handful are doing on a message board?

Absolutely not! Would in no way be a consideration. First of all only a small percentage of all cruisers are part of CC (like 5% from what I understand). Of that only a small percentage join a roll call and only some of those are active on it.

With 3,000+ passengers on average on board a ship what possible influence could 50 - 100 people on a roll call have on the enjoyment of a cruise? Do you plan to dedicate your cruise to a small group of people and what they say they on a roll call? Meet and Mingles. cabin crawls, slot pulls, etc. are typically first day, singular events with a small group of strangers.

You may see some of them again afterwards, but most likely not. How could that influence your vacation and decision on a cruise choice? A roll call should have no bearing whatsoever on the level of enjoyment you will have on a cruise.

As to shore excursions, there are tons of threads under the Ports of Call board describing peoples experiences with that as well. But again, you are still looking at a small sampling of individuals and their personal opinions.

Cruising is still new to 90% of Americans and Cruise Critic is used only a small % of the ship population. Cruise Critic is growing every day. Cruise ships Co. are changing as well. So I would not change cruises if the board was a dud. I have one now that is a 28 day that is dead.

What an odd question. Out of 4000+ people on board, why would I care one way or another what a handful are doing on a message board?

Not odd, just curious. Perhaps I should have added it makes no difference to me how active a rollcall is. If I fancy a cruise I' ll book it, I just wondered what other people thought.

Not odd, just curious. Perhaps I should have added it makes no difference to me how active a rollcall is. If I fancy a cruise I' ll book it, I just wondered what other people thought.

That might have helped clarify your reason for asking. Based on your first comment regarding deciding on a booking I also thought your were considering the Roll Calls as part of your decison and looking for other's input as advice.

But understanding that now my answer remains. Would not have any bearing in it. We book the cruise first then - if desired - join the roll call.

It wouldn't make any difference to me. I go on a roll call mostly to get information about ports and to find independent excursions to share, not to get to know people. We've joined in a few meet and greets and cabin crawls, but not too often.

It does get annoying when a small group take over the roll call with inane chit-chat, because it makes it hard to find out real info, but it would not keep me from booking a cruise, since I don't have to join in or see them on the cruise.

That might have helped clarify your reason for asking. Based on your first comment regarding deciding on a booking I also thought your were considering the Roll Calls as part of your decison and looking for other's input as advice.

 

But understanding that now my answer remains. Would not have any bearing in it. We book the cruise first then - if desired - join the roll call.

Sorry about that. It read okay when I initially typed it :o

A very low percentage of cruisers ever participate in the Roll Call for their cruise, so that should not impact your decision-making. We can cite ourselves since we do a lot of cruising (over 11 weeks a year) and seldom get involved in the Roll Call unless we are looking to share a private tour. All that other stuff, like slot pulls, door decorating discussions, "my cat died," "my dog has fleas," cabin crawls, arranging gift exchanges, and similar things have totally turned us off to Roll Calls. From discussions we have had with like-minded cruisers there are many others that just want no part of that stuff and so do not generally get involved in posting on Roll Calls or attending the Meet and Greets.

Hank

It almost caused a change once. After someone booked and joined.

 

So, my question is would an active rollcall make any difference to your choice of cruise? .

In a word, NO.

CC members make up only a teensy percent of passengers.

The activity, or lack thereof, in a roll call would not affect my decision to book a cruise at all. I do usually sign up, and most often will go to the M&G. However, a roll call (or M&G) is not going to be driving any decisions I make as to whether I take a particular cruise or not.

I've been active on Roll Calls and not attended the M & G because of a member. I witnessed her being rude to staff onboard the ship several times prior to the meeting. Pity, there were some people I really wanted to meet. Even worse, I later read she never showed up either. It was a smaller ship and I just didn't want to be associated with her.

Many times Roll Calls seem active since there are lots of posts, but if you look closely it will be the same 3/4/5 people posting several times a day. I really don't care if they have to take their dog to the vet or if they are remodeling the kitchen, so I tend not to pay too much attention to those Roll Calls once they go in that direction.

I've met some wonderful people from Roll Calls, some you go to the meeting and everyone stays to themselves and you never meet them at all. I've been signed up for some with a couple dozen really friendly folks…who never show up, but others have name tags on that never once posted. That was weird, they knew so much about what I was going to be doing on the port stops.

So, a Roll Call is not a make or break deal for me. I'd never make a cruise choice because of who is or isn't on a message board.

Not in booking a cruise but it has helped in booking shore excursions.

I suppose the level of activity on a roll call wouldn't influence me. But the "vibe" would.

I was once booked on a cruise where the roll call wasn't particularly active. But a large percentage of the participants were complaining about medical problems and all the non cruise related reasons why they might have to cancel.

Well, guess what: *I* cancelled!

Now to be honest, I probably would have ended up canceling in any event due to my own scheduling issues. But I felt little enthusiasm for trying to make it work. :-(

No - unless I determined that most of the cruise passengers were from some VERY LARGE ( over 40% and up of the ship) group .

I join in roll calls but rarely if ever go to any of the scheduled gatherings. I register for the meet and mingle to help make sure the group gets to the minimum registered limit.

The rolls calls are a terrific feature for a European cruises, to help arrange private/semi private tours.

M

Absolutely not! Not being a "joiner", it shouldn't affect your choice, either!!

A very low percentage of cruisers ever participate in the Roll Call for their cruise, so that should not impact your decision-making. We can cite ourselves since we do a lot of cruising (over 11 weeks a year) and seldom get involved in the Roll Call unless we are looking to share a private tour. All that other stuff, like slot pulls, door decorating discussions, "my cat died," "my dog has fleas," cabin crawls, arranging gift exchanges, and similar things have totally turned us off to Roll Calls. From discussions we have had with like-minded cruisers there are many others that just want no part of that stuff and so do not generally get involved in posting on Roll Calls or attending the Meet and Greets.

 

Hank

I think they are good for solo cruisers and those looking to join a private tour. Also for those who like to pretend they are now "tight" with the officers because they are one of tens of thousands of people each year who met some for a few minutes.

Also for those who like to pretend they are now "tight" with the officers because they are one of tens of thousands of people each year who met some for a few minutes.

?????

I think they are good for solo cruisers and those looking to join a private tour. Also for those who like to pretend they are now "tight" with the officers because they are one of tens of thousands of people each year who met some for a few minutes.

Agree and Like :) They are also good for couples and small groups looking to join with fellow passengers in private excursions. As to the officer thing, yes, we have seen that on ships and in some posts here on CC. It always brings to mind the old (and oft told) story of the "Lady" who was traveling in First Class on the old Queen. One evening she was invited to dine with the Captain and she replied, "Sir, I do not dine with the hired help."

Hank

In the early stages of booking a cruise but haven't decided dates or cruiseline! I've been eavesdropping on the rollcalls for the 3 dates I'm looking at and one is very active and the other 2 almost non-existant.

 

So, my question is would an active rollcall make any difference to your choice of cruise?

 

I should point out that I'm not particularly a 'joiner-in' as in cabin crawls, games, etc, but have found rollcalls useful for shore excursions.

No I won't book a cruise based solely on a roll call but I have used the advice of shore excursions for a cruise my have booked several months later.