Cruise critic mission

Just off Journey 8/20 cruise. Although we were told that there were 80 cruise critic members on the cruise, many people that I met had never heard of cruise critic. Your mission should be to tell everyone you meet on the cruise about cruise critic. This forum can be a great way to meet fellow cruisers, exchange information, and express opinions. I have often received great info from other cruise critic members. Social media can be a powerful tool. The more cruisers that join cruise critic, the better it is for every cruiser. The meet and mingle event on the Journey 8/20 was poor. It was obvious that the staff on the Journey did not want us to bond as a group. They did not let us meet our fellow members. One comment overheard after the m&m was that cruise lines really hate the cruise critic forums. Why? We tell the truth. We praise the good. We complain about the bad. We exchange information. Our reviews are important. Thanks to all members for posting.

Mission is to tell everyone about Cruise Critic.

One comment overheard after the m&m was that cruise lines really hate the cruise critic forums. Why? We tell the truth. We praise the good. We complain about the bad. We exchange information. Our reviews are important. Thanks to all members for posting.

Roll Call members also sometimes band together to create private tour groups and share transfers... True or not, some cruise line employees perceive those actions as reducing cruise line revenues...

It is my understanding--no first-hand experience but I've read and heard about it from friends--that the practices are a real peeve with Princess [especially when cash changes hands during the Meet & Mingle events]... And there was a post to the Celebrity board not long ago that suggested that the matter caused a rant by a Cruise Director aboard Constellation [which a Celebrity rep who sometimes posts officially to that forum--as Joel does here--said was not at Corporate Leadership direction/would be remediated through coaching]...

I was on consecutive sailings aboard Journey--both with the same Cruise Director you mentioned in another post--in February... On one cruise, we introduced ourselves; on the second, we did not... But--whatever the reason for the difference aside perhaps for venue scheduling [in which case the M&M ought have been scheduled at a different place or at a different time]--we were never given the impression that Cruise Critic participation is unappreciated...

I have found cruise critic an excellent source of information, usually good.

I certainly recommend it to a lot of fellow cruisers.

On the other hand, have found the mixers to be a mixed bag. On some of the Celebrity ships, particularly transAtlantics, they are almost mob scenes. A few people get up and try to finish organizing and collecting for their projects or tours, Floridians want to meet separately, etc. And some want to swap trinkets. For each to introduce themselves would take 10-15 minutes, and the sound systems don't seem to be great for that either. Have hit about 1/2 of the past meetings, and am lukewarm about hitting the next one (next week).

On the other hand, we've enjoyed the ones on Azamara, mostly because they were smaller.

Hello RedTravel, et.al.,

Perhaps some cruise lines don't get the value of Cruise Critic? You should know by the mere fact that I'm on here with you that Azamara Club Cruises finds your discussions very valuable. I read the threads to see what's being discussed, reply when I think it helps the conversation, and pass along everything new or important up to the senior management.

As for the speculation that we don't want you to meet up, become friends and arrange your own tours, that is simply not true. If that were true wouldn't the M&M be scheduled later in the voyage, rather than the first night?

The whole point of the M&M is to meet your fellow CC posters and strike up friendships. How you plan your days at sea or ashore is your business not ours.

bb

Bonnie, I've enough negative posts on this board over the past few days so here goes.

As I said in the other thread started by the OP I have never experienced a poor M & M meeting on Azamara. It's true to say some are better than others, but that has generally been down to the mix of guests who have been there and their willingness to "mingle". My feeling is Azamara do indeed value input by this forum, but it's also my opinion that we bear some responsibility to ensure this continues. It's too bad it's being blown out of all proportion here and has got down to naming individual crew members who were at fault.

All I can say is if I was part of a badly run meeting (whatever that may be) I would put it down to it not being the norm and move on. There is much to be grateful for from these boards aside from a Cruise Critic onboard meeting.

Phil

Thanks for your comments Phil. I'll pass them along to the Journey. Maybe the staff/crew member can be walked back off that gang-plank in time!

Seriously though, the negative comments have been read and taken to heart, both in the office and onboard the ship.

Bonnie

Thanks for passing on the comments. M&M events should be a way for roll call members to connect. That did not happen on the last cruise. Fortunately, I had written to some people privately telling them my name and cabin number. I did connect eventually with people with whom we did private touring. However, somebody on our roll call wrote that they were interested in sharing our arranged car to the airport. I never found them.

I found this thread very weird.. that is because in the CC parties i have been to people sit and talk. i rarely see them go from table to table. but the Mic is always passed around.

the comment that the Cd or HD is up early and tired seem strange.. They do get up and say good bye to each guest as they walk off the ship. but i would think they take a nap at some point or at least rest. half the officers are saying goodbye..

I stopped going t otese evetns as irather be outside enjoying sail away

As long as the meetup time is advertised then I think the rest is up to you. Our meetup on Journey end of June was good. Eric introduced himself and passed the mice around. Some people sat then left. They may have thought it was not a good meetup? Others mingled. I went over to those it had talked to online. Another remembered my name and came over to chat. We ended up spending some great times together during the cruise.

On my next cruise (not Azamara) a meetup was tabled at 2.30 on the first day. No-one came.

On another cruise line lots of top staff came and gave out their business cards saying let us know if there are any problems. They also provided drinks and nibbles.

I love the roll calls. Some are well vidited, others not. But I know I have met some lovely people via them and have saved thousands of dollars and had a more rewarding cruise in the process.

Thanks for your comments Phil. I'll pass them along to the Journey. Maybe the staff/crew member can be walked back off that gang-plank in time!

Seriously though, the negative comments have been read and taken to heart, both in the office and onboard the ship.

Bonnie

I seriously hope so, Bonnie, and soon. We embark in two weeks and we are so looking forward to the wonderful experience we had two years ago, as well as our fellow CC and roll call members.

I hope the "gang plank" happens before our cruises, as well as others who are cruising prior to us. Far too much negativity is being posted on this forum as of late and it does make for very unpleasant reading.

Sad, very sad!

I seriously hope so, Bonnie, and soon. We embark in two weeks and we are so looking forward to the wonderful experience we had two years ago, as well as our fellow CC and roll call members.

I hope the "gang plank" happens before our cruises, as well as others who are cruising prior to us. Far too much negativity is being posted on this forum as of late and it does make for very unpleasant reading.

Sad, very sad!

As I said before it's been overblown. How many threads have you seen here about bad M & M parties? I went to a few CC meetings on Journey earlier in the year and they were all just fine. Go with a good attitude ready to chat with your other roll callers, enjoy and don't fret unnecessarily.

Phil

Phil, I agree, we do attend MM's and they have all been well organised on our cruises. Sometimes after the initial introduce yourself and a quick mingle we do leave but that is because we have an early dinner reservation time for the first night. We value the chance to put faces to the names we read on posts. CC roll calls are an excellent way to find out what is available in each port and possibly share trips and to get advice from fellow cruisers.

I too have made initial negative comments about the changes as it seemed so counter productive but then remembered that we mustn't lose sight of the reason why we cruise Azamara and that is for the on board experience and wonderful officers and crew. We are returning home to Quest in 3 weeks and Journey in November and we can't wait.

Hilary

"I too have made initial negative comments about the changes as it seemed so counter productive but then remembered that we mustn't lose sight of the reason why we cruise Azamara and that is for the on board experience and wonderful officers and crew. We are returning home to Quest in 3 weeks and Journey in November and we can't wait."

Yes, exactly. That's why I suspect that after the initial uproar and complaints, many will continue to book Azamara cruises. (Let's all hope that the on board experience remains as wonderful as it is. The changes in Aqualina bode well, but we'll have to see.)

I am sorry to disagree with you Mare s but we had just chosen an Azamara cruise for next spring when the changes to the loyalty programme were announced. Fortunately we had only held the 4 cabins whilst I researched the location. We are now spending our money with a different cruise line as most of our points have been gained with celebrity. We will reach zenith before we will qualify for anything under the new rules with LVC. Removing valuable perks whilst promising 'free' but almost impossible to qualify for nights is a con. The internet connection, which we cannot manage without, is a joke. Whilst we had free minutes we put up with it happily, almost fondly, BUT it is to poor to pay for and I do not go on holiday to spend my time looking for a decent connection in ports or complaining about the internet charges. It is not the cost but the principle.

If you read the other threads on this subject you will see many people who have never had a bad word to say about Azamara cancelling cruises and booking with other cruise lines.

It is a well known fact that a happy customer tells one or two people but an unhappy customer tells at least 10 people.

Just off Quest on Tuesday. Our Meet and Mingle on the first evening was lovely. Many senior officers attended and we all had a chance to introduce ourselves and chat.

It was the same when I was on the Journey in May where Phil (excited of Harpenden) was also present.

I have never had a bad Cruise Critic gathering on Azamara.

And what a pleasure it is to post something positive this week.

I am sorry to disagree with you Mare s but we had just chosen an Azamara cruise for next spring when the changes to the loyalty programme were announced. Fortunately we had only held the 4 cabins whilst I researched the location. We are now spending our money with a different cruise line as most of our points have been gained with celebrity. We will reach zenith before we will qualify for anything under the new rules with LVC. Removing valuable perks whilst promising 'free' but almost impossible to qualify for nights is a con. The internet connection, which we cannot manage without, is a joke. Whilst we had free minutes we put up with it happily, almost fondly, BUT it is to poor to pay for and I do not go on holiday to spend my time looking for a decent connection in ports or complaining about the internet charges. It is not the cost but the principle.

If you read the other threads on this subject you will see many people who have never had a bad word to say about Azamara cancelling cruises and booking with other cruise lines.

 

It is a well known fact that a happy customer tells one or two people but an unhappy customer tells at least 10 people.

I do agree that the recent changes in LCV are awful and I was ready to cancel our 2015 cruise. But then I looked at other cruiselines and there was no itinerary that I loved as much as the one we're booked on Quest. If the on board experience remains good (and it has deteriorated a bit IMO, with the removal of the harpist and the addition of the art auctions), itineraries remain interesting, and prices don't continue to jump, many (notice I didn't say "all") will continue to book. I think that Azamara's response to all the concerns we've voiced will prove pivotal. If they "brush-off" the feelings of their most loyal guests, they will continue to lose customers. If they respond with some positive changes to their announced program, they may very well win back a lot of people. We'll see.