What makes a good "Live From..."?

Just out of curiosity, what kinds of things do you like to see in a live from thread? We kind of beat the whole wine and drinks thing to death in the Wines and corkage and bars, Oh my! (Signature Beverage Pkg, Beverage Cards & Corkage) thread,

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1999316

So, we're looking for some suggestions for our late fall report on the Nieuw Amsterdam. Any ideas? Suggestions? Requests?

Pictures, especially of places we haven't been yet. :)

If it's not the cruise I am currently taking, to compare that cruiser's experiences on the same cruise to mine, I look for:

(1) I prefer discussions of the day-to-day stuff on the ship and what the passenger did in each port, with particular attention to passengers who take ship's tours or just wander about in port, because that's what I do.

(2) Please tell me where and when you are, both in the cruise and in the world. Sometimes it's long past "Live" when I read the reports and words like Today, Here, Now, and tomorrow are not helpful in determining where and when the writer was. Even something as simple as heading the post with something like "Day 8, Saturday May 17, Melbourne, Australia" is enough for people to figure out what the reports mean with current-in-time words.

(3) I also like an interesting and chatty style or narrative, even if the post wanders the way a conversation might. I want a discussion-style report rather than a bullet-point run-down; wander and digress away.

(4) And discussions of the weather are fine, especially in as much as they affect the cruise, but weather and seas change day-to-day, sometimes even hour-to-hour, so while I'm interested in what plans changed because of the weather, I'd prefer that to be part of the conversation rather than a complaint. I have no patience with people who complain at things that are beyond the ship's control -- this particularly includes the presence or lack of wildlife on nature tours (one of my biggest peeves!). It's fine to note that there were no whales to be seen on the whale watch, but to complain that they were PROMISED and not delivered just makes me doubt the poster's ability to be a reasonable person.

(5) Lastly, if you had a problem, please report as to what was done to correct it. It's important to know how the ship's services deal with issues, both unusual complaints and routine ones. Finish the story if possible by telling us what was done and how that solved the issue.

Pictures, especially of places we haven't been yet. :)

Will do!

If it's not the cruise I am currently taking, to compare that cruiser's experiences on the same cruise to mine, I look for:

===SNIP ===

Thank you. Very thorough! :)

This is my favourite "live from" thread ever. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1841439&highlight=volendam+alaska+live

We enjoyed it so much that we booked an Alaskan Cruise on the Volendam.

I must have followed about 8 world cruise blogs this year and enjoyed the different styles of each blogger. I do not need photos. I especially do not need multiple daily photos of you. I like hearing about meals, excursions, and shipboard activities. I want to hear about snags and disappointments and how you dealt with them. You can mention that your physical condition kept you from an activity, but I do not want details of illnesses, injuries, or medical treatment.

I must have followed about 8 world cruise blogs this year and enjoyed the different styles of each blogger. I do not need photos. I especially do not need multiple daily photos of you. I like hearing about meals, excursions, and shipboard activities. I want to hear about snags and disappointments and how you dealt with them. You can mention that your physical condition kept you from an activity, but I do not want details of illnesses, injuries, or medical treatment.

+1 with this. And please, don't refer to yourself in the third person. It's a most annoying writing style and leads the reader to conclude that the author has a most inflated ego and narcissistic personality.

We know how time-consuming and internet-minute consuming it can be to live blog while one is on a cruise. We really appreciate those on cruise critic who are willing to answer questions while they are on-board, even if they post the bulk of their review /day by day updates after their cruise is complete.

Anytime there is a new policy, pricing, menu, or promotion, it's terrific to get the details from someone who is on the ship first hand.

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

What you did and enjoyed doing in ports of call is always appreciated.

LuLu

I love all the little details. Conversational. Tell us about the characters you meet along the way. Describe the buildings, the sounds, smells. Funny anecdotes. And, pictures, pictures, pictures!!

In short, all the senses. What you see, hear, taste, smell, feel.

And, did I mention pictures? :)

Wow. Thanks for asking.

I want to know what the attractions were in the port, both seen by the poster, and things they opted out of. An evaluation---first or second-hand---of the attractions is a plus.

Tell me what's going on aboard ship. Daytime and evening activities are an important part of my cruise, and I like to keep up with the current offerings.

I especially like to hear who is entertaining, both the show lounge headliners, and the entertainers in the various lounges, along with an opinion of how entertaining they actually were. Since these folks move around the fleet, there's a good chance of running into them myself, and it's nice to have a heads up.

I like to have a (subjective, I know) idea of what the dinners were like. Has the quality continued to go downhill? Have any of the old favorites come back?

What was the atmosphere on board like? Was it a "happy ship" with crew seemingly thrilled that they could serve you? Or did it seem as if they couldn't wait to go off duty?

Oh, and doing all this with a sense of humor is a real plus.

You can handle it, I know.

Things I like to see - the food [of course], shipboard activitie; when there is a problem - what kind of approach got the best resolution, except when you're like bff's of the captain and his mother and her best friend - cause most of us won't have that connection. [Although - it might help to say, I know XYZ from CC and she knows the captain of the _-dam and the family circle]

I love to read things that are common to an experienced cruiser but not to a newbie. The local place to eat that staff might go to and you don't pay a premium for average food - or not to go!

Also, I want to read some live/recent reviews [with anticipated wifi costs] from people who aren't in suites/getting VIP treatment, normal rooms, no access to the NL, and not paying for premium meals 80% of the time.

ETA - I hope to be able to do a "recently from" and I will be in the belly of the boat

I especially do not need multiple daily photos of you.

That won't be a problem. I'm rarely in photos. It gives me plausible deniability in case I want to pretend that I was never there.

I like scenery photos. Not too many selfies please:D. Another thing I like is daily updates. When people say they are doing a live from and then report in once a week with 7 reports that doesn't work for me. I just lose interest immediately. Also going on and on for pages about everything you do is too much. I do realize some folks like that but I just don't have that much free time.

+1 with this. And please, don't refer to yourself in the third person. It's a most annoying writing style and leads the reader to conclude that the author has a most inflated ego and narcissistic personality.

How do you feel about the majestic plural, the royal we, paired with nonstop passive voice? ;)

Great suggestions. Keep 'em coming.

This is my favourite "live from" thread ever. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1841439&highlight=volendam+alaska+live

 

We enjoyed it so much that we booked an Alaskan Cruise on the Volendam.

That's a really impressive thread, even more so when you consider that the poster was sixteen.

Possibly written in the style of the Club Sandwich Report. ;)

Possibly written in the style of the Club Sandwich Report. ;)

Oh yeah....

Possibly written in the style of the Club Sandwich Report. ;)

Thanks for reminding me that I need to finish that!

POA, your report and lovely serenity were my very favorite posts. Yours were SO amusing and her photos were fabulous. Combine them together and it is perfect.

Possibly written in the style of the Club Sandwich Report. ;)

Thanks for reminding me that I need to finish that!

Please do! As the OP on that thread, I'm still not sure if I should order the Club Sandwich! And my cruise is in just a few days.

Please do! As the OP on that thread, I'm still not sure if I should order the Club Sandwich! And my cruise is in just a few days.

POA1’s "photo" of a club sandwich looked magnificent. - not sure the one onboard will come within cooee of it.

I like pictures with written reports of excursions -- also if it was a good or bad excursion and would you recommend it.

Some pictures of unusual things on the ship are nice.

Definitely writing about your every day activities is always nice -- the good and the bad.

And reporting in here at CC every day.