Azura naming/ visits

[Meg50]

It's very subjective. This was to find 10 people to represent the online community forum, so they would have been on a hiding to nothing whichever they chose...

 

Someone would still have complained.

 

lol

[Johnthed0g]

This is more what I had in mind! Also it is pertinent that loyal customers don't get a chance if they don't go on the forum, not the easiest thing to find.

My thoughts on a poll would be along the lines of - members participating would have to have been a member for a significant time, say one year, they would have to have contributed a reasonable amount of posts on cruise related topics,...a few hundred maybe? We would then have winners chosen by the members on the basis that the community decided on their worth....democracy I think!

[Adammara]

As one of the lucky ones to be invited on an all expenses paid overnighter on Celibrity Equinox, it is strange, but I don't remember any complaints about the various selection criteria they used to select the lucky ones. Perhaps P&O have noticed what good PR that event was, it converted us to the RCI group, and for the first time since 1995 have no P&O cruises booked.

 

Of course they are going to choose the top ten posters, it would be pointless choosing one of the many non active members who are not going to post all about it. We have done 26 consecutive cruises, and in the top posters, but no invite for us. It would have been nice to be invited, but hopefully will be lucky in the Gold visit draw.

 

Richard (The other occupant of Adonia!)

[Johnthed0g]

Richard, nice to see you over here, I do see what you mean but I still think picking people just on the amount they post without taking into account quality is not the best way. I also see that quality alone is no good either too subjective, so what about my suggestion of a poll ....selection of people by the people???

PS how is Mavis?

[LibraLass41]

Would it have consisted of nominated members, if so, by whom, or certain criteria?

 

If the latter, what would the criteria be?

• number of cruises? 5,10,50??
  
• number of nights spent on board? 100,200,500??
  
• greatest spend on cruises?
  
• all, or a combination, of the above?
  
• other?
  

--------------

 

 

BUT all the other invites for this event will be going to people who fit the above criteria, why not just 10 invites to people who are not goldies? Although a couple in the top 10 are goldies anyway.

 

I've just booked my 10th cruise, in 4 years and was NO 12 on that list, but fair enough I'm not going, I post answers to newbies questions and don't get too involved in chit-chat posts and quizs which bump the posts up, so my daily postings are mainly to help newbies cruisers or to answer a query on a port or ship. P&O need to look after the non-goldies too, we are the future - if they play their cards right.:)

[Johnthed0g]

What about my vote idea....nobody can object then really.

[Stinkerbelle]

Recipients should have been chosen on their cruising and cruise-related contributions on the forum. It is ridiculous that the majority have been picked because they have posted more than others when their posts have been about anything but cruising but have instead, as John says, been on quizzes, chatting, blogging and having a go at some unfortunate member they took a dislike to. I don't know how anyone can defend the unfairness of it. P&O are idiots.

[Marmaduke]

Hopefully when P & O re design their forum they will include the facility to click on an icon to award "points" to the poster if you have found the post helpful/useful, or agree with their point of view. That way it will be obvious to all who are the worthwhile contributors.

[Adammara]

Sue

 

Personally, I think you should be specially invited by P&O, I remember the excitement approaching your first cruise, and the help and information you have given ever since. If anyone has promoted P&O on the internet, it is you. I occasionally post informative replies, but not so much now I have become disillushioned by P&O's attitude. Mavis and I do a lot of idiotic idle chat late evenings on Adonia, but we will soon have to find a new home!

 

Johnthedog

 

Very seldom post on here, but usually have look. Not all members of forums post, I know of one lady, an avid reader of cruise sites, never posts. Mavis is fine, we have cruised with her a couple of times, and have visited her home, considering her disabilities, she is a amazing woman, always on the go, with a heart of gold. Although we do a lot of useless chat, she does post on disabled matters, and I know her opinions are valued by many people, both locally and nationally.

 

Richard

[Johnthed0g]

Nice thought, but I fear there is a self congratulatory little band that would just do that every post! Not just P&O I must say this seems to happen on small private type forums. Academic really now,I can't see them having an occasion like ''launching'' a superliner like Azura very often.

PS...Thanks Richard, give Mavis my best, nothing personal in my remarks about "the invitations" I hope she can manage to go.

[Merlin7]

It would be exactly the same if members had voted for people them deemed worthy of an invitation. People voting for freinds, people they knew and who held similar opinions to theirs. So that really would not have worked.

 

Therefore, option 2.

 

An example:

 

• member of the Community forum for many years
  
• posts include repsonse to queries and others threads
  
• has taken a number of cruises with P&O (and other companies, so is not blinkered)
  
• has spent in excess of say 200 nights on board
  
• therefore has spent a considerable sum with P&O
  

OR

 

• a fairly new member of the Community forum
  
• posts include response to queries and other threads
  
• has taken 2 or 3 cruises: 2 with P&O, 1 elsewhere
  
• has spent less than 50 nights on board
  
• has spent a modest sum to date with P&O
  

Which, out of these two examples is deemed worthy of an invitation?

Why one more so than the other?

If you were the boffin at P&O faced with the decision, which would you choose?

[Lou-Lou Kitt]

Richard. Yourself, Mavis and all of the others chosen thoroughly deserve their invitation. There are many other members who deserve an invite too but I suppose that's the luck of the draw and the majority do not begrudge anyone a place and are delighted for you all.

 

I hope the negative comments here have not put a 'dampner' on things for anyone. Enjoy! and report back please.

[Adammara]

Lou Lou

 

Think I am about no 25 on the list, so did not get an invite! Would qualify handsomely under Merlins first option. But having had 2 slaps in the face from P&O we jumped ship to Royal Caribbean, and frankly now prefer them to cruising with P&O.

 

Richard

[feebee_71]

Richard. Yourself, Mavis and all of the others chosen thoroughly deserve their invitation. There are many other members who deserve an invite too but I suppose that's the luck of the draw and the majority do not begrudge anyone a place and are delighted for you all.

 

I hope the negative comments here have not put a 'dampner' on things for anyone. Enjoy! and report back please.

 

Lou-Lou Kitt,

 

You have hit the nail right on the head with your last paragraph - the attitude of some towards what was a surprise invitation for a few members of the P&O community is quite off putting at what should be an exciting time.

 

None of us asked for the invites and I think we were as surprised as anyone to receive the initial emails. It is nice that P&O have decided to link this choice in with the launch of the new site and to celebrate our input on the current site.

 

There are some logistical issues for some of us and plans to be finalised - in fact we have yet to receive any further information from P&O about the event and those are needed before we can make any arrangements.

 

Feebee_71 :o:(

[Lou-Lou Kitt]

Richard, sorry to hear you were not in the top ten and you've had trouble with P&O.

 

Stinkerbelle, as far as I'm aware there have been no negative comments on any other forum. In fact, the P&O forum seems much more harmonious now. As I said, there are many deserving posters and I'm sure most are a tiny bit jealous but are still happy to wish the lucky few well.

 

Feebee, as the saying goes, there's always one or maybe in this case two. I hope you can make it and post a few comments.

 

I think it's a fantastic P.R. idea, surely it makes perfect business sense. If the posters are happy and make good reports, praising P&O and the ship, bookings could follow. Just my opinion :)

[KenAndJulie]

At times I can see why some of our AMerican freinds laugh at the Brits and how petty they can be.

Can somebody confirm Darcey's cruising credentials ... how many days at sea, how many helpful posts on chatboards, how much spent etc. should we be criticising P&Os decision to have picked her and have a random poll as well? What about most of the other dignataries, should every single one have their cruising credentials checked before being allowed near the ship?

 

Be happy, I will wave at you all from the top deck

[Johnthed0g]

I don't see why people can't just debate the selection process without accusing people of being jealous. I have nothing personal against any of those selected because of their selection. I agree that to pick forum members is a good idea. I don't think to pick people based purely on the amount of posts however is good policy, it is in fact nonsense. I maintain a vote based on a persons popularity would have been completely fair & beyond question.

[kersh]

This is my first post on this site. I post regularly on P & O and occasionally on CN. We are not one of the lucky 10 invitees to the naming ceremony. We are goldies have been entered into the draw for a pre launch visit.

 

I have read this thread with great interst and the many diverse reactions to the Azura launch party.

 

All of the ten CC posters which have been invited have one thing in common. They all post to different threads and all have a different posting style however they are ALL P & O customers and purely by posting on the CC site are advertising P & O. I wish them all a fantastic experience and hope all of them post their own reviews in their own styles so that we get a wide variety of opinions and experiences to read about. I am looking forward to their reviews and their photos.

[Johnthed0g]

This is my first post on this site. I post regularly on P & O and occasionally on CN. We are not one of the lucky 10 invitees to the naming ceremony. We are goldies have been entered into the draw for a pre launch visit.

 

I have read this thread with great interst and the many diverse reactions to the Azura launch party.

 

All of the ten CC posters which have been invited have one thing in common. They all post to different threads and all have a different posting style however they are ALL P & O customers and purely by posting on the CC site are advertising P & O. I wish them all a fantastic experience and hope all of them post their own reviews in their own styles so that we get a wide variety of opinions and experiences to read about. I am looking forward to their reviews and their photos.

Yes I see all this, BUT how do you know that all of those chosen are P&O customers? AND this brings up another flaw in the process, someone could conceivably have no interest whatsoever in cruising AND have been invited on the selection process employed.

[Beckyfaye-2008]

I maintain a vote based on a persons popularity would have been completely beyond question and unfair. I think to pick people based purely on the amount of posts however is a great policy, based on the reason to why anybody was chosen in the first place.

It was not a popularity contest, it was not about quality of posts, it was purely about the introduction of a new forum.

To celebrate it, they thought they would reward those who have supported the old forum the most, and in doing so, chose those that had contributed the most, through the no of posts posted. It was not about quality, what threads people posted on, who had given the most information about cruises, or what posts people had replied to etc, etc, and why should it be, it was about the No's of posts, and in my mind this was as fair as any method of choosing, and probaly the fairest.

The P&O forum is different than most in that it is split up in to lots of sections, one being a general discussion section for all types of topics other than cruising. So why should those who post in this section not be included, as indicated in some of the posts on here.

I have followed this topic on a number of forums and this is the only forum where I have found people who have queried the decision. On other forums the people chosen and the method by which they were chosen, have received over whelming support.

It is also strange in that the two people who seem to be the most upset by the decision, and who have in my mind have been throwing abuse at those who have been chosen in trying to spoil their day, both of them don't even post on the P&O forum, wonder why that is? If the people who post on the forum are happy, whats it got to do with anyone else.

Finally lets look at the pedigree of those that have been chosen, by the time this event takes place. None of them will have cruised less than 3 times. They have 6 World Cruises between them, a seventh has been booked for 2011, there are 3/4 who are Goldie's, the majority have been posting on the forum since the day it started, and many were posting on its predecessor the original P&O forum. Everyone, yes takes part in some friendly banter on the General Discussion thread and why shouldn't they, thats what it is there for. Everyone of them despite what has been said on here, contributes any help they can give, when general or particular questions are asked re cruising, whether it be from first time or long time cruisers. If you don't believe me visit the forum and find out for yourself, thats for those that are still allowed.

Good luck to every one that has been chosen, you thoroughly deserve it, and don't let anybody tell you different, so far I have only found two of them, and they are both on this forum, and certainly don't let those who are trying to put you down, spoil your day, go and enjoy and have a great day. You thoroughly deserve it, because P&O say you do, otherwise you would not have been chosen:):):)

[kersh]

Well said delboy I agree with you entirely. P & O set the credentials and no one on the site was aware of them until the invites dropped in their e mail box. Have a fab day and take lots of photos. Sue

[Johnthed0g]

Derek a most interesting post, but if you include me in those "upset or throwing insults" then I find that most uncalled for, for no other reason that it is untrue. If you think that someone that spends all day posting on P&O to themself, or all night making tacky conversation in a small group, or boosting posts by continually persecuting others, is a qualification for being invited to this occasion, then I must disagree. In fact, as I have done before in order to ensure that my views are correct & not out of step with reality I have asked other people from all walks of life....nobody thinks it is a good way to select people for anything...mere quantity. I do see that posting a lot does contribute to the forum, but when the post just contains a smiley face or one word it hardly helpful in reality.

[Lou-Lou Kitt]

Derek, I completely agree with your comments. :):):)

[Norfolk Brit]

Someone pass me a revolver. I think I am about to shoot myself.

 

Oh how I agree. There are many problems in the world, but this isn't one of them.

 

Mary

[Beckyfaye-2008]

Hands VirtualCrosser a revolver. :eek: