First Time Posters

[paul929207]

Lately there have been quite a few first time cruisers who post a question that could be better answered in another part of these message boards. Many of these posts quickly get 6 or 8 responses pointing the person to the right area. Several of the new posters have come back and said that this is the area for First Time Cruisers and their questions.

 

Some of these questions can easily be answered by people familiar with the cruise line, ship, port, etc. Rather than frustrating these new posters, why don't we just let someone who knows the answer respond?

 

Comments anyone?

[CruiserBruce]

Paul, your suggestion is very reasonable, for the short term fix. However, the average first cruiser will have dozens of questions. So referrals to the appropriate cruise line board should be very beneficial to the poster.

 

Plus, usually a little reading on the cruise line board will usually give the new cruiser huge volumes of info on topics they probably didn't know they needed to know...

 

Usually, I even give the link to the relevant board, unless I am on my tablet.

[Keith1010]

I think that this board is great for general questions but I do think that if you are asking cruise line specific answers it is good to point them to the specific cruise line board. In the end, they will do well to check out that board anyway.

 

Keith

[reallyitsmema]

Lately there have been quite a few first time cruisers who post a question that could be better answered in another part of these message boards. Many of these posts quickly get 6 or 8 responses pointing the person to the right area. Several of the new posters have come back and said that this is the area for First Time Cruisers and their questions.

 

Some of these questions can easily be answered by people familiar with the cruise line, ship, port, etc. Rather than frustrating these new posters, why don't we just let someone who knows the answer respond?

 

Comments anyone?

Two simple words explain why some respond though they don't know the answer, Post count.

 

It is rather sad.

[Scrapnana]

When I first joined CC I had a hard time finding all the different forums. I think this is probably true of many "first timers". They see "First Time Cruisers" and decide this is a good place to ask questions. Some first time questions can be answered here and for those that can't, a pleasant suggestion to another area will help them get more comfortable with the site and able to get the info they need.

[RSLeesburg]

Are we not supposed to answer a question if we can?

[donaldsc]

One reason is that the questions the first timers ask have been answered many many times on the specific board - as they would quickly find out if they were directed to the proper source of information. That is if they bothered to search or scroll through the boards.

 

DON

[Scrapnana]

Searching for something is not always easy even for someone who has been around CC for awhile. I was looking for something earlier today and one of the threads I was directed to was 127 pages long.

 

How is a first timer to CC (and especially new to cruising) supposed to know that question has been asked before? I would not bother coming to this forum if those repeat questions bothered me. We were all new at one time and I don't mind helping when I can.

[Cuizer2]

Lately there have been quite a few first time cruisers who post a question that could be better answered in another part of these message boards. Many of these posts quickly get 6 or 8 responses pointing the person to the right area. Several of the new posters have come back and said that this is the area for First Time Cruisers and their questions.

 

Some of these questions can easily be answered by people familiar with the cruise line, ship, port, etc. Rather than frustrating these new posters, why don't we just let someone who knows the answer respond?

 

Comments anyone?

 

You are correct, many first time posters post in this are because they think this is where first time posters should post, even though experienced posters know the question has a better chance of getting an answerer in the cruise line's forum.

 

I would suggest two things. One, rename this forum to something that indicates that is for general questions not specific to a particular cruise line and two, move it further down the list so it is not the first thing a new poster sees.

 

Otherwise, new posters should be directly, politely, to the proper place to post and if someone reading the question knows the answer they should answer it.

 

It is no different from those that want to meet fellow passengers and are directly to the roll call forums.

[Cuizer2]

One reason is that the questions the first timers ask have been answered many many times on the specific board - as they would quickly find out if they were directed to the proper source of information. That is if they bothered to search or scroll through the boards.

 

DON

 

The search function is not always the answer. I use it to find my own post sometimes and it either doesn't find it, or it find it and fifty or sixty others. There is no reason why questions should be limited to those that have not been asked. If someone doesn't like the question - don't respond.

[Cuizer2]

By the way, the OP in this case is hardly a first time poster. Maybe someone should direct the OP to the proper forum to post this question. :rolleyes:

[eatsallinsects]

Two simple words explain why some respond though they don't know the answer, Post count.

 

It is rather sad.

***********************

REALLY? Does one get "Brownie points" for every post here?

[paul929207]

by the way, the op in this case is hardly a first time poster. Maybe someone should direct the op to the proper forum to post this question. :rolleyes:

lol.

[Cuizer2]

***********************

REALLY? Does one get "Brownie points" for every post here?

 

Some people think so. :rolleyes:

[reallyitsmema]

***********************

REALLY? Does one get "Brownie points" for every post here?

I don't know, you would have to ask the ones who post 10, 50, 100 times a day primarily adding nothing to a thread.

[NMLady]

Lately there have been quite a few first time cruisers who post a question that could be better answered in another part of these message boards. Many of these posts quickly get 6 or 8 responses pointing the person to the right area. Several of the new posters have come back and said that this is the area for First Time Cruisers and their questions.

 

Some of these questions can easily be answered by people familiar with the cruise line, ship, port, etc. Rather than frustrating these new posters, why don't we just let someone who knows the answer respond?

 

Comments anyone?

 

Because the post-er is new to the board, he/she most of the time doesn't realize there are better forums in which to post. I think it is helpful to point them to the appropriate forum.

I think the members who answer the question AND also give them the link to a more appropriate forum are doing the newbie a favor.

[Yillup]

As a new poster myself I'd find it very helpful to get links to other forms and threads that have helpful information on them. I'm a bit of an overkill researcher though, so I had already explored the forum pretty well before making my first posts. Not everyone is as obsessive as I, or maybe not as online savvy. I think it's fine to point new people in the direction that would most help them...

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[johneeo]

Two simple words explain why some respond though they don't know the answer, Post count.

 

It is rather sad.

 

Sad? Horrific I say.

 

Pointing a new member to the proper place to ask a question?:confused:

[MCC retired]

Rename this Forum :

 

Perhaps "General Cruise Questions" ?

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[paul929207]

Rename this Forum :

 

Perhaps "General Cruise Questions" ?

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

We have "Ask a cruise question"

[serene56]

As a new poster myself I'd find it very helpful to get links to other forms and threads that have helpful information on them. I'm a bit of an overkill researcher though, so I had already explored the forum pretty well before making my first posts. Not everyone is as obsessive as I, or maybe not as online savvy. I think it's fine to point new people in the direction that would most help them...

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

i dont think a link will help..but giving better directions on how a poster can find the area..instead of jsut saying go to the blah blah blah board to find your answer tell that poster how to find it

[BlueRiband]

Lately there have been quite a few first time cruisers who post a question that could be better answered in another part of these message boards. ..Rather than frustrating these new posters, why don't we just let someone who knows the answer respond?

 

Many members stay within the boards for their preferred cruise lines and don't venture into the "First Time Cruisers" or general cruise question sections. The new poster therefore misses on a lot of valuable information from those who have sailed those lines frequently.

 

For example a new member recently asked about Cunard's QM2 in this section and received responses, some which were mine. However the OP is in the UK and I am in the US. Cunard has fare structures and other arrangements specific to the UK. If he wants answers from those who know Cunard's UK pricing structure then the Cunard forum is where he needs to go.

[Cruisin' Chick]

You are correct, many first time posters post in this are because they think this is where first time posters should post, even though experienced posters know the question has a better chance of getting an answerer in the cruise line's forum.

 

I would suggest two things. One, rename this forum to something that indicates that is for general questions not specific to a particular cruise line and two, move it further down the list so it is not the first thing a new poster sees.

 

Otherwise, new posters should be directly, politely, to the proper place to post and if someone reading the question knows the answer they should answer it.

 

It is no different from those that want to meet fellow passengers and are directly to the roll call forums.

 

Just like many people will ask questions about how to use CC or do something (eg adding a signature line or list cruises) -- and will post this in the very first section they see.

[Yoyo123]

Lately there have been quite a few first time cruisers who post a question that could be better answered in another part of these message boards. Many of these posts quickly get 6 or 8 responses pointing the person to the right area. Several of the new posters have come back and said that this is the area for First Time Cruisers and their questions.

 

Some of these questions can easily be answered by people familiar with the cruise line, ship, port, etc. Rather than frustrating these new posters, why don't we just let someone who knows the answer respond?

 

Comments anyone?

 

Thanks Paul for protecting us, we struggle to even post on this site, it makes things worse to be sent back and forth.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Yes -- we should answer their questions.

But something that is frustrating is when several of us give the link to their cruise line and they still will not go over to the proper cruise line and get answers from people who constantly sail on those lines and know the ships.