The River Cruise Board is all mixed up.

[Ozjohnno]

I don't know how everyone else feels but I'm finding that our River Cruise Board has been split in two. The River Ports board is becoming identical to this one. Hardly any threads on that board relate to ports of call. Most of them should be on this board. There are cruise reviews and general RC questions everywhere on the Ports board and it's becoming harder to question or help. Doesn't anyone from Admin monitor this part of CC anymore? I ask that because if they were then they would have moved about 80% of threads on the Ports board to this our main centre of River Cruising. Perhaps if enough of us complain to Admin they may do something about it. How do you feel about the current setup of the River Cruising Boards?

[Stratheden]

I agree. It is pretty hopeless at the moment.

[tassietravellers]

Yep agree, it used to be monitored but doesnt seem to be now, maybe Admin are on vacation :)

Theres one on Nth America board that should be on the main RC board as well.

Deb

[mushroom]

Enough people are doing river cruising now, it seems that the various companies could generate enough "board chatter" to merit their own sections. For example, we have Viking. How about having Uniworld, AMA and others under their own listiing. Keep ports of call as a separate topic.

[cole]

Enough people are doing river cruising now, it seems that the various companies could generate enough "board chatter" to merit their own sections. For example, we have Viking. How about having Uniworld, AMA and others under their own listiing. Keep ports of call as a separate topic.

 

That suggestion would certainly make it easier to find information on specific cruise lines. And if a person was interested in a particular port, then the Ports of Call would take care of that. Hopefully, someone will take our suggestions and proceed.

Cole

[ingo_e]

Enough people are doing river cruising now, it seems that the various companies could generate enough "board chatter" to merit their own sections. For example, we have Viking. How about having Uniworld, AMA and others under their own listiing. Keep ports of call as a separate topic

 

Where would you put all the "Compare cruise line A to B" topics then?

[Talisker92]

I think that this board has to be redesigned. I was just down on the Viking website and they have 31 ships listed for the Rhine and Danube.

The Viking passengers can overwhelm this board-they have every right to ask questions. But, it makes it very difficult for those on AMA, GCT, Vantage, Tauck,etc to find any postings relating to their cruises.

[bobalink]

I don't know how everyone else feels but I'm finding that our River Cruise Board has been split in two. The River Ports board is becoming identical to this one. Hardly any threads on that board relate to ports of call. Most of them should be on this board. There are cruise reviews and general RC questions everywhere on the Ports board and it's becoming harder to question or help. Doesn't anyone from Admin monitor this part of CC anymore? I ask that because if they were then they would have moved about 80% of threads on the Ports board to this our main centre of River Cruising. Perhaps if enough of us complain to Admin they may do something about it. How do you feel about the current setup of the River Cruising Boards?

 

Definitely needs a complete renovation. Currently, it is difficult to find information specific to cruise lines.

 

The "Search" feature on Cruise Critic is weak. Sifting through generic titles is tedious. It is fun to read about other people's experiences, but sometimes you have to dig deep to find what you are looking for.

 

It would also be really helpful if posters would be more specific when creating a title for their question, and if responders would stay on topic.

 

I know I am sometimes guilty, too. :) It's easy to get off topic to answer questions about hotels, tour guides, etc.

 

I do appreciate all the beneficial information I have gleaned from these boards.

[joanne2]

I agree with all of you. Also the roll call board is pretty much identical to this one since there is usually only 1 poster per cruise so they all become general info. Good information but hard to find.

[SaguaroGal]

I agree.

[steamboats]

We had this discussion several times already. There have been several changes and due to the protest of the members it was switched back again.

 

There were subforums for certain cruise lines. But it doesn´t make much sense as most of the questions are not specific to a certain cruise line. So CC made up a roll call section for river cruises but sorry most of the users are simply not using it but the main river cruise board.

 

After another discussion we - the users - suggested subforums for the ports of call regions (we didn´t want too many to keep it simple). Anyway seems like this is too complicated too... And I´m still asking myself how someone can come up with the idea and post a thread called "Packing tips..." in the subforum called "River Cruise Ports - North America".

 

Acutally it´s us users mixing it up by not reading the title of the subforum! But actually the last thing we need is another discussion about which subforums might be a good or bad idea.

 

I totally agree that this section might need a moderator or host who is taking care of sorting the threads into the proper subforum.

 

steamboats

who is following this river cruise board for years now!

[Got2Cruise]

I don't know how everyone else feels but I'm finding that our River Cruise Board has been split in two. The River Ports board is becoming identical to this one. Hardly any threads on that board relate to ports of call. Most of them should be on this board. There are cruise reviews and general RC questions everywhere on the Ports board and it's becoming harder to question or help. Doesn't anyone from Admin monitor this part of CC anymore? I ask that because if they were then they would have moved about 80% of threads on the Ports board to this our main centre of River Cruising. Perhaps if enough of us complain to Admin they may do something about it. How do you feel about the current setup of the River Cruising Boards?

 

This could be easily remedied if the moderator for this board became "old school strict" and moved the threads onto the proper boards. Certain moderators on other boards here on Cruise Critic do this on a regular basis.

 

When it comes to Roll Calls, on River Cruises the individual sailings just don't work. But if there are general categories at least you can learn some valuable information about the area, and if someone were on your particular cruise, you would be able to find each other easily.

[CPT Trips]

330 threads on all the ports boards, only 11 are not Europe. Why bother with separate boards?

 

Yes I know this topic is a dead horse and beating it won't make it go any faster.

[ingo_e]

330 threads on all the ports boards, only 11 are not Europe. Why bother with separate boards?

 

As already mentioned, the search of this board is rather weak. The idea behind splitting the EU and non-EU ports was to keep the second visible, that it would not just disappear in the wast amount of EU related traffic.

 

I support Steamboats, CC rearranged the boards according to the majority of our suggestions when this debate came up last time. It is up to us, the users to read the subtitles of the boards more carefully and consider WHERE to ask the question. And the admins should be a bit more active when it comes to moving topics around.

[CPT Trips]

I just question the viability of a three boards for 11 threads. After some experience with the changes, we have two European boards with no real difference and there boards with next to no action. Here's a proposal. River Cruises with the following boards: Roll Calls, Europe, other cruises.

[Familygoboston]

Thank you Steamboat for the history.

 

It seems that no one is using the sub forums properly; and then as a newbie, I have to join the fray and just ask my questions where ever I find someone "alive" and answering questions about a ship, itinerary or port I'm interested in. However, I'm careful to start threads where they belong. I find the roll calls completely useless- you post a new thread for a sailing and it's a one post wonder. So if the RC are to small, why can't we have RC organized by one thread for each itinerary and ship/line. At least that might create an actual dialogue between two people. I posted a new RC thread looking for any AMA sailors on Black Sea on any date- still no one.

 

As for sorting, it must be how much traffic a board gets because on the big daddies (Royal and Carnival) stuff gets popped to port boards or float away within minutes.

Whatever the problem (I'm thinking along the lines of older clientele, less understanding of HOW to properly use the boards ) as a newbie river cruiser, I find this section extremely un helpful :(

Edited January 24, 2014 by Familygoboston

[gentlemancruiser]

There are a couple of boards on CC which are having similar same issues. I had an issue with a roll call and emailed an Admin person and they were very responsive. Perhaps you could direct your concerns to them in an email.

[franski]

Thank you Steamboat for the history.

 

So if the RC are to small, why can't we have RC organized by one thread for each itinerary and ship/line. At least that might create an actual dialogue between two people. I posted a new RC thread looking for any AMA sailors on Black Sea on any date- still no one.

 

Hi - A few of us have started threads like that with some fairly good responses. Although, it is more itinerary specific than tied to a particular company. Very rare to "find" people on your cruise - when there are so few passengers.

 

I did start a thread for Russia in 2012 - and it was picked up for 2013. Lots of activity there. Someone started a similar one for Christmas markets.

 

And, someone started one for France - which I am also following. Was *VERY* lucky to have found 2 other couples on the same cruise with us...

 

Again, low numbers make this difficult. Maybe a more generic "Black Sea" or "Eastern European" thread might get more responses. I know that there is one thread for "Passage to Eastern Europe" which is Viking's Bucharest - Budapest itinerary. It has a number of posters there....

 

Fran

Edited January 24, 2014 by franski

[Familygoboston]

Hi - A few of us have started threads like that with some fairly good responses. Although, it is more itinerary specific than tied to a particular company. Very rare to "find" people on your cruise - when there are so few passengers.

 

I did start a thread for Russia in 2012 - and it was picked up for 2013. Lots of activity there. Someone started a similar one for Christmas markets.

 

And, someone started one for France - which I am also following. Was *VERY* lucky to have found 2 other couples on the same cruise with us...

 

Again, low numbers make this difficult. Maybe a more generic "Black Sea" or "Eastern European" thread might get more responses. I know that there is one thread for "Passage to Eastern Europe" which is Viking's Bucharest - Budapest itinerary. It has a number of posters there....

 

Fran

 

Fran, I will give that a try! Recently someone asked a general question about the Bucharest-Budapest itinerary on CC, looking for info, so I referred them to reviews by you and Bobolink and a few of the "port" threads that had stuff that was helpful to me. It's just hard for new folks to find stuff . :(

[Peregrina651]

 

And I´m still asking myself how someone can come up with the idea and post a thread called "Packing tips..." in the subforum called "River Cruise Ports - North America".

 

 

Well, if I want packing tips that are specific to North American ports then it seems like the right spot. Packing tips is just a title and until you read the entire question, you aren't sure what precisely is being asked. Packing tips can include some hints about the weather, what to wear and even about what you should include in your first aid kit. It might be an overly vague title but it doesn't necessarily mean that it is posted in the wrong sub-forum. Cut the newbies some slack

[robinlynn]

I have been booked since May 2013 for my Viking Guilveig Rhine Getaway

May 9, 2013. Finally down to the last 3 months. I have been active on this site, posting and participating since last year, and have still not found anyone going on my Amsterdam to Basel sailing.

 

My ship is still not even listed on the countdown clock, despite my contacting CC to try to update the clock to no avail.

 

Seems that the only 2 topics with lots of activity during this 9 months has been last spring's flooding disasters and the Christmas markets.

 

I used to really love CC when I was traveling on the larger ships (especially Celebrity), but this has been very frustrating.

 

ANYONE out there going on my sailing?:confused:

 

I have gotten some good information from the site on general river cruising and some of my ports, and have had some input and banter with some very nice people , so it has had its merits, just would have liked corresponding with people who are actually on my sailing.

 

Seems that river cruisers aren't all that interested in these boards. Too bad

 

Thanks for letting me blow off some steam!

Robin

[Got2Cruise]

I have been booked since May 2013 for my Viking Guilveig Rhine Getaway

May 9, 2013. Finally down to the last 3 months. I have been active on this site, posting and participating since last year, and have still not found anyone going on my Amsterdam to Basel sailing.

 

My ship is still not even listed on the countdown clock, despite my contacting CC to try to update the clock to no avail.

 

Seems that the only 2 topics with lots of activity during this 9 months has been last spring's flooding disasters and the Christmas markets.

 

I used to really love CC when I was traveling on the larger ships (especially Celebrity), but this has been very frustrating.

 

ANYONE out there going on my sailing?:confused:

 

I have gotten some good information from the site on general river cruising and some of my ports, and have had some input and banter with some very nice people , so it has had its merits, just would have liked corresponding with people who are actually on my sailing.

 

Seems that river cruisers aren't all that interested in these boards. Too bad

 

Thanks for letting me blow off some steam!

Robin

 

You have to realize that River Cruise ships only carry 150 pax or less on average. Compare that to 2,000 on a Celebrity sailing. The odds are not that great that you will find someone on your particular sailing. But, you can find folks who are taking the same cruise on different dates or different lines even and compare notes. I have had very interesting and informative conversations here on the RC boards with folks comparing notes and wonderings.

[CPT Trips]

You have to realize that River Cruise ships only carry 150 pax or less on average. Compare that to 2,000 on a Celebrity sailing. The odds are not that great that you will find someone on your particular sailing. But, you can find folks who are taking the same cruise on different dates or different lines even and compare notes. I have had very interesting and informative conversations here on the RC boards with folks comparing notes and wonderings.

 

Nailed it! It's a matter of numbers.

[robinlynn]

You are both correct. And I have gleaned some very good info from this board.

I think because I booked so long ago, I am just getting impatient and grumpy!

Robin

[bobalink]

You are both correct. And I have gleaned some very good info from this board.

I think because I booked so long ago, I am just getting impatient and grumpy!

Robin

 

I feel your "pain". For our first river cruise last year, I found another couple on here and it was great corresponding with them, and we shared several excursions during our land segments in Budapest and Prague.

 

This year, I have not been so fortunate. I periodically "bump up" the Roll Call thread with updates, hoping to find others.

 

I think most passengers on river cruises have never heard of Cruise Critic.

 

Many river cruise passengers book the air package, hotels, insurance, etc. through the cruise line, everything is taken care of for them. Perhaps they don't feel the need to research on cruise line websites.

 

I get lots of general information on these boards, but it does take some "digging".