Confusing Roll Calls

[TwoCruisers]

Confusing Roll Calls,

 

I wish people would stop setting up new Roll Calls that cover more than one cruise. Last year and this year there have been a number of new Roll Calls that have done this. It has become confusing for people who are only on one of the two cruises in the title. I know we can purchase two cruises as a package but the Roll Calls should be setup as two separate Roll Calls.

 

I am on two cruises Feb 19 and Feb 26. The Roll Call when setup was given the title “Feb 19, 2017 Regal Princess 14 Day”. There is also another Roll Call with the title “Feb 12, 2017 – 14 day”. These two Roll Calls overlap and some of the people don’t know if they should sign up on the second one.

 

People please remember that if the cruises can be purchased as separate cruises they should have their own individual Roll Calls. This just makes things a lot easier when discussing ports and activities as well knowing who is together on the cruise.

[Thrak]

We had this happen last year. We did a 17 day SF - FLL through the Panama Canal. However, it was also sold as a 22 day cruise out of Vancouver and a 15 day cruise out of LA. Some people even stayed on after their southbound from Alaska. Very confusing and muddled roll calls. Not sure how one is supposed to deal with something of this sort.

[pmCruiser]

I'm in 100% agreement. Would it be possible for the moderator to change the heading(s)?

 

Paul

[paul929207]

I agree with you. Each Roll Call should cover the shortest possible cruise.

 

Unfortunately some people don't realize the problems caused when they put multiple cruises into one Roll Call. In addition, I am sure some people don't realize that their 14 day cruise could be booked as two 7 day cruises

[IECalCruiser]

I contacted CC about this issue late last year and received the following answer:

 

"To be honest, our guideline is to have just one roll call per sail date, even if that cruise is marketed a certain way we still prefer a separate roll call per segment"

 

I just wish CC would follow their guideline and shut down the Roll Calls covering multiple cruise segments.

 

The Majestic Princess will have six 7 day Med cruises before she sails to China. Princess has combined those cruises into three 14 day, two 21 day and one 28 day cruise. Can you imagine the confusion if someone set a Roll Call for each cruise. Currently, we only have one Roll Call for each 7 day cruise. Even though a number of us are cruising on one of the 14 day cruises we did not set up a new Roll Call.

[myfuzzy]

I totally agree about one roll call per cruise date. I am sailing Nov 5 this year on an 8 night southern Caribbean, which in turn returns to Ft Lauderdale to turn around and do a 6 night and can be "purchased" as a 14 night. In my opinion, a cruise that returns to the original embarkation point, should be separate with the next embarkation. Early on, I did ask on the thread if it was for the 8, 6 or 14, the OP designated the thread for the 14, with the two breakdowns. Totally confusing. I also would like to suggest to CC moderators that there be a reasonable date to start threads. If you go to the roll call section and go to the last pages, there are threads for cruises three and four years out. I feel 9-12 months should be sufficient as ones travel plans would be more defined by then.

[OCruisers]

Totally Agree!

There should be a separate roll call for each sailing!

LuLu

[ggprincess2004]

I entirely agree, it makes things much simpler especially since there should be a meet and greet on each segment.

[TwoCruisers]

When I am on a roll call that is setup as one cruise instead of two cruises I post a Roll Call List and I treat it as if it is only for the first cruise. The roll call title always has the correct date for the first cruise so it isn’t difficult getting the correct people to join. I always give my Roll Call List a title with the start and end dates for the first cruise only. After a while everyone gets what is going on and it works out fine, but we shouldn’t have to spend so much time getting it right.

 

I have also noticed that the people who start these, incorrectly titled, roll calls don’t participate much and never organize anything.

Edited April 15, 2016 by TwoCruisers

[Shmoo here]

Totally Agree!

There should be a separate roll call for each sailing!

LuLu

 

But how would that work for the Vancouver/San Francisco/Los Angeles/Ft Lauderdale cruise? One roll call for Vancouver/Ft Lauderdale. And one roll call for San Francisco/Ft Lauderdale. And one roll call for Los Angeles/Ft Lauderdale?

 

I agree those sailings that are stand alone cruises (like when you do a B2B) should have their own roll calls, however.

 

It would be nice if the moderators could (would?) nip those roll calls in the bud that go over two (or more) separate cruises and either delete them or modify the date to the first cruise. And direct the roll call starter that it will be necessary to start a separate one for the second cruise.

[DRS/NC]

Agree!!!

 

I'm on a Santiago > Buenos Aries next Feb that goes on to FLL. Both cruises are under one roll call -- somewhat confusing.

[Pushka]

Confusing Roll Calls,

 

I wish people would stop setting up new Roll Calls that cover more than one cruise. Last year and this year there have been a number of new Roll Calls that have done this. It has become confusing for people who are only on one of the two cruises in the title. I know we can purchase two cruises as a package but the Roll Calls should be setup as two separate Roll Calls.

 

I am on two cruises Feb 19 and Feb 26. The Roll Call when setup was given the title “Feb 19, 2017 Regal Princess 14 Day”. There is also another Roll Call with the title “Feb 12, 2017 – 14 day”. These two Roll Calls overlap and some of the people don’t know if they should sign up on the second one.

 

People please remember that if the cruises can be purchased as separate cruises they should have their own individual Roll Calls. This just makes things a lot easier when discussing ports and activities as well knowing who is together on the cruise.

 

I am on a 12 night cruise that can also be purchased as a much longer cruise in conjunction with the cruise before (but just one long cruise) as well as the one after ours, as just one long cruise. So three different length cruise purchases.

Edited April 15, 2016 by Pushka

[Shmoo here]

I am on a 12 night cruise that can also be purchased as a much longer cruise in conjunction with the cruise before (but just one long cruise) as well as the one after ours, as just one long cruise. So three different length cruise purchases.

 

In that case, it would be 3 separate roll calls. As each cruise is a separate entity unto itself. The fact that you can book all three as one cruise doesn't count.

[myfuzzy]

No wonder some people get frustrated on these roll calls, if I am not going to be going on a part of the b2b2b2b2b etc, why would I be interested in having a conversation about it.

 

I checked the "active" roll call list....how about this Norwegian Dawn 10/23/2030 and Volendam 3/28/2028. Either these people are still in elementary school and planning a graduation cruise, they know something about the cruise lines schedule (I am looking a Princess Caribbean November next year, still not listed)or they have too much time on their hands. Moderators....how can these "roll calls" be allowed so absurdly put on these boards?

[caribill]

I contacted CC about this issue late last year and received the following answer:

 

"To be honest, our guideline is to have just one roll call per sail date, even if that cruise is marketed a certain way we still prefer a separate roll call per segment"

 

 

I totally agree about one roll call per cruise date.

 

OK. Look at this situation. There is a Princess trans-Atlantic being sold two ways:

 

1. 21 days from Houston to Southampton.

2. 18 days from Fort Lauderdale to Southampton. (Fort Laudrerdale is the first port after leaving Houston).

 

Basically, this is the same cruise, with some people starting it three days earlier.

 

According to the "one roll call per cruise date", this would require two roll calls even though all of the Houston passengers will be with the Fort Lauderdale Passengers for 86% of the cruise.

 

Those arranging private tours would need to post on two roll calls and check responses on each.

 

Those looking to set up trivia teams would need to post on two roll calls and check responses on each.

 

etc.

 

It makes sense for these two sailing dates to have a single roll call so the over 200 CC posters on it do not have to make duplicate posts on two roll calls and respond to the same questions on two roll calls.

 

(And no, this is not two segments. It is a single cruise with two embarkation dates.)

 

I was on a 21 day B2B (11 days + 10 days) on Carnival earlier this year. There were three roll calls.

a) Segment 1

b) Segment 2

c) Segments 1+2

 

Total number of posts on each roll call:

a) Segment 1 -- 155

b) Segment 2 -- 78

c) Segments 1+2 -- 1340

 

It appears that most Roll Call members were quite happy to post on the B2B one even if only on one segment. In fact, the most common post on the single segment roll calls was "Why is this roll call so inactive?"

Edited April 15, 2016 by caribill

[GUT2407]

The whole thing is getting crazy and may be partly why roll calls are dying.

[Glenndale]

Agree!!!

 

I'm on a Santiago > Buenos Aries next Feb that goes on to FLL. Both cruises are under one roll call -- somewhat confusing.

Hi,

There is a separate roll call for that leg, please join :)

The joint roll call has a link to a spreadsheet which details the passengers on

each leg and also organised tours etc., which is a very valuable resource.

Contact Wayne and he will send you a link.

 

There are always going to be conversations that don't apply to others on the same cruise, on the joint roll call there has been a lot of discussion regarding visas which only apply to the North American guests, so I just skim over that.

Edited April 15, 2016 by Glenndale

[myfuzzy]

OK. Look at this situation. There is a Princess trans-Atlantic being sold two ways:

 

1. 21 days from Houston to Southampton.

2. 18 days from Fort Lauderdale to Southampton. (Fort Laudrerdale is the first port after leaving Houston).

 

I notice that multiple embarkation ports are common on European cruises. Last year the TA from Europe to NYC, had 3 roll calls, someone even started a roll call between embarkation days. In a case like yours, with the ship not returning to the embarkation point, I see how activities could be worked out, just by waiting until everyone is on board, its just those cruises that start, return to the embarkation point, some people disembark and a new group embarks.

[Esprit]

Here in the UK the 14 day cruises are marketed that way. It therefore never occurred to me that I was effectively doing a B2B particularly as our Med' cruise starts a finishes in a completely different port.

[pmCruiser]

We appear to have 2 distinct situations that cannot be resolved in the same way.

 

Option 1:

In this case, we have a cruise that is being marketed as a single cruise, or as a back-to-back with the next cruise on this same ship. This, I believe, is the situation that the original poster was trying to address. This situation, I believe, is very simple to fix. The roll call should be for the shortest cruise that is being marketed. The B2B option is a marketing convenience that Princess has put in place to allow B2B passengers to keep the same cabin and (possibly) get a price break. But, in reality it is 2 separate cruises

 

Option 2:

In this case we have a cruise that has either more that one point or origin or more than one point of termination. But, the segments between the multiple points or origin (or multiple points of termination) are not sold as a separate cruise. In this case the roll call should, probably, be based on the common portion.

[IECalCruiser]

OK. Look at this situation. There is a Princess trans-Atlantic being sold two ways:

1. 21 days from Houston to Southampton.

2. 18 days from Fort Lauderdale to Southampton. (Fort Laudrerdale is the first port after leaving Houston).

For this example I would suggest just one Roll Call for the FLL to Southampton cruise. The first three days from Houston to FLL are not being sold as a separate segment and the majority of the passengers will probably be boarding in FLL. Other than setting up a M&G, I doubt there would be anything on the first three days. Everyone will be on the FLL to Southampton and use one common Roll Call for everyone.

Edited April 15, 2016 by IECalCruiser

[IECalCruiser]

I notice that multiple embarkation ports are common on European cruises. Last year the TA from Europe to NYC, had 3 roll calls, someone even started a roll call between embarkation days. In a case like yours, with the ship not returning to the embarkation point, I see how activities could be worked out, just by waiting until everyone is on board, its just those cruises that start, return to the embarkation point, some people disembark and a new group embarks.

For Princess, I believe this is mainly the 11 day Baltic itinerary that has embarkation in Copenhagen, Warnemunde and St. Petersburg. I have no good suggestion for how to handle that mess. We were on the cruise departing from Copenhagen in 2013 where Princess had just started offering departures from Warnemunde. On our Roll Call we offered to have those joining in Warnemunde 3 days later to join our Roll Call because we would all be on the ship at the same time for St. Petersburg where most private tours are scheduled. They would be missing the M&G though.

[RetiredNTraveling]

I used to be indecisive, but now I'm not so sure. Paige’isms

 

It can be complicated enough doing a Roll Call (correctly) for just one cruise let along multiple segments.

I for one believe in divide and conquer!

 

Just Mike

[myfuzzy]

For Princess, I believe this is mainly the 11 day Baltic itinerary that has embarkation in Copenhagen, Warnemunde and St. Petersburg. I have no good suggestion for how to handle that mess. We were on the cruise departing from Copenhagen in 2013 where Princess had just started offering departures from Warnemunde. On our Roll Call we offered to have those joining in Warnemunde 3 days later to join our Roll Call because we would all be on the ship at the same time for St. Petersburg where most private tours are scheduled. They would be missing the M&G though.

 

Yes, that one sounds like the one I was following last year, must be a nightmare for the stewards!

[pablo222]

Confusing Roll Calls,

 

I wish people would stop setting up new Roll Calls that cover more than one cruise..

 

If you don't wish to participate in a roll call that covers several sailings,

then don't.

 

If you wish to participate in a roll call that covers a shorter segment,

if there isn't one, create it, and then do so.

 

What's the problem?