Meet and Mingle at inconvenient time.

[SNJCruisers]

They are so boring anyway. Attended 2. Never again.

You obviously have never been to ones on NCL, RCI or MSC. On NCL, the cruise director and many of the senior staff show up and our last one on the Escape was held in the Brewhouse with free samples. RCI gives away prizes at theirs and on MSC, the captain showed up and ran it and took a group photo that everyone got a copy of.

[SNJCruisers]

Based on what?

 

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It's the same reason that the old free cocktail party got changed from 1 hour two different times at multiple bars around the ship where those in the know could get anything to drink and you were not stuck with drinking whatever the servers had on their trays. Then, a few years later, the same party got shifted to the last sea day from 500-545 when everyone was either starting to pack to leave the next day, getting ready for dinner, or starting happy hour. Because of this, the number of attendees plummeted.

[Micahs Grandad]

Fair enough?

What would be a better time?

 

Just a few, lets say 11 am, 2 pm 3 pm 4 pm 5 pm on a sea day.

 

Expecting people to get up early on vacation have breakfast and than get to a meet and greet at 9 am is rather unreasonable IMHO.

[Saint Greg]

You obviously have never been to ones on NCL, RCI or MSC. On NCL, the cruise director and many of the senior staff show up and our last one on the Escape was held in the Brewhouse with free samples. RCI gives away prizes at theirs and on MSC, the captain showed up and ran it and took a group photo that everyone got a copy of.

 

Entertainment Director or Cruise Director have been at all of my CCL ones.

[SNJCruisers]

Entertainment Director or Cruise Director have been at all of my CCL ones.

All 3 of the cruise lines I mentioned put a higher priority regarding the handling of the CC meet n greet than Carnival ever has. It's just reality. And I've been on 18 Carnival cruises. They just recently started to care (a little), just because they got some push back about RCI's response and the give-a ways they have. NCL had multiple senior officials and beer samples and the Seaside had their captain show up. Carnival can't compete, but of course they could, but they don't care to.

When I start to get into discussions like this is when I realize why I have only chosen Carnival for 2 of my last 8 cruises. They care about the Blue Cards.....everyone else is secondary.

[wmwmarmstrong]

Actually MSC provides a CC meet n mingle with not only finger foods and free drinks but a huge slab cake. The event is attended by 100+ At times and the captain AND senior officers attend. You also have a picture taken with the captain which is provided free of charge

 

MSC can manage to find a convenient time for much more than 25 people I might add.. bake a special cake... and not only CD but captain and senior staff attend..

 

FYI the 25 is the minimum needed to have the meet n mingle.. that is minimum not maximum.. there have been MSC mingles with more than 150 in attendance...

 

MSC had the best by far, of all the M&M's that I have ever attended. Loved having pictures and time to talk to captain and staff.

 

The staff actually seemed to care about all aspects of your cruise. They said over and over that they wanted to hear the good and the bad. So many senior staff attended. I only got to meet a fraction of them.

[marshhawk]

When I started reading that CC folks were not loved by CCL I stopped posting it on my cabin door. That said, I probably wouldn't cruise as much without you guys telling me about your cruises, the ports, the food, the activities. When I read something I am interested in regarding one ship, I check it out , and then book a cruise, that I can afford. Sometimes not on the ship I am reading about. but it inspires me to keep on sailing.

 

back in the day, when I first found this site, our roll calls made our own meet and greets. we spent our own money on drinks, we picked our meeting place, and we became friends before we even got on the ship. then along came the alternative meeting place (where your personal info has recently been snatched without your knowledge) and the roll calls here became smaller. So, I am grateful that we still have the opportunity to meet up and the CCL meet and greets for CC folks, if they want to charge me for a drink, that is fine too.

 

what does hack me off is seeing some great meeting rooms being held captive for the art gallery, but they pay for the rooms too, it's just it would be nice if guests could use them.

[Micahs Grandad]

When I started reading that CC folks were not loved by CCL I stopped posting it on my cabin door. That said, I probably wouldn't cruise as much without you guys telling me about your cruises, the ports, the food, the activities. When I read something I am interested in regarding one ship, I check it out , and then book a cruise, that I can afford. Sometimes not on the ship I am reading about. but it inspires me to keep on sailing.

 

back in the day, when I first found this site, our roll calls made our own meet and greets. we spent our own money on drinks, we picked our meeting place, and we became friends before we even got on the ship. then along came the alternative meeting place (where your personal info has recently been snatched without your knowledge) and the roll calls here became smaller. So, I am grateful that we still have the opportunity to meet up and the CCL meet and greets for CC folks, if they want to charge me for a drink, that is fine too.

 

what does hack me off is seeing some great meeting rooms being held captive for the art gallery, but they pay for the rooms too, it's just it would be nice if guests could use them.

 

Agree it is best to set up your own meet and greet. Pick some lounge and take it over for an hour.

 

Art gallery people do take over large areas of the ships and entire banks of elevators. annoying but they make money for the cruise lines so they will come ahead of us paying captive guests.

[Bob NC]

This was severely overdramatic.

 

 

Isn't everything here severely overdramatic?

[marshhawk]

the name of my favorite bar on the elation- the drama bar!

[jimbo5544]

John mentioned this topic today in his blog, agreeing that the timing could be better and something that he would work on.

 

 

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[jimbo5544]

All 3 of the cruise lines I mentioned put a higher priority regarding the handling of the CC meet n greet than Carnival ever has. It's just reality. And I've been on 18 Carnival cruises. They just recently started to care (a little), just because they got some push back about RCI's response and the give-a ways they have. NCL had multiple senior officials and beer samples and the Seaside had their captain show up. Carnival can't compete, but of course they could, but they don't care to.

 

When I start to get into discussions like this is when I realize why I have only chosen Carnival for 2 of my last 8 cruises. They care about the Blue Cards.....everyone else is secondary.

 

 

 

 

While they have a focus on 1st time cruisers, to imply that all others are secondary is simply not true.

 

 

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[jimbo5544]

MSC had the best by far, of all the M&M's that I have ever attended. Loved having pictures and time to talk to captain and staff.

 

 

 

The staff actually seemed to care about all aspects of your cruise. They said over and over that they wanted to hear the good and the bad. So many senior staff attended. I only got to meet a fraction of them.

 

 

 

So, by inference, Carnival ship management does not care?

 

 

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[Micahs Grandad]

So, by inference, Carnival ship management does not care?

 

 

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Would not say they do not care but they do seem to be gearing more to new cruisers who seem to spend a lot more on ships than us much more experienced ones.

[atj1971]

This cruise coming up in May will be the first M&G I have signed up for. Is it just a room they open up to say hello to each other? After reading through this post, I just wonder what people are so upset over. I'm not imaging it to have drinks and snacks available but just a space to pop in and say hello to posters I've enjoyed reading. I like making new friends and I would think if there were people I met and had nice conversation with, we have an entire ship to grab and drink and continue a friendship. Am I wrong?

[teknoge3k]

This cruise coming up in May will be the first M&G I have signed up for. Is it just a room they open up to say hello to each other? After reading through this post, I just wonder what people are so upset over. I'm not imaging it to have drinks and snacks available but just a space to pop in and say hello to posters I've enjoyed reading. I like making new friends and I would think if there were people I met and had nice conversation with, we have an entire ship to grab and drink and continue a friendship. Am I wrong?

 

They have cookies, lemonade/water/something they call "tea". Usually the CD comes and sits in for a little bit.

[atj1971]

They have cookies, lemonade/water/something they call "tea". Usually the CD comes and sits in for a little bit.

Ah ok. Seems like a nice gesture by Carnival to provide snacks and drinks when they don't have to. I'm looking forward to meeting new people and having fun. Thank you for your reply.

[wmwmarmstrong]

So, by inference, Carnival ship management does not care?

 

 

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That is your conclusion, not mine.

 

Would not be booking with Carnival, if I felt management does not care.

[jimbo5544]

That is your conclusion, not mine.

 

Would not be booking with Carnival, if I felt management does not care.

Actually it is not mine, I strongly feel that they are the leader of the pack when it comes to positive customer interaction. Frankly, their best feature.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Carnival could have done a much better job timewise in doing this.

 

I agree with your earlier post about being set up to fail.

 

Then they can say, "hey, we tried".

 

Bill

[MsOne]

This cruise coming up in May will be the first M&G I have signed up for. Is it just a room they open up to say hello to each other? After reading through this post, I just wonder what people are so upset over. I'm not imaging it to have drinks and snacks available but just a space to pop in and say hello to posters I've enjoyed reading. I like making new friends and I would think if there were people I met and had nice conversation with, we have an entire ship to grab and drink and continue a friendship. Am I wrong?

 

I was on Carnival Breeze in January and I believe ours was around 10am on the first full day - so day 2, a sea day. There were trays of small sandwiches (white bread, crustless) - a good variety, fruit, different cheese and several types of crackers, and different drinks - orange juice, water, coffee tea....not sure what else. I grabbed sandwiches and orange juice then went and sat and talked to some folks. The cruise director wasn't there, but his boss was. She was very engaging and told us a lot about herself both on the ship and off.

[Micahs Grandad]

I agree with your earlier post about being set up to fail.

 

Then they can say, "hey, we tried".

 

Bill

 

But you would think they would be more subtle about it.

[pacruise804]

I've been to two MM since joining CC, Princess and Carnival.

 

Regal Princess was 9:30 first sea day, very well attended by senior staff but less than half the people who signed up showed. Princess provided water and carafes of bar snacks. Discussion with staff was very interesting and we had some discussion with other travelers but overall a reserved group.

 

Carnival was 4:15 second sea day, with cruise director and possibly one other. It seemed well attended, but still probably only around half of who signed up. Water, orange juice, and apple juice (a sugar shock when expecting tea) were provided along with cookies. There was also a cake, but I think someone else provided it. CD and one or two other entertainment staff were present at the beginning. Some groups kept very much to their own group, but many were open to mingling.

 

We liked each in their own way, and felt each matched the cruise line. There really isn't a good time to have them - someone will always have a conflict - but I do think 10 or 10:30 for morning would reach more people.

[TrinaLC]

Compare to MSC ... Entire senior staff including the Captain attends. They greet and shake hands at entrance, captain gives a welcoming speech, and then they all mingle and stay as long as anyone wants to talk to them. A group photo is taken and delivered to your cabin. There are hours d’oeuvres and full bar plus passed mixed drinks. And a custom designed CC cake. Attended by well over 100 CC members. Also held conveniently around 5 as I recall.

 

 

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[stevefrisco]

While I personally think they are lame and haven't done them in the past several cruises, it is disappointing that some people do seem to enjoy them and they list them at such awkward times. They don't make money or lead to more revenue in general for the line so I understand them not wanting to do much, but I think they could generate revenue AND make it a fun event for people who like these types of things by having discounted drinks (both virgin and alcoholic) and putting them at a time and place that is more convenient. Maybe even have a couple throughout the cruise wouldn't be a half bad idea.

 

Like I said these things aren't my jam, I don't like networking parties for a similar reasons, so I'm not giving these critiques or suggestions selfishly.