Are fewer cruisers participating in Roll Calls now??

[sammiedawg]

Maybe I am just too easy going. If I am part of a Roll Call that doesn't respond to my comments or questions, it doesn't hurt me that they don't have the same interests. Prefer that to a phony, polite interest. Still there is some value to meeting these people on board.

 

I also don't have an issue with discussions about private tours on the Roll Call. But it does seem to be a little late to wait until the M&G to organize one. By then, generally everyone has made their plans and probably booked something. I don't think the Ship Staff is shocked and dismayed by private tours. They know people do that all the time. One of my successful M&G on NCL had one man try to start one and there were simply no takers. However, I don't have a problem if someone needs "one more" and brings it up at the party. (But that is generally after the staff meet and question period).

 

There are all kinds of people out there in the world. Why would , or should it be any different on a cruise? You may connect with some, or not. It could never ruin my cruise! :)

 

I totally agree ship staff does not care what passengers do in port. They don’t care how you tour, or where you eat, drink or shop.

On many cruise lines CD’s and destination experts are dockside directing independents on where to go and what to do.

I’ve read Holland America boards for years. I think some of us worry about things above our pay grade.

[SnorkelAway]

Reading through this thread, it is apparent that we have had fantastic luck and success in joining private excursions organized by other posters on a RC. For a HAL example, we cruise Royal more, I even gave my credit card info to a woman that I knew, after reading just a few of her posts and emails, was definitely someone to join on every excursion she set up and let us join. I will be stalking the Chief and his DW for the rest of their cruising days to see if we can take one of their cruises and join their excursions - although I may need to change my name to trick them into putting up with me again.

 

We have met some really wonderful people on private excursions in small groups - not that we have not met great people otherwise, too. I am not good about keeping up with any of them after the cruises, but many of them really made a cruise even better than it otherwise would have been.

 

Maintaining appropriate privacy is very important. We are fortunate that we have an adult child living with us, along with very close and wonderfully nosy neighbors - so we do not have to worry much about a criminal knowing our out-of-town plans. I think that is a real issue for many who let too much information out.

 

David

[iancal]

Many of the better private excursions we have taken were the result of a roll call recommendation. Same with a number of DIY ports. And we have provided data on those that we have taken. We have saved hundreds of dollars and had some wonderful private tour experiences thanks to the roll calls. But on some roll calls we find ourselves fast forwarding through pages to get through the fluff and into the content that we are searching for.

[Zooguy]

We used to cruise Princess exclusively and enjoyed active participation on roll calls. When we switched to HAL, we noticed very little roll call participation.

It’s too bad because we’ve learned a lot while reading the postings, such as pricing changes, ship pointers, and other items that worked to our advantage.

I think it is as others have said that it is a result of the older demographics of HAL passengers.

 

 

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[kazu]

We used to cruise Princess exclusively and enjoyed active participation on roll calls. When we switched to HAL, we noticed very little roll call participation.

It’s too bad because we’ve learned a lot while reading the postings, such as pricing changes, ship pointers, and other items that worked to our advantage.

I think it is as others have said that it is a result of the older demographics of HAL passengers.

 

 

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Just a suggestion - but someone on the roll call needs to be "spark plug " at the beginning (as JTL once said) and keep it going and invite interest. Dont' wait for others. Jump in. You might get a pleasant surprise :)

[USN59-79]

We started cruising in 2001 when I retired. Never heard of CC until we booked a 49 day cruise around South America on Carnival in 2009. Our DD recommended that we log onto CC so I did. When I got to the roll call, people were discussing their Brazil visa. I had no idea we needed one as Carnival had said it wasn't necessary. I asked the RC if I needed one and the reply was "You won't get on without it." Went back to the TA and she said she made a mistake and to express mail our passports to Miami and she would pick up the extra charges. This was ten days before the cruise. We did it and when we boarded there were at least 100 passengers that couldn't board and had to pick up the ship at the next port. (after they spent a day or two getting the visa in Miami) That is when I realized the usefulness of CC. I have organized a few private tours and taken part in many others. Since I have gotten so much from CC, I have no problem trying to help others by answering their questions.

[DaveOKC]

We started cruising in 2001 when I retired. Never heard of CC until we booked a 49 day cruise around South America on Carnival in 2009. Our DD recommended that we log onto CC so I did. When I got to the roll call, people were discussing their Brazil visa. I had no idea we needed one as Carnival had said it wasn't necessary. I asked the RC if I needed one and the reply was "You won't get on without it." Went back to the TA and she said she made a mistake and to express mail our passports to Miami and she would pick up the extra charges. This was ten days before the cruise. We did it and when we boarded there were at least 100 passengers that couldn't board and had to pick up the ship at the next port. (after they spent a day or two getting the visa in Miami) That is when I realized the usefulness of CC. I have organized a few private tours and taken part in many others. Since I have gotten so much from CC, I have no problem trying to help others by answering their questions.

 

Great story of the value of reading the roll call board! We have learned a number of things about our cruise this way and always participate.

 

It does take a couple of people to be active on a roll call to keep up the interest I have found.

[navybankerteacher]

We started cruising in 2001 when I retired. Never heard of CC until we booked a 49 day cruise around South America on Carnival in 2009. Our DD recommended that we log onto CC so I did. When I got to the roll call, people were discussing their Brazil visa. I had no idea we needed one as Carnival had said it wasn't necessary. I asked the RC if I needed one and the reply was "You won't get on without it." Went back to the TA and she said she made a mistake and to express mail our passports to Miami and she would pick up the extra charges. This was ten days before the cruise. We did it and when we boarded there were at least 100 passengers that couldn't board and had to pick up the ship at the next port. (after they spent a day or two getting the visa in Miami) That is when I realized the usefulness of CC. I have organized a few private tours and taken part in many others. Since I have gotten so much from CC, I have no problem trying to help others by answering their questions.

 

Are you still using that travel agent?

[iancal]

One thing I see occasionally that relates to visas is posters who assume everyone on this forum travels with American passports. This is simply not the case.

 

The visa regulations and the associated entry fees are often predicated by one's passport. The visa regulations of a country for UK citizens travelling with UK passports may be completely different than those for Americans travelling with US passports. And the reverse is true. Dual citizens have the option, if they have passports from both, to select the most advantageous passport for this purpose.

 

Travelers need to be very aware of these differences. and avoid assuming that comments and advice on the forum are factual. They need to do some source based research of their own rather than depending on someone's post. When it comes to entry requirements we never depend on what our TA might say or what the cruise line may say. They are not the one's holding the bag when the rubber hits the road so to speak. Some cruise lines are notorious for giving out contradictory or even completely incorrect information. When it comes to travel documentation I am a huge believer in the old saying 'trust but verify'.

[USN59-79]

Are you still using that travel agent?

No, but for other reasons. The mistake the TA made was in believing Carnival. That was the first time Carnival had been to Brazil and they gave out bum information. I appreciated that the TA picked up the $100. charge to expedite the visas. We use the on line TA advertised on CC with the 90-day ticker.

[ellieanne]

One thing I see occasionally that relates to visas is posters who assume everyone on this forum travels with American passports. This is simply not the case.

 

The visa regulations and the associated entry fees are often predicated by one's passport. The visa regulations of a country for UK citizens travelling with UK passports may be completely different than those for Americans travelling with US passports. And the reverse is true. Dual citizens have the option, if they have passports from both, to select the most advantageous passport for this purpose.

 

Travelers need to be very aware of these differences. and avoid assuming that comments and advice on the forum are factual. They need to do some source based research of their own rather than depending on someone's post. When it comes to entry requirements we never depend on what our TA might say or what the cruise line may say. They are not the one's holding the bag when the rubber hits the road so to speak. Some cruise lines are notorious for giving out contradictory or even completely incorrect information. When it comes to travel documentation I am a huge believer in the old saying 'trust but verify'.

 

It's not only the message boards that assume everyone is traveling on a particular country's passport. I actually had to argue with a travel agent when I was booking travel for my last cruise. She kept insisting that I needed visas and I kept telling her I did not. I booked travel from my home in Australia, but as an American citizen, I travel on my US passport so I did not need visas for any of the countries I was visiting. My Australian citizen husband, traveling on his Australian passport did need visas. I do my own research, because my local Australian travel agents do not know whether I would need visas, nor would I expect them to.

[HokiePoq]

:confused::confused:Is it just me or are only a very few people signing up on the HAL Roll Calls ?

I have posted on our Roll Call for private tours for our Canada/New England cruise on August 4, 2018 and

no one has replied except two couples who are travelling on different dates.

I am the only one on the Roll Call. I find this very strange and unusual.

ANY ideas why .........:confused:

 

As others have said it varies cruise to cruise. Our longer HAL cruises, Amazon Explorer, South Pacific, and Voyage of the Vikings have had very active roll calls with lots of people and lots of private tours. (I had 50 people on the one I organized in Manaus.) Seven day cruises have not had so active roll calls and this applies to other lines I've been on as well as HAL. HAL's demographic can result in less posters but that is not all of it. I have even skipped the gathering on some seven day cruises when there were no tours or anyone that I've become "friends" with on roll call.

[Tinknock50]

I am having continual problems with new post notifications on my Roll Call. I have it set for "instant notification", but it does not work. Anyone else have this problem?

I have changed it to daily notification. It is still not working for my Roll Call. I get notified for all the other threads. Weird.

[Tinknock50]

I have changed it to daily notification. It is still not working for my Roll Call. I get notified for all the other threads. Weird.

Ah, I did get it . Yay!