Roll call participation

[tsxgray1]

Thanks for all of these replies! I typically join roll calls to get hints and suggestions about the ship, ports, excursions...especially since this will be our first HAL experience. We have joined some private excursions on past cruises that have been awesome! And we have met some great people via the roll calls.

 

 

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[Crazy For Cats]

FWIW, HAL is no longer supporting their rolls calls after September on another page. The reason is lack of participation.

 

 

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[KroozNut]

FWIW, HAL is no longer supporting their rolls calls after September on another page. The reason is lack of participation.

 

 

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Not sure what you mean here... can you clarify? We currently have an active roll call going for our Dec sailing on Eurodam. Are we to expect something to happen to it after September?:confused:

[*Miss G*]

Not sure what you mean here... can you clarify? We currently have an active roll call going for our Dec sailing on Eurodam. Are we to expect something to happen to it after September?:confused:

It wasn't clear to me either. I am guessing that he is referring to their Facebook page.

[Crazy For Cats]

Not sure what you mean here... can you clarify? We currently have an active roll call going for our Dec sailing on Eurodam. Are we to expect something to happen to it after September?:confused:

 

 

 

Didn’t mean to confuse anyone. Didn’t want to say the fb word. This does not impact CC roll calls.

 

 

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[KroozNut]

Didn’t mean to confuse anyone. Didn’t want to say the fb word. This does not impact CC roll calls.

 

 

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Good to hear, and thanks for the clarification. :)

[doublebzz]

I know I'm stereotyping but my experience is that Canadians seem to participate in larger numbers than U.S. cruisers on a relative basis. Perhaps they are more gregarious and enjoy meeting new people.

[kazu]

I know I'm stereotyping but my experience is that Canadians seem to participate in larger numbers than U.S. cruisers on a relative basis. Perhaps they are more gregarious and enjoy meeting new people.

 

Now that's an interesting observation. ;)

 

We are normally a pretty friendly bunch ;)

[doublebzz]

Now that's an interesting observation. ;)

 

We are normally a pretty friendly bunch ;)

As I found out on our recent Prinsendam transatlantic.

[kazu]

As I found out on our recent Prinsendam transatlantic.

 

That was a great cruise - great people on the roll call indeed :) :D

[sambamama]

The most amazing roll call I participated in was my Westerdam Panama Canal cruise in April 2015 which set a record for pages. I thought my South Pacific 22 day cruise would have a really active roll call, but it never got very busy-maybe because most of the passengers were from New Zealand and Australia. My upcoming TA is pretty dead, but that is because most of the activity is with the people doing the European cruise before it as well. And my upcoming Hawaiian 20 day cruise in April is absolutely dead-7 people-is it too early? I like roll calls for both purposes-both to meet people and to find people to join my private tours. However, I don't post the tours day after day, and I don't post personal solicitations-I just find that rude and annoying. I let people know what I found and that this is available to join me if they wish.

[roses313]

I usually join the roll call for our cruises...to obtain/share information on pre and post cruise hotels, the ship, and the ports. We don't tend to join private tours, just not our way of cruising.

 

I'm usually quite disappointed in the M&G's for various reasons. Folks arrive at the location, and then just sit in one place and maybe chat with the person(s) next to them. There never seems to be any mingling, so I have rarely been able to actually meet with those who participated in the Roll Call. Often the M&G is nothing more than members still making a pitch for private tours.

 

On an upcoming 2019 TA, there is already quite an active Roll Call (mostly for private tours). A M&G is already planned, but the organizer is quite adamant that only those who provide her with much personal information will be invited. In all our years of cruising have never come across this. So, although I check in with the roll call to read the posts, I have no intention of "joining" the Roll Call.

 

On the other hand, on Celebrity the roll calls are very active. A few years ago on a cruise from Hawaii, many of us got together pre cruise for drinks/dinner. We made contact at that event with folks and continued on board to have drinks/dinner while on the cruise, and a good time was had by all.

[kazu]

I usually join the roll call for our cruises...to obtain/share information on pre and post cruise hotels, the ship, and the ports. We don't tend to join private tours, just not our way of cruising.

 

I'm usually quite disappointed in the M&G's for various reasons. Folks arrive at the location, and then just sit in one place and maybe chat with the person(s) next to them. There never seems to be any mingling, so I have rarely been able to actually meet with those who participated in the Roll Call. Often the M&G is nothing more than members still making a pitch for private tours.

 

On an upcoming 2019 TA, there is already quite an active Roll Call (mostly for private tours). A M&G is already planned, but the organizer is quite adamant that only those who provide her with much personal information will be invited. In all our years of cruising have never come across this. So, although I check in with the roll call to read the posts, I have no intention of "joining" the Roll Call.

 

On the other hand, on Celebrity the roll calls are very active. A few years ago on a cruise from Hawaii, many of us got together pre cruise for drinks/dinner. We made contact at that event with folks and continued on board to have drinks/dinner while on the cruise, and a good time was had by all.

 

That is very disappointing.

 

There is no need to provide any info whatsoever.

 

I do ask roll call members for cabin numbers when I am doing the Meet and Greets but only so I can deliver them invites/reminders.

 

Those that choose not to do so (and I understand that) are not obligated to do so but everyone is welcome to the Meet and Greet and included. :D. As it should be.

[POA1]

Yes, Canadians are friendly, but it's the exchange rate. You can get 1.3 Canadians for every US passenger. ;)

[ToXS]

I, too, have been disappointed by the sparse roll call participation for our HAL cruise, now just 2 months away. (On NCL it was always very popular, even for the short cruises.) Also, our roll call is having a hard time getting enough interested people to warrant putting together a M&G. Do you think it is simply because of the demographic that HAL attracts? We older folks have lived long enough that we know what we want and don't need all the advice and "chattiness" typical on roll calls. Well, speaking as another senior citizen, I still enjoy it. I learn many useful things that help enhance our voyage experience.

[TiogaCruiser]

Yes, Canadians are friendly, but it's the exchange rate. You can get 1.3 Canadians for every US passenger. ;)

 

What happens when the rate changes?😲

 

Good to “see” you back POA. The HAL board has missed you lightheartedness

[SFO Peter]

[beginquote=Globehoppers;56528130]Do the math. Generally less than 10 percent (its about 6 percent on large ships) of passengers participate in CC "Roll Call" threads. Many are not aware but most simply read. The highest ratio I have seen is 14 percent of actual embarked guests participating and that was on a small ship for a repositioning. And then, of course, there are people who like to "manage" the CC Roll Call by creating their own separate "roll call" (and become enrage if you don't acquiesce to their "management") and those who act as if it was their own personal ship; the "welcome aboard" crowd. As a thirty year navy officer I cringe at that latter group.

 

The best CC Roll Calls are those with mature adults exchanging information and arranging private tours. We arranged a 5-day tour of the Golden Triangle with a single lady who didn't want to travel alone. Also many small tours with others, tours the ships usually do not offer because of narrow focus and limited participation.[/endquote]

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On the other hand if someone does not get a "welcome aboard" and see their name listed on the roll call they will feel ignored. I have been there. If someone other than myself wants to do roll call they are very welcome since it entails keeping track of participants. If no one volunteers then I am inclined to offer to keep it updated.

 

Peter

[StreakedBlonde]

You stated my point of view perfectly.

 

I find that most of the people who post on roll calls do not participate in this HAL board, so I don't feel I "know" them at all. They make no effort to get to know the others on the roll call, either---it's (as you say) just a means to get a group together for private touring. As if I would go off for a day with a group of strangers who might be incompatible!

 

Right now I am getting daily e-mails of the posts of three cruises I am booked on, but have never posted to. So far, I have seen little reason to join in. It's a shame, too, since once upon a time the rolls calls were active with people who wanted to be sociable.

 

What is the difference of chatting with others before you cruise and joining them on tours than getting on a ship tour with probably many more people? We shared several tours with 6-8 others on our Greek Isles cruise, which 2 others had gotten together and 2 that I got together. Everyone was very nice, some more talkative than others, but not a problem at all. The main things about going with a few others was the price was much less and it was like we had our own private tour guide, and we could hear what they were saying! We passed by many ship tours that had 20-50 people all while enjoying our own small group! And they kept us in front of all of those large ship groups! You don't have to become lifelong friends just because you share a tour with any of them.

Don't knock it till you try it.

StreakedBlonde

[kazu]

What is the difference of chatting with others before you cruise and joining them on tours than getting on a ship tour with probably many more people? We shared several tours with 6-8 others on our Greek Isles cruise, which 2 others had gotten together and 2 that I got together. Everyone was very nice, some more talkative than others, but not a problem at all. The main things about going with a few others was the price was much less and it was like we had our own private tour guide, and we could hear what they were saying! We passed by many ship tours that had 20-50 people all while enjoying our own small group! And they kept us in front of all of those large ship groups! You don't have to become lifelong friends just because you share a tour with any of them.

 

Don't knock it till you try it.

StreakedBlonde

 

Personally, and this is just me, I like to have a level of comfort on whom I am going to spend 6-9 hours on a tour with.

 

 

sure you can meet them on board, and yes it's often good, but not always. One bad apple can spoil the barrel so I prefer to get a 'sense' in advance if I can through the roll calls and emails.

 

 

I am well aware of the $ you save. I've done many a private tour, but I would far rather have one less couple if they are not travellers and pay a bit more than have an additional that make demands that make me cringe. (Think asking for an Idaho potato in Morocco).

[RuthC]

Don't knock it till you try it.

Ah, but I have tried it, so I am free to "knock" it.

 

It's one thing to go off with a few friends who are willing to compromise a little so that all can have a good time. It's even fine to head out with people you have never met, but know you are simpatico with.

It's something else entirely to be confined in a van needing to hold your tongue to keep peace when you would rather run screaming from someone you are sorry you met. Saving a few dollars is never worth that.

[kazu]

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Ah, but I have tried it, so I am free to "knock" it.

 

It's one thing to go off with a few friends who are willing to compromise a little so that all can have a good time. It's even fine to head out with people you have never met, but know you are simpatico with.

It's something else entirely to be confined in a van needing to hold your tongue to keep peace when you would rather run screaming from someone you are sorry you met. Saving a few dollars is never worth that.

 

+1

 

You said that so much better than I

 

(y)

[Fouremco]

We've had really enjoyable excursions when we've known no one in advance and others where we had known each other through the roll call, meet and greet, slot pulls and the like. We've found that people are more gregarious in smaller excursion groups, but the odds increase when you've had the opportunity to get to know the others before hand.

[bennybear]

So agree, the majority are wonderful but it only takes one to leave a really bad Taste!

[doublebzz]

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Ah, but I have tried it, so I am free to "knock" it.

 

It's one thing to go off with a few friends who are willing to compromise a little so that all can have a good time. It's even fine to head out with people you have never met, but know you are simpatico with.

It's something else entirely to be confined in a van needing to hold your tongue to keep peace when you would rather run screaming from someone you are sorry you met. Saving a few dollars is never worth that.

I am clearly not understanding what is being said in this post and others like it. Are you saying exchanging social tidbits on a roll call provides some sort of insight of how that person will interact on a private tour? I doubt it. What are the alternatives to a small, semi-private tour arranged through roll call - taking a ship's tour with 45-60 people on a bus or arranging a completely private tour for one couple? If the latter is the case, we are talking about a lot more than "a few dollars". I have done many roll call tours during 50+ cruises and there were a few cases where differences arose about the tour itinerary and some folks were less than compatible. However, I can't recall any instance where these aberrations in any way lessened my enjoyment of the tour.

[RuthC]

I am clearly not understanding what is being said in this post and others like it. Are you saying exchanging social tidbits on a roll call provides some sort of insight of how that person will interact on a private tour? I doubt it.

Different strokes for different folks, and all that.

If the latter is the case, we are talking about a lot more than "a few dollars".

Saving money isn't everything. Sometimes it isn't even the first (or second, third, etc.) thing.