Star officers refuse to attend CC Meet and Greet

[MagnoliaBlossom]

On the 8/14 sailing last week our fearless leader had arranged for a  CC meet n greet.  The room was set up in the usual fashion with beverages and pastries, but the group coordinator seemed surprised when we asked how many officers would be attending and she left.  A few minutes later two officers, I could not tell who they were from where I was standing, but they told our leader that they don’t attend the meetings any longer.  She invited them to just come in and say hello, and they again declined.  They never set foot inside the room.  We were all stunned.  I’ve n ever been to a meet ngreet without at least a few officers.  I realize they are busy people but I must say, this was a first for me on NCL.  

[www3traveler]

Under the Covid Protcol, they have NOT been attending.  Some ship's are having Captain's Cocktail parties and others are not.  There have been no Captain pictures or Dining with the Officers either.  Now that Officers have the option to wear maks that MIGHT change.

[Turtles06]

7 minutes ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

She invited them to just come in and say hello, and they again declined.  They never set foot inside the room.  We were all stunned.  I’ve n ever been to a meet ngreet without at least a few officers.  I realize they are busy people but I must say, this was a first for me on NCL.  

 

Um, you do realize that covid is till around, right?  Have you sailed during the pandemic?  Most if not all cruise lines have adopted protocols to help keep officers, staff, and crew safe(r), which has meant eliminating contacts like this.

[ColeThornton]

Doesn't seem like a big deal. 

[EllieinNJ]

I don't think this is true.  We were on the Breakaway last September and there were officers at the m&g.  Just not the captain.

[FlGoodShips]

No officers at our M&G on the Joy. I'm sure it is for health and safety reasons. It was ok with us. 

[MagnoliaBlossom]

23 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

 

Um, you do realize that covid is till around, right?  Have you sailed during the pandemic?  Most if not all cruise lines have adopted protocols to help keep officers, staff, and crew safe(r), which has meant eliminating contacts like this.

If that was the rationale, then it should have been stated as such rather than blithely dismissing the opportunity to interact with guests.  May be the right protocol, but bad PR to have made the group feel dismissed.

[CILCIANRQTS]

2 minutes ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

If that was the rationale, then it should have been stated as such rather than blithely dismissing the opportunity to interact with guests.  May be the right protocol, but bad PR to have made the group feel dismissed.

It sounds like the group had very thin skins.

[debenson0723]

I have been on 5 NCL cruises in the past 11 months. 1 had a full on M&G with Officers, 2 had a M&G without Officers, and 2 wouldn't even let us have a M&G.  It is going to vary based on GM and ship. None of them had a Captain's Cocktail Party or photos with the Captain. Didn't effect my cruise at all.

[jetact]

Just got off the Bliss on Saturday and we had the Captain and probably 10 other officers at a cocktail party in the Haven. I am pretty sure none had masks on either. All of the officers were very chatty and kind. 

[SeaShark]

1 hour ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

If that was the rationale, then it should have been stated as such rather than blithely dismissing the opportunity to interact with guests.  May be the right protocol, but bad PR to have made the group feel dismissed.

 

Cruise Critic members on a cruise have the opportunity to interact with each other prior to the cruise on the Roll Call. Some participate for many weeks...even many months. These interactions are done from behind CC screen names.

 

The whole point of the Meet & Greet is to allow the Cruise Critic members an opportunity to meet and greet each other. We have to remember that this is not a "mingle with the officers" event. It is nice when officers can attend, but it is certainly not a requirement for the event.

 

As long as the CC members could meet and greet each other, then you have to be happy with a successful event.

[Yesimapirate]

I don't get the cruisers need to interact with officers like they're celebrities.  I've spent over 2,000 nights in hotels and I've never seen anyone complain they didn't get a picture with the housekeeping or food and beverage manager. 

[Oxo]

3 hours ago, www3traveler said:

Under the Covid Protcol, they have NOT been attending.  Some ship's are having Captain's Cocktail parties and others are not.  There have been no Captain pictures or Dining with the Officers either.  Now that Officers have the option to wear maks that MIGHT change.

Sorry to disagree! On the Joy Nov 2021 they attended 2 M&G or CC parties.

Now months later they do not?

 

Just got off MSC SEASHORE and they had two B2B parties with Officers. 

[Oxo]

1 hour ago, jetact said:

Just got off the Bliss on Saturday and we had the Captain and probably 10 other officers at a cocktail party in the Haven. I am pretty sure none had masks on either. All of the officers were very chatty and kind. 

We had the same  party on our B2B on the Joy in Nov 2021.

[MotownVoice]

2 hours ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

If that was the rationale, then it should have been stated as such rather than blithely dismissing the opportunity to interact with guests.  May be the right protocol, but bad PR to have made the group feel dismissed.

When you said this:  "...A few minutes later two officers, I could not tell who they were from where I was standing, but they told our leader that they don’t attend the meetings any longer..."

That was the part when they ... stated it.  Fun use of the word "blithely, though albeit incongruously used.

[JustAllie]

I was on the Jewel back in May, and because the person who started the Roll Call thread canceled her cruise, nobody on CC ended up organizing a Meet & Greet. In response, the ship organized one without our asking, and put it in the daily newsletter! About 8 officers attended, as well as about 15 CC members.  It was really mind-blowing to me how interested the General Manager on that cruise was in input from the CruiseCritic members. 

 

Obviously experiences will vary from ship to ship, but it's definitely worth trying to organize a Meet & Greet and to invite all the roll call members and the ship's officers as well. Can't hurt to try! 

[MeHeartCruising]

Even if this is not a policy across the fleet, I see absolutely nothing wrong with individual crews not attending.  Perhaps due to ship-specific instructions from their captain. I also see nothing wrong with individual crew members choosing to not participate in this optional event in order to minimize their interactions with a large number of people.  

 

There is nothing wrong here.  Time to move on.

[travelgirl50]

Hello, 

  I'm new to NCL . Going in January on Epic.  Trying to find out if there is a Meet & Greet?   Slot pull?

  Thank you foe any information.   Sue

[ColeThornton]

1 minute ago, travelgirl50 said:

Hello, 

  I'm new to NCL . Going in January on Epic.  Trying to find out if there is a Meet & Greet?   Slot pull?

  Thank you foe any information.   Sue

 

Click on the "find your roll call" link at the top of the page.

[www3traveler]

1 hour ago, JustAllie said:

I was on the Jewel back in May, and because the person who started the Roll Call thread canceled her cruise, nobody on CC ended up organizing a Meet & Greet. In response, the ship organized one without our asking, and put it in the daily newsletter! About 8 officers attended, as well as about 15 CC members.  It was really mind-blowing to me how interested the General Manager on that cruise was in input from the CruiseCritic members. 

 

Obviously experiences will vary from ship to ship, but it's definitely worth trying to organize a Meet & Greet and to invite all the roll call members and the ship's officers as well. Can't hurt to try! 

If your General Manager was Steven Jacobsen, he is always interested in what passengers have to say whether of not they are CC members.  Really nice guy!!

[Oxo]

1 hour ago, MeHeartCruising said:

Even if this is not a policy across the fleet, I see absolutely nothing wrong with individual crews not attending.  Perhaps due to ship-specific instructions from their captain. I also see nothing wrong with individual crew members choosing to not participate in this optional event in order to minimize their interactions with a large number of people.  

 

There is nothing wrong here.  Time to move on.

LOL! You must have a degree in PR?

[Laszlo]

5 hours ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

On the 8/14 sailing last week our fearless leader had arranged for a  CC meet n greet.  The room was set up in the usual fashion with beverages and pastries, but the group coordinator seemed surprised when we asked how many officers would be attending and she left.  A few minutes later two officers, I could not tell who they were from where I was standing, but they told our leader that they don’t attend the meetings any longer.  She invited them to just come in and say hello, and they again declined.  They never set foot inside the room.  We were all stunned.  I’ve n ever been to a meet ngreet without at least a few officers.  I realize they are busy people but I must say, this was a first for me on NCL.  

Stunned????

 

Officers have more important things to do than mingle with passengers. A CC Meet and Greet is to meet other passengers, not the crew. If you have an Officer at a meeting I guess that's a bonus 

[cruiseinfoseeker]

5 hours ago, FlGoodShips said:

No officers at our M&G on the Joy. I'm sure it is for health and safety reasons. It was ok with us. 

There were many at our Joy M&G at the end of May. The Cruise Director introduced them to us and few even briefly stayed after introductions to chat with us. 

Edited August 29, 2022 by cruiseinfoseeker
add ship name

[JustAllie]

1 hour ago, www3traveler said:

If your General Manager was Steven Jacobsen, he is always interested in what passengers have to say whether of not they are CC members.  Really nice guy!!

That was him!! He was top-notch.  My friend talked to him about an issue with disabled services at one of the ports, and he made sure the issue was addressed before we got to the next port stop. Plus he arranged a complimentary dinner at Cagney's as well.  He really turned around that cruise for my friend, who was about ready to give up on NCL.

[hrmkr]

I have never been to a Meet & Greet.  Going to my first on our Getaway cruise in November.

 

Can someone please explain to me what is the big deal about the Officers attending other than to say you have seen them.  It would be cool though to meet the captain but everyone else?

 

Do they give you anything or they just show their face and say hello and answer a few questions and leave.