Rejuvenation

[Anoynmous Phoenix]

HELP.

 

Not only me but also yourself AND Cruise Critic.

 

I first heard of Cruise Critic on the Star going through the Suez Canal in October 2016.

Since then, I have attended many Meet & Greets; some excellent, most great but a few terrible ones.

I have also arranged a number and have; in two guises; posted over 14,000 times on Cruise Critic. 

I have also arranged a number of dinners and/or lunches for Cruise Critic friends.

 

Early this year I stood back from Cruise Critic but returned recently and am horrified at what seems to have happened to Cruise Critic.

I am 80 and don’t think my health and my wife’s health will allow us to do many cruises after we do the 8 we have “in the pipeline”.

It is raining today so I had time to look critically at the Roll Calls of those 8.

 

What I want people to think about is “How does Cruise Critic reinvent itself?”   It is no longer number ONE!

 

Below is a table of the 8 cruises showing the ship; date of the cruise; posts on the Roll Call and the numbers of followers of the Roll Call.

 

Four of the cruises have “self-addition” spreadsheets so I have included the number of Cruise Critic names on each (Spread) and then numbers indicating attendance at a M&G.  There seems no likelihood of a Cruise Critic Meet & Greet on the other four.

 

Ship		Date		Posts		Followers		Spread		M&G
Spirit		4-Jan		60		7
		16-Jan		62		5
Jewel		21-Mar		71		12		7		5
		31-Mar		222		15		14		20
		10-Apr		252		29		21		37
		22-Apr		65		11		11		13
Pride		18-May		12		4
		25-May		4		2

 

My concern from these numbers, when I think back to the wonderful period before Covid, is that Cruise Critic is entering a period of a long and painful death.   That would be a pity as Cruise Critic has been good to us and I have enjoyed the camaraderie of it.

 

I am sure that a Mod will see this and pass it on to those in charge of Cruise Critic BUT I hope that as many of you who care as much for Cruise Critic as I do will put your thinking caps on and contact the Cruise Critic Community at community@cruisecritic.com with ideas to return Cruise Critic to the number one position for the promulgation of assistance when cruising.  

I believe that, at best, it is losing that position and, at worst, has already lost it.

 

Aroha Nui

 

Nāku noa, nā Anoynmous Phoenix.

[ChiefMateJRK]

Why do you think that roll call participation is a measure of overall health/activity of an internet discussion forum?

[Russiamomm]

I still find CC extremely helpful for general information.  But I think the Roll Calls are dying.  They are being replaced by groups on another site that I cannot name.  Personally, I find the other site much more useful for a variety of reasons, primarily the ability to message each other to arrange excursions and meetups.  My personal opinion is that CC’s rules about naming other sites and disabling the ability to personally message other members is going to be its downfall, at least with regard to roll calls for specific cruises.

[The Traveling Man]

3 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Why do you think that roll call participation is a measure of overall health/activity of an internet discussion forum?

Excellent point.  However, I also have noticed a decline in interest of IRL get togethers  on board.  In past years we might see several dozen to as many as a hundred folks at a M&G.  On a recent cruise on the Dawn, there were more officers present than passengers.

[schmoopie17]

Roll call participation (or lack thereof) has nothing to do with the popularity of cruising or of CC. Probably the majority of people on any given cruise ship have never even heard of CC. 

 

Many people who sign up for Meet and Greets don't even show up. The Roll Calls are useful for sharing excursion ideas, places to stay before the cruise, etc., but I doubt there is little value beyond such things. Gift exchanges...meh. Cabin crawls...meh. Ducks...meh. Maybe it's just me(h),

[Anoynmous Phoenix]

@schmoopie17

 

Probably the majority of people on any given cruise ship have never even heard of CC. 

 

Very true but how many who do know advertise the fact by having a sheet on their cabin door.   Cruise Critic has a great one to advertise that you belong.

 

I have.

 

A P

[Anoynmous Phoenix]

@schmoopie17

 

Many people who sign up for Meet and Greets don't even show up.

 

A quote from  https://boards.cruisecritic.com.au/topic/1240211-how-to-set-up-a-cruise-critic-meet-mingle-or-meet-greet-on-your-ncl-cruise/#comment-25428559

 

 

Tip from LauraS: If you RSVP that you are going to the Meet & Mingle, PLEASE GO! If the cruise line takes the time to set up a special gathering for Cruise Critic members, we should definitely do our best to attend.

 

My NUMBER ONE personal rule for attending anything; If I say I will attend, I COMMIT to doing so, and do so.

 

If you look at the Roll Call Spreadsheets I quoted earlier you will see I have put "MAYBE".

 

A P

[The Traveling Man]

1 hour ago, schmoopie17 said:

Roll call participation (or lack thereof) has nothing to do with the popularity of cruising or of CC. Probably the majority of people on any given cruise ship have never even heard of CC. 

 

Many people who sign up for Meet and Greets don't even show up. The Roll Calls are useful for sharing excursion ideas, places to stay before the cruise, etc., but I doubt there is little value beyond such things. Gift exchanges...meh. Cabin crawls...meh. Ducks...meh. Maybe it's just me(h),

The cabin crawl can be fun, especially when someone in the group has one of the more spectacular suites and is willing to host a party / reception in their suite at the end of the crawl.  I would have to agree, however, with your assessment of the other activities at a typical M&G.  To my way of thinking, though, the real benefit of a M&G is the opportunity to get to know and exchange hints & tips with other seasoned cruisers.  No matter how many times we sail (well over 40 cruises) I always manage to learn something new or gain some new insight from my fellow travelers.

[Anoynmous Phoenix]

@schmoopie17

 

The Roll Calls are useful for sharing excursion ideas, places to stay before the cruise, etc., but I doubt there is little value beyond such things.

I think that useful is not strong enough; it is fabulous when there are enough people actually taking part; too few these days.

 

Gift exchanges...meh. Cabin crawls...meh. Ducks...meh. Maybe it's just me(h),   I agree totally and let me add Slot Pulls and Pub Crawl but each to his own.

 

However can I push the Meet & Greet; properly arranged; they are fabulous.   If there are 40 people (20 couples) there then you should have spoken with at least 20 during the meeting and then have an arranged lunch afterwards to meet the others!!   Finish off with a dinner ⅔ of the way through the cruise.

 

A P

 

 

[Anoynmous Phoenix]

@The Traveling Man

 

Hello James

 

So you're saying that you intended it to be interpreted as "Annoying Mouse" ???

 

I think, if you think back you will know one reason; a request (demand) for Anonymity!!

 

The other is personal.   A number of years ago Day 1 of a cruise had; in the Freestyle Daily, that DJ ANOYNMOUS was to "play".  I checked and it was too late to change before Day 2 but on Day 3 it had been corrected to DJ ANONYMOUS.   I was on B2B and, YES!, on Day 1 of the second cruise what would appear in the Freestyle Daily but DJ ANOYNMOUS!!   It makes me smile to think of it; it proved that no one on the ship ever Proof Read the Freestyle Daily.

A couple of years later on another cruise we had a great laugh about it when I called across the deck "Hey Anoynmous"!!

 

A P

Edited November 17, 2023 by Anoynmous Phoenix

[SoloAlaska]

I’m new blood on CC and new to cruising. I’m also far younger than most people on CC which can sometimes be hard. There are generational differences, plenty of trolls, and more drama than necessary. My upcoming cruise has a fairly active roll call and planning all those different events, I can’t wait. 

[ChiefMateJRK]

1 hour ago, Anoynmous Phoenix said:

Tip from LauraS: If you RSVP that you are going to the Meet & Mingle, PLEASE GO! If the cruise line takes the time to set up a special gathering for Cruise Critic members, we should definitely do our best to attend.

I do the opposite.  I don't sign up or say that I'll attend.  Then, if I feel like going when the time comes, I show up.  If it was cancelled due to lack of interest, so what?  I've never heard any complaints about too many people showing up.

[MagnoliaBlossom]

I used to participate in roll calls and attended meet and greets all the time, especially on longer cruises with port intensive itineraries with lots of information to share.  But it seemed after a while the host of the MnG did not have any idea in how to conduct a meeting and the whole time was spent passing around a microphone so people who didn’t know how to use one could go on and on and . . Yu get it about nothing relevant, so now I stop in long enough to pick up the card with the officers name and numbers (the real jewel of the meeting, IMHO).  The roll calls on the social media site can be pretty rude, so I may read them, but seldom post.  I find many of the posters there to be anything but seasoned cruisers and there is a lot of misinformation there.  There is on CC, too at times, but it’s the Wild West over there.
I do think it was a disservice to the CC members when they stopped the PM function. And 

[Anoynmous Phoenix]

@MagnoliaBlossom

 

But it seemed after a while the host of the MnG did not have any idea in how to conduct a meeting and the whole time was spent passing around a microphone so people who didn’t know how to use one could go on and on and .   

Preparation and a Plan!!   Have something arranged so people do MEET & GREET while on their FEET not BOTTOMS.

 

... the officers name and numbers (the real jewel of the meeting, IMHO).   I agree but people NEED to be told how to use it and the "Dear GM" box for either to be effective.

[hallux]

4 hours ago, Russiamomm said:

But I think the Roll Calls are dying.  They are being replaced by groups on another site that I cannot name

The issue with that, if people want the M&G's to continue, is that the M&G as we know it was a courtesy given by nature of being affiliated with CC.  No CC, no M&G.  Maybe people want that, IDK.  Anyone organizing a M&G strictly through the other site (but trying to get the benefits of the CC M&G) is doing so disingenuously.  I thought at one point that CC didn't want people cross-organizing the M&G on CC and that other site, but it seems to be a common practice now just so they can get the participation numbers up to qualify for setting one up.

 

That said - the roll-call for my upcoming cruise seems to be relatively 'active' compared to what the OP (who seems to need a quoting lesson, it's difficult to understand what they wrote and what someone else wrote) has seen.

 

 

[Anoynmous Phoenix]

@hallux

 

The issue with that, if people want the M&G's to continue, is that the M&G as we know it was a courtesy given by nature of being affiliated with CC.  No CC, no M&G.   And so it should be

 

 Anyone organizing a M&G strictly through the other site (but trying to get the benefits of the CC M&G) is doing so disingenuously.   I hope that NCL stamps on this heavily.   The CC M&G is a Private Arrangement between NCL & CC.   If others want the benefits let them make an arrangement with NCL.

 

I thought at one point that CC didn't want people cross-organizing the M&G on CC and that other site, but it seems to be a common practice now just so they can get the participation numbers up to qualify for setting one up.   I hope this is not so; I far prefer a where attendees are at least on Cruise Critic and would prefer them to be active on here.

 

 

.... who seems to need a quoting lesson, it's difficult to understand what they wrote and what someone else wrote   I hope you can understand what I have written in answer to your post.   If you wrote it, it is italicized; if I wrote it, it isn't.   As always.

 

 

[Ellaleah]

I would like to give a shout out to Cruise Critic.  I have used it for several years and am always amazed at how easy it is to use.  I have been on over a dozen cruises on assorted lines.  I spend a lot of time surfing the cruiseline websites.  They need to take a lesson from CC as several are ever so challenging to use.  I think that one thing that makes CC successful is the ease of use.  I have garnered a lot of useful and money saving information.  I ama fan!

[sunshine55]

I was educated on cruising through Cruise Critic and continue to do so.  Arranged or attended many M&G and additional activies for cruise critic groups.  Just getting back into cruising and discovered many use F-B which I dislike for many reasons. IMHO It seems particpants on F-B hop on for fast answers and do no research on their own.  Cruise Critic gives a wealth of info ..if one researches.  Roll calls on Cruise Critic I found are much more enjoyable.  Whole different generation of cruisers now..

 

 

 

[Anoynmous Phoenix]

I had hoped that my initial posting to start this thread might have brought forward suggestions as how to make Cruise Critic more used and more useful.   It needs a large number of new active “subscribers” if it to be any use at all.

 

The statement by @schmoopie17; “Probably the majority of people on any given cruise ship have never even heard of CC.”; started me thinking.

 

How do you “sell” anything most effectively?  By Advertising.   What is the best advertising?   Personal Contact.   Where is the best place to contact people who cruise?  On Cruise Ships.   How much advertising does Cruise Critic do to people actually on Cruise Ships?    NONE!!

 

Reading the few comments so far one thing that would help would to make available again the ability to MESSAGE.   That function has been gone for a while (Why was it discontinued?) and is really missed.   That sort of function seems to be a heavy selling point elsewhere.

 

Then an effective way of communicating is to have an unpaid, knowledgeable Cruise Critic “Representative” on every cruise who could advertise his/her presence by putting a flier in every cabin door “box”.

 

We need as much positive “material” as possible to increase the “population” of Cruise Critic.

Please help .

 

Anoynmous Phoenix

[ChiefMateJRK]

1 hour ago, Anoynmous Phoenix said:

I had hoped that my initial posting to start this thread might have brought forward suggestions as how to make Cruise Critic more used and more useful.   It needs a large number of new active “subscribers” if it to be any use at all.

Why?  It is used and useful right now.

[Anoynmous Phoenix]

@ChiefMateJRK

 

I think you missed two words; MORE and MORE.   I agree it is useful and used but not as used or useful as it used to be.

 

In general if you look at the posters then many, if not most, have posted a great deal and there are few who are starting to use Cruise Critic.   We need starter cruisers to be the next generation of the knowledgeable users of Cruise Critic.

 

 

[TQuila]

2 hours ago, Anoynmous Phoenix said:

How do you “sell” anything most effectively?  By Advertising.   What is the best advertising?   Personal Contact.   Where is the best place to contact people who cruise?  On Cruise Ships.   How much advertising does Cruise Critic do to people actually on Cruise Ships?    NONE!!

I would argue that the best way to advertise would be for CC to actually purchase ad space on that other site in the cruising groups. Barring that, another option might be to provide some boilerplate text that those of us that are on both platforms could post in those groups, explaining the benefits of CC. I noticed that for my upcoming sailing, there are 180 people in the group on the other platform, and 20 following the thread on CC. I posted a quick note with a link to CC and instructions for how to access the roll call. I'm no marketing major, so I'm sure someone else could have sold it better, but I'll let you know if any of those 180 folks bites, as I would also argue that it's better to advertise BEFORE the cruise. If you attract new cruisers on the ship, great, but it doesn't do much to bolster the M&G numbers for that particular sailing.

[SoloAlaska]

One way for CC to grow is using influencers. Cruise influencers are a major source of information to newer cruisers who watch YouTube videos, read blogposts, follow social media of these influencers. 

[Rob_H]

15 hours ago, Anoynmous Phoenix said:

Below is a table of the 8 cruises showing the ship; date of the cruise; posts on the Roll Call and the numbers of followers of the Roll Call. ...

 

Ship		Date		Posts		Followers		Spread		M&G
Spirit		4-Jan		60		7
		16-Jan		62		5
Jewel		21-Mar		71		12		7		5
		31-Mar		222		15		14		20
		10-Apr		252		29		21		37
		22-Apr		65		11		11		13
Pride		18-May		12		4
		25-May		4		2

 

 

As your table shows, it's the more unique (and especially longer) cruises that still attract some interest and activity.  If it's a routine 12 day Au/NZ or PoA Hawaii or a Caribbean, it has a different market that has an (even) lower proportion of Cruise Critic members.  It also helps if the solo supplement has been low for a while. 

 

Several things have caused the decline in the Cruise Critic message boards.  A large one is that the owners (Tripadvisor) are not putting any effort into promoting that such a thing exists.  I've pointed many people to cruise critic and all they see is another cruise sales site, the word "boards" tucked away on the corner means nothing to a generation not raised on BBSes and AOL.  I presume it's because the boards are seen as a cost, everything else is the stuff that brings in the money.  Few new people will find the boards by going to the home page, that's probably intentional (channel them to the sales instead).

 

The other thing, as many have said, is the closure of direct messages.  If you have to send people to another place for private messages, all the communication will move there.  Don't drive your users directly to the competition by removing essential features.

 

 

 

[Barb Nahoumi]

One reason that the roll calls may be dying out, is that folks might not want to advertise to the whole world, that they will not be home during a given period, and that their home would be vacant.........An open invitation to thieves.  

 

Once onboard, cruise directors, and guest services should be able to do more to promote Cruise Critic's activities, and sign people up.