Does it annoy you

[misty57]

to find a thread ( esp the roll calls) deteriorating into a private chat session totally off topic? When I check the roll call thread for my upcoming cruise, it seems that only 2 people are posting and are discussing their personal lives and their children's activities which have nothing to do with the cruise in question. This may sound very negative, and I know that I also have digressed when posting from time to time, but I wish the moderators would keep tabs on some of these threads and delete the posts that continue on for days with unrelated chatting. If you want to talk to an individual about other things, why not exchange email addresses? JMHO:p

[Cruising-along]

Yes and no.....it wouldn't bother me on a roll call thread, because in that case it's a good way to get to know your fellow cruisers on your roll call before the cruise.

 

Now on any other thread, yes, it does annoy me!

[misty57]

I guess it is a good way to introduce yourself to others on the same cruise, but I also think the roll calls should be a way to find out what others are planning for their excursions, a forum for questions related to that sailing or ship... but a continual conversation about "how was your weekend.... is little Suzy still teething... things like that totally block others out. One or two posts are fine.. but back and forth like that for days on end just turn the thread into their personal blog.

[cherylandtk]

Roll Call content is pretty much determined by the participants; if you want to change the content of yours, you need to post more frequently on the subjects you would like to include.

[iheartbda]

I asked this same question one time and was told in no uncertain terms by several to just not read the posts...probably by the ones doing it.:(

[GottaLuvCruising]

Does it annoy you to find a thread ( esp the roll calls) deteriorating into a private chat session totally off topic?

 

No. If there is a thread I want to participate in, I do. If not, I don't. There are plenty of threads that don't interest me at all and I just ignore them. I just don't see that there's an issue if a few people "run away with" a particular thread...I can read another.

[AuntieBon]

to find a thread ( esp the roll calls) deteriorating into a private chat session totally off topic? When I check the roll call thread for my upcoming cruise, it seems that only 2 people are posting and are discussing their personal lives and their children's activities which have nothing to do with the cruise in question. This may sound very negative, and I know that I also have digressed when posting from time to time, but I wish the moderators would keep tabs on some of these threads and delete the posts that continue on for days with unrelated chatting. If you want to talk to an individual about other things, why not exchange email addresses? JMHO:p

 

If there are only two people posting on the roll call then perhaps those folks are trying to keep it visible so that when people join they can find it. If you don't like the chatter, then try to steer them back to on topic.

 

Whatever you do don't check out any of the Saints & Sinners roll calls as everyone, new and old "chats" there and as a solo cruiser I appreciate that. It made it easier for me to sail with a bunch of strangers that are now good friends!

[Dona March]

I thought that is what a role call is for, to get to know other people you will be sailing with, they do get a lttle personal but isn't that how you get to know strangers, anyone can join in any time talk about ports of call the ship etc, I like the personal part of it as well as the cruise talk.

[sail7seas]

It doesn't annoy me when people get into private conversations either on a Roll Call or any other Board.

 

After you go to a certain Board for a long time, you get to know people. You make friends. Those chatty friendships keep those Boards humming along during the quiet times when there are few others coming and posting. Without folks who 'keep chatting' , the Boards would have some extremely quiet times and when someone new 'came visiting' they would not find anything. Between the chit chat, there is always a lot of information on the individual cruise line Boards. I think a certain latitude needs to be permitted (within some boundaries) for personalities to interact.

 

Anyone who doesn't want to read it can 'sail on by'.

 

As to private conversation between two people on a Roll Call, if they are the only two there, what's the difference. No one else is participating. If you want some info about the cruise/ports etc. Ask. Start the conversation to the direction you want it to go.

 

[cv322]

I frankly love the personal chat as it allows me to get to know my cruisemates a little better. I find that as we draw closer to the sail date it actually gets down to business....excursions, shipboard activities, meet n greet, how are you getting to the pier etc. :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

Some of the Roll Calls are totally out of control. I have seen some with over 11,000 posts and most of it was all garbage!! "Good Morning Mary" "Good morning Mike", etc. And each of them was a a new post.

Some people are doing it just to raise their post count.

I have given up making any sense on one of our up-coming Roll Calls. I answered it 2 times, went away on a cruise, came back and decided that I wasn't going to wade through pages and pages of nonsense.

[Putterdude]

I just blank out what I don''t care to read.

[AuntieBon]

Some of the Roll Calls are totally out of control. I have seen some with over 11,000 posts and most of it was all garbage!! "Good Morning Mary" "Good morning Mike", etc. And each of them was a a new post.

Some people are doing it just to raise their post count.

I have given up making any sense on one of our up-coming Roll Calls. I answered it 2 times, went away on a cruise, came back and decided that I wasn't going to wade through pages and pages of nonsense.

 

I've had a roll call get up to 60k posts and many of them were GM posts. I like getting to know the folks that I'm sailing with but understand that others might not. As they say in twelve step meetings, "take what you want and leave the rest" :)

 

As for post counts, you have a healthy number. Congratulations on being a commentor. I tend to be more a reader than a writer but to each their own.

[KKB]

and I am one of the chattiest!

 

It is very frustrating when you find a roll call and no one posts, so it falls so deep you cannot even find it!

 

I have made lifelong friends on these roll calls. We get to know each other online, meet & have a wonderful time on the ship, then continue the friendship online afterward.

 

If one does not want to participate, one does not need to.

 

Cruise topics are discussed, as well as personal issues.

 

I will say that personally, post count has NEVER entered my mind, and I doubt it has entered any others.

 

Much of our discussion involves "what are you wearing?" "what are you doing on ports?" But to keep a roll call alive certainly involves conversation beyond that.

 

There are certainly chatty posters, and quiet ones. Just like real life.

[lady_cruiser]

We cruised the Voyager in January and there was a group of about 10 people that had there own private conservation in the community Meet and Mingle section. Literally ignoring the questions from others. They had hundreds and hundreds posts of private conservations going on. And they were still communicating with each other months after the cruise.

[karenem]

If a roll call doesn't get posts, will it eventually get removed? I can't find mine (only a couple of posts--apparently my family and one other group will be on an empty ship).

[Kanukkacruise]

Yes, those that go overboard become annoying. I'm involved in three roll calls at the moment. The one where many of us feel we've become well acquainted is the one with the least "back & forth" between just a few folks trying to undo each other in the "I'm just too funny" department. In one roll call in particular, I'd love to post asking two or three of them to exchange email addresses and chatter between themselves. They talk about their pets that died, their extended family that is sick, post one cartoon after another, etc., etc., etc. There are roll call hogs as well as chair hogs. I do like to hear where people are from, how many kids they have, if they are employed or retired, what the weather is like in their part of the country, how many times they've cruised, what excursions they are booking, where they are staying precruise, what airline, and I also get really tickled at the humorous comments. The poster who said some of these roll calls are simply "a personal blog" hit the nail on the head.

[sail7seas]

We cruised the Voyager in January and there was a group of about 10 people that had there own private conservation in the community Meet and Mingle section. Literally ignoring the questions from others. They had hundreds and hundreds posts of private conservations going on. And they were still communicating with each other months after the cruise.

 

 

 

I supplied the underline and that is the only part I have a problem with. IMO, it's fine to chat away on Roll Calls as long as no one is ignored and chatters at least acknowledge a question has been asked......even if they are unable to answer it.

 

Sometimes a question is not answered because no one knows the answer but it should never be ignored IMO

[SnorkelMoose]

( Does it annoy you)to find a thread ( esp the roll calls) deteriorating into a private chat session totally off topic?

 

Yes!

[CoolChile]

If a roll call doesn't get posts, will it eventually get removed? I can't find mine (only a couple of posts--apparently my family and one other group will be on an empty ship).

 

Hi Karenem. I checked your previous posts to see what cruise you're on. Looked for your roll call just for fun :p and found it easily. Here's what toodoo: Go to the roll calls for Dawn Princess, scroll to bottom to "Display Options." Select what time period you want ... default is 1 month so that's why you're not seeing your thread as last post was March 10 ... then click "Show threads." Ta da! You're there, darlin'.

 

Post on your roll call again, asking if anyone is joining your fun-loving, albeit small group, and bam-o, you'll be back on top of the (roll call) world again. Let me know how you did.

 

Do you mind another tip? "Subscribe" to your roll-call thread so you'll get instant email notification when sometimes posts on your thread. Just ask if you're not sure how.

 

Hope you and your DF (dear family ;) ) have a wonderful Alaska cruise. We did one on Princess and loved every second. :D

[misty57]

OK! Some are bothered and others are not. I usually skip over the private conversation posts but after a while that's all that is posted! I will experiment with one suggestion. I am going to the roll call and post a question or a comment and see if I can steer things back on topic.

I do agree with one comment, I don't mind finding out demographic info about people... esp if you are cruising with your children ... airline info, precruise info etc. Anyway.. wish me luck!:D

[karenem]

Thanks much! I'm pretty new to this and didn't realize you could choose the time.

 

I'll try posting again soon. Maybe there will be some new people as the date gets closer.

[Jungle Jane]

Yeah, that totally bugs me...

 

 

 

Hi Iheart! Can you believe that thong thread?! Anyway, I LOVE LOVE LOVE that turquoise dress and I totally think you should GET IT. When does Desperate Heather get back from her cruise??

 

 

 

I'M KIDDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(not really, Hi Iheart for real!! LOL!)

 

Anyway, it really doesn't bug me probably b'c I am very inquisitive (ok nosy) and not very much of a down-to-business stay-on-topic person. I guess if I had asked a specific question and the thread got totally hijacked...but no, even then it wouldn't upset me. I'd probably just say "HEL LO people! Answer the question!" or I'd just follow along with the convo in the direction it was headed.

Sorry ;)

[iheartbda]

Yeah, that totally bugs me...

 

 

 

Hi Iheart! Can you believe that thong thread?! Anyway, I LOVE LOVE LOVE that turquoise dress and I totally think you should GET IT. When does Desperate Heather get back from her cruise??

 

 

 

I'M KIDDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(not really, Hi Iheart for real!! LOL!)

 

 

Hey Jane...where ya' been? Still on the fence about the dress.

 

Kidding as well.:D

 

Sometimes things just naturally evolve into something other than the original post but still keep everyone involved and that doesn't bother me in the least.:cool: But I do agree with the OP when it becomes a private session totally off topic.

[TMWTim]

I understand what the OP is getting at. It can be a pain. I run/admin 2 saltwater fishing forums and visit several other forums daily and it is going to happen. Best bet is to turn off any 'instant email notification' if you have it turned on. We are going on our first 'real' cruise in May and my first visit here last month I had to go back I think 3 pages on 'Roll Call' to find the date I am traveling on. I actually liked that as I knew it was staying on topic. Thankfully that thread has stayed on topic as I have it on instant notification. For me, if my Roll Call thread was pages and pages of OT chat then I wouldn't even bother posting on it. I would probably check it now and then but I wouldn't want to sort out all the 'chat' in search of the actual on topic info. Also, not having a PM feature (that I know of or could find) will cause a lot of OT chat.