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I've been on two roll calls. First one was nice (LA to Hawaii and back -14 day) but didn't really connect with anyone. It was nice to meet the Captain for a few minutes.
The second roll call nobody created a meet and greet so that was a bomb.
I'm currently trying a third time. Alaska cruise and it was nice that someone offered to set up a meet and greet. They were also willing to set up tours as they had been there 4 times already and had some good contacts. I will attend a M & G but I won't be in charge of one. I've done enough of that before..
Cruise Critic is a wealth of information especially if you are new to cruising.
The biggest problem with Cruise Critic is the "cheerleaders" who refuse to accept posts that portray their favorite line as anything but absolute nirvana. I can remember Carnival cheerleaders who literally thought it was no big deal when the one ship was without power or toilets in the Gulf for a few days. Royal Caribbean has them as well. They are complete bullies to anyone who has anything negative to say about a given ship or line. I swear some of those people would think it was OK if a ship sank and killed a bunch of people. Oh, right, they are there--look at Costa.
At the risk of sounding like a buzzkill (nminta avert your eyes ) I have come to the sad conclusion that way too many people are flakes. They say they will show up but their word is worth nothing.
We had great fun with a CC group of about 20 on a 2006 cruise. However.... some people were "normal", some were just weird and creepy. Being a guy it didn't bother me so much as it bothered the "normal" women in our group.
We tried to repeat that in 2008 but with mixed success. People has already formed cliques (especially women) and tended to mingle only with their friends.
Overall it's a mixed bag. Not quite the same as cruising with your friends, though ideally it should be.
At the risk of sounding like a buzzkill (nminta avert your eyes ) I have come to the sad conclusion that way too many people are flakes. They say they will show up but their word is worth nothing.
We had great fun with a CC group of about 20 on a 2006 cruise. However.... some people were "normal", some were just weird and creepy. Being a guy it didn't bother me so much as it bothered the "normal" women in our group.
We tried to repeat that in 2008 but with mixed success. People has already formed cliques (especially women) and tended to mingle only with their friends.
Overall it's a mixed bag. Not quite the same as cruising with your friends, though ideally it should be.
Oh, I agree with you 100%. This is my biggest gripe, the no shows. Yes, things happen, people intend on coming but just seem to find something else to interest them or they get busy. As for the cliques, I haven't noticed that as much. I have noticed couples who do just jell and end up spending a lot of time together, even staying in touch after the cruise. As for some weirdos, that happens also.On a recent cruise there was one guy and yes, he was strange that wanted to sell everyoe in the group a copy of the book he had written. BTW, someone did buy it and apparently it would not be the type of book you would want your kids or someone in your church to be reading. M&Gs just are better than others.
Annerk: yes, people posting on CC are often loyal and defensive of their favorite ship or cruise line, just like here. I would expect this, wouldn't you? If you read CC enough you do get a good cross section of remarks and opinions. This is true with reading Trip Advisor or any similar website. People have opinions and not eveyone agrees with them. I think you have done the same with your support of a few cruise lines on here and your negative feelings about mass marketed lines. We all do this to some degree; only difference, some are more objective than others.
Oh, I agree with you 100%. This is my biggest gripe, the no shows. Yes, things happen, people intend on coming but just seem to find something else to interest them or they get busy. As for the cliques, I haven't noticed that as much. I have noticed couples who do just jell and end up spending a lot of time together, even staying in touch after the cruise. As for some weirdos, that happens also.On a recent cruise there was one guy and yes, he was strange that wanted to sell everyoe in the group a copy of the book he had written. BTW, someone did buy it and apparently it would not be the type of book you would want your kids or someone in your church to be reading. M&Gs just are better than others.
Annerk: yes, people posting on CC are often loyal and defensive of their favorite ship or cruise line, just like here. I would expect this, wouldn't you? If you read CC enough you do get a good cross section of remarks and opinions. This is true with reading Trip Advisor or any similar website. People have opinions and not eveyone agrees with them. I think you have done the same with your support of a few cruise lines on here and your negative feelings about mass marketed lines. We all do this to some degree; only difference, some are more objective than others.
However I have given specific reasons for not liking certain lines, and have often added to each their own. I like people to be aware of what they are booking, and realize that what they see in the pictures is not what they get. The photos never show people arguing over tables in the buffet, screaming kids, puking drunks, fist fights, and crowds.
Location: Scott County, Tennessee/by way of Detroit
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cfa-ish
At the risk of sounding like a buzzkill (nminta avert your eyes ) I have come to the sad conclusion that way too many people are flakes. They say they will show up but their word is worth nothing.
We had great fun with a CC group of about 20 on a 2006 cruise. However.... some people were "normal", some were just weird and creepy. Being a guy it didn't bother me so much as it bothered the "normal" women in our group.
We tried to repeat that in 2008 but with mixed success. People has already formed cliques (especially women) and tended to mingle only with their friends.
Overall it's a mixed bag. Not quite the same as cruising with your friends, though ideally it should be.
That's not buzzkill..that there is the truth...I would always just come back to cruise critic after I had been fraternizing with these people for 8 mos or so and say what a good time on the cruise or comment good or bad... about the cruise.....2 people did that....the two that showed up at the M and G.....everybody else must have fallen off the ship!!! No correspondence at all....nada...
And that is fine, like someone said..I will never organize another M&G either especially with the last showing...too much work and frustration...people don't appreciate it...
However I have given specific reasons for not liking certain lines, and have often added to each their own. I like people to be aware of what they are booking, and realize that what they see in the pictures is not what they get. The photos never show people arguing over tables in the buffet, screaming kids, puking drunks, fist fights, and crowds.
17+ cruises, six different mass market lines, and I've NEVER seen any of those things - except a few screaming I crying children (not more than I would expect in a restaurant, grocery store or mall).
You believe you "like people to be aware of what they are booking" and perhaps that's true. However, the tone of your comments regularly makes us believe that what you REALLY like is to try to make others feel small, cheap or tasteless.
17+ cruises, six different mass market lines, and I've NEVER seen any of those things - except a few screaming I crying children (not more than I would expect in a restaurant, grocery store or mall).
You believe you "like people to be aware of what they are booking" and perhaps that's true. However, the tone of your comments regularly makes us believe that what you REALLY like is to try to make others feel small, cheap or tasteless.
Perhaps you've been lucky. I haven't seen fist fights in person (though have seen plenty of arguments) but there are plenty on YouTube. There were so many puking drunks (including teens) on Royal Caribbean after stopping in Cozumel that it was pitiful and disgusting. The cruise lines put out marketing materials showing desserted private beaches when what they should be showing is July 4th at Jones Beach. They also show these gourmet meals when in fact the regular menu includes such gourmet items as meat loaf and Mac N cheese, and if you want anything nicer, you have to pay extra for it. Of course that part is in the fine print.
By the way, no one can make you feel "small, cheap or tasteless" unless you let them.
However I have given specific reasons for not liking certain lines, and have often added to each their own. I like people to be aware of what they are booking, and realize that what they see in the pictures is not what they get. The photos never show people arguing over tables in the buffet, screaming kids, puking drunks, fist fights, and crowds.
my oh my, you must have gone on the lowest of the low cruise if you say any of what you are saying. I have lost count of how many cruises I have been on: never have I seen a: fist fight; scraming kids (well maybe a couple of times but rarely) puking drinks, in fact I have rarely seen anyone that was obviously drunk; anyone argueing over tables in the buffet or any of that. And as for just wanting to people to understand what they see in pictures may not be what they are getting: isn't that sort of a putdown and insult to those who are looking a pictures? Do you really think you people are not bright enough to know what word "advertising" means?
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) I have come to the sad conclusion that way too many people are flakes. They say they will show up but their word is worth nothing.
off the ship!!! No correspondence at all....nada...
