Frustrated about "new" cruise meet groups VS "the olden days"

[NS8VN]

My wife was on the forum on our last cruise in '04 but I wasn't so I can't speak for the olden days much. When I book my cruise I will join the discussion on DIS for the cruise because it will be a relatively small group of people who are all part of this forum. Facebook at this point is practically like email: nearly everyone online has it. I am not all that interested in discussing the cruise with the entire boat. I would like to throw a green Mickey head magnet on my door, say hi to a couple of people, and it will be a little something extra to the trip. Not all that interested in FE (but hope those who do participate have a great time) and I don't really want to find a bunch of people to schedule an excursion with or mixology class or any other stuff. What I will look forward to is connecting with a small group, maybe hitting it off with one or two people, and take it from there. No chores, no structured planning outside of my own personal vacation, and especially no jackboot FB group admins

 

[phinz]

Pardon my ignorance, but what do you mean by sell their own FE?

They have their own Etsy site where they sell Fish Extenders. They pimp their goods while stifling any discussion about any other options. At least one of them is *terrible* at following through on her orders and gives sob stories whenever people hold her feet to the fire for their product.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I would like to throw a green Mickey head magnet on my door, say hi to a couple of people, and it will be a little something extra to the trip.

Sadly, even the green Mickey head has been usurped by other sites. Our last cruise I asked a couple of people (two different groups) who they were on the DISboards (due to their displaying the green Mickey head on their lanyards) and they looked at me like I had two heads. They had no idea what I was talking about. After asking a few more questions, turns out "their" group leader (on another site) had said "let's use this (the green Mickey head) to identify ourselves to each other".

 

[NS8VN]

Sadly, even the green Mickey head has been usurped by other sites. Our last cruise I asked a couple of people (two different groups) who they were on the DISboards (due to their displaying the green Mickey head on their lanyards) and they looked at me like I had two heads. They had no idea what I was talking about. After asking a few more questions, turns out "their" group leader (on another site) had said "let's use this (the green Mickey head) to identify ourselves to each other".

I know it is possible that was just random chance (lime green is a good choice for easily noticeable/seldom used color) but something deep down tells me it was "borrowed" from this site. All the more reason sometimes it might just be better to enjoy the cruise and not make a habit of seeking out others during it. Hard to say, 18 months til I plan on the next one happening so plenty of time for things and opinions to change.

 

[jenseib]

I personally like social media better than Dis these days for groups. I am not looking to participate in FE but I do like to chit chat with others who are cruising. I have never had a good Dis group to do that in. I have had some awesome social media ones and some crappy ones. I feel Dis is to restrictive, but again if you get a Nazi leader on social media then it could be no better.

 

[shelbell77]

I think she's notorious for that. The admin makes all of the difference. In all honesty, if you get a good one the FB format is much nicer than here.

This!!! We've never had a power hungry admin I guess. I find the format there much much nicer than here. Much easier to find what I'm looking for and interact with people.

 

[joyjanet]

although I have decided not to participate in a group fish extender this year, (I'm still hanging it outside the room, but will fill it myself for my children - that way they will still be happy and I won't have the stress over getting my gifts sorted - they just might end up with shop bought candies some days - but that's fine!)

I wish I had not joined the FE group. Most people just throw away the stuff you give them anyway. I should have just put up one for both rooms and do what you are doing. I would not be stressing right now. I would give my grandchildren stuff that I know they would like (candy) and not have to worry about giving someone something they are going to throw away anyway.

 

[jenseib]

I wish I had not joined the FE group. Most people just throw away the stuff you give them anyway. I should have just put up one for both rooms and do what you are doing. I would not be stressing right now. I would give my grandchildren stuff that I know they would like (candy) and not have to worry about giving someone something they are going to throw away anyway.

I am thinking about doing one with just our own rooms too.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I wish I had not joined the FE group. Most people just throw away the stuff you give them anyway. I should have just put up one for both rooms and do what you are doing. I would not be stressing right now. I would give my grandchildren stuff that I know they would like (candy) and not have to worry about giving someone something they are going to throw away anyway.

How soon is your cruise? If it's not past the closing date of the list, you can remove yourself. Actually, you can remove yourself at any time. They can't make you participate.

 

[joyjanet]

How soon is your cruise? If it's not past the closing date of the list, you can remove yourself. Actually, you can remove yourself at any time. They can't make you participate.

I thought about that but my cruise is next month. I did order 1 family gift for each cabin and thinking about making up little bags of prepackaged snacks for kids to take to movie theater or the shows. Luckily, there is no food restrictions for any of the kids in my group. I know I got away from the main topic of cruise meet sites and I am sorry. I wish I had stayed with the Disboard cruise meets. Will do that in the future.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I thought about but my cruise is next month. I did order 1 family gift for each cabin and thinking about making up little bags of prepackaged snacks for kids to take to movie theater or the shows. Luckily, there is no food restrictions for any of the kids in my group. I know I got away from the main topic of cruise meet sites and I am sorry. I wish I had stayed with the Disboard cruise meets. Will do that in the future.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[joyjanet]

Enjoy your cruise!

Thanks. It is much needed. Just finishing up my radiation treatments for breast cancer. One more to go after today! Looking forward to the cruise as it is a grandparents cruise (my daughter's in laws and me) with the grandkids only. It's even better because the other set of grandparents paid for it all!!

 

[beach baby]

Thanks. It is much needed. Just finishing up my radiation treatments for breast cancer. One more to go after today! Looking forward to the cruise as it is a grandparents cruise (my daughter's in laws and me) with the grandkids only. It's even better because the other set of grandparents paid for it all!!

Congratulations on finishing treatment!!! It's such an awesome feeling to be done with it and celebrating it with a Disney cruise is the best!! I did my second dcl after I finished my treatment and I had to do things a little slower because radiation takes a lot out of you and it takes some time to build back your strength and energy. So put yourself on a lounger, get a girly drink. take lots of naps, and celebrate life!! Have an awesome cruise!!

 

[Churchladychurchlady]

Maybe I'm just a grumpy old curmudgeon... but I tried the other social media sites... reminds me of the schoolyard when I was young. Too much chaos, too much movement, too much idle chit chat. But then, I'm off the charts as an introvert, so that stuff makes me feel overloaded. That, and much of the advice you read on those boards is just plain WRONG! Even I know you're not supposed to bring an iron or a power strip and use them in your stateroom, or that you're not supposed to hang shoe racks over the backs of the doors anymore. Sheesh.

I guess my inner curmudgeon is showing... I like this place. I've set down my camp and I'm stayin' as long as you folks will have me!
My only regret is that I wasn't around for the "good old days".

 

[DMMarla07860]

I will say I've been pretty lucky with cruise meets on disboards, Facebook, etc. Some were more boring then others, but that's more people on the cruises then the groups themselves. And lucky no one ever tired to sell FE stuff in the groups and what not. For me it's always been about meeting the other cruisers. Seaspray you were actually on the first cruise I posted on a meet thread, didn't meet you, but I do remember I met your one son and saw you around the ship

 

[Bree]

I prefer the other site for cruise meets, but none of the cruises I have been on have had active threads here. The format is a lot easier for me. I'd probably use both sites if there was activity here. The DIS meet thread for my March 2017 cruise is barely two pages. However, it does bother me when the admin and/or group members on the other site aren't even going on the cruise. IMO, they have no business being there.

 

[sharonabe]

As a cruise newbie, I will say that I am disappointed in our cruise meet page here. We decided not to do FE, and I was hoping for discussion on other things, but FE (and a mixology) is all they're talking about.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

As a cruise newbie, I will say that I am disappointed in our cruise meet page here. We decided not to do FE, and I was hoping for discussion on other things, but FE (and a mixology) is all they're talking about.

Each cruise meet thread "discusses" what they feel is important or of interest to the members. If there's something you want to bring up, you need to get the discussion going.

 

[TXDCLfan]

As a cruise newbie, I will say that I am disappointed in our cruise meet page here. We decided not to do FE, and I was hoping for discussion on other things, but FE (and a mixology) is all they're talking about.

Same here...our Dis meet page is almost DEAD while our other one on "the other site" is ALIVE and KICKING.

 

[perditax]

Of course there's NO way to guarantee that.

Eh. IN many ways I trust the Dis on their reasons for banning certain sites. (not in all ways, but in many) I believe that one of the reasons for not allowing links to at least one social media site is because the groups are often run by TAs who are then using the info for marketing. And that info being given wasn't being kept private enough. I don't think it's all about "clicks". I think that there actually is some care behind it, because let's face it, not everyone knows what they are doing online. I have a friend whose mom died last week and the family was TRYING to keep it private. They let *some* people know. Then this one jerk posted about it on my friend's public FB page. And so they all had to "come out" about it BEFORE the whole immediate family was together. My friend and her dad were obviously VERY irritated with that person. They hadn't even checked the page to see if she had said anything (or if her dad had). Or people here who give full names and email addresses?

I feel as though you haven't read the thread.

I am skeptical that this is the only reason mentioning one of the biggest social media sites on the planet was banned. People don't need forum admins to be their nanny.

I am equally skeptical of Cruise Critic's explanations for some of their rules, but they are far more aggressive in trying to make sure no one but them ever gets a dime of TA booking or affiliate money, going so far as to prevent people from even PM'ing each other.

I only see this type of forum behavior on travel-related sites. I'm on a lot of 'traditional' forums (the kind that still allow Tapatalk use).

I understand people have to make money off their sites, but don't make up reasons to try to 'ban' mentions of the outside world. Making adults speak in code (as one must do on Cruise Critic when trying to clue people in to the existence of Costco, for example) is absurd in 2016.

In the bigger picture--I think people are realizing how awful many people become when they are behind a computer screen, and the online landscape is getting uglier and uglier every day. I think people will start withdrawing more from sites like this, and from social media sites with high levels of personal exposure (like Facebook).

I like twitter. >.>