Cruise Facebook Groups

[cyclenut]

As with most things, the groups really depend on who organizes them. Here, the moderators are known. I know when I sailed Carnival there was also a FB group that organized meet-ups, a shot glass exchange and other fun things. Some people did get kicked out of that group when they did something the organizer specifically asked not be done. They don't have FE anywhere but Disney though, so there really wasn't much of an impact to anyone when someone left. Our last cruise on the Wonder (it's already over so I'm not advertising anything or suggesting anyone join) used a FB group and I checked both the cruise meet up thread here and the FB group. The meet up thread here all but died but the FB group carried on. It was a real hoot. We didn't do the FE but I organized a craft beer exchange that was kinda fun. That FB group is still going with posts even today, almost a month after the cruise. The moderator there was very nice and nobody was kicked out, but it is luck of the draw. I get it why the moderators here would recommend everything stay here, but it isn't working. People are figuring it out and a lot of the meet up threads here just aren't as active as they used to be.

 

[Angie789]

I've only had positive experiences with FB groups. And they are WAAAAAAY more active than the DIS. Much more opportunity to get involved with mixology classes, sharing excursions, arranging meet ups for kids, etc. Do a search and find yours!

 

[Laine Anderson]

It's against Disboards rules to solicit Dis'ers for FB FE.

That wasn't a solicitation. Just answering a question.

 

[Laine Anderson]

The FB groups seem to be a lot more active. On our last 4 night cruise, the FB group had over 150 people and hundreds of posts. The thread here ended up being less than 5 pages long.

I'm finding that to be true for my sailing as well. Hardly any posts to our sailing on DIS but there are on FB. Any time I've mentioned the DIS boards to anyone, they've never heard of it. And these are people that are already booked on a cruise. It's kinda disappointing. I want to connect with people and make new friends but it's just kinda dead here.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

Yes this is accurate, you have to join a group on here or FB. Last time I joined with people I found here and this time I'm organizing it with my sailing on FB but I've also posted about it on my sailing through this site.

That wasn't a solicitation. Just answering a question.

Sorry if I misunderstood. I knew that post wasn't soliciting. I thought the sentence in bold meant you solicited here for FB for one of your cruises which would be against DIS rules.

 

[PirateFrank]

I'm not into FEs (though can see the value in it), but for the purposes of gathering information and connecting with people - I greatly prefer the FB style and have not only been a part of FB groups but Im administrating the FB group for my upcoming cruise. You can managed threaded conversations better, keep active in those threaded conversations better and have an easier time finding information or people. Here, you have one thread to try to navigate -- and when that thread gets very long, you can struggle to find a nugget of information. Not knocking the old school forum style -- just noting a drawback.

I still join the roll call of the groups here and I try to engage with people on both groups. Cruising is far more fun if you know more people. Sure, you can go with just the family, keep to yourselves and do your own thing. But there's a certain magic about making friends before and during the sailing.

 

[cakebaker]

I'm finding that to be true for my sailing as well. Hardly any posts to our sailing on DIS but there are on FB. Any time I've mentioned the DIS boards to anyone, they've never heard of it. And these are people that are already booked on a cruise. It's kinda disappointing. I want to connect with people and make new friends but it's just kinda dead here.

I had been away from the Dis for quite some time before I came back after booking our cruise. The difference is really striking- used to be constant activity and now there's not much at all. It's too bad. The choice could've been made to embrace other forums rather than ban them and I think it would still be an active alternative here. But, not my board, not my choice.

 

[PirateFrank]

I had been away from the Dis for quite some time before I came back after booking our cruise. The difference is really striking- used to be constant activity and now there's not much at all. It's too bad. The choice could've been made to embrace other forums rather than ban them and I think it would still be an active alternative here. But, not my board, not my choice.

You also have to consider that people interact on the internet differently than they did just a few years ago. I prefer FB these days because I can interact easier from my phone while at work. Using my phone to view and respond to posts on disboards or any of the other forums is frankly, a bit of a pain. I suspect this dynamic is true for others as well...

 

[2Bnºoºt2B]

I had been away from the Dis for quite some time before I came back after booking our cruise. The difference is really striking- used to be constant activity and now there's not much at all. It's too bad. The choice could've been made to embrace other forums rather than ban them and I think it would still be an active alternative here. But, not my board, not my choice.

Experienced the same ... things were so different when we returned upon booking our 3rd Fantasy cruise ... no much fun also when guideline infractions were occurring. Not a social media person here at all ... but the times are a changing so in the end went with the flow ... now with our 4th Disney cruise am involved in both ...

 

[cakebaker]

You also have to consider that people interact on the internet differently than they did just a few years ago. I prefer FB these days because I can interact easier from my phone while at work. Using my phone to view and respond to posts on disboards or any of the other forums is ffankly, a bit of a pain. I suspect this dynamic is true for others as well...

True, I never even attempt to access the Dis from my phone. It's ridiculously hard to navigate.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

I had been away from the Dis for quite some time before I came back after booking our cruise. The difference is really striking- used to be constant activity and now there's not much at all. It's too bad. The choice could've been made to embrace other forums rather than ban them and I think it would still be an active alternative here. But, not my board, not my choice.

Actually there is another large cruise forum that bans it, also, so it isn't just here.

Editing to add what it says on the other forum. "We request that you not solicit people to your Facebook page on any of our ROLL CALLS".

 

[mimmi]

What made me almost entirely stop posting here, wasn't only the fact that the cruise meet threads became less active, but mainly the given reason for the ban of FB groups here. I don't like the feeling of having my intelligence insulted, so when I read that FB groups couldn't be mentioned here any longer out of concern for the safety of the members, instead of just saying that they want to keep the traffic here (which is totally understandable from an economic point of view, it just didn't work, but your forum, your business decisions) I rolled my eyes and, with rare exceptions, stopped posting.

 

[PirateFrank]

What made me almost entirely stop posting here, wasn't only the fact that the cruise meet threads became less active, but mainly the given reason for the ban of FB groups here. I don't like the feeling of having my intelligence insulted, so when I read that FB groups couldn't be mentioned here any longer out of concern for the safety of the members, instead of just saying that they want to keep the traffic here (which is totally understandable from an economic point of view, it just didn't work, but your forum, your business decisions) I rolled my eyes and, with rare exceptions, stopped posting.

Is "safety" the reason that's claimed? That's crazy... I feel much safer with the privately-managed/limited-member forum such as the FB groups than I do announcing to an open forum my intention to vacation during a specific time period - which is viewable to the entire internet.

I agree that the reasons behind the restriction here and at CC is a business decision, and nothing more. Coating it with a claim that's its for safety reasons is extremely disingenuous. Worse, the FB groups that I have been a part of, have been extremely inclusive of members of groups both here and elsewhere for the same cruise. In fact the FB administrator from my last cruise invited all members of the corresponding group here to the meet and greet. According to the rules, the reverse would not fly. Not very 'Disney' if you ask me.

 

[cakebaker]

Actually there is another large cruise forum that bans it, also, so it isn't just here.

Editing to add what it says on the other forum. "We request that you not solicit people to your Facebook page on any of our ROLL CALLS".

I'm not familiar with whatever that site is, but this forum forbids you from telling someone the name of your fb group, even if they are the ones who asked and not even by private message. I'd say the same thing of every other site that has such a rule- if you don't adapt and change, you lose. Actually, we're breaking their guidelines by even discussing their business decision. It's the owner's right to make whatever rules he wants to make.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

It's the owner's right to make whatever rules he wants to make.

Absolutely agree. I thoroughly understand their reasoning.

 

[fairfax]

I am sorry to see everything go to FB now because I don't have FB anymore. I deactivated it last year, although I've thought about making an account just for groups I want to follow. There is so much baggage that goes along with FB and I feel so much happier without it in my life lol

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I am sorry to see everything go to FB now because I don't have FB anymore. I deactivated it last year, although I've thought about making an account just for groups I want to follow. There is so much baggage that goes along with FB and I feel so much happier without it in my life lol

When I first joined DISboards, the Cruise Meet threads were very active. Most of them handled their business (private tastings/fish extenders/excursions) very well that way. However, for those who wanted more personal contact (how' the weather/my kid graduated/family issues), FB was what they used.

It's only since those people on FB have taken over all aspects of meet groups that DISboards has put the policy in place. Remember DISboards is a sponsored board, and they don't want to lose business.

 

[AquaDame]

I don't see anything on this policy preventing any discussion of Facebook groups in general and whether it makes sense to sign up for them. Maybe @AquaDame can clarify?

You're spot on - its fine to talk about Facebook, but we try to keep posters from actively driving people to any specific social media site - Facebook being the most well known.

I'm finding that to be true for my sailing as well. Hardly any posts to our sailing on DIS but there are on FB. Any time I've mentioned the DIS boards to anyone, they've never heard of it. And these are people that are already booked on a cruise. It's kinda disappointing. I want to connect with people and make new friends but it's just kinda dead here.

Yep, the bigger and more main stream sailing with DCL becomes the more obvious it is that we are a little neighborhood in the world. The people who are around are so nice though... I like coming here. On Facebook so many things get buried so quick and sometimes the groups are SO large...! I enjoy smaller groups.

I had been away from the Dis for quite some time before I came back after booking our cruise. The difference is really striking- used to be constant activity and now there's not much at all. It's too bad. The choice could've been made to embrace other forums rather than ban them and I think it would still be an active alternative here. But, not my board, not my choice.

It's not my choice either... I admit though that I am not sure how embracing it would have made it more active here? The quietest cruise meet threads are the ones where they post to go to FB for everything... new people come on, see that, and move along.

Actually there is another large cruise forum that bans it, also, so it isn't just here.

Editing to add what it says on the other forum. "We request that you not solicit people to your Facebook page on any of our ROLL CALLS".

Yep, its standard practice. Often FB groups don't want the DIS/other boards mentioned either.

I'm not familiar with whatever that site is, but this forum forbids you from telling someone the name of your fb group, even if they are the ones who asked and not even by private message. I'd say the same thing of every other site that has such a rule- if you don't adapt and change, you lose. Actually, we're breaking their guidelines by even discussing their business decision. It's the owner's right to make whatever rules he wants to make.

Agreed, it is. Again though, having people drive traffic to FB isn't going to increase traffic here. If people want to post and chat here they will do so regardless of whether we encourage people to go into cruise meets and tell people to go elsewhere. Facebook isn't a secret spot.

 

[cyclenut]

What would work for DIS is to create their own DIS FB group to help manage the meet ups. You could link to this board for the important information and basically think of it as a replatforming of the DIS just for the meet up threads. I'm suggesting that you'll have a chance to drive more traffic to the regular boards giving DIS more exposure to new people using FB. Adapt or die. Who is Kodak anyway?

 

[Mickeyhugger]

What would work for DIS is to create their own DIS FB group to help manage the meet ups. You could link to this board for the important information and basically think of it as a replatforming of the DIS just for the meet up threads. I'm suggesting that you'll have a chance to drive more traffic to the regular boards giving DIS more exposure to new people using FB. Adapt or die. Who is Kodak anyway?