Do you post on the cruise meets thread for your upcoming cruise?

[WDWLVR]

I originally posted this in the May 27th thread but it was brought to my attention that it might get lost in all the mindless fluff and chatter. My DH and I have been on 6 DCL cruises with 2 more booked. For the first 4 there wasn't a cruise meets board (but we did talk about DVC Member Cruise a lot on the DVC board). For our 10 day in 2004 we had a very active thread and go to really know a lot of other posters - people who have become friends. Our next two cruises also have very active threads which I think is great. Yet I notice that for every cruise I see someone here on the main board or elsewhere on the DIS who is going on the cruise but hasn't joined the meets thread (or if they did just posted once or twice). So a question for all of you, but especially for the lurkers.

If you don't post on the cruise meets board for your cruise - why?

Is it too much fluff?

Do you feel like you don't fit in?

Do you think we are all nuts?

Is the cruise really just for you and your family and you don't want to be part of a larger group?

I would hope that those of us who post a lot and have gotten to know each other through posting would agree that it makes the cruise experience even better. So I'm curious why others wouldn't post.

For those of you who do post - why?

What have you gotten out of it? Maybe if you share your experiences others will join their threads as well.

 

[rotary2808]

At first when I joined Disboards I wasn't expecting to post that much, nervousness. It was still a little while before I even looked at the cruise meets thread. When I found the one for our upcoming cruise I joined in and I don't regret it. I've made some wonderful friends that I haven't even met yet and look forward to meeting.

We're in the beginning stages of booking our next cruise and I have already gotten on board that meet even though I don't know for sure that we're going.

It makes the time go by faster until the cruise and it gets you really excited especially when it's getting as close as it is.

So for all of you out there that haven't joined your cruise meet thread yet, join us, we don't bite and we have alot of fun planning together. You won't regret it.

 

[dzneprincess]

BUT of course! Whenever I book a cruise, one of the first things I do is go scouting for a cruise meet thread, and if there is not one I start one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am participating in a few now, and some are not near as lively as others. One great example is a thread from my 09/19/04 Wonder cruise. We were a pretty quiet group and didn't really get to kno weach other a lot before the cruise. It ended up well though, because thru pure accident we were seated with another DIS couple who had participated on the thread and we got along so great! I love knowing people before I get on the ship.I always try and get penpals for my kids, so they don't have to waste precious vacation days trying to make friends. This way they already have friends upon boarding. I think some people do not post, because they may feel that we expect them to hang out with us or something, and that is not the case at all. I was not sure what to expect the 1st time I went on a cruise that I participated in a thread for. That was Halloween 03! It was nice just to see a friendly face on deck, and know that someone else loved DCL as much as you did. I wish people would post to their respective threads and have some fun with it. The level of involvement with other DISers once on board is totally in your control.

 

[LAMPSKIES]

I actually joined these boards as an accident 2 1/2 years ago as a link from "the cruise critic". I was so p.o'd at DCL over the handling of our 11/02 Eastern sailing (2nd sailing) that I got here to complain.....Then things worked out!! On our 3rd sailing I joined the "meet board" met some people and had some great times chatting about family and sailings. We didn't "hang" much with them but talked in passing. I was nice to recognize someone. For our 4th sailing (last Turkeyday Western) I meat A LOT of disers here before the sailing and did an excursion with some....we had our own beach vollyball game at CC and in Cozumel and had a Dis meet at night. Although my DDs and DW aren't "into these doards" and call me a dis geek. They did enjoy the company. Turkeyday football with a friend and a common face on deck was something I enjoyed.......now many of us are rebooked for Turkeyday 05 and already have over 50 at the same seating rotation........

 

[jlawall]

Just do it!!!

 

[DrCavin]

I forget how I found this site, maybe Google or something. Last cruise we had about 20 families chatting back&forth using Yahoo to host the posts & such. It worked out really well, so I made another one for our cruisers in May '06. I think you can join our group using this link: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DisMay2006/join If that doesn't work PM me & I will help you out.

Back to the ??? Yes I post on the thread we have & we have meet some really great people & even got to spend time in the Walt Suite on our last cruise thanks to one Diser who was staying in it that week. Probably would never have even seen the door of the Cat 1's if it wasn't for Dis....

The only problem with posting on those threads is they are difficult to find, so I end up subscribing to them so I can find them easily..

 

[WDWLVR]

I forget how I found this site, maybe Google or something. Last cruise we had about 20 families chatting back&forth using Yahoo to host the posts & such. It worked out really well, so I made another one for our cruisers in May '06. I think you can join our group using this link: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DisMay2006/join If that doesn't work PM me & I will help you out.

Ok I'm a little confused on this. Why would you set up a yahoo group when we have the meets board here? Someone had suggested that for our 10 day cruise but since it was the DIS that brought us together it felt right to keep all the meets and greets here.

I guess if it works for your group great - but I'm just as happy posting on the meets thread here.

 

[DrCavin]

Ok I'm a little confused on this. Why would you set up a yahoo group when we have the meets board here? Someone had suggested that for our 10 day cruise but since it was the DIS that brought us together it felt right to keep all the meets and greets here.

I guess if it works for your group great - but I'm just as happy posting on the meets thread here.

The Yahoo group allows you to post photos, files, etc. along with posts like the Disboards. We have a database setup that allows people to enter info about them, stateroom, seating assignment, when arriving, stuff like that.
Just gives you some more options.....

 

[WDWLVR]

The Yahoo group allows you to post photos, files, etc. along with posts like the Disboards. We have a database setup that allows people to enter info about them, stateroom, seating assignment, when arriving, stuff like that.
Just gives you some more options.....

Oh ok - I see. We have something similar in that we've set up web pages for our groups (you can see our May group below by clicking the link). Whatever works best for you.

 

[pppiglet]

This was our first cruise and I started a thread for it and then someone else did too! Then we linked them, but not too many families joined in til the last few months. We had a great time running into them all over the ship. I email 2 of them regularly, and one of them turned out to be our next door neighbors on the cruise, so that was a real treat. I was the last one on the boards to leave home for the cruise since I just had to drive to the port and at the last minute, someone signed in! I told them where we were meeting and sight unseen, she came up to me on deck at sailaway and said" Are you Pppiglet?" What a surprise! But I never saw her again the whole trip!

I met some people at the terminal checking in from NC and they hadn't heard of these boards, so I was filling them in. We saw them so many times on the ship and in CAbo on the streets shopping. So nice! I too was worried we would have to hang out with the group all the time, but everyone had different age kids and different things to do so we rarely saw some of them. I will definately join our next cruise thread when we finalize the date! I have seen quite a few people post lately that said they were on our cruise, but never joined the thread and I wish they would have. One lady found herself in one of my sailaway pictures that I posted!

So all you lurkers out there....Join a cruise meets thread!

 

[lbgraves]

We joined for our first cruise and met a bunch of wonderful people. We were able to link with another DIS family for dinner and that helped out tremendously since our kids were the same ages. We ended up having two really nice meets during the cruise. It was great to see so many people we already knew on the ship. On our second cruise we also met some friendly DISers and again linked reservations with a family. That was so much fun that we are cruising together again this year and they will be in town next week on their vacation. I think that if you have kids it makes it SO much better to be involved in the cruise thread. We have a website with pictures of the families and also one of the DIS Kids. They have a picture with a short write up about what their favorite things on the ship, school, and at home are. DS has been emailing one boy his age & they are making plans for the club on the ship.

 

[donaldsgal]

I don't remember how I found the DIS, but I'm glad I did. I'm on the upcoming cruise rotary mentioned (Hi Emily )and I really love our group. We have several regular posters, and we've had a lot of fun getting to know one another. For me, posting on the meets thread helps me look forward to cruise. I am glad I can post and talk to my fellow cruisers every day - it's sort of like the talk of Christmas from Thanksgiving until Christmas Eve. Yes, you want the day to hurry up already, but the time it takes to get here is enjoyable. Same goes for the cruise, IMO. I like that we build anticipation. Finding the group early just heightens that, and it's fun to share your excitement with people who not only share your love for Disney, but will be with you at the same time/place for that shared commaradie to translate from words on a computer screen to buying each other drinks, taking pix, etc. Just fun all around and I highly recommend it!

 

[justmestace]

The Yahoo group allows you to post photos, files, etc. along with posts like the Disboards. We have a database setup that allows people to enter info about them, stateroom, seating assignment, when arriving, stuff like that.
Just gives you some more options.....

A little off-topic, but I thought I heard that Yahoo was going to stop allowing discussion-type boards, like the DIS..??...or is it something else they are discontinuing?

I found the DIS through a link from somewhere else, and I am sooooo glad I did. We went on our first DCL cruise totally clueless! The boards have obviously helped immensely...but the Cruise Meets threads are the best. What I think is really nice is that on our "own" meets thread, we can feel a little more free to ask what we might be afraid is a stupid question, and no one will laugh. Sometimes we can vent, w/o fear of being flamed....we make friends for just a cruise, or friends for a lifetime. It can be whatever you want it to be. We've laughed, we've cried, we've prayed, praised, cheered......and when we have "chatted" for a year or more, by the time we meet onboard, it's like a giant family reunion!

 

[taeja71]

Wow, what a great opportunity to sell the 9/3/06 thread! Whoops, I mean, what a great way to encourage 9/3/06 passengers to post.
I know for a fact there are more views than posts on the 9/3/06 four day WONDER cruise.

WDWLVR wrote, For those of you who do post - why?

I like getting to know those who will be cruising with me. I too stumbled on my first cruise meet board (9/19/04) and enjoyed getting to know those who were going to travel with me. We all know that once you are onboard, it can be difficult to meet or see a fellow DISer. We also cruised during hurricane season and so that was a stessful time. The DISboard became a stress reliever as we joked, cryed, laughed, and got upset about what could possibly happen to our long awaited cruise. It's better to travel in numbers right?

What have you gotten out of it?

I have gotten to know a lot of fellow DISney and DCL fanatics. With all the information that's on the WWW it's nice to know I can come to the DISboards and ask and post w/ my fellow DISers.

Maybe if you share your experiences others will join their threads as well.

If you are a lurker, don't feel chased away from the boards. Please participate on your cruise meet thread or any other thread for that matter.

Using some of Uncle Sam's words...Your POST counts!

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[scrappy910]

Our first cruise was 9/2003 (wow, can't believe it has been that long). I had fought going on a cruise until my sister (#1Mouse) went on the Member's Cruise in 2003 and came back with all the exciting details. We then planned the September cruise in honor of my 50th birthday. I "found" the boards through my sister and did a lot of lurking. But then became involved on the cruise meets thread for our cruise and became familiar with several cruisers (Hi Justmestace) prior to the cruise. It was a lot of fun when we got to the port and started putting faces to the names. I was even able to help a fellow cruiser who needed to have something on the ship but was not able to travel with it and didn't want to risk just sending it to the port. She mailed it to me and I brought it along with me and we met up at the Radisson the night before the cruise. And as taeja71 mentioned, when cruisin during hurricane season your fellow cruisers can provide relief from the stress you may experience when they start predicting a hurricane in the carribbean during your cruise time (this happened on our first cruise). I still don't post often, but do enjoy read all the info people have to share. Now off to the door magnet thread to figure out how to make my own.

Carol

 

[justmestace]

Hi Carol, how are you?? I haven't "seen" you in forever!!


See how much fun these boards are?? Running into long lost friends.....

 

[videogal1]

See how much fun these boards are?? Running into long lost friends.....

AARGHHHHH!

 

[TeaforWendy]

Last year, 9/2004 was our first cruise and I "found" the board by typing in "hurricane Jeanne disney cruise" in google. I was trying desperately to find info on my upcoming cruise in hurricane season. I lurked, didn't join, but when we booked #2 in December (1/2 off, thanks Jeanne) I joined immediately and am so glad. I have laughed and cried with my "unmet" friends on our cruise meet boards. I have friends, real friends, who understand my excitement and desire to plan, plan, plan. I am so excited to go on this cruise with pre-existing friends! It just rocks! Like, we're all here to have fun and support each other in that venture, and by the way, any other things that might happen in life in the meantime, it is really special to see how complete strangers care for and about each other through one common/shared experience. Gives me hope, real hope, in our world. WE are caring, compassionate and good people who want to take care of each other. Sorry if I got off the subject, but I am so impressed by the level of care, concern and love I have seen, I feel compellled to share... Meet your fellow cruisers. No worries.

 

[lwilliam]

Yes, I LOVE posting on the cruise meets board. This year I am so
happy someone started a thread for our west cruise cruise about a year
ago. (Thanks, JoAnn!). NOW, I feel I have so many wonderful people
to meet (ONLY one questionable gentleman from NJ!) and it the
highlight of my coming vacation. YES, we are spending 4 days in
California, then getting on the Magic, but I have so many "friends" to
meet it makes it all more exciting.

Last year I also responded to a thread on the 3-day Wonder and we
enjoyed spending time with one of the families also.

There is NO reason NOT to chat on the cruise meets board.

 

[castlegazer]

My husband thinks I am a total loon that I am already talking to people who will be on our cruise but I think it is soo fun to "know" people who will be on board with us.

I am also a DIS addict so it blends two of my loves together - cruising and DIS'ing. SO COOL!!!!!

We are a crazy bunch just trying to keep our thread up top for a 2006 cruise.

I am glad to hear that a lot more people participate as you get closer because we are a very small bunch right now.


just do it!!! come chat!