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

[BethC1952]

I found this board just before my first cruise (which I booked less than 30 days ahead) by doing a Google search for "Disney Cruise Line". I had never cruised before and was totally clueless, and not thrilled with the idea of a cruise. There wasn't a cruise meet board way back then.

For my second cruise, I posted a few questions because I was bringing my elderly FIL and wanted some information for him. While on that cruise, I did meet someone else who posted to the thread, but completely by accident.

On our third cruise, I posted to the thread for our cruise, and struck up an acquaintance with a DISBoarder who was also cruising and had a daughter about the same age as my neice who was crusiing with us. We never did meet on board, however.

On our cruise last December, we didn't set up any meets, but very early in the cruise I met Goofy4Life (Hi, Krystina!), who recognized me from the picture in my sig!

There are threads for each of my upcoming November cruises, and hopefully I'll get to meet some of those people!

Beth

 

[lillygator]

yep - I've been posting on our cruise meets thread!

 

[Skylarr29]

We are planning our first cruise. We are very excited and the reason we are going is because I started an encouragement thread for my fiance and it convinced him to go!!!

That being said after reading these posts I think I will definatly try to stay on top of meets thread but I do, and have felt in the past, intimidated because I dont know too much about dcl etc. and I feel that others on this board know sooooooooooooo much.

 

[Ker-Bear]

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.

I didn't see this when it was originally posted! I think I was on vacation. Now don't be scared off by our enthusiasm! We are a fun and outgoing group!

I have yet to sail on a DCL ship. I have wanted to since 2003 and for various reasons have not been able to make it a reality until now. I lurked on these boards for a long time before ever posting. I asked lots of dumb questions and never felt bad.

My reason for joining the cruise meet thread was my DS. When my parents took him last summer for his 5th b-day (I know, how did my child become more loved than me?), he did not enjoy the kids club. He is very shy initially and will not just walk up to a child and start playing. I hoped through the meet I would find other families with children his age. Now that my friend and her DD who is the same age as DS are coming with us that problem has been somewhat resolved. However, I have come to enjoy and look forward to posting and "chatting" with my fellow cruisers. We have started to design our t-shirts, I am coordinating meets and some of us have linked our dining together.

We do not push any of these activities on other DIS'ers. If you want to join the activities then great! If not, that's okay too. We would love to have you still post.

Like TaeJa, I know there are quite a few 9/3/06 DIS'ers out there. We get lots of views. I hope you will join in our fun. We love to post about our planning and excitement!

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

I am just a big mouth! I talk to everyone and pretty much have an open book policy about life...so I have made alot of friends on the boards.
I started with the Resort Forum answering questions for people who had never been to Disney. Then I migrated over to the Wilderness Lodge thread because I have stayed there several times and chatted with people there and we have meet ups when we can.
Since this is my first DCL cruise, I wanted to get as much info as I could ( my DS and DBIL are DCL experts (they are on your DS cruise Mary) ) from other sources.

 

[Favorite Auntie]

I do post on the meet threads....but...sometimes they get a little overwhelming. If you don't read them for a few days, there are a ton of posts (literally pages...) to catch up on. I just don't have time for that. I don't mind meeting new people, but I like my family too, and they are the reason that I am taking this vacation after all. I have two cruises booked right now, one in 11/05 and one in 11/06, both have active threads, but I can only concentrate on one at a time. I will probably not even join the 11/06 thread because once my 11/05 cruise is over there will just be WAY too much to get caught up on in the 11/06 thread and I just can't spend my time like that....

 

[DutchsMommy]

I do post on the meet threads....but...sometimes they get a little overwhelming. If you don't read them for a few days, there are a ton of posts (literally pages...) to catch up on. I just don't have time for that. I don't mind meeting new people, but I like my family too, and they are the reason that I am taking this vacation after all. I have two cruises booked right now, one in 11/05 and one in 11/06, both have active threads, but I can only concentrate on one at a time. I will probably not even join the 11/06 thread because once my 11/05 cruise is over there will just be WAY too much to get caught up on in the 11/06 thread and I just can't spend my time like that....

Well Auntie.....if you are on the Nov 25th Magic for 2006 then I will remember you when you swing by in, say, August 2006 or so.

I have begun to post on my respective cruise thread because I am hoping to get to know a few people, possibly hook up with like-minded individuals for dinner ressies and meet a friend or two for DS.

 

[DutchsMommy]

OK, I'm an idiot - you're on the Nov 11th 2006 - so never mind, but hey if you ever get totally bored, feel free to drop by the Nov 25th group LOL

 

[ladygypsy]

Hello! I'm going to take my second Disney cruise in a few weeks...and I wanted to weigh in on why I don't post in the meet threads. Please don't be offended or anything.

If you don't post on the cruise meets board for your cruise - why?
The meet thread for my upcoming cruise is currently over 100 pages long and started over 18 months ago. I just don't have the time to go through all of it and sort through the non-cruise stuff to see what's going on and when. When I do find some meet info...it's usually someone looking for somebody with kids of similar ages. No kids here, and that truly makes it harder.

Is it too much fluff?
Maybe just a little bit.

Do you feel like you don't fit in?
Yup. No large family here...just my husband and me, both in our mid-30s. And after 18 months of a thread...there is already an established group, sharing all sorts of family stories and inside jokes.

Do you think we are all nuts?
Not at all. I envy those who are able to jump right in and make friends and be chatty. I've always had a tough time doing that kind of thing...sitting at the lunchtable with strangers, etc.

Is the cruise really just for you and your family and you don't want to be part of a larger group?
It's true we're looking forward to some alone time. We work long hours and opposite shifts, and we're probably going to end up the couple sacked out on the deck chairs with some fruity drinks watching the sea go by for hours and hours. While I certainly wouldn't mind meeting more couples our age for some drinks after dinner, (or a bingo buddy -- he hates bingo!!) we definately wouldn't be participating in scavenger hunts or games of tag.

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.
Maybe if there was a 'sticky' post at the top of each thread with a list of who's meeting and the meet times, it'd be easier to for people to see what's going on.

(again, please don't be offended)

 

[domiii]

I suffer from social anxiety. Our curise thread has helped me be more comfortable getting to know others. A few of us are even meeting prior to the cruise.

I am traveling with my enitre family and plan to spend most of my time with them. But you know how it is when you are with your own family 24/7. So a meet here and there will be welcomed.

I am looking forward to some meets and know there is no pressure to do EVERYTHING the group is doing. In fact most of my excursions and Palo reservations do not coincide with the rest of the group. A good number of them are planning things together.

Fluff? Maybe. But I add my 2 cents where I want. Our thread has been going strong since August of 2004. I had dropped off and picked up a year later. It took me a while to catch up, but I feel it was worth it.

 

[Ker-Bear]

gypsylady: Thank you for the great idea. I think when our cruise gets closer, I will post updated versions of scheduled cruise meets and other info.

I don't think you necessarily have to read the 100 pages to catch up. I am sure if someone came into our thread a week before the cruise and asked for the meet info and dining stuff we would be more than happy to update them.