Has Anyone Skipped the Greeting Announcement?

[Ikaikalani]

I'm in the have fun with it crowd. Wear a floppy hat and big dark sunglasses ( a true introvert ensambel). Then tell the CM "Please dont announce me. I cant afford to be recognized and mobbed by fans. I came on this cruise to get away from all that".

 

[nutshell]

Thanks, but it isn't them saying my name that I mind. It's being announced at all & being the center of attention. I also probably won't be in a jokey mood.

Do what you want and enjoy the cruise, but know that your name being announced means absolutely nothing to those around and you won’t be the center of attention. Everyone is very focused on themselves at that point.

 

[Kwami]

Do what you want and enjoy the cruise, but know that your name being announced means absolutely nothing to those around and you won’t be the center of attention. Everyone is very focused on themselves at that point.

Well, sure, but a line of cast members all look at you and clap. So you're still getting attention from strangers. Some people just really don't like that.

 

[Donna3271]

I SKIP IT EVERY TIME!!!! I don't 'get' the appeal. I have skipped it when traveling with a friend and also on my own. I just set a beeline past the hoopla and keep on walking. No one questions me. If asked, just say "No thanks!", smile, and keep on moving. I walk right past everything. No request needed. You have a ticket. You have a cabin. You're hungry for lunch. Just GO!!! Don't wait for the group in front of you . . . walk on by!

I also went to the dining folks on embarkation day and told them I would NOT be eating in the MDR on my transAtlantic cruise. One guy told me I would be "missing so much" but the head guy said "The lady knows what she wants." I got room service or went to Cabanas or snagged a couple of rolls and some cheese from lunch. Or you could get food from the pool deck.

AND I gave my room steward $50 and asked for no nightly turn-down service. No towel animals needed. Because I wasn't going to dinner at a certain time, I didn't want the interruption. I had a great time on my own, was pretty anti social, read 6 books, people watched, and enjoyed my little private cabin. DM me if you want more introvert tips!!!

(I'm sure the Room Steward didn't NEED $50 to leave me alone but it seemed right at the time. It was an 11 night cruise.)

PS. It was wonderfully relaxing and peaceful . . .

I love This! Your Cruise, YOUR WAY! I like to be left alone as well.

 

[insureman]

One thing we won't be doing on our cruise in February is stand on a dot in the atrium to watch the Minnie and Mickey sail away party. Seems a little unnecessary to me.

 

[hrhdhd]

Well, sure, but a line of cast members all look at you and clap. So you're still getting attention from strangers. Some people just really don't like that.

The "attention" isn't all that, either. It would be a good time to zone out and clap when everyone else claps.

 

[Cheburashka]

Do what you want and enjoy the cruise, but know that your name being announced means absolutely nothing to those around and you won’t be the center of attention. Everyone is very focused on themselves at that point.

The "attention" isn't all that, either. It would be a good time to zone out and clap when everyone else claps.

These aren't helpful comments. I've cruised DCL 6 times, so I know very well what the experience is like. I was asking for help in avoiding that experience, rather than having to force myself to dissociate ("zone out") during it. As you can tell from reading other posts, I am not the only poster who feels this way, so the supportive information shared here might also be useful to others.

 

[TestingH2O]

just be aware that things are different now. You cant just keep on walking. You will be directed to a spot in the atrium to watch the new Welcome On Board show. After the show, the CM's direct everyone to the Muster Stations. This show is part of the new Covid crowd flow procedures. While one group watches the show, the group before them are checking into the Muster Station area. Then after the Muster Station check in you can go eat, either in Cabanas or at the MDR or at the quick service at the pool deck.

So you tried to skip when you sailed and were told no? Please tell us more about how that went. I’m surprised you had that experience.

 

[nutshell]

These aren't helpful comments. I've cruised DCL 6 times, so I know very well what the experience is like. I was asking for help in avoiding that experience, rather than having to force myself to dissociate ("zone out") during it. As you can tell from reading other posts, I am not the only poster who feels this way, so the supportive information shared here might also be useful to others.

I disagree. The information I posted absolutely may be helpful to others. It may not be helpful to you personally, but others might see my post and say, “You know what? He’s right. It’s really not a big deal and I won’t be the ‘center of attention.’”

 

[Karin1984]

I just made eye contact with the person holding the microphone, shook my head, and walked by her. And then smiled at the other CMs as I walked by.

That was it.

Very similar to how I avoid people asking stuff on the street, surveys, demonstrations, beggars. Just a short headshake, and keep going.

 

[squirk]

They stopped doing "cute" names even before Covid.

To her point, though - pick something esoteric that the CMs won’t know is a “cute” name.

I will bet that not one CM out of five would pick up on “Maria Hill,” and even if they did, what are they going to say? A name like that could actually be someone’s real name.

But if the OP just wants to avoid the attention altogether, skipping the announcement is no big deal. Just tell the CM with the mike, “No thank you,” and carry on. I did it once, and it really was no big deal.

That said, you know who’s really hard to shake off? The group photographers in the gangway right before you step onto the ship and get announced.

 

[hrhdhd]

These aren't helpful comments. I've cruised DCL 6 times, so I know very well what the experience is like. I was asking for help in avoiding that experience, rather than having to force myself to dissociate ("zone out") during it. As you can tell from reading other posts, I am not the only poster who feels this way, so the supportive information shared here might also be useful to others.

I meant that the cast members are zoning out. They are there to clap. It's a relatively easy thing to do while thinking about something else entirely.

 

[quandrea]

I SKIP IT EVERY TIME!!!! I don't 'get' the appeal. I have skipped it when traveling with a friend and also on my own. I just set a beeline past the hoopla and keep on walking. No one questions me. If asked, just say "No thanks!", smile, and keep on moving. I walk right past everything. No request needed. You have a ticket. You have a cabin. You're hungry for lunch. Just GO!!! Don't wait for the group in front of you . . . walk on by!

I also went to the dining folks on embarkation day and told them I would NOT be eating in the MDR on my transAtlantic cruise. One guy told me I would be "missing so much" but the head guy said "The lady knows what she wants." I got room service or went to Cabanas or snagged a couple of rolls and some cheese from lunch. Or you could get food from the pool deck.

AND I gave my room steward $50 and asked for no nightly turn-down service. No towel animals needed. Because I wasn't going to dinner at a certain time, I didn't want the interruption. I had a great time on my own, was pretty anti social, read 6 books, people watched, and enjoyed my little private cabin. DM me if you want more introvert tips!!!

(I'm sure the Room Steward didn't NEED $50 to leave me alone but it seemed right at the time. It was an 11 night cruise.)

PS. It was wonderfully relaxing and peaceful . . .

This is how we like to cruise.

 

[bsmcneil]

Do what you want and enjoy the cruise.

My guess is that your statement ending here would've been more helpful. I find it super obnoxious when people dismiss someone's concern because they don't experience things the same way...

 

[mmouse37]

To her point, though - pick something esoteric that the CMs won’t know is a “cute” name.

I will bet that not one CM out of five would pick up on “Maria Hill,” and even if they did, what are they going to say? A name like that could actually be someone’s real name.

But if the OP just wants to avoid the attention altogether, skipping the announcement is no big deal. Just tell the CM with the mike, “No thank you,” and carry on. I did it once, and it really was no big deal.

That said, you know who’s really hard to shake off? The group photographers in the gangway right before you step onto the ship and get announced.

We have not stopped for an embarkation photo in the last dozen cruises. I do not like them. I want to be ONBOARD already. We just side step them and keep going.

 

[nutshell]

My guess is that your statement ending here would've been more helpful. I find it super obnoxious when people dismiss someone's concern because they don't experience things the same way...

I wasn’t dismissing anyone’s concern. I made an accurate observation about the “center of attention” comment. I thought it might be helpful to see another perspective. Apparently it wasn’t.

 

[nancipants]

I've been low-key anxious about what to do in this situation because my husband and I have different last names, lol. It's nice to know that I can just tell them the smushed-together version of our name that we use around friends

My husband and I have different last names and when it's just us we either tell them the smushed together version or hyphenated version. When we sail with his family, we usually just give his last name. On our next cruise my mom will be joining us, so I'm going to ask for the hyphenated version again. I've also seen people be announced with their first names if they're friends traveling together.

 

[hrhdhd]

My guess is that your statement ending here would've been more helpful. I find it super obnoxious when people dismiss someone's concern because they don't experience things the same way...

Dismissing a concern and presenting another point of view are two different things. Anyway, the answer to the original question is clear: say "no thanks" and keep walking. Concern avoided.

 

[pjacobi]

Please don't give a false name. I would hate for this to become a Bart Simpson gag.


-Paul

 

[nutshell]

Please don't give a false name. I would hate for this to become a Bart Simpson gag.


-Paul

That’s silly. How would you or anyone else even know if it was false or not? Inappropriate is one thing, but if I’m introduced as the Dynamo Family when our last name is really Van der Schmidtenheide, I don’t think anyone will care.