Is this a friendly group?

[Rum Runner]

I've visited "cliquey" "cruise-snobby," and "cruise-know-it-alls."
I'd really just like "cruise friendly" people who are all about what everyone is doing and having a good time providing info, experience sharing, and all that goes with the cruising topic. Will I find that at this forum?

[nlb1050]

In a word YES. This has to be the friendliest cruise group. Sure you may find a discussion that will get many differing opinions but you will not find name calling. IT is a GREAT bunch that are here. Everyone cares about the others.

[Henry43]

This is the best message board on the internet

[Trip]

RR, I have worked here since the beginning,and I can state honestly, there is not a more knowledgeable and nicer group of people, on the web..

No question is silly, we love lively chatter,and diverse opinions are appreciated. Dive right in

[Moiraine]

Hi Rum Runner. Welcome. Think you will enjoy it here. I joined a small group before I came here and I never made any sort of headway with them. It was just a group of friends that did not want outsiders, or so it seemed. That's not the case here. Like your username, by the way.

[jacdenv24]

Originally Posted by Rum Runner

I've visited "cliquey" "cruise-snobby," and "cruise-know-it-alls."
I'd really just like "cruise friendly" people who are all about what everyone is doing and having a good time providing info, experience sharing, and all that goes with the cruising topic. Will I find that at this forum?

You betcha! I've never actually never met any of the folks on this forum but consider all of them friends. That should tell you something.

[Henry43]

I've met 2 CM ers and will meet another this spring .I love this site .

[Kuki]

We are a clique here, but a VERY LARGE clique. It does require a password to gain admittance.... CRUISE! Say that, and you're in

[Phil&Liz]

Originally Posted by Rum Runner

I've visited "cliquey" "cruise-snobby," and "cruise-know-it-alls."
I'd really just like "cruise friendly" people who are all about what everyone is doing and having a good time providing info, experience sharing, and all that goes with the cruising topic. Will I find that at this forum?

Actually, you are currently in the "Cruise Gripes" section of CM.

You are likely to find less than pleasant discussion in this section.

Much of the rest of the Cruisemates site you will find most of the folks here very nice.

Just in case there is a "iggy" button. You can add folks you simply do not want to read to the ignore list. The threads will remain, you just don't have to read the crap you don't want to.

[Trip]

If the OP would like me to move this over to say, chit chat, I will be glad to....

[belgique]

It's the best board around! We do become friends, although I've never met anyone in real life. We talk cruises, family, pets, health, everything.

These are real people - they saw me through a hip and knee replacement a few years back, we've welcomed babies, suffered losses togther, rejoiced at weddings, and we all love to cruise - our common ground.

I doubt you'll find a better cross-section of kind people anywhere. Welcome, Rum Runner!

[Rum Runner]

Thanks for your responses. Trip, you can leave the thread here, since I did initially start it because I was 'in a mood' about the other forums around the net, and it was sort of a 1/2-gripe about them being 'the way they are.'

I just got back from a cruise, and my cruises are few & far between (hoping to change that, though! )so I'll try to keep my chats relevant...but I did want to join a fun community where people just had a good time without being cliquey & snobby and didn't ignore newbies. I felt as though I needed to 'earn' my way into their little club, and the right to be acknowledged on the forums.

Ok, little rant over...thanks for the friendly welcome!

[Trip]

RR, pull up a chair, settle in,and a waiter will be over soon to get you a drink..... Welcome aboard!

[GrannyLorr]

It must be a friendly group.....I am up to over 100 posts now and havent been kicked out yet! (I did get kicked out of the "other cruise forum" but managed a few years in there first)

[Henry43]

There are 6 other forums but none compare with CM

[Henry43]

There is a double standard at times . Be sure that you do not post something in jest as it may be removed even though the exact same post appeared years ago and it was not removed .

[Trip]

Henry, in comparison to some other message boards, we are very fair.We have had a spate of old posts, in the last few months, many times connected to spam, pop up..but to me, old news is sometimes, just that..things change, and I would hate to think someone relied on old info, to plan a current cruise. This is not always the case of course, but, asking again with fresh povs, is a good thing.

People come here, to talk, with a congenial bunch, about what we all have in common,the love of cruising. The chit chat page is, the funny, odd,food lovin, did you hear about page..sometimes,a mundane subject, gets contorted into political speak, which can get a bit hairy sometimes and removed.

We try to strike a balance ..sometimes we win, somtimes we lose, but....we try!

[Rum Runner]

I think maybe I'll just take it all in and not worry about "double standards." I've been around message boards enough to know that there are trolls hiding everywhere, just waiting to cause trouble, and if posts are removed or people are banned, there's usually a good cause for it.
It's also usually pretty easy to figure out in most places who to put on the ignore list
I'm sure that the admin staff here will realize after a while that sarcasm is my middle name, and I'd never post anything snarky without the obligatory wink & nudge
Thanks for the warning, though; I'll take it under advisement

[Henry43]

Originally Posted by Trip

Henry, in comparison to some other message boards, we are very fair.We have had a spate of old posts, in the last few months, many times connected to spam, pop up..but to me, old news is sometimes, just that..things change, and I would hate to think someone relied on old info, to plan a current cruise. This is not always the case of course, but, asking again with fresh povs, is a good thing.

People come here, to talk, with a congenial bunch, about what we all have in common,the love of cruising. The chit chat page is, the funny, odd,food lovin, did you hear about page..sometimes,a mundane subject, gets contorted into political speak, which can get a bit hairy sometimes and removed.

We try to strike a balance ..sometimes we win, somtimes we lose, but....we try!

I'm not referring to anything political .There is a person here with more than thousands of posts and a decade of posting ,most of them whimsical and they are never removed.
I posted something that anyone with the ability to read would realize that it was solely in jest and poof its gone.

[Kuki]

Originally Posted by Henry43

I'm not referring to anything political .There is a person here with more than thousands of posts and a decade of posting ,most of them whimsical and they are never removed.
I posted something that anyone with the ability to read would realize that it was solely in jest and poof its gone.

Henry,

Humor is one of the most difficult things to get across, even in direct conversation with facial expressions and tones. So, on a message board, even with all the emoticons, it's even tougher.

We've all had messages deleted at one time or another (even the moderators, when their posts were misunderstood). For the relatively short time you've been with us, you have been a pretty prolific poster, and having a few posts misread and/or deleted shouldn't even be a blip on the radar for you. And I'm frankly surprised this is the second time you've complained about it publicly.

Posting on internet message boards requires a much thicker skin than that.

BTW.. there are way more than 6 cruise web sites with message boards on the Internet. But, you're right about one thing... this one is the best..... and the friendliest. Everyone is welcomed here, just as you have been when you first found us.

[Henry43]

Originally Posted by Kuki

Henry,

Humor is one of the most difficult things to get across, even in direct conversation with facial expressions and tones. So, on a message board, even with all the emoticons, it's even tougher.

We've all had messages deleted at one time or another (even the moderators, when their posts were misunderstood). For the relatively short time you've been with us, you have been a pretty prolific poster, and having a few posts misread and/or deleted shouldn't even be a blip on the radar for you. And I'm frankly surprised this is the second time you've complained about it publicly.

Posting on internet message boards requires a much thicker skin than that.

BTW.. there are way more than 6 cruise web sites with message boards on the Internet. But, you're right about one thing... this one is the best..... and the friendliest. Everyone is welcomed here, just as you have been when you first found us.

I understand when something politically is removed even though it makes no sense to me .However ,in this case it totally made no sense to me.

I agree that this is the best site for cruising on the internet and among the overall best message boards regardless of category (the music board that I've been contibuting to for 12 years of course is the overall best )

[Fern]

I think we've gone a little OT (what a surprise!). I'd like to say that this is a very friendly site.

Not many post's are deleted by the PTB (Power's that Be), because most people here are nice and respectful of each other.

After saying that, I will say that I've had several posts deleted by the PTB . I didn't "get it" then, and I don't now, but I trust the PTB to do what they think is appropriate.

I'm still here ,

[Henry43]

As someone who has been a contributor 2 years to an internet message board my thinking is that the only thing that would warrant being removed would be cursing or blatantly ignoring TOS .