Reading cruise reviews

[sheltielover256]

I like hints and tips -- (i.e. sit up by the fish and chips on the Freedom because its rarely crowded). I also like specifics - it annoys me when people say things like "the food wasn't good" without explaining what they were disappointed with. Criticism (or praise) without an explanation isn't helpful.

 

I like pictures too.

[Lady_Jag]

I like pictures, too. Funny that so many say they like pictures, because on my last review, someone complained that they were "not reading [the review] because the pictures are too large." :rolleyes: Oh well! Can't please everyone, I guess.

 

The one exception to my love of pictures in reviews is the food pictures. Two or three food-only pictures in a review are ok, but how many times do I need to see the WCMC and cup of ice cream or a rare prime rib on a plate and up close and personal?

 

I never have time to read all the reviews, so I read ones that include info about ports I'm going to visit or ships that are in the same class as the ones I'm sailing on.

[cathyoo]

Pictures are nice but for the most part I like reading the reviews. I generally can figure out from the tone of the review and what the poster complains about if we would be on the same page and how much stock I'll put in the review.

 

I appreciate the time and effort the poster puts into sharing their information and their memories. Since even the best of vacations have little glitzs I appreciate the good, the bad and the ugly. To me a good review falls somewhere between the cheerleader and the basher. I think a review is sorta like people watching. I tend to like watching folks have fun. So my best reviews are from those that had a good time.

 

I also like the more people focused pictures. Especially when the people are having an excellent time. Don't get me wrong. a beautiful sunset takes my breath away but a picture of a child staring in wonder at a stingray warms my heart.

[Cuizer2]

...but a picture of a child staring in wonder at a stingray warms my heart.

 

[Yankeegirl]

I love the reviews with pictures, like many posters have already said, you get to live vicariously through them while you are reading. I also tend to be more interested on hearing about shore excursions and what to do while in port. I also agree that Celebrat writes awesome reviews.

 

If someone posts about a certain negative incident and then can move on I will keep reading the review, but if someone finds fault with everything, I tend to wonder if it just may be the person and I lose interest quickly. We all have had bumps along the way on both land and sea vacations.

[cathyoo]

 

Ahh, now my heart is warmed. Thank you. I so love all the smiles and all the memories that will be with those folks for years to come.

[portlandpete]

I love reading reviews to give me ideas about where we might want to go next. I also like the pictures but what I like reading about most is the excursions, what someone thought of the entertainment and what cabin someone stayed in and what the location was like. I can get information out of every review I read.

[amcjeep4life]

I like to read all the reviews, regrdless of the ship or the ports. Being new to cruising, I always get some important info out of each one. Sometimes, it's just thinking "Oh, I'd like to visit that port sometime." Sometimes it's a bit bigger, one of those "Holy crap, really?!?! You can do that?" moments. I love pictures, the more the merrier. I also do like to read about the adventures in getting to the port. We had our own little adventure last year, and when I wrote my review, I included it. Hey, if you don't want to read about it, skip it. That's why there is a scroll feature.:p I actually read about a restuarant in someone's review, and when I looked it up on the web, we decided we wanted to eat there too, so that's where we will be on October 23, right before our Freedom cruise. I do read the negative reviews, since it is always fun to read about someone else's issues. I just like to see what makes people complain. I do take everything I read with a grain of salt, including the positive reviews. After all, everything is subjective, even a positive outlook on what happened. I have learned a ton of stuff by reading people's reveiws, and I would like to thank ever one who has ever written one! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

[Minoushka]

I think the point in reviews is to share an experience and hopefully benefit others by their presentation .I learn a lot from other's reviews and use the knowledge to enhance my cruising experience

Thru reviews I learned about weather and clothing necessary for outdoor activities which I perhaps did not realize....Cabo.....Alaska ....South America ...etc

Atrium/restaurants/casino/pool/etc Places not to miss in port and who to visit with

I love picture of the ships ...gives me a better idea or actual cabins so I know what I will get

Positive is great but negative signals little flags for me ...nothing wrong with being forewarned ..but keeping open mind

I read most of the reviews of the ships I will be sailing on .I do look for positive input and yes Pictures do help

Thanks to all who take the time to write reviews and answer questions .I try to do both to the best of my knowledge and availability People on these boards are mostly Very helpful To you I tip my hat !!!!

 

Michele

[dan40]

 

 

StingRay City in Grand Cayman is the BEST excursion in the Caribbean.

 

For those that have not been there, look at the horizon in the above picture. Whatever direction you look, the view is pretty much the same. The sandbar is way out in the ocean. And the rays are "friendly!"

[MaiTaiMary]

Any other thoughts on this? I'm so excited to be able to write my own review in just a couple of months!

[Cuizer2]

Any other thoughts on this? I'm so excited to be able to write my own review in just a couple of months!

 

Write it now so you will not have to worry about it later. :)

[keishashadow]

StingRay City in Grand Cayman is the BEST excursion in the Caribbean.

 

For those that have not been there, look at the horizon in the above picture. Whatever direction you look, the view is pretty much the same. The sandbar is way out in the ocean. And the rays are "friendly!"

 

Even better when in a small group, booked thru an independent operator....just one of the great tips gleaned from combo of trip reports & port board

 

IMO also good to read constructive suggestions as to areas for improvement.

[ronirp]

I like to read the details. The general reviews that just say I really like the food, or the the service was bad - are just not helpful. What specifically did you like or not? As others said, many of these are so subjectives, that having the details helps me know whether I would agree and feel the same way or not.

[CeleBrat]

Some of the posters are really good writers...Cele-Brat's reviews should be made into a book or something LOL

 

I love the reviews with pictures, like many posters have already said, you get to live vicariously through them while you are reading. I also tend to be more interested on hearing about shore excursions and what to do while in port. I also agree that Celebrat writes awesome reviews.

 

 

What the heck? I peeked into this thread to try and find out what people are looking for to make those reviews write more useful,and I FIND MY NAME!!!

 

Thanks for being fans! But, I am now more-stressed-out-than-ever to try and make my next review (Carnival Miracle-April) even better than all the others.

 

Sheesh...

 

CeleBrat

[luvscruising2007]

I too like the reviews with lots of pictures. I enjoy the pics of the ships

and the activities on board.

I prefer a review that is balanced and cites pros and cons.

The negatives in a review can be helpful in planning or lowering an

expectation.

Any review is fun, because as another poster said you can live vicariously

through someone else's cruise. And when your next cruise is unscheduled

or a long way off, it can help with post cruise depression.

[Cuizer2]

I too like the reviews with lots of pictures. I enjoy the pics of the ships

and the activities on board.

I prefer a review that is balanced and cites pros and cons.

The negatives in a review can be helpful in planning or lowering an

expectation.

Any review is fun, because as another poster said you can live vicariously

through someone else's cruise. And when your next cruise is unscheduled

or a long way off, it can help with post cruise depression.

 

Here you go, the pictures are at the end of the review ...

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=55962

[RayJacki]

I like to read about reviewer's info/impressions about their cabin. Maybe it's a little bit of voyeurism or something! We often use these reviews to help us decide on a specific cabin if we're torn between 2 or 3.

:rolleyes:

[BBigfoot613]

First of all, I take EVERY review, with a grain of salt. Food and service is so subjective, though it's fun to see another persons perspective.

 

I love the pictures and then usually pay more attention to their excursions and port visits.

 

That about sums it up for me, although others have some good points. I love, love, love reviews with pictures. The bigger the better. I like seeing first impressions of a ship (good or bad), thoughts of the layout, what room number they were in if opinions are made about the cabin and most important to me are the port excursions (or lack of) with pictures. It helps decide on what to do while in a port. I like reviews that are atleast a little balanced, even though I understand that sometimes every and anything that can go wrong does from time to time. Oh did I mention I liked pictures?

 

I'd also like to add that my favorite thing from posters in a review are ANY that don't use the phrase A bad day on a cruise.... I'm not going to voice my opinion on that one except to say I don't spend 3+ grand to go to work for a week.

[poffles]

I like reviews that have lots of pictures but it is the balance of pictures and review that makes it special. I don't just want to see the pictures without the story to go with it, makes me feel like I am living their cruise with them. I tend not to read long reviews without any pictures, or at least save them until I have read all others "with" pictures. The reviews with pictures don't even have to be of a ship I am considering!

 

Love pictures of the ship (inside) and I really love cabin pictures and comments of what they thought of their location.

 

Greatly appreciate the time it takes anyone to do a review like that.

[bots99]

be specific about pros & cons, be truthful - do not embellish

[canner2u]

For me, a long review is just fine, as long as I am getting both facts as well as opinion on a cruise. If a review is all pictures, after the first few posts of pics, I tend to move on. I enjoy hearing about every part of a cruise, so for a review to start at the planning stage and includes everything from the time of day that a cruiser stepped out of their home up to the time they returned is fine with me, as long as the review flows with both good commentary as well as pictures. Info or facts as well as opinion and impressions are both welcomed.

 

What I dislike is a review that is maybe 5 sentences or one that is completely negative. It is my belief that there is never a day that contains only negative happenings, so be sure to include the good with the bad.

 

Having in the title of the post that there are pictures, will catch my eye then having that it is a detailed review will also wet my appetite to read. I think this also prepares the prospective reader to the fact that the review may be long and give them the option of returning to the review when they may have more time to enjoy it.

 

What I hate is the amount of time it takes for a review that is submitted to the review section to actually become available to read. I know that there are those that think reviews belong purely in the review section, however, the time it takes for them to be available is exceptionally long, as well as the fact that pictures can not be included. Sure, a link can be placed to a picture storage website, but having them in a review adds to the color and the flavor of a review.

[michelle1836]

pictures and what excursions they did. It helps me choose for my cruise

[gatorclaw]

One thing we're not putting enough emphasis on is the organization of the actual review. I typically don't read them (especially long ones) verbatim. So like to skim for what I am interested in. I like them broken up into obvious sections, titled, and organized well. Some reviews might be great, but if it's one long paragraph with 300 words on their flight to Miami, I'm out of there. But if I can quickly see what embarkation was like, what excursions were taken, etc- I'm in! Oh yeah... and pictures help!:)

[poffles]

One thing we're not putting enough emphasis on is the organization of the actual review. I typically don't read them (especially long ones) verbatim. So like to skim for what I am interested in. I like them broken up into obvious sections, titled, and organized well. Some reviews might be great, but if it's one long paragraph with 300 words on their flight to Miami, I'm out of there. But if I can quickly see what embarkation was like, what excursions were taken, etc- I'm in! Oh yeah... and pictures help!:)

 

I totally agree ... I hate one LONG paragraph reviews regardless if they are discussing one topic or not. They are just too hard to read. A paragraph should not fill a page.