At what point is it okay to complain?

[NavarreCruiser]

The reason that the Dream had to miss San Juan had to do with the wire sculpture that RCCL helped pay for. Anyone see the irony in that?

[crusinpsychRN]

If Captain's were purposefully, to be spiteful to passengers, not going to a port, if dining room food was the quality of a 7-11, if stewards didn't show up for the entire cruise, THAT's fair game to complain about and hopefully not get flamed but I'd bet if that had happened and been verified someone would cheerlead and call the poster a troll.

 

There are some posters you know have nothing nice to say. Avoid paying any attention to them.

 

Most reviews are rather evenly handled with pros and cons. Personal opinion is expected in a review after all.

[nbsjcruiser]

You raise a good point. Last year I put in a review of the Crown Princess. I thought I made it fair, listing some excellent and good points of the cruise. I did draw attention to the poor buffet organization and management and many agreed with me. In fact, someone on the same cruise we were on agreed. Of course I did get the snide remarks. On our Grand Turk stop, we were late docking and since we had already missed a port day the Captain was giving us an extra hour on shore. Many, many people took advantage and got an extra hour on the beach. As a result a lot of people missed their appointed time in the Dining Room and headed to the Buffet. Now on the Crown there is more than one line up for the Buffet but on this night they were all closed except 1 and it was serving Indian food which I hate. I made note of that in my review and said I thought it was poor management on the part of Princess. Well, of course someone had to jump on me with a smart a#$ remark. Its like people take offense to your point of view. Like they own the cruise ship or something. I wasn't complaining about the cruise; we had a good time and enjoyed the time away but a review is meant to draw on the good and the bad. I want people to tell me what could be improved. If they don't then you might as well not write a review.

 

In fairness, there are SOME people who are never happy and never will be but those posts are typically easy to spot. I tend to ignore those posts.

[Cruising Clare]

This is an interesting thread. What I wonder though is why does anyone view a review on CruiseCritic, positive or negative, any differently than any other information printed or spoken about any subject elsewhere? Movie reviews, book reviews, differing accounts of events in a newspaper, a vacation perspective in a magazine, the recounting of an experience in a mall? Everyone sees and experiences things differently. But like everywhere else, you read or listen to it all and take away what you think important. We all share our interest in or love of cruising, but no one is going to agree with every single comment written or spoken about the subject in every venue. My family has enjoyed all seven cruises we've taken with Carnival. Has every experience on each of those been perfect for us? Of course not. But the "goods" have far outweighed the "bads," which is why we continue to cruise. Were it the other way around, we'd find another vacation option. But this is no different from our approach to most things -- if it works for us, great, if it doesn't then we have to figure something else out. We love cruising, and we love Carnival, but I find it very interesting to note others' opinions, good and bad, whether I agree with those opinions or not. "Happy" cruising to you all, whatever that means to you!!:)

[LemurCat]

We have a pretty solid acid test for whether or not a cruise is worthy of complaining about in my family. Basically, if jumping off the ship and swimming to shore seems like a reasonable alternative, you can complain about the cruise.

[waldocruiser1]

This is a good topic;

 

I think we should all remember that WE are the customer and paying big money to go on vacation, for some families they are saving for years for this trip of a life time. So if we are expecting everything that Carnival or Royal or anyone else has advertised on their website or comercials, so be it. The company made an offer of a Great Vacation, they all want to be the best vacation choice on the sea, and they all took all the money.

 

If I expect to receive the dream vacation, get off my back and deliver what you offered.

 

Also

Quit feeling sorry for the workers that are having a bad day or working 7 days a week, they choose to work on the ship and agreeded to the life onboard when they took the first pay check.

[mom2tcdx2]

I really think it is about perspective and what one wishes to complain about. To complain about waiting in lines, slow elevators, hard to find tables, etc is ridiculous. To me some things should be expected when you take into account ship size, # of passengers, etc. It also has to do with how much patience a person has. I will wait in line, while I may not be totally happy about it, it isn't killing me. My BIL won't wait more than 5 minutes for anything. I have seen him refuse to eat because he won't wait in line. He however is one that will complain about anything and everything. He will be on the Dream with us this weekend and I am sure his perspective and mine at the end will be completely different.

People who post about rude employees never seem to give an actual example of what they found to be rude.

If you are going to be negative - post specifics and avoid sarcasm. If you waited for the pasta bar, then time it and be specific of how long you waited. If someone was rude tell us what they did that gave you that opinion.

One previous review I noted had a lot of invalid info and how can they be taken seriously - complained they had to eat in the buffet every night because they didn't get early seating and had to eat at 9? We all know second seating is 8:15 and they could have also done anytime dining instead. Another stated there were absolutely no activities yet another on the same week commented about the number of things there were to do. Again if they had activities that didn't appeal to you then say so - don't generalize with they had nothing.

[cruisercrash]

Bottom line for me is that I travel a lot for my job, in airplanes many weeks, in hotels all the time, etc. When it comes to the cruise experience, when I can do a seven day cruise on the Valor for less than $100.00 per day, it would have to be a really bad event to ruin my vacation. Not worth complaining.

 

I have learned to put myself in a trance when I see bad behavior, line cutting, buffet items missing, babies in the hot tubs,etc. It's almost zen like. I go to a better place in my mind. Of course, several libations help this process. I do the same thing at airports.

 

Anyway, I guess if I was paying $1,000 per day I would expect much more. How much can you expect for less than $100.00 per day?

(By the way, I couldn't live with $100.00 per day, I had to get a suite at just over $120.00 per day) I don't think the upgrade at that price will cause me to complain too much.

[Cruise, J.D.]

I don't mind complaints at all as long as there is a reasonable statement of the facts underlying the complaint so that I can evaluate the complaint.

 

"The Dream sucked" does not help me or anyone else. "The Dream sucked because of x, y, and z" may give me or others some insight into whether the complaint is applicable to us. Some complaints are so unique or idiosyncratic that they have no relevance to anyone else.

[Dr. Jack Daniels]

Well, I've had two bad embarkations, two bad disembarkations, and a plugged shower drain, but I guess I just decided to not let it ruin my vacation. Some people can't do that, I guess.

 

That hardly compares to not having your luggage for an entire week. Better go back and work a little harder on your pom-pom routine.:rolleyes:

[Kurbanfan]

No, it's hogwash to me because that is what I agreed to when I purchased my ticket. Sometimes you have to roll with the punches and settle for plan B and act like a responsible adult when disappointed.

 

I believe you hit the nail on the head.......Some people will tend to "settle" while others take a different approach........personally if I believe I am getting ripped I won't settle......I don't care what any contract says.........been there done that..........but that's me......

However we have been lucky that nothing has been bad enough to ruin our vacation.......

[kyrisong1]

I agree with the folks saying a balanced review is helpful, we liked::::

we didn't care for::::

The ones that tend to hit a huge nerve on here are those that complain about things that can't be helped like canceled ports for H1N1 or storms. Or those that come here and they are obvious RCL fans and say oh it was all horrible because RCL has better food, RCL has more entertainment, RCL has better cabins, and so on. It's not HELPFUL to make these statements.

I've written bad things in my reviews and have not been flamed, I hated the food in MDR last cruise, but I know it was because the waiter was not good and didn't get the food out hot, and drinks out cold............ I've sailed several of the CCL ships and loved some, not so much others.

Same can be said of X.

I never had a flame from my reviews, however I did point out the good things of the cruise and the things I enjoyed.

I'm a Carib fan and didn't care for the Mex Riv, does that make people mad??? Why should it??

I think what I'm trying to say is, that those that get flamed badly oftentimes were so extreme or snotty in the review that people reacted to them. Is it right? Maybe not, but we are all human, and we all have our days of being rubbed the wrong way.

Nunu is a blast and I adore every comment I read by him, don't go changing Nunu.

And the guy with the luggage was NOT a good example of irritating posts.

If you are not an experienced cruiser then you wouldn't really have a reason to know the porters work for the port and not the cruiseline, and the cruiseline IS basically saying that these people are responsible and can be trusted to get your bags on the ship, I'd be angry too.

JMO, Carole

[dan40]

Not about that, other b.s. which of course I cant say what Im upset about. I do think CC drives away the most experienced cruisers ... where is Wennfred and other helpfull people ... they got driven to the point it wasnt worth it. I can name others who post less now ... I know Im not the only one feeling this way.

 

 

I've been on the since about 2 years before the switch to this present format. The boards are exactly the same as they've always been. Complaints that are truly justified don't get much grief. For instance, one about a toilet overflow and brown trout floating down the hallway got EEWWW's but not flaming. Complaining because the mashed potatoes didn't taste like Gramdma's spuds get plenty of flames and deserve them. Missed port complaints are part of the nature of the sea and that's why its in the contract. Missed ports because the ship is broken and the line knew it, are justified. But still draw heat, always have. The Dream not fitting in a port is a RASPBERRY on CCL for the first cruise. If pax are not forewarned prior to subsequent cruises, that IS a bonifide complaint.

 

As far as the BS on the boards is concerned, DON'T READ THEM. I skip reviews entirely and if I open a thread and it turns out to be a review, I clik out. Same with a few posters, I have them on my ignore list as some have me on their ignore list [silly gooses:D]

If I had a better memory, I could name maybe 100 frequent posters that have left for their own reasons over the years. Some like Wennfred mentioned above could not possibly be bothered by any yahoo posting on the boards.

[firefly333]

I've been on the since about 2 years before the switch to this present format. The boards are exactly the same as they've always been. Complaints that are truly justified don't get much grief. For instance, one about a toilet overflow and brown trout floating down the hallway got EEWWW's but not flaming. Complaining because the mashed potatoes didn't taste like Gramdma's spuds get plenty of flames and deserve them. Missed port complaints are part of the nature of the sea and that's why its in the contract. Missed ports because the ship is broken and the line knew it, are justified. But still draw heat, always have. The Dream not fitting in a port is a RASPBERRY on CCL for the first cruise. If pax are not forewarned prior to subsequent cruises, that IS a bonifide complaint.

 

As far as the BS on the boards is concerned, DON'T READ THEM. I skip reviews entirely and if I open a thread and it turns out to be a review, I clik out. Same with a few posters, I have them on my ignore list as some have me on their ignore list [silly gooses:D]

If I had a better memory, I could name maybe 100 frequent posters that have left for their own reasons over the years. Some like Wennfred mentioned above could not possibly be bothered by any yahoo posting on the boards.

 

lol everyone seems to have a different viewpoint of what bs I was talking about ... that wasnt what I was talking about at all. But everyone does seem to agree there is some BS on these boards.

 

I agree, I dont think thats why Wennfred quit posting either.

[Schplinky]

I agree with the folks saying a balanced review is helpful, we liked::::

we didn't care for::::

The ones that tend to hit a huge nerve on here are those that complain about things that can't be helped like canceled ports for H1N1 or storms. Or those that come here and they are obvious RCL fans and say oh it was all horrible because RCL has better food, RCL has more entertainment, RCL has better cabins, and so on. It's not HELPFUL to make these statements.

 

I disagree. We've sailed on quite a number of lines and find comparisons helpful when choosing a new sailing. When we decided to sail the Carnival Dream, we read a lot of reviews and threads that compared CCL with the lines we've already sailed. We learned that CCL would be livelier than what we've sailed (a good thing), that the food was good and that the cabins are likely larger. We also took into account the negative things noted in reviews and checked these against our own priorities. I for one find comparisons quite helpful.

 

What I don't find all that helpful, no matter if you're a CCL Cheerleader, a Royal Champion, an NCL freak or a Princess person is when people say all nice or all bad things in a comparitive way. We've noticed this on all the boards where someone sails mainly one line but is forced (usually by traveling partners) to try something new and hates every aspect. Since our experience has told us that cruises are more alike than different, as are cruiselines, I think that these people are just stubborn or are clinging to their "first love" in cruise lines.

[rmartin1286]

I know exactly what you are saying, and pretty much agree,

but this is where others will say something to the effect:

"If a port is so important to someone, then they should fly there."

I would be upset, but have it in the back of my mind, that no port

is guaranteed, it doesn't mean I will like it, but will accept it and go on.

 

I would be upset no matter what portion of my cruised was missed/rescheduled/passed over in leu of another port. The fact is that if you pay hard earned money for a vacation that you've probably spent months planning and obsessing over, you are going to be upset if some part of it is somehow changed. And let's face it, most of the time it's changed for the worse in the form of ports being skipped, arriving late, storms, etc.

 

But, instead of spending the whole time thinking "Why did something have to go wrong???", you can think of the positive aspects. On my last cruise this past November, this is what happened to me:

 

1) I got internal parasites the first night of the cruise and had NO CLUE that's what was wrong with me. It felt like I was getting the swine flu every night.

2) It rained every single day except for Monday and Tuesday, and I mean it rained HARD.

3) We arrived two hours late in the Caymans.

4) The night of the Caymans and the whole next day and night we went through a tropical storm, and it was bad. The boat was rocking so hard and moaning and groaning so bad I thought it was going to come apart.

5) Our last day at sea was the major day we went through the tropical storm, and everything was closed. No pools, no basket ball, mini golf, ping pong, shuffle board, jogging, etc. Nothing. The winds were so bad they shut most of the decks above the lido deck down so you couldn't access them.

 

So yes, it was bad, but I had a great time despite me being really sick. The rain was crappy too, it was my first time that it's ever rained more than one day on a cruise. But if I missed a port because Carnival decided not to go there? Oh yeah, I'd be steaming mad. Some people take things worse than others, but that's their opinion. And I shouldn't have to fly to a port just to see the place. If my cruise says it's going to go there, I expect it too, and I book my cruises based on ports first and price second.

[GlendaleCruiser]

That hardly compares to not having your luggage for an entire week. Better go back and work a little harder on your pom-pom routine.:rolleyes:

 

 

My point exactly. AND, I wouldn't have been without luggage for a week because as I've said MANY MANY TIMES, I always pack in my carry-on:

 

formal outfit and shoes

bathing suit

makeup

all my underwear

2 daytime outfits and I'm wearing my walking shoes.

 

So, blame me because you didn't plan.

 

(This is me with my pom-poms:p:D)

If you will notice, I am a cheerleader for cruising, not a

cheerleader for CCL.

[Drew B]

I think we should all remember that WE are the customer and paying big money to go on vacation, for some families they are saving for years for this trip of a life time. So if we are expecting everything that Carnival or Royal or anyone else has advertised on their website or comercials, so be it. The company made an offer of a Great Vacation, they all want to be the best vacation choice on the sea, and they all took all the money.

 

If I expect to receive the dream vacation, get off my back and deliver what you offered.

 

 

Interesting. And when you buy a pack of Skittles, do you also expect rainbows to come shooting out of the ground and showering your surroundings with candy?

 

Advertising is... advertising. Any sensible consumer would know that an offer of a "great acation" or a "dream vacation" is subjective hyperbole. This giant corporation doesn't know you or what would make a vacation "great" or a "dream" for you. The goods and services they provide ARE "great" and a "dream" to some of their customers...

[GlendaleCruiser]

I posted a review regarding the Inaugural Dream and it was really pretty positive. There were things that needed to be re-worked and I was specific about them (such as sound equipment taking up the central floor of the showroom). Most people thought it was a positive review and said they enjoyed it.

 

Then I watch as people start posting:

 

"OH-NOES, now I have to cancel my cruise on the Dream because of the awful reviews"..............really? You would cancel because someone thought the buffet didn't flow well? Because there was noise in some staterooms? (every ship has those staterooms--that's why there's a thread on cabin choices).

 

Perspective is everything.

[Kurbanfan]

I posted a review regarding the Inaugural Dream and it was really pretty positive. There were things that needed to be re-worked and I was specific about them (such as sound equipment taking up the central floor of the showroom). Most people thought it was a positive review and said they enjoyed it.

 

Then I watch as people start posting:

 

"OH-NOES, now I have to cancel my cruise on the Dream because of the awful reviews"..............really? You would cancel because someone thought the buffet didn't flow well? Because there was noise in some staterooms? (every ship has those staterooms--that's why there's a thread on cabin choices).

 

Perspective is everything.

 

Who's canceling a cruise because of the buffet flow:confused:

[GlendaleCruiser]

Who's canceling a cruise because of the buffet flow:confused:

 

Not me. I used that as an example of several posters who panicked after reading a few reviews which they considered to be horrible, and I considered to be interesting.

 

I'm sure someone calmed them down eventually but some people need to know that their cruise will be absolutely perfect or they second guess their choice.

[Kurbanfan]

Not me. I used that as an example of several posters who panicked after reading a few reviews which they considered to be horrible, and I considered to be interesting.

 

I'm sure someone calmed them down eventually but some people need to know that their cruise will be absolutely perfect or they second guess their choice.

 

 

I don't believe anyone would cancel a cruise over a post on how horrible the buffet is set up let's be honest.........this is highly over exaggerated.......

But you bring up a good point........

I myself believe Carnival has one of the worse buffet setups.......but it won't stop me from cruising Carnival.......although I get flack from the cheerleaders when I post how horrible it is........why is that:confused:

Let people post how they feel about their experience....after all it is their experience.......

I like to hear the complaints.....if there is a pattern and if I know it would bother me I might look elsewhere.......too many ships out there to choose from.......

[Drew B]

I myself believe Carnival has one of the worse buffet setups.......but it won't stop me from cruising Carnival

 

I haven't cruised many lines, but Carnival's setup is WAY better than Celebrity's. I've sailed a total of 20 days on Celebrity, and after day 3*, I refused to ever set foot in their buffet again because of the hordes of diners and servers standing around with trays completely blocking any possibility of movement. Fortunately, they have other options (much better room service choices, the "aqua spa cafe", etc.) that made that easy to do.

 

 

 

 

* Day 3 was on my first cruise with them. The second cruise was on a different ship, so I ventured in to see if it was any better, and immediately turned around when I discovered that it was WORSE.

[LemurCat]

I don't believe anyone would cancel a cruise over a post on how horrible the buffet is set up let's be honest.........this is highly over exaggerated.......

But you bring up a good point........

I myself believe Carnival has one of the worse buffet setups.......but it won't stop me from cruising Carnival.......although I get flack from the cheerleaders when I post how horrible it is........why is that:confused:

Let people post how they feel about their experience....after all it is their experience.......

I like to hear the complaints.....if there is a pattern and if I know it would bother me I might look elsewhere.......too many ships out there to choose from.......

 

The linear buffet set-up *is* horrible and conducive to bad passenger behavior like line-cutting and poor buffet etiquette. But you're right, it's not reason *not* to cruise a line ... unless you're planning on spending 90% of your time at the buffet.

[Nunu]

The linear buffet set-up *is* horrible and conducive to bad passenger behavior like line-cutting and poor buffet etiquette. But you're right, it's not reason *not* to cruise a line ... unless you're planning on spending 90% of your time at the buffet.

90% buffet time = s. w. e. e. t. t. a. r. t. :eek: