Does the Negativity Crush You?

[maxmia]

In May we will board our first HAL ship. I have no intention of comparing it with our previous cruises. We enjoy every trip we take, the little setbacks make everything memorable. We have missed ports, sailed 5 hrs late, but then we sailed out of Sydney at night, and what a wonderful sight. This cruise will be just as much fun as all our others I am sure, and promise I will not make one negative comment on this forum.;)

[drcandon]

Every cruise line is different in some way - some things better, some things worse...HAL is an excellent cruise line and our short years of cruising has just gotten better. Are they better then other lines we have been on , in a lot of aspects - you bet - in some not as good....again it is all about personal choice

 

Just because I don't like something - does not give me the right to ruin someone else's hard earned cruise.

 

Maybe it is just the hard times we are in, but bitter complaining is not endemic just to these boards..wander over to the various Disney boards some time if you really want to see some ugliness...

 

If there is something severely wrong with the cruise..if you paid for a suite and got stuck in steerage, then complain..

 

Other then that it is your vacation, it is up to you to make the most of it, no-one is going to hand feed you...

 

Perhaps, (and with the risk of getting flamed) that is what is wrong..some folks don't remember how to enjoy themselves, (even doing nothing) and want to be constantly entertained and "hand fed"

[tidenik]

The chronic complainers who show up on these boards have always been a source of amusement to me.

These folks are highly skilled in in-depth nitpicking.

Must be their favorite hobby.

[Brown Eyed Gurl]

 

If so many things about HAL displease you or you have so much to complain about being insufficient or unsatisfactory to your standard or desire, why in the world do you continue to book and sail with them? Some people cruise again and again with them and then come here and repeatedly have mostly negative things to say.

 

 

I am getting ready to post a review and am hesitant to do so, because I think some will take it as negative and complaining. However, I believe in being honest. I think people have a right to know the full truth. I would never lie or keep a negative part of my cruise out, just to please a few HAL loyalists. I do like HAL very much and will sail them again, but they are not perfect, they have room to improve, and I will tell both good and bad parts of what I experienced. I see nothing wrong with that, and if you can only handle rosy stories about how great they are, skip my review. :p

[Sirdar]

I am getting ready to post a review and am hesitant to do so, because I think some will take it as negative and complaining. However, I believe in being honest. I think people have a right to know the full truth. I would never lie or keep a negative part of my cruise out, just to please a few HAL loyalists. I do like HAL very much and will sail them again, but they are not perfect, they have room to improve, and I will tell both good and bad parts of what I experienced. I see nothing wrong with that, and if you can only handle rosy stories about how great they are, skip my review. :p

 

Well said. If pointing out problems is intended to educate other cruisers and to suggest room for improvement then no one should be subjected to criticism. Anyone who has been crusiing for years (whether on HAL or other lines) cannot help but notice changes large and small that have negatively reflected on the overall experience. Whether these individually or cumulatively would cause anyone to forego a cruise is up to the individual to decide--but everyone should be heard without fear of being flamed.

[WhansaMi]

In May we will board our first HAL ship. I have no intention of comparing it with our previous cruises. We enjoy every trip we take, the little setbacks make everything memorable. We have missed ports, sailed 5 hrs late, but then we sailed out of Sydney at night, and what a wonderful sight. This cruise will be just as much fun as all our others I am sure, and promise I will not make one negative comment on this forum.;)

 

Well, while I agree that I tend to roll my eyes at some of the complaints I hear on this board, I genuinely hope you *don't* keep that promise unless it means that you haven't felt anything was negative!

 

I think people should report on their experience. Nothing in life is perfect, and if you have an absolutely perfect cruise, without one single glitch or misstep.... well, either you are extremely lucky, or you've overlooked something. ;-)

 

I really think it isn't the reporting of difficulties that tends to either upselt people, or make them roll their eyes, but *how* it is reported. People who tend to dramatize things, or make mountains out of molehills tend to be ones most remember as the "complainers".

 

On my HAL cruise, I basically had two complaints: one anxiety-provoking and acute (no water in our bathroom, as I was trying to prepare for an early excursion) but repaired in a timely fashion, and one more systemic and subjective (lack of entertainment for those who did not like pre-1968 music). Neither of these things are preventing us from climbing aboard another HAL ship this summer, but I think, in the interest of full disclosure, mention of these things is helpful to others who are reading these boards in search of information.

[cougar]

I think there is a difference between an honest review and negativity. Doing a review of your trip is very helpful to people seeking information, blaming others for a bad vacation is negative....in my opinion. I know things happen that can be out of our control, but if you try and roll with it for the most part you can make a positive out of a negative.:)

[sail7seas]

I am getting ready to post a review and am hesitant to do so, because I think some will take it as negative and complaining. However, I believe in being honest. I think people have a right to know the full truth. I would never lie or keep a negative part of my cruise out, just to please a few HAL loyalists. I do like HAL very much and will sail them again, but they are not perfect, they have room to improve, and I will tell both good and bad parts of what I experienced. I see nothing wrong with that, and if you can only handle rosy stories about how great they are, skip my review. :p

 

 

Nooo, Nooo,,,,,,,,,,,

 

I'm sorry my post made you feel we don't wish to hear honest constructive comments about need for improvement or things that didn't go the way they should have on your cruise. We all want to read those honest comments.

 

What I mean is the constant whining and complaining by some folks who never, ever seem to have a complimentary, positive, good thing to say about their experiences on the ships. There are some that seem to always be negative. I didn't receive this or that, someone else got bigger or better, they never seem to have a smile!

[CowPrincess]

 

>snip<

 

What I mean is the constant whining and complaining by some folks who never, ever seem to have a complimentary, positive, good thing to say about their experiences on the ships. There are some that seem to always be negative. I didn't receive this or that, someone else got bigger or better, they never seem to have a smile!

 

For people like that, I always try to remember that we (the readers of their posts) have no idea what their lives are like, what burdens they are carrying.

 

On other non-cruise-related boards time and again it has been proven to me many times that people who appear to be unhappy are in fact overwhelmed, dealing with personal or family illness, crhonic pain, loss of income, loss of independence, crushing debt, foreclosures, or other terrible problems.

 

So now I try not to judge, because I don't know what the true source of the upset/discontent is.

 

And then of course there are the people that you just know post only to stir the pot -- even then, I try to remember they may be dealing with mental illness, addiction, lack of control in their personal lives, unhappy personal relationships, so that they have to create some sort of "storm" on the message boards to entertain themselves and get the attention they are so desperate for.

[sail7seas]

That's true Cow Princess....

 

But don't all of us carry our personal loads and burdens?

I know I do. I have the close family member in nursing home with me alone to care for them. I have the serious medical issues of my own to deal with. I have the very busy DH with incredibly busy business life...blah, blah, blah. I get attacked and judged here plenty so I know of what I speak. No one gives a hoot other people's personal burdens and, truthfully, here on a public BB, there is no need to. Some may wish to and fine but I don't think there is a responsibility for anyone to look beyond that which someone posts here. Take it for what you see and what you think of it. I fully expect every post I put here to have someone have a negative comment about it. So what?! It is rare for me to not be 'told what for' on a daily basis. Again, so what?!!

 

Selective 'niceness'? I like that word. Probably not in a dictionary but it fits IMO

 

I know all my friends have one 'heavy load' or another but they manage to smile and find kind and nice things to say.

 

We all have bad days.

 

But some folks NEVER seem to have a pleasant or positive thing to say.

It isn't judging IMO....... it's observing.

[HeatherInFlorida]

.................. We enjoy every trip we take, the little setbacks make everything memorable. We have missed ports, sailed 5 hrs late, but then we sailed out of Sydney at night, and what a wonderful sight. This cruise will be just as much fun as all our others I am sure, and promise I will not make one negative comment on this forum.;)

 

(my bold above) .... This is a spectacular attitude! The proof of a positive attitude when something happens that isn't planned, but you make the best of of it.

 

There's a big difference between having an honest complaint and being negative in the extreme.

 

The chronic complainers who show up on these boards have always been a source of amusement to me.

These folks are highly skilled in in-depth nitpicking.

Must be their favorite hobby.

 

I think most of the people who have the most "horrific" stories to tell are hit and run. Most who are that negative post for their own amusement and move on.

 

I am getting ready to post a review and am hesitant to do so, because I think some will take it as negative and complaining. However, I believe in being honest. I think people have a right to know the full truth. I would never lie or keep a negative part of my cruise out, just to please a few HAL loyalists. I do like HAL very much and will sail them again, but they are not perfect, they have room to improve, and I will tell both good and bad parts of what I experienced. I see nothing wrong with that, and if you can only handle rosy stories about how great they are, skip my review. :p

 

Please don't hesitate to review your honest experience. Anyone who faults you should be ignored anyway. As you say, there are always plusses and minuses to any cruise, any trip ... even to any given day!

 

I posted my review recently and among the rave of the entire cruise were a few things that went wrong, but overall it was a very positive review. No one got upset. Don't worry about it. Reviews of different ships, different itineraries are the main reason many people come here. The minority are those who just want a dust up:)

[Oceanwench]

For people like that, I always try to remember that we (the readers of their posts) have no idea what their lives are like, what burdens they are carrying.

 

On other non-cruise-related boards time and again it has been proven to me many times that people who appear to be unhappy are in fact overwhelmed, dealing with personal or family illness, crhonic pain, loss of income, loss of independence, crushing debt, foreclosures, or other terrible problems.

 

So now I try not to judge, because I don't know what the true source of the upset/discontent is.

 

And then of course there are the people that you just know post only to stir the pot -- even then, I try to remember they may be dealing with mental illness, addiction, lack of control in their personal lives, unhappy personal relationships, so that they have to create some sort of "storm" on the message boards to entertain themselves and get the attention they are so desperate for.

 

Very good observations - I don't know why anyone would become defensive in reaction to your post!

 

I have had the same experiences in non-cruise-related boards, where I got to know some posters very well. Some of the most negative were people whose lives were fairly bleak and they did seek attention ... they seemed to thrive on the drama they created.

 

On this board, I really don't pay attention to the one-hit wonders and the hit-and-run artists who come here post-cruise to exact their revenge on HAL. Those are the negative posts to avoid.

 

Just as unrealistic are those who post again and again that HAL can do no wrong. We know that's not true! I feel these champions are being disingenuous ... not sure of their motivations.

 

Anyone else who posts reviews and seems fairly balanced, I'll read. I've been on enough HAL cruises to know there's good and bad ... and things that can be improved.

 

But the bottom line in all of this is that none of us can control what people post here. That's the job of the moderators. And as much as we may whine and complain about the whiners and complainers ... ;) ... it's allowed.

[CowPrincess]

But the bottom line in all of this is that none of us can control what people post here. That's the job of the moderators. And as much as we may whine and complain about the whiners and complainers ... ... it's allowed.

 

So true :D

 

I used to butt heads regularly with a woman on another (non-cruise) board. Oh my, we would get into it on a regular basis. One day she changed her sig line to read something like "Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle" or similar. She truly inspired me to try to put a kinder "spin" on what others post. And perhaps not surprisingly, we don't butt heads nearly as much now :)

[LSEA]

That's true Cow Princess....

 

But don't all of us carry our personal loads and burdens?

I know I do. I have the close family member in nursing home with me alone to care for them. I have the serious medical issues of my own to deal with. I have the very busy DH with incredibly busy business life...blah, blah, blah. I get attacked and judged here plenty so I know of what I speak. No one gives a hoot other people's personal burdens and, truthfully, here on a public BB, there is no need to. Some may wish to and fine but I don't think there is a responsibility for anyone to look beyond that which someone posts here. Take it for what you see and what you think of it. I fully expect every post I put here to have someone have a negative comment about it. So what?! It is rare for me to not be 'told what for' on a daily basis. Again, so what?!!

 

 

When I read the first line of this paragraph I was going to post a disagreement. Something like, yes, we all have our burdens, but some of us much more than others. But I kept reading and you make a very good point. And one that I need to remind myself of more often. It doesn't matter, at least to many, and I can't expect it to matter to them. This is a public BB as you say.

[sail7seas]

LSEA..... I think as much to the point of whether anyone cares, it is much more likely that few KNOW what problems and burdens others cope with. Sure among those posters with whom I communicate off the board, I know about their personal/private lives and they know about mine. But most posters here don't know much about other posters. There is little reason for most to know or to care IMO unless they choose to pursue communication/friendship off the board.