Oceania- NEVER AGAIN !!!

[Cinnamon Seahorse]

Isn't it a fun name? It's a nickname given to me by some of my Crystal cruising buddies. My original board name was PamperMe. Then, comedian that he is, my husband signed up as PamperHer. Cinnamon refers to my haircolor, and seahorse to the tattoo of the Crystal logo I have on my wrist. Which is sized perfectly to be covered by my watch when in more formal business settings!

 

Enjoy every sailing you take, Carla

[legaleaglegreen]

As to your question about wine by the glass, the price is about the same as in a good restaurant. However, you can also buy a bottle of wine and they will store the unused portion and serve it to you at other meals without further charge.

 

Second the advice re vegetarian--there is always at least one vegetarian entree and of course several salads, appetizers and deserts. vegan would be more challanging but they could probably cope.

[caribbeansun]

I have no issue with differing opinions, what does concern me though is when an opinion is stated as a fact and those "facts" are at odds with reality.

 

A couple examples of "facts" stated by the OP, in very absolute terms, that are not factually accurate:

 

"Entertainment- Absolutely none- zero!"

"Main Dining Room- Food is totally inflexible."

"Casino- 4 BJ tables and some slots. Nothing else."

"They absolutely do offer tables for two in the MDR. They are lined up in a line of roughly 4 or 5 tables for two"

 

I trust that those reading will discern the difference between opinion and fact with reference to the above. I personally don't see any opinions included above.

 

I would hope that those thanking the OP would want to know the truth of certain matters rather than relying on factual inaccuracies as those are IMO a disservice to both the cruise line and those without experience on the line that are doing research for a potential future trip.

[Bruin Steve]

First, I'd like to thank the OP for taking the time to share opinions, and they were clearly labeled as such. Also, for your grace under fire with the responses dismissing YOUR opinion.

We have been considering Oceania. I have food issues, and inflexibility with meals would be a disaster. I doubt that is mentioned in the brochure.

An even bigger disaster would be sailing with people who feel the need to attack someone's opinion.

There were a few posts that showed reason and understanding, and I hope to encounter those posters on another line some day.

Happy sailing.

 

Well, Seahorse, where shall I begin?

 

I went back and reread the OP's original post...and a good portion of this thread...just to see if people had really been too harsh on the OP...or if the OP showed any sense of "Grace" as you put it...

 

I am afraid the evidence does not support your conclusions.

 

First, the OP came out with the original post in print FOUR TIMES normal size and with a heading of "NEVER AGAIN!!" in what internet etiquette considers "SHOUTING" (all caps)...

 

The post was in no way "graceful", rather easily intended to be an all-out attack on the cruise line...The OP may have labeled the statements as "opinion", but phrased them as though indisputable fact. The "opinion" appeared to be, for all intent and purpose, pure hyperbole: Of over 60 cruises, "BY FAR the worst cruise we ever took" (Shouting, again).

 

The 11 points:

 

1. Laundry prices

2. Internet prices

3. Specialty restaurant availability

4. Port shuttles

5. Entertainment

6. Main Dining Room

7. Hygiene

8. The General Manager

9. Spa not having a "dry sauna".

10. Casino size

11. Shopping

 

Frankly, several of these "opinions" seem to really amount to little more than trivial issues. A "dry Sauna"???? Most seemed, again, to be exaggerated at best.

 

Take, for example Internet prices. Yes, they are high...but NOT "double the other cruise lines". Trust me...we just got off Celebrity Eclipse...Internet prices there were 65 cents per minute...certainly less than 95 cents, but definitely not half. Exaggeration harms the OP's credibility.

 

For "Entertainment", the OP writes "Absolutely none- zero !"...again harming his/her credibility. I, for one, have never been impressed with the Entertainment on Oceania...but it is NOT "Absolutely none- zero !"...Again, the exaggeration/hyperbole does not help the OP come across as "graceful".

 

Specialty restaurant availability? For any of us who have cruised Oceania, we know the reservation policy...and we also know that it IS possible to get additional times as available...But, we also know the reasons they need to limit access. On many lines, a majority of people simply don't use the specialty restaurants. But, with Oceania's no extra fee policy, they need to limit access to keep the staff at those restaurants from being overburdened and to keep the quality standards.

 

I still don't understand the Main Dining Room "totally inflexible" comment...I've never had a problem in getting what I want and it often varies from the standard...

 

My guess is that the OP wasn't getting the response they desired--but likely because of THEIR tone and approach--with dining room staff and with the General Manager (why do THEY care what Oceania calls the position?) and Restaurant Manager...

 

From MY reading of the OP's post, the OP seems to be demeaning and insulting:

 

"Isn't this ridiculous ?"..."We'd may as well have been speaking to Donald Duck.", etc.

 

I thought the OP sounded to be the type of person searching for things to complain about...and it sounds like they like to complain...and, apparently did it constantly ON the ship...and now off, they've taken it here...As their entree onto Cruise Critic...

 

Total LACK of "grace"...

 

I think the regular posters on this board treated the OP quite well...

They often agreed with some of the OP's points (shuttles, laundry prices, etc.)...

Those attacking the responses seem to be protesting a bit too much...

 

Let's get serious now...

 

The OP has apparently been on ONE Oceania cruise...and it wasn't to their liking...

Most of the people frequenting this board have been on multiple Oceania cruises and it IS to their liking...

There is a disagreement here...

 

If I were considering Oceania and visiting this board, I would put a lot more credence in the opinions of the greater number of participants with the greater number of Oceania cruises...

 

It Is possible that the OP just had a bad cruise...or maybe what Oceania does just doesn't match up with their expectations, standards and criteria...The things that are important

to the OP: Cheap Self Service Laundry, Low Internet Rates, Free Shuttles in Ports, a "Dry Sauna", Unlimited Specialty Restaurants, Cheap Nail Polish Remover onboard, a big Casino with lots of games, lots of Entertainment and no tips added to the bill and/or traditional dining room seating are NOT what is important to those who DO like Oceania...

 

I will suggest the OP try Carnival: They do have a big casino, they have LOTS of Entertainment, they have traditional seating...I don't know what they charge for the internet, but, based on the OP's statement, I will assume it's less than half of 95 cents...They have cheap stuff in their many onboard shops, you can eat in the specialty restaurants as often as you are willing to pay the extra fee...I do not know if they have a "Dry Sauna" on Carnival, but I am sure they'll turn off the air conditioning in your cabin for you...

 

So, Carnival may just be the cruise line for you, OP...

 

Oh, a couple of things I forgot...

I don't really like to do my own laundry on a cruise...but, I really don't see the difference between paying $2 a load or $4 a load or how it will really make any kind of material impact on your cruise budget...

And...TWO HOURS for scrambled eggs!!!??? Really??? Are you sure you were in the dining room? Did you get there while they were actually OPEN? Was it just YOU or was EVERYONE waiting around for those eggs? Or did they just not like YOU? ...Or...was it just more exaggeration?

[pier]

Oceania's closest competitor, Azamara Club Cruises, now includes complimentary, unlimited use of the laundry room(s) onboard, according to Larry Pimental, President & CEO. He did a Q&A on Cruise Critic this past February.

 

Crystal Cruises offers the same free laundry, has many laundry rooms onboard, but then Crystal is a luxury cruise line, not "deluxe" or "premier".

 

We recently returned from our first Azamara cruise, which we picked for the itinerary. It was nice to have complimentary use of the laundry room, but that didn't compensate for the disappointing food. After two dinners in the MDR, we decided to eat in the specialty restaurants. The specialty restaurants aren't free on Azamara unless you are on one of the top decks. We had a veranda room, so we had to pay $30 a night plus a gratuity to eat in the specialty restaurants. On our Oceania cruises, we had great meals. I'd rather pay $2 for doing a load of laundry than $30 plus a tip for dinner every night.

[yarramar]

Well, Seahorse, where shall I begin?..........

 

 

Well put, counselor!

 

Too sum up the OPs "opinions" need to be taken with a grain of salt.

[Paulchili]

Too sum up the OPs "opinions" need to be taken with a grain of salt.

 

At least a grain (an ounce would be more like it).

[pacheco18]

At least a grain (an ounce would be more like it).

 

An understatement!!

 

As I troll (for information) and sometimes post on other boards, I am impressed by the loyalty O cruisers have shown to the line. Even loyal Azamara cruisers are bashing their own "favorite" line -- mostly for its new policies -- but for other recent deficiencies as well. (I have been berated for mentioning that fact on the O boards - sue me. LOL No freedom of speech among the A ranks.)

 

The only other lines where I see such consistent loyalty are Regent and PG. Just an observation, but it seems all for good reason.

[Cinnamon Seahorse]

The post was in no way "graceful", rather easily intended to be an all-out attack on the cruise line...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

After reading the above, I stopped. I never stated the post was graceful; I noted the grace the OP showed in his responses.

 

I will not be as graceful as the OP with having my post slammed by someone who couldn't get something that simple straight.

 

Adios

[gillianrose]

We recently returned from our first Azamara cruise, which we picked for the itinerary. It was nice to have complimentary use of the laundry room, but that didn't compensate for the disappointing food. After two dinners in the MDR, we decided to eat in the specialty restaurants. The specialty restaurants aren't free on Azamara unless you are on one of the top decks. We had a veranda room, so we had to pay $30 a night plus a gratuity to eat in the specialty restaurants. On our Oceania cruises, we had great meals. I'd rather pay $2 for doing a load of laundry than $30 plus a tip for dinner every night.

 

Put that way, I would agree. But I still prefer free laundry rooms and either complimentary or lower priced specialty dining . It isn't the amount of money so much, but that such things such as doing one's own laundry is extra on lines that call themselves deluxe.

[cruisemuse]

Cruisingallthetime seems to have selected the wrong cruise line--Oceania is obviously not a good fit for him. But in defense of Oceania, I might comment:

--The specialty dining rooms do not fill the room to capacity all evening. That makes it a much nicer experience, in my opinion. And no extra fee for this. And those in Penthouse Suites and Concierge level can almost always get extra nights there without a problem--the butler takes care of this. And even those without a butler can often get an extra night by showing up and checking for "no-shows."

--Transportation at ports. When this is provided by other cruise lines, is it the cruise line that provides/pays for this? Or is it the local municipality? I have never found this to be a problem on Oceania. First, the ship is often docked right in town. And second, I've always found plenty of taxis available in most towns (very few exceptions).

--Casino. Yes, it's small. I'm not a gambler, so it's never been an issue for me. If the casino is a biggie for you, Oceania isn't a good choice.

--Entertainment. Again, I like the low-key entertainment. On big ships with gala shows, I usually pass on the shows. Again, people should know ahead of time that this is the case on Oceania. A plus is that the lounge is very intimate, so you get a cabaret atmosphere.

--Laundry charges. At least Oceania has a laundry room. Do all ships offer this? I really don't know. But I don't consider $4 to be a huge amount to pay--much better than the cost of laundry service.

--Internet. I agree that it's expensive. I now take my Blackberry (with international connection), and I can check my email that way. And I try to get to an internet cafe from time to time in port. (Oceania has more time in ports than many cruise lines, so this works.)

--Hygiene. It's too bad that the pizza guy was not meticulous. But I've been on other cruises where the buffet was huge, and sniffling kids (and adults) were using their hands to serve themselves, picking up food and putting it back. On Oceania you are served from the buffet line, which is certainly a better plan.

 

It really boils down to matching the cruise with your druthers. A good travel agent should be able to steer people in the right direction. Oceania is a great choice for many, but there are certainly people who should avoid it. We all live and learn.

[no fuss travel]

Amazing how when anyone criticizes any ship that other cruisers are particularly fond of, people do get upset. I did not like the large caps as my son explained to me that that is shouting and very argumentative, therefore rude. When I first went on the internet I made the mistake of using caps and was chastised for it and accepted the criticism as I simply did not know. I am looking forward to my O cruise next May, but I know that I will find some things about the ship that may irritate me and other things about the ship that I will totally enjoy. I think O is about the twelfth cruise line that I will sail on and my fondest memories of any line is a line that no longer exists. I got spoiled rotten on that particular line, but has been said quite often, the politer you are the more often your requests will be honoured. I find that most cruise lines will work around food allergies with total grace. I have enjoyed reading everyone's opinions and know that I have a lot to look forward to.

[yorkiemomjn]

Well, Seahorse, where shall I begin?

 

I went back and reread the OP's original post...and a good portion of this thread...just to see if people had really been too harsh on the OP...or if the OP showed any sense of "Grace" as you put it...

 

I am afraid the evidence does not support your conclusions.

 

First, the OP came out with the original post in print FOUR TIMES normal size and with a heading of "NEVER AGAIN!!" in what internet etiquette considers "SHOUTING" (all caps)...

 

The post was in no way "graceful", rather easily intended to be an all-out attack on the cruise line...The OP may have labeled the statements as "opinion", but phrased them as though indisputable fact. The "opinion" appeared to be, for all intent and purpose, pure hyperbole: Of over 60 cruises, "BY FAR the worst cruise we ever took" (Shouting, again).

 

The 11 points:

 

1. Laundry prices

2. Internet prices

3. Specialty restaurant availability

4. Port shuttles

5. Entertainment

6. Main Dining Room

7. Hygiene

8. The General Manager

9. Spa not having a "dry sauna".

10. Casino size

11. Shopping

 

Frankly, several of these "opinions" seem to really amount to little more than trivial issues. A "dry Sauna"???? Most seemed, again, to be exaggerated at best.

 

Take, for example Internet prices. Yes, they are high...but NOT "double the other cruise lines". Trust me...we just got off Celebrity Eclipse...Internet prices there were 65 cents per minute...certainly less than 95 cents, but definitely not half. Exaggeration harms the OP's credibility.

 

For "Entertainment", the OP writes "Absolutely none- zero !"...again harming his/her credibility. I, for one, have never been impressed with the Entertainment on Oceania...but it is NOT "Absolutely none- zero !"...Again, the exaggeration/hyperbole does not help the OP come across as "graceful".

 

Specialty restaurant availability? For any of us who have cruised Oceania, we know the reservation policy...and we also know that it IS possible to get additional times as available...But, we also know the reasons they need to limit access. On many lines, a majority of people simply don't use the specialty restaurants. But, with Oceania's no extra fee policy, they need to limit access to keep the staff at those restaurants from being overburdened and to keep the quality standards.

 

I still don't understand the Main Dining Room "totally inflexible" comment...I've never had a problem in getting what I want and it often varies from the standard...

 

My guess is that the OP wasn't getting the response they desired--but likely because of THEIR tone and approach--with dining room staff and with the General Manager (why do THEY care what Oceania calls the position?) and Restaurant Manager...

 

From MY reading of the OP's post, the OP seems to be demeaning and insulting:

 

"Isn't this ridiculous ?"..."We'd may as well have been speaking to Donald Duck.", etc.

 

I thought the OP sounded to be the type of person searching for things to complain about...and it sounds like they like to complain...and, apparently did it constantly ON the ship...and now off, they've taken it here...As their entree onto Cruise Critic...

 

Total LACK of "grace"...

 

I think the regular posters on this board treated the OP quite well...

They often agreed with some of the OP's points (shuttles, laundry prices, etc.)...

Those attacking the responses seem to be protesting a bit too much...

 

Let's get serious now...

 

The OP has apparently been on ONE Oceania cruise...and it wasn't to their liking...

Most of the people frequenting this board have been on multiple Oceania cruises and it IS to their liking...

There is a disagreement here...

 

If I were considering Oceania and visiting this board, I would put a lot more credence in the opinions of the greater number of participants with the greater number of Oceania cruises...

 

It Is possible that the OP just had a bad cruise...or maybe what Oceania does just doesn't match up with their expectations, standards and criteria...The things that are important

to the OP: Cheap Self Service Laundry, Low Internet Rates, Free Shuttles in Ports, a "Dry Sauna", Unlimited Specialty Restaurants, Cheap Nail Polish Remover onboard, a big Casino with lots of games, lots of Entertainment and no tips added to the bill and/or traditional dining room seating are NOT what is important to those who DO like Oceania...

 

I will suggest the OP try Carnival: They do have a big casino, they have LOTS of Entertainment, they have traditional seating...I don't know what they charge for the internet, but, based on the OP's statement, I will assume it's less than half of 95 cents...They have cheap stuff in their many onboard shops, you can eat in the specialty restaurants as often as you are willing to pay the extra fee...I do not know if they have a "Dry Sauna" on Carnival, but I am sure they'll turn off the air conditioning in your cabin for you...

 

So, Carnival may just be the cruise line for you, OP...

 

Oh, a couple of things I forgot...

I don't really like to do my own laundry on a cruise...but, I really don't see the difference between paying $2 a load or $4 a load or how it will really make any kind of material impact on your cruise budget...

And...TWO HOURS for scrambled eggs!!!??? Really??? Are you sure you were in the dining room? Did you get there while they were actually OPEN? Was it just YOU or was EVERYONE waiting around for those eggs? Or did they just not like YOU? ...Or...was it just more exaggeration?

 

Bruin Steve, what an excellent summation!!:D

[Friscorays]

Well, Seahorse, where shall I begin?

 

I went back and reread the OP's original post...and a good portion of this thread...just to see if people had really been too harsh on the OP...or if the OP showed any sense of "Grace" as you put it...

 

I am afraid the evidence does not support your conclusions.

 

First, the OP came out with the original post in print FOUR TIMES normal size and with a heading of "NEVER AGAIN!!" in what internet etiquette considers "SHOUTING" (all caps)...

 

The post was in no way "graceful", rather easily intended to be an all-out attack on the cruise line...

 

The post was in no way "graceful", rather easily intended to be an all-out attack on the cruise line...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

After reading the above, I stopped. I never stated the post was graceful; I noted the grace the OP showed in his responses.

 

I will not be as graceful as the OP with having my post slammed by someone who couldn't get something that simple straight.

 

Adios

 

I read Bruin Steve's entire post (including the short portion that you stated you read) several times and do not see where your post was "slammed." I am sorry that you took the section of what he wrote that you read as such.

 

I think the original poster incited the response received not so much for what was said, but the manner in which it was said. A little bit of tact goes a long way. As the old saying goes, it is not what you say but how you say it. This is what much of what Bruin Steve's post addresses.

 

Imagine I walked into a couple's house who I was meeting for the first time, shook their hands and then immediately went into a lengthy diatribe of why I found their home to be a filthy stinking dump deserving of demolition which I would never deign to visit again. I would not be surprised to find that the rest of my visit with them did not go well....

[hondorner]

1) People are entitled to their own opinions. They are NOT entitled to their own facts. The OP made up facts that are not accurate. This is not a slam against the OP, or an opinion, it is a statement of fact.

 

2) Posters are free to choose ignorance when those facts are explained.

[yorkiemomjn]

I read Bruin Steve's entire post (including the short portion that you stated you read) several times and do not see where your post was "slammed." I am sorry that you took the section of what he wrote that you read as such.

 

I think the original poster incited the response received not so much for what was said, but the manner in which it was said. A little bit of tact goes a long way. As the old saying goes, it is not what you say but how you say it. This is what much of what Bruin Steve's post addresses.

 

Imagine I walked into a couple's house who I was meeting for the first time, shook their hands and then immediately went into a lengthy diatribe of why I found their home to be a filthy stinking dump deserving of demolition which I would never deign to visit again. I would not be surprised to find that the rest of my visit with them did not go well....

 

Friscorays, your explanation was also excellent!!

That is exactly why the OP felt 'attacked'. Not so much what they said, but 'how' it was said. This lesson is usually learned early in life!

[opheliaj]

:)Regarding your question about Oceania being able to accommodate food restrictions, my husband has celiac disease (an allergy to gluten). I notified Oceania before we sailed in 2006 on a two-week Baltic cruise and their efficiency and helpfulness couldn't have been better. A gluten-free diet isn't the easiest diet to accommodate and yet Oceania managed to make it seem to be no issue at all.

 

This experience was in stark contrast to Regent last September when, after five different notifications (by email, by snail mail, and by phone) prior to sailing, no one on board seemed to have any idea that there was a food allergy called celiac disease or what it was.

 

My husband had to try to communicate the problem to the waiter at every meal. It was very difficult, especially given the language barrier, and often proved to be impossible. He ate a lot of steak and salads. They were very nice about it but could not understand what he was trying to explain. I was appalled, particularly in view of our experience with Oceania.

 

From our knowledge of Oceania, you shouldn't have any problems.

Hi All (first time poster):

Well, everything that could be said, in this thread, has been said (more than a few times). My question concerns the food in the MDR; it sounds like the menu has few choices. Would a vegetarian be able to get a decent meal there or should I stick to the Terrace where it seems like you can pretty much pick what and how much you want? Is that a pretty fair assessment? Also, we like a glass of wine with our dinner; how expensive is that?

Never been on Oceania but thinking of taking that Insignia cruise on Nov. 10. Nothing I've read would disuade me so far (don't gamble, don't go to the entertainment or art auctions, no Internet, sauna, etc.) Love to sightsee, eat, and relax with a book on the balcony or the library. and walk 2 miles around the deck each day for exercise.

Will I be disappointed?

Previous cruise experience: Alaska with HAL and Amsterdam to Vienna with Uniworld. Both of which we loved.

Thanks!

[hkr1216]

In many respects I have to agree with the OP, although I agree he seemed angry at time. We also have sailed on Oceania, and in our opinion, Azamara blew them out of the water in so many categories: free shuttles, ease in eating in the specialty restaurants, entertainment, service of the staff, excellent food (everywhere), and I could go on and on. We've sailed over 30 times. I enjoyed Oceania when we were on it, but had some issues at the time. Azamara got almost everything completely right.

[JBVols]

We just got off A this past spring and:

 

1. No free shuttles

 

2. You can get in their speciality restaurants because they are not very special

 

3. O service and food was much better than A

 

4. The ship (Journey) was tired and very worn. We never saw anyone working on it. On the Nautica on the Black Sea cruise, the ship was constantly being maintained.

 

The only thing we thought that was better on A was the entertainment. The pool parties with the great A cover band was a lot of fun.

[hondorner]

...2. You can get in their [Azamara] speciality restaurants because they are not very special...

...And you have to pay them a cover charge if you are not in a suite. No cover charge on Oceania.

[karen sharpe]

So agree....ships were lovely, decor was wonderful , food was great but the increased fares were just so not worth it! We have received the same level of services on Princess and HAL.

[pratzert]

Wonky???? I am going to have to look that up! :D

Also, no more shooting my mouth off!!:o

 

Wonky I got... I'm still looking up "remonstrated". :o

[orchestrapal]

So agree....ships were lovely, decor was wonderful , food was great but the increased fares were just so not worth it! We have received the same level of services on Princess and HAL.

 

Worth every extra penny for Oceania to not have the hundreds of smokers in our faces.:D

[Princess Wendy]

I just returned from Oceania's 14 day Baltic after having had a tremendous experience with them throughout the Mediterranean. Not so this time around. Yes, three years have passed and the recession has caused business to look at where to nip and tuck but this surgery was obvious and painful. The dining staff and food quality was exceptional. Room attendants were very impressive as were the multitudes of other staffed areas on the ship. Where I had a problem, as did many others on our journey, was with the entertainment and destinations groups. It seemed as if they were working for another company all together.

 

I called Oceania to report my experiences onboard and on tours and what Customer Relations asked for was a thorough report so that they could address my concerns. My response was "after so many disappointing incidents, I was not prepared to spend an hour and a half documenting my thoughts only to have my letter placed in a filing cabinet." The representative thanked me and that was the end of our conversation. So, you won't get an hour and a half summary but you will receive a very negative report regarding the quality of organized tours and the knowledge and customer service of the destinations tour operators on the ship. Maybe I am holding Oceania to a higher ground but for the small fortunes spent on Oceania organized tours, my husband and I, and others had a continuum of substantial enough disappointments. Cancelled tours, cancelled sections important elements of tours, poor quality of tours, misaligned information about tours, lack of interest in assisting us with personal arrangements ... the list goes on and on. On one occasion I was actually told by a destinations employee that "if we don't meet our quota on a tour, we reserve the right to cancel". Sorry, but I didn't sign up to travel half way around the world to board a ship taking me to Belgium and Latvia and Russia only to find out that a tour (or part thereof) was misrepresented or cancelled. Not like I can hop on an hour long plane ride and make up for it next weekend.

 

If Oceania chooses to continue to position themselves as a 5 star experience within a highly competitive market they had better ensure that their back office operations and front line people are aligned with eachother so that we the traveller don't see blatant examples of an obvious breakdown in their systems. They seem to like the idea of expanding their portfolio of destinations. Let's hope they figure out how to manage their customer's satisfaction levels with these massive growth strategies.

[hondorner]

Wonky I got... I'm still looking up "remonstrated". :o

Remonstrated is the past participle of remonstrate. The most appropriate definition is to make a forcefully reproachful protest. The best slang word would be "scold". So, if I said something about Oceania that is not true, I would deserve to be remonstrated, or scolded, or to have a forcefully reproachful protest lodged against my statement. It sort of goes along with my philosophy that one is entitled to one's own opinion, but one is NOT entitled to one's own facts. Or, in other words, people have no right to make things up to try to prove a point, or to state a falsehood as a fact. I could go off into reams of political examples, but they have no place on this board.