Conde Nast Ratings

[domer]

I always review the Conde Nast cruise line ratings with interest. Every year it seems that Crystal is rated higher than I think it deserves but what really astounds me is that Crystal cabins are considered preferable to Silversea. To me there is no comparison and Silversea and Regent, for that matter, are far superior. Can someone explain in what way Crystal cabins are better. We've cruised Crystal a number of times and also all of the Silversea and Regent ships and would rate Crystal below the other two in most catagories.

Domer

[meow!]

We have not been on Crystal, so we don't know. But from the drawings, Crystal cabins are not attractive. Besides, we don't like prescribed shift dinners and shift shows. Even on Celebrity, we just eat buffet dinners at our leisure rather than those prescribed sittings. On top of that, there are charges for tips, drinks, just about everything, which is alright on its own, but then Crystal charges Silversea rates. The Crystal fans all crow about the "service", which we have not tried, and is intangible. So for our limited means, we have no budget to plan on trying it out! Sorry, just our feline opinion, we guess each to his/her own.

[Keith1010]

I always review the Conde Nast cruise line ratings with interest. Every year it seems that Crystal is rated higher than I think it deserves but what really astounds me is that Crystal cabins are considered preferable to Silversea. To me there is no comparison and Silversea and Regent, for that matter, are far superior. Can someone explain in what way Crystal cabins are better. We've cruised Crystal a number of times and also all of the Silversea and Regent ships and would rate Crystal below the other two in most catagories.

Domer

 

Domer, I sail Crystal often and do think it is deserving of its overall rating based on my experience. I have also sailed Silversea and Seabourn and enjoyed very nice cruises on both of these lines as well. For us Crystal works best followed by Seabourn and then followed by Silversea. But this is just our opinion and each person has their own views. There is no right or wrong and the most important opinion is your very own.

 

While Crystal does rate over 90 in most categories in the last ranking it rated an 88.3 for its cabins which is consistent to how most people on Crystal would view the cabins (eg., when folks highlight what they like best about Crystal it is the service, cuisine, the public areas of the ship, the entertainment and enrichment programs.

 

Actually, Silversea did receive a higher score for cabins than Crystal did as it came in with an 88.8 score.

 

As I say often, we are so fortunate to be able to cruise on luxury cruise lines.

 

Keith

[Travelcat2]

I must agree that the Crystal ratings are puzzling to all but the many Crystal "crowers" (think I just made up that word). One also has to look at who is voting in these polls. In terms of suites (based on the size and photographs of Crystal regular suites), Silversea and Regent should have rated dramatically higher than Crystal.

 

Regent, who tied for #1 with Crystal on another poll (some people don't know this since we don't crow about it), also did not make sense to me as I would rate Silversea higher in the area of service than Regent.

 

Very puzzling indeed!

[Keith1010]

I must agree that the Crystal ratings are puzzling to all but the many Crystal "crowers" (think I just made up that word). One also has to look at who is voting in these polls. In terms of suites (based on the size and photographs of Crystal regular suites), Silversea and Regent should have rated dramatically higher than Crystal.

 

Regent, who tied for #1 with Crystal on another poll (some people don't know this since we don't crow about it), also did not make sense to me as I would rate Silversea higher in the area of service than Regent.

 

Very puzzling indeed!

 

Well it could be that those on Silvesea and Regent are more critical of the suites. Or it could be that those on Crystal are not bothered about the suites.

 

Keep in mind that people who fill out the survey stay in a variety of accommodations.

 

In the end, the only opinion that truly matters is your own.

[WesW]

For those who care about cruiseline polls in Travel Magazines. The latest (CN Traveler Gold list 2011) ratings came out late last week:

 

2011 Gold list for top 4 lux cruiselines as rated by readers of CN Traveler. This poll included all cruiselines (large and small cruiselines) in the poll.

 

1. Seabourn 93.4

2. Crystal 92.3

3. Regent 91

4. Silversea 85.2

 

Believe for the first time in these polls (CN and Travel & Leisure) SB received the highest ratings for their cabins (95.3, vs 93.2 ®, 88.8 (SS) and 88.3 (Crystal). Also, think the Odyssey and Sojourn (these new SB ships have 90% veranda cabins) cruiser's votes are clearly putting SB at the top (e.g in 2010 Crystal had 92.7, followed by Seabourn at 90.2).

 

As Keith and Henry/Wripro (who have sailed in most of the lines above) have said it best, we are indeed fortunate to have the choice of the lux line that best matches are preferences. As both Keith and Henry know, we are looking forward to our first Seabourn cruise next fall aboard the newest lux line ship: Quest.

[meow!]

I must agree that the Crystal ratings are puzzling to all but the many Crystal "crowers"... In terms of suites (based on the size and photographs of Crystal regular suites), Silversea and Regent should have rated dramatically higher than Crystal.

This shows our feline similarity .. meow!

 

P.S. Could the Silversea rating have been lowered with the introduction of the newbuild Spirit? What was its rating last year, before the Spirit, does anyone know? Just curious.

[Travelcat2]

The Conde Nast poll that "domer" was kind enough to alert us to cannot take many factors in account. For instance, Seabourn and Silversea have large, medium and small ships with suites that differ accordingly. Regent has two size ships and one ship with radically different suites. SeaDream Yacht Club has two small ships and Crystal has 2 larger ones. How is one to make comparisons based on this? I feel that these polls have become meaningless in the area of "suites".

 

Although subjective, one can rate service, food, and value because, no matter the size of the ship, these items should be consistant. Although Crystal reportedly has excellent entertainment, it cannot really be judged against a ship that carries only 100 or 209 passengers (SeaDream/Seabourn triplets or even Silversea's smaller ships).

 

Since this is the week leading up to 2011, in addition to wishing all a Happy New Year, I have a suggestion for making CruiseCritic boards more friendly next year. I suggest trying not to argue with someone else's opinion as it is simply an opinion and may be helpful to those reading the board. It would also be nice to respect each other's choice(s) in cruise lines. Crystal, Regent, Seabourn, Seadream Yacht Club and Silversea pay lots of money for advertising. I'm sure they appreciate our giving personal recommendation to friends. . . . but, trying to convert people online is usually met with resistance.

 

Meow: Many purrs to you!

[conchyjoe]

Here's a good question when considering the results of the Conde Naste survey.

 

How many of the people on this board have ever voted. I know I never have and I don't read Conde Naste either (unless it happens to be in the dentist's office).

 

Maybe I'm a little jaundiced in my view but I think a lot depends on how much on magazine advertising an individual company spends!!

 

I'm happy that Silversea is not rated at #1 as it just gives them another reason to increase the cruise fares and cut back on services.

[Keith1010]

Here's a good question when considering the results of the Conde Naste survey.

 

How many of the people on this board have ever voted. I know I never have and I don't read Conde Naste either (unless it happens to be in the dentist's office).

 

Maybe I'm a little jaundiced in my view but I think a lot depends on how much on magazine advertising an individual company spends!!

 

I'm happy that Silversea is not rated at #1 as it just gives them another reason to increase the cruise fares and cut back on services.

 

Yes in the end, the surveys represent the views of those who take the time to fill out the polls.

 

None of us know how many people take the time to fill them out.

 

Some cruise lines do consistently receive high marks year after year while some move up and down from time to time.

 

The one thing I do want to note is that Silversea does its fair share of advertising in Conde Nast and Travel & Leisure as do the other luxury cruise lines such as Crystal, Seabourn, Regent, and others like Sea Dream.

 

In the end, if you are happy with one or more of the luxury lines that is what is most important.

 

At the same time, it's always interesting to see how the outcome of the results and there is no question that cruise lines that do finish strongly in the result will mention their rankings in the marketing material they send out.

 

Again, thank goodness that there is lots of choice out there. It's all good.

 

Keith

[meow!]

I'm happy that Silversea is not rated at #1 as it just gives them another reason to increase the cruise fares and cut back on services.

Good and very practical point!

[wripro]

I'll beet SS is number one in charity donations.

[WesW]

henry...LOL :)

[Paulchili]

Any survey that ranks small ships like River Duchess, River Concerto, River Royale, Viking Neptune (and many, many others) above Silver Cloud (at #34!!!!!!) needs to be taken with at least a pound of salt - or better yet, ignored entirely.

Enough said.

For reference see:

http://www.concierge.com/cntraveler/articles/502255

[wripro]

Once again, if you love SS who cares what number it comes in at in some magazine poll?

[write_me]

Any survey that ranks small ships like River Duchess, River Concerto, River Royale, Viking Neptune (and many, many others) above Silver Cloud (at #34!!!!!!) needs to be taken with at least a pound of salt - or better yet, ignored entirely.

Enough said.

For reference see:

http://www.concierge.com/cntraveler/articles/502255

We are booked on the Cloud March,2011. Thanks so much for the reference to concierge.com. We sure enjoyed the article and your opinion about the Cloud. Thanks Write_to_me

[CruisinGerman]

Dear friends:

 

I read the Spanish, British and U.S. versions of Conde Nast Traveler, as well as Travel & Leisure.

 

I always read the surveys with interest, but admit that I have never voted.

 

Do you have to provide true identification details in order to vote?

 

Can a cruise line purchase a million copies of the magazine and vote a million surveys? Can you vote on the Internet or by SMS?

 

Getting back to the original poster's comments, I personally think areas such as food and service are very subjective but even most of the people who prefer Crystal also admit without problem that the cabins on other lines such as Seabourn (newer ships) and Silversea are nicer.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta