Let's Be Real - Expectations for a "Perfect" Cruise

[deadhead30]

I don't disagree with you che. Sorry if you feel I am being contadictory... Perhaps I am, albeit unintentionally. I was viewing mechanical issues as being different from weather, but maybe not. I truly am not a complainer! :)

[che5904]

I don't disagree with you che. Sorry if you feel I am being contadictory... Perhaps I am, albeit unintentionally. I was viewing mechanical issues as being different from weather, but maybe not. I truly am not a complainer! :)

 

Good to hear:). Enjoy cruising

[Jokelady]

I was on the Carnival Splendor before it's ill fated trip. It was a most unfortunate situation and I felt for those on the ship. I certainly would not have wanted to have been in their shoes.

 

However, there is a difference between having bumps along the way on a vacation and blatant disregard by cruise lines. Cruise lines that push ships because of the bottom line and do not consider the comfort and safety of it's guests should be held accountable.

 

I would rather see cruise lines dry dock ships more often and get the azipods and engines working then roll the dice and have people getting sick and missing ports because they knew darn well the ship was going to not make all ports because it was cruising at 9 knots instead of 18 or 21 (random numbers).

 

I love cruising and I have certainly lowered my expectations in the last few years and head into my vacation with an open mind. I do feel the industry needs better checks and balances. I think the Splendor certainly learned a valuable lesson when it sat in dry dock as long as it did because the Coast Guard kept failing it.

 

Nothing is perfect in life....

[che5904]

I was on the Carnival Splendor before it's ill fated trip. It was a most unfortunate situation and I felt for those on the ship. I certainly would not have wanted to have been in their shoes.

 

However, there is a difference between having bumps along the way on a vacation and blatant disregard by cruise lines. Cruise lines that push ships because of the bottom line and do not consider the comfort and safety of it's guests should be held accountable.

 

I would rather see cruise lines dry dock ships more often and get the azipods and engines working then roll the dice and have people getting sick and missing ports because they knew darn well the ship was going to not make all ports because it was cruising at 9 knots instead of 18 or 21 (random numbers).

 

I love cruising and I have certainly lowered my expectations in the last few years and head into my vacation with an open mind. I do feel the industry needs better checks and balances. I think the Splendor certainly learned a valuable lesson when it sat in dry dock as long as it did because the Coast Guard kept failing it.

 

Nothing is perfect in life....

 

I think the OP made it very clear that something like the Splendor was definately not what she was speaking about. Thank goodness we don't have many ill fated cruises.

 

I wouldn't disagree I think every industries in these countries need to step it up a bit.

 

But staying on topic, if your steak one night at the MDR was dry don't write off the whole cruise, roll a little with life's punches.

I agree with you, life is not perfect.

[newmexicoNita]

We were on the Star in Feb/Mar. Three days before we embarked they cut Mazatlan and scheduled two days for Cabo. Then the first night of the cruise we had a medical emergency that sent us back to Ensenada and eliminated the first day in Cabo. We also had fairly cool and windy weather throughout the cruise.

 

We just got off the Pearl on Sunday. Embarkation was a mess due to Customs and not helped by the NCL ground staff. What should have been a 1 hour process took 3 hours. In SF our departure was delayed for about 2 hours by a crew member who jumped ship. One afternoon we lost all potable water (no tap water, showers, hand washing, toilets flushed!) because of a leak on deck 5. We had some rocky seas for a day or two.

 

Now here's my point, things don't go perfectly on a cruise. Just because I paid for a certain itinerary, doesn't mean I will get exactly what I want or expect. There are a variety of reasons things change. I don't expect the cruise line to make it up to me or give me a bunch of freebies because of conditions beyond their control. A situation like the Carnival Splendor is vastly different than a few inconveniences like a delayed shower or missed port. If you want a more predictable vacation try a land based hotel.

 

Whew! Thanks for letting me get that off my chest! :o

 

wow, sounds like you had more than your share of challenges. Our daughter and son in law had a similar cruise on Celebrity about 5 years ago. At least, like them, you took it in stride and now have some stories to tell others.

 

Nita

[DMH15]

I am a newbie here, and I do not disagree with anything anyone as posted! My 2 cents, though, is that businesses of all kinds just don't seem to provide good customer service anymore. I realize that some things are beyond the cruise's control, like bad weather, changing itineraries due to political unrest, etc... But if there's a mechanical problem, like something wrong with the propellor which causes them to miss out on 2 ports, would it kill them to give people something in return, even if it's just $10 OBC or something? Just as a courtesy?

 

I have never asked for anything free in my life, so that is not what I am saying. I am just thinking of a time when, at the cinema, the pojector broke 45 minutes into the movie. They gave everyone their money back PLUS gift certificate for another movie. Stuff like that is just being nice to your customers, isn't it?

 

Have the greedy complainers who want everything for nothing ruined customer service?

I have heard of this happening already. Luckily I have never missed a port. Knock on wood.

[rmartin1286]

Any cruise is perfect to me as long as there isn't a hurricane around and it's quiet enough around my cabin so that I can sleep at night. Even the last cruise we went on where they lost our luggage was pretty good because somehow we mostly missed all of the hurricane that was chasing us. We only had to skip the private island, and I could live with that.

[Medtech2]

What makes a cruise for me is a smiling and happy staff--people who are in their jobs because they WANT to be...Those are the people who handle reasonable requests and complaints with graciousness and a desire to correct that which is correctable, and if it is not correctable, possess the ability to communicate that effectively...

Even when things go wrong, as long as everyone keeps a smile on their face and joy in their heart, it will all be all right!

[cabincop]

I have been on 39 cruises all I have loved even the one in 1996 with Clebrity when we ran right into hurrican eduardo on the way to bermuda from NY I was thrown from my casino chair whcih they truned into an infermary people were really hurt and throwing up. My friends daughter was concieved on that cruise so it was good for her and I still enjoyed it, maybe not as much as other cruises but hey. Btw the cruise is on youtube if you want to see it. I have only sailed NCL for last 4 years and I just go with the flow enjoy alll

[Admin]

We were on the Star in Feb/Mar. Three days before we embarked they cut Mazatlan and scheduled two days for Cabo. Then the first night of the cruise we had a medical emergency that sent us back to Ensenada and eliminated the first day in Cabo. We also had fairly cool and windy weather throughout the cruise.

 

We just got off the Pearl on Sunday. Embarkation was a mess due to Customs and not helped by the NCL ground staff. What should have been a 1 hour process took 3 hours. In SF our departure was delayed for about 2 hours by a crew member who jumped ship. One afternoon we lost all potable water (no tap water, showers, hand washing, toilets flushed!) because of a leak on deck 5. We had some rocky seas for a day or two.

 

Now here's my point, things don't go perfectly on a cruise. Just because I paid for a certain itinerary, doesn't mean I will get exactly what I want or expect. There are a variety of reasons things change. I don't expect the cruise line to make it up to me or give me a bunch of freebies because of conditions beyond their control. A situation like the Carnival Splendor is vastly different than a few inconveniences like a delayed shower or missed port. If you want a more predictable vacation try a land based hotel.

 

Whew! Thanks for letting me get that off my chest! :o

Thanks for your post. We were with you on the Pearl last week and until you mentioned the embarkation, the crew member and the water line, I'd almost forgotten about them! Sure they impacted the cruise but it was such a great cruise overall. We loved it so much that today we booked it again for next year.

 

It was super to meet you, by the way. :)

[SuperTrooper00]

Honestly, I don't know if my wife and I have just been lucky/blessed, or if we have just had good attitudes, but we have not experienced a bad cruise yet. I'm guessing there have been little things go wrong, but I honestly can't remember them.

The only caveat to this is when you sail multiple cruiselines, sometimes comparing them can lead to criticism. I am a tad nervous for our Spirit cruise this fall because we had the BEST cruise we have ever been on last year to the Southern Caribbean on the Westerdam. It was an absolutely perfect cruise from start to finish. We were upgraded to First Class on our flight across the U.S., our hotel was perfect, the restaurant we ate at in FLL was one of the best we have ever had, we LOVED the Sea Days, we loved the ports, and we loved the ship, our server, everything.

That may make things interesting on our next cruise, but I am just using it as motivation to plan well. Heck, 7 days alone with my wife is always a good time. As long as I have 4 walls, we have fun.

[marelind]

Thanks for your post. We were with you on the Pearl last week and until you mentioned the embarkation, the crew member and the water line, I'd almost forgotten about them! Sure they impacted the cruise but it was such a great cruise overall. We loved it so much that today we booked it again for next year.

 

It was super to meet you, by the way. :)

 

"What makes a cruise for me is a smiling and happy staff--people who are in their jobs because they WANT to be...Those are the people who handle reasonable requests and complaints with graciousness and a desire to correct that which is correctable, and if it is not correctable, possess the ability to communicate that effectively...

Even when things go wrong, as long as everyone keeps a smile on their face and joy in their heart, it will all be all right! "

 

I so agree!!