Do these boards contribute to higher expectations?

[ekerr19]

I'd like to know what everyone thinks about this. Before I found these boards, I was almost blissfully in the dark about many things relating to HAL, the ships, perks, etc.

 

When I say "blissfully" I mean it in the sense that since I didn't know about some of this stuff, I didn't have an expectation, so I wasn't really missing anything. I had no idea what were preferred tables, cabins, categories, etc. - I had no idea I wasn't being invited to the VIP party, and when I was, it was such a nice added bonus to my experience. Now, certain things are expectations.

 

I think these boards have a wealth of great information and great group of participants, but I'm wondering if I wasn't happier not knowing the Volendam color scheme and being pleasantly surprised - or not knowing what was on the menu, and which were the formal nights, etc.

 

Is there a point where the information becomes TOO much? Are you ever disappointed the cruise or ship didn't measure up to the hype of the boards?

[EmilyM]

Wow, what a great question! I am going to go on my first cruise on Thursday, and I feel these boards have helped me prepare. I have wondered, though, if it has caused me to be a bit more of a nit-picker. My husband and I were both astounded when a recent reviewer mentioned that the brass wasn't polished on her cruise. The brass is never polished at home, so why would we mind? But I bet you that when we are on that cruise, we will notice if the brass is polished or not, even though we don't really care about it.

[gizmo]

 

Is there a point where the information becomes TOO much?

 

Absolutely !!!

[K&RCurt]

This is an EXCELLENT question:

 

 

I think (like most things) that it depends on the individual and how they process the information gathered on the boards.

 

In my case it somewhat lowered my expectations of the food, service and general atmosphere on the ship. My initial expectations were from HAL's brochures and web site as well as from the T/A. HAL's literature claimed "5 Star" gourmet food...after reading numerous board posts, the concensus was "good banquet food". My true experience on the cruise was somewhere in between, but I was very pleased. I truly didn't know what to expect regarding service. HAL advertises elegant, attentive white glove service. The posts on the board range from perfect "as advertised" service to poor, careless service. My actual experience was closer to the "as advertised".

 

One big plus to the boards, IMO, is finding out the things you would not have known otherwise. One example: As suggested on the boards we made Pinnacle grill reservation before the cruise for the 1st night. When we went to check on our reservation time after boarding, there was a long line and it was already sold out.

 

I think it is important to realize that most of what is posted here is OPINION and to take most things with a grain of salt. No mater what is said, try to go forward with an open mind and experience things as they happen.

[xpcdoojk]

I think these boards overwhelm new cruisers. As a somewhat veteran cruiser and general traveler, I know what in general to expect on a cruise. My expectations of a cruise are not significantly different from any other vacation I might take. To me a cruise or any vacation is an experience. There will be good and bad events within the experience, but I am eager to see knew things, and to visit new places. A cruise is a vehicle for this. I don't go on a cruise for 5 star food or anything like that. I know that for the money it can't possibly be 5 star. I have spent at 5 star restaurants more than the entire daily cost of a cruise in a single meal. I do believe many folks believe the marketing hype that all of the cruiselines generate. Just like they believe the marketing hype for certain resorts and hotels. Reality and advertising rarely are the same thing. This is called mature expectations.

 

jc

[upsndowns]

Zui 6/4 Western Carib---This will be our first cruise in 13 years (can't wait)! As you can see, I have two posts under my belt but have been a lurker for the past three months.

 

I have gained a wealth of knowledge about HAL in this time, especially about the Zui (not the Z). Key words---Terrific, highly recommend,horrific,ok,never again, can't wait til next cruise, would sail again in a heartbeat, a rusted staple in my food, Hunky Dory, HMC was the highlight, great service, poor sevice, shows are great/terrible, Lido is great, tenders were a nightmare, best/worst cruise experience, and many more. What exactly am I to expect on this ship?

 

In light of this question, I have decided to do an experiment. My wife has not spent any time on these boards. At every turn she will not know what to expect. On the other hand, as stated before, I doubt there will be too many surprises for me. We will compare notes at the end of our cruise and see if ignorance is bliss.

 

BTW, I am surprising her with a corner aft suite and a cabana at HMC. I truly believe we are going to have a great time!

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Laura, I totally agree that it does promote "Higher Expectations" to those cruising on HAL for the first time. But I also think HAL themselves has caused those of us who have cruised to "Expect" Great Things, especially with their Signature of Excellence Program. I really enjoyed the Oosterdam which was our 2nd HAL cruise, then our 3rd was the Ryndam and we were just amazed how great it was. Then by this time we have built up in our own minds how wonderful everything will be and we expected so much more out of our Westerdam cruise.

 

I think we are now back to reality for our next cruise plus we are staying at a Land Base hotel in Maui (The Grand Wailea) to give us a new comparison before our July cruise on the Maasdam. Not sure if that will be good or bad but even if this hotel is great it sure is a lot more expensive than a cruise so our expectations there will also be high.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Laura, amazing question! And it's interesting because initially I found fantastic information on these boards. Cruising only once a year, I still considered myself pretty knowledgeable about cruising. But when I first visited here I found a wealth of new information.

 

But now I've reached the point of "too much information". I feel that many pick everything apart far more than they would if they didn't have so much up front info. Also, some may feel that to critique a cruise means you must criticize it.

 

So I no longer come here for the same reasons. I look for the threads that are fun and interesting and try to stay away from the negativity which I personally think has increased substantially over the past couple of years.

I even will admit that I visit the boards now because of the friendships I have formed. I love to read about the experiences of those I have come to know and whose opinions I value.

[stormyc]

Interesting topic, ekerr19!

 

I personally feel the information provided here has by far been more helpful than harmful.

 

I now know that it is best to fly in the day before embarkation, to purchase travel insurance, to speak up if something is not satisfactory rather than suffering in silence, to take great care to set my watch correctly in ports, etc. I have been reminded not to save a chair I am not actually using, to dress appropriately for the occasion, and to express gratitude for good service with a smile and a tip.

 

I may be momentarily disappointed if the bartender does not miraculously remember my name and drink of choice by the second time I stop by, or if the player in the piano bar does not break out with "my song" when I walk in, or if I actually catch the cabin steward in the act of tidying up my room (all things I would have never considered at all before reading about them here), but on balance, I believe I am richer in the knowledge I have received, rather than just floating on a cloud of false expectations.

 

I still believe in having realistic expectations - hoping for the best, but being prepared for just a little less. :)

[jhannah]

Unreasonable expectations from info here? Not in the least, so far as I'm concerned. I've gained much info on CC that has been very useful. However, I've never been one to base my expectations on what others have said. I know that most people aren't clones of me, so their views are just that ... THEIR views. While honestly held, they don't tell me what I will actually experience. I love the information here and appreciate the folks who post. But I don't look at anyone's input as "book, chapter and verse" on any topic. I agree with K&RCurt that it depends on how each individual processes their information. For me, bring it on! I'll process it in general terms for reference then go in with an open mind. If I took posts on the Zuiderdam too seriously, I'd have never booked it. But I did and had a great time. I wasn't expecting tragedy, and I didn't find it.

[dakrewser]

Au contraire, I feel that CC helps newbies reign in the unrealistic expectations that the cruise lines as well as most of the travel industry build up.

 

I took my first cruise a dozen years ago as part of a group. My expectations were built of equal parts "the Love Boat" and 30's & 40's movies. Cruising on Carnival in the Caribbean wasn't anything like that! it took 6 years to overcome the shock of that experience to get on a boat again!

 

CC plays an excellent role by letting people know what they really should expect as well as the highs & lows of the possible experiences.

 

Folks on the Norwegian Dawn this weekend who weren't aware of the potential of rough seas in the Atlantic probably thought they were in a remake of the Poseidon Adventure. CC regulars would have been racing for their cameras and internet connections...:rolleyes:

[Scrumpy]

Having had our first two cruises before finding this site and not yet having another, I am not sure if what I've read has given me higher expectations. I tend to think it's given me lower expectations. It certainly has me anxious to see exactly which end is up on this specific ship. We had such a lovely time on the other HAL cruise that some of the posts I've read have given me pause. What if it was a fluke? What if this particular ship is too large? Should we have waited for another Maasdam cruise? It wasn't perfect, but then again, "the evil you know", etc.

 

For strictly information, cabin selection, rules/regs/procedures, etc., this site has been valuable. I am actually very glad that I did not find it before our previous HAL cruise, however. In spite of many things that are subjective and the many strong and conflicting opinions/experiences, some very negative, that I've observed here, I do not think I will be disappointed. I will certainly be checking out certain things more closely than I would have otherwise, but I imagine I will continue my practice of disregarding the things that are not a priority. I have been hoping to have a fairly similar experience to our first cruise and I still hope that. Some people can have fun in a paper bag. Some people always have a complaint. I fall in the middle somewhere and try not to believe all the raves or all the condemnations; chances are those extremes will not apply to me.

 

Off-topic: Lisa L., I hope you will share your experience at the Grand Wailea. I've heard nice things about it. My last employer used them every year for an employee retreat and I've also had relatives stay there. My grandmother loved it. It was a trip of a lifetime for her as she normally will NOT fly, but she'd always wanted to go to Hawaii. I'll be interested in how you feel about it.

 

Btw, I agree that HAL does promote a luxury experience and that alone raises expectations. Those expectations are dangerous. Some of our most disappointing vacations have been in expensive hotels/resorts where the product simply did not live up to the hype.

 

Scrumpy

[Landlubber54]

As a first-time cruiser, I don't see how anyone can come to CC, read a representative sample of the opinions here and come away with unrealistic expectations. I am a bit of an information junkie, so I don't think that you can have too much.

 

Sure, each cruiseline board has it's share of cheerleaders and detractors. But I try to discount the extreme statements from either side and try to pay attention to the reviews that attempt to fairly review ALL aspects of an experience.

I absolutely agree with the above posts from Jim and Dave.

[ekerr19]

Jim and Dave - agreed, but I also agree with EmilyM - now she is going to look at the brass, just to see if it's been polished! I would too!

 

Maybe women are different. I also agree with Heather's post about "picking things apart" - I mean seriously, we did not notice if our verandah was rinsed down each day or not, nor did we care. If there was something yucky on it, I'm sure I would have pointed it out to the cabin steward and I'm sure he would have addressed it.

 

Now we have posts about the number of towels that are/aren't left in the bath, the times the sheets are changed (or not changed) the number of times the verandah is hosed off, how many lobster tails we get to have, the Captain not knowing all the Mariner's by name, etc., etc. - sometimes, it gets to be a bit TOO much in my opinion.

 

That said, I love the folks on this board and I've gotten great tips and information. I just wonder what others think about the information overload, so to speak.

[elmorejj]

I go along with VegasJim and decide for myself when onboard. What may be one mans meat, maybe another mans poison. I arrive with an open mind and go from there........jean :cool:

[cruzermon]

My sense is that any "community" oriented board has a positive bias. People who are happy with HAL will continue to cruise with them and continue to post to this board. Those with "horrific" experiences, when they're not just roiling the pot, will post their bad experience, cruise with someone else and post those positive experiences on that board. So, you tend to have the more satisfied cruisers on board as the dissatisfied have gone elsewhere.

 

I know I've picked up some useful information, and probably high expectations in cetrain areas, as I really had no expectations until reading this board. My high expectations are that the Pinnacles restaurant is excellent, as are the formal night meals in the dining room, and that excellent service is also a staple. I'm trying to tell myself to settle for very good, so as not to set myself up for disappointment.

 

But, one of my concerns was that I might not like a mega-ship, with 1800 of my closest friends on board, but it sounds like this may not be too much of an issue, at least on-board. I'm also expecting to be "hosed" because I have a guarantee cabin--all you experienced folk will have snapped up the good cabins, leaving the dregs for us;) So, I know better next time.

 

These boards are a great resource for the novice like me and really do provide a flavor of what to expect, but, IMO, with a positive bias.

 

And, as someone else mentioned earlier, my wife doesn't read these postings either, so it'll be interesting to see if her expetations were any different than mine when it's over.

[paradisegal]

Too much information...problebly. But some of it is well needed. Will you be disapointed because you have a higher expectation??? Well, I guess that would depend on the kind of person you are. I am easy to please. I read these boards before every cruise I go on...not that I go that often but I do like to know opinions and suggestions. It has not once altered the great time I have had on every cruise I went on...not even the Costa cruise from hell...I still can manage to find something good to say. I dont cook, clean, think, work, do laundry...how can I be disapointed????? I can agree with alot of what has been said on this thread...Some of the threads here have gone off the deep end though and just become down right judgemental. Good question you asked.............. We are fortunate to be able to cruise...why pick it apart?????

paradisegal

[upsndowns]

The regulars on these boards have provided very valuable tips. I'll try not to bring others opinions with the rest of my baggage.

 

Ultimately, a one week cruise allows me to forget work (hopefully my boss can't find me in the middle of the Caribbean) and other daily resonsibilities. That is my ultimate expectation.

[stanford's girl]

Great question Laura. I had been on 3 cruises before I found CC. I wish I had found out about it before my first cruise. The knowledge I have received has helped me with ports, excursions, web sites, what's special to order, little inside secrets, and many more things. I take what is right for me and ignore the rest. It has not raised my expectations but my awareness. Cruising is just like life: some good, some bad and you just have to roll with the punches.:)

 

Our first cruise we had a gangplank being lowered, swing into our window and break it. 2nd one, we ran into a hurricane and stayed out at sea for 5 out of 7 days, rockin' and rollin'. 3rd one, they had a loud party in the room next to us every night until 4a.m. None of this has stopped us from cruising. The worst day on a cruise is better than the best day at work!:D

[cruznon]

Yes, these boards can raise expectations --depends on how you interpret the info. After reading about dress on HAL, I was so surprised at all the jeans I saw on board. MY DH was not real thrilled with me. He planned to wear nice jeans and a sportcoat to board. I told him jeans probably would be few and far between--epecially NOT for boarding--afterall--it's HOLLAND AMERICA! Well, about 1/2 the men were wearing jeans--there went MY credibility! Also everyone spoke about suite passengers getting luggage first---WRONG! I think we were one of the LAST in our area to get luggage. So our next one on the Zuiderdam, I'm just gonna see what happens..no preconcieved expectations.

These boards have given me so much information. I found it orginally when I simply typed in "cruise questions" (or something like that) on a web search and Voila! Cruise Critics!

I enjoy hearing about the little things I didn't know about--like bread pudding, aft verandas, Pinnacle Grill, verandas near the glass elevators and CABANAS!!!!

However, a lot of coming here each day are the postings of people who are warm, humorous, sharing and who share a common passion in my life:cruising! I LOVE the banter!

But I do get irritated with those who like to come on here periodically to "stir the waters" so to speak with their negativity. Mercifully, after a few days, they usually float off into the sunset......

[tlm]

Laura

 

I just finished replying to an email that you sent me and I mentioned how much fantastic information is shared by everyone on the boards.

 

I met a wonderful friend through our roll call last year and we remain fast friends today. In fact Patti and John will be joining us on the Volendam for our cruise next January.

 

It’s amazing how much terrific information I have gotten over the past few years. For example, I would never have know about booking a triple verandah suite versus a double; I wouldn’t have been able to find out which cabana was the best for our group had I not asked questions; I wouldn’t have known about the menu items in the Pinnacle Grill. Thinks like that which may not seem like much but will make a difference in enjoyment of a holiday.

 

Also, I have found that the people on the HAL board are so pleasant and accommodating. Any questions I have asked have been answered thoroughly and quickly.

 

So thank you HAL members! You’re the best!!

 

Toni

 

PS You realize I will probably have a zillion questions between now and January!

[the2ofus]

Good question! I don't think it has raised expectations as much as it has opened my eyes and even opened some doors. I have appreciated some of the great travel tips and ideas I have really enjoyed the great personalities that are regulars on this board. I feel like we are all among friends here.

 

From the CC boards I have learned that some people are a lot more affected by the people around them than I am. Some people are also much better housekeepers or housekeeping supervisors than I am. Some people apparently spend their whole vacation keeping notes, watching the clock, counting hors d'oeuvres, waiters, etc. I kind of feel sorry for them, that they can't just let go and enjoy. I simply tune into what's going on that DH and I might enjoy and let the rest slide.

 

Occasionally there has been a glitch, but the good still has significantly outweighed the bad. I'm glad, though, that people report on the glitches. I prefer to be an informed consumer, and then make my own judgements.

[jhannah]

Maybe women are different.

Gee. Ya' think??? :D I don't know for sure, but I think I recall some males "picking things apart" and over-analyzing things from time to time. Not me, of course! ;)

[Peggy Sue]

Good question Laura .. My answer .. yes and no .. It really depends upon the person and what they hope to gain from these boards. Before our first HAL cruise in '03, I gained a wealth of helpful information ... still do. If you ask a specific question, you will receive many helpful answers .. black and white, just the facts, etc. The opportunity to ask and receive information enhanced our vacations.

 

Reading reviews is also helpful. I find it interesting to boil down why one did or did not have a great time on their cruise. if you go over to the celebrity board right now there is a post from a man who is livid and claims he'll never sail with celebrity again .. why?? becuase he was turned away from the dining room when he failed to wear a jacket ... Now, will that spoil my cruise experience?? NO...sorry it did his, and thus I know the rest of his review is going to be tainted because he got his knickers in a twist about something that certainly wouldn't impact our cruise experience.

 

It's interesting to me that so many frequent this board on a regular basis .. the majority of us don't cruise every month, or every three months .. those that do..well, I'm envious! so why are we here?? I can answer honestly for myself .. one, I enjoy the core group of posters here .. always some spirited conversation taking place .. and two, if I can offer assistance to a fellow traveler..I'd like to help enhance their vacation experience, just as many of you enhanced me. I also find a lot of humor here .. Things that one takes seriously, another does not ... gets comical. And, folks like grumpy who has shared a wonderful world cruise experience with all of us.

 

So, yes, we all can suffer from too much information. If you keep looking for infomation, before long you have a long list of people who loved and hated the experience ... so, for us, we look, listen and learn ...and then go and make our own memories. We always follow the dress code rules, but frankly we really aren't bothered by others who do not .. now, if I encounter smoke where it shouldn't be, that aggrivates us .. so it's different strokes for different folks...which is how I take all the information shared here.

 

Thanks for asking a great question!

 

Peggy Sue

[stormyc]

...It has not raised my expectations but my awareness...

 

Well said! I think this describes it exactly for me! :rolleyes: