Breakaway Reviews: Kinda Cray Cray Making!

[Tralfie]

So I'll be taking my first cruise in March, and I'm sailing on the Breakaway. I can't really say why I picked this particular line or ship or even sailing, it just sort of... fell into place.

 

Anyway, I'm the kinda person who loves planning a trip in advance and then spending months (heck, sometimes even a year or more) planning the details. One of the things that I've spent a fair amount of time doing is reading reviews. Oh, how I love Cruise Critic and the forums/reviews!

 

But here's the thing that kinda drives me nuts... and I assume I'm not the only one: People who post incredibly negative reviews, sometimes giving ship a single star, based on things that either aren't the fault of the ship or that they'd have known going in if they'd spent even an hour doing a little research!

 

Cruises aren't exactly cheap. Who books an expensive cruise without doing a little research? Yet I constantly see people posting reviews (for this ship and others) complaining about things ranging from having to pay to eat in specialty restaurants to not being able to smoke cigars on their balconies, all of which are things that could easily be researched in advance. What smoker in this day and age -- when it's frowned upon in so many corners -- doesn't check the ship's smoking policy? Who writes a review saying "the most important thing about any cruise is (fill in the blank) and I found out after getting on board that this ship doesn't offer (fill in the blank)"?

 

It's one thing to complain if you receive bad service or find that a ship didn't meet your expectations. But to give a ship bad marks because you went into a trip without knowing the basics or bother to get details about things which would be important to you seems kinda unfair.

 

Okay, vent over!

 

Richard/Tralfie

[MR NW GUY]

So I'll be taking my first cruise in March, and I'm sailing on the Breakaway. I can't really say why I picked this particular line or ship or even sailing, it just sort of... fell into place.

 

Anyway, I'm the kinda person who loves planning a trip in advance and then spending months (heck, sometimes even a year or more) planning the details. One of the things that I've spent a fair amount of time doing is reading reviews. Oh, how I love Cruise Critic and the forums/reviews!

 

But here's the thing that kinda drives me nuts... and I assume I'm not the only one: People who post incredibly negative reviews, sometimes giving ship a single star, based on things that either aren't the fault of the ship or that they'd have known going in if they'd spent even an hour doing a little research!

 

Cruises aren't exactly cheap. Who books an expensive cruise without doing a little research? Yet I constantly see people posting reviews (for this ship and others) complaining about things ranging from having to pay to eat in specialty restaurants to not being able to smoke cigars on their balconies, all of which are things that could easily be researched in advance. What smoker in this day and age -- when it's frowned upon in so many corners -- doesn't check the ship's smoking policy? Who writes a review saying "the most important thing about any cruise is (fill in the blank) and I found out after getting on board that this ship doesn't offer (fill in the blank)"?

 

It's one thing to complain if you receive bad service or find that a ship didn't meet your expectations. But to give a ship bad marks because you went into a trip without knowing the basics or bother to get details about things which would be important to you seems kinda unfair.

 

Okay, vent over!

 

Richard/Tralfie

Is there a question that goes with that rant? :)

[SuiteCruiser]

I agree 100%. I think if I show up at a hotel or ship or whatever and what I'm looking for isn't there, I'd feel responsible for not checking. The other thing that bugs me is people complaining about how many specialty restaurants there are and not getting the fact that there are more free options for restaurants than their other lines they've sailed.

[Tralfie]

Is there a question that goes with that rant? :)

 

Hmmm... how about the old Andy Rooney thing: "Is it just me, or...?"

 

Does that count? LOL

 

Richard/Tralfie

[bingo3]

I too am a researcher/planner and also don't understand why people don't do their homework. It's one thing to give a negative perspective about something experienced, another to be negative because you did not know about it, when it is common knowledge. On the flipside, the reviews help me know what to expect and not to expect! I also hope someone at NCL looks at them and can address anything that can be addressed and corrected, hopefully before I cruise next May! ;) LOL!

 

I concentrate more on the reviews from people traveling in a similar cabin to me. Haven reviews tend to be more positive, but they pay considerably more for a much higher quality of service and what they get and I get, will not be the same, as is fair. At the same time, I am paying more for this cruise than I have for any other, including my last cruise to Bermuda on RCCL and a cruise to Alaska, so I do expect a higher quality than another line's cruise to the Bahamas! ;)

 

I also choose cruising because of the "all inclusiveness" of it, so I am not one to pay extra for restaurants when I already paid for food, otherwise, I might as well choose a land based trip. I am also from the south, a much lower cost of living, so I am not used to paying exorbitant prices for food, including fresh seafood from our coast. But, I realize others feel differently or the restaurants would not stay in business (outside of Haven guests who eat in some for "free" as part of their higher rate). That being said, I know from reviews I may not get the same level of a dining experience on NCL that I get in mainstream/non-specialty dining on other lines. I am willing to sacrifice that, this time......for Bermuda.

 

I do not cruise enough to be extremely loyal to any one line, so go with the one that gives me what I want for what I am willing to pay. Hopefully, this being my first NCL cruise, I will end up liking them better than some others. If not, still have the others! That's the beauty of competition!

 

But, as to your original "rant", LOL, no I do not understand people complaining about things that were common knowledge if they did their homework. Please excuse my "rant", Ha! Anal people like me tend to rant.... :D

debbie

[pbfp2008]

So I'll be taking my first cruise in March, and I'm sailing on the Breakaway. I can't really say why I picked this particular line or ship or even sailing, it just sort of... fell into place.

 

Anyway, I'm the kinda person who loves planning a trip in advance and then spending months (heck, sometimes even a year or more) planning the details. One of the things that I've spent a fair amount of time doing is reading reviews. Oh, how I love Cruise Critic and the forums/reviews!

 

But here's the thing that kinda drives me nuts... and I assume I'm not the only one: People who post incredibly negative reviews, sometimes giving ship a single star, based on things that either aren't the fault of the ship or that they'd have known going in if they'd spent even an hour doing a little research!

 

Cruises aren't exactly cheap. Who books an expensive cruise without doing a little research? Yet I constantly see people posting reviews (for this ship and others) complaining about things ranging from having to pay to eat in specialty restaurants to not being able to smoke cigars on their balconies, all of which are things that could easily be researched in advance. What smoker in this day and age -- when it's frowned upon in so many corners -- doesn't check the ship's smoking policy? Who writes a review saying "the most important thing about any cruise is (fill in the blank) and I found out after getting on board that this ship doesn't offer (fill in the blank)"?

 

It's one thing to complain if you receive bad service or find that a ship didn't meet your expectations. But to give a ship bad marks because you went into a trip without knowing the basics or bother to get details about things which would be important to you seems kinda unfair.

 

Okay, vent over!

 

Richard/Tralfie

 

 

Weren't you the one complaining about booking a cruise over spring break and not being able to get the UBP?

[luddite]

Am I the only one who doesn't understand what language the subject line is written in?

[Tralfie]

Weren't you the one complaining about booking a cruise over spring break and not being able to get the UBP?

 

Ha! Yes, but not due to a lack of research. I was specifically told by two different NCL reps that it was available when I was ding my pre-booking research. And the info I was linked to did not include the caveat about it not being available during that period.

 

 

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[Tralfie]

Am I the only one who doesn't understand what language the subject line is written in?

 

I assume you're referring to "cray cray." Lol I'm the editor of a soap magazine. "Cray cray" is a term we use a lot to refer to crazy characters (and, occasionally, viewers !)

 

Richard/Tralfie

 

 

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[luddite]

Yikes. Inside info.

I also didn't know there was a magazine about soap.

New knowledge every day.

[Tralfie]

Yikes. Inside info.

I also didn't know there was a magazine about soap.

New knowledge every day.

 

 

There are two magazines, actually! (Well, two here in the states. There are several others devoted to telenovelas and English soaps like Coronation Street or East Enders). It's sad... when we started the magazine, there were... I want to say 14 soaps on the three networks. Now, there are four. So I have to luck of working in TWO dying mediums: Print and soaps! LOL

 

Richard/Tralfie

[Ilovesailing]

You can choose to read them or not to read them.

You have to stop and think of what percentage that negative review against the big picture. So a ship carries 3 to 4k pax and your reading one review from that one sailing or maybe two, to me most of the negatives are meaningless and just a rant!

 

Also look at the history of the person that has posted the review, is he/she a long time cruiser or one that has just started cruising or cruises once every 5/10 years.

I will only read the positive reviews and its usually because I'm in search of a particular piece of info.