Is there a way of knowing which lines are good at what?

[helenliz]

We're just back from a cruise with Royal Caribbean, and some of the things that annoyed us most were, I suspect, the style of the cruise line itself. Is there a way of seeing the different attributes of the various lines in a comparison type manner? No point finding a nice itinerary if the cruise line can't make a cup of tea. You get the idea?

 

Any help or pointers appreciated.

[DirtyDawg]

Hi,

I've never seen a comprehensive comparison but besides tea, what are the five or ten must haves for you from a cruise line?

1. Can make good Tea.

2. Non-Smoking or Smoking

3...........

 

I'm sure you will get a lot of opinions here.

[ExpatBride]

I think the best thing is to read the specific boards for each line. I find that each has its own vibe and give a pretty good view of what you can expect onboard.

[calliopecruiser]

We're just back from a cruise with Royal Caribbean, and some of the things that annoyed us most were, I suspect, the style of the cruise line itself. Is there a way of seeing the different attributes of the various lines in a comparison type manner? No point finding a nice itinerary if the cruise line can't make a cup of tea. You get the idea?

 

Any help or pointers appreciated.

 

I think it would be best to identify what's important to you, then look for the lines that succeed in those areas - otherwise your list would be far to long to be useful.

 

 

What about your last cruise didn't you like? What would you like to have had instead? What parts and style of cruise would you like (disregarding the itinerary)?

[helenliz]

What didn't I like:

The constant requests for additional tips

The sales pitch

The extras that aren't really extras and were chargeable (If this is presented as inclusive, it should be inclusive)

The food (too sweet, too cheesy, not hot)

The tea & coffee (yes, I know it is trivial, but the little things add up)

 

Which makes me think that an American line was the wrong option, as I imagine several of those would be different on a European style line.

[ExpatBride]

What didn't I like:

The constant requests for additional tips

The sales pitch

The extras that aren't really extras and were chargeable (If this is presented as inclusive, it should be inclusive)

The food (too sweet, too cheesy, not hot)

The tea & coffee (yes, I know it is trivial, but the little things add up)

 

Which makes me think that an American line was the wrong option, as I imagine several of those would be different on a European style line.

 

I don't think it's the fact that it's an American line as much as it's not exactly an up-market line, you'll have a similar experience on NCL.

 

I'm not sure what you mean about chargeable extras, many cruise lines are nickel and diming these days, and I don't see it as an all-inclusive holiday... I know that there's going to be gratuities, sometimes a room service charge, etc. on the down market lines.

 

HAL might be a good fit for you, or else maybe you should consider a luxury line. I think most of the issues you've listed are common to most mass market lines.

[LHT28]

look at a premium line or all inclusive in the Non UK lines

Food is always subjective

 

When you find a cruise line that works for you stick with it :)

It may not be perfect but as long as the most of things appeal to your needs & wants you will be happier

JMO

[leaveitallbehind]

What didn't I like:

The constant requests for additional tips

Not sure what you mean by this. The gratuities are a "standard" part of the American cruise experience. Never been approached by any staff requesting additional tips in 25 years of cruising with RCI. Gratuities are at a fixed amount and distributed among the appropriate staff automatically. Any additional amount is at your discretion and as indicated, we have never been approached to add more.

The sales pitch

Typically that would include spa treatments and specialty restaurant offers as examples, both of which are separate and optional charges. Most cruise lines will be the same regarding this. What specifically are you referring to?

The extras that aren't really extras and were chargeable (If this is presented as inclusive, it should be inclusive)

Be more specific. Alcoholic beverages and sodas, specialty restaurants, ship based excursions, gambling, spa treatments, etc., are typically separate charges and - unless provided by a promotion - are never included with the cruise fare. Again, typical of most cruise lines.

The food (too sweet, too cheesy, not hot)

Purely subjective and is a strictly personal opinion. These types of comments can be - and frequently are - said about any cruise line and is strictly an individuals taste.

The tea & coffee (yes, I know it is trivial, but the little things add up)

I have no idea what you mean by this but both are provided at no charge. If you mean not to your liking, then that too would be subjective to your tastes with any cruise line.

Which makes me think that an American line was the wrong option, as I imagine several of those would be different on a European style line.

I guess you would need to specify your expectations but I don't think that is a fair blanket statement about American cruise lines as an industry.

 

See my comments above in red. Not defending RCI but commenting based on our experience over 25 years. I think what you are commenting on could apply to most mass market cruise lines. I think in the future you may be better served to discuss your expectations and preferences with a cruise specialist travel agent to get their experienced guidance on different lines to look at.

[Grandma Dazzles]

See my comments above in red. Not defending RCI but commenting based on our experience over 25 years. I think what you are commenting on could apply to most mass market cruise lines. I think in the future you may be better served to discuss your expectations and preferences with a cruise specialist travel agent to get their experienced guidance on different lines to look at.

 

Very good answers - the ones in red - totally agree.

 

Perhaps OP needs to look at one of the luxury lines and not a mass market line, which tend to all be very similar.

[Grandma Dazzles]

We're just back from a cruise with Royal Caribbean, and some of the things that annoyed us most were, I suspect, the style of the cruise line itself. Is there a way of seeing the different attributes of the various lines in a comparison type manner? No point finding a nice itinerary if the cruise line can't make a cup of tea. You get the idea?

 

Any help or pointers appreciated.

 

Having now read your comments on the RC board, I understand why you are now asking questions. Some of your problems could have been avoided if you had researched your cruise ahead of time, which you are now trying to do.

 

I think you are looking for a luxury line, rather than mainstream. You will find most mainstream lines to be very similar to RC.

 

You mentioned that you had a drink package and enjoyed numerous glasses of wine, but couldn't get a whole bottle. This is clearly spelled out prior to your cruise. You could have purchased a bottle at a discount.

 

Shore excursions and transfers/transportation are not included in any mainstream line. Again, clearly spelled out.

 

You are under no obligation to tip extra assuming you paid your automatic gratuities. Spa services are totally different and independently run. They are contracted to the cruise lines.

 

Security is necessary both on and off the ship. You go through ship's security as well as the security of the country you are returning from or visiting.

 

It is customary to put ice in drinks. Sorry that you had to repeatedly say no ice.

 

Food is very subjective and all of us have great meals, good meals, and not so good!

[navybankerteacher]

Identify the aspects most important to you - size of ship is certainly easy. Then read a lot of CC reviews to get a grasp of what people liked and did not like. Also surf the threads of lines which might interest you. Not really conclusive or scientific, but you will start to get a sense of what the lines are about ---and, almost as important, the attitudes of the passengers who are most vocal about what they like or do not like.

 

Only bother getting input from a travel agent if you have reason to think he/she knows what he/she is talking about and is interested in matching you with the right cruise rather than just glomming a commission.

[calliopecruiser]

What didn't I like:

The constant requests for additional tips

The sales pitch

The extras that aren't really extras and were chargeable (If this is presented as inclusive, it should be inclusive)

The food (too sweet, too cheesy, not hot)

The tea & coffee (yes, I know it is trivial, but the little things add up)

 

Which makes me think that an American line was the wrong option, as I imagine several of those would be different on a European style line.

 

I would say you need a premium or a luxury line to improve those things to more of your liking. No, or very rare, sales pitches. No cloying staff trying to ingratiate themselves for extra tips. Any additionally-charged items clearly stated ahead of time (I don't believe any cruise line is 100% inclusive; I think all offer at best unique items (sometimes special food like caviar or a unique bottle of wine) for an additional charge.)

 

I hear you about tea......for some reason too many places think it's OK to make tea from hot water heated in their coffee machine, rather than with boiling water. At least hot water from an espresso machine is OK.

 

I've done three transoceanic cruises on Crystal, and I can tell you there are no announcements about things for sale (the closest thing to a sales pitch are printed ads in the daily newsletter), the staff are excellent without being obsequious, and their tea is good and hot.

 

 

The food issue is a personal preference (i.e. someone else might think the food perfectly sweetened, for instance), but on a premium or upscale line you would be more able to return a dish that isn't to your liking and get something else in a timely manner. Or to make special requests without issue, etc. In fact, the wait staff would be likely to ask you if they could get you something else if they see you didn't like what you had, rather than you needing to stop an overburdened waiter to ask them.

[helenliz]

A little more explanation.

 

 

 

The question about is this an American style thing was that there were a number of Brits on board and of those that had cruised previously, a number were saying that xxxx didn't happen when they went P&O or Cunard (or insert cruise line here). Hence my wondering if this is a cruise line style and it it was an American/European divide. Or I just appear to have expensive tastes - that I can deal with.

 

Tipping: Example of a request for further tips. You get a coffee from Cafe Latittudes. You swipe the seapass card and accept the amount (which includes a gratuity at a set amount). OK. The next screen then asks how much additional you'd like to tip. That, to my eye, is asking for extra tips. It happened there and at each speciality dining. It grated somewhat.

 

Excursion: no, fully accept that the shore excursions are extra (and we went on a number and some of them were excellent). It's the shuttle to town being charged when the cruise advertises that it goes to the town. Again, heard a number of comments that "this didn't happen on xxx (insert cruise line here)". If that's because they are more luxurious cruise lines, then that's maybe where I should be looking.

 

Food, yes I know that's subjective. It always is. It is that, again, I heard the same comment from a significant proportion of Brits we spoke to, which suggests that it was a general approach to palate. I have a sweet tooth, but I like my savouries to be savoury.

 

We did not have to go through two lots of security at every port, just at 2 (out of 6) in Italy.

 

 

Drinks: There's something about going for dinner with one's partner and sharing a bottle of wine. Not just both drinking wine, but that communal act of deciding what wine we both want, and then finishing the bottle between us. It's one of those oddities that will cause a whinge but not ruin a holiday. It doesn't make any logical sense, although I understand that it is in the drinks package rules. Not all rules are logical...

 

 

Tea: knew that one wouldn't just be me.

 

If upmarket is where I should be looking, then that's what we;'ll consider. I'm not sure I would cruise again if it meant going with the same conditions. But we'll see. Got a list of places to visit properly first.

[calliopecruiser]

I'll agree with you about American tastes generally being sweet......and I'm sure many Americans don't even realize it. I find a lot of mass market condiments to be too sweet, even things like BBQ sauce and salad dressings.

 

That said, I don't think American tastes are alone in that.....maybe UK and French, for instance, are the same.

 

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[AF-1]

Helenliz, have you searched on this website Cruisecritic? They have a lot of articles that compare cruiselines; compare family verses couples cruising and which line may suit you better. They have articles about upscale or luxury cruising. Suggest you search around and find all the different articles and then make a decision about cruising again. Cheers

[LHT28]

If upmarket is where I should be looking, then that's what we;'ll consider. I'm not sure I would cruise again if it meant going with the same conditions. But we'll see. Got a list of places to visit properly first.

I would say most cruises lines do not spend extended time in ports but you can see the times before you book

again if you wanted a bottle of wine then you can pay extra most are not included in Beverage packages

 

most lines will add a gratuity to any drinks/ spa services etc.. usually 15-18%

the daily Gratuity only includes wait staff & housekeeping

If you decide to cruise again may try an all inclusive line ..talk to a travel agent that can advise you according to your wants & needs

 

Some lines are better than others but none are perfect IMO

 

Give cruising another try with a different cruise line

[ExpatBride]

The question about is this an American style thing was that there were a number of Brits on board and of those that had cruised previously, a number were saying that xxxx didn't happen when they went P&O or Cunard (or insert cruise line here).

 

Expecting Royal Caribbean to be on the same playing field as Cunard is your first mistake. It's not a question of American vs. non-American, but of which type of line you're sailing. Anyone sailing RCCL and expecting Cunard is going to be sorely disappointed. They're completely different offerings catering for completely different tastes. You pays your money, you takes your choice.

[Grandma Dazzles]

Expecting Royal Caribbean to be on the same playing field as Cunard is your first mistake. It's not a question of American vs. non-American, but of which type of line you're sailing. Anyone sailing RCCL and expecting Cunard is going to be sorely disappointed. They're completely different offerings catering for completely different tastes. You pays your money, you takes your choice.

 

Agree! Also, referring to OP's post on the RC board, even on Cunard or other luxury lines you will find staff are from third world, poorer countries, or some Eastern European countries. If you are not comfortable with this then perhaps cruising isn't for you.

[SantaFeFan]

Expecting Royal Caribbean to be on the same playing field as Cunard is your first mistake. It's not a question of American vs. non-American, but of which type of line you're sailing. Anyone sailing RCCL and expecting Cunard is going to be sorely disappointed. They're completely different offerings catering for completely different tastes. You pays your money, you takes your choice.

 

The same could be said for anyone sailing Cunard and expecting RCCL. People need to do their research BEFORE they book the cruise, not come here complaining after the cruise is completed. If they can't be bothered to do that research, they have only themselves to blame for being disappointed. It isn't the cruise line's fault if the OP didn't bother to learn what RCCL was like before they committed to their cruise.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Oceania = Food

 

 

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[helenliz]

This isn't about I had a ****e cruise holiday, it wasn't. It had some real highlights that will stay with us for a very long time. However, it was not perfect - what holiday is? The question is what should I be looking for if we decided to cruise again, in order to make it make it better next time. Not having cruised on any line before I had no real idea what to expect, and some of it still came as a surprise to me even having had a good poke around on here before we went. The comparisons between lines were from conversations I had on the ship, not my experience or expectations. I went open minded, it was an experience, I'm glad we went.

 

Thank you to some for some constructive suggestions on where to go from here.

[SuiteTraveler]

helenliz,

I would suggest you consider the following lines:

Cunard (Princess or Queen's Grills)

Oceania

Crystal

Silversea

Seabourne

Regent

Scenic

 

Any of the above are much closer to what you seem to want.

 

If you decide to do a river cruise, then I would suggest Uniworld, Crystal, Tauck or Scenic.

 

Royal Caribbean is a great line but the onboard experience caters to American families and is therefore, not all inclusive as they are attempting to cater to all budget points and allow as much choice as possible. That same type of setup is what you will find on Carnival, RCCL, NCL, Princess and even Celebrity. MSC is the same in their regular staterooms, but when you get to the MSC Yacht Club level it becomes an all-inclusive experience including food in the restaurant for suite guests and alcohol. However it still doesn't offer free transportation into port.

 

Coffee and tea are problematic on all lines as everyone has such wildly different expectations. What coffee you like in the USA is often a function of what part of the country you are from. Throw in people from various other countries (which likely also have regional preferences) and you have such a broad spectrum of preferences it is impossible to please everyone.

[cruiserfromalabama]

Helenliz-Suite Traveler was spot on with advice! I took my first cruise with Carnival many many years ago when my husband and I were not able to afford spending much money (kids in college, getting married, etc). We enjoyed it very much and got us hooked on cruising. We then started cruising with Princess and Royal Caribbean on trips depending on itinerary. We have now gotten older and can afford traveling more and prefer luxury all inclusive land trips, river cruises, and sea cruises. While we like luxury travel-we also like friendly and not stuffy people. When I am planning a trip-I first see which cruise lines offer that itinerary, what cruise line offers the most inclusive excursions, beverages, gratuities, etc. Some even offer free flights. I then check on Cruise Critic for reviews (good and bad)of cruise line and ship. I have found Cruise Critic to be hugely helpful in planning trips and making decisions on which line to use. The people on cruise critic are very loyal to their favorite cruise lines(I am fond of certain ones myself). Good luck on next trip and I would try researching all the luxury lines that were suggested by Suite Traveler.

[Floridiana]

For a decent cup of tea, you need to travel on a UK cruise line. My husband also thinks that American coffee is forgettable, but some American lines have decent coffee, for example Oceania (not the British Oceana). They also have a proper tea time in the afternoon. It is true that American tastes run sweet. Even on Oceania, their most popular Asian dish is too sweet imho, but most passengers like it that way.

 

Best food and best tea (bags and loose leaf) so far on Europa 2, a German luxury ship that accommodates English speakers with a dedicated translator. They don't put ice in your drinks unless you insist. I found it annoying to have to request it, but 'not too cold' is what the majority of the passengers prefer.

 

I am sure that a line catering to mainly British passengers is adapted to their preferences.

[cruiserfromalabama]

I failed to say-that I am afraid Americans have a different view of tipping than Europeans do and therefore most all inclusive trips for us always require me to take extra cash(Euros, etc) to tip a little extra to servers, bartenders, maid service, or tour guides. So, all inclusive for me is not always all inclusive. Also, food is an experience that is sometimes hit or miss(had wonderful food on French River Cruise, but not everyone felt it was good). Not everyone loved the food on all inclusive Scotland/Ireland trip, but I loved it. Maybe I am just happy to have someone cook for me and not hard to please. I have been on Freedom of the Seas two times and food was great on one and terrible on the other. I also have learned that even on the all inclusive trips that someone is always trying to sell you something, but a firm "NO" was the answer!