For those considering sailing on a new or different cruise line -- how do you use Cruise Critic?

[Top_of_the_Cube]

As has already been mentioned in this thread, I find cruise ship and cabin walk-through videos very informative.  Did it seem the videographer had a hard time maneuvering through the stateroom?  Anything about the layout of the room or furniture or color scheme cause concern?  As the rest of the ship is toured, how crowded does it seem, are there long lines, do people seem engaged or bored, what appears to be the age distribution?  Are the activities that are shown appealing?

 

Any one video may not be indicative, but watching a few of the same ship on different sailings has a potential of showing trends and tendencies.

[LHT28]

I think everyone has different expectations  for  a cruise experience

 I have not travelled solo so cannot relate to someone who does

I like to explore  places  not too touristy 

I dislike large ships/crowds  ..we have done a few main stream lines but will avoid them in the future

 

Always wanted to try a luxury line   ...we did  so now it is 1 & done

We found a line we like  so we just stick with them 

We like to try some of the small cruise lines  like AQSC  etc.. it was fun experience   not the best itinerary but we enjoyed the  time onboard 

 

Only you can decide what works best for you 

Enjoy whatever cruise you choose

[cruisemom42]

3 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

I've learned a lot from reading the questions and answers here on CC.  I get a feeling for the types of people who sail a particular line, and the atmosphere aboard, which is important to us.

 

I tend to do this as well, although sometimes I wonder if the impressions are always accurate. Often I have felt that they rather confirm the stereotypes of certain lines (e.g., judging from posts some are very party centric, some seem more snobbish, etc.) There is one line I have long been curious to try but every time I visit the CC board here the results totally put me off. 

 

[cruisemom42]

3 hours ago, SelectSys said:

I hope COVID and increasing restrictions on cruising generally don't destroy too many niches and restrict cruising to only the relatively wealthy.

 

 

Regarding niche markets, these seem to come and go. What was once popular gives way to something else.

 

There is a certain economic pressure on mainstream mass-market lines to keep offering bigger and bigger ships (economy of scale I suppose). Whereas there is another market force in the making, namely that ports are starting to have serious concerns about having 30,000 cruise passengers dumped at their port regularly and what impact that has on the lives of not just those who live there but tourists who come by land and stay in hotels and (arguably) spend more per person thus bringing more benefit...

 

It could be that we end up with very large but affordable ships that cater for those who like the big, new shiny ships with lots to do and care less about ports (other than a beach day or two).  And then you have smaller ships that are more itinerary focused. 

 

What concerns me as someone who prefers the latter group is that the only lines offering smaller ships don't become exclusively luxury focused. I don't mind a smaller older ship with a good itinerary and I'm willing to pay enough of a "premium" to offset some of the economies of scale -- yet I don't necessarily seek an exclusive or luxury or "all inclusive" environment.  I just find smaller ships more congenial and more apt to take me where I want to go.

 

[SelectSys]

8 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

What concerns me as someone who prefers the latter group is that the only lines offering smaller ships don't become exclusively luxury focused.

I think that is a valid concern.  

 

8 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

Regarding niche markets, these seem to come and go. What was once popular gives way to something else.

That is an awesome point and gives me hope that cruising will remain viable for many - myself included!

 

9 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

yet I don't necessarily seek an exclusive or luxury or "all inclusive" environment

me too!

 

Thanks for the post!  

[iancal]

We read the reviews section.  When we have narrowed our shopping down to a few lines/ships we will review the cruise line posts for any relevant data.   Once or twice we have changed our list of ships based either on comments on the board and/or similar feedback from our on line TA.  Also good feedback on the forum about DIY excursions vs ship excursions.   Iguazu Falls being just one where other cruises recounted how easy it was to arrange the trip on our own.  Which we did.

 

A few years ago we found ourselves in Australia.  DW had fallen and cracked several vertebrae in Kuala Lumpur.  She decided to continue on with our trip to Australia but our plan to tour NZ by car for a few weeks was out of the question.

 

While in Australia we took a look at last minute cruises.  I happened on to the Australia forum on CC.  They had blog on last minute cruises.   It so happened that the cruise I  asked our usual on line TA to quote on was also mentioned on this forum.  The difference turned out to be price.  The Australian price was 33 percent less, adjusted for currency,  that what our usual  on line TA quoted or what was quoted on the RCI NA website.  So I called RCI Sydney direct and booked.  Thanks to the CC board we saved several thousand dollars  on this 21 day cruise just from reading one of the posts!

Edited April 2, 2021 by iancal

[ldubs]

10 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

I've never found reviews (cruises, products, places, restaurants) very helpful.  When I read any, which is rarely, I almost always think "That was a waste of time".

However, I've learned a lot from reading the questions and answers here on CC.  I get a feeling for the types of people who sail a particular line, and the atmosphere aboard, which is important to us.  If I were going to consider a new-to-us line, I'd read a lot of posts, especially including "live from" posts. Sometimes a complaint reveals something that would be a plus for us.

 

I don't use reviews at all.  I may go to a port of call forum if I'm looking for something, but even that doesn't happen very often.  

 

Your comment about the types of people who sail a particular line and atmosphere caught my attention.   There are really only a handful of people posting here on CC.   My initial reaction was it might be incorrect to base the atmosphere on a handful of posters.   But thinking about it further, there is, I think, a lot of valid information about family vs whatever you all non-family friendly cruises, age profiles, energy levels and things like that.     

 

 

[Markanddonna]

I use Cruise Critic in several ways. First, are the reviews of ships and ports of call. You need to learn to discern between the extremes- eliminate those reviews who hated everything and had an ax to grind and those who tend tend to be new cruisers who think most everything is great. I like details rather than "the food was inedible" or "all the crew were rude."

 

My favorite is using Roll Calls for longer cruises. I don't join up with Caribbean sort of cruises. I have had great experiences with joining and/or organizing private tours with other in the roll call. Never had a bad experience.

[cruisemom42]

11 hours ago, ldubs said:

My initial reaction was it might be incorrect to base the atmosphere on a handful of posters.   But thinking about it further, there is, I think, a lot of valid information about family vs whatever you all non-family friendly cruises, age profiles, energy levels and things like that.

 

I would tend to agree. 

 

But just as with reviews, one has to "toss out" the outliers to get an accurate picture. Which requires care as sometimes the outliers tend to dominate a particular forum...

 

[shipgeeks]

I should mention that if I'm reading posts on a "maybe this line" forum, I might do so for many months or more, not just a day or a week.

Also, on further thought, the advertising tells me a lot, too.  Many of the things different lines state as their assets are, to us, negatives, so we're able to eliminate them as potential future cruise lines.

[iancal]

Quite some time ago we shortlisted  several ships.  Called our online TA to get the booking started on one. .

 

Her comment...would you like me to give you some recent feedback from several customers on that ship?  We did.....and then selected an alternative ship that happened to be part of a different cruise line.

 

A few months after coming back I decided to check the reviews of the ship that we almost booked..  We had a very narrow miss.  The reviews agreed  with our TA's feedback, if anything understated.  So now we read through a whole list of reviews for a selected ship.  The gist starts to emerge when one eliminates the boosters, the haters, and those that exaggerate on either side.  It is certainly not gospel but one can get a notion the ship even if it does involve reading between the lines.

Edited April 4, 2021 by iancal

[Nebr.cruiser]

I don't read ship reviews a lot and take them with a grain of salt as so many seem so extreme, either all wonderful or terrible.  I might research a bit on an entirely new line, to us, but having sailed on at least eight different cruise lines and having never had a bad cruise, other factors are more important, mainly itinerary and cost.

 

Once we are booked I do a lot of research on ports and DIY or private tours and putting together groups for tours--at least before Covid.  If required to do only ship tours, this approach will change somewhat.  This may be one thing that slows our entry back into cruising when it finally starts again.

[pris993]

I have been cruising a long time since l980s... before internet was so available.  Have cruised 9 different lines over the years.  Early on we selected where we wanted to go and what cruise lines had ship gong where we want to go.  Usually cruise on "new" ships. Never really used cc to decide because I have read reviews here that did not fit with my experience on some ships.  I think if you know what you are looking for, where you want to go, what you like you can easily make a good choice.   Now days, I use you tube videos to check out ships and ports of call new to me.  

[clo]

20 minutes ago, pris993 said:

I have been cruising a long time since l980s... before internet was so available.  Have cruised 9 different lines over the years.  Early on we selected where we wanted to go and what cruise lines had ship gong where we want to go.  Usually cruise on "new" ships. Never really used cc to decide because I have read reviews here that did not fit with my experience on some ships.  I think if you know what you are looking for, where you want to go, what you like you can easily make a good choice.   Now days, I use you tube videos to check out ships and ports of call new to me.  

Do I remember that you only cruise out of SF?

[pris993]

48 minutes ago, clo said:

Do I remember that you only cruise out of SF?

Now that is primarily true.  That is after cruising since the l980s, all over.  WE did a Panama Canal cruise in 2019 from Florida to SF on the Coral.  Over the years we cruised to many places, glad we did when we were younger.    We are planning a land trip to Israel when the pandemic passes.  I am very content to cruise on Princess of out of SF to Mexico and Hawaii at this point in my life. 

[clo]

12 minutes ago, pris993 said:

We are planning a land trip to Israel when the pandemic passes.

We did that a few years ago and it was incredible. I'm sure you'll love it.

[pris993]

1 hour ago, clo said:

We did that a few years ago and it was incredible. I'm sure you'll love it.

Yes an amazing place.  I have family there so have visited Israel about 15 times in past 30 years... so much history and culture.  This will probably be our last trip.   Just waiting for things to open up, probably will not go for another year.  

[Hlitner]

We have cruises extensively for over forty years on 16 different cruise lines.  And with all that personal experience we always look to Cruise Critic for guidance when we are considering another line or even one with which we have not cruised in a few years.  While I will look at the ship/review area and read the CC review and many cruiser reviews, I take the latter with grain of sea salt.   IMHO, most folks who write formatted detailed reviews are either cheerleaders (their line can do little wrong) or are whiners that have an ax to grind...often over a relatively minor issue.  We find that best information on the Cruise Line specific blogs where folks go back and forth on many issues.  It is because of the CC line specific blogs that we have an upcoming booking on our 17th cruise line.  Bottom line is that a few CC regulars who I respect have convinced me that it is time to try Oceania.   I also have heard many good things about Viking Ocean and we will eventually find something of interest on that line.

 

Just one caution and fear.  With the long cruise shutdown and likely changes on startup, we put little stock in the past.  What we find in the future may not be anything similar to what we know from the past.  It is almost like starting all over again...and we look forward to new discoveries onboard.

 

Hank

[rkacruiser]

23 hours ago, Hlitner said:

it takes a thick online skin to post

 

This is true whenever one posts on any public message board.  Whether the comments one makes are positive or negative, I have been told more than once "you don't know what you are talking about".  I take these with the attitude that "I know what I experienced and you don't have that same experience that I had."  

[rkacruiser]

I find CC most valuable for me by participating in specific cruise line forums where I can ask questions that are specific to that company.  It gives me a "feel" about the cruise experience with that company and the responses that I receive give me a "feeling" about the guests that sail with that cruise line.

 

I don't dwell on reading reviews of past cruises; I do find blogs most helpful and interesting.  

 

The Ports Message Board has also proven to be worth reading about ports that are new to me as well as ports where I have visited in the past.  

 

The Roll Calls were once upon a time very enjoyable and useful.  And, depending upon the participants, they can still be.  But, for recent cruises, too often the Roll Calls are more concerned about trying to arrange private tours than sharing information and past experiences.  This is a major disappointment to me.  When I first joined CC, I got involved with leading (or being a co-leader) of a Roll Call:  arranging on-board meetings, etc.  It was fun, a bit more "work" required than just being a member of the Roll Call, but I always felt that my efforts were worthwhile and appreciated by the members of the Roll Call.  I made---and still have---several good friends whom I first met on a Roll Call.  On recent cruises, there is only one couple that was a part of the Roll Call for our cruise, that I feel a friendship developed.  I do believe that Roll Calls can be of value, specifically for new cruisers and those sailing a new itinerary for themselves.  Tidbits of "wisdom" and/or past experiences can still be learned.  

 

I truly enjoy CC.  Having been an educator, I enjoy the opportunity to "teach" to others what I have learned about cruising and travel in general.  And, just as many of my students were:  some are acceptive of "my lesson".  Some, not so much.  

[iancal]

We actually met a gentleman who had been on the ship that our TA and cruise critic reviews  had warned potential cruisers off.  Twice in seven months.

 

He was a regular on the cruise line.  He and his wife got flooded out of their cabin after a few days- plus no A/C to speak of.  That was the first time. 

 

Six or seven months he tells us  they are back on the same ship for a second chance so to speak.  Alas,  same story, flooded out but at least the A/C worked for three days.   Cabin crew, who he knows from previous trips, tell him he is in the notorious 'flood zone'.  But the carpets were new!  

 

 Front desk clerk tell him that this is the first they have heard of the problem as per the drawer statement instructions.   As a very frequent customer, a knowledgeable cruiser he asks to speak to the Hotel Manager.  No...that person refuses to meet with him.    That was the final straw for them.  

 

He was on our cruise, and saying that he was swearing off his usual cruise line of many years even though they left a bunch of 'shut up and go away' future OBC's on the table.  He apparently did not like being lied to or ignored so he voted with his feet and his wallet.  He told us the Hotel Manager subsequently got fired along with several other managers.  Don't really know if this was so.  

 

Very similar comments on CC but with claims from the usual boosters that he was lying or did not know what he was talking about.   He knew alright...as he described the episodes blow by blow as it were.

Edited April 15, 2021 by iancal

[Hlitner]

15 hours ago, iancal said:

We actually met a gentleman who had been on the ship that our TA and cruise critic reviews  had warned potential cruisers off.  Twice in seven months.

 

He was a regular on the cruise line.  He and his wife got flooded out of their cabin after a few days- plus no A/C to speak of.  That was the first time. 

 

Six or seven months he tells us  they are back on the same ship for a second chance so to speak.  Alas,  same story, flooded out but at least the A/C worked for three days.   Cabin crew, who he knows from previous trips, tell him he is in the notorious 'flood zone'.  But the carpets were new!  

 

 Front desk clerk tell him that this is the first they have heard of the problem as per the drawer statement instructions.   As a very frequent customer, a knowledgeable cruiser he asks to speak to the Hotel Manager.  No...that person refuses to meet with him.    That was the final straw for them.  

 

He was on our cruise, and saying that he was swearing off his usual cruise line of many years even though they left a bunch of 'shut up and go away' future OBC's on the table.  He apparently did not like being lied to or ignored so he voted with his feet and his wallet.  He told us the Hotel Manager subsequently got fired along with several other managers.  Don't really know if this was so.  

 

Very similar comments on CC but with claims from the usual boosters that he was lying or did not know what he was talking about.   He knew alright...as he described the episodes blow by blow as it were.

Sure sounds a lot like a line I know (begins with the letter "H").  If so, some of the problems might be gone along with some of the ships.

 

Hank

[Mary229]

That is funny @iancal.  There are a few ships we will never set foot on again.  There is one line we will never set foot on again.  Then there is one line we will approach with caution.    HAL won me back with a cheapy cruise with a discount issued from a serious fail. 

[iancal]

We select based on ship vs. cruise line.  So much inconsistency these days in the mass market lines.

 

There are a few ships on several cruise lines that we would never consider.  That does not mean that we would not consider the cruise line.  We would.

 

Nor do we write off a cruise line simply because of a mediocre cruise.   Mediocre cruises happen all the time.  IMHO, it does not paint the entire cruise line as mediocre.  We have cruised on many lines.  We had two very good cruises on Carnival.  Thankfully we did not listen to the naysayers.  But we did select our ship carefully.

 

Edited April 15, 2021 by iancal

[rkacruiser]

2 hours ago, iancal said:

 

Nor do we write off a cruise line simply because of a mediocre cruise.   Mediocre cruises happen all the time.  IMHO, it does not paint the entire cruise line as mediocre. 

 

I share your thinking, but it certainly can be tempting to write off a cruise line, particularly with one's first experience on that line was less than satisfactory.  I have written about my experiences on QE2 and really wondered if I ought to take a chance on booking QM2.  I did and I am glad that I took that chance.