Perfect Lives ~~~~ Perfect Cruises.....

[sail7seas]

I can only speak for myself but my world isn't perfect. Sure, it's pretty darn good but it isn't perfect and I doubt many of us can say our individual worlds can't use a little improvement here and there.

 

My Point:

 

Why do we expect near perfection when we cruise? If we really think about some of the comments we find ourselves or others making either while cruising or here, we seem to spazz or at a minimum grumble if something falls short of the perfect '10'.....or in HAL speak "9" as they accede nothing is perfect. Yet, in most other facts of our lives we know there's lots of room for improvement.

 

It seems to me we expect more from a crew on a ship than we expect from most hotels we visit, most land restaurants, most bars/lounges.......

 

I find myself annoyed sometimes with some small petty ridiculous things and shake my head and say, Self....what is your problem??

 

You too?

[jhannah]

Mea culpa! I know I've groused about some things in the past that were really inconsequential. Yes, I'd have to agree that there is sometimes apparent indignation over things that are simply a part of living in an imperfect world.

 

I've never had a major goof-up on any cruise ship that caused a "ruined" vacation. Sure, some things I would have preferred some other way ... but at the end of the day I still had what I consider the perfect sort of holiday.

[May4]

I strongly agree with what you've said. What's amazing to me is that so many, many things occur smoothly and with clockwork precision day after day on these HAL cruises, given that the people who work aboard get very little sleep and no days off.

 

I do think that some people see the world through a certain filter. That is to say, they are constantly afraid that someone will trick them or cheat them rather than assuming that the vendor has the best of intentions. It must be exhausting to live that way.

 

(27 days until I sail again):)

[cruisinbulldog]

Totally agree! I think it is just some peoples nature to complain.. To me life is to short to be dwelling on the bad all the time, understand we all have are bad days..

 

When I go on vacation, be it by land or sea, I try to make the best out of it.. When I have a bad experience I will go look for a good one..:) Vacations for me are too short and too $$ to have it ruined by certain situations..

[Krazy Kruizers]

Well as you know we both have had many health problems this past year.

And when we get on a ship we always go with high hopes that everything will run smoothly. Alas that has not been the case on our last several cruises. DH is getting to the point he doesn't want to cruise anymore because we no more than get on the ship (sometimes have had problems there as well) and things that we though were supposed to have been done, i.e, shipboard credit, etc. -- HAL suddenly doesn't have any records.

Seems as though we have not started our last several cruises on a good note.

[sail7seas]

You've made references a few times to problems aboard, KK, but I never knew what you were referring to.....specifically.

 

I'm sorry things have not gone smoothly for you particularly during a year when you have had health issues. You want things to be easy when you're not at your best; not for there to be snags.

 

You are a very experienced cruiser so I know that you have done all that you should in order to facilitate an easy embarkation etc

 

What do you think is happening?

Why are these sorts of problems arising where they did not in the past?

You are still using the same TA; you are still sailing in Suites; you certainly know the ins and outs of sailing HAL?

 

Do you know what the problem is? Have you addressed any issues with Seattle?

 

I'm sorry for the questions. I genuinely feel badly you've had bad experiences and I'm trying to understand how you can get back to excitedly looking forward to boarding an HAL ship. You've cruised and loved it way too much to be chased away if it can be 'fixed'.

 

JMHO......

 

 

[fcorey]

Guilty as charged, and you'd think from time at sea with USN I'd know better. Things happen. I think we sometimes forget how many things that the crew does well on a daily basis for which they deserve credit. I think its very easier to get worked up when things dont go our way on vacation. I cant wait to experience HAL for myself.

[Orlandocruiser]

I can't say we have had any bad experiences on board. Some cruises have been better than others. Our first cruise (on the Maasdam) was wonderful, perhaps because we had no expectations - looking back embarcation and disembarcation pretty much s***ed,but that didn't really cloud our enjoyment. Each cruise since then has been different - on some cruises our cabin steward was not as good as others we have had or the dining room service not as good or tablemates better but on the whole everything was in retrospect OK(really more that just OK). (as you can see we are not complainers) As a matter of fact when we book a new cruise (our 6th on HAL is coming in Nov.) I always have the doubt that we are never going to have as good a cruise as the previous ones but we always do and always find that the money we plunked down was worth it.

But when you look at the glossy ads and the web site's videos I think the cruise line raises expectations beyound what might be reasonable. After all you see only beautiful people of a certain age, no lines in the Lido, deck chairs that are always available and toilets that always flush. Of course no resort is going to show the bad sides but once you board the ship you are kind of stuck. This is not to denigrate those who have had truly bad problems but I think especially for new cruisers the expectations are very high and the philosophy of "ship happens" is ot something they are willing to embrace.

[NHCruisr]

This is such an important post. In an effort to provide information about a cruise and give as much detail as possible to future cruisers of a certain ship or of a particular cruise line we sometimes get too picky and too focused on small negatives. I know I do anyway.

 

It seems that complaints fall into certain categories. The most useless thing is to complain about is weather and events caused by weather. The next is condition of a ship. This is fair game to point out, in my opinion. If a cruise line is keeping a ship in poor repair or dirty then future cruisers should know. If service is poor (which I think is a real exception to the rule on HAL) then I feel that I need to address it on board and if it doesn't get better, then I'll write about it on CC. If the system is flawed as to booking, record keeping, communication with the home office, etc. then Seattle needs to hear about it and the information should be on CC.

 

All in all, though, I try to have a positive attitude. I've enjoyed cruises where things have gone wrong. I never look for things to go wrong. Even the one cruise out of fourteen which was not good (on NCL), I still had a good time because of the people I was with and the port we visited (Bermuda).

[kakalina]

It would seem to me that the core of the problem that S7S brings out is expectations. Most of us here are seasoned cruisers but there are a lot of newbies out there. They hear of amazing food and entertainment, the see movies and TV shows that infer cruising is so special, so wonderful, so perfect that nothing can or does go wrong. We are all aware that this is not the case. Those who save and plan, and read magazines about crusing don't know what to expect. They do however, know that they expect the "perfect" vacation. Their expectations are unresonable because so many have never heard of places like CC where they can get serious information.

Even those of us who cruise often are sometimes guilty of over expectations. As others have mentioned, no one is perfect. But IMHO HAL does it better than most.

[lougee1043]

your glass is either half full or half empty --- depends on your viewpoint

 

have never been on any vacation where EVERYTHING has been absolutely perfect-------life isnt always perfect so why should your vacation always be- you only go around once so why not enjoy yourselves and dont sweat the petty stuff- as bad as an situation can be it can always be worse -----------just take a moment to smell the roses or the salt air and consider how fortunate you are to be on a cruise when so many other people are not ------------we can order 2 entrees and there are people in the world who have not eaten for days ---------

[sail7seas]

I think HAL (all cruise lines) are victim of their own marketing....as pointed out. So many people see the glossy brochures and expect perfect.

 

One piece of overcooked steak and reality sets in. What!!! My steak is overcooked!!! Grrr.....How could this Happen??? Everyone in the pretty pictures in the brochure was happily eating away!!!! Get me the Manager!!! I want him to explain how this happened to ME!!!!

 

Okay, probably an exagerration but there it is.

 

I'm an experienced cruiser and still sometimes a little thing will get my goat. Put into the perspective of the whole cruise, it probably rates a minus 2 but still for a brief moment in time, it was annoying.

 

I think the difference is that as quckly as it irritates me, is as quickly as I dismiss it and move along.

 

Those believing there really can be perfection will dwell on it for hours/days......the rest of their cruise. Then it's time for the comment sheets and they slam everything about their cruise because they're still irritated their toast wasn't brown enough for their taste.

 

[hammybee]

Sail: Thank you for starting this timely thread.

 

I board expecting to be welcomed, a clean enviornment and cabin, a variety of food I do not have to cook, the majesty of the sea, good conversation with people I did not know yesterday and with any luck, discovering a new port. And if the unexpected and unavoidable happens, I want passenger safety above and beyond it all. Every cruise I have taken on HAL, X, CC, RCCL, Orient and NCL has exceeded my expectations.

 

On a cost per day, I absolutely cannot independently achieve the same thing on my own, which is why I continue to cruise.

 

It was not that long ago that leisure cruising was something that only the wealthy could afford to do. Economies of scale, technology, and greater real or financed disposable income combined to put cruising within the grasp of more people. And for many, a 7 day or less cruise is a dream come true.

 

Orlandocruiser hit the nail on the head that most cruise lines create consumer expecations that cannot be reasonably met, if the consumer is not reasonable. Who has not seen, or maybe been the subject of, the photo opportunity, on HMC where a crew member is serving a passenger champagne, as they stand at water's edge?

 

Some passengers board with expectations that are not going to be met and they are going to be dissappointed. Others chuckled to themselves when, for the first time on HMC, they saw the staged photo for what it was and decided what the heck, and ordered a beer.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Our problems began even before HAL switched over to the new computer system.

 

Our TA even after the documents have arrived has called HAL back to make certain that everything is in order. But still problems and we can't pinpoint what or why this all happening.

 

On our Amsterdam cruise, our Mariner numbers were on our documents. I filled out the number of days and cruises on the on-line immigration form. But when we got on the ship - no record of us being Mariners' So now we have to check on that as well when we get on the ships.

 

We have contacted HAL - our TA has contacted HAL when we come back home and tell her of all our problems. Answer: So sorry - won't happen again.

[sail7seas]

Our problems began even before HAL switched over to the new computer system.

 

Our TA even after the documents have arrived has called HAL back to make certain that everything is in order. But still problems and we can't pinpoint what or why this all happening.

 

On our Amsterdam cruise, our Mariner numbers were on our documents. I filled out the number of days and cruises on the on-line immigration form. But when we got on the ship - no record of us being Mariners' So now we have to check on that as well when we get on the ships.

 

We have contacted HAL - our TA has contacted HAL when we come back home and tell her of all our problems. Answer: So sorry - won't happen again.

 

I agree that is annoying.......very irritating.

 

For the interim, until you are sure things will finally be straightened out for you, I suggest you use the paper Immigration Form instead of the on-line.

 

I have personally seen them by hand reviewing all those sheets at the office. Not to say there can't still be a mistake made. :(

 

We never do it on line but are always sure to have it completed and signed before we get to the terminal. It doesn't hold us up at all to use the paper form in the Suite Check In Line. At least we know they got the form and have the information in hand.

 

You have cruised with HAL way too much for these mistakes to not be very annoying to you. I wouldn't like it either...... ;) But I'd be on the phone personally to Seattle. I wouldn't have my TA doing it.

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Good thread, and good replies. It's the kind of topic I can't resist joining in!

 

Because I spent more than a year on these boards before we embarked on our very first cruise just a little over two weeks ago, I had some idea of what to expect. I wasn't anticipating perfection, in fact, I had steeled myself for some downright disappointments and problems, should they come our way. As it happened, our cruise was pretty darn near perfect, with a few minor glitches and adjustments here and there. My family and I learned a few things about ourselves and how we handle new situations, which is always beneficial.:o

 

As I've mentioned before ad nauseum, I flew for Pan American as a flight attendant back in my younger days. I've observed, first-hand, breakdowns in communication and passenger service. Heck, I've even been part of the problem myself! Pan Am acquired several French Airbus planes when we were all used to flying American Boeing craft. We had to go out and handle a flight with no experience on the Airbus, after only a couple of days of requisite training.:eek: Reality always differs from practice.(I still have nightmares about one flight from London Heathrow to New York JFK! Really! It took us four hours to do the hot lunch service in economy class!!:eek: )

 

My own past experience really makes me appreciate the round-the-clock teamwork that occurs on a cruiseship. I think everything falls into place remarkably smoothly when you consider what it takes to launch what is virtually a small town upon the seas.

 

The information I gleaned here at CC helped me tremendously on my first cruise. Even the arguments are helpful! I also find that I prefer the service I receive from a tangible person in the form of a travel agent who knows me, knows my family, and whom I can visit in person whenever I need to. She helps me keep things in perspective, and makes sure to articulate the reality for me versus the marketing hype.

 

Karin

[Scrumpy]

We don't expect things to be perfect, but we do expect good communication to quickly resolve any problems that occur. Our last cruise had several glitches, most of which were small and easily resolved. However, it's never good to start off with a problem because each additional issue seems to piggyback on the first. When the very first day is a rollercoaster of excitement and disappointment, it does tend to make one apprehensive and probably over-sensitive.

 

In terms of expectations, these boards can play a bigger role than any marketing. A disappointment for us was the new bedding which had gotten a lot of hype on CC. Sometimes, one gets the feeling that a concern must be a result of some expectation that is too high and there are always those who perpetuate that view and blame the disappointed party. In truth, that isn't always the case. Sometimes, there are simply problems and it is your turn to encounter them. In hindsight, the good always outweighs the not-so-good (for us) and we remember the pleasant aspects, but a lot of people hold onto the problems and their significance grows over time. Looking back, we have never had an experience on any holiday that made us wish we hadn't gone at all (although Molokai is awfully close). Or, at least nothing comes to mind ;) Sometimes, being forgetful comes in handy!

[bepsf]

While I agree that many cruiselines set themselves up for disappointing their passengers, I think that HAL does a pretty good job of managing/meeting expectations overall.

 

You don't see HAL ads depicting former passengers raving about how they were treated like royalty, or imagery of butlers waiding into the surf with buckets of caviar and champagne. Other lines emphasize the extra-charge amenities in their ads: rock climbing walls, spas, roses in their staterooms, butler service, helicopter/glacier/parasailing excursions, whereas HAL (for the most part) shows "standard" amenities in their imagery: We see handsome people enjoying beautiful scenery and trays of fruit and coffee borne by friendly smiling waiters.

 

While I certainly don't expect perfection and will be the first to admit that HAL has failed to meet certain expectations at one time or another (like not bringing my entree before the Baked Alaska parade - GRRRR...) I have found from my experience that certain other lines don't even attempt to meet minimum standards, nor give a rats-a** about the overall quality of their product. At the risk of sounding like a "Rah-Rah", it's been my experience that HAL has done a better job of meeting the expectations that other lines have 'promised' than the other lines have.

[hammybee]

I think everything falls into place remarkably smoothly when you consider what it takes to launch what is virtually a small town upon the seas. Karin

 

I appreciate your perspective and the "it takes a village" thing.

[bepsf]

A disappointment for us was the new bedding which had gotten a lot of hype on CC.

 

Scrumpy--

 

I don't know if you'd ever experienced the old beds, but compared with what they had, these new ones really are a dream!

 

Of course, if you're accustomed to great bedding at home and had never had the 'opportunity' to enjoy the old slabs w/ their scratchy sheets - you'd say that the new beds are 'No Big Deal'

 

As in all things, it's a matter of perspective...

;)

[SANDY BEACH]

I found that imperfection was noticed much more after I started reading these boards. I, too, had to catch myself and realize how lucky I am to sail at least a couple of times a year. Several cruises were definitely 9 plus. Others were great also. I'm no longer looking for perfection.

[hammybee]

You don't see HAL ads depicting former passengers raving about how they were treated like royalty, or imagery of butlers waiding into the surf with buckets of caviar and champagne. SIZE]

 

HAL used to use pix of butlers in the surf. Then passengers themselves, started showing off their own pix of being served in the surf. And finally some want the turf with thier surf.

 

BTW, could not agree with you more on the bed thing. Compared to the old, the new is heaven. But then again, my heaven may be the next guy's hell-o.

[Scrumpy]

Scrumpy--

 

I don't know if you'd ever experienced the old beds, but compared with what they had, these new ones really are a dream!

 

Of course, if you're accustomed to great bedding at home and had never had the 'opportunity' to enjoy the old slabs w/ their scratchy sheets - you'd say that the new beds are 'No Big Deal'

 

As in all things, it's a matter of perspective...

;)

 

Brian, we had the old beds last year. We also had the good sense to ask for an egg crate. :D This year, we kept thinking "it must be US because everyone else raves about the bedding" and never did pull our heads out and ask for an egg crate. I didn't notice any improvement in quality in the mattress itself, but did think the bed linens were nicer than last year. At home, we do have a nice mattress with feather topper and 600+ t.c. sheets, so I (belatedly) realize that we are more likely to be disappointed when we cruise. (Considering how much I fall asleep on couches and in easy chairs, I really should be able to sleep regardless of conditions, LOL!) An egg crate will always be requested from now onwards because how well I sleep at night definitely influences my ability to have a good attitude during the day. :o

[Scrumpy]

 

BTW, could not agree with you more on the bed thing. Compared to the old, the new is heaven. But then again, my heaven may be the next guy's hell-o.

 

You're so right. (And, if it ain't broke at your house, don't fix it!) It is partly what we're accustomed to having at home that will dictate how comfortable we are away from home. I started a bedding crusade around our house about 5-6 years ago and have found that we both sleep better than we used to. DH travels and has had some lousy beds, but now that Marriott has done some upgrades I think he is much more comfortable than he was a year ago. It's a matter of priorities and I finally realized that for us it was well worth it to upgrade an area where we'll (hopefully) spend about a third of our lives. Obviously, we are in the minority about the HAL bedding, though, and that is okay. Live and learn :) There are so many wonderful things about HAL that we don't have to obsess over it when things aren't wonderful. I really tend to forget most of the negatives as time goes by anyway.

[Copper10-8]

Great thread! Like many (included here, I think;) ) we board a cruise ship to enjoy ourselves, get away from the stress of our everyday lives and have a great vacation. IMHO, the perfect cruise line hasn't been invented yet (and probably never will). HAL is certainly not perfect.

When on a ship, you're dealing among other things with machinery (the ship itself and everything on it), individuals (crew), product (primarily food), the environment (weather), and I'm probably leaving out a bunch. Any one of these can fall apart and cause problems (big and small) and, consequently, expectations are not met. Disappointing, aggravating? Sure, it is - no doubt, but try to deal with it! There are bigger problems in the world and you're still on one of best places you can be to enjoy some time off. Even though cruising is not for the "priviledged few" anymore (and that's a good thing), think of all the billions of folks who, unlike us here, will never see the inside of a cruise ship. Don't sweat the small stuff!

If you feel the issue(s) is/are not taken care off, seek out the appropriate person onboard (i.e. the guest relations manager) and bring your problem to her/his attention. Believe me, HAL (and other lines) don't want problems no matter how big or small on their ships! They want their pax to have a great time so they come back as good little Mariners and do the whole thing over again (and again, and again). I've read numerous posts here from people whose expectations (small and big, reasonable and unreasonable) were not met, never brought it to anyone's attention onboard, but started griping about it here on this site. What good does that do? Start with the first step and go up the ladder all the way to the head cheese if you have to. If you don't get the satisfaction you think you deserve, assess your options. If you think the problem ruined your vacation and HAL did nothing to make you want to come back to them, hey maybe it's time to go elsewhere!

When a problem occurs, I'm sure HAL wants it handled to conclusion and to everyone's satisfaction. That doesn't always happen. Communications and follow up are biggies! Both can be handled in great fasion or completely messed up (look at some of the examples on threads here). We're dealing with human beings with various skills. I can only speak for myself when I say that HAL has handled the problems we've encountered (and they've been minor) better than similar situations on our two Carnival cruises.