Lrica Reviews

[czechmate]

I am astounded that Cruise Critic in September show a "NEW" review from Mr. Patrick Newell.

 

Back in January "Nuhomes" (Mr. Patrick Newell) posted a review on this site

and every other site one could imagine and placed these reviews also on message boards.

 

From the interest generated on the message boards the overwhelming view was that the review was worthless. It was just too negative and vindictive. It was contradicted by many fellow passengers. Those who have had the pkeasure of cruising on Lirica know that it is false and turns trviality into a major issue. The little group of friends all posted their own vitriolic comments and finally now the last duo post their review.

 

As an example read the comments about "San Blas Islands" and being left to fend for oneself. The island on which the tender berths must message less than 500 yards wide and 700 yards long. It is a charming minute piece of unspoilt land people by beautiful little indians attempting to sell their hand made wares but with a shy manner and never hassling or using aggressive tactics.

 

Of course everyone is entitled to their "opinion" and write a review based on their experience but NOT to make totally false untrue claims and statements

 

I believe that Cruise Critic should remove at least one if not both of the reviews posted by Mr. Newell.

[nocaper]

I think it's interesting that his over all rating has come up a notch! Czechmate - you could always do another review! (LOL). Nuhomes obviously has time on his hands. Unfortunately he uses that time in a negative way. Those of us who enjoyed our experience on the Lirica will continue to tell people so.

 

Happy sailing!

[bigmike7]

Yo-

 

I liked it when the other couples said almost the exact same things........

 

These folks are really "dancin' around the fire" on this one-

 

Personally I am glad that we are booked in March - 'cause all the March reviews were steller (however I found it amusing that when Mrs wrote hers she gave it four fish and when Mr copied the exact same review - he gave it five fish) LOL

 

Anyway March is SO far away...........:-(

 

Happy Cruisin'

 

Mike

[Magwa]

Well I'm sure glad I'll never meet the likes of him & his pals on any cruise I take. Shame he didn't think fit to actually discover why Lirica couldn't berth in Mo Bay or Key West.. before jumping up jump & down; quite simple really if he bothered to look at the port authority websites, and as for sailing around the wrong side of Cuba, well it junks the rest of the review whether anything was actually valid or not. Apart from anything else, I am sure other countrymen aboard may have been highly embarrassed by his portrayal of the average US cruiser.

 

But why has it been posted again, don't CC check? I never bothered to submit a Lirica review here, as past reviews on other lines submitted have never been posted, so I won't waste my time again & do my own. Balzak26's Melody review she said she submitted has never appeared either. Maybe MSC are not in favour with TPTB.

 

Pam

[cruisecluestoo]

I looked and couldn't find the September review. I do know that we were on the same cruise and did have a different feel for the ship than he did. We had a wonderful time. I am not saying that they didn't have a few problems that needed to be fixed but not enough to ruin our cruise. I have heard that things are a lot different now. Maybe we should try the Opera to see how it compares. Still deciding what our next cruise will be.

[czechmate]

Diane When I read your "post" I thought that Cruise Critic must have removed one of the identical reviews. Wrong.

The review fromNuHomes posted back at the beginning of the year is still there and this month - September there appears the identical "WARNING" for the JANUARY cruise. This time by Mr. Patrick Newell and with CruiseCritic marking it as a "NEW" review.

 

Pam - I think there is no doubt that the top brass of CruiseCritic are not favourably inclined to MSC. This may change in time. My review was only published after I wrote several mails asking why it had not appeared. As you also comment other favourable MSC reviews do not appear.

When the Cruise Critic Newsletter dealt with onboard "Alcohol Policy" MSC was not included and my e-mail asking if CruiseCritic had information or had approached MSC as to their policy was simply ignored.

[nocaper]

As I have said before, I don't take much stock in a review that is totally negative. I like this board and the people who post here. Personally, I hope it takes a while for others to find what we are enjoying! I'm being selfish. I don't want to see MSC catering to what some people seem to want...a floating version of everything they left behind (food, beverages, beds, etc) PLUS 24 hour slaves to meet their every whim and fancy! And I don't want the ships overrun with those kinds of people. MSC is doing a fine job and although there may be a few problems, it's a matter of fixing those things and NOT completely remodeling the entire product to meet the demands of a few. Although reviews are helpful, I think it's more important to let MSC know that not all of us want to see major changes.

 

Happy sailing!

[NuHomes]

I called the "shots" as I saw them. I am certainly not the only cruiser during the month of January 04 that felt the same way I did. READ THE REVIEWS! Obviously something went wrong and obviously something has improved since our cruise on the Lirica judging by the subsequent improved reviews.

 

We are certainly not novice cruisers having been on several cruise vacations over the past 15 years. I can only base my opinions on the cruises I have had the pleasure to enjoy in the past and this ship was not up to the standards I have previously experienced on other ships. That is the message and the only message I was trying to get accross. I can assure you, this cruise was NOT fun.

 

The ship was indeed very beautiful but as I said in my review, everything else was wrong. I have never said this about any ship I have sailed on and I always tend to look for the positives not the negatives on my vacations. And no, I do not have "time on my hands" being in a critical position with a major homebuilder in Southern California. I work 45 -55 hours per week and I truely value my time off. I felt that my review would be insightful to those who also value their time and their vacations.

 

Apparently my review has created some amont of controversy but isn't that what any review is supposed to do?

 

HAPPY CRUISING!

[czechmate]

I do not wish to become embroiled in an argument BUT there ARE REVIEWS for January passengers who had a TOTALLY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE to you.

Of course you have a right to your own opinions, views and expectations and so do others. A completely negative, vitriolic "Warning" devalues itself unfortunately.

 

The HUGE suspicion - rightly or wrongly - is that ALL the bad reviews were by one little "group" who were known to each other probably travelling together and determined to do harm for reasons known only to them.

 

The "shots" as you see them!! Hard to understand that! San Blas Islands for just one example. I do not make this comment in a disrespectful way. Trivial issues were greatly magnified. For example picture taking! and the navigational routing (actual as opposed to a dotted line on a brochure) - It is not as though you have a brilliant clear view of islands passing by.

 

ALL those BAD January reviews I and others concluded simply it was only the attitude of your "group" that prevented any of you from having a remotely pleasant experience. By the end you could only blame yourselves!

 

 

Some of the claims made concerning the food certainly xould not be based on "proven fact".

 

Taking the words used by another contributor under another thread "Do unto others........" Had this been your motto your experience might have been so different.

 

Could I please respectfully enquire - Why return months later and post the same sad review in the same place?

 

I must also regretfully disagree with your view that the intention of a review is to cause "Controversy". I believe that it should be informative, accurate, constructive, unbiased, open minded considering pros and cons, in fact helpful to possible or intended future passengers - if you are comparing it with an alternative then take consideration of price, route, grade of accommodation, etc. Of course if you have serious problems these should be mentioned. That is ONLY my opinion though.

 

Your review only became "controversial" - in which fact you seem to take pridel! - because so many others disagreed!

Whilst I acknowledge that your review has certainy unfairly prejudiced the vews of some - prior to saling - I believe that probably your BAD review - for the fair and open minded - has had the opposite effect to that desired!

[NuHomes]

First of all, I DID NOT return months later to post a negative review on this ship. If that happened, it was the result of Cruise Critic pulling my review and calling it "New". In fact, I was pleasantly surprised that subsequent cruisers on this ship posted reviews ranging from somewhat positive to extremely positive. I have no "axe to grind". In fact, MSC Cruises went the exta mile by acknowledging in writing that there were in fact problems (I have a letter) and offered us a substantial discount on a future cruise should we wish to accept it.

 

As far as our "group" as you called it....There was no group, as my wife and I were traveling as a couple on this cruise.

 

There was indeed many problems with the MSC Lirica on the cruise we were on. I am sorry, but it was NOT a result of our attitudes or perceptions. There WERE major problems on this ship. I have been in a great many places on this great planet of ours and have learned a long time ago not to expect certain things when we have traveled. In other words, I have a very open mind and as a result I can live with and graciously accept most things. However, based on OUR experience with other cruise lines through the years, the cruise on this ship was an utter dissapointment from the point of embarcation to the point of our disembarcation.

 

Perhaps "trivial" issues did come to bear but those were undoubtedly brought forward by the entire experience. My review just pointed these issues out as part of the entire experience, nothing more.

 

On the contrary, I did not wish my review to be controversial but merely "enlightening" to those contemplating a cruise on this ship. MSC Cruises did in fact parrot my feelings in a letter I received from them. While some cruisers did disagree with my review, many others posted reviews with an experience that was in fact very similar to ours. Again, READ THE REVIEWS!

 

I do not feel that my review of this ship based upon the cruise we were on is in any way BAD as you called it. What happened, happened and nothing will change that with respect to the cruise we were on. It is a decidedly negative review! Only MSC can change future cruisers opinions and it appears they are trying to do just that. Time will tell if MSC and it's ships will be accepted and become a mainstay here in the United States and I wish the best of luck to them. They will need to continue to work hard at it.

 

HAPPY CRUISING

[czechmate]

Perhaps I misread the review when it mentioned people travelling with you.

 

In any event it is not worth it. I am today as I have been for some time a very happy and satisfied MSC client and my only wish is that the product is not destroyed from what it was.

 

I am delighted that MSC have taken such a generous and magnanimous attitude to you - which only reaffirms the faith that I had in them.

If MSC is making a mistake it could be that it is attempting to appeal to the wrong market.

 

It would seem that you perhaps confirm an anti MSC bias within C.C.!!!!!!!!

Now who is being controversial :-)

 

Happy Cruising?

[Magwa]

Yes those they couldn't be photographed with [funny that Joseph made the same comments]. Ira too perhaps.

[czechmate]

Mr Newell

There are a final few thoughts that I must express!!

 

FIRST. I am delighted at your apparent "conversion" and especially your new more reasonable attitude.

 

SECOND. I did "READ THE REVIEWS" - ALL OF THEM the good the bad the virtiolic and the untruthful! I read too much more including hostile comments you made to some and even statements of Class Action Lawsuits being filed.

 

THREE Whatever has taken place since January and the 15th November I doubt "We" will know the real background.

 

FINALLY. It is clear that no cruise is ever perfect and there will always be some problems and areas of dissent - and all credit to MSC for admitting to you in writing that they had not lived up to your expectations and making a very "generous discount offer".

 

Whomever you sail with next I hope that they fulfill all your requirements.

[crusguy]

Well said by both. Maybe we can say AMEN to this topic now and wait to see what the reviews will be aftr the Opera's cruise on Dec. 4th

[czechmate]

Crusguy - my sincere apologies BUT there are TWO questions I must ask Mr. Newell.

 

"What is your opinion of passengers who deface a cruise liners artwork with obscene graffiti - because they did not enjoy their cruise experience"

 

and

 

"What action have you and Joseph Lee taken to remove the duplicated "reviews" not just on this site but others also. Particularly when as you now say this has been done without your knowledge and approval"

[NuHomes]

Your question is very cryptic in the sense that you seen to accuse me in defacing with "Gaffitti" a cruise line's "artwork".

 

To answer this question, one must read through your lines. However, in this case I can not and do not wish to try.

 

I stand by 100% of the content of my original review of this ship. As I stated, subsequent reviews show improvement as times goes by. My cruise on this ship however was not a good one and I will not "Candy Coat" my particular experience. My opinion of my cruise on this ship stands!

 

I do not wish this ship or cruisers on it any ill will. That was never my intent. I called the "shots" as I saw them and experienced them. If the service, food, and activities have improved on this ship since we sailed her, HURRAH! I only wish perhaps that we sailed her at a later date when some of the problems onboard had been worked out. Perhaps my review would have been different.

 

You say that I said that my review was used without my knowledge or consent. That is not true. I posted my review in February of 2004 with the understanding that it might be used at some time by Cruise Mates. If I did not want that to happen I would not have posted it in the first place. If Cruise mates decided to use my review in September 2004, I was not aware of it nor did I ask for it to be used. That was their decision, not mine. Obviously my review was used by Cruise Critic as a direct result of many others having similar experiences onboard this ship. As far as Joseph Lee, who was in the cabin next to ours on this cruise, I cannot speak for him. Perhaps you should contact him and see how HE feels now.

 

A previous post had us cruising with Ira Weiner. Check the dates and you will see that Mr. Weiner cruised early in January 2004 and we do not even know him. I think that you and possibly others are trying to put all the negative reviews into a "group" of cruisers who know each other and who cruised on this ship at the same time. This is so far from the truth.

 

The fact is that MSC and the Lirica did in fact have some major problems in January and February 2004. I hope that those problems have now been resolved as she is a beautiful ship.

 

As far as anything I plan to do as a result of my review being used in September 2004 for a cruise I experienced in February 2004......I choose to do NOTHING! While it is a bit late to publish "news" several months later, it is their perogative to do so. Even though the review was old, it still was true for the cruise it was written on. Cruisers can decide on their own and will make intelligent decisions on what this ship has to offer based my review as well as several others written since. That is exactly what reviews are supposed to be for.

 

I think It may be time to "put this to bed", as it has been 9 months now since my review was posted,

 

Let us all move on to better things.

[Magwa]

I wrote a long reply and deleted it, not worth the bother of continuing.

What does need sorting out though is Cruisecritic themselves. One can't take the review ratings with anything more than a pinch of salt as they stand.

 

One of your reviews and one of Mr Lee's should be deleted. The latest review should be removed, it's for Melody. At least 2 other reviews I know of have been sent to them for Melody, they were ignored. Reviews for Melody did not show, now I see there are a bunch of old ones, most with no ratings shown as presumably sent without the options there for it at the time. Ah well, a pointless exercise it seems, as CC don't even acknowledge the existence of other MSC ships.

[czechmate]

Nu Homes/Mr Newell

 

I accused you of nothing - I asked a question. No more no less.

 

Your reply is at least disingeuous. To stand 100% by your review - which is in direct contradiction of reviews written by passengers on the SAME cruise shows that you are not interest in accuracy and fact - only to force your own opinion on others.

 

What surprises me - you profess to be a man who has travelled this great planet and yet you are ignorant of the fact that no matter how well planned things can will and do go wrong. When that does happen the truly well travelled are able to take command of the situation regroup and still make the best of the good things on offer. It appears that you and your "friends" - using your own words from your own review - were totally incapable in this regard!! You will never convince me that you were not the master of your own misfortune.

 

You are probably correct that we should put this matter to bed. I believe that you only resubmitted for a second time in September and made your very late recent posting in the hopes that you could once again draw to attention to your review(s) and also that of your friends.

 

I sincerely hope that you will read my thread "Crews Reviews".

[czechmate]

I have today written to the Community Management suggesting that in the interests of accuracy, impartiality, integrity and ethics they delete from the Lirica reviews

1. The review relating to Melody.

2. One of the duplicated reviews submitted by Mr. Lee

3. One of the duplicated reviews submitted by Mr. Newell/Nuhome.

 

Will be interesting to see if any action is taken or if I am blacklisted as a result.

 

Amazing how some folks are so ***** that they think we need have their sad opinions twice over!!

[Moeve]

Czechmate why are you so adamant that you your sight of things is the correct one. Can´t you just leave it as is! NU saw the cruise his way & you in your way. All of us who read this site are able to weigh out the differances.

 

Lets face it the Lirica did have a serious problem in the begining (I cruised on the 9th cruise which was terrible!!!) and she deserved every lousy review she got. Since then however they have been working on the product! It is still not perfect but then again one may also not forget it is not a five star product & was never intended to be.

 

Still everyone is entitled to their opinion and may say so on this board - that is the aim and object of these boards. We want to hear about the nasty - the bad - the good & the excellent.

 

Would I cruise MSC again - yes infact I have already booked again. BUT it is a price story I would not pay the same for a Lirica cruise as I would for a US based line.... not yet any way. MSC still has a long way to go and Rome wasn´t built in a day either.

 

Take every rewiew with a pinch of salt....

[czechmate]

I am extremely grateful to Cruise Critic for now deleting reviews submitted twice and also reviews for Melody from the LIRICA information.

The only thing I now cannot understand is the rating!!! With 13 reviews and 52 * I would have expected it to show 4 but hey CEST LA VIE

 

Moeve - I think you totally misunderstand. I am not adamant Nor am I dogmatic and bigotted.

 

I am not alone in my views concerning this issue.

 

EVERYONE IS entitled to an opinion and a review is simply one persons opinion. Why repeat it months later? Why publish it anywhere and everywhere possible? Why encourage all your "mates" to write similar vitriolic false reviews? A review by a passenger is not FACT and should never be presented as such. Of course we want to hear about one persons opinion of what is good and what is bad but only when this is truthful and you make clear it is no more than an opinion.

 

Sadly many people do not have your experience and judgment. They are planning only a first cruise and they come to boards like this - read false reviews and are scared away. It is the purpose of these boards surely to provide helpful and constructive information to possible future cruisers.

 

What one does expect is truth and that is sadly lacking in many of the January reviews for Lirica.

 

Plenty of people who cruised with MSC in January were very satisfied and happy. Yes there were problems as on every cruise with every company including those I avoid like the plague and others believe are wonderful. There are many USA based lines that I would never want to set foot on again that is only my opinion and I do not argue with those who think otherwise.

 

I cruised with MSC in the Caribbean in years before 2004 and the product was more than good enough. I do not wish to see it changed to satisfy one nationality and especially when it is a European based ship and should be catering to European tastes and a European market - even in the Caribbean South America and South Africa. That surely is what makes the difference between a USA and a European ship. Many Europeans (and other nationalities too) share this opinion.

 

CHOICE - Choice is what is important.

[giabra]

Hey, Czechmate,

 

read this article http://theedge.bostonherald.com/tra...articleid=54586 and you will see that new MSC management in US want to create a copy of any other american-oriented cruiseline

 

Quote

For instance, though cuisine is in the tasty-to-excellent range, the line's much-vaunted Italian waiters need a serious dose of training before MSC's dining experience truly can excel

 

or

There's an Italian mind-set that you have to both work with and overcome

 

and also

For the Caribbean cruises, with a flood of U.S. passengers expected, the line is Americanizing a tad, including adding several Jamaican chefs to the kitchen staff because, according to Keesler, European chefs ``don't know how to cook bacon.''

 

So forget about old times.

 

The new Emperors impose their rules

[czechmate]

Thanks for the depressing info!! Many an Empire has disappeared into oblivion as a result of idiotic Emperors making the wrong decisions!! Will MSC be the next?

 

Moeve - I realise I do owe you a sincere apology. You are perfectly correct when you accuse me of being "adamant". You are 100% correct I am indeed ADAMANT that it is unethical and plain wrong when one man believes that his opinions - note opinions and not fact - should be published in his review in February and then resubmitted again in September.

 

Thank the Lord that CruiseCritic have now corrected that.

[czechmate]

The internet is truly amazing!!

Today TODAY 23rd November from nowhere 2-NEW - yes 2 new reviews appear from Jan cookz and joanne Irwen. One does wonder how many reviews are written by the same people under false names!!

Well I will now go away and write 100 brilliant revuews and that should put matter to right!! Of course i devalues the entire site and its purpose but who seems to care.

Oh God! How truly pathetic some people are.

[Magwa]

Quite frankly I am appalled by the attitude of CC. Those 2 'New' reviews do not say new either. It just goes to show what trollop review sites can be.

 

All I can say is good luck to MSC if they wish to become yet another bland mainstream US line. It won't work, there are too many already; one needs an option for something different, for those who do not want frizzled cheap cuts of bacon, do want strong coffee & don't want to be hassled every second of the day to buy some cocktail in a fancy glass.

 

MSC have priced themselves too low in the US, attracting the wrong type of cruiser; those who expect the same as a cheap US Mainstream 'Knees up Mother Brown' line out of Miami/FLL and do not appreciate anything else, or the fact there are other people and customs outside the USA.