Anybody left??

[alicam]

My vacation mantra is "Don't sweat the petty stuff and Don't pet the sweaty stuff".

 

 

Gotta love this one....would make a great tee shirt!!!

[Emi's Mom]

Geez, don't you two every stay home??;) Have a great cruise!!:D

 

 

Thanks Mema :),

 

It's been so dreary and gray here in Houston that we just had to book another cruise to get away for a while. I think its safe to say that we are absolutely, totally addicted to cruising and I consider myself truly blessed that DH loves cruising as much as I do!!!

 

Happy cruising everybody! :D

[Floflegs]

We're happy just to be on a cruise and treat any perk as a bonus.

[Darkwolfe]

Very nicely put.

 

How ya doin' Local? :)

[abpmillsww]

I agree with the OP :).

 

When I'm on vacation nothing makes me upset. I'm just laid back and go with the flow. Whatever perks I get are nice and I'm very thankful for.

[Gracie115]

Agree, agree, agree....my only problem is I haven't found another cruise we can do for 2009 yet...but I will....

 

I love cruising and all I need is a few sea days(more the better) and hopefully a full moon to stand on deck and be awed by...ah if there's a balcony to sip coffee in the morning, read a book in the afternoon and toast with a drink in the evening...I'm in heavan....what is there to complain about!?!?

[Tanker4]

Add us to your camp. We've been cruising off and on since the late 80's, fortunately more on than off since we've retired:D and I can't say that I've ever been on a bad cruise or had any real problems on a cruise. Yes, some have been better than others, but all of them have beat sitting at home. As a previous poster commented, "life is too short to sweat the small stuff." Just get out there and enjoy folks. Nothing's perfect in this world. Never has, never will be.;)

[BroncosFan2010]

I just love to be able to go on vacation!

[cecelia0613]

So-it's 2009 for what-2 days now. On page one there are more complaint threads then happy threads.

More people complaining about what's been taken away, what new charges are out, what coupons and credits cann't be combined, the crappy Diamond lounge set up for them, etc........ Oh boy:eek:

 

Is there anyone left in the world that actually books a RC cruise based on initial price-no disccounts, and does not spend the entire trip in search of free stuff? Anyone left that even though they may have 16 RC caps-are still thrilled in todays economy to be blessed that you still can go on vacation? Anyone left do fitness activities just because you want to and really don't care if you get chips for free stuff? Anyone left that could care less what level they are at and if they don't have the use of a CL still enjoy a RC vacation?

 

Would't life be so much easier if we all expected nothing in return but a nice vacation. Then any little thing extra you get may be appreciated???

 

Did anyone really think in the tanking economy, risng fuel costs and the list could go on that sooner or later RC would have to re-vamp a system that will not qualify for a government bail out like GM?;)

 

You have a cruise planned-be happy!!!!:)

 

:Suit of armour is on: :p

 

I cruise for the vacation, I'm not there for freebies or the trinket giveaways. My husband and I rarely use all the coupons in the books and we don't attend all the c&a events. We are not onboard to get free stuff, we are here to relax and take time for ourselves!

 

As one other poster said, I book my cruise knowing full well what I am buying and then enjoy the heck out of it!

 

Happy cruising in 2009!

[Loves_Dogs]

Count me in!

In this economy I am grateful to have a job (when so many people have lost theirs) and feel blessed that I can afford a cruise. Many people are struggling to pay their mortgages. No whining here!

[horsesrus]

So why whine about the whiners:rolleyes::p

 

LOL! Nothing like complaining about the complainers!

 

In all seriousness, I don't think that most people that post negative things are habitually negative people. It's just one of those things, you want to vent to people who can understand how you feel, so you post to get an "Amen, I hear ya!"; kind of like OP did.

 

Of course, along with those "Amens!" you also risk all the flaming! :eek:

[sea-cruise]

Times are tough, there are cutbacks everywhere, and we all have to be thankful for being able to go on any kind of vacation. I'm grateful for small favors, both at home and at sea. :)

[truthandkeidy]

If all I did was sit on a ship and watch the waves roll by and gaze at the setting sun, I'd be happy. Ya know, I used to hate going to the muster drill until someone posted how much they loved it because it meant they were on a cruise. Attitude is everything!

 

Happy New Year to all and to all a "Why Not"!

 

Trudy

[SeafordCruiser]

We too cruise because we love it..Thank Goodness we can do it....Booked MONTHS ago for our February cruise...airfare was high, the cruise no bargain but low and behold. The cruise came down in price and we paid final payment less than anticipated...The gas surcharge vanished and we are getting an on board credit and watched Jet Blue fares and they are giving us a credit towards future flight..Complain? NO WAY... Life is good and cruising is GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!Cannot wait to get on board!!!!!!!!!

[cruiserbryce]

although my next 2 cruises are booked with other lines we still enjoy the experience we get with RC and will book them for the next cruise after these...I do agree that far too many poeple are quick to jump on the negative and overlook the positive overall experince they have had

[twofastdogs]

Me, I am just happy every day that I can pay my mortgage, feed my kids, go to a job I love and come home to a great husband and kids. I am thankful every day that DH and I have good jobs and we are all healthy. Cruising is just the icing on the cake.

[sea-cruise]

Yes, I agree... health & family are the most important things.

[karena1]

I also am just very thankful we are in the position to be able to cruise and cruise many times a year in addition to a weeks' land vacation. Coming from years of being a single mother, fighting to pay bills, having a wonderful husband who sacrificed with me so I could go to college, vacation is a true blessing and something we will never take lightly. yes, I love great weather, but there is really nothing on a vacation that can bother us. Whatever perks we get are great, but we cruised before we got those perks and will continue to cruise as long as the good Lord blesses us with the health to do so.

 

Live each day to the fullest and everything thing else takes care of itself.

[gigguy]

Everybody should be happy that life has been good to them. You are going on cruises and having fun vacations. Stop complaining about the "free things" of the past. The economy sucks, but we are still able to travel.

 

My wife and I have taken our family to the Disney parks for years. Seven times to Disney world. We live in Washington state. You pay $ major bucks to get into and enjoy the parks. Not too mention the $14.00 lunches per person.

 

A cruise is about the cheapest form of travel there is. If you want to save money, don't eat at JR, or the specialty venues and don't drink too excess.

 

My son went on a RCCL cruise last spring, he got us interested. I found that cruising is very affordable.

 

Please have a prosporous and happy new year.

[Celmar]

To the OP....VERY WELL SAID!!!!

 

Just like others have stated...I'm just happy to be on a cruise. Anything above and beyond is icing on the cake! Heck, you could put me on a cruise to nowhere tonight with an inside cabin, no room stewart, no room service, food served by Jack-In-The-Box, Boone's Farm Strawberry Hill as the only cocktails, and a blow up pool and I'd be the happiest person on planet earth!

 

Our last cruise was in June of 2005 and our next is not until April of 2010. In the last two years my DH and I purchased a business and then we both lost our fathers within a year (that was 2007). 2008 began with us having to relocate our business, our daughter getting married in June, re-opening our business in July, me having major surgery on July 15, moving both my mom and my MIL in with us, returning to work in late August, getting hit hard by the economy and finally loosing our business on December 13.

 

So yea...I just don't get it when people are complaining about the small stuff. I wouldn't care if I missed a port, the room stewart forgot the ice, didn't get lobster, or if someone at my table chose to wear jeans....JUST PUT ME ON A SHIP NOW!!!!!

[Debde]

I'm really glad to see this thread got some activity since I started it yesterday and I have not been covered with tar and feathers, yet......;)

 

Thanks to all of you that reminded me that there are some left who look at cruising and RC in a different light. I came back on as I am beginning to plan my 2010 vacation and I would like to cruise this time and was so surprised by so many complaints. I leave in two weeks for an AI land based vacation and all I can think is-I'd really rather be cruising but my family likes to- as they say-'change it up'! Be it land based or a cruise-I am so lucky to be able to do this and have yet to have a bad vacation.

 

Don't get me wrong. complaints sometimes are good and worth a discussion on something that may have happened to a certain person so the rest of us do not make the same mistake.

What seems trivial is complaining about the 'free gift' from C&A, $3.95 service charges, overcrowded CL lounges and the list continues.

 

There was a post somewhere, that stated along the lines of-I spent all my money this year cruising to be diamond and now they're taking that perk away. [something like that, not a direct quote] That's when it hit me-the vacation perspective could possibly be lost here-but just my opinion-I could be wrong.:o There is not a resort or cruise line that does not have some sort of returning rewards program. I am a member to some of these and do not base where I spend my money on rewards. The bottom line is the vacation experience I can have there-that's first for my personal criteria.

 

As many say-'I hope RC reads this thread'. I too hope they read this thread and see, most us will return-not 5 times a year, but will return, spread the word and all we look for is a pleasant vacation that yes-we have saved and saved for and know that a free gift is not what makes us return!

 

Thanks guys and Renee-you sure do deserve a stress free 2010 holiday. I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your Dads.

[kidless]

Last time I checked this site was called "CRUISE CRITIC". I believe most people if not all on this site Love Cruising and find it to be the best value and best way to spend vacations, or they wouldn't be on here. That said it would be a pretty boring website if everyone got on here and just posted threads like....

"The babies were peeing in the pool but they were so cute"

"The food in the MDR was cold and rubbery but the best we ever had!"

"RCCI is tacking another $80 to our fare to pay for gas, we are so glad didn't know what I'd do with my extra money"

I always find it so amusing, people start threads to bash what they find unacceptable threads. Or start threads complaining about threads where people are complaining......Maybe you should start a website called "Cruise Cheerleaders"

[kidless]

Last time I checked this site was called "CRUISE CRITIC". I believe most people if not all on this site Love Cruising and find it to be the best value and best way to spend vacations, or they wouldn't be on here. That said it would be a pretty boring website if everyone got on here and just posted threads like....

"The babies were peeing in the pool but they were so cute"

"The food in the MDR was cold and rubbery but the best we ever had!"

"RCCI is tacking another $80 to our fare to pay for gas, we are so glad didn't know what I'd do with my extra money"

I always find it so amusing, people start threads to bash what they find unacceptable threads. Or start threads complaining about threads where people are complaining......Maybe you should start a website called "Cruise Cheerleaders"

[Kim4]

Here's my take...I am a math teacher, so please forgive the analogy.

 

If I pay for x, and I get x...I am happy. I'm not expecting x+1...but if I get it, I'll be pleasantly surprised.

 

If I pay for x and I get x-1, then I will express my dissatisfaction. I would expect most of you would do the same. I guess we all have different tolerances though for what x-1 is.

 

 

I'm new to cruising...in the past, have people typically gotten more than what they have paid for? Perhaps the problem is that people are paying for x but expecting x+1 like they have in the past, and then they express their dissatisfaction when they only get x.

 

Again, forgive the analogy...this is how my brain works :)

[Debde]

kidless-not once but twice. I'm special!!;)

 

 

"The babies were peeing in the pool but they were so cute"

Trust me. kids aren't the only ones that will pee in pool. Funny story. Went on a girlie vacation to Cancun 2 years ago. Watched a group of guys-mid 30's. Never leave the pool bar all day. All we kept saying is-they gotta be peeing in there.:eek:

"The food in the MDR was cold and rubbery but the best we ever had!"

Just send it back. Don't think RC makes a habit of it. ;)

 

"RCCI is tacking another $80 to our fare to pay for gas, we are so glad didn't know what I'd do with my extra money"

With the price of fuel for a while, you have to admit-this was no surprise. Maybe didn't make folks happy but it sure was a price increase you could get. Luckily-I booked early enough with my AOS trip and had no fuel charge and keeping my fingers crossed fuel prices stay down for my 2010 vacation.

I remember the McDonalds comercial that said change back from your dollar. That was your whole meal. Now they have a dollar menu. Times change.