Golden getting crushed in Members Reviews section

[Archaegeo]

Those of you who have been on the Golden post refit and enjoyed yourself should post reviews to counter the folks who are posting negative ones.

 

Even the latest negative one, the text writeup sounds good, but he gave really low scores.

 

I know the unhappy are more likely to take the time to write something than the happy, but come on, if you enjoyed it, tell us about it there :)

[Colo Cruiser]

Those of you who have been on the Golden post refit and enjoyed yourself should post reviews to counter the folks who are posting negative ones.

 

Even the latest negative one, the text writeup sounds good, but he gave really low scores.

 

I know the unhappy are more likely to take the time to write something than the happy, but come on, if you enjoyed it, tell us about it there :)

 

 

Yeah but we know the real truth!! :D

[Cruise Raider]

We were on the Golden back in March and wrote a raving review of the ship -- all except for the one problem of a $50 overcharge that we were unable to resolve. That is an issue that is ongoing with Princess -- always find an overcharge on our bill and usually are able to get it removed as we have been able to prove they were not valid. This time, we were met with what I feel was a statement that basically called us liars. Not good on Princess' part...

Anyhow, not to take away from the fantastic staff and crew on the Golden -- which is such a lovely ship!! I did hear that the cruise right before the refurb was met with a not so nice experience as they started the project early. I would have been oh so disappointed with that all the way around.

I haven't read these scathing reviews but think that maybe the customer service is taking a turn for the worse if they have to add charges to pax accounts and then start the refurb before the last cruise was even completed. Too bad, as this was one of the best ships in my opinion....with some of the best customer service seen while onboard.

[Clutterlady]

Seems as though some were disgruntled with the pre and post dry docks! Can't say I blame them:( The Golden was my first Princess ship and hopefully things will get back to normal as she'll always have a special place in my growing list of cruises:)

[willysgrandma]

Did you read this?

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=992796

 

This poster has made a perfect case of his complaint and if I were on the ship, I would have been peeved too. It sounds like the dry dock started before the ship was pulled out of service and if I were on that cruise, I'd be angry about my experience.

 

Telling people to post something positive when they may not have had a positive experience isn't the right thing to do. When you see one disgruntled passenger, you can say it may be someone hard to please but when you see the same complaints multiple times, you have got to look at the ship, not the passnegers.

[Colo Cruiser]

Did you read this?

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=992796

 

This poster has made a perfect case of his complaint and if I were on the ship, I would have been peeved too. It sounds like the dry dock started before the ship was pulled out of service and if I were on that cruise, I'd be angry about my experience.

 

Telling people to post something positive when they may not have had a positive experience isn't the right thing to do. WHne you see one disgruntled passneger, you can say it may be someone hard to please but when you see the same complaints multiple times, you have got to look at the ship, not the passnegers.

 

 

Don't think the OP asked anyone to lie about their experiences????

[willysgrandma]

Don't think the OP asked anyone to lie about their experiences????

 

I didn't mean to imply that OP asked anyone to lie. If people had a positive experience, they would be posting it without being prompted to. Apparently, more people are not having a positive cruise on this ship.

 

Hopefully after dry dock, things will change.

[Coracii]

I didn't mean to imply that OP asked anyone to lie. If people had a positive experience, they would be posting it without being prompted to. Apparently, more people are not having a positive cruise on this ship.

 

Hopefully after dry dock, things will change.

 

Not necessarily true. People that are unhappy with an experience are significantly more likely to post a review than people that are happy with their experience. It's just human nature. How many times have you called a 1-800 customer service line to reap praise on a company for delivering a product exactly as promised and on time? I'd be willing to bet that complaints out number congrats 10 to 1 (if not more) on most customer service lines, even if 99% of the people are happy with their choice.

 

That being said, from everything I've seen Princess deserves the negative reviews for the cruise immediately prior to dry-dock. The extent of the work and disturbance on the ship during the cruise seems to be excessive to say the least.

[willysgrandma]

The key is really reading the reviews - some make absolutely no sense. But if you see the same complaints over and over, then there is an issue with some part of the cruise.

 

Reading the reviews can also pretty much tell you if the writer is someone who will never be pleased no matter what goes on, or if it is someone with a legitimate gripe.

 

I just read one after the retro fit, and the poster rated it a 1. However, reading the review had many contradictory issues.

 

Rated the food a 2, yet said this in review "

"Food was good as usual. We ate anytime dining, and my wife is Lactose intolerant so Princess has warned them for us. Jose, the headwaiter took very good care of her and made the trip nice."

So why a 2 for food? And the poster rated the service lousy but recall offered no back up evidence of why.

When I write a review, I mention the good and bad. Some of the bad may not be that bad, just something worth mentioning. I have learned a lot from reading some of these reviews. I have read horrible reviews and then been prepared for the worst when I got on a particular ship and was pleasantly surprised to find out the cruise was better than I expected.

People have to realize a review is one man's opinion and may not be what you or I would find. I have yet to be on a cruise that I can say was truly awful, but I am grateful to read reviews good and bad.

[dutchess43]

The pics that are posted regarding this horrilbe situation says it all. I do not know if any of us that had to be subjected to this would write a glowing review! The poster is not writing about another sailing they are posting about the pre dry dock situation & if Princess has to take hits for their careless planning so be it!

[Pia1913]

The pics that are posted regarding this horrilbe situation says it all. I do not know if any of us that had to be subjected to this would write a glowing review! The poster is not writing about another sailing they are posting about the pre dry dock situation & if Princess has to take hits for their careless planning so be it!

 

Where are the pix?

[SFParrtHd]

Where are the pix?

 

Posted in his thread "A Letter to Princess"

 

http://goldenprincess2009.shutterfly.com/

[Pia1913]

Posted in his thread "A Letter to Princess"

 

http://goldenprincess2009.shutterfly.com/

 

OMG! :eek:

[Archaegeo]

I fully agree that the "cruise" prior to the drydock sounded like a disaster and should have never been called a cruise, unless they gave super deep discounts for it and warned people ahead of time, which doesnt sound to be the case.

 

Post drydock though I have read some nice comments and reviews in the Roll Call posts and on some of the threads here, but they dont end up in the Reviews section.

 

And yes, the one with the food rated 2 but the nice comments on food is a good example of a confusing review.

 

The Vocal Minorty = Dissatisfied

The Silent Majority = Satisfied.

 

So was just hoping to prompt some of the happy folks to post counters on the same cruisings. (because I had read counters so it seemed fair)

 

Princess really needs to address that one pre drydock though, what a mess. And people who went on the "shakedown" cruise post drydock (4 day cruise, one port I think) should know they would still be working out bugs.

 

Just my 0.02 :)

[RCDR]

I was on this first sailing to Alaska, the ship was in horrible condition, still! :eek:

[leoandhugh]

I think that this prompting of pax to counter what the OP views as "negative" with positive reviews is highly inappropriate. People use these boards to write it as they perceive it, and we all know that means a certain amount of personal bias. But, now under these circumstances, were I to read a "positive" review on this particular thread, I would view it with much scepticism. Back off OP and let the people roll the dice.:(

[newmexicoNita]

Those of you who have been on the Golden post refit and enjoyed yourself should post reviews to counter the folks who are posting negative ones.

 

Even the latest negative one, the text writeup sounds good, but he gave really low scores.

 

I know the unhappy are more likely to take the time to write something than the happy, but come on, if you enjoyed it, tell us about it there :)

 

i hate to see all or even several negatives, regardless of the ship or the cruise line. We were on the Golden a little over a year ago, perfect? of course not, but we enjoyed our cruise and would never have written a truely negative review. We all need to forget the little annoyances and consentrate on the positives. I see nothing wrong with mentioning aspects of anything if the poster can suggest ways to improve the situation but just to blast away proves nothing.

 

Nita

[NH Cruisers]

Had I been on that pre dry dock cruise, I don't think I would sail Princess again. I'm happy the Star Princess was overall a great experience.

[red4u2]

Hi guys, i was on the GOlden 5/9/09 and i wrote a very long review, almost all of it was positive and i rated the ship very high on almost all catagories!

[whale-watcher]

i hate to see all or even several negatives, regardless of the ship or the cruise line. We were on the Golden a little over a year ago, perfect? of course not, but we enjoyed our cruise and would never have written a truely negative review. We all need to forget the little annoyances and consentrate on the positives. I see nothing wrong with mentioning aspects of anything if the poster can suggest ways to improve the situation but just to blast away proves nothing.

 

Nita

We tend to be overwhelmingly positive (especially on vacation) but would have had a difficult time staying upbeat with that much construction taking place (especially on such a sea-day intensive cruise). Honest negative reviews can be useful in future vacation planning, and perhaps will encourage princess to consider longer drydocks in the future (rather than starting and completing construction during actual cruises).