Conde Nast Cruise Ratings

[vcdarty]

The CNTraveler arrived today. HAL doesn't score very high. Any explanations/comments from the board???

[jtl513]

What didn't they like about HAL?

[Pete Jackson]

On the other hand, Ocean and Cruise News always loves HAL and awards HAL as their best overall value in cruising. Different strokes...

One thing Ocean and Cruise News specifically mentions is that HAL is very good at honoring special requests, be it a specific dish not on the menu, or a bowl of raspberries. So experienced travelers who know they can make those requests will see the value because that is normally the mark of a high luxury line.

Conde Nast, on the other hand, may reflect more on mass market tastes which value shipboard activities, shipboard entertainment, and large steaks.:p

[Krazy Kruizers]

On the other hand, Ocean and Cruise News always loves HAL and awards HAL as their best overall value in cruising. Different strokes...

One thing Ocean and Cruise News specifically mentions is that HAL is very good at honoring special requests, be it a specific dish not on the menu, or a bowl of raspberries. So experienced travelers who know they can make those requests will see the value because that is normally the mark of a high luxury line.

Conde Nast, on the other hand, may reflect more on mass market tastes which value shipboard activities, shipboard entertainment, and large steaks.:p

Agree with you!!

[jhannah]

Also keep in mind that any publication survey is not truly a scientific survey. That is, responses aren't requested from among all the numerous demographic groups (age, income, etc.) Respondents are basically subscribers to the magazine who choose to participate. Not that there's anything wrong with polling your customer base ... but it's just that.

[CocoKai]

I have not seen this issue yet so I can't comment. I have seen them in the past and their ratings for hotels, cruises, airlines, etc. seem to be on the mark. After staying at many of the "list" properties, I think, for the most part, their scoring is accurate. Crystal usually scores high as it should. Four Seasons and Singapore Airlines usually get deserved top marks as well.

[newmexicoNita]

The CNTraveler arrived today. HAL doesn't score very high. Any explanations/comments from the board???
Most of us put about as much into these type of surveys or whatever you want to call them as we would put into a kids view of where would you get the best taco? I like to read what others say and how they vote on these things but it certainly wouldn't influence my choice of cruises or restaurants etc. As a TA I subscribe to many of these magazine including Travel and Leasure. The "best 500 this or that" as chosen by the public is always a joke.

Nita

[newmexicoNita]

I have not seen this issue yet so I can't comment. I have seen them in the past and their ratings for hotels, cruises, airlines, etc. seem to be on the mark. After staying at many of the "list" properties, I think, for the most part, their scoring is accurate. Crystal usually scores high as it should. Four Seasons and Singapore Airlines usually get deserved top marks as well.
you are right but think about the examples you have just mentioned: HAL isn't in the same catagory with Crystal, nor Hilton in the same as Four Seasons. The average traveler doesn't stay at Four Seasons nor do they cruise Crystal. This is part of my reasons for my above comments. These surveys are fun to read and worth thinking about, but still should be taken with a grain of salt as they really mean very little.

Nita

[Liv4cruzin]

Conde Nast does break the ship survey down to manageable categories. It is true that it does not differentiate between a luxury line, a premium line or a mass market when voting on (say) "mid size ships".

[jocelysue]

Here's a run down of the Condé Nast 2998 poll results of mid size ships without taking into account whether they belong to luxury, premium, mass market, etc . lines. As you can see, HAL placed 9 of its ships in the top 17. That's over half by my count. The way I analyse this is that one can be quite assured that a cruise on almost any HAL ship of this size will be satisfactory & good to excellent value. Maybe not absolutely the very best cruise experience ever, but a delightful one.



1.Crystal Serenity (http://www.concierge.com/bestof/cruisepoll/mediumships/crystalserenity)
Crystal Cruises, 94.6












2.
Crystal Symphony (http://www.concierge.com/bestof/cruisepoll/mediumships/crystalsymphony)
Crystal Cruises, 93.8
3.
Seven Seas Mariner (http://www.concierge.com/bestof/cruisepoll/mediumships/sevenseasmariner)
Regent Seven Seas, 89.1

4.
Seven Seas Voyager (http://www.concierge.com/bestof/cruisepoll/mediumships/sevenseasvoyager)
Regent Seven Seas, 88.7

5.
Prinsendam (http://www.concierge.com/bestof/cruisepoll/mediumships/prinsendam)
Holland America, 87.3
6.
Insignia (http://www.concierge.com/bestof/cruisepoll/mediumships/insignia)
Oceania Cruises, 84.9
7.
Tahitian Princess (http://www.concierge.com/bestof/cruisepoll/mediumships/tahitianprincess)
Princess, 84.3
8.
Nautica (http://www.concierge.com/bestof/cruisepoll/mediumships/nautica)
Oceania, 83.5
9.
Zaandam (http://www.concierge.com/bestof/cruisepoll/mediumships/zaandam)
Holland America, 82.7
10.
Regatta (http://www.concierge.com/bestof/cruisepoll/mediumships/regatta)
Oceania Cruises, 82.4
11.
Rotterdam (http://www.concierge.com/bestof/cruisepoll/mediumships/rotterdam)
Holland America, 80.8
12.
Veendam (http://www.concierge.com/bestof/cruisepoll/mediumships/veendam)
Holland America, 79.5
13.
Amsterdam (http://www.concierge.com/bestof/cruisepoll/mediumships/amsterdam)
Holland America, 79.1
13.
Volendam (http://www.concierge.com/bestof/cruisepoll/mediumships/volendam)
Holland America, 79.1
15.
Statendam (http://www.concierge.com/bestof/cruisepoll/mediumships/statendam)
Holland America, 78.3
16.
Maasdam (http://www.concierge.com/bestof/cruisepoll/mediumships/maasdam)
Holland America, 77.2
17.
Ryndam (http://www.concierge.com/bestof/cruisepoll/mediumships/ryndam)
Holland America, 76.8

[Sundagger]

The cruise line ratings don't seem to change much from year to year. Not surprising, I guess.
Large ships*
1. Crystal Cruises 94.1
2. Regent Seven Seas 88.9
3. Disney 83.9
4. Oceania Cruises 83.6
5. Celebrity 80.5
6. Holland America 78.9
7. Cunard 75.8
8. Princess 75.4
9. Royal Caribbean 71.9
10. Orient Lines 61.7
*At least 500 passengers
Small ships
1. Regent Seven Seas 88.3
2. Grand Circle Cruise Line 87.6
3. Seabourn 87.3
4. SeaDream Yacht Club 86.1
5. Silversea 85.0
6. Uniworld 83.0
7. Abercrombie & Kent 82.9
8. Windstar 81.2
9. Lindblad Expeditions 82.2
10. Viking River Cruises 78.6

[Harry1954]

I still believe that ratings are relevant only to the extent they separate the really bad from the rest. With different tastes (translate in economic terms:varying economic utility curves), the stats are not necessarily accurate as each individual looks at the ratings relative to their own personal wants/needs.
The real rating is when one experiences a cruise line, a specific ship, a certain crewmember etc .. that is where we build our own rating.
The conde nast rating only helps a person when they want to justify spending three times the money to travel on Crystal for instance.
harry

[newmexicoNita]

I still believe that ratings are relevant only to the extent they separate the really bad from the rest. With different tastes (translate in economic terms:varying economic utility curves), the stats are not necessarily accurate as each individual looks at the ratings relative to their own personal wants/needs.
The real rating is when one experiences a cruise line, a specific ship, a certain crewmember etc .. that is where we build our own rating.
The conde nast rating only helps a person when they want to justify spending three times the money to travel on Crystal for instance.
harry
I am not even sure I would say they separate the bad from the rest; I think your reference to economics, as well as demographics of those who read Conde Nest determine the outcome of these types of surveys or polls. Where was Celebrity on these lists?

Nita

[iancal]

It is hard to do it ship by ship because of the variances. When I take a look at the cruise line list thought, I think that the ratings of Crystal, Celebrity,HAL, Princess, and RCI are fairly consistent with our experiences with perhaps RCI a little low. Cannot comment on the other lines.

[sail7seas]

To delineate one HAL ship over another is so misleading IMO

Prinsendam is different than the rest and the experience aboard would be different than the rest.

The other 12 HAL ships will 'jockey' for position cruise after cruise. I am relatively certain that taken on a yearly basis, guests survey comment sheets place all the HAL within tenths/hundredths of a point different in level of satisfaction. In a given year, if one ship had an ongoing engine problem, that year, the ship may score a little lower.....again by tenths or hundredths of a point.

I strongly disagree with ranking HAL ship vs HAL ship. It's meaningless in terms of the true evaluations that matter.

[PennyAgain]

Also keep in mind that any publication survey is not truly a scientific survey. That is, responses aren't requested from among all the numerous demographic groups (age, income, etc.) Respondents are basically subscribers to the magazine who choose to participate. Not that there's anything wrong with polling your customer base ... but it's just that.

I've said this for years.

Some cruise lines send out subscriptions to this magazine so that their loyal customers will vote for them!

I work all day long with numbers and statistics. I've had a serious problem with the Conde' Nast surveys for a very long time. Lumping in Crystal which is a very expensive cruise line and only has 2 ships with HAL is really jerking around with the way the results will come out.

Of course Crystal passengers who pay a great deal more for their cruises have more positive things to say.

If you enjoy a particular cruise line, use it.

I said something like this on the Crystal topic last year and got my head ripped off from loyal Crystal passengers.

[newmexicoNita]

I've said this for years.

Some cruise lines send out subscriptions to this magazine so that their loyal customers will vote for them!

I work all day long with numbers and statistics. I've had a serious problem with the Conde' Nast surveys for a very long time. Lumping in Crystal which is a very expensive cruise line and only has 2 ships with HAL is really jerking around with the way the results will come out.

Of course Crystal passengers who pay a great deal more for their cruises have more positive things to say.

If you enjoy a particular cruise line, use it.

I said something like this on the Crystal topic last year and got my head ripped off from loyal Crystal passengers.
good points.

[newmexicoNita]

I've said this for years.

Some cruise lines send out subscriptions to this magazine so that their loyal customers will vote for them!

I work all day long with numbers and statistics. I've had a serious problem with the Conde' Nast surveys for a very long time. Lumping in Crystal which is a very expensive cruise line and only has 2 ships with HAL is really jerking around with the way the results will come out.

Of course Crystal passengers who pay a great deal more for their cruises have more positive things to say.

If you enjoy a particular cruise line, use it.

I said something like this on the Crystal topic last year and got my head ripped off from loyal Crystal passengers.
good points.

[Liv4cruzin]

Conde Nast does break the ship survey down to manageable categories. It is true that it does not differentiate between a luxury line, a premium line or a mass market when voting on (say) "mid size ships".

Obviously the powers that be haved moved this "portion" of my post from another cruise line's boards. A little out of context; & doesn't quite complete my thoughts. Hopefully it makes some sense to y'all. And I'll leave it at that.

[Liv4cruzin]

Please disregard the above post. "Senior moment" error on my part. I hope forum moderator will remove it.