Bad reviews

I am nowhere a seasoned cruiser, as are some of you. I also take all ship and cruise reviews with a grain of salt.

However, it seems almost every recent review I have seen on the Carnival Freedom has been negative (hot room, terrible food, confusing menus, etc.).

I wish some of you who have had recent good cruises on the Freedom would write a review, or even post a positive comment in an existing thread about the Freedom.

As you see.. I leave on the 3rd.

Thanks in advance.. QTPie :cool:

You appear seasoned to me, by your signature, don't worry, I'm sure you'll enjoy the ship! The brand stays the same across each vessel

The brand stays the same across each vessel

Their last cruise was 3 years ago though. I felt like the cruise product we just experienced was very different from what we had the last time we cruised Carnival. DH easily ranked our most recent cruise as our worst one...

You appear seasoned to me, by your signature, don't worry, I'm sure you'll enjoy the ship!

But we still had an overall good time, so I do agree with this. If the OP has enjoyed Carnival before, they might be a little surprised by some of the changes; but chances are it isn't going to be a bad vacation by any stretch. It is definitely harder to find reviews of some ships than others though!

Just bear in mind that people with things to gripe about are a whole lot more likely to write a review than people for whom everything was what they expected.

If I write a positive review of my last Freedom cruise, will it affect your experience?

For me, bad reviews lower my expectations and then I'm usually pleasantly surprised when things are better than I expected. Also, I try to figure out if the complaints are things that matter to me. For example, I've read reviews where people complain about drunk people on the elevators late at night. Well I mostly take the stairs and I'm usually on my balcony late at night so I would not be affected by this. I would say to go with an open mind. Expect to enjoy the ship and you probably will enjoy the trip. I hope you have a great cruise.

I went on the,Freedom June 27th - July 4th. I had a great time, so much so I am going again October 29th. I had an L-shaped balcony room on deck 7 it was awesome although I didn't spend much time on my balcony. The new menus in the MDR are a vast improvement over the old ones. I am originally from New York City and live in Houston. Grew up with fine dining and am a foodie. I find that most people who complain about the menu are Olive Garden for a special occasion people. They compare it to Golden Corral. ..well I have not eaten there nor would I. They want huge portions drenched in a cheese sauce. As far as table cloths well most of the better restaurants don't have them....big whoop. The Steakhouse is fabulous and well worth the $35 pp. The meal would be upwards of $150 pp on land.

Was everything wonderful? No. But I had a great time. Some people go in looking for problems and things to complain about. It makes them happy. They're easy to spot and easy to avoid. ...lol.

Enjoy the Freedom, it's a great ship.

I take all with a grain of salt.. I also find that a lot of a bad review is subjective, food, entertainment, activities. What's good for one, is bad for another. I go with an open mind! I don't allow petty or small stuff bother me.

However, it seems almost every recent review I have seen on the Carnival Freedom has been negative (hot room, terrible food, confusing menus, etc.).

 

I wish some of you who have had recent good cruises on the Freedom would write a review, or even post a positive comment in an existing thread about the Freedom.

My son went on the Freedom last fall and had an awesome time! Take reviews with a grain of salt. Two people on the same cruise can have opposing views of food, cabin, ports, etc. Many factors involved and many different personalities.

I've not read any of the reviews, but I know the formula.

"OMG, the worst cruise EVER.

1st, the knives at dinner were placed with the blade facing in (or out) and they should be the opposite, dinner RUINED.

2nd, I am allergic to the color pink, but purple makes me channel the spirit of my departed great grandmother who invented velcro and they had NO PURPLE flowers anywhere. I couldn't talk to great grandma, cruise RUINED."

Unless you came back from the cruise missing a limb, a loved one, or it sank, how was it a bad cruise? Exactly!

People who complain about bad food have never stayed at a Cuban 3 1/2 Star All-inclusive!

I'm sure that if you go with an open mind and don't sweat the small stuff (after all you are on a cruise to have fun), that everything will be just fine.

I've been on many cruises and it's never been the ship that has made it a good or bad cruise. Actually, no cruise has been bad but some I've enjoyed more than others.

I like Olive Garden lol

My cruise on the Freedom was almost a year ago, last year November, when it still sailed from Fort Lauderdale. As for the ship, it cannot have changed that much in one year. I know that crews do change fairly often though, so that might or might not have changed.

I can say that all of my 6 Carnival cruises, I have noticed that the crew are excellent, but last year on the Freedom, they were exceptional. I was blown away by how friendly, eager to help, be kind in any way, as well as they all looked to be quite happy going about their daily tasks.

My room was a 4j, facing a forward deck, and by day the room was quite warm, though I did not spend much time in it by day. In the evening it would be slightly cooler, but during the night cooled off nicely. It seems to me that you can get rooms on the same ship that are warm to too warm, yet other rooms are comfortable to cool. I like a cool room, but I survived without having to call anyone about the temps. I also had the best room steward ever. He could not do enough for me. Ice bucket with ice was supplied as soon as I asked for it, and replenished twice daily for the remainder of the cruise.

I had anytime dining, and got the same excellent wait staff each evening without a wait. They were quick and efficient without being too quick, and the food was all quite good. I even thought the buffet was decent enough.

I saw playlist shows for the first time, and enjoyed them. I think I still prefer the old style show with live orchestra, and will find out next month on the Victory whether or not one is better than the other. But I did enjoy the two playlist shows I saw. The two comedians I saw were hilarious.

Only complaint was smoke in the casino, it was worse than ever before, and severely cut down on my playing time:D which turned out to be a blessing, since I held on to my spending/playing money and took it home with me. Also because I left the casino early one evening, I ventured outside on the upper deck and took in a movie. Loved that.

So, try not to be worried. Sometimes people's reviews come off being a bit negative, but that also may just be because of issues that affected them, but might probably not even be noticed by you. Every one has a different perspective on things.

I love the Freedom, she is right up there alongside the Liberty as my favorite ships. Have a great cruise.:)

We have only been on 3 cruises, all in the last year....

Carnival Magic out of Galveston

Carnival Freedom out of Galveston

Carnival Glory out of Miami

every trip had good things and bad things. What we loved about one ship, was different on another ship. Crews were pretty much the same.

The Freedom.... the ship is by far the ugliest decor we have ever seen... it is nothing but pasleys of every color everywhere. After a few days, it was just funny. There was nothing else about our cruise that bothered us enough to be an issue. Shows were good, CD was good, room was good. Food was good to fantastic, depending on menu. We ate in MDR every night. We loved the Red Frog Pub and the sports bar... went every day. Loved the entertainer, Ashby. We will go back on the Freedom.

If you look at the positive reviews, there are many pages of comments and pictures. The negative reviews only have one page.

2980 people sail every week on the Freedom. Multiple that by 52 weeks and you get 154,960 people sailing the Freedom. You get a handful of people posting negative reviews. It's easy to figure out what the problem is.

Just bear in mind that people with things to gripe about are a whole lot more likely to write a review than people for whom everything was what they expected.

Exactly-some people love to complain!

I am nowhere a seasoned cruiser, as are some of you. I also take all ship and cruise reviews with a grain of salt.

 

However, it seems almost every recent review I have seen on the Carnival Freedom has been negative (hot room, terrible food, confusing menus, etc.).

 

I wish some of you who have had recent good cruises on the Freedom would write a review, or even post a positive comment in an existing thread about the Freedom.

 

As you see.. I leave on the 3rd.

 

Thanks in advance.. QTPie :cool:

I look for trends.

Personally, if I see the same complaint from numerous people, I no longer take it with a grain of salt. And, if I see complaints from a reviewer that also highlights positives as well, I do not take those complaints with a grain of salt. But, some things, such as food and menus, are subjective. Other things, like a heavy concentration of obnoxious drunks, are dependent on the individual sailings.

I've said it before and I'll say it again...If I had listened to all the bad reviews I had read regarding a specific cruise line that I was planning on cruising on...I would have missed one of the best cruises of the many we've been on. Every review I read was negative to the point that I told the DH maybe we shouldn't take the cruise. He very wisely said what most people say..."Take it with a grain of salt!" So I went on the cruise with low expectations and we had one of the best times ever. Since then I've never been bothered by negative reviews and most of the time I find them to be wrong...at least IMHO.

So to the OP, don't worry about it, just go and have fun and make it your own. I hope you have an amazing time!:D

So to the OP, don't worry about it, just go and have fun and make it your own. I hope you have an amazing time!:D

Thanks to everyone for your input. I have never had a bad cruise, why should I expect one now.

If one goes expecting a wonderful cruise they will probably find it.

QTPie

I've not read any of the reviews, but I know the formula.

 

"OMG, the worst cruise EVER.

 

1st, the knives at dinner were placed with the blade facing in (or out) and they should be the opposite, dinner RUINED.

 

2nd, I am allergic to the color pink, but purple makes me channel the spirit of my departed great grandmother who invented velcro and they had NO PURPLE flowers anywhere. I couldn't talk to great grandma, cruise RUINED."

 

Unless you came back from the cruise missing a limb, a loved one, or it sank, how was it a bad cruise? Exactly!

:D You made my day! It reminds me of a cruise story I read (Not here on CC, but somewhere else-I forget where) that started "Worst Vacation Ever!"

This woman wrote how she had always dreamed about going on a cruise, and one year her husband as a Christmas gift gave her a short cruise out of Galveston, TX. It only had one stop-Cozumel. She wrote how she won $500 in the casino, and decided to use the money on a deep sea fishing trip. This excursion did not live up to her expectations, and I agree, if what she wrote was true I would not have been pleased either. Anyway, she went to the shore excursion desk to complain and THEY REFUNDED HER MONEY. There was nothing about dining, shows, cabin, weather, just the one story how she WON $500 in the casino, and did not enjoy her shore excursion, which she didn't pay for, and yet it was the WORST VACTAION EVER.

On another board, which shall remain nameless, I read all the time on how someone's trip was "ruined" because someone didn't dress "Properly" for dinner. Really, a couple comes to dinner not wearing black tie or a haute couture dress and your experienced is affected????

I think the main problem is expectations. Especially for a first time cruiser. The ads always show beautiful people enjoying sunny skies on a nearly empty deck, no chair hogs in sight, or a couple strolling hand in hand on an empty beach, or dancing cheek to cheek under a starlit sky. Reality? The sun decks will be wall to wall people on sea days, and no you will not find 4 loungers together by the pool if you stroll up at 10:30, the buffet will always be crowded, there are lines everywhere, no beach is ever empty, and your partner will be grumpy and in no mood to wear a white button down shirt with sleeves perfectly rolled up, and his white pants with the cuffs rolled up, to go on a romantic walk with you on a beach that exists only in your dreams.

That said, you can still have a wonderful vacation. It's all about your mindset and your ability to go with the flow.

My cruise on the Freedom was about a year and a half ago, so I'm not sure whether you would classify it as "recent", but it was absolutely amazing. There's a link to my review in my signature. :)

We were on the Freedom December last year and very much enjoyed our cruise. Great dining staff to room steward. I would sail the Freedom again without hesitation. We were on deck 6 at the back and loved the location. Quick to everything. I am sure that you will enjoy your cruise and the Freedom.

We just got back from the Freedom on the 19th of September. We had a really enjoyable time, the ship was good, the crew was really upbeat and for the first time in a long time we went to see a couple of the stage shows in the main theater and they were phenomenal. Also, steel band on the Lido for sail away and a couple of other times during the week.

Our cabin was a balcony on Deck 9, no problems with the cabin being warm (home is set at 78), the steward kept ice on the little ice chest so the beer stayed cold, and they have a proper red frog pub on board and the staff in there are super. We're not big dining room people but the one night we went in there everything ran smoothly.

Only complaint would be smoke in the casino but that is pretty much every ship we have been on of late, DW does her thing early in the morning and Carnival still hasn't got a cent out of me in there so we just avoid it.

We didn't try to do everything, just too much to do but we were never bored. Had such a good time that we're going back in January.

Jim

Just bear in mind that people with things to gripe about are a whole lot more likely to write a review than people for whom everything was what they expected.

My wife and I sailed on the Carnival Magic two weeks after a co-worker did. He came back with a horrible review (everything was bad according to him and the food was the worst) I took it with a grain of salt but its still hard not to board a ship thinking "okay, let's see how screwed we are"

We had the best time ever. Food was more than acceptable, staff was some of the best and I booked her again for the following year.

Reviews... are like opinions. LOL