I just found this.......

I was just doing a search for another cruise as a surprise for my niece and stumbled upon this.

I just wish it had been written before I cruised on the Victory....

LOL

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=8282

Lisa:)

Did you also have a bad time on the Victory? The person who wrote that review sounds like a real piece of work who complained about SMALL things and in my opinion exaggerated others (45 minute to an hour line in the buffet - come on!)

Two people can do the same cruise and have a totally different experience. This cruiser had unrealistic expectations, and wouldn't have been happy with anything. Her first big complaint was about the slide being closed due to the wind - right there is the BIG red flag that this review just "ain't right."

This is the downside of "research." There are thousands of opinions for each and every cruise vacation on each and every cruise line. Probably, someone else on the same cruise had a fabulous time. This is one family's experience out of 2000 passengers on one sailing. Don't let one review get you down and enjoy your own experienc to the fullest.

I just wish it had been written before I cruised on the Victory....

Why? Would it have made your cruise better or worse - or would you NOT have cruised on the Victory if you had read it?

Did you also have a horrible time during your cruise on the Victory' date=' or did you have funfunfun? Just curious.:) [/b']

I think the problem with reviews is that most people only post when they have a bad time. It's human nature (I think) to only point out the negative. People just usually don't go out of their way to compliment a job well done. But when something goes wrong.....we are quick to point it out.

Just think....out of a ship of over 2000 people you read 1 negative review.

I don't understand the OP's post either. Did you also have a rotten time on your Victory cruise? We did the Eastern route last March (with 3 kids) and we all had a great time. As far as the review that she has linked to...Yes, you have to wait in line at the buffet....everyone knows that! If you don't like lines, eat in the dining room. As far as the bus waiting until 11:15 to depart.....why would anyone book a flight that early in the day? We book ours in the early evening, go do a tour in Miami, and if we get back to the airport early enough, we try to get on an earlier flight. That way we are not rushed for time and we can enjoy ourselves. As was mentioned in earlier posts to this thread, everyone has different opinions about the exact same cruise. This family obviously didn't have a good time and that's too bad.

I, too, have encountered the famous "sewage smells" but it wasn't on the Victory; it was on the Celebration, which is a much older ship. We had a great time on that cruise, too! The occasional smell became a joke with our kids.

Happy cruising to all.

Two things really stand out from the OPs referenced review:

1

We waited this long to post a review because we gave Carnival a chance to reply to our letter of complaint.[/Quote]

 

2

 

......we spent over $1,200.00 on this cruise so it's not just a question of the money.[/Quote]

 

 

These folks demanded a refund, which shouldn't satisfy them if they actually did receive poor service, and whenever someone states 'it's not just a question of the money,' it always is just a question of money. Perhaps they overextended themselves?

 

I'm glad I won't be running into them on Carnival...or should I say, 'I'm glad they won't be standing in line behind me.' :D :D

I'm leaving in a few hours for a cruise on the Victory. :) I know I will have a wonderful time!

The OP posted a review this week... reading it might help explain things a bit. Had I not remembered reading the review, this post would have left me stumped as well :confused:

Have a great time Sally! I know you will! Can't wait to hear your review!!!

GC,

I will be sure to post a review when I get back to reality.

GC,

 

I will be sure to post a review when I get back to reality.

LoL, that reminds me of what I tell people about all those Reality TV shows..

I get enough Reality in everyday live......I watch TV for Escape !

x

Good luck in the casino, Sally. And just go with the attitude that you're going to have fun. If there's something you don't like at dinner,order something else-try room service or try the BBQ or Deli. They're both good-and there's also the pizza and calzones. And if you enjoy having fun-you must see Kevin in the piano bar. (Irish Sea Bar)

What I don't understand with the review is that they gave the Victory one star in the Fitness department. I find that interesting when there is no reference to ever visiting or using the gym. To me, (and what do I know) this part of the ship was outstanding.

Thanks to all! We are leaving for the airport now. It's been a lifesaver having all of you to help me wait for today. I'll talk to you next week.

Sally

Go and have a "Great Time"! Some people are born complainers and you can't please them. Its only one opinion. "Bon Voyage"!

Just had to share this....my husband and I were reading a Valor review last night and a guy was complaining because the "starch and vegetable servings were not in proportion w/the main entree". Hmmm.......He would have really flipped out if he had gotten a whiff of sewage while he was eating his paltry portions.

I was on the ship the following week, I am not one to complain. I had a lot of the complains they had. The sewage smell was terrible sometimes, top side, in the hallways. Food, lines service from the grills. 25 minutes for a steak sandwich.

The best one was just arriving in our room to get smacked in the face with a horrid smell of vomit. It took us about 5 hours of complaining before they moved our room. When we took our luggage to the new room. The luggage stunk just from being in that room. That room should never been cleared to have someone to stay in it. I have been on cruises before and I know what to expect and what not to expect. I give the victory a thumbs down. I will still cruise carnival but will try other lines also. Just won’t do the victory again.

Our Waite staff and room steward were great.

I never wrote a review because of just what was said in this topic, everyone that writes a negative review always gets ripped a part and gets labeled a complainer.

Rick, I would have been upset by that room too! So I doubt you would have gotten ripped apart for that! YUK!!! I have smelled the sewage smell and it's not just the Victory... generally on port days. As for waiting for food, I guess I equate it to how long I wait in a restaurant here at home, so I generally don't mind waiting 20 minutes or so on a ship... but all of us are different and have different expectations.... sorry your cruise was so bad, I hope your next one is great!!

Over the years I have seen many reviews that had legitimate negative points and the poster did not get ripped apart... there are those that do, but there are circumstances to those as well.... I don't think it's fair to say that everyone that posts something negative gets ripped apart... I have not seen that to be the case at all... there are always those people that unfairly complain and then there are always those people that will rip someone apart for saying anything negative, but I don't think either is the "norm"

Rick, I would have been upset by that room too!

Actually I wasn’t all that upset about the room vomit smell, that can be an oversite. I just knew from experience of years back being in the carpet cleaning business, that smell was not coming out, And I was not staying in that room. Its to bad I had to wait so long to convince them of that. But when I went down to the pursers office at 6pm, The ship had already left, if I did not get my way more than smoke would have been coming from the smoke stack. Bottom line the food sucked, just a bad week on the victory. I felt bad for the people that was their first cruise asking is food always like this, I heard that is so fantastic. I found myself defending carnival telling them its not usually like this.

Most of the grill area’s were great for service, just the one where you get the steak sandwiches. It was nuts how you had to wait, 6th in line and waiting 25 minutes, its was just how they ran it, people were freaking out at these guys but they could care less. I would always wait and watch when they were empty, then it was just ten minutes. They were a great sandwich!!!

I guess in all I just didn’t get that Carnival spirit feeling when I was on the cruise, and I love taking cruises, have no expectations, love the ocean, love the Caribbean. So from other seasoned cruises and myself that were on Victory Ship 11/28 – 12/5 it just wasn’t the best cruise in town that week. But I will tell ya one thing, what a deal I got on it. $936 for 2 person including everything so I really can’t complain too much. I met some great crew staff and will treasure our relationship as the years pass by staying in contact with them and look forward when their ship comes to Boston next year when we will take them out into town (Boston).

What is most interesting is the sewer smell. I noted a sewer smell on conquest, every time we were near the rear dining room on the fifth deck I believe. I remember pointing it out to my wife when we passed by there, saying, thank God I don't have to smell that before eating every night! I had completely forgotten about that until I read this thread. I wonder what is up with the garbage/sewer smell on the ships? I had never experienced this before.

Smelled it once and it was a busted water pipe (horrible smell, had soaked the carpets... uck) and then smelled in on one cruise when we were in port and we were told that was normal in port... I never did ask "why", I assumed the answer, LOL!!!

Smelled it once and it was a busted water pipe (horrible smell, had soaked the carpets... uck) and then smelled in on one cruise when we were in port and we were told that was normal in port... I never did ask "why", I assumed the answer, LOL!!!

They are most likly off loading the tanks

Yup, that is what I assumed.... which makes complete sense as to why one would smell a sewage smell.... ewe! LOL!

Maybe I am mistaking, but I thought the ship was a self-contained little city and didn't offload sewage. I was watching one of those cruise ship shows on the travel channel and they incinerate all of the paper trash....they grind up what is left on your plate after a meal and shoot it out of the ship. They say that is why schools of dolphins and fish follow the ship. I thought that all sewage was treated on board.....not sure what they did with it, but I don't remember is being off-loaded. Maybe I have it all wrong????

When I made the comment above about the guy complaining about the portion size of his side items, that was one of the only complaints he had. It seemed as if he was nit-picking to death. I understand the reason for legitimate complaints.

Yes there are different opinions, I had a group of 60 on the Victory and they loved it. I took them on the Mariner this past Jan. and they wanted to go back on the Victory. We are booked on the Liberty for next year and they probably will still want to go back on the Victory. Go fiqure!

The sewage has to be offloaded. If they treated it and reused it, you know where they would be using it :) No matter what cruise line you use, there is always a sewage smell.