Too Much Negative...

I learned alot about cruising in general reading this message board. But I met no one on my cruise who had heard of Cruise Critic. If I had listened to all the negative comments on this site I should have stayed home. But instead I was prepared for the worst and it didn't happen. I really think a good travel book about cruising is a person's best bet. I hope no one let's negative comments change their mind about their cruise. Just remember if you travel during school holidays you get what you pay for. KIDS. And since it seems to be such a good deal for kids they are everywhere. And also remember Costa did not train these kids their parents did. So travel when they are in school, read a good cruise travel book, and don't let people's opinions ruin your trip. With that I don't plan to use this site again. :) :) :)

I agree with you 100%.....the people with all these complaints dont realize they can ruin a persons cruise. What I dont understand is some people write awful reviews and people on the same cruise have had a ball. A lot of that sounds like attitude to me. Weve all had bad experiences along the way....but go on vacation and enjoy....no matter what. Happy Cruising

itsmlf:

Well said... I agree 110%.

Andy ;-)

I totally agree!

I have no problem with someone coming to a message board and offering constructive criticism in regards to a particular sailing that they feel could have used some improvement. After all, this site is indeed called "Cruise Critic."

However, CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is the key word here.

If people do not want to cruise on a sailing that has a lot of kids, then do not travel during school break times when families are on cruises. Or choose a cruise line with an exotic longer itinerary that is a higher cost, because less families are likely to participate.

If you want to cruise over Thanksgiving, Christmas, spring break or summer break on a low cost cruise, you will get people with kids, (lots of kids), on your cruise.

If your bed is firmer than is comfortable or what you are accustomed to, ask your cabin steward for a mattress topper. If you want more pillows ask for them, or bring a few of your own from home.

As for the food, I have trouble understanding this issue, unless those who post critiques about the food are professional chefs, or they are accustomed to eatting out in gormet restaurants when they are at home.

On ANY cruise ship there are a great many offerings. If you ordered something you do not like, send it back and choose another selection. If you feel the portions are too small, then order two or three entrees. It's allowed. Or you can struggle through the hunger from a small portion, and then head on over to the next feed. Since cruise ships have plenty of food available, I cannot imagine anyone will go hungry.

A good may people taking a shore excursion in the Dominican Republic were having problems getting their bodies through the aisles of the bus (no kidding). So I doubt they were ghoing hungry ont he Mediterranea. :D

Anyway, what does bother me about the incessant complaining, is that it indeed riuns it for other who have not yet begun their cruises.

As it is often said, half the fun is in the planning. And if others are leaving so called reviews about disasters, horrible experiences, and such, this riuns the fun of planning for those who just may have a different perception of what a disaster or horrible experience is.

Perhaps when people leave a review, they could personalize their review rather than generalize.

For instance, if you don't like the food because you prefer spicey, or you prefer rich pasteries, or you prefer food prepared a ceertain way; elaborate instead of just saying it is "bad." In reality "bad" may be just one's way of describing spmething that is different from their personal expectations or taste.

Yet, when it is all said and done, there will still be both positive and negative reviews on ALL cruise ships. I have a client who just came back from the Queen Mary 2 and said he preferred the Costa Atlantica. Another sailed both the Veendam and the Infinity, and upon their return said they preferred the Veendam (a much older and less deluxe ship than the Infinity). Go figure.

And out of the 200 plus clients I sailed with on the Mediterranea two weeks ago, less than 10 percent said they would prefer not to sail Costa again in lieu of a different line. The majority were already booking their next Costa cruise. And they were all on the same ship at the same time.

It's all a matter of perception.

I think what we need to all do is to revaluate our definition of what a vacation is. And then just chill out and enjoy the cruise.

:)

I learned alot about cruising in general reading this message board. But I met no one on my cruise who had heard of Cruise Critic. If I had listened to all the negative comments on this site I should have stayed home. But instead I was prepared for the worst and it didn't happen. I really think a good travel book about cruising is a person's best bet. I hope no one let's negative comments change their mind about their cruise. Just remember if you travel during school holidays you get what you pay for. KIDS. And since it seems to be such a good deal for kids they are everywhere. And also remember Costa did not train these kids their parents did. So travel when they are in school, read a good cruise travel book, and don't let people's opinions ruin your trip. With that I don't plan to use this site again. :) :) :)

Preaching to the converted.. I cannot read a review on here again I think and take it to heart. Thank God my cruise was absolutely nothing like some of the negative things I read on here. Please be aware that reading these reviews you are subjecting yourself to what likely is someone's narrow view of their particular experience and you will most likely have nothing of the sort if you keep an open mind and think to yourself.. that person must think everything has to be letter perfect or they will have an absolutely awful experience no matter if it is the tiniest, most insignificant thing such as not having a zoo's worth of towel animals all over their cabin every night nestled among fifty pounds of chocolates scattered about their stateroom..

OTOH, it is through venues such as this web board that folks can only find out about things that should otherwise be posted in the public domain. For example, the post I left about Libya is very pertinent and relevant to any American that takes a cruise solely to visit the country of Libya. I challenge you to find the full and complete truth about this situation by perusing the Department of State web site or any of the cruise lines that sail to Libya.

Any person that reads a post here on cruise critic needs to look at the relative posting comments of that person in previous posts. You can readily do this by clicking on the hyperlink for that person and their profile, along with all previous posts will come up. If you have somebody that has posted nearly 100 posts to this web board and 99 of those posts are favorable across all cruise lines and ports of call and then this very same poster lets loose on particular aspect of cruising, you are probably going to take what they say to heart.

Frankly, I have gone with life with a basic belief that I would rather hear the truth as you know it, then to have somebody blow sunshine up my fourth point of contact. I have some basic powers of reason and logic that will readily allow me to sort the grain from the chaff. As much as you have legitimate concerns about folks not having their vacations poisoned due to all of the "negative vibes", people will get equally torqued if they discover that a particular cruise line is operating in a deceptive manner, or tries to employ techniques such as a "bait and switch". None of us likes to be "had" like that. It is only through posts on this web site that you are able to properly arm yourself with how to have the best possible cruise and fully enjoy your vacation. In case you are wondering, we just finished our sixth cruise.

Just my $.02 worth...

I have read all the reviews on the Costa cruise line and almost canceled our cruise. Then I remembered a very important customer service lesson. If you please 100 people 3 will tell others their good experience, but if you upset 100 people 60 will tell others of the their experience. In short if their are more bad than good reviews that is normal and by looking at them some good and bad from the same cruise, I am not worried about it. And looking at how many reviews their are I would say they are doing something right to attract that many people. I also agree that EVERYTHING will not be perfect and I agree we must post our experiences to inform others such as Libya.

I'm always interested in what people have to say about their cruises, but I also know what one person doesn't like another one will. My hubby & I have done 9 cruises since '93 and some were nothing to write home about, but we made the best of it and enjoyed ourselves. We think the cruising experience is wonderful. A word about Costa; our travel agent thinks they're terrific! We've never sailed Costa, but are looking forward to a new adventure, whether it be good or bad. From what I've read online and the pictures of the ship and cabins, seems great to me. We're sailing Jan. 22

I agree with the original poster 200%. You think with that Mediterranea review and the "Magic of the Italians" review constantly staying in the top ten postings that Costa must be one horrible cruise line. To me, health and sanitation is most important. Everything else is on a sliding scale and if I book Costa should I really expect the QM2? Not in a lifetime. Costa's prices make me think it competes more on the scale of Carnival and RCCL and sometimes lower although I could be wrong. I wouldn't go into a Holiday Inn expecting the services of a Fairmount. (Before anyone attacks me, I frequent Holiday Inn as I not the type to afford the latter very often!)

As for the Libya thing? Well, lets face it. It's Libya! I cannot blame any cruise, air or rail carrier on the wacky rules and regulations governing foreign countries especially ones that are not considered western-friendly. Governments play games all the time and no one has control over these situations. Yes, I agree updated info should be forwarded as an informed public is better than a misinformed public. However, no matter how well intentioned, I find misinformation and rumours fly faster than the truth in the aftermath.

And Kids? Well, you go at times other than the school season or on carriers catering to families and you have no choice but to put up with them. I prefer not to have tons of kids running around but hey! I went to Disneyland and enjoyed it! Costa may not be Disney but I find it hard to find that these people went onboard blindly.

I have no problem with negative comments as long as there is some constructive criticism behind it or if its laid out without hysterics and a Cecil B. DeMille production attached to it. Yes, I agree some cruises can become nightmares and that not all services are the same on all lines. So bad reviews will happen. But nothing is accomplished with negativity for its own sake or blaming a cruiseline for things out of its control such as governments and the weather.

Finally, unfortunately, more negative reviews tend to be the nature of the message board beast. The average customer very rarely comments. And extremely satisfied people anywhere are rare indeed. So look at the law of averages and consider that when seeing so many postings not of a "I'm okay with it" variety.

I don't think anywhere out there that post reviews, this site or other sites, including travel, restaurant, toys, cars, etc, does not have extreme negative and positive reviews. I take it with a grain of salt. I have been on a lot of cruises, a lot of vacations, and I can't think of one that I didn't enjoy. Some did better than others in certain areas. If I could pick all the things I loved about each one of them, put them into one cruise line, it would be MY perfect cruise...but I bet someone out there would say it sucked! LOL! I think you get my point...

Costa has been doing this a long time...I think they must be doing something right otherwise they would be sailing with empty ships and they're not. Costa is relatively new here in the U.S and like most cruise lines they are probably taking a good look at surveys and reviews and looking for ways to improve.

Just my .02 cents.

A bad review can RUIN someones cruise, you have got to be kidding.

If that's the way you feel than you shouldn't be here reading these reviews.

People come here to read the reviews, good and bad.

CONSTRUCTIVE criticism , the food was very bad but the cabins were very nice. Is that constructive enough.

I read all the bad reviews and still went. Did the bad reviews ruin my cruise, NO. The food was bad, who cares I still had a great time.

I didn't expect 5 star food, but I also didn't expect no star food.