Are reviews used to air grudges?

[Nylsor]

We have booked a cruise for Feb 2011 on the Grand. In the last few weeks, I have read several threads on this board re concerns about the Grand resulting from reviews although I have also read good comments. This morning I took a careful look at some of the most recent reviews. Many of the comments are fatuous. One poster writes that they usually have a balcony cabin but couldn't afford one on an 11 day cruise so instead booked an inside cabin at the front of the ship and then goes on to complain that there wasn't enough storage and that they could hear 'noise from the ship'. You get what you pay for - don't you? Another reviewer states that they had an 'issue' which wasn't dealt with and that they have had 'issues' with Princess on previous cruises. Why keep booking with Princess then? And that Trinidad and Tobago 'wasn't very exciting'. Very subjective and hardly Princess's fault. Another got upset at a muster drill comment - presumably an effort at humour - and that they could never get coffee with dessert. Is this usual? I've never been offered coffee anywhere until I've finished eating. In other reviews comments like 'other people we talked with also felt the same', 'the whole table complained', 'we sent every soup back' (if the soup is that bad don't keep ordering it), 'we weren't contacted in our suite to schedule Anytime Dining (?)' and 'we were asked to say please' followed by the word 'strange'.

The dictionary definition of the word 'review' is to consider and judge carefully. I have read some very amusing and interesting cruise reviews on CC that have been / are informative and well-balanced. The poorly-rated reviews on the whole were very short and weren't well-balanced. They came over to me as written by people with an axe to grind (or maybe the hope of a refund). Obviously, people are free to say what they like but I don't think too much credence should be attached to them. IMO the problem lies not with the Grand and its crew but with some of the passengers. Perhaps CC should analyse reviews before they publish them.

[caber]

You can never please everyone.

 

At least when you read the review you can see for yourself that the problem does not lie with the Grand.

 

We are on her in August and I am really looking forward to it. Old or new ship, I have never had a bad cruise. It is what you make it.:)

[jnc411]

To the OP , we will be on the Grand in a couple weeks, Feb 26th . When we return I will post a review. I will be as fair and accurate as I can. Honestly I can say I have never been on a bad cruise, some are better than others , but for the most part I beleive the cruise experience is what you make it. There are factors , service , food, entertainment that of coarse make a difference. And as you stated the cabin location would make a difference, so check the reviews in a few weeks and I will try to be fair and balanced in my review. For me I am looking forward to a great cruise . :)

Cori

[sunluva7]

It seems to me that some of the negative reviews are from people who go on a cruise with overly high expectations or haven't done their research in order to become informed and prepared. A little advanced planning can go a long way in avoiding some of the unpleasant experiences that might arise on a cruise.:)

[sunsetbeachgal]

HI OP,

 

I have a good friend on the Grand right now (we are e-mailing back and forth) she sails Princess regularly and so far she is very pleased. I always read more negative reviews right after the holidays, and if/when weather doesn't cooperate, both of which happened in late Dec/January. I also find that people have unrealistic expectations. The fares are so good and yet I think cruisers expect 5 star dining. For me, considering the price paid I think cruising is an exceptional value!

[Iamcruzin]

We have booked a cruise for Feb 2011 on the Grand. In the last few weeks, I have read several threads on this board re concerns about the Grand resulting from reviews although I have also read good comments. This morning I took a careful look at some of the most recent reviews. Many of the comments are fatuous. One poster writes that they usually have a balcony cabin but couldn't afford one on an 11 day cruise so instead booked an inside cabin at the front of the ship and then goes on to complain that there wasn't enough storage and that they could hear 'noise from the ship'. You get what you pay for - don't you? Another reviewer states that they had an 'issue' which wasn't dealt with and that they have had 'issues' with Princess on previous cruises. Why keep booking with Princess then? And that Trinidad and Tobago 'wasn't very exciting'. Very subjective and hardly Princess's fault. Another got upset at a muster drill comment - presumably an effort at humour - and that they could never get coffee with dessert. Is this usual? I've never been offered coffee anywhere until I've finished eating. In other reviews comments like 'other people we talked with also felt the same', 'the whole table complained', 'we sent every soup back' (if the soup is that bad don't keep ordering it), 'we weren't contacted in our suite to schedule Anytime Dining (?)' and 'we were asked to say please' followed by the word 'strange'.

The dictionary definition of the word 'review' is to consider and judge carefully. I have read some very amusing and interesting cruise reviews on CC that have been / are informative and well-balanced. The poorly-rated reviews on the whole were very short and weren't well-balanced. They came over to me as written by people with an axe to grind (or maybe the hope of a refund). Obviously, people are free to say what they like but I don't think too much credence should be attached to them. IMO the problem lies not with the Grand and its crew but with some of the passengers. Perhaps CC should analyse reviews before they publish them.

 

I take all reviews with a grain of salt. The bad ones are over the top negative and the good ones gush with so much cheer it makes me want to vomit. You have to remember that most of us are not professional writers and how we write doesn't always express our intent. For example, the comment about the inside cabin could also be interpreted as since this was the first time the passenger has experienced an inside cabin he had no idea of the size and the potential noise of being forward when he booked the trip. So he is warning others of his experience in this category.

[grandmato4]

Sometimes yes, reviews are used to air grudges. Most often the reviewer is simply sharing their own experience as they saw it.

 

The dictionary definition of the word review should always be used when reading any review, "To consider and judge carefully" if one is planning to use the information within a review to plan their future cruises.

 

It is not unusual at all for two people to sit side by side having the same experience and view it in two entirely different ways. No two cruises on the same ship on different sailings will ever be exactly the same as there are so many variables with each different sailing.

[Minoushka]

When I got back from my cruise I got many notes from CC to write a review ...which I did

.I try to relate MY experience.I do not think you can criticize a person's experience or opinion .By sharing good and bad i learn from others .I try to do the same so others can avoid problems I may have experienced Perhaps you see that as holding a grudgr or bitching

 

This is the way i perceive negative reviews ....buyer beware ...If something went wrong for someone else then perhaps I can do something tp prevent it happening again

 

I APPRECIATED being warned about safety issues in South America ...all jewellery came off ,stayed home,no purse carrying .pants with DEEP pockets for daily expenses no white running shoes,no caps etc etc etc ..all good tips from others

 

I have learned SOOO much from fellow cruisers and I do not see their sometimes not so positive reviews as downers ..just forewarning

[Colo Cruiser]

Do they use the opportunity to air grudges? Absolutley!

 

As stated take them with a grain of salt. ;)

[dshefter]

It seems like this happens with every cruise line. We were on the Norwegian Pearl in 2008 and before the cruise I heard a lot of people complaining about NCL, from the food to the service to the nickel and diming. Once aboard, we found none of this to be true. The food was good. The service was great. We even gave our cabin stewards an extra tip because of their service. When you are polite and courteous to them, they will treat you well.

 

While there is nickel and diming, you have to be savvy about it. Nobody forces you to buy photos or to use the spa or to go overboard on alcohol spending. If you feel the service was not up to snuff, take care of it quietly with ship management. Generally, they will take some tipping off your final bill.

 

But I have cruised many times and always have found the service to be great on virtually every ship, and I have sailed on Carnival, Cunard, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian. My wife and I are looking forward to our first Princess Cruise in November on the Coral.

 

Most prudent cruisers know that cabins are going to be small. You are not staying at a Marriott. Even balcony rooms are not humongous.

 

Do research before picking a cruise, including the itinerary, and you will have a great cruise.

[captbill]

Perhaps CC should analyse reviews before they publish them.

 

While I agree with most of your observations, I must take exception with this one statement! In no way, do I want CC (or anybody else) censoring reviews!

 

When I look at reviews of a ship, itinerary, hotel, automobile, kitchen appliance, what have you ... I'm looking for consistency in both good and bad reports. If I read 10 recent reviews on a particular ship, and 1 sings it's glory to the heavens, 1 damns it as the worse ship floating, and the other 8 describe a generally pleasant if not perfect experience, then I'm inclined to consider sailing on that ship.

 

If on the other hand, those 10 reviews include 1 praising the vessel, 1 giving an "okay" rating, and the other 8 stating they wish the thing would sink ... Well then, I doubt I'll be booking that trip!

 

CC stepping in and screening reviews for anything more than profanity, would only have one result ... Every published review would describe a "perfect" cruise experience, and thus would be worthless and unobjective data.

 

So, my opinion, keep it candid! :cool:

[Coolmama_1]

I always consider the source! For some people the glass is always half empty, others half full. The ones that are balanced are the best.

[Cruisin_on_th_net]

I still think that a review is subjective to what you paid for the experience. If 2 parties are travelling on the same said cruise, one has paid $3g per person for a cruise (ie $6 thou for the cruise) and the other couple has paid $1200 per person for a cruise, (eg $2400 for the cruise) cabins side by side. The expectations and experiences are going to be flavoured by that.

 

Me, as the 2400 pax would be, "well it's a bargain you get what you paid for, the food's a bit bland but for the money who cares??!! etc etc" I'd accept poorer / disapointing experiences more easily.

 

As the 6g pax, those exact same experiences would probably bring a "Can't believe this is costing 6g for this average food / such n such to happen / for this size room etc etc" I'd be pretty cranky I'd spent so much as was disapointed.

 

I really think the expenditure effects your interpretation of the situation.

[patseacruiser]

You've never been to south Jersey where we always get offered coffee with our meal!

[westwind6371]

Hi Nylsor;

 

As others have said, take all reviews with a grain of salt. We have cruised on the Grand at least 3 times in the last 5-6 years, the latest being January 4th of this year. All have been very good, and the last two would rank in the top 10% of any of our 14 cruises on Princess.

 

Were they perfect. NO!. Were they worth the money, ABSOLUTLY!. We have missed some ports due to weather, we have had some minor errors on the shipboard account, we had a plumbing system that stopped working for about an hour. We have had a few dishes that we did not care for. (Happly replaced right away by waitstaff.) We have had some waitstaff and cabin attendants that were just OK, not outstanding as most are. Etc., Etc.

 

Out of 14 cruises, I can count on one hand, the times we did not tip over and above the auto tip to one person who regularly served us. The last trip was really good with outstanding service, except for our cabin attendant. He did his job, but nothing extra.

 

We do not tip in advance, and my kids say I am a real "nit picker", but I have been satisfied with every Princess cruise.

 

So, unless something major happens in the next year, I am betting you will enjoy the Grand.

 

Fair winds

Dave

[dchip]

We cruised the Grand on her Inaugural Transatlantic Voyage in September 1998. We had an inside cabin on the Dolphin deck. Cost $3,300 pp for a 13 day cruise. We are cruising the Grand again next month, inside cabin Lido deck. Cost $999 pp for a 14 cruise.

 

There will be no complaining from us if the carpet is worn, the food isn't 5 star, etc. etc. etc. There is no where we know where we can visit 9 islands, eat and sleep for that kind of $$.

 

We, too, will write a Grand review when we return. It is going to be interesting going back to an inside cabin for the first time since 1998!! Why did we do it?? Because we got to go on an extra cruise this year :D

 

Cheers, Denise

[jagsfan]

I've been on cruise critic since 2000, and I can tell you that if I went by the negative

reviews I'd be hard pressed to find a ship to book. I could find things to complain

about anywhere I go if I wanted to. I have read reviews of hotels that on the face

of it looked like they were filthy and unsafe with 100pct rude personnel. Luckily for

me, my first experience with the reviews was after I stayed in a hotel that we loved

and would return to. Ever since then, I always read reviews after hotel stays just

to compare and have found that people often only write reviews if they have

something detrimental to say. Same with cruise lines and their ships. I have had

meals that were not as good as others, but almost always better than I would

cook at home, so I enjoy it.....no cooking, no cleaning the kitchen.

Service has always been great, and I always say thank you....exchanging smiles

with anyone you meet on a ship increases the good experience for me.

Writing a bad review just for the fun of badmouthing a ship is a type of slander.

It hurts the reputation of the cruise line and the ship. I appreciate honest

criticism good or bad, and like a poster said, a forewarning of where there might

be a difficulty. That gives me the opportunity to avoid the problem.

Bashing, on the other hand, is pure d wrong.

[Dunelm]

My husband and I were on the Grand over the holidays and had an absolutely wonderful cruise. We were shocked, though, by the number of complainers we met on the same cruise. I am beginning to wonder whether people who, seemingly, cannot find anything really positive to say are projecting their basic unhappiness onto the cruise line.

 

Certainly, there is nothing wrong with pointing out any weakness perceived on a cruise; however, some of the criticisms seem to me to be rather childish or churlish.

[xeroxme]

It's true that some reviews go over the top with negative emotion. However for myself I listen carefully to their complaints. Typically They will give you priceless info on how not to do an excursion or where to avoid a room, transfer options etc. I wish their experiences where better. It's not the experience I've had and partly due to what they help me avoid. A good example for me was in Febuary 2007 I was on the Star Princess. Before we left I kept hearing all these reviews about smelling sewage and the whole ship was going to smell that way!! A floating port-a-potty! I could only assume that someone did have that experience or a fantastic nose. It made me want to cancel my booking. I'm glad I didn't. We had a great time and never smelled sewage or any problems.

[Tigger B]

Been on the Grand twice already and could have been on the sailing right now if we wanted to with our friends...Some of my best memories are from the Grand and it's staff.

 

You will find complainers wherever you go and sometimes I wonder why they even go on a cruise in the first place. Go on the Grand, enjoy yourself, and then form your own opinion...

 

Brian.

[DrJohn]

Don't forget this is Cruise Critic -- and some people think that means criticism. Anyone that has cruised before can read reviews and understand what are legitimate problems and which are not, it is unfortunate that some who have not sailed a particular ship or line can be influenced by overstated rants and raves. Reviews expose you to different perspectives -- we just enjoy them for what they are.

[mek]

Perhaps CC should analyse reviews before they publish them.

 

I sincerely hope not! This is an open forum and as long as people abide by the rules, everyone should be allowed their opinion. I never have understood the hostility some have to negative reviews; it's not as if they were attacking your kids or family. Some people need to vent, and after they do they probably feel better and others post legitimate concerns that I find useful. So a big "no" to censorship. After all, the fate of mankind doesn't rest on the opinions expressed on these board.

[LoveThisCruisingThing]

How can a cruise be bad? My opinion of course. The best comment I heard was from my old assistant (a cheapskate mind you) who was telling a fellow coworker (also a cruiser) that "all inclusive" is not right. Ex assistant said she was surprised to learn they had to pay for alcohol, excursions, and something else. I thought to myself "didn't you read your travel documents/brochures". Some people are never happy it seems.