Cruise tiers

[Keith1010]

Matinsfo, I hope that at some point Anne Marie and I will find ourselves on the same voyage as you and your family. You have a very nice appreciation for all that goes into making these cruise from the cuisine to the service so wonderful. Thanks for all of your posts which I always find to be very well rounded.

 

Keith

[martinsfo]

Keith, the feeling is mutual. I'm sorry that you could not make our Bay Area get together we held last spring. It was like being on Crystal without leaving home. Well sort of...

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Yes I knew I'd get in trouble for the Crystal rating, but I stand by it (I know, I know, I haven't cruised them so I don't get an opinion.) The staterooms are small, they are not all-inclusive and until next year they don't have open-seating dining.

 

I'm sure they are lovely, lots of people say so. Not for me I think. I suspect they are also too formal. And did I mention the small staterooms?

[Travelcat2]

Yes I knew I'd get in trouble for the Crystal rating, but I stand by it (I know, I know, I haven't cruised them so I don't get an opinion.) The staterooms are small, they are not all-inclusive and until next year they don't have open-seating dining.

 

I'm sure they are lovely, lots of people say so. Not for me I think. I suspect they are also too formal. And did I mention the small staterooms?

 

Forgot to mention that open-seating dining next year requires a reservation:confused:

 

With all due respect to Crystal, they did tie with Regent for #1 large cruise ship although this rating has nothing to do with what class a ship is in.

 

Oh, just remembered. . . . they have small staterooms.

[Keith1010]

Yes I knew I'd get in trouble for the Crystal rating, but I stand by it (I know, I know, I haven't cruised them so I don't get an opinion.) The staterooms are small, they are not all-inclusive and until next year they don't have open-seating dining.

 

I'm sure they are lovely, lots of people say so. Not for me I think. I suspect they are also too formal. And did I mention the small staterooms?

 

I always think it's interesting how one can offer an opinon on a cruise line they have never sailed on.

 

I have never sailed on Regent so you'll never hear me giving feedback on that line.

 

To me it's similar to giving a rating for a book, a movie, a city, a hotel and so forth that you have never seen first hand. Oh well.

 

Keith

[Travelcat2]

I always think it's interesting how one can offer an opinon on a cruise line they have never sailed on.

 

I have never sailed on Regent so you'll never hear me giving feedback on that line.

 

To me it's similar to giving a rating for a book, a movie, a city, a hotel and so forth that you have never seen first hand. Oh well.

 

Keith

 

1. If you read/heard that a hotel was everything that you did not like, would you book the hotel just to make sure you didn't like it?

 

2. Do you go to movies that have subject matter that does not appeal to you. . . . just so you can say that ynow you are certain that you don't care for it?

 

3. When was the last time you read a book about a subject that was not appealing?

 

When I compare cruise lines, first I state what is written on their websites. I do that even when I write about Regent. . . . just the basic facts.

 

We are going on Silversea next month. I know as a fact the size of the suites, the number of restaurants they have, whether they require reservations or not (and, in the case of Silversea, if there is a cost involved). I also know that smoking is allowed in suites and on balconies.

 

By the same token, I know the size of the suites on Crystal and all of the this type of information.

 

After stating the facts, I do give an opinion. I truly am not happy about Silversea or Seabourn's smoking policy. I feel the size of their older ships are too small for us, etc.

 

Crystal has smaller "regular" suites than we care for. The set dining they have had up until next year is not something we would like. We don't want to think about tipping -- no matter who pays for it and do not want to sign for drinks. This does not mean that someone else will feel this way. I have never said that Crystal is bad or unappealing. Actually, I have said more than once that Crystal is rated the #1 cruise line by many polls (now they share that honor with Regent).

 

To be fair, I have said what I do not like about Silversea, Seabourn and Crystal and should add something about Regent. I absolutely cannot stand their included excursions and could write a lengthy post on this subject alone.

 

I am not going to cruise on Crystal simply to to say that it was not my cup of tea. Any intelligent human being can read reviews and websites and decide which luxury cruise line is bested suited to their taste.

 

Last, but certainly not least, why are Crystal passengers the only ones that keep touting Crystal on non-Crystal boards? Granted, I do not see you on the Regent board, but there are some that post there only to explain why Crystal is so wonderful. This behavior is difficult to understand.

[Keith1010]

As usual, this thread has now gotten way off the mark, so this will be my last post.

 

As I said I do not comment on cruise lines that I have not sailed on. It serves absolutely no purpose in my humble opinion. I also am a big believer in keeping an open mind and this approach has served me well over the years. And I believe that each time someone asks a question on this board there is no need to constantly recommende the same cruise lines over and over. After all what is good for one person may not be good for another person.

 

The few times I have posted on the Regent board has been to answer a question that has nothing to do with Regent. After all, how can I post about a cruise line that I have not sailed with. What I have commented on (not very often) are on topics that have absolutely nothing to do about Regent but are about other areas such as flights, ports, tours, etc. With that said, I have seen people comment on other boards and it goes both ways. And in the end these are people, not passengers. I certainly hope I am not viewed as simply being a passenger of one cruise line. After all, I believe I have sailed on somewheres around 12 different cruise lines and that includes 3 different luxury cruise lines. When I do offer an opinion it is not as a passenger of one cruise line, but it is based on my experiences in cruising.

 

I also know that if we all had the same views on what is important when we select a specific cruise, cruise line, etc. there would only be one cruise line. Same goes for anything in life. And the same goes even for one cruise line. Take any cruise line and why do some people perfer a cabin that is a suite and others are very happy to have the smallest cabin and and don't care whether or not it has a verandah. It is because we all have different preferences and in the end what counts is our own preference(s)

 

As to other areas, If I have not seen a movie nor read a book I do not recommend the book nor do I knock the book. It makes no sense to do so.

 

I also do not constantly push no certain items because in the end what is important to me might not be important to someone else. Call it being flexible but I like different size ships, open and or fixed seating, inclusive or non inclusive lines, and a variety of other things. In fact, I have found that it is nice to change things up from time to time and to also take a very open view of them. If I didn't I know I would have greatly limited myself.

 

And the same goes for visiting ports of call. I can name so many examples where my view of a port was totally different than after seeing it for myself. There are some places that have turned out to be in my top list of visited ports of call that I would have never dreamed would have been the case and there are some ports that I thought would be some of the top ports in the world to visit and I didn't care for them. But I also know, some of my fellow cruisers may see this differently.

 

Too often people seem to think it is my way or the highway. I don't understand why it is necessary to knock certain aspects of any cruise line because a particular person doesn't like it. I would never do that because it serves no purpose and I know so very well that each person has different views on what they like about a cruise line.

 

I don't sit here thinking that every person prefers fixed seating nor do I sit here thinking that every person prefers open seating. I realize that some prefer one over the other and that there are some such as my wife and myself who see the attributed of each one. The same goes for each and every item that has been mentioned. There are some who will only sail in a room of x size and there are others who could care less. There are some who prefer lectures and there are some who have no interest. And this list goes on and on and on.

 

My personal believe is that the original poster has a lot of research to do on this one.

 

As I said, we have gotten way off track. I have given my advice which I stand by which is very simple. The OP has some a lot of research to do.

 

As I have tried so very hard to do on this board in particular, I will not push one cruise line over the other. It really serves absolultely no purpose and in the end since we hardly know the people asking the questions we could be giving some poor advice that does not meet their specific interests.

 

Keith

[Travelcat2]

It is interesting that you and I are debating while the poster that actually began making recommendations for a cruise line is completely silent.

 

Obviously we have very different life experiences and opinions. That is what CruiseCritic is all about -- voicing opinions. One is not more valid than another. While I agree that seeing a port, or being on a cruise line is the best way to judge it, I just can't see paying $20K+ to find out (although I am doing that next month on a cruiseline that sounds more compatible for us than others).

 

What does not change is the factual information about a ship. When a person who has not been on a cruise line states the size of the cabins, the type of dining/seating the ship has, the smoking policy, children programs etc., they are still assisting the poster who is asking a question. Not everyone has the time to purchase a book online and do the research. . . . not everyone has easy access to a TA (especially one who has been on all of the luxury cruise lines). So, in my opinion, the OP needs more to go on other than to suggest more research. Isn't going to CruiseCritic research? But, again, your opinion is as valid as mine.

[wripro]

Maybe you scared him off!!!!

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Or perhaps I did. I feel I can voice my opinions, even if it's about a cruise line I've never sailed on, as long as I declare that fact. For example, I know all I need to know about Carnival, and will never sail that line.

[Travelcat2]

maybe you scared him off!!!!

 

:d:d:d

[Keith1010]

Or perhaps I did. I feel I can voice my opinions, even if it's about a cruise line I've never sailed on, as long as I declare that fact. For example, I know all I need to know about Carnival, and will never sail that line.

 

Of course, everyone can voice their opinions.

 

I'm just glad that I have had taken advantage of the opportunity to sail on a wide range of cruise lines.

 

I just don't assume because I like or don't care for an aspect of cruising that it applies to each and every person. Because if it did, there would only be one cruise line. :)

 

Keith