What problem would be big enough?

[MommaBear55]

I have been reading the various threads about complaints that have either ruined someone's cruise or made them decide to try another line. What would be the straw for you? Has it been one major issue or a series of smaller things?

 

I think if I had actually been on the Triumph or Millennium that might have been enough to make me change lines. Hurricane Sandy delayed our departure for two days but although disappointing was unavoidable. I would have loved an OBC for the disappointment of missing two of our six ports but neiter requested nor was offered that.

 

We have had some indifferent service, blah meals, minor maintenance issues but nothing really awful and certainly minor enough considering the rest of the vacation. The most annoying was the maintenance person who came in after we were asleep to fix a faucet we did not even know was broken as our steward reported it. Annoying to be woken up but still made me laugh as I hid under the covers.

 

I also haven't been cruising long enough to remember the good of days, so I don't miss the service and amenities I've never had. And I know enough to not cruise during holiday or spring break times...

 

I think if I were ever to cruise with a really rowdy loud drunk group of passengers that dominated every activity that might do it for me... So far, in 6 cruises, no issues. Surprisingly enough very few drunks at the napkin folding demos!

[moesyk4]

I think I would complain for bigger things that should've been standard and were within the cruise line's control..I remember a post from a Sunshine cruiser where the fans in the room sounded like a freight train, they posted a video and it was terrible. I definitely would've complained about that, stuff in that line.

The only way I complain about fellow passengers would be if it was extremely inappropriately disruptive (like someone topless by the pool or drunks running up and down the hallway screaming at 3 am) and the cruiseline refused to address them.

Other than that...you are crammed on a ship with 4,000 other people and you are getting a great rate on a vacation, you take the great with the just ok.

[pris993]

We have been cruising a long time, 30 years, over 45 cruises on 9 different lines.

 

We have had our share of less than satisfactory service and food but non bad enough to quit a line.

 

What we have learned is to deal with problems away. I recall we had one cruise where we felt service was actually rude in the MDR from a head waiter. We initially cut the guy some slack feeling it would get better, it didn't. After that experience we realized we should have not put up with the situation.

 

Getting back to your question, suspect it would have to be something out of the ordinary. But what, I don't know. After 45 cruises, feel cruise lines, at least the main stream ones seem to do a fairly consistent good job, if not excellent. We stick to Princess, HAL, Celebrity, Cunard and recently NCL.

[Kartgv]

There's a difference between "ruin my cruise" and "make me change lines". Something serious like a flooded cabin or a norovirus outbreak might ruin my cruise, but not necessarily make me change cruise lines. It all depends on the ship's response to the problem.

 

On the other hand, there are things that might make me change lines even if they did not really ruin my cruise - poor service in multiple areas, uncomfortable beds, unresponsiveness to problems that arise are examples. This type of issue might make me think twice before booking again with the same line even if overall I had an enjoyable cruise.

[Warm Breezes]

I have been reading the various threads about complaints that have either ruined someone's cruise or made them decide to try another line. What would be the straw for you? Has it been one major issue or a series of smaller things?

 

I think if I had actually been on the Triumph or Millennium that might have been enough to make me change lines. Hurricane Sandy delayed our departure for two days but although disappointing was unavoidable. I would have loved an OBC for the disappointment of missing two of our six ports but neiter requested nor was offered that.

 

We have had some indifferent service, blah meals, minor maintenance issues but nothing really awful and certainly minor enough considering the rest of the vacation. The most annoying was the maintenance person who came in after we were asleep to fix a faucet we did not even know was broken as our steward reported it. Annoying to be woken up but still made me laugh as I hid under the covers.

 

I also haven't been cruising long enough to remember the good of days, so I don't miss the service and amenities I've never had. And I know enough to not cruise during holiday or spring break times...

 

I think if I were ever to cruise with a really rowdy loud drunk group of passengers that dominated every activity that might do it for me... So far, in 6 cruises, no issues. Surprisingly enough very few drunks at the napkin folding demos!

 

10 cruises and no issues that even cause me to look back and remember them as being disappointing. As a family, none of us worries about the little things and we all have a lot of patience. If we have a little wait at dinner it's no big deal since we are having a great time enjoying each other's company. If we don't like something, our servers have always noticed and offered to bring us something else before we even said anything. We don't expect perfection so are not put off when life happens. We deal with it and move on.

 

We are the type of people who would have looked at the situation on Triumph or Splendor as an adventure as much as it was possible. I'm a firm believer that our response to the things that happen to us will make that incident either a positive or a negative event to us. I prefer to look at things positively and try to remember them with humour and not anger. I had a tray of Bahama Mama's dumped on me by a waiter on our very first cruise....it's something we laugh about. I could have been angry and bitter about it since not only did I not get my drink (family and friends got free ones as I showered off our originals) but I only got my dress cleaned out of the deal...but why waste my time on those types of feelings? I can look back and see the humour in what happened. The poor waiter was so embarrassed....especially since DD (4 at the time) was screaming and crying that he ruined her dress (she got slightly splattered, I got dumped on)....I'm thinking he must have been extremely happy that DD didn't get her drama from her mama :D:p.

[Twin A]

The only true bad cruise experience we've had was an inside cabin that smelled of mildew when we arrived. After shampooing the carpet and drying it with one of those large industrial fans, the smell was still there. So they moved us to a cabin down the hall the next day - and it was an oceanview. That was our first oceanview cabin and we loved it!

 

I imagine if they had ignored our complaint it would have ruined our cruise, as the smell was inescapable. And I would have been happy with another inside cabin. I just wanted to get away from that smell!

 

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[calliopecruiser]

It's not the event that would make me change lines or stop cruising, it's the management's response to the event that would do it.

 

Coming into the cabin in the middle of the night without advance notice to fix something? Unacceptable, but with a sincere apology and notice that whatever allowed that to happen will be fixed (someone disciplined etc), I'd be OK. However, if I got an "oh well....sorry" kind of response or an "that was the only way it could be done" response (from on ship, and from their boss), I'd be less likely to never sail with them again.

[wwcruisers]

It's not the event that would make me change lines or stop cruising, it's the management's response to the event that would do it.

 

Coming into the cabin in the middle of the night without advance notice to fix something? Unacceptable, but with a sincere apology and notice that whatever allowed that to happen will be fixed (someone disciplined etc), I'd be OK. However, if I got an "oh well....sorry" kind of response or an "that was the only way it could be done" response (from on ship, and from their boss), I'd be less likely to never sail with them again.

 

Bingo! :cool: I don't ever expect a problem-free vacation -- on sea or land. For me, the acid test is how the inevitable problems (large or small) are dealt with, when they arise.

[sparks1093]

10 cruises and no issues that even cause me to look back and remember them as being disappointing. As a family, none of us worries about the little things and we all have a lot of patience. If we have a little wait at dinner it's no big deal since we are having a great time enjoying each other's company. If we don't like something, our servers have always noticed and offered to bring us something else before we even said anything. We don't expect perfection so are not put off when life happens. We deal with it and move on.

 

We are the type of people who would have looked at the situation on Triumph or Splendor as an adventure as much as it was possible. I'm a firm believer that our response to the things that happen to us will make that incident either a positive or a negative event to us. I prefer to look at things positively and try to remember them with humour and not anger. I had a tray of Bahama Mama's dumped on me by a waiter on our very first cruise....it's something we laugh about. I could have been angry and bitter about it since not only did I not get my drink (family and friends got free ones as I showered off our originals) but I only got my dress cleaned out of the deal...but why waste my time on those types of feelings? I can look back and see the humour in what happened. The poor waiter was so embarrassed....especially since DD (4 at the time) was screaming and crying that he ruined her dress (she got slightly splattered, I got dumped on)....I'm thinking he must have been extremely happy that DD didn't get her drama from her mama :D:p.

 

This (except the whole dress part;))

 

It's not the event that would make me change lines or stop cruising, it's the management's response to the event that would do it.

 

Coming into the cabin in the middle of the night without advance notice to fix something? Unacceptable, but with a sincere apology and notice that whatever allowed that to happen will be fixed (someone disciplined etc), I'd be OK. However, if I got an "oh well....sorry" kind of response or an "that was the only way it could be done" response (from on ship, and from their boss), I'd be less likely to never sail with them again.

 

And this.

[Aquahound]

I have been reading the various threads about complaints that have either ruined someone's cruise or made them decide to try another line. What would be the straw for you? Has it been one major issue or a series of smaller things?

 

Some of the things you went on to mention and some of the things we all read on these boards are usually isolated to one particular voyage, a particular ship, or a certain itinerary. For example, an over abundance partying drunks is more abundant on a 3 nighter than a 10 nighter. These are things I take into consideration when swearing off a cruise line.

 

Right now, there is only one line I am swearing off (NCL). This isn't due to one problem on one ship. It's based on numerous problems that ocurred on 3 cruises with them over a year and a half time frame.

[EmpressofPurple]

May I ask what those issues were?

 

I enjoy reading (and writing) detailed reviews/critiques, not because I like"complaining" but because I learn from in-depth descriptions. I may not agree with your judgment/decision, but I always like to hear the reasons/causes for those results.

 

It's like a good movie reviewer doesn't just say "go see this film" or "this film sucks" -- they may add their personal view, but as long as they describe the movie to some extent (characters, plot, action, writing, pacing, costumes, music, etc, etc) then I have enough information to make my own decision, whether I agree with the reviewer's final opinion or not.

 

So do tell!!:D

 

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[Aquahound]

May I ask what those issues were?

 

Certainly.

 

First was on N. Sky. For the first time, EVER, DW and I walked out of the MDR because of the food quality. What we were unaware of at the time was, smoking was still allowed in the staterooms, and it was obvious. Our room stunk! They tried to mask it with a bleach spray, but the bleach smell was nauseating. To make matters worse, it was a connecting room. There was a 1/4" gap under the connecting door that light actually shined through. You could hear everything through it and as our luck would have it, the people in that room were partyers. The TVs were from the 70s and took 30 seconds to warm up before turning on, and the beds were rock hard...so hard, an egg crate padding didn't help. Other minor problems existed in the buffet, and service and attention to detail suffered on this ship.

 

Fast forward to a great deal on balconies on Sky. We bit, hoping for a better experience. Nope. All the same problems existed, except stateroom smoking had been abolished. Throw in some trashy people and behavior I've never seen before, including throwing garbage at the pilot boat, and it was just an atmosphere I said I would never be a part of again.

 

Next was Dawn. It was a great itinerary at a great price during the holidays. Gawd, I don't even know where to begin with Dawn. Terrible service, a dirty stateroom, odd scheduling, layout, maintenance issues, and the same lack of attention to detail I saw on their other ship led me to the conclusion NCL just isn't on the same level as certain other lines. I saw a pattern. Our stateroom attendant was horrible, and while I could just say it was a problem with one employee, complaining to his supervisors did no good. Here is a link to a photo review I did after that cruise. You can see my complaints for yourself.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1759414

 

But let me be clear. This is a aggregate of numerous small issues over 3 cruises, and the reason I swore them off is, there are other cruise lines out there on which I never had all these problems. So, frankly, why go back?

[navybankerteacher]

After five cruises, I have pretty much sworn off NCL. The quality of the food was regularly below that served on other lines. The "FreeStyle" only approach was tiresome - if we wanted to eat at any decent time say later than 6:30 but before 8:30, there always seemed to be a fairly long wait. - sure, I suppose you can reserve a table - and hope that it will be available, but then why not go for assigned dining: an option other lines offer. The continual announcements for bingo, lottery tickets, etc. we're annoying. However, what most clearly set them apart from other lines was the prevailing attitude of the staff: while not all personnel, but surely enough to set a tone, there was an unenthusiastic, if not actually almost resentful attitude expressed. I do not need, or even want, groveling service, but it seems that the largely Eastern Europeans encountered on NCL were not as happy in their work as the Indonesians and Filipinos encountered on other lines -- particularly HAL. I do not know if the matter is one of training or of employment pool, but I am not interested in experiencing it any more.

[Aquahound]

- sure, I suppose you can reserve a table -

 

I did try, in order to avoid the 30 minute wait times. On Dawn, we were told parties of less than 6 could not make reservations. When we were told that, it was pretty much the final straw.

[marco]

I have to agree with navybankerteacher. We did an NCL out NY this winter, primarily because that's where we live and we didn't want to fly to a cruise port. It was not "horrible" but the whole Freestyle experience just is not what we want in a cruise experience. We won't sail on NCL again. We have sailed on NCL 4 or 5 times prior to Freestyle and enjoyed it, but the new concept just does not appeal to us. Some folks think it's the greatest thing since sliced bread, so I'm glad there are options out there to suit different tastes. It was winter, it was 80 degrees and the sun was out, so we were NOT complaining...it just was not the same experience we are used to or had hoped it would be. If want to get a beeper and wait to be called to dinner, I'll go to Olive Garden. As far as a snafu that is caused by weather or a ship's malfunction....that can happen to ANY ship on ANY line and when those circumstances do arise....if you're going to yip and complain ad-nausium ....maybe traveling is not your cup of tea.

[Laurie S.]

The only real problem we ever had was on a 15-day Panama Canal cruise on the Rotterdam. On the second day, our toilet stopped flushing--no vaccuum--and the push button cover kept falling off. We reported it, and it was fixed. It then broke again shortly thereafter, this time in the middle of the night. We reported it again the next morning, received lots of apologies, and it was fully fixed by noon.

 

That night, the concierge in the Neptune Lounge gave us a bottle of champagne for our troubles. We didn't complain or anything, and certainly didn't ask for anything other than to let us flush. It was a very nice gesture, typical of the service we have received on HAL.

[EmpressofPurple]

Certainly.

 

First was on N. Sky. For the first time, EVER, DW and I walked out of the MDR because of the food quality. What we were unaware of at the time was, smoking was still allowed in the staterooms, and it was obvious. Our room stunk! They tried to mask it with a bleach spray, but the bleach smell was nauseating. To make matters worse, it was a connecting room. There was a 1/4" gap under the connecting door that light actually shined through. You could hear everything through it and as our luck would have it, the people in that room were partyers. The TVs were from the 70s and took 30 seconds to warm up before turning on, and the beds were rock hard...so hard, an egg crate padding didn't help. Other minor problems existed in the buffet, and service and attention to detail suffered on this ship.

 

Fast forward to a great deal on balconies on Sky. We bit, hoping for a better experience. Nope. All the same problems existed, except stateroom smoking had been abolished. Throw in some trashy people and behavior I've never seen before, including throwing garbage at the pilot boat, and it was just an atmosphere I said I would never be a part of again.

 

Next was Dawn. It was a great itinerary at a great price during the holidays. Gawd, I don't even know where to begin with Dawn. Terrible service, a dirty stateroom, odd scheduling, layout, maintenance issues, and the same lack of attention to detail I saw on their other ship led me to the conclusion NCL just isn't on the same level as certain other lines. I saw a pattern. Our stateroom attendant was horrible, and while I could just say it was a problem with one employee, complaining to his supervisors did no good. Here is a link to a photo review I did after that cruise. You can see my complaints for yourself.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1759414

 

But let me be clear. This is a aggregate of numerous small issues over 3 cruises, and the reason I swore them off is, there are other cruise lines out there on which I never had all these problems. So, frankly, why go back?

 

Paul, thanks for your clear descriptions. Very helpful.

 

I have heard multiple descriptions of NCL cruises, both positive and negative, from people who both enjoy freestyle and dislike (or really hate) it... based on the detailed information I have gathered from a wide range of experienced cruisers, I probably will NOT go see this movie!:)

[Taxguy77]

Our first several cruises were on NCL, and one of our best cruises ever. We kept sailing with them and they became worse and worse. We sailed a few months after they started "freestyle" and it was poor food served slowly.

Since we began using different lines, we have had a great time on varied ships.

[MrsPete]

Interesting question. Of course without specific details this is kind of a stab in the dark, but I'd be inclined to complain about a problem that

 

- caused ongoing disruption of my cruise; for example, a problem at a single meal would probably not warrant a complaint, but a repeated problem with the same wait staff might.

 

- was ignored by staff; for example, if I had a legitimate problem in my cabin (say, the TV or the sink wasn't working) and the problem wasn't addressed within a couple hours.

 

- dealt with a serious issue that could endanger someone.

 

- could have been foreseen or corrected with a little foresight; so this eliminates problems with weather, etc. but leaves room for complaints about maintenance of the ship, staffing, etc.

 

I would never complain about

 

- things that are of trivial or passing note anyway; for example, I don't like a specific dessert, or the bartender wasn't particularly friendly.

 

- things that were genuinely accidents; for example, once a waitress spilled a whole glass of ice water on my back. She apologized profusely, and it was genuinely an accident. Things like that, you let go.

 

- were my own stupid fault; for example, if I fail to realize that I'm supposed to turn in my towels, I have no right to complain about a fee.

[kitty9]

While this did not happen to me, it's happened to a friend. For some reason, a particular cruise line has been canceling cruises because they've been booked, rather late in the game, by a group. My friend has been kicked off three cruises because of charters. I know this would make me angry. There's one particular cruise where a number of passengers booked a B2B2B in Asia and found out after they booked airfare, hotels and everything else, that the middle cruise of the three was chartered. This totally screwed every passenger who not only booked the three cruises together, but those who only booked two or the one that was chartered. Seeing the itinerary is in Asia, and there are no alternatives, they canceled all three cruises, and vowed never to cruise that line again. For me, I'm getting tired of cruise lines chartering after the cruise has been nearly booked, only to get thrown off for that group (usually the same group). Cruise lines need to make a rule that if an organization is going to charter an entire ship, they MUST do so as soon as bookings open. These organizations know what cruises they want to charter, but they wait too long in the process, angering a lot of people.