What are your Cruise Review pet peeves?

[Aquahound]

I don't care about some of the things listed in this thread, like inedible food, etc. I have enough sense to know it's their opinion and they are making a point by saying things like that. I actually like when people use metaphors to get their point across. I do have a few peeves though.

 

My first peeve is reviews that start long before the cruise. Two examples are one, a review I remember reading that started with pictures of them packing and pictures of their front driveway at home. And two, a recent "live from" review that started about 2 weeks before the cruise.

 

My second peeve would be some of the responses...specifically, people who just can't handle when a negative comment is made about their favorite cruise line.

 

My third peeve is people who start threads bashing a review posted in the reviews section of this website because the authors are not around to defend themselves. I find this cowardly.

Edited January 5, 2015 by Aquahound

[Dcoy]

My biggest pet peeve are the "live" report groupies. I want to read the OP's report, see their pics, and learn something about their cruise. I do not want to flip through pages of "joining", "great job", "love this report". If you want to read it, subscribe - no reason to clutter up the thread with a bunch of nonsense :)

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

I agree. What really bugs me about live reports is when the OP has a nice long writeup and someone uses the "Quote" button to repeat the long write up just to say a one word reply.

 

Don

[phoohbear]

I love all the pre cruise build up, the anticipation and plotting and planning is the favorite part of the cruise for me so I love to see others get as excited as I do. It also gives you a peek into their writing style and voice.

 

A peeve I have is when there is a lot of build up and details on the first day or two but by the end of it you can tell the writer Is bored with it and you get posts like "we had something for dinner and caught a show or something and then got off the ship and went home". I know these reviews are a lot of work but don't leave me hanging, lol.

 

I have to second the "don't use the quote button", it messes with the flow for the readers, cut and paste the portion that is relevant to your post not the whole halve page 6 photo post.

 

Lastly, I can't stand the people who open with "I'm very easygoing and not a complainer" but the entire post is a long rant. If your whole cruise was ruined because someone cut in front of you at the buffet or you had to wait 20 min to board then there is your sign that you may be a little uptight. I'm not saying you can't post your complaints, but don't try to play it off like you are easygoing and all your problems are the fault of the cruise line. They can't control every aspect of your vacation and I'm sure if they could just jettison all the rude passengers they would 😉.

[FamilyCruiseDiva]

I prefer the reviews submitted to Cruise Critic. It would be nice if they could have photos embedded in them.

 

Reviews written on the forum boards are interesting but can be lost when you try to search for reviews. It is also a big time waster to go through pages and pages of minor comments or thanks for the reviews in order to get to the next posting.

 

I much prefer a concise, well written review that can be easily found under "reviews". I don't enjoy a lot of personal information which are not useful or helpful. These reviews fall under "creative writing" exercises.

 

I should have been more clear at the beginning: I was really speaking about the reviews in the Reviews section as I have the same problem as you, when reading those in the Forums.

 

One of my favorite laughable reviews from the Reviews section (cannot recall which ship just now) was likely written by a child/teen/young adult who wrote, "nothing to do but eat and sleep" and stated that the ship is not for anyone under the age of 80. :rolleyes:

Edited January 5, 2015 by FamilyCruiseDiva

[SuiteTraveler]

I posted my honest opinion about the way RCCL does Owner suites compared to the way NCL does suites - both on both lines newer ships. There are pros and cons to both lines, but basically, I feel that NCL does suites much better than RCCL by providing more guest amenities and guest touch points through the butler and concierge. My hope with the review was the RCCL would read it and take action to upgrade the way they do suites and also that someone who wanted a comparison would understand the differences and know what to expect regardless of which line they chose. I did point out the good things about the RCCL ship as well as the things that could be better.

 

So my pet peeve is that we are supposed to be Cruise Critic and we are supposed to critique different cruises and compare and contrast, but even, when I tried to do this in a very fair and informative way, I found myself being attacked by RCCL "cheerleaders" who don't realize I'm trying to help RCCL make their suites better. If I can help a great cruise line like RCCL improve by telling them the difference between the customer experience on their ship and the customer experience in the same class cabin on their nearest competitor from a guest's perspective, then I believe I am doing them a great favor. The most important thing for any business in the service industry is understanding what your customers want and appreciate.

 

At times the cruise line specific "cheerleaders" try to get in the way of that which is, sadly and nonsensically, to their own detriment, IF they are indeed cruisers on that line at all. Sometimes I wonder if the "cheerleaders" here really are here to be honest with the cruise lines about their cruises. Maybe some of these people are actually trolls attempting subterfuge in order to undermine these companies, telling them they are perfect the way they are, and applying pressure to anyone who tells the truth in their reviews to silence them, while, in fact, cruising other lines. I hope not, but at times, their irrational, attacking and illogical posts look that way to me.

[kimlovesfl]

I think weather can be an important part of a review, especially to a reader who may be deciding on when to cruise to a certain destination. "It rained most of the time we were there" from a cruiser who went to the Bahamas in July may be relevant to someone considering a Bahamas cruise but not sure when to go. To say that this ruined their vacation, well, as I say to folks at the theme park where I work-this is Florida, it rains almost every day here in the summer.

 

I like the food reviews, if they are specific enough. I am smart enough to know what I like, and if I would also enjoy what the reviewer had. Rare steak with mushroom gravy would be a big turn-off for me, but delicious seafood or a wonderful vegetable dish would make my mouth water.

[chuckvwinner]

[quote name=Floridiana;45148364

I don't believe reviews that are ALL negative - weather' date=' fellow passengers, food, people on shore, attractions.

If it is a cruise with places where I plan to go, I sometimes check TripAdvisor to see if the same person is always negative.

Last year, the same three people berated the same ship for several weeks in repeated postings. We went and the ship was just fine.[/quote]

 

I agree. If you can't find something positive about a ship, then you obviously are a very unhappy person. Save your hard earned vacation money for some professional counseling.

 

My other pet peeve are people that go on budget cruise lines and then try to compare it to a luxury line. Apples to apples please.

 

I would like to hear more people talk about how happy they were with the price point of their cruise. That is usually at the top of my list of factors to consider. It seems kind of taboo here on CC.

[SeaMystique]

Allow me to add my voice to those deploring

*bad grammar

*poor word choice

*Excess Capitals

*silly spelling mistakes like "dinning" for "dining"

and other evidence of the mass illiteracy sweeping our society .. harrumph!;)

 

We all enjoy different aspects of cruising. However, as a fitness seeker and constant dieter, I do an eye-roll when people talk about how much they eat as if that were some sort of virtue or praise-worthy achievement. That's just me. Call me a fitness/food **** if you like. I reserve the right to deplore the gluttonous. (the censored word referred to the most horrible people of the 20th century: the ones who killed most of my mother's family in 1941. I'm actually glad it's censored).

 

It's also not fair to make snide comments about mobility scooters or wheelchairs. Those who do are schoolyard bullies. No mercy .. even though scooters are often used by those who ate themselves into immobility, no one has a right to ridicule their users.

 

Oh yes, the word "awesome" has become so overused it's lost all meaning. There is such a thing as a thesaurus (including online versions). Lend a little variety to your vocabulary!

 

Now if you'll excuse me, I'll go back to reading "War and Peace" in Russian ... no, not really. However, there is nothing wrong or shameful in having a mind and the ability to use it!

 

Still tilting against windmills.

Edited January 5, 2015 by SeaMystique
wanted to add comment

[kimlovesfl]

Awesome and amazing, 2 of the most overused words in the American English language right now. I thought of a drinking game once, while watching House Hunters on HGTV-every time someone says "Amazing", take a drink; you'd be drunk before the half hour show is over.

 

In any writing, poor spelling and grammar and sentence structure drives me bonkers. It can make the most educated person sound like a fool.

[Floridiana]

My hope with the review was the RCCL would read it and take action to upgrade the way they do suites and also that someone who wanted a comparison would understand the differences and know what to expect regardless of which line they chose.

 

Do they read reviews on cc?

[Karysa]

I think weather can be an important part of a review, especially to a reader who may be deciding on when to cruise to a certain destination. "It rained most of the time we were there" from a cruiser who went to the Bahamas in July may be relevant to someone considering a Bahamas cruise but not sure when to go. To say that this ruined their vacation, well, as I say to folks at the theme park where I work-this is Florida, it rains almost every day here in the summer.

 

I like the food reviews, if they are specific enough. I am smart enough to know what I like, and if I would also enjoy what the reviewer had. Rare steak with mushroom gravy would be a big turn-off for me, but delicious seafood or a wonderful vegetable dish would make my mouth water.

 

 

I remember filling out the RCI Timeshare reviews for many years and "rate your weather during your vacation" was part of it. Seems like a no brainier to me.

Edited January 5, 2015 by Karysa

[OctoberKat]

Interesting, I rarely access the reviews posted to the "Reviews" section; it isn't user friendly for me although I look there at least once to suss out a ship under consideration. Much prefer the reviews on the forum.

 

That said, I concur with those deploring lack of paragraphs, poor grammar and syntax, etc. Nevertheless my highest disapprobation is reserved for the Rah-Rah-Booyay crowd, members of which LOVE everything, and it was all just fabulous and fantastically wonderful and how marvelous is X cruiseline and it couldn't have been more magically perfect. Followed closely in second place are those who cite dining or other interactions with various ship officers, special bonus for those who land dinner with execs from the home office (presidents, CEOs and the like).

 

Whew, big exhale: I feel so much better now, thank you.

[FamilyCruiseDiva]

As I mentioned earlier, and should have mentioned in my thread-starter, I was writing specifically of the reviews in the Reviews section at the front of this website.

 

In those reviews, one selects an overall star rating for the cruise.

 

In my opinion, rating a cruise as just a one-star when your chief complaint is the weather, is not warranted. Absolutely one should mention it as a factor so that others consider the weather when selecting which dates to cruise.

 

I don't believe the cruise ship and line should be handed repeated low ratings for something which is beyond their control.

 

Again, this is just my personal pet peeve. :p

[pris993]

Over the past 2 days, I've read dozens upon dozens of reviews of several different ships. I've found myself rolling my eyes over several common complaints, which in my opinion should not translate to a low rating for a ship or cruise line.

 

My top pet peeves are equal:

1) those who complain about and/or are offended by their fellow passengers and their behavior as though this is somehow the cruise ship's fault. There are extreme situations which the crew could have perhaps handled differently/better (a recent Chumley Bears cruise thread comes to mind) but those are not the type to which I refer.

 

2)complaints about the weather!!! Stating that the cold/hot weather ruined your cruise should NOT warrant a bad rating for the ship, period. I read quite a few reviews saying that it was too hot to enjoy any outdoor activities either on the ship or in port, and that their money was wasted.

I don't get it, I really don't. I have sympathy for those who encounter rough seas , I truly do (so I'm not referring to those situations), but temperatures can be dealt with if you keep a positive attitude.

 

Now, feel free to say that your pet peeve is those who complain about the complaints :p. I am aware of the irony here. ;)

 

# one pet peeve is reviews that are long and are not broken up with paragraphs - very hard to read and follow.

[Karysa]

As I mentioned earlier, and should have mentioned in my thread-starter, I was writing specifically of the reviews in the Reviews section at the front of this website.

 

In those reviews, one selects an overall star rating for the cruise.

 

In my opinion, rating a cruise as just a one-star when your chief complaint is the weather, is not warranted. Absolutely one should mention it as a factor so that others consider the weather when selecting which dates to cruise.

 

I don't believe the cruise ship and line should be handed repeated low ratings for something which is beyond their control.

 

Again, this is just my personal pet peeve. :p

 

 

I have hardly ever read a one star review. That's usually someone with an axe to grind. When every single thing stinks you know that it has to be the poster. The weather can certainly change a 4 star into a 3 star though if you ask me and that's why I believe that weather is indeed important to capture somehow in a review.

[Fergus]

I like to have a brief, one-sentence intro to a review; if you say "we were on the Splendor last month" and expect me to know what your ports were, I'm going to move along - I'm not enough of a cruise fan to keep up with every ship and where they are sailing to. I want to know what your ports are to determine whether or not I'm going to continue reading.

 

Like others, I DETEST reviews that are long single paragraph rants. Break it up, people. (That's one of my pet peeves for ALL social media.)

 

I like a good balance: some info about your cabin selection and service, some details about the food and service, some info about the entertainment, and some info about the ports. If you didn't see any shows or visit any clubs or shops, just say so, that's fine, I appreciate when the reviewer lets us know they won't be commenting on a particular feature.

[babs135]

Interesting thread

 

One thing that bugs me is if you try and do as honest a review as possible there are still people prepared to jump on you for daring to write something negative about their favourite cruise line.

 

We took our first ever P&O cruise last summer and when we came back I posted a review within the forum stating that any comments I made were my own personal opinions and nothing else; one man's meat is another man's poison

 

I was fallen on from the highest point by P&Oers who simply couldn't grasp that there might be negatives, ie Public toilets that were out of action for the entire 14 days of the cruise, toilets in the cabin that kept breaking down, lifts (elevators :) ) not working, etc. Even when I recounted how I'd met a lady whose husband had hurt his arm when the lift door failed to open properly I was 'flamed'.

 

BTW we did enjoy the cruise :D

 

So what's the point of doing a review? Just back from a transatlantic crossing on the QM2 and I've yet to do a review. Don't know if I can be bothered.

[iancal]

I simply want facts about the cruise.

 

Not in the least bit interested in Uncle Joes birthday or other family details. Don't really care to hear about how they got yo the airport, the flight, the pre cruise hotel, and especially not any of the gorey shopping details.

 

Just the facts. Don't even care that much about the entertainment because it can vary so greatly.

[FamilyCruiseDiva]

Interesting thread

 

One thing that bugs me is if you try and do as honest a review as possible there are still people prepared to jump on you for daring to write something negative about their favourite cruise line.

 

We took our first ever P&O cruise last summer and when we came back I posted a review within the forum stating that any comments I made were my own personal opinions and nothing else; one man's meat is another man's poison

 

I was fallen on from the highest point by P&Oers who simply couldn't grasp that there might be negatives, ie Public toilets that were out of action for the entire 14 days of the cruise, toilets in the cabin that kept breaking down, lifts (elevators :) ) not working, etc. Even when I recounted how I'd met a lady whose husband had hurt his arm when the lift door failed to open properly I was 'flamed'.

 

BTW we did enjoy the cruise :D

 

So what's the point of doing a review? Just back from a transatlantic crossing on the QM2 and I've yet to do a review. Don't know if I can be bothered.

 

Since you are not the first to mention such a negative response from those who don't like what you have to say, I wonder how many people refrain from writing reviews for that very reason?

 

If you do feel like writing a review of your TA, you can put it in the Reviews sections without any possibility of being flamed. Of course, you won't have the opportunity to answer specific questions or receive positive feedback, either, so it is a trade-off. :cool:

 

I enjoy reading reviews in the Review section when I first begin to research a particular ship. Then if I feel it is a definite contender, I will search the Forums for longer, more detailed reviews which often contain cabin photos. :D

[Karysa]

I simply want facts about the cruise.

 

Not in the least bit interested in Uncle Joes birthday or other family details. Don't really care to hear about how they got yo the airport, the flight, the pre cruise hotel, and especially not any of the gorey shopping details.

 

Just the facts. Don't even care that much about the entertainment because it can vary so greatly.

 

If you just want "the facts" and specs on a ship and don't even care about what the entertainment on board is because it changes then couldn't you just read a brochure on the cruise or look at the website or discuss the ship with a cruise line sales rep? Reviews are pretty much opinions and less fact especially fact that doesn't change like bands, amount of bingo ect.

 

If someone discusses the size of the cabin they tend to describe it as one of the smaller or larger balcony cabins I've had. The actual specs are not given in a review. Even if someone described the pool area as always crowded, chances are that the next reviewer will tell you that they saw lots of seats by the pool. Passengers change and people's expectations are different and some folks see the glass half full and some see the glass half empty.

 

If you don't want opinions and strictly want " just the facts" then I don't think the review section or cc in general is the best place to do your cruise research.;):)

[Floridiana]

Interesting thread

 

One thing that bugs me is if you try and do as honest a review as possible there are still people prepared to jump on you for daring to write something negative about their favourite cruise line.

 

 

That may be true. However, I have read a review with a headline "Worst cruise ever on a beautiful ship" and the reviewer went on with lots of details of what went wrong. It didn't matter any more that he hid his description of a wonderful ship in a sea of complaints about things that don't matter to other passengers. He was surprised that he was flamed. Honesty is in the eye of the beholder.

[alexspepa]

I know one thing I do like - any review posted by Sailorjack!

[ronandannette]

My biggest pet peeve are the "live" report groupies. I want to read the OP's report, see their pics, and learn something about their cruise. I do not want to flip through pages of "joining", "great job", "love this report". If you want to read it, subscribe - no reason to clutter up the thread with a bunch of nonsense :)

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

...and please, for the love of God, DON'T quote posts with 5 or 6 pictures in them just to say "beautiful pictures".

 

Allow me to add my voice to those deploring

*bad grammar

*poor word choice

*Excess Capitals

*silly spelling mistakes like "dinning" for "dining"

and other evidence of the mass illiteracy sweeping our society .. harrumph!;)

 

We all enjoy different aspects of cruising. However, as a fitness seeker and constant dieter, I do an eye-roll when people talk about how much they eat as if that were some sort of virtue or praise-worthy achievement. That's just me. Call me a fitness/food **** if you like. I reserve the right to deplore the gluttonous. (the censored word referred to the most horrible people of the 20th century: the ones who killed most of my mother's family in 1941. I'm actually glad it's censored).

 

It's also not fair to make snide comments about mobility scooters or wheelchairs. Those who do are schoolyard bullies. No mercy .. even though scooters are often used by those who ate themselves into immobility, no one has a right to ridicule their users.

 

Oh yes, the word "awesome" has become so overused it's lost all meaning. There is such a thing as a thesaurus (including online versions). Lend a little variety to your vocabulary!

 

Now if you'll excuse me, I'll go back to reading "War and Peace" in Russian ... no, not really. However, there is nothing wrong or shameful in having a mind and the ability to use it!

 

Still tilting against windmills.

 

:rolleyes: Hmmm, this must be a real dilemma for you - to revile the gluttony or extend unconditional compassion to the immobility...:rolleyes:

Edited January 6, 2015 by ronandannette

[Cruisin' Chick]

I have hardly ever read a one star review. That's usually someone with an axe to grind. When every single thing stinks you know that it has to be the poster. The weather can certainly change a 4 star into a 3 star though if you ask me and that's why I believe that weather is indeed important to capture somehow in a review.

 

It's probably rain at some point on every one of our cruises, but I wouldn't think to downgrade a cruise based on weather. If weather is really important to someone, then they should research the typical weather for a region and month and decide if they want to risk it. If you want guarantee warm weather, then probably a Caribbean cruise would be the best choice...but you'll probably get some rain, even if it doesn't last a long time unless there's a tropical storm or hurricane in the area.

 

Even an Alaskan cruise wouldn't necessarily mean colder weather..the week before our Alaskan cruise in August 2004 there had been a heat wave in the northwest and in the Alaskan ports, very mild temps. We ran into a couple just getting off their cruise right before we headed to the port and they said they wore shorts all week (of course, they could be from a normally cooler area...). It got cooler by our second day, and was foggy in one port and rainy on our last sea day, but we absolutely enjoyed our cruise. We went in with the idea that it would be much cooler than back at home (not difficult as it was 114 degrees the day before we left home to start our tip).

[tip]

Many posters have made some valid points in their list of "pet peeves". I would certainly agree with the suggestion that folks use paragraphs or even breaking their review up by using subheadings.

 

On the other hand, just because you are not interested in something, that does not mean that it should not be part of a review. I am not the least bit interested in your experiences with art auctions or casinos, but no doubt some readers are and read these sections. Reading a review is much like reading a daily newspaper. You do not have to read all of it!

 

Several folks have said that they do not want to hear about pre-cruise hotels. I disagree. The pre-cruise experiences interest me even if you do not care about such things. For example, we have many cruises under our belts, but have never cruised out of New Orleans. Since we are taking a cruise out of New Orleans this April, I have been looking for tips for places to stay and things to do and yes, I check the "New Orleans" threads of these boards often. When I read a review by someone who sails out of New Orleans, I am really interested in what they have to say about their pre-cruise experience. My pre and post cruise aspects of a cruise are just as important to me in the enjoyment of my vacation. Again, it is similar to reading a newspaper. If you are not interested in something, skip over it. I would be willing to bet that by now, some people have skipped over my post!:D

Edited January 6, 2015 by tip