Don't sweat the small stuff

[NLH Arizona]

I love this thread!

 

We have been on 28/29 cruises over the last 25 years and I have never been on a bad cruise. Have done Disney, NCL, Royal, Carnival and some not around anymore and every one was an adventure. We don't understand folks that let a little thing on the first day break the week.

 

Our first cruise to nowhere was out of NYC, we took an inside cabin and did not have all the research we have now. Everything was exciting as we boarded the ship, think it was Carnival. Imagine our surprise when we opened the cabin door to find 2 sets of Bunks!! We laughed so hard and made the best of it. It has become one of our stories.

 

We love cruising for the complete relaxation we BOTH get.

 

Lynda

I remember being on an adventure cruise, where I only had one small bunk with a lousy mattress. After meeting so many like minded (adventurous and having the love of traveling) folks on the cruise and seeing Antarctica and all the wildlife it had to offer, I never noticed the mattress again. If we relish the good things, the bad/uncomfortable things just seem to disappear.

 

I started cruising because it was one of the few vacations where my company couldn't get a hold of me (no cell phones back then) and have continued it over the years, because cruising is such awesome way to spend a vacation.

 

“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” ― Abraham Lincoln

[GoAndHaveFun]

Most of the things are minor. If the little things ruin your vacation maybe you ought to just work all the time. Example: Waiting 1.5 for your main course at Cagney's. Small stuff... Just doin't go there again if you didn't like the wait.

 

Well, I do like Cagneys but I can still not like the 1.5 hr wait. I went to Cagneys again on the Jade (1.5 hr wait was on the Epic) and wait was way faster! Just because we are all privileged enough to go on cruises doesn't mean there won't be things that don't bother us. As much as I agree that issues can be pretty minor onboard, why do people insist on telling us how to feel about things?

[SuiteTraveler]

On our May 9, 2015 Getaway cruise, boarding had only started 2 hours before and an elderly lady on a walker entered the elevator and said to everyone:

 

"I'm already disappointed in the ship."

 

and one of the other ladies on the elevator said:

 

"Well you might need to give it more than just 2 hours."

[quercus alba]

On my last cruise I dislocated my shoulder, spent half of the vacation in a sling, had a camera and phone stolen in Jamaica, couldn't get my kids to agree to times and places to meet...and it was STILL a great cruise. And I'm privileged to be going again in 60 days!

[NLH Arizona]

On my last cruise I dislocated my shoulder, spent half of the vacation in a sling, had a camera and phone stolen in Jamaica, couldn't get my kids to agree to times and places to meet...and it was STILL a great cruise. And I'm privileged to be going again in 60 days!

I like your style and would love to be on a cruise with you, because positive people are the best kind of people.

[ncklhaus]

On my last cruise I dislocated my shoulder, spent half of the vacation in a sling, had a camera and phone stolen in Jamaica, couldn't get my kids to agree to times and places to meet...and it was STILL a great cruise. And I'm privileged to be going again in 60 days!

 

I'll take a ship full of people with your attitude please.:D

Hope your shoulder is better.

[missdixie]

Yes I like this thread.

I have learned to count on 2 hours In the restaurants and MDR. The waiters have been faster when we tell them we have a show.

I've seen many changes through the years and miss some of the things we used to have with cruising. The other lines have cut back too.

I still plan to cruise this year and hope to book next year. It's the best vacation for me.

[SuiteTraveler]

I've got 90 plus cruises so I have at least four times more experience then you. You are in your own little world in the Haven and lost touch with reality. What you find minor would ruin someone else's vacation. I find it quite pompous when someone knows how the rest of us "should" fell and find minor or major. Your are entitled to your opinion but it doesn't always jive with others.

 

You've gone on 90+ cruises? Wow! Is it your family that gives you these cruises?

[newmexicoNita]

Many are angry about changes at NCL. I have cruised 25++ times and I think i know a thing or two about cruising. I don't think the room service charge is here to stay, but glad we will cruise in the Haven this week...lol, while they figure it out. Do you ask why they did that? We have all seen people who push the boundaries on the ship; the rules don't apply to them. Well, this is what happens. We had a fabulous cruise on NCL Epic in March. We didn't do any specialty dining and everything was still wonderful. Was service slow? Sometimes. Did I have to be anywhere? If you had a show, they would speed up for you. I'm on vacation; I don't have to be anywhere. Our cabin was made up a little late a couple of days. So What!!! How about if everyone writes about the good stuff and quit being so negative. The buffet was the best I've ever experienced, the employees were happy and friendly (love the washy washy people), the shows were....entertaining, the drinks were cold, the food was usually hot. No one was shooting at me, or trying to pickpocket me, or trying to sell me a fake designer piece, or asking me to work. I keep seeing posts about people being scared about their upcoming cruise after reading some of the posts. Of course, it's life, sometimes it doesn't go well. It still counts as a vacation. Quit leaving the glass half empty...fill it up!!!!

 

You are so right on. Life is too short to spend time bitching about things that don't go exactly our way.

[newmexicoNita]

Waiting a bit longer for our meal is fine but I draw the line at waiting 1.5 hrs for our main course at Cagneys for a party of 3.

 

Stuff happens. Obvioulsy if you waited that long you had a reason to be upset, you could have either comnplained, asked what happened or just walked out.

[sparks1093]

When I am on vacation I don't let little things bother me. But give me enough little things beforehand and it will affect my decision whether to book a certain vacation or not. (For instance if I were on a cruise and was told I couldn't take food from the buffet back to the cabin I'd roll with it, but if I know beforehand that I can't do that and it is allowed on the competition then it would be considered).

[pfm18]

When I am on vacation I don't let little things bother me. But give me enough little things beforehand and it will affect my decision whether to book a certain vacation or not. (For instance if I were on a cruise and was told I couldn't take food from the buffet back to the cabin I'd roll with it, but if I know beforehand that I can't do that and it is allowed on the competition then it would be considered).

 

 

 

Random question, why would you want to do that anyway?

[cruzsnooze]

Well, I do like Cagneys but I can still not like the 1.5 hr wait. I went to Cagneys again on the Jade (1.5 hr wait was on the Epic) and wait was way faster! Just because we are all privileged enough to go on cruises doesn't mean there won't be things that don't bother us. As much as I agree that issues can be pretty minor onboard, why do people insist on telling us how to feel about things?

That is exactly the point. I love cruising, especially compared to land vacations where I have to work hard to pack and unpack in hotels. I hate when someone tells me I have to feel grateful in a way they deem appropriate. The room service fee won't effect me since i only order coffee in the morning but I resent the fee. I dislike the erosion of inclusive s and the downgraded experience. I see the cruising experience getting more like moving cattle through the chow line VS the time when you were actually served great dishes like you now have to pay for.

Until the scales tip the other way I still plan to cruise. I see it as a value vacation but not a high end vacation on mass market cruise lines.

[sparks1093]

Random question, why would you want to do that anyway?

Do what anyway (don't mean to be obtuse but that question could be directed at a couple different areas of my post)?

[cruzsnooze]

You've gone on 90+ cruises? Wow! Is it your family that gives you these cruises?

Paid full fare for each and every one. We cruise several times a year on many different types of cruises and ships. Have been cruising since 1979 but after early retirement started vacationing more. The medium size ones are my favorite. I haven't been on any mega ships and don't plan to.

[newmexicoNita]

[quote name='quercus alba']On my last cruise I dislocated my shoulder, spent half of the vacation in a sling, had a camera and phone stolen in Jamaica, couldn't get my kids to agree to times and places to meet...and it was STILL a great cruise. And I'm [I]privileged[/I] to be going again in 60 days![/QUOTE]

sounds about like one we took about 3 years ago: family cruise, one person thought every minute all 12 of us should spend together, another person wanted every event scheduled and still another wanted us to just do our own thing. Our son in law thought family cruise meant grandma and ggrandma came along to baby sit wo he could party every night and a couple of days before the end of the cruise my knee went out. We still had a good time. No, it wasn't our best cruise but it was still cruising and we w lucky to have the family all together, regardless..

Snoozecruise: no one is telling you how to feel, the OP is stating how she feels about cruising and simply suggesting we alll think about the positive side and not worry about the negatives so much. If you want to think that is telling you how to think, that is your choice. BTW: I do try and think positively and I am not one who books suites of any kind. Heck 1/2 the time we go just outside, the other 1/2 balcony. We have even done inside a few times. We do what our limited budget will allow. Edited May 21, 2015 by newmexicoNita

[joyy7403]

I've learned over the years to "not sweat the small stuff". I cruise because I love the relaxation, and the fact that I don't have to cook, clean, do laundry or anything else but have fun. I love the crew, we have never had a bad experience with them. And unless I have to be at a show, 1 1/2 hours waiting for dinner is fine. I have my wonderful husband to talk to, and many new and old cruise critic friends to see. I never expect perfection so I'm never disappointed. My husband and I are very lucky to be able to travel. We have lost family members & friends at a young age who will never get to experience everything that we have. We have our health, for now, and will make the most of it. I would never tell anyone how to feel, I'm just grateful for what we have, it may not be there tomorrow.

[GoAndHaveFun]

[quote name='newmexicoNita']Stuff happens. Obvioulsy if you waited that long you had a reason to be upset, you could have either comnplained, asked what happened or just walked out.[/quote]

Thanks for understanding. Truth be told, I am not difficult nor hard to please. Waiting a long time for food is lame but even lamer is rude service. Actually, the table next to us (party of 3 too!) complained to the restaurant manager that it has been 2 hours and they haven't gotten their food yet. We simply told him it has been almost 1.5 hours and I think he said they were busy. We didn't wanna add to his burden. Because it is a specialty dining restaurant, we don't just walk out unless it was like waiter or the manager was being super rude to us. Stuff like this really doesn't ruin my vacation (tho I do make a quick mental note of it). I would briefly mention it in my reviews but I don't base my entire review nor vacation around this particular incident.

[quote name='cruzsnooze']That is exactly the point. I love cruising, especially compared to land vacations where I have to work hard to pack and unpack in hotels. I hate when someone tells me I have to feel grateful in a way they deem appropriate. The room service fee won't effect me since i only order coffee in the morning but I resent the fee. I dislike the erosion of inclusive s and the downgraded experience. I see the cruising experience getting more like moving cattle through the chow line VS the time when you were actually served great dishes like you now have to pay for.
Until the scales tip the other way I still plan to cruise. I see it as a value vacation but not a high end vacation on mass market cruise lines.[/quote]

I don't ever use room service either but I don't like that NCL now charges for room service and also have a rule about not taking food out of the buffet. (I previously mentioned on the 1st page that I only take food out when I get food my still asleep parents). Like I won't circlejerk about it nor mention the new room service thing in every topic but it is something that's just ehhh what are you doing NCL?