Prepare to be....DISAPPOINTED!!

[Yoitsbbg]

Unfortunately, the OP sounds like the type of passenger today's cruise lines may be able to live without, as long as the lines can continue to fill the ships with folks who either have lesser expectations or are willing to pay a premium for better quality.

Perhaps true....they will survive with or without me. I do have the choice to partake or not. A most astute observation.

 

:)

 

-YO

[Cruzinforpeace***]

Best part as consumers is that we can take our business elsewhere. I'm thinking Oceania may be a better fit to meet your expectations.

 

Yes, there are other options. My issue is with when cruise lines misrepresent their product. Part of that misrepresentation comes from cruise sites. They need to be more forthright with the true quality and services provided. Then the consumer can make an educated decision as to if that particular cruise is “worth it”. Not everyone is picky about food quality, crowds or activities. However, an honest assessment is difficult to come by.

[njm5378]

Yes, there are other options. My issue is with when cruise lines misrepresent their product. Part of that misrepresentation comes from cruise sites. They need to be more forthright with the true quality and services provided. Then the consumer can make an educated decision as to if that particular cruise is “worth it”. Not everyone is picky about food quality, crowds or activities. However, an honest assessment is difficult to come by.

 

Assessments are as subjective as tastes and preferences. Most mainstream lines are more similar than different. If the op has tried most of the lines and is still searching to be satisfied, I am guessing that she will continue for quite a while to find one that will meet her expectations.

[tcrandal]

Funny how messages get interpreted.

 

I never said I had an awful time, I said I was disappointed in what I paid for. Yes, I do expect higher end things and yes, cruising used to be all that and more.

 

Sorry, I must have misinterpreted this...

 

The only pluses were Chops...food and service was good as well as the Bartender in the Wine bar. That's about it.

 

I certainly agree that you have many valid complaints, and it is good to post your opinions here so people can formulate their own and make sure they research what they are getting so expectations are appropriately set.

 

I try and get a pulse of who people are from their post and I form an opinion. I originally read good things about RCCL. Perhaps I misjudged those who posted their reviews. Am I right? Am I wrong? I guess that's for you to decide if you plan on taking a cruise. Form your own opinion and go cruise RCCL or not.

 

You are 100% correct, and I think it's important to note that when you complain on a public forum, people are going to make comments back that you may or may not agree with. Certainly, you don't need to feel obligated to defend your opinion, you already stated it. My opinion is that your expectations outgrew your bookings and you need to book Haven on NCL or a higher end cruise line. I can tell you that our experience in Haven was perfect, and I thought we were likely spoiled for life, but we've cruised non-Haven since then, and it's fine. If you think you spent a lot for your cruise, then you need to realize that you may not be able to afford your expectations. Certainly the issues you experienced, such as the vulgar music, lousy looking lettuce, etc, the service was definitely not on par to what you deserved, but I think that served to magnify some of the more benign things. I suppose it's all in the way you present things, such as the lettuce, which ruined the otherwise decent meal, if you don't give equal time to the positives and negatives, the whole message might be spoiled.

 

This, cruise past cruise, however...was just one snowball after another of let downs for what you pay for. Nothing more than that. I could care less whether one agrees with me or not. I'm not in it for the court of public opinion which everyone seems to harp on in todays social media world. I posted what I did so those can see what it is.

 

You posted this in a message forum, other opinions are fair game.

 

As for the crap they sell...watches can be a good deal (MAYBE) but watch your gems and quality. I asked about price on a pair of 1 carot diamond studs and they were trying to charge me what I paid for my wife's 1 1/2 carot diamonds. Not even the same quality/color. So you really need to know your jewelry sense before you buy on a ship (or in the islands for that matter!).

 

I think the above summarizes some of the problem. I can tell you as a fellow Gen-Xer, white collar male, I research absolutely everything I spend money on, even if it's a small purchase. Anyone purchasing something on a cruise ship (or most tourist areas) is likely caught up in the moment and purely impulsive, or they simply don't care that they are overpaying and just want a memory of the ship. Whichever it is, doesn't really matter, until they complain about it.... Hopefully you'll be able to use this a lesson for future cruises, and when things go wrong, address them as they come in. I would have sought out whoever is in charge at a high level for the music playing, actually contacted the steward, and if they were not responsive the hotel director. I would have spoke to the food director about the lettuce, and as for the puke, who is to say it hadn't just happened and they put something around it while they went to grab the mop? The point is to call the issues out in real time, and address them with the appropriate people. Maybe I'm reading wrong, but I don't see that you said you actually tried to contact the Steward or hotel director.

 

I read a review right after yours yesterday, and you might get a kick out of reading it. It is a very good example how you can provide the negatives and positives in a review and allow the reader to interpret for themselves. It's funny how different the overall tone is and how well the issues are presented.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2605620

 

Thanks for posting your experience and for those reading it, as I recall reading these types of posts before my first cruise, and almost cancelling it because I found so many negative posts.... Expect little and be pleasantly surprised. If your expectations go up as you cruise more often, budget accordingly.

[TNcruising02]

Great song but not appropriate to the audience there. I would be unable to copy and paste on this forum before the post was taken down.

However if anyone is not familiar with the lyrics I will post a link

http://www.songtexte.com/songtext/prophets-of-rage/killing-in-the-name-5b0883ac.html

 

Thanks for posting the lyrics. That is totally inappropriate to be played on a cruise in an area frequented by kids.

 

The banana split looked tasty, but I agree that it should have been in a bowl. I would also expect something a bit better if I had to pay for it on a cruise.

 

The food should be fresh. I am not picky about food and things don't have to be perfect, but I at least want it to be fresh.

The vomit should have been cleaned up right away. I believe a person can get norovirus from being near vomit that is contaminated with it.

The light out wouldn't have bothered me. I think a combination of irritating things during the entire cruise can cause a person to become annoyed.

[Cincy2]

Got off the Indy a couple of weeks ago . Service was excellent. Room clean. Food good, obviously not gourmet but enjoyable. Bar service a little slow. Had a great time. Doesn't negate your experience. I guess every experience is different .

[OSULabRat]

Sorry, I must have misinterpreted this...

 

 

 

I certainly agree that you have many valid complaints, and it is good to post your opinions here so people can formulate their own and make sure they research what they are getting so expectations are appropriately set.

 

 

 

You are 100% correct, and I think it's important to note that when you complain on a public forum, people are going to make comments back that you may or may not agree with. Certainly, you don't need to feel obligated to defend your opinion, you already stated it. My opinion is that your expectations outgrew your bookings and you need to book Haven on NCL or a higher end cruise line. I can tell you that our experience in Haven was perfect, and I thought we were likely spoiled for life, but we've cruised non-Haven since then, and it's fine. If you think you spent a lot for your cruise, then you need to realize that you may not be able to afford your expectations. Certainly the issues you experienced, such as the vulgar music, lousy looking lettuce, etc, the service was definitely not on par to what you deserved, but I think that served to magnify some of the more benign things. I suppose it's all in the way you present things, such as the lettuce, which ruined the otherwise decent meal, if you don't give equal time to the positives and negatives, the whole message might be spoiled.

 

 

 

You posted this in a message forum, other opinions are fair game.

 

 

 

I think the above summarizes some of the problem. I can tell you as a fellow Gen-Xer, white collar male, I research absolutely everything I spend money on, even if it's a small purchase. Anyone purchasing something on a cruise ship (or most tourist areas) is likely caught up in the moment and purely impulsive, or they simply don't care that they are overpaying and just want a memory of the ship. Whichever it is, doesn't really matter, until they complain about it.... Hopefully you'll be able to use this a lesson for future cruises, and when things go wrong, address them as they come in. I would have sought out whoever is in charge at a high level for the music playing, actually contacted the steward, and if they were not responsive the hotel director. I would have spoke to the food director about the lettuce, and as for the puke, who is to say it hadn't just happened and they put something around it while they went to grab the mop? The point is to call the issues out in real time, and address them with the appropriate people. Maybe I'm reading wrong, but I don't see that you said you actually tried to contact the Steward or hotel director.

 

I read a review right after yours yesterday, and you might get a kick out of reading it. It is a very good example how you can provide the negatives and positives in a review and allow the reader to interpret for themselves. It's funny how different the overall tone is and how well the issues are presented.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2605620

 

Thanks for posting your experience and for those reading it, as I recall reading these types of posts before my first cruise, and almost cancelling it because I found so many negative posts.... Expect little and be pleasantly surprised. If your expectations go up as you cruise more often, budget accordingly.

This was an excellent and thorough response. Much more polite than mine, but you echo my thoughts exactly!

 

- Sent from my Samsung Note 8

[Cincy2]

We were on the same sailing as OP. Our experience was the polar opposite.

 

Same here .

[jaminvermont]

Sorry you were disappointed. We just returned on 3/1 from a 5 night sailing on the Independence. I guess I'm just not that fussy. Our wait staff and room steward were great and I have no complaints about the food. Hey, I didn't have to cook. My only complaint was the lack of waiters in the pool area. Hence the bars were backed up. We had no idea it was a "Steelers cruise". My son-in law was over the moon. (He's from Pittsburgh). I didn't find the ship untidy... Just my 2 cents.

[Yoitsbbg]

Assessments are as subjective as tastes and preferences. Most mainstream lines are more similar than different. If the op has tried most of the lines and is still searching to be satisfied, I am guessing that she will continue for quite a while to find one that will meet her expectations.

Who ever said I was disappointed with the other lines?

 

I was simply stating the quality on an overall has declined. This particular cruise, however was a little over the top. Not what I paid for. Most definitely would do Celebrity again....or atleast go back.

 

-YO

[ReneeFLL]

........Of course then I would just avoid the Flow Rider when such an offensive song was played.

 

And just why should you, he or anyone else have to avoid the flow ride when they play crap like that? They shouldn't be playing it in the first place in that area of the ship. The flow rider is one of the things that attract people and they should be able to enjoy it as it's part of the cost of the cruise and expectations.

 

I agree he should have addressed some of the issues while he was on board, but he didn't. Now the only thing to do is to let RC know about them and to come on here to give his review and let others know about the problems he had. Like he said before he is wanting to let others know so they are aware of some of the things. The people that have cruised more than a few times usually know of such issues, but what about the newbies? If all they read was the rosey reviews then they will be in for a rude awakening. When I am interested in a product and want to know what other people think about it then I will read the reviews. The good and the bad and then I can judge for myself if I am interested in buying it.

[kevinyork]

And just why should you, he or anyone else have to avoid the flow ride when they play crap like that? They shouldn't be playing it in the first place in that area of the ship. The flow rider is one of the things that attract people and they should be able to enjoy it as it's part of the cost of the cruise and expectations.

 

 

 

I agree he should have addressed some of the issues while he was on board, but he didn't. Now the only thing to do is to let RC know about them and to come on here to give his review and let others know about the problems he had. Like he said before he is wanting to let others know so they are aware of some of the things. The people that have cruised more than a few times usually know of such issues, but what about the newbies? If all they read was the rosey reviews then they will be in for a rude awakening. When I am interested in a product and want to know what other people think about it then I will read the reviews. The good and the bad and then I can judge for myself if I am interested in buying it.

 

 

 

Totally agree, but if it had been raised at the time it would have been addressed and wouldn’t affect others.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[aknursemom]

These types of threads always bring out the worst in people, and you always see <insert cruise line here> loyalists coming to defend their own. On the other hand, you always have different types of people, some tend to focus on the negatives, and others the positives. When I read the first post, in my opinion, it certainly had merit, and it's a good place to voice an opinion. Then I read some of the follow ups, and started thinking that while the cruise definitely had issues that I completely agree with the OP on, if the only thing they can view as positive on the entire trip is Chops, I've reduced the initial credit I gave.

 

We all have varying expectations, and many of the things that occurred are inexcusable, but nothing that would have impacted the amazing time and experience with my family around me and enjoying time away.

 

The OP admits they look down upon Carnival, and other lines, including NCL, so it is quite possible, that their tastes have evolved to the next level, and they are ready to stay in NCL Haven, or RCL suites for better service. Whether you look at it as a positive or negative, cruises have morphed to cater to the masses, and offer varying levels of quality and service based on what you pay. No, that doesn't mean you have to pay for a suite to get decent lettuce, and a bowl for ice cream, but maybe it's time to spend more money to try the next level on NCL, RCL or possibly Crystal.

 

I sail RCL for the first time aboard the Anthem in April, and can't wait. We've sailed Carnival once (many moons ago), Crystal once, and mostly NCL (Haven twice). Unlike many on these forums, we aren't "loyal" to a brand, we pick a ship that looks like fun and go with it. When planning a trip, I would have definitely looked at a ship going into drydock soon as a ship to avoid. Sure, that shouldn't be an excuse for most of the complaints, but it's a clue beforehand that there could be issues.

 

Wish you the best on future cruises, just hope that you can find more than a dinner at Chops as a positive for your next vacation. Mine would be waking up with my wife next to me and hanging out with my son when he's not ditching us at kids club! It's really easy to find positive things when you value things around you and realize these first world issues really are quite minor.

 

In all honesty, I only mention first world problems so I can post my absolute favorite video:

 

That is a riot!

 

Sent from my SM-G935U using Forums mobile app

[karena1]

Been on Indy a number of times out of FLL and never had anything but great service and good food. Would sail on Indy again in a heartbeat. A cruise is what you make of it. I love to cruise, food is not a big "deal" for me, but hubby thought the food was good. We never do specialty restaurants as we thing the food in the MDR is just as good.

[nik23]

Just got off the Indy 1 week prior to your sailing. We had one of the most amazing cruises ever. We repeated that sentiment many times throughout our 5 days on the ship. (and I have many cruises under our belts, ranging from Interior to Star Class). Service was efficient, bar service was on par, and food quality was good. If we didn't like our MDR course, we ordered another or just visited the other food choices available throughout the ship. I didn't even notice the missing lights on the Promenade sign, guess those minor things just are not important to me.

I enjoy being at sea on a floating vessel....its vacation! Enjoy it, because it will soon be over. I feel, stopping to take pics of the minor inconsistencies is just making oneself miserable. Look away and find the positive.

I felt obligated to post a reply, because even though this ship is heading to drydock, it is an amazing ship. We truly enjoyed our time on her. We will definitely sail her again, and can't wait to see what changes are made.

[njm5378]

Who ever said I was disappointed with the other lines?

 

I was simply stating the quality on an overall has declined. This particular cruise, however was a little over the top. Not what I paid for. Most definitely would do Celebrity again....or atleast go back.

 

-YO

 

I just made an assumption. In my opinion many of your complaints are petty and in no way guaranteed in your cruise contract. I am glad that my vacation experiences haven't been reduced to counting operational lightbulbs or exposed threads on chairs in the dining room. To each their own. Happy cruising.

[Cruzinforpeace***]

I just made an assumption. In my opinion many of your complaints are petty and in no way guaranteed in your cruise contract. I am glad that my vacation experiences haven't been reduced to counting operational lightbulbs or exposed threads on chairs in the dining room. To each their own. Happy cruising.

 

Wow, you’re really defending RCL. Do you work for them? Opinions are opinions and an individual’s experiences are THEIR experiences. They are valid for that person and may be for others. Please don’t attack someone’s opinions as “petty”. We post on this website to share our experiences and find support from one another. We are trying to HELP others to make educated decisions while cruising. We may not all agree but it’s important to acknowledge the validity of that person’s experience, not attack them.

[plo888]

Wow, you’re really defending RCL. Do you work for them? Opinions are opinions and an individual’s experiences are THEIR experiences. They are valid for that person and may be for others. Please don’t attack someone’s opinions as “petty”. We post on this website to share our experiences and find support from one another. We are trying to HELP others to make educated decisions while cruising. We may not all agree but it’s important to acknowledge the validity of that person’s experience, not attack them.

 

Yes everyone is entitled to an opinion. My problem is OP title. Telling people to "prepare to be disappointed" is not a way to start off your experience and not be prepared to received some "Defense!". Its more click bait imho. I also briefly viewed your youtube video and it sure sounded like your other half set it up for a not so wonderful cruise from the start, which may have jaded you.

[tcrandal]

Wow, you’re really defending RCL. Do you work for them? Opinions are opinions and an individual’s experiences are THEIR experiences. They are valid for that person and may be for others. Please don’t attack someone’s opinions as “petty”. We post on this website to share our experiences and find support from one another. We are trying to HELP others to make educated decisions while cruising. We may not all agree but it’s important to acknowledge the validity of that person’s experience, not attack them.

 

See, this is where I have issues.. Some people are just negative in general, for instance, some people spend time making a video during their sailing walking around the buffet complaining that it's horrible and the food is bad, and disgusting. The issue is those types of posts / videos don't show the whole picture for those considering a cruise. Why not just state some logical opinions about the experience and leave emotions out of it so that people can more easily interpret it as to how it fits into their own likes / dislikes.

 

I'd happen to agree with you, the buffet isn't a place I typically eat at on the ship. I hate mass crowds like that, can't stand the common pool areas and the fight for chairs, but I also understand there are plenty of people that do like that. I also hate that not one cruise ship can figure out how to make pizza not taste like cardboard, but we avoid it now. I can't believe people pay for some of the special activities like Bingo with such a horrible return on money, we're mad at ourselves for even considering playing in their Casino with things set as tightly as possible, and the list goes on for what to avoid. People that hate Mickey mouse, shouldn't plan a trip to Disney and spend the whole day filming Mickey and commenting on the video how evil Mickey is, right? That doesn't sound like a relaxing vacation to me.

 

The cool thing is, we can figure out what we like to do, and try things once and then if it's not for us, we move to another thing. I'm not sure how you went on a ship expecting gourmet food at the buffet, or what buffets you frequent that are actually high quality, but the cool part is there are other places to eat on the ship. There are so many choices for activities and food on ships, but we also know that if we're looking for a higher end experience, we're likely going to have to pay extra for it. Cruising has come to the masses with lower prices now.. It's more affordable now, but it also means that a different crowd and experience comes with that.

 

I likely agree with you and this orignal poster with 80% of the complaints you state for cruise ships, but I set my expectations appropriately for the price that I'm paying and make sure I don't plan to hit the areas that I dislike. I can't speak for RCL, as I primarily have sailed NCL, and I'm only in this forum now because we are sailing the Anthem in April. We won't expect Gourmet food at the buffet, we will avoid the pool area during peak times, and we have planned at least 2 nights at specialty restaurants. There are few times we decided we wanted to be spoiled on our vacation and opted to spend money on Haven at NCL, and we were indeed spoiled.

 

I do understand why you are defending the Op, as your experiences align, but practice looking for positive things..

 

For others that want opinions on the buffet, here's the review I was referring to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KByHVM-0xIo

 

I got sad when I watched all of your videos, I would say anyone that has never been cruising would watch them and never try to cruise. Your experience was horrible, but I don't think there was one positive comment and just constant complaining. I recall sailing on the Crystal Symphony a decade ago or so, and my wife and I both contracted Norovirus on our 10 day cruise, and it was absolutely horrible, she got it first, and when she was recovering about 24 hours later, I got it. Normally, that would ruin a trip, but we sufferred through it, determined to recover and continue our good time. We slowly got back to full speed and it was amazing time. Although that ship was not exactly our cup of tea, we were amongst the youngest aboard, but we were together on vacation and it was a new experience that we loved sharing together.

 

Life is too short to focus purely on the negatives, it infects those around you and sucks the joy from otherwise positive experiences. Best of luck with your future vacations. Also, as important as the negative opinions are, there is importance in counterpoints that might differ from YOUR viewpoint. It doesn't diminish your negative experience, it simply offers others another glimpse of how people interpret things.

Edited March 8, 2018 by tcrandal

[Cruisegirl6]

I also thought it was odd how the OP telling people to prepare for disappointment, but should of used a title that they were disappointed instead.

I will be going back on her next month and in October, I am very much looking forward to the Oasis...granted I could of gone back on the Harmony and booked the Symphony, but we are going for the convenience of just having the two and half hours drive time and not having to book airfare and dealing with airports.

 

The way I see things, the Oasis class ships are our most favorite of ships, this next cruise will be my 75th cruise, I have caused on many other ships and cruise lines but since we cruised the Harmony last May we decided to stay loyal to RC and after the next two cruises we finally will become Diamond. I am looking forward to seeing the same workers on this ship that became our friends last year..... every ship just about has negatives and positives but the way we see it we will be on her and it sure is better than being at home and what is even better is being on our favorite class of ship. ;):D

[Cruzinforpeace***]

Yes everyone is entitled to an opinion. My problem is OP title. Telling people to "prepare to be disappointed" is not a way to start off your experience and not be prepared to received some "Defense!". Its more click bait imho. I also briefly viewed your youtube video and it sure sounded like your other half set it up for a not so wonderful cruise from the start, which may have jaded you.

 

You’re so clever! Come on, we ALL try to be positive when spending thousands of dollars on a vacation. We WANT to have a good time. My husband calls it “as he sees it”. He’s been on many cruises as well (and loved most of them). He happened to be correct with Anthem. I actually defended the ship before we even boarded. The only recourse we have against bad quality and service is a forum like Cruise Critic or YouTube. I voiced my concerns to the cruise line on board and filled out the end of cruise survey. THEY will never post my opinions so those of us who had a “less than stellar” experience only have the “freedom” of the internet to warn others and let them form their own opinions.

[Cruzinforpeace***]

I am “done” with this. Many of you are under a “spell” that cannot be broken. I wish you all well and good luck! 👍

[griffy116]

Yes, there are other options. My issue is with when cruise lines misrepresent their product. Part of that misrepresentation comes from cruise sites. They need to be more forthright with the true quality and services provided. Then the consumer can make an educated decision as to if that particular cruise is “worth it”. Not everyone is picky about food quality, crowds or activities. However, an honest assessment is difficult to come by.

 

Everyone has different expectations and opinions but I don't understand how you feel the "misrepresent their product." It's a mainline cruise ship, geared for families. They tell you upfront how many passengers and crew they have. Since you mention cruise sites, they all have reviews from passengers, along with photos, who have cruised this ship. I'm not sure what you expect them to say about the quality and services.We've never had a problem with either, but maybe our expectations or opinion on the food is different than yours. Doesn't constitute a misrepresentation just a difference of opinions. There are a lot of reviews from people that actually like the quality and services. Amaraza is affiliated with Royal. They don't have all the activities of a Royal ship, but they are more upscale.

[RCThanksgiving2018]

No cruise is what it used to be.

A new cruiser would not have had the same issues you did (maybe none) because you know how it used to be.

 

I am going on my first RC cruise this year, and only second cruise in my life, and I would definitely notice issues like the OP raised and be disappointed. When I’m on vacation I don’t want to be in subpar surroundings having to overlook a bunch of things. I am paying for a service and I expect the vendor to hold up their end of the bargain.

[Cruisegirl6]

I don't think we are under any spell.....speaking for myself and cruised 75 ships so far, I haven't found a ship that I can say is perfect overall...every ships has negatives and positives, now granted, if I wanted a perfect cruse I would choose Seaborne, Seven Seas, Oceania, Viking etc. I am fine with the food not being excellent in the MDR so I go to the specialty restaurants nightly, surely they not the 5 star restaurants I go to on land based vacations but they meet my needs. I never had a dirty cabin, I never experienced rude staff on RC and as far as carpets and such I am not buying the ship so I can deal with some issues that I wouldn't want to deal with in my own house. I go on a cruise for the experience, the vacation just getting away and enjoying myself, I don't have to cook or clean.

 

I am thankful to hear the negatives such as the OP here says but its not that they brought up the nice and good things of the ship, they stood all negative, lets face there are positives to the Oasis also!