Different perspective on the Rotterdam (and it ain’t good)

[rjbean4]

7 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I don't think people are necessarily doubting you -- but perhaps they question why you seem to be blaming HAL for what you yourself call "a lot of bad luck".  What you relate could have happened on any cruise line at any time. Avoiding HAL because of it doesn't seem to make sense on the face of it, unless there is something you are not explaining?

I never said anything about our decision to avoid cruising with HAL. What I said when I first mentioned our situation involving the Rotterdam is that we are just not cruising on the Rotterdam any more. Go back and read  post #26 in this thread when I first mentioned it. We still cruise with HAL and that never changed. We just cruise on the other ships. We will be on for the Holidays in December which will be our 32nd year in a row at sea for the holidays. We started with the old Nieuw Amsterdam back in 1988 and have done it every year ever since.

Edited October 30, 2019 by rjbean4

[cruisemom42]

1 minute ago, rjbean4 said:

I never said anything about our decision to avoid cruising with HAL. What I said when I first mentioned our situation involving the Rotterdam is that we are just not cruising on the Rotterdam any more. Go back and read  post #26 in this thread when I first mentioned it.

 

Sorry, I had read it quickly. I can understand not wanting to repeat an unpleasant cruise experience if the ship would remind you of it.

[rjbean4]

11 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Sorry, I had read it quickly. I can understand not wanting to repeat an unpleasant cruise experience if the ship would remind you of it.

 Thank you. Yes returning to the Rotterdam to cruise after our bad trip was going to do just that. We have been cruising with HAL going on 32 years and during that time we have also gradually shifted to cruising on the newer ships too including 5 maiden voyages. We were on Nieuw Statendam for the holidays last year and also the 4 night bahamas cruise after she 1st came into Port Everglades. We will be on her again this year coming up. We had two cruises booked for this month in which we were going to do one or the other but ended up canceling both of them. We have been on all the HAL ships currently in the fleet at least once. We never did cruise on the Princendam though. Look at my signature and that will say we are very loyal to HAL. Heck I have done way more in my life at my age because of all the cruising we have done than so many people get to do in a lifetime and our cruising is way more than just to the Caribbean.

Edited October 30, 2019 by rjbean4

[chill6x6]

I hate some of you had a bad time aboard the Rotterdam.  I was just aboard in April 2019 out of Tampa.  I have to admit my expectations were lowish.  The ship FAR exceeded expectations and then some.  We stayed in a Pinnacle suite(I did a review).  I have to admit the Neptune lounge itself wasn't up to my previous experience aboard the Eurodam.  Also the concierges weren't quite to that level either.  The female was rarely there but the male concierge did a very satisfactory job IMO.  I'll give him a B+.  MDR food/service couldn't have been much better.  We thought the buffet and especially the Dive-Inn were great.  Entertainment was sparse.  The two comedians were pretty good and Adagio of course was excellent but overall not a lot OF entertainment.  But overall, a great cruise!

[mkkao924]

I also want to share my parents' (bad) experience on Rotterdam this past September.

 

It's a family reunion, for my parents, and my dad's brothers and sisters, all in their 60s and 70s.

 

The food, was indeed subpar to other cruises they have sailed, especially compared to Celebrity.

 

There was also sewage problem, and seeping into my aunt's room.

In order to dry it, they use industrial fan to blow the hallway dry ALL NIGHT LONG.

On top of that, the crew members were chatting loudly (to compensate the noise that industrial fan was making).

My aunt and my parents couldn't sleep at all (they have connecting staterooms).

 

Now, if it were me, I would call front desk right away to sort this out, but my parents are neither seasoned cruiser nor native English speaker, so they waited next day to talk to me and asked me if this is normal.

 

I think this shows how Rotterdam's infrastructure as well as employee training has been rotten to the core.

Edited October 30, 2019 by mkkao924

[Alphen]

Sorry for you, that you had a bad experience on your cruise and I will never judge, doubt or downplay one’s personal perspective or feeling they experienced with regards to food, experience or service.

 

Having said that, we were on the first same part of this cruise, the British Isles part, but had totally different experience. Captain Bas van Dreumel and HD Marco van Belleghem lead a great ship. Although the ship is 22 years old, she is well kept and maintained, including ongoing maintenance during our voyage. Yes there are leaking glass windows if you are searching for these flaws and yes you will probably find more if you spent your vacation time looking for it. No we had none of these influence our time on board. Did we experience other inconveniences? Yes, we had our share of plumbing problems, but nothing out of the ordinary and nothing that was not fixed quickly.

Food that we had in the MDR and in the Pinnacle was great, even up a notch from what we experienced on a more recent cruise on another Dam ship. We experience our food in the way that there is no bad food, just a bad menu choice. Chef Peter Kofler has a great team and does not only serve great food, but is also visible and approachable on the ship.

 

When booking this itinerary, around the British Isles, autumn in Europe, sailing through the Channel and North Sea, we were not at all surprised by the effects of the weather and were impressed how captain and crew handled the changing circumstances and applaud the quick substitution of ports and how the captain himself explained the change of itinerary personally in the theatre. We were sorry we missed most of our ports in Wales, but were not unhappy with the substitutions and how the crew quickly adapted to changes from port tot sea days. We have had a bad weather cruise on Rotterdam before and change from port tot sea program was handled much poorer than this time.

If you want to avoid these kind of possible itinerary changes, simple, do not cruise in this region in autumn and winter. Food is always subjective, I think this thread can go on for months with observations indicating both sides and still you will never please everyone.
We still enjoyed a great cruise and were surprised by the gesture of good will on behalf of Holland America, with the reimbursement they offered, something they did not have to, since weather is not something they can control. 

[aliaschief]

We are currently on-board the Rotterdam for 32 days. Sorry to hear about OP experience.

 

We boarded October 18 and so far we have experienced a great cruise and all systems in our Deck 7 cabin is operational.

 

Did notice a dry vac working on deck 8 near elevator the other day so maybe there was a leak. To be honest I can’t remember any cruise where I have not seen or heard of a leak, overflow etc. It happens on every ship new and old and I’m sure very frustrating when it affects one’s cabin.

 

Our experience is food has been consistent with our many other cruises. Service has been great and late fixed dining has taken on the average an hour from appetizer to dessert.

 

We are enjoying the new show times of 7 and 9 PM. Rumor has it that on the TA portion of our cruise the piano bar area will be closed off to start construction of Bill Board. Piano entertainer Jamm will perform in Crows Nest.

 

Daily newspaper is USA but a request to room steward has The NY Times crossword puzzle delivered to room daily.

 

So the Rotterdam has a few areas showing some wear and tear which is normal on any ship nearing dry dock. It just does not bother us as we enjoy cruising on these classic ships while they last.

 

On any ship “Ship Happens” and I’m sorry for the OP’s experience. On our port side directly across from OP’s cabin we are fortunate to report all is well and we are having a wonderful cruise on the beautiful and aged second fastest cruise ship in the world. 
 

Once in awhile She creaks, vibrates in spots at certain speeds and looks a little old but she gets us from port to port with a certain style and flair that we savor while aboard a Dam ship.

 

We had over a hundred folks on our Roll Call and I have yet to hear any negative reports from those we meet around the ship or tour with.

 

Somewhere on this ship someone is having a bad cruising experience but in my opinion it’s isolated and everyone booked on MS Rotterdam should look forward to their cruise.

 

Now back to enjoying a much needed day at sea!🛳😎

 

 

 

 

[ski ww]

I can almost excuse some of the problems, weather is beyond any ones control, as are broken pipes, food is always subjective. But a broken sewage pipe, wet carpets would ruin my cruise. If there are empty cabins you should be moved to them.

[DeeniEncinitas]

7 hours ago, mkkao924 said:

I also want to share my parents' (bad) experience on Rotterdam this past September.

 

It's a family reunion, for my parents, and my dad's brothers and sisters, all in their 60s and 70s.

 

The food, was indeed subpar to other cruises they have sailed, especially compared to Celebrity.

 

There was also sewage problem, and seeping into my aunt's room.

In order to dry it, they use industrial fan to blow the hallway dry ALL NIGHT LONG.

On top of that, the crew members were chatting loudly (to compensate the noise that industrial fan was making).

My aunt and my parents couldn't sleep at all (they have connecting staterooms).

 

Now, if it were me, I would call front desk right away to sort this out, but my parents are neither seasoned cruiser nor native English speaker, so they waited next day to talk to me and asked me if this is normal.

 

I think this shows how Rotterdam's infrastructure as well as employee training has been rotten to the core.

Do you know what deck the sewage problem was on? 
Denise😊

[DeeniEncinitas]

2 hours ago, aliaschief said:

We are currently on-board the Rotterdam for 32 days. Sorry to hear about OP experience.

 

We boarded October 18 and so far we have experienced a great cruise and all systems in our Deck 7 cabin is operational.

 

Did notice a dry vac working on deck 8 near elevator the other day so maybe there was a leak. To be honest I can’t remember any cruise where I have not seen or heard of a leak, overflow etc. It happens on every ship new and old and I’m sure very frustrating when it affects one’s cabin.

 

Our experience is food has been consistent with our many other cruises. Service has been great and late fixed dining has taken on the average an hour from appetizer to dessert.

 

We are enjoying the new show times of 7 and 9 PM. Rumor has it that on the TA portion of our cruise the piano bar area will be closed off to start construction of Bill Board. Piano entertainer Jamm will perform in Crows Nest.

 

Daily newspaper is USA but a request to room steward has The NY Times crossword puzzle delivered to room daily.

 

So the Rotterdam has a few areas showing some wear and tear which is normal on any ship nearing dry dock. It just does not bother us as we enjoy cruising on these classic ships while they last.

 

On any ship “Ship Happens” and I’m sorry for the OP’s experience. On our port side directly across from OP’s cabin we are fortunate to report all is well and we are having a wonderful cruise on the beautiful and aged second fastest cruise ship in the world. 
 

Once in awhile She creaks, vibrates in spots at certain speeds and looks a little old but she gets us from port to port with a certain style and flair that we savor while aboard a Dam ship.

 

We had over a hundred folks on our Roll Call and I have yet to hear any negative reports from those we meet around the ship or tour with.

 

Somewhere on this ship someone is having a bad cruising experience but in my opinion it’s isolated and everyone booked on MS Rotterdam should look forward to their cruise.

 

Now back to enjoying a much needed day at sea!🛳😎

 

 

 

 

Do you have any idea when dry dock would be? We will be on her 3/11/20 doing Panama Canal our of San Diego. I’m glad you are enjoying your cruise !

Denise😊

[scubacruiserx2]

6 minutes ago, DeeniEncinitas said:

Do you know what deck the sewage problem was on? 
Denise😊

 

His cabin was 7039

[DeeniEncinitas]

Just now, scubacruiserx2 said:

 

His cabin was 7039

Thank you so much!

Denise😊

[Alphen]

4 minutes ago, DeeniEncinitas said:

Do you have any idea when dry dock would be? We will be on her 3/11/20 doing Panama Canal our of San Diego. I’m glad you are enjoying your cruise !

Denise😊

As per HD Marco van Belleghem this would be December 2020 (with him beeing on board for that period), there is a schdule gap December 8 - 20.

Edited October 30, 2019 by Alphen

[DeeniEncinitas]

1 minute ago, Alphen said:

As per HD this would be December 2020, there is a schdule gap December 8 - 20.

Your right! I remember now with the dry dock report here on CC. Appreciate your quick response 👍

Denise😊

[Krazy Kruizers]

OP

 

Sorry that you found the ship not up to your standards.  Hope whatever cruise line you choose next will be better.

[CM1984]

8 hours ago, chill6x6 said:

I hate some of you had a bad time aboard the Rotterdam.  I was just aboard in April 2019 out of Tampa.  I have to admit my expectations were lowish.  The ship FAR exceeded expectations and then some.  We stayed in a Pinnacle suite(I did a review).  I have to admit the Neptune lounge itself wasn't up to my previous experience aboard the Eurodam.  Also the concierges weren't quite to that level either.  The female was rarely there but the male concierge did a very satisfactory job IMO.  I'll give him a B+.  MDR food/service couldn't have been much better.  We thought the buffet and especially the Dive-Inn were great.  Entertainment was sparse.  The two comedians were pretty good and Adagio of course was excellent but overall not a lot OF entertainment.  But overall, a great cruise!

We were April as well, first time on the Rotterdam, and first time in a Lanai... We enjoyed our cruise, but yes, the ship was showing her age, and we will cruise HA on larger ships from now on.  It definitely is our cruise line.

The only real problem we had was the A/C stopped working after the 2nd day, and after many complaints, they brought us a large fan, apologized profusely and gave us a free dinner in the Pinnacle, plus $350 in OBC.  Others In our row of cabins were having the same problem, a problem that obviously required more in-depth HVAC crew to repair.  We understood even more so since DH has been in the business for 60 years.

So many things can go right, and unfortunately, too many went wrong on OP’s cruise.  I agree, hard copy letter must go to HAL, that way, problems are documented to be addressed.

Yes, please let us know if you hear back, with the hopes things can be corrected on the ship and service. 
 

And by the way, we haven’t been on bunches of cruises like others, this was our fifth on a HA ship, and the Rotterdam had the best water of any ship EVER!  No need for bottled water....

[grest]

4 hours ago, aliaschief said:

We are currently on-board the Rotterdam for 32 days. Sorry to hear about OP experience.

 

We boarded October 18 and so far we have experienced a great cruise and all systems in our Deck 7 cabin is operational.

 

Did notice a dry vac working on deck 8 near elevator the other day so maybe there was a leak. To be honest I can’t remember any cruise where I have not seen or heard of a leak, overflow etc. It happens on every ship new and old and I’m sure very frustrating when it affects one’s cabin.

 

Our experience is food has been consistent with our many other cruises. Service has been great and late fixed dining has taken on the average an hour from appetizer to dessert.

 

We are enjoying the new show times of 7 and 9 PM. Rumor has it that on the TA portion of our cruise the piano bar area will be closed off to start construction of Bill Board. Piano entertainer Jamm will perform in Crows Nest.

 

Daily newspaper is USA but a request to room steward has The NY Times crossword puzzle delivered to room daily.

 

So the Rotterdam has a few areas showing some wear and tear which is normal on any ship nearing dry dock. It just does not bother us as we enjoy cruising on these classic ships while they last.

 

On any ship “Ship Happens” and I’m sorry for the OP’s experience. On our port side directly across from OP’s cabin we are fortunate to report all is well and we are having a wonderful cruise on the beautiful and aged second fastest cruise ship in the world. 
 

Once in awhile She creaks, vibrates in spots at certain speeds and looks a little old but she gets us from port to port with a certain style and flair that we savor while aboard a Dam ship.

 

We had over a hundred folks on our Roll Call and I have yet to hear any negative reports from those we meet around the ship or tour with.

 

Somewhere on this ship someone is having a bad cruising experience but in my opinion it’s isolated and everyone booked on MS Rotterdam should look forward to their cruise.

 

Now back to enjoying a much needed day at sea!🛳😎

 

thank you....we will be on the Rdam in April, and I was beginning to be a bit worried....not in any suite, though, so not expecting extras, just the usual great food and service, and the glorious ocean!

 

 

 

[BayWatching]

8 hours ago, Alphen said:

Sorry for you, that you had a bad experience on your cruise and I will never judge, doubt or downplay one’s personal perspective or feeling they experienced with regards to food, experience or service.

 

Having said that, we were on the first same part of this cruise, the British Isles part, but had totally different experience. Captain Bas van Dreumel and HD Marco van Belleghem lead a great ship. Although the ship is 22 years old, she is well kept and maintained, including ongoing maintenance during our voyage. Yes there are leaking glass windows if you are searching for these flaws and yes you will probably find more if you spent your vacation time looking for it. No we had none of these influence our time on board. Did we experience other inconveniences? Yes, we had our share of plumbing problems, but nothing out of the ordinary and nothing that was not fixed quickly.

Food that we had in the MDR and in the Pinnacle was great, even up a notch from what we experienced on a more recent cruise on another Dam ship. We experience our food in the way that there is no bad food, just a bad menu choice. Chef Peter Kofler has a great team and does not only serve great food, but is also visible and approachable on the ship.

 

When booking this itinerary, around the British Isles, autumn in Europe, sailing through the Channel and North Sea, we were not at all surprised by the effects of the weather and were impressed how captain and crew handled the changing circumstances and applaud the quick substitution of ports and how the captain himself explained the change of itinerary personally in the theatre. We were sorry we missed most of our ports in Wales, but were not unhappy with the substitutions and how the crew quickly adapted to changes from port tot sea days. We have had a bad weather cruise on Rotterdam before and change from port tot sea program was handled much poorer than this time.

If you want to avoid these kind of possible itinerary changes, simple, do not cruise in this region in autumn and winter. Food is always subjective, I think this thread can go on for months with observations indicating both sides and still you will never please everyone.
We still enjoyed a great cruise and were surprised by the gesture of good will on behalf of Holland America, with the reimbursement they offered, something they did not have to, since weather is not something they can control. 

Respect your opinion and that your experience was not ours, but we were not ““searching” for raw sewage. It found us. I don’t know what “our share of plumbing problems” means to you, but that is not acceptable to us while traveling—especially at that price. I’m surprised anyone would be so tolerant. 
 

if you read my original post, you’d see that we do NOT hold HAL responsible for the weather or the need to scramble in the wake of canceled ports of call. In fact, you’ll see that I commended the captain for his focus on safety. Nor did I fault them for our decision to sail in that region at this time of year. 
 

That said, HAL most certainly is responsible for the ship’s overall condition and for customer issues that are within its control. I’m glad others of you have had better experiences and hope that those of you who choose the Rotterdam in the future don’t endure what we experienced. Especially anyone electing to upgrade to a Neptune suite.
 

[GlennG]

22 hours ago, BayWatching said:

 

Strongest recommendation to future cruisers: book HAL’s Rotterdam IMMEDIATELY if you’re looking for:

—LOUSY FOOD (except for the specialty dining rooms, which HAL seemingly is up-selling by downgrading everything and everywhere else). Dining room: under seasoned, underwhelming ; much-touted “Dive-In” burgers: dry and flavorless. 

—CREAKY SHIP including: 1) stinky sewage seeping into our suite from an adjoining pipe closet 2) leaking pipes above our verandah 3) a fire that resulted in an all-ship alarm awakening us in the middle of the night (reportedly TWO fires in the two weeks immediately preceding our trip.)

LOW-BROW SERVICE from a Neptune Suite concierge, a benefit for which we paid handsomely after excellent service on a prior HAL voyage. She refused to reverse bar charges for a rum-and-coke that was delivered as a gin-and-coke and an in-suite honor bar soda that wasn’t drunk; she “apologized” for the raw sewage seeping into our suite with a cheap bottle of wine and a short, impersonal typed apology; and, she assured us we would LOVE the next port of call literally moments before we learned that the port would be skipped due to bad weather. It was inconceivable to us that she hadn’t already been alerted to that. (And if she hadn’t, that’s a different problem altogether.) 

All this, for $16K! 

Speaking of bad weather, I am not blaming HAL for skipping five ports and replacing them with two alternative stops and three addl nights at sea or in port. Safety, as the captain told us, is #1. So this review isn’t biased because of that—at all. 

On the other hand, going the extra mile to meet his passenger’s needs apparently was, for the Rotterdam’s captain, priority #23. Responding to passenger‘s concerns about those skipped ports of call, potential financial losses for missing independently-arranged tours, and a desire for more information, his advice was,“You should buy one of our ship WiFi plans.”

As if offering complimentary WiFi for a few hours would ruin his bottom line. 

But speaking of bottom lines, here’s mine: The Rotterdam is doddering. Dining is below average. Customer service  (excluding the loyal stewards and dining staff who are doing their best) is subpar. (But America’s Test Kitchen live shows are phenomenal. Those ought to be offered every day.) 

Something is rotten on the Rotterdam. And until someone does something about it, it’s Bon Voyage, Holland America!

I want to thank BayWatching for his thoughtful and provoking review of the Rotterdam.  In February, my wife and I made inquiries about the Rotterdam, and more specifically, the Lanai staterooms.  To summarize, we chose not to cruise on the Rotterdam because of the information that cruise critic members provided for us.  This ship has had more than its share of problems, and we are grateful for this forum, as it provides really useful information on Holland America Line and its ships.  While we always expect the "apologists" to contribute to this forum, we understand that when numerous people share the same concerns about the Rotterdam, it seem prudent for us to avoid booking on this ship.  For us, personally, the alternatives on Holland America Line seem to be narrowing.  We don't care for the large ships like the Koningsdam and Nieuw Statendam, so our alternatives are restricted to the Vista Class ships, as well as the Eurodam and Nieuw Amsterdam.  Thank you, again, BayWatching and other Cruise Critic members who have provided such good information for us.  You have helped us to avoid unpleasant vacations in the future.

[cruisemom42]

8 hours ago, Alphen said:

Yes, we had our share of plumbing problems, but nothing out of the ordinary and nothing that was not fixed quickly.

 

 

6 hours ago, aliaschief said:

 

Did notice a dry vac working on deck 8 near elevator the other day so maybe there was a leak. To be honest I can’t remember any cruise where I have not seen or heard of a leak, overflow etc. It happens on every ship new and old and I’m sure very frustrating when it affects one’s cabin.

 

 

I am fond of HAL, mainly for the itineraries and smaller ships, but I am far from a cheerleader and I spread my vacations among several different cruise lines.

 

I often wonder whether those who write the types of comments I've highlighted above only sail with HAL?  Because HAL cruisers seem to have this mantra of "ship happens" -- only thing is that it just doesn't seem to "happen" with the same regularity on other cruise lines, at least not in my experience.

 

I personally have never experienced a leak (especially of sewage!) on ANY cruise I've taken, and I've been on a few ships that are pretty "elderly". It should not be considered normal by any cruiser, whether one is in a suite or the least expensive cabin onboard ship. I also have to say that there are reports on the HAL forum of this type of thing happening much more frequently than any other board. 

 

Now unless someone wants to argue that HAL cruisers are just more stupid than cruisers on other lines and can't understand that they should not flush things down the toilets that don't belong (and I don't believe for a second that is true), then there must be other reasons why these problems appear more frequently on HAL ships?

 

Although not a factor in this thread, I feel the same can be said for the HVAC on HAL ships. I have read so many reports on these two issues (A/C and plumbing) that I avoid HAL older ships out of an abundance of caution. Which is a shame, because they are the ships I'd prefer, all things being equal...

[aliaschief]

Regular Hal cruiser yes. Cheerleader don’t think so.

  If I was having a bad cruise I would have said so.

 

Every time your hear a legitimate complaint here on CC remember there are thousands enjoying their cruise.

 

Foods terrible! Sure were a lot of folks eating away today with happy faces and comments.

 

So in my humble opinion one or two legitimate complaints will not constitute a valid reason not to cruise on these older ships.

 

Reading other cruise line forums reveal similar complaints.

 

Now back to enjoying my cruise with my fellow “Stupid Cruisers!”😄

 

My point is should everyone not cruise on the Rotterdam because of a couple valid post? I think not.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 30, 2019 by aliaschief

[mkkao924]

4 hours ago, DeeniEncinitas said:

Do you know what deck the sewage problem was on? 
Denise😊

 

My parents stayed in 2553.

[iancal]

We avoided a cruise on Veendam several years ago thanks to our on line TA.  And thanks to posters on this board.  We were looking at booking a cruise inside the final payment window.  The TA strongly suggested we not book that day and that we shop around a little based on very recent feedback from her customers.  It was at that moment we realized one benefit of dealing with a TA instead of with a cruise line employee-impartial advice.

 

We did not book.  But we did start reading the then current Veendam reviews and the comments on this board from those who had recently been on the cruise and/or were currently on the ship.  

 

These data points saved us from booking what was reported to be a dog of a cruise on what appeared to be a then poorly maintained vessel.  We were not prepared to take a chance with our time or our money.

Edited October 30, 2019 by iancal

[summer slope]

We will be on the Rotterdam in March as it's the only one going from San Diego in our time frame.  I hope we don't have the sewage problems, but the rest will not ruin a cruise for us.  We cruise to enjoy the scenery and ports of call.  We don't look at the condition of the ship or the lack of service from overworked staff.  Other than the stated problem we wouldn't like, we are at sea and that is the best!!

[mkkao924]

11 minutes ago, aliaschief said:

Regular Hal cruiser yes. Cheerleader don’t think so.

  If I was having a bad cruise I would have said so.

 

Every time your hear a legitimate complaint here on CC remember there are thousands enjoying their cruise.

 

Foods terrible! Sure were a lot of folks eating away today with happy faces and comments.

 

So in my humble opinion one or two legitimate complaints will not constitute a valid reason not to cruise on these older ships.

 

Reading other cruise line forums reveal similar complaints.

 

Now back to enjoying my cruise with my fellow “Stupid Cruisers!”😄

 

My point is should everyone not cruise on the Rotterdam because of a couple valid post? I think not.

 

 

 

 

 

I respectfully disagree.

 

Not everyone reading the forum registers and posts, and much less cruisers know about Cruise Critic. These complaints reveals the tip of the iceberg and it provides other people insight about what to look out for.

 

To me, any sewage problem bigger than clogging toilet/sink is unacceptable. You really don't see THAT MANY sewage related issues on other lines' forum.

 

I agree food is subjective - to a degree. If the quality is totally subjective then there will be no such thing as "best dining on cruise" award, Michelin star system, or even Yelp reviews. They exists, and thousands and millions of people trust them. They don't represent all the opinions, but they reflect majority's opinion.

 

Lastly, people don't go on a cruise for a business (I wish I could!), 100% of the people are on a cruise for a vacation. We pay to enjoy, not to suffer. All these comments, good or bad, will somehow influence how I make a decision on itinerary, timing, ships, or even cruise or not.