Complaints or Compliments? Cruising is what you make of it. The vessel is the means.

[luvthis]

I posted quite a bit before sailing on Mercury from May 8-May 19. I read many helpful threads that helped prepare us for our cruise to Alaska. I also read many blasting complaints about the ship, the staff, the food, ya da ya da. Bob & I left for our adventure with open minds.

 

Now we're back with wonderful memories of a fantastic vacation and I'm catching up on some cruise critic threads.

 

My goodness...I guess I didn't realize how negative so many cruisers are. Everyone has the right to their opinions, but to read some of these threads, I don't know why so they choose to sail on Celebrity and then tear the company apart.

 

Yes, there were a few problems getting on & off the ship. Yes, there were a few chairs and couches that could use replacing. We had a great time. I'd go back in a heartbeat.

 

We enjoyed our CC party on-board and met many new friends.

 

Boy, oh boy, I'm sure glad I didn't spend more than a short time with passengers that obviously look down on everything that wasn't absolutely perfect in their eyes. Bob & I ran into several people that had nothing good to say about anything. My sympathy goes out to them. We politely listened and then hurried off to go have some more fun.

 

--Jean & Bob

[Texed]

Thanks for a positive post!:D

[florisdekort]

Amen!

[Chorts]

Luvthis, DH and I totally agree with what you said here. We had the most fantastic cruise. We both loved Mercury. Was the bed as comfy as mine at home? No. So what. I slept well. The food was delicious and the service impeccable. When our CC meeting had to be rescheduled due to the boat drill and then hospitality mgr forgot about it, he showed up at the meeting, owned up to the error and rescheduled and put on a great party for us.

 

Mercury was our second X cruise, Zenith being our first and we enjoyed it thoroughly. Embarcation was a little difficult but not something I would lose sleep over. Disembarkation went smooth as silk for us. We had the luggage valet service and we met in the Cinema room at 8 and was off the ship a few moments later. We were able to enjoy the Public Market in Seattle without the hassle of our luggage since it went straight to the airport. When we got to Chicago, the luggage was with everyone else's that was on our flight. I would definately use this service again. It was so worth it.

 

Bottom line, we would sail Mercury again in a heartbeat. Good grief, if I had thousands of passengers sitting on me over the last few years, I'd look worn in spots too! :D

[Texed]

WOW! That's two positive posts in a row. Thanks!:D

[Druke I]

I agree.

 

Our last cruise, on Regal Princess, 3-9/22-06, 'round the Horn, Buenos Aires to Valparaiso, I thought very good (no - not perfect, but very good).

 

Another Cruise Critic poster, on same cruise, has a differing opinion, and doesn't miss an opportunity to "bitch" about it.

 

Reminds me of that old-time police training film, "Eyes of the Beholder".

[Texed]

Wait! That's three positives in a row. That might be a record.;)

[Keith1010]

Thank you for posting your comments.

 

We have cruised with many different cruise lines including Celebrity. It's funny how you can have a variety of people on one cruise and when they get back one says the food was great, and the other one complains about the food, and one really likes the service and one doesn't, and so on. Of course, the same can be said about other things from movies to restaurants.

 

When we cruise we focus on what's good. If there is something we don't care for we just ignore it and choose to do the things that we enjoy. We also know that when you go away that everything will not be 100% perfect but that if you focus on all of the good you will likely have a better time than if you focus on the negatives.

 

So, since we love to cruise and enjoy our vacations we want to make them the best they can be. And, in the end, we do make them special.

 

Couple of other comments.

 

My wife and I have sailed on the Mass Market, Premium and Luxury Lines. We have a couple of rules. We don't compare cruise lines with one another as we know they will vary based on various factors including cost. We also know that each line has strengths and areas that are not strengths. And you know, if we wanted to knit pick we can easily point to things that each line could do better. But, why worry about that. Instead we just enjoy the best of each line and cruise that we are on.

 

The second things is we are all very fortunate to cruise. Many people around this world will never get the opportunity to take a cruise so again we feel like we are lucky to be able to cruise so we will make the very best of each cruise.

 

Again to the OP, thank you for posting.

 

Keith

[mmp13]

Glad to read these nice posts. I think unfortunately, it is the nature of these types of boards that bring out the extreme positive and extreme negative reveiws. I'm guessing that the majority of us have great cruises and just really don't have much to say. How interseting would it be if all we could say was we had a great vacations! As with everything in life, It's the extreme's that get the coverage. most of us just enjoy our cruises and go on to book the next without a lot of fanfare. I think this venue is great but I take most of what I read with a grain of salt. To each his own.

[Texed]

And thank you Keith.:)

[Arubalisa]

Agree with TEXED! I LOVE these posts...

 

Two years in a row, HAL and X, I had read more than enough negative and VERY negative posts about the ships we were to sail. Upon sailing it was always in my mind to keep an open mind, and no matter how bad, to enjoy being with my family and vacation. Kind of like, expect the worst and hope for the best.

 

Have to say, that both cruises were very very pleasant surprises. Were they perfect? Of course not. I don't expect perfection. We are not cancelling our cruise because we were unable to obtain late seating dinner as we requested. We will accept it, hope that it can be switched, but try to make the best of what to US, is not an ideal situation. And please, EVERYONE needs to know that the Galaxy has some fogged windows in the Stratosphere. But do you also know they have an absolutely gorgeous promenade deck? If a couple of windows are going to ruin your cruise, do not book it.

 

If you own a business and are able to provide perfection 100% of the time I am sure you are a billionaire many times over. Stuff happens, that's life. I said it last week, my car can have mechanical failure, so why not a ship? If it happens while I am aboard, well, my bad luck.

 

All in all, I think part of this also goes back to what is being discussed in A Thought On Celebrity's Supposed Decline Are people cruising expecting glitz and glam and finding instead ships like the Mercury, Zenith and Galaxy? They are far from it, and no matter how hard you try, you are not going to be able to turn them into a brand new ships.

[Cruise Arizona]

Some times I wonder if this sight's name says it all "Cruise Critic" so that mean that you are supposed to come on here and critisize your your cruise.

 

It might also be symantics is a critique different from a criticism. Usually so an critique is usually more ballanced.

 

I've been on two Celebrity cruises and I had a great time. When I got back I commented that I might be able to come up with a list of maybe 10 bad things to say, but that I could also come up with a list of 100 positive things to day.

 

Somebody, called my bluff and asked me to come up with my lists. I spend a while that day coming up with my list to 10 bad things and 100 good things. I probably if I had time could have come up with a list of 1000 good things. So if you let 1% of your cruise ruin the other 99% you must be a negative person.

[Longboysfan]

Amen!

 

Looking down your cruise list of done and upcoming kind of says it all.

I like to Cruise.

[Leela]

Sometimes I think the level of criticism is preceived to be higher than what the posters intend. There have been a few times I have remarked on something small, and because I didn't put in five disclaimers saying that it was minor and I was only remarking on it for completeness, people thought that I had more negative feelings than I really did.

 

So, when reading people's posts, we also need to make sure we don't read more into them than what is there -- both for positive and for negative. Our own frames of reference do color how we precieve other people's opinions, after all.

[chily3]

I posted quite a bit before sailing on Mercury from May 8-May 19. I read many helpful threads that helped prepare us for our cruise to Alaska. I also read many blasting complaints about the ship, the staff, the food, ya da ya da. Bob & I left for our adventure with open minds.

 

Now we're back with wonderful memories of a fantastic vacation and I'm catching up on some cruise critic threads.

 

My goodness...I guess I didn't realize how negative so many cruisers are. Everyone has the right to their opinions, but to read some of these threads, I don't know why so they choose to sail on Celebrity and then tear the company apart.

 

Yes, there were a few problems getting on & off the ship. Yes, there were a few chairs and couches that could use replacing. We had a great time. I'd go back in a heartbeat.

 

We enjoyed our CC party on-board and met many new friends.

 

Boy, oh boy, I'm sure glad I didn't spend more than a short time with passengers that obviously look down on everything that wasn't absolutely perfect in their eyes. Bob & I ran into several people that had nothing good to say about anything. My sympathy goes out to them. We politely listened and then hurried off to go have some more fun.

 

--Jean & Bob

 

Very well said, for some reason society in general is negative, of course this is helped by the media. How many time do you see "positve" headline on the Front Page of a newspaper. So much easier to compain than post what went right.

 

We have cruised three times on X and enjoyed everyone of them, and will continue to cruise with them. They do a great job.

 

Mike & Emily:)

[dmk]

Cruising is a like a little slice of life.

There are always people who see the cup half full and those who see the cup half empty, no matter what the circumstances.

I am with the ones who see the cup half full. It makes for more pleasant experiences.

Thank you for this positive thread. I am for positives in life not negatives.

[caviargal]

Sometimes I think the level of criticism is preceived to be higher than what the posters intend. There have been a few times I have remarked on something small, and because I didn't put in five disclaimers saying that it was minor and I was only remarking on it for completeness, people thought that I had more negative feelings than I really did.

 

So, when reading people's posts, we also need to make sure we don't read more into them than what is there -- both for positive and for negative. Our own frames of reference do color how we precieve other people's opinions, after all.

 

Leela, I do agree with you.

 

I also think each board has a contingent of diehard fans who do not tolerate anything but praise of their favored lines.

 

For me, I personally find reviews that express both positives and negatives to be more useful. What some find terrific (great shows, super CD) I could care less about. And what is really important to me (comfy bedding, great gym, adult pool) does not at all matter to others.

 

I am not from the school of thought that says "a cruise is what you make it" or "any cruise is better than a day at work". I save my time and money for vacations and they are important to me. I invest time and do the research and make my decisions accordingly. A week on a ship that does not provide the experience I am looking for is really a waste of my time and money. I want to know as much as I can and make up my mind based on the information I obtain and the views of those posters whose opinions I have learned to value.

 

So while it is nice to be positive about a cruise, it also does a disservice IMO to not relate the good and not so good.

 

After 107 cruises, I happen to know what I like and I prefer to book a ship and a line that offers me most of what is important to me.

[leenie29]

I posted quite a bit before sailing on Mercury from May 8-May 19. I read many helpful threads that helped prepare us for our cruise to Alaska. I also read many blasting complaints about the ship, the staff, the food, ya da ya da. Bob & I left for our adventure with open minds.

 

Now we're back with wonderful memories of a fantastic vacation and I'm catching up on some cruise critic threads.

 

My goodness...I guess I didn't realize how negative so many cruisers are. Everyone has the right to their opinions, but to read some of these threads, I don't know why so they choose to sail on Celebrity and then tear the company apart.

 

Yes, there were a few problems getting on & off the ship. Yes, there were a few chairs and couches that could use replacing. We had a great time. I'd go back in a heartbeat.

 

We enjoyed our CC party on-board and met many new friends.

 

Boy, oh boy, I'm sure glad I didn't spend more than a short time with passengers that obviously look down on everything that wasn't absolutely perfect in their eyes. Bob & I ran into several people that had nothing good to say about anything. My sympathy goes out to them. We politely listened and then hurried off to go have some more fun.

 

--Jean & Bob

 

Jean,

 

I will never understand people who go on vacation and find so many negative things to say about the cruise line, then go on another ship by the same cruiseline and find more negative things to say. Some people are happiest when they are negative (I'm married to such a person but I don't let him vent to anyone) and letting the world know how unhappy they are.

 

I don't expect perfection when traveling, ever. My life doesn't go smoothly and perfectly why should my vacations (especially traveling with a husband and two kids). If the ship is a little worn around the edges who cares so is my house. If the food isn't perfect at least I'm not shopping for it, cooking it, serving it, and cleaning up after it. That makes a meal perfect to me if I don't have to prepare it. If I don't have to do my usual mom routine and get to be in a beautiful setting where someone (anyone) asks me if I want something instead of me waiting on them that's good enough and makes a great experience for me.

 

When we were coming back from Ft. Lauderdale in January we got delayed by 10 hours coming home. Sure I could think of a million negative things to say about that but we got 4 free tickets to travel someplace else. To me the postive far outweighed the negative.

 

Eileen

[Old CA]

 

....When we cruise we focus on what's good. If there is something we don't care for we just ignore it and choose to do the things that we enjoy.... if you focus on all of the good you will likely have a better time than if you focus on the negatives.

 

....We have a couple of rules. We don't compare cruise lines with one another as we know they will vary based on various factors including cost. We also know that each line has strengths and areas that are not strengths. And you know, if we wanted to knit pick we can easily point to things that each line could do better.....

The second things is we are all very fortunate to cruise. Many people around this world will never get the opportunity to take a cruise so again we feel like we are lucky to be able to cruise so we will make the very best of each cruise.

 

 

Keith

 

Keith,

Thanks for so well stating some of my beliefs. IMHO you and your wife would make GREAT table companions and certainly add to the overall pleasure of a cruise!

[bepsf]

So in other words, we should all make allowances for poorly prepared food, awkward & poorly maintained public spaces, uncomfortable furnishings, the prospect of physical illness, and constant nickel and diming simply because we're on a cruise - and if we expect better (knowing full well that better is out there), we're just whiners?

:confused:

Gimme a break...

:cool:

[Leela]

I think there's a price point/performance trade-off, and where that point is is different for different people. Like, I'm not going to demand compensation because there was a bleach stain on the light green towels that were in my bathroom on Zenith. However, the determined shabbiness of Zenith is making me look closely at Oceania for my 2008 cruise, although I certainly didn't let it ruin my good time here in 2006. I enjoy the smallness of Zenith, and realize to get the kind of elegance I might like to have that it could be very well time for me to step up to a more "boutique-y" line. There's so much variety out there at so many different price points that perhaps less brand loyalty and more shopping around might be a good approach for some people.

 

I guess what I'm saying is that there's a spectrum of responses, from letting a carpet stain in a public area ruin your day (heard plenty of that while Horizon was still around) to being a complete Pollyanna. I bet most people fall somewhere in between.

[florida_cruiser]

So in other words, we should all make allowances for poorly prepared food, awkward & poorly maintained public spaces, uncomfortable furnishings.........

 

Unfortunately many of these people have not experienced anything better in life and they wholehardily accept the Celebrity standard as being excellence. What else could possibly explain a Denny's quality dining experience being considered gourmet and a Salvation Army cot being considered a night in heaven.

 

Quick get a bucket of water for the flames!!

[dwrist]

Jean--

 

Did you enjoy your butler? Did you have breakfast on the balcony wrapped in blankets? More importantly, did you make wonderful memories to last a life time?;)

[cruising with marti]

So in other words, we should all make allowances for poorly prepared food, awkward & poorly maintained public spaces, uncomfortable furnishings, the prospect of physical illness, and constant nickel and diming simply because we're on a cruise - and if we expect better (knowing full well that better is out there), we're just whiners?

:confused:

 

Gimme a break...

sounds like whining to me, sorry you get no breaks from :cool:

 

Phil

[mmp13]

So in other words, we should all make allowances for poorly prepared food, awkward & poorly maintained public spaces, uncomfortable furnishings, the prospect of physical illness, and constant nickel and diming simply because we're on a cruise - and if we expect better (knowing full well that better is out there), we're just whiners?

:confused:

Gimme a break...

:cool:

 

Definitely not, complain to the proper people and then move on to another line if you are unhappy. After all it is your money and your perogative. The only way things change is when people opt to spend their money elsewhere.

If you know better is out there and then settle for less I guess you will get less! Thank goodness we all have sooo many choices!:)