Last night on the Sun 12/28. EVER!!!!!

[cruiserssandr]

Just wondering...........

 

Has anyone EVER seen anyone win big on the Krack-It's? My only experience on several cruises now is just like this posters, a complete SCAM!

On our very first Norwegian Majesty cruise one of the couples we were with won a free cruise. We once won $200.

[Queen_Of_Natick]

 

I'm waiting to see who shows up with JuJuB's.

 

 

-Q

[Planer's Edge]

WK did not "define" .."frequent cruiser" though he/she stated they have cruised four major lines. In how many years, and on how many cruises?

 

Who, aside from SG and Toyz711 is a "frequent cruiser":)

 

I like to consider myself a frequent cruiser. :cool: We have 26, 27, and 28 booked , thats 19, 20, and 21 on NCL.

 

PE

[friend of Eeyore]

You also don't like Princess....perhaps cruising is not for you?:rolleyes:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=12288555#post12288555

I read the post you so kindly directed us to and found it to be very well written. The best part was the summary where he (or she?) said the problems were overall minor and would probably be corrected by Princess in time.

...<snip>...

A couple of posts later in the same thread he gives a very good description of what he likes in a cruise and why. Overall I found his posts to be very credible and informative. Just the type of thing I like to read to help me make decisions on future cruises.

I had to laugh when I read his Emerald Princess review. Whenever I read that someone thought the "Motown" show was "great", I have to take everything else they say with a grain of salt. Having been raised in Motown, and now working there, that show is nowhere near to a "great" representation of Motown.

 

Other of his complaints were about the layout of the Emerald. Again, opinions differ. I loved the Crown, and many of the things he complained about were the same, but no issue.

 

I didn't read his later comments, but might go back and do that now. However, for someone to come in and just give the negatives, without the positives, you have to read the review with a grain of salt.

 

I look at everything in a positive manner. I've had 4 great cruises - and one of them was the Crown Princess "tilt" cruise, and another I didn't have most of my clothes for over half of the cruise. If I can still count those as great cruises, maybe I need to join the Sunshine Cruisers.:D

[cruise4kicks]

Just wondering...........

 

Has anyone EVER seen anyone win big on the Krack-It's? My only experience on several cruises now is just like this posters, a complete SCAM!

Yes, one of CC's very own won a 7-day cruise while on the Dawn last January. (I won't give his name, but you can probably find his posts if you use the search function.) It does happen... just not to me... :p

[CrystalWater]

I completely agree that NCL is K-mart and worse than Carnival.

[DAGVBSB]

this buffet thing always amazes me: you are right, we have cruised all but one mass marketed lines and breakfast buffet is exactly that. Egg station or yucky scrambed eggs, waffle station, cereal, fruit, cold toast, etc. Actually on our last Star cruise we were served eggs benedict 2 mornings.

 

Nita

 

Breakfast buffets tend to be just as you describe whether on a cruise ship or on a land based restaurant. Sometimes even expensive "brunch buffets" have the same problems. Go to a Big Boy or Shoney's for Breakfast Buffet.

 

It is very hard to keep large pans of food hot. Bacon tends to continue to cook in those pans and the eggs get hard around the edges. Just the nature of the beast for breakfast buffets.

[Planer's Edge]

I completely agree that NCL is K-mart and worse than Carnival.

 

Thank you for your eloquent addition to the discussion.:rolleyes: What leads you to this observation.:confused:

 

PE

[Queen_Of_Natick]

Breakfast buffets tend to be just as you describe whether on a cruise ship or on a land based restaurant. Sometimes even expensive "brunch buffets" have the same problems. Go to a Big Boy or Shoney's for Breakfast Buffet.

 

It is very hard to keep large pans of food hot. Bacon tends to continue to cook in those pans and the eggs get hard around the edges. Just the nature of the beast for breakfast buffets.

 

I agree with this. For that reason I just don't like breakfast buffets. Eggs at any breakfast buffet I've been to no matter whether its been on North America, Europe and beyond, have ALWAYS been gross!

 

I personally like to sit and enjoy my food and not be rushed to eat it. That said, we never had to wait to be seated in the main dining room for breakfast, and we always had fresh fruit of some type. We always had a caraf of coffee, though I always brought my own (coffee snob that I am:cool: ) Food always arrived at the correct eating temperature. Servers were fantastic and paced our party accordingly. Rather than stand at a buffet for breakfast I'd rather have someone get my food for me. Yes I know, I'm lazy, but so be it.

 

There was only once where I bucked my own trend to eat at Ramblas. Sucked that I had to hunt down the rest of my breakfast but the omlets were very good.

 

 

-Q

[newmexicoNita]

I like to consider myself a frequent cruiser. :cool: We have 26' date=' 27, and 28 booked , thats 19, 20, and 21 on NCL.

 

PE[/quote']yea, I got left on that list as well. With my big mouth who could forget????

 

Nita

[halos]

Wow. Are you that bored that you waded through all the OPs prior posts in order to find one to discredit him?

 

 

I think that sometimes it's a good idea to look at a person's past post history for a quick review, just to see what kind of poster it is. If someone comes on here pissed and rants their head off, but this usually isn't their style, you may have a different response to them than if you look in their history and see that this is their usual MO.

The feature provided on Cruise Critic to look into a person's posts is there for a reason. I wouldn't trash anyone for doing it.

 

 

This for example:

I completely agree that NCL is K-mart and worse than Carnival.

 

If this person's posts are all this 'informative', I'd know not to waste my time reading them in the future.

[Toyz711]

maybe bigger/bolder fonts? hey, i will never catch up with some of you. we want to repeat the last cruise, next winter. maybe this summer a fishing trip in costa rica...but we need to go to amsterdam and we haven't been to paris yet. (the DH's family had a artist that copied the style of van gogh) it a shame, but you can't cruise everywhere.

[newmexicoNita]

Thank you for your eloquent addition to the discussion.:rolleyes: What leads you to this observation.:confused:

 

PE

 

she is one of those who just didn't like NCL< she feels it is below her I guess. I just read some of her other statements, but she does approve of smuggling booze on board. Takes all kinds; it amazes me why these people, who really do not like a particular line keep hanging around just to bash. This isn't only with NCL, but other lines as well.

 

Nita

[DAGVBSB]

I completely agree that NCL is K-mart and worse than Carnival.

 

Now, don't be bashing K-Mart. I used to love to go there. Talk about good food, their Snack Bar had the best Chicken and Noodles. But then they took the Snack Bar out and replaced it with Little Sneezers Pizza (yes, I meant to call it that...) and ruined it.

 

You do know that K-Mart filed for Bankruptcy and then bought out Sears, right? Sears is now OWNED by K-Mart.

 

I wish we still had a K-Mart around here....most of them went out.....

[JenDalessan]

Since this was directed at me, I will respond. I WILL say that it doesn't ring true with ME. My perspective is all I have to work with. I have cruised the Spirit and I loved it. I love ALL the cruises I have been on. Do they peddle silly items like Krak-its?? YEP....so friggen WHAT? Just say NO and forget about it. No one is forcing you to buy a thing. They also peddle jewelry and crystal crap and future cruises and overpriced wares in the stores and it doesn't affect me in the very least. The breakfast buffett contains standard breakfast food, what do you expect. Read the OP's other reviews. They also hated the breakfast buffet on the Emerald Princess and said almost exactly the same thing.

 

And YES , cruising is changing. The prices are lower, the fuel costs are higher (which affects food prices too) and they are looking for ways to make extra revenue. A basic course in economics should help explain all this to you. Do I AGREE with the changes....not always. However, I am pleased to know that there are higher-priced cruiselines that are available should I ever decide to go that route.

 

Can anyone honestly say that the OP's comments don't ring true? Even if those things don't bother you, and you've learned how to say no to Krak-its, etc., can you really say that his review doesn't ring a bell????

 

It's all true- every word. Even those among us who have repeatedly sailed NCL must notice that things are changing. I'll leave it at that. I have loved my Spirit cruises, but I can't argue with what the OP posted.

 

OP, thanks for your review. Thanks to everyone who posts a legible review that can help others decide where to drop a few thousand dollars- not a few hundred, or fifty bucks, but thousands. There are a lot of cruising options out there and I, for one, like to be well informed.

 

***

Why would anyone come back with this? Are we in la la land now? Is this a cruise site or some kind of positive (actually quite negative) affirmation board? Are we here to talk about ships? Do you realize what a slap in the face this post is- all under the guise of "sunshine"?

[fin]

Can anyone honestly say that the OP's comments don't ring true? Even if those things don't bother you, and you've learned how to say no to Krak-its, etc., can you really say that his review doesn't ring a bell????

 

It's all true- every word. Even those among us who have repeatedly sailed NCL must notice that things are changing. I'll leave it at that. I have loved my Spirit cruises, but I can't argue with what the OP posted.

 

OP, thanks for your review. Thanks to everyone who posts a legible review that can help others decide where to drop a few thousand dollars- not a few hundred, or fifty bucks, but thousands. There are a lot of cruising options out there and I, for one, like to be well informed.

 

***

Why would anyone come back with this? Are we in la la land now? Is this a cruise site or some kind of positive (actually quite negative) affirmation board? Are we here to talk about ships? Do you realize what a slap in the face this post is- all under the guise of "sunshine"?

 

 

Yes, I can say that every word did NOT ring true. Others have already pointed out the errors in fact, which is one of the good features of a forum.

 

AND I have found that even unintelligent, illiterate, incomprehensible, biased, slovenly and semi-retarded reviews here are almost always "legible".

[lidodeckbound]

Oh here we go again. I for one love Carnival. Yes, call me low class if you want. We know how to have fun. I haven't been on NCL yet but I will have fun too, I suspect. You know why? And this is what I tell my kids, you make your own fun. Don't expect anyone else to do it for you. You can have a good time anywhere you go. You control it...not the cruise lines. Snooty....is not a nice word but I don't like to judge, but perhaps a better attitude might have given you a nicer time. Just saying...

[newmexicoNita]

Oh here we go again. I for one love Carnival. Yes, call me low class if you want. We know how to have fun. I haven't been on NCL yet but I will have fun too, I suspect. You know why? And this is what I tell my kids, you make your own fun. Don't expect anyone else to do it for you. You can have a good time anywhere you go. You control it...not the cruise lines. Snooty....is not a nice word but I don't like to judge, but perhaps a better attitude might have given you a nicer time. Just saying...

I am sure you will love NCL or certainly I hope so. Interesting what you tell your kids, I was with a client yesterday who had taken his 2 boys on the Star. They had gone with his brother and 2 other children plus spouses. The kids ranged from 4 to 13. They had a blast and didn't even choose to take part in the kids program. They made thier own fun. Of course there were 4 of them, but it does show what kids and adults as well can do if they set their minds to it.

 

As for having fun, being low class, whatever, what is wrong with anyone letting their hair down once in awhile and having a good time. this applies to CEOs, lawyers, carpenters, mid management people, retirees, etc. Sometimes it is just plain fun to escape the daily routine. For those who only enjoy hub nubbing with the upper class and wanta be upper class, that's fine, stick with the luxury lines. For the majority of us, all mass marketed lines reaslly are pretty much the same. Each with its special personality, but still they fit a certain mold.

 

Now, I will go clean my kitchen, see what bowl games I can watch and climb down from my soap box....

 

Nita

 

but only for awhile you understand......

[halos]

Oh here we go again. I for one love Carnival. Yes, call me low class if you want. We know how to have fun. I haven't been on NCL yet but I will have fun too, I suspect. You know why? And this is what I tell my kids, you make your own fun. Don't expect anyone else to do it for you. You can have a good time anywhere you go. You control it...not the cruise lines. Snooty....is not a nice word but I don't like to judge, but perhaps a better attitude might have given you a nicer time. Just saying...

 

:D Well, I sailed 4 CCL cruises before trying another line. My first venture away from CCL was Celebrity.:eek:

Went back to CCL immediately after. Celebrity was very nice, but not what I like in a cruise. I like more fun. People on Celebrity frown at all those pool games...so on a 15 day cruise there was NOTHING going on poolside and activities around the ship were far more 'quiet' than I like at this point in my life. I know one day I'll like Celebrity better...maybe when I'm much much older. As for right now, it's not my cup of tea.

This past Nov, took a 15 day repo on NCL Spirit; my first experience with NCL. Although I will say that I still much prefer traditional dining, the 'fun' factor on NCL was at least (if not better) than on my CCL cruises. I don't know if it was the crew on the ship that was so special, or the group I was with or both, but it was the most fun I've ever had sailing. :D

If you like CCL, you'll enjoy NCL.

Have a great cruise!!:)

[JenDalessan]

On our family cruises we have had our five kids plus several tag-a-long kids with us. Our cruise next week includes 4 friends (total of 11 people). The kids range in age from 8 to 23. They ALWAYS have a blast. Heck, they can have fun right here in the living room. Fun people have fun no matter where they are.

 

I have a fond memory of being stuck in a traffic jam with 4 of the kids. We were not moving at all, just sitting there waiting. One of the kids found an old Elton John cassette in the glove box and popped it in. I still giggle when I remember looking in the rear view mirror and seeing a group of heads bobbing side to side, in unison, all singing Crocodile Rock "LAAAAA - la-la-la la lAAAA".......it reminded me of the muppets. Those kids know how to have fun.

[halos]

On our family cruises we have had our five kids plus several tag-a-long kids with us. Our cruise next week includes 4 friends (total of 11 people). The kids range in age from 8 to 23. They ALWAYS have a blast. Heck, they can have fun right here in the living room. Fun people have fun no matter where they are.

 

I have a fond memory of being stuck in a traffic jam with 4 of the kids. We were not moving at all, just sitting there waiting. One of the kids found an old Elton John cassette in the glove box and popped it in. I still giggle when I remember looking in the rear view mirror and seeing a group of heads bobbing side to side, in unison, all singing Crocodile Rock "LAAAAA - la-la-la la lAAAA".......it reminded me of the muppets. Those kids know how to have fun.

 

:D

EXACTLY!!!!

The more you forget your age and act like a kid the more fun you have. We have to be serious in every day work/life. Vacation is the time for hoppin' and bobbin' to the crocodile rock. :D

OH....your kids have good taste in music. How rare!!! :D

That's why I say that people that put their noses up in the air when they hear about hairy chest contests don't know what they're missing!

[JenDalessan]

:D

EXACTLY!!!!

 

OH....your kids have good taste in music. How rare!!! :D

 

 

LOL....of course they do, I raised them right. :D

 

They also know all the words to Cococabana, Paradise by the Dashboard lights and we have been known to belt out the chorus of Mcgarthur Park...'Someone left the cake out in the RAIN...".....:D

 

They know allllll about cornball music. Great kids.

[CanadianTwosome]

Woot! Bring 'em all to karaoke!! :p

 

Jen, don't sweat it that someone didn't like you pointing out that a little 'lightening up' can make all the difference. As I'm sure I don't have to say, I didn't think all the OP's words 'rang true'. I especially disliked the derogatory comparison to 'K-Mart'. The point so many people miss about us 'Sunshine Cruisers' is not that we expect everyone to enjoy everything, but that 1) a little good attitude can prevent things from 'ruining' your cruise, and 2) that it's possible to convey your disappointment WITHOUT being derogatory to others.

 

I made an attempt earlier to point out that this pervasive idea that the 'stuffier' cruises are somehow 'better' is relative. I simply cannot imagine being on a cruise that the OP would find no fault with... if what I've read is an indication, I would HATE it - both for the 'stuffiness' and for the other passengers - I don't mean to say anything negative about people I don't know, but if all the people I have had fun with on NCL or Carnival are 'K-Mart' and NOT 'as good' as the people on these other cruises, I want to avoid that social atmosphere... especially if the OP's outlook is shared by the people they do 'approve' of. (Please note, the OP is entitled to their opinion, and I'm sure it will keep them from sailing NCL in the future... I'm happy that they have other cruise choices that will no doubt be a better fit for them). Again... what it means to me is that those cruises are NOT better - at least not for me. :)

[MrPete]

One of the kids found an old Elton John cassette in the glove box and popped it in. I still giggle when I remember looking in the rear view mirror and seeing a group of heads bobbing side to side, in unison, all singing Crocodile Rock "LAAAAA - la-la-la la lAAAA".......it reminded me of the muppets.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-36u4xUCF0

[CanadianTwosome]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-36u4xUCF0

 

AWESOME!!!! :) Thanks MrPete!!