I Guess It All Depends On What You Expect

[lauderdalebob]

I just got done reading a more-or-less scathing review under the Reviews section of Carnival Freedom, which I'll be on in November and then Carnival Liberty next May. It always amazes me how people can be on the SAME cruise or sailing and have completely opposite opinions. In the latest bad review over there, it seems like the things this poster is complaining about are not the things I really give a fig about. Not to start trouble, but I guess it just depends on what you are expecting, what you are willing to put up with. On MY vacation, I don't want to look for things to complain about. Dirty dishes on tables in the lido, found that even on QM2 world sailing. Guess what, I picked up the dirty dishes from a window table and actually moved them to another table. Took about 1 minute. Should I have had to do that? No, but then is it going to kill me? Not likely. Cabin not ready on boarding, even close to departure time. I'd get right out in that hall and look for a room steward and on the phone to report the problem. Kids running in the hallway at night. Okay, horrible, I agree. Call the desk and complain, but then again, I wouldn't go sailing during Spring Break time, no way, and definitely not to the Caribbean at that time if I didn't want children on board. Chair hogs? I couldn't care less, but then I don't have to sit next to the pool. Loud people, don't like 'em, but then it's a big ship and I would just move to another section rather than torturing myself thinking what I'd like to do to them or confronting the situation. Who needs the drama on vaction? I don't. Now, if I found this time and again and on the same cruise ship line, guess I opt for another line down the road. Personally, so far, out of Princess, Holland America, Cunard, Royal Caribbean and soon Carnival, I like HAL best, but then I'm also in my 50s and guess you could say I'm getting "crotchety!" Ha! Really, of the ships I've been on I'ved liked and disliked things about all of them, and yes, even the QM2 has that split floor plan where you can't go on one deck all the way through without having to go down and then back up again. Took a little while to get used to it, but far from a problem. Anyway, I could rant on and I guess just reading that bad review of the Carnival Freedom started me thinking again how different everyone is and what they expect from vacation. For me, give me free food (or at least it seems that way when I just get up and walk away from the table), a book to read, relaxing on the balcony and watching the waves, some shows to amuse me, a slot machine to spend a little money at, maybe a hot tub soak and I'm happy. It would take an awful lot to ruin my vacation and so far that hasn't happened. Let's hope it continues! Happy Sailing!

[Ilovepj]

Me and my dh are getting ready to sail on our 4th cruise, and we have never had a bad cruise, did a few things happen like you said, yes, did it spoil our cruise, NO WAY, we are happy being together and being on vacation. We are also mid 50's, still young at heart, lol.

 

Happy cruising

[momofzeke]

Bob, you are so right. I learned a long time ago in reading reviews, not only on these boards, but also on hotel review sites ~ to take each review with a pretty large grain of salt.

 

I am pretty easy to please, especially when I'm on vacation. I've read bad reviews about the ships I've been on, but my own experiences have been nothing but positive. I read the reviews mostly for information on the ports, to be honest.

 

I'm sure you will have a wonderful cruise on the Freedom and the Liberty. Enjoy! :)

[Stircrzy]

I'm mid-50's (yes, a woman who will tell her age will tell anything), and have never had a bad cruise...15 times!

 

I have learned a few things...don't travel over a holiday weekend on a 4 nighter, among other things...but I've never HATED a cruise yet!

[carriejose]

I hope there are 3,000 of you on my Miracle cruise in June;)

[Wennfred]

I haven't read that review about Freedom and probably won't waste my time reading it, but if you read my Live from the Freedom review, you will see how much I enjoyed and loved that cruise. Freedom was my 11th Carnival cruise and I have cruised with Princess and Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. All of my cruises were great. But this Freedom cruise only fortified my love and loyalty to Carnival, they did a great job and I can see where the company is going from what they have been doing with Freedom, can't wait for my Splendor and Dream cruises in the future.

 

By the way, on Disembarkation, We saw a older man walk past us, all pissed off and he said out loud, This Carnival don't care about anyone LOL. Not sure what was his problem, but I willing to bet he didn't go to the disembarkation debrief. :D

 

 

Fred

[deborahjo]

In my opinion I am on vacation. I do not look for things to grip about. I am not getting up every day going to work, fighting traffic, cooking, cleaning and answering a telephone every 5 minutes to customers who are not happy.

 

I love to cruise. If I find something that bothers me i go find something else to do. No one and not everything is perfect "to me". What is crazy to me might be normal to someone else.

 

Go, have fun, enjoy, forget about life for a while. Your cruise will end all to soon anyway.

[loveJake]

I know exactly what you are saying. I read some of the reviews of the same cruise I was on and wonder if I was really there. There have been some things that will bug me on a cruise, but enough to ruin my vacation, no way. There was only 1 cruise that we had a problem that was entirely the ships fault and we could not get any satisfaction, we have never cruised on that line again, no it was not Carnival. Carnival and Princess are our cruise lines of choice, have different reasons for choising 1 or the other. Actually the things that bothers me the most is being in the same area where someone does nothing but complain.

[mitchpam]

People have a choice as to what they let bother them... if they want to complain, let them. I don't mind them putting their two cents worth into a review such as that, but there is not much substance to it, and won't affect my choice much. NONE of her complaints are valid to me... as the OP stated he would choose to overlook or do something about any one of these so called "problems". If other people reading this womans complaints agree that those kind of things are so important to them that it would ruin a cruise... they can do as she will and go to another cruise line. C YA......more fun for us.

[bullydogsmama]

My DH and I are also in our early 50's. Maybe wisdom and patience comes with age? Maybe it comes from realizing that if you have a problem and money can fix it, you DON'T have a problem! Or maybe we are just happy to wake up in the morning and say "I'm alive and it's a great day!" If dirty dishes on a table or smuges (sp) on a mirror can ruin your cruise then I say just stay home and I'll be glad to take your place.

 

Most likely the nit pickers have never had any REAL problems in their lives or they would look at the little things problems as just that, just little problems and let them go! And be glad that the sun can shine on their faces.

[Wennfred]

By the way, at what age should I become a snob and start cruising with Celebrity? :D

 

 

Fred

[trock]

By the way, at what age should I become a snob and start cruising with Celebrity? :D

 

 

Fred

 

 

We are not snobs! I dont understand why it has this rep!

Perhaps you should try it?? " It ain't your mothers cruiseline... LOL"

 

You can even bring KS with you... they wont mind;)

[bigboatrider]

Well, I can say that I found ONE THING that I simply cannot stand about our three cruises to date..... They make you get off the boat after a few days!!!:D:D

I agree with OP, some folks just seem to look for something to "whine" about. If I ever get that miserable, my DW has permission to just shoot me.:D

A cruise to me isn't simply a vacation, but I look at it as my reward for being a good boy, even if my DW does come along!:D

[FirstTimeCruiser2009]

Ya know, I was just thinking the other day that there sure seems to be a lot of bad reviews of the ship I'll be on. I've read a lot about the Sensation, (not just here), that basically says that the ship is cheap, small, old, dirty, and ghetto. :rolleyes: Ok, so maybe it's not a brand-spanking-new top-of-the-line fancy ship, but my goodness, people, it's a Carnival ship that's taking you to Paradise. MUST you knit-pick? I'm excited despite the negative reviews I've read of the Sensation. I'd rather be on that boat having a good time than be here in front of the computer, griping about the boat. ;)

[Wennfred]

We are not snobs! I dont understand why it has this rep!

Perhaps you should try it?? " It ain't your mothers cruiseline... LOL"

 

You can even bring KS with you... they wont mind;)

 

Are you a Jam or Jelly type of person? LOL :D

 

 

 

Fred

[dan40]

Cruise reviews, movie reviews, restaurant reviews, book reviews. I found that I often had a very different experience than that of people I know and respect. Why pay ANY attention to people I/you don't know and will likely never meet?

Simple answer, I stopped reading reviews of any type. Never been sorry.

 

I don't write reviews either.

 

Dan

[MaryZ]

Ya know, I was just thinking the other day that there sure seems to be a lot of bad reviews of the ship I'll be on. I've read a lot about the Sensation, (not just here), that basically says that the ship is cheap, small, old, dirty, and ghetto. :rolleyes: Ok, so maybe it's not a brand-spanking-new top-of-the-line fancy ship, but my goodness, people, it's a Carnival ship that's taking you to Paradise. MUST you knit-pick? I'm excited despite the negative reviews I've read of the Sensation. I'd rather be on that boat having a good time than be here in front of the computer, griping about the boat. ;)

 

mmmm....I havent' sailed on the sensation since 1997. However, I'm pretty sure what people say about the ship is true. Once a ship starts doing 3/4 day cruises it's a party boat. No longer a cruise ship in my eyes.

Anyway, if I wanted to go to paradise, I'd go directly. For me, the cruise ship is part of the package. So I need paradise on my way to paradise. Therefore you will not find me on any of the small old ships doing short cruises on any line.

I must say tho, we sailed on the sensation 3 times when it did 7 day cruises back in the day. She was very new when we first sailed on her in 95. It was my daughter's favorite ship because of all the purple...lol We always had a fun time. But back then it was considered a big ship. We liked the sensation much better than the imagination.

[babywewe]

By the way, at what age should I become a snob and start cruising with Celebrity? :D

 

 

Fred

 

 

LOL!

 

I'm pretty easy to please. Sometimes one person may tick me off... but I brush it off and go on with my life. Even at the happiest place on earth I had two run in's with crazy people. I just brushed it off.

 

For some people.... a cruise line can never do enough. If you are of a working class (especially if you have worked with the public) you know you can work your bum off and it will never be enough for someone else.

 

I've never had a bad vacation because it is what you make of it. Even at club med were I found the food un editable (and I'll eat ANYTHING) and I lived off of chocolate bread and margaritas for a week. Had the time of my life!

[Blackchips Ahoy]

Our last cruise, all this one lady did was complain and have snide comments for everything. The wonderful ap and I would just smile and wink. ;)

 

On our way off the ship for self embarkation, we walked past her sitting in the lounge area on deck 2 and she's looking dead at us and says, "And the're off!"

 

As I walked by I replied, "Yep, off to take the high road once again!"

 

Her mates laughed as we smiled and continued on while she turned 18 different shades of purple and red.:cool:

 

Moral of the story: We'll put up with a lot of static but once you cross that line.........the sword is drawn!!!!!!

[trock]

;)

Are you a Jam or Jelly type of person? LOL :D

 

 

 

Fred

 

Neither!

Is this a Grey Poopon question?;)

[skylock]

After I returned from taking my mom on her first cruise, I was reading other people's reviews of the cruise. I called my mom up and read her a few. She said she was glad we had not taken THAT boat. I then told her it was the exact same one we were on. In fact it was the same dates we were on it.

 

She couldn't believe it. According to most of the reviewers the food was inedible, everyone was rude, the "help" was surly, the was never anything going on, all the shows were a waste of time, The bar waiters were never out of your face, and the ship was dirty and smelled bad. We had experienced NONE of these things.

 

That was the last time I read a review.

[Blackchips Ahoy]

After I returned from taking my mom on her first cruise, I was reading other people's reviews of the cruise. I called my mom up and read her a few. She said she was glad we had not taken THAT boat. I then told her it was the exact same one we were on. In fact it was the same dates we were on it.

 

She couldn't believe it. According to most of the reviewers the food was inedible, everyone was rude, the "help" was surly, the was never anything going on, all the shows were a waste of time, The bar waiters were never out of your face, and the ship was dirty and smelled bad. We had experienced NONE of these things.

 

That was the last time I read a review.

 

Exactly.

 

Some people are just incapable of having fun. It doesn't bother us as we make our own fun.:cool:

[anaslile]

I really think that sometimes people 'saint' or put on a pedestay whatever cruise line they're used to traveling and just overlook when the same things happen on their favorite line or have unrealistic expectations of cruise travel. I'm sure the same happens in hotels, Disney World etc. etc. but because it's a cruise ship they feel the need to complain loudly.

[marty30907]

Let me think about this.

 

Do I have to cook? -NO!

Do I have to clean? - NO!

Do I have to find something to do? - NO!

Do I care of someone else is looking for everything possible to complain about? - H*** NO!

Am I with my DW having a great time? - YES!

Are we just watching the beautiful sea slip by while just loving each other? - YES!

 

Enough said!:)

[Kurbanfan]

I like reading all reviews. I have gotten alot out of all types. Alot of the bad reviews (not all) are just written in a way that upset others. I see thru that and make my decisions on how if I were in that particular situation.....how it would affect my overall experience. I pay alot of money for my vacations and do alot of research. So I will try not to put myself in a situation where I will regret it.........

Keep on with the reviews.......good or bad........