A pre-review review: RCI not our favorite

[theshortchef]

We are in the last couple of days on our 9 day EOS Canada cruise and find that we indeed prefer NCL. Among other things we really enjoy the specialty restaurants on ncl. The sameness of the restaurant and the food get a bit old for us. Certainly there are other factors as well as many things to only praise about this line. Since it takes forever to type on my phone and we are heading out to port, I won't do a long review for a couple days.

[retiredonthesea]

We're headed off for our first cruise on RCL and also are a big fan of NCL---going with an open mind and know we will have a great time. Just anxious to compare the "suite" life as we're in a GS. Looking foreward to your review.

[snausman]

We are in the last couple of days on our 9 day EOS Canada cruise and find that we indeed prefer NCL. Among other things we really enjoy the specialty restaurants on ncl. The sameness of the restaurant and the food get a bit old for us. Certainly there are other factors as well as many things to only praise about this line. Since it takes forever to type on my phone and we are heading out to port, I won't do a long review for a couple days.

 

 

Would like to read the rest of your review when you get back. Hope everything else is great for you, was that the only thing that you did not like was the specialty restaurants??

[Desert Cruizers]

For us RCL suites are needs. We don't put alot of weight on food and all the Bells and whistles. For us, it is the people we meet, and where we are going. We found the staff and overall Cruise experience better on RCL. Of course we all have our differant likes/dislikes, so we have many cruise lines out there to suit everyones tastes. Our favorite ships are the Radiance Class.

[akcruz]

Very much looking forward to your review. Fortunately all cruise lines are not the same giving everyone the chance to enjoy what they like the most.

 

Personally I don't want to have to decide where to eat when I am on vacation, so the main dining room (and maybe one night in a specialty restaurant) suits us just fine. Coming from your perspective as a chef I can see where the variety of dining experiences could definitely make a difference on the entire experience.

 

Hopefully there are other things about the cruise that you are enjoying.

[Guest maddycat]

I'm anxious to read your full review. We tried NCL twice. Once on the Spirit and once on the Dawn. We were not happy with our Spirit cruise. We thought that the service was OK but the food was poor. The buffet was awful. Mystery foods without labels. Dishes were allowed to run out and were not refilled. Dessert was a sheet cake. We thought that we'd give NCL another chance and try a different one of their ships. We sailed on the Dawn and were very disappointed. Once again we found the service to be OK but the food was poor. We are sticking with RCCL and Celebrity. We find the service to be excellent on both lines. The food is good on RCCL and excellent on Celebrity.

[jewopaho]

Amazing, isn't it? I don't know how many times I've read reviews of the same cruise by two different people with diametrically opposed opinions. The ship is spectacular ... the ship is a monument to bad taste. The food was a gourmet's delight ... I don't know how they get away with serving that garbage. The staff was polished and professional ... the crew acted as if they didn't care. That's why there are so many cruise lines, each with its own way of doing business.

 

I like RCI, Princess and Celebrity, and pretty much in that order. NCL is OK, Carnival is hit-and-miss, HAL is too sedate ... but I wouldn't turn down a cruise on any of them.

[bionicman97]

...Amazing, isn't it? I don't know how many times I've read reviews of the same cruise by two different people with diametrically opposed opinions...

 

What you said is definitely true. We were on the Liberty last month, and my parents had the room next to ours. We had the same stateroom attendant. Every time we went to the room, we saw the attendant in the hallway and we said hello, he remembered our names, etc.. (like 3 times per day) One the third day, my dad said that he couldn't believe he hadn't seen the stateroom attendant yet.

 

The funny part is, on the fourth day, we saw the stateroom attendant again in the hallway and he asked if my parents were really on the cruise, because he still had not got the chance to see them :D

[negc]

I try not to approach a cruise with a preconception, especially a negative one. On those occasions when I have had doubts about how much I might enjoy a particular cruise I have found that by the end of the cruise I had a much different opinion and while there might have been some aspects of the cruise (ship, food, service, whatever) that I found wanting, the overall experience has been generally favorable. If I really felt as the OP seems to feel, that a line was not my favorite and I was not looking forward to it, I might question just why I had booked it in the first place. :rolleyes: I might also fear that my prejudice would somehow color my judgment concerning all aspects of the cruise. Not sure why it is necessary to broadcast a negative opinion before you have even experienced the ship.:confused:

[Papa T]

We are in the last couple of days on our 9 day EOS Canada cruise and find that we indeed prefer NCL. Among other things we really enjoy the specialty restaurants on ncl. The sameness of the restaurant and the food get a bit old for us. Certainly there are other factors as well as many things to only praise about this line. Since it takes forever to type on my phone and we are heading out to port, I won't do a long review for a couple days.

 

One partial cruise on one nine year old ship and you can generalize about the entire cruise line???? Very interesting!!!

[Papa T]

We're headed off for our first cruise on RCL and also are a big fan of NCL---going with an open mind and know we will have a great time. Just anxious to compare the "suite" life as we're in a GS. Looking foreward to your review.

 

We enjoyed visiting your area last spring - it's a special part of America. I would not worry about the comments of a pax with such limited experience with RCI. After 50+ cruises (38 of those with RCI), I can assure you that you will enjoy the experience. I have always found the RCI staff to be invested in my happiness while on their ships, and if an issue arises, quick to resolve it. I also enjoyed my 3 NCL cruises. On one NCL cruise our son became very ill, and we had to leave the ship and put him in the hospital in Grand Cayman. The ship's crew and medical staff could not have been more supportive. Enjoy your RCI cruise!!! You'll love the GS.

[amybeth4]

Not sure why it is necessary to broadcast a negative opinion before you have even experienced the ship.:confused:

 

I'm a little :confused: about your comment. She's at the tail end of her cruise so she's BEEN experiencing it. Also she said there were "many things to only praise about this line." So far the only negative comment was about the dining options...

[cruise pup]

My first cruise on RCL (Vision) exceeded my expectations. Everything was great. The food, the service, the entertainment ...I couldn't have been more pleased. My 2nd was a shorty on Majesty before it was refurbished. Given the amazing rate I got for this short cruise I had a very good experience. After that RCCL got worse. My last 2 cruises were terrible (Voyager and Navigator) but each time their customer service department tried to make it up to me. So, even though I vowed not to sail again I am returning because currently their rates are terrific and in addition to the credit they gave me, I receive obc's from their credit card and investor benefits (that turned out to be a fantasitc opportunity because the stock has increased 65% since I bought it and I received $200. in obc this past year). I've also learned how to address problems better during a cruise so I'm looking forward to a better experience.

[luckyprincess]

If I really felt as the OP seems to feel, that a line was not my favorite and I was not looking forward to it, I might question just why I had booked it in the first place. :rolleyes: I might also fear that my prejudice would somehow color my judgment concerning all aspects of the cruise. Not sure why it is necessary to broadcast a negative opinion before you have even experienced the ship.:confused:

I think you're getting super defensive without reason here. The OP was very much looking forward to this cruise and was excited to experience it. And she said that there were many things to praise about it but that she thinks she prefers the other still. She didn't even say anything negative:confused: She has been on the ship and is experiencing it - maybe you didn't catch that part. I mean, if you went on Carnival and you came away thinking it was okay but you still prefer RCCL would it be okay to make little roll eye pictures at you for not looking forward enough to it?

Sometimes I think we just want everyone to love RCCL so much that they will fall in love with it and prefer it every time - it doesn't always happen, though.:)

[luckyprincess]

We enjoyed visiting your area last spring - it's a special part of America. I would not worry about the comments of a pax with such limited experience with RCI. After 50+ cruises (38 of those with RCI), I can assure you that you will enjoy the experience. I have always found the RCI staff to be invested in my happiness while on their ships, and if an issue arises, quick to resolve it. I also enjoyed my 3 NCL cruises. On one NCL cruise our son became very ill, and we had to leave the ship and put him in the hospital in Grand Cayman. The ship's crew and medical staff could not have been more supportive. Enjoy your RCI cruise!!! You'll love the GS.

Again, I understand that you want everyone to love our RCI, but to dismiss someones view because she 'gasp' only has been on one RCI cruise and offered a very vague, quick opinion of it doesn't make sense. What if someone doesn't enjoy the experience - will you give them their money back because of your assurance?:p jk. But really, lets let her get back and tell us what she liked and didn't like and then add it to the many varied reviews on CC.... Sorry your son got sick - that must have been very scary.:(

[Papa T]

I'm a little :confused: about your comment. She's at the tail end of her cruise so she's BEEN experiencing it. Also she said there were "many things to only praise about this line." So far the only negative comment was about the dining options...

 

The lead in "RCI not our favorite" seems to portend where the review is going. Why not at least - "EOS not our favorite" and not draw a generalization about all RCI ships based on limited experience. I am not trying to be a cheerleader for RCI. We are all guilty on occasion of generalizing about things (ie., people, cruise lines, political parties) based on very limited information. But . . . time to move on.

[Happy ks]

I guess peoples perspectives can be different for a variety of reasons. We've cruised NCL a couple times and to be honest with you, probably won't again. I never say never, but if there is another choice we'd go with almost any other cruise line.

[theshortchef]

The lead in "RCI not our favorite" seems to portend where the review is going. Why not at least - "EOS not our favorite" and not draw a generalization about all RCI ships based on limited experience. I am not trying to be a cheerleader for RCI. We are all guilty on occasion of generalizing about things (ie., people, cruise lines, political parties) based on very limited information. But . . . time to move on.

 

I didn't try, I successfully entitled my thread so that people like you could avoid reading that which frightens you most: someone who does not robotically agree with you. Yes, I shouldn't give my opinion from one experience but I shouldn't go again because I am going with a preconceived notion.

 

For those of you who are reasonable :) here's my bottom line, this is a great cruiseline and topped ncl in several ways but overall (now this is the key here) for our taste and interest, we prefer ncl. It really does not have to become a personal assault based on the logic of which flavor of ice cream is the best, it can be a discussion among reasonable people that is helpful or at least entertaining!

[Papa T]

I didn't try, I successfully entitled my thread so that people like you could avoid reading that which frightens you most: someone who does not robotically agree with you. Yes, I shouldn't give my opinion from one experience but I shouldn't go again because I am going with a preconceived notion.

 

For those of you who are reasonable :) here's my bottom line, this is a great cruiseline and topped ncl in several ways but overall (now this is the key here) for our taste and interest, we prefer ncl. It really does not have to become a personal assault based on the logic of which flavor of ice cream is the best, it can be a discussion among reasonable people that is helpful or at least entertaining!

 

This was never meant to be personal - I'm always in favor of civil discussions particularly when there are varying points of view. Cruising is a special opportunity for all of us. The variety of ships and activities is what helps to make the cruising experience so great. Happy cruising!!!

[Ocean Boy]

I didn't try, I successfully entitled my thread so that people like you could avoid reading that which frightens you most: someone who does not robotically agree with you. Yes, I shouldn't give my opinion from one experience but I shouldn't go again because I am going with a preconceived notion.

 

For those of you who are reasonable :) here's my bottom line, this is a great cruiseline and topped ncl in several ways but overall (now this is the key here) for our taste and interest, we prefer ncl. It really does not have to become a personal assault based on the logic of which flavor of ice cream is the best, it can be a discussion among reasonable people that is helpful or at least entertaining!

 

I am looking forward to what you have to write about. That is how we (I) get some sort of an idea about how RCI and other cruise lines compare without me actually having to spend the money to experience something that may not meet my needs at all. Many people judge a cruise line based upon their experience with one ship even though the experience with a cruise line can vary greatly from ship to ship.

 

Don't worry about the comments from people who are already nit picking apart the wording of your original post. Plenty of us are looking forward to your follow-up.

[Philly Steve]

We've cruised on four different lines and all have positive points. To me, service trumps food and I've yet to be disappointed. I appreciate the hard work by hotel staff and crew who have a challenging job to make even the most picky passengers happy. :)

[negc]

I think you're getting super defensive without reason here. The OP was very much looking forward to this cruise and was excited to experience it. And she said that there were many things to praise about it but that she thinks she prefers the other still. She didn't even say anything negative:confused: She has been on the ship and is experiencing it - maybe you didn't catch that part. I mean, if you went on Carnival and you came away thinking it was okay but you still prefer RCCL would it be okay to make little roll eye pictures at you for not looking forward enough to it?

Sometimes I think we just want everyone to love RCCL so much that they will fall in love with it and prefer it every time - it doesn't always happen, though.:)

 

Guess I mistook the headline "RCI not my favorite" for something negative, and the indication that it was a pre-review implied that a conclusion had been reached before experiencing the cruise. In my world words are supposed to have meaning and the meaning of the words in that heading was to my mind, if not negative, and at least an unnecessary comment.

No one should seriously believe that every RCI cruise (or a cruise on any line) is perfect and it is not only acceptable but a valuable contribution to these boards to be critical of one's experiences, after they have experienced them. If I mistook the tenor of the OP's post as indicating a predisposition not to enjoy the cruise, I apologize, but I think that the message could have been conveyed more clearly.

[Ocean Boy]

Pre-review in my mind means a quick synopsis before providing the formal write-up. Being in the last couple of days of a 9 night cruise seems to be pretty self explanatory. Words do have meaning.

[Cruising89143]

I like both lines but RCI a little more.

 

I do like Freestyle dining but on our last cruise in July aboard NCL to Alaska, we ate every night in one of the specialty dining rooms due to the fact that the menu for the regular dining room did not sound good. That cost ran up the on board account rather quickly. Also, after our 2007 cruise aboard NCL, I was told that the lido dining room had improved. Not so. Still the worst buffet of any cruise line that I have taken.

 

NCL does a MUCH better job over RCI with suites and the perks that come with them. RCI does not even begin to compare here.

 

IMHO, the biggest difference though are the ships themselves. RCI is by far ahead of NCL here. While we find the ships to be clean and well maintained on NCL they just did not have the wow factor that I am used to on RCI.

 

I would cruise NCL again but they would not be my first choice.

[grand isle joe]

I didn't try, I successfully entitled my thread so that people like you could avoid reading that which frightens you most: someone who does not robotically agree with you. Yes, I shouldn't give my opinion from one experience but I shouldn't go again because I am going with a preconceived notion.

 

For those of you who are reasonable :) here's my bottom line, this is a great cruiseline and topped ncl in several ways but overall (now this is the key here) for our taste and interest, we prefer ncl. It really does not have to become a personal assault based on the logic of which flavor of ice cream is the best, it can be a discussion among reasonable people that is helpful or at least entertaining!

 

I agree with you shortchef. In life you only can improve if the deficiencies are pointed out. Unfortunatly I also have discovered that some will never open up to thinking anything could possibly be wrong with RCCL. At the end of the day what went right AND what went wrong should be discussed in order to improve both. Some seem to want to cast aspersions on the individual as being biased rather than pointing out changes onboard that would make the experience even better.:)