Conde Nast 2010 Gold List.

[dwelsh]

After being #1 for many years it appears that, as in the 2009 review, SS has slipped in favor. The Gold List 2010 overall scores are:-

 

1. Sea Cloud 94.2

2. Crystal 92.7

3. SB 90.2

4. RSSC 89.9

5. Disney 87.9

6. SeaDream 87.1

7. Grand Circle 86.6

8. Oberoi 86.1

9. Oceania 86.0

10. SS 85.3

 

In the categories, food and service, SS scored lower than competitive lines and the overall score was affected by very low ratings for activities and shore excursions.

 

From these results, it would suggest that improvements need to be made in these areas, if the line is to retain its reputation as the premier luxury cruise line that it has established itself as in the last several years.

[cruiseyguy]

I wouldn't put too much stock in any Conde Nast 'Traveler" list. The magazine has devolved into little more than doctor's office reading material. More importantly, their methodology lacks transparency and the results lack common sense. For example, how many people have ever been on Sea Cloud? A few hundred in the whole world? How were their votes counted and weighed? How did Sea Cloud become #1?

[dwelsh]

I agree with your observations but I feel that many people are influenced by CN. I don't know whether the other travel magazines have similar surveys, does anyone? If they do, A comparison of results would be very interesting.

[Keith1010]

Actually, I would not dismiss the results of these surveys. No they aren't done as say statistical polls but what they do represents are the results of those who receive this magazine who take the time to fill out the survey. And very often my experience is that the scores for several of the cruise lines do remain fairly consistent year over year. So, I would not dismiss this but I would not get too carried away either. I guess I would see what the results look for as to 2010.

 

Keith

[ging466]

At the end of the day, what do these lists really matter? You either like travelling on SS or you don't.:)

 

DWelsh - you haven't travelled on SS yet have you? Wait till you do and then make up your own mind...don't be put off by a list.:eek:

 

For me personally, I have done one SS cruise and it was by far, my best cruise...so much so that I'm booked on another 3 next year...yahoo!:D

 

I totally agree with cruiseguy. I take these lists with a grain of salt. It's like any publication, the advertisers always rank high in their own survey results.

 

Cheers

ging466

[dwelsh]

Maybe Keith over the course of the last few years SS subscribers to CN were a lot more active than they are now. I say this because I see a very small % of pax subscribing to this thread; other lux lines, probably because of the size of their vessels, seem a lot more active in numbers of contributors than on the SS thread.

[Keith1010]

dWesh, you raise a good point.

 

It's too bad that they don't mention how may people filled out the survey, as well as how many per cruise line.

 

Keith

[fPetrarca]

I stopped subscribing to CN Traveler a couple of years ago because it had become another CN fluff magazine. I think their polls are meaningless in the real world.

[newlondon]

Just to give an idea as to how silly these polls are: about two years ago CN was rating individual ships. In the ship design category Cloud outscored Wind by about 15 points even though they are identical!:confused:

[spook1]

People have likes and dislikes. I don't see any comparrison, say, between Silversea and Disney. And I haven't sailed on either. Just leafed through the new NCL Epic brochure. Comparrison? Oasis of the Seas? Sure. But even sheer tonnage defies comparrison. QM 2 same as Epic but double occupancy 2,604 opposed to 4,228 for Epic. Ocean liner tradition and glitz. I'll take the former. The word 'ship' is all they share in common.