On negative reviews...

[sirwired]

While some of the complaints here are overboard or unreasonable (i.e. being upset when a Princess cruise is not a non-stop party ship), I suspect most of them are quite genuine.

 

On any given sailing, there are thousands of passengers. There are well over a thousand crew members. Simple common sense tells us that:

 

Out of those thousands of passengers, some will have a genuinely poor experience, by any reasonable standard. There will be real, and serious, problems with their cabin and/or food, service, shore excursions, etc.

 

Out of those 1000+ crew members, there will be some that dislike their job and/or are bad at it. Think about all the people you work with. There are surely some that would be better suited elsewhere, and this is true at any large business.

 

For the prices Princess charges, it is simply impossible for them to ensure a flawless experience for everybody. While they are not a cheapo rust-bucket line, you are not paying nearly what the same vacation would cost at a decent land-based resort.

 

You get what you pay for... higher quality costs extra money. If you want a higher-end vacation, there are many other more expensive lines you can sign up for. Enjoying your vacation is all about expectations. I took a cruise on easyCruise a couple of years ago (think floating cramped Motel 6 w/ an overpriced restaurant attached)... if Princess gave me a vacation like that, I'd be furious! If I'd judged it by Princess standards: the cabin was awful, the food not worth eating, the service poor, the ship in worn condition, rampant nickel-and-diming, etc. But I paid $30/nt/pp for Greece!... best vacation value I've ever had! (Warning: not at the prices they charge now...)

 

CCL (the parent corp of Carnival, Princess, HAL, Costa, Seabourn, and a bunch of others) currently operates on a 7% profit margin (after taxes.) That's actually not bad, especially in these times, but it isn't exactly a money factory. It is not as if corporate is evilly cackling over their piles of cash while thinking up new ways to fleece every passenger that comes on board.

 

They (Princess, in general) genuinely want you to enjoy your vacation! It costs a fortune in marketing to recruit a new customer. Repeat customers are a lot cheaper to acquire, and form the backbone of any cruise line. They aren't an airline; if they provide a poor experience, you most certainly do have the option of taking your money elsewhere, and cruise passengers aren't quite as price-sensitive as airline pax.

 

Personally, if I had a cruise that didn't turn out well on an established line, I'd write a concise, specific, complaint letter, and if I got a decent response, I'd give the line a second chance. Beyond that, by all means send a message with your wallet, which, in aggregate, is a far more powerful message than any letter can send.

 

Don't read negative (yet constructive) reviews as an indictment of your vacation choice, instead, read them for their useful information! (This is how I have learned to bring DEET to Roatan, and a white-noise machine on my Riviera-deck cabin, and to get food at the International Cafe or Vines if I'm not real impressed with my dinner choice that night. Ask for the pax services director if I have persistent unfixed cabin issues., etc.) Skim reviews that are nothing more than a laundry list of trivial complaints, and likewise those that read like a badly-written paid endorsement; neither of those provide much in the way of useful information, especially if you have already booked your vacation.

 

In conclusion: Yes, there are people that post silly negative reviews. (One review I read stated not just that they didn't like their cruise, but that anyone that did obviously had poor taste and are easily-impressed rubes.) I believe that most negative reviews can be taken at face value. However, a few bad experiences is not an indictment of an entire line (nor are a few good ones a ringing endorsement!)

 

SirWired

[Coolmama_1]

My sentiments exactly!

[wobblybob74]

Sirwired,

 

Excellent post, sir. We haven't actually been on a cruise yet, but are going on a 14-day Med cruise from Southampton in June. I think if we had read these forums before we booked we probably wouldn't have done so!

 

Now, though, I have learnt to take a goodly number of the criticisms on here with a pinch of salt and we are determined to make the cruise special, despite the best efforts of others to put us off!

 

Cheers.

[Roses2]

As frequent cruisers we second your comments.

 

Princess and the Carnival Corporation deliver great value. There are few places where one can get so much for the dollar spent and most experienced cruisers recognize that fact.

 

There will be among the 2000 or so souls cruising on any trip the usual allocation of those who see the glass half full, those who see it half empty, and those who wouldn't drink it anyway.

 

Some folks are determined to enjoy their cruise regardless of the situation, while others are quick to blame the cruise line, crew, captain, other passengers, and the phase of the moon for everything from rough seas to safety concerns that cause missed ports.

 

Generally theses folks are quick to vent their dis-satisfaction. Constructive criticism and suggestions always are helpful. Carping, moaning, and blame are meaningless.

 

When things go wrong, and they do whether at sea or on shore, amazingly one generally can get a resolution by a positive friendly approach to those who may fix the problem. There are those who will listen to logical non- confrontational requests. However, these same people generally react badly to demands.

 

"A little bit of sugar helps the medicine go down".

[paul929207]

I agree, there will always be a few (and hopefully only a few) who have a bad experience on each cruise.

[kbailey1734]

There is always somebody that is going to complain...but notice after every cruise, you do not have thousands of cruisers from the same ship complaining...indicating that everybody else had a great time. So do not let the complaints of ONE person be a deciding factor with anything.

[LARGIN]

Nice post... Agree.

[4realrod]

Princess has a program called CRUISE that stands for Courtesy, Respect, Unfailing In Service Excellence. All employees are trained in this program. If a passenger has some knowledge of this program then they can use it to their advantage. As a TA I have taken some courses that cover the program. I am going to share it with you.

Cornerstone statement: "At one point in every day, one of our customers will come into contact with one of us, the Princess employee, and at that moment in time, WE wil be Princess Cruises. Our entire reputation as a company will be in our hands and we will make an impression. When the impression is good, we will have spoken to our customers more loudly than all our community involvement, all our advertising and public relations put together."

C.R.U.I.S.E Service Creedo: Is to be Known, Practiced, Owned and Energized by Officers and Crew.

1. We strive to be the very best.

2. We react quickly. We do everything possible to please our passengers and to resolve our guest's problem immediately.

3. We smile; we are on stage.

4. We are friendly, helpful and courteous. It is the Princess way.

5. We are ambassadors of our cruise ship, whne at work and at play.

6. Our uniforms are immaculate.

7. We are positive. We always find a way to get it done.

8. We use proper telephone etiquette. We always answer within 3 rings.

9. We are knowledgeable about all shipboard information.

10. We never say no. We suggest alternatives.

C.R.U.I.S.E. 5 Points of Light: Crew members follow these five points to excellent service:

1. The Moment of Truth- The instand a passenger comes into contact with a crew member and forms a first impression.

2. Internal Customers- If you are not serving a passenger directly, you are serving some one who is.

3. Teamwork- Working together to provide the finest possible experience for our passengers, in every area of the ship, during every moment of their cruise.

4. Greeting- You may not pass a passenger without saying good morning, good afternoon, or good evening.

5. English Only- You may only speak English when in passenger areas.

 

I know that it has worked for me when dealing with a problem onboard or in corporate offices to remind them of where they are failing to follow through on their own program. I keep a copy handy with me onboard to help me remember their program.

Also, employees are rewarded for the excellent service. Fill out the comment card and identify an employee who has followed their program and identify it in your comment. I hope this helps. I have always had a great experience aboard Princess with only minor issues that have always been resolved promptly when I reminded them of their C.R.U.I.S.E. Program.

[mrsihopes]

Very well written!! Totally agree!!

[gertz]

A lot of thought went into your post, thanks.:D

[Woobstr112G]

While some of the complaints here are overboard or unreasonable (i.e. being upset when a Princess cruise is not a non-stop party ship), I suspect most of them are quite genuine.

 

On any given sailing, there are thousands of passengers. There are well over a thousand crew members. Simple common sense tells us that:

 

Out of those thousands of passengers, some will have a genuinely poor experience, by any reasonable standard. There will be real, and serious, problems with their cabin and/or food, service, shore excursions, etc.

 

Out of those 1000+ crew members, there will be some that dislike their job and/or are bad at it. Think about all the people you work with. There are surely some that would be better suited elsewhere, and this is true at any large business.

 

For the prices Princess charges, it is simply impossible for them to ensure a flawless experience for everybody. While they are not a cheapo rust-bucket line, you are not paying nearly what the same vacation would cost at a decent land-based resort.

 

You get what you pay for... higher quality costs extra money. If you want a higher-end vacation, there are many other more expensive lines you can sign up for. Enjoying your vacation is all about expectations. I took a cruise on easyCruise a couple of years ago (think floating cramped Motel 6 w/ an overpriced restaurant attached)... if Princess gave me a vacation like that, I'd be furious! If I'd judged it by Princess standards: the cabin was awful, the food not worth eating, the service poor, the ship in worn condition, rampant nickel-and-diming, etc. But I paid $30/nt/pp for Greece!... best vacation value I've ever had! (Warning: not at the prices they charge now...)

 

CCL (the parent corp of Carnival, Princess, HAL, Costa, Seabourn, and a bunch of others) currently operates on a 7% profit margin (after taxes.) That's actually not bad, especially in these times, but it isn't exactly a money factory. It is not as if corporate is evilly cackling over their piles of cash while thinking up new ways to fleece every passenger that comes on board.

 

They (Princess, in general) genuinely want you to enjoy your vacation! It costs a fortune in marketing to recruit a new customer. Repeat customers are a lot cheaper to acquire, and form the backbone of any cruise line. They aren't an airline; if they provide a poor experience, you most certainly do have the option of taking your money elsewhere, and cruise passengers aren't quite as price-sensitive as airline pax.

 

Personally, if I had a cruise that didn't turn out well on an established line, I'd write a concise, specific, complaint letter, and if I got a decent response, I'd give the line a second chance. Beyond that, by all means send a message with your wallet, which, in aggregate, is a far more powerful message than any letter can send.

 

Don't read negative (yet constructive) reviews as an indictment of your vacation choice, instead, read them for their useful information! (This is how I have learned to bring DEET to Roatan, and a white-noise machine on my Riviera-deck cabin, and to get food at the International Cafe or Vines if I'm not real impressed with my dinner choice that night. Ask for the pax services director if I have persistent unfixed cabin issues., etc.) Skim reviews that are nothing more than a laundry list of trivial complaints, and likewise those that read like a badly-written paid endorsement; neither of those provide much in the way of useful information, especially if you have already booked your vacation.

 

In conclusion: Yes, there are people that post silly negative reviews. (One review I read stated not just that they didn't like their cruise, but that anyone that did obviously had poor taste and are easily-impressed rubes.) I believe that most negative reviews can be taken at face value. However, a few bad experiences is not an indictment of an entire line (nor are a few good ones a ringing endorsement!)

 

SirWired

 

Very well spoken.....:):):)

 

Bob

[Colo Cruiser]

Yes!!

[kooljamming]

I have never booked a vacation based on a "few" good reviews. I have never canceled one based on a 'few' bad experience. I take both with a grain of salt, while saving a pinch for the food and Margaritta. With different expectations some people will be happy with anything presented in from of them, while others with nothing. Unless they are just like me, (heavens forbid) I know others experience, good or bad, won't necessarily be mine. The overly good, while more accepted, are no better than the overly bad ones that are often dismissed. I won't spend much time reading a 1 or 5 review, unless for sheer entertainment!

[Druke I]

I have been accused of being overly cynical - that said, I have never had a bad cruise.

 

There have been some speed-bumps and snags, but I always manage to have a grand time.

 

I like some ships better than others, and think some chefs do a better job than others with the same basic ingredients.

[Shifra]

Perspective is the key here. Even luxury line ships can have problems. A/C, plumbing, and mechanical breakdowns can happen on any ship anywhere. If you feel that any of these could totally ruin your vacation..Don't cruise.

 

If you notice that a particular line seems to have problems on most of their ships that would be cause for concern. The good thing is that usually none of these problems happen which is why cruising is so popular.

[sirwired]

Just thought I would add (in case there was not enough emphasis) that I am not discounting some of the recent negative reviews. If my cabin was an oven and my showers an icebox all week, I'd be really annoyed also! I, too, would be rather unlikely to book another Princess cruise unless I got a resolution. While Princess isn't Seabourn, a vaguely comfy cabin temp isn't too much to ask. These are perfectly legitimate complaints deserving of compensation. I was just trying to put those reviews into a larger context, which is more useful for others trying to make travel decisions...

 

SirWired

[Putterdude]

They (Princess, in general) genuinely want you to enjoy your vacation! It costs a fortune in marketing to recruit a new customer. Repeat customers are a lot cheaper to acquire, and form the backbone of any cruise line. They aren't an airline; if they provide a poor experience, you most certainly do have the option of taking your money elsewhere, and cruise passengers aren't quite as price-sensitive as airline pax.

 

Personally, if I had a cruise that didn't turn out well on an established line, I'd write a concise, specific, complaint letter, and if I got a decent response, I'd give the line a second chance. Beyond that, by all means send a message with your wallet, which, in aggregate, is a far more powerful message than any letter can send.

 

 

Thank you for for very well written positive post and I think for the most part you are "spot on". I don't recall ever having a problem so serious on a Princess ship that it could not be resolved on board until a cruise we had this fall. Being sufficiently angry about the matter I wrote to Princess's customer service department and I am sure that they must have got at least a 1,000 emails, letters and calls on the incident. The response I got was nothing but a well crafted bit of corporate baffle-gaff....at that point they almost lost me as I was on the verge of cancelling the 3 cruises we had booked with Princess and moving to another line.

 

However I set the matter aside for a few weeks and then upon the advice of our TA wrote to Alan Buckelew with copies of the two letters. I am happy to report that I now how have the apology that I sought not only for the onboard incident but also the CSR's letter and assurance that every effort will be made to ensure that this does not happen again. Frankly I think I had to write one more letter than necessary but I am willing to kiss and make up.

[paul929207]

Thank you for for very well written positive post and I think for the most part you are "spot on". I don't recall ever having a problem so serious on a Princess ship that it could not be resolved on board until a cruise we had this fall. Being sufficiently angry about the matter I wrote to Princess's customer service department and I am sure that they must have got at least a 1,000 emails, letters and calls on the incident. The response I got was nothing but a well crafted bit of corporate baffle-gaff....at that point they almost lost me as I was on the verge of cancelling the 3 cruises we had booked with Princess and moving to another line.

 

However I set the matter aside for a few weeks and then upon the advice of our TA wrote to Alan Buckelew with copies of the two letters. I am happy to report that I now how have the apology that I sought not only for the onboard incident but also the CSR's letter and assurance that every effort will be made to ensure that this does not happen again. Frankly I think I had to write one more letter than necessary but I am willing to kiss and make up.

Glad you got satisfaction, even if it did take an exttra letter.

[Pam in CA]

Don't read negative (yet constructive) reviews as an indictment of your vacation choice, instead, read them for their useful information! (This is how I have learned to bring DEET to Roatan, and a white-noise machine on my Riviera-deck cabin, and to get food at the International Cafe or Vines if I'm not real impressed with my dinner choice that night. Ask for the pax services director if I have persistent unfixed cabin issues., etc.) Skim reviews that are nothing more than a laundry list of trivial complaints, and likewise those that read like a badly-written paid endorsement; neither of those provide much in the way of useful information, especially if you have already booked your vacation.

 

In conclusion: Yes, there are people that post silly negative reviews. (One review I read stated not just that they didn't like their cruise, but that anyone that did obviously had poor taste and are easily-impressed rubes.) I believe that most negative reviews can be taken at face value. However, a few bad experiences is not an indictment of an entire line (nor are a few good ones a ringing endorsement!)

Excellent post. I've had some negative experiences, a couple of them pretty awful, and while these affected my cruise, it didn't stop me from having a great time. Heck, one of the worst cruise experiences I've had was on a HAL cruise and not only do I rate it as one of my best-ever cruises, I went on the same ship for 28 days just over a year later.

 

When taking any vacation, whether it's a cruise or a land vacation, you need to remain flexible and understand that life isn't perfect, no matter how well you or others plan.

[Anubi]

Thank you for putting into words what I have been thinking.

[Maraprince]

If someone encountered a problem on a ship I was booked on for a future sailing I would prefer to hear about it before I boarded the ship and not be unpleasantly surprised.

 

MARAPRINCE

[Thumper69]

I have never booked a vacation based on a "few" good reviews. I have never canceled one based on a 'few' bad experience. I take both with a grain of salt, while saving a pinch for the food and Margaritta. With different expectations some people will be happy with anything presented in from of them, while others with nothing. Unless they are just like me, (heavens forbid) I know others experience, good or bad, won't necessarily be mine. The overly good, while more accepted, are no better than the overly bad ones that are often dismissed. I won't spend much time reading a 1 or 5 review, unless for sheer entertainment!

 

Not too much salt on those margaritas...lol

 

I also laugh at seeing all the 4 and 5 ratings and then there is one 1 rating. I love reading those ones, some people can complain about anything and everything. I have had a great experience with every cruise I've taken but I don't have ridiculously high expectations either. It is amazing what a smile and some courtesy can do for the atmosphere on a ship. I too don't take others experiences as to my holiday decision making as you make your own holiday whether on land or ship.

 

Anthony

[Colo Cruiser]

If I tried to keep track of all the problems encountered on a ship I was sailing on in the future that are aired here on CC or anywhere else for that matter I would never sail at all.

By the time I get onboard it is long forgotten. If there is a problem I deal with it while onboard.

[grandmato4]

Completely agree with the op. I've always been a believer that every cruiseline isn't the best choice for each person. Nor is any cruise vacation the best vacation for everyone. We are all indiviuals with different expectations and those expectations play a large part in our cruise experience. Things happen sometimes and its just not possible for everything to be perfect on every cruise for every individual which means my great cruise may be your nightmare or vice versa.

 

A friends first cruise on Princess a few years ago will be her last. While I understand her reasoning, the circumstances surrounding her bad experience were due to her own special circumstances for which I hold sympathy but at the same time didn't mean we felt we should not give Princess a try. As you can imagine this did not go over well with her. We are happy that she's found her own cruiseline of choice and enjoys her cruises and would never rule out trying her line someday but for us right now we are happy with our cruiselines of choice.

 

I've never had any doubt of the sincerity of most cruiselines complaints. We'd not be happy with some that we read either and others, well they do tend to make us shake our heads. Its a great education about cruising to read and understand all things that can happen and often gives a good education to the best way to handle things (or not handle them) if they do go wrong.

[Northender]

OP - great post. Have all our cruises been super-duper, nope. But a glass of wine usually puts things in a good perspective:D

 

As most of us say, I have never had a bad cruise, and I hope I never will.:cool: