Have a Minute To Help Us Out? We're Redesigning Our Ship Review Page!

[deecruzer]

I have always found the reviews on Cruise Critic very helpful. I do believe that larger pictures would help.

[Butterfly625]

Well, this is only my opinion but I agree with others the ship should have a closer picture with more details showing. I also feel that there is too much reading to hook my interest at first glance. Activities, food and the ships elaborate deco should jump out at first glance. Eye candy will lure people in to find out more about the ship and how much fun they will have. People will then invision themselves fulfilling a fantasy on this particular ship making it worth the expense. Reviews and ratings are important but are still boring facts, everyone loves eye candy that state facts. Like I said, only my opinion....

[LollyMoz]

Laura,

 

I enjoy the overall format of the new review page, but would love to see more photos; not just the canned advertising photos, but those taken by members as well. I devour any photos that I come across of whichever ship I'm sailing - can't get enough. I don't mean that you should have tons of redundant photos, just a large selection of different views, different cabins, dining venues, etc. I liked what you had, but would like to see more and a larger variety. JMHO.... Thanks for the great work you all do! :)

 

Laura Moz

[Dayenu]

I'd like to see PRINTABLE deck plans. Always have a problem with this on other websites.

[Times Prince]

My first question on opening a ship review page is "Where's the review?" At the top we are presented with photo and references to some general articles, followed by ads. Nowhere is there a link on the initial screen to an obvious something titled "Read our review" or "Read our member's reviews". Only after scrolling down for a while do I find somthing looking like a review.

 

There is a scale of something, I never have figured out what that symbol is, giving a rating for the major categories. Please add what the maximum scale is (5 or 4?) so we can measure degree of goodness. Also for anything like this I would want to see how many opinions have been combined to create this rating.

 

By now the forum moderators should have noted recurring topics about ships, and those details should be updated in the review. For instance the tiered balcony design of Princess Cruise's Grand class of ships gives specific balcony options (covered, partially covered, open) associated with the cabin type. We once had an experience where we paid extra for a minisuite to discover during the cruise that is was too hot in the direct sunlight to use the balcony, as it was fully exposed.

 

There used to be a sticky post in the cruise line forum for this type of info but it disappeared.

 

Please place the review date at the start of the review.

 

As others have said, some more photos would be good.

 

Thanks,

[OrlandoD]

OK - I'm going over some old ground here - I didn't read all 6 pages so far but I have to agree about photos. I seek out other members vacation photos when I'm researching. I also really like to find cabin floor plans and quirts about particular locations - it helps me visualize what to expect. I like to find decent size deck plans so I can figure out what is above and below my perfect cabin. How about smoking policy aboard? - again may be too individualized for a broad ship review but more and more lines are changing their policy and I'd love to find one who had very little smoking. (it's actually kept me off HAL by reputation alone)

 

I recently read an article (it was posted on the HAL thread) about how passengers need to "calibrate their expectations." This can be very hard to do when you're trying to read between the ship's slick glossy marketing and very vocal critics on this site and others like it. I always find reality somewhere in between.

 

I feel like the reviews on this site should be more of an insiders tone than an extension of the cruise line's marketing.

 

Appreciate being asked - BTW I was on Millennium and after much research, booked and was totally psyched about being in Concierge class room. Apparently I hadn't sufficiently adjusted my own expectations, I left the ship thinking what the heck did I just pay extra for? I felt like such a sucker.

[NAVY67]

Just here to say Hellow. I just signed up on this site. My 1st non-US Navy cruise will leave on Monday on Monarch of The Seas to the Bahamas. I have been around the world twice but this will be my wife's 1st cruise.

[We're The Groupnors]

Love the reviews, and would not take anything away, or change the format or colours. I would, however, recommend the addition of pictures of the cabins and from around the ships. Frankly, the cruise ship web-sites just don't do it for photos.

[jsfromsc]

Looks to me like you have everything you need or a link to get there for any questions one might have. I've been very happy with this web site. So glad I found it. :)

[lovetocruisenow]

I love your website. It's one of the first things I check when planning or even thinking about a cruise. One thing that would improve would be more pictures -- real pictures -- not the canned ones supplied by the cruise lines. Also more information about rooms -- even specific information about specific rooms (as well as photos) would be great! I know you have some of this available if you hunt, but putting it right up front would be a time saver. Also, copies of Princess Patters (or similar dailies) and Menus would be another great addition.:rolleyes:

[TheRejector]

Very easy to navigate and very pleasing to the eye. All the info anyone would need is right there, excellent work!

[teemsum]

Laura, I love the ship reviews !

 

It would be nice to have info on the Internet Acess & how much it costs.

 

 

Cruisingly Yours

[HeinBloed]

I think that it might help to know more about the cruise history:

 

number of sailings

cruise lines sailed on

best experience

worst experience

 

So experienced cruiser might understand where the specific rating came...

 

Like

 

a bad rating from someone who only sailed Regent Seven Seas, Crystal etc. and goes on HAL

 

vs.

 

a good rating from someone who only did Carnival, MSC etc before.

 

vs

 

a neutral rating from a first-timer

 

vs

 

a neutral rating from someone who is always going the same cruise line

 

Regards

HeinBloed

[whogo]

I have not read other comments so excuse me if I am being repetitious. Having to click at the bottom of the page to "Read Complete Celebrity Millennium Review" is irritating. More irritating is the link of the bottom of the next page "Read more about Celebrity Millennium" that does not really let you read more about the ship, it just takes you back to the original page. I would like to see it all on one page. I assume you do it the current way to present more ads to us and increase your revenue.

[marshhawk]

I would suggest more pictures of the ship, so that when you click on one, a portfolio might open up. I love that if you look at the deck plans, there are cabin reviews. After the cruise review, I wish you would add port reviews(the Carnival Legend had that), so that the writer could write the ship/cruise review, and then tie it in to the ports of call reviews. Thanks for asking our opinion.:)

[bicycledude]

Ship reviews read like they were written by the cruise lines themselves as PR nonsense. The good is fine and all, but the bad and ugly are most important to know about.

[JWJs]

Hi Laura. Thanks for asking.

The Millie is one of my all time favorite ships.:)

Two things I would like to see on the page:

1. A link to make the Millennium CC page a favorite on Facebook.

2. Add a link to upload pictures of Millie staterooms.

 

Joanie does this on the HAL big board and it's awesome.

[writer100]

Ship reviews read like they were written by the cruise lines themselves as PR nonsense. The good is fine and all, but the bad and ugly are most important to know about.

Well, maybe that's a little harsh, but the truth is I (at least) do read reviews to find out what's bad. If it's bad enough. I'll avoid the ship.The most important statistics to me are number of passengers, launch/refurb date. The deck plans are a neat addition. Having square footage of cabins to compare is very helpful, too. I don't mind the ads, and I appreciate how hard it is for CC to review a ship that is aged and cramped and still not call it that. For the warts, the members reviews are essential.

Are you brave enough to embrace some revolutionary approaches? The deckchair ratings are fine--though a little loose in their actual meaning-- but how about cigar butts or ashtrays to indicate the range of smoking tolerance on board. One ashtray=tough rules. More ashtrays, progressively, for those cruise lines willing to risk their passengers' lives.

I am very aware of how hard it is to please everyone, and I really do think you do an excellent job.

[Kennykat]

Looks OK to me, no complaints. K

[scapel]

Ship reviews read like they were written by the cruise lines themselves as PR nonsense. The good is fine and all, but the bad and ugly are most important to know about.

I would think usually one is happy to report an excellent experience, but not too happy to report on a bad one. Probably that is why one sees positive reports and reviews. Many reviews do include the down side.

I tend to forget the down side, but I sure remember the good things.

[scapel]

I would suggest more pictures of the ship, so that when you click on one, a portfolio might open up. I love that if you look at the deck plans, there are cabin reviews. After the cruise review, I wish you would add port reviews(the Carnival Legend had that), so that the writer could write the ship/cruise review, and then tie it in to the ports of call reviews. Thanks for asking our opinion.:)

 

I think a lot of port reviews are included in the ship review and cruise critic would have to extract these and file as a port review summation with the date of the visit. That would be a good project.

[Wingtips56]

Well, to me it looks like I just landed on an ad page; I avoid ads, so it doesn't make me think to look deeper.

 

What I'd want to see are some cold hard facts right at the outset, like the ship's size, age and when it was last in dry-dock/refitting, or when the next dry-docking is expected. Is it an old ship that has been renamed, rescued from another insolvent line, or purpose-built for the current operator.

 

As far as features go, I agree with more pictures, particularly with obstructed view rooms...how obstructed? Do you wake up every morning to find crew members outside the window prepping to lower the tenders/boats/rafts? Does that make it noisy or imprivate?

 

Are the balconies private, or, on ship like the Princess Grand class, are the decks stair-stepped outward so that 3 balconies above yours are looking right in on you?

 

Then, reviews on what to do on-board on port days if you don't go ashore ...any activities? ...anything open? ...entertainment? Is there entertainment and activities on in-port overnights? (We found a very quiet ship with limited restaurants, etc. open on an evening when most folks were out on either very late or overnight shore excursions.)

 

And finally, comments on whether there is enough to do during a long stretch of sea days that may make you want to reconsider taking such a cruise on that ship. And can you stay busy without having to spend extra money every second?

[wjterry]

Thanks for asking me to review the reviews. I was delighted to see that the cabin chosen for the review is the one we have booked for our Alaska Cruise. I thing the review was good and it just makes me want to go now!!

[cybx]

I wouldn't mind seeing different "ribbon" levels depending on how recent the review was. For example: If a ship started off with many 5 ribbon reviews but has recently been getting many 2 or 3 ribbon reviews, then i think we'd see a ship getting 3.5-4 ribbons overall. It might be nice to have a few different time frames like: Score for last 90 days, Score for the last year, overall score. That way it'd be easier to see what people currently think of the ship at a glance.

[algaes]

Deck plan links should be presented in descending order esp if the link is superimposed on an outline of the ship. Reference a deck number and a name even if the cruise line uses only names.

 

Clicked on CDC/FDA score and nearly all were very high 90's or 100. In that world a 95 actually is not great in a relative sense but good in absolute sense. If a ship is in the 80s should the score be in red or flagged.

 

Latest developments should be highlighted/mentioned: diverted, engine troubles...

 

What are hottest topics being dicussed specifically mentioning that ship? Provide a link.

 

Don't mind the ads and appreciate they are left margin set no right.

 

Endorse any other mentions that would like to see carry-on rules and policies. So much energy spent discussing that issue.

 

Link or info regarding passengers on that ship that qualify for special amenities e.g. NCL and their suite cruisers.

 

I don't mind PR photos of rooms and spaces. Also link to member photos. Could you have hyperlink on deck plans where there are member photos of specific rooms?

 

How about head to head comparisons of ships a customer might be thinking about? What about cruisers thinking of this ship are also considering? What sbout cruisers sailing/sailed on this ship also sailing/salied on...?

 

Click on Itineries and Ports of Call leads to current info plus links to who else sails to same location.