poll: Cruise experience satisfaction

[waterrats]

There have been some people trying to find out who has had bad experiences with cruising. I have decided to start a poll to find out how people on this board rate their experience. I feel that there is a huge percentage of people that favor cruises and have had good experiences then the percentage of people that have had negative experiences.

[ILUVCRUIZN]

Hi Waterrats,

 

I think I know which post you are referring to, I threw my 2 cents in the ring also. I for one am a huge fan of cruising. I love every minute of it. yeah things have happend, but that is part of everyday life, so you deal with it and move on. You are on a bueatiful ship in georgeous waters, sun beaming down on you and your tropical drink... Really, how bad can it be!!!!!!!!!! You are on vacation!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Happy sailings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cruisingfreak]

I live & breathe cruising. Never been that way about anything before. It becomes very addicting.

 

 

Minette

[springtxbill]

Is there some other form of vacation?

[waterrats]

We never took vacations until we went on a cruise. This is our third year in a row. I love boating and own a boat, but thought I wouldn't like cruising because I thought it would be go to a port, get off, get on, go to next port. Well we love it. It's getting there that is the fun.

Is there some other form of vacation?

[smudge's mom]

It seems that lately, whenever we discuss taking a land vacation, we end up cruising. Our favorite things?? -- all your meals included -- all your entertainment included -- waking up everyday to a new port -- having to unpack only once -- having someone available to take care of your every need. :D :D

[Wennfred]

I love cruising and will keep cruising until the day I die, I dont go cruising looking for faults or to complain about what foods I like on other ships, When I arrive on the ship I go in with a Clean slate as if it was my first cruise again, Im not there to compare as I see others do, nick pick about everything, drives me crazy.

 

I look for the best and hang with like minded people, enjoy and have a great time.

[BobBeaSea]

Cruising, like other forms of vacations, is subject to the whims of human nature. Just as there are those who would not choose any form of vacation other than a first rate AI, some cruisers would not choose a land based vacation. Whichever vacation is chosen it seems that people always have different expectations. If you go to land based vacation review boards you will find pretty much the same thing; some people loved their experience, some did not even though they were at the same resort the same week. Personally we will continue to do both.

[hogwildcruzers]

What's not to love!! No trip on earth is any better and for the ones who are not in the 100% group, well you start out thinking you will find something bad and you will,if you search hard enough.

[geoherb]

I'd vote for 99% if that were an option. But I'm 100% hooked on taking cruises. We'll probably take at least one a year. I'm looking forward to when we retire and can take more--especially some of the last-minute deals we can't take advantage of now.

[ROCruiser]

I am shopping for a new car and am aiming at some luxury models. My DH said if I pick a cheaper car, we can go on more cruises. That does it, a dependable economy car is fine. I WANT TO GO ON MORE CRUISES!

[ger_77]

When I die, they're going to have to pry my cold bony fingers off the railing of a ship's deck, and then try their darndest to get the froo froo drink out of my other hand.:D I absolutely love the cruise experience, from the pre-planning to everything except the disembarkation ... that's always a downer. Cruising is a wonderful way to see the world while living in the most amazing hotel, waking up in a different country after a night of dining and dancing with the man I married almost 30 years ago. He has finally caught the bug almost as strongly as I have, and is looking forward to planning our next cruise vacation.

 

We spoke with some aquaintances who took their first cruise only a couple of weeks ago - they didn't like it because they "had to keep changing clothes all the time ... first to go to shore, then to go swimming at the pool, and then for supper." Guess cruising's not for them, and that's okay, but don't tell me that the only place people can have a good holiday is at an "all inclusive land resort"!

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

[Judith02]

Prior to our first cruise in 1997, our grown children (who love to cruise) had told us we would hate it because we just don't like to have to do things at set times or stay up late. They were very wrong -- we love cruising (we stay up past midnight to the astonishment of ourselves and our children). Our last dozen or so cruises have been on Crystal and we have become very spoiled from their wonderful ships, service, food, lecturers, entertainment, and everything else. I love unpacking and then having two weeks of leisure on board the ship, sightseeing in ports when I choose to go ashore. It is like a resort at sea. Land trips where we pack and unpack and live out of a suitcase are definitely not for us anymore. Perhaps it is Crystal or perhaps it is just the cruise experience, but we love it.

[momofmeg]

Well here it goes for my 9 cruises. Carnival Tropicale-100% but it was a cra^&*py ship but as it was my first cruise-I had nothing to compare it to and loved it. Sovereign of the Seas 90% this was my second cruise so I was not quite so starry eyed but it was still so much more wonderful then land vacations. Carnival Fascination-third cruise was great-85% HAL Statendam-fourth cruise-a little subdued and stuffy but still better then any land vacation-80%. Sovereign of the Seas-our fifth cruise-great again-we took my sister her first time-85%. Pacific Princess-our sixth cruise was 100% just for the nostaligia of being on the old "Love Boat"-Princess sold her about a month later so I would not trade that experience for anything. Carnival Inspiration our seventh cruise-food not as good-I hated the new policy of smoking and non smoking-as I loved the Paino bar but as smokers were banned from other bars and allowed in there it was too smoky for me-and normally cigerette smoke does not bother me-80%. Carnival Miracle our eigth cruise 100%-she was only 6 weeks old- plenty of live entertainment in non smoking lounges which Inspiration did not have-top notch food and shows-it was as though because she was brand new Carnival had pulled out all the stops. Disney wonder our ninth cruise-I felt Disney was super-loved our huge room and balcony-this ship was so much nicer then others ships I have been on-only HAL Statendam compared in quality of the decor- there was a great adult only pool and nightclubs which we were able to enjoy minus the kids-100%.

 

So as you see I love cruises and am willing to go on ANY ship-as far as I am concerned cruising is the vacation I enjoy the most-I hope to cruise many more times.

[waterrats]

momomeg - wow. that was great. glad you love it. I would say my first cruise Voyager of the Seas was 100%, my second cruise, Caribbean Princess was a 98% (only because the sports deck isn't great like on Voyager of the Seas). Our third cruise this year will be on Caribbean Princess again and most likely will get a 98% as well only because of their sports deck. It is so lacking.

[MaryL31]

I'm totally hooked-went to Alaska on Infinity (8/8-8/15/04). Went with my

81-year old Dad because he had always wanted to see Alaska. Was not

looking forward to Alaska or the cruise-but LOVED both! Can't wait to cruise

again (6 1/2 weeks to go, but who's counting?). Besides all the other things

people love about cruising, I have one to add: Being called "Madame" all week long, while being waited on hand and foot. Who could ask for more?

[sandytoesrose]

Of course, we love to cruise! That's why we're here and not on some other kind of board. It's the perfect vacation. With a little planning it can be stress free or full of adventure. What do I love the most? The food, meeting new people, being pampered by waiters and cabin stewards. Not having to plan anything if I don't want to or scheduling as many activities as I possibly can, being out in the fresh sea air, and on and on......

[seagoingJLW]

Cruising is the best available form of vacation. I love it. I have had some bad experiences. Let's face it, not all cruise directors are good. Also, a lot of shore excursions suffer from lack of proper planning. Another thing, when an engine falters (as on our last cruise) and you pull in late to ports, everything goes downhill.

 

Joan

[hillbilly cruiser]

When we were married years ago I told my wife that there were two things I wanted to do before I got so old I couldn't enjoy them or I died. One was to go to Hawaii and the other was go on a cruise. We went to Hawaii in 1975, I think and we are booked on or sixth cruise.

We thing its the best thing going.

[Bob and Suzie]

Not sure, but IMHO this poll might be rather biased, being that it is on a board such as this:D I don't think that we'll find many who would not want to cruise again. It will be interesting to see where the others land however.

[jcruise67]

There have been some people trying to find out who has had bad experiences with cruising. I have decided to start a poll to find out how people on this board rate their experience. I feel that there is a huge percentage of people that favor cruises and have had good experiences then the percentage of people that have had negative experiences.

 

Waterrats...Can't say DW and I ever had a bad cruise experience. We will be on our 12th cruise on April 17th on the Golden Princess, and we have yet to have anything negative to say about cruising. The pros always outweigh the cons. I could write a book about all our positive experiences.

 

John

[bibb]

We think that cruising is the best vacation. You can do the entire cruise without lifting a finger (once baggage is hauled, that is).

 

 

But we also love land vacations in Europe. We fly into Frankfurt, Paris, Amsterdam or whatever major airport the best air price takes us, rent a car, and then go. We do 6 to 8 countries each time we go and, while we have a general plan, we don't have a schedule. DW navigates and I drive and it has worked well for us so far.

 

Each year, we try to do one or two cruises, one or two land trips overseas and a serious trip somewhere here in the states.

[Gingee]

This is our third family cruise in three years. Prior to that, we did traveling to other places that we could only go by car. We haven't gotten to our third cruise yet. Unless we don't like that one, I am already thinking of Alaska for our fourth one next year for our anniversary (just my husband and I for that one).

[rc51]

What's not to love!! No trip on earth is any better and for the ones who are not in the 100% group, well you start out thinking you will find something bad and you will,if you search hard enough.

 

There are some things you have no control over. I voted in the 60% cat..but am willing to try it again, so make sure if cruising is or isn't for us.

 

We had no control of the 'slow pace' of this past cruise.. (our first one), due to the average age being probably 60+, even other 30 year olds on the cruise we met, very few of them, who had done several before commented that this sailing was by far the slowest.

 

We're willing to try it again... looking at Alaska for this Sept... and see how it goes. Another optoin, is that we didn't think there was anything 'special' on this cruise.... others have called it 'mainstream'. Maybe we have to try Radisson or Crystal to find what we're after...who knows.

[waterrats]

rc51 - last years cruise for us was a great time. We are cruising on september 24th on caribbean princess. it will be a great time. the ship is beautiful. my one major complaint about the ship is that the sports deck flat out sucks but we had such a great time last year we are going on her again this year.