What is the worst Cruise line that you have sailed on

[mr green]

Well then, having voyaged extensively for over two decades, but certainly not on all the ships available much less all the multiple cruise lines offering their wares, we find that Berlitz offers the best comprehensive review of each ship as well as that for each line.

 

Now, having said that, admittedly, as others argue, Berlitz reviews only offer the sole opinion of a one, Douglas Ward, and are repeat with error. Doubtful, but maybe so now and then, however then, only regarding an occasional error(s). We find that Ward and company reach out in extensively more detail to far more than say, our peer group Cruise Critic cruise reviews do with their limited and convoluted assessments. Rather, Berlitz does indeed take into consideration personal voyager reviews as well as getting into the nitty-gritty aspects of cruise life so important to all of us. So (and I realize there is violent disagreement herewith regarding some evaluations), but love them or hate them, read and weep, or agree, here they are, the latest, and they do make sense; to us anyway:

 

Of the eleven major lines, summarizing all the different categories such as food, service, cabins, open decks, quality of ingredients, wine lists, dining room/cuisine, bars, etc. etc.etc. here they are;

 

1. Cunard

2. Celebrity

3. MSC

4. Princess

5. HAL

6. P & O Cruises

7. NCL

8. Star Cruises

9. Costa Cruises

10. Carnvial

11. Royal Caribbean

 

I gave up on Douglas Ward after my cruise on Mercury after he rated her the #3 large ship.

true it was a couple of years later, but I still found it to be the biggest cruise disapointment that I have ever had.

At that time he seemed to place great emphasis on the china and silverware used. IMO as long as it is clean, undamaged, and of the correct type I could never see how the table service pieces that cruise ships provide could affect my cruise.

 

john

[oskar95]

NCL worst by far. Been on Carnival, HAL, Celebrity, and RCL.

 

So, how can you say that they're bad if you have just been in Carnival, HAL and Celebrity and RCL?

[janetz]

The Carnival Legend was the one we disliked. The food was not so great. The entertainment was ok but once you saw the couple of shows they offered, it was a bore. That was about 6 years ago and our last with Carnival.

[momofmeg]

So, how can you say that they're bad if you have just been in Carnival, HAL and Celebrity and RCL?

 

They are going by what they "heard." NCL may not be my favorite line but they are not the worst-I put Carnival below them but that is my personal opinion.

 

People can be so funny intheir opinions, such as the one person who said RCI is best and they have only cruised RCI and have never been disappointed. LOL! Carnival was my first cruise and I loved them-it was not until I branched out that I learned there were better mainstream lines that were only slightly more expensive. Now Carnival would be my LAST choice.

 

I guess though we all need to remember we are all different and what is one person's favorite is another person's worst. However, as you pointed out, we should go by our own experience instead of hearsay when we tell others a cruise line is the worst.

[maddashin]

I would sail for free

[navybankerteacher]

So, how can you say that they're bad if you have just been in Carnival, HAL and Celebrity and RCL?

 

Poster was answering the question: "What's the worst line you have been on?" He added the others to show some experience -- admittedly not every cruise line, but he did cover the largest mass-market lines.

 

I happen to agree -- from my own experience, and from recognizing the likelihood that a cruise line that primarily emphasizes the "do your own thing" ambience is likely to attract the kind of crowd inclined to do just that.

[lecas]

We´re back from our Costa Favolosa Cruise and are not able to say very good things about this ship - DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY

The negatives:

The restaurants are very crowded and sometimes you really have to fight to get something

The food was pretty poor by Cruise Ship standards

The buffet was repetitive and a bit bland

Bad service and too many people on the ship (4100)

Smoking is allowed all over on deck, in the bars, in the casino

Staff was not very friendly and sometimes just rude

Drink package - it only included one type of beer, limited wines, and only a limited number of mixed drinks

No 24hr buffet, (at night) nothing else just a portion of pizza

Service in restaurant bad (takes 2 hours to complete meal) if waiters not singing after meal for guests

People putting towels on sun chairs for the whole day and claiming the sun bed as theirs even when they were nowhere to be seen

Sun beds - if you were not on deck before 10:00am these were all taken.

Overall, I would not recommend Costa to any of my friends and would not cruise with them again

[smeyer418]

Poster was answering the question: "What's the worst line you have been on?" He added the others to show some experience -- admittedly not every cruise line, but he did cover the largest mass-market lines.

 

I happen to agree -- from my own experience, and from recognizing the likelihood that a cruise line that primarily emphasizes the "do your own thing" ambience is likely to attract the kind of crowd inclined to do just that.

that's strange because the worst passengers I ever met were on Celebrity. they thought it was ok to push and shove to get on a tender. never met anyone like that on NCL. do you own thing doesn't mean being rude or inconsiderate.

[boogs]

that's strange because the worst passengers I ever met were on Celebrity. they thought it was ok to push and shove to get on a tender.

 

I personally have never met unruly or rude passengers on any of my Celebrity cruises.

[navybankerteacher]

I personally have never met unruly or rude passengers on any of my Celebrity cruises.

 

Same here - I would say that passenger mix on Celebrity, Cunard and HAL regularly seems more laid back and courteous; somewhat less so on Princess and Carnival, and on Norwegian, which has always seemed over-crowded, I've regularly experienced the pushiest.

[Smokeyham]

Bummed. Booked my cruise on the Pride of America almost a year ago, now I found out the same accomodations are 350.00 less than what we paid. Hardly seems fair, what is the point of booking so far ahead? While I understand cruise lines want to fill

cabins, but they should never lower the prices below what guests paid who booked so far in advance to get the best rates and perks. Pretty much told "deal with it". Never again, NCL! :mad:

 

Just FYI.... It is not unusual that prices will change between when you book, and when you sail. People book early so they can get the cabin they want. The trick is to then watch the prices, and if the price drops before final payment is made, then you may be able to negotiate a better price. Typically, if the price drops after the date for your final payment is made, then you are stuck with what you paid.

 

This is the way it is with almost all cruise lines. It is not specific to NCL.

[kylenyc]

Bummed. Booked my cruise on the Pride of America almost a year ago, now I found out the same accomodations are 350.00 less than what we paid. Hardly seems fair, what is the point of booking so far ahead? While I understand cruise lines want to fill

cabins, but they should never lower the prices below what guests paid who booked so far in advance to get the best rates and perks. Pretty much told "deal with it". Never again, NCL! :mad:

You seem to be on a mission to post the same complaint on all the forums when there is a clear and simple explaination and resolution to this posted by many people. I hope you actually read the suggestions. (duplicate posts in 4 forums)

 

This is common to many cruise lines. If it's 1) before final payment due, then you can call either the agent you booked with (either NCL or your travel agent) and ask them to rebook you at the lower rate. Just be aware that you will be rebooked under the new terms which may change any on board credit or amenities on your original reservation. Example: If your original reservation has $200 on board credit, and the new rate is $100 less without OBC, then it's not worth a change. Also, check you TA for any fees for rebooking. 2) after final payment then you won't be rebooked at the new rate but you might be able to persuade them to offer an upgrade, amenities, or future credit. Ask nicely and if denied, ask someone else higher on the food chain.

 

It's common business practice to lower prices over time to sell inventory. The advantage of booking early is to get the room and location you want. Just think if this was economy airfare, you would have no such option!

 

Hope you have a good trip and don't let the little things bring you down.

[meatloafsfan]

For my, my worst cruise was on the Disney Dream - the adult pool was a joke (better on the Disney Magic), our dining service was truly awful (one night I ended up with no entree because the server refused to bring me the plain chicken option :confused:, and they often forgot items or brought incorrect items to the table), our room steward hung back up dirty towels and bathmat that we had placed on the floor (and actually "dirty" - had black and brown spots on them from cleaning gunk off my mother's wheelchair that she had rolled through in Nassau).

 

Based on that experience, I prefer to cruise the older DCL ships if I'm going to pay those high DCL prices.

[cruzeluver]

I have encountered rude, boorish, uncouth people on all four of the cruise lines I have sailed.

 

To answer the OP's question however, my least favorite line on which I have sailed is Carnival. I find their food and service to be marginal and their ships to be butt-ugly and cheap looking.

[navybankerteacher]

I have encountered rude, boorish, uncouth people on all four of the cruise lines I have sailed.

 

To answer the OP's question however, my least favorite line on which I have sailed is Carnival. I find their food and service to be marginal and their ships to be butt-ugly and cheap looking.

 

When aesthetics are taken into consideration, rather than service or fellow cruisers, a whole different spectrum appears. Carnival has probably the ugliest ships - garish color combinations predominate, followed by Norwegian with their silly hull paintings. Many Princess ships look like shopping carts with that elevated "handle" over the stern area; they tend to be overly plastic/flashy in their interiors. Celebrity ships somehow manage to make their promenade decks look like warehouse spaces. The most attractive are HAL and Cunard, with their dark, unadorned hulls, teak decks, and thoughtful interiors.

[Ilovesailing]

Bummed. Booked my cruise on the Pride of America almost a year ago, now I found out the same accomodations are 350.00 less than what we paid. Hardly seems fair, what is the point of booking so far ahead? While I understand cruise lines want to fill

cabins, but they should never lower the prices below what guests paid who booked so far in advance to get the best rates and perks. Pretty much told "deal with it". Never again, NCL! :mad:

 

 

Welcome to CC and congrats on your 4th post and your rant on NCL.

[Grumpy100]

Costa worse food and rudest people.

[wscott52]

Haven't been on many cruises but reading this is entertaining. Should have been set up as a poll. My unofficial count gives the nod to NCL with Carnival a close second. I have cruised RCI, Sitmar, and Disney and haven't had a bad cruise yet.

[grand isle joe]

I personally have never met unruly or rude passengers on any of my Celebrity cruises.

 

 

 

 

 

......I haven't cruised with you yet on Celebrity (yet)........:cool:

[marco]

It surely wasn't the "worst" cruise, but I did want to share this. This was a LONG time ago on Carnival, back in the 70's on the "Marti Gras". They brought out a large tray of desserts for the table. There was an assortment of the different things on the menu, but you didn't order off the menu. There were a couple of this and a couple of that, and the tray was full....BUT.....by the time it was time for YOU to have dessert, if "the couple of this" were gone, that item was no longer available , and the waiter would just say, "there is no more, but I have "X", "Y" ord "Z". If you were the last person being served dessert, you got whatever that last item was! This cruise was just a few months after I'd taken a cruise on the Home Line's "Oceanic". WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[feealicious]

Wow this thread was HUGE but a wonderful read.

 

I am comforted to see almost no big complaints about Royal Caribbean (specifically Allure of Seas). Since in a short 7 months my best friend and I will be taking our first cruise with them. So excited!

[GROOVY]

It seems kind of odd that all the complaints are with the Costa/Carnival Empire including Princess and Holland as well. The Carnival Corporation really needs to address safety after nearly 12 serious incidents with lose of life in less than 5 years. Personally I would never sail on a Carnival Corp line for aesthetic and performance issues alone. My philosophy is "you get what you pay for" as in anything in life.

 

However with that said Carnival may very well be the line of choice for many and that is cool. But with all of the disasters from fires, sewage, engine failures and even show off captains sinking ships without caring for passengers, why the heck would anyone risk it.

 

Until the Carnival/Costa conglomerate gets their act together, many more passengers will suffer and unfortunately some may loose their lives trusting the second rate company.

 

BOYCOTT Carnival and maybe the rich cat execs will get the message and clean up their ships and crews.:)

[GROOVY]

If you are taking a cruise on RCCL out of Puerto Rico, watch out. RCCL discounts all unsold cabins to the locals for ridiculously low rates. The effect is many low paying citizens of Puerto Rico take over the ship. On the Adventure of the Seas there were beer cans in the pool, loud unruly passengers and they even allowed shorts and flip flops in the main dinning room. I was very upset with the way RCCL catered to the Latino crowd and relaxed the ship rules.

 

I am not a prude but when it comes to the behavior that was tolerated, I will NEVER take a 7 day cruise out of Puerto Rico again. I say don't discount the cabins where you allow beer guzzling idiots to ruin it for others who enjoy the finer aspects of cruising.

 

:D

[OCruisers]

This is rather hard to answer because ... even on our FAVORITE cruise lines, we have had some ships/cruises that were not as good as others. :rolleyes:

 

LuLu

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[Scrapnana]

Interesting thread. I'm glad it got resurrected as I missed it the first time round.

 

I've never had a bad cruise. The only thing I don't like is when they make me get off at the end.