Useless reviews?

[moesyk4]

When we booked our B2B cruises (4 1/2 long years ago!) I found the member reviews to be so helpful both in picking out our ship and learning the ins and outs of navigating the ships and ports of calls. We've already picked our ship this time, and I've been trying to read reviews, but I'm finding them quite annoying! People giving terrible reviews because the ship has one pool (did you not look this up before you left?), it has a party crowd (duh, you picked a 5 day cruise on an older ship!), the ship didn't have speciality restaurants (again, did you not look this up before you left?), or trying to compare a 7 day Celebrity cruise to a 5 day Carnival cruise (which I'm sure they paid at least half the price for) and getting angry that they weren't of the same caliber. I'm having a hard time gleaning anything helpful from these reviews! We are booking this cruise as a budget cruise, bare bones, but are just so excited to be able to go. Our last cruise as mentioned above was a B2B, our first week on a balcony cabin and the second week on the brand new at the time RCCL ship. Of course I wouldn't expect this experience to be the same!

Ok, vent over. So, do you read the reviews? If so, what do you expect to glean from them?

[vwrestler171]

I tend to read the reviews but I take them with a grain of salt. You will have a person who like me for the most part, is hard to displease on a cruise because it is a vacation. Then you will have people who will complain about everything. I have seen complaint giving ships bad reviews because it rained, weather was bad, didn't have a certain football game on. A lot of the weather complaints are in the Caribbean during hurricane season(duh, what did they expect).

[H82seaUgo]

that's their experience. are you wanting them to write something FOR you?

 

not sure what we all did going on cruises before al gore invented the internets? i guess we had nothing to complain about.

[CourtneyLovesCruising]

that's their experience. are you wanting them to write something FOR you?

 

not sure what we all did going on cruises before al gore invented the internets? i guess we had nothing to complain about.

 

 

lol

 

OP, I get wait your saying. Many reviews are filtered through negative perspectives. I am just like you.. I am just so excited to be going, I can't imagine even noticing some of the little things like other's do. I take the good, side aside the bad and visualize myself laying under the stars in the middle of the ocean.. :)

[sparks1093]

When I read something negative in a review I ask myself "would this be a concern for me?" and if the answer is no (which it often is) then I just don't worry about it. If the answer is yes, then I decide if it's a deal killer or if it's something that I can live with (and I often can). To me the most helpful reviews are those where the reviewer takes the time to provide some background info- for instance if they say "the food sucked" and they had said that they only eat at 4 star restaurants. But in the end all reviews must be taken with a grain of salt (or a barrel of salt in some cases).

[kingoftheicedragons]

People tend to like to complain, and they'll complain about anything.

 

Without reading any of these reviews, though, are the reviews negative, or are they just pointing out "this ship only had one pool and it was always busy/had a lot of kids in it/etc" and you're taking that as negative. Yes, you can research a ship and find that it has one pool, but some people may put that in their review for those who are just reading the review and not doing other research on the ship. Maybe that person thinks they are being helpful.

 

That said, I typically don't read reviews, but if I do, I read them with a grain of salt as well--if it's for a cruise or for a hotel or anything. For instance, we always used to stay at Motel 6 as our hotel of choice and would read reviews for it. Based on these reviews, you could tell that people were expecting five star hotels with deluxe accomodations for Motel 6 prices.

[hawaiibound24]

I tend to read the reviews but I take them with a grain of salt. You will have a person who like me for the most part, is hard to displease on a cruise because it is a vacation. Then you will have people who will complain about everything. I have seen complaint giving ships bad reviews because it rained, weather was bad, didn't have a certain football game on. A lot of the weather complaints are in the Caribbean during hurricane season(duh, what did they expect).

 

 

I find it amazing how many people give bad reviews because of weather when they miss a port or change ports and Carnival didn't do enough to help the pain of missing my perfect vacation!!!!!

[richstowe]

For the most part, I agree with you. However you must remember ,people review their experience NOT the ship.

 

If the weather sucked or the pool was crowded, that was their experience

Is it fair to blame the ship? No but I expect that.

 

The only reviews I detest are the nasty reviews where the person writes what didn't happen because they have an ax to grind.

For instance when weather screws up the cruise and then they complain about the food or decor.

Often it is a financial issue where they where charged for something they didn't agree with. Lost beach towels anyone?;)

It's fair to be annoyed by this. It is not fair to say "the entertainment sucked" because you disagree with your account balance.

 

There was an amazing review from a RCI loyalist who "had the misfortune to take a Carnival cruise"

Clearly this person hated the cruise before they stepped on board. Then they posted many slams about Carnival.

In each they mentioned, "I couldn't comment on Carnival before but now I can". Seemed very happy to do so.

[cruisin'grandma]

I tend to read the reviews but I take them with a grain of salt. You will have a person who like me for the most part, is hard to displease on a cruise because it is a vacation. Then you will have people who will complain about everything. I have seen complaint giving ships bad reviews because it rained, weather was bad, didn't have a certain football game on. A lot of the weather complaints are in the Caribbean during hurricane season(duh, what did they expect).

 

I complete agree!!! We cruise in the middle of winter because of the bad weather possibility in the late summer and into fall. You really take your chances. Cruising to the Southern Caribbean during the worst of a midwest winter is the best!!!

 

Anyway....I try to read almost all reviews. Especially when I am booked on a ship that have never sailed before. I look at pictures of the ship and ports. I love the foodie reviews. If someone complains of food on a cruise, then that someone is going to complain no matter where they go.

My only concern on a ship is whether it is clean (by most standards) and I get friendly, good service from the people who are there for that purpose.

In other words, I want them to be nice to me, no matter what. I am nice to them also. No matter what.

 

I have never done a B2B. Would love that! Can't wait until we can do that. Time and money are usually the problem. But....isn't that what it is for most people?

[firefly333]

OP to me I would never read a review to pick out a ship .. so many similar ships, einy miny miny mo .. and I would not read a review on how to get around a ship. I know almost all carnival ships .. you cant get thru the galley and have to go up or down (except spirit which Iv not been on?)

 

If I read a review its not to get information, its just to enjoy the experience.

[gliner]

Many of the reviews are quite funny.

 

Like the one I just read by someone who had nothing but praise for NCL while complaining about their CCL cruise.

 

I guess this person married his first date too.

 

Reviews are just a snapshot opinion by someone who either had a good time or didn't.

 

One thing is true though, there are people who are not going to have fun no matter what, and others who are no matter what.

 

The reviews are a good indication of which side these people fall.

[evandbob]

Useless reviews also include comments like: "best cruise ever" from a first timer; "food was fantastic" without detail; "loved my steward" (why?) and "best ever excursion" (same first time visit)

 

I also chuckle at comparisions to other cruiselines when poster has only cruised CCL.

[Sailor_Sally]

I do read reviews especially if it is a port I haven't been to . As for the ship it would have to be pretty bad for me to dislike it . I take the complaints with a grain of salt . A lot of them are trivial. It amuses me how worked up people get over the smallest thing . A bad review because the Casino Host snubs them or meatloaf was on the menu .

[MsTabbyKats]

If I had never sailed on Carnival...and I read most of these reviews....I wouldn't sail on Carnival....based on the type of passenger I would expect to find.

 

Sad, but true.......

 

What irks me the most, besides useless pictures of peoples kids, toes, food etc......is that they expect Cunard quality at Carnival prices.

 

Personally, I think cruising on Carnival is the best value on the planet....and I can understand every cutback to maintain the low price.

 

Happily....most that I have met on the ships are able to figure this out!

[AWCHIEF]

I no longer read the reviews posted on CC. I would rather just go and have my own experience not clouded by some review that may or may not be legitimate.

[kwbound]

I find more useful information in the reviews that include complaints than I do in posts complaining about people with complaints.

[DebJ14]

Sometimes when I read reviews about cruises that we were on too I start to wonder if they were on the same ship. Heck, sometimes I even wonder if those people were even on the same planet. The reviews have no bearing on what cruise we book. We book based on itinerary, ease and cost of getting to the departure port, and cruise price.

[RVP cruiser]

I do read reviews especially if it is a port I haven't been to . As for the ship it would have to be pretty bad for me to dislike it . I take the complaints with a grain of salt . A lot of them are trivial. It amuses me how worked up people get over the smallest thing . A bad review because the Casino Host snubs them or meatloaf was on the menu .

 

Agree completely! I think these personal sections of a review can and should be left off- whats the odds the same experience will happen to the next person reading about your review. (casino person was rude)- who really cares- deal with it then and move on- I surely dont think it needs to be discussed further, unless it really is a common standard of practice or something that needs to be brought to the attention of the masses.

 

ENJOY YOUR VACATION & leave the petty crap behind.

[marym933]

If I had never sailed on Carnival...and I read most of these reviews....I wouldn't sail on Carnival....based on the type of passenger I would expect to find.

 

Sad, but true.......

 

What irks me the most, besides useless pictures of peoples kids, toes, food etc......is that they expect Cunard quality at Carnival prices.

 

Personally, I think cruising on Carnival is the best value on the planet....and I can understand every cutback to maintain the low price.

 

Happily....most that I have met on the ships are able to figure this out!

 

Well said. I also find the ever continuing review that runs on and on with many parts to be very frustrating. The OP enjoys having everyone sitting on the edge of their chair waiting for the next edition, like a soap opera. I wasted a couple of days reading one recently, but won't do it again.

 

These are more of a blog instead of a review. I really don't care to see pitures of what you ate for breakfast.

[goofytoo]

I agree with the OP it does seem that quite a few reviews have been more negative than positive.

 

I must admit that I am also tend to be a glass half empty kind of person. So this cruise I am going to try and keep everything in perspective. What do I really expect for the price I paid? All I really want to do is sit in the sun somewhere, admire the beautiful ocean, have a couple of drinks and not have to worry about cooking, cleaning or driving.

[Sailor_Sally]

....is that they expect Cunard quality at Carnival prices.

 

Personally, I think cruising on Carnival is the best value on the planet....and I can understand every cutback to maintain the low price.

 

Happily....most that I have met on the ships are able to figure this out!

 

 

I agree . I pay less now for my cruises than when I started cruising in 1986.

[DTXCruiser]

that's their experience. are you wanting them to write something FOR you?

 

not sure what we all did going on cruises before al gore invented the internets? i guess we had nothing to complain about.

 

Well, a review is FOR the reader. It's the reviewer's opinion, but it's for the benefit of the reader. With that said.....I completely and totally agree with the OP. Your vacation was less because the ship did not have a certain amenity? Why is that review worthy? We want to know how the ship was based upon what it had. We want to know how the service was, how the comfort was, how the trip played out. Problems and concerns are helpful but it's not a problem that the ship doesn't have a serenity area, since this is not a secret and certainly something you can find before booking. :rolleyes:

[firefly333]

Well, a review is FOR the reader. :rolleyes:

 

I think its also for the reviewer. they WANT to do it, because they want to talk about the cruise they were on .. for whatever reason.

 

You can only do a review for yourself .. no one can do one and know what someone else wants. .. or what they already know, or why they are reading it.

[moesyk4]

that's their experience. are you wanting them to write something FOR you?

 

not sure what we all did going on cruises before al gore invented the internets? i guess we had nothing to complain about.

 

Precisely, I do expect it to be FOR me...not me in particular, but me as a cruiser expecting to take that cruise. The cruise review board isn't your diary or a telephone call to your mother, so saying stuff like "My cabin steward sucked." wouldn't be helpful, saying "Service throughout the ship was substandard" with examples would be. Saying "There was only one pool!" isn't helpful, saying "Despite only having one pool, I never felt the water was too crowded and the atmosphere was fun" would be.

Back when we first started cruising, it felt like a lot of reviews covered the basics: disembarktion and embarktion, ports of call, general service and cleanliness, etc. Now there are so many that are three paragraphs about "I didn't like being asked if I wanted a drink while sunbatching by the pool!"

It's their review in the end, so they can choose for it to be helpful or not...it's just been really hard this time around to find ones that contain any helpful info at all. I agree with the PPs, I read a negative one and think "Would that effect me at all?" if not, I move in. If yes, I weigh my options.

[firefly333]

This thread makes me want to write a review ... NOT.