Lack of Reviews?

[marci4tony]

We scour over the threads and roll calls for months before our trip looking for any little detail we can grasp. There is good information here - but out of all the people that finally get to take their vacation, why arent there more REVIEWS?

 

Write a review - it helps the cruise line - it helps your fellow cruisers - and it gives a sense of accomplishment when you are done!

[che5904]

I don't put much faith in reviews, therefore I don't write any. I would much rather take the time I would put into writing a review to help by trying to answer specific questions people have on CC.

 

There are so many things to choose from to eat, see, join in and do on the ship and in the ports that the chance of someone doing the same things as I do are slim. Even if they do they, they may be looking for a different outcome.

[PreciousCruiser]

Now that you mention it, I haven't seen many reviews posted lately. I enjoy reading the reviews. Especially the ones for the ship that I'll be cruising on next... :) Enjoy your upcoming cruise. Hope you post a review when you return. I'll be cruising on The Spirit in March and can't wait.

[goldmom]

Maybe everyone coming back from cruises had a great vacation. Seems like a lot of the time the only people who write a review have something to complain about!:rolleyes:

[spacepotatoes]

Have you checked the member review section? Not everyone posts their reviews in the forums. Those can be slow too sometimes, but worth keeping an eye on.

[swedish weave]

I have stopped reading the reviews because of so many that are obviously intended to try to damage the future business of cruise lines or ships. When that becomes too common, it takes away from the value of the serious reviews.

 

I have sailed on NCL around 40 cruises, and have not had any bad experiences on any of the cruises, so if I wrote a review, I would be looked upon as a cheerleader.

 

I will pass on one bit of advice to those who are planning a cruise. DO NOT let small problems become big problems. Let the crew on the ship have the opportunity to correct those things that you consider problems and you will enjoy your cruise much more than if you become obsessed with those things and let them ruin your trip.

 

Many reviews I have read in the past dwell on things that could have been corrected in a few minutes. Letting these build up is not fair to you nor to the crew !!

[david_sobe]

I agree with not letting small issues ruin a cruise. I think the minority of reviews are overly negative or overly positive. The vast majority of reviews are positive of every cruise line and every ship. I like to learn something from everyone's review. If someone complains about service or bad food, it still does not nor should that ruin a cruise. It also does not mean the OP is being overly critical of a cruise line.

Some reviews that are overly negative are actually funny to read. Let me give you some examples. I read one review of the Jewel where the OP stated the food was so bad that he wanted to get off in port and fly home LOL.

Or when a waiter accidently spilled sauce on the OP and she demanded all of her family get comped the meal and it ruined their cruise.

Or when a guy went to Cagneys the next day to compain about the meal he ate and finished the night before he wanted a refund.

Or how someone cried for 3 days because the balcony was part of the hull.

How could you not find this stuff funny.

Or a woman demanded a full refund on a cruise because she was told a cruise was a good place for single people to meet and she did not meet anyone so she wanted a full refund.

 

How can anyone not enjoy reading that comedy? :)

[swedish weave]

I have to agree with Sobe !!! Since I don't read reviews, I find them in these boards.

 

One that made me laugh was the guy who said all the food was slop !! Since slop is pig food, he got away with calling over two thousand people who sailed with him "pigs".

 

Humor is where you find it !!! It is like saying someone is unbelievable instead of calling them a liar !!

[che5904]

I agree with not letting small issues ruin a cruise. I think the minority of reviews are overly negative or overly positive. The vast majority of reviews are positive of every cruise line and every ship. I like to learn something from everyone's review. If someone complains about service or bad food, it still does not nor should that ruin a cruise. It also does not mean the OP is being overly critical of a cruise line.

Some reviews that are overly negative are actually funny to read. Let me give you some examples. I read one review of the Jewel where the OP stated the food was so bad that he wanted to get off in port and fly home LOL.

Or when a waiter accidently spilled sauce on the OP and she demanded all of her family get comped the meal and it ruined their cruise.

Or when a guy went to Cagneys the next day to compain about the meal he ate and finished the night before he wanted a refund.

Or how someone cried for 3 days because the balcony was part of the hull.

How could you not find this stuff funny.

Or a woman demanded a full refund on a cruise because she was told a cruise was a good place for single people to meet and she did not meet anyone so she wanted a full refund.

 

How can anyone not enjoy reading that comedy? :)

 

I think you are right on the money with this post.

 

If I was to write a review, mine would be one of the ones you mentioned above, overly positive. Would that mean that my cruise was totally event free or that nothing was negative, not necessarily. It would mean that nothing to me was noteworthy or made a major impact on my cruise, or taken care of at the time.

 

For example I really really don't like the coffee on NCL. Is it bad? No. Was it a coffee taste I was not used to? Exactly. So in a review I would not have mentioned this because I took care of it by bringing my own. However, if it was brought up in a thread. I could respond that other people say to try from different venues if you don't like it from one. That each venue apparently has different tasting coffee, ie room service, MDR, buffet. You may find one you like better. Or if all else fails, on the next cruise, bring your own if you are in a cabin that has a coffee maker.

[Sauer-kraut]

Quite frankly after my last cruise I really didn't feel it neccessary to do a review. It was fine, aspects could have been better, others were better than expected. I don't go around a ship looking for or at rust spots, wear in teh carpet etc. I guess cruising transpacific on a freighter really got me in tune to never expect too much and be happy that you are on vacation!

[time2cruise1]

Maybe everyone coming back from cruises had a great vacation. Seems like a lot of the time the only people who write a review have something to complain about!:rolleyes:

 

I have to agree. I find the formal reviews very frustrating and in some cases miseading with no chance for anyone to comment or get clarification. I much prefer the feedback of returning cruisers in the forums. Good, bad, and ugly we all get a chance to better understand why a poster was happy or not and whether those things are important to us.

[SuiteRose]

I agree with not letting small issues ruin a cruise. I think the minority of reviews are overly negative or overly positive. The vast majority of reviews are positive of every cruise line and every ship. I like to learn something from everyone's review. If someone complains about service or bad food, it still does not nor should that ruin a cruise. It also does not mean the OP is being overly critical of a cruise line.

Some reviews that are overly negative are actually funny to read. Let me give you some examples. I read one review of the Jewel where the OP stated the food was so bad that he wanted to get off in port and fly home LOL.

Or when a waiter accidently spilled sauce on the OP and she demanded all of her family get comped the meal and it ruined their cruise.

Or when a guy went to Cagneys the next day to compain about the meal he ate and finished the night before he wanted a refund.

Or how someone cried for 3 days because the balcony was part of the hull.

How could you not find this stuff funny.

Or a woman demanded a full refund on a cruise because she was told a cruise was a good place for single people to meet and she did not meet anyone so she wanted a full refund.

 

How can anyone not enjoy reading that comedy? :)

 

I loved the one that compared the Jewel to the Staten Island Ferry... I have been on the Gem and the Pearl and the Staten Island Ferry... somehow I think the Jewel is going to be more like the Gem or Pearl :):)

 

I like to read them for the entertainment value... and I also love that these reviews are posted in the member review area where you can't comment. But they are the best kind of comedy... maybe the ship's comedians can get some material from them... lol

[Jokelady]

We scour over the threads and roll calls for months before our trip looking for any little detail we can grasp. There is good information here - but out of all the people that finally get to take their vacation, why arent there more REVIEWS?

 

Write a review - it helps the cruise line - it helps your fellow cruisers - and it gives a sense of accomplishment when you are done!

 

 

I just wrote a review for the EPIC... whatya talking about LOL. Go read it and tell me what you think. I will be on the Pearl in March and will write one then too!

 

Kathy

 

review was for EPIC NOVEMBER 5TH 2011 CRUISING

[Ask4Jay]

Write a review - it helps the cruise line - it helps your fellow cruisers - and it gives a sense of accomplishment when you are done!

 

Look, we cruise to enjoy ourselves, not to write a report about it. I am retired, I definitely do NOT need a homework assignment "write a report".

 

 

via iPod touch and Tapatalk.

[peg013]

Have you checked the member review section? Not everyone posts their reviews in the forums. Those can be slow too sometimes, but worth keeping an eye on.

 

I have tried to write a review several times since my Oct cruise and CC won't let me......tells me to log in (already am but I do it again anyway) then says thanks for logging in and sends me back to the Write a Review Page which asks me to log in!!!! I just go in circles and I am NOT unaware of how to delve into my computers settings. I asked for help from CC and was told to check my cookies......it's not the cookies....so no review other than on several threads answering questions in great detail. Maybe others are having the same problem????:confused:

[Azure Moon]

I think there are quite a few current NCL ship reviews on the Member Review section and on the NCL board.

 

Super Trooper, for one, did an terrific one very recently.

 

I don't do many reviews, but in July I did submit one for the Spirit on the member review section and posted it on the boards, too.

 

The NCL reviews will probably never be as numerous as those written for the Carnival or Royal Caribbean Member Review sections or on the Carnival or Royal Caribbean boards, but they have numbers on their sides - more ships, more people sailing.

 

I think you'll love the Spirit (Spirit Class), especially since you also sailed on, and enjoyed, Carnival Legend (Spirit Class). They're both different from the rest of their fleets and both are awesome!

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[nathand95]

I've also noticed a lack of reviews lately. Many people say that the writer just complains about random crap, but like what david_sobe said you just have to read them with a laugh and then discount them.

I love reading reviews (especially ones with pictures) because I just like cruising vicariously through others (I hope that's not weird).

I wrote my review because I wanted to write it and so I could relive the wonderful memories and help other people. If you don't like it go somewhere else. If it helps atleast one person, then it's worth it.

[SuiteRose]

I've also noticed a lack of reviews lately. Many people say that the writer just complains about random crap, but like what david_sobe said you just have to read them with a laugh and then discount them.

I love reading reviews (especially ones with pictures) because I just like cruising vicariously through others (I hope that's not weird).

I wrote my review because I wanted to write it and so I could relive the wonderful memories and help other people. If you don't like it go somewhere else. If it helps atleast one person, then it's worth it.

 

I agree, I LOVE the ones with pictures and the ones that give information. (you are not wierd at all!)

 

I don't pay attention to ramblings about minor issues or subjective complaints about things that are really "personal opinions". Not everything is going to be perfect, but I find it hard to believe that some people's cruises are as bad as they say they are... I wrote a review last year about our Pearl cruise which I love to reread to re-live the memories!! I read some from the same cruise and really wouldn't recognize that they were on the same ship... I guess our reviews canceled each other out!!

 

At the meet and greet, the hotel director and other officers kept stressing that if there was something that didn't meet with our approval that we should call them directly... actually the hotel director gave me his card. They were concerned about people coming back here and posting a bad review.... some of these people were at the meet and greet.. if that is the case, why didn't they bring the issues to the officer's attention???? how much more can you give someone than your phone number to call with a problem...

[crusinmama06]

I don't copy my reviews to the Member section here anymore. WHY? Because my reviews often last for a week (and pages) and are filled with a hundred photos. ;)

 

So when I go to look for a review of a ship I am going on next, I go to the forum and click on "search" and type in the name of the ship. I much rather see the pictures and the actual back and forth banter of the people on the forums than a static review with no pictures. :D

 

I am not saying that the member reviews are useless to me (because I do take a glance at them to get the overall opinion of a ship). But to get the REAL reviews, I go to picture reviews on the forums. :)

[oldguysandgalls]

Just an observation ;)

 

Happy :) cruisers cruise, cruise, and cruise again, while Unhappy :( cruisers cruise/complain, cruise/complain and yet.....cruise/complain... again. ;)

[DrFootball]

I'm a writer by Trade these days(Sports) but I had no problem writing a review of our sailing on the Gem a few weeks back. I did have a few minor issues but wouldn't let it spoil the trip of course. I did have trouble posting a large # of pics, so i'm setting up a "stream" for folks to see(DW is a Pro Photographer). what made me laugh the most is a Work friend of DW's was just on the T-week sailing of the Gem with her terminally Ill Daughter, and you would have thought she was on a Garbage scow! She had not a thing to complain about since the trip didn't cost her a dime(IT was a "granted Wish" froma Phillantropic organization). Yet she spent 30 mins. of her lunch today telling my Wife how terrible the trip was and that she should get a refund! WOah...(I think personally she needs a beating) But I also think she spoiled her other two kids into thinking they could have whatever they want on a cruise ("tomato soup for breakfast??-Please)

 

I will say tho that I saw several Thousand folks read my review and only a handful were kind enough to make a positive comment, which could be the reason why some folks don't bother to write them, because some folks here clearly "GET OFF" on picking apart others writing. To Them I say "if it's that important to you become a travel editor for a magazine" and I say tha same thing to them that I say about those who write me NASTY comments on my Football website. "You don't have to stop here to read if you don't like whats here, or listen to our radio shows each week"

 

There are also a few folks here who get off on the "I have more posts and been here longer then you" mentality. To Them(and Esp. to a few folks in Paticular) I say this: Good for you that you can call your self "helping" people when you reply here on these forums in a NASTY manner. To me thats just rude. I also say to the folks that have a problem with my Belief system: when you have Given "all" for this country and it's flag, come talk to me. I wish you all a good night. I have to go write 800 wds. on Why Tom Coughlin will be fired as Giants Head coach in a few weeks after they Go 10-6 and miss the playoffs again...

 

 

Bill(DrFootball)

("Energetically will I meet the Enemies of my country. I shall defeat them on the field of battle for I am better trained and will fight with all my might.")

Line 5 of the U.S. Army Ranger Creed....

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