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12 Surefire Ways to Have a Miserable Cruise


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I enjoy reading both sides so I can get a feel for reality. Half full, half empty? Many folks just like to talk about their experience and they give a truthful description. It’s easy to sort out the whiners from critics. I think the problem is some folks are so passionate about their personal cruising experiences that they get offended with any kind of negative critic because it hurts them personally. Kind of like a mom hearing something negative about their child. It hurts, but parents need to know what needs fixing.

 

I’m pretty sure this thread was generated from the Royal reviews and since we are cruising the Royal in a few months, we are reading the reviews with great interest. There are enough consistent reviews to learn a lot about the ship. If the ship doesn't work out for us, that doesn’t mean we won’t sail Princess anymore. At worst we will just choose a ship that fits our style of cruising.

 

If giving a negative comment means being half empty, well I’m OK with those kinds of folks then. As I said, I can sort out whiners from critics and I'm emotionally stable enough to hear the truth. All of it. So critic away.

 

Burt

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Even if you're Mother Theresa, no one's perfect. We're all different, which is what makes us human and interesting.

...

Cruise Critic doesn't mean a place where you can go and complain. You can have four people on a ship and get four completely different experiences, expectations and conclusions. CC is here for all of us, no matter what your background, whether you're new to cruising or have been cruising for over thirty years, to provide our input and experience... from our perspective. To some people, the cabin size is important; to others, the entertainment is; to others, an adult area; to others, outdoor activities and pool games; etc. I could go on and on. One person's hit is another's miss.

 

^this

 

If you met me in person, you would instantly realize that I am not one of those perky, happy-go-lucky people who are always smiling, lol. I AM however, mostly positive on my outlook on things and I'm generally very nice and polite. I truly have loved every one of my cruises--even the one where they couldn't find my suitcase until almost 10:00 pm, lol.

 

I don't consider myself to be a cheerleader and I truly believe that criticism can be given in a constructive respectful way. I actually LIKE reading the negative reviews on any product, because I can gather valuable information, but I also find that most of what people complain about just isn't important to me.

 

NO ship is perfect for everyone...it's like buying a house...unless you build it yourself, not everything will be exactly to your liking...the best we can hope for is to find one that MOSTLY fits. There are just too many of us with differening opinions on what is important for them to be able to build one to please all of us.

 

I'm glad Princess has stepped outside their normal box with something a little different, but I will also love getting back to some of my old favorites as well.

 

Sorry for the rambling post which has nothing to do with anything, lol.

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Any morning I wake up on this side of of the lawn, I figure I'm already ahead of the game. Everything else is a bonus.

 

Thanks for posting the article. I enjoyed reading it. IMHO all twelve points are well taken. Bon Voyage!!

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An article that is fairly humorous because of its truth. But the only thing I disagree with is:

 

Do you turn up your nose at pool-deck activities like beanbag-tosses and belly flop contests? Do you sit stony-faced while your tablemates wave their napkins and cheer your waiters during main dining room parades?

If you do your research, you should be able to discern or predict whether the cruise you have chosen has these types of activities, and if you really would prefer to avoid them, you hope that you have chosen wisely. Having done the best research that you could, if these types of activities pop up you might not let it ruin your cruise, but I could see how you wouldn't be terribly happy either. The article suggests that you should simply join in and embrace the moment. Sorry, but I am not that guy.

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An article that is fairly humorous because of its truth. But the only thing I disagree with is:

 

Do you turn up your nose at pool-deck activities like beanbag-tosses and belly flop contests? Do you sit stony-faced while your tablemates wave their napkins and cheer your waiters during main dining room parades?

 

If you do your research, you should be able to discern or predict whether the cruise you have chosen has these types of activities, and if you really would prefer to avoid them, you hope that you have chosen wisely. Having done the best research that you could, if these types of activities pop up you might not let it ruin your cruise, but I could see how you wouldn't be terribly happy either. The article suggests that you should simply join in and embrace the moment. Sorry, but I am not that guy.

 

I think you hit the nail on the head: research. Many of the complaints I see could/should have been fleshed out prior to booking, let alone getting on the boat. If you're savvy enough to post an online review on this site, it woudl follow that you're savvy enough to do a bit of research, here or otherwise, so as to set your expectations at the proper level.

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I think you hit the nail on the head: research. Many of the complaints I see could/should have been fleshed out prior to booking, let alone getting on the boat. If you're savvy enough to post an online review on this site, it woudl follow that you're savvy enough to do a bit of research, here or otherwise, so as to set your expectations at the proper level.

And we can only hope that the research yields a true picture of the pluses and minuses, and not just "all positive, all happy" views, so that expectations can be rationally set. Otherwise, you're just being set up to be disappointed.

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^this

 

If you met me in person, you would instantly realize that I am not one of those perky, happy-go-lucky people who are always smiling, lol. I AM however, mostly positive on my outlook on things and I'm generally very nice and polite. I truly have loved every one of my cruises--even the one where they couldn't find my suitcase until almost 10:00 pm, lol.

 

I don't consider myself to be a cheerleader and I truly believe that criticism can be given in a constructive respectful way. I actually LIKE reading the negative reviews on any product, because I can gather valuable information, but I also find that most of what people complain about just isn't important to me.

 

NO ship is perfect for everyone...it's like buying a house...unless you build it yourself, not everything will be exactly to your liking...the best we can hope for is to find one that MOSTLY fits. There are just too many of us with differening opinions on what is important for them to be able to build one to please all of us.

 

I'm glad Princess has stepped outside their normal box with something a little different, but I will also love getting back to some of my old favorites as well.

 

Sorry for the rambling post which has nothing to do with anything, lol.

Actually, your "rambling" post made its point exceedingly well. Thanks!

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I would say I am pretty much a glass half-full kind of person. Life is too short to get upset by everything. I look forward to things and go for everything with a positive mindset.

 

However that does not mean that I can't be disappointed. I have sailed on the Royal and I enjoyed sitting in the beautiful atrium people-watching. However the complete shambles regarding the basic organisation did tarnish the experience and made me seriously wonder what Princess thought they were doing. They are not a new compnay and even though teething troubles (our TV and our safe wouldn't work) were pretty much expected I did think that the entertainment schedule etc should still have been better organised as those sort of things are familiar from any ship. There were so few people aboard that we sort of "rattled" around the ship and at one point we found ourselves and another couple as the only people in the Crooners at 9pm at night!

 

One the first night aboard we had seen the only performer in the Vista lounge, it was far too cold to tackle MUTS, our TV didn't work, there was no performance in the Theatre all evening and I am not really a drinker or gambler so I must admit for the first time ever on a cruise ship I was officially bored!

 

This does not make me a whiner, I didn't bother going around complaining but it certainly affects my opinion of Princess. I am not averse to change, infact I was so excited about this ship that it never crossed my mind that I wouldn't have a great time!

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I can never really understand people who say the food was terrible. I always wonder what these people eat at home?????

 

I have been one cruise where the food wasn't as good as all the rest, but no need to complain and call it terrible... I still put on weight!

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Another way is to take a cruise with all the moaners and complainers on the Royal threads and find they have been assigned to your table for dinner.

 

Too funny!

That is the reason that I like Anytime dining. A different group every time. Makes for interesting conversations, and we can later laugh at the complainers in private. Of course you can be like my husband who always wants a table for two, so we compromise. He claims he doesn't like to talk to people, but he is always the life of the table. He thinks he's an introvert, I know he's not.

Go figure. :rolleyes:

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I think you hit the nail on the head: research. Many of the complaints I see could/should have been fleshed out prior to booking, let alone getting on the boat. If you're savvy enough to post an online review on this site, it woudl follow that you're savvy enough to do a bit of research, here or otherwise, so as to set your expectations at the proper level.

 

I would agree, research is the key to solving most of the complaints. If people spent some time ensuring they used the right cruise line and right ship for the experience THEY want, then they would be much more satisfied.

 

Even if the correct cruise line and ship are chosen, it's a little unbelievable that people actually expect a cruise line to put a package together that will be exactly what each of the 2500 people on board wants. Each passenger has the responsibility of making their own experience what they want it to be. If you take responsibility for your vacation, starting with some research you will be much happier with the result.

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Fun article!

 

And the first Facebook comment after it? A dress code complainer!! :) Don't you love it?!?!

Quote:

"Agree with most of this, but etiquette and good manners are not open to interpretation. They are by definition rules to follow. Baseball caps and t-shirts in the formal dining room are not good manners and not proper etiquette."

 

You are so right, the 2 things I cannot stand at dinner are baseball caps on men, and wife beaters, usually worn by the same men. Something about the sight of those bare hairy arms. Sorry! I have actually turned around and asked to be seated elsewhere, if I don't like what I see as I'm approaching the table. Never at the table by the way, don't want to embarrass anyone, so don't call me a snob you all. Is it such a chore to look nice? We all look so much better cleaned up and dressed nicely.

At lunch I don't mind, just in the formal MDR in the evenings.

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I can never really understand people who say the food was terrible. I always wonder what these people eat at home?????

To be fair, one could flip this around and say: I can never really understand people who say the food was incredible. I always wonder what these people eat at home?????

I think that Princess attracts a fair number of people who are no stangers to fine dining. And when you get all dressed up and have attentive service in a beautiful setting, you can sometimes fool yourself into thinking that an MDR is providing fine dining when it really isn't. But terrible? No. That goes too far.

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Never at the table by the way, don't want to embarrass anyone, so don't call me a snob you all. Is it such a chore to look nice? We all look so much better cleaned up and dressed nicely.

At lunch I don't mind, just in the formal MDR in the evenings.

Don't call me a snob either, but I have never backed off being seated at a table, even when it meant sitting with people who no amount of cleaning up or dressing nicely was going to help. Often turned out to be a very enjoyable experience. People shouldn't judge a book by its cover.
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Don't call me a snob either, but I have never backed off being seated at a table, even when it meant sitting with people who no amount of cleaning up or dressing nicely was going to help. Often turned out to be a very enjoyable experience. People shouldn't judge a book by its cover.

 

I think I speak for most of us in saying, Please move along, nothing to see here.

 

Burt

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To be fair, one could flip this around and say: I can never really understand people who say the food was incredible. I always wonder what these people eat at home?????

I think that Princess attracts a fair number of people who are no stangers to fine dining. And when you get all dressed up and have attentive service in a beautiful setting, you can sometimes fool yourself into thinking that an MDR is providing fine dining when it really isn't. But terrible? No. That goes too far.

 

Great reply! I was thinking the same thing! :rolleyes:

 

LuLu

~~~~

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