What got you hooked on using Cruise Critic?

[Linda&Vern]

We started using Cruise Critic in 2002. (Different user names, different e-mail provider, long story.) DW (@Huskerchick) was planning a cruise for my 40th birthday. We were taking two other couples with us on the Zuiderdam. She booked the Penthouse for us and Cat S suites (old naming convention) for our friends. We started reading Cruise Critic to prepare for the trip.

 

To be honest, it scared the hell out of us.

 

This wasn't an inexpensive trip and we were taking two other couples who had never cruised before. If we were to believe what we read on CC, we were headed for disaster. According to many posters on the board, anything that could possibly be faulty on a ship was wrong with the Zuiderdam. We had sailed on Holland America twice before this trip. Once on the old Noordam and once on the Ryndam. Based on our previous experience - and our experience with the super-high quality of semi-anonymous Internet information in general - we decided go ahead with the trip. Instead of focusing on posts about the ship, we read about HAL in general, the ports of call, activities, and so on.

 

I won't say that the naysayers were full of crap, but it would not be inaccurate to describe them as Porta-Potties on legs.

 

We had a great trip. Everyone enjoyed themselves immensely and we have cruised together on many occasions since. I guess I'm really skirting the question.... Here's a better answer: What keeps us coming back to CC is the quality of the information. The wealth and breadth of knowledge is astounding! If you read the messages for any period of time, you develop a critical eye and you learn who can be trusted to give you the correct answer.

 

The vast majority of the people on the boards want to help and do their best to help others. (I would post a list, but I am sure I'd forget someone and I don't want to leave anyone out.) Ask a question. Any question. Odds are that you will have a correct answer within a matter of minutes. If you spend enough time perusing the boards, reading everything in sight, you will amass a treasure trove of knowledge. Almost all of it is helpful. Some of it is truly game changing. (Hello write-in chocolate breakfast croissant!) I highly recommend that you make note of the interesting tidbits you learn whilst you troll the site.

 

Speaking of trolls.... Yes, they exist. You can't let them bother you. Keep a list of their usernames. That way, when you see them behaving the same way in the future, you'll know to ignore them. Do not engage them. They thrive on it. Realize that someone's going to post something that offends you at some point. You can't let it bother you. Most of the time, it's unintentional. If it is intentional, then add them to your "Roll of Trolls."

 

Hmmmm.... Still not really an answer.

 

What I like best about this message board is that it's frequented by a lot of very, very nice people who have helped us out by providing copious amounts of very valuable information. And of course, I enjoy being able to return the favor and help other people out.

 

 

Comic from XKCD by Randall Munroe. xkcd.com

 

 

POA1 - You have made my day (well night now). DH and I so enjoy your perspective on ... well on just about anything. :D

 

I found our first cruise on the internet in mid 2004 - Christmas & New Years, 11 days on the Maasdam. I picked it because it was roundtrip Norfolk, and we could drive there. I researched HAL, the ports, everything. By the time I went to a TA I even had the perfect cabin number in mind. We were set to go on a real vacation - no adult kids involved, send parents to kids, no work - just the two of us.

 

THEN I found CC. Oh boy. :( I screwed up that trip badly I was assured. The Maasdam was falling apart and about ready to sink, per reports on CC. If we left Norfolk on the Maasdam we probably wouldn't get back. I spent the next several months reading every post on CC and every review of the Maasdam. I'm happy to report we had a FABULOUS trip (with a couple of issues that didn't bother us).

 

Re Trolls, I agree with POA1. I do try not to engage them - although sometimes I can't help it. I like to think I can spot them a mile away.

 

So while bad reviews of the Maasdam got me hooked on CC, I continue to read here every day, picking up information I may need in the future. Without a certain CC member I would not have returned to cruising after a health event. Another CC member told me how to get my scooter up the gangway without running over anyone. A frequent poster convinced me I really didn't want a taxi Seattle airport. Whew, that info saved me big time! And of course, when the trays in the Lido went away, I knew about it before we got on our next cruise! :D

 

I have to say I've learned so much on CC that I'm sure helped make our cruises the best times ever over the last ten years.

Edited July 21, 2014 by Linda&Vern

[NYteacher]

I came because I didn't know about cruise critic for my first cruise in 2004. My mom and I had a wonderful time on the Statendam in Alaska, but our cabin had really loud noises from the anchor chains(?) very early in the morning.

 

The very next year, my husband was willing to try cruising and I thought " I wonder if there is a place where I can find cabin advice on the internet?"

 

I find the community very helpful and try to contribute when I have some experience (like kids and HAL).

 

I have taken POA1's advice on rolling garment bags (it's working beautifully by the way) and will now take his advice about trolls.

[lady_cruiser]

I saw a Cruise Critic sign on a cabin door and when I got home I signed on to see what it was all about. I liked what I saw and have been on it ever since.

[ksqueak]

I don't remember how I discovered CC probably like many from AOL. However, I didn't grasp the concept of what it was and having a regular traveling companion never stopped by. I did however get the weekly newsletter. Fast forward to my traveling companion not being able to afford to travel and I booked my first solo. Signed on, joined the roll call and have been addicted ever since!

[jbhcw]

another poster here who does not remember exectly how I got on CC:) It was with AOL...we started cruising in '95...and my join date shows 2000...I was very new to the internet and can remember my son showing me what to do:D

 

I do know I love cruise critic...love all the reviews and information that is available and we have met life long friends thru the roll calls:)

[awhfy]

Our first cruise was in 1995 on the SS Norway. DH was concerned about going as he was training for a marathon & was convinced a week away would really impact his training...boy, could I have used Cruise Critic back then.

 

Fast forward 14 years, at a high school reunion a good friend asked me what my cruise critic name was...I told her I didn't know what that was. What a can of worms she opened! (Thanks Jackie). Got on line & discovered a new hobby (DH says addiction).

 

We've made some lifelong friends thru Cruise Critic & had some truly amazing adventures along the way...can't wait to see what the next trip brings! Fair winds & following seas to you all

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[DaveOKC]

Joined CC in 2000 - had been very active on travel boards on AOL for years before that.

 

For some reason, I did not really use it for my first HAL cruise in 2001. I guess that since I took a totally HAL cruisetour to AK that I did not need too. That was a mistake (too many issues on the cruisetour) so I got back on CC for all cruises after that.

 

Fantastic resource - I recommend it to fellow cruisers all the time.

 

DaveOKC

[dfish]

In 2007 my family and I booked a cruise to Alaska. It was a first cruise for most of us and we took the TA's advice on which cruise line to use. Due to excitement and interest, I was on the internet looking up all the information I could find about cruising when I found CC.

 

The HAL board was active and had a ton of great information. I couldn't get enough of it. I read all the reviews of the Zuiderdam and learned it was a rust bucket better suited for the ship graveyard, but that didn't dampen my enthusiasm. Fortunately, that really wasn't the case and I learned to take reviews with a grain of salt. The information I did get helped make it a wonderful experience not just for me, but for Mom and Dad and my two sisters and BIL.

 

I joined the Roll Call and met some great people, some of whom I keep in contact with still today.

 

Now, I check in occasionally when I don't have a cruise booked and a lot when I do. I've had great experiences with Roll Calls on subsequent cruises and have felt a wonderful sense of community here.

 

Debbie

[cbr663]

I like using CC for the tidbits of information about HAL that is not readily apparent but makes our cruise all the better. Things like being able to order room service from the MDR menu.

 

I like using CC to stay up to date on issues that are current and may affect my cruising decisions. Things like the recent fire on the Westerdam and the passenger that was attacked in her cabin.

 

I also like using CC to learn more about ports and hotels and any other travel related information that people so generously share.

 

What don't I like? I don't like it when posters use these boards to further their own personal agendas. Smoking threads generally fall into this category.

 

I also don't like it when posters use these threads as a chat room instead of an online forum. There is a difference and I repeatedly see posters having personal conversations that are more geared to a chat room.

 

I also don't like that the same topics seem to be appearing over and over again. Sometimes it is because of a personal agenda and sometimes it is because a poster just refuses to search.

 

Overall, the pros outnumber the cons and I continue to use CC. Having the ability to personalize the appearance of CC by hiding annoying signatures and placing certain posters on the ignore list has helped tremendously.

[mame42]

in 2010 I sat at a luncheon table for 12 on an Princess excursion; everyone seemed to know each other except me. The pax sitting closest to me began a discussion of an earlier CC Roll Call excursion, which had been an unmitigated disaster. The rest of the pax at the table sympathized, but immediately segued into descriptions of the fabulous CC excursions they had previously taken. When I booked my next cruise, I remembered that conversation, searched for my HAL Roll Call, and found a whole new world of cruising.

[ellbelle]

In 2007 I must have stumbled across CC doing an internet search, I read the boards (mainly HAL) whether or not we have an upcoming cruise!

 

I did see a post on another board the other day, a question was being asked (out of the ordinary one) and someone asked the poster why didn't she call the cruise line? I think the regulars here know more than the cruise line customer service agents in many cases (as OP experienced)! So if I have a general/weird question it will always be answered here and from someone with real experience!

[lcand1923]

Dad and I had taken two HAL cruises put together by our local TA. We did all of our research at the library because there was no home or office PC. We fell in love with cruising. This same TA put together a cruise on the Marco Polo. We booked it.

 

I bought a home PC which came with a modem because my job was going to require my gaining some computer skills quickly. I started reading. Dad meanwhile took a PC course at the local Senior Center. He came home telling me all about the Internet and how you could find stuff. The local library system had a way that you could dial them and they would patch you through to the Internet. Dad tried it and found Cruise Critic.

 

I couldn't figure out how the Internet could be useful, but Dad kept talking about Cruise Critic and the information he was finding on the Ports we would be visiting. I looked at it several times, but wasn't overly interested.

 

We got the confirmation for the Marco Polo Cruise. Dad had mobility issues and used a cane. We had been assigned to a six top. According to the TA all of the tables were six tops and we would be close to the entrance of the dining room.

 

I checked the Marco Polo Forum and found out that the six tops were a good distance from the entrance. There were four tops and two tops that would be nearer the dining room door. I wrote a letter to the Cruise Line, explaining the mobility issue. We were moved to a two top right inside the Dining Room door.

 

I cannot tell you how many people asked Dad how he managed to get that great table.

 

My User Name has changed several times through the years for various and sundry reasons but I was hooked when that table got changed!

[serendipity1499]

We cruised with our best Friends on the Volendam in Nov 2001..It was our second HAL cruise.. We also were booked on an NCL transatlantic with the same Friends for April 2002..

 

My Friend actually found this site & told me about it.. I spent a short amount of time as a lurker after our Volendam cruise before joining in Jan 2002..

 

Have no idea when I made my first post, but have gleaned a wealth of Info. about cruising on this site, & have also made many Friends..

 

My Friend is still a member here but does not post as often as I do..:)

[LindaM]

Our first cruise was in 1978. We didn't even know how to choose a cruiseship....we did NOT choose the original Volendam because of the blue hull, but chose Carnival instead. We didn't have US electricity in the cabin. Had to go down the hall to plug in my rollers!!

 

I think I must have found the CC web address in the travel section in our newspaper. The rest is history. I am a true addict, checking this several times/day.

 

As far as trolls go, I know I've gotten into it with some. I've been really trying hard to be good!! I just don't read certain threads for a while if someone has deliberately been annoying.

[lazey1]

We knew we wanted a cruise to St. Petersburg, Russia for our 50th anniversery and started exploring on the internet about 2 years prior. During the course of exploring the internet we found Cruise Critic and started lurking a few months before joining.

 

We also found that Holland America was posting daily updates about their newbuild, The Eurodam, which was the ship we chose. Interesting, you bet.

 

The "Live From" the Eurodam inaugral posted by Rev.Neal was the first we had seen and to this day we are very grateful that he did this. Even though we were experienced cruisers on HAL his posts were very helpful.

[erewhon]

After booking our first cruise in 2006, our Travel Agent suggested that we read the HAL website; at the bottom of the front page amongst other information in tiny printing was Cruise Critic, which I clicked on and to my surprise found this great website.

 

A wonderful source of information, from very helpful people.

[lambchoplady]

I joined several years ago, just before my cruise to Alaska on the Norwegian Pearl. I had a mid-ship balcony cabin. I joined the Roll Call group and enjoyed getting to know my fellow passengers. Shortly before the cruise one of the roll call members announced that she had been offered an upgrade to the Owners Suite and was giving up her aft balcony cabin. I immediately called my TA and asked to be switched to her aft cabin. He thought I was nuts " there will not be an aft cabin available so close to sailing". But he tried, and I was able to snag that cabin! Perfect for an Alaskan cruise!

 

BTW, that roll call member was very nice and invited many of us to a cocktail party in her suite!

[texasgirl29]

I've found out lots of good info on Cruise Critic -- I'm the "researcher" for our family cruises. Even my in-laws, who have cruised many, many times, have been amazed at the info I have found out and relayed to them. They think I'm a genius!

 

Lately, I've been reading the Celebrity boards because we are going on Celebrity next summer for the first time. Each cruise line seems to have it's own "culture" -- traditions, expectations, jargon.

 

But, quite honestly, I'm drawn like a moth to a flame by many of the posts. The back and forth, kids vs. no kids, dress code, tipping, how to treat your cabin steward... it's better than reality TV!

[Tante Amalie]

All the wonderful people and information.

[lovely_serenity]

My reason is quite simple: it was as if I had found my people LOL. I had been using the regular CC website (non forum) in order to read reviews on the ships I was going to board,but it wasn't until only a few years ago that I created a forum account with the intention of writing up a trip report thread. While I was at it, I also asked many questions and the community was very helpful! :)

Edited July 24, 2014 by lovely_serenity

[gigianne]

We were buying a new vehicle in January 2010 - the salesman had a nice tan and of course I asked him if he had been away - "yes - on a cruise". So, of course the conversation switched from SUVs to cruising. He asked if I knew about CC- I think we broke all speed records on our way home so I could see what he was talking about. I was hooked - line and anchor! Prior to CC we did nothing but ship's tours - now, almost 100% private and oh the people we have met - wonderful friends who we visit and cruise with often! Thanks CC for maintaining this wonderful site.