Do you have a cruise line that you will never sail again?

[DirtyDawg]

32 minutes ago, jkgourmet said:

...He got down on one knee in one of the bars and proposed.  Very very embarrassing for both of us when I said, "umm, can we talk about this later?" ...   He got a cheap bar bill because those same strangers bought him sympathy drinks...  

 

 

You just gave me a great idea for the next cruise where I don't have a drinks package! 🥂🍻

 

After 30 years, if I proposed to  Mrs. Dawg again, she'd also say "umm, can we talk about this later?" 😀

Edited May 10, 2019 by DirtyDawg

[Aquahound]

At one time, I said "never again" to NCL.  But I doubt I'll ever say that again because cruise lines do change over time.  NCL revitalized themselves with Breakaway and newer ships.  Now, I find them enjoyable.  I certainly won't sail any NCL ships older than Breakaway though. 

 

That said, of the lines I've sailed, Carnival would be my last choice when booking another cruise....but I still won't say never. 

Edited May 10, 2019 by Aquahound

[DirtyDawg]

We have been on Carnival, NCL, Royal, and Celebrity. Celebrity is our favorite followed by Royal, NCL and then Carnival. Even though Carnival would be our fourth or fifth choice (MSC looks interesting) I’d still sail Carnival if the itinerary was unique or the price was dirt cheap. 

Edited May 10, 2019 by DirtyDawg

[marco]

Probably NCL only because the ONLY option is "Anytime dining".  Some nights we waited with a beeper for 45 min to be seated.

[Krazy Kruizers]

RCI

 

Sailed on them years ago.  Cabin steward made up only part of the room each day -- around 4 PM when we were getting ready to go out for cocktails before dinner.  Never put any ice in the bucket.

 

We decided to give them another try a couple of years later -- all they would give us was a discount of $25 each -- and we were in a suite.  Turned them down.

[navybankerteacher]

26 minutes ago, marco said:

Probably NCL only because the ONLY option is "Anytime dining".  Some nights we waited with a beeper for 45 min to be seated.

I’ve wondered if we were the only ones this happened to - that was the first of the  “big four” dining annoyances: the others were poor/chaotic service, drab food often not hot when delivered, and inability to share tables.

 

 

[sprint180]

Won't say never, but, it would take one heck of a deal to get me on Royal again.

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

I totally agree, ships not the cruise line. Then again, the ships can also change from bad to good. Just because one cruise on a certain ships was terrible as was ours on the Celebrity EDGE and one Carnival ship. I will still cruise on there other ships. Maybe they will make change and I will  try again. They are already making changes for the good on the EDGE. One bad experience does not reflect the entire fleet.

[marco]

2 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

I’ve wondered if we were the only ones this happened to - that was the first of the  “big four” dining annoyances: the others were poor/chaotic service, drab food often not hot when delivered, and inability to share tables.

 

Didn't elaborate in my post, but agree 100%!!!!!!!!

[Katie52]

A couple of years ago we sailed with Royal Caribbean on the last voyage of the season to the Canary Islands. I really, really do not want to sail with them again. Apart from the fact that the ship was so large and felt like a floating holiday camp (we should not have booked that cruise for that one reason), the menus seemed to be made from the least costly ingredients possible.  When the weather was inclement, there was not sufficient seating in public areas. So we spent those times in our cabin. 

[Bonniescott]

What did you not like about celebrity edge? Considering sailing on this ship. 

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, twodaywonder said:

I totally agree, ships not the cruise line. Then again, the ships can also change from bad to good. Just because one cruise on a certain ships was terrible as was ours on the Celebrity EDGE and one Carnival ship. I will still cruise on there other ships. Maybe they will make change and I will  try again. They are already making changes for the good on the EDGE. One bad experience does not reflect the entire fleet.

We also found on NCL no one would share a table. This was on the Epic.

[FionaMG]

On 5/9/2019 at 9:33 PM, denmarks said:

I liked Sitmar but they were purchased by Princess. One ship I will not go on again is the Carnival Elation.

Dh was a crew member on Sitmar in his younger days. He still speaks very fondly of those days.

[navybankerteacher]

1 hour ago, ontheweb said:

We also found on NCL no one would share a table. This was on the Epic.

Yes - on open seating on every other line we’ve tried, we’ve always been seated with others- but not on NCL — hard to understand:  does NCL just attract anti-social types?

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

2 hours ago, Bonniescott said:

What did you not like about celebrity edge? Considering sailing on this ship. 

You might want to read my lengthy review. Along with so many other 2 star reviews.

[TonyB17]

Anti-social and introverted aren't the same thing.  Some people aren't on vacation to have dinner with strangers.  I don't think that's right or wrong, just a preference.

 

Carnival would be hard pressed to get me back on board.

[GUT2407]

And some of us are so time poor that dinner alone with the one you love is a luxury that only really rolls around at cruise time.

[iancal]

We have been on three NCL cruises.  On the older ships.  We always had a choice at dinner of joining a table or eating on our own.  We liked their MDR concept, their optional dining venues, but not so much their buffet.

[ontheweb]

12 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

Yes - on open seating on every other line we’ve tried, we’ve always been seated with others- but not on NCL — hard to understand:  does NCL just attract anti-social types?

That just might be true. I remember before sailing on the Epic following the NCL board on cruisecritic and reading several posts that basically said why should I ever want to sit with strangers.

 

I always thought that meeting others was one of the joys of cruising.

[Aplmac]

On 5/9/2019 at 4:33 PM, denmarks said:

One ship I will not go on again is the Carnival Elation.

.

Would you believe.. that old thing is still in service??

Visited Barbados twice during April of 2016...kinda odd.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnival_Elation

[DirtyDawg]

13 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

Yes - on open seating on every other line we’ve tried, we’ve always been seated with others- but not on NCL — hard to understand:  does NCL just attract anti-social types?

 

8 hours ago, iancal said:

We have been on three NCL cruises.  On the older ships.  We always had a choice at dinner of joining a table or eating on our own.  We liked their MDR concept, their optional dining venues, but not so much their buffet.

 

We've been on the older NCL ships as well and never a had a problem being seated with others. 

 

nbt, maybe you were giving off anti-social vibes and the NCL staff sat you accordingly. 😀😉

[mafig]

Carnival.😦

 

We once said never again about Celebrity.  We had a horrible cruise on them in 2003 and said we wouldn't go back.  Fast forward a few years and we saw a great deal on their then-new ship, Solstice (I think it was like $599 p/p for 7 days in a balcony).  The cruise was great and we're now Elite on Celebrity, which also makes us Diamond on Royal Caribbean.

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

We have ate dinner in the MDR many, many times seated with many people. Hate it. One time a guy was talking to the woman next to him, we thought it was his wife. Unbelievable bossy and rude. Turned out he did not know her at all. He was also very loud and rude to the waiters. Most of the time you hear gripes about the cruise or there illnesses. Some start arguing with one another. Got fed up with all of that. If we cannot get a table for two. Hello buffet. Sitting somewhere on the ship and you strike up a conversation, it usually is very nice. Including a conversation in the buffet. Totally different from the MDR conversations we have had. Above all. Please do not bring up politics at the MDR. 

[Aquahound]

20 hours ago, TonyB17 said:

Anti-social and introverted aren't the same thing.  Some people aren't on vacation to have dinner with strangers.  I don't think that's right or wrong, just a preference.

 

Carnival would be hard pressed to get me back on board.

 

Exactly.  Only on Cruise Critic can you be called names for something so dumb as not wanting to eat with others. 🙄

 

DW and I are very social.  We socialize all day long, meeting people around the ship in lounges and bars, the lido, and during events.  However, dinner is one time we prefer to only enjoy each others company.  

 

But back to NCL, I remember always having the choice to either eat alone or with others.  Waiting for our own table often meant longer wait times though.  This includes the Sky, Dawn and Escape, so that's pretty much the gamut of their ship styles except Epic.  

[Joebucks]

2 hours ago, twodaywonder said:

We have ate dinner in the MDR many, many times seated with many people. Hate it. One time a guy was talking to the woman next to him, we thought it was his wife. Unbelievable bossy and rude. Turned out he did not know her at all. He was also very loud and rude to the waiters. Most of the time you hear gripes about the cruise or there illnesses. Some start arguing with one another. Got fed up with all of that. If we cannot get a table for two. Hello buffet. Sitting somewhere on the ship and you strike up a conversation, it usually is very nice. Including a conversation in the buffet. Totally different from the MDR conversations we have had. Above all. Please do not bring up politics at the MDR. 

 

Agreed, I hate it too. I enjoy conversing with others around the ship. At dinner, I don't want to be at a big table with others.