I hate cruise reviews !!!

[HappyCruiser383]

:D Actually, I hate looking for them and not finding any new ones!!!

 

Don't most of us like to read reviews just to get into the cruising spirit or help us learn what to expect? Why is it that most people don't write any reviews?

 

Please share what you look for in a review or pictures.

 

I look for port details. Weather, crowds, safety, shopping and tour details. It's really nice to read a review that reads like a story from day one.

 

I'll read past the personal "and that steward took 10 minutes to bring my spring water!!!!".

 

Ok . . your turn!

[Seago2]

I hate when people post a long review as a THREAD, instead of as a REVIEW in the member reviews section. Once that post fades into history there is no way to find it (especially if the thread title is something like "Just got back- WOW!").

[sherry7]

I like reading reviews as well, but I'm guilty of not writing them myself. I've been meaning to write one since I got back from the Serenade recently, but I haven't gotten past Day 2 yet.

 

I usually forget about going to the Review Section, so I usually just read the reviews here. The best solution would be for the reviewer to just copy and paste and put it in both places.

[Jan_In_Maine]

I love writing reviews and reading them too - unfortunately I have to wait until next November to write another one - Sometimes it takes too much energy to go to the review section (although I do have one review there), I enjoy seeing the threads on her from newly returned cruisers.

[madelinerose]

IMHO, the "Ok, I left my house at 10am, stopped at 76 intersections on the way, read the billboards, then I saw the terminal, drove into the terminal, parked the car, unloaded the trunk, gave the luggage to the porter, tipped the porter $5, walked 10 feet and stood in line to embark, was #29 in line, got thirsty, bought water, moved my carry-on 10 feet, talked with the person behind me in line, walked another 10 feet and wondered when we'd get on the ship, finally got on the ship, waited for the elevator," etc. etc. etc. on and on and on is not my idea of a review.

 

Tell me about the ship, food and cabin, preferably with many pics, and I'm interested in your review. Since I'm a visual person, I'd much rather see pics, decided if I'd enjoy spending time on the ship after a short review and call it a day. ;)

[sha88]

I apprecaite the reviews, but I am starting to think that I am not going to read anymore only because, heck, one person's experience, good or bad, is not necessarily going to be mine. For example, I read some Empress reviews in the archives and if I hadn't booked already, I think I may have changed my mind.

 

However, that being said, it is great when I know someone has been on a particular cruise and or ship and I can ask specific questions. And, I REALLY appreciate the answers. They can be so helpful.

 

I also stay away from cleaniless threads, geez, I don't want to know how many times bedspreads are changed, etc. I never even thought anything about that on my first cruise last summer and nothing happened, I got off the ship in the same health as I left. Now, on my next cruise, I feel like I am going to take the bedspreads off for no other reason than I read a thread here... but I probably won't.

[wrp96]

I hate when people post a long review as a THREAD, instead of as a REVIEW in the member reviews section. Once that post fades into history there is no way to find it (especially if the thread title is something like "Just got back- WOW!").

 

I posted my Rhapsody review as both a thread and as a review in the member reviews section because currently the member reviews section is running at least a month behind in posting.

[Snoozeman]

I hate when people post a long review as a THREAD, instead of as a REVIEW in the member reviews section. Once that post fades into history there is no way to find it (especially if the thread title is something like "Just got back- WOW!").

I prefer to read them as a thread. It takes forever to get them on the review board an by then the information isn't current.

[luckyprincess]

I know I'm in the minority here, but I love the posts that read like "we left with all the kids and our plane was delayed and we got to the hotel and blah, blah blah". It makes me feel like I'm there. It's kind of like having all of the incedentals reminds me of the excitement of getting up in the morning to go to the airport and everything! Of course, I end up reading reviews mainly because I want to get even more excited than I am. I usually think I am easy to please because I just love being on vacation - so someone reviewing that the centrium was 'gaudy' or something is not going to sway me, you know? Anyway, keep those mundane details coming my way! I'm trying to live vicariously through all of you till Dec...:(

[Happy ks]

I love the good and the bad. Especially if you have been on the ship and are familiar with what they are commenting about.

 

One of the best reviews I've read recently, or I should say, one I got a kick out of was a man writing about how much he didn't like his Alaska cruise. Because it wasn't warm enough for him. But, he chose the cruise because he wanted to get out of the summer heat of Florida! He loved the scenery, enjoyed the ship and found a lot of good things to say

about the ports, but he still had a bad time because it was cool and sometimes rainy. Duh :rolleyes:

[wrp96]

I know I'm in the minority here, but I love the posts that read like "we left with all the kids and our plane was delayed and we got to the hotel and blah, blah blah". It makes me feel like I'm there. It's kind of like having all of the incedentals reminds me of the excitement of getting up in the morning to go to the airport and everything! Of course, I end up reading reviews mainly because I want to get even more excited than I am. I usually think I am easy to please because I just love being on vacation - so someone reviewing that the centrium was 'gaudy' or something is not going to sway me, you know? Anyway, keep those mundane details coming my way! I'm trying to live vicariously through all of you till Dec...:(

 

If you like those kinds of threads, look for my upcoming thread which will be entitled "Examining the Bars on the Brilliance of the Seas." I will, hopefully, be posting live from the Brilliance starting on Friday.

[sha88]

If you like those kinds of threads, look for my upcoming thread which will be entitled "Examining the Bars on the Brilliance of the Seas." I will, hopefully, be posting live from the Brilliance starting on Friday.

 

Have a great cruise!!! Lucky you! I'm sure you'll have alto of fun doing the bar reviews :)

[luckyprincess]

Oh, I can't wait!! Thanks for the heads up, Wrp96! I'll get dressed in my 'club clothes' and sit at my computer going shot for shot with you..... What? Is that living TOO vicariously through you? :p

Have a great, great time! Please do post for us though - I have 10 months to go and I am really jonesing! Thanks! I'll be looking for you in the threads.

Melody

[kenandlaura06]

I love the reviews and never think to go to the review board, so I appreciate them being posted here.

[Nliedel]

There is some lag between when reviews are written and posted, I know my last review took a few weeks to get approved (to make sure the information is accurate and there is no profanity etc. Not to make sure they are positive because they all are not. Well mine are, for the most part). People just get, and this is a guess on my part, overwhelmed with the thought of writing a huge review. It's not really hard but I guess it can be intimidating!

[huskerdude]

I also like to read reviews of the ship we will be sailing next on. We wrote a review for our last cruise and found a way to keep the information fresh. We took a little note book and would write down the days event each night before going to bed. That way you are not trying to remember things that may have happened over a week or so ago. Now we did not include all that information, just the key points of each day.

[fleckle]

I like having the reviews available in both places. Reading it here initially, you get the reviewer's impressions of the cruise line, ship, ports, etc. and may pick up some ideas for things you would like to do or see that had not even occurred to you previously.

 

Then when you get ready to plan your own cruise, you can go back to the review board and find all the reviews for the particular ship and itinerary you are considering. It is great being able to see different points of view, with all those reviews right there together, readily accessible. That beats needing to organize and save my own bookmarks for all the reviews I see that I would like to keep available for possible future reference. So here is a big "thank you" to whoever has done that, and continues to do that for us.

 

Some of the anecdotes reported in reviews have been quite entertaining and amusing, even when they didn't provide any useful information. I like that each person gets to tell the story in his/her own way. It is easy enough to scan quickly past any section that does not interest me. What may be boring or unimportant to one reader may be of great interest to another.

[Tiiiigergirl]

I agree with the vote for all the mundane details. It tells a story and makes me feel for a moment like I'm with them because they've painted a picture.

But then I was always the kind that liked a book better than a movie!

 

However, actually experiencing it first hand is best. :D

[critterchick]

I've had several reviews evaporate on the member reviews section - if I post them a couple of times, they eventually get there but it takes quite a while. So I post them here, too.

You never know what people what to know about, so IMHO the best thing you can do is post all of your impressions about everything, preferably breaking it up into paragraphs to make for easy reading.

[Seago2]

In my last review I posted so many mundane details that I can barely even read it- and I was THERE. I put so much on Galveston and Enterprise... and the ports of call... yawn. The thing is that I have seen so many questions about those topics that I figured people would just scroll through and take what they wanted from it. Also, I had kids with me and people with kids want to get info that relates specifically to traveling with them.

 

Seriously, I think I posted the longest review I have ever read. http://www.cruisereviews.com/CarnivalCruiseLines/Elation79.htm

[HappyCruiser383]

I want to know why people complain about the little things and they let it ruin their trip. They think, "he didn't refil my glass for 10 minutes!!!" is a reason to never cruise ABC Cruises again!!! :eek: Or "our tour was rained out and they only gave me my money back" is a reason to get legal assistance.

 

I try to be a positive person. Maybe that's why I can't remember anything negative about any of my cruises. . . well, other than my companion on my first cruise. :D Maybe I shoud sue the cruise lines for that??? hee hee

[wrp96]

Hey HappyCruiser. Since it seems like you get it, there is a group of us in the Floataway Lounge that you might want to join. Just follow the link in my signature to the Mustard of the Seas.

[HappyCruiser383]

Hey HappyCruiser. Since it seems like you get it,

 

I couldn't find you in the floataway lounge. I see the roll call thread though. :confused:

[Yvonne]

I agree with you! I was on the 1/15 sailing of the Mariner of the Seas, and posted my lengthy and detailed review a few days after we got home. I've been waiting...and waiting...and WAITING...for the others on that cruise to post THEIR reviews too and I KNOW there were a bunch of others because there was a Cruise Critic meet!! But, I'm STILL waiting...I love to read other reviews from people who were on the same cruise, to get their perspective of things.

[Nliedel]

I agree with you! I was on the 1/15 sailing of the Mariner of the Seas, and posted my lengthy and detailed review a few days after we got home. I've been waiting...and waiting...and WAITING...for the others on that cruise to post THEIR reviews too and I KNOW there were a bunch of others because there was a Cruise Critic meet!! But, I'm STILL waiting...I love to read other reviews from people who were on the same cruise, to get their perspective of things.

 

I suspect they are either in the works (posting to the review section of the site is done by Miriam and she is on a cruise at the moment) or that they may not post a review at all. Not everyone wants to do that. I wish more people did. Sometimes it seems only people super happy t o the point of being one sided as all get out or people who hated it post. Nothing is ever all good or all bad.