What Should/Should Not be included in a Review?

[CTMak]

Of course, one of the "perks" of this CC message board are the reviews-- you get real, live feedback on everything from pre-cruise accommodations to post cruise airline connections.

 

And a big thank you to all of us who diligently post their cruise experiences be it positive or negative.

 

My question is this: what advice would you give reviewers -- major or minor -- to make the reviews most actionable.

 

For example, for me: I really don't care too much what each of your party had for dinner each night, course by course. I'm really not that interested if your 8 year old during a snorkel trip thougt the blue fishies were "really pretty."

 

But I do want to know whether you thought the food/ service met or exceeded your expectations; you thoughts on the excusrions you took; the entertainemnt, etc.

 

But that's just me.

 

What advice would you give to prospective reviewers in terms of details you would like to see?

 

CTMak

[LandOfBeaches]

I think whatever a person wants to include in their reviews is fine. Everyone has different things they are interested in during a cruise. Maybe you are interested in entertainment on board, while a family would be interested if an excursion would be viable for their children. I say include whatever the reviewer wants to talk about since we all have different tastes or expectations during a cruise.

[Knights on the Beach]

I think whatever a person wants to include in their reviews is fine. Everyone has different things they are interested in during a cruise.

I agree. If there's something in a review that I'm not interested in, I can just skip over that part. I say the more details, the better.

[Kaki321]

I think what you are talking about is the difference between a trip "report" and trip "review" - - at least that is how these types of reviews are referred to on other boards I belong to.

 

On this particular board - - I tend to see blurred review/report type posts

 

For me, I enjoy reading both and don't think there are right or wrong answers for what should or should not be included. Just my opinion

[gfsmith]

I want to know about ...

 

Entertainment

 

Food

 

Service

 

Casino

 

Kids Program

 

Everything else is what you make of it.

[MrPete]

Just the facts.

[bluecruisin]

The more info the better, I can always skip over areas that aren't of interest to me. Also, please avoid words like always, everything, nothing, never, ect. as they tend to invalidate some of the comments for me.

[martdm]

I like a bit of detail on all the major factors: embarkation, debarkation, cabin, dining, entertainment, spa, tendering, ports, excursions, etc. and any other relevant details that will be of use to me in preparing for my trip (or in the case of reviews read after my trip, allowing me to compare to my trip). I also enjoy rational and logically explained disappointments experienced while on the cruise so I can avoid similar pitfalls.

 

I have no use for commentary about chair hogs (they are a given-why don't you tell me there was water in the pool too? That'd be another newsflash!), criticism of what other people wore to dinner (don't you have anything better or more positive to focus on while dining on a cruise?? That's sad!), or people who rant about how they can't stand the way the natives do things in other countries (if you want everyone to be like you just stay home and spare other cultures your xenophobic nonsense!).

[gatour]

I would say using "headings" is the most important piece of advice. If you are doing a short review then "Food", "Cabin", "Entertainment" would be appropriate. If you are doing a longer review break it down into subheadingss like breakfast, lunch and dinner or type of dining, ie buffet vs main dining room.

 

Overall I would say break up your report into sections/paragraphs, if you go on for 30 or 40 lines then it can be hard to read

[cruisinjules]

Thats actually one of the things I like about the reviews/reports here, is that they are personal, they are not objective, lol. Its like reading someones diary! Some focus on the food, or the ports, or the activities, although when they write it they think they are covering everything. Every review/report I read of the Miracle prior to my cruise had info I NEVER would have thought to report on, but man oh man, was it ever helpful when I got on board the ship.

 

I think the review/report should serve as "mind candy" for those reading and counting down till their cruise and a smattering of helpful tidbits that will save people time or money or frustration while on board or in port. You can also slam the whole darn experience, and then deal with the wrath those elected to serve and protect the Carnival threads, lol.

[martdm]

I think the review/report should serve as "mind candy" for those reading and counting down till their cruise and a smattering of helpful tidbits that will save people time or money or frustration while on board or in port.

 

Well put!

[LizaMM]

Thats actually one of the things I like about the reviews/reports here, is that they are personal, they are not objective, lol. Its like reading someones diary! Some focus on the food, or the ports, or the activities, although when they write it they think they are covering everything. Every review/report I read of the Miracle prior to my cruise had info I NEVER would have thought to report on, but man oh man, was it ever helpful when I got on board the ship.

 

I think the review/report should serve as "mind candy" for those reading and counting down till their cruise and a smattering of helpful tidbits that will save people time or money or frustration while on board or in port. You can also slam the whole darn experience, and then deal with the wrath those elected to serve and protect the Carnival threads, lol.

 

 

I call it "CRUISE FOREPLAY" rather than "mind candy" but I think we are talking about the same thing!!

 

I, personally, like to read the long and detailed daily type reviews. When I wrote my last review I did 2...one that was long and detailed for each day and then another post with a short synopsis of each item for those that prefer to read that. I think when you wread the detailed daily reports you can glean a lot of info and if you want skip over stuff.

 

I really like to know about the goings on on the ship and I like reading reviews (both before my cruise and after) to add to my excitement, to aid in my PCD and relive my experience.

 

I really like to hear about the various things that people did while on board and on shore. I KNOW that I can find food that I will enjoy SOMEWHERE but it is the pre-planning on shore and knowing what to ecpect for nightlife that really helps me out.

[cruisetmc]

When reading reviews, I'm most interested in entertainment, ship layout/cabin, shore excursions, and food.

 

I enjoy seeing a cruise from someone elses point of view.

[Wennfred]

I like a very detailed review, I mean as if you are reading a book, The reviewer has to put you there, things like knowing how the air in the cabin feels at 2am and or what areas of the ship did the Ice Cream cone break down and started to melt? A Detail Review are fun to read.

[coolestwife]

I agree with Wennfred. I love the whole "story telling" effect. I also would like to hear more of the funny, wierd, dumb stuff other people (or you) did. I want to laugh, cry, get angry....I want to feel I was right there with you the (almost:rolleyes: :eek: ) whole time!!!

[dznymom]

I plan to write a review when I get back, but I guess I will call it a report now, because I will most likely include some details no one actually cares about. I have no idea what will be in it, but I hope it will be helpful to the folks that will be on the same ship or going to the same ports in the near future. I know I find something of interest in every report I read, and I love reading them all. I read and loved every word that Wennfred (I can't believe I thought you were Winnifred for so long) posted from the Valor, and I have no plans to sail that ship, but it was a great read.

 

I say to everyone, keep 'em coming, and include whatever you want. The formal cruise critic review is available for people only wanting facts.

[LHP]

Remember what the purpose of a "review" is....to give the inexperienced cruiser fair, balanced and honest information so that they can make an informed decision on whether they should sail on that ship.

 

Avoid, generalizations and exaggerations.

If the steak was tough one night or the soup was not hot enough...say that.

Don't say "the food was terrible".

 

If you had problems with a waiter or cabin steward, then list that complaint.

Don't say "the staff was horrible".

 

It is perfectly ok to list what you did not like about the ship, as long as it is done in a mature and reasonable manner that doesn't treat the reader like some ignorant hick that is to stupid to know what a good cruise is.

 

Many times people list complaints like the casino smelled of smoke or the slots were to tight. Those are valid complaints....but they don't apply to me since I don't gamble.

 

A complaint like a poor selection of karaoke songs would apply to me and that is something I would want to know, so I would know to bring more of my custom CDG's.

 

Most of the time it is not what is said, but how it is said. Any time a complaint is spoken in a way to appear to be condescending to the reader, that is not a good thing.

 

Of course we want every cruise to be perfect and of course that will never happen. Attitude is 99.9% of it, during the cruise and writing a review!

[Wennfred]

This is where Laptops come in handy, what I did every night before I went to bed and also while chumping on some Room Service treats, :D I sat at the Coffee table with the news or music in the background and wrote everything that went throughout the day from the time I woke up. That way it's fresh in your mind. If you wait till you get home, you will skip alot of great details. If you don't have a laptop then a Pad with paper and a pen will work also.

[cathyoo]

I wouldn't change a thing about how reviews are written. Someone listing what they had for dinner each night or their child's excursion experience may not be of personal use to me but I am sure it will meet someone else's needs.

 

I'm grateful for all the information posted here but I am partial to the balanced review. I find them much more helpful than "everything was wonderful cause I wasn't at work" or the "the whole cruise sucked because some kid pushed all the buttons in the elevator".

 

I would like to encourage newbies to post away and not worry about whether your review is what someone else wanted to read. You can rest assure I will enjoy it.

[nybumpkin]

If you don't have a laptop then a Pad with paper and a pen will work also.

I did it the old-fashioned way, as Wennfred suggested. I had a pad of paper, and each day wrote down the day's highlights. (I didn't let DH bring his laptop along for the ride...:rolleyes: although we ended up needing the Internet Cafe when our return was delayed.) At the end of the trip, I wrote up a review in Word, then posted from the Word document. My highlights: embarcation/debarcation, overall ship, shows, dining room (no blow-by-blow - but I love the pumpkin soup), Camp Carnival, ports. I hope I'm getting the hang of it.:)