Negative complaints/reviews

[ryansmemom]

A guy called NRWO over on the Carnival board started a thread called Negative complaints/reviews. I cut and pasted his post below. I think he makes a lot of sense. What do you think?

 

"I've been in the travel business for quite a while now, and I've seen my share of complaints, legit and otherwise. It doesn't surprise me to see so much negativity, and there are a lot of different reasons for it. I can break it down to several different types of people.

 

a) People with mismanaged/unreasonable expectations.

 

A lot of people book a cruise without knowing what they are getting into. All they know is the Love Boat, where you never saw the ship rock (unless there was a subplot about it going through a storm), and all crew members spoke perfect English, and the captain was always hanging about on deck, etc. Little things like the natural motion of the ship or the various common smells (sewage/cooking oil) are enough to ruin many people's cruises. Some people thought a cruise meant 5 star meals for breakfast/lunch/dinner. They don't like Vegas style shows or lights and glitz. They go in summer and hate kids, they think the Jacuzzis are open 24 hours, saltwater pools, etc and so on.

 

b) People who are very high-strung and are waiting for one little thing to turn it all to crap.

 

Oh I know a lot of these people. In fact, some are my relatives. They need a vacation, desperately, but their home life, job, etc has them on the defensive 24/7 and they are ready for something to go wrong. They can't relax, and any little thing is going to set them off and send them on the downward spiral. It might be a longer than expected line at embarkation. Maybe one of the crew members gave them a dirty look. Maybe their roll at dinner was stale. Maybe they ran out of ketchup at the burger stand. Whatever it is, one little thing and everything turns to crap. They start looking at any possible flaw or detriment with a fine-tooth comb, and sure enough, they find them. These people need much more help than a cruise can offer them.

 

c) People who worry the whole cruise that they overpaid.

 

This is a rapidly growing segment of cruisers. I can't tell you how many people turned sour and were ticked off the rest of the cruise when they find out their dining mates paid $100 less than them. Americans are convinced they are getting ripped off 95% of the time. And some people (again some I am related to) simply can not enjoy ANYTHING unless they are convinced they got the best possible "deal." If they feel they have overpaid by a nickel, having a good time becomes impossible.

 

d) People complain about the basic tenants of what cruising is.

 

This kind of goes to my first point. As is said time and again, cruising is no for everyone. It definitely is a unique experience. When your "resort" is a giant floating city, things are always going to be a little different. Stuff happens. Power occasionally goes out. Sometimes port calls are delayed, shortened, or cancelled altogether. Cheesy or schlocky entertainment (dancing waiters, which I loathe) is the norm, because that's what most people like. If these things aren't your cup of tea, fine. Some people are actually reasonable in admitting that cruising simply is not for them. But this is a very rare exception. Somehow they feel their trip should have been tailored to their exact wants and needs. It goes back to my earlier points about realistic expectations and some knowledge about what cruising entails.

 

I could go into much further depth on all these points but you get the idea. What type of people am I leaving out?"

 

NRWO

Linda

[Krazy Kruizers]

He is right!!

[djallar]

Linda,

The OP makes some pretty good points but I think the best one is:

People who are very high-strung and are waiting for one little thing to turn it all to crap...They need a vacation, desperately, but their home life, job, etc has them on the defensive 24/7 and they are ready for something to go wrong. They can't relax, and any little thing is going to set them off and send them on the downward spiral.

A lot of people live on the edge. By that I mean, they use their credit to the max to "keep up with the Jones". They learn to expect the worst from people because there is always someone willing to stab you in the back for your position in the company (as a matter of fact, they're probably plotting to do just that while you're on the cruise). And, they DO feel that they are ripped off 95% of the time...because they probably are.

We're turning society today into such a pressure cooker that it shouldn't suprise anyone when a meltdown occurs and it usually isn't pretty.

These people need much more help than a cruise can offer them.

Sad but true. Think of the poor spouse and kids that have to live with this 24/7. We only have to deal with it for a short period of time and we can move on.

I've "been there...done that", so to speak.

I've played the ladder climbing game, only to get kicked off. I've pushed myself and my relationships with friends an family to the edge to live a life I expected I should live. I still spend a little more money than I should, but it's not hurting my family like before.

I took my first cruise expecting to relax and was successful. That was my only desire and it was met easily. Every other wonderful thing that happened on the cruise was a new experience and I took it as a life lesson. With this lesson under my belt, I can adjust my expectations for subsequent cruises. Will I be disappointed? Probably...at times...but unless the ship burns, or sinks, or I fall off the ship, that little piece of paradise will never be as bad as it is on land, in the "real world"

[jhannah]

Thanks for posting this, Linda. It's right on the mark!

[Mr. Boston]

It seems like the b) folks would be better served spending their money on therapy rather than a cruise. There are issues there that no vacation is going remedy.

[kryos]

Thanks for posting this. I, too, agree with pretty much all of it. A cruise is definitely not for everyone.

 

The one that really gets me laughing is the people who get all bent out of shape if a port they wanted to visit is cancelled for some reason. On my Amsterdam cruise this past January, we all had a letter waiting in our staterooms upon embarkation stating that our call to Christmas Island was being cancelled, and providing us with the updated itinerary for the cruise which included an overnight stay in Papette, which was added to compensate for missing Christmas Island. We were also informed that we would receive a complimentary glass of wine at dinner.

 

My response was "kewl" ... there ain't much to see at Christmas Island anyway ... surely not more than we will have at Papette. By reading these boards and basically educating myself about the various port stops I would be visiting along the way, I also already knew that Christmas Island is often cancelled as a port stop due to shifting sand bars.

 

But, you would not believe the grousing I heard onboard over the next several days ... about missing this port. You would have thought they changed the whole itinerary on us and had us going to Mexico instead of the South Pacific. Some people (though thankfully not too many) were really riled about this.

 

I always say that a cruise is only for people who can take change in stride and have a good time anyway. If there is a port that you really, really want to see ... and if missing that port would ruin the cruise for you ... take a land vacation specifically to that area of the world. You'll be better off.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[dakrewser]

THe one group he definitely overlooks are those who go knowing exactly what to expect - and have it go wrong. Let's face it, few cruises are 100% perfect. Things do go wrong. And, no matter what the CD tells you, it's simply lying to report "all 9's" on the survey form.

 

There are at least as many "pollyanna"s as "gloomy gus"s on any cruise - it's just that those who rate everything "5 stars" don't raise our hackles quite as much!

 

A good review points out the high points and the low points, the good and the bad, then tries to strike a balance for an overall grade.

[Estella]

I have to agree. You have to know how to make the best of everything before you even start booking a cruise. My last cruise was in the hurricane season and we had to sail around three hurricanes, missed two ports, had a broken water pipe in our hall and had to ration water for several days. But it did not spoil our cruise as we made the best of it and it surely wasn't going to spoil our vacation. We used humor to always wonder what we would experience next and what we would hear the next time the Captain made a public announcement. It gave us lots to talk about when we got home and even now.

[ryansmemom]

When I came across this post last night everything this guy said made so much sense to me. I am so disturbed by all of the negativity in our world today and all of the cynicysim and anger I see. People are so stressed these days and there is so little trust.

 

We need our vacations more than ever. Yet, so many of us can't just relax and let go without drugs or alcohol, prescription or otherwise. People are brittle and get bent out of shape over trivial things. They don't want to, but they are emotionally fragile and have no cushion left.

 

I also agree that cruises are not for everyone. If you are person who needs to know what to expect and needs everything to go smoothly and as planned a cruise will not work for you. There is too much that can go wrong or change.

 

I don't think cruises work for free spirits. If you are rebellious and just want to do everything your way or have issues with authority figures, I don't think a cruise will be the most satisfying vacation. There are things you just have to comply with. Things that impact on the safety of others. Just like on an airplane. The difference is, you are only on an airplane for a few hours.

 

Cruises are not like other. People are together for a distinct period of time, sharing an experience, and confined to a finite space. They all have to live together, peacefully.

 

Negativity really stinks. It sucks air out of the room, building, perhaps even the world.

 

Linda

[Atomica]

Sounds pretty accurate to me.

 

There's been things on each cruise I've loved, and things I haven't loved quite as much (airline delays!! lol), but I am just so happy that I can cruise that really, I enjoy every minute of it.

[refman]

atomica summed it up for me

[maxiesmommie]

We'll find out in a little over 2 weeks if cruising is for us. I am going into this with the best possible attitude I can. I am sure we will have an awesome time. Hey, we won't be at work, we're visiting a beautiful part of the country(plus Canada) we haven't seen before and experiencing cruising - finally! Will there be a moment here and there? Sure, heck we have 'em at home. Will I roll with the punches? You betcha!:D No grouchy Pollyannas here. Bring on the cruise- hehe!

[CCCM]

I think that the OP summed it up well. Expectations and negativity. I think that this comes from many people not realizing what is most important in life. When/If they come to that realization, everything else will fall into place and they will go with the flow. Not let the little things ruin life or a vacation. It has taken me time to realize this.

[poppop1507]

People who worry the whole cruise that they overpaid.

 

This is a rapidly growing segment of cruisers. I can't tell you how many people turned sour and were ticked off the rest of the cruise when they find out their dining mates paid $100 less than them. Americans are convinced they are getting ripped off 95% of the time. And some people (again some I am related to) simply can not enjoy ANYTHING unless they are convinced they got the best possible "deal." If they feel they have overpaid by a nickel, having a good time becomes impossible.

 

After being on well over 30 cruises most recently Celebrity this complaint has gone away. Apparently Celebrity and Royal Caribbean do not allow discounting or rebating so no one gets it cheaper when comparing "apples to apples". There is nothing more annoying than sitting at dinner and hearing everyone discuss how much they paid.

 

I wish HAL and all the other cruise lines followes Royal Caribbean and Celebrity, No discounting.

[Opinions]

I wish HAL and all the other cruise lines followes Royal Caribbean and Celebrity, No discounting.

 

I would hope that HAL and other cruiselines continue to allow discounting.

[Scrumpy]

I agree with some of what the OP posted (both copied/pasted and otherwise), but I also have to say that we are entitled to our opinions and our individual feelings and perceptions. Period. Those are all very personal and based on our past experiences, our personalities, and our priorities. Sometimes, I think that people interpret negative comments in a review as someone saying they had a horrible time or that they regret their decision to take a cruise - or that they don't think it was worth it. Often, that is not the case at all. There were simply some problems. Many of us tend to forget the problems over time and remember all the good things. Memory often works that way, which helps us in many instances. Sometimes our least favorite experiences are still fine - and actually positive - in terms of educating us about ourselves.

 

I also have to say that there can be a lot of negative energy and comment before and after a trip that sometimes affects our otherwise positive experiences. For some of us, it is not very helpful for people to say, "you can't miss this" or "you must do that" because if/when we trust that advice over our own instincts, we can be disappointed - and overdo it. I can't tell you how many times we've gone somewhere, come back, and had others point out how much we had "missed" by not doing x, y, or z. It's something to think about when we advise people on what to do and not to do. Sure, some people see EVERYTHING and don't understand it at all when someone else isn't up at dawn and on every tour, but that's also a negative - it's just that people think it is helpful. It is actually a criticism. It says to people that they don't know what is best for themselves. There is an undertone that implies someone else's preferences are questionable or wrong - and that is NEGATIVE.

 

I have read very few entirely negative and over-the-top reviews. I've read reviews where people have pointed out what seemed to me to be a lot of negatives, but hey, it's their perception not mine. It's easy to sit here on a PC and tell someone to get over it. It's easy to sit here and think something wouldn't bother me. It's easy to armchair quarterback on Monday night, too. People should be allowed to vent. People can have different experiences on the same cruise without someone lying. It isn't up to me to determine whether someone has a valid complaint because I wasn't in their shoes. What is petty to me might be important to them. If you don't want to read a negative review, then you have a choice to avoid it. You can't change the way people feel. And, we don't really have the right to tell them HOW they should feel. To one degree or another, I'm sure most people realize that underneath it all, we are lucky to have the opportunity to travel in the first place and that we are among maybe 15-20% (?) of the people in the US who have ever been lucky enough to take a cruise. For some, it doesn't work out. For some, it is wonderful. For some, it works more often than not. For some, it's probably a nightmare and they don't feel particularly lucky. That's just the way the cookie crumbles. Dissecting the personalities/motives of those folks who didn't enjoy themselves 100% online is as critical and negative as them posting a negative review in the first place. And, it's not very polite.

[Stevesan]

The one that really gets me laughing is the people who get all bent out of shape if a port they wanted to visit is cancelled for some reason. On my Amsterdam cruise this past January, we all had a letter waiting in our staterooms upon embarkation stating that our call to Christmas Island was being cancelled, and providing us with the updated itinerary for the cruise which included an overnight stay in Papette, which was added to compensate for missing Christmas Island. But, you would not believe the grousing I heard onboard over the next several days ... about missing this port. You would have thought they changed the whole itinerary on us and had us going to Mexico instead of the South Pacific. Some people (though thankfully not too many) were really riled about this.

 

--rita

 

Their disappointment was perfectly understandable. Visiting Santa's workshop is a once in a lifetime experience!:(

[HeatherInFlorida]

I agree with everything this poster said and I agree with you, Linda. But that will come as no surprise to anyone:) .

 

The one thing that confuses me is that the price people have paid for their cruises comes up at the dinner table. Thankfully I've never experienced this. No one at the dinner table or anywhere else on the ship has ever asked me how much we paid for our cruise. I doubt I would answer if they did. They don't ask how much money we make either ... or how much we've saved for retirement. If I volunteer that info (which is more likely to happen here than on the cruise), that's a different story. But I just don't see this as polite dinner conversation.

 

Before anyone starts flaming me on this, I also totally see your point of view if you disagree. It's just not our style ... doesn't make it "wrong".

[Scrumpy]

Our tablemates volunteered how much they paid for their cruise. I was surprised they did it; it's not normal dinner conversation. We did not volunteer what we paid, but did say it was substantially more. They recommended their TA. I wasn't upset that they mentioned their cost because it confirmed something we've known all along. We are not good at finding cruise bargains! We really liked these folks and a little breach of etiquette didn't influence that. Being seated with someone who constantly discussed financial matters would have been uncomfortable, though.

[Starr Mtn]

Stuff happens.

 

I think that covers it all ! Really very little - if anything - in life is perfect. In our opinion, however, cruising at its best tops the list ! Just "go for the gusto" and realize that even at the worst - it's probably better than what you left at home. Cruise to enjoy all the amenities - meet new acquaintances or hopefully new friends - enjoy the food and entertainment - etc. Where else can you unpack only once and enjoy different cities and their excursions and pertake in whatever you desire with the onboard activities .......

 

I'm very limited in my mobility - but with cruising I've been able see half of the world - and meet some wonderful friends - and even met the love of my life (not something I was anticipating !) So I'm not able to physically do a lot of shore excursions - but just being onboard brings an excitement to my life I never expected a few years ago when I had to retire early due to my disability. In essence - cruising affords a variety of opportunities and experiences - just try it and see for yourself !

[PAHORNER]

Stevensan, LOL Your right

 

Their disappointment was perfectly understandable. Visiting Santa's workshop is a once in a lifetime experience!:(

[BasenjiMom]

Most of the complaints I am reading are not about unexpected things happening, I think everyone knows stuff happens, but more about the cruiseline's attitude when they do.

[Tricia724]

No one at the dinner table or anywhere else on the ship has ever asked me how much we paid for our cruise. I doubt I would answer if they did.......I just don't see this as polite dinner conversation.

 

I agree with you, Heather.....it is NOT polite to ask people what they paid for anything.....especially people you have just met and don't even know. Like you, we've never had anyone ask us what we paid for our cruise....which I wouldn't have discussed either.

 

We did have someone ask us how much we were going to tip our waiter on one cruise, and I just said that I never discuss money matters and refused to answer. So the next night he took a different approach and asked: "Are you going to give the waiter $$$ (a specific amount)?" I said maybe we would and maybe we'd give more. At this point he announced to the table that it wasn't necessary to give any more....that the amount he had stated was the proper tip! The poor waiter probably suffered because of him.

 

As long as there are people who judge everything by how much it costs and everybody by how much they have, make, or spend, conversations like this are sure to arise from time to time.

[Jim Gallup]

For the reasons posted above - and for many others - several of my colleagues are advocating opening a Walk-in Psychiatric Clinic in the Atrium of every cruise ship. Not only will it help those in need, but provide more onboard revenues for the cruise lines. This will help to keep cruise fares down. Additionally, a legal office should go in right next door to the shrink. This gives a head start to all of those people who want to sue the cruise line. It also means that even when the cruise line loses the lawsuit, they still get a cut of the profits........

[suefalls]

On the tipping issue, I am pretty sure the people were just unsure and wanted guidelines. My mother left for Vegas today,( a family members 2nd wedding) and called me to ask what to tip cabs, bellpersons, etc. because it had been so long since she had travelled. She worked in the service industry for years and did not want to under tip(even though she is on a fixed income that is pretty low). She was concerned that they get a fair amount from her without overtipping. That may be why your tablemate asked.