I love reading reviews, but I have to tell you that, I use to believe every word anyone ever said. Sometimes I would read, and think to myself, "I would never cruise on that ship, it's awful." But, as I have matured as a cruiser, I have learned to read between the lines, and also compare reviews, to see if the next person said the same thing. Generally, if it's a real problem, it will be repeated from others.
I have also learned that a picky person will find almost anything to complain about.
For those of you who have cruised before, you know that attitude makes or breaks a cruise. For those of you who are about to take your first cruise, you know that you must go with an "I will have a good time, no matter what, attitude"
I once read a review that said that before the could get in the ship, they noticed a paint chip, hanging from the wall.
This reviewer complained the whole way through his review. I sure as heck don't want him coming through my house for inspection. He would find all kinds of things wrong, but if he said "I had a great time," then the paint chip would not seem so important.
So, tell me, do you read the reviews? What do you get out of them, if anything?
Do you read for enjoyment, or to get valuable information from them?
Hi Luanne,
I have to totally agree with you on ship reviews. I love reading them, both for content and just plain reading.
Its funny, you can read two from the exact same sailing and have two different opinions on food, service, weather, ports, etc. I sometimes have to take that as a grain of salt and keep an open mind.
As far as I'm concerned, its a vacation, I'm not working and can just rest and enjoy, nothing is going to spoil it for me.
I usually read all the reviews I can on the ship I will be on next. I have to say, I used to believe most of the stuff. But you can usually tell when someone is being way too sensitive
For instance, last May we went on the Triumph. Read lots of reviews about smell and aging and lots of other things. I was kinda nervous to go. Well, I LOVE cruising and went with the attitude "I am here and NOT at home!!" Guess what....I didn't see, smell, hear one problem
So yes, read them but just like everything else you read, take it lightly.
I agree with every one else, I read reviews to just read and get some information on the ship I will be cruising on.
Although I have been known to have fun no matter where I am or what I am doing. Sometimes you just have to make your own fun.
Cruising is a wonderful experiance. We were on the Jubliee to Hawaii when it went "almost" on it's side. There was some very rough water and we made so many jokes about most of the halls were "puke-a-toriums"(sp)
It was still a great cruise and it was just another memory to put in the Vault.
Darlene
I could care less about chipping paint or marks on the walls. I have never seen that on any of the ships I have been on.
One is written by honest thorough folks who just tell it like it is...good or bad in great detail.
Then there are the other kind that are written by someone with "a starfish up their fanny" full of exaggerations, generalizations and half-truths.
I read the first kind, disregard what does not apply to me (like the casino is to smoky...because I don't gamble) and gleam all the info I need.
The second kind I just ignore and label it "of the starfish variety".
(a term I coined years ago when I first started reading reviews)
__________________
COMPLETES THE FLEET
If it is Carnival and it floats....we have sailed it!
Hubby ... 58 (every ship except the Carnivale)
Me ... 50 (every ship starting with the Tropicale)
22 year old son ... 25 (finally MILESTONE)
19 year old son ... 49 (every ship starting with the Tropicale)
do you read the reviews BEFORE you pick your ship..or do you pick your ship THEN read the reviews to try to validate your selection ?
if the weather is good and the sea is calm..no one gets a virus...your table mates are not jerks..and you come home with money...chances are inspite of the negative reviews you may have read on a ship..you will have had a great cruise...also, if you cruise with a large number of your friends or people you have something in common with (i.e. music, people who purchase mustangs ), you'll have a great cruise in spite of the little things that can go wrong that show up on alot of the reviews that are posted
Most of the time, I find it entertaining. That's it. If I believed half the stuff I read, I'd never cruise. I really love to cruise and take it all with a grain of salt. People really should lighten up. My opinion only.
Reviews: Just Fun Reading, or Very Helpful
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