Reviews - What Benchmarks Used?

[JoeyandDavid]

Interesting Comments by all.

I really enjoyed the civilized discussion.

Everybody made good points.

[hamster92256]

Joey are you sure that you are feeling better, the posts are lacking in something.

Sue I totally agree with you, I feel the same about reviews on books and movies, critics are people too(and they don't always have the same taste as I do!!)

[Suzila]

Chris, I wasn't even thinking about movies, but now that you mention it, usually when a critic says the movie stinks, it means I'd better go see it! There have been so many movies that a critic has a certain opinion about and I walk out thinking, gee, I liked that just fine. Everyone to his own opinion.

Sue

[Suzila]

Yeah, Joey...we're worried about you. You don't sound like yourself at all.

This heat getting you down? Plant yourself in front of an air-conditioner somewhere. I know a food poisoning or flu can get you down and the heat can't be doing any good either...feel better soon!

Drink lots of water!

Sue

[JoeyandDavid]

Sue and Chris and all,

What ever I have or had, still lingers ... I first and foremost let me apologize for the quality of my most recent posts.

Please bear with me a few days, even yesterday while I didn’t post I did check in for 10 to 15 seconds at a time in between trying to nap.

I felt like your concerns should be answered thus my post this morning about my upset stomach.

However I am feeling better and as time passes I am sure that my posts will return to the fashion you have expected from me .

Hugs all around

joey

[hamster92256]

Just relax and take it easy, I'm sure that you can always catchup on posts in a couple of days, health always take priority!!!!

[Shari2]

Hi Boat Nerd!

I have only written one review(which is on Infinity here in the review section)and I did write on what is important to me, and also what I thought might be important or interesting to others.

The cruise before this last one, I was put off in a foreign port, along with all the passengers, because of pod problems with the ship. We lost three days, and our experience of trying to get home from Acapulco with 2000 other passengers was horrible, to put it mildly.

I chose not to write a review on that cruise, mostly because people would not believe what we went through, and because much had already been said about it. Also, I prefer, as do most others to be positive instead of negative, although, I must say, it took me a while to get over this incident. Many on that cruise said they would never cruise again.

I believe that most people only want to hear the, "good stuff' and won't believe the bad, but most of all, I didn't write the review because I thought it was unlikely to happen this same way to others. Sad to say, the ship did have some mechanical problems again, but after our experience X made some changes and handled the situations a lot better. I wish now that I had written a review on that cruise while things were fresh in my mind. People do need to know that ships can break down and bad things can happen, too.

When I read a review, I want to hear the truth...the good and the bad. I am intuitive enough to pick out the ones where people are just nit-picking, and I know enough to let that go.

[JohnSinik]

Hi, Nerd:

I'd like to address several points in your post....

I note that you have been cruising since 1989; I only beat you by one year! You dont say how many cruises/cruise lines you've been on, but I've been on about five dozen cruises, on over a dozen lines, so I do have some experience.

You certainly seem to demand, and expect, an awful lot out of your cruise! Taking "promotional information," which is designed to make the product look good (we all know this; it's called advertining) literally will, most likely, lead to disappointment and a poor cruise experience. It's advertising, Nerd! Do you actually believe everything you read, see and hear about a product, as set forth in its advertising? How naieve!

Remember, if you expect too much, you will surely be disappointed!

While you state that you are a, "...very informed and highly demanding consumer.." it appears to me that you are just one of those picky people who goes around looking for what's wrong, just so you have something to about. You know, the kind of person who isn't happy unless they're miserable.

As far as we cruisers being, "too lenient" on the cruise lines, maybe we realinze that we're on a ship! It's a lot different than being at a resort. The ship Captain has no control over the weather, rough sea, hurricanes, etc; He does the best he can to avoid bad weather. If something breaks down, they may have to wait until the next port until they can get a replacement part to accomplish repairs. You're at sea, Nerd!

Perhaps the reason that the "excuses " used by cruise lines, and repeated by passengers, are accepted is that, in many cases, they're true.

Your statment that you, "...go on vacation to have fun..." is an oxymoron.

Unless bitching, moaning and complaining about every little thing is "fun," to you, you will never succeed.

As far as "benchmarks," there are none! All we ask of, in a review, is that the [person writing it tell us if they had a good experience, or a poor one, and why. Did they have a good time and get thier money's worth?

Remember, Ann Landers also said, "Know yourself. Don't accept your dog's admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful." and "Too many people today know the price of everything and the value of nothing."

[DaCruzNut]

Ann Landers also wrote:

"Class is an aura of confidence that is being sure without being cocky. Class has nothing to do with money. Class never runs scared. It is self-discipline and self-knowledge. It's the sure footedness that comes with having proved you can meet life."

and

"Expect trouble as an inevitable part of life and when it comes, hold your head high, look it squarely in the eye and say, 'I will be bigger than you. You cannot defeat me. This, too, shall pass.' "

But, most importantly,

"Don't accept your dog's admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful. "

[JoeyandDavid]

When we book a cruise, or should I be more succinct, when I book a cruise for us, I go to great lengths to insure that what we expect is first of all is possible, and second of all it is at least the minimal standards of “excellenceâ€Â

Our first Experience with this Brand exceeded our expectations and so we booked again.

However our last cruise was in November of 04, after spending six months planning our voyage down to the smallest detail, and was assured that the requests will granted, ( I normally book directly with the line itself)†and “That it was no big deal†only to find out that apparently it WAS a big deal.

When we made our way down to the pursers desk to “inform “ them of inadequate inconsistencies, in the perceived level of service that was promised and desired by us, we were met with an attitude of upper management, of “yeah I hear ya but hey we have your money and we really don’t care.â€Â

I am not saying that, That was their official stand, its just how the Guest relations Manager made us feel.

When we got home I wrote a letter to the President of the line expressing my concern for the attitude of the on board staff, and the fact that it appeared that no one wanted to take responsibility for their actions, just wanted to pass the buck.

I received a letter from his office, where he decided to let one of his “administrative assistants†handle my letter, IMHO just another instance of not taking responsibility and passing the buck.

We made the decision to no longer support the brand or the corporation for which the brand was under.

As consumers that in itself is the best that we can do to protect ourselves against any company, that we feel does not give provide the level of service that THEY say they do.

Were my complaints valid? Were my concerns justified? Is that really important or is it more important to treat guests, as guests, making sure that their experience is all it can be.

I am quite aware that there are some that go on vacations and look for negative things, just so they can complain, and I sincerely hope that I haven ’t gotten that jaded, however after planning a vacation for months and not receiving, what was promised or implied. I do feel like I should say something.

It maybe true our expectations may not exist in 2005, and if that’s true, then so be it. I can accept that. I just don’t want a Cruise Line telling me its raining while P*****g on my leg

Sure my standards are high, why shouldn’t they be? Who deserves it more than us, unless its you!

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