The Importance Of A Post-Cruise Review To The Cruise Line

[Sarge6870]

So, you just returned from your cruise. Maybe even your first cruise! Have you considered writing a post-cruise review to the cruise line you have just sailed with? I always do and have since we began sailing in 1990. Sure, writing reviews here on the Crazies site is well received, but telling the cruise line itself will result in more positive reviews in the future after they correct the issues you indicate. Regardless of if the cruise was great or less than perfect, believe it or not the cruise line wants to know of your experiences. With the solid competition between the lines, the only way to keep passengers returning is to investigate and correct any short comings as well as to enhance the positives. Keep in mind, you may have not been the only passenger to experience the positives and/or negatives of that particular ship or line. There may be issues on board that have been addressed in the past from other passengers but remember the saying, "The squeaky wheel get's the grease". Make sure you NAME those crew that have worked above and beyond your expectations. Not just those that may have performed to less than what you had expected. Crew that receive compliments are usually recognized and in many cases promoted. And there is an adverse reaction for those crew that receive multiple complaints! In all of my past letters to various cruise lines, I have received a response and ALWAYS some type of added amenity towards my next cruise with them just for taking the time to review my total experience from ship to crew. Here's the trick, Start off with sending an email to their "Contact Us" link from within their website. I usually type up the review in a word type program and copy & paste it to the email. Doing this also let's you keep a copy of the review for future reference and will allow you to proof read it before firing it off to them. Use spell check!! You are writing a professional letter to a corporation and they will take you more seriously if you sound professional. Don't beat them up. Of course there is a certain language you can use when writing to get your point across without sounding like your willing to meet them in a alley somewhere. Regardless of how severe the issue is, anger is usually met with an angered response which will get you nowhere fast. Always use a type of "Pro's & Con's" approach to your review and give the feeling that you are open to returning to cruise with them again. Indicate that you will also be mailing (that's right...SNAIL-MAILING) them a copy to the corporate office. Keep in mind, their response can take two to four months but it's worth the wait and don't finalize an emailed response from them as the close of that review. Many emails are sent to a customer service rep and that will be as far as it goes. Sending the mailed letter to their corporate office will usually cause a response from someone a bit higher up the line..

[Jan115]

Tim - great advice! I often wondered if the cruise lines bother to read reviews. Have you ever gotten feedback from a cruise line after sending them a review or other communication? The only time I wrote to a cruise line was Carnival in 2003 - not a review, but a complaint about their tendering process causing us to miss our excursion in Belize. They did respond and gave us some onboard credit - which, of course, I haven't been back to Carnival - not because I dislike them but because my husband has a thing for Princess. Anyway, It's nice when they take the time to respond. That way it shows they at least glance at letters and it shows they care!

[Sarge6870]

Tim - great advice! I often wondered if the cruise lines bother to read reviews. Have you ever gotten feedback from a cruise line after sending them a review or other communication? The only time I wrote to a cruise line was Carnival in 2003 - not a review, but a complaint about their tendering process causing us to miss our excursion in Belize. They did respond and gave us some onboard credit - which, of course, I haven't been back to Carnival - not because I dislike them but because my husband has a thing for Princess. Anyway, It's nice when they take the time to respond. That way it shows they at least glance at letters and it shows they care!

That's the thing Jan, I write of the whole trip and not just the complaints. I have written a review to the cruise line of every cruise we have taken (including RCCL for the Jewel cruise we did in May). The cruise lines have responded every time I have written to them regarding my past cruise. And I hope you still have that response from the 2003 Carnival sailing because they will still honor it!! We indicated a response from Carnival we had gotten in 1990 when we booked our 2002 sailing on Carnival and they still honored it with what they promised. And they do read the letters. But like I said, the trick is to send an email review AND a hardcopy to their corporate (and to wait patently for their response).

[DebbieandJerry]

Great advice.

I did this for the first time to SW airlines on our flight from Las Vegas to Philly. I got a complete answer, etc., etc. Never thought to do it for a cruise because I always fill out the survey. But I will from now on, thanks ...

[Sarge6870]

I also fill out the surveys (sometimes). The last cruise on the Jewel, we were told the "WOW" cards should have been in our cabin yet they weren't. The pursers desk said they do not have them since they are distributed by the cabin stewards. The cabin steward told us to get them from the pursers desk!!!