Cruise Reviews Online - Cruise Ship Ratings, Rankings and Reviews: The key to a great cruise experience is information, and this site is your top choice for thorough advice - all the cruise lines, cruise ships and ports of call - for just about every destination. Independent traveler reviews cover a lot more than you'll find on any cruise line's web site.

Cruise Reviews Online

"One of the most recognized leading resources for cruise lines, cruise ships and destination port reviews, ratings and rankings from professional travel writers, seasoned and first time cruise travelers."

  CRUISE REVIEWS ONLINE ....where travelers go before they cruise.     |Cruise Search Engine|Cruise Quote|Cruise News  | Home

Share This Information

Bookmark to: Linkarena Bookmark to: Folkd Bookmark to: Digg Bookmark to: Del.icio.us Bookmark to: Facebook Bookmark to: Reddit Bookmark to: Jumptags Bookmark to: Simpy Bookmark to: StumbleUpon Bookmark to: Slashdot Bookmark to: Propeller Bookmark to: Furl Bookmark to: Yahoo Bookmark to: Spurl Bookmark to: Google Bookmark to: Blinklist Bookmark to: Blogmarks Bookmark to: Diigo Bookmark to: Technorati Bookmark to: Newsvine Bookmark to: Blinkbits Bookmark to: Ma.Gnolia Bookmark to: Smarking


A Grain Of Salt
Using Reviews In Your Cruise Buying Decision Process
by Chris Dikmen
 

Editor's Notebook: Cruise Report provides the resource for the collection of cruise reviews for Cruise Reviews Online.


Tasteless food is much more easily swallowed by adding a pinch of salt. Hence the saying "take it with a grain of salt." The same could be said for reading what others have to say about a cruise ship, cruise line, or destination. With the advent of the Internet, EVERYONE now has the ability to share their opinions and views with the world. Pre-Internet, consumers relied on "professional" reviewers and editors who would review products and services in newspapers and magazines. You would think that the flood of available information would make the decision process easier. Actually, it has had the opposite effect. Now consumers feel compelled to digest a mountain of information before making any purchasing decision.

Consumers have more information at their fingertips than every before. Cruise review websites, like CruiseReport.com, ( Cruise Reviews Online ) are a great resource for information and have become part of the cruise shopping process. Cruise Lines are motivated to provide better customer service and value to prevent negative reviews from appearing on websites. Overall, the existence of consumer and professional reviews helps to improve the quality of the cruise industry.

Consumer-Written Reviews
Many websites, CruiseReport.com ( Cruise Reviews Online ) included, offer you the ability to read what non-professional, everyday consumers have to say about a cruise line/ship. Then there are the ubiquitous comments that can be found on social networks and forum websites. While this information serves a valuable purpose, there are a few things you should always keep in mind.

Negative comments are more common than positive ones. People, in general, are simply more motivated to complain than to praise. Part of the reason is that people expect a good experience when they travel, so many do not feel there is any reason to take the time to write about it, after all, that is what they paid for. However, when someone has a bad experience, they are often motivated to get revenge on the cruise line by putting out a bad review.

Consider the credibility of the reviewer. If the reviewer has nothing good to say about the cruise line/ship, it always makes we question their objectivity. After having been on more than 80 cruises, I have never been on a ship where I could not find something to praise. Years ago, we had a bad experience on Delta Queen Steamboat. It was so bad, we actually jumped ship, got off early, rented a car and drove home. Now that's bad! Our complaint had to do with the accommodations to which we were assigned. The stateroom was so noisy, we were unable to get any sleep for two nights in a row. Fortunately, it was a river cruise in the USA and we had the option of getting off and driving back to Dallas. However, the food, entertainment and lectures on board the ship were both excellent. Also, our experience with the accommodations was not the same as everyone else on the boat, we just got assigned a stateroom in a very bad location.

Some consumer reviews are unfair and unreasonable. We receive approximately 25 reviews per week at CruiseReport.com ( Cruise Reviews Online) and we read each and every one before they are put online. If we consider a review to be grossly unfair to the cruise line, we simply do not put it out for public consumption. Some "reviews" are nothing more than a copy of a complaint letter to the cruise line. Only about one out of ten reviews submitted are actually released.

Look for other supporting reviews. If you read a negative review about a cruise line/ship, take the time to look for other consumers who have written similar experiences about the same line/ship before letting a negative comment sway your decision. If you can find three or more consumers with similar complaints, then a problem may actually exist. If one person hated the cruise and every other review you read praises the ship/line, then you might want to ignore the negative comment.

Read responses to the review.
On CruiseReport.com ( Cruise Reviews Online) we allow people to comment on each review submitted. So, if someone else disagrees with the reviewer's point of view, they can make their thoughts known. Review comments are shown at the bottom of each review page.

Post questions about a ship or cruise line to social networks.
There are many forums and social networks targeted at cruise enthusiasts. CruiseReport.com has a Facebook page where you can post your questions or comments.

Look for "Featured" reviews.
On CruiseReport.com, we identify consumer reviews that we feel are exceptionally well written with a icon next to the review name on the
 cruise ship reviews, ratings and rankings page.

Professional Reviews

In addition to consumer reviews, there are the professional/editorial reviews that you can find on many websites, in newspapers and in magazines. On CruiseReport.com, ( Cruise Reviews Online ) we feature our latest editorial reviews on our home page. You can also identify our professional/editorial reviews by the icon next to the review on the
cruise ship reviews, ratings and rankings page.

Professional reviews are typically written by travel journalists. Some travel journalists are freelancers who earn a living by selling their articles to magazines, newspapers and other journals. Some may work full-time for a particular publication or website. At CruiseReport.com, the majority of our editorials are written by myself and my girlfriend/business partner, Rickee Richardson. Admittedly, we are not professional journalists by education. My background is in Internet technology and Rickee's is in airline management. Nevertheless, we are extreme cruise enthusiasts with a passion for the industry and are basically self-taught when it comes to our journalistic skills.

Even Professional Reviews Require Salt

Just because a cruise review is written by a so-called "professional" journalist does not mean everything in that review is iron-clad. As a consumer, you should still remain skeptical. Most travel journalists are invited to cruise inaugurals and ceremonies so that they will write about the new ships. These media events are paid for by the cruise lines and are designed to promote the ship. Often, journalists are wined and dined by the cruise line during a media event. There is nothing wrong with that, but you should be aware that a 2-day inaugural sailing of a ship full of journalists and travel agents is not going to result in a fair evaluation of the ship and crew.

When journalists travel on a week-long or longer sailing, it is common for the cruise line to provide the journalist with complimentary cruise accommodations. Some cruise lines even provide air transportation and other complimentary items during the cruise. Again, there is nothing wrong with this, but it is something you should, as a consumer, be aware of. It would be impossible for a travel journalist to pay for all of the cruises they take and still earn a living. However, when a cruise is complimentary, a journalist may be hesitant to include negative comments in their assessment of a ship. With printed media, there is always the concern about advertising dollars spent by the cruise line being put in jeopardy by releasing a less-than-glowing review.

At CruiseReport.com, we have always had a policy of being fair and balanced. If we see something that we feel should be mentioned, even if it is negative, we will include it in the review. As a result, we have had cases where a cruise lines no longer invites us back to review their ships. So be it. Cruise lines that are featured on CruiseReport.com ( Cruise Reviews Online ) are confident in their product and are willing to undergo the scrutiny that we insist upon. We always allow the cruise line to preview a draft of our reviews and give them the opportunity to respond. If they do respond, we always include their response in the review.

So Who Can You Believe?

At the end of the day, you have to follow your gut feeling. You should never trust any one person, website or publication to drive your decision. As a consumer today, you will simply have to do your research. And, don't forget to rely on the advice of your travel agent, after all, they have a vested interest in your satisfaction. The good news is that the plethora of information available puts you in a much better position to make a good decision. Always keep in mind that, regardless of what one person may have to say about a cruise line/ship, there will someone else with a completely different view.

Just remember to take everything you read with a grain of salt.

Read Cruise Reviews Online's cruise ship reviews, ratings and rankings here
 

Cruise Reviews Onlinesm

© 2010 Cruise Traveler Online, Cruise Traveler Magazine. A Travel Direct Company ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Subscribe To Our Weekly Newsletter | Advertising Sales | The Legal Stuff  | About Us 

Cruise Reviews Online is part of the family of Travel Direct Corporation's web sites that include Cruise Direct Online,

a charter member of the The Professional Internet Travel Alliance.

 

All rights reserved. All material on this web site, including text, photographs, graphics, code and/or software, are protected by International Copyright and Trademark laws. Unauthorized use is not permitted. You may not modify, copy, reproduce, republish, upload, post, transmit or distribute, in any manner, the material on this web site without written permission of Travel Direct Corporation. The terms "Cruise Reviewers" and "Cruise Reviews Online" and their individual "mark", "brand" and "logo" are a trademark of Travel Direct Corporation. Trademarks are protected by International Copyright and Trademark laws. Unauthorized use is not permitted.  *Cruise Reviews Online is part of a network of travel-related services who subscribe to and provide content information for the Cruise Reports shown here. Over 1 million cruise reports have been read across the network. Chris Dikman and Rickee Richardson are the publishers of cruisereport.com; Cruise Reviews, Cruise Line and Cruise Ship Information, Cruise Ship Ratings, Cruise Line Ratings, Cruise Blogs, Cruise Search, The Best Cruise Deals, Cruise Itineraries, Cruise Ship Images and Deck Plans, Cruise Quote Requests, Cruise Destination Information, Cruise News, Your Own Personal Cruise Page and Cruise Social Networking!

DISCLAIMER

By use of this web site, You agree that Travel Direct Corporation, Cruise Reviews Online and its parent and affiliated web sites, and its and their directors, officers, managers, employees, shareholders, agents, and licensors, are not responsible for any third-party user submitted content. This includes any and all cruise reports from cruisereports.com and Cruise Reviews shown on this web site. You further agree to the Terms of Use Agreement. Please read it before accessing this web site. Be sure to read our discussion policy, user discussion and submission guidelines.

 

My Cruise Report: Cruise Reviews Online, Cruise Line and Cruise Ship Reviews, Ratings and Rankings. Cruise Reviews - Ship Reviews and Cruise Lines Ratings. Consumer Port Reviews. Sailing Dates, Ship Information. Cruise Reviews by passengers, and professional travel writers. Reviews of cruises, passenger experiences, dining, shipboard activities and shore excursions.

Cruise Reviews: A fair, unedited and unbiased resource of cruise line reviews by cruise travelers and professional travel writers. World's leading cruise lines, cruise ships and destination reviews, ratings and rankings from professional travel writers, seasoned and first time cruise travelers! Read thousands of the latest most comprehensive cruise ship reviews and cruise ship ratings of all the major cruise lines and their ships. Find the best cruise deals, cruise bargains, discount cruise savings. Read hundreds of In-Depth Cruise Reviews from consumers, plus professionally-written reviews by a staff of cruise reporters. We are the world's leading resource for informative cruise reviews, cruise information and a social networking site focused on cruise ship ratings, cruise line ratings, port information, deck plans, itinerary maps, cruise ship information. Cruise ship reviews, ratings by travelers and cruise experts on today's most popular cruise ships., Cruise Ship Ratings, Over 8,700 sailings,213 Cruise Ships , 29 Major Cruise Lines ,1,600 Deck Plan images, 2,500 itinerary maps, Hundreds of port descriptions, cruise search, sailings, cruise deals, cruise search feature, consumer reviews, editorial reviews, ship ratings and expert advice.

Cruise Reports:  Your online resource for Cruise Reviews, Cruise Line and Cruise Ship Information, Cruise Ship Ratings, Cruise Line Ratings, Cruise Blogs, Cruise Search, The Best Cruise Deals, Cruise Itineraries, Cruise Ship Images and Deck Plans, Cruise Quote Requests, Cruise Destination Information, Cruise News, Your Own Personal Cruise Page and Cruise Social Networking!

Cruise Deals: Last Minute Cruises • Alaska Cruise Deals • Bahamas Cruise Deals • Carnival Cruise Deals • Caribbean Cruise Deals • Holiday Cruise Deals • Mexico Cruise Deals • Norwegian (NCL) Cruise Deals • Royal Caribbean Cruise Deals

Cruise Reviews: Azamara Cruise Club • Carnival Cruise Line • Celebrity Cruises • Costa Cruises • Crystal Cruises • Cunard Line • Disney Cruise Line  • Holland America Line • MSC Cruises • Norwegian Cruise Line - NCL • Oceania Cruises • Princess Cruises • Regent Seven Seas Cruises • Royal Caribbean International • Yachts of Seabourn • SeaDream Yacht Club • Viking River Cruises • Windstar Cruises 

Cruise Destinations: Alaska Cruises • Asia Cruises • Australia & New Zealand Cruises • Bahamas Cruises • Bermuda Cruises • Canada & New England Cruises • Caribbean Cruises • Europe Cruises • Mediterranean Cruises • Hawaii Cruises • Mexican Riviera Cruises • Scandinavia and Russia Cruises • Panama Canal Cruises • South America Cruises • South Pacific and Tahiti Cruises 

Cruise Close to Home - Homeports: East Coast: Baltimore • Boston • Cape Liberty • Charleston • Ft. Lauderdale • Jacksonville • Miami • New York City • Port Liberty NJ • Norfolk • Philadelphia • Port Canaveral • Port Everglades • Tampa •Jacksonville.  West Coast: Astoria • Los Angeles • Long Beach • San Diego • San Francisco • Seattle.  Gulf Coast: Galveston • Houston • Mobile • New Orleans.  Alaska: Seward • Whittier. Hawaii: Honolulu • Maui. Canada: Montreal • Vancouver.

 

Travel Direct Corporation's

 family of "online" travel related sites have something for everyone

Alaska Cruises Direct  Alaska Cruise Tour Experts  Best Cruise Deals Today  Cruise Newswire  Cruise Deals and Steals

Cruise Direct Express   Cruise Direct Online  Cruise Hawaii Online  Cruise Search Online  Cruise Hawaii Online

Cruise Mexico Online  Cruise Tips Online  Cruise Traveler Magazine  Cruise Traveler Online  Family Cruises Online

Cruise Reviews Online  Travel Direct Online  Princess Cruises Online  Princess Cruises and Tours Group Cruises Online

Cruise Europe Online  Alaska Cruisetours Online  Raye And Marty Trencher's Cruise Tips  First Time Cruisers

What's This? - Some pages have individual page "sponsors" who provide editorial content to support their advertisement.

This is Paid Advertising. Some pages have individual page "sponsors" who provide editorial and pricing content to support their products.

This is Paid or Affiliate Advertising. The links lead to sites where advertisers offer cruise travel services that may be related to the content on the page. The advertising label "Ads by Google" is intended to distinguish some paid links from Google from content selected by our editors. Other outside services such as the Travelocity Partner Network have graphic buttons or a text only link. The web sites you go to are not part of Travel Direct. Their prices, availability, terms of use and privacy policy will differ. Be sure to check these web sites for information on how they collect and use your personal information gathered at their site. By proceeding to other third-party web sites you agree and understand that Travel Direct is not responsible for the site or sites you are about to access or for its contents.

Copyright © 2001-2010 Travel Direct Corporation |  Fla. Seller of Travel Reg. No. ST-31254 

 All material on this web site, including text, photographs, graphics, code and/or software, are protected by International Copyright and Trademark laws.

Unauthorized use is not permitted. You may not modify, copy, reproduce, republish, upload, post, transmit or distribute, in any manner, the material on this web site without written permission of Travel Direct Corporation.

The terms "Go Here. Get There", "Cruise Traveler Magazine", "Ocean Adventurers Club" "Cruise Direct Online" and "Travel Direct Corporation" and their individual "mark", "brand" and "logo" are a trademark or servicemark of Travel Direct Corporation. Trademarks are protected by International Copyright and Trademark laws. Unauthorized use is not permitted.

DISCLAIMER

By use of this web site, You agree that Travel Direct Corporation, Cruise Direct Online and its parent and affiliated web sites, and its and their directors, officers, managers, employees, shareholders, agents, and licensors, are not responsible for any third-party user submitted content. This includes any and all cruise line, travel agent services, travel insurance, and cruise reviews shown on this web site or links to these services from our web site. You further agree to the Terms of Use Agreement. Please read it before accessing this web site. Be sure to read our discussion policy, user discussion and submission guidelines.

ABOUT THE PRICES: All promotions/pricing and cabin space is subject to availability at the time of booking and the prices shown or quoted at this web site are for reference purposes only. These rates are for new, individual bookings only, lowest inside cabins unless otherwise specified. The actual price of your cruise may vary. Prices quoted and availability are NOT GUARANTEED until confirmed by the cruise line AND a deposit or full payment if required is made. Discounted savings off cruise fare only. Port charges (NCF), taxes, airfare, air taxes, transfers and any other costs associated with your cruise are not discounted. Discount limited to select cruises including holiday sailings. Not every ship, not every sailing is discounted. Call us to find out about your cruise selection.  Travel Direct Corporation is not responsible for last minute changes of price or itinerary by cruise line, or any errors or omissions in the content of this web site. Some restrictions and cancellation penalties may apply.

IMPORTANT: Read More About Cruise Prices