Reviews about Cruises at Viewpoints.com

Roo says "I got sick after cruising this ship twice in 2006." about Royal Caribbean - Navigator of the Seas

Roo — Thu, 15 May 2008 16:59:02 GMT

I love this line and class of ship. My husband and I have been on Navigator, Explorer, Mariner of the Seas. In 2006 we cruised on Navigator in February and again in November. Both times, when I came back, I got a terrible flu (stomach and fever) and was out of work for another week. My boss wasn't happy at all! Go...

CATrav says "Choose another cruise line" about Norwegian Cruise Line - Pearl

CATrav — Mon, 12 May 2008 23:20:23 GMT

We went to Alaska on the NCL Pearl in May 2008. The kids crew program (for ages 2+) was great, but everything else was terrible. This was my first NCL cruise, sixth overall, and I think they need a management overhaul. — The pool was uncovered for our May 2008 Alaska trip, although we were told by 3 NCL reps before we booked that it would be covered. We asked for a bed rail, it didn't show up until 11 p.m. the first night. The food was mediocre. The spa was nice, but I never once saw it being cleaned, depsite the fact that there was a stomach bug on board. The bowling alley is promoted heavily, but note that the charge $5 per person, per game. — There were some kind front line staff (waiters, kids club staff, musicians) but the management was not really interested in doing the right thing. — Spend more if you need to, but if you want to get a good value for your vacation, try another cruise line. —...

pattioha says "Out of 14 cruises this is the WORST I have ever taken!" about Norwegian Cruise Line - Pride of Aloha

pattioha — Fri, 09 May 2008 11:49:43 GMT

I can understand why this ship has been sold if all its outtings were as I have just experienced in May 2008. Never have I had such bad food. After 9pm it was almost impossible to even find any food unless you wanted room service. In the buffet area employees would stand around and talk while we customers had to clear our own tables in order to have a place to eat. The majority of the staff was not friendly, at least not until the last two days of the cruise, when so many complaints had been registered. — This was my 14th cruise and I will never sail NCL again. In fact, I am advising everyone I know that is even thinking about a cruise to choose anyone except NCL. — Thank goodness this disaster took place in Hawaii. This is a beautiful place and even the bad experience on the Pride of Aloha couldn't spoil my vacation. I had been on a cruise several years ago on the old ship, Inspiration--even though it was old WHAT A...

opinionlady says "This GEM is more like a 'diamond in the rough'!" about Norwegian Cruise Line - Gem Transatlantic

opinionlady — Wed, 07 May 2008 16:40:57 GMT

In the past 4 years I have been on over 12 cruises. My favorite cruise line has been the Norwegian Cruise line (NCL). However, after my recent transatlantic cruise on the NCL Gem, I have become very disappointed and disenchanted with NCL Cruises. Our transatlantic cruise was 16 days and went from New York to Barcelona. We stopped at ports in Spain, France, and Italy. The waters were fairly smooth, but the 'running of the ship' was not! — NCL is advertised as 'freestyle cruising'- do what you want, when you want! Well, if you wanted to eat a meal in one of the two main restaurants-- Good Luck! They handed out 'flashing devices' like at 'TGIF style restaurants' and had waits to dine of over one hour! Once you finally got seated, service was very slow. The dining rooms were half empty, yet no one was being seated! Everyone cruising had negative words to say! Of course, if you wanted to pay $10, $15, or $25 per person, you could go eat...

sarageo says "HORRIBLE, NIGHTMARE, FELT LIKE PRISONERS AT SEA!" about Norwegian Cruise Line - Dawn

sarageo — Tue, 06 May 2008 14:55:42 GMT

Just returned for 7 day ny to bermuda trip. 2nd time cruising with ncl last year was on the Spirit had at GREAT experience!! The Dawn however was like ruising with a whole other cruise line one that you might want your worst enemy on for that would truely be sweet revenge!! Staff and Crew RUDE< Distant and basically uncaring. There were 10 of us in our party 4 cabins all on the 10 deck room size was ok , house cleaning seemed to pick and choose what room they would clean and when had to constantly ask for towels they removed out pool towels and never returned them. 1st day found bed bugs had to have an exterminator come in room door lock broke and was repaired at least 3 times during the 7 dayssafe lock also not working. If you had allergey your were screwed DUST in the room piled high, I think all they do after each crusie is change the linens ans spray the bathroom. Buffet HORRIBLE, Venician and Aqua food was ok but they share the same exact menu so really whats the...

karefl says "Fantastic! We had a great time!!" about Royal Caribbean - Sovereign of the Seas

karefl — Mon, 05 May 2008 19:35:34 GMT

We sailed last month with a group of 13 including 4 generations of our family! My grandfather, who is in his 80's, said that it was the BEST 4 days of his life. It was a first cruise for both him & my grandmother, also in her 80's. The younger children with us, ages 3-7, had a blast in the kids program & begged to go every night. My 12 & 15 year old sons LOVED the rock wall! :) All of my kids even told me that they liked it better than Disney! That was good to hear since their only past cruise experience was on Disney! I would definitely recommend this cruise for all ages! —...

frankmarti says "Excellent food and activities, great for all ages" about Carnival Cruise Lines - Pride Mexican Riviera

frankmarti — Sat, 03 May 2008 22:47:27 GMT

The chef of the Pride had fabulous meals of all different kinds. The dining room was by far the best place to eat your meals. Excellent service and great waiters. Lots of activities to do on the boat and shore trips of all kinds. The snorkeling was the best in Puerto Vallarta. Would go on this cruise...

RhodeIslandJohn says "It was much better than I expected!" about Norwegian Cruise Line - Dream

RhodeIslandJohn — Sat, 03 May 2008 14:41:17 GMT

Our 7th cruise, and we chose it for its value and that we only had to fly one way. I was skeptical because of the many poor or lukewarm reviews that had been published, but overall, the experience exceeded our expectations. The boarding was done in a prompt but disorganized fashion. The room was comfortable, and the food was only fair, even at the premium venue. Many times the food in the buffet was cold, but maybe because of the sanitary precautions which seem to have been recently instututed. The staff was pleasant, and sought to accomodate. — The absolute plusses for me included the entertainment, the orchestra was excellent, and we looked forward to their performances in working with various acts each evening. Several acts were outstanding, and all were enjoyed. A ventriloquist, Kenny Byrd, topped our list. — I am a walker, and the Promenade Deck was very good, as many ships that are newer lack a complete promenade. — The cabin staff, Lilibeth and Agus, were...

LOSTANDFORGETIT says "One disappointment after another..." about Norwegian Cruise Line - Majesty

LOSTANDFORGETIT — Thu, 01 May 2008 21:36:31 GMT

The tornado cloud overhead as we left Charleston Harbor should have been warning enough... — After 3 days at sea, we were anxious to set foot at Grand Caymens Island at Noon. We were greeted by the Captain on the loudspeaker announcing we would not be docking today due to "large swells". And further, that there were only 3 ships allowed to dock on the other side of the island, and sadly our ship was not one of the 3 chosen by "lottery" that day. — So onward we sailed, backtracking to Cozumel, and another day at sea. We had a nice day in port at Cozumel. Back at sea for another day and a half, and then in port at Key West, Florida. Terrific port. — Back at sea for another day and then back in port in Charleston. Unfortunately, after disembarking, I realized I left behind my large bag of souvenirs - under the bed in my cabin. Even worse, you are not allowed back on the ship for any reason after...

sunnysky1922 says "Best Vacation Ever!" about Royal Caribbean - Explorer of the Seas Eastern Caribbean

sunnysky1922 — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 19:02:16 GMT

I took a 12 night eastern caribbean cruise on the explorer. I went with my stepmother, stepsister (19) and myself (20). We shared an interior stateroom, that had two twin bed and a third that came down from the ceiling. We were all happy about the comfort of the beds its not home but its not a hotel. The room also had plenty of storage for all of our clothes, and there was alot. The safe held a video camera, two digital cameras, passports/documents, several jewlery boxes, and three wallets, and we probably could have stuffed more into it. The room was always clean. The whole ship for that matter was clean even the public restrooms! On to the most important part...The FOOD! I was never disappointed with the food. There were things that I did not like but that was just me trying new things nothing to do with the food itself. When I didnt like something the waiter was more then happy to bring me something new.My favorite dinners were the lobster night and the alternative...

katbaby says "We had the most magical time ever!!!" about Disney Cruise Line - Magic

katbaby — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 23:47:43 GMT

We went for our anniversary and had the most fun ever. when we got to CastAway Key they told us there was a little private beach for adults only. We thought , "Yeah, sure, untill the kids start coming in." But there was a cast member stationed at the entry and they told a woman with a child in a stroller that the baby was not allowed on the beach. The lady argued that the child would stay in the stroller asleep. but the cast member did not let the kid on the beach. it was so noce to have the no kids policy enforced. They had food available at reasonable times. We didn't have kids shrieking all night, they went to bed. It was the best cruise we have ever been on....

cmrea says "Worse Customer Service I Have Ever Experienced on a Cruise Ship" about Costa Cruises - Mediterranea Mediterrian

cmrea — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:07:19 GMT

I took this cruise for a special occassion. I was so disappointed in the comfort and service on board. — First the room. There was a spring sticking out of the mattress. The pillows were so flat. The covers were ripped and sown back together. The sheets looked like they had not been washed. Our cabin steward changed mid-trip. The stewards tried to make our stay pleasant. However, the stewards did not have the best supplies to start with. — Second the laundry fiasco. I sent my jeans to be washed. After 36 hours I asked my steward if I could receive my jeans by the time our next excursion left. I did not have any clean jeans left. For 6 hours I begged for my jeans back. The jeans did not show up before we left. And on our return 6 hours later, the jeans were still missing. At which time I lost...

Tip says "treated like a star but not unapproachable" about Holland America Line - Zuiderdam Eastern Caribbean

Tip — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:56:09 GMT

I have to agree that Holland America is the best cruise line, for anyone who doesn't want to be in the middle of a constant party or theme park atmosphere. — We have travelled on the Zuiderdam and the Westerdam, on different Caribbean itineraries, loved every minute. Treated like a celebrity, nothing is too much trouble and yet the staff ( at all levels) remain friendly, open and warm. — We have tried other lines and been disappointed. We've realized that we have been spoiled and are now planning our next cruise, with Holland America. It feels almost like going home ! —...

SeabeeKev says "Next cruise will be Carnival, AGAIN!" about Norwegian Cruise Line - Majesty cozumel, grand caymen and jamaica

SeabeeKev — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:53:45 GMT

I don't know where to begin about how POOR the Customer Service was on our Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) ship (The Majesty). Needless to say, we will NEVER cruise with this cruise line again (and have told everyone we know not to go on NCL). Our cruise aboard NORWEGIAN MAJESTY, on 4/5/08 was our 5th cruise (1st with NCL) and we are planning to do "All-Inclusive" vacations from here on out. — It started with a 1 hour wait in line, in a muddy, gravel parking lot where NCL had us park. When the bus arrived, we proceeded to the ship. Once on the ship, we made our way to the upper deck for drinks, only to find rusty rails around the deck. We suspected then that this ship would be the low-budget version of Carnival or Royal Caribbean (but at the same cost). NCL can't even measure-up to our worst day on the other cruise lines. — We booked our 2...

tink1101 says "Disney ALWAYS does it RIGHT!!!" about Disney Cruise Line - Wonder

tink1101 — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 16:08:49 GMT

I have been on the Disney Wonder twice. Once with my husband and then with a few friends of mine. Neither time did I take my kids and we were concerned about that because it did seem like it was such a kid oriented cruise. I KNOW my kids would love it and plan to take them back this year, but it was WONDERFUL for us as well. — Disney does a wonderful job of separating and keeping the kids occupied. There is even a separate "serenity beach" for the adults on their island. The kids are kept very occupied and if you take your kids with you of course you have the option of spending all the time with them, but if you want some alone time it is definitely able to get on a Disney cruise. Most kids seemed like they wanted to be with the activities corrdinator more than their parents!!! :-) — The best one that we went on was land & sea combined. It was great because you got to spend time in the theme parks for a few days and...

kimmy says "Fantastic! Great value, good food, plenty to do." about Royal Caribbean - Monarch of the Seas

kimmy — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 16:45:43 GMT

I just got back from a 4 day cruise on the Monarch of the Sea with my sister and two other girlfriends. We flew from Chicago to LA and cruised to Ensenada Mexico. Maybe it was the company I had or the fact that it was 80 degrees but we had a great time. The staff was wonderful, our room was small yet our cabin attendant helped to keep it very clean. The food was good, the wine was plentiful and the laughs seemed to go on forever. We chose to be put at a large table for dinner so we could meet other people. We had a great time with the 6 others they put us with. Unfortunately the casino wasn't as friendly as the rest of the cruise. I left too much money in that room! Ensenada was very nice. We decided to rent ATV's while there. It was an absolute blast. They had us put bandana's over our faces, put on helmets and goggles. What a sight we were! The excursion went on for almost 3 hours and we ended up at a winery. That was a good way to end. — If you are looking for a quick 3-4 day...

Erica02780 says "Great ship! Great Itinerary! " about Royal Caribbean - Adventure of the Seas

Erica02780 — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:43:03 GMT

This was my first cruise with Royal Caribbean. We took the Adventure out of Barcelona Spain. It was great! We visted ports in France and Italy. The crew onboard were great and very helpful. I enjoyed my first experience with RCL, so much so that I booked another cruise with them almost immediately after returning home. RCL's service is much better than Carnival's. There is one major difference that I noticed between RCL and Carnival, Carnival is known for being the "fun" ship (lots of partying) RCL is more of a low key enjoyable time. Carnival puts their disco club right smack in the middle of everything, and RCL tucks it away, which is much nicer because if that is what you are looking for then you will know where to find it, but you dont have to be bothered by it if you dont want to be....

rcruise says "great ship, poor quality food" about Royal Caribbean - Freedom of the Seas

rcruise — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 19:55:28 GMT

Amazing ship, excellent entertainment and amenities, first rate cruise director; HOWEVER, the food; specifically, the dinner entrees were DISGUSTING. This was my 12th cruise, and the quality of the steak and seafood was EXTREMELY POOR. THe Gala Buffet was discontinued... BIG Mistake. Royal Caribbean should be ashamed of themselves serving skimpy, cheap lobster and fatty, tough steaks. If your looking for better food, try...

pudsdaddy says "Never Again" about Norwegian Cruise Line - Pride of Hawaii

pudsdaddy — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:45:29 GMT

First of all, we were told that we could eat whenever we wanted--thats simply not true--there are periods were nothing was available. We expected some typical Hawaiian entertainment, we received a fifties night, a disco night-- and a disc jockey who played rap and danced on stage by himself-- his audience at the time was an older crowd who bascially said it was noise. When we went on the excursions--the drivers were expecting tips--one even said that was the way they made a living-- no mention of this anywhere in promotions. Then we found out that the drivers were given a "script" which had them tell you a story which was more of a sales gimmick--then they stopped at the nearest tourist trap which sold that particular item in the story. We also found out that these places were a part of the cruise line-- scratching each other's back. — On our final day we were to visit Pearl Harbor, the day before we were to receive special tags for our luggage as a part...

luckyleanie says "Don't bother going on this cruise!" about Norwegian Cruise Line - Pride of America

luckyleanie — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:51:34 GMT

The ship itself was nice and very patriotic, but let's face it you are there more for the food and entertainment. The food is terrible. The buffet had the same set up everyday and as each day went on the service decreased as far as having the juice recepticles filled as well as the creamers and beverages available to take. The restaraunts were very disappointing. No one should be charging an additional cover charge to get into a ship restaraunt I don't care how good they think they are, (which they were terrible). Let's face it the food is all coming from the same place so it is either going to be good or not. To charge anywhere from $10-$20. a person cover charge plus drinks to get in to eat is absolutely terrible and as I said not good at all. The common bathrooms on most of the floors were never really that clean and the doors always had problems locking. The cabin balcony door did not lock all that well leaving it to open during the nights of sailing, hence waking you...