I'm sure all of the points are correct and all of the awful things did happen to someone. If you think about all of the negatives, I guess you should avoid cruises. Maybe you should avoid movies, malls, grocery stores and churches as well. And while you're at it, stay away from family reunions, restaurants, schools and freeways. Something bad is bound to happen sooner or later.
As for me, I'm going to have an absolute blast on my next cruise!
Some very interesting points to be sure. Yet why is it that most cruisers, myself included DON'T feel cheated after a cruise? Maybe it's because we look for the good. Yes the lines have shopping seminars (aka infommercials), yes they charge for alcohol, pictures spas and golf. maybe their insurance and shore excursions are not the cheapest or best. I consider myself an intelligent person capable of making choices. I buy the alcohol, my wife goes to the spa and we take excursions, because we want to and can afford them. We don't buy the pictures, go to the shopping seminars, or play golf simulators, because we don't want to. We have yet to be disappointed on any cruise!
Oh yes, we practice common sense hygiene to avoid the bacteria that is common to large groups of people. It seems to work
If you always look for the negative in everything, you will find it. No doubt.
So, always look for the positive. And there is always allot of positive in a cruise. That is why taking a cruise (and websites like this one) have become so popular.
That is an interesting article to be sure. While I think it has the potential to be informative for first-time or potential cruisers, it's got such a negative slant that it's bound to influence people against taking a cruise.
I remember when contemplating my first cruise, I was naively unaware of some things I later found a bothersome (such as the relentless schlepping of onboard products and services, and the overpriced excursions). It does pay to do your homework!
With all that being said, cruiselines are a business. Vacationers seem to have very high expectations and often, little understanding of the reality of the "business" of cruising.
Bottom line - I love cruising, the good and even the bad! You can pick anything apart if you try. Personally, I'm glad I tried cruising and I'm hooked.
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RCI Sovereign of the Seas 2005
Caribbean Princess 2005
Carnival Paradise 2004
While many points in the article are true, they are not always show stoppers. I am also suspicious of any article that includes comments from the owner of the website which is seemingly devoted to making any perceived problem on a cruise into a crisis of astounding proportions. You know. Five people get a stomach virus on a cruise and some people like to trumpet it as a ship of forlorn souls searching for a port.
I'd be curious to see how many of you have ever experienced an engine problem on a cruise. I certainly haven't. I know they occur, but I cast a jaundiced eye on the statistics posed in the article.
Thanks for the input, Marian. As for me - zero cruise ship problems; zero commercial air problems with engines or other equipment; 5 problems with military transport aircraft; two emergency landings with military transport aircraft - including one with crash crew deployment.
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