We are back
Moms View Message Board: General Discussion: Archive August 2006:
We are back
We are back from vacation/cruise. Why is it always depressing coming back from vacation. We had a great time on the cruise. BUT... Carnival Valor needs to make some improvements on the ship.We had several complaints. Our first cruise was on Royal Caribean. I guess we compared the two and expected the same type of service. The kids had a great time and we all had fun.
welcome back Jackie = )
Welcome back
Welcome home, Jackie! Sorry you had some problems. Be sure to post a review on cruiseaddicts.com, so people know what to expect! I hope you had nice weather!
Jackie, I am sorry it was less then you expected. Having gone on Carnival and Royal Caribbean we prefer Royal Caribbean.
Yvonne, why do you prefer Royal Carribean?
Overall we had a great time. I just thought for the money we paid, I expected better service.
The good points, the Carnival Valor is a beautiful ship.
We had a great room Steward, and great Dining room waiter at dinner. Everybody who worked there was friendly and helpful.
My complaints...
First, right after check in they tell you to enjoy a nice lunch at Rosie's buffet. I understand its a hectic time, lots of people coming on. BUT... this happens every Sunday on the first day of a cruise. We waited for like 25 minutes in line, only to fine 75% of the food, was empty. I mean there were empty platters, and not one person refilling them. Again, I do understand the volume of people that come and eat lunch on the first day, so I know they know what to expect.
Our cabin... one of the closets still contained some dirty towels, never taken out, as well as a baggie of panty liners, somebody must of forgot...
We stayed on the Lido deck, great location had no complaints. This is the deck with the buffet area and the pools. I counted 15 dirty tables (outside table area)that just sat there with nobody cleaning up.
In the inside buffet area on the inside. We would sit and eat, and the plates would just stack up. Nobody cleared talbes while you were sitting there. When we went on RC, they would clear the plates when you were finished etc...
We did an excursion in Belize. We were waiting in a long line to get on the tender back to the ship... It was hot, and everybody wanted to be back in the AC..we were about half way in the line. I look to my right and 2 Carnival employees cut in line, right to my side. I thought that was rude, and classless. I mean they are suppose to be representing the ship. We get moving in the line to board the tender. I have Faith in my arms ready to step into the small boat, and the same 2 employees step right in front of me so they could go down the steps first...I looked at the ID bages and knew they were employees. I made a formal complaint at the pursers desk, only to get "I apoligize" and some excuses.
2 mornings we had horrible service in the dining room for breakfast. We literally sat for 20 minutes before anybody took our order, while the people around us all got taken care of. Apparently nobody knew what table belonged to what server.
My husband had complaints about the Camp Carnival area. Several times he went to pick up my 7 yr old daughter and he found them playing "Dead Pirates"... this is a game where all the kids lay perfectly still on the floor and not make a sound or move around, if you do your out. My husband thinks once or twice would of been fine. My daughter said they played that game a lot.
One night in the dining room we found mold on the tablecloth.
One evening my sister in law found a carnival employee using the oversized handicapped bathroom in the hallway, when the regular ladies room was available. My sister in law has only one leg(Lost the other to cancer)so she is aware of this. She tried to get the ladies name, but the lady tried to run off and told my sister in law she wouldnt do it again.
These may sound like petty complaints. BUT... we are a one income family. We save and scrimp all year so we can go on a nice vacation. I just expected more from the Carnival staff.
I agree with you Jackie, and we've never been on a cruise. I think those are all valid complaints. Sorry you had some issues but hope you enjoyed your vacation overall.
I prefer Royal Caribbean because we find it to be cleaner, the service better, the ships decorated a bit more refined, and it draws a lesser party crowd. We thought all cruises were like Carnival (our first few cruises were with them) and then we went on Royal Caribbean. The differences were vast. My kids also prefered the kids club with Royal Caribbean. We experienced some of the things you mention on Carnival (except the dead pirate game). On Carnival we always had a dirty room and had to beg for ice, etc. We did not have that problem on RC. It is probably all the luck of the draw, but we will now skip Carnival.
Doesn't sound like the Club Carnival people really wanted to play with the kids. Dead pirates? (rolls eyes!) I'm sure they could think of better activities than that!
The dirty rooms and tables, etc. are inexcusable!
I would write a formal complaint letter to the cruise people and explain it to themas you did to us. The things you told us about are not acceptable. We work hard for the money we have and it is their job to serve us (the middle class).
Good luck.
In defense of the *first day of the cruise* stuff, consider that the ship docks in the AM, has to deboard all the previous passengers, offload all the trash, recyclables etc., all the staterooms have to be cleaned and readied for the new passengers, they are also loading all the stores (food, supplies, alcohol, EVERYthing) for the cruise leaving that evening, and trying to satisfy/service/feed the new passengers coming onboard. I find the first day of the cruise is always the worst.
Things don't always go perfectly on any cruise. And in the buffet areas, very often there will be a lot of dirty tables at the same time - people eating at the same time, finishing at the same time, thus a lot of dirty tables. The wait staff is trying to help people to tables, carry trays, put more food out, then it seems like they take care of the dirty tables all at once. At least that is what we have noticed. The thing is, those same waiters you have in the dining room at night, are circulating at the buffets for breakfast and lunch and in the dining room for breakfast and lunch. In their defense, they work long hours, and if the ship has full booking, things will be slower.
There IS no excuse to sit for 20 minutes before having your waiter take your order for dinner.
However, for many of the same reasons that Yvonne has given and in previous posts as well, we prefer Celebrity. Our first cruise was on Carnival, and we have no desire to sail with them again. In the end, it's all what you make of it. If things happened repeatedly (poor service, etc.), then I agree it warrants a formal complaint. But *stuff* does happen and sometimes we just go with the flow.
My husband is already in the process of writing a letter to Carnival. Apparently my sister in law has talked to the Travel agent. The Travel agent suggested calling them instead of writing, stating they receive a lot of complaint letters.
Like I stated above, we all had a great time. After going on Royal Caribbean first, I expected the same type of service on my 2nd cruise, even though it was Carnival. They were very kid friendly.
I understand the amount of people and the amount of work involved. If it is a problem with Carnival, then they need to review their plans and staffing to accomadate the huge number of people who board a cruise.
Royal Caribbean has enough staff to clear tables as they are dirtied, why doesnt Carnival? I had heard/read these complaints about Carnival ships before hand. It didnt stop up from sailing with Carnival.
Because Royal Caribbean generally costs more for their cruises. I *believe* they staff more too.
I hate to say it, but sometimes it's a case of *you get what you pay for*, Jackie. Not that *any* cruise is necessarily cheap - I realize that. But from most reports from people I know and some of the messageboards, Carnival is heading downhill..........next cruise, why not try RCI? I'm glad you had a good time anyway - some people would have let all that ruin their trip, but my way of thinking would have been NOT to let them ruin my vacation after I spent my hard earned money on it.
|
Members
