Cruisers Unchanged by But Not Unaware of Concordia

In a poll posted on our boards, we asked Cruise Critic readers if the Costa Concordia tragedy of January 2012 has changed the way they cruise. The majority of responders– 69 percent– agreed Concordia has not changed the way they cruise, and many who left comments echoed this response. “I have always been aware that a [...]

What Can Cruise Lines Improve on in 2013?

By land or by sea, you want your taste buds tickled and a more pleasant experience surfing the Web. We polled Cruise Critic readers on what cruise lines could improve in the new year, and it’s no surprise that at 43 and 42 percent, respectively, quality of food and service in the main dining room [...]

Poll: What River is Your Favorite for Cruising?

It’s not a major surprises the Danube is topping our River Poll, with more than a third of you saying that is your river of choice for 2013. The Rhine comes in a fairly close second, with a quarter of you choosing it. The Seine was a respectable 16 percent, good enough for third place, [...]

6 Simple Tips for Keeping Your Cabin Steward Friendly

Have you ever had a falling out with your cabin attendant on a cruise? It’s an unusual event, as cabin stewards usually are the smiling, front-line points of contact passengers have with crew. But anybody can have an off day. From the sounds of the discussion on the Cruise Critic forums, member Cardqb and partner [...]

Model Cruiser Builds a Following on Cruise Critic

When does a hobby become an obsession? That’s the first question that pops to mind when I’m reading the impressively detailed answers to a series of questions I’ve asked Jan Indekeu, also known as Modelbuilder on Cruise Critic’s forums. Jan prefers to go by John when talking to English-speakers (he’s Belgian) — just to make [...]

Readers Not Sold on Carnival’s $50 Pay-for-Perks Scheme

Lately, it seems Carnival just can’t get anything right — at least as far as many Carnival loyalists are concerned. First, cruisers were disappointed with the new VIFP (Very Important Fun Person) past-passenger program. And then, just when the furor was starting to die down, there was yesterday’s announcement: The line will begin testing an [...]

Take THAT, Deck Chair Hogs

We’ve covered the topic of deck chair hogs quite a bit. They came in second in our poll about the worst onboard evildoers, and there are countless threads on the Cruise Critic message boards lamenting their very existence. But, really, what’s being done about it?

Does Carnival Have Its Eye on Mobile Again?

The Cruise Critic boards are abuzz over hearsay that Carnival Cruise Lines is considering a return to its longtime Mobile, Alabama, homeport, which it abandoned suddenly last year. The rumors surfaced after local Mobile TV stations and Cruise Critic members began reporting they’d received surveys about their interest level in sailing out of the Gulf [...]