CruiseOpinion.com Ship Reviews

Name: Jacquelyn R. McGrath
Email: lakeladie@worldnet.att.net
Age: 51
Occupation: MIS Coordinator
NumberOfCruises: 1
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Dolphin-Seabreeze
SailingDate: July 19, 1998
Itinerary: Newport, RI/Portland,ME/Halifax, Nova Scotia
FoodDiningRoom: 90
CruiseDirector: 90
CabinComfort: 80
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 30
CabinAmenities: 50
FoodLidoDeck: 80
DiningRoomService: 90
CabinQuietness: 30
FoodMidnightBuffets: 85
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 65
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue: 50
GoodForHoneymoon: 0
CasinoStaff:
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 65
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 20
GoodForSeniors: 50
BeautySalonStaff: 50
EntertainmentLounges: 85
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities:
EntertShowLounge: 85
OverallPortsofCall: 75
BeautySalon: 50
EntertainmentPoolside:
CruiseActivities: 75
Casino:
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 75
EmbarkDisembark: 65
DiscoNightclubs:
DeckSpace: 50
Stabilization: 50
ShopsOnBoard: 50
SpaceRatio: 50
OverallCruiseValue: 50
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 02 Sep 1998
Time: 19:16:40
Remote Name: 12.68.5.132
Remote User:

Comments

This was the first cruise I had ever taken. While there were many things I enjoyed about the cruise, there were unfortunately also many things with which I
was displeased.

The overall service in the dining room was one of the more enjoyable aspects of the trip. Both our waiter and busboy were pleasant and efficient. There
were a lot of activities planned for the passengers such as passenger talent show, a Newlywed Game, bingo games, art auction and professional
entertainment. The cruise director was a very talented, funny and charismatic person. His assistants, however, were many times just plain rude to
passengers. On the day of our return to New York Harbor a bingo game was held and the prize was to be a free cruise for two. They charged $20 per
bingo card and stated that whoever covered all the numbers would win the prize. Two women did so. When they both yelled 'bingo,' the assistant cruise
director then stated that both their names would go into a hat and they would draw the winner. All the passengers booed him when he said that. This
young man, whose name was T.J., then said in a very serious tone, 'Well, we don't think too much of you people, either.' It was a very insulting and
uncalled for remark.

Another disappointing part of the trip was the fact that the itinerary was changed and we did not learn about this until after we had boarded the ship and
set sail. Originally the ship was scheduled to sail to Halifax, Nova Scotia as its last stop before returning to New York. Instead, when we boarded, we were
told that we would be going to St. John, New Brunswick, Canada. Our disappointment came about after we had paid $19 a person for a tour to see the
Rising Falls Rapids in St. John. The tours were booked on the ship on the first day we set sail and we were told that there was just a limited amount of
space so we'd better hurry to sign up. On the day we arrived in St. John, July 21st, the fog was so thick you could see none of the very few landmarks the
poor bus tour guide had to show. In addition, we arrived and toured during low tide and the phenomenon of these rapids occurs only at high tide. I found
it difficult to believe that the tour company and the cruise line was unaware of this. I feel they took our money under false pretenses.

I wrote to Premier Cruise Lines and expressed my sentiments about the cruise, both the good and bad points, and I got a letter about three weeks later.
After I mentioned the parts of the cruise with which I was satisfied, I told them about my disappointment that the itinerary had been changed without
notification to the passengers. I also stated that the bingo game prize should have either been split between the two women who won -- give each a free
trip for one and let them pay for their partner, or they should have given two prizes since both won according to the rules set up by the assistant cruise
director. My letter also expressed my disappointment and feeling of having been cheated regarding the tour in St. John, New Brunswick.

The absolutely only thing addressed in the response I received from them was the itinerary change. The woman who wrote the letter then went on for two
paragraphs to tell me how much customer satisfaction meant to their cruise line. For reasons that are obvious, I did not believe one word she wrote.

I would not recommend this cruise ship to anyone for the reasons I have stated here. And, because of the unfeeling, unconcerned and uncaring
response I got to my letter, I would hesitate to recommend the entire Premier Cruise Line.

Thank you for the opportunity to express my dissatisfaction and for the opportunity to possibly spare another traveler from experiencing that
dissatisfaction.

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