Using Ratings to Pick your Ideal Cruise

Nothing is worse than shelling out good money for a cruise of a lifetime, and then finding out that the trip doesn't meet your expectations. Perhaps the food isn't up to par, on-board activities are lacking, or the service is slow and sloppy. By checking out the cruise ratings of your ship before you made your reservations, you could have avoided any trouble.

What are Cruise Ratings?
Ratings are generally compiled by professional cruise critics or by tourists who have completed their trip and want to share their experiences. While anyone can have a bad experience for reasons that are out of the control of the cruise line, compiling a large number of ratings can give potential travelers a good idea of the average enjoyment level that other people have had. It helps them anticipate the kind of experience that they will have on board the ship.

Many websites and guidebooks that offer ratings also include in-depth reports so that readers can get an idea of why the cruise received the score that it did. This also helps to determine whether a negative experience was a one-time event (for example, if stormy weather caused a vacationer to have a bad time on their trip) or more endemic of that particular cruise line.

What do Cruise Ratings Cover?
While some cruise ratings give you only a general score for the ship, others break down the experiences into specific categories. Some examples of categories include dining, entertainment, cleanliness, service, value, and stateroom quality.

The rating categories can be helpful if there are some areas that are particularly important to you. Perhaps you are willing to accept low-level entertainment if the value is right. Or maybe on-board activities are something that really interest you, and you are not willing to settle on that point. Think about what you want, see what your options are and then check the ratings.

What are the Characteristics of Good Cruise Ratings?
If you want to find good, unbiased ratings to help you plan your next vacation, here are a few things to look for:
* A large number of ratings - The more ratings that are offered, the more likely it is that the reviews will accurately reflect the quality of the cruise ships. If only a few ratings are available, the score might be influenced by someone with an axe to grind with that cruise line, or by someone who had an unusually good experience on an otherwise average ship.
* Unbiased reporting - Some ratings edit reviews or cut out bad scores altogether. The best way to get a real idea of what your potential cruise will be like is if people are allowed to state their objective opinions without censorship.
* Good Breakdown of Reviews - You need to consider many factors when planning a cruise, including the cruise line, the ship, and the route you want to take. Cruise reviews that cover each of these sections help you to find the information you need more easily.

Be sure to visit Perfect Vacation Cruise for more information and helpful resources.