Nerd --
I generally agree with you that many of the reviews I have read are based on the writer's expectations
rather than some more factual basis like what the cruises lines' terms & conditions were. But, in my
experience, a couple of major factors in my enjoyment of a cruise are not directly controlled by the cruise line. Good weather on an Alaskan cruise is never guaranteed, for example, but having it can add
significantly to the ease and comfort of the experience. Another example is how the local people behave during port calls. My enjoyment of stops in Barbados, for example, has diminished over time as aggressive peddlers and petty criminals have become more common. I usually don't get off the ship at all in Jamaica. Finally, one of the largest factors in our enjoyment has been the random draw of dinner mates. We have had a number of interesting and fun groups that added significantly to the cruise, but once we were the only English speakers at a table. I don't think that is the cruise line's "fault" and it certainly wasn't in the contract terms, but it made dinner difficult and awkward for them and us.
For me, because there are so many variables in someone's personal expectations and in the other
uncontrollable factors, I read reviews with a grain of salt.
Ted
