So this measurement wonk took an Eastern Caribean cruise over the New Year. I've cruised many times with many different cruise lines. They are not all created equal. I knew that. You get what you pay for. I forgot that one. We admitedly cheaped out a bit given the pricey time of year.
So, come time to provide feedback (which every single crew member repeatedly urged us to do) I went to work on the feedback form. I'm encouraged that they thought to ask for it. It's also a brilliant piece of strategy (or perhaps characteristic of the line's complete anarchy style to service) that they give you the feedback form after you've tipped and before you get the final bill. They have medical staf with stretcher on standby for that part.
The form itself was well-constructed and seem to ask all the right questions. The trouble is, though their scale was set-up to be beneficial to them. They were asking for feedback but only let you provide positive feedback. Hello?!
Example:
Please rate us on our food: Exceeded expectation, met expectation, room for improvement.
What?! Where's the 'neither exceeded nor met'? Where's the 'did not meet' and the (poorly worded but you get the idea) 'did not come close to meeting expectations'? We can praise them to the high heavens, but only slam them with a flacid 'room for improvement.'