( CNN ) -- A cruise can be a stress-free escape from day-to-day life , promising all-you-can-eat buffets and nightly entertainment at a reasonable price . But some high-profile incidents aboard ship have led to rough sailing for some cruise lines , with a new survey showing that 18 % of passengers report experiencing a problem on their trip -- and walking away unsatisfied . Nevertheless , overall customer satisfaction with cruise lines remains high , according to the survey from J.D . Power and Associates . Conducting its first report on cruise line consumer satisfaction , the global market research company wanted to see how the industry ranked in customer service relations after a series of events that captured headlines . Among the recent bad news : The Costa Concordia hit a reef off the coast of Italy in January 2012 , killing 32 people . Then there was February 's Carnival Triumph cruise , which experienced an engine fire in the control room that led to a loss of electrical power for five days . In May , Royal Caribbean 's Grandeur of the Seas caught fire , forcing the ship to cut short the trip . `` It is important for cruise line companies to understand their strengths and weaknesses in the service they provide to their passengers , '' says Ramez Faza , senior account manager of the global travel and hospitality practice at J.D Power . `` Cruises in general are not something you get on to go from point A to point B , '' Faza says . `` It 's more for the experience . '' Problems on cruise ships can vary from complications with a passenger 's food to the steward being late to clean your cabin , says Carolyn Spencer Brown , editor-in-chief of Cruise Critic . Five things we 've learned about cruising . Disney Cruise Line , Royal Caribbean International and Holland America Line came in first , second and third , respectively , in customer satisfaction , while Carnival ranked last in the report of eight cruise lines . The survey measured seven factors that affect a customer 's experience : service , state of the room , food , the efficiency of boarding and departing on the ship , entertainment , cost and excursions . `` When you 're on ship for a long time , there are bound to be problems , '' Faza says . `` I think the biggest thing as a company is the ability to recover . '' When Royal Caribbean 's Grandeur of the Seas had a fire in May , the cruise line did n't waste time in notifying customers of its recovery plan . Less than an hour after the fire was extinguished , company representatives tweeted details that passengers would receive a full refund of the fare paid and a certificate for future sailing . Though cruise lines are catering to the majority of their passengers ' needs , Faza says the firms need to be more aware of positive and negative feedback and work on customer retention . Customers are often voicing their opinions regarding service through social media . `` The ability to voice your opinion has made a huge impact , '' Faza says . `` It 's important for companies to even address these opinions and acknowledge their customers for the good and bad comments . ''
Survey ranks Disney Cruise Line highest in customer satisfaction , Carnival the lowest . Some 18 % of passengers report experiencing a problem on their trip , the survey says . But overall customer satisfaction with cruise lines remains high , report says .