A wonderful cruise that exceeded our expectations in every way! The ship is beautifully maintained by a very solicitous crew, and our steward, the dining staff, and entertainment crew were wonderful. Cunard offered a good variety of excursions for each stop, ranging from energetic hikes through ancient ruins to pastoral scenic bus rides, meaning there was something for everyone. We booked our roundtrip airfare from Newark, NJ with the cruise line as well, providing us with a price not attainable elsewhere, and full pick- up/drop- off service at both ends by courteous and knowledgeable Cunard hosts.
We were very impressed by how knowledgeable the Greek tour guides were and asked one about what her training was. She explained they have a very comprehensive study curriculum for three years, followed by 9 months of travel throughout Greece and the Islands. However, the Greek government recently lowered the requirement for the same tour license, now requiring only a 2-month study course, clearly a loss to unknowing tourists. It might be wise to verify tour guide training in advance, although I'm not sure if this can be done since the tour companies will not care about individuals' training, just the fact that they are licensed!
We booked a balcony cabin, but were bumped up to a suite at the last minute. This meant not only additional space via a sitting room with bar, but also a bump up to dining in the Princess Grill. That was the best part of the bump up, with over-the-top meals and service, plus the opportunity to meet interesting, well-seasoned travelers.
We appreciated the bump up to this suite as it had not only a balcony, but a forward-facing picture window as well. The sitting area had a spacious bar with refrigerator, and the couch was a pull out although we didn't require that. A downside to this suite that is important to mention is that it is the forward-most cabin on the deck, adjacent to a door marked "Crew Only" that lead to a leisure deck for crew members only. Since the crew are on rotating shifts allowing time off around the clock, we heard that door opening and closing throughout the night, a rather disturbing feature of the suite.