Background: Our first cruise in 10 years. We are from Australia and this cruise was part of a month long trip to Europe.

Hotel Info: stayed at the Plaka in the Plaka district of Athens the night before embarkation: reasonably comfortable, air conditioned, old, needs renovation, average breakfast, staff don't care and don't want to help, absurdly tiny elevator. Do not recommend the Athens by Night Tour: lazy and disinterested tour guide, poor quality over-crowded restaurant with inedible food and undrinkable wine. A full scale rip off of the highest order. Do recommend the tours taking you to the main sites of Athens and the Acropolis even though the guide on that tour disappeared on us after having done her perfunctory and rudimentary overview.

The Ship: outstanding in almost every way. Colourful and clean, but too cold. Had to wear sweaters for much of the time even though outside was warm. Read more