This was my first Oceania cruise. Previous to sailing on the Marina, I have sailed on Holland America, Princess, Celebrity and Royal Caribbean. My husband and I have probably been on 30 cruises. I have to say that this was the best cruise I have ever been on. I enjoyed so many things about this cruise that I am already thinking about booking my next one!

This was the Princes and Palaces Cruise – 10 days embarking in Barcelona and disembarking in Lisboa, Portugal. It was a very port-intensive cruise – no sea days, which was fine with us. On some of the days, we came back from shore in the early afternoon and enjoyed the ship’s many amenities. Ok, so that is a brief summary. Here is the detail:

The ship is beautiful. The décor is understated and elegant. You never feel crowded, except upon embarkation in the Terrace Café. You can always find a lovely place to sit, including by the pool. The veranda cabin was lovely, with more than enough storage. I have read on this site people complaining about the shower size, but honestly, it was fine (how much time do you spend in a shower anyway?). I liked the fact that there was more room in the bathroom rather than making the shower larger. The ship is a nice size, small enough to dock in all the ports, which is my preference. The shuttles from the ship to downtown and back were dependable and appreciated. We never had to wait long. Read more