Just back from 13 days on the Diamond Princess to New Zealand. Service was good and breakfast in bed a lovely treat. Overall the trip was fine, the food was the best I've encountered on any ship I've been on before and of course the free ice-cream bar was great. Possibly the only thing that was disappointing was that we had to miss the two main places I'd joined the cruise to see, being Port Chalmers at Milford Sound and Dunedin. We stayed for two days in Wellington instead, which was okay, but just didn't have the spectacular scenery of Milford Sound. It would be great if cruise-lines could compensate passengers who have missed their favourite ports (and some very disappointed passengers, who I met on-board, that had travelled all the way from New York) with maybe an on-board credit or a special cabin upgrade on their next cruise which would soften the blow a bit. I realise ships have no control over the weather but in fact passengers pay heaps and heaps of money to these companies who should be seen to at least try to keep their clients happy.....
Being a single traveller I found the listed Singles get togethers in the Wheelhouse Bar at 9/30pm each night were a TOTAL FLOP. Why even list them. Absolutely no-one is game enough to sit with a stranger and start a conversation and not one single so-called "event" was hosted to at least introduce a few people around. I felt totally lonely on all these nights, not even the women tended to mix. If the wonderful entertainment staff had at least attended one of these nights at the beginning of the 13 days maybe I would have had someone to talk to!!! (and I'm no shrinking violet).
It was clean and comfortable and the big screen tv excellent.