We were quite impressed by Astor. For a small ship it punches above its weight. It is very well appointed and is really quite spacious. When it became apparent the Trivia sessions were so popular the venue was quickly changed to accommodate the crowd. It was also spotlessly clean, we have cruised many times and this is definitely the cleanest ship we have been on, bathrooms were immaculate, cabins were smallish but functional.

The activities offered were in line with most cruises, although not as frequent probably due to the availability of space. We enjoyed the variety of food offered at both the buffet and the dining room. The Cruise Director, Toby, was very versatile and did an excellent job, did everything from singing, voice-overs, panto, even took the Sunday religious service. The entertainment troupe was top class and they managed a full production each of the 11 nights, include in this the band and special mention of the violinist. All of the crew were very pleasant, friendly and eager to please.

Disembarkation was a little congested and could be remedied by reducing the numbers in each group. We experienced some big sea swells which Astor handled very well. We found this to be a very relaxing, friendly fun cruise and would definitely consider sailing on Astor again. Also a big plus is the Femantle departure.