I had been in to the forums and had read mixed reviews, so I decided to just approach the cruise with an open mind. Less than a week before we sailed we were offered a downgrade from our oceanview stateroom to an interior with a refund as the incentive which we decided to accept. We had a fantastic time travelling from Fremantle back to Sydney, catching up with family at ports along the way and enjoying unseasonably calm waters across the Great Australian Bight and Bass Straight.

For my wife & myself it was positives all the way, our stateroom was fine, the staff were brilliant, the food was amazing, the 2 shore excursions we did were well organised and reasonable value for money and we enjoyed the various shows that were available, with special mention to the illusionist/comedian Phil Cass, a great show! The food choices were a highlight with the nightly dining in the Venetian, just like a restaurant style experience food wise with great company from around the world.

The gym was well equipped and necessary after a few days of culinary delights! Happy hour allowed us to sample a variety of cocktails, some easier to drink than others! After 12 days we returned relaxed, refreshed and ready to start planning our next cruise. I wouldn't recommend this combination of ship/ports for under 50s, we, in our 50s were the youngsters on this cruise!