This was our first cruise and, overall, we think we chose a good ship. It was to celebrate my OAP status (during the cruise). Being in term time, there were few families and kids on board and the predominant age group was retirees of many nationalities. English was the first language but announcements were in four languages. We found the process of embarking, and settling in easy, supported by enthusiastic staff on every level. It took a little time to orientate ourselves around the ship, which is to be expected. The food was excellent (be warned about how easy it is to put on weight) and on board entertainment (particularly in the theatre) was of a standard higher than we expected. The hot glass show (glass blowing) was a positive extra. The entertainments director (Alejandro) was energetic and a bundle of fun. We have no cruise comparisons, but more experienced cruisers that we talked to were generally positive too. Formality is relaxed with two “evening chic” evenings, where trousers and a shirt were adequate for men. Some passengers enjoyed the culture of dressing up. The ship is disabled friendly.

Our cabin with balcony was well designed, storage space was good, the bed very comfortable and the support of our stateroom attendant was first class. He kept the place tidy and the daily clean ups were prompt (usually when at breakfast and at dinner). A minor negative was the one ply toilet paper, so any potential savings by the ship were quickly offset by the amount of paper used. There are no personal ironing facilities (contrary to what we were told by the agent we booked the cruise with) and ironing by the ship we felt to be expensive ($8 a dress). We kept to the same table in the main restaurant for most of the cruise as we appreciated the support of the staff there. The daily activities sheet was informative. Be warned, from the outset, the culture of the ship is to sell! Staff were trying to sell you Celebrity dining packages, the spa treatments and other costly extras (shore excursions) on a regular basis but I did not find them pushy. Shops on board were pricey. It would be easy to build up a costly final bill if you did not have prepaid extras. Select carefully unless money is not an issue.