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We went on this Grecian Splendour Cruise (Venice, Bari, Katakolon, Santorini. Mykonos, Rhodes and Dubrovnik & Venice) at the end of October & were very, very lucky with the glorious weather & sea state.
The embarkation hall at Venice was rather spartan, and embarkation slow, but reasonably efficient considering the number of passengers being processed.
The ship was spotless throughout and the cabins always clean & well tended by our cheerful and helpful cabin steward.
The quest for extra income was ceaseless. Our bags were scanned or searched every time we embarked, so we could not even bring a bottle of water aboard. Drinks at the bar were expensive and the added service charge made them excessively so. Over €7 for a double whisky is unreasonably excessive.
The food, considering the kitchens are catering for over 3,000 passengers, was excellent, and the waiting staff were smart, cheerful, hard working and efficient. The best cabaret of the cruise was undertaken by them, in between courses and to the surprise and delight of all diners. You would have to be there to understand!
The evening shows in the superb Rex Theatre were a huge disappointment. I have seen far superior and longer shows in a ship half the size of Fortuna. An evening show should be longer than 50 minutes. The staff talent show is an insult to the paying guest, who expects professional entertainers, although this comment is not aimed at the crew themselves. The Entertainment Director should consider resigning.
The mandatory service charge of €6.50 per person per day, added to our onboard account, and which we had to accept as part of the booking conditions, was regrettable. We would have preferred to tip those staff who gave us excellent service.
The staff appraisal on the penultimate day left us in a quandary - we were advised that if we did not tick “Excellent”, the staff would not get the tips, and the money would go to another well-known Italian organisation!
Despite the previous comments, we had a wonderful, enjoyable cruise. Each and every member of the crew was efficient, polite and cheerful, and contributed greatly to the enjoyment of the cruise.
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