We found this cruise on the whole to be very good. The first thing you must not do is board the vessel with any pre-conceived idea of what the ship is like. We have sailed with Royal Caribbean and Celebrity cruises and it would not be a fair to compare this cruise with them, as you are not comparing like with like. The embarkation at King George Dock Hull was the smoothest we have experienced. It was 20 minutes from arrival to entering our cabin at the same time as our luggage. The cabin was an outside on deck 4 (4057). It was small but very clean and the beds were very comfortable. It had adequate storage but I would advise not to take too large a suitcase, as they may not fit under the bed. A safe is provided, and I am informed by my wife that the hair drier provided was good. The meals were very good and the waiters efficient and polite without being intrusive. You may choose to dine in the restaurant of the buffet style Boathouse. On a six day cruise we had two formal nights that most took part in. The entertainment was of a good standard but don’t expect a West End show. The public areas were all very clean as was the ship. We did visit all the public areas if only a passing visit to the gym, that appeared well equipped. Our visit to Norway was enhanced by the additional excellent shore excursions. The drinks were reasonable a bottle of acceptable house red was £15. The atmosphere on board was good and everyone we spoke to was friendly.
Now the bad news. I have never experienced such an excessive engine noise and vibration. It was so bad that at 3am on the second morning I attended at reception. My complaint was dealt with sympathetically and we were subsequently transferred to another cabin further away from the engine room.
On the whole this is a traditional small ship with a very helpful staff that provides a good service.
