First up, a disclaimer. I’m more recently a solo cruiser and I choose cruises based on the ship (ambience etc), the itinerary, and mostly because I like to relax and read a book (thus quiet spaces are very important). I’m not really interested in active onboard activities (iFly, Dogems, Flowrider etc). Radiance of the Seas was my 9th cruise from Australia, and my 5th with RCI (after Voyager, Explorer, Rhapsody, Legend, and now Radiance). I wanted to travel on Radiance for two reasons; firstly, because I’d heard fantastic feedback on her, and secondly because she is going to be home-ported at my home city of Brisbane in November 2020. I also cruised on Carnival Spirit in May 2019 (which I never bothered reviewing) which is also moving to the new Brisbane Cruise Terminal in late 2020. The ship: I loved her. People have raved about the glass and lighting, and they are right. It is bright and airy. I love the fact that you can walk around the lido deck up to the front helicopter deck, and there are chairs and lounges on this level (5) to enjoy (unlike Carnival Spirit). Yes, she is an older ship, but the crew are doing an awesome job to keep her in condition. The only negative I would say is her lifts. There are two lots; one bank of three forward, and then a bank of five midships, starboard side adjacent to the Centrum. The latter were a real challenge as you had to run between each when they arrived (quite a distance). They have spectacular views of the outside, but they are a challenge. One of the comedians made a great joke about them in his performance, which brought a resounding cheer from the audience. As others have said, if you are dining in Windjammer and you need somewhere to sit, keep going aft to the “secret” location overlooking the stern. What was the Viking Crown Lounge on level 13 (now called the Star Lounge) is also a great daytime escape. The adults only Solarium is another great spot, although can get a bit hot and humid on occasions. I did a few of the speciality restaurants; Giovanni’s, Chops Grill and Izumi. All great. On day 1 you can sign up for a discounted three dining package for AUD$79, which is well worth it. I didn’t try Sumba (the Brazilian Restaurant), and I think it would struggle to attract numbers because it is tucked away on level 12 or 13 (can’t remember which). The Schooner Bar is one of the largest that I have seen on the RCI ships that I have cruised on (plenty of room) and I appreciated the Colony Club at the stern for a quiet space to take a break (except during the inevitable art auctions and bingo….) Entertainment: We were absolutely blessed to have the University of Wisconsin Blugold Marching Band with us on the cruise (https://www.blugoldmarchingband.com/). These folk performed a few times over the cruise and they were absolutely outstanding. My numbers may be wrong, but the band normally has around 450 members, however on this cruise, some 300 plus support staff and parents/guardians (around 400 all up). They are normally used to performing on US football fields, but whilst the restrictions of the Aurora Theatre were challenging, they did an awesome job. A shout-out to the parents, guardians and supervisors. To put this in context, these students are primarily aged between 18 and 21, and they have come from the US, where the legal minimum drinking age is 21. In Australia (where Radiance was home-ported at the time) our minimum drinking age is 18. You would have expected a few “challenges”, but I have to say that the young adults from the University of Wisconsin were exemplary in their behaviour. There were other entertainers as well, including an illusionist, comedian, singers, and entertainers, and whilst they were great, I have to say that they were out-performed by the Blugold Marching Band. Ports and excursions: I did a similar itinerary on Voyager a few years ago, as well as a more recent comprehensive self-drive tour of the South Island, so I wasn’t really interested in organised tours, plus I had friends to catch up with in Auckland. The Sounds (Milford, Dusky etc) are simply awesome. Although there was low cloud with limited visibility, it is a magical place. Congrats to RCI; the local guide that they engaged did an outstanding commentary all the way through. I didn’t do anything at Dunedin (I’ve been there a few times), choosing instead to take a nice walk around Port Chalmers. Nice place. There were two tender ports that I was really looking forward to exploring on foot. Akaroa was one, and it was a disaster. The ship moored at 7.30am around 2kms from the port of Akaroa, and there was another ship adjacent to us (Noordam). Radiance had four tenders running, and understandably they had to give priority to those who had booked shore tours through RCI. Four hours after tendering started my number was finally called, but all that meant was joining another queue just to get to the tender, which would have meant a departure of around 12.30pm, with a 45 minute transit to Akaroa, just in time to turn around and return to the ship. I gave up, and heard a few folk saying that the delays were exasperated by congestion at the wharf (3,500 pax from two ships) and massive delays queueing to return to Radiance. Clearly RCI had learned the lesson and at the last tender port, Bay of Islands, in addition to the four on-ship tender bats they had hired two additional tenders to get us on shore. Well done RCI. It made the whole process much more enjoyable. Would I cruise on her again? In a heartbeat. I love her mid-size and overall ambience. I’m already booked on her post-refit cruise from Singapore to Brisbane in early November this year. I’m so looking to welcoming her to her new summer home port of Brisbane. Read Less

This was my 3rd cruise on the NCL Jewel and it did not disappoint. I am a solo traveler and NCL is the best for solos. I always get an oceanview cabin on deck 5 midship. So comfortable and close to mid and forward elevators always quiet. Our solo activity leader was awesome making dinners for the group getting group seat at the shows and making sure we all had a good time. The activities were excellent and my favorite is the dance lessons. They do lack a bit in Enrichment activities The pool and hot tubs were warm. Loved the ports and going thru the sounds perfect itinerary to see New Zealand. Food was excellent at all venues but Cagney's had to be the best love the truffle mash potatoes. The shows were really good and I especially enjoyed the Cirque show its not to be missed Awesome crew and room steward. NCL shore excursions are pricey so I looked into private ones which I highly recommend doing. The private ones are small groups normally and much more interesting then NCL excursions. Several ports I just went around on my own after researching and many were easy to walk around. Embarkation was the fastest I have ever experienced in 9 cruises with NCL and so easy. Disembarkation was well run and smooth. I would go again in a heartbeat and look forward to being on the Jewel again. I enjoy the NCL cruises so much as a solo I have 2 more booked Read Less

It wasn't our first choice, but I am soo happy with this cruise and the experiences we shared. Leaving and coming back to Sydney Harbour was like night and day. Leaving the port was smooth as the seas beneath us. The ship is magnificent and should be explored in great detail. The cabins are adequate and will serve you well. The food is delicious, not one desire was left unfulfilled. Entertainment was amazing, such a wide selection of shows, movies, and games. If you are strong, turn off your phone and allow the captain to take you on your journey. You will find all the answers you seek if you aren't afraid to follow your pain. If you are reading Captain Nicholas, please employ a maître d' for the disco, the DJ's need all the help they can get. Thank you so very much Celebrity Solstice, till we meet again. Read Less

I picked the cruise for the itinerary and have learned the hard way the ship is much more important than where you're going. This is my 7th cruise with 6 cruise lines, so I have a basis for comparison The ship is 27 years old and feels like it. The crew spoke limited English and many seemed to hate their jobs. There is no heat in the cabins, and although I traveled in the summer it got down to 10 degrees at night. I asked what they do in cold climates and was told "we don't travel to cold climates". The food is horrible and there is no buffet. Very few vegetarian options and, incredibly, all the food is so bland that most of it tastes the same, regardless of what it is. The Internet is expensive and runs out quickly. This is almost a parody of a cruise. There is NOTHING to do on board the ship (other than a well equipped fitness facility). The "activities" are things like sewing classes, and the demographic is definitely senior citizens. The "shows" were trite and cringe-worthy. The performers weren't very good, but they appeared to be trying their best Read Less

I chose this cruise to fulfill my bucketlist excursion to Tasmania AND New Zealand. Tasmania and New Zealand did not disappoint but the cruiseship did for a single traveler. Despite having been on Princess cruises with an active single program, this ship offered NOTHING for singles. On Princess You pay 200% as a single cruiser but you get nothing for the extra cost. The evening shows were often good with the orchestra and Princess dancers, but guest entertainers were average at best. The Christmas Eve show was very well produced and entertaining. However, the Christmas Eve show was magnificent. The service is sporadic by crew members. Cabin attendant was good at keeping cabin neat and in order, but unlike other cruises nothing extra, like towel animals, or cutesies. I feel this is due to the cabin stewards having numerous rooms to clean and no extra time for extras. Room Service and Ronald were super at delivering coffee and heavy cream first thing every morning as requested but room service menu has little variety. Service in dining room was from fair to excellent depending on wait staff working the table. Overall average service but the occasional table in open dining had a waiter who really made the passenger feel welcome. I book cruises based on where I want to visit, and then cost but if I was choosing by ship, this would probably be a last choice. As usual with Princess, you can find the same excursions online at viator or in port for 25-50% less. Again Loved Tasmania and New Zealand but cruise was lacking the special flare I hope for on a Christmas cruise (great decorations but lacking lots of holiday spirit!) Read Less

Took my elderly mum as this type of cruise was all she could manage. She really enjoyed it as it was more friendly than the big ships and you got lost less. Embarkation and disembarkation was a breeze - took 10 mins each time. Cabin was ok, clean and worked fine. Window showed its age with a lot of silastic. Tele was useless, but we didn’t need it. Cabin staff were lovely as usual. Food was excellent and our deal included free drinks and gratuities which made it easy. Tried a few exotic cocktails - all good, but stay off the rusty nails they give you a head ache! Service was efficient but could have been a little more friendly in some cases. Nightly entertainment in the theatre was the best I have experienced on any cruise. Bryan in the lounge bar was brilliant. Really enjoyable cruise all round, but articulately suited to an older crowd. Read Less

Since I had not been on a cruise before, a friend asked me would I like to go to see if I would like it. I absolutely enjoyed it very much and I would like to go again. Having a disability which requires me to use a walking stick and some limited movement, I was worried how I would manage, but I managed very well. From embarking to disembarking everything was Great, even the weather was perfect. All staff and crew were friendly and helpful. The stateroom was ideal for me., especially having grab rails in the shower and near the toilet. I enjoyed taking my time walking around the ships and I had no difficulty get on and off the tender when going ashore. I enjoyed the entertainment, movies and the wonderful food and I even got to see dolphins , the one thing I wanted to see. If you have a disability or mobility issues, I recommend checking out going on a cruise. Rough seas I think would be a challenge getting around, but I think I would stay in my stateroom, order room service and when the seas calm down, I would head out to enjoy everything the ship had to offer. Read Less

We took a 4-day cruise out of Sydney to Melbourne on 10/11, than stayed on ship for 12-day cruise 10/15 to east coast of Australia and Great Barrier Reef. We are longtime Celebrity cruisers, and were somewhat disappointed with our transatlantic cruise last Spring on the Celebrity Reflection. But these two cruises fully restored our faith in Celebrity. Excellent and very visible/entertaining captain and crew, impeccable service in main dining room and lunch buffet, as well as in lounges. Food quality and variety were excellent. Entertainment with ship house band and others was varied and outstanding. Most theatre performers were excellent, and there were some very good matinees. Cruise director was energetic and fun, entertaining at a variety of venues during the day and evening.Cabin stewards and size/cleanliness/comfort of our balcony cabin for both cruises were terrific. Ship is in very good condition and well-maintained, even though it’s the oldest of the Solstice-class ships. It’s a mid-size ship (under 3,000), and they managed the tendering at several stops very efficiently. Many of the ship tours for the Barrier Reef are very expensive, and we limited ourselves to a couple, simple city tours (e.g., Melbourne) that were very good and fairly priced. The cities and coastal stops in Australia are beautiful with lots to do—from the exotic to just simple city tours and dining/shopping. Our only real complaint, which is symptomatic of most cruise ships, is the price and quality of drinks/wines, even in drink packages. We had a “classic” as opposed to the “premium” package—didn’t expect the best, but also didn’t expect Celebrity to be serving wines that retail for under $5 in the US (ugh!). And if you don’t specify what liquor you want in your cocktail, they pour the house brand rot-gut. When you’re paying $60 a day, per person, this should not be. Our biggest disappointment, though: having to leave the ship. Read Less

From Syd up the east coast to Port Douglas. Embarkation was very smooth. Princess does cater to an older demographic, but this Princess ship is larger than Golden or Diamond and it seemed a lot easier to navigate around all those walkers. Beautiful Piazza, and Bars and Dining Room. there is something to be said for a ship that is only a few years old. Had an internal on Lido deck (L215) great bed and pillows and easy access to buffet and pools and the lovely Conservatory area. There was always space available which is such a bonus. Only draw back were those folks who can't seem to close their cabin door but let it SLAM shut behind them ( oh well what can you do). Food in main Dining Room was good, Hairdresser (Raylene) at the Spa was excellent. Had to search to find the ext. number for the Spa and the Massage price list, seems they don't want people ringing but prefer you trek all the way down to L.5 to the desk. Entertainment I would rate 6/10 not up to RoyalCaribbean's high standard but a few highlights. The big mistake on this Ship which holds around 4000 is a Theatre that only holds 875 ! People were getting into their seats at 6pm for a 7pm Show. Most just gave up and didn't bother - and there is no space to stand up the back at all. Weather was sunny and windy. Tenders at Airlie, Cairns and PtDouglas took a while. But Pt Douglas was lovely. Shops on board are quite good, musicians around the Bar areas are fine. Buffet area was hit and miss and very confusing layout. I also miss a pool at the back of the ship. Read Less

I had an assumption that all cruise`s were for old fat people, how wrong I was, my parents shouted my wife and 3 boys aged 4-8-11 and my brother and my two nieces. Absolutely blown away staff are some of the most beautiful people we have meet they remind me of the fijian`s, warm, humble, caring, genuine they were the highlight of the trip without a doubt. The boat is almost as good its is better than some 5 star hotels we had a junior suite that was well appointed had two bathrooms and plenty of room four us and storage for all our stuff was on deck 10 room 218 been mid ship when there is a bit of a swell is a blessing less movement. Hard to find information about activities before you, go but easy enough once on board. Book things as soon as you get on as you may miss out especially for I-Fly and North star the viewing arm thingy majig. Food is really good caters for al,l my wife is a vegetarian even she was happy. Take a clothes line as they charge like wounded bulls for laundry. If you like a drink or to get the drinks package they make the drinks strong so none of those weak bar drinks here !. For kids suits under 3 and over 8 years of age, our 4 year old fell in the weird zone things like bumper cars, rock wall, trapeze and roller skating he was to young to do. They do have a great kids club for all ages but we never used it. great used to taking the stairs the lifts are pain full none seem to be available always full. We will remember this for a lifetime helped when my parents paid for it stunning stunning stunning Read Less

Sun Princess was recommended for my age and wanted relaxation. I’m a solo cruiser and had a fantastic time. Embarkment and disembarkment ran so smoothly best I have ever had, room was clean no noise factor at all, service from crew was very polite and courteous and you could actually have a laugh with them, dining was good share restaurant brilliant steakhouse brilliant horizon food was average never ate in the dining rooms as I couldn’t get a table for one so I missed out there, entertainment and activities were great only disappointment was we had a lot of bad weather (Mother Nature was not kind to us at all) and a lot of shore excursions were cancelled it would of been nice to have some extra activities added to break some of the extra time we had spending on board due to the bad weather. If you like relaxation and not a lot of children on board this is the cruise for you as it met all my expectations I must say I did come back home renewed. My highlight was the scenic cruising through Floridian national park. I actually got home and booked my next cruise on the same ship to Fiji in January and plan on booking again to New Zealand hopefully I’ll choose the right time of year to go though so I can get to see the sites I really wanted to visit Read Less

Having travelled a few months ago to Tasmania and enjoying myself decided on another cruise on Explorer, what a terrible cruise, Kids allowed to run a muck. I have never seen soo many snotty nosed crying uncontrollable kids. I came on this cruise to enjoy myself and some down time not to put up with children whos parents cant be bothered looking after them properly. The smoking on deck 7 near the Explorer bar was just awful creeping up to deck 8, the smell of pot on the Oasis deck that had been smuggled on board by a group as well as crew members smoking on deck also the amount of Adults allowed to drink in the spas and crew serving them. Where was the Security? fights beaking out on the ship.The disgusting Pantry floor and windows, went in for breakfast usual time 6.30am and floor was filthy from night before this continued all the way through the cruise so I ate in my room. What is up with the tender boats? sending back empty tender boats being told not to get on them when people are waiting to go back to ship. "Note to photo staff" when someone tells you four times they dont want the full photo package listen to them, very pushy. Why is the food not served at the proper temperature? COLD FOOD. I did not appreciate my cabin steward coming into my room whilst I was at breakfast, EARLY, to clean it at least wait till I put up the CLEAN MY ROOM SIGN. Watch the dogs on Isle of Pines they bite! and there are a few not so nice characters watching your possessions keep an eye out, as well as some not so welcome signs. I DO NOT recommend this ship for elderly passengers unless you enjoy unruly kids and second rate service save your money go elsewhere. I wont be cruising with P&O again. Read Less

Embarkation was very smooth and quick. Our cabin was clean and there was a short wait for our luggage to be delivered to the room but we had no concerns. Good times pamphlet was easy to read with lots of interesting activities to do. Waterfront restaurant had good food and was easy to get into with and without a reservation. The Pavlova dessert was AMAZING. Highly recommended even for the $9 price tag. Seven / Let's Misbehave / Rock shows were awesome - very talented entertainment staff always great shows. just magnificent. I love walking along the promenade deck except when portions are roped off and you have to detour back inside the ship to continue the lap and when you have to walk through a cloud of cigarette smoke (that definitely ruins the experience of walking around the ship and enjoying the seas air and views). Breakfast is always the worst meal of the day on cruises but breakfast under this new Pantry layout was DISGUSTING. The hot food (bacon, eggs, etc) were always cold and waiting in line for toast made it even colder. It is really difficult to get seats in The Pantry and the food is getting even colder by the time you find a seat. if you stay away from hot food and lines even the cold breakfast foods like yogurt and fruit were inedible. The Pantry is so chaotic - people walking every which way and people walking through the food area when they are leaving. no hand washing was enforced and broken soap dispensers was ignored by the staff. The staff were very slow in cleaning the tables in The Pantry which led to less tables being available and it was difficult to get a staff members attention is you wanted them to come clean a table for you. This was also noticeable around the ship as large stacks to used plates and cups were seen every including in elevators and under stairs. It may be a cruise ship and staff are there to pick up a lot of items but people can be sucks pigs leaving their leftovers everywhere. The Pantry at Lunch was not much better - too chaotic and too difficult to get seating for terrible tasting food. i recommend avoiding The Pantry at all costs. The opening times of the Pantry was awful. if you wanted a snack outside of The Pantry opening times there was nothing available unless you were willing to pay extra money. No sweets on offer between lunch and dinner times except the $5 a scoop ice cream. also the Pantry only offered Apple & Orange Juice with breakfast after than you could not get any drinks other than tea and coffee in the Pantry. No staff available to ask about getting other drinks with lunch?? the watersides were fun but lots of rules and issues about earrings. we took off our big earrings and went on the slides twice but then suddenly they changed their minds and we could not slide with any earrings in even small sleepers that were not going to come undone. make up your minds. many children were unsupervised as well and very pushy when trying to get past you on the stairs up to the slides. 18+ area was nice except for a couple of very loud annoying drunk women cackling away for 4 days and people hogging the hot tubs for many hours & not sharing. getting drinks was a slow process sometimes especially if you wanted to ask the bar tender any questions who would answer 1 then serve somebody else. Mock tails were never mentioned on any menus and had to be asked for specifically and then the bar tender would walk away to serve someone else without waiting for our order. Swim towels available in the rooms was much more helpful than other ships where you have to search for towels yourself and then walk back to the pool you want to use. Spa services are so expensive! $39 for an eye brow wax and then they try to sell you a special brand of face toner and cleanser for $60 each. what a rip off. Dinner at the Dragon Lady was excellent. Dinner at Angelo's was lovely, though the portion sizes were a bit small. getting drinks around the ship were sometimes a but confusing, the menus all said Pepsi / Pepsi max drinks but when you asked for Pepsi the staff looked at you blankly and said they had Coke / Diet Coke. also for non coffee drinkers it's difficult to get a non coffee drink. the menu only offered coffee flavored drinks and when a Iced Chocolate was asked for the staff would still make an Iced Chocolate Mocha even though they promised a non coffee Iced Chocolate. they even seemed confused when asked for a simple hot milk drink. entertainment activities was mostly fun though the paper flower making class was a bit ridiculous. the teacher did not explain / show the steps very well and when you asked for help or for her to repeat the steps she was slow at acknowledging us. learning the steps for the Gatsby flash mob was fun but when the time came for us to do the dance in the Atrium it was far too crowded and not enough space for the steps we were taught including Charleston kicks. it became very claustrophobic on the dance floor. we were promised confetti at the end of the dance which did not occur. The photo department...terrible photos and terrible prices! we are all dressed up in Gatsby outfits but the photographer cut off our fingers and outfits and was bamboozled when we had our own poses already chosen. all they want you to do is stand in the same spot every time and then they don't really check if you have closed eyes. the new digital kiosk system can make finding your photos easier but each staff member trained differently or incorrectly gives you different information. e.g. 1 staff member said you can only order digital copies from the kiosk and physical copies you had to find yourself in the many boxes of mixed photo graphs where another said you could order digital and physical copies from the kiosk (but after i had already spent 30 mins or more searching through the multiple piles of mixed photos for any photos of my group). shore excursions... we went to Moreton Island and we booked the snorkeling tour and the feeding the Dolphins tour. we were told to get a tender at least 90 mins before our tour time to make sure we didn't miss the tours but then we were so early for the tour that we were waiting for an hour for our tour to start. we were also not given enough information and were not told to dress in our swimmers before hand. once in the wet suit snorkeling was a beautiful experience. highly recommend. afterwards we had to wait for our next tour. so had a late lunch and a beach swim but still ended up waiting for many hours before the Feeding the Dolphins tour started at 5pm. the tour size was enormous! at least 100 - 200 people. we then had to wait another 90 mins while a buffet was served (which we could not eat as we had had lunch not long ago) & a dolphin presentation was held, before we even saw a dolphin. then we were joined by another 100 people from the island who wanted to feed dolphins before were were allowed to line up and grab our fish to feed to the dolphin. once in the water it was a very quick few seconds where the dolphin snatched the fish from your fingers a photo was taken and you were pushed back onto the shore where P&O staff were waiting to rush you on-board a boat to tender you back to the ship. lots on long waiting time for a very quick experience and then being rushed back onto the ship. shopping on-board ship is the usual clothing and jewelry - it's fine as long as you fit into small/medium sizes, anything bigger than a large is not catered for. it's all very expensive even when 50% off. i do enjoy cruising but there are a lot of little things that made my Pacific Explorer Experience not perfect. 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Travelled to Tasmania, Port Arthur. WARNING! if you have mobility issues or are overweight Port Arthur is not for you! Dont listen to the wingers this is a great ship. Food and entertainment were very good ate mainly in the Pantry, up to date movies in your cabin, the Sanctuary was good to go and hide and soo peaceful. Adults only area was good a little small, my only complaint was there is a designated smoking area, however it did not stop some smokers from leaving the area to take photos around you and therefore you were subject to smoke, very disrespectful. Cabin stewards are always the best, reception staff very good in fact did not have an issue with anything on the ship unlike Pacific Eden which should be sunk and used as an artificial reef although I think even the fish would be too scared to go on board. I only have good tings to say about this ship.I have done 7 cruises, 5 with P&O and booked this ship for next year. Read Less

a quick 4 night getaway on Pacific Explorer. This is my third time on this ship, and actually like the interior. The cruise was out of White Bay as there was a bigger ship in the OSPT in Circular Quay. Our cabin was a mini suite, and quite tastefully furnished. The beds were comfy and the pillows are actually fine (previously the pillows had been a contention on other P&O ships). The weird thing about the mini suite is the setup of the bathroom. The shower and bath are in one area, and through the door is the toilet and sink. This means that you can't get out of the bath and brush your teeth without having to go next door to the single sink. Our cabin stewards were friendly and gave us a lot of attention. Although they didn't introduce themselves till the second night. The room was serviced twice per day. The balcony is a bit small for a mini suite, not in length but in depth. Food was actually not bad at all. We went to a taste of salt (excellent and well worth the $99 per person cover charge). We also tried Dragon Lady and Angelo's as well as Shell and Bones. The disappointing thing is that if you actually want a decent meal, you have to pay for it. No drama if it's reasonably priced. Angelo's was the star of the free meal selection. The pasta was warm and tasted excellent. The secret bar is the Bonded Store, and I can highly recommend you find this small out of the way place, it's by the blue room. Blink and you'll miss it, as it's hidden around a corner. The "nightclub" which is situated in the Blue Room after about 11:30pm was always full. I've seen this either empty or over capacity on different cruises. I guess it depends on the itinerary and if the drink packages are in operation. In Moreton Island, we took the Quad bike tour. Enjoyed this very brief excursion, and maybe P&O might consider doing a longer version, as we just drove around in the sand around a made course. Fun to drive, but not really exciting views. Overall not a bad cruise, better than other P&O cruises I've been on before. Read Less

Celebrity Solstice 14/01/18 – 8 day New Caledonia Embarkation: Excellent embarkation - 15min, welcome champagne on arrival what could be better. Ship information: Absolutely beautiful ship, very tastefully decorated and it was kept spotlessly clean. I especially liked the grass area on deck 15, just stunning and a real treat to have grass between your toes at sea. There were also lots of shady areas outside and a beautiful adults only pool area. Cabin: I chose a Concierge cabin (AFT) 9378. It was a fabulous cabin and had a beautiful bathroom. There was heaps of storage but there wasn’t as much hanging space as I’ve had on other cruises. Be warned, there is no balcony roof so you are in the weather and the outdoor furniture is very weathered. The curtains were a little torn and need replacing. Service: The crew are amazing on this ship and generally seem very happy. Fantastic 39 yr old captain: Tasos Kefetzis, played basketball with kids and table tennis in the atrium, he was very visible and had a great sense of humour. My cabin steward: Kifec kept my room very clean and serviced it twice daily anticipating my needs. The staff in the Martini bar were true entertainers and a special mention goes to Abibi and Kopi. Port tender process the best I’ve had - very well organised. Dining: The food on this ship was excellent. I had some lovely sushi on the first night at Sushi on 5. The buffet was very clean with a great selection of food. I chose the anytime (Select) dining option in the main dining room. It also had delicious food and I discovered you could ask for an Indian menu – great curries. Riedel glassware in the restaurants.Beautiful cocktails in World Class bar and great coffee in the d’ Bacio Café. Entertainment: Excellent vocalists in the production shows. The production show Amade was fabulous, as was the Rock show. The magic show was also of high standard and very funny. There was always something fun going on – pool parties, great music and dancing in the atrium, cooking demonstrations etc. Disembarkation: Smooth – I chose to take off my own bags as I had an early flight Small Negatives: If you don’t have a drinks package drinks are very expensive and in US dollars. As I was in a Concierge class cabin, there were too many in room phone messages. Read Less

It was something different, than a normal sea cruise. And what a surprise, did not expect the cruise would be so beautiful, and adventurist, while being so relaxing, and fun. The crew always tried to make sure your experience was everything you could want. Did not realize the Murray River was so gloriously beautiful. The swans on the river each morning was a real majestic ballet of grace to watch. Embarkation was run very smoothly, and we were settled in our cabin within 15 minutes of arriving at the ship. It was well appointed, with bar fridge, coffee/tea making facilities, free chocolate bars, an assortment of luxury toiletries. The queen bed was very comfy. the room was larger than the cabins we normally have on our sea cruises. The for and aft lounges are very comfy, and a grand place to meet the other passengers. I would thoroughly recommend this cruise as a must do at least once. We will be doing it again. Read Less

The ship was great the captain was fantastic was involved in lots atctivities The Cabin was great The service and staff was excellent The tenders to the ports was very bad we had to wait a very long time it's was to far away for the port Shore excursions very expensive but had a fantastic time Entertainment was not enough need to be more Didn't have a laundry place on the boat so a family can do there laundry The laundry offer was very expensive for everyone We travel as a big group of 20 Yes we will go again I was absolutely blown away with this company, I loved everything about them. The best part for me was the drinking package and service I received. The food was perfect. I loved the fresh salads, always fresh fruit, many choices for lunch and dinner. The desserts were beautifully presented by a very exuberant pastry chef Read Less

Firstly I start by saying I've been on 27 cruises and there are good and bad points on every cruise. I’ve cruised with P&O, Princess, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean and Carnival Australia. This is my opinion only, everyone has differing tastes. An experience for a first time cruiser will generally be different to that of an experienced cruiser. I chose this cruise as I wanted to try NCL. The people on board this cruise consisted of only 230 Aussies (surprising for a cruise out of Australia), 430 Germans, UK, Canadians and USA, Asians. There were very few children on board. Embarkation: Terrible, probably the worst I’ve experienced. We were queued and standing for several hours. I really felt for the elderly passengers. The hold-up/bottleneck appeared to be in the Customs area (there were only 4 officials processing when I went through). Cabin The Good: good size bathroom and shower. The shower had a sliding door not a curtain; however you needed to sit sideways on the toilet. They have little swimming fish printed on the carpet in the hallways showing the direction to the bow. My room was located above the theatre but I wasn’t interrupted by noise. The Bad: very small, poorly designed room, very tight to get round the bed and I kept hitting my head on the bunk bed (which was raised) and the light fittings in the bed head. No room steward name in the room and when I introduced myself on the second day of the cruise she never gave me her name and never greeted me by name, also general poor attention to detail in room. Very few TV channels other than cruise line advertising. There were too many loud entertainment announcements outside the cabin and in public areas (disruptive), cabin walls are very thin and you can easily hear neighbours, mattresses need replacing - they’re old and lumpy. Entertainment The Good: Entertainment was better than average, Burn the floor was excellent, as was Cirque Bijou, the physical comedian and the acrobats were great. Good Australian cruise director: David Food The Good: good variety in main dining room menu and service in the main dining rooms was excellent. Flexible dining and dress options are good however as I was traveling solo if I wished to share a table for dinner it was usually a table for 4 so I ended up sitting next to a couple, good glassware in main restaurants The Bad: average, lukewarm food - the food in the main dining room had been prepared well in advance and tasted like it had been sitting around for quite a while (often lukewarm and stale bread with dinner). The Garden Cafe is like a cafeteria and the quality of the food is poor with cheap artificially flavoured ingredients. In the outdoor areas, drinks are served in disposable plastic cups. They ran out of many items; my wine on day 2, fresh fruit was limited (they ran out of water melon on arrival to New Zealand) they have a mojito bar and ran out of mint! they ran out of fresh milk and had milk in little UHT containers. I actually lost weight on this Cruise General The Good: great wide decks, good lifts and onboard communication screens. Port arrivals and disembarkation were well organised. Most of the staff were friendly and offered good service The Bad: very dated décor, low ceilings and very dark throughout the ship especially in the restaurants. General cleaning and removal of rubbish around the vessel was not up to standard. Empty cigarette packs and dirty glasses were noticed in some areas for 3 days before they were cleaned away. Room service dirty dishes left in hallways for many hours. Drinks were very expensive as an 18% gratuity is added to each purchase and then USA to Australian conversion. A very expensive $39 US for airport shuttle (double the price of Australian cruises), Shore excursions were also very overpriced. Smoking is allowed in Casino. Staff often talked amongst themselves in their own languages in front of guests. Read Less

Wanted to try a larger ship as travelled many times on RCL. Well despite the negativity I have read, it was not applicable. Fabulous ship, excellent memories made with lots of new and exciting friendships which I am certain will blossom beyond this sailing. Embarkation – Quick speedy and efficient. Porters were waiting on the right side for bag drop off, on entry quick health form completed, allocated an RCL member to process and onboard we went. Smooth painless and done within 20 mins from start to finish. Onboard – Guest Services – As I was travelling with a minor their seapass card has to have a spend limit put on. Quick and easy, once in the line an RCL member helped fill out the relevant paperwork and we were free to start our holiday. Safety Drill –Instructions are on the back of you cabin door and your seaspass has you assigned station. Lots of RCL staff more than happy to assist you. Dining – Amazing! Before I embarked I was quick shocked at the reviews. I am so glad they were not relevant. Food in the MDR was outstanding; I went to Italian and was suitably impressed. Every night our servers/chefs/wait staff did something new to entertain the guests. As dining is a huge factor for my family it was lovely to see such drive and effort made to ensure we had a pleasant experience. Murder Mystery Dinner – If you haven’t done it try it. Was so much fun, the actors play a part you have a wonderful dinner and figure out who did it. Well worth the money. DreamWorks Breakfast – A must for little and big kids alike, was a great laugh. Just order eggs over easy sunny side up were a little too sunny. Cabin – Well I am delighted to say I had the pleasure of staying in Cabin 1854 a Family Panoramic View that is now classed as a suite. The views were spectacular and the position right at the front behind the pool bar and above solarium was excellent. Cabin was clean, neat tidy. Cabin steward was named Angel, well he was indeed that. He was fun, respectful and did his job to a very high standard. I couldn’t take him home unfortunately something about against the rules. Hairdryer provided and US electrical ports, so BYO adaptor. Ample cupboard space for hanging or putting away clothing. Facilities onboard – shops were varied, café promenade was fabulous for coffee and library was excellent. Children’s books are also available. Entertainment – OUT OF THIS WORLD. Great shows, Jamie the cruise director and his team were fabulous. They really enjoyed themselves and the acts showed passion and drive. The move it move it parade was a hit with all passengers young and old. Ice Shows x 2 both excellent those girls and boys were fabulous. Pig n Whistle – Well everyone has their favorite watering spot and this was mine. Carlo, musician was outstanding and I mean WOW had the place rocking to his vocals and guitar work. If you are looking for romance look no further, if you want to enjoy time that someone special, like I did, this is the place to be. Soft sounds and the perfect romantic venue. Many happy memories and many friendships made. Gym/Spa - Well I have been to some gyms in my time and given the amount of food consumed, I definitely needed to work some off. Equipment great, clean and in working order. Great views to get rid of those excess pounds. Theatres – Located decks 3 & 4 easy to access and wheelchair accessible seating provided. RCL meet n Greet – Host was fabulous however many members didn’t get their invite even though they registered. For this particular sailing there was no role call and a Facebook Page was created to chat about all things cruising and RCL. Cruise critic this is something that needs attention as emails were sent to amend but was not rectified. Summary – This ship is quite large however the staff onboard were all singing. I mean right down to the maintenance people. Management have done an excellent job, a happy crew makes for a happy cruisers. Read Less

This cruise was fantastic! I've heard that this was one of the last circle Australia cruises, because the industry is now cutting back in Australia. We cruised out of Sydney and visited Brisbane, Cairns, Alotau, Darwin, Broome, Geraldton, and finally, we ended in Perth, Australia. The ports and shore excursions were excellent. Food was wonderful, most nights we ate in the dining room, our waiters were Tarra and Bagus. Both were excellent, the best waiters we have ever had, I think that if you cruise on Sun Princess, I would ask for them, they really go the extra mile to ensure your vacation is an amazing experience. For lunch, we mainly ate in the buffet, and with a smaller ship, you must remember that they are not that many specialty restaurants. The steak restaurant was part of the buffet that they sectioned off at night, and the only other speciality restaurant was Share, by Curtis Stone. We did not eat there, because we didn't like the thought of sharing food with other people. We stayed in a Mini Suite, and for 2 people, it was the perfect size. I believe that the closet space was small, especially with a 17 day cruise, but it was manageable nonetheless. One of the best things about Princess are the free movies that you can watch on TV, this was a really nice feature, especially with a 17 day cruise, with a lot of sea days. All in all, we had an amazing time on the Sun Princess, and are very happy that we took advantage of the cruise, as it is no longer offered by Princess. Read Less

I went on this cruise with my mother,my very first cruise...but now I am hooked, everything about this ship was amazing,I have a fear of heights,so I expected this to be a problem,but the moment I boarded on deck four and turned the corner to the lifts I discovered for every glass lift there is also an enclosed lift (none glass lift).so all the anxiety I had about this was gone, Our room was amazing with a big balcony and plenty of space to move around.Our room service attendant (Romeo) was amazing he went above and beyond to do anything for us. Our dining experience was also amazing our waiters Aliston and Jonnes greeted us every night saying our names and there was nothing we could fault,the food was awesome with a great menu to choose from. The ice skating show was something not to be missed,it was outstanding on our 11 night cruise there was two different shows and 100% worth seeing. The night shows in the theatre were maybe for the oldies my mum loved them ,but I felt I would rather be down in a bar listening to some music. Read Less

Round Australia itinerary was a perfect close to our touring of the more visited areas on land. We often do private tours, but the ships tours were very good, but a bit more expensive which is typical of cruise ship tours. Some port visits were quite short so the ships excursions were much more relaxing. Our cabin was C633. We had wanted a balcony but there were none available. We enjoyed this cabin as it was quite roomy. All cabins on board have large flat screen TVs which is amazing. The TV choices are amazing. From live TV to very recent movie choices on demand. The best we have seen on a ship. The Pop Choir was a terrific experience particularly for us as we have never sung in a choir ever! Good fun. I was a little disappointed in the food generally but there were many choices. Room service was very efficient and the staff delivering were friendly and happy. Although we were cruising in Australia, we tipped $2 each time that Room Service delivered and they were very appreciative. I would recommend this cruise. Read Less

The opportunity to travel on QM2 was too good to pass up and the 5 night itinerary afforded me the opportunity to travel in a Queens Grill suite. The itinerary was a round trip from Sydney, visiting Port Arthur and Hobart. Embarkation was at Sydney's overseas passenger terminal at Circular Quay and went smoothly, but there was nothing special as far as Queens Grill privileges was concerned except to bypass the general queue, which is always nice of course. The staff here are always friendly and helpful and this embarkation was no exception. Stepping aboard the ship was very exciting but unlike Celebrity Suite class there was no one to greet you or direct you to your suite, or take you too a lovely club to wait for your cabin and enjoy a drink. There was however, a lift attendant to control the massive queue waiting to go up to their cabins. It turns out the lifts at stairwell B can best be described as Bijou, so I gave up and used the stairs. My Grill suite was 9002 at the front of the ship. On opening the door I was delighted. Very tasteful. Plenty big enough for me, with a large bathroom, whirlpool bathtub and lovely bar area. The balcony was generous with 2 wicker chairs, and the benefit of this cabin's location was that there was no lifeboat or tender blocking any view. You do however get a fair bit of noise when the tenders are launched. There was also a rattle noise from a mysterious spot noticeable at night, but it didn't disturb me too much. Bed and linen were lovely. Lovely bar set up. Champagne and Godiva chocolates a lovely touch. A note for less agile people the bathroom is shower over tub and the tub is deep. I dined in the Queens Grill. I was expecting great things of this and was somewhat disappointed. Same food as Britannia restaurant. A table right at the serving area nowhere near a window. I was expecting individualised treatment. Having said that, the waiters were delightful, most of the food was pleasant, and the company at the table lovely. The head waiter was almost invisible. Luminae on Celebrity is far superior. I also used Carinthia Lounge for lunch and found it to be very pleasant. Barely used Kings Court. I loved Sir Samuels, Veuve Cliquot bar and the Commodores Club. The drinks selection was classy and amazing, and hot chocolate to die for. Excellent coffee too. Service. If you want Joie de Vivre and chatty service this ship is not for you. Most of the service was very discreet, some of it was just plain surly. If this had been a longer trip I know some of the crew would have opened up more. My butler and attendant were lazy. I usually leave a generous tip, not this time. No interaction with them at all. Wine and food waiters in the Grills were gorgeous. I didn't bother with the Concierge lounge as the concierge was surly and it offered little in comparison with offerings on Celebrity and Royal Caribbean. I would not recommend Queens Grill if you are looking for added extras as they just aren't there. Pay as you go in the Grills Lounge. Much prefer Michael's Club on Celebrity. No tender priority either. The ship itself is gorgeous and beautifully maintained. A real pleasure to sail on her and her solidity is beyond question. The Cunard history is a treat to soak up.the library and bookshop are delights I found too late in the cruise. There is a well appointed gym. Classy and genteel entertainment offerings. There is a board game corridor. I didn't use Canyon Ranch Spa. The ports were two of my favourite Australian places and we were greeted with fine weather. Port Arthur was a tender port and everything was run very smoothly. Lovely double deck tenders too. I didn't partake of any ship's tours. I would definitely cruise with Cunard again, as despite my niggles, it was a lovely experience and still felt special. I would probably choose an Interior cabin and just enjoy the facilities of the ship. For perks I will travel Celebrity. Read Less

• We would like to see bad sheet change every 4 days not 7! • Table tennis area windy, some digital timer to be on the game for each machine to be fare. • Main dinner restaurant need more verity food no much choice did not bidder to use it. • Would like to see some Turkish food in Windjammer café or in restaurant • Urgent rules for spa /sauna area, Eg before and after spa entry must have a shower. Peoples enter the spa after the Gym with sweaty body, • Breakfast in main dinner room take to long, must be buffy style. • The workers very tight, need 1 day rest 12hrs 7days 7 months they are human not machine! • The pool area very wrong designed, pool size to small for amount of peoples in the ship 3000.Can’t see the big screen because of spa cover. • Shore excursion on the ship very expansive did not use it. • The pool area very slippery when wet foore need to be slip prove. • More verity cheese need it for breakfast, Mediterranean style • In the shower need seat for elderly peoples. • 10/10 Windjammer café, enjoy flower ride ,rock climbing t/tennis, basketball area Read Less