We were interested in seeing the ports on this cruise Combining with the relaxing sea days at the end. Everything about this cruise was fabulous. The ports included Ibiza, Cartagena, Gibraltar and Tenerife. We went five days early since there is so much to see in Barcelona. The Reflection is a great ship and the staff could not have been more accommodating. We went Aqua Class and I highly recommend it. The Blu dining room was an absolute dining pleasure and the staff just wonderful. I cannot say enough about the food on this ship. It was the best of any cruise we have been on. People were actually photographing the desserts on the buffet! They looked too good to eat. The entertainment was equally good and we loved Giuseppe the activities director. In conclusion, transatlantic will always be my first choice for cruising. And I hope to go on the Reflection again in the future. But Celebrity has become my cruise line of choice. Happy sailing! Read Less

The ship itself was outstanding, with great amenities. The Gym/ Spa area was outstanding, especially the "Thermal Spa" area. The restaurants were all outstanding and catered to different needs and tastes. An unexpected surprise was the planetarium theatre where we saw a couple of shows about the universe and the aurora. The "common" areas provided space for quiet relaxation and opportunities for your choice of musical interludes. The entertainment selection was excellent, with many different types of music... classical (piano and strings), acoustic guitar, musical themed concerts, rock band. The individual cabins were just right in terms of space and amenities... and the heated floor in the bathroom was a nice touch. Being a smaller ocean cruise ship, all cabins had outside windows and balconies, which made the travelling more interesting. The Viking staff were all excellent! From the Captain to the cabin stewards, everyone had a smile on their face, catered to your every need and made you feel welcome. Awesome photo opportunities! We have already booked the next Viking Cruise. Read Less

We went 2 adults, 1 child 12yrs, perfect! From stepping on board, the whole experience was brilliant, all staff so helpful, spotless ship, so much going on. We had a cabin on deck 5, so did not got no motion when at sea, the cabin was a good size, & kept extremly clean by Romin. We had the drinks package which is well worth doing, so any drink upto 10€ was included, worth it, as most drinks are 7-8€ + 15% service charge. The entertainment was very good, day & night, if you don't like the party atmosphere then there is the sky lounge, or piano bar on deck 5. The restuarant we had 1st sitting btwn 6.30-6.45, but we never went In till 7-7 15, and was never a problem . Food here was excellent, we never paid to go in other restuarants, as our food so nice, the only 1 we did go to was cirque de soliel, which was 35€ p head, we wasn't impressed, choice of 2 starters, raw tuna or tomato & mozerella, and 2 or 3 main choices, 1 dessert, the theatre hardly had anyone in that ate, so very quite, 1 hour later the people that paid 15€ for show & cocktail came in , the show lasts abt 30mins, we felt better off eating in the inclusive restaurants very disappointed with experience of cirque de soliel, only get bottles of wine, no other choice, and not part of package, so really not worth a 30min show! We done all our own excursions, as found the ship ones expensive, but we chose our own things before we went. We went to a beach in malta on a bus 1.50€ e w, had a lovely day! In Genoa we went to the aquarium which was a 10min walk from ship, they charged 54€, which included a ferry to aquarium, which you did not really need! Trips are personal choice. Disembarking we was given 08.50, but we changed our time to 10 20, no problem in changing. The whole holiday on bellissima was fantastic, we shall be cruising with msc agn. Read Less

I have only been on one other cruise, that was Carnival, so that is the only comparison I have. First, the good thing... The entertainment was great. The people in the show do a wonderful job. Most of the staff are nice enough. The ship is clean and beautiful. There are many nice pools and hot tubs, so they were not crowded (yet they close them all down early which is irritating). The bed was comfortable and the room quiet. The food in the buffet was just okay (deserts were good), better than Carnival, but the food in the dining room was much worse than carnival. And now I move on to the bad things... Eating in the dining room on Carnival was a great experience we looked forward to every night, but on MSC it felt like a punishment. Usually the food was not good and the waiters also made us feel uncomfortable and unwanted. They do not have "anytime dining" like other ships, you have to pick 6 PM, 8 PM or 10 PM. They kick you out after an hour or so to get ready for the next crowd. They are always rushing around in a hurry yet take forever to bring the food. We waited an hour for our first course one time, then had 15 minutes to eat the rest and get out. It is loud and there is constant banging from the dumbwaiter bringing down food. We asked to be switched to a different time and got a better waiter and location after the switch. I cannot believe they charge you for water in the dining room! Water was free on Carnival. Which is my next complaint, they are constantly after more money. They pester you all the time to buy the drink and food packages. The drink package would have cost $700 for the two of us ($40 a day). If you're drinking $700 in alcohol in one week you have a problem. We spent $80 on drinks, that's it. The food package would have cost around $260 for 3 meals for the two of us. That's seems high for mediocre food. The worst experience by far were the excursions! DO NOT book a tour. Have them bus you and walk around on your own. The tour company they use in Italy is a nightmare! We were not given all the things promised in Pisa and Rome. In Rome they lost an elderly man and left him there. Don't know if he ever made it back to the ship. I did not listen to the tour guides speak, they are hard to understand. Our English speaking guide hardly said anything anyway. The guides have deals with shops to take you there so you will buy things, like the "Pearl Factory" they said we needed a ticket to get into. It was a jewelry store! Nothing more, and it is free to go in. They wasted my time with this stuff. I felt very ripped off over the excursions. The internet was poor, and we had a router right outside our room. The zip-line cost $12 a person and is boring. It should be free! The constant up-selling is just a nightmare. We have decided not to go on MSC again because of these issues. Read Less

We chose this cruise because of the luxurious rooms and service, and the smaller number of people on board. We were very pleased with the service and accommodations, the food was superb in every restaurant, and the amenities such as spa, exercise room, butler service, etc was exceptional. We couldn’t ask for a better ship and crew. Our butler was extremely knowledgeable and helpful to us. All of the staff on the ship were very accommodating and pleasant at all times. We really felt like they were genuine in their actions. We took a cooking class and had a lot of fun learning how to cook Mediterranean food. The restaurants were exceptional and all gave a top class experience from the wait staff, food, wine, etc. the travel overnight to the next port was a great way to move from port to port each day. The embarking to port was easy and usually close to town for walking or catching a taxi. The tours were well planned and easy to access. A few shorter tours at each port (2-3 hours) would have been helpful to add to the tour options. Overall the cruise was exceptional and I will consider other cruises on Oceania! Read Less

Firstly this was our first cruise so we have nothing to completely judge against, however the things I will talk about was our experience. On arrival onto the ship we we’re badgered by staff wanting us to sign up to a drinks package which we had already sorted pre arrival. This also didn’t stop for a couple of days. ( by all means assist customers but make staff be seen but have customers approach staff ) We also were constantly bugged by the staff photographers constantly asking if we wanted our picture taken and even after a polite no they then pleaded ‘it will only take a few minutes ‘ whilst following us. My polite no’s were beginning to wear very thin towards the end. To add insult to injury the one time we gave in, we were then automatically charged £34.99 to our card before even seeing them. From the reception they told me it was down to me to say I didn’t want them to have the charge removed. So I was glad to keep an eye on my account on my tv in my cabin. Otherwise it would have been a shock on leaving. ( may be better for customers to say yes before charging). Each place we docked at we were badgered if we wanted taxi or sight seeing bus. All were stupid prices and you can do so much better sourcing your own public transport at great prices.... it got tiresome as they wouldn’t take no as an answer. I feel msc security/ dock security should monitor this and actively reduce this annoyance. Now the ship is an absolute beautiful design. Really took our breath away. The mid ship sky screen shows and displays were very good. The shows onboard were very very good and thoughly entertaining. And at 30 mins I feel it was too short but understand with time restrictions for the program it has to be that way. I had no issues with my premium drinks package and recommend this is purchased. The staff were all very friendly and pleasant and had no bad experiences in the dining room with food or waiting staff. The cabin ( we had a balcony) was a nice size and I would say it was a slightly smaller than the average Travelodge room but pretty much the same layout. Tv channels were slightly limited ( but who comes on holiday to watch tv ). The safe is quite tiny and we couldn’t put our iPads in it. But it was simple to use. The Bed was very comfortable with two pillows. Balcony size ok. Mini bar idea not so good. .... it is not covered on the drinks package. I think to enjoy the balcony it would be good to use from mini bar to save having to go to the bar for purchasing drinks to carry back. Most drinks in there can be from the bar anyway. ( just saves borrowing and restocking ourselves the next day early). The spa is amazing and well worth the visit. Spent most days in there for a couple of hours recovering from our days walking. However on the sea day it got very busy. Maybe it would be good if msc only allowed the package deal only people to access on sea days and offer no day pass. ( could earn more money for them and balance the numbers out for spa visitors). With the numerous relaxation areas jacuzzis and steam/ sauna rooms and ice room. Not forgetting the emotional showers there are plenty of places to relax and rest. Never gambled before and the casino was an awesome experience. Staff very friendly and when it was quiet we asked how to use tables and all was explained very well. There are serious gamblers there, and people like us who had fun with between 10-30 Euros per visit. We actually visited most nights and actually walked away with more Euro’s than we started with. The water slides were fun to use, and the pools were relaxing. And the external hot tubs on the deck were very nice also. Anyone in two minds about first time cruising, I think the ship will give you the experience that will help decide if it’s for you. And as for us......... we will stick with msc and look out for more locations this ship will visit and try out the other ships in the fleet. We have been converted to a life of cruising for sure. Read Less

We booked this cruise a second time because of the solid value offered, and the generally friendly and active passengers we experienced last year. Numerous people remembered us this time as we went about activities and dining, and all were repeat passengers for multiple past cruises. The big values for us were the Burn the Floor dancers that performed in the Manhattan dining room, Epic theatre, and ballroom dance classes. Amazingly fast and complicated moves appeared effortless except for the heat they generated. Many other talent balanced out the performances, including more comedians than last year. Standout hospitality from Roderick in keeping our cabin in perfect shape, even though our schedule was a bit erratic, and from all the food servers in the Shanghai and Manhattan rooms were really appreciated. Wallfredo managed our wine selections with insight and attention, and we have only good memories of many Manhattan dinners. We were laughing one night about what a comparable dinner, Broadway show, late night disco, and hotel in New York would have required; compared to just strolling around the ship for a few minutes and saying thanks for the experience. That’s value. Counterpoints were the smokey casino right in the middle of the ship and the three amenities floors that NCL has not safely ventilated to protect their employees and non-smoking passengers like me. That’s a prime reason for choosing other ships. Secondly, although you can find some healthy foods, they’re re mixed in with hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, sweets and ice cream. Some deserts were labeled “No Sugar Added” but does that mean they are loaded with sugar-alcohols or toxic artificial sweeteners instead. More informative labeling or online ingredient lists would be greatly appreciated. Finally, the entertainment staff needs to expand their playlists to eliminate obnoxious repeats of over-played classics like “Hotel California.” Read Less

So a group of 7 girls decided to go on a cruise for one of our friends 40th birthday, only 2/7 people has done a cruise before so it’s an amazing idea on something different to do. We boarded at Barcelona, everything went very smooth, the check in staff were helpful and informative, so sat at the bar waiting to be called. After looking at the info the check in desks give we head into our room, collect the cards and walk out. We then go to reception get a drink, go for an explore, then head to the top deck. That’s when it goes slightly downhill, no one knows what to do next, we didn’t know about the entertainment information or the timetable as we were so excited to go exploring we seemed to miss the little pigeonhole right next to the door, I finally understood on the last night. Not Costas fault but it’s not explained very well once onboard the ship. Also being a group on girls on a birthday weekend I think there was a few more drinks flowing than normal. At 6.30 there was a safety demonstration which lasted about 20 odd minutes, then off to dinner for 9.15pm, that was a definite eye opener so very busy, the waiter we had wasn’t at all friendly (although we later found out they can work up to 8 months and that’s without a day off), even I don’t think I could plaster a smile on my face everyday. While dining in the main buffet Michael Jackson started blaring on the loud speaker, then up out of no where all the waiters start jumping about dancing. That was amazing as it comes out of nowhere!! Food was good, although the menu can get confusing as the waiter never did explain that you can order anything and everything if you choose. We all dance the night away and that was a great first night. Next morning with a slight hangovers and an early morning wake up call as someone managed to get locked out of their room and went off with another friend in another cabin, we all shower and up we get for a buffet breakfast. I can see from the choice of breakfast that they do try to cater for different nationalities but the breakfast isn’t great to be honest. I try some pancakes and bacon and that’s it. The coffee also isn’t great as unlike the bars where they have a machine and a milk frother they don’t have in the buffet, so water or orange juice is the way forward, also they don’t have a toaster, and the bread is rock solid. You could kill a bird with it. Off we go to marseille, hmmm next time I won’t bother as there’s not overly a lot to do there, walked around, saw some buildings, forced an alcoholic drink down our neck and back on the boat. lunch at the buffer, again it wasn’t too great, rock hard bread again, some warm focaccia, pasta, and a big lump of beef with potatoes, not great if you’re a vegetarian (I’m not, but 2 of our friends are). Go to dinner at 9.15pm, this time the waiters dance to some latin songs, ver well done again. Then another repeat of the night before, more drinks and dance the night away). The 3rd morning head off to the buffet again, this time no pacncakes, I don’t eat eggs so not a lot to choose from, I grabbed 2 pieces of French bread with cinnamon and some pineapple, that will do. We get off at Savona, 1 MASSIVE tip, other than supermarkets everything else shuts at 1.30 and opens back up at 4.30, unfortunately we have to be back on the ship by 4.30 so we spent an hour walking in a group of 7, with different people trying to find a restaurant just so we can get a pizza, it didn’t go down too well but got there in the end. Back on the ship, more drinks, a lot more passengers so the bar on deck 9 was a complete nightmare, then off we go again. Down to shower, off to the 9.15pm dinner, waited until 10pm to ask the waiter what time will the dancing be on tonight, he tells us there won’t be any, shame, so we all thanked him, 3 went off to bed, 4 of us decided to pop off to the casino. Within half hour our 50€ was spent and off to the bar we go. A few more drinks down our necks an the conversation turned to the bar staff. When we took 5 minutes out of our busy lives to see the amount they work, the stuff they have to put up with, and the hours they work on a daily basis, I’m so grateful for my life. The amount of time they’re away from home, they don’t see their families for months and months at a time. While we go on holiday they’re there at our beck and call when we want a drink or service. So thank you Henry and Danny for that night. So last morning just before we go to Barcelona, we set our alarms to make the restaurant breakfast. I do wish I’d gone there before but to be there by 9 is a bit of a deal breaker, unfortunately again we had a not so friendly waiter and had to be called about 3 times before he would come over to serve, at least it was nice. Back to the room to get our stuff as we had to be out by 10. We decided to go back to deck 9, as we started off from there a few more Prosecco to finish up the holiday, and off we go to the shops, pay our bill at the desk and get ready to leave. As they bleep mine and my roommates cats and unfamiliar buzz goes off, we’re not allowed to leave but everyone else disembarked, so back off to the desk to sort the cards out. Cards done and out we go. The 2 of us are last to pick up our luggage go through everything and my friend realizes she’s had some money stolen from her case. Do not leave any money in your case. There’s signs around saying the same so I don’t know what was going through her mind at that time when she left the case outside the door the night before. You HAVE to leave your cases outside of the room the night before for them to collect it. They advise to leave the cases the night before by 12 midnight and no later than 1am, but I witnessed them not coming until 3.30 am. Do not leave anything valuable at all. There’s always people workers and non workers wandering the hallways so could have been anyone. I also had stuff taken but luckily not money. Anyway other than the little hiccup at the end it all went well. I also missed the last day lunch as I was too busy booking my next cruise onboard. This time as a family, so hopefully the next one will be a little less partying and a little less hangovers. On the last note, be aware that if you suffer from rocking on land, It’s been 48 hours and I still don’t feel great and I’m still rocking and swaying. Maybe I was a little hasty in booking the next one but I’m sure I’ll be over it then. Read Less

Well where to start! This ship cruise was my very first ship cruise ever! Enjoyed the statement room my grandmother and I had, was a nice size just for the two of us. Dexter our stateroom attendant was very very nice, did an awesome job keeping us happy. The entertainment on ship from live shows to yoga, movies in a nice huge theater to live musical bands were non stop. The cruise consisted of a 14 day and many stops from France, Italy, Greece and Malta! Which we took advantage of the many excursions there were to offer and see! The dining especially formal dining our waiter Davor was so awesome we kept coming back just to see his lovely smile! He was very attentive to us since we only sat at a two setting table. I got to try escargot for the first time and had any of the recommendations of the menu Davor had to offer. The manager sorry I can’t remember his name but is from India he was so awesome too, he always took the time to come by to just chat with us as well! Kuddos to both! So overall regardless of knowing this was a smaller ship have already recommended this same cruise with your company! I’m definitely am highly satisfied with the cruise I as well met many different people around the world! I am definitely coming back! Read Less

The good points are cabin excellent and kept clean. Boarding was efficient and the terminal very clean. Most staff were hard working although if you're English speaking some didn't seem to understand unless basic requests at the table. Entertainment was good, especially the Tenor singer. Wasn't keen on the night the staff provided the entertainment, some were good others pretty mediocre, bit like BGT. The on board dance team were great, providing lessons as well. That we did enjoy. The bad points are: tips being compulsory and not being told upfront, probably in the small print which no-one reads, and not told on booking. Bottled water not included in the drink package, but tap water is ok. The food in the restaurant was poor. Some meals were just ok but mostly it was cold or tepid at best and I even suspect some was leftovers from the buffet, re invented. One particularly unappetising dish was the meat skewers. One piece of lamb or beef (couldn't tell), piece of a sausage and a piece of chicken, in bread crumbs and fried, served with a scoop of mash potato that was grey and lumpy. There was no sauce, so was very dry. We waited nearly half an hour for our starter one night also. Uninspiring desserts also, often something frozen. Better deserts in the buffet area. No gelato ice cream or pizza available unless you pay for it. I expected this at least on the menu as it's an Italian ship. They pick up and drop off at every port, meaning the muster drill is carried out every time and takes place in places where passengers are trying to enjoy themselves, like the Orlav Bar. We had to sit through it or move on. Lots of tannoy speeches in lots of languages, which one time interrupted the dancers who had to jog on the spot until it finished and then try to carry on. The quizzes were Italian based, e.g Italian cities and types of pasta, so unless you were Italian not much chance of winning. I know it's only fun but you like a chance at least. I used the spa and was given a dressing gown which I had to carry from there to my cabin each time, and if I didn't hand it in at the end of the cruise there would be a charge of 79 euros. Also for the pool towels left in our cabin. My husband used the gym, but one day loads of unsupervised children entered and just basically ran about and played on the gym equipment even though a sign said no-one under 16 allowed in there. There was potential for injury. The poor staff were continually pushing a lobster dish for a price, which became a bit tedious. We didn't do any of the shore excursions. So overall I would not choose Costa again. I have cruised with other lines so I do have something to compare it with. This was my 2nd Mediterranean cruise, the previous being with NCL which was a far superior experience. I could go on with more disappointment but I think enough said, I don't want it to become a novel. Read Less

Just a quick breakdown on our 12 night Mediterranean Greek Isles cruise: 1) The Ship was very enjoyable, high marks to the condition on the ship. Smaller ship in the fleet, for this voyage, just the right size. 2) Stayed in cabin 8029 (Interior State Room). Just perfect, quiet, great location, just the right size. The cabin was excellent 3) Had a great meal each and every day. Most enjoyable meals were at Izumi's, but overall food was great. The meals were just short of excellent. 4) Entertainment and Activities were just as expected. Sign up for the Triller show, great time. 5) We received 10 star service. I would take this cruise just to be able to be with the crew. 6) Over did it on the shore excursions, slow it down and take it a day at a time. 7) Did not travel with children. Would not recommend them on this ship. 8) I would do the cruise again, just so I could be the ship with the crew. 9) Embarkation was easy, very organized. 10) Enrichment activities were just so so. 11) Entertainment was very good. 12) Fitness was excellent. Read Less

This was our third cruise with Celebrity. It was a disappointment at all levels . It was a big step down from our experience from two years ago with Celebrity Equinox. This was a Mediterranean cruise . It was no entertainment on deck in the evening. It was no fitness or other outdoor activities like the previous Celebrity cruise. It was a lack of service and amenities. It was also a big disappointment in food quality and diversity . Food that we enjoyed at the buffet in the past now we had to go to special restaurants and pay extra. My husband and I had classic beverage packege but to get your cappuccino you had to go to the 5 th floor from 10th floor in order to get it . It was no cappuccino machine at any outdoor bars and any other indoor bars except the 5 th floor. People who catered to us were great but not to many of them ... Many times I had to clean my table and waiters were no where to be found. Overall it was not a good experience Read Less

We chose this cruise ship on the advice of our travel agent. It was amazing! We chose to spend one day in port on the ship, we planned a couple of excursions on our own through Viator, a couple of transfers through Azamara and one on our own. Everything went perfectly! The one "excursion" that we planned on our own was the Great Italy Tour of the Bocelli Winery and restaurant. Here is the link: https://greatitalytour.com I cannot recommend this tour enough! It was the most incredible and personal day ever! From the first time I reached out to them, to the pickup at the port, touring the countryside, the food and wine and the best driver and tour guide EVER, this was the best excursion we have ever been on in all of our travels. This was the most expensive of the excursions that we planned and almost considered not booking it but, on the recommendation of a friend, we did and are so glad we made that decision. My advice: Spend the money and cut back somewhere else if need be. It's that good! Now, the cruise: The staff of this particular cruise went above and beyond at every turn, the ship is beautifully decorated and we loved that this cruise was all inclusive; beverages, food and gratuities. I honestly don't know how anything could have been better on this ship. It was a perfect holiday! Highly recommend! Read Less

We chose this cruise because of the great itinerary, going to places we have never been and wanted to visit. This cruise offered two locations for embarkation, and we chose Rome. There were several places that we wanted to visit in Rome and this gave us the opportunity to arrive in Rome a few days early and spend some additional time there. The City of Rome is actually quite a drive from the cruise port so using this as one of our ports would not have allowed enough time to see everything that we wanted to. The cruise port here in Civitavecchia had just opened so everything was brand new and the process went very smoothly. There also were not as many people embarking here as in Barcelona. so we were able to avoid the crowds. The ship was a bit different than others that we have been on. but there were no major issues. The toilet was in it's own little closet, as was the shower which was on the other side of the door of the cabin. The sink was in the room. The bed was comfortable for my husband and myself, but could be a problem for a tall person. There was plenty of storage in the cabin but very little walking room. One thing that we missed was a walking deck that went around the outside of the ship.There was a small "track" that went up and down one side of the ship on one deck. The upper deck and a few small pools, hot tubs, waterslide and climbing wall. The Garden Cafe Buffet was our choice for breakfast each morning and the food was excellent. We had a promotion for 3 nights of dining in the specialty restaurants and the food options offered were excellent. The regular dining room did not seem to offer very interesting options. The entertainment on the ship was very good, though several required reservations. This was a very enjoyable trip and I would highly recommend it. Read Less

i am just back from Carnival Horizon ship. this is my fourth cruise with Carnival and the ship is amazing. the atmosphere was so happy and cool, the service all over the ship was fantastic, food was great in the buffet as well as in the beautiful dining room. also recommnded to eat at Bonsai, we had a great time there and definitely go to the pig & anchor pub which offers 4 kinds of homemade draft beers. the rooms are large and bright, the casino was big and very active and fun was all over including the shows and the comdian which i highly recommend to go at least one night. the hamburgers are big wow!! the ice cream is unforgettable ... i didn't sail with kids but i saw so many features that they will love! skyride, waterslides, video games, IMAX and many more. well done to Carnival! it's definitely best value for money !!! Read Less

This was our first ever cruise, a 7 night round-trip from Barcelona. The cruise director and the crew seemed to have renamed the ship "The Beautiful Symphony of the Seas" and wow, were they right in that description! Upon boarding we were quite overwhelmed by the sight of the Royal Promenade, the lights, the atmosphere and happily accepted glasses of bubbly from a nearby waiter. Winding back a few minutes, check-in at Barcelona was less than smooth. Having checked-in online, submitting our photos and credit card details it was a bit weird to have to do all that again at the desk but that's a minor gripe. Our stateroom became available at 1pm and our bags followed not long afterwards. We were very impressed with it, spotless and pristine, as you'd expect from a new ship. Ample storage, comfortable large bed and a lovely balcony, it was a perfect base for our travels. The soundproofing was good, we barely heard anyone else either through the walls or door. Our corridor was near a busy kitchen but you could only tell when outside the room. Food was generally good. We used the Windjammer buffet a few of times for breakfast or lunch, a cheery welcome strongly encouraging guests to wash their hands before eating, good to see. The choice and quality was good and we had no concerns over the time the food was around. Each station was well staffed and the crew seemed to be on top of keeping things hot and stored correctly. We were a little taken aback by the behaviour of fellow guests, seeing people have their tables taken by others whilst at the buffet was a little inappropriate. Others seemed to take far more than they ever intended to eat but I guess that's probably a common occurrence on cruises. We tried the main dining room for the first two nights, having chosen My Time Dining we were on deck 4. Unfortunately on both occasions we were sat right at the back of the area in a small wing adjacent to the kitchen, so noise from there and constant traffic of servers affected the ambiance negatively. The food was a little disappointing. I am vegetarian but was happy with the look of the menu - 2 or 3 starters and 1 or 2 mains each evening. I had read about a veggie Indian dish being available and I ordered that which as delicious. The second day I chose a pasta dish which was simply awful. Stodgy, over-cooked and contained eight (!) whole garlic cloves. The server in the main dining room, remembered serving me a vegetarian curry the night before but still recommended a meat dish from the menu for me! No big deal but the vibe, service and food quality persuaded us to look at other options for the rest of the week. We tried the Solarium Bistro for evening meal which was very nice. A smallish buffet venue but with good staff serving drinks. The choice was varied and the quality was good. One drawback was most food was portioned into small dishes making plating up and transporting food tricky! Great views at the front of the ship from deck 15 as the sun set. On day 3 we thought we should try some of the specialty offerings for dinner. Not having booked any packages asked if they were still available. Certainly was the reply, $88 for 3 nights, which I thought was pretty good value. 150 Central Park was a beautifully-styled room and the food was pretty good. Service a little inattentive but generally a good experience. Jamie's Italian I love. We have quite a few of them in the UK and we've found that they've really gone downhill in the last 18 months or so but I thought hey, I'm sure Jamie will have trained the crew of this new ship well! And I was right, everything was excellent, the bruschetta, the garlic bread, the pasta, the fish. A really memorable experience with a buzzing atmosphere, loved it. Hooked was our third on our last night, primarily for my wife who loves seafood. She had crab cake, chowder and whole lobster! I'd asked about veggie ahead of the meal and they said they'd make anything for me so (spot a theme...) I asked for some pasta! And it looked remarkably like the one they were making at the pasta station in the Solarium Bistro... but it tasted good and that's all that matters really. Our server, Richard, was the sweetest thing, friendly, helpful and ordering appropriate sides without asking. The ship itself was fabulous. Very well thought out and designed. I'm sure there were thousands of guests but it rarely felt like it. We watched the theatre show Hairspray and were very impressed with the production. The bars were varied and decorated wonderfully. We particularly enjoyed the Schooner Bar with the resident pianist Paul O'Shea playing most evenings into the small hours. He was a real highlight, talented, amusing and gently amenable, even when a fellow guest seemed to request Bohemian Rhapsody every night... Other bars we liked were Dazzles, with an enjoyable live band, On Air for the odd chuckle at the Karaoke and the Bionic Bar for a fun evening kick-off with a robot delivered cocktail. The Rising Tide Bar moving between decks 5 and 8 was a cool place to soak up the view of the promenade and rise up to see the stars. The itinerary was packed, every day bar day 6 was a port day but we found ourselves rushing back to enjoy the ship more often than not having travelled well throughout Europe many times previously. So exciting and this trip will certainly change our holiday habits in future, a fabulous break and one we can't wait to do again. Very impressed with RCCL and the ship, we recommend it wholeheartedly and we will return. Read Less

Before our very first cruise I checked out the reviews on this site and became quite apprehensive on what our experience of our first cruise would be. I would like to say we were enthralled, our cruise could not have been any better. From the size of our cabin, size and facilities on the ship to the vast range of food ( the 4 seasons restaurant was a daily treat), we were impressed. The staff were all courteous and helpful, and all worked extremely hard to ensure a quality customer service and experience. The excursions were vast and varied although a bit pricey at times, we often used the local hop on hop off bus or boat trip, which we found cost effective and enjoyable. Sunny afternoons the decks and pool areas could become busy but there is enough space around the decks to find a secluded and relaxing spot. I would book this again in a heartbeat. Read Less

Wife and I have been cruising over 25 years. These days we prefer suites on longer cruises so we upgraded to the Explorer Suite. Well worth the money. Great room and largest balcony we’ve ever had. Viking Sea is only two years old so we were definitely spoiled. Ship is in great shape and many things on board are fascinating like the shower in the suite. It’s walk-in with no ledge. Great drainage via great design. Heated towel racks etc. were all as one would expect in the top-rated suites. Room came with lots of extras and as the brochures say, all is included. Room service was great for early breakfast when shore excursions were leaving early. Service was impeccable. Food was great. Entertainment was so-so. The night club was fun. The house band playing in the night club was probably the best musicians on the trip. Had a great couple singing just about anything you could name and they hit it out of the park. Bar tenders do the flippy thing with bottles which is fun to watch as well. Pools, gym, etc. was all new and great. This trip was Barcelona and Beyond, a three-week cruise I understand they will no longer offer. Itinerary hit the Baltic region where we’ve never been. I’ll be brief and say this was the best cruise we’ve ever been on in over 25 years, but there are a few things that surprised us. 1. Shore excursions: The literature says shore excursions are included. Wrong. One shore excursion is included at no additional charge at each stop, but that excursion usually consists of a 3-hour bus ride with the tour guide talking about a site as you drive by. These are also what you get if you take the transfers onto the ship and off. They use the 3 hours to kill while the ship gets ready for boarding or the hotel is ready for check-in. I’d probably take a taxi in the future. Plan on paying for excursions the old-fashioned way if booking through the cruise. You can book your own through somebody like Viator.com but if they don’t get you back in time you’re screwed and the boat leaves without you. One thing about Viking, they stick to a schedule as far as departures. 2. Tips: The literature states a daily rate is charged per person that goes to handle all tips. Not really. At the end of the cruise we wanted to help out the crew and give more money by charging it to our room account and directing that to be split between members of the crew. After I already made the payment, I was talking to members of the crew. Each individual told me the same story. They get the same amount in their checks regardless of how full the ship is with guests. They never see any variance in the amount which strikes me as unusual since I’m sure other guests probably had the same idea of adding more to the account. So, if you want to add to the base amount go old-school and get envelopes from the passenger service desk and stuff your cash in them for tips at the end for those you believe deserve the additional amounts. 3. Hotels for before and after: Viking did an excellent job picking hotels. At least 4 stars for each. 4. Before and after excursions: You’re on your own for these. Viking only books those that occur during the cruise. At least they did on this one. We arranged our own. 5. Web site: Very useful. Fill out all the information for express check-in in the My Journey site. Site also had good info and videos of stops etc. Study it well in advance of your departure. 6. Travel insurance: Viking offers insurance that is good for the trip, but could use more for medical. You might want to augment this coverage with a medical that offers additional coverage. For instance, in states I had to be airlifted after an accident which cost over $40,000. In Europe and other parts of the globe, should the unthinkable happen, anything that flies costs 4 or 5 times that, plus the additional cost to repatriate back to the states. Just something to think about Summary ….. it will spoil you taking other cruises. Read Less

My husband and I were on our honeymoon. We wanted to do a Mediterranean cruise as neither of have ever even been on a cruise before. I didn’t know what to expect. I have to say, I had so much fun and enjoyed almost everything! The ship is so breathtakingly huge and beautiful, it’s hard to not be taken back by it. It was clean and I loved the style and color scheme. Boarding the ship in Barcelona was a breeze for us. We were on the ship in probably 10 minutes. We had small luggage so we just took them to our room ourselves. When we first got on the ship, we were greeted with a free glass of champagne and it just looked and sounded like a party. So we went to drop the bags in the room so we could join in the fun. Our room was great. Clean, amazing ocean view with a balcony. I loved how we could be on the balcony and feel like we had total privacy. I never heard anything come from other guests in either of the cabins next to us. The bed was surprisingly comfortable and the bathroom was pretty basic. So we decided to get the ultimate drink package because we both enjoy having some drinks and based on my many years in the bar industry, I had a fairly good idea on about how much drinks would cost. Honestly, if you think you could/will drink at least 6 total alcoholic drinks for the whole day, You really need the ultimate drink package. If you figure per day, the package costs $60 (maybe $50, if you buy it before going on your cruise). The average cost for a beer or wine is $8 or $9 and without the package, you would still need to tip. With the package you get any drink that is up to $13 and gratuity is already included with it. It was drinking Grey Goose mostly but I never ran into a drink that went over that $13 limit. Our food experience on the ship had its good points and some not great points. I wasn’t blown away by anything but nothing was awful. The Mexican restaurant was probably my favorite. My biggest complaint would be the hours of operation for the bars and restaurants. Only Sorrento’s would have food late and it was probably my least favorite out of all of them. And unless your going to order a mimosa from room service, you won’t get that until the bar by the pool opens at 10 (don’t judge, I was on my honeymoon Read Less

As a general rule, cruises are relaxing with easy days at sea, but not the Viking Star. Instead, you are on the go to see and visit and learn so very, very much. In fact, if you want to lose weight, you go with the Viking Star where you can do what you want and eat what you want, and you still lose weight. Oh, I forgot, you have to take my Wife, please take my Wife, and she watches caloric intake as well. I hope people who read this will find the humor in what I am saying, but note that the Viking is one of the best cruise lines on the water today. The ships are not so big that you lose your way to the bathroom, but large enough that the amenities are fantastic. You have the ability to go to visit places and there is no extra charge. You can do as much as you want and keep active while on board as well as having tea in the afternoon with awesome desserts and take a nap at the same time. As a person who has been on several cruises and many cruise lines, the ease with which we got on the boat was amazing. Granted, it was later in the day, but we got off the plane in Barcelona, Spain, and we were grabbed at the air port and taken immediately to the dock. Our luggage was grabbed by the people and taken to our room. In fact, the one thing I told my wife was that I just wanted to unpack, take a shower, and go to bed. Instead, we walked briskly through the port, received all of our documents and cards, and almost had to run to the room to keep up with how efficient the boarding staff was. And, when we finished our entry within 10 minutes or less, we ran to our room. Our luggage beat us to our rooms, and we were able to take our shower, lay down for a few minutes to rest, and enjoy a fun filled evening on board. I cannot tell you how many times we have had to wait not minutes, but hours to get our luggage to the room. It was awesome. In each port of call, we not only had the time of our lives escorted on as many excursions as we wanted, but we were able to learn a great deal about the places we visited. We saw Monte Carlo, France, Spain, and of course Rome, Italy. All arranged by the cruise line and all simply awesome. The only draw back was the entertainment. There were some nice young kids that were apart of the group singing and dancing, but watch a movie or get some sleep. You will need it. Let me just summarize by saying this: the food was the best on a cruise that I have ever had on any cruise, bar none. The service was always friendly, and there was particular young lady (Natasha) that was at the buffet that I tried desperately to give money to. She told me to keep it and just say nice things about her to the staff. I wanted to give her a $100 bill, but she said that she would rather me say something nice and have a smile for a nice job. That is something I have never seen. Turn down money because she already had the enjoyment of doing her job by our smiles. That blew me away. Read Less

Viking is always our first choice with consistently high quality in service, accommodations and food. Quite season meant no crowds and as long as you don't mind a sweater or light jacket, it was a very enjoyable cruise. The weather was actually quite new with only one day of rain out of 14. The sea was a bit rough a couple of nights but it was a cruise after all. We were a little disappointed that two North African port stops were cancelled due to safety concerns but the addition of Naples and Malaga more than compensated for the change. Shore excursions were very good with a few exceptions. If the description says "panoramic" it means you won't get off the bus much. Every port has at least one included excursion. The optional excursions can get pricy. This was not our first Viking cruise so we knew our way around right from the start. We were not disappointed by the level of service. This was "all inclusive" including beer and wine with meals. If you intend to drink more often, consider the spirits package but it is not necessary. Gratuities are added to your final shipboard charge but given the quality of service it was very appropriate. Read Less

I didn't choose this cruise line but decided to go along with a couple of girlfriends for the adventure. In general, room was very clean but extremely small, the staff were mostly friendly (sometimes out and out rude) but the English was extremely tough to understand (I was not expecting this as I was told that every employee is required to speak English), and the food was edible, nothing to get too excited about. The dining staff was fantastic and tried their best to accommodate. I bought a coffee card knowing that the coffee served in buffet is always instant. The unfortunate part about this is I was literally in search of a cafe/bar that would serve me at 6 am. I was told they didn't open until at least 6:30 am and to try another bar, only to get the same response. Needless to say, I found this response and lack of service atrocious. The biggest complaint I had was about the 'wellness package' (WP). Knowing I was traveling with friends that were not interested in being active, working out or doing much in the way of walking around new cities, I opted for the wellness package. I was hoping to make friends, get involved in groups (brochure said there would be specific excursions set up just for the wellness package guests--not 1 excursion was planned) and take classes (1 free class a day, HA, great concept if they actually offered any!) I signed up but was told they only offer the class if they have at least 5 passengers sign up. The entire week, they didn't offer one class. With regard to my room, it was located one floor down from the fitness area, which was great. I was told that the entire block of rooms were reserved for WP but I had to complain to my cabin steward about my neighbors smoking on their deck several times. Completely unacceptable. So to summarize, no group excursions, no group classes, no personal training. Only benefit at all was not paying for water the entire cruise, which I added up and it would have cost me approx. $100 for the water. MSC needs to re-evaluate the WP and get it right because the concept is fantastic. Embarkation and disembarkation were a breeze so they did something right. Read Less

Loved this trip but never knew how expensive it would be... all the ports are FAR from the places you want to visit and the transfers t some places can cost over $100 per person (not counting the actual tours) Also, we needed to reserve out show times due to a very very very small theater. By the time we learned about that it was all booked! so we missed a few things... Some shows were not included (extra fee) The fact that I had to pay $15 per person to go from the dock to the center of Palma was just ridiculous! the port promise was to Palma! they should at least take you there! (since the ship docks really far from the center) The restaurant's service was extra slow on this ship (not sure why) and the meat very tough... we ended up eating at the Garden cafe most nights in order to avoid dealing not l with the slow service and tough food... (nice waiters!!!) The staff is wonderful (as always) but I felt that this cruise really over reached on the extra priced items... pay for shows, for shuttles, small theater, and the ice bar... also - no kidfree night club (they have an area called H20 outside.. very cold and windy - I went once and left after a minute - and it was FULL of kids - they do not enforce the rule) I would not recommend this particular cruise to anyone who doesn't have a lot of money... I don't, so it was very painful! ps. If you want to see all the places, know this will not be a relaxing tour (we knew that) We wanted to see as much as possible so by the end of the day we were very tired. just thought I would share that too. Read Less

My my embarkation port was Barcelona, where we spent three days at portaventura hotel. I advice. Then we embarked. I.went with my husband, my five years kid and thirteen years kid. I can only say it was a great decision we took. Beautiful and clean ship. Aurea balcony cabin is an excellent deal. Lots of adults' and kids' entertainment. Very nice excursions, delicious and various food, friendly staff, lovely ambience. Fits to families with kids, to honeymooners, singles, teenagers, babies, kids..... With aurea cabin u get a priority pass so u get a smooth and fast embarking. As well yyou get unlimited Drinks and smoothies. Free massage for me and my husband. Access to a wonderful restaurant with different menu each day. As fit the excursions. There are plenty of variety. Historical, beach, familial, adventurous... you may choose the excursion you want. In brief it was a "sans faute" trip Read Less

Because of short distance to start Harbour. Then the cruising time date. And another important reason was the cruise line. Starting our holidays we explore Barcelona for one and a half day. The embarkation started with problems. Our Seapass- cards wasn't ready and we have to spend a lot of time at the desk, waitin for this cards. Still waiting, we recognized we was not alone with this problem. It was not my first cruise, but my first which started with trouble. After everybody from the crew was very friendly to me I was happy again. The cabin was very nice ( small but nice) but also I know the dimensions from other trips before. The dining was great. We try the main dining room and also the windjammer cafe. Both places have a great lunch. Ports and shore excursions are surly nice, but we do it by our own. Reasons are: Early sold out, or to expensive, or starting to early in the morning. I would do a cruise vacation again and surly with RoyalCaribbean. Read Less