Ship in general was a reasonable size. Very Clean. Rooms were spacious. Enough room for everything. The staff was fantastic ! We had Alex and Avetik in the dining room ( they were awesome – great recommendations and super kind ) and TUN was a great room steward. The food. Supper was very well presented. My husband liked the cream soups. I liked most if not all the appetizers. We were very lucky to be there for a special Halloween Gala. The food was more than lovely and the Entertainment was great on this night as well. The pools and outdoor areas were really not open. It was chilly and rained most days. The ports of call I really liked. We came from Canada and had travelled specifically for this cruise- it took a bit of time and we loaded at Dublin. I am now a HUGE IRISH fan. The people. The Food. Everything. The port – well – it is a busy industrial port. Not really meant for a cruise ship but all the same Embarkation went well. We were early for Embarkation and in pouring rain and they let us on the boat before our time. We decided to press a couple pairs of pants prior formal night and had not realized there were no irons aboard for safety reasons. So on the ship we headed up to the lunch buffet. Which I liked – Super busy though. Very difficult to find seats as there was no outdoor sitting area and meals were at set times. Breakfast was difficult. The orange juice and the apple juice seemed either highly diluted or perhaps powdered tang. It was best to take water. Coffee was good. Very good. The scrambled eggs were a pale pink – every day. I thought maybe it was an Irish thing – but NO – we had breakfast in Ireland several times after and did not have pink eggs. There was a very likeable fellow manning the omelette station and he was busy doing eggs over easy and poached as well. So that was a lifesaver. The Sausages – too large and most were not cooked thru. The bacon is a different than in north America and is not crispy. The muffins were plain white – no bran or flavors. Breakfast was not my favorite meal. The staff were great on the buffet as well. Lunch was good with a carvery , a curry and a couple of traditional British dishes. The Waldorf helped the buffet by basically doing a copy cat of the menu and there was always space there. We only made it to the tea once and it was fine. Tea biscuits and jam, sandwiches a bit soggy but in general okay. The Shore Excursion was a bit of a muss up for us as we had booked the Paris Trip from Rouen and it was booked about six weeks prior but our name was not on the list. We were on the waiting list and it did not look good until the last minute. Very thankful for this as we had travelled quite a way and my husband had never seen Paris. So as far as Excursions at others ports we went on our own. At Liverpool Day 1 – we walked to the St. James train station and took the train to Chester. It was awesome despite the rain. We walked the wall, watched buskers and generally loved it. With the rain – trains were delayed getting back however but we made it back for supper. On day 2 in Liverpool we took another train on Mersey Rail to New Brighton – and walked the water promenade. The waves were crashing with the wind and it was great. Gorgeous well kept town. We then jumped on a Hop On Hop Off bus – we had pre-booked with Expedia. It was a very interesting city and the guide was excellent. Loved this. We did not Hop back on and were tired and headed back. Thankfully the next day was at sea. There was not a lot going on and we rested. The next day we arrived at Rouen – and took the Paris tour. It was very good – more rain. Interesting guide. Should have driven by Versailles really. This cruise has quite an elderly clientele and a high percentage are not mobile for various reasons. It was difficult for disabled persons to get on and off the ship/bus . It held up others and there is general worry that someone will get hurt. We are late 50’s but are very mobile and walk several kilometers a day but this is not the norm here. I would have enjoyed dancing many nights but the ship does not have a disco or really any modern dance music. I would have also liked more physical fitness activities like yoga in the morning or stretch or zumba classes- but only 3 days had a 9 PM class and we missed them. At Honfleur – it was a quick walk into town. We decided to hike up to the top of Mont Joli. It was steep but fine. Coming down it was a walking path. Gorgeous views from up there. Loved this town – at least 4 very interesting churches, a market and a lovely park by the water. The River Seine itself was interesting . I had no idea there was that amount of industry in France. They are making windmills and manufacturing tiles and exports in the extreme. Their economy appears robust. Another day at sea with a wonderful Gala dinner with our fantastic Irish friends. We are won over. Stayed a few extra days to see the gorgeous Irish countryside and seaside. What a great country and such a sad past. Read Less

This was our 5th cruise so we had lots to compare the Magellan to. As it was cheaper than our usual cruises we didn't expect it to be as good as it was. We booked though a local bus company (J McGinley coaches) who picked us up practically at our door and returned us home immediately on disembarking no airports or hanging around a great plus for the holiday.Embarking and disembarking was super fast and efficient and our cases were at the cabin with an hour. The Magellan is older and not as glitzy as some we have been on but we really enjoyed the cruise. The fjords are magnificent and we saw lots of magnificient scenery both on excursions and while sailing on the ship. Food : we managed to get a table for 2 in the Kensington 2nd sitting and we thought that the food was excellent. Small portions but lots of courses and it was like fine dining every night. I loved their consomme style soups we had a different one each night - very high standard. Our waiters Menino from Goa and Kwang from Burma were very charming and looked after us well . I opted for the lobster thermidor one night at £16 extra and it was lovely. We don't like dressing up for formal evenings ( a thing of the past thankfully on NCL who we usually cruise with ) so we ate in the buffet on formal nights. The food wasn't as good as in the dining room and was mostly too cold . The buffet in the evening ends far too early at 8.30 . Our 2nd sitting dinner was only starting then so why so early? The staff in the buffet were no overly helpful they watched me struggle to carry chairs to an empty table and didn't offer to help. Breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea were good but often hard to find a table. They had smoked duck for breakfast quite often amazing! Its a nice touch that they bring around canapes after 10 to the bar area but the calamari is inedible hard and tough . One night they put on a Magnifique buffet at 10.30 with all sorts of starters, salads, suckling pig and desserts but it was too late to enjoy and just after dinner surely this would be better at lunch time? Drinks : We opted for the premium drinks package which included our gratuities and felt we got good value with it although the drinks prices were very reasonable compared to other cruise line . The big negative we had on the Magellan however was the bar service , it was awful, we always waited at least 15 min to get a drink often much longer and frequently had to go to the bar to be served ourselves. Surely they can do away with the need to sign for each drink as well as swiping the guest card. Any other cruise we have been on the card was swiped and that was it , the signing slowed down the whole process . The bar waiters were a bit laid back too and were in no hurry to serve and if you went to the bar to order often just ignored you. The Taverners and Sinatra lounge were the slowest .This is an area Magellan needs to address. Safety Drill The safety drill took far too long it needs to be better organised and more efficient other ships we have been on do it in 15 min. We enjoyed the entertainment , the comedian ( can't remember his name was excellent) and the Broadway night was very good. Abba and We will rock you were not so good but shows lasted less than an hour which was just right . The cabins were fine plenty of room to store our luggage but the walls were very thin when our neighbours had their TV on until 3.am we heard every word of it . Nina our stewardess looked after us well . One thing I really dislike about CMV is that they overlap cruises. We were disembarking in Dublin some guests got off in Liverpool but new guests also got on to start a new cruise.This spoiled our last night as we didn't have our usual dining room table or sitting so opted for the buffet which was chaotic with all the new guests having to eat there . Also the bar closed before dinner from 6.30 to almost 7.30 while the new guests did the safety drill just at the time for our pre dinner drinks. I have listed a few negatives but overall it was a great cruise the disembarking and tendering ran well and we loved our excursions . We didn't really avail of the sunbeds and pool as the weather was cool. The day time activities weren't very good I think the older people would have liked Bingo and we would have likes more interesting talk relevant to the area instead of talks about African animals . We would like to do Iceland and the Faroe island with the company next . Please do away with the outdated dress code we had formal ,informal and causal evenings let everyone wear what they want when they want please and have more tables for 2 not everyone wants to eat with the same group every night Read Less

This was our first cruise and we loved it, chilled out and took it for what it was..w new it was an older ship and not massive so you can feel the motion if your sensitive to it but my husband and our other dinner guey had great sea legs and felt norhing mot of the time. We got the VIP drinks package and it is definately worth it for all cocktails on menu and nice coffee. The shows were mediocre some good and some not so good but staff work very hard and were always on the go .Fair play to them all, bar staff included. Food was good and plentiful in restaurant and if busy people were very oblinging letting is double up on tables and we meet aome lovely people. All guest were very friendly and engaging throughout . We had fabulous Indian on the Saturday night well worth the extra which was half price on VIP package. We only booked one trip with cruise, cheaper to do it yourself on trip advisor. In Flam booked Segways great fun and super way to see village. Bergen lovely but book seperate from cruise. Our tour guide as lovely though. Nice art gallery in eidfjord. Stravanger nice to walk around. So glad we went. People need to be less critical and not so impatient. Some guests rudeness as nothing short of embarrassing, you can't expect staff to give 100 per cent if guests are rude. Read Less

We booked this cruise as it seemed an ideal way to visit Iceland and the Faroe Islands, something a bit different. Another bonus for us was embarkation in Dublin - no flights! We were onto the ship in 5 minutes. It was very quick indeed. Cases were at our cabin before we were, so top marks to the porters. The ship was, as we knew, an older model, but very good in most aspects except the size of our cabin which was limited in circulation space. I'm no spring chicken, and we knew the CMV demographic, but the age group on this ship was quite the oldest we've ever seen. There could only have been about 10 people under 60 and you had to feel sorry for them!! The buffet was therefore a pretty slow process, as you were constantly holding back behind less agile passengers. We thought Fred Olsen had the market cornered in respect of the nursing home market, but this was a real eye opener. Food was excellent, and our drinks package was more than adequate. Entertainment was not great however. The one show I did venture in to see could only be described as up to the standard of our local amateur dramatic society. Singing and dancing were not up to much. Others of our party did go to further shows, and were appalled at the comedian, but felt the 'crooner' was good and there was a classic night which went down reasonably well too. Music in the bars was decidedly average, but after a few pints didn't seem to matter too much. Reykjavik: We were picked up at the dockside by a local tour company for the standard Golden Circle tour. Geysers, Craters, Waterfalls, Tectonic plates, 8 hours in total, but half the price of the CMV tour, which covered less. Isafjordur: 5 of our party took a walk around the town itself, but I hired a bike and went around the coast for 20 miles, pretty spectacular views, really enjoyed it. Clear blue skies for the afternoon. Akureyri: Went whale watching with a local company, again, cheaper than the cruise ship excursion. Spent an hour watching one particular whale in waters which had hardly a ripple. Took a walk around the town in the afternoon. Again, sun in the afternoon. Klaksvik: Not very much to see here. Just a stopping off point for excursions but we hadn't booked anything here. Dull and wet. Thorshavn: Bigger town, more to see, hired a bike again and climbed out of the town and rode along the coast. Faroes are very bleak and the weather was dull and misty which disappointed some, but is only to be expected. Liverpool was our last port and it was great to visit again after many many years. Lots to see, even if you never left the dockside area. All in all, the number of sea days (5) felt like just too much. Now I know you can't move Iceland any closer, but 2 days in a row on the Magellan was too much. I bring a kindle for reading purposes, but didn't use it at all, so the time must have passed rightly, but the 11 day trip did feel a bit too long for us all, and that was down to the days at sea. All in all, we got what we expected I suppose. We've seen Iceland now, but wouldn't be rushing back. Unlike Norway, for example, which we've returned to with Fred, and would love to go again. Scenery more spectacular and easier to get to! Would use CMV again without a doubt, if the itinerary was appealing. Read Less

First time with cruise maritime voyages and was disappointed. I should have realized a European cruise line was not to the expectation of the US branded companies. Food was not even average and must have been tailored to the English crowd. Of the 1350 passengers 95% we from UK, 2% from USA and remaining from elsewhere. Itinerary changes made to accommodate the UK flight arrangements took us from our main stop (Belize) that I had booked this a year in advance. Also while on cruise ports of call cancelled. Read what force majeure means cause they use this as there reasons to cancel without regards to your expectations. Entertainment was lacking through out and the only highlight would be the nightly ship show. Casino non existent, food & buffets had sub par quality and no variety of choices. Cabins spacoius but a/c cooling lacked. As I looked forward to sharing this time with my wife it ended up being quite boring on board and the ports we're of great relief to find something to be excited about. No frills of the ship and the age groups were of retiree. Pools we're occasionally shut down and created a boring trip. Servers were not attentative to your needs and lacked the courtesy to ensure you were pleased & had the service you expected. Hope they find improvement moving forward to 2019 but I would recommend other companies to spend your time with. Sorry CMV but wanted to give an honest review and would like to see you improve services to better cater to your Passengers. Read Less

This was a 9 night trip around the UK (and one stop in France) so not sure why it is showing as a 1 night cruise! We booked only a couple of weeks before sailing - as the price was excellent. We had a Guarantee Outside Cabin so was prepared to put up with what we were given. Unfortunately, I was kept awake the first night by an awful knocking noise which seemed to be coming from outside. After complaining, we were offered a "sleep" cabin - but this was noisier than the main cabin. I was then given ear plugs which I used for the rest of the trip. But having a read on previous reviews it seems that the knocking/clanking noise seems to be a common theme. The cabins need to be soundproofed a bit more - I could hear conversations being had in the next room! Bathroom shower had a very short shower curtain (so I ended up covering the floor in water every time I had a shower). No idea which of the dispensers was shower or shampoo. Cleanliness of the cabin was not good - smeary marks around the phone never disappeared and the taking away of rubbish was a bit hit and miss. Food in the Kensington Restaurant was good. The upstairs buffet used for breakfast and lunch was extremely busy (you had to be lucky to find a table most of the time) and the food quality there was very bland and reminded me of school dinners. The ship is tired - but for the price we paid and the destinations we went to, it was very good value for money - so you get what you pay for. We were not to bothered about the entertainment in the evening - and the one show that we did see was disappointing as the main singer seemed to have lost her voice and was out of tune. This was a "Legends of Palladium" cruise - but we gave most of the legends a miss as it was not our main reason for picking the cruise. Service in the bars was again hit and miss. Sometimes you would wait for ages to be served. Sinatras bar was good (if you could find a seat). Definitely doesn't seem to be enough seats around the whole ship. I have cruised before but this is my first time with CMV. Would I do it again? Maybe - if the price was cheap and the destination somewhere I really wanted to go. But I would pack earplugs and set my expectations accordingly. This is definitely not a luxury experience. Think of it as the budget airline equivalent of cruising. Locations visited: Dublin, Bristol, Skye, Orkney Islands, Honfleur, Guernsey, Scilly Isles, Dublin. Read Less

Better management and training of staff is needed. They need to be proactive. CMV needs to take care of people and the ship. I was on the Magellan. Even the Captain was hiding. It was overtaken by a dance troupe from Liverpool. Nobody wanted to take a stance in keeping the children out of the adult only areas, including the hot tubs. Children were up until all hours roaming the ship, including the exercise room unattended. The Captain saw them and said nothing. Mounds of dishes and glasses were left everywhere. The bar would only pick up glasses, other things were left. There is a lot of potential in their staff, but they are not properly trained. Even officers would not say hello if they saw you in a hallway. There were exceptions... cleaning staff was excellent and there were some charming servers in the dining room. Front desk people were aware of many of the issues, for example, a terrible garbage-like smell and the craziness of the kids, but had their hands tied and gave you the customer relations email (customer.relations@cruiseandmaritime.com) when you said anything. The ship was oversold, staff was over-worked and under trained. The breakfast in the dining room was frustrating. It was difficult to find a server to pour you a cup of coffee. It is not the entertainers' job to take care of the children, but on the Magellan it appeared to be an extra duty they heaped on a couple of the singers. Why have so many children on a ship that does not have facilities for children. The children were going wacky, climbing poles in the captain's lounge and running around. It was so cold in some areas that an elderly woman was having trouble breathing, yet on the early days on the ship you were sweating it was so warm. I think the air conditioning was turned up to deal with the terrible smell. I will say it had a great itinerary with great ports of call, but I will not cruise with CMV again. I have asked to be compensated since I heard there were people paid a third of what I paid, but I imagine since I have stated I will not sail with them again I will see nothing. Read Less

Avoid at all costs. This was my 15th cruise, and my first - and last - with CMV. We chose it because it departed from Dublin. This was, in hindsight, the only real thing to recommend it. In short: terrible customer service; no interest in resolving issues (including disabled passengers not being accommodated with shuttle buses - one woman with arthritis of the spine was made to wait for an hour and a half to get back to the ship); watered-down drinks; bistro woeful (restaurant very good); flooded bathroom and scalding/freezing shower (complained FOUR times, never fixed); a steward who - on the day of disembarkation was already making up our room for the next guests before check-out time; dreadful entertainment; ports that were cheap to dock in, but miles away from anything of interest; overpriced and misrepresented tours. I could go on, but I won't. Instead, I wrote a three page letter to Cruise & Maritime giving them a right of reply. The reply was, effectively: we are sorry you almost got burned / hypothermia from your shower and that your bathroom kept flooding (with sewerage from someone else's room) but this can happen on a cruise ship and it's part and parcel of cruising. Add to that: we gave you a 20% discount on the tour that was supposed to be "Leisurely" but which even Usain Bolt would have struggled to keep up with. Their reply finished by saying that they hoped my experiences wouldn't stop me from travelling with them again. Yes, they wrote that without irony. Avoid like the plague. Read Less

We recently went on the above cruise which was our first experience of cruising. We very much enjoyed our voyage but would like to make the following observations in the interest of future improvements. • It would have been helpful to have had a map outlining our voyage. We passed by many islands but had no idea of their names. A commentary of places we were passing would have been nice. • It would have been better if our journey had been a little more spaced out. I.e. not visiting somewhere every day. A pause would have been good. • Some staff need training in the English language and western ways. Most very pleasant but some appeared rude due to poor command of language. • The Captain did not present well. Again poor English which gave an impression of incompetence. • The menu could have been displayed outside restaurants giving guests an opportunity to browse it prior to meals. It would also have been good to have the wine list available to read in the bars as there was only a limited time to study it at dinner. • We found the shop very expensive with the exception of some alcohol. It would be useful for passengers if it sold toiletries and other items that might have been forgotten or run out. • We had an outside cabin which had an excellent view but an extra chair/stool to put clothes on at night would have been helpful. • The survey we were asked to complete was very limited. It would be better to be able to rate items on a 1-10 scale instead of being asked Yes or No. All in all we had a very pleasant time and loved the places visited. Read Less

I chose this cruise because it went to the island of Iona, a fascinating place where many ancient manuscripts were written, including the Book of Kells. The itinerary was great but the ship needs major updating and cleaning. The buffet restaurant had FILTHY carpets and I even saw the plumber with the tool he had just used to unblock the frequently blocked toilet walk through the restaurant without covering this germ ridden item. The food was very poor quality, the cheapest of ingredients and leftovers served the next day, even in the dining rooms and the alcohol was of very questionable standard. The ship lost all power one day as we were about a mile from port and we drifted for three hours until they could fix it. people were stuck in elevators there were no lights. The outside seating area was furnished with very worn and scratched chairs and tables. I have been on about 50 cruises and this was by far the worst! Read Less

We chose this cruise as we were able to embark in Dublin so no need to fly and we liked the ports which we had not been to before Very efficient check in we boarded straight away and were taken to our cabin and our bags were already there The cabin was fine not the most luxurious but clean and plenty of storage ocean view twin beds small bathroom with basic shower gel and shampoo in dispenser and a shower curtain This is an older ship but the 2 for 1 offer is less than we would pay for one person on other cruises and our friends had the cabin next door We have cruised before but it was their first time and they were happy with it We sailed at 8 to Liverpool had dinner in the Kensington Restaurant the staff were very friendly and the food excellent no complaints we asked for a different table next day and were seated by the window which was lovely the service was very good We took the great value £17 per day drinks package it was excellent value Lovely day in Liverpool and then a sea day before Honfleur then Rouen and Guernsey and the last port was Scilly Isles where we went to Abbey Gardens in Tresco the highlight of the cruise The entertainment was not the best but the Russian show was great the comedian was dire not at all funny but there was plenty to do and the pianist violinist and the band were excellent Twice there was slight flooding in the toilets in the public areas and the aircon in the room was quite noisy as we found engine noise when at sea but these are minor things Pity that the breakfast finishes so early as if not in by 9.30 they are closed and buffet on deck 10 is just average and seating at a premium on sea days Great selection of bars great prices for drinks and cocktails all areas clean with lovely staff We read some bad reviews which we felt were not fair as it can not be compared to the big cruise lines and it is very good value we have been on many others which were 5 star this would be 3 and our friends have booked for one on this ship for next year We would also use it again in the future Read Less

We chose this cruise as it was departing from Dublin so no flying needed for us! We had 2 wheelchair users with myself and my husband. Embarkation We arrived in plenty of time. Only downside is the port has no parking at the berth they used for Magellan so my husband had to drop us off and drive up to Terminal 1 to park. Basic tent and fold-up chairs greeted us. It was bit tough getting the wheelchairs up the wooden ramps but I got there! Bags where whisked away very swiftly. Check-in was fast, we had all documentation ready, we had our photo taken and checked-in within ten minutes. Then the trouble started. We had to get the wheelchair users out of the wheelchairs (they can walk just very slowly) and walk them up the "ramp" onboard. This ramp consisted of extremely treacherous metal steps that were upright so you had to step over each one up to the top. Slow going and nerve-wrecking for an elderly person already a bit self-conscious of walking slowly! wheelchairs were ready after we scanned through. My husband had 1 wheelchair user up ahead of me and so got on first, rather than allowing them to wait for me and my charge. As a consequence they were shown to the room and we were stranded. I had to ask to be shown. Staff were unorganised and some rude, they just ignored you, or in my case, left the wheelchair behind a rail I couldn't get to and had to ask for it to be brought in to me. CABINS We had 2 interior cabins. One was an L configuration to allow the two folding wheelchairs in. Plenty of space, tv, storage and ensuite. Our cabin was double bed configuration and this does make the room appear smaller but still useful. Mirrors make the room lighter. Not enough power points. Cabin steward very attentive and on one occasion, came tot he rescue when one relative fell out of bed he rang us straight away and we got her up. All was ok. He asked how she was every time he saw her after that! ENTERTAINMENT Poor. There really was very little going on. A few singers, a band that played the same every night. Bingo and activities conducted by bored staff so really was a waste. Shows in main lounge was boring most nights, the comedian was good but short (no idea why people reported it was offensive!) trying to get a good seating area free from poles and suitable for wheelchairs was a nightmare. EXCURSIONS None were suitable for wheelchairs on this cruise due to that bloody ramp. The fright they got going up the ramp at the start put them off ever going back down it unless it was the last time! So we could only really go on 1 excursion, Hornfleur. Myself and my husband got the free shuttle up to the town center and saw the sights ourselves. Very nice shopping areas, architecture etc. We watched the rest of the excursion disembarkation from the deck as most where by tender. All I can say is that if I was anyway nervous or on a stick I would probably never sail again!! They manhandled poor old dears like luggage! Shocking. FOOD The restaurant was very good, made all the better for our table servers. The first night he hand cut the steak for our relative and then fed it to her like some Roman Villa scene. She laughed and it was just perfect hosting, knowing boundaries and politeness, not being pushy etc. Just super. We ate dinner here every night and were never disappointed. The buffet is just a bit too much like a canteen. All breakfasts and lunches similar, no atmosphere. SPA Prices similar to other cruiselines. Was disappointed not to have been shown to the relaxation area or thermal area after my treatments. The first treatment was a full body massage & facial. This was amazing. I cannot remember his name now but it was a deep but not sore massage, the way a massage should be. As a bodywork therapist myself, it surprises me how few therapists know not to dig deep for the sake of it but rather pay attention to the muscles and perform deep massage when the client is ready. This stops the treatment from turning into torture! The second treatment was a hot stone massage. I enjoyed this but not as much as the other package. Again I was given no tour, no access to the other areas of the spa and no add-ons recommended or specials. BARS We noticed the English pub had a bar menu on embarkation day but the next day the menu was gone. Maybe it only runs on certain routes? It looked a nice lunch menu of pies, stews, sandwiches etc. and would've been nice to try for a change. Drinks prices similar to at home, we had the drinks package and it was well worth the price. TIP: ask for Smirnoff instead of Vodka, for some reason my husband would get double measures instead of a single measure. Same happened to me when I asked for Bacardi. They do ask for cards for all in the group to make sure everyone is paying what they should. This was sometimes extremely rude when we got drinks but our relatives had tea or coffee. The supervisor made a big deal out of how they didn't have the package and needed the cards....she has arthritis and was struggling to get the card at time of ordering but cards where all on the table for anyone to check from then on. The sinatra lounge was always packed and had piano or jazz music in the evenings. The casino is tiny with about 20 machines, a blackjack table and roulette. Its on the main thoroughfare. Overall, I felt it was a glorified ferry. I had hoped it would feel like a small cruise ship but no, it felt like going on the sea ferry across to England just without my car! We definitely wouldn't do this cruiseline again. Read Less

ICELAND LAND OF ICE AND FIRE CRUISE JUNE 2017 Embarkation Our first time with Cruise and Maritime Voyages. There was a bus provided from Cork by JMG but we made our own way to Dublin Port. Having had experience of long chaotic embarkation procedures in the past we found this so simple. On board in 15 minutes . We were warmly greeted by staff and were escorted to our cabin and our bags arrived 5 minutes later. Everyone was given a time of embarkation which made it run much smoother. Our cabin 6129 - superior twin inner. Perfect location mid ship so equidistant to everywhere really. Great also for those who are not great rough sea travellers. We were next to the Fan room so expected the noise from that and had read people complaints in reviews in reference to this.. We heard a lot of people complain of this on this cruise but we did not notice it at all and I would be a very light sleeper. Our first time having an inside cabin without windows. Room very spacious. Most comfortable bed I have ever slept in. Adequate wardrobe space. Ensure suitcases are not too high to enable them to fit under bed - adhere to measurements given in pre cruise documentation. Shower room very spacious and retracting line in shower should you wish to do some washing. Plenty of shower and shampoo available in dispensers but if you are fussy bring your own. We did and found the smell of the shower gel very sweet flowery scent which I personally didn't like. Hair dryer adequate as a travel hairdryer would be. Two different amp sockets on wall so use higher voltage one to get better power. Bring an adaptor with you as sockets are European- two prong. Cannot fault the ship it being an older ship. Every feature was better than expected - cleanliness, staff, spacious public rooms, lovely theatre, open decks, etc. Nothing was too much trouble for their very peasant and well-trained staff. A very affordable holiday. We will certainly .cruise with them again. DINING We had requested an early sitting . We were allocated to the Waldorf Restaurant at the sitting of 17.45 . Late sitting was at 20.15. The other restaurant Kensington had sittings at 18.15 and 20.30 We liked the early sitting especially on days at sea. On our days ashore if late back we preferred to head to Raffles Bistro on our return. People at the late sitting didn't appear to leave the restaurants until after 10.30 which I would consider late. Food at Waldorf was lovely and staff so friendly. Raffles Bistro - typical buffet style perhaps not as good a selection as on bigger ships but very tasty and have to say we ate too much. We also chose Raffles for breakfast and enjoyed the delicious omelettes at the Egg station. The Bistro always packed for lunch especially on days at sea but you would always get a seat. Good selection of teas and coffee at the drink station . If you wanted a hot chocolate you had to pay for it. Drinks packages were available at £17 a day. Not great drinkers and not sure how we would be with some rough seas possible we didn't bother with this and bought a drink whenever we felt like one. Overall drinks very reasonable . Oh we did try a cocktail package - 10 cocktails for £29.99 which was fine. Bars were spacious with different entertainment at each venue. ENTERTAINMENT Singer in Taverners Pub was not the best but we made the most of it. Loved the classical music in Hampton Bar by two very talented musicians and a lovely venue. Pianist in Sinatra's lounge also very good. Evening shows - two shows 1930 and 2100. some of the shows unremarkable though enthusiastic singer, dancers and comedians. Some shows better than others. From Russia with Love particularly stands out - excellent. Morgan Lee Jones comedian. Enjoyed the formal nights. Mixed attire. Men in suits or tuxedos. Women in evening gowns, cocktail dresses or elegant day dresses. Whatever you are comfortable with. Enjoyed talks and lecture held during the day. Some excellent speakers - Cliff Jones in particular was amazing and the auditorium packed for all of his lectures. Also John Riley lectures on photography very good. Photographers following you everywhere especially if on tours. some people were very rude to them - they are only doing their job and were lovely young people. no harm browsing through the photos. We actually bought a few and they looked after us well having not bought a photo package. PORTS OF CALL Just a note that on other cruises that we were on the ship provided maps of the city or port that was being visited but not on the Magellan on this cruise. We had printed maps out before we left home and researched each port as we had not booked excursions except for one. Hint: Take down number of the ships emergency contact number on the daily programme and take it with you just in case you run into difficulty or run late. LIVERPOOL. Berthed at Liverpool Cruise Terminal a short walk to the city. Taxi rank adjacent to the exit of the cruise terminal. Tourist office located at the Albert Dock Visitor Information Centre. We firstly walked into the city and headed for the Cavern on Mathew Street - synonymous with the Beatles. Victoria Square nearby and Eleanor Rigby statue. Hop on hop off bus stop just outside terminal. We availed of this later on in the day ( £8 each. )Took about an hour to complete the full tour without getting off. We actually ended up going back to the ship for something to eat and a rest and headed back out again. We had a fantastic guide Chris . Recommend it. At the stop for the Metropolitean Cathedral which is an interesting building our guide recommended visiting the Philharmonic Dining Rooms - a listed building - one of the most ornate buildings in Liverpool - with exquisite interior - lovely for a glass of wine , a local ale or something to eat. And of course there is shopping for anyone interested! Got a wonderful send off from Liverpool with singing from the Mersey Choir and Beatles Puppets. DAY AT SEA A little rough as one can expect in the North Sea - it didn't bother us but some people were affected. Must recommend the Physiotherapist /Massage therapy in the Spa Centre. Rado gave us an excellent talk and a lot of people attended for a free consultation. Prices very reasonable and packages available. LERWICK SHETLANDS Tendered - so keep this in mind if reduced mobility and want to go ashore. Must say that the ship staff were fantastic assisting anyone who needed help. Tours were offered by the ship. We had arranged our own tour at this port. www.shetlandminibustours.co.uk . Shetland Minibus Tours is run by Grant Redfern, an experienced and independent Shetland tour guide who was born and grew up on the Shetland Islands. Offering minibus (8 seats) tours the length and breadth of the Islands. There were 6 on our tour. We had the tour booked for 9.00 as the ship was in very early. But the first tender for independent travellers was supposed to be at 9.15. We approached Staff at reception desk the night before and they kindly sorted us out. South mainland tour - EXCELLENT TOUR - we were able to travel to places that the bigger buses were unable to get to and were able to leave an attraction whenever we wanted to at our own pace. Weather wet and foggy but Grant our guide would go to where the weather was brighter. We visited Scalloway Castle, Croft house Museum, St Ninians Isle, Carols Shetland Ponies, Jarlshof, and Sumburgh Head - the highlight being the puffins visible at close proximity. Got to spend a little time in the town and worth a stroll around. Great selection of pubs , restaurants and shops. Don't forget to buy some Puffin Pooh or some lovely puffin toys available among other souvenirs at the tourist office near the pier. The locals love to stop and have a chat . If you decide not to do a tour there is a nice walk to the Knab along the shore line. KOLLAFJORDUR FAROE ISLANDS Magnificent scenery cruising into Kollafjordur. Not much to see or do around Kollafjordur itself unless you like to hike a little . Again we did not book a tour here. We had checked with the cruise company if there would be a bus provided to Torshavn and they replied that possibly so but that they could not confirm it until we were onboard the ship. Shuttle buses supplied but limited in number ( 3 ) so obvious queues . we waited 20 - 25 minutes and the journey to Torshavn which is lovely in itself took about 20 minutes- very much shortened by travelling through the long tunnel . Torshavn a delightful cosy little town - Bus stopped near the Fortress and Lighthouse and a short walk to the centre and to the old parliament - Tignanes area - Lovely little churches worth visiting and cemetery worth a visit and narrow streets to wander around. It was a Sunday so unfortunately for many people the shops were closed. There was a lovely little supermarket where one could get a nice cup of coffee or tea and cakes and staff very friendly. The young people working there were interested in where we came from and showed us the Faroese notes and we were able to get some as a souvenir. Lovely little cafe Paname Cafe was opened. There was just one little gift shop opened on the day. Tourist information centre in centre of town with toilet facilities. There is a local bus service - red town buses free to travel on which travels around the immediate town area if you wanted to see around the area without having to walk its an option. Amazing scenery cruising out of the fjord SEYDISFJORDUR ICELAND Yet another beautiful journey through the fjord - numerous waterfalls streaming down the volcanic cliffs visible on all sides. A tiny little village easy to walk around - short distance from where we were berthed. First stop a walk to the beautiful waterfall that we could see on arrival. Ground was wet and slippery in parts . Further along the road a walk to Tvisongur Sound Sculpture located on the mountain side. Tvisongur is a site-specific sound sculpture by German artist Lukas Kühne and is located on a mountainside above the town of Seydisfjordur. Again good walking shoes recommended.. About a 20 minute walk along a path across from the fish factory just outside of the village.. The work is built of concrete and consists of five interconnected domes of different sizes. The heights of the domes are between 2 and 4 meters and they cover an area of about 30 square meters. Each dome has its own resonance that corresponds to a tone in the Icelandic musical tradition of five-tone harmony, and works as a natural amplifier to that tone. Nice views from here also. The picturesque Bláa Kirkjan ( Blue Church) is one of the historic timber buildings in town. There are several other walks - a walk to Fjardarsel Hydro Plant about a half hours walk from the town. Take a short walk along by the river bank which is lovely. Purchased my stamps for postcards here in the supermarket as post office closed by the time I got to it. Also bank link at supermarket to get some Krona. Credit cards acceptable everywhere but its handy to have a few krona for public toilets - generally charge 200 - 300 Krona for toilet facilities. Shops opened selling souvenirs and Kaffi Lara - El Grillo Bar nice for a cup of coffee or hot chocolate and a snack or a local beer. One of our favourite ports of call. AKUREYRI Yet another magnificent fjord journey to here. A 5 to 10 minute walk to centre. We recommend travelling on the free of charge local city buses. Route 5 and 6 the most interesting and gives you a feel for the town. Lots of museums to visit. Lots of souvenir shops for you to browse in. Botanical gardens small but interesting and also visit to the churches. Nice little cafes. Home to the northernmost golf course in the world for those interested. ISAFJORDUR ICELAND Tendered here. Collect your tender tickets at the Taverners Pub when you are ready to go and they announce the boat departures - then head to the gangway. Called into the tourist information near the pier and they were very helpful and got a map with self guided walks. About a 5 minute walk to the town centre. A very small town . We liked it here - liked the remoteness . Small botanical Garden here also..We walked out of town climbing up on the avalanche blocking barrier walls great views over the town and fjord. Two churches to visit a tiny catholic church and the other Ísafjarðarkirkja a modernist church's altarpiece that has over 100 doves, each one made by a local during a group art-making project. Lovely little bakeries on the street Gamia Bakard and also Bakarinn bakery cafe. There is bar also if you fancied a drink. Visited the supermarket here and got a few items to bring home - actually a nice souvenir is some hand ground sea salt from the area presented beautifully and some delicious Icelandic sweets especially the liquorice ones coated in coconut and chocolate - went down a real treat with workmates and not that expensive compared to other items. REYKJAVIK Overnight here. Tourist visitor centre at pier - maps of city available. Good selection of souvenirs available and post box , last opportunity to send postcards. Phone internet and toilet facilities here. We weren't sure until week before that we were able to go on cruise so had not tours booked and by the time we got to book many were gone. Had thought about the Golden Circle and Blue Lagoon combined tour but that was booked out - we did manage to book the Golden Circle tour for the second day - our last day. So our first day we had a late start. It is tiring after all the ports of call. We got the hop on hop off bus from the pier. €35 can use it for 2 days. We gave ours away to tow people that we met on the ship. Takes one hour to do full circle. We got off at Hallgirmskirkja Church. €8 to go in the elevator to top of tower and we thought worth it for the views. timing is everything we had visited the church first but it was then closed for an hour or two as there was a concert. Downhill to centre of town there is a nice cafe - Kaffitar on Bankastraeti which offers coffee refills among other drinks and nice sandwiches and cakes. For those interested there is I know !! a Christmas Shop on Laugavegur street the main shopping street - some beautiful ornaments - again a nice souvenir. Some more expensive than others. In the evening we actually walked into Reykjavik from Skarfabakki cruise quay were we were berthed - a 4.3 mile walk ( 50 minutes with stops along the way. ) along the shoreline path passing through Laugarnes - a quarter that contains a historic site probably where the first settlement was situated. Continue along until you come to Harpa the concert hall - worth a look inside. The local buses no 16 runs to the cruise terminal op to 19.99hrs and the no16 runs some of the way with a short walk - the bus driver would tell you where to get off. I think it worked out about € 3 to 4 for the bus one way. Bus station quite central Last day we took The golden Circle tour with the ship. An early start meeting point outside the visitor centre. Comfortable buses. Excellent tour guide. busy schedule - over 8 hour day. A little walking involved. The main stops - Hervagerdi ( where earthquake hit ) Geyser, Thingvellir and Gulfoss and Perlan on return.. Lunch included at Hotel Geyser which was lovely and catered for those of us that had dietary issues of didn't eat fish!! Amazing scenery - again weather not the best and cold. But that is what you can expect when you travel here so be prepared. A long day. I can see why those who had combined tour with Blue Lagoon were shattered as they had another 2 - 3 hours. Recommend splitting and doing on different days. Speaking with other passengers who had booked tours at each port of call especially the local area tours - they were disappointed and regretted not going independently. We were glad that we had booked the tour on the last day as it was followed by two days at sea so we could recover. Weather a little better on return journey so able to get out on deck - people availing of the pool area. Watch out for wonderful wildlife, birds and whales. Overall we thoroughly enjoyed this cruise, for us it was the destination and we had no great expectations of the ship itself but it surprised us on all aspects. This cruise is available again next year we understand and we would do it all over again. Read Less

The Fjords are stunning, but the Magellan leaves a lot to be desired. Principally, the sewage system seems to be in permanent difficulty. We were by no means the only people to have to call for someone to fix the loo-flush. Also, there was a permanent, very heavy smell of sewage within the cabin. During sailing the cabin doors are closed, so one could think that it was only ones own cabin that had the smell. However, on disembarkation day, when all doors are open, it became clear that this was a problem throughout the cabins on Level 5, and most likely on other levels too. We were in cabin 5127. We reported the problem re the flush and it was attended to promptly. We also had to call the plumber during the night, to fix the flush. On reporting the smell, a plumber came and simply did not understand that it was not the loo, but the sewage pipes under the floor. I should also mention that there was a case (there might have been more) of NoroVirus on level 5. Two passengers were quarantined to their inside cabin (no window) for two days. We were instructed, at the start, about hand hygiene. However, the staff did not always adhere to this, nor did many passengers. Entertainment included a Journalist talking about his experiences. Oh my goodness, he had no idea how to deliver such a talk. It was woeful. Dana was the principal entertainer, and of course she is the consummate entertainer. The staff were all excellent. The evening meals were very good. Indeed, the Starters chef was brilliant. Queuing and table-hunting at the breakfast and lunch buffet was a pain. If having breakfast or lunch in one of the restaurants, you had to sit at tables of eight which can be difficult. Suffice to say no more Magellan for us. Read Less