A TA told us about overnight cruises where the ship is repositioned and you can stay and received food and entertainment at a reasonable price. We went from Newcastle to Rosyth(Edinburgh). We had an outside cabin that was small and dated. We were told check-in was 550pm, when we got to our room we had a message to say we had to be on the 6pm dinner sitting.(If we'd been on the later sitting we could have used the health facilites and they'd have made some money!) We got there as quick as we could and then had trouble getting served (ship was full). Late on during our meal we were told 3 times to hurry up as they wanted to prepare for the next sitting! Food apart from the tenderloin was very average. Bars and staff were lovely, drink/cocktails very reasonable. Went to the cabaret which had a delayed start but we didn't know how long the delay would be and the band were sat around texting. Show was OK but short. DJ and dancing was very good. Sadly they added £7 per person to our drinks bill and if you had a drink after midnight you got charged again. You have to vacate your room by 730am and we were told we would not disembark until 930am. Ship was chaotic as people left bags everywhere and the staff didn't manage//organise the process. Breakfast was plentiful but chaotic. Disembarkation was delayed as they had no ramp and had to submit some rickety stairs! Staff did not magage expectations and were due to passengers asking for advice as how long the delay would be at what the process would be, in the end the passengers took over and just all lined up and forced embarkation. Read Less

We were a group of six friends on the Scottish Isles 8 night cruise from Newcastle finishing somewhat bizarrely in Liverpool. Embarkation was extremely fast and painless. We are gold members and have priority boarding but everyone was boarded quickly. As soon as the car pulled up our luggage was taken and we never saw it again until it was in our cabin. We have been on 4or 5 CMV cruises and enjoyed them all but predominantly on some of the fleets older ships. Whilst the Magellan is not new it is in good condition very quiet and stable. We were upgraded to a superior inner room so didn’t have to row on this trip(we always choose the voyager guarantee and have never failed to get a decent cabin. The food was very good even if the portions weren’t huge but after 5courses I had had enough. We all had a drinks and tip package which I thought was exceptional value. The house wines were ok and all the usual branded spirits available though it seemed odd to me that some coffees were chargeable. We tended to use the main dining room for dinner/ lunch and the bistro for breakfast. We tried the main restaurant for breakfast but the service was too slow for us. The entertainment does seem a bit like a lot of singing and dancing but in different costumes each night but it was light and reasonably proficient We had a comedian for two nights who was OK. He clearly had been doing cruise ships for some time and his material showed this. We weren’t onboard much during the day so didn’t take advantage of the other activities onboard. We won the quiz on the first night but quit while we were ahead. First port was Dundee where we saw a quite a large exchange of passengers. Weather was good so we strolled ashore visited the Discovery and the new V&A (great outside but much wasted space inside) but an enjoyable hour and a half. We also visited Broughty Ferry Castle which was worth a visit. Next stop was Shetland where the weather was a bit wet but we still managed a significant Lerwick town trail walk which now includes Jimmy Peres’s House from the Shetland TV series. Next stop was the Faroes where we had a 35 minute shuttle bus ride to Torshaven which was interesting in itself. We enjoyed another walk around the town looking at some of the older properties with their distinctive grass roofs. An enjoyable day out. Orkney was our next stop in cloudy weather. We have been to Orkney a couple of times so dint see the need to visit scara brae which we would have if it had been our first visit. We were fortunate to witness what seemed the wedding of the year at the cathedral. We also witnessed the “ blackening” of another engaged couple which seemed to involve sitting in the back of an open truck which friends covered in molasses, gunge etc roaring around the town making a lot of noise. The poor groom to be was cling filmed to a stone cross in the churchyard but was freed before the wedding party arrived. A beautiful day and we arrived in sunny Skye to be tendered ashore to meet up with our prearranged tour bus. This was a private tour (sky mini bus tours)for the six of us (£42 each ) and it was really excellent. The beautiful weather helped as did the two knowledgeable locals who did the driving and guiding. We stopped at all the usual sights some of which were quite busy it being a Sunday and having excellent weather. We had a lovely lunch in an old hunting lodge called Flodigarry House which also had Flora McDonald's house in the grounds. The bus dropped off at the docks for our tender. - an excellent all day trip. Next stop Belfast in mixed weather. Here we enjoyed the hop on hop off bus (we negotiated £50 for six old fogies!). We did the full tour then got off at the Titanic exhibition which was excellent. That took a couple of hours but I really enjoyed it as it was a lot to do with the history of Belfast rather than just the sinking and subsequent recovery of the ship. It even included a mini Disney like shipyard ride. On the bus watch out for low hanging branches as my pal had his glasses and heating aid knocked off!!! Then on to Liverpool. Disembarkation was not so smooth due to not using the Ships tannoy to tell you what was happening ( it could be that as we were docked the ship was not allowed to so not to disturb the locals) it meant passengers were constantly querying why they couldn't leave the ship, pa better presence with better communication would have sorted it. There were some anxious passengers needing to catch a train/coach who were left in the dark. A very enjoyable cruise with excellent food and service - pity about the weather!!! Read Less

Actually chose this cruise due to an engine failure on one we booked. Interesting ports around the Uk where few other ships go. Though this is an old ship from Carnival, it was well maintained and clean. Had an inside cabin on deck seven, and was larger than those on Crystal! Food was surprisingly good, especially the dinners in the restaurants. Restaurants were also open for breakfast and lunch and were expertly staffed. Great place to go if one wants to beat the crowds at the main buffet. Drinks were well priced, and did not include a tip. One could actually get a pint of larger (German) for 3 pounds 60 pence! Tours were also top notch. Payment for these were from 40-70 pounds. Only problem I had was with the crew members that were not involved with the passengers (stewards-wait staff, etc) Many could not understand English-tough to communicate with. Read Less

This was our first, but hopefully not our only, cruise so we have nothing to compare against. As first-timers I will say one thing firstly: the instructions given each day were a great help and all the things I worry about (not knowing where to go or what to do) turned out to be nothing to worry about at all. Your hands are well and truly held to ensure you know where you need to be and when. Embarkation was very quick (20 minutes from drop-off outside Newcastle Passenger Terminal to being in our cabin). The cabin was 4119 and was more than adequate for our needs. The ship has a slightly dated feel to it but is clean and bright. Large bars and public areas meant even at the busiest times it didn't feel cramped. We stuck to the Bistro (buffet) and the "Speciality Restaurants" as we're not formal-wear people. The food was flawlessly good. The "Speciality Restaurants" are really "pop-up restaurants" requiring reservations within part of the Bistro's area. The service and food there was absolutely wonderful. The arrival into ports was handled well and it was far easier to walk on/off than I'd expected. We had one anchor port on the itinerary (Lerwick) but they managed to dock in the end so can't speak to how good/bad the tender process is. The main issue was due to our fellow passengers (of a certain age and thus of a certain speed!) which did mean we took to walking out rather than wait for shuttle buses which would take forever to board or get off. We went on two excursions (Jewels of the North in Akureyi and Loch Ness in Invergordon) both of which were well-organised though suffered from similar "speed" issues as the getting on and off the ship did! We went to a few shows, activities and lectures. The shows were extremely well done and the show area is spacious with comfortable seating (lots of leg room which is very important to me!). The activities (quizzes, "gameshows") were amusing enough though we avoided the Knit and Natter due to concerns we might get too over-excited ;) (In all seriousness there was plenty to do for all personalities!). The lectures... weren't so good. One of the speaker's lectures were so full of errors I was able to spot them and I wasn't an expert on their subjects. The other had blurry photos and film which seemed pointless given the lack of quality. Service was great in parts (the restaurants), okay in others (we had a few mix-ups happen around our welcome package which were eventually sorted and refunds arranged without us asking so all was well) and bad, for the most part, in bars. Even if just 6 tables were in use out of the 40 or so available in a bar, you'd be lucky to get successfully served once every 60 minutes. Needless to say this meant we never woke up with a hangover! I'd hold special praise for our room steward and her colleagues on our deck. They were not just always polite when we passed them in the corridor but remembered us and engaged us in personal greetings. Our room was kept immaculately throughout our trip. Overall the positives far outweighed the negatives and we had a really enjoyable two weeks. We'll certainly be cruising again and CMV will at least get consideration when we come to planning our next trip. Read Less

We have recently returned from a 13 night Icelandic cruise from Newcastle on the Magellan and all I can say is wow. This was our 10th cruise and definitely one of the best. I’ve sailed with CMV before, together with Celebrity and Royal Caribbean. The CMV ships can’t complete with the others when it comes to high tech modern features, but neither does they try to. What you get instead is great service, good quality food and drinks and the ability to travel from local ports, which is a major plus point for those of us who don’t live close to Southampton. The itinerary for this cruise was first rate and we enjoyed all of the ports of call, and Iceland itself is magnificent. We were blessed with great weather for the entire duration. I’ve heard the seas around Iceland can get a bit rough, even in summer, but we didn’t have any issues. There was one night when travelling around the north that the seas got up a bit, but the Magellan handled it perfectly and we barely felt a thing. The ship is a little old fashioned in its décor but that’s a minor issue. It’s kept spotlessly clean by a hard-working team. The ship was full for this cruise but there was rarely a problem getting served or finding a seat. I think the most we waited was five or six minutes and this was at peak time. The staff are very attentive and we would usually have our order taken in a couple of minutes. We chose the VIP drinks package which was great value compared to other cruise lines. This included all premium drinks, gratuities, bottled water for the cabin and an invitation to a private cocktail party. It also gave a 50% discount on speciality dining. We ate in Fusion, the Indian themed restaurant twice (stunning food), and also did Chef’s Table, a sumptuous 10 course dinner with wine pairings. Highly recommended. There is also a speciality steak night but I’m not a steak lover so we didn’t try this one. We ate each night in the Waldorf restaurant and the food was excellent. Always hot and good quality with plenty to choose from. I’ve heard complaints that the food could be luke warm but this was never the case in my experience, perhaps these complaints relate to buffet. We only used the buffet a couple of times for lunch as I’m not a fan of self service, but it seemed pretty good to me. As good as any buffet ever gets. The entertainment team were also very good. Some of the shows weren’t my cup of tea so I gave them a miss, but the ones I did see (Broadway, Queen) were very enjoyable. The late night cabaret in the Captains Club was always worth a look too. We’re a couple in our mid-forties and were definitely among the youngest people on the cruise, but I quite enjoyed this. We met some lovely people and had a great time. Things tended to wind down quickly after midnight, but because of the heavy itinerary we weren’t looking for late nights anyway. We did one excursion through CMV – Loch Ness, which was excellent, and booked another independently. In Iceland we took the 8 hour Golden Circle trip with a local tour company for a third of the price of the one on the ship, so I’d recommend doing a bit of research before you go. As it was our first time in Iceland we just went ashore at the other ports and explored on our own. Everything was within walking distance of the ship. Having done a few Royal Caribbean cruises in the last three years, I’d got a bit jaded with their massive ships which are increasingly marketed to families and young kids. They tend to be very noisy and poorly behaved. CMV with it’s adult only policy was exactly what I was looking for this time. I loved this cruise on Magellan and can’t wait to experience her sister ship Columbus in September. Read Less

The ship is lovely and our cabin 4060 was spacious, comfortable and quiet. We had 3 wardrobes - full hanging, half hanging and shelves with safe. Bathroom compact but shower larger than the one on the Marco Polo. The restaurant (Waldorf) was a bit strange to reach from our cabin. You had to go up to deck 9 walk past Captain's Bar, Sinatra's Bar and Tavener's Bar then down to deck 8. The 5 course evening meal had a good choice each night and there was always something I liked to eat. We had a Chocoholic Night one night and Magnifique buffet near the end of the cruise. Both brilliant. We did ship's tours in every port except St.Petersburg (Alla Tour detailed below) and Helsinki - rest day. Dundee and St.Andrews was a wet day. Aarhus and Edeltoft was good and a lovely village to walk round. Warnemunde and Schwerin Castle was good.Tallin was in a small mini bus so saw Upper and Lower Tallin as well as a tour of the area. Stockholm has a lot of road and building work going on so cranes everywhere. This was the only guide who was a bit hard to hear and understand as we think she was Spanish. Our final tour of Copenhagen and Dragar was very good. And Dragar was a lovely old village on the coast. Our visit to St. Petersburg was with Alla Tours and we did the Must See tour. There was 8 in our party and lunch both days was included. First day was 3 courses and second day was 4. Both delicious. Our guide was Katya - a local who was also an English teacher so understanding her was no problem. We were in all the places straight away and in Catherine's Palace the small groups go in through the servant's entrance and tour each room from the right hand side whereas the public and large groups tour on the left and were very crowded. Would highly recommend an independent tour company. When we left the queue apparently was over 40 mins wait in the rain. We visited Church of Spilled Blood, St. Isaac's, The Hermitage (wow), Catherine's Palace, Peterhof Gardens. Also went to the subway and a boat trip. Everything so enjoyable and lovely being in such a small group. Highly recommend anyone to do rather than the large ship tours.St.Petersburg is definitely a MUST SEE and would to have done and seen more. Read Less

Having read previous reviews we were worried about going on our first cruise. Please make your own mind up. We live 20 minutes away so embarkation was efficient and quick. No waiting around in airports for hours. Our room was bigger than we expected with plenty wardrobe space, tea and coffee making facilities and as part of our VIP package complimentary wine and several bottles of water. Sepnash our cabin steward was always friendly and cheerful even though he worked extremely hard cleaning our room at least twice a day. We tended to have breakfast in the waldorf restaurant which was always fresh with plenty choice. You didn't even have to make your own toast as there was always someone to do it for you. Lunchtime we tended to eat from the grill bar which was basically chips, burgers and salad. However there were plenty of others places to eat with plenty of variety. Evenings we ate in Kensington restaurant with themed nights including Greek and italian. Daytime entertainment was basic but a quiz at least once a day but for what we paid we couldn't grumble. We went to A few shows which we enjoyed and there was always entertainment on in the other bars including a pianist and duo. We loved Norway with bergen being our favourite destination especially the funicular railway. The views from the top were spectacular. We did the hop on hop off bus but this was a waste of money as we could walk everywhere as bergen is so compact. We booked 2 trips to Glamis castle and Flam railway which were both good. While we were in Flam we visited the micro brewery which we really enjoyed and if you like beer tasting this is well worth a try. Read Less

This is our 5th cruise, the 3rd on the Magellan. We were sent tickets and purple luggage labels, booked for parking at Newcastle. Boarding turned out to be horrendous, something went seriously wrong which CMV blamed on the Port Authority. Eventually on board cabin 5193, right on the stern, deck 5, Baltic. All went well until 2-am, woke up by horrendous noise, props and bearings, followed by every imaginable noise a ship could make at one hour intervals. Phoned reception followed by visit to reception. Asked for change of cabin, refused at that time, was offered a temporary inside 4 berth cabin for the night, we refused that on the grounds we might have to stay there, so no sleep that night. Docking was even worse, continuous noise early morning docked at Dundee, we packed our bags. Visited reception for change of cabin, no can do until boarding has completed. Phoned local Dundee Taxi company for price back to Newcastle, they text me back £350. Waited and waited for info. Eventually told reception that unless we receive a like for like cabin before departure we will leave the ship and CMV can pay for taxi back to Newcastle. This seemed to do the trick and we were offered suitable like for like cabin on the same deck. Sorted and we thanked the staff involved. Day 2 was the start of our cruise, we can put all that happened behind us. New Cabin good, very clean, coffee and tea making facilities in all cabins which is a great bonus, lovely male Steward who was attentive throughout. As a rule we always try and give the Cabin Stewards a break, so making up room does not have to be every day, they are always there if you need them. Food as always very good, we never use the restaurants, that is our choice, we prefer to use the Bistro on deck 10, purely for choice and we can pick our time to eat. Always something there for everyone. Plenty to do and see on the ship on sail days or just relax and socialise. Noticed sick bags out at Dundee and at various other times although the sea was never rough, slight bobbing but gentle all the same. Unusual for us we decided to book shore excursions, we normally do our own thing, but as we had to book Russian excursions we thought what the hell. Actual excursions well organised and a good variety, (very good description of actual excursions so you know what you are letting yourself in for). Excursions are good value for money. All excursions start with a coach journey, this is where we noticed an abnormal amount of coughing. A lot of passengers were complaining of a sore throat. Further into the cruise the problem seemed to get worse, more people coughing, the general consensus was the air conditioning. Up to now we were not affected. We arrived at St Petersburg and disembarked for our excursion, half day at the Hermitage. This is a busy excursion and nonstop once you are in the venue. Two of our party went missing and were found outside, they did not seem well and said they needed air. Back on the ship by afternoon my Wife complained of a sore throat. As seasoned cruiser's we take every kind of medication just in case, so after taking this my Wife settled a bit and it was "carry on cruising". The second day in St Petersburg we were at the Yusipov palace and Waterways. This was a fabulous excursion for anyone going to St Petersburg. However it was marred by increased coughing, by the time we were back on ship it was noticeably worse among the passengers. Also we noticed passengers walking around with cannulas attached. My Wife's condition worsened throughout the day and evening, our own meds were not working. My Wife does suffer from COPD following Lung Cancer three years before. We always visit our G.P. before cruising for "Fit to travel purposes". By late evening things were that bad we had to visit the dreaded Medical Centre (no one wants to end up here). Upon initial assessment my Wife was immediately put on an I.V. Drip with Anti-Biotics (one hour) followed the next morning by another one hour I.V. drip with anti-biotics and face mask nebuliser. This was followed by two further treatments lasting one hour each. Various tests were carried out via a blood test. All tests proved negative. Diagnosis Pneumonia / Chest infection. Whilst these treatments were taking place a lot of other passengers were receiving the same treatment for the same problem, one elderly lady was very bad. This was a very busy Medical Centre. I have to say the care and treatment was first class. Eventually my Wife was discharged, however we were confined to Ship at Stockholm and no arranged Excursion at Alborg (we had a gentle walk here although limited). Elsewhere on the ship this was becoming an epidemic with coughing from every quarter so much so we spent a lot of time in our cabin to avoid the problem. The worse part was in the theatre where you could hardly hear the guest speaker for coughing all around. As far as I know and saw, one chap was airlifted off by Helicopter, he was being treated while my Wife had her last treatment, one person left at Stockholm for emergency operation. We heard of one being left at Russia and one at Alborg. Talking to a passenger (coughing became a talking point) a maintenance team turned up at her cabin to fix the bathroom door, (no problem known to her) however miraculously the door repair yielded a new shower head??? Make of that what you will. By the time we left Alborg my Wife was feeling better, albeit she still had a very sore throat which we treated with hot honey drinks. I have to ask the question. What was lurking aboard the Magellan? I have never known a problem like this on all our other cruises and it was quite worrying. Disembarkation, we were sent two light blue luggage labels the evening before. We came on with purple and guessed this was because of cabin change, light blue also denoted SAGA cruisers. Back to reception and after explanation we were given purple luggage labels (remember the car park), so on the day we disembarked with all the other purples, only to find we were an hour late and that service had ended. We were told we should have had lime green labels (yep I am still working on that one). However CMV were very good and we had a coach and escort back to the car park. Now I said earlier the "dreaded Medical Centre". The final bill for this was £4600.00. Now we have insurance but as with all insurances there ARE RESTRICTIONS AND RIDERS, one of our restrictions is COPD. As the diagnosis was Chest Infection Primary and COPD as secondary we are hoping the insurance passed the treatment as we were allowed to disembark. DO NOT CRUISE WITHOUT FULL INSURANCE. My Wife has visited our G.P. and further blood tests have been taken. She is still unwell and is being monitored. I would like to say that this was a good cruise, but the health issue has left us with no memorable thoughts. Of course the staff were brilliant as always, they all work very hard to please you. Will we cruise again? We have a cruise booked next year on the Marco Polo, but seriously after experiencing what we have just gone through........................... Read Less

We decided on a cruise around Britain departing on the 7th April for my partners birthday on the 19th when we returned home .I have to say we were very- very disappointed with every aspect except the cabin as it was spacious for a small ship .The food was like a load of cardboard at breakfast in the upstairs bistro ( if you could obtain a seat ) often undercooked and only warm with no small yogurts only in dishes with no indication as to the content even in the restaurant it was a bit hit and miss as you sat any where as a lot of the fellow passengers seemed reluctant to talk as only the Americans & Canadians seemed chatty as the class structure is still alive . At night in the allocated restaurant the servers were very surly with very small helpings and often only warm as my partner sent hers back nearly every time compared to other ships it was very poor more like a cross channel ferry . As for the entertainment it did not last even an hour with passengers saving seats often rows of them so only the poorest seats available with no interaction with the crew as I did mention the seat situation but it was met with deaf ears .Talking of the crew we noticed that there was very poor communication skills as I did not meet one British person wearing a uniform it seemed the norm just to laugh at the passengers and they would go away. There are better cruise companies and ships so do your home work. Read Less

Our intention - my wife and I - was to cruise leisurely on a ship which was neither very large (ocean going) nor very small (such as on a river cruise), to visit places we had never been to, and where we would otherwise never have visited. We had excellent food, prepared to a very high standard served by (mostly foreign, but English speaking) waiting staff who were polite, and convivial at all times, with 5 course (plus tea or coffee) evening dinners. We were given a choice of dishes for all courses, and at the booking stage were given options for tables of 2,4,6 or 8, and 1st or 2nd sittings. AN ENORMOUS BENEFIT was the attention paid to my wife's dietary problems, as she has lactose intolerance and cannot eat onions. There was a meeting held soon after we sailed for all such passengers to discuss this, and the catering staff could not have been more accommodating. We had lifeboat drill early on the cruise, but fortunately this was not required to be put into practice! The ratio of crew to passengers was very satisfactory, and members of the crew spent much time cleaning handrails, etc., and there were many locations on board for hand-cleaning liquids to be used voluntarily. Staff also "stood by" at entrances to eating areas as a matter of course. We had a choice of excursions at all ports, but in all honesty the standard of local courier/guide did vary, but not sufficient to upset us. There were evening shows in the ship's theatre (which suffered greatly from "restricted view" columns), but we still enjoyed the presentations. Art and Craft demonstrations were available on most days, and lectures on relevant subjects - such as Peter the Great, Catherine the Great, the Romanovs and the Russian Revolutions - all added to our interest. The only drawback - sufficient to reduce a five star rating - was the sound from adjacent cabins. [Remember the joke about 4 houses in a terrace, and some one sneezes in No 1 and in No 4 some shouts "Bless You!" it was almost like that!] Again, fortunately, it didn't affect our sleeping (but it could have done!) THIS IS SOMETHING WHICH NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED in my opinion. We were not alone in this attitude. But overall a very enjoyable cruise. Read Less

We chose the Baltic cruise to see St Petersburg primarily but found all the ports visited were excellent apart from Aalborg which although a nice town it wasn’t brilliant. The Magellan was clean, the staff very helpful and friendly and our cabin a good size and very clean. We were in 6136 an ocean view. We ate in the restaurants and early sitting for dinner in the Kensington. I have coeliac disease and the staff were brilliant. The food was good, fresh and if you wanted something different the staff would help. We’re not keen on the entertainment on any cruise but did go to three lectures on Russia and they were brilliant. We wished we’d seen the other two! There seemed to be plenty of activities with keep fit and painting. I treated myself to two facials by Julie and they were very good. You’ve got to book in advance though. The embarkation was very easy as was the disembarkation. Newcastle has a shuttle bus from the terminal to the ship. Some people do seem to have to rush at this time! Dundee - we stayed on the ship but go up to the top for disembarking as a fabulous wee lassie piper was on the dock she was awesome. Waramude - we walked into town which was lovely. Lots of little shops and a lovely promenade. Hubbie did the steps up to the lighthouse. Copenhagen- again we walked into town. Beautiful just to look around. Stockholm - we did take a tour to Vasa and the sights as it was only in port for about six hours. We did manage to get to the ABBA museum too. Helsinki - we did the highlights tour which was great and the tour guide was fabulous. This included a vintage tram trip. St Petersburg- awesome. We did a two day tour with ALLA. Only nine on our coach. Well worth it. Tallin - early shuttle bus into town and walked up to the old town which is beautiful. Lovely little market just outside the town worth a visit. By 11 it was heaving so we left. Aalborg - nice town but a bit disappointing after our other ports. Would have preferred Riga. Great cruise and ship. Just booked for the Magellan and the Panama trip March 2019. Read Less

We chose Cruise & Maritime because will live near to the port so very little travelling time & we were on a buy one get one free offer. We have been with Thomson cruises before & prefer a small ship. After reading some of the negative reviews on here I was very apprehensive but I can only say we had a great time & would sail on the Magellan again. We were impressed with embarkation at Newcastle we were on the ship in 15 minutes & our cases were at our cabin door. We had been upgraded to an outside cabin on deck 5 it was a good size very clean good quality bedding & towels. At times when at sea there was odd noises I took ear plugs with me I take them wherever I go & that helped. I did complain about one particular noise & the staff did check the next day if it had gone& it had. After a few days you get use to the various noises. The Magellan is a very friendly ship with a happy crew we felt very comfortable & meet some lovely people the food was very good we ate in the dining room for our evening meal we were looked after very well & enjoyed catching up with the other guests at our table. We ate in the bistro for our breakfast & Lunch both had lots of choice & were very tasty, i enjoyed an omelette cooked to order every morning. We took out the premium drinks package & we thought it was excellent value. We enjoyed the entertainment each evening the orchestra with a violinist & saxophone player was very good & went to some of the activities on offer & the cinema on sea days. I did not visit the spa but the people who did said it was very good. On 2 evenings there were extra buffets one was Chocolate & the other a grand buffet both were excellent. we enjoyed the ports we visited especially Bergen we did not book any excursions we had a good look round ourselves. We were sad to leave as we really enjoyed ourselves the disembarkation ran very smoothly. I think you have to try the ship your self and make your own mind up & not take the negative reviews too seriously. we are looking to book a Baltic cruise with C&M next year. Read Less

We sailed on the Astor 30 years ago for our honeymoon, and she is now owned by CMV, we decided to choose this company for our anniversary cruise, as we haven't cruised since! I'm pleased to say we weren't disappointed, as every aspect of the holiday was first class. Embarkation at Port of Tyne was smooth and impressive, with no queueing or hold ups, and we were in our cabin in record time. Our cabin, 5079, was conveniently located just beside reception, and was perfect for our needs. It was an outside cabin with a picture window, plenty of room, and kept spotlessly clean. It also had plenty of storage space, and the bathroom was big enough too, with a nice hot shower. It was also quiet, we couldn't hear any engine noise, and slept well every night, in really comfortable beds. The staff on board were really friendly and helpful, and the ship was kept spotlessly clean. The food was delicious, with plenty of choice. We ate in the Kensington restaurant every evening, and got on very well with the others at our table; their company added to our enjoyment of our holiday. My husband is a vegetarian and was impressed with the range of food he was offered, and I was relieved that the portion sizes weren't too big, which was helpful when there are five courses to get through! I loved the ship itself, not being a fan of huge modern cruise ships with thousands of passengers; this was much more friendly. And you could always find space to sit, either on deck, or inside in a lounge or bar. The entertainment was good, apart from the comedian, and that is my only complaint. I was surprised at CMV employing this person, as I found him offensive, his material was racist and sexist. But all the other entertainers worked really hard and were very talented. The Norwegian Fjords were absolutely beautiful, and the weather was perfect, so we saw them at their best. We called at Eidfjord, Olden & Bergen, and did not book any tours through the cruise line, preferring to explore the ports independently. This worked very well, and it was possible to get a bus to the glacier from Olden, which was well worth doing, as there is not a lot to see in the village itself. I would recommend CMV to anyone, and can't wait to sail on the Magellan again. Read Less

Having previously done a Hurtigruten cruise, we wanted to try a “proper” cruise. That is one that has entertainment in the evening and I get to dress up a bit. We chose CMV because they leave from ports in the North of England and we didn’t really fancy spending almost a full day just getting to Southampton to board a ship. Also the buy one, get one free offer seemed a really good deal to us. We chose Norway again because it is such a beautiful country. I travelled with my mum and my husband. As we weren’t sure what time the Magellan would leave Newcastle we booked a nearby B&B. It was an easy journey from Preston to Newcastle by car, and we even had time to look around the shopping centre next to the port before we embarked on our cruise. Arrival at The Port of Tyne went very smoothly, we had booked the port car parking and were directed to the parking lot by the port staff. No sooner had we arrived than the guys took our cases off to the ship. We then boarded a bus to the terminal and got ourselves booked in, passports checked and through security. We were meant to go on board at 3pm, but we were there earlier and there was no problem with us going on board straight away. We had been upgraded and were in cabin 6108. It was a good size, especially after we moved the beds around to give us more floor space. There was a triple wardrobe, I’ve never had so much wardrobe space on holiday before, a big dressing table and most importantly a kettle with tea and coffee. The bathroom was compact, but the shower was plenty big enough. Our cabin steward looked after us very well, and our cabin was cleaned twice a day. We dined in the Waldorf Restaurant. We all really enjoyed the food, from the many choices at breakfast, through lunch, to the 5 course evening meal. After our first day eating breakfast and lunch in the bistro and struggling to find a table, we realised that we could have these meals in the Waldorf Restaurant too, and that’s what we did for the rest of the holiday. Breakfast and lunch were buffet-style; plenty of choice at breakfast and a chef to make fresh fried eggs or omelettes for you. Lunch was 3 hot choices and plenty of salads, along with lovely desserts. I had to limit myself to 3 pieces of cake at lunch, lol. We also liked the coffee bar, with Whittard’s tea and coffee and the most divine cakes. These were not part of the CMV Premium package, but were discounted by 50%. So a lovely pot of tea served in nice china cost 80 pence! The drinks package was worth buying, just for the ease of not having to worry about how much you are spending on board. I must recommend the frozen Strawberry Daiquiri! It was my favourite drink on board, and lots of people wanted to know what it was. The cocktail menu was good, the house wines were reasonable. The only downside to the drinks package was that the only beer included was a continental style lager,my husband had to pay extra if he wanted a pint of bitter, although again it was discounted by 50%. He managed though, and was even tempted to try a few cocktails. Each night you get a newsletter with information about what is happening the next day. On days at sea there is plenty to do from quizzes to lectures to craft demonstrations. Or you can just sit on a sunbed on deck and read if you want to. Nobody pressures you into joining in if you don’t want to. The newsletter also told you what the dress mode was for the next day’s evening meal. You can wear what you like, my husband refused to have a dinner jacket and wore his best suit with his regimental tie, me and mum had the nicest dresses we could afford. In future I would take some dark trousers and a selection of glittery tops as well as dresses just to change it up a bit. The entertainment wasn’t bad, there was a show after each dinner sitting, everything from 50s, 60s and 70s. If you’re in your 70s you’ll enjoy the music. If like me, you’re heading for your 50s, you’ll remember hearing this music as a kid when you went on a night out with your parents. So for me, I would have liked a bit more 80s music, but I still enjoyed myself - I’m still laughing at the fact that I know all the words to ‘Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree’! The staff were all lovely, smiley and so so helpful. If we got a bit lost, as it’s a fairly big ship, there was always someone to point us in the right direction. To sum it all up, I would say: A fabulous holiday Good value for money Plenty to do Posh enough for us, but not too posh. Read Less

Embarkation at Newcastle was efficient and quick. Suitcases arrived at our cabin very quickly. We had cabin 5016, small but with an extremely comfortable queen sized bed, plenty of room for clothes and spotlessly clean. We found the whole cruise extremely enjoyable, staff friendly & efficient, food absolutely amazing, plenty of activities and good entertainment. Information onboard was good, other passengers very friendly, the ship was easy to negotiate and we thought just a nice size. Plenty of sunbeds on various decks and always a quiet corner if you wanted that. Would not hesitate to book again, very good value for money- well done CMV. Don't know where the negative comments come from, if you want to pay thousands for a cruise do so, but don't be so negative - its a holiday- just enjoy it. All the staff onboard just wanted everyone to have a good time , you can't ask for more. Read Less

I have to agree with ThomasUK. We have also just returned from trip to Fjords, sailing from Newcastle. From embarkation, very quick, to leaving, the staff were efficient, cheerful and helpful. Our cabin steward was excellent and couldn't do enough to help, our waiter in one of the main dining rooms was always smiling and nothing was too much trouble, his young assistant likewise. Everywhere around the ship the staff greeted the passengers with a smile. yes the ship is old but it is spotlessly clean and it is unfair to compare it to other lines, it is half the price. Food and entertainment were very good. I unfortunately needed the services of the medical team but again they were first class. Cabins are not large but enough for two people and beds were comfortable. My only complaint would be the noise from the engine during the night but that is no one's fault. All in all it was an enjoyable cruise with breath taking scenery in the fjords. Read Less

I don't usually write reviews for cruises but having travelled on the Magellan three times I feel the need to add some balance to all the negative reviews posted on this site. I've just come back from another great holiday, sailing from Newcastle to Norway for seven nights. The Magellan is an old ship and can never compete with the new-build state of the art ships run by Royal Caribbean etc, but what it does excell at is excellent service and value for money. We were in an inside cabin on deck four. "Isn't that down with the crew and the engines?" one ill-informed and rather stuck up fellow passenger asked me. It was a room for two, with plenty of space and a comfortable bed. I have a very sensitive sense of smell and despite what's been written here before, there was no smell of diesel or sewage. Nor were we stricken down by the killer air conditioning. The room was serviced twice a day and I slept well every night of the cruise. The low, mid-ship position of the cabin meant I didn't feel any motion when the ship was moving. The passenger decks are all clean and comfortable, with enough bars and sitting areas to move around across the day. The quality of food and drinks are where CMV really excels. I've done six previous cruises with Royal Caribbean and Celebrity and can honestly say that the food and wine selection onboard Magellan are far superior to those companies. We had all our meals in the ala carte restaurants to avoid the buffet scrum and I enjoyed every one. We also ate in the speciality restaurant Fusion, which was open two nights of the cruise, and this too was outstanding. We took out the VIP drinks package, which is far cheaper than packages on Royal Caribbean, with a much better wine selection (I think the quality of wine included in RC's packages really let them down). It also included a private cocktail party which was a nice opportunity to meet other people, and allowed 50% off the speciality restaurant. The service from all staff is excellent. Another area in which CMV scores over it's bigger competitors. There are always staff on hand to take drink orders, and if you do go to the bar to order for yourself, someone will bring the order to your seat. Even at very busy times, such as after the evening show, I never waited long to be served. I enjoyed the entertainment this cruise. No, it's not as expensively produced as on other lines, but the main theatre shows are all well performed by a talented team, headed by Cruise Director Jonathan Dulson. We weren't interested in the craft activities but there seemed to be something on every day for those who were. I did hear a lot of moaning from other passengers but it was all ridiculous stuff. "This porridge is made with milk, I wanted it with water." Someone else was very rude to a waiter when she didn't receive a plate of fruit with her breakfast , a plate of fruit she didn't order in the first place. People complained when they turned up at the ala carte restaurant and there was no buffet there. All absolute rubbish from people who should take responsibility for there own failings rather than moan. We met someone else so mean spirited that he'd worked out how much he thought the staff would make in gratuities, and then bragged how he'd stolen a pen from a waiter. I suspect all these people will delight in posting their negative reviews but don't believe it. As mentioned above this is my third time on Magellan and I loved it. Would we book again? We already have. Read Less

We chose this cruise because we got an excellent deal and it was sailing from Newcastle. We weren't sure what to expect with it being an older ship but were pleasantly surprised by decor and cabin. I must congratulate the Port of Tyne for their efficiency, having been guided to a parking space, our luggage was removed from the car for us and taken to our cabin. Check-in was very quick and we were bussed to the ship and were onboard within 30 minutes of arriving at the port. We were shown to our cabin and then advised lunch was available in the Bistro if we wanted it. We found the food excellent and being diabetic was invited to a talk with head chef Shone who advised those of us with dietary concerns what the process was so they could provide us with the type of food we needed. Our table stewards were made aware of our needs and I had no problems receiving sugar free options. There was also a special dietary needs counter in the bistro. The entertainment was very good and theatre was full every evening. When I boarded the ship I had a shoulder problem, so availed myself of two hot stone massages which helped. The second massage was done by a physiotherapist who when she finished gave me exercises to do. Since then my shoulder has been virtually pain free. We would certainly sail on Magellan again especially when she sails fron Newcastle. Disembarkation was as efficient as embarkation and we were home in just under an hour of leaving the ship. Read Less

For some reason I wasn't sure what to expect from this week. But we had a brilliant time. Both aged 48 we thought we would be the youngest but we certainly were not. Mixed ages. Cabin big and immaculate. Very quiet and peaceful. Victoria our cabin maid was in and out our cabin making sure it was lovely. Food beautiful. Got the 17 pound all inclusive drinks package so sampled most cocktails. Entertainment ok. Comedian Bruce was excellent. Met some lovely people on ship. Staff not as friendly as thomson cruises but polite. Overall an excellent cruise and would do this cruise again. Norway was beautiful. Brilliant experience for all ages. Heard the odd whingers but I could not find one single fault. We paid 900 pound for the two of us and felt it was excellent value for money. Mr and mrs show very funny. Hygiene standards excellent. Hand wash gel pre dining. Read Less

We have just returned from a seven night cruise to the Fjiords on the Magellan. Let me start by saying that if it had been my first cruise it would also have been my last. The ship should be re-named the Sloop John B (the worst ship I have ever been on according to the Beach Boys). To begin with we had the usual muster and instructions on what to do if the alarm sounded.. I am not being flippant when I say that the drill script must have been written by the Chuckle Brothers for a carry on film. Firstly we had our instructions...'When the alarm sounds, go to your cabins and get your lifejackets, warm clothing and any medicine you need and make your way to your muster point. We were on deck 6 and muster was on deck 8. We then donned our lifejackets and were told to put one hand on the shoulder of the person in front and we did a 200 people conga up a flight of stairs on the open deck to our point of exit. I use this phrase as lifeboats were never mentioned. Next we were told that if we had to abandon ship then we should jump but keep our legs together and have one arm across our chests and hold our noses and mouth. We should only jump a maximum of about three metres. Now I am not a mathematician but that would mean the ship would have to sink about 4 or 5 decks before we could jump. Now, considering that there were dozens of wheelchair users and limited mobility people, how do they go several floors down, then up and then climb a flight of stairs as we were informed the lifts would not be working. We took over ten minutes to go to our cabin and climb two flights of (steep) stairs. The average age of cruisers was about 70+ so I doubt any of these instructions we received were possible. Also we realised on our first day that we could not have a kettle in our cabin. We were emphatically told it was a Health and Safety matter. As it turns out cabins above grade 9 have kettles. This means that either the cruise company only cares about the lower rate passengers and not those who pay more, which would seem to be against the H&S rules OR reception were lying and it was about how much you paid! I wonder which it is? Another negative point was the disembarkation, a total fiasco. We had to vacate our cabin at 6am having put our luggage out before midnight. At 6am we left the cabin and went to the lift area to find it was full of cases stacked up and a notice that the lifts were being used for luggage only. The four flights of stairs were chockerblock with over 1,000 people going to the dining rooms. Wheelchair users had no chance. We reached the dining room after about 30 mins to find it so full that there were no chairs, windowsill places, cups, glasses and very little food left. We eventually got some toast and a cup of tea which we had to take outside. Other faults were that there was nowhere to buy a bottle of juice to take to your room (though we purchased some ashore) and nowhere to be found to obtain the advertised 24 hr snacks though some chicken nuggets were brought round in one bar about 10.30. The juice machines only had cold water after breakfast when the orange juice and grapefruit juice were halted. We also reported dirty cups and napkins regularly. Now for the positives. The entertainment was good. The food was reasonable but with limited choices. The cabin was ok but very noisy as the ship, being very old, creaked a lot. Some of the bed linen was not as clean as it should have been and the toilet basin and mirror above actually moved as it was on a hinge. I cannot say much about the shore excursions as it was mainly heavy rain ,though this cannot be blamed on the Cruise line. It was a shame as Flam looked nice but Bergen was a waste of time (and it had an international cycle event which meant many roads were closed. It looked a bit run down anyway. All in all, a very disappointing experience never to be repeated. A thought did occur that the reason for a ridiculous early rise at the end was because, unlike many cruises where you arrive at about 5am and the ship empties and fills leaving about 6pm the Magellan was sailing again at 1.30 pm, meaning the customers had to be shunted o as quickly as possible to allow money grabbing to triumph. Read Less

This was a cruise to the Norwegian Fjords with out two sons, which was planned as possibly our last family holiday. it was booked on the basis of value and location. Overall we all really enjoyed our holiday on Magellan, especially the exemplary standard of food and service we received in the restaurant and elsewhere. In particular, I must praise our waiting staff, Roy and Miu, for their attentiveness and their friendly efficient conduct. My one Son, who travelled with us, works in a Michelin listed restaurant and felt that the service they offered would meet the standards expected in his restaurant. Unfortunately, two issues impacted on our enjoyment of the cruise. First, my wife and I were given room 5176. Whenever the boat was under power there was a dreadful noise in this room. Interestingly, when we walked along the corridor this noise completely disappeared a few cabins further forward of us. The level of noise was such that it was almost impossible to sleep. When my wife raised this issue with reception she was told that since the ship was fully booked we would be unable to change cabins. They did give us earplugs, which did enable us to have improved sleep; however, the earplugs gave my wife earache and left me with mild deafness. The level of disturbance that we experienced does mean that we would find it difficult to book with Cruise and Maritime again. Second, on boarding the ship we purchased the All-Inclusive Drinks package for all four of us, including a reduced price package for our older son who does not drink alcohol. Unfortunately, on the first night when our younger son (dob 13 June 1999) attempted to order a drink he was refused. The Maître D’hotel in the restaurant cited that this was because the ship was registered in the Bahamas Bahaman law applied. On the first evening the problem was resolved by my wife signing to give consent for him to drink alcohol. The matter was eventually sorted out by reception on the Sunday evening when my wife showed them the small-print in the advert for the All-Inclusive package, which clearly stated ‘...Offer only available to passengers aged 18+’. Although I appreciate that maritime laws are somewhat complex, the above raises a number of issues. First, it was very disappointing that people in management positions were not fully aware of the terms of the All-Inclusive drinks package. Second, from a simplistic position we had assumed that since the boat was sailing from the UK to Norway, but was actually in a British port when the issue was raised, that the alcohol laws of these countries would apply. Finally, and of major concern to my wife and I as people who have been involved in safeguarding of young people, was the notion of parental consent. Since he was eighteen he no-longer needed to seek our consent for anything that he did. Thus, the consent that my wife gave had no legal basis and the asking of such consent could be construed as an infringement of his rights. Luckily our relationship with our son is very good and asking for consent did not create a problem. However, both of us have been involved with young adults where asking for such consent would erode trust between the parent and child. At a practical level, by the time the issue had been resolved, the continual discussion of this issue whenever he wanted a drink caused my wife and I considerable annoyance and our son embarrassment: two emotions that are not really appropriate on a holiday. The combination of both of the above does mean that Cruise and Maritime will not be particularly high on out list of companies for future cruises. Read Less

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Chose to cruise the Fjords for 7 days. After reading reviews was not expecting the ship to be up to much, but to our surprise it was a lot better than reviews we had read, having been on P&O, Royal Caribbean cruises in the past we thought we would like to go to the Fjords on a cheaper cruise for 7 days. We arrived at Newcastle on the Friday night after a 250 mile trip from down south to make sure we would arrive on time at port on the Saturday. After parking our car at port terminal, all cases removed and not seen again till you reach your cabin. The terminal is well laid out not to big, but we did not have to wait long before being called up to book in, very efficient and not much hanging around, then hop on bus to cruise ship. When on board we were shown to our cabin on deck 5, cabin 5010, and to our surprise cases waiting outside our cabin, that the quickest they have ever been delivered. The cabin is big enough for two people with all the usual things, no tea maker though, cabin nice and clean and cabin steward was very efficient and nothing too much trouble for her. I must say the inside of ship is no way as bad as people make out, everywhere is clean and easy to find as ship is not to big. Lifeboat drill goes on a bit but very efficient. Breakfast was ok, with plenty of food to choose from, the usual breakfast fare. Lunch was also very nice with no complaints from us, plus we never had to cue for a seat, always lucky to find one. At night we were on 1st seating, 5.45, which was a little bit earlier than we were used to on a table of 6, all very nice people, and I must say the food was very good and waiters very nice and polite. We went to the theatre every night and thought the shows were good, singers were ok, but the the dancers were excellent and band was very good to, had a Scottish singer, comedian on for 2 nights, he was alright to. Other venues on ship for drinks and music were very good and well supported, had the drinks package, but found could not keep up with it, to get moneys worth, but if you drink a lot well worth the value. The only down side I will say against the ship was it was not very warm on the ship, plus when ship docked in ports in early hours of morning, you could here engine noise quite loud which woke you up for 45 mins. did not here any other noises, maybe higher up deck you are ok. Overall for the money you pay it was a good cruise, and the Fjords are beautiful and well worth the money, and the ports of call are lovely. I would not travel on Magellan again, because Newcastle is too far up for us to travel every time. But don't let that stop you if you live nearer, it is worth a try for your 1st cruise. Read Less

The embarkation at Newcastle was seamless we were in our cabin 30 minutes after getting to the port with our luggage delivered to the cabin. The ship is getting on but is spotlessly clean. We had an inside cabin on deck four but it was one of the biggest we have had and the bathroom was also large with a good shower. The staff both cabin steward waiters and bar staff were all excellent. The food was very good in the Waldorf restaurant. The buffet food was good but sometimes difficult to find a seat. The entertainment was good especially the comedian. The excursions were very good especially Norway in a nutshell from Flam. Disembarking was equally smooth. We thoroughly enjoyed the cruise and am already looking forwards to a Baltic cruise next year. We purchased the all inclusive drinks package which was great value at £17 per day each most drinks were available. Read Less

This cruise was a charter for Cruiseco in Australia who hired it to host a Rock the Boat themed cruise 2017. We saw the advert in the supplement in our Saturday paper and although it seemed expensive for 7 days around the UK it did have a fantastic line up of acts from our era so we decided to jump in and book it. We took the upgrade which included the drinks package and gratuities and an outside cabin which seemed ok to us. We booked through cruise 1st who were efficient in the beginning but let us down when it came to booking parking at Newcastle.It took us weeks to sort it out and finally after saying they could not book it, CMV ended up doing so.No vouchers arrived so contact with Australia was necessary in order to get one sent by email which we printed off and all went well at Newcastle. We have never had such an efficient and quick embarkation as we had at Newcastle and the same was true on our disembarkation. Newcastle has really got it's act together, something other ports to take a lesson from. We were shown to our cabin 6064 and found it bigger than other ships and a double shower was very good.The walls had sticky finger prints all over as had the doors and wardrobe doors, otherwise it was clean and had a kettle, hairdryer but no fridge. We found the ship quite easy to get around with all the bars etc on the same deck but finding the Waldorf MDR took a bit of getting used to. We did not like the house wine offered with the drinks package ( dry rough Spanish plonk) so went without with our evening meal ( CMV need to look at this, we will not have the drinks package again and the only beer available my husband found undrinkable). The food left much to be desired, having read some good reviews on the food by other cruisers we can only assume that as this was a charter the usual chef was on holiday. We enjoyed 2 main meals but not much else.Very poor cheap ingredients( Talapia fish for example) buffet food varied but often luke warm , bland or just unappealing. We went onshore and bought a decent meal out when in port as I believe did some of the crew! It was only the superb entertainment and the bands which made this cruise enjoyable and the lovely people we met but I cannot imagine we would go on Magellan again if the food is standard. Pity because we liked a lot about the ship, cabin etc. MDR staff very good but bar staff left much to be desired at times as did buffet staff and the officers rarely acknowledged passengers in passing. Too many nationalities , many having little or poor English and we saw quite a bit of friction between them as some seemed less efficient than others. Read Less