It was my 70th Birthday and we saw an Add in October for a 70 day cruise to London going to taste many places I could not afford to normally travel to. Covid-19 was in the news and we had China and Honkong removed from the ports to be visited. I checked with our agent the week before and he said it would go ahead. I noted the Travel insurance would not refund us if we pulled out. 25th February we left sydney and visited The whitsundays and the Yorkes Knob. We saw from new articles that there was issues and asked the management team are they going to abort the cruise, they said no all is good. Aday out of Yorkes Knob we were told we will not be going to New Guinea and Japan and the ship would visit Darwin. By the time we got to Darwin we could seem more ports on the cruise are closing to cruise ship. I wanted to get off but there was a lot of money at stake. We left Darwin and went to Bali, Lombok and Semerang. We were going to Jakata and seriously considering flying home. On the Thursday 12th March we were told the cruise was cancelled but we were to go north to swap ships and go back to Perth on the Vasgo De Gama. on the 18th we swapped ships off Thailand very easy transfer. By the way we had no virus on either ship. We headed for Perth. We arrived on Friday the 27th and the ship wanted us all of the boat by saturday afternoon, unbeknown to the ships Captain the WA Government unfortunately stepped in and we were held on board until late monday night. We were put in to isolation until Good Friday with very very poor food, no grog, no excercise etc. The disembarkment was amess and too 8hours for us to get to our hotel room. In conclusion I believe CMV should have cancelled the cruise in Darwin. There was enough information out there to make that decision. We spent 16 days at sea from the time we were told the cruise was cancelled until we got to Perth 11 Days in Lockdown, another week waiting for a flight home. The Crew, Both ships, Reading about eastern european I agree with others, they were not happy people, and did not want to be on board, some were outright rude. BUT the Asians were great, both ships had great performers. Now we are trying to get our promised refund as its now 80 odd days from the cancellation we are being fobbed off by the Travel Company, now looking at legal action. Probably we do another Cruise with CMV if we get a refund but not as long. Read Less

We wanted a relaxing trip home from New Zealand opposed to our regular method of flying. We intended to use the on board facilities for massages etc which were superb eventhough a little pricey compared to other cruise lines. The use of sauna, gymnasium and relaxation room was an added and unexpected bonus. The entertainment wanted and waned but the last night before diembarking in Sydney was excellent. The ship was a bit of old charm which suited our reason for cruising this time and was different to the normal hustle and bustle of other cruise lines especially at the buffet. The shops were uninspiring with products available for sale. Things like emery boards, panadol and other basics we not available for purchase. With staff from a global community, some had difficulty in expressing their happiness or welcoming attitude to cruise guests. Take the minuses from the pluses or visa versa, the cruise was what we wanted but we were happy to disembark in Sydney after cruising from Auckland. Read Less

This cruise itinery ticked a number of bucket list items- route, destinations and activities such as cruising the Panama Canal and South Pacific. We caught the coach from Victoria Bus Station to Tilbury (prepaid and trouble free), where we endured a long wait for checking documentation, travel insurance, visas and medicals. After review we were quickly processed and headed to our cabin where our luggage was already at the door. We toured the ship and found all the bars and lounges plus common areas which had been updated with an appealing decor. The teak outside decks of this 30 year old ship gave a good feel with the top level walking track grassed in plastic turf. We checked out the bistro and used the dining room most evenings (set table allocation) where we were placed with other guests also departing in Sydney. The waiter service was excellent and friendly, presenting good quality 5 course meals (if you wanted all courses). Presentation was in the main to a very high standard, but quality of meat cut didn't always suit me. We tried the Grill twice (fee applies) and the Chefs Table (fee applies) as well as Fusion (Indian) (fee applies)- the highlight was the Chefs Table for me. The Ships Management facilitated a few Cruise Critic activities which we requested and invited and received management attendance (Captain,Hotel Director and others). Room allocation was as requested for our 30 or so members. The Cruise Director Tony provided a "late night interview" along with other guests, and explored what Cruise Critic was all about. It seemed that British cruisers and perhaps some management were not that familiar with Cruise Critic but by the last event more interest was being shown. Entertainment by the ships Dancers and Singers was first class, some visiting acts we didn't bother with attending the second night. Guest presenter Paul and his wife gave travel/location. They were both excellent and thoroughly enjoyable. One cruiser and his wife undertook Thai Chi and fitness/relaxation on a voluntary basis and this was amazingly popular with everyone such that three sessions were run during the day along with many other activities offered by the ship. Full credit to Ships Management in permitting these additional activities. Our own activites were holiday based (we needed to relax), we did lots of reading, naps, eating and drinking! The spa area was refreshed at the start of the cruise and the gym had ample resistance weights and treadmills which were well used but not so much by the writer. We took a VIP drinks package and explored many of the wines and cocktails as part of the package We also enjoyed barista coffee most days (50% discount) and looked forward to that. We did a number of excursions some with the ship, some simply a walk around the coastal drives, and some onshore excursions (self managed). The Gatun Lake Panama Canal excursion was ordinary due to timings. Credit to the ship and a surprise to us, they refunded portion of this excursion cost due to the issues experienced by the late coaches. The self arranged boat tour which included swimming with sharks and stingrays, viewing mantra rays and local lunch on an island plus island tour at Bora Bora was fantastic As we cruised, we had to divert form one port to another due to rough seas and we started to hear about Covid -19 issues, with our first and only port rejection-Tonga. We had a scheduled Cruise Critic meeting where the Hotel Director explained the situation was quite fluid and how the ship was adapting to the changes.His frankness was appreciated. This was our cruise to relax on after a busy year or so and made much more enjoyable by interacting with our fellow cruisers and crew. It was also fantastic to meet up with our Cruise Critic members after about 18 months of blogging and it felt like we were old friends when we came together in Taverners Bar for the first time. One or two had done thorough Port research before departure and this was invaluable to us when we were planning excursions. Thanks especially to them (unnamed but they will know when they read this).. So our cruise was 50 nights- the balance of the cruise is 70 nights. The ships return to UK is of interest to us because of the lovely people we met on board. These are troubled times for the industry and we hope that you all get home safely. Thanks for the great cruise Columbus and CMV. Read Less

We chose this cruise as we had been on the Christmas Market cruise for the previous 3 years and thoroughly enjoyed them. This year was different. the atmosphere on board was unlike previous cruises. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it was almost as if everyone had given up for the year. Some of the crew worked really hard and were attentive to passenger needs but some seemed burned-out. CMV got the itinerary wrong this year, going to Antwerp first and then Amsterdam. This meant leaving Antwerp before the Christmas Market was in full swing. We also arrived late at Amsterdam due to "out going" traffic delaying our passage through the lock. The ship herself was as we expected, a little tired but comfortable, and was kept very clean. The cabin (we had been given an upgrade to deck 11) was a good size, clean and comfortable, so no complaints on that score. The food, we used the Bistro for convenience, was good and hot. Having complained in the past about the choice of vegetables I was happy to see an improved selection available. We did not see any of the Shows this time so can only comment on the singer in one bar who was an improvement of a previous year. He seemed to have a degree of talent and a good voice. We were disappointed that the Cruise Director did not make any announcements about the entertainment on offer, but then he was conspicuous by his absence. Another indicator of the lack of attention from CMV. The shops carried the usual array of good, although the Duty Free shop was half empty and the staff seemed to lack any concern for customers. The range of cigarette brands was really poor and the staff offered no hope of this being rectified. It was a matter of fact attitude, "check in after 5pm when we leave Amsterdam and see what we have". We were also disappointed with the "late night snacks" offered in the deck 7 bars. Waiters walked straight past our seats, told us they would attend to us on the way back, and when one of them did offer us something there were only 2 or 3 items left on his tray. All in all, it was a cruise that lacked the Christmas Spirit. CMV have let their normally high standards drop. Read Less

Firstly, I am one of those people that rarely writes a review, but I enjoyed my cruise with CMV so much, I am boring the people around me! Also, I was really disappointed to read a review from the same cruise that was really quite negative, so surprised that it was the same ship and schedule, we are all different though I guess! Yes the ship is now 30 years old, some areas did show signs of age, but all of the public areas were tastefully decorated, very spacious and spotlessly clean. We found that each night we had a pre show cocktail in Raffles, followed by very enjoyable shows including the hilarious pantomime (anyone who has seen it will know why I am still laughing at 'rubber balls'), more cocktails in Connections and then the late Atrium show, with the highlight being the Jersey Beats performance on the last night, it was brilliant. The entertainment team with Cruise Director Lee at the helm was great, looked like they were having fun and delivered some excellent performances. Personally I disagree with a previous review stating that the Cruise Director was not around much, with a lack of attention - we couldn't believe how he seemed to be able to be in more than one place at a time! Yes we were a little late docking at Amsterdam due to traffic coming out of the lock, but the Captain estimated arrival between 11.30/12.30, so the actual 10.30 was no big deal in the big scheme of things, plus it was actually quite nice to get some day time sailing in, watching Holland go by from a chilly but sunny top deck. We were lucky to be upgraded from an inside cabin to a porthole on deck 4 - there are not many cabins down there so nice and quiet. The bathroom in the cabin was dated but clean and super powerful shower. The Cabin was a really good size with comfortable beds, and Ahmad our steward kept it immaculate for us. When docking at Antwerp and Amsterdam, because the cruise terminals are so close to the city centres, we didn't book any excursions, we just went off and did our own thing, both lovely places to visits. Lastly, the food. I have never eaten so much in my life! Most breakfasts and lunches were taken in the Plantation buffet, where we were always 'lucky' (well timed) with getting a table, with evening meals in the Waterfront restaurant. Lovely 5 course menu each evening with attentive table steward Yogi. Would I cruise on Columbus again? 100% yes. I appreciate that the brand is seen as 'budget' compared to some other suppliers, but in terms of value for money, ship comfort, entertainment and food, it ticked every box for me - now looking at next years cruises :) Read Less

Chose this cruise as was a very cheap deal, obviously get what you pay for. Cabin was very outdated, hairs on bedding, hairs in the sink and floor was filthy when we arrived and wasn’t hoovered the whole time we were there. Freezing cold in room even with heating on. Loose wires on the phone. Tv didn’t work properly. Cabin steward was very rude and didn’t do his job at all. Food was basic and not many options, staff in restaurant rude and unfriendly Entertainment absolutely awful and of poor standard, show team need upgrading massively. Lack of entertainment on board- nothing to do on board for hours on end in between the little entertainment they did provide. Arrived in Amsterdam 4 hours late but we’re not informed until we were meant to dock so everyone was sat waiting and we didn’t stay later. Disembarkation diabolical massive queues everywhere! NEVER-AGAIN Read Less

We took a Cruise with CMV in March to Iceland which was Awful and the complaint went as far as ABTA but we secured a discount on another Cruise and thought we would give them the benefit of doubt and give them another chance to redeem themselves with the Christmas Cruise to Holland, Germany and Belgium. The start wasn't good as the ship had been delayed in Belgium. We sat in the pretty uncomfortable surroundings of Tilbury and were delayed for 5 and a half hours with hardly any announcements and had to pay for drinks and food. Then we boarded the ship having had no news from CMV that our Itinerary had been changed straight away and we weren't even going to go to Belgium which was one of the Christmas Markets that we had actually booked the trip for, so why CMV not tell us all until we boarded the ship. No Compensation for this of course but this is what we expected from CMV after our last Cruise with them. The itinerary was more time in Holland and more time in Germany and then back to Tilbury. Only two days off of the ship instead of the proposed three, not good. Our pre registered trip in Amsterdam was also cancelled and we had to make our own entertainment there for about 8 to 10 hrs as the other excursion they had was not what we wanted. Then we had about 12 hrs in Hamburg to see the Christmas Markets there. All in all not Good enough again. Our cabin was very tired and we feel that a lot of the ship needs a refurb. The Card Room was absolutely freezing most of the time and so was the observation room. Apart from one of the waiters in the Pub, our cabin cleaner and the Gentleman singer in the Pub, also the Pantomime by the Entertainment team on the last evening was good.We found most of the staff on board pretty hopeless and unsympathetic. The Bar Staff could not mix a Cocktail properly, they seemed to think that a Pina Colada was supposed to be a Brain Freezing Slush Puppy. All we can say is that where we ate on floor 11 was like School Dinners and had terrible trouble even getting a seat in comfort and had to hunt for our own cutlery. The food as a whole was marginally better than we had on the Astoria in March. In fact we can thank CMV for completely putting us off of ever Cruising again and thank God that we got this one on the Cheap as it was booked late and we also got our Compensation Discount and did not have to pay the £900 or so that some poor people payed for this complete let down for what was supposed to be a Christmas Markets Cruise. We would not recommend this Company to anybody having also given them a second chance to improve. A Very Poor Experience, Never Again! From Mr and Mrs G Nutting and Mrs C Still Read Less

We booked this because of the price and destination after seeing an advertisement in a newspaper. We have done many other cruises all over the world mainly with Celebrity or RCI. We purchased car parking which was cheap but very chaotically managed. My husband is extremely good at parking but struggled to get our car out of the space at the end of the cruise due to the way other cars had been parked in front. Check in was quite efficient and we were quickly on the ship and in our cabin. The cabin was quite spacious but very tired. Cabin steward was lovely and very quickly arranged the repairs of the light that wasn’t working and of the broken safe. The bedding seemed rough and of poor quality. The muster drill was chaotic. The woman running it was not really in charge, The passengers were not organised by her at all and she was trying to shout out cabin numbers over people chatting. We ate in the buffet and main dining room - the food was passable and there was always something to choose but not particularly special although it is fair to say some of our fellow passengers loved it. The waiters were good and efficient. Dining on this ship is fixed sitting on shared tables. Bar prices are quite cheap and tips low which may account for the fact that the staff in the main don’t seem particularly happy. We never saw a single officer during our 2 days on the ship which in our experience is very unusual. There is a distinct lack of customer care on this ship. The entertainment was terrible. We went to one show and saw all of the performers in bars. Sadly the ship retuned to Tilbury 8/9 hours late due to weather which meant a lot of sitting around with nothing to do. The only entertainment offered was the showing of 1 film (Lion King) in the theatre. Again we’ve been on a number of cruises where weather has affected the itinerary and there has always been an entertainment package offered presumably part of their contingency planning. We enjoyed Antwerp but not the Columbus and definitely would not book with this cruise line again. Read Less

Wanted a short break away with the girls for Christmas and the price of this beat anything we could get comparable onshore so decided to give it a go. I have been on numerous cruise lines but never rushed to CMV due to some of the bad reviews but I went with an open mind. Ship old but doesn't bother me, we use Marella and Fred so know what to expect. We paid inside cabins and got huge outside which were lovely, yes old but lovely and I would definitely love to have them again. Food was good, not the best we had but we all enjoyed every meal. As we were all good we had a good time in the night club and enjoyed our time onshore. We were due to sail back to UK at about 6pm but captain announced due to bad weather port would not let us leave so we were there until next morning. We were well looked after and for what we paid we couldn't complain. If I had to give one negative I thought entertainment in theatre was not so good but it didn't spoil our time. Read Less

Columbus is very much like a favourite pair of slippers – you feel comfortable but you know it’s not perfect and has probably seen better days. We chose this cruise because we had not cruised with CMV before and it was a short pre-Christmas trip. Embarkation always help set the tone for a cruise and I have to say this was the slickest, most efficient boarding process we have encountered in any of our cruises to date. We may have been lucky in that we beat the rush but from stepping off the car park shuttle bus to setting foot on the ship was less than 15 minutes. Once on board the welcome was friendly and there were plenty of staff to direct you to your cabin. The décor is reasonable although whoever selected the carpets on board either has no taste or a wicked sense of humour – from garish orange in the corridors to some hideously patterned carpets playing havoc with your eyes. The buffet doesn’t have the greatest choice of food, although what was on offer was of a reasonable standard. However, the seating is very limited and trying to get a table at busy times is challenging. Also opening times are too short, especially on sea days, when passengers are expected to eat their meals in a short period. The main dining room is very good, there are no tables for two, but we were lucky in we managed to have a table for four to ourselves. I know for many people sharing a dining table is their idea of heaven, for me it’s the opposite I don’t want to eat with strangers. I appreciate it is a question of space but I do wish cruise lines would make more tables for two available. The vast majority of the food was excellent quality and the quantity was good as well, you didn’t come away from dinner feeling you could eat some more, which does happen with some cruise lines. Service was good with friendly staff. Talking of staff, like most cruise lines the staff were very multinational – unfortunately a large number did not have a very good command of English. They spoke enough to do their jobs adequately but if you wanted to chat to find out a bit more about the individual then most of the conversations went over their heads. Getting food late in the evening was very difficult – they do advertise a snack service in the lounges between 23:00 and 23:30 but finding this service was like looking for hen’s teeth and when you did find it they had invariably run out of what was being offered. Now we are not great drinkers however we like an occasional tipple. On the plus side bar prices were very reasonable and certainly a lot cheaper than many cruise lines. There was a good choice of wines at dinner. Service in the bars was variable. One evening we went to Raffels and it was very quiet but we walked out after 15 minutes without being served as the waitress was more interested in chatting up the barman and joking with him than serving customers. When we went to another bar the drinks were disappointing - a gin and tonic was served in a half pint beer glass whilst the Singapore Sling tasted like no other Singapore Sling I have drunk before - and I don't mean that in a positive way. The entertainment was, how shall I put it, interesting. The shows in the main theatre weren’t exactly bad but they were not brilliant either – they seemed more like enthusiastic amateurs than professionals. Certainly not as slick as shows on other cruise lines. Costumes looked home-made, the choreography limited and the sound system was appalling, with the music often drowning out the vocals, not helped by some of the performers having weak voices. The only decent show on the main stage was the rat pack tribute and even then the three performers seemed more interested in making in jokes. Ironically the best show of the cruise wasn’t in the main theatre but was a Jersey Boy tribute in the Atrium one evening. The outside facilities on this cruise were irrelevant as the weather was appalling. One of the swimming pools has seating beside a bar – which would be cool on a balmy summers day. Our visit to Amsterdam was cancelled due to bad weather and we were kept informed and updated by the Captain. Amazingly there was a passenger in the buffet who was mouthing off about how disgraceful it was Amsterdam had been cancelled – some people have no concept of safety. The crew were also able to get port cancellation confirmation letters ready within 24 hours, so we could claim on our travel insurance. There are plenty of quiet nooks and crannies on board with the Library being a great place to sink into a comfortable sofa or chair with a book. The games room was also popular with a good selection of games and jigsaws. As an older ship her design is more traditional and streamlined, which proved to be a great advantage as the ship was incredibly stable, even in the force 9 winds in the North Sea, with minimal pitching or rolling. This was our first experience sailing with CMV, there are better cruise lines around but there also many worse. I like Columbus and her size and would certainly sail on her again in future. Read Less

Chose Christmas cruise to Amsterdam and German Christmas markets The ship was very outdated, the sauna /steam room smelt revolting Cabin was o,d fashioned Bathroom old and smelly Food basic and poor quality No crisps at bar Menu just repeated each night seemingly with previous night leftovers Internet ridiculous price Games room full of incomplete scruffy games The food was basic, the restaurant overcrowded and waited one and a half hours for our breakfast which was really poor when it arrived. We did not go to Amsterdam due to weather, fair enough, but was not offered any compensation or onboard extras Basically spent 5 days onboard to see overcrowded German market Complete waste of money, would not advise it to any one !I have given 1 star as this is the minimum but honestly zero stars is a more accurate raring Despite writing a letter of complaint, we have not had a penny compensation. Read Less

My mum and I went on this cruise when we saw it advertised for a really good price (only £258 per person!). Having done several cruises before, we had not sailed with CMV before. We were expecting it to be pretty average, with fewer facilities and maybe not such good food etc. We were wrong! We were upgraded from a standard inside cabin, to a restricted view window cabin - it wasn't that restricted really, and the cabin was much bigger than other cruise lines offer. The food was generally good, with a smaller selection than on other cruises we have been on. Overall, the food was well cooked. We ate breakfast in the buffet each day, and lunch we mainly had in the buffet too. We were disappointed that you have to pay extra for some things, like cakes/cookies at the coffee shop, and that room service was an additional charge. The charges for drinks was much better value than on other lines, however. It was around £1.90 for a cappuccino, £2 for a can of coke and around £5 for a cocktail. They did offer drinks packages, but as it was a short cruise we decided to pay as we went. Entertainment was generally okay, with what seemed like a very small entertainment team. The cruise director was part of the singers in the evening show, so that was a first for us. The activity program had all the usual things we expected, but we chose to do our own thing most of the time. There was always plenty of room to find a seat in lounges and bars, with more than enough seating for everyone. Unfortunately for us, we were unable to dock at Amsterdam due to the weather being too rough. It was very windy, but we felt very smooth on the ship considering the terrible weather. Our cabin was very quiet during the rough seas, with no annoying creaking or banging. The captain kept up well informed about the issues we faced weather wise, so we were able to sail directly on to Hamburg, with a sea day instead of Amsterdam. In Hamburg we did an excursion which was very reasonably priced at £47 for a long guided bus tour and time at the famous christmas market outside the Rathaus. Our guide was fantastic and we learnt a huge amount. We were able to get out to explore the church of St Michael which was lovely. The best bits about the cruise was the lovely atmosphere on the ship - didn't hear one person moaning about anything! The prices were much better than others and we could always find a good place to sit. The things we weren't so impressed with were the staff being a bit unfriendly at times, and the food selection not being as big as on other lines. For the money we paid, we have a fab time. Mum has booked a second cruise on CMV for 2020, so she must have been happy! Read Less

it was our 3rd cruise on this ship and after a very stressful year with medical retirement / moving / health problems we was so looking forward to our 19 night cruise started off well 28mins from home to Tilbury embarking fine once on the ship I said to my partner wow this don't look right (why) It didn't feel clean ? went tour cabin didn't feel or smell clean ? luggage delivered no problems unpacked off to see what was happening!!!! OMG the passengers already on board were all 75+ not complaining as have worked with elderly 23 years? so a bit of a downer really. first evening went to the bistro to eat had boiled potatoes roast meat mixed veg gravy not a bit of flavour to it and barely warm then had slice pineapple/ melons, the atmosphere of the staff was unbelievable no happy smiling friendly faces we couldn't believe it as been rat on other 2 cruises?. 2 days in waiting for the lift we saw masked men entering a cabin we asked wow what's wrong Sanitation the guy said we just thought someone had an accident? but no after this we see another 2 on our deck being sanitised?. we went down for our meal in the restaurant on our table of four we had a lovely couple in their late 80's with nothing in common with us surely when they do their placing surely they could try and match people we have yet to have people on our seating we could befriend as such? so we stayed with the bistro. next thing the news letter warning about norovirus ??? then we were being served in the buffet???fine but we couldn't see the server properly over the hot plates and most had little English food was just being plonked on plates over the top of other food never hot no flavours and the same food just different meat on many occasions we never bothered unless we had to on sea days ? and all over the ship we had to sanitise our hands our cups were removed from our cabins replaced by flimsy paper cups tat were dangerous when hot water put in them the glasses removed from our bathrooms replaced with plastic glasses? by this time the corridors were being sprayed by men in masks some in white suits while we were left in he dark the captain who on other cruises was not to be seen never shook hands the ship crew stopped eating in the bistro ? to be honest I have never hard so many people complaining about the above problems some we had met from previous cruises who were upset that thy had 2 cruises booked with them next year ? this was our plan to book while on board but sadly couldn't stand to go again in all we have cruised five times in 4 years with C.M.V always paid in full when booking to find out others have paid £1000 less than us and been upgraded also makes you think to heck with C.M.V. Our bedding was changed twice in 19 days it was shambles the bars were often closed or never had your drink ? the casino was a waste and the croupiers so rude we never bother the last few weeks was supposed to be on board for fun unless you were a knitter / bridge player / quiz player / bingo etc you were left wandering we spent hours in our cabin on sea days as worried about norovirus which by now on deck 10 we had seen 10/15 cabins sanitized. most we speak to couldn't wait to get off and home where upon I have been suffering sickness and diarrhea but at least I'm home safely. also our T.V had a mind of its own and came on when I felt like it was told unplug from back of T.V don't think so. Read Less

As we’d thoroughly enjoyed a Baltic cruise just six weeks before embarking on this cruise to N. Africa, the Canary Islands and mainland Iberia. Embarkation was smooth and reasonably quick and we were soon settled in our cabin. Luggage arrived speedily. Cabin was of a good standard with ample storage space and wardrobe. Shower room was small and could really benefit from a bit of updating. Washbasin was stained and shower curtain discoloured but nothing serious enough to complain about. We chose second sitting and had pleasant dinner companions. Food was erratic as some dishes were excellent while sadly some were nearly inedible. Service was fine from our waiter Cyril but much less so from his assistant. We regularly had difficulty locating wine waiter. On one occasion I had to take my wineglass down to reception as there was a decidedly unpleasant substance in the glass and sommelier had left the dining room. After a few days we noticed a cabin opposite side to us ( near the lifts so could see what was happening) was in quarantine with meals etc being delivered by staff wearing overalls and face masks. After a couple of days it became clear that norovirus was on board although no information was given to passengers at any time just brief message about hand washing etc in daily programme. On one occasion we returned to the ship after being ashore and on our way to our cabin we saw two laundry sacks full of duvets and pillows in the corridor. These were still in the same place ( uncovered) about an hour later when we were going to lunch. Surely not the best way to deal with soiled laundry from such a contagious illness. Also people were still allowed into buffet and dining rooms without sanitising hands. Not acceptable! Entertainment was pretty good except for a comedian who had obviously had to change several of his jokes so significantly that they lost the point completely. Think he was better suited to a late night men’s drinking club. Even the cruise director said he was a mistake! On the other hand one of the best singer/pianist ever was entertaining in the Taveners bar. Mitchelle was so popular and talented it was hard to find a seat after second sitting dinner to listen to her show. Sailing on Astoria next month and as we know she’s moved to that ship we’re eagerly awaiting hearing her again All in all I would sail on Columbus again IF it was a real bargain but wouldn’t choose a long or expensive trip on her Read Less

Waterfront Restaurant offered some of the worst food at dinner that it has ever been my misfortune to attempt to eat. The cheapest possible cuts of meat, dry, tough and never cooked to order. Vegetables that were served cold and tasteless. Illustrating this disaster: one evening 5 of the 9 people on our table requested medium rare beef wellington cooked, it was served well-done sent back and returned again cremated. Three times this happened each time with the same result. Naturally, the Restaurant Manager was always noticeable by his absence, probably too embarrassed to face the diners with their complaints. No soup spoons, or steak knives were available. The dinner buffet was just as bad, It reminded me of the worst kind of rationed school dinners in the late 1940's.Three types of wafer thin cold meat remained constant throughout the cruise. Thankfully the Grill was excellent, selections cooked to perfection and served by smiling waiting staff, well worth the extra money. Breakfast fine, drinks packages represented excellent value for money, comfortable cabins, entertainment in lounges somewhat childish and unnecessarily loud, waiters and cabin steward provided outstanding service. Formal nights now need a rethink as a great number of passengers did not bother, many men in shorts and sweaters were still allowed in the main dining areas. It appears obvious that, since my last cruise on Columbus 12 months previously, cutbacks have been made, both in quality food and staffing levels. It is a great pity because Cruise & Maritime are one of the very few cruise lines that encourage solo passengers by offering reasonable single supplements. However, along with many others I spoke to during the cruise the company has lost our custom. Read Less

It was the price that originally attracted us to this cruise line. Buy one get one free! What great value. We also decided to buy the Premium additions package, which included tips and most drinks, which saved us more money. The embarkation process was smooth, we had a text the night before our cruise advising us of a long delay due to bad weather, as we don’t live too far away this wasn’t too much of an issue for us. We parked at the long stay car park at Tilbury dock, dropped off our cases there and walked over to the terminal. We’d only been sat down for 10 minutes when we were called on board! Our cabin was surprisingly spacious and we were delighted to have been upgraded from an internal cabin to an outside cabin, perhaps because we’d booked 11 months in advance? Who knows! The beds were set up as two singles though and we did have to ask for them to be made into a double. UK socket in the cabin - we only found one socket! Should have brought our multi socket extension! The cabin was kept clean, though we did find our cabin steward wasn’t quite as friendly as those we have had on other cruise ships. The decor on the ship was a bit tired, though the bars were quite nicely decorated. Another thing that we hadn’t experienced was set dining times. We went for the later time, and sat on a table of six. We were very lucky that the people we sat with were great fun. Usually we like to turn up at a time to suit us, working around the evenings entertainment, and to sit with different people every night. The food was nothing to write home about in the main restaurant, however, we tried both the speciality restaurants. The Grill was fabulous, we had a chateaubriand and it was divine. Great service and food. We also tried the Fusion restaurant on our last night. This is situated at one end of the buffet restaurant, right near the entrance/exit. Given that we were sailing in a stormy North Sea in November, it was quite cold and draughty there. The couple on the table next to us even disappeared to their cabin to get their coats! The food was great but the end of the meal was spoilt somewhat by the fact that they didn’t serve coffee! We were told we could go into the buffet and get one there! The shows on the ship were OK. The singers were good but we have seen far better shows on other ships. The theatre itself was an odd arrangement. It didn’t slope down enough to ensure everyone could see, both downstairs and upstairs. There were also blind seats behind pillars, and upstairs we found the rail obliterated our view unless we slumped right down in our seats. That was very disappointing as we usually love the shows we see onboard. The bars were nice, decorated well. We did one trip in Oslo, which was a walking tour with a visit to an ice bar. For what it was, it was quite expensive. We did our own walking tours with a map at our other stops an called in to a bar for a beer for far less money! Though our guide was good and told us a lot about the city. I did use the spa and had a really lovely massage. So good that I nodded off! The average age on the ship seemed to be a lot older than other cruise lines, probably about 70. We couldn’t fault value for money, would we do it again? I think we probably would. Read Less

Because there was a 2 4 1 that was not mentioned and cricketing legends. BOOKING I used a travel agent no sure i will again, would not post tickets unless i paid £10 and nothing from them after cruise or about any delay! Embarkation. I had no info about ant delay and just ;looked at where ship was and facebook and see there's a delay! I left later as it was a sunday no ferry running so had to walk from tilbury town. Arrived in time to see her arrive. Then a free coffee and found a seat she arrived 6pm got on around 7.30pm no gangway photos. Found my own way to my upgraded cabin. Dinner. HAD BUFFET DINNER LIFEBOAT DRILL After dinner had our lifeboat drill around 2230hrs,it said theatre so i did not bother with a jacket. Imagine my shock it was outside on the deck(i was very cold!) glad it did not take too long. Departure. WE left at 0030Hrs Restaurants. Buffet was too small and always crowded so had breakfast in restaurant quite good but no swiss muesli so had to have corn flakes,pretty good food. Dinner was pretty good with 6-7 on our table, pretty good food.got a bottle of wine free which i took to the restaurant and it lasted the whole cruise. Excursions. Only booked 2 excursions at kristiansand and oslo. WAR RELICS and the CANNON at K SANDand SHIP MUSEUMS IN OSLO both very good Cocktail party. Pretty good with snacks and drink. Captain was a bit hard to understand sometimes aas he was greek but pretty good. Disembarkation. Did walk off and then waited ages for the gravesend ferry to come. Read Less

We choose this Cruise for a nice short getaway. Very nice cabins, although I find the bathroom sinks in poor condition and need up grading to match rest of bathroom. We found lunchtimes a bit of a scramble for somewhere to sit, this is mostly due to the fact that if you go on an excursion in the morning all coaches return at 1.15 - 1 30 ish, and we all chase for a seat in the buffet area as the main restaurant is only open from 12 til l pm! WHY, is what we ask, when they know what time the coaches arrive back! This also seems to be the norm at activities time, they put something on in one of the bars and again not enough seats for all wanting to take part day or night as we found out, that if you are on 2nd sitting for dinner that when you come out there is nowhere to sit as the seating has been taken up by all the lst sitting diners. All centers around lst Diners. We came out one night from dinner to find that the Farewell Get together from the crew in the Atrium had started 30 mins earlier so again nowhere to sit or stand. The two venues are too small for numer of passengers. Also found photos taken onboard have jumped up in price as now costs £10/£11 each. We have been on quite a few CMV cruises, but not sure if we would go on the Columbus Ship again as this is the worse cruise we have been on. Love the Marco Polo and Magallen! Read Less

We where a booking a 9 - they originally spilt us onto to tables of 4 with strangers but after a request we where all put on a table together which is why we booked a cruise so we could all have our meals together Was very very impressed - I’m coeliac (gluten free) never Been on a holiday where Where I could eat the same as everybody else - anything I asked for they could give me. Our waiter always remembered I was gf We where a hen do and the staff where so friendly The only thing I would say they need to sort out where the toilets They seemed to get blocked a lot The entertainment was very good - a little hard to get seats in the bars if u where on second sitting Evening disco was very good but would say they need to try and alternate the music as we went 2 consecutive nights and the music was the same - though DJ Brady was very friendly Read Less

Having cruised many times before I decided to try a different cruise line for a weekend cruise sailing from Tilbury. The staff on Columbus were lovely and provided good service. The ship, however, was very old and tired in some areas. This cruise was certainly being run on a budget with poor quality food with a limited choice range, a buffet that closes for much of the time and mediocre entertainment. We got back on board at 2.50 hungry and the buffet was being closed whilst we were trying to get food. I have never experienced this before on any cruise. Others arrived back later and could not get any food. Windows were so dirty we couldn’t take advantage of the views inside the ship. I would compare this cruise to staying in a 2 / 3 star hotel and if this suits you then you would probably enjoy this cruise line but it’s not my cup of tea. I would not cruise with Cruise and Maritime again. Read Less

We booked this cruise in July 2019 and paid £1039.00 each for an inside guarantee cabin. This same cruise with same grade of cabin was on sale in September 2019 for £629.00 per passenger from Tilbury and £615.00 from Rotterdam. That is a reducton of approximately 60% in price for people booking late. We have been on 10 cruises with CMV because they have, on the whole, offered good value for money and allowed people in our modest financial circumstances to experience cruising. We are "Platinum" Columbus Club members. We are disgusted that CMV can "rip-off" their customers in this fashion and expect no repercussions. Well, CMV, we have limited finances and are not prepared to subsidise other passengers to this extent, especially in light of the loyalty we have given your company in the past. That clearly counts for nothing in your view and the pious words of thanks during this cruise from your Cruise Director, Mr Charlie (how appropriate), to the assembled Columbus Club members for their loyalty sounded as cheap and nasty as the champagne served at that event. We will never cruise with CMV again. With respect to the cruise. The majority of passengers were aged 60+ years. Anyone of this age will tell you that it is difficult to get down onto a sun recliner and even more difficult to get up again. Yet the Columbus's decks were stacked with cheap plastic recliners and very few chairs. Other than aft and forward of the bistro on deck 12 there was nowhere to sit on the open decks. One had to recline or stand. The padded foam cushions for the recliners were filthy with soot from the funnel exhausts. The windows throughout the ship were filthy and obscured any view of the exterior. The food in the bistro was mainly edible but lacked variety and taste. The food in the restaurant was generally good but was served by slow, untrained waiters. Dinner took over two hours every night. When I and other passengers complained to the ineffectual but decorative head waiter about the poor service it did speed up but came with an attitude problem from the waiter which meant we ate in the bistro from then on. The crew member serving the hotdogs and burgers at the outdoor grill on deck 12 was surly and insolent and should not have been allowed to come into contact with passengers. Most of the crew were pleasant and helpful and Mr Rodrigues our cabin steward was exemplary in performing his duties and in the courtesy and helpfulness extended to us throughout the cruise. Thank you Mr Rodrigues, Sir. The cabin was spacious, comfortable, quiet and kept immaculately clean. The only negative was the corrosive industrial cleaning fluid in the bathroom soap dispenser that CMV claimed was "soap". The definition of entertainment depends on tastes. Personally I found it more entertaining to watch seabirds flying alongside the ship than sit through 45 minutes of so-called singers shouting out of key into a microphone. Literally painful. I know irons are not allowed in the cabins but I would have thought the Cruise Director could have borrowed one from the laundry to press his wrinkled trousers. I've seen better dressed tramps. For the first time in our cruising with them CMV actually called at all the ports listed in the itinerary but typically docked for only four hours in Lisbon, an ancient city full of architectural gems that would require four weeks, not hours, to see. Docking fees too expensive CMV? Last word. If you cruise with CMV do not book early. You will be ripped-off by their policy of heavy discounting for late bookings. Read Less

We booked this cruise mainly for the price. For 15 nights we paid what we would normally pay for 7 so thought it was a good deal. Very very wrong. First mistake was choosing- accidently- the 'free coach and ferry' option. Information was very scant and nothing was confirmed until the actual tickets arrived. Did not get any response from emailing CMV customer services for information. The cruise we chose did NOT start at Tilbury on board the ship. We had to be at Tilbury for 11.00 pm when a coach collected us and took us for a 2 hour drive to Dover. At Dover we boarded the 02.00 am ferry to Dunkirk. From there was a 3 hour drive to Rotterdam to join the ship. Although the journey was very comfortable and went smoothly, it was totally exhausting as sleeping on a coach is not ideal. We did not know this until it was too late to change or cancel. If we had known we would not have booked. To actually get on the ship at Tilbury would have been another £400 for the 2 of us. On arrival at Rotterdam we were checked in quickly and efficiently and taken straight to our cabin 6228 on deck 6 as we were told it was ready. When we got there the cabin steward was still cleaning it. Probably the worse cabin we have ever seen. 2 single beds with 2 very small duvet covers with surplus cover hanging over the edge. Very old furniture - in fact we went on this same ship 10 years ago when it was the Ocean Village and the curtains were exactly the same as was was the furniture. We prefer to use the buffet on cruises simply because we are not the type of people who 'dress up' for dinner and neither do we like sitting around a table with up to 6 other people. This was the first cruise out of 16 we have been on where the buffet was open only at certain times of the day. Breakfast was from 7 - 9.30 - lunch was 12 -2, afternoon tea was 3.30 to 4.30 and dinner was 6 - 9.30. In between there was only tea and coffee machines available. And NO water. Unbelievable considering we were visiting hot countries and water is essential. The food was absolutely disgusting and we actually thought we were on a vegetarian cruise. I have never seen so many dishes of vegetables. Cauliflower curry, undercooked fried fish, cold potatoes, chips only served twice in 15 days (not that we live on chips but the are always a good standby). Most nights and indeed some afternoons we lived on burgers from the alfresco bar on deck. This had a great choice of fast food - burgers or hot dogs! At least they were edible. At 3 different ports we ate off the ship purely out of hunger! Entertainment was awful. The theatre had the ships cast dancing and singing every other night and they were very amateurish. Singing was terrible and very loud. There was a 'famous guest impressionist' who nobody had ever heard of and we walked out after 5 minutes. Did not sound a bit like any of the people he was supposed to be impersonating. There was little or no entertainment inside the ship apart from quizzes, bean bag skittles, bingo and more quizzes. A BBQ on deck was a wash out as it was started during pouring rain and just moved under shelter. On sea days of which there was 8 there was no extra entertainment laid on at all. We quickly noticed that the crew were only friendly if you were spending money at bars or in the coffee shops. Public areas were the one big difference. Absolutely spotless, and it was clear these areas were where the money had been spent on refurbing. All very comfortable and nicely decorated. Unfortunately ALL the windows looking out to sea where so dirty you couldn't see out of them. Overall the worst cruise we have ever done and would not have booked it if more information was available. With any other cruise line you could find out absolutely anything and everything before you book to make deciding easier. Read Less

This was our first cruise so did not know what to expect but we absolutely loved it. We were told that Columbus was one of the smaller ships but when we saw it it looked HUGE to us! When we arrived at Tilbury, there was someone on hand to remove our luggage from the car and we didn't see it again until we arrived at our cabin on board!. Similarly, when we disembarked, the luggage was taken from outside the cabin and we easily found it again at Tilbury. Our cabin was lovely, the people were friendly, the staff extremely helpful, the food was delicious and plenty of it. Unfortunately two of our stop offs had to be cancelled because of the weather but alternatives were provided and plenty of advance information about each destination so that we could decide what to do. We would most definitely go again on this ship - we eventually got to know our way around after a few days of getting lost! Read Less

I have been on 10 previous cruises with Princess, Royal, P&O, and found this a grade above. P&O are equitable to Princess, and RCCL are just too big, with too many options. You have a 10 minute walk to get anywhere. This is the advantage of a smaller but well resourced ship. Columbus at 1440 passengers is the largest in the CMV fleet, but still medium sized. It is not missing anything. Still bars, restaurants, pools, decks, entertainment etc... but all within a small distance. It still has 9 lifts on a smaller boat, so you never wait long for one to arrive. The restaurant is well laid out with private booths, like a modern family restaurant. Staff remember your name and after 2 nights, know your needs and preferences. They work hard at this. Without being too in your face, all staff are friendly, positive and extra mile people. Well recruited, and well trained. The Fjords were beautiful, visiting Eidfjord, Flam, and Bergen. The funicular railways, whilst not cheap, are excellent value for money and show you views you could not see otherwise, from powerful waterfalls to snow capped mountains, mountain villages, and deep valleys. Beautiful. Ship food was good, rooms (inner, with 4 guests) are fine, and on this occasion, entertainment was the best we have experienced in any ship (this was our 11th cruise) DJ King was utterly believable as Elvis, Roy G Hemmings was a great singer (if somewhat Narcissistic), and one of the earliest of the Drifters, with great girl backing singers one night, and male backing singers the second time, with the girls joining at the end - a truly memorable evening. And the 3 degrees? Magnificent, iconic,unforgettable. These ladies are genuine soul legends. The ‘soul legends theme’ cruise was an inspired idea, and we (myself, wife, sister, daughter) would definitely do it again. ABSOLUTELY UNFORGETTABLE!,, Read Less

WHY CMV COLUMBUS? --Baltic sailing --Smaller ship --Price DINING --We chose the late dining option for the Waterfront Restaurant. We also took most breakfast and lunch meals at the Waterfront. The food was good and nicely presented. The pasta selections tended to be soggy or firm. Otherwise the entrees were satisfactory. The appetizers, however, were outstanding. The cafeteria on DGck 12 was always crowded, so we used it sparingly. ENTERTAINMENT --By far the best entertainment of any cruise we have taken. The small troupe of dancers and singers are exceptionally good. The comedian was outstanding too. The tenor regaled us with traditional opera as well as popular vocals. The Entertainment Team gets an A+ from us. LECTURES --On sea days we attended Power Point lectures by a Russian specialist on Peter the Great and the Romanov's as well as St. Petersburg's history and the Siege of Leningrad. She was very informative and set the stage nicely for the highlight of the cruise, namely our two days in St. Petersburg. There were other lectures and demonstrations as well, but we did not attend them. STAFF --All staff members struggle with English. It was often difficult to make our wishes know or understand them. The Reception Desk staff was very helpful however. CABIN --Out cabin steward was great, always looking after the room. 8133 is centrally located, but is above the Connextions Lounge so it could be a bit noisy at bedtime. Fortunately I have a white noise app on my phone that covered up the partying below us. WINE AND BEER --Being moderate drinkers, we opted for the on-board opportunity to purchase five bottles of wines for 85 GBP and ten beers for 49 GBP. We'd have a half bottle of wine at dinner and the Waterfront wait staff would save the other half for the next night. Occasionally we had an ala carte glass of wine for about 5.60 GBP. We did not have any specialty coffees or colas. EXCURSIONS AND PORT CALLS --We took only one CMV Columbus excursion, at Stockholm. The panorama portion of the excursion was horrible. Big bus, narrow streets, no views. But the Vasa museum was spectacular and we had plenty of time to see this amazing old ship that has been restored. ROTTERDAM. --We took the train to Delft for a self-guide tour. If you use the station nearest the ship you need correct change or else a credit card with a PIN. We walked to Rotterdam Centraal Station and took the trains (about 20 minutes). AAHRUS. --We hit stormy waters so we were diverted from Copenhagen to Aahrus, which was a pleasant surprise. Everything you want to see is just minutes from the ship and there is no need to buy an excursion. ROSTOCK. --A bust. The ship docked away from Wandemunde where you could catch a train into Rostock. A free shuttle was provided, but there was an hour and a half line to catch it. We did not go into Rostock or into Berlin (three hours bus ride each way). TALLIN. --We did this on our own. Outstanding. The old city is just a 20 minute walk from the dock. We toured both the lower and upper city and enjoyed a great lunch. ST. PETERSBURG. --We opted for a small group, private tour that cost about half of what CMV was charging and we had an outstanding time. HELSINKI. --For a small charge, I took the ship shuttle to the city center to meet an old friend. On my own. STOCKHOLM. --Too little and too far. The port time was shortened by the fact that the port is an hour away from Stockholm. And we had very limited time. Bummer, except for the Vasa museum. COPENHAGEN. --Rain, rain, rain. Plus very little port time. Just about the time the rain stopped we had to leave. More time needed. SEA DAYS --Two of our sea days were stormy and the ship rocked and rolled. It caused a three hour delay into Tillbury on the last day. EMBARKING AND DISEMBARKING Perhaps our best ever embarking and worst ever disembarking. We walked on quickly on Day 1. On the last day there was mass confusion, missing signs, and a traffic jam that prevented us from express embarking. Fortunately our hired car waited an hour overtime for us, but we had to pay an extra 20 GBP because of the ship's incompetence. Certainly they have had late arrivals before and ought to know what to do to relieve the chaos. They seemed clueless. Read Less