Embarkation: The Journey was docked very close to the city of LIsbon--less than 15 minutes' walk to Rossio Square so it was very convenient. Boarding was easy. We could either take the free shuttle bus to the ship or walk. We had no bags so we walked. We were handed a welcome glass of sparkling wine and headed up to the pool deck where we had a lunch from the grill. Our cabin was ready at about 1:30 pm

Cabin: we were on deck 7 and it was a great location! Two stairs up from pool deck; two stairs down to main dining room. Cabin was a standard veranda, nothing special. Like the Azamara Quest, the couch pillows on the Journey are woefully flat but other than that everything else was in tiptop shape. The bathroom and shower are tiny but at least the storage is good (as is closet space in the cabin itself).

Public Rooms: Well-cared for and elegant, a nice mixture of traditional furnishings complemented by lovely modern art. We like it. Out on the pool and upper deck, there's new outdoor furniture. The grill area now has much more seating for two people and there's conversation pit furniture on the high deck: couch, side chairs, and coffee table. Very nice. Read more