Good Ship and Cabin

Cruise chosen for the 3 day stop in St Petersburg and the drinks package included.

Everything was as advertised on this well maintained and well staffed ship. Set dining service was immaculate; once the waiters knew your preferences then the drinks were chosen and available immediately. Local entertainment for port night stops was welcome and good quality. Our only areas of concern were:

1. Cabin 7120 was sited very close to the main vacuum sewer pipes. Therefore, from 0630 until 1000 each morning there was continuous bursts of the load sucking noise as about 100+ cabins (200+ people) used the toilet flush, at least once! Not too enjoyable.

2. The Balinese bar staff in the Martini Bar were brilliant! Smiling, attentive and entertaining. The Sky Lounge Indian Bar staff were completely the reverse being unwelcoming, depressing and barely doing their job.

3. The coffee shop on deck 5 only offered 'premium' (normal expresso types) free to drinks package holders. As nearly everyone was on a free package, unlike in 2010 when the coffee bar was created, then the queues were always long and slow (just like in a regular chain coffee bar anywhere in the world!). If this facility could be moved to the the area much bigger art gallery and photo display area (by removing both??!) then everyone would have had a better experience. No management were around to witness this obvious planning error.

4. News sheets and port briefing sheets had to be requested at the Guest Relations Desk, having queued. On other cruise lines these are placed on the bed at the end of each day.