We had visited our daughter who lives in South Korea and the cruise was convenient, in the same region.

The Great: The ship is magnificent, easily the most beautiful we have sailed on, from the elegance of the spacious stateroom to the beauty of the "Royal Esplanade" to the spectacular art that is featured throughout the ship. The staff whether house-keeping or dining or event personnel were always eager to serve and served with skill and unfailing friendliness. The ship has some new exciting features both in terms of facilities such as the Solarium Spa and the huge 270 Lounge which transforms into a live show venue at night, and features such as four main dining rooms and the simulated surfing and sky diving activities.

The Not-so-great: Sailing from Shanghai meant that 98% of the clientele were mainland Chinese. As China is just opening up to commercial ventures, cruising is obviously a new phenomenon to most. Embarkation was chaotic although we were thankful that we received priority boarding. In the corridor leading to the ship, an electronic sign proclaimed" "Civilized Behaviour; Enjoyable Trips." One must be prepared for long lines, guests jumping the queue, and some pushing and shoving. The Windjammer Restaurant was particularly prone to such behaviour and we quickly stopped dining there. Read more