Our first cruise 4 years ago was to the Baltic also on Crown Princess and we wanted to revisit some ports and see things previously missed. We have also had two trips on the Emerald so are familiar with the layout and like this size of ship. I've seen some reviews which suggest the ship needs a refit but we saw nothing to suggest this. Service, food and entertainment were all great as usual. Cruise Director Duke Christopher was very likeable and he and his team work really hard to keep people entertained. We opted for anytime dining as with previous trips and didn't wait long in queues as we prefer to share tables. The food was good but I think the choice was slightly less than previously. We always visit the Crown Grill which is awesome and worth the cover charge and we tried Sabbatinis for the first time but whilst food and service were fine the difference to the standard dining room didn't make me want to pay extra again.

Our plan was to do our own thing in port where possible and with the exception of St Petersburg and Gdynia where we took excursions all the other ports are easily accessible.

Bruges - We prebooked a shuttle online for approx £17 each . Very easy and convenient and all the sights are very walkable. Read more