Embarkation was not the best , most of the day was taken up by travelling from Dubai to the port of Abu Dhabi and then having to queue for the red tape involved. This took several hours, so did not get to see Adu Dhabi. Over all the cruise was fine my only criticism is they never tell you how much the gratuities are up front. When i inquired at the guest desk i was told its $27 per cabin per day. This includes your dining and room cleaning. When i told them we were dining in the buffet and not the restaurant should the same amount apply. The staff member replied, " This is the fixed amount and its NOT negotiable" .In the past i have always paid the staff what i think is good service. Now it seems the cruise company tells you what you must pay. Is it me or are the companies cutting back on the staff wages and expect you to make up the difference. So for the thirteen days i was there that would be $351 Dollars.

The excursions are way too expensive, i managed to get a Six seater taxi with a driver for 8 hours in Mumbai for £35 for the whole day. For the two days we were there,did a lot of sight seeing/shopping at a cost of £13 each total for both days. Now compare that with the ship's 4 hour tour costing £40 each. Do the maths ! Yes i know the ship's excursion promises a better experience, however their coach broke down while on tour in Goa and had to wait over 40 min on a corner of a busy high street while they found a replacement.

Another excursion i found hard to believe was a visit to a local home and included a cooked meal for over $350 each. So for the two of us how can a local curry cost over $700, come on !!!!!