Great entertainment, service and facilities

We were a family of three on the Diamond Princess from Sydney to New Zealand. We picked this cruise because it fits with our timeline and we booked late so it was one of the few ones left.

FOOD/ STAFF:

This is our first time on a Princess cruise and to be honest we have been pleasantly surprised! The facilities were excellent- was very happy with the outdoor pools and hot tubs. The Lotus pool at the front of the ship didn't have too many people and at some points we had it all for ourselves, which was nice and pleasant. Food from the buffet was alright, but food from the main dining rooms were fab! The waiters were friendly and professional, everyone was smiling which was lovely to see.

ENTERTAINMENT:

Evening entertainment was good, however we were expecting a grand finale with some staff representatives, which would have been nice but didn't happen. Onboard activities were good, some fun family activities, especially the evening game shows. Marcus, Ian and Ryota were the funniest guys ever.

PORTS:

For Akaroa, there is a tender service which can take up to an hour in length, so I would recommend coming down to the waiting area early if you want to make your independent shore excursions.

I would recommend the Diamond Princess for sure!