Took the family on our first cruise and for me its been 35 odd years since last cruising - friends and colleagues warned us of all these nasty experiences and I now suspect its so the ships aren't booked out and prices are kept down.

So a 14 day Sth Pacific journey - a stateroom, a balcony room and an internal room with a virtual balcony. Our suite/stateroom exceptional, good size good balcony, the balcony room for 20 something daughter and boyfriend also great and the internal cabin for two x 17 year old boys used to living on caves - so all good there, though the virtual balcony is obviously someones initial idea of a joke and someone up chain of command thought it a good idea.

The boat at 20 or so years old, refitted is still a spectacular masterpiece with a myriad of entertainment options for all - though 17 year olds neither allowed to be adults, paid adult fares, treated like adults in some sections of the vessel and like kids in others - so maybe its just a difficult age. Read more