We chose this cruise because of the itinerary and all the new ports of call. We booked the 40 day from Sydney Australia to Tokyo Japan. We were in a suite 10500 which was at the front of the ship and we loved the position and balcony. Our butler and cabin steward were friendly and helpful. Thank goodness we had the suite I am not sure I could have survived 40 days in any other type of cabin. We spent a lot of time in the suite.

For many of the ports the ship anchored a long way off shore, resulting in long tenders, or it stopped in industrial ports that required expensive taxis into the closest town or paying the cruise line for a shuttle bus into town.

The day after we left Sydney, bars were running out of certain types of wines and beers!! Really one day into a 40 day cruise. We were told that the ship was expecting to be restocked in Sydney but the container had not arrived. The one thing that really was annoying was that you could only get certain things at certain restaurants. For example something as simple as good mint tea was only available at Moderno and none of the other specialty restaurants, no attempt was made to get something for even, one night I couldn't even get a baked potato in the specialty french restaurant because "it is only served in the main dining room" I remember the days servers would have gone to the main dining room to get it. Although sometimes the server would get something for me they were few and far between. Menus were the same every day for 40 days in the specialty restaurants and at the Suites breakfast and lunch venue in the Moderno. Certain wines were available only in a few of the bars, even though they were listed on all bar menus. There was no attempt to get the one you wanted. Servers were bringing other drinks because they had ran out, they would not come back and ask what else you wanted just bring whatever and leave. I can not tell you how many drinks I sent back because they had ran out of what I ordered and brought me whatever they could lay hands on. I went back to the bar tender one time and asked him what he had given me, he said he didn't know! Read more