I don't usually write reviews for cruises but having travelled on the Magellan three times I feel the need to add some balance to all the negative reviews posted on this site. I've just come back from another great holiday, sailing from Newcastle to Norway for seven nights. The Magellan is an old ship and can never compete with the new-build state of the art ships run by Royal Caribbean etc, but what it does excell at is excellent service and value for money. We were in an inside cabin on deck four. "Isn't that down with the crew and the engines?" one ill-informed and rather stuck up fellow passenger asked me. It was a room for two, with plenty of space and a comfortable bed. I have a very sensitive sense of smell and despite what's been written here before, there was no smell of diesel or sewage. Nor were we stricken down by the killer air conditioning. The room was serviced twice a day and I slept well every night of the cruise. The low, mid-ship position of the cabin meant I didn't feel any motion when the ship was moving.

The passenger decks are all clean and comfortable, with enough bars and sitting areas to move around across the day. The quality of food and drinks are where CMV really excels. I've done six previous cruises with Royal Caribbean and Celebrity and can honestly say that the food and wine selection onboard Magellan are far superior to those companies. We had all our meals in the ala carte restaurants to avoid the buffet scrum and I enjoyed every one. We also ate in the speciality restaurant Fusion, which was open two nights of the cruise, and this too was outstanding. We took out the VIP drinks package, which is far cheaper than packages on Royal Caribbean, with a much better wine selection (I think the quality of wine included in RC's packages really let them down). It also included a private cocktail party which was a nice opportunity to meet other people, and allowed 50% off the speciality restaurant.

The service from all staff is excellent. Another area in which CMV scores over it's bigger competitors. There are always staff on hand to take drink orders, and if you do go to the bar to order for yourself, someone will bring the order to your seat. Even at very busy times, such as after the evening show, I never waited long to be served. I enjoyed the entertainment this cruise. No, it's not as expensively produced as on other lines, but the main theatre shows are all well performed by a talented team, headed by Cruise Director Jonathan Dulson. We weren't interested in the craft activities but there seemed to be something on every day for those who were. Read more