This cruise was round trip from Amsterdam and one of our favorite itineraries. It was easy to get to pier on your own and in the city center which allowed easy access to pre and post cruise time exploring the city. We stayed at the Airport Sheraton which had convenient train access to the city for around 5.5 euros. Nice hotel - great accommodations and very quiet. We checked in and headed to explore the city as soon as we arrived. Also took the train to Central station which was within walking distance (even with luggage) to the passenger cruise terminal.

The ship was great and size was ideal! The staff was very friendly and willing to go the extra mile. Bartenders were fantastic! Remembering your orders from day to day and making you feel special! Hostesses at the complimentary and specialty dining rooms were very pleasant and always tried to accommodate your request of seating locations, etc. Buffet was a bit crowded in the mornings, but typical of port days.

Ports of call were the best part of this trip. Every port was interesting, the tour guides were exceptional. We booked our excursions through the ship as we had a package with the excursion credit. Best tours were in Poland and St. Petersburg, Russia. "Hermitage in the Evening" excursion was our favorite tour - the museum was closed for part of our tour, so the crowds were gone. However, all ports had wonderful museums! We did Hop on/Hop off in several of the cities and with our previous research were able to maximize the places to explore with the red bus. Read more