National Geographic Quest Review
My first cruise leaves me hungry for more, literally and figuratively
Rating by category
Additional details
I joined this cruise as part of a family reunion and had no hand in picking this particular voyage. I also didn't pay for it! Nice deal! As this is my first cruise, I don't have a point of comparison and so may be unfairly critical.
Ship: well-designed, relaxed but somewhat luxurious feel to it. They have a great sustainability effort throughout, giving you a NatGeo water bottle with refill areas to avoid plastic bottles, no straws, etc.
Ship Crew & Naturalists: everyone was friendly enough but there was something amiss regarding the large staff of ship crew and NatGeo naturalists. Everyone seemed a little tired and weary. I get that it must be a grind to welcome, host, and then bid farewell to 100 strangers week after week but they need to figure out some way to inject some energy into it or to keep their speeches to a minimum.
Cabin Review
Our cabin (#303) was, I think, the cheapest one on ship yet felt spacious enough and extremely comfortable, with great bedding, lighting, temperature controls, and ample storage areas. What a pleasant surprise! The shower included shampoo, conditioner, and soap, and there were two amenity bags with lotion, a loofah, and stain remover. We had two portholes over the bed, which we'd asked them to make into a queen before we arrived. Service happened twice daily, with a chocolate on our pillow at night and warm mood lighting. If I were taking this cruise again, I probably wouldn't pay more for a larger cabin because this one felt great for the two of us.