My wife and I recently cruised with CMV Columbus to the Canary Islands. This cruise was, what CMV term as, a multigenerational cruise. If you want to have a nice pleasant cruise then these types are to be avoided at all costs. There were children running amok,uncontrolled, everywhere including through the Bistro restaurant outside deck, putting many elderly people at risk of injury. Also in the shops at nighttime and totally invading the Oasis on deck 8, which was supposed to be designated “adults only” as there were signs stating this fact, and monopolizing the whirlpools, throwing water everywhere and sitting at the bar. The ships management were totally disinterested in dealing with our repeated requests that they adhere to the original concept that this area should be child free. We were told that as the management advised parents at embarkation that it was their responsibility to control children that was sufficient. This left no outdoor areas of the ship child free. As we were on the cruise immediately preceding this one we could not help observe that the menu in the Bistro had changed considerably to a much lower budget fare, a definite bias towards cheaper meals that would be more acceptable to the younger element. In regards to the Bistro there was a distinct lack of hygiene with no cleaning of tables in between guests sitting down to eat, all that was done was to replace the paper place mat and issue new cutlery, and on busy times in the Bistro there was no clearing or cleaning of tables at all, guests had to move aside dirty dishes to find a place to eat.

With regard to the Waterfront restaurant the seating times left a lot to be desired, the first sitting seems to be too early but the second sitting is too late. The menus were totally uninspiring, mediocre at best, with four courses of very small portions, not helped by very slow service.

Despite the daily requests in the ships program regarding guests not to reserve sun loungers, by leaving personal belongings on them, hardly anyone took any notice of that, on the Oasis deck all the loungers were reserved by 7am with no one anywhere in sight. Another example of the management being unable to manage the ship for the benefit and comfort of all passengers. This was exacerbated by the lack of presence around the ship of all the management staff, except the Captain who was often seen walking around various parts of the vessel. Read more