We had high hopes going into this crossing that were repeatedly undermined by reading reviews characterizing the ship as decrepit, the atmosphere as stifling, and the dress code as arcane and draconian. Luckily, our high hopes were realized and our doubts unfounded.

We loved the slightly old-fashioned feel of the ship and its passengers. The interiors are comfortable, lived in, and attractive. The lack of piped in music was most welcome; how nice to be able to talk to each other over drinks rather than shouting over music! The food was all very high quality hotel food, by which I mean it was a bit bland and could tend to the stodgy, but that’s no slight; the food was perfectly in line with the ship’s overall atmosphere and we enjoyed our meals thoroughly. The Britannia Club dining room was a very pleasant, calm, quiet space, and we loved how efficient and professional the service was.

Embarkation in Brooklyn was slightly chaotic but only took about 20 -30 minutes from drop off to being onboard, thanks to having all documents printed and ready for inspection. Disembarkation was fast and easy. Read more