As a first time cruiser it was with slight apprehension that we booked what we hoped would be an amazing introduction to cruising aboard Splendour of the Seas on its Eastern Mediterranean itinerary. We were not disappointed!

Flights from London to Venice via Dusseldorf, booked through RCI, were very expensive but we booked at the time of the volcano crisis and wanted the reassurance of a package trip. Everything went smoothly, including transfers to the ship, although the embarkation queues were longer than expected.

Once on board in the mid afternoon we freshened up in our cabin, ate lunch at the Windjammer cafe and enjoyed the decks and views. Our outside cabin was larger than expected with plenty of storage space and a very comfortable bed. I was slightly surprised that the toiletries provided consisted of a single bar of soap but having taken all we needed it wasn't a problem. Read more