I am new to cruising and read with some alarm the reviews on here, so I want to do a thorough and balanced review so you know whats in store and give some tips. Get a cup of tea now as its a long one! I booked the cruise through Iglu.com as a anniversary present to my (russian) husband. We are both in our early 30's. We were in a distinct minority age wise!
We had paid for a inner cabin but was upgraded to a cat 9 for free, the cabin is basic with twin beds and the bathroom reminded me of a airplane loo at first. I like luxury so I thought I would hate it but was very wrong, its comfortable and kept spotlessly clean by our cabin steward twice a day. a plate of fruit was brought every day. Our cabin steward was very friendly and chatty which I liked.
The public areas are very stylish and we spent time in three bars, preferring the columbus lounge as the bar steward Viktor and the two waiters, Marco and Cecily were fun and friendly. If you don't like that then the captains club have more reserved waiters. All are very attentive and the cocktail list is amazing. There is often a cocktail of the day for £2.50 but the prices were cheaper than most bars. Soft drinks and Mineral water are expensive by comparison. I recommend taking a brita filter if you want non chlorine tasting water as this will be cheaper. We didn't bother with Scotts bar which reminded me of an 80's nightclub, but it seemed very popular.
Was upgraded to an oceanview cabin which was definitely more spacious than others we saw. The view was obstructed slightly but only by another window. The cabin is basic but with plenty of storage space and a small but functional bathroom. All cabins were kept very clean. Think high quality 3* hotel and you wont be disappointed.