Looked forward to this cruise as been on Radiance twice before. Easy boarding despite covid-19 issues. Just relaxing before sailing when Captain advised cruise cancelled due to NZ closing ports. Royal Caribbean were great. Really helpful and promised a full refund or 125% credit on cruise cost. Vessel was very clean, lots of people cleaning and wiping down everywhere we went to avoid the dreaded corona virus. It was very disappointing but very well handled by all crew members on board. Will definitely travel again with RC and especially Radiance. The cabin was very clean and tidy but we only had a one night stay. As we couldn't arrange to get home that night we elected to stay on board. The ship however, had to move into Sydney Harbour as the Queen Elizabeth was docking the next morning. We were taken ashore on a chartered harbour cruise ferry cat and it went really smoothly, Lots of help with baggage both getting on the tender and off at the warf. Congratulations to all staff and crew. Will definitely try this cruise again when things settle down. Read Less

We had our MiddLe Eastern cruise cancelled and thought that by sailing around our own New Zealand and Australia we would be fine. It was great, we managed to book another cruise for the return to Australia but sadly they cancelled that in the week we had as a stopover in Auckland. Understand the situation completely. The Noordam is perfect for size for us, love the crew, well presented ship with good shows. Every one of the shows was brilliant, the Cast show was really good. We had some rough nights crossing the Tasman but they still did a super job. Our weather was great, the Milford Sounds Cruise was spectacular with stunning scenery in all the sounds, Doubtful, Milford and Dusky. Not a cloud in the sky, really good stopover in Akaroa too. Wellington was tops, pity we didn’t go to Picton and Napier as I highly recommend them as top ports of call. Read Less

I have read a review by Msglodenhair and agree with most of her review of her on board experience, of the ship and the captain and crew. However prior to embarkation, I had attempted to register on the Celebrity email log on pages that my wife was Gluten intolerant and that she would need a Gluten free diet. Having cruised in the Princess and P & O lines, that was a simple option to highlight and once on board the crew were ready to attend to my wife's dietary needs. I could not find any reference to special dietary needs, although I looked everywhere I could. I asked our travel agent to see if she could find the details I was looking for and she came back to me that it had been done by the Auckland agent for Celebrity Cruises. Once on board the Celebrity Solstice and our first visit to the dining room we found that my wife was not expected. There was no Gluten free option available at all. For a starter the only offer was a salad, but when all the possible gluten elements were removed it was just a plate of lettuce. I suggested to the waiter that at least some tomato could have been included and he returned with a medium sized tomato. It did get better after this first meal, but we were also disappointed with the quality of a firm favourite meal, Eggs Benedict which lacked the zing in the Hollandaise Sauce. For a Cruise line that should have been superior to the likes of Princess and P & O, we did not experience that in our dining on the Celebrity Solstice. Other than our dining experience, the other aspects of our cruise we really enjoyed. The entertainment on board was of a very high standard and the Faberge presentation was really superb. Communication from the bridge was really appreciated as we were sailing during testing times world wide so the Captain's updates were of great help for us in our decision making. The Captain had a friendly manner and a good sense of humour with it. Sadly we felt it necessary to end the cruise when we arrived at Dunedin. It was a hard decision to make but we do not regret making it. The crew readily accepted our decision and helped us with our bags to get off the ship. We would definitely sail with Celebrity again as our means to travel to/from Austalia to visit our daughters who live there - just as soon as it is again safe to travel. Read Less

We chose this cruise at the last minute as we were booked to go on a cruise around Asia, which was cancelled due to port restrictions in Singapore and Hong Kong. We had not travelled with Celebrity at all prior to this cruise. I agree 100 percent with the two previous very positive reviews. The cruise was fantastic. It was a great way to see New Zealand. The ship was kept very clean and everything was done that could have been done to ensure that health risks were kept to a minimum. I commend the wonderful crew of this ship. John, our stateroom steward was wonderful, along with Richard, our sommelier in the MDR, and our waiters Anthonius and his assistant waiter. The Captain looked after us well, as did everyone that we encountered. All crew were only too happy to help with anything at all. We flew into Auckland from Australia prior to embarkation. Many other fellow passengers had flown in from USA and UK. Our temperatures were taken and we were asked many questions about our health and where we had been before boarding, unlike our experience at the airports and with airlines, where no precautions were taken. Yet airports and airlines have not been scrutinized in the same way as cruise ships have been so unfairly targeted. The worst thing about this cruise was having to disembark. I can't wait to cruise again, once the travel ban is lifted. Thank you Celebrity Solstice, for a great holiday. Until we meet again... Read Less

We flew from Sydney to Auckland via Air New Zealand and stayed three nights at the Sofitel property Grand Windsor in Queen St. We had breakfast included and there were plenty of restaurants and cafes nearby for lunches and dinners. The hotel was in a great location. Highly recommend day trip to Waiheke Island (and we would stay overnight when we visit NZ again). We travelled with another couple who had never cruised. This was our fifth cruise with Celebrity (have not travelled with others as we like Celebrity). Our friends were super impressed with cruise life and would agree with the comments that follow. Cruise embarkation smooth and quick; temperatures were checked upon boarding which gave us confidence they were taking the coronavirus seriously. We thought the ship was well maintained noting it is scheduled for refit in 2021. We were in Aqua Class and like to be aft - we were in room 1653 (rear, port side, bed near bath layout). Really liked the aqua spa shower; good size balcony with 2 chairs, footrests and a table. The room had plenty of storage space, a big sofa and a huge flat screen interactive tv. Surprisingly spacious and our cabin steward Achmad did a great job. Our friends were in 1584 (bed near balcony) and were impressed with the size and layout of room. Tauranga - we booked a Viator tour which took us to Rotorua and Hobbiton. Our guide was Peter who was informative and a good driver. A great day! Rotorua was fascinating and Hobbiton where part of Lord of Rings and Hobbit trilogies were filmed was very interesting. Picton - we did a Viator tour for the Marlborough train tour to Blenheim. Scenic journey passing through vineyards and then stopping at Blenheim for a few hours to spend in this town before taking train back to Picton. We enjoyed the train trip but were a bit lost in Blenheim as it was not the quaint country town we were expecting. In hindsight we should have done a wine tour. Akaroa - tendering process was efficient. We did a Viator tour to Christchurch and our guide was Scotty was great. Had lunch in the Riverside Market and would have been happy to spend more time here. We had a pie from The Butchers Pie Shop which we would recommend trying. We hopped off at the far end of Akaroa and walked back to the tenders. NZ prime minister then announced that all cruise ship ports in NZ would be shutting next day but we were lucky and able to disembark at Dunedin where we joined a Viator tour - sights of Dunedin, Larnach Castle and Speights brewery with Russell. Surreal because this was the last tour for these guys and they were trying to work out what it meant for them. We really enjoyed the short stop at the railway station (most photographed building in all of NZ), Larnach Castle and the very informative tour of the brewery with generous tastings available and the chance to pour your own beer. Fjordland area (Dusky, Doubtful and Milford sounds) - very lucky the sun shone and we had a spectacular day. The captain rotated the ship 360 degrees at Milford sound so every side of the ship could get views of the falls. Lots of dolphins sailing alongside the ship from time to time. We missed Eden due the closure of Australian ports but were given onboard credit for missing that stop and hence the shops were busy. We arrived in Sydney the night before disembarkation which gave us an unexpected and spectacular view of our beautiful harbour and the chance to see it at sunrise. We dined mostly in Blu, Murano, Tuscan Grill, Silk Harvest and Sushi on Five. We avoided the Ocean View Cafe and MDR just because they tend to have people sit closer together and we liked the spaciousness of the other restaurants. We loved all our meals and could not fault the presentation, flavour or choice. And the service of the teams in those restaurants was flawless. We had the premium beverage package which was great. Just surprised the choice in the restaurants was quite limited. But we ended up trying wines we wouldn't normally drink. Enjoyed the theatre shows. We loved the Australian singer and violinist. The production shows were well done 'Rock city', 'Broken strings', and 'Euphoria' (our favourite). Spa - knowing the world was being locked down I had my hair coloured, a massage, facial and legs waxed - now the spa is expensive but I was happy with the service I got and it means I don't have to worry about any personal maintenance for 2 months or so! Disembarkation ran very smoothly and we were off the ship by 8am in Sydney and being local home by 9am to commence our self isolation for 14 days as required by our government. Pleased to say we have now completed it and we have not had a hint of illness. Captain Alex was a bit of a comedian and did a great job with his announcements. Overall we loved our cruise and are especially appreciative of the Celebrity Solstice team that made it safe and special. The crew were always cleaning and made sure everyone used hand sanitisers regularly. Knowing the world would change when we disembarked was surreal. A cruise is a great way to see NZ and we hope to do the trip again. Read Less

I am really impressed with the way the Captain and crew of the Golden Princess responded to constantly-changing circumstances while we were on our New Zealand cruise. Our captain kept us up-to-date as much as he could with regular, friendly, well-explained announcements whenever new news or regulations came in. Although plans seemed to change daily, the focus was always on the well-being, comfort and enjoyment of the passengers. It must have been difficult for the crew because they had even less certainty about their destiny than the passengers, but they were amazing. They responded to ever-changing circumstances. For example, when we anchored at Akaroa, and eventually found out that we couldn’t disembark, they put on a splendid 3-course lunch at a moment’s notice. Their workload would have increased significantly without passengers disembarking but they continued to provide excellent service with smiles on their faces and did everything they could to ensure guests were taken care of. Victor, our cruise director, responded by adding extra activities throughout the ship to keep the entertainment up. I was surprised at how quickly daily activities sheets and other important information was revised, printed and delivered to our rooms. Although the cruise didn’t go as planned, I had an excellent time and don’t regret going, even though I am in self-isolation now. I cannot fault the way the Captain and staff responded to this difficult situation, and I would definitely go on a Princess Cruise again if I get the opportunity. Read Less

We flew from London to Auckland via Emirates. Everything ran as per schedule and we arrived in New Zealand 3 days prior to the cruise. It took about an hour or so to go through immigration and customs before leaving the airport. However apart from usual bag checks no other checks like temperature monitoring were being carried out at the airport. We were transferred to our central Auckland hotel called Citylife heritage hotel. We were given a one bedroom suite on one of the top floors of this hotel which had beautiful views of the city and harbour. We had breakfast included at the hotel which was great and there were plenty of restaurants and cafes nearby for lunches and dinners. The hotel was in a great location, situated on the main shopping street, Queen street. Sky tower was 5 mins walk away. We spent the next 3 days sightseeing around Auckland. Took hop on hop off bus to tour around Auckland, went up the sky tower for great views of the city, took a ferry to Devonport for views of Auckland from Mount Victoria. Also visited museum and botanic gardens. On our third day, we took a full day excursion to Rotorua to visit Tepuia and Wai-o-tapu geo-thermal sights. Very interesting day visiting these lovely sites and also saw a kiwi bird at Tepuia. On our return back to Auckland there was heavy rainfall which the country desperately needed after a very dry summer. Thankfully this was the only rainfall we saw in our entire trip. The next morning we did a bit of souvenir shopping on queen street before being picked up by our trasnsfer service to be taken to the dock to check in for the solstice New Zealand cruise. We thought it would take a long time to board the cruise as they were going to do extra checks like temperature monitoring etc. However no sooner we got there, our temperatures were promptly recorded and after getting the all clear, we handed our luggage to one of the porters. We proceeded to the check in area where the queue was minimal and were checked in to board the ship in 10mins. This was one of the fastest boarding we have experienced for a cruise. The whole process from arrival to boarding ship took under half an hour! As soon as we entered this beautiful ship, we were given champagne and asked to proceed to buffet as staterooms were going to be ready by 1pm. There was plenty of food choice for lunch from pizzas to sandwiches to Indian, Mexican, Chinese, vegetarian/vegan etc. After we finished lunch, we went to tour the ship which was similar to the Reflection we had been on 6 months prior to this cruise. 2 outdoor and 1 indoor pools, 2 tier theatre, cinema, casino, plenty of bars and cafes, around 4 speciality restaurants, outdoor screen by lawn area etc. Lovely ship and everything seemed nicely maintained despite a refit scheduled in 2021. We were soon asked to proceed to the staterooms soon after 1pm. Our cabin was a balcony cabin on deck 7 on the starboard side of the ship towards the front elevators. Great location for the theatres, Sky bar and cinema. Bit further to walk for dining areas but we got used to it very soon. When we got to our cabin, all the luggage had already arrived which was great! The cabin was once again very similar to our cabin on celebrity Reflection. Lovely bathroom with shower cubicle with glass doors. Good size balcony with 2 retractable chairs and a table. The room had plenty of storage space, a big sofa and a huge flat screen interactive tv. All in all, a very pleasant cabin which was looked after by our cabin steward Joaquín. The master of the ship, captain Alex, was one of the best captain we have ever had on a cruise. He was hilarious and we eagerly looked forward to his daily announcements. More importantly he kept us reassured and worry-free through out the cruise as we were travelling at a time when the whole world seemed to be affected by the coronavirus. Moreover we saw him regularly saw him and his officers throughout the cruise. We departed Auckland after 6pm soon after the safety drill was completed. We had lovely views of the city as we sailed toward Tauranga, our first stop. We docked in Tauranga next day at 10.30am. As we had booked a 'Hobbiton film set' tour for 12.30pm, we went to explore nearby area in the morning. we hiked up Mt. Maunganui in the morning where we got lovely views of the ship and surrounding area. Went back to ship for 12.30 whereby we took a coach to see the lovely film set where some parts of Lord of Rings and Hobbit trilogies were filmed. Spent around 3 hours at this magical place before returning to the ship around 4.30pm. As the ship was not leaving Tauranga till 10pm, we had local Maui performers come and do a traditional show in the theatre and included Haka dance too. We had a sea day in between followed by 3 consecutive stops. The first stop was Picton in South Island which was extremely picturesque. We had a lovely sunny day and we did a Marlborough train tour to Blenheim which was really a scenic journey passing through many vineyards. We got off at Blenheim and had a few hours to spend in this town before taking train back to Picton. Once we got back, we looked around Picton and the beautiful scenery around the area before taking back shuttle to ship. The next day we tendered in Akaroa. However the tendering process was very quick and efficient. We did a tour to Christchurch. It was a lovely picturesque journey to Christchurch and we had an excellent tour guide/driver who was very informative. When we got there we toured the city on the colourful trams and although the city is still rebuilding from the earthquake around 10 years ago, we loved the city for its vibrant atmosphere. We returned back to the ship and sailed towards Dunedin (Port Chalmers). We were advised by the captain that night that NZ prime minister had announced that all cruise ship ports in NZ would be shutting next day and if anyone entered the country from a foreign country including Australia, they would have to self isolate for 14 days. Hence anyone wishing to get off at Dunedin would be allowed to. This was our last NZ port anyway so we didn't miss any of the NZ ports. However due to the self isolation policy, around 180 guests left the ship in Dunedin. In Dunedin, we had a tour booked to see sights of Dunedin and visit Speights brewery. This was an excellent tour as it covered quite a few areas of Dunedin like botanic gardens, the railway station (most photographed building in all of NZ) and also a very informative trip to the brewery. After the tour of brewery we were given lots of good sized samples of various beers to try. Returned back to ship after 4 hours and then went around Port Chalmers Local area to have a look at this lovely small town. The next day we were visiting the national fjordland area (dusky, doubtful and Milford sounds). As we were not docking there, we were allowed to visit this part of New Zealand. It started off a bit overcast when we cruised through dusky sound but weather kept improving through the day and by the time we got to Milford sound, it was very warm and sunny. The captain gave us a surprise by rotating the ship 360 degrees at Milford sound to view one of the gorgeous waterfalls there so every side of the ship could get great views of the falls. We also saw lots of dolphins sailing alongside the ship once again pointed out by the captain and cruise director. During the sail into other sounds, we also saw seals and plenty of different types of birds. Had a great day visiting all the sounds and our trip to NZ wouldn't have been complete without without visiting these sites. We were supposed to have 2 sea days before docking in Eden. However Australia announced they would be closing all ports to cruise ships. Hence we missed Eden but were given onboard credit for missing that stop. So we ended up with 3 sea days. We were slightly concerned whether we would be allowed to disembark in Sydney but we needn't have worried as captain Alex announced that we were given permission to disembark in Sydney and would be arriving there the night before. However wouldn't be allowed to leave the ship until the scheduled day of departure. So apart from missing Eden, we didn't have any other itinerary changes and were very lucky that everything ran smoothly and no one fell ill onboard. The ship staff were always cleaning around the ship and made sure everyone washed their hands and used hand sanitisers regularly. We dined in main dining room on level 4. Although we were on anytime dining, the hostess Carla (who remembered our names daily) always ensured she was gave us table by the window with the same waiter every night. One of the best hostesses we have seen on a ship. Our head waiter Rejoy was excellent and ensured all our needs were promptly met. His assistant Goolfee was great too but was moved to one of the speciality dining rooms later. However his replacement was great too. Wine steward Paul gave us a good selection wines daily. Since we had outstanding service in main dining room, we didn't need to visit any of the speciality restaurants. However those who visited some of them like Murano, had a great time. Food was great and loved all the choices on menu. All the shows in theatre were great. There were some guest presenters like a British magician, Australian singer and a violinist. All were very talented and enjoyed their shows immensely. The production shows were brilliant and loved all 4 of them. They included 'Rock city', 'Broken strings', 'Amade' and 'Euphoria'. The singers and dancers did a great job and we got to see how they work and train on one of the sea days when we were given a complimtary tour of the backstage areas. The cruise director Kelly did and excellent job and together with her assistant Patrick, they ensured everyone was kept entertained during the various parties on the ship. Loved the balloon launch night and st. Patrick's day party. However disappointed that Abba night was not held in foyer as the charm was lost when it was held in sky lounge. There were quite a few talks, trivial, games and shows organised on the sea days to keep us occupied. However apart from one film shown in theatre on first sea day, no other films were shown in theatre during the cruise which was slightly disappointing. Films were shown on the screen by the lawn and at celebrity central but these are not ideal venues for film screening. Hence I would recommend solstice to show more films in theatre like they had done on our previous cruise on Reflection. Disembarkation ran very smoothly and we were off the ship by 8am in Sydney. We were at the airport by 11am and luckily our flight went on time later that day. Sadly lot of flights were cancelled as the world prepared to lock down due to coronavirus. On the whole, I would highly recommend this cruise to anyone who wants to visit and see sites and sounds of NZ in a relaxed way. We were immensely lucky that everything ran smoothly from start to finish and captain Alex and his team did a marvellous job to keep us safe and entertained through out the trip. Hoping the world can get over this virus quickly and cruises and travel can restart soon. Happy cruising! Read Less

We like New Zealand and decided that it would be a good way to go for a short cruise which started in Auckland and finished in Sydney. One of the selling points was that the ship was coming back to Sydney via Eden on the south Coast of NSW.. On the morning of embarkation in Auckland it was a fairly long process because of the corona virus scare - everyone had to have their temperature taken.. But it was handled well and to know that we were considered safe to board the vessel was good news. Our balcony cabin on Deck 6 was OK apart from a slightly restricted view because of the life boats. The balcony furniture was very tatty and one of the chairs was less than safe to 'perch' on. There were a few things around the ship that needed attention. I don't like the idea of a 'minibar' and requested all the things in it be removed. Another thing which really annoys me is that as soon as one sets foot on the ship someone is trying to take your photo, others are endeavouring to make sure one has a drinks package or others are trying their hardest to get one to sign up for extra dining packages or spa treatments etc etc. If I want those things I am quite capable of making my own decisions. The WiFI costs on Celebrity Solstice are beyond belief. No wonder people hightail it off the ship when there are port calls to search for free WiFi. I thought the food in the buffet cafeteria was quite good - a wide variety of food. We never went to the formal dining room. One things I didn't appreciate was the 'music' that constantly bashed one's ears. Why does it have to be so loud and intrusive. Very difficult to hold a good conversation - I guess it's also a way of quickly shunting people through the dining areas. Their system of accounts makes it appear on the in room TV that each person has the same credit. We spoke to one of the desk staff about this and he said that quite a few people had been 'caught out by this'. An easy way to make an extra buck or two for the company. The Captain was quite a good communicator - quite amusing as well. Most of the staff were friendly and our room attendant was efficient and pleasant. The end of the cruise was less than satisfactory. We couldn't dock in Eden because of the corona virus (I understand that). We docked on the evening 19/3 in Sydney but couldn't disembark until the following morning. With everything that was/has been happening with corona virus we would have thought that we all would have been checked before getting off the ship or at least on the dock. But NO - it didn't happen. Something fell down with communication between the ship and NSWhealth/ border control. When we got to the dock we had to sign a form about going into 14 days isolation. Which of course we did and we will be 'in-house' for quite a few more days before that time is up. It was an unhappy ending to an otherwise fairly good trip. Read Less

Excellent trip all went well emergency entertainer added in Fremantle was a nice surprise. All fill in Acts were very good as were the large showtime shows in the Theatre. The waiters in the Marquis Restaurant & Horiizon Court buffet were attentive, helpful & friendly. The cabin staff also very good, kept the cabin very clean and stocked with fresh towels. The cabin had plenty of coat hangers and a soft bed. The cruise staff were continuously cleaning, giving us a sense of safety. The wash tubs at the buffet were very efficient to keep guests safe as possible from the Corona virus it being so easily passed to everyone at this time. We visited Albany, Port Lincoln, Adelaide & Kangaroo Island,but our voyage finished there due to Burnie in Tasmania and Melbourne closing their ports to cruise ships,due to the virus. Princess has offered a geneorus refund with two refund choices for our loss Worth another cruise ASAP Read Less

We cannot praise the Captain and staff of the Golden Princess enough! We have just returned from a 13 day cruise to New Zealand that was cut short by 4 days because of the current global crisis. During this uncertain time we were kept up to date at all times as the situation developed and were treated with the utmost respect. The food onboard was incredible and nothing was too much trouble for our waiters Edzel and Michaell in the dining room. There were many varied activities to choose from and we had lots of laughs participating. The staff were fastidious with hygiene, regularly wiping surfaces after use. Although we were disappointed that we only set foot on land for 1 day due to port restrictions we still had a very relaxing holiday on this lovely ship. A big thank you from my husband and I. We will definitely sail with Princess again sometime in the future. Read Less

First time on Cunard, we were supposed to do back to back cruises from Sydney but the New Zealand cruise was cancelled due to the virus. The six day cruise itself was lovely, free from any dramas and we formed some lovely connections with the staff. Our room was the cleanest of any cruises we have ever been on, well done Cunard. Loved walking into a room where I don’t immediately think I had better start cleaning. The food was lovely, a bit repetitive in the buffet but still fine. I really want to say how wonderful Cunard itself has been. Having cancelled our second cruise they couldn’t do enough for the passengers. Booking accommodation, rebooking flights, booking us into a lovely hotel where we bunkered down until our flight back to Perth. Although it was sad to no be able to undertake our second cruise, the amazing manner in which the company and staff rallied around and provided one hundred per cent support helped in this disappointment. Many thanks to Cunard we’ll definitely travel with you when the time is right. Read Less

I had never been on a curnard cruise before and have been put off by rumours that they are quite formal cruises. However I booked the cruise just a couple of days out before embarktation at a ridiculous price. So let's on the cruise Overall I can discount a.lot of the critiscim i read on the formality of curnard although on gala nights there is a need to dress up. From boarding the ship and throughout the cruise I loved the white glove service The service level by all staff is very high. There was a bit of administration issues around dining appointments and table allocation and it did fustrate passengers because there were no dinning room.managers available until the first sitting at 5.30pm Quite a few people including myself had dining room arrangements cancelled by their computer system. To their credit the managers worked very hard and got it sorted out quickly. Dining room experience with waiters was excellent. Range of food and quality was high. If a dish wasnt to your tasting it was quickly replaced by the waiter. The size of the meals were and dishes were served hot. They did a very good job My cabin was well appointed and maintained. The service from my cabin stewardess was excellent my room and bathroom were always spotless. What I noticed was the high number of cleaning rags used by the staff. They were using a separate group of rags per cabin. The shower was a little bit smaller than what I expected, water pressure and temperature were excellent. The buffet was very good for breakfast and lunch. I particularly like sushi and there dishes available both for lunch and dinner. Sometimes I would call in early for a small plate of sushi before my main meal. On the subject of allegey food, the selection of gluten free food was better at dinner time, they had an entire bay of gluten free meals at nights. Also in the afternoon tea time, there was also a very good range of gluten free sandwiches and cakes. Overall, the staff were very helpful and service was excellent. If you like reading and need a quite place, this ship offers a number of venues and places just to let you get away from the crowds and just enjoy and occasionally falling off for 10 minutes. The old cigar room which has been relocated to level 3 is now the admiralites room, lovely quite place to read. The promenade deck on level 3 is totally under cover. Whether you relax on a deck chair with a blanket or walk around the ship, you can relax or excerise or watch the clouds go by. It is one those classical decks from a bygone era which seems to be lost in some of the modern ships. The pool.deck gave me mostly joy but a little of disappointment. Pools are fine and unlike the more ships don t have 50 children jumping in and around. It is more refined because of t h e clientele. There are lots of places to sit including a reasonable amount of shaded seating. However the spas are incredibly small and can either fit 2 to 3 people. They are in the sun. If the ship needed a refit, this is one thing that needs to be replaced. They are ridiculous small and ineffective. For non smokers,the amount of space offered to people who consume tobacco is the highest I have ever seen on a ship. Most companies are reducing these areas. On a bad day you can only go down one side of the ship to avoid these passengers. Entertainment was not to my tastes. Except for the trivia and kareoka at the pub, i found the entertainment was 1930s era. I didn't go to one show at the threatre and the number of sessions allocated to ballroom dancers and the number of participants at the queens room couldn't justify the event. There was a reasonable population on the ship to justify a dj and some more modern dance music. Embarktation and Disbarktation service was well coordinated. The tender service at port Arthur was well managed. The nunever of tenders operating and their frequency just made the whole process flow so smoothly. I did two short excursions and found that well organised from the purchase, meet and greet and the service provided by the operators. However when it came to cost, we didn't realise that the price offered was in American dollars. A lot of ships that operate in Australian waters during their stay offer australian prices. I found curnard did not clearly disclose this fact. As a result not only did we have to the equivalent in American dollars but the currency conversion rate was very high.disappointed with this lack of disclosure. Read Less

Booked this on board QM2 when the QE's Asian itineraries were all scrapped. Crazy cheap price made this unmissable. Compared to the QM2 this is the inferior ship in almost every single area. The vaunted decoration of the ship looked a bit tacky, a bit Vegas casino, the public rooms felt cramped and crowded. You can't walk to the front of the ship, the gym seems tired. What most surprised me was the surly attitude of many of the staff; some of those in the Lido buffet were downright rude. The Lido never seemed to have any spare tables for either breakfast or lunch. The food was a smidgen better than the QM2 but again the serving staff were brusque. The theatre is outstandingly good, and the performances (particularly from the inhouse entertainment) were MUCH better than the QM2. Shout out to Ronel, Head of Customer Services, for helping me with my cabin issues. However, it is highly unlikely I will ever choose to sail on this ship again as the price premium Cunard imposes for the supposedly White Star service is simply not worth it. I'd rather save my money and go on Holland America. Read Less

We chose this cruise as have never been on Cunard before. As it tied in with our time frame, was a good deal and no Princess cruises available, we wanted to experience it. We are Elite Princess travellers with 23 cruises already taken, so had a lot to compare. Embarkation without priority was very quick and smooth.. surprising with virus scares.(filled in form, had temperature taken, sanitised and off we went to check-in. Our cabin was ready and bags came quickly. The ship smelt nice most of the time and the buffet was generally good ( we don't eat alacarte). We were surprised that Crew didn't offer water or tea) coffee. They were polite but Princess crew more helpful. Last night was disappointing as after coming out of a show after 2100pm, found no buffet open. As we hadn't had dinner, I was not too happy as starving. We had to wait until 2130 for them to open another section. But now we know, won't do that again. The performance entertainment, both cruise team and visitors, have been brilliant. We didn't get to see the comedian but others enjoyed it. Musician's around the ship were wonderful (harpist, violinists and strings, pianists and others). The decor is plush with elegant staircases and once we got used to the layout, could navigate our way around better. Beware that all prices are in USA dollars and there's automatic gratuities which is not standard for Aussie waters. Gratuities can be cancelled at pursers office and you make your own donation. Like many ships, there was an occasional waft of sewerage and too many smoking areas. Docking of ship was super smooth. Read Less

2 nights 3 days to Sydney, we got to the terminal at the correct time to find every one else had the same time ,so 45 mins doing the bag line shuffle , we climbed on board as so many Brisbane folks also did , there where the normal bars, entertainment ,shops we choose a widow cabin as not worth a balcony for the short time trip , the first night was the band on deck ,as we left port ,then they had the bands playing after the evening meal ,in the bars , the entertainment was the comedy show , which was very funny , thes day at sea was a bit slower as the activitys where less then we thought but there where movies on the TV to which we watched , as the evening came we then watched the on deck movie ,we have 2000 people on board yet i counted 10 people watching this movie , for us more room , on arrival in Sydney we waited till the breaky line was slow around 8 am , by this time the line had less then 5 people simply walked in loaded plate and off to the seat , finally finished we simply headed to the gang way and left as our bags where carry on ,so easy , then off the gangway and into the heart of Sydney Read Less

Overall i like the Viking ocean ships. Clean, crisp norweigian style. Food choices good. Room layout very good. But this review is about my view of the way Viking handled the itinerary debacle caused by the virus. We were merrily headed to Hobart Tasmania when the captain informed us early in the morning while at sea that we were headed on a beeline to the mainland of AUS to get into port there. It was obvious from the direction of the boat that Sydney was the intended port. NZ had just closed its ports and it was clear AUS would follow suit. We never made it to Sydney. AUS closed its ports before we got there. We were redirected to Melbourne. Due to an AUS exception to its port closure order we were able to disembark as long as we all headed to the airport for departure. To my knowledge nobody on board was ill before disembarkation. Overall I was impressed with Viking's offer for free flights home for everyone on board even if you did not arrange travel thru Viking. Coach of course. It probably took a huge effort to get flight's (re)arranged in the short time before disembarkation for those who did not do their own thing. My wife and I immediately redid our own arrangements so we could stay in business class. Viking provided transfers for everyone to the airport and allowed people to stay on the boat as long as possible before their flight. I found the guest assistance very adequate in helping us and other people figure out their new arrangements. I have to figure out what to do about upcoming Viking trips depending on how the virus thing is panning out but appreciate Viking's flexibility on reservations (vouchers for future travel and cancellations almost up to the time of departure). I may be wrong but I think they were first out of the block with the most flexibility. There are a few nits and nats I could describe but they are trivial compared to how things generally unfolded and were dealt with by Viking. I see reports of chaos on other ships. Some are still floating around out there looking for a port. God bless and help those people. Read Less

Over a year and half in planning with another couple, we booked the Australian Wilds & Beyond (OCY200303-17), going from Sydney to Singapore on Crystal Serenity through our travel agent. We opted to book our own airfare to Sydney and home from Singapore using frequent flyer miles. And since we were going all this way, we decided to go to Sydney 5 days early to explore a city we had always wanted to visit. We also planned our return trip home out of the ending point Singapore, but 3 days after disembarkation. Trip began Feb 25, 2020 and was to end on March 23. On Tuesday, Feb 25th, we boarded our flight to Sydney and arrived there on Thursday, Feb 27th (Feb 26th in the US). Once we cleared customs and obtained our luggage, we received a phone call from our travel agent advising us that he had just gotten word that Crystal had cancelled the cruise completely. We were all tired and had prepaid transportation and hotel accommodations in Sydney, so we gathered our things and proceeded to our hotel. After relaxing for a bit, we regrouped and worked with our travel agent to rebook us on another cruise that was available leaving Sydney. We found several to choose from but fortunately we settled on the Silversea Muse going to New Zealand. Due to the current situation in the world, they had several cancellations and had some space available. Since the window was so short, there was no time to provide us paperwork for luggage and checkin. Our hotel however was a starting point for many of their booked passengers, and they had several representatives there to assist. The ladies were able to provide us the information we needed for the ship, and also some shopping advice for the few days we had left in Sydney. We also found out when the first bus was leaving on embarkation day so we scheduled a car to pick us up and deliver us to the terminal before they arrived. We were greeted warmly by the staff at the terminal and they were so helpful with our luggage even though we had no tags. We filled out the required health paperwork, had our temperatures taken and checked in within minutes. Before we knew it they were welcoming us onboard and we found that our suite was already ready and available and our butler, Rodney, was there to greet us. The suite was beautiful and the service impeccable. We really loved the daily laundry and dry cleaning same day service, out by 9am and returned by 5pm that same day, and hung in the closet. Rodney also took our shoes and polished them and returned same day. We had special requests for canapés and he handled that too along with stocking our favorite bottle of wine. We like coffee in bed every morning before we start getting ready, and it was delivered like clockwork every morning before we arose. After getting ready and going to breakfast, our room was cleaned and ready when we returned. We were always greeted by name, I think they get our pictures and study them so they can address us, first class service. We were truly impressed when on the first day we went to the excursion seminar and was greeted by the excursion desk manager by name as we approached the venue, having never seen her before, and she continued to delight us through the cruise, accommodating all of our needs, especially since we were so last minute with our booking and many of the excursions were full. The same is true for the restaurants as many were already booked fully but the manager gave up his table to accommodate us on formal night. The cruise director, Nolan, was amazing, keeping everyone entertained in daily trivia, doing standup in the theatre and singing, very talented and his team of performers were very talented as well. Our bartender, Oliver, in the La Dolce Vita lounge was a gem, having our drinks prepared the moment he saw us arrive so we didn’t even have to order from a waiter. I have to say that the service provided on the Muse was the best I have ever had on a cruise ship, and not just these people, but the whole crew. The wait staff, the maid service, the butler, the restaurant managers, the sommeliers, the performers, the spa professionals, reception desk, the excursion desk, all of them were so caring and wanted to make our experience the best, and they managed to do that and then some. We will definitely cruise with SilverSea again, hopefully sooner than later. Thank you. Read Less

I want to share how pleased we are with how Viking takes care of guests. This trip was our ninth on Viking Ocean, had it not been necessary (and prudent) for Viking to Cancel we would have also enjoyed our 10th Cruise from Sydney to Bali. Because of the Coronavirus outbreak it was necessary (and again, prudent) for Viking to end our cruise early and have us disembark in Melbourne where the Viking team went above and beyond to expedite and assure our safe return home. The professionalism, class and caring by Viking team members was consistent throughout the ship and Viking organization. The Orion crew was wonderful and service as always first class. Even as news was breaking about concerns worldwide there was no sense of panic among the Viking Team. It was obvious the team was seeking solutions and looking way beyond the challenges they were facing minute by minute. The team consistently demonstrated competence and confidence which reassured passengers as best possible. It was obvious that the passengers safety and comfort were the teams highest priority. Quite simply....Viking went Above and Beyond in assuring a quality Viking Experience. Once home comfortably I have to reflect back on the challenges that the Viking Team faced and likely still face. The Video Message from Mr. Hagen was so welcom and appreciated.....Leadership to be admired. It was so wonderful to know that Viking is caring for its team.....as that team is a large part of what makes Viking our ONLY choice for Cruising (Ocean or River). Of course it has been necessary to cancel a few of our planned upcoming trips.....no fault of Viking I must add. And Yes, we were among the first to book Expedition and Mississippi Cruises and we look forward to be back on board with Viking as soon as possible. Viking is simply wonderful. The professionalism and caring cannot be matched by other cruise lines. I realize I have rambled....but I have thought long enough about this and feel it necessary to express my thanks without further delay. Read Less

We chose this cruise at the last minute due to changes with our original plans and port restrictions in Singapore and Hong Kong. We decided to stick close to Australia/New Zealand. The Queen Elizabeth is a beautiful and classy ship with amazing ambiance and so many beautiful pieces of furniture and decore. We loved the main dining room and were struck by how very good the menu was on each and every night. We felt spoilt for choice. On some days, we dined there at lunch time also. We couldn't have been more impressed with the offerings in the MDR. The service was also fantastic on each occasion. It was our pleasure to attend the formal evenings and watch so many passengers join in the dancing with the wonderful band on board. We were told that the ship was formal, but we did not find it stuffy or snobby at at all. We met many nice, friendly people from all walks of life on board and from all over the world. We really enjoy being able to wear nice clothes to dinner every night and we appreciated that other passengers embraced the standards that Cunard has come to be known for. We also went to the nightclub on a couple of occasions, which was open until very late. We don't understand the reviews here that say that most people on this ship go to bed early. We didn't see it this way at all. The nightclub was quite full of many younger people and family groups of all ages each time we went there. We didn't think that the crowd on this ship was any older than on other cruises we've been on, and even if it was, we would never consider that to be a negative. We love talking to older folk as they tend to have had many interesting life experiences that they are happy to share (we are in our mid-50s). Overall, this was a really fun ship and a great cruise around Tasmania to Melbourne. We were sorry that this cruise was only 5 nights and that we didn't book a longer cruise. We were really sorry to get off and now that there are travel bans on, we don't know when we will be able to experience the Queen again. We hope it's not too much longer. Read Less

The good Beautiful ship, lovely decor. Uncrowded, always places to sit. Wonderful library. Spotless cabin, plenty of storage, tea and coffee facilities and wonderful beds/pillows. Food was very good on the main dining room, in the pub, and reasonable in the buffet. Shows, OK but not up to standard of other ships. Embarktion and disembarkation quick and organised. Bad Trying to get early dinner sitting although requested when booking 8 months prior. The problem is the age of the guests mostly in 80’s, 90’s of course all want the early sitting, then the early show. You can walk through the ship after 9.00pm and think you are on a ghost ship. The type of entertainment at night, cello, violins, ballroom dancing may be a big factor. Certainly put us to bed. And daytime, whist, darts, canasta, bowls, croquet etc The ship could be classed as a floating retirement village. The high tea a major disappointment, held in the lounge with cold scones and stale sandwiches on offer, no pomp or glory! The shower in the cabin has to be the smallest shower of any of the 27 cruises to date, banged my head daily. This cruise is for the very elderly (I’m in my 70’s) . Read Less

We were worried about the size of this ship being the biggest we had been on and it had a lot of stuff that we didn't need like bumper cars, surfing, trapeze etc.but it was easy to avoid them and enjoy the rest of the ship as they were tucked away in the sportsplex. What impressed us most was the organisation. Despite having to be medically tested before we got on as we had to change planes at Bangkok and coronavirus was around it was handled efficiently and we were on the ship with few delays. We thought getting on and off the ship would take some time, especially when we needed to use tenders, but it was all handled very smoothly and quickly. There was a good variety of dining options and bars with efficient and friendly staff. Our room was spacious and well fitted with a largel double bed (better than ours at home!), wardrobes, shelves and drawers, sofa and coffee table and a small but beautifully formed shower room - none of this dangly wet curtain stuff but a proper shower with anti-slip floor and a glass door. The balcony was also very nice. We were well impressed with the cleanliness and they make sure everybody washes their hands before going into any dining venue, unlike some ships which had coronavirus problems. Hats off to Royal Caribbean. It was disappointing that we were unable to stop at Dunedin due to stormy seas and our cruise was tied in with a visit to Melboune for the Grand Prix which was cancelled at the very last minute and we were very disappointed as it was one of the main reasons for the holiday but nevertheless, despite all this we had a good holiday. I would recommend Royal Caribbean and would cruise with them again. Read Less

It was our first ocean cruise although we have done river cruises. We did it for the cruise experience rather than the destination (been to NZ many times). It went from Melbourne to Auckland. We had an Aqua class cabin. Most cabins of same size and with small balcony - difference only in deck and benefits e.g. Aqua meant expedited boarding, own restaurant, canapes, etc. We were very impressed with our room attendant Santesh. Room needed more power points and more Euro ones - only 2 USA and 1 Euro. WiFi service should allow more than one device at a time per account, and very slow to download daily newspaper. Bars should provide nibbles/snacks with drinks - got nothing. I was told beforehand that there free public laundry facilities on the ship, but there weren't: our one large load of laundry cost US$93. Had niggles with online help before cruise as they insisted on using deck names not numbers, even though every single web site/link and document/email used number. From first minute onboard we were constantly assailed by media and staff flogging packages and deals - every waiter pushed drinks package then 5 drinks for US$35 card. Entry to dining constantly assailed by staff flogging dining package. Then flyers and letters and emails and PA announcements and phone msgs (!) pushing shopping deals and art gallery auctions (!! must be USA thing) and opals and cheap watches and future tours and ..... Room had surprising amount of storage although not large but OK. Room's aircon was quiet and effective - very pleasant surprise. No free bottled water after first day. Entertainment in theatre (impressive) and around bars was very good. Good amount and range of fair quality food in Oceanview Café; could get snacks there until midnight. Coffee OK for filter coffee but no decent latte or cappuccino by Oz standards. Low quality resolution TV - should be HD. Surprisingly cheap toilet paper. Second rate and limited wine even in Premium Package, no wine in Basic Package. Champagne very expensive, even a glass was US$25. Capt Alex clearly a frustrated standup comedian. All prices on board US dollars plus 20% gratuity on food/drink purchased. Airport transfer upon disembarkation cost US$132 (i.e. AU$200) for two! Mixed experience of Blu cafe (for Aqua Class): sommelier was consistently poor; twice waiters had to apologise for his late arrival at table to take drinks order, and not at all on one night; his attitude varied between attentive and total disinterest; Blu food could be poor (sorbet was woeful), OK or excellent (creme brulee); could not order side dishes; needed to request "medium" for meat to not be raw by Oz standards; overall, service pretty good in Blu; two maitre-D's were good. Balcony covered in paint flakes like confetti one day when chipping off paint. Very good enforcement of hand sanitiser use. Had lots of error msgs opening and closing safe - had to call someone to open it at one stage; seemed related to our 4 digit code, which we then changed. In summary, we definitely enjoyed it and are glad we did it. We would recommend Celebrity, but not sure we would sail with them again - might try a more upmarket one next time. Read Less

We chose this cruise because of the Ship as we have always wanted to sail out of beautiful Sydney Harbour and back in again. The destination wasn't as important as the Ship but we did enjoy New Zealand and the itinerary was excellent - enough port days and enough seas days over the 12 nights. Embarkation was extremely well done - 30 minutes from stepping out of our car with our bags and sitting on Deck 14 sipping a cocktails Disembarking was equally well executed - we left after our nominated time of 8am by 30 minutes and we were off the ship with our bags through Customs in 10 minutes. The best I have ever experienced! We chose the Ultimate Dining Package and it was well worth every cent. We dined frequently for lunch and dinner at all the specialty restaurants except for Amber and Gold. Our favourite was Jamie's Kitchen for dinner and Izume for lunch - however Wonderland was a fabulous experience and Chops Grille always maintained a high standard. We also dined at Chic one evening, Solarium Bistro (deck 14) twice and Fish & Chips one lunch time. I personally loved having all the various options for dining as it made our cruise very special and certainly not repetitive when it came to dining. Our favourite bar was Vintages but we did enjoy Boleros when the Caribbean band was playing and also Two70 of an afternoon. We did get to Pixels Show (brilliant) and were treated to a fabulous concert in Two70 with The Beatles Celebration band one evening. They did an excellent performance of the Beatles songs between 1962-1967 and even went so far as to speak and play like the lovable Liverpool lads! We didn't go to the Casino or the other 2 shows but I believed those who did enjoyed themselves. My only wish was that there were more seats next to windows to look out at the water while spending days at sea. Mainly did this by heading up to the Solarium (adults only) area or Two70 as the bars were mainly internal. I am just one of those cruisers that enjoy sitting looking at the water but it is really not a complaint. The cleanliness of this ship and the friendliness of the staff goes above and beyond one's expectation. Every staff member we met throughout our cruise was extremely helpful, smiling and kind. Our stateroom was spotless and the ship was constantly gleaming inside and out on the decks. I did however on arrival to our Stateroom follow the 12 guides to santizing our room which I downloaded from google and happy to say we got off board without a sniffle or any signs of a potential C Virus. Everyone I saw on-board was extremely diligent in washing their hands or using the santizers that were placed everywhere for everyone's use. We also carried our own small hand sanitizer gel and hand wipes. No masks were required and I don't recall seeing many people using them on board. We enjoyed room service every morning for breakfast and found their service very reliable and efficient. I loved the fact that we could make our own tea in our room but I also brought my Campos AeroPress portable coffee maker with my own Campos coffee. Being a lover of coffee it was definitely worth the $59 purchase online and will take it with me again. Having your own kettle in the Stateroom is a great idea! Wish more cruise liners did this for their guests. This cruise had only 4200 (approx) guests based on the Captains welcome talk to us all on the first night (700 less than its full capacity) and as this is the largest ship we have been on I was curious to see how it would fee living in a small city with this number of travellers. Happy to say we never felt overwhelmed or delayed in getting on or off at ports or into the Ship's restaurants or entertainment areas. We enjoyed "the eye" on day in Auckland and only had to wait 30 minutes which seem to go relatively quickly. We opted for the 4-7pm slot and it was most enjoyable. We didn't experience Seaplex area but anyone young at heart should endeavour to do the dodgems when they are on the Compass daily itinerary. All in all this was a great cruise for us and we enjoyed all that Ovations of Seas had to offer - would definitely recommend this Ship. Read Less

Big ship but never felt overcrowded Very friendly helpful staff couldn’t fault them Solarium great area. Adults only which is a great idea Food good not great Entertainment same Excellent entertainer one night in the royal theatre But other nights mediocre Great singer in One of the bars every night Lacking nice lounge areas overlooking ocean although big one at back of ship but always seem to be having a show or similar on Shops good only a few but varied very clean ship everything ran smoothly Windjammer cafe was good. Great variety Sometimes hard to get a table. To be expected. Back area outside fantastic Solarium cafe great alternative peaceful area to eat. Not the hustle and bustle of windjammer Main dining room excellent service. Food either very good or not so good Cabins 10/10 best bed and shower Very roomy balcony private and great storage. Couldn’t fault Cabin Enjoyable cruise Read Less

This cruise left Sydney at the end of February when the coronavirus was just getting started and had not really impacted most countries. There were less than 30 cases in Australia and less than 100 in the United States at that time. The day before we departed we received an email from Norwegian that stated our itinerary had been changed and we would be compensated with a 25% refund and 25% credit on a future cruise. Also, passengers from some countries would be denied on board but their fares would be refunded. We ended up visiting Brisbane (2 days), Noumea (2 days), Dravuni Island (1 day) and Suva (1 day). This was followed by 12 more days on board (mostly sea days) as we were not allowed to dock due to the virus. We were turned away from several ports last minute as we headed in their direction. We ended up crossing the International Date Line 3 times. As we headed to Honolulu, we were again denied disembarkation. Then when we had engine problems and it was determined that it could be dangerous to proceed to the continental United States, Honolulu relented and let us disembark but under strict provisions. We were taken by private bus to private chartered planes and had to board on the tarmac. Finally after 25 days on the ship we were allowed to return home. The original cruise was for 21 days. The captain and crew did everything in their power to make the trip enjoyable for all the passengers. The food was great! The shows were wonderful! The only thing that kept me from giving it 5 stars was the fear and uncertainty as more and more countries closed their borders to us. This was not really Norwegian's fault but it did impact our enjoyment of the cruise. We made 4 different airline reservations because the countries would change their minds as we approached. There was not one case of coronavirus reported on board. The staff was constantly cleaning and disinfecting the ship to assure our health and safety. We had an ocean view cabin (8106) which was in an excellent location and very convenient to the elevators. We would definitely book this cabin again. We are supposed to be reimbursed for the cruise or be given 150% towards another cruise but I guess time will tell. Read Less