This was our first cruise. We wanted to see Norway without frenetic travelling. It suited a couple who like the quieter things in life. It didn’t fail to please. Lectures and points of interest calls made for an interesting trip aboard a ship with helpful, friendly staff. Accommodation was in clean, adequate cabins and there was plenty of really delicious food. The itinerary was amazing. The Norwegian coast is truly beautiful. The northbound trip allowed daytime trips to Trondheim, Tromsø and the North Cape, while an extra day spent in Bergen allowed us to take in the sights there too. All longer stops can be enjoyed as excursions or as we did, using local sources or just a map! Hurtigruten operate a well-oiled machine. Clear information was forwarded prior to the trip. Transfers were included, including the optional extra day in Bergen. It allowed us to take a truly relaxing break. The polar outside cabin pretty well always faced shore, northbound, though in fjords, cabin side did not matter. The ship offered a fairly smooth trip. The highlights - late night sail into the Trollfjord, the breathtaking North Cape and a glimpse of the northern lights. Read Less

I'll get my moan out of the way first ! We booked the cruise last January, specifically for the overnight stop in the centre of Amsterdam, to allow us to easily come and go from the ship, and venture back into the city for the "night life". A month after our booking, we were told that for "operational reasons" we would now be stopping at Ijmuiden overnight Instead, and being coached in an hour each way. A few months later we were told the schedule had changed, and we would not sail the first day but rather go straight to Ijmuiden, so we didn't arrive at 8am but rather at 10.30am, so we didn't get into Amsterdam until 12 noon. This cocked up our plans and we were given the option to cancel but lose our deposit, and not given the option to pay the tax ourselves. A bit of investigation identified that the operational reason was that Amsterdam have introduced an €8 per person tax, and they aren't willing to be dictated to, but despite repeated e mails and calls they aren't willing to admit this. There is no way that the fuel used sailing there faster, the coaches through the night, and the 385 nautical miles sailed before our next port ( 100 miles away) make this a good decision for anyone. Now that I have got that off my chest, the rest of the break was excellent ! We went on Ventura a couple of years ago, and it has had a refit since, so all the public areas are well maintained. We have been on a couple of TUI cruises since we last went on P&O a year ago, so have something to compare them to. Without any doubt the decor and the food quality / choice on P&O is better, with more in the way of activities. However, the standard of service is far below that of TUI, and has dropped since we last sailed P&O (since the dropped the tipping?). It's not that it's poor service, it's more that it is just functional, and there is no attempt to interact with passengers, which does have a big impact on the atmosphere onboard. The show team at night of drama school kids were of as high a standard as we have seen at sea, and all their shows were excellent. I can't say the same for the other entertainment that came an left the ship, who unfortunately appeared more than once, especially the comedienne. Our stop at Bruges was very good, but unfortunately our stop at Guernsey was cancelled due to high winds preventing the launch of the tenders. I can't vouch for its accuracy, but other passengers said that it was the fifth time this year that they have aborted the port, which makes you ask why they bother if this is the case. Embarkation at Southampton was speedy, as was our disembarkation which went very smoothly an hour ahead of schedule. Read Less

Choose this cruise as I wanted to to the British Isles specifically for Ireland and Scotland. First time on Princess cruised various lines prior, Norwegian RCI, celebrity, carnival. The ship is in good shape - enjoyed the various lounges around the ship. Main dinning room was average - the steak house was Good as you'd expect for an up charge restaurant. The buffet was above average in terms of selection and variety each day had theme. I was surprised that there was a large number of table staff in the buffet and that there was free beverage service - water, tea, coffee etc all brought to your table. Haven't experienced that on other lines. No line ups for omelettes they brought those to your table as well. Service was good all round the only item I noticed is that staff were selective as to whom they asked to use the hand sanitizer, I'd rather everyone be asked to do so in the buffet. The Ports were all good. we did the bus trip to Paris that was more than 5 hours on a bus for roughly 5 hours in Paris glad we did it but in hindsight would rather leave Paris to a longer land trip (pre / post) Cruise. Read Less

We where traveling with 3 other couples and had never been to Scotland or Ireland so this cruise made sense. Nice area to visit and to get out of the heat of southern FL. The highlights include, easy boarding and departing, staff being helpful most of the time. Clean room and a decent itinerary. Our Travel Agent went the extra mile in making our arrangements and helping with problems some of which we created. Island of Guernsey was a nice stop with great weather. Dublin was also great as was Scotland. If your into Scotch a must stop is the Scotch Malt Whisky Society where we tasted and learned about the “water of life” along with learning to play the bagpipes, great fun. We use a lot of Viator Tours and saved considerable money as compared to booking with the cruise line.. The Guinness Storehouse was packed with people but we all like a pint or two, while the Jameson Distillery tour was a great educational tour. Food on the cruise was marginally ok. In the main dining rooms most food was over cooked and dry and not seasoned. The buffet was not much better but the soup was good. On the other hand the Grillroom food was excellent but for a 29.00 up charge it should be Most if not all of the entertainment on board would have not made it through the 1st round of America's Got Talent they would have been XXXX out. Princess likes to nickel and dime you to death for everything. They got so cheap as not put our lemonade or Ice Tea at the beverage station. They use a paperless system which creates a cash less system on the ship, but makes it hard to check you bill at the end of cruise. We have done a fair amount of cruising and would choose anther cruise line for our next cruise this coming March Read Less

I had Balcony Cabin (BB). One of the smallest cabin in the cruise line industry. The bathroom need complete make over and small. They brag about their new mattress. When they where new they where good but now my mattress was lumpy and had valleys. Dinning where to begin. Dinner menu has another menu insert with added charges for food. The food was 2nd grade quality. Prime Rib was shredded compact meat. Shrimp Cocktail had 5 shrimp about 2 inches long. I thought this was a joke. The wine glasses are the smallest in the industry. Along with barely half pour at $10 plus 18% . The bottle of wine they use is about $8 in a wine store. My partner purchased a bottle for dinner to be saved for the next day only to have the waiter constantly pouring more wine. They want you to order another bottle quickly. I purchased a bottle of Evian water and rarely the waiter refilled my glass. The ships public rooms where well appointed except the main show room seating was horrible by today standards. Read Less

We had never sailed CMV before but was seduced by the price, not having to go to Southampton and the option of the Sicily Isles, something on my 80yr old mother’s bucket list. However, the first announcement on board was the cancellation of the Sicily Isles due to predicted bad weather, a frequent occurrence we were later told. The pre-cruise info was fine except when I tried to book port parking too close to departure I was told it’s too late and no we can’t suggest an alternative! Embarkation was fine. Even though I had ticked the box to say we were bringing a wheelchair, apparently you need a wheelchair users cabin which is different to a disabled cabin. So we had to pay to upgrade, luckily there was one or I was told to cancel our cruise! The cabin was a good size for 3 however I don’t know if it was any bigger than a standard outside, for the extra £80.00. The ship is 34 yrs old and on it’s 3rd life but the decor is fine, it’s not like a super new boat but perfectly acceptable except the cabin window which was very worn and you couldn't see that much out of it. Being older I’m not sure if the ship has stabilisers but you could certainly feel her roll about, only in moderate seas. The food was fine, a little limited in Raffles and the lack of tables there was woeful. The shows were fine, they pale if you have seen them on Cunard for example, but perfectly acceptable for a short cruise. The staff helpfulness and friendliness was mixed about 50:50 I would say. HOWEVER, my biggest grumble and the one which spoilt the cruise for us was the almost total lack of disability awareness. No preplanning for wheelchair users, no help with tables in buffet, none reserved for wheelchairs, terrible gang planks- seriously frightened my mother, poor lifeboat drill with no clue what to do with wheelchair in the event of a problem. Terrible trenches at doorways, causing wheelchair to repeatedly get stuck, crew no apparent training on disability issues. I suggest CMV get disability awareness training ASAP. Would I sail Magellan again - no, would I cruise CMV again - very unlikely, would I recommend CMV to friends- would let them make up their mind based on my thoughts. Read Less

Without the outstanding service of the Bar, Michelangelo wait staff and room service I would have rated this cruise as poor. I never saw the captain walking around the ship. Most officers never said a word. One of the chef's in the 15th floor buffet was rude and harse on one occasion. My wife and I came of the ship because people with the flu were not restricted to their state rooms. Many of people on board walked off with the flu. I'm not sure why Princess stayed in Dublin for two days knowing all too well that stores only open between 11am and noon. We had it be bck onboard for 3pm. A waste of a day. I'm really not sure why other than legally we stopped at all in Lahavre because ALL the stores are closed on Monday's !!!!!!! A real of time and money. People taking the excurion to Paris did not stop at the Louvre. The bus ride was 3hrs each way. This was $ 276 CDN. Comments provided by friends we met on the cruise. ANY excursion Princess provided was offered by other tour operators for at least half the cost as Princess. Excursion prices are rediculously high. My recommendation is to do your home work. Also, go to the front desk and have your gratuities removed from your bill and provide the staff that were outstanding. Many staff members deserved a dollar from the overall pot. Read Less

We chose this cruise because it was advertised as a great cruise. The ship was marvellous. The food was only just acceptable. Tea and coffee in the buffet was always cold. The attitude towards you was more like cargo than passengers. Complained to manager but it fell on deaf ears. Getting off the ship at each port costs €18.99 each and you have to pay it no matter what. This is for the compulsory shuttle bus. The 4D cinema and F1 racing car you have to pay for. The sauna you have to pay for. There is a big outdoor cinema screen that don't show any films only advertising to buy their packages. Most bars on board throughout the day are closed. The only bars I see open were in the casino and by the shopping area. The bars come alive about 7pm. Bored all day. I have cruised with P&O and they were brilliant. MSC does not seem interested in your cruise experience. Many passengers said they have been put off cruising forever. I did excursion to Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Paris which were good excursions. Read Less

This is our first Ocean cruise experience and it was absolutely wonderful! Our cabin was roomy and I was impressed about how the storage space was designed. The bed was really comfy and the bathroom was large for a stateroom. Although electrical outlets in the bathroom were only for razors or toothbrushes, there were ample 220 and 110 outlets in the main cabin. I really enjoyed having a port to charge my phone and IPad near our bed. Our cabin Stewart's were also wonderful and serviced our cabin twice daily. The goodies in the refrigerator were a real treat! I can't say enough about the dining options. There were so many choices and varieties of food. On several occasions , they offered special buffets specializing in foods of the regions. Although the specialty Italian and Chefs table Restuarant were a great, we really enjoyed the open dining of the World Cafe. We visited the Explorers lounge several times to enjoy the music but we loved watching the scenery off the bow. Lastly, we want to thank Viking for arraigning the unique welcoming at some of the Ports. In Scotland, bagpipes greeted us on 2 stops and the crew welcomed us home with music and dancing. OUR CRUISE was the British Isle Explorer. Read Less

Being frequent sailors on NCL, we had some trepidation in dipping our toe back into RCCL's offerings. We were pleasantly surprised on many, but not all, points. The ship was large, but unlike the NCL Breakaway, it never felt crowded except on sail away. We never encountered the long lines that were common on the Breakaway. We never had a problem finding a deck chair, as long as being right next to the pool was not a goal. Embarkation and disembarkation were a breeze in Southampton and at every port. We had a large balcony and it felt spacious for two people. The shower was the only thing that was very small. You couldn't bend in the shower without opening the doors. RCCL provides a bar of soap and a soap liquid that serves as BOTH soap and shampoo. There was an electric tea kettle because this was a cruise out of England. The outlets in the cabin were both American and European. It would be better if they also provided conditioner, like NCL does. Overall, NCL has larger bathrooms, more room in the shower and better amenities for bathroom products. I also believe that NCL provides robes that are not a condition of your cruising status. The balcony was very roomy, with two chairs and a large circular table and plenty of room to move about. We got two towels animals during our 6 day cruise. I think on NCL we got a towel animal almost every day. We ate at the Italian restaurant, Giovanni's. It was average. NCL does a better job with specialty restaurants. I had grilled shrimp, which was fine, but it should not have been served on a bed of mashed potatoes at an Italian restaurant. The desserts also were not well presented and looked very sloppy and not gourmet. The waiters in the main dining room were very good and attentive. They accommodated my lactose intolerance by having me order one day in advance each night. The food overall was between good and average. Some meals were better than others. I did not have dairy in my meals, so perhaps they were blander than the standard fare. We found the choices at the Windjammer buffet very good. We ate breakfast, lunch and tea in the Windjammer. It was fun to experiment with some British foods we never heard of like the meat pie and Scottish egg. The scones at tea time were very good and they offered strawberries, jam and cream to go with the scones. The entertainment was good too. We enjoyed the ice skating show, Strings. I wish they had showcased the ice dancing headliners more, as they were excellent. I also wish they had more than one ice show. Grease was just ok. It was a cut above a school play. However, the cast was very talented. It is just that Grease did not showcase their talent. We saw the woman that played Rizzo sing Rocky Horror at the Rocky Horror sing a long. She was exceptional. You could not appreciate her exceptional talent in Grease. Also, cast member J.P. did a guest set at the piano bar and he was absolutely exceptional and talented. He did a Jerry Lee Lewis rendition that was outstanding. Again, the play and show offerings did not show the breadth of his talent. NCL wins in the entertainment division. They have better quality shows. We enjoyed trivia, although the questions were geared towards the almost exclusively British crowd. The Britannia dance party was great fun as well. The ports were fun: Normandy, Bilbao and La Coruna, Spain. It was easy getting both on and off the ship. We booked an expensive semi private tour of the D Day landing beaches. I probably would not recommend that. They tour quality was fine but the guide, Christopher, was persnickety and scolded me for opening a ginger candy in the van when I felt motion sick. Also, we had a group of older, petty people who made the trip unpleasant, with comments about where they sat in the van. I think the anonymity of being in a larger tour is better. Our large tour of Santiago de Compostela was excellent. We took a ship shuttle to Bilbao and spent they day at our own pace. We would probably try RCCL again, but the food and entertainment on NCL is better. We did like the Independence much better than NCL Breakaway. Read Less

It was wife’s birthday so went for it Enjoyed cruise but I was disappointed in the timings ,the boat went up the fjords early morning (while in bed) out in evening (while at dinner ) thus missing some of the scenery A shorter stay at the places would have cured some of that, as there was nothing much in the villages stopped at .b t w £1.75 to use loo in one place by c c ! Plus side free upgraded to ocean view but noisy ,as we were on the lower deck 5 . As it was wife’s birthday they had a cake for her and the waiters came to the table with it Ready to sing her happy birthday ,but alas they were too late as we went up to see the show. However it was put in the cabin with a card ,nice gesture!. The food was excellent six course dinners with a great variety of food from Beef wellington To salmon . Breakfast loads of cereal,fruits ,yoghurt s meats ,cheeses ,porridge ,bacon (bit hard) sausages ,beans ,hash browns and one morning black pudding which was very tasty ! Another morning pancakes ,the chef was on doing the omelette with different fillings plus fried eggs . Lunch three course ,even fish and chips with mushy peas one day ,shepherds pie another . We chose the dining room as the self service was always very busy ! Drink prices were reasonable at £3.75 pint or near enough Entertainment was good ,some good singers and dancers that would put many a t v show to shame. Different theme every night ,the guest comedian on two nights well what can I say ! There were quizzes and games laid on by the crew which were fun And got you chatting to your fellow passengers . In all a very pleasant cruise up the Norwegian Fjordland third cruise but first on a small ship And nice it started from rosyth saved trailing to south . One final point perhaps they could give the windows a clean now and again they were very dirty when looking out having a relaxing drink Took a while to disembark 2hrs after arriving at port .we were last off ! The End ! Read Less

Our first and last cruise, very disappointing especially the food which aims for quantity rather than quality. Food was very repetitive, poor choice and poor quality, for example Kraft cheese slices sometimes the only cheese on offer!! Staff not friendly, service was always slow. You've already paid your tips so I guess they don't care. In the buffet restaurant although the staff cleared the tables between diners they never wiped them so if you came late you had a dirty table. Evening entertainment was disappointing. Repetitive song and dance shows, the, best entertainment was the comedian who was actually OK. There was constant maintenance work being carried out which meant stairs up to upper decks were often closed off. They offer WiFi which doesn't actually work, so what's the point Excursions were very expensive and we heard people on the one excursion we did saying they had been to the same place 2 days running. Overall a bad experience, don't recommend it and wouldn't return Read Less

Stunning place to visit Weather was fantastic Ship, very tired needs to retire as well do some staff No regrets going. But definitely won’t cruise again on this ship Service in outside bars very slow ( we waited 3 hours before being attended to ) we were told if not happy move to an area that has waiters, one night asked for surf and turf for dinner 24 hours in advance was told no as it was a formal night Choice of foods not great Invited to a cocktail party ! Without any cocktails. Beer ,wine ,orange juice ! We done our own thing at the ports out of the 4 Bergen I didn’t enjoy The other 3 had better scenery very quiet and piecefull Entertainment very limited but the night shows were very good the dancers and singers work very hard VIP drinks package was well worth the money We met some lovely people glad we have done the fjords Read Less

My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our 5 night cruise down the river Seine. Having cruised on the big ships of P&O, Princess, RC, NCL we were concerned that a smaller ship would not be as good - how wrong we were. The ship has a great layout with lovely pools and bars at the back of the ship plus other great places to sit and watch the world go by in comfort. We are in our early 40’s and were younger than most on board but everyone was so friendly and this made for a great atmosphere on board. There was good entertainment every night and the inclusive drinks package was a real bonus. Food was the best I have ever had on board any cruise and I loved having the choice of a la carte as well as buffet options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I also loved the evening supper club buffet which had a different theme each night. We would love to sail again with Fred but it’s not a ship to take our children on as there’s not much for them to do compared to the big ships. If you are a couple who are looking for some much needed r and r - like us - then I thoroughly recommend Fred Olsen. Read Less

We took the British Isles cruise on Crown Princess, August, 2019. We had a really good time and enjoyed ourselves. Ship: Although not the fanciest ship around, the Crown Princess was very clean, had everything we needed and was easy to find our way around. Embarkation: We boarded in Dublin and were given our medallions and were on board in under two minutes. Excellent. Stateroom: We had an ocean view, which was very clean (Thank you, Belman) and comfortable. We pre-ordered bottled water which was waiting for us upon arrival. Excellent Dining: The food in the Horizon Court buffet was quite good, lots of variety and the service was great. The dining room food was hit and miss with some dishes being prepared perfectly and others not so much. We were tired of the menu by the end. The service was excellent. Shows: I really enjoyed the shows, especially the Irish Dreams show in Dublin port. Good fun and a departure from my everyday life. Service: This is the one area where Princess shines. The beautiful men and women from around the globe who took care of us are simply the best. They work long hours but somehow manage to do their jobs in the most competent way and do so with professionalism and a SMILE. TOP MARKS for the crew! Ports: this cruise had an excellent itinerary and I enjoyed the ports very much. Ireland, Scotland and the Normandy coast are stunning. LOCAL SHORE EXCURSIONS: We took three tours with small, local companies and they were all excellent, at a fraction of the cost of the Princess excursions....Irish Tours Tickets from Belfast, EXCELLENT, Timberbush Tours from Greenock, VERY GOOD and Wow Scotland Tours from Invergordon, SUPER EXCELLENT! Princess shore excursions were REALLY OVERPRICED and everyone was complaining about this. That having been said, I really enjoyed the excursion to the Canadian WW2 beaches and also the Edinburgh Castle and time on our own. However, the excursion called 'Best of Cork and Countryside' from Cobb was pretty bad and a terrible waste of money. What happened was that we had to shorten our time in port due to tidal concerns for Dublin the next day. No problem, this happens. The problem is that instead of changing the itinerary, they kept it the same with less time in certain spots. This resulted in 6 minutes at Charles Fort for a photo and 23 minutes in KInsale where the driver had to park a 12-minute walk from the main street which meant that we did not have time to even walk up to the main street to look around and then walk back to the meeting spot. All we had time to do was wait in a long queue for the loo. They should have just skipped this altogether and given us some time in Cork City. It just doesn't make any sense. Next our drive through Cork was basically three turns around a motorway with the guide pointing to a street saying that's where the shopping area is. Useless.... Next we were taken to lunch in a hotel in what looked like an industrial area and were taken in to a big, white, conference-like room which could have been any Best Western Hotel in any American city. No ambiance at all. They did have two guys playing some music and they brought in two kids who danced for us, which was nice but you didn't feel like you were in Ireland at all. The meal was so-so. On top of everything else, we had paid extra to be part of a small group only to have two Princess coaches with 45 people each join us at every stop, no effort was made to stagger the groups. Finally, we were taken to Blarney Castle and this saved the day. The castle and grounds are gorgeous. Princess offered us a 15% reduction on this tour because it was shortened but even with that, we paid $600 CAD for the two of us for this excursion. But most of all, it robbed us of the opportunity to properly see some of what this area has to offer. Princess needs to take a good look at their shore excursion program and fix wait ails. We DID have a great trip and for this I am grateful. I will not let one bad excursion colour my experience. Hey Princess, fix your shore excursion program and all will be well! Read Less

I chose this cruise for the British Isles itineraries- we started in Dublin and the cruise line arranged a hotel room - WE WERE CHARGED DOUBLE FOR THE ROOM AND THEY WOULD NOT CORRECT THE ERROR - do not have them book a room. We were NOT picked up at the airport, altho pre- arranged. All tours are expensive ( this is not new) however all shuttles and transfer services were EXTRA ! Unless you opt out the daily TIP charge is $15 PER PERSON and up, depending on your room. WILL NOT BE USING THIS CRUISELINE AGAIN. The cabin is average ( had an inside room, midship) - steward service excellent - will be tipping them ! Wine tasting was excellent - $25 was reasonable and well done. Most of the entertainment was v good - a couple of the Lounge groups were mediocre. Bathrooms in the hallways are few and far between - use your suite amap The general staff were 50/50 helpful and friendly OR disinterested. Read Less

This was our 5th cruise so we had lots to compare the Magellan to. As it was cheaper than our usual cruises we didn't expect it to be as good as it was. We booked though a local bus company (J McGinley coaches) who picked us up practically at our door and returned us home immediately on disembarking no airports or hanging around a great plus for the holiday.Embarking and disembarking was super fast and efficient and our cases were at the cabin with an hour. The Magellan is older and not as glitzy as some we have been on but we really enjoyed the cruise. The fjords are magnificent and we saw lots of magnificient scenery both on excursions and while sailing on the ship. Food : we managed to get a table for 2 in the Kensington 2nd sitting and we thought that the food was excellent. Small portions but lots of courses and it was like fine dining every night. I loved their consomme style soups we had a different one each night - very high standard. Our waiters Menino from Goa and Kwang from Burma were very charming and looked after us well . I opted for the lobster thermidor one night at £16 extra and it was lovely. We don't like dressing up for formal evenings ( a thing of the past thankfully on NCL who we usually cruise with ) so we ate in the buffet on formal nights. The food wasn't as good as in the dining room and was mostly too cold . The buffet in the evening ends far too early at 8.30 . Our 2nd sitting dinner was only starting then so why so early? The staff in the buffet were no overly helpful they watched me struggle to carry chairs to an empty table and didn't offer to help. Breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea were good but often hard to find a table. They had smoked duck for breakfast quite often amazing! Its a nice touch that they bring around canapes after 10 to the bar area but the calamari is inedible hard and tough . One night they put on a Magnifique buffet at 10.30 with all sorts of starters, salads, suckling pig and desserts but it was too late to enjoy and just after dinner surely this would be better at lunch time? Drinks : We opted for the premium drinks package which included our gratuities and felt we got good value with it although the drinks prices were very reasonable compared to other cruise line . The big negative we had on the Magellan however was the bar service , it was awful, we always waited at least 15 min to get a drink often much longer and frequently had to go to the bar to be served ourselves. Surely they can do away with the need to sign for each drink as well as swiping the guest card. Any other cruise we have been on the card was swiped and that was it , the signing slowed down the whole process . The bar waiters were a bit laid back too and were in no hurry to serve and if you went to the bar to order often just ignored you. The Taverners and Sinatra lounge were the slowest .This is an area Magellan needs to address. Safety Drill The safety drill took far too long it needs to be better organised and more efficient other ships we have been on do it in 15 min. We enjoyed the entertainment , the comedian ( can't remember his name was excellent) and the Broadway night was very good. Abba and We will rock you were not so good but shows lasted less than an hour which was just right . The cabins were fine plenty of room to store our luggage but the walls were very thin when our neighbours had their TV on until 3.am we heard every word of it . Nina our stewardess looked after us well . One thing I really dislike about CMV is that they overlap cruises. We were disembarking in Dublin some guests got off in Liverpool but new guests also got on to start a new cruise.This spoiled our last night as we didn't have our usual dining room table or sitting so opted for the buffet which was chaotic with all the new guests having to eat there . Also the bar closed before dinner from 6.30 to almost 7.30 while the new guests did the safety drill just at the time for our pre dinner drinks. I have listed a few negatives but overall it was a great cruise the disembarking and tendering ran well and we loved our excursions . We didn't really avail of the sunbeds and pool as the weather was cool. The day time activities weren't very good I think the older people would have liked Bingo and we would have likes more interesting talk relevant to the area instead of talks about African animals . We would like to do Iceland and the Faroe island with the company next . Please do away with the outdated dress code we had formal ,informal and causal evenings let everyone wear what they want when they want please and have more tables for 2 not everyone wants to eat with the same group every night Read Less

We booked this cruise to travel with friends who had never been to Norway. The first thing to be very aware of is that once you book, there are no cancellations allowed without losing your large deposit. No exceptions, even if it’s more than a year in advance. Also, before you book - be aware that the ship only stops once a day in a port long enough to actually get off the ship. And then it will be for only 2 or at the very most 3 hours. This only allows you to book Hurtigruten’s very expensive excursions; otherwise all you have time to do is walk around. This is NOT like a conventional cruise where you are in a port all day. There are too many passengers and not enough chairs in public spaces. Good luck on finding a place to sit, other than on the bed in your cabin. I would never travel on Hurtigruten again, based on my experience. It is not a good value, and I had a much more enjoyable cruise on a conventional cruise line. Read Less

This is the fourth cruise we have been on, with various lines and destinations. Departed Liverpool, seemlessly, and cruised to Dublin, then on to the Shetlands and then to the Norwegian Fjords. It does amaze me how nit-picking some people are. This was a great value cruise - we weren't paying Cunard prices, and we were taking our two kids. The Magellan was very well run and extremely friendly. Nothing was too much trouble for the staff, and the food in the buffet was very good with plenty of variety (our children loved it) and the restaurants were excellent. Ivan and Oleksandr, our waiters each night were outstanding, and the food was beautifully presented, very slickly served, and the restaturant itself spacious and comfortable. Indeed the whole ship was very spacious, and at no point did we ever feel remotely crowded. Although the clientele were mostly aged 70+, there were enough families on board to make sure it didn't feel like a floating care home. The crew had put on some super activities for families and children, and really went the extra mile. Our cabin was clean, comfortable, and our steward excellent. We purchased four excursions, and while they weren't cheap, they were very well run and we thoroughly enjoyed them all. The Norwegian Fjords are breathtaking, and make sure you visit the Oil Museum in Stavangar - absolutely brilliant and you will love it. Ignore the whingers, some people are never happy. This was a great cruise, on a nice ship, with an really hardworking and conscientious crew. Well done C&MV. We'll not hesitate to travel with you again. AP Read Less

I was asked to accompany a friend and this was my first ever cruise. It was the best experience ever, From start to finish the whole experience was effortless. No queuing to board or disembark. Very calm and professional service throughout. I did visit the gym once( to look around!) very well equipped but did not use it as I was relaxing but lots of people did. I was fortunate enough to see dolphins and whales!! Food was amazing, so much variety and all freshly prepared with so much choice all day long. I was a little disappointed with the amount of children running wild in the evenings unsupervised but it was the last week of the summer holidays.I do think young children should be with adults on such a luxury holiday not pulling phones off walls and playing in the lifts but that’s down to the parents. I won’t get the email to ask for my review about waiting staff as my friend booked it. I just wanted to mention Handi and komang gave the best service I have ever come across. Their attention to detail was above and beyond first class. Nothing was too much trouble for them. They truely deserve a mention as they made meal times an absolute pleasure. I hope 100% that I meet those young men again. An absolute asset to the ships crew. Thankyou Handi And Komamg for your service, friendship and entertainment. I am a bit of a sun worshipper so didn’t really use the day time activities but there was something going on all day every day. Evening shows were a must see. Some really good some not so good but everyone’s tastes are different. What I wasn’t really bothered about some were laughing there socks off so each to there own. Read Less

We have just returned from a 13 day cruise from Southampton to Spain, Lisbon, France. Travelled in 2 cabins, myself and my husband in one and our 2 teenage boys in the other. The embarkation and disembarkation was a dream. We parked at the port, left the cases by the car and they were delivered to our cabin a couple of hours later. We drove from Manchester and were sat in the bar at 12.30pm enjoying our holiday without any airports. I would recommend carrying off your own luggage if you can - the luggage collection area was manic. In terms of the ship itself, I was a bit concerned about some of the negative reviews but we all loved it. OK there may be room for improvement in some areas but honestly if I didn't know the ship was being refurbished next year I wouldn't have noticed. It is in good condition and there are plenty of nice bars and good sun decks. Overall I thought there was a great atmosphere and a great mix of people onboard. Cabins were basic but fine and the cabin stewards worked super hard and cabin was always spotless - could not fault it. Plus the beds were very comfy - have never slept so well in my life! The dining was good. We did buffet for breakfast and lunch and the selections were vast and always delicious. The MDR was also good and we had 2 great waitors taking care of us. The food wasn't always amazing but honestly can't complain when they are serving that many people with that many food choices. Some nights the food was outstanding. We dined in Izumi which was truly amazing, so much so that we went twice. Definately worth the cost. Also Giovannis table was nice and a pleasant change from the MDR. Bars were great. Perry Grant in the Schooners bar literally made our holiday - he was hilarious and he packed the place out every night - fantastic. We had the drinks pacakge which was expensive at £41 per day each but was worth it when we worked out what we would have spent. The service in the bars was great and was never without a drink. Entertainment was a bit average but it is a personal choice of course and we were happy to watch Perry everynight (or the guitar player in Crown and Kettle). The ice show was good but some of the others not so good. The ports varied from great to poor but we expected that before we went and we had good weather which helped. The pool decks were good - generally very busy in areas but there were a couple of quieter spots where a sunbed could always be found. Loved the music and general atmosphere around the pools.Drinks flowing too and lots of waitors around. The teenaged boys enjoyed their holiday as the cruise allowed them more freedom than a typical holiday so they spent a lot of time with their friends and in the arcade. Some of the newer ships perhaps have more fancy entertainment but they enjoyed it. Overall we had a great holiday - the ship is great and the staff were excellent without exception. We would definately travel with RCI again (have only previously taken a P&O cruise which had a more "stuffy" atmosphere which didn't suit us as well). Read Less

To start at the beginning embarkation took over 3 hours, 2 sat in the waiting area and an over an hour queuing, the luggage got to the room before us! Muster drill was chaotic, people stood chatting and not everybody attended so it had to be repeated for them. Main dining room menus were very mixed and not appetising, presentation was very lacking (fruit platter was 4 chunks of fruit with no slicing or arrangement) and the food was at best okay and some foods unpleasant. Staff were distant and didn’t interact with you. There wasn’t any tea or coffee after dinner but strangely you were given bottled water for free. Lack of vegetables and oddly - Italian dishes. Inca / Maya buffet - Pizza was very good as were the breads and pasta and generally the small dessert dishes. Yorkshire tea available too. However the food was at best luke warm, the salads were limited and overall there were few choices so that you ended up thinking what shall I eat rather than what shall I not eat as I can’t eat it all. The staff were slow to clear away and most were not very friendly or interested in you. There were not enough serving implements so there was cross contamination between foods. With regard to sanitisation this seems to be low key, no encouragement to disinfect hands near eating areas and rarely noticed public areas being checked. Entertainment team worked hard and interacted well with guests. But there was a lack of organised activities and on the sea day unless you wanted to go to a dance lesson there wasn’t much going on. voyager club offered very little as it was only a three night cruise. The pool areas were nice and plenty of loungers. Not many sports facilities. Lots of extra charges for things such as TV films, using sauna, bowling alley. Overall the ship lacks atmosphere, the hotel staff are generally not friendly and many don’t even acknowledge you. The continual embarkation and disembarkation process leaves it lacking a community feel. The food is a huge disappointment especially when Italy has such a wonderful range of cuisines. I don’t know whether this is indicative of all MSC voyages or whether we were unlucky. But it felt more like a budget cruise than a luxury one. Read Less

We took a 3 night mini cruise which sailed from Hamburg, stooping in Le Havre, France and ending in Southampton. I have cruised with MSC previously so pretty much knew what to expect, whilst I would sail with MSC again, the things I don’t like about MSC were far more apparent this time. Embarkation with pretty easy, they have changed the process slightly; in the main terminal building they know just issue your cruise card and programmes, once you board they now use a hand held device to scan your cruise card and take your photograph. Passports are also checked on the way onto the ship. Dining I’m not a fan of the traditional cruise dining experience i.e. shared tables and two set dining times hence why I prefer other cruise lines such as Norwegian so you can turn up when you want although MSC do match the demographics up pretty well. What was most notable was the appalling dining service and quality of the food. The waiting staff were very busy, probably because everyone hits the dining room at the same time. The timing of service and food was very random with some courses taking what seemed forever and on other occasions they were rushing to take your order. Drinks took forever and they didn’t offer any more drinks or top up the glasses so we ended up helping ourselves to the bottle to pour the drinks. The food proportions were small, and the main meals came without vegetables, the couple we shared the table with ordered vegetables separately on the second night but were provided with a plate full of roast potatoes. If you asked for anything different such as a different salad dressing the waiter often made an excuse that there would be a longer waiting time because they had to go to another deck to get it. It felt like they were trying to say it’s too much trouble and will take ages. On the second night the waiter serving the bread came round and offered bread just before the desert was served. One evening we ate in the speciality sushi restaurant and again, the service took a very long time and the quality wasn’t great. The buffet was probably the best thing about the cruise, the pizza is amazing and its there only area you can get a coffee or drink quite quickly. There was always a good selection of food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Bar Service If you were a drinker then I think you would struggle to get drunk on this cruise. In the Galaxy night club the bar wasn’t overly busy and there were 4 or 5 staff on but it too almost 30 minutes to get a drink. In the casino despite the staff calling for drinks service at the roulette table, nobody came so we left the table to go and get a drink and the bar staff were really slow. One evening I decided to grab a drink from the bar whilst we were getting ready and the barman was stood chatting to a colleagues with the bottle in his hand for 10 minutes, in the end another member of staff grabbed the bottle off him to pour our drinks. Disembarkation This was easy, the paperwork stated that disembarkation would start at 9.15am, however we left the ship at 8am, there was no rush to leave the ship and there was nothing stating you had to leave the cabin early which would be good if you had a later flight or didn’t need to leave early. Overall I would do another short cruise with MSC if the price was right and there wasn’t another cruise line offering the same cruise for a similar price. For a longer cruise break or if your looking for something with more tentative service I would probably choose a different cruise line. Read Less

This was our first time oversees and we wanted to visit Ireland, Scotland and France. We flew into Heathrow, Airport and after getting through customs we found the Princess cruise personnel. Then we took a princess connection (bus ride) to Southampton. From there we checked in and received our medallions. The Crown could use some refurnishing, however the ships crew was top notch. Especially in the main dining and night clubs. Food was good in the main dining always something different was added each night. The buffet was average (but always available). The princess excursions were really good especially the Cork Sea Safari at Cork, Ireland. We also enjoyed the carriage ride at Stark, Island. Our favorite castle was Glamis in Scotland. We also took the excursion to the Louvre Museum in France well worth it. The medallions worked great! There was four of us the youngest 19. We had a balcony room. We would definitely cruise again with Princess. Read Less

We chose this itinerary primarily for the itinerary. We were in a mini-suite on the 9th deck - the Dolphin deck. This was a "Medallion" cruise which uses a small electronic device similar to a keyless car key for all transactions including opening the door of your cabin as you approach - nice if you're carrying something. Embarkation was a little tedious because our pre-ordered medallions did not arrive before we left and were not available to the second day of our cruise. Cabin was a little care-worn but not offensive - like staying in a Holiday Inn Express vs a 4 star hotel. The bed was comfortable enough although visible concavity on both sides reflective of prolonged use. Bath was adequate with motel level toiletries. Shower - tub combo was essentially a shower as the drain could not be closed - not an issue for us. Closet space was adequate. Electrical outlets were few in number reflecting the age of this ship. The trick is to use the outlets for one of the two TV's in this suite. Our cabin steward was superb in keeping our room clean. Any-time dining requires a strategy to keep from waiting - make a reservation if you want dining for two! On balance food in main dining was good - sometimes excellent but with some misses. No problem changing your order if you didn't care for the dish. Using the buffet particularly for breakfast also requires a strategy which a peak times makes finding a table problematic. Find your table first and then get your breakfast. The ports of call and the size of the ship places you either at anchorage or some distance from the named destination - not unusual for any large ship. In Guernsey, the water taxi on return to the ship required a 40 MINUTE wait - UNACCEPTABLE! In Dublin the dock was at an industrial area with no foot traffic allowed and no taxis available. The only option for getting to town was to use the ship shuttle at $16 a person additional unless you were on a ship-sponsored excursion. Based on our prior cruising experience, we did private hires and guides at most ports which were competitive with or even cheaper than ship excursions. We are not prone toward attending the ship-sponsored events including art auctions or clothing sales and the pressure to do so was minimal. Evening entertainment in theater required 30 minute prior arrival time to gain a seat for a 45 minute show so skipped a few but those attended were good. As far as food quality goes, breakfast buffet offered lots of choices including several healthy alternative including remarkably good fresh fruit. Lunch rarely taken onboard while in port. Dining room menu was varied with good options. Preparation and taste had wide variability but wait staff were happy to exchange the course if you desired. Wait staff mostly attentive but clearly rushed. Most all of the negatives were related to having to move 3000 people around efficiently and comfortably - successful some of the time but tedious at other times. Read Less