We had been on the Marella Discovery before and even cruises on the sister ship Marella Discovery 2 last year. We decided to go on another cruise with my Parents and my Brother and Siater-in-law for my Parents 50th golden wedding anniversary. It started out ok with the only gripe was we were not able to book the Surf and Turf speciality restaurant on the day we embarked (11/10/2019), as we missed out with the speciality restaurant we went to the 47 gallery restaurant and the waiter staff were absolutely fantastic which was a consistent feeling when we dined. But this seems to be the only positive thing about the ship. Throughout the whole week the ship smelt of Fuel and a number of the Toilets were continuously blocked and smelly. The Balcony room was looking tired and used needs another refurb. The cabin staff were friendly but missed things when cleaning. The shows were very mediocre compared to previous Marella Cruises. I’m not sure I could guarantee I will cruise by Marella again. Read Less

We chose Scenic because of the high level of service our travel agent mentioned. There are no surprises as to the cost as there are no up charges. Everything about the food and drink is top notch. The crew is fantastic. The shore excursions offered are great. In fact, you could do this same cruise, pick the opposite excursions, and have a totally different experience. We chose the excursions to Szentendre, Salzburg, Bratislava, and Regensburg. There were also tactical stops in Dürnstein and Melk. Our cabin was fairly roomy and very comfortable. I think having the balcony as an extension of the room is better than having the balcony outside. We still had the extra space and didn’t need to sit outside when it was chilly. My happy place on the ship was a heated patio near the bow of the ship. We had great views while cruising the Danube. Overall, an excellent value. Read Less

We are wine lovers and had heard about this from friends. Scenic puts the L in Luxury! Every detail is taken care of and and every request is met as part of the service. Staff are amazing, the ship is beautiful, and the activities are top notch! The dining is 5 star, with excellent wine pairings to accompany the meal selections. It really is all inclusive — you would be hard pressed to include additional charges, unless at the spa, massage therapy or hair salon. The tour guides that accompany the excursions are extremely knowledgeable and personable. The variety of excursions is diverse enough to meet the interests of all travellers, and allow for accommodation for passengers with mobility issues. For example, the bike tours offered always offer a friends of cyclists bus option. The cabins are very well appointed, the beds are heavenly, the pillow menu ensures all have a great sleep. We will definitely be repeat clients. Read Less

We’d never been to France and a wine cruise sounded like it would be fun. We were traveling with friends and met new ones. The staff is outstanding! Wonderful attention to even the smallest details. We would especially like to thank our butler Armin(and Victor). Bart in the dining room and Martina and Patrice in the lounge were always smiling and very attentive. We had lovely massages as well. On the down side, excursions were early in the AM. Wine or foie gras at 10 or so in the AM were tough. Our last cruise we had different entertainment every night. Although our piano player was nice, it was all the same until the last 2 nights when they brought in people from Bordeaux. We didn’t enjoy the L’Amore dinner. The duck was very chewy. The way Scenic words the culinary class, it looks like you can do one every day, not that we could only do 1...if you signed up in time. Read Less

Greetings! I am a former luxury cruise TA and had sailed on Serenity 3 times in a PH, about 12-14 years ago. This is the my first time back as a 'civilian' and first time on Crystal for my husband. Our last 4 cruises have been NCL, NCL, Cunard, Cunard. Much has changed with Crystal since my last voyages and I had been warned that it 'isn't what you remember' but my expectations were exceeded in almost every way, We had a standard Oceanview on deck 7. Sure we missed a balcony but otherwise the cabin was great. The most outstanding & memorable aspect was the dining. Every single day, no matter where we ate, every meal was great. I don't know how many times one of us would taste something & say "mmm..wow, that's so good" And we're foodies...not easily pleased. I am a pescatarian but I never felt there weren't enough non-meat options for me. All the fish & seafood dishes were wonderful, fresh and creative. My husband did have beef a few time and this in the only time he felt a bit let down. Having had very dismal desserts, pastries etc on our previous cruises, the outstanding desserts on the Serenity were a welcome relief. Kudo's to the Exec Pastry Chef! We dined at every venue for dinner & in order of most liked to least, we would rate them: Prego, Waterside, Umi Uma, Silk, Churrasqueira. We would gladly do all again but pass on the last...not quite up the standards of the others. Prego is wonderful, best menu, best service, a real highlight. The other 'bests' for us were the production shows - top notch singers & dancers, very professional & entertaining. And the guest/space ratio. My husband was so impressed with how much public space vs guests there is on the Serenity. We were never crowded, virtually no lines, always a lovely, calm atmosphere. My 3 top observations: - relaxed dress codes were noticeable since my last Crystal voyages, but I was pleasantly surprised that about 80% of the guests still dress up for dinner...women in cocktail dresses, men in casual office or suits/sport jackets. We dressed up every night but 1 (after a very long day in Florence/Pisa) I love this aspect of cruising and so did most of my fellow pax from the look of things - the service was great, especially the bar & wine stewards... far more attentive than any cruise we've done where alcohol is a revenue maker. At dinner I had to start saying 'no, thanks' with my hand over my wine glass! Too much of a good thing and all that! - I did find that the friendliness of the crew overall may have been a wee bit less than I remember but it was still excellent and I wish I had written down some names to include in the survey sent by Crystal. Definitely some outstanding service by some individuals. Read Less

We chose this cruise because we enjoyed our previous Scenic cruise in 2018 from Budapest to Amsterdam, and because we wanted to visit the Bordeaux area and then take advantage of the cruise extension to Madrid. It was a very memorable experience: the food was excellent, the service outstanding and the excursions were very interesting and efficiently run. All the crew were friendly and welcoming and the cruise director was very efficient and amusing company. In Madrid our Scenic cruise director was very pleasant and went above and beyond to make everyone feel comfortable. The hotel was very central and the two excursions (a city tour and a visit to the Prado art museum) were very well organized. We also had a very enjoyable dinner with the whole group which consisted of guests from the Porto cruise as well as ten of us from the Bordeaux cruise. Overall, our holiday was a great success and we would recommend Scenic to anyone looking for a stress free enriching experience. Read Less

We just returned from our cruise. Fantastic in all ways. Our airplane was cancelled 2 days in a row by Air Tahiti Nui (a whole other matter) and we would not be arriving to Tahiti until 1 hour after the sailing time. We called Windstar to see how to meet the ship in Moorea. They got involved with the air company even though we did not book our air through them. Customer service was amazing and they held the ship in port until we arrived. I would not hesitate to book them again. The whole cruise experience, Room, Food, Service is top notch. I even lost my souveniors while tendering and did not realize until I returned I did not have them. They had it in lost and found and are sending them back to me at home. AMAZING! The ship itself is a little worn but very well kept. If you are a snorkeler, the water is so clear and beautiful anywhere we went. The private islands were just what you would think paradise should be. Nothing was too much to ask of anyone. I can't imagine visiting all the places we did with room and food for less money that we paid for the cruise- as long as you can pay a discounted rate. Read Less

We chose scenic as they are supposed to be one of the best. So, the positives - NIce looking ship, cabins comfortable if a little small, good bathrooms, - Staff on the whole are excellent and work very hard. - Pleasant lounge area. -Good selection of excursions. - Good entertainment when there was some. The Negatives - It was the worst food I have had on any cruise ship. It looked pretty but was not very good. The vegetable were invariable undercooked and inedible.We were served undercooked fish, uncooked pasta, food either under or over seasoned. All desserts seem to come with squirty cream. We had maybe 5 good meals out of 14. It advertises 4 dining venues..this is not so. There is the main Crystal dining room (1) within which it seems that there is a table they call La Rive(2) for the people in the superior cabins . Portobellos (3) is in a separate area of the lounge. You get 1 evening invitation for this set menu which got very mixed reviews on board. They have a very (1 dish) limited lunch buffet. The River Cafe(4) is, in effect a glass cabinet by the bar where they have a 2 squares of dried up sandwiches (usually ham and cheese), panini of the day which was so dry it just crumbled away when I bit into it. A wrap (the best of the options) and some small dessert options. - Butler Service- In reality there are a couple of people who you could call if you wanted say, more hangers. Most of the time they act as waiters. Numerous people we spoke to were not even aware of how to call them and had never seen them despite being told that they would come and introduce themselves on arrival. - The excursions were OK but the city tours were painfully slow and generally only offered a limited view. eg. Cologne tour consisted of standing at 4 or 5 points around the cathedral and pointing out the train station(next to the cathedral) - The cruise director was quite amusing in his talks but if you asked him anything outside of that he was not over helpful. - Entertainment was limited and we all felt that maybe some quizzes (there was 1) would have been good. All in all I would not travel with scenic again. I think they are overpriced for what you get. We also always seemed to have the worst docking compared to other lines. If you like to drink then there are unlimited drinks which you can indulge 24/7 and some people clearly did. Just to finish by saying practically everyone on the ship was ill with a flu type illness. Apparently the previous cruise also had the same problem. This does beg the question how clean everything is. Not helped by there being only 1 public toilet. Read Less

We have always wanted to cruise through the Panama Canal. After looking at lots of options (and no longer paying college tuition for our youngest!) we decided to take a splurge trip and booked the Regent Mariner. We are 61 and 66 years old and have cruised on Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Lines, and Princess. This was our first luxury cruise line. We were told to be prepared to be spoiled. Perhaps we heard that too often and set our sights a bit too high. It was a very nice cruise, but I would not say we were spoiled. (For reference, our last cruise was with Princess, in a Club Class mini-suite. That suite was a bit larger, and we felt the Club Class dining service was equal to, and in some cases, better than our experience on Regent. However, the food on Regent was superior!) I will say we were very spoiled by only 615 guests on the ship! The 2nd day we were wandering around on decks 5 & 6 and saw no one! This was middle of the afternoon! We were in a concierge cabin, so the night before the cruise we were in the Regent hotel- the Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills! The hotel was amazing. We enjoyed the breakfast buffet and met some folks that morning that we regularly saw throughout the cruise. It was a great start to the cruise! Buses were very timely- our gathering time was listed as 11:30, the folks giving us the slip said come between 11 and 11:15 - she was right - the bus was leaving the hotel at 11:30! Once we arrived at the port there were quite a few people ahead of us - we waited around 30-45 minutes for our group to be called to check in. There was a nice waiting area with comfortable chairs. (Would have been nice to have coffee / water service.) There is an Illy coffee maker in each room- only problem, we could not figure out how to turn it on! The on/off switch is in back, next to the cord - very difficult to find, a neighbor told us where it was! Our refrigerator was stocked with various sodas and 2 types of beer. There was also a bottle of champagne, on ice, waiting for us when we arrived. A small bowl was kept filled with various fruit. We popped the champagne on "Block Party" night and then another bottle showed up! I had the stewardess remove it as I knew we were not going to drink it. We had 15 minutes of ship to shore time included with our room. I had to ask as to how to use it. (dial 50, wait for the dial tone, then 1, and for US calls the area code and number) I checked our account on the tv the next day and saw that we were billed for the time (I think it is at $7 or so per minutes - and we had gone just over the 15 minutes- so it was a lot!) I asked at Reception, and they had it removed. Since this was an included perk, I felt that it should have been taken care of without me having to ask to have it fixed. Be prepared for hot and VERY humid if you decide to take this itinerary. We had heavy rain in one port, and rain a few other times, mainly at night. The lightening shows at night were fantastic! There were beginner Bridge lessons offered. We have zero experience and went to the classes. We definitely learned a lot and enjoyed the folks we met through the classes. There were just 4 of us for most of the classes! We went to only a couple of the shows. I would highly recommend the Krew Kapers - ours was at 5:30 the 2nd to last night. There was also a magician / comedian that did 2 shows, we enjoyed both! Ports were Ensenada, Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco, Acajutla (El Salvador), San Juan del Sur (Nicaragua), Puntarenas (Costa Rica), Cartagena (Columbia) and then disembark in Miami. We took all Regent excursions, booking 2 extra charge excursions. In Ensenada we took the "Taste of Mexico" excursion. We boarded a bus drove out of the port and around the nearby area, with the guide pointing out different buildings (including the new aquarium that has been under construction for 4 years - she said hopefully it will be open the next time you visit!), we also stopped at the large square where she pointed out different statues and told us a bit about the country's history. We then stopped at an Opal store. The owner talked a bit about Mexican Opals- 10% of Opals are from Mexico. We went through the store and into what is probably normally a bar. Tables were set up with 8 people per table. A chef was there to lead the class. He talked about a number of different chilis, their hotness and what they were used for. Also passed them around for everyone to smell. We then "made" our own guacamole, green chicken enchilada, and beef tostada. All of the ingredients were prepared for us, a little chopping for the guacamole, stirring and assembling was all that was needed. Margaritas were for sale - $4 each (large glass) or unlimited for $20. Sodas were included. After we were finished there, we boarded the bus and they took us to a shopping area where we had 20 minutes to shop. I would recommend this excursion - just a little amount of walking, some history, and tasty food. We were able to list our email addresses, and they sent us the recipes from the day. Next stop was Cabo San Lucas. We took the "Salsa and Salsa" excursion. The location was very close- but the bused us up the hill (very nice in the heat!). We made 6 different salsas, all the while free margaritas were being poured. Also made 1 margarita at our tables. Then had a short Salsa dance lesson. The salsa making went a little long - but the entire excursion was fun, and tasty! In Acapulco we did the "Nature encounter hike and swiim" - first stop was to see the cliff divers - very impressive. Then off to board a glass bottom boat to go over to a nearby island to hike to the top. Nothing to be seen under the boat- we spotted 2 fish. They offer hiking sticks when you get off the boat (our boat was called the Titanic!). The hike is a good one- well deserving of the "3 people" Regent gives it! Pretty steep in parts, a bit slick on some moss and leaves. We were sweating and out of breath in parts. The view from the top of Acapulco Bay is very nice. Break up top, then back down to our boat and then to a hotel for lunch and a swim in their pool. The water was VERY refreshing! El Salvador was the next port. Acajutla was extremely welcoming to us. They are just starting to see cruise ships, and this was Regent's first time in this port. The bus we were put on for our "Buggies and Thermal Waters" excursion (extra charge) was small. Two seats on one side, one seat on the other and a fold down jump seat. The drive was quite long. We went first to the thermal waters- saw them bubbling out of the ground, and then a few more minutes to the location for lunch and a swim. The "pools" were nothing like the pictures Regent was showing on the cabin tvs. These were actual swimming pools right next to where we ate lunch. The water was milky looking. Only a few people went in the water - one pool was very hot, the others were various temperatures. This "resort" I guess you would call it is nothing like any of us expected. They are just starting to build the area up for tourists. It started sprinkling and then raining, then REALLY raining. At that point my husband and I decided that we were going to skip the buggies- we knew that they were on dirt roads, and with that much rain, it was going to be a mess and dangerous. About this time, the guide announced that the buggies were being cancelled for safety reasons. The other bus had gone to the buggies first - they came back drenched. We were glad to get into our small bus and start the 1 1/2 hour ride back to the ship. I would not do this tour again, nor go to this port again. San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua had to be cancelled due to high winds and a large swell. This was a tender port and not safe for us to do so. Puntarenas, Costa Rica was our favorite port. We did the "Aerial tram and river cruise" excursion (extra charge). Great excursion! Our guide was very good, giving us lots of information about her country. We went on the river cruise first, seeing lots of crocodiles, many species of birds, and iguanas. Then we were off to the denser rain forest for our tram ride. We were split into groups of 8 plus a guide for the approximately 1 hour tram ride. We did not see much wildlife - but enjoyed the scenic rain forest and all our guide had to say. Lunch was next and then back to the ship. I would definitely recommend this excursion! Finally made it to the Panama Canal! WOW! We wandered all over the ship, front, back, down to deck 5 to watch through the windows as he ship rose up in the canal. Definitely the highlight of the trip! Cartagena, Columbia was the final stop. We did not get off the ship as I had a terrible sore throat. Pretty sure the difference between outside high heat and humidity and the inside a/c had something to do with it. We had brought cough / cold medications with us, they were put to use. At breakfast that morning, I asked the waiter if they might have any lemon / ginger tea - he said they might, but, he would make me some fresh lemon and ginger tea. This was one point where I felt spoiled by Regent! I was very grateful to this gentleman! Dinners - we had reservations in Chartreuse the first night and Prime 7 the second night. We were able to get one more reservation in Chartreuse later in the cruise, at a 4 top, sharing with a couple we had not met. Other dinners were spent in Compass Rose, Pool Grill and Setti Mari. I had scallops a number of times - all cooked perfectly; my favorite was in Chartreuse! The often talked about Carmel corn Sundae in Prime 7 is definitely an interesting looking dessert; I preferred the carmel corn and left most of the ice cream! (I asked the waiter if just the carmel corn could be ordered- he said sure!) Lunch - lots of options - pool grill and La Veranda were our regulars; we ate lunch once in Compass Rose. Breakfast - our go to was Compass Rose. We highly recommend the "Frozen Blueberry and Banana Bowl" - a scoop of frozen pureed blueberries sitting on top of small cubes of various fruit (including bananas) and sliced almonds on top. Also of note, we ordered eggs Benedict twice, even though they were not on the menu. We had room service twice for breakfast on early excursion mornings. There are 1/2 hour delivery windows- they delivered quite close to the start of the window. Another quick option in in the Coffee Connection - cereals, toaster with various breads, fruit, yogurts; easy way to grab something quick. All in all, this cruise was a bit long for our taste - we feel that a port or 2 could have been skipped, decrease the length of the cruise by 2 days (and decrease the price!). It was expensive, about $1,000 per day for both of us. We met some very nice people on this cruise. We also came upon some snobby people that wanted to make sure everyone knew they had 200+ nights on Regent. Overall the crew was a bit too formal for us (always being called "madam" was a bit too much for me). We did have some nice conversations with some of the crew. For some reason, we were invited to dine with ships' officers two different times; once with the General Manager and again with the Head Concierge! Will we travel on Regent again in the future, maybe. Will depend on the itinerary and if we feel it would be best with a smaller ship / less passengers. We definitely liked that part of this cruise a lot! Read Less

Our travel agent recommended this cruise line over others. We had had a wonderful experience with Tauck’s musical cruise on the Danube but she said there’s no comparison in terms of Uniworld being a better experience. My first reaction upon entering the boat’s lobby is that it looked cluttered. There is a large blue chandelier that overpowers the small area. Downstairs in the reception area there is a table with blue and white vases and green apples that provided a pleasing vignette. The stairs themselves are rather steep and curved, which to me seemed like a recipe for a fall if not being very careful. About a month prior to departure we were offered an upgrade to a suite, which we were glad we took, since it offered much more space than the French balcony. That classification offers butler service, but we rarely took advantage except for laundry, which always came back later in the day and was beautifully done. The “balcony” is actually an inset into part of the room with two small chairs and a table plus a window that will open half way. It was nicely appointed including a live orchid. There was limited opportunity to use the balcony, as most of the time the boat moved at night and when docked, we were either up against another boat, a concrete wall, or similar uninteresting view. The room decor seemed a bit heavy but the bed was very comfortable and we like the size of the bathroom and the storage under the two sinks, plus towel and floor warmers. The shower often backed up into the main floor area. One major disadvantage to that particular cabin (402) is that it can be noisy with lots of footsteps outside and overhead, evening during the night. It is near the main gathering area, which added to the noise, plus the neighboring room played their TV hanging on the wall adjacent to our bed loudly playing past midnight. I mentioned something to the hotel director, suggesting that our neighbors play the TV by their bed instead. That worked one night only... . One of our major complaints about this ship is that the gathering areas were very noisy...We traveled with another couple and could barely hear each other while dining. Upon request, they reserved a table in the back of the room, which helped. Even with the room partially filled, the sound level was very high and one could clearly hear conversations from two or three tables away. It did seem as if the there was fairly steady drinking among this crowd, which may have added to the decibels. Another serious issue was our experience at dinner. First, the waiters were understaffed, meaning that there was a sense of frantic about them (tho they were very pleasant and tried to be accommodating.) Often they tried to serve us the wrong order and usually it took well over 30’ to have our dinner plates removed. The food itself was sub par. There was only one night that I thought the entree was edible. Every other night I couldn’t eat it. When asked why my plate was full when they removed it, I told them and they responded “I’ll let the chef know”. All four of us on the cruise felt that the quality of food at dinner time tended to be dry as if sitting for too long before being served...and often without much taste. The breakfast was very nice and lunch was okay, tho repetitive. The offered cheeses, many of which were not of high quality...almost stale in some cases..and the fruit was usually unripe. We have been on several tours and sea cruises (Tauck, Lindblad, Crystal, Celebrity) and in all cases their food quality and service were superior to this. The cruise director was upbeat and accommodating. That said, we thought the guided tours were rather bland and generic. We suggested to him it might be nice to include more information about the architecture and art/music in the particular areas and he said this “market” wasn’t interested in this. I want to reiterate that the crew were all very pleasant and worked hard. It seems that perhaps the corporate section of Uniworld needs to consider addressing some of these concerns, as I see that many other reviewers with similar comments. Read Less

We chose this cruise for it's Spain-intensive itinerary and no at sea days. This turned out to be a mixed blessing, as we did private tours (Spain Day Tours, which we greatly recommend). All of the tours involved van/bus rides of 1-2 hours, and quite a bit of walking, so we were pretty tired and had no at sea days to recuperate and just enjoy the pool, spa, or the rest of the ship. This was our third Oceania cruise overall, and this time it was just me and my wife (no kid or parents). Even though we tend to keep to ourselves, we met a lot of amazing people during this cruise. At the specialty restaurants, we were required to share tables in order to get an earlier dining time. All of the people we met were modestly to wildly successful, loved to travel, and were a delight to spend an evening with! If you are this type of person, and aren't hypercritical about your room, food, etc. you are going to have a wonderful time on Oceania Marina. Just sit back and let it happen! Observations: - We didn't spend a lot of $$$ on alcohol. We did take advantage of happy hour drink prices at Horizon's, the captain's cocktail party, and discounted drinks each day at the pool (we only had time to use the pool twice though). - Free internet was greatly appreciated. I only used it to check personal email and do some photo editing. The wifi reception wasn't great in our room, but I'm an early riser and would go up for coffee and then sit with my laptop in the library where the connection was great. It's a charming and quiet place to sit. - There is no nickle and diming on Oceania to buy drink packages, buy photos, etc. Very relaxing. - There was more storage in our room than we needed. That was a first!! Unfortunately our oversize luggage wouldn't fit under the bed. - If pressed, we might have noticed a slight decline in the food quality since our previous Oceania visits. Friends we met on board thought so too and one had a pleasant conversation with the head chef about it. But we still enjoyed our meals immensely and this is not really a complaint. My favorite specialty meals seem to change every cruise. This time I liked Toscana the most; Polo Grill was my least favorite as my steak was just OK (loved the pork belly appetizer and the dessert sampler though!). - I would have liked to leave our balcony door open at night and sleep to the waves, but there is too much wind whistling for that. We slept very comfortably with the door closed. - There are plenty of hand sanitizing stations around the ship, and the staff won't let passengers serve themselves at the buffet (these are very good things!). The ship was spotlessly clean. We can't wait to go back to Marina or any other Oceania ship for that matter!!!! Read Less

We really like the quiet atmosphere of Oceanic - very few children, not a lot of loud music. The pool area stays relatively quiet. The food is, for the most part, very good - especially in the specialty restaurants. We had the wine and beer package, which allows beer and wine by the glass at meals. It was adequate. I would suggest they add a couple of WBTG at each restaurant to complement the food. Our cabin was wonderful - Penthouse Suite. Roomy and comfortable. Rahul the butler and Danelia the housekeeper were friendly and efficient. You get hors d-ouvrves each afternoon, which was nice, but they weren't great. The only noise from above was late at night, and it was minor. Every stop on the Iberian Quest itinerary was fabulous - just beautiful. However, Oceania's excursions can vary in quality. We had some very good ones - Cadiz, Provence - and one unsatisfactory one. We had booked the spa trip to Granada, but it was changed to Malaga. Also lunch was not provided. Oceania did provide a 25% refund after we complained. Marina is a pretty ship with great food and service. My observation is that Oceania's passengers are trending older, (I mean really older) so if you want a more lively atmosphere, try another line. We would definitely return to this area of the world, but maybe on our own or with Celebrity. Read Less

We sailed aboard Oceania Marina from Lisbon to Monte Carlo Sept 29 – to Oct 6 2019. Our expectations and excitement for the journey as well as the Marina were high based on much research and Oceania’s marketing. Our cruise experience was not five star/luxury, intimate, personal, or warm. Cabin and Concierge Service Cabin service was average, but not personalized or attentive beyond usual clean up and prep. Examples: used more than one bucket of ice nightly, but always had to ask for second one. Superior service would have inquired proactively. Turn down service often clashed with when we were preparing for dinner (8:30p reservations). Superior service would have had our reservation schedule and worked the evening cabin duties accordingly. The patio cushions were removed in the evening but not replaced in the morning. Our attendant and assistant were both pleasant, but seemed to have too large a base to serve for the entire trip. Per Oceania’s marketing, we expected more focused attention (smaller crew to passenger ratio). Concierge service was lacking. Although attended, not welcoming or personalized, even though we used service daily. Recognition and acknowledgement would have elevated the experience. Deck door between our cabin deck and our neighbor’s cabin deck was not secure/firm and would rattle and clunk during the night. Food and Beverage Service Drink service at bars was often slow regardless of number of patrons. Bartender acknowledgement, even if busy with other tasks, is expected and was rarely given. Weather was warm, and deck service was never offered on the three occasions I chose to utilize the various areas, to include spa terrace, main pool area, and conversation areas. We dined at Waves Grill for lunch three times and the steak and lobster was superb, as was the ahi tuna. The other sandwiches were average. Waves Grill table service was lacking. Water service was immediate, but bar service was slow and inattentive. It also lacked personalization. I had a premium beverage package and ordered wine with lunch with ice. Never was I recognized or asked proactively if I wanted wine again with ice – this would have been superior service and not just average service. Sommelier service in the buffet was slow as well, but only used it on the first day. It is noted the buffet table service on the port side of the Terrace Buffet was far superior to what we experience elsewhere (breakfast). Red Ginger was superior in service and food quality. Barristas was very good as well, but table service in the library would have been excellent/superior (or at least to be asked once settled). Jacques food quality was lacking. Lamb was overcooked, sent back, and overcooked again. In fact the waiter even mentioned that my barely pink lamb was indeed medium rare versus offering something different or even preparing again, which I would have expected from Superior service. Sommelier service was good/attentive. Our first Grand Dining room service seem strained. Our waiter indicated 9p couldn’t come soon enough. Service throughout the evening wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t excellent. I had to ask for refill of wine when needed. Our second Grand Dining experience was similar to our first. The escargot was very good, lobster bisque lacked any indication of lobster, and crème brulee was grainy and of a pudding/undercooked consistency rather than custard. Table service did not inquire why it wasn’t eaten or if it was satisfactory or if we wanted something else. Superior service would have been more aware of our experience. Tuscany grill was average for food quality, sommelier service, and table service. Not bad, but not 5 star. Our last night was Polo Grill. Initial table service was commendable, but bar service and sommelier was extremely anxious and stressed and virtually non existent, even as the volume of people diminished (we had 830 reservations and were there at 825). Had to ask repeatedly for wine/refill and table service seemed not to know our understand how our experience was going or being paced to facilitate beverage/wine service – they did not seem to partner with the sommelier or kitchen very well. We were virtually ignored for an hour by our table service (other than water). The main course never came and no one spoke to us about delays or gave any indication that they were even aware of delays. Around 9:30 my husband sought the maître de and still no one came to talk to me or refresh my service. By 9:40, I was upset and left the restaurant with my husband in order to pack and prepare for departure tasks. Only at that time did there seem to be any concern about our service and experience. Although apologies were given and alternatives offered, at that time is was far too disappointing and too late to repair. Other Services/Activities I had planned on using the artist’s loft (one of the reasons I chose Marina), but it was never attended nor any products or amenities available to use other than the 4p class which conflicted with excursion timing. A self service option would have been lovely to use for sunset sketching or morning activity. Summary: After much research, I chose Oceania because we enjoy a casual, resort environment with outstanding amenities, focused service, and five star cuisine and culinary experience. The service and quality aboard Marina was inconsistent and impersonal, not superior or intimate. I am very disappointed to have paid more than twice what I have on other cruise lines while experiencing less service, quality, attentiveness, and appointments (including Celebrity, Carnival, and A-Rosa River cruises). It is noteworthy to mention I have not received a follow up directly or indirectly from Oceania for feedback as of 17 October (11 days after disembarkation). Read Less

We chose this cruise because it I had good comment on the company and also because there were a great opera singer on board (Marc Hervieux!) We had an even better time then we tought we would. I would return anytime! Service was exceptionnal, The 2 captains were very professionnal and close to passengers. The excursions were well suited for everyone since there were different group for everyone fit. Entertainement was a delight for ears. The company should do more cruises with great artist like that. We had the chance to have a french cruise since 85% of the ship's passengers were from Quebec and we really appriciateted all the french part since we were in France. Going in France and having an English time would not have been so immersive within the French culture. I really hope Emerald (Scenic will take that into consideration in future cruises!) Thanks all the staff! Read Less

We were looking for a special way to celebrate our 35th anniversary and decided on the Viking Mediterranean Odyssey. Neither of us had ever been to Europe and it had always been a dream of mine. We had heard so much good about Viking that we decided to go for it! Had a rough start-flight was cancelled and arrived late missing Venice...but that wasn't on Viking. Once on board, it was all good! The atmosphere on board was instantly calming and made it easy to forget the beginning and enjoy the ship and all the great ports. Our excursions were all very interesting with knowledgeable guides. Viking thinks of everything that you could possibly need and more! I especially enjoyed the breadsticks and limoncello after an all day excursion in Rome. The staff was so attentive and knowledgeable. Our room was kept spotless, the food was unbelievable and there were so many places on the ship to relax and unwind. I was also a big fan of afternoon tea in the Wintergarden. I will never cruise on one of the megaships again -- the size of the Viking ship was perfect. No pushing your way through the casino crowd after dinner or manuevering through the shoppers trying to get a "deal". This was hands-down the best trip ever! Read Less

Just got back from a three night cruise with a group of friends to celebrate one of our friends significant birthdays. Had never been on a cruise ship before and thought the overall experience was fantastic. The ship is still very new, having been built in 2017. Our cabin was excellent and we spent so much time sitting on the balcony watching the sea pass by. The modern cruise ships are so stable, with very little impact from the waves of the ocean. The service and assistance from the staff was fantastic. We were made to feel so welcome when we got on board and this level of hospitality did not cease for the duration of our trip. Nothing ever seemed to be a bother for any of the staff. Overall, I would rate the ship, the staff, the service and facilities as excellent and would recommend this cruise ship highly. Read Less

Told this USED TO BE a great cruise line. Times have changed tremendously!! Definitely a 3rd rate ship in need of professional leadership at the corporate level. The ship is run as though they going broke!! You pay for two fares for you and your partner, then are told the so called free internet can only be used by one of you at a time??? Or you can pay an additional $270 for the other person. They allow one bar of shower soap for two people to last 2 weeks. The same with the small bottles of lotion and shampoo ! Of course, you can purchase more.... Food quality has definitely declined significantly!!!! And the portions are meager as you almost beg for more. Waiters have been ordered not to ask would you like another drink, unless it is one you are buying. We would never cruise with Oceania again. Caveat emptor.. Read Less

All the Viking cruises are of an excellent standard and all ships seems to be the same design so you feel at home very quickly. Staff are excellent, cabin spacious and well maintained. Wifi access good, food good. The only poor thing we have found on Viking recently is the quality of the musicians who play, usually as a duo or sometimes pianist. Do Viking not listen to them before they are engaged? The standard is so poor, the repertoire so limited and mostly more of a funeral type of music that we have found that we 'dodge' these 'musicians' who play in the open areas. Excursions are always excellent and well organised. Viking appear to be expensive, and their prices seem to be increasing considerably, but you do on the whole get good value for money. Viking do look after their customers well and pay attention to detail. Would recommend Read Less

This was my first river cruise and won’t be my last. Had a wonderful experience on the Scenic Crystal. Wonderful staff, great excursions, food was outstanding. We came with a group of 18. Couldn’t have been a better way to travel with this many people. We had 160 people on our boat but never felt crowded. Plenty of space to accommodate our group.They had such a nice variety of excursions. Always something for all interests. The staff saw to our every need. They all seemed to work together as a team . The food was very good. Loved that we had 2 nights with different dining experience’s outside of the normal dining room. Nice variety of entertainment . Also very happy with the way they timed everything. Never felt rushed or over scheduled but yet we saw and did so much. Very well organized and run operation. Loved that everything was included. No upgrades required. Thank You Scenic Crystal for a wonderful first River Cruise. Read Less

We chose this cruise for ports, suppose to be beautiful coming out of dry dock,service and dining great but not a five star cruise as usual..many problems, constantly construction..pounding, drilling closure of the decks, pool and balconies ,paint and varnish smell everywhere-on Regatta, room seventh floor..you pay for five star and get a 2-3 star, not fair and so far they just say sorry..unacceptable ... We have sailed on Oceania 21 times, so extremely disappointing.. The staff are trying hard to please everyone but hard with all the noise and bad smell going on... The excursions have been great, as usual. And the guides have been very good as well, speaking good English.. We would hope that they compensate us at some point..hoping for return travelers.. They still start their entertainment to late 9:30..with not much to do after dinner..between 7:30 and 9 p.m.the cabin is beautiful but the balconies were absolutely not ready.. Read Less

I thought the ship and the food were excellent and we were happy with our cabin. Most of the staff were very obliging and friendly with one or two being a bit abrupt. I was disappointed with some of the shore excursions. I thought that the entertainment on board was average with just the one pianist. Our cruise was the Black Sea Explorer with Transylvania but we did not get to see the Back Sea due to the water levels in the Danube River. I accept that this can sometimes be the case. However no alternative means of transporting us to the Black Sea was offered.This was a great disappointment. We chose this cruise because it was different and we wanted to see the Iron Gates and the Black Sea. Given my experience, I probably would not choose to do another riverboat cruise. I am sorry to be negative in this instance because we have travelled many times with Scenic and have had nothing but praise for our trips. Read Less

Chose this cruise because the ship went to Normandy, and we had never been to Paris. The ships was fairly new, and was excellent in every way. All inclusive, so never paid for anything else but a little laundry, cruise director Valerie, was exceptional. Food and beverage was outstanding. I think you would be hard pressed to find a better cruise line than scenic. I would highly recommend this cruise line. Shore excursions were handled by experienced professionals who were very well versed on subject matter. Ship could have had a few more onboard activity’s. Average age of travelers was about 75. All of the employees were helpful and courteous. We have cruised on larger ships before, but never again. Smaller river cruise is better, we were double parked many times with other ships, and very few were as nice as scenic. Tauck was the only other one that looked as nice, but the ship was older. Read Less

This is a lovely boat with very friendly staff. We enjoyed the trip and especially loved Bordeaux. We were involved in a bus accident that was very upsetting. No one was badly injured but all were very emotionally upset. The accident was not caused by Scenic but I felt there should have been some kind of counselling made available to the group of us involved in the accident. Speaking to others that were involved many felt the same way. It was said to be “unfortunate “ by the director but was then business as usual. Some post trauma talking was needed. The food was very good and the staff always generous with their wine pouring. They were quick to respond to any needs and the ship was always being cleaned. The main dining hall is large and there was no issue with getting a table ever. Large groups sat together. On the whole a good trip but thankful to be alive!! Read Less

We were a little concerned we might find a river cruise a little 'small' compared to ocean cruising but we should not have been concerned. It was a simply amazing experience - first class scenery, experiences, staff, food and company. The excursions were wonderful - the Golden City of Salamanca, a wonderful concert in a church in Porto, the most amazing scenery. There was the chance to do more strenuous excursions if you wanted to. The staff and the food were the best we have ever experienced on board any ship and all staff from the Captain down were very interactive and funny and nothing was ever too much for any of them. Of course the cabins are smaller - otherwise we would not fit in the five locks up the Douro river! However, they were luxurious and the beds very comfortable. The highlight of the trip for me was the photography. This was a cruise in partnership with National Geographic and not only did we have an expert lecturer Tim Weed, but also a photographer Gianluca Colla. He was patient, very funny, interactive and very tolerant of stupid questions. The staff would join in - whether it was the head chef dancing at the lunchtime barbecue or the bar staff in the evening. The butlers did everything and were completely down to earth. Read Less

We chose this cruise as it was something my elderly mother and father had always wanted to do. My father passed away before they had the chance to go so we did a mother daughter trip. The ship was beautiful and the staff were incredible with their service no matter what role they had on the boat. The food was amazing - as was the wine selections it was truly a wonderful experience and a wonderful way to see the Seine and its rich history. The organised trips were good although my only feedback on these were some were very arduous for any one really elderly or with mobility impairments. Although in saying this the cruise director was very good at describing each tour option the evening before. This was a lovely experience and total "all inclusive" so the price covered everything except the hairdresser or the massage, no tipping required. We could not really fault this except the weather could have been a little kinder :-) Read Less