The ship overall looks old and the decorations are cheesy and tacky. The art hanging on the walls in the main gallery area have broken frames. Their suites are small. The dining rooms served a lobster dinner that totaled 4 bite and we had to go up to the Lido deck to actually have dinner .As for entertainment, only four singer, but.eight performers, everyone should have at least one song in every show. In the soul performance there’s two blonde girls two white boys ...two dark-haired girls and two young men of color. It was racially and culturally insulting that everything was preformed by white singers. Magic show A+! Servers Are very polite and well mannered I saw people vacuuming dusting and cleaning day and night. And our room Stewart was phenomenal I felt pampered like a princess. As for our ports of call they were dirty and full of beggars and thief’s. only one was worth seeing. Read Less

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

Chose this cruise primarily for the ports of call. Cannot really fault NCL and The Epic at all as everything was excellent for us. The staff,organization,food and entertainment was all first class.We left Barcelona to Naples > Rome > Livorno > Cannes > Palma > Barcelona. All excursions were first class but if you want to really explore then I suggest the full day options.We visited Pompeii,Pisa and Cannes and all were amazing.Embarkation was stress free and easy as was the disembarkation which all went like clockwork. There is an option to self assist with luggage but we chose the colour coded system which allows you to put all your cases outside your room the night before you get off the ship and it was all so easy.We were in stateroom 14141 on the 14th floor and it was also excellent. Great housekeeper in Wilfred and room was kept spotless.Met some really nice passengers from all round the world and everyone was so approachable including all ship management. We paid upfront for the premium drink package and gratuities and it really is worth looking at that option. Definitely would consider NCL and the Epic again. Loved every minute of it. Read Less

Loved the ports of call. Love the size of the ship. We wanted to sail up the eastern seaboard. You feel like you belong to a family when coming on board an Oceania cruise ship. The crew are very helpful and can’t do enough for you. Embarkation was very easy and the ground staff were very friendly and helpful. One criticism is that the cost of the shore excursions are disproportionately expensive. The cabins are fairly well appointed but the balcony on this particular cabin was very exposed and it was extremely noisy and disturbing when the anchor was activated especially first thing in the morning.. At breakfast there was only an option of vegetarian sausage once in the ten day voyage. Generally the food was excellent. We love cruising with Oceania and will always look to cruise with them as our first option. Your cruise director was very entertaining and kept you well informed of what was happening on and off the ship. Read Less

Background We have cruised 15+ times on various lines and usually go for the itinerary. We’ve always wanted to do Norway and this cruise popped up on Vacations To Go and away we were. We did book it rather late, probably a couple months prior. We had gone on Celebrity once before so we knew we had a good cruise line with a great itinerary. Little did we know just how great both would be. Traveling to the Port We flew two days earlier from the States so we would arrive a day early to get a night’s rest before embarkation. We used Celebrity for booking the flights, primarily American Airlines since we collect their miles, but the major flight over, from Philadelphia to Heathrow, was British Airways which was quite good. Upon our arrival at Heathrow, Passport Control was quite simple and we collected our luggage, albeit waiting a while for it, and met our driver just outside of baggage collection. We had arranged for a car from Smith’s for Airports and he was great. Hotel Since I’ve been collecting points at Best Western, we had decided to see if our points would pay off and booked the Best Western at Chillworth Manor. We thought that, in worst case, we’d have a bed and a shower and off we would go to embarkation. Were we pleasantly surprised! The hotel is, indeed, a former Manor. Not Downton Abbey, but quite nice and interesting. The grounds were lovely to walk about and we had a wonderful stay. The staff was excellent. We had dinner in the restaurant (highly recommend) and the breakfast, in the restaurant, was probably the best “free” breakfast we had ever had. Room was nice and comfy and we were very happy we selected the Manor. Embarkation We left the hotel via a hotel-arranged taxi at 10:00 AM and arrived less than thirty minutes later. We went through check-in quite quickly and easily and had a seat in the waiting lounge for no more than 5-6 minutes before our “number” was called to board. All-in-all, a great embarkation experience all around!! Stateroom Our stateroom was a balcony, 9109, quite far forward (about 5 rooms back from the front, but we found it to be great and quiet. There was a bit of a walk to the elevators, but that’s okay with us! Our cabin steward kept the room exceptionally neat and we had not a complaint. My wife has a CPAP machine and, having arranged it ahead of time, we had a gallon of distilled water and, much to our surprise, an extension cord awaiting us in the room. The room also had a water heater and we had tea out on our deck most days. As far as standard ship balcony rooms go, this was a good one. The Ship We had been on the Equinox and knew the general layout of the Silhouette. I have to admit that, when we found out after booking that she would be in drydock soon after our trip, I was a bit concerned that we were going on an “old” ship. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, many of us on board commented to each other that we didn’t really know why it was even being refurbished! It was a beautiful ship from stem to stern. Getting around the ship was easy. There were three decks of inside “evening” areas, including dining, shops, lounges, etc. Deck 5 had an outdoor walking area but did not entirely circumvent the ship, which is disappointing but appears to be the way with these ships nowadays. I long for the “Promenade deck” of old! The pool area got some use though this was a cooler itinerary. The indoor solarium pool was more the place to be if swimming is what you looked for. Given the itinerary, we didn’t even pack bathing suits! Dining We usually opt for freestyle dining as Norwegian calls it but, having booked so late, we were forced to have 6:00PM dining. It was okay but we would prefer not to eat that early again. Our wait staff was excellent and we had two other couples, one from the UK and one from Israel, at our table and we became fast friends. Food selection was very good as was the food itself. Specialty Dining We availed ourselves to one of the 3-night specialty packages and, though we probably wouldn’t do the package again, we were not disappointed with the experience. I think we’d stay in the MDR and just take one arbitrary night to do a specialty restaurant, if at all. Our first experience was the Lawn Club Grille, an “outside” venue – though it was fairly enclosed with the plastic walls. This is the place for steaks as they cook them right there on the grille and they were fantastic! Second experience was the Tuscan Grille. Here’s a tip – if you ever do the Norwegian Fjords itinerary, and you plan on eating here at all during the cruise, do so on the day you sail away from Flam. The restaurant is the aft-most one can be with large viewing windows and sailing away down the fjord is just magnificent. This is an Italian steakhouse and, once again, the food and staff were excellent. Our last experience, our last dinner on this cruise, was at Qsine. The “Les Petits Chefs’ experience is a once-in-a-lifetime thing that must be experienced. The table top animation is just tremendous, but that doesn’t take away from the great food and excellent service they provide. If you only do one specialty restaurant, make this one your choice. Activities There are activities every day and we admittedly did not participate much. The few we did – Question of the Day, Riddle of the Day, Movie/TV music themes – were fun and well-done and we probably did ourselves a disservice not participating more but there are only so many hours in a day. Suffice it to say that if Activities are your thing, there are plenty and seem to be well done. Entertainment We went to every one of the 7 theater shows and we were very impressed with all. The production team did three shows, all of them spectacular. The aerialists and acrobats were outstanding, as were the singers and dancers. One show was a local UK singer/pianist who did a very good job, especially on the piano. Another night was a comedian who was quite good and funny. The Flyboys were on board and they are a quartet of singers who transform “modern” songs into swing era style. The Overtures, the best 60’s band in the world according to Elton John, performed one night to rousing ovations and applause and did a quick set the last night in the Foyer area. The live music throughout the ship was top-notch. Two bands, once of which played a lot of 60s – 80s rock and roll, a solo guitarist/vocalist, a string duo (violin and cello) doing modern tunes with strings, were all great. We went to one of the “game shows”, Liars Club or some such thing, which was hilarious and I’m certain other shows were equally well done. On the final day, Captain George gave a talk about the ship and navigation and had a lengthy Q&A which was all very interesting. Ports The itinerary consisted of four fabulous ports. We used Celebrity for all tour excursions. We arrived in Bergen, Norway, at noon. Our tour was a little later and was simply a panorama tour of Bergen and the surrounding hills. Our guide was excellent and the tour was good. Also at Bergen is the ability to take a funicular up the hillside for views of the city. We did not do so but others on board did and report that it was great. Our second stop was at Alesund, Norway. Two things of note: If you go do Alesund and don’t do the Path of the Trolls tour, you have not been to Norway! And, though I know lots of cruise critics eschew ship tours, I heartily recommend you do the ship tour for this one or be prepared to fly yourself out to the next port. This is a LONG tour and is subject to so many possibilities of delays. Anyhow, the tour is excellent. You get to go well into the interior of Norway with its tremendous views. The third stop is the reason for taking a cruise to Norway, this cruise into and out of Flam. This town of only 400 is nestled at the end of an arm of Norway’s longest fjord. The cruise in and out is spectacular, with waterfalls almost within reach of the ship. We took the Flam railway up to the end, climbing up through the mountains with outstanding views of the Flam River valley and the various waterfalls. Flam is also a great town to walk about and get some souvenirs. The final stop was Stavanger which is a pretty good sized city at the southern end of Norway. From the ship, we took the cruise of the Lysefjord fjord. This was a great trip, despite the only real serious rain of the whole cruise. We had views of the great waterfalls and the famous Pulpit Rock. An interesting stop for waffles and coffee was also made and much appreciated. Disembarkation We elected to have our luggage taken off the ship and meeting it on shore, though a leisurely walk-off is also available. Getting off the ship was a breeze. We found our luggage quickly as that is well-organized. Customs was nothing since we had nothing to declare. We, again, had a ride organized with Smith’s for Airports and he collected us on time and had us to Heathrow with time to spare. Summary All in all, this was one of the best cruises we have ever taken. Admittedly, much of that credit goes to the itinerary, but the ship, staff, service, food and everything about the Silhouette was top-notch. Well done, Celebrity! Read Less

My daughter and son-in-law did a Carnival Cruise for their honeymoon two years ago in October and loved it so much they wanted us to join them on a Carnival Cruise. Hurricane Darian caused us to have to leave a day early but we had already planned to arrive in Tampa that day and spend the night, so we just drove from NC as planned and boarded with absolutely no problems despite only having birth certificates and driver's licenses and my having a pacemaker. We got on board, purchased our lanyards and were told that we were going to have a free day due to having to board early and leave the area that night. It meant 2 sea days before an excursion but all drinks and food were covered by Carnival for the 1st day. We ate burgers at the grill (better than any fast food burgers) and when we went to our room, all our luggage was there. Our room had a balcony with a lifeboat just a floor below. The bed and pillows were very comfortable and the shelves in the bathroom and the size of the closets were big enough to easily store our things. I am glad I brought some folding travel hangers and a glow in the dark small flashlight as well as a small plug in extra 3 regular outlets and 2 outlets to charge our cell phones, hair dryer, curling iron and camera batteries. I may purchase a larger one with more outlets before cruising again. Almost every single staff member all over the ship was pleasant and helpful and most remembered our names from the start. Jeniper and Salai our room stewards, were great and Jeniper was especially sweet. Once we had experienced Roxana from Romania as a headwaitress, we asked for her each night at the Bacchus Dining Room. She treated us like royalty and was funny and very good with names. The food was good, especially in the Bacchus. There was a bar tender we liked a lot named Jerry (may not be his spelling) who would even call out to my husband, Tom, as we walked by on our way around the ship because they had an ongoing funny Tom and Jerry routine together. I enjoyed the Marriage Comedy show a lot but not the adult comedy show at Mad Hatter's Ball done by R.T. Steckel--too crass for me. Doug who played the baby grand at Sam's Piano Bar was awesome and the disco night at Frankensteins's We loved the Pixels photo opportunities and bought a good many. Loved earning points for prizes, especially the nice photo album and the Thumb drive. My favorite shore excursions were the VIP La Casa Beach Retreat in Cozumel and the Jolly Roger Catamaran Sailing and Snorkel with Lunch at Roatan. There was plenty of time to snorkel and to eat and to shop in each of those excursions and the people working the excursions were exceptionally friendly and helpful. I ran into a little problem with my own but new full face snorkel mask and the captain of the Jolly Roger was gentle and patient and fixed me right up for my 1st snorkeling experience. The food was delicious and the guys danced with us and were very watchful of us in the water, as well as making sure we all had all to drink we wanted. Jesus at the La Casa Beach House was friendly and the pina coladas there were the best I've ever tasted--not overly sweet like most in America are. The chef made two great salsas and guacamole with chips as we watched. In Belize, we did the River Wildlife Cruise and and Mayan Ruins of Altun Ha in Belize. I loved seeing the dolphins follow the boat, seeing the Howler monkeys, and the iguanas where we had lunch. Our Mayan guide was a good story teller. At 62, I did manage to climb to the top of the Sun god's pyramid and enjoy the view, but it was a bit challenging due to the humidity and the steps being irregular and crumbly. I wish I had had more time to shop in the little row of shops with locally hand carved wood items, but it took most of our time to climb the ruin and some of our party slowed things down before we could start when we had to wait on them to join us. My only complaint about the Grand Cayman Stingray Sandbar, Hell, and Turtle Center experience was that it was rushed. Once again, we had to wait for a family that was late and so our guide had to make up for the lost time. It was fun to handle the turtles and the gift shop at the Turtle Center was a nice one. The water was beautiful where we held the stingrays and it was a fun experience. Hell was rushed but I am glad we got to see it. Disembarkation went smoothly and, although we missed our pets and the rest of our families, we were sad it was all over. We definitely want to go back to Cozumel and go on the Jolly Roger Catamaran again someday! Carnival did not disappoint! Read Less

We choose this cruise to go with another couple that this was their first cruise. The ship was looking good inside and out after the dry dock. We had an ocean suite on the 7th floor. Room was nice, lots of room and storage. We were a bit surprised that the suite did not have a bathtub as the suites do on the bigger ships. Still had a nice big shower, but the wife really like a tub to soak in. We did the first night dining in the steak house which was very good. Service was very good. Food was great but there was a lot of food and we all over ate. The first night in the main dining room, level 3, early dining, was ok, food was good but the service was a bit slow. We were there 30 min. before we even got water and the breads. I did overhear a large group next to us complain that they had been waiting for over an hour for service. The place was full and they were very busy, so I think it might have been some new staff members. We only dining the main dining room once more and this second time the service was much better. The entertainment was very good but on the last night there was a power outage that affected the whole ship and they could not get the special effects to work in the theater so the performers just sang and danced as best they could given the short notice. We have two more cruises booked on the Freedom and are looking forward to those. Read Less

We started our cruise from Seattle, staying overnight at the DoubleTree hotel at Seattle, booked through Princess Cruises. I would recommend this hotel prior to a cruise. Part of the booking the hotel was the Transfer from the airport to the hotel and Hotel to the ship. The embarkation was very fast of the ship through checking and security on board in 20 minutes from getting of the coach. Of the three cruises we have been on this was by far the fastest. Our cabin was on Caribe deck 502, it was small as was the bathroom, the balcony was large as was the flat screened 32 inch tv that overpowered the room, you have to be careful not to hit your head on the corner of the tv which i did on occasion. The queen size bed was very comfortable. plenty of hanger space and I liked the shelving unit too, incidentally the safe was not working. The washroom was very small compared to the other cruise ships we have been on. The shower is vey tiny, a word of warning be careful with the shower faucets, the number are printed on the shower faucet and cannot be seen from inside the shower, you can be badly scalded if you are not careful. To read the numbers you have to get out of the shower. Dining was the biggest disappointment of the cruise. We went to the Horizon buffet when we boarded the ship as our cabin was not ready, as we entered the buffet there are two sinks where you have to wash your hands, standing there was a crew member instructing you to wash your hands, I was impressed, as it was embarkation day the buffet was busy, after lunch we decided to explore the ship, we made our way the Atrium, seeking out the Library, we found it off the Atrium, it was a small library with 3 relaxing chairs plus numerous computers, in the entrance was a crew member to give any help to those who needed it to use the computers. Most of the action takes place in the Atrium, the noise was so loud the cruise director chatting on his microphone on the highest volume setting possible, the Atrium is like a long tube reaching up through the middle of the ship, with decks and lounges going off them, how can you concentrate in the library/Internet cafe is beyond me. You can always find the Atrium by following the noise. The lounges are the same quiz games dance lessons and other entertainment are in the lounges at one time or another. The quietest place we found was the Skywalkers disco and lounge, I spoke to several people up there, they had come there for the peace and quietness, but no drinks or coffee are available. We are not open until 10pm we were rudely told when we asked a barman. There was one more place for peace and quiet and that was the Sanctuary, I believe it was $40 a day each to use, very expensive to have to pay for a little peace of silence. We found the ship was noisiest on sea days when in port it was much quieter. Back to the Horizon buffet, on the sea day my wife was ill, I left her in the cabin to go for lunch, I found a table vacant at one side of the entrance, as I entered I noticed there was no one supervising hand washing, as I sat there eating I counted 50 passengers walking past the wash stations in 10 minuted. What is the point of me washing my hands, then going and using utensils used by passengers with dirty hands. On other surmise ships and the International Cafe servers serve your food no passengers are allowed to self serve. I would class the Horizon buffet as an health risk. When we booked the cruise we asked especially for a table for two as my wife is deaf in one ear and partially deaf in the other ear, she uses one hearing aid in the partially deaf ear. She gets confused when in a crowd of people at a dinner table. On our third evening we decided to go to the Amalfi dining room our designated dining room for the 7.15 dinner. When we were shown our table we were surprised that it was set for a table of 8, I mentioned to the waiter that we required a table for two, we were told rather abruptly no tables for two are in this restaurant, I had been down to the restaurant to make sure we had a table, but during the day it was closed. The waiter then crossed examined us asking who hadn’t we been down before and also where had we eaten, we ordered our meals and ate as quick as possible, we ate in the Portofino restuarant after that Entertainment, Princess does a good job when it comes to shows in the princess theatre. The entertainment was first class Service was good except for the dining waiter who might have been having a good day. We only did one Shore excursions, that was at Skagway, we did the White Pass railway. Which was fantastic. We are a senior couple of 70 and 75 no children. We wont travel with Princess again, I realize its a family oriented cruise line, the noise levels are far to high for us.especially for my wife who’s hearing aid is so sensitive to noise. The other cruise line we used before this one, is more suitable for seniors. Read Less

An excellent cruise to enjoy. All facilities excellent. Staff excellent . This cruise is seriously tops. The staff were helpful and not over intrusive. It is difficult for staff to provide just the correct amount of friendliness without being invasive. The staff on board Emerald Dawn were excellent. They provided us with a wonderful experience. The organised programme was exciting, and very well planned and we were guided through the most interesting sights of all the cities and villages we were able access. Many of the activities required overseeing at a very high level and the Emerald Dawn staff and guides achieved this level unhesitatingly. The tour guides had extensive knowledge of their area and this was noticed by the passengers. Overall our time onboard the Emerald Dawn was amazing and we would seriously like the staff to be praised for the excellent presentation of the river trip onboard the Emerald Dawn Read Less

The dates met our needs, the itinerary was what we wanted and the value was ideal. we loved the included morning excursions and liked the fact that they had easy walking tours along with the regular paced ones. the extra not included tours were excellent France. i thought the food at dinner was superb. the portions were just right. for lunch i felt the extra main courses were a bit large since we usually had salads and soups. we did not partake in many of the after dinner entertainment offerings. the new on and off the ship scanners seemed to work well. having the head phones and channel cards in the room made it easy to get started on all excursions. the disembarkation process was the best i have experienced. very well organized and went off without a hitch. the guides were very good and spoke excellent English. one of the best river cruises we have been on (our fourth) Read Less

This is a newer ship with new technology and it has some of the best features with updated state rooms, or show rooms. Because it is a bigger ship with more passengers, they have better shows. The talent is the best I have seen on a cruise ship. The showroom in the back of the ship has stages that go up and down and holes open in the ceiling where people come down on a wire to put on a great show. There are more lounge acts with more entertainment. But those are the good things. The bad part is the music is way too loud and they think that people like it that way. But I saw people leaving the show because they didn’t like it. I wore my ear plugs and was ok. The ship is set up for all ages and they do a good job at keeping young folks on deck 15 and gamblers in the casino on deck 3 that is away from everything else. But the folks that like to go on this ship are people that like bumper cars, rock climbing, the flow rider, etc.... I have never seen so many people with tattoos and people wearing old T-shirt’s on a cruise ship. Formal night is a joke. Only 20 percent of the people put on a jacket or wore a tie. The rest of the folks were comfortable in T-shirt’s or whatever they were wearing that day. Most of the people in the lounge or walking around the deck look like they just came from Walmart. Maybe this is what some folks like, but it is not for me. The food and service is much better on Celebrity and Princess. The people working on this ship do a great job or the best they can. But there are about 3 passengers for 1 crew member on this ship while Princess has 2.5 and Celebrity has 2 and Crystal might have 1.3. The difference can really be seen in the dining room with long delays and having to wait on your waiter. We have no regrets taking this cruise, but I think others ships in this price range are better. 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

This was our second time on the Majesty of the Seas , so we knew what to expect. What we did not expect was 2 FREE days added to the back end of our cruise, Because of hurricane Dorian 2 extra days were added to the back end of our five day cruise, I have to say the the captain was on the P A system sometimes twice a day letting us know that because of the hurricane RCCL would stay out 2 days longer than planned and there would be NO added cost to passengers and Drink packages and internet packages would also be extended at NO extra charge. The only thing I wondered was the room attendants and waitstaff would be shafted on 2 days of gratuities because of our FREE days?? The ship is small and compact with easy access to everything, There are literally No steps so mobility issues are no problem, Food was good and drinks were a bit expensive if you don't have the drink package ($17 for a Mojito at the pool bar) Shows and entertainment were typical for a cruise ship and even the extra days there were production shows and performers. Overall Nice cruise , the only downside was downtime in the cabin the TV was TERRIBLE There were almost NO movies or TV shows , Everything was taped loops and cartoons or sports that most people don't follow. Royal you really need to improve your stateroom entertainment.. Read Less

This was our first cruise and it was a little disappointing. My expectations were sorely not met. The embarkation was very confusing. We were not given any direction upon boarding and were handed papers without any explanation. When we asked what we were given the crew stared at us like we were crazy. We had to find our cabin on our own as the crew just pointed to the elevator and said "go up to 8". Our cabin was not turned from the previous guest. The room had hair that wasn't ours everywhere and dirt on the ground. Our steward tried their best but I don't think they understood what we were trying to convey. We were pleasantly surprised by the size. Overall the food wasn't what we were expecting. We were expecting interesting food that we couldn't get anywhere else. It was mediocre at best. There was a good selection of vegetarian options. The pizzeria was probably the best. It was also difficult to get drink orders outside of sitting at the bar. The International Cafe was the most consistently good service and food. The public spaces were nice and the themes were interesting. The entertainment was not what we were expecting. We were expecting multiple different types of entertainment but there wasn't any. There was one theater show and 2 comics the whole 7 days. Most of the activities were during the day while in port, and in the evening it was just sales pitches or musicians performing in the bars. A lot of the interesting things overlapped and you had to choose what was more important, movie under the stars or the comedian or eating dinner, you couldn't do it all. Lastly the crew... some that were nice and greeted us every time we walked by but there a lot of rude interactions. Multiple times the front desk where the interaction was aggressive and rude. I called to ask if the coupon book was delivered to our room and the crew member repeatedly told me the book was "redeemed "and that I "needed to look better". When I walked down there the extremely rude staff told me again that the book was redeemed and then proceeded to call and yell at our steward. The front desk forced our steward off his break and come talk to us which cause our interaction with him strained and uncomfortable the rest of the trip. The worst was the Medical staff. They made my mother feel as though she was being punished for being sick due to the food and would not explain anything. The only saving grace of this cruise was the fabulous weather and scenery. Read Less

Although the cruise was nice, going through customs at the Vancouver Airport PLUS the registration at Holland America requires a ton of walking and standing. My feet throbbed for two days after getting on the ship. We are both in our 70's and are fortunate to not need a wheelchair. However, there was a lot of unnecessary walking at the warehouse prior to boarding. On one leg of the walk we had to go up the escalator, walk down the hall into a room, check-in, down to the end of the room, turn left, turn left again, only to see we were leaving the same room. We had circled rows and rows of empty folding chairs when we could have simply turned around and gone out the same door we came in. After going through customs at the Airport,which was a ton of waiting and walking, we were tired. All of the unnecessry walking involved in Holland America registration just made it worse. I heard many guests complaining about the amount of walking to get there. One said, "it was torture". Another said, "they make you do all that walking so when you get here, you think everything is wonderful". I also wanted to comment on the Totem Pole tour. they should describe is as a "walking tour". If we had known it was all walking, we never would have signed up. Yes, you take the bus to the Totem Pole Park, but you have to walk the entire tour. If you are bothered by cigarette smoke, don't plan on going into their Casino as they allow smoking in the Casino. As soon as you get off the elevator on the 5th level, you can smell the smoke. It was very annoying and prevented us from going into the Casino as much as we would have liked. All in all, the cruise was very nice. The Holland America team offered excellent customer service at every turn. We would use your Cruise line again, but never, never, will we ever cruise out of Vancouver again. Thank you for your time. Read Less

This is a 8th cruise with Princess and our second time on the Regal Princess. We fully enjoyed all the cities in the Baltic region we went to and concentrated mainly of the visiting and not time on the ship. The staff on the ship made you feel comfortable and were always polite and made sure all your needs were met. We only went to a few shows on the ship and found them OK but not of high caliber. We found that the cities always had something for us to see and explore. We did not really use the cruise ship excursion as they were very expensive and using Rick Steves guide for the ports allowed us to go into town and see most of the sites as most ports were walkable, We did use the cruise excursion to get to town for Sweden as the ship docks about an hour away for Stockholm and the hop on/ hop off bus did not seem very convenient and we had on board credits to use. Princess also tries to scare you into using them for St. Petersburg as you need to be on an escorted excursion or you will need to have a visa for there. There are numerous other local companies that can arrange the same thing. After some research on Cruise Critic and Trip Advisor we decided used TJ Travel for a 2 day excursion at half the price and I would rate them 10 our to 10. They also will give you a discount if you mention you are a Cruise Critic member ( which they honored no questions asked). 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

250, million Dollar renovation what a joke had an interior spa room it was very nice the Stuart was excellent but other than that I don’t know where they spent all the money on the spa was very nice the food was so so very overcrowded the pools were terrible the shows were so so they nickel and dime you to death just watch out for all the waiters only wanna do is serve you tons of drinks I wouldn’t go on carnival again We did a personal behind-the-scenes tour met the captain he was very nice other than that the ship is nothing to rave about 20-year-old Rheem promised ship that should’ve spent their money someplace else they’ll get five years out of it and then they’ll retire and sell it to somebody else I wouldn’t go on it very overcrowded out of New York Oh just one more thing their cruise director the flying Scotsman is terrific he is the best thing they have if they lose him the ship is dead Read Less

I am writing this review on the last “at sea” day on a 8 night cruise to the Norwegian Fjords on the CMV Columbus in August 2019. For any readers contemplating this cruise, the main issue you should be aware of is that this cruise is a floating care home. The average age of a guest is well into their 70’s and the oldest passenger I came across was an astonishing 98! I have never seen so many strollers, walking frames, walking sticks, mobility scooters and wheel chairs in all my life! At age 62 I must be in the 5% of guests under the age of 65. I have nothing whatsoever against this passenger profile, except that I really do not want to be a part of it! Spending 8 nights having to battle through the maze of associated mobility aids and having to suffer the significant inconvenience to more able-bodied passengers which this presents, is not a holiday for me – it’s just a hassle. If you fit with this profile I am sure you will enjoy yourself. The ship itself holds 1400 passengers, and has been rebranded several times in its history as it moved between owners and refits. The overall quality of finish is average to good, and the style of décor reflects its niche in the market for elderly Brits wanting to be away from home but in familiar surroundings. Although a shame that CMV has decided for some reason that plastic and silk imitation plants and trees are more pleasing than real ones, resulting in a rather tacky funeral feel to the Taverner’s bar and a tired wilting appearance to the potted trees in Connexions. Cabins are nice and well maintained, if not a little dated in furnishings. The rest of the ship flows around deck 7 with its British bar (traditional London style) and the more modern Connexions bar (which appears to have been modelled on a conservatory). You will also find the main Waterfront restaurant on this deck. The other eatery is a self-service buffet style and is on deck 12. The best outdoor bar is the Oasis bar, which was surprisingly pleasant with its panoramic view and comfy sunbeds. As far as the food is concerned, the evening dinner on the Waterfront restaurant is good (but not great) in terms of selection and quality. I would recommend the 2nd sitting, as this allows more time before having to change, a 1st sitting in the theatre and plenty of time afterwards to relax in the bars. The self-service restaurant is to be avoided at all costs. The food is dismal, the atmosphere chaotic and the seating arrangements far too limited and uncomfortable for the number of guests (and walking aids!) trying to occupy them. In short it is a cattle market of stress inducing trauma. Think about your blood pressure and avoid this place like the plague. Far better to spend your time enjoying a great coffee in the coffee shop by the pool area. The best coffee I have ever tasted. Drinks prices on board are very reasonable indeed. £3.30 for a pint of Fosters, a 4cl Gordon’s gin at £3.60 and alcoholic cocktails around £4.80. Having said that CMV offer a range of pre-paid inclusive drink packages and these offer exceptional value in my view. Dress on board is casual and informal, with appropriate minimum standards in the indoor bars and lounges in the evening. There were 2 formal nights during the cruise. It’s always a good measure of your fellow passengers to observe their interpretation of “formal”. I would estimate that 40% were traditional “black tie” enthusiasts, and a further 30% made some sort of effort (however marginal) to smarten themselves up. The remaining 30%? – well I think the less said, the better! The staff on board vary considerably. Our cabin steward was fantastic, friendly, personal and did a really good job at keeping the cabin clean and tidy. The restaurant staff were generally efficient and on the whole appeared to enjoy their jobs. With a couple of exceptions, all of the bar staff were as miserable as sin, without a smile for anyone, and with the ability only to communicate in grunts (if at all). Not once in a whole week were we approached at our table in the bars and asked if we wanted to order a drink. We had to attract someone’s attention (which on occasion would be successful, but more usually resulted in total avoidance) or queue at the bar and get our own drink (eventually, and after having to endure surly and indifferent “service”) Shore excisions were, as usual, overpriced, but reasonable well organised. Check before you book to see if you can make your own arrangements to see the “ attractions” – we did and saved ourself at least 30% on the CMV cost. The evening entertainment was disappointing. For starters the Palladium theatre is small with awful sight lines of the stage. Unless you bag a seat at least 30 minutes prior to showtime you can forget seeing at least half of the stage. The resident entertainment dancers/singers, can’t. That is to say they try hard, but there is only one guy and one girl who came even remotely close to being able to sing in tune. The rest would get immediate “red crosses and a loud buzzer” from Simon Cowell. Dancing was slightly better, but production values and variety were very poor. This was a major let-down as we have been used to very professional and talented entertainers on other cruises. From the 7 nights we had a comedian (the same one) for 2 nights, a magician (the ships entertainment director) for 1 night and the dancers/singers for the remainder. The comedian was not bad, although should really have retired his act some time ago. The magician was just plain embarrassing. So overall an exceptionally average cruise, not helped by the clientele, the ships facilities and the crew. If a British “flavoured” floating care home is your thing, with a heady mix of cheap drinks, bingo, quizzes, and “end of the pier” entertainment - then you should definitely go for it. If not – you should save your money for an alternative cruise. You may need to pay a little more, but it will be money well spent. It was good to try CMV, but once is enough. At least until I am 80! Read Less

I decided at the last minute to take a cruise to celebrate my birthday. I only booked the first leg of this 14 day cruise . I cruise out of Miami a lot. I flew into Fort Lauderdale the day before , used GO shuttle service to get to Miami and stayed at the Embassy Suites. I took a cab to the port for two reasons. I had a very late check-in 3 p.m. and I find it very annoying to use the hotel shuttle to get to the port . It's a little cheaper but I do not enjoy standing in line for 15/20 minutes and pushing my luggage along. There were three things I wanted to do on this Cruise: number one relax number two Gamble and number three shop. I chose this Cruise because of the price and because I had sailed on MSC before, on the Divina and liked the atmosphere. This ship was very quiet and peace. There was entertainment and dancing but it was not rowdy like other ships. I also knew that I could buy Swarovski jewelry at a discount on MSC cruises. I had been stalking a pair of earrings for a few months and was hoping I would find them on the cruise and I did. I found the Armonia very easy to navigate and get used to. The map I received when I embarked was very helpful and I referred to it a lot the first few days. I was lucky to be able to pick my stateroom when I booked. I wanted to be near the casino elevator because I usually stay in the casino until they close. I had an inside cabin on Deck nine. It had plenty of storage space. I have no complaints about the service I received. I found the staff and crew very friendly, always smiling, and very helpful. The ship was clean and seems like someone was always working to keep it clean. The dining room was a nice experience with excellent service. I found it easier to eat in the dining room for breakfast and lunch when it was open rather than fight the crowd in the buffet . The Meet and Mingle for Cruise Critic members was the best ever. MSC always has the best Meet and Mingles. They serve hors d'oeuvres, drinks, a cake and take a group picture which we get a copy of. We also head a nice Slot Pull . I was surprised that the casino gave us three gift bags to give out . I've been to a lot of slot pulls and that has never happened . I was impressed. Two things happened that I was not expecting. There is no ATM on this ship. Also free drinks in the casino once you reach a certain amount of points does not exist like it does on other Cruise Lines. But these two things did not spoil my cruise. I worked around them. I couldn't find any network stations on the TV so I spend a lot of time watching CNN and knew all about the hurricane. We wondered how we were going to make out because we were supposed to dock in Miami on Labor Day. The captain eventually announced that we would be returning to Mexico and have two extra days at sea. Everyone was given 24 hours free internet so they could try to change their travel arrangements. The service was the same. Nothing changed. It was a very smooth ride considering what could have been. Because I had been to these ports before and taken excursions in the past I did stay on the ship at each port. When we docked in Miami I decided to take the Big Bus tour which was very convenient. The bus was right outside the terminal, they stored our luggage, and the first stop was Bayside Marketplace. I got off there and stayed until 5 when I was dropped off at Fort Lauderdale Airport. There are other stops I could have taken but I enjoy exploring Bayside. I had lunch at Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, got a massage, a manicure, and did some shopping. I do plan to book the Armonia again and hope to do a back to back. Read Less

What a rude staff with zero passion. They constantly seemed bothered by questions or assisting staff. The activities were very cheap and boring and they didn’t even have enough seats in the theater so people were standing on the side. The food is recycled multiple times and lack flavor. Very depressing 7 days that I used up as my “vacation”. They charged for every little dumb thing, like pizza room service has a charge and you spend $30 on bingo card but have to bring your own pen or buy a marker. What!? When the bathroom floor got wet this black “mold” came out of the door entrance. The gym had cheap equipment and most of it faulty. The hot tubs were barely working, barely lukewarm, and weak jets. It was like sitting in a puddle. I would never recommend this cruise ship to my friends or family, so upsetting! Read Less

Wife and I travelled with her parents, my son 18 and my mother. Everyone had a great time and I thought I would share my thoughts with you. We cruised on the Equinox in April and found this ship and experience to be nearly identical to that one. This was a 7-day round trip Alaska cruise out of Vancouver. EMBARKATION - For the first time ever we spent time in town prior to the cruise and boarded on the latter end of the time window - just after 2:00. The luggage drop off, check-in and other areas felt like a ghost town. It was truly eerie, making us wonder if we were in the right place even though we went through here two years ago. There were zero waits except at customs where we waited 2-3 minutes. Other than this it was walk up, take care of business, walk to the next place. The entire process took about 20 minutes, with most of that time spent walking from one place to another. We walked slowly with elderly parents with us. While we love to board early and begin our cruise experience early, we also love avoiding lines. We may start boarding late for a better embarkation experience. PUBLIC AREAS - We walked the ship and got a feel for the layout, confirming it was exactly like the Equinox except we had Cellar Masters wine bar where they had the Gastropub, which we preferred with the TV and beer theme. Other than that, everything was clean, well maintained, very classy. FOOD - We thoroughly enjoyed the food on board. We dined in the "traditional" areas, Oceanview Cafe for breakfast and lunch, Moonlight Sonata for dinner. Food was very good in all areas, with lunch being especially nice with many choices and great quality throughout. My only complaint was the length of dinner. Service was good but a bit slow in the evening. I'm not sure if they waiters thought we would enjoy taking our time in a 2 hour dinner, or they were just so busy during the busy times we ate that they simply could not keep up. We had some slow eaters with us but dinners should have taken 90 minutes not two hours. We had any time dining and ate at all different times, from 6:30 to 8:00. Desserts in Oceanview were never as good as they looked - although ice cream was very good. Desserts in the sit down restaurants were all very good. We also had a meal in Tuscan Grill and one in Murano. Service and food were very good, but had a few minor service issues in Murano - including my wife with an allergy to shellfish had a minor reaction to the flambeed lobster from another table. She had to leave in the middle of the meal to make sure the reaction didn't become a major one. Had they asked about her allergy or mentioned this as a possible allergic reaction, we may have done things differently. We ate family style in Tuscan Grill and it was very enjoyable - highly recommended. BARS - We had a drinks package and enjoyed many of the bars. Service and drink quality was very good throughout. We discovered a few new drinks we had not had before. ENTERTAINMENT - I saw three shows and one comedian. The comedian was OK, the shows were good. Especially enjoyed the last show - Euphoria - but all three had some real high points. The musicians on board were good but not great. None stood out to us. We really enjoyed DJ Leo, especially on the first night. Loved his work on the "turntable". CABIN - see below. DEBARKATION - We had an 11:00 AM flight so we worked hard to make sure we made our flight. Here's what we did for the perfect early debarkation: - We met around 7:05 at Cafe al Bacio. We got in line soon after, with about 30 people in front of us. We schlepped our own bags - not an easy task with three elderly people in our party - but we did it without incident. - The line to debark started moving around 7:30. - Ship exit and customs was very fast. We probably got in our two cabs by 7:40. - I expect we arrived at the airport around 8:05. Cabs were $32 each Canadian. - All lines at the airport were short including flight check-in, bag drop, customs, and security. We were on our way to the gate by 8:35. So a process we expected would get us to the gate by 10:30 instead got us there almost two hours early. Lesson - if you plan to get off the ship early, even a 10:00 AM flight is possible unless there are unexpected delays. Our plane ride home was uneventful and we landed in Raleigh before 9:00 PM. Read Less

My wife and I just returned from this Alaskan Cruise in late August. We both have mixed reviews. There is a lot to like about this ship - it's new, it's clean, it's got a wonderful spa and thermal area! We also paid the premium rate to stay in the VIP section called the Haven. Definitely worth the extra $$. The Haven has it's own dining room with excellent dinner and breakfast and ok lunch. You also have your own indoor pool area and outdoor sun deck with hot tub, which we used a lot. The Haven guests have their own separate observation room, consierge desk and bar area. You also get special access when getting on and off the ship using the crew elevators so you can really avoid the big crowds that are in the general population onboard. So, if you're going to do this boat, I highly recommend the Haven experience...otherwise this is a very very crowded ship. In terms of excursions, we did the Mendenhall Glacier and whale watch which I rate a 7 of 10, we also did the helicopter, hike and train glacier experience in Skagway which i rate a 8/10, if you are in shape for the hike of 6 miles. We saw the Jersey Boys show and it was excellent but it only played for two nights and the rest of the trip was void of any really good entertainment. We both had massages at the spa and were very pleased, but the best part of the spa is the (extra charge $) Thermal suite which was never too crowded and had a wonderful sauna, steam room, salt room, and pretty cool massaging pool area. Besides the Haven restaurant, we ate a several specialty dining places including the seafood restaurant (excellent), the steak house (very good) and the french restaurant (excellent dover sole). But there arent many restaurants that are always open on this ship, so we had to do the garden buffet once or twice just to get some late lunch and it is a massive food trough. As far as the schedule, there is a whole lot of onboard ship time on this cruise. And with a lack of activities and entertainment, you can get bored. One stop in Victoria was at 8pm at night, for only 2.5 hours! Ketchikan was only half day and it took 48 hours from getting on the ship to getting off at the first port in Juneau. So the negatives are the crowd size, elevator wait times, the lack of activities and entertainment and limited port times. The positives mostly are due to the Haven experience we had. Alaska is wonderful and so beautiful! Read Less

We chose this Cruise because having never visited Norway before we though it would be nice to go somewhere different . We have cruised several times to the Med and the Caribbean + Australia . Arrived at Southampton and boarded swiftly with friendly and efficient staff . Cabin was ready at 1pm Luggage arrived 10 minutes later . Our cabin steward Enrico introduced himself and was very pleasant . We were Aqua class so dined in Blu restaurant . Food was excellent as were the waiting staff . We had lunch a few times in the Ocean view self service restaurant ,the choice and quality was just fantastic . Silhouette is a beautiful ship and was spotlessly clean in all areas - with an amazing crew , from the Captain all the way down . Special thanks to Enrico our cabin steward you were a star . Cruise director Sue was brilliant -so much energy . We saw a couple of the shows and the comedian and thought they were very good . Ports of call were very good and the only organised one we did was in Flam ,although the scenery was beautiful I'm not sure it was worth the money -over £ 200 for the both of us for a 2 hour return train journey ! . All the other ports of call are walkable and very pretty I could go on and on about how great this Cruise was and if anyone wants to see Norway and the stunning Scenery they should give it a go and sail with Celebrity on the Silhouette . Read Less

My first cruise was on a royal Caribbean and it was wonderful all the way around . This time I chose a Princess Star Cruise. Because I had heard it was a higher end cruise I did not mind spending the extra money... it was definitely a let down. Various toilets all over the ship were stopped up the entire trip. The food felt as if I were having leftovers for the first three days at the buffet area. Most everything on the bar was the same each day at breakfast and lunch with a few changes. A lot of items did not taste fresh made. Coffee dispenser did not work properly some of the times they put out water I went through three coffee cups one day before I found a clean one. The man in front of me laughed and said it takes three. Dinner in the main dining room was also disappointing . Lobster was rubbery and did not taste fresh, NY strip and fish were delicious. The rest of the meals were nothing to write home about. Service In the main dining room was excellent. The comedy show was fantastic. The rest of the entertainment was good . I would consider this a low-key cruise more geared for seniors or someone looking for a more laid-back relaxed atmosphere I definitely would not call it a party ship. BEDS were great. There were four of us traveling together and we all felt the same way. I personally do not feel the princess cruise was worth the extra money Read Less