It was really an excellent option I strongly recommend to everybody. AmaKristina ' s team is very friendly, kindly, always ready to help you at any moment. It´s really difficult to remember names because they all deserve to be mentioned. Our cabbin was fabulous, always clean, always nice, details and bathroom amenities of very good quality, You don't need to ask for anything, they know what you need . Dining was a new experience with differente options you were able to choose, including guests with food allergies. Wine, champagne, cocktails and beer as well as other non alcoholic beverages were all included. Breakfast's buffet was always great ¡ fruits, juices, omelettes, whatever you want ¡ Coffee, tea, water were also available 24/7 Happy hour, piano bar, music and even dancing were also good experiences. Regarding shore excursions I must point out that puntuality was o'clock sharp ¡ great ¡ We received full details of shore excursions some days before with full details of levels of difficuty ( from 1 to 5 ) so it helped us to decide the best option for us. On line cruise check.in was required. We did not travel with children, it was a cruise for adults. We also had shopping on board and prices were better than others ¡ I look forward to having another cruise with the same company. Read Less

Pacífic Princess is the smallest ship in the entire Princess fleet. It’s size allows passengers to meet others and form new friends, on a first name basis! The relaxing ambience means it is unlikely to be pushed by other passengers, which is an awesome feeling. The nightly entertainment is outstanding and the Cruisetone group, consisting of two men, who play jazz and other tunes is captivating. There are activities throughout the day, at times it’s hard to decide which one to attend. The captain is a young super tall man who hails from Italy. He’s so gracious with the passengers and comes out daily at breakfast to say hello, surveilling the ship as he’s walking about. This was a 12 day Mediterranean cruise, 9 days in port. Personally, I’ve learned to enjoy the sea days more than the port days. I made two ports additional sea days. The ADA inside cabin, 4035, is a quiet room with no neighbors. There was never any noise from the Medical Center which neighbors this cabin. The only downside of this room was the small size and placement of the TV and the size of the refrigerator. I would have loved it if they would have mounted the TV on the wall opposite of the bed. It is offset of the bed and odd to view at the angle it’s mounted at. The closet area where the refrigerator was at was odd, because of the head from the refrigerator nothing could be placed on top of it. It’s a small refrigerator that I wish could be larger... as if I could bring more snacks to put inside of it. There are so many relaxing pool chaise lounges available, with nobody dragging them or saving them for others. There are large pool towels and blankets available should anyone need one. I noticed new teak sofa type furniture, pillows and a coffee table have been added in the grill area. I loved sitting there to hear the outside band play poolside. The gym literally had nobody working out so it was awesome to have the space to oneself. The jogging/walking track seldom had anyone using it. The ping pong table gets a lot of use, mainly if there is anyone less than 30 years old onboard playing. The internet could use some beefing up with their satellite system. It was completely down for close to 1.5 days. Most of the time it was consistently slow. It has not been converted to the Medallion Net. I’m wondering if it ever will be! As an Elite loyalty passenger, I got 250 free internet minutes plus I used my husband’s 250 free minutes. LOL The Pacific Princess is known for older passengers cruising, occasionally, there are a handful of kids, maybe because parents failed to investigate what types of children activities/play areas were available before they booked the cruise... there are none available, nor any babysitters. It’s the only ship where Princess doesn’t provide children’s activities/play areas nor services. The food choices are good, as well as the quality and taste. A passenger is easily spoiled by their awesome staff, who are hard workers, always ready to help make your cruise the best you’ve ever had. I doubt anyone lost any weight while onboard. It’s my fourth cruise on the Pacific Princess in the last 18 months. Needless to say, it’s my favorite ship. I’ll be back onboard two more time within the next six months. Definitely for the World Cruise in 2020! I’m saddened that the Pacific Princess will not be doing the World Cruises as of 2021. I hope that Princess reconsiders and puts it back on this intimate cruising ship. I’ve cruised on many other Princess ships but none can compete with the cruising experience of the Pacific Princess! Read Less

The ship is new and very elegant. Never feels crowded. Pop up bar on top deck is great when you have nice weather. We were in lowest level room and it was equivalent to higher rooms on other ships. Don’t be afraid to book the least expensive option. While small, it was just fine. Only criticism of the room is the toilet is a little difficult to use if you are large. There is a very large shower but a squished toilet and small sink. Beds extremely comfortable and they even brought me a temperpedic pillow when I wanted more support. We have been on Ama, Uniworld and Scenic. Food and wine on Crystal and Ama were equally good and consistent. I won’t go on Uniworld or Scenic again because the food was disappointing. Crystal is a little fancier on presentation than Ama but I think Ama overall was slightly better food. Both very good culinary treats! Crystal provides drinks all day vs Ama lunch and dinner only with having to pay rest of time. If you are a big drinker, crystal may be a better deal. Entertainment was good, with the violinist exceptional. I don’t expect great entertainment on river ship. Jed did a nice job with Elton John night. Service exceptional but I expected that from Crystal. They even anticipated some needs. Saw my husband had a c-pap machine and brought distilled water. Overall, great trip although the Rhine isn’t my favorite river. Strasbourg is beautiful and the UNESCO world heritage part of the river is lovely but the rest is ho-hum and dependent on good weather. If you only do one river cruise, I’d take the Seine any day over the Rhine. Read Less

For our 5th cruise with Viking (after Portugal, France, China and Med) we decided for our anniversary to explore the Central Europe on Viking LIF. Our expectations were very high, but the recent 2 weeks experience was absolutely terrific, far above all our previous cruises with Viking. The on board meals were wonderful but I will suggest the possibility to order half portion I hate food waste. All the staff in the restaurant they were above any expectations: outstanding service, especially Pol, George, Bogdan, Andri. The food was delicious and fresh, very well prepared and the lead Chef Michael was top notch. PERFECT! Kudos to Kristian, the restaurant manager for his attention, friendly attitude and the way how he manage my quite complicated dietary requests. The reception team was excellent. Sometimes we found the Hotel Director Josip a little bit arrogant, but maybe is a cultural thing. Susana, Johnny and Bart were very professional, efficient and gracious. Their smiles were contagious true sunshine between the raindrops One little glitch about our Silver package being in force mid-way through cruise. Great services remedied the problem of our enrollment post haste and all is well. Add more hook for clothing in state rooms both River and Ocean I am disappointed how some guests dressed for dinner in the dining room: shorts, flip flops, sweatshirts And finally, our cruise Director. What can I say? Sometimes I had the feeling the we have 4 or 5 of them on board because he was everywhere: in the morning on the sundeck explaining the scenery, during the tours popping out at every corner, in the afternoon with amazing infotainment type of lectures and after dinner organizing fantastic parties and game shows. Leonard was unbelievable, he made this trip so memorable, lovely person. Energetic, wealth of knowledge. He is a great addition to Viking. He is a gem and handled challenging issues (low water levels, changing in program, difficult guests) with professionalism and a sense of humor. Looking back to our experience on Viking LIF is clear that Leonard was the best thing on the cruise so much information, friendly, helpful. These people deserve a hand. Leonard made this trip awesome All the staff was exceptional. Leonard is worth his weight in gold I really enjoy the relaxed friendly atmosphere your staff are the best I have met after 10 years travelling, I only hope I stay well enough to travel with you again. Viking staff is the key to a wonderful experience Lif has Leonard and an outstanding crew from the top down. We felt well cared for, pampered and safe. Read Less

The ship was beautiful, well put together, clean and not overcrowded. The staff and crew was Amazing, Helpful, kind, thoughtful and just plain awesome. The staff knew our names on sight and offered what we needed before we had to ask. We had a wonderful time and never felt overcrowded or pressed. The shore excursions were well organized but too short. On our own in Paris was spent in traffic and I would recommend getting into the heart of the city and dropping off the passengers so they can maximize their short time. Instead we got a bus tour in traffic. I would also recommend more time in ports to allow for exploration of destinations. Further some of the guides (Porto) were not great and our time the brought us to very rundown areas and not to the beautiful city. It was disappointing and the guide was not great. The Cartagena guide was amazing and was the guide for our Barcelona tour who, due to a bus issue, took a few of us on a walking tour through the old town. She was amazing.. Overall we enjoyed the ship, missed a port due to weather and we completely understand why and were not upset. Would have liked to have more time in London, Paris, Porto, Amsterdam and Barcelona. I also thought it would have been a nice idea to go through the Straight of Gibraltar during the day so we could see it. Maybe making an event out of would have been nice. The food was amazing and diverse and there was always enough choices to eat and enjoy. The wine and dark beer were plentiful and very good. The afternoon tea was also delightful! We never found it crowded in the restaurant, by the pool, or in the amazing Nordic Spa and that made the trip more amazing. Overall a wonderful experience, some areas for improvement, but we will definitely be booking a future Cruise with Viking. Read Less

Our first river cruise, Passau to Budapest aboard the Hermod. Overall very pleased with the cruise. We did the pre-cruise in Prague, everything was well organized by Viking. The tree days gave us time to adjust to the time change before boarding the boat. The Viking included excursions in Prague and on the boat were top-notch, their fleet of buses were noteworthy for cleanliness and comfort. Our embarkation was about as simple as could be...walk on the boat, our bags where at the room within minutes. Unlike Ocean cruising I didn’t see any security, no photo ID’s, no scanners of bags, all which led to a little uneasiness. The first organized event was the welcome to the ship by our cruise director, Sonia. She was tops in her communication and organizational skills. Kept us well informed and herded us to our various excursions. The biggest disappointment with the cruise for me was the evening meal. Once the pre-brief for the next day was complete at 7:00 PM it was a mass rush to dinner. There is only one dining room, and it was a scramble for the tables, no assigned seating, no escort by the Matre D, or staff...just grab a seat. Kind of throwback to College dining facility. “Smart Casual” was largely ignored given the preponderance of jeans, jeans in my book is not smart casual. The food was tasty, the choices descent, the service good. The included tours by Viking were well done and varied, walking tours, organ concerts, excursions to sites out of town. A lot of history, was a bit tired of history by the end of the cruise for my liking but the area we cruised is history so it should be expected. A few sections of the river were very beautiful and the timing was such that they were done in the daylight. Enjoyed the Mozart concert in Vienna. Onboard entertainment was slim, only one venue. They brought some area entertainers onboard that were a nice break from the resident piano player. Overall well done for Viking. Most of the travelers were in their 60’s and 70’s, not quite as old as I feared, the walking tours were slow paced. I would do another Viking but prefer the amenities offered on an ocean cruise over the river cruise. Read Less

The most relaxing active vacation ever! Sounds strange but it’s true; active because there is often something going on or somewhere to be, relaxing because Scenic takes care of all the logistics. It truly was all inclusive; no tipping, even on the airport transfers from/to home. Scenic bills itself as 5 star all-inclusive so we were disappointed to read in the information booklet that “if we received exceptional service” we were free to add a gratuity. Sorry, for what we paid, exceptional service was expected! 68 locks, 803 bridges so it’s definitely a worry about low/high water levels. We were very fortunate as a few days after we passed Passau ship swaps happened. Cabin 206 was perfectly situated, bed was very comfortable, roomy shower with rain head and hand held shower wands. Ample storage; everything was soft close (cupboards, drawers, cabinets, toilet seat). Very impressed with the number of outlets. Great lighting and mirrors make the cabin seem very spacious. We had a couple of minor things that needed attention and, within a half hour, the issues were resolved. Excellent service. The individual blankets had not been washed prior to our arrival so we made sure not to put them back in their zippered pouch so that our cabin steward was aware they had been used and needed cleaning. Our cabin steward was excellent – the best we’ve ever had. They make a big deal about your “butler” but, other than introducing herself the first day, we had no interaction with her at all. That being said, we didn’t have any need for the included services or they were provided by other individuals. Toiletries were great. Hair dryer, Nordic walking sticks, large umbrella, ear plugs, even a long handled shoe horn were provided. Undecided if the sun lounge was worth the additional cost; rafting and/or facing public areas often left us unable to enjoy it but it does make for a larger cabin. Breakfast and lunch buffets were excellent; lots of variety and the breads at lunch were awesome. The pastry chef was outstanding; apple turnovers, croissants and other breakfast pastries were light and flaky. I absolutely loved the butter machine which provided a fresh portion of butter at the touch of a button; definitely a hit with all guests. There are fresh made options available for both breakfast and lunch. Smoothies were tasteless as was the “flavoured” water served at the Late Riser Breakfast in the River Café. We had lunch served in River Café when we opted out of the excursion to Salzburg and, while the selection was fine, the food was lukewarm. The same situation with the Sun Deck BBQ. The warming trays just don’t do the job. They do not serve “fresh” milk and we normally drink milk at lunch and dinner. Opted not to visit Portobellos as we didn't like the menu (beef cheeks!) and we don't drink alcohol so the wine pairing wasn't of interest. Very small portions for dinner. Even by Canada Food Guide recommendations Scenic portions fall far below the minimum requirements. Vegetables and starch are almost non existent! My husband has a small appetite and TWICE he woke up hungry during the night; NEVER happened before in his 72 years! There are limited selections; two cold appetizer options, two hot appetizer options, one soup, one meat, one fish and one vegetarian. Fortunately they have “always available” options. Soups were “made with love” but would definitely benefit from being made with cream. They were watery despite being called “cream of”. My husband said the soup spoons were more like shovels and would come in handy digging in the garden. Meal descriptions left much to be desired and were often not an accurate depiction of what the meal really was. We only ordered room service once and the meal was delivered promptly and the food was piping hot. I have menus and pictures of the meals at: https://www.flickr.com/gp/22259946@N08/Fi6264 With the exception of one employee who twice refused to take an order for coffee in two different venues on two different days to two different people (he just pointed and said “self-serve”) everyone was friendly, efficient and eager to please. There was wonderful interaction between staff members and a very warm environment. Some great moves were witnessed on disco night! Our cruise director Richard (distant relation of Richard the Lionheart) was entertaining, knowledgeable and energetic. Miljenko, Restaurant Manager, was charming and always willing to assist with food concerns. Mario Alberto, Hotel Manager, was an absolute delight and ran the operations with a warm smile and a firm commitment to guest satisfaction. The reception staff were wonderful; always a ready smile and can do attitude. There were 148 guests; Australia, New Zealand, Canada, U.K., a few Americans and one couple from Curacao. It was a great group with everyone having an enjoyable time without any drunken behaviour in spite of the included alcohol. Unfortunately a few guests didn’t make use of the hand sanitizer, complimentary water, shampoo and shower gel and preferred “au naturale” to using deodorant. Opal Lounge had ample, comfortable seating but the very low black tables were a hazard at night as both a tripping issue and trying to find the surface to place your glass. I loved the glass straws! Being non-alcohol drinkers we would have appreciated frozen mocktails. Hot chocolate, teas and coffee available 24/7 in the Opal Lounge was excellent. We were pleased with the offered entertainment. We enjoyed listening to David; a talented musician. The excursions were well organized and stress free. We especially enjoyed the Palais Liechtenstein concert and we have NO interest in classical music. It was definitely an experience not to be missed as was the visit and feast at Marksburg Castle. The banquet is for everyone, the Castle Tour is definitely NOT for anyone with mobility issues or a fear of falling. We really enjoyed the high lock experience, it was so well done with dramatic music added! The highlight for us was sitting on the Sun Deck soaking in the passing scenery between Koblenz and Rudesheim. Life just doesn’t get any better than this. The Scenic Taylormade app was hit and miss on excursions but the City Guides and River View options were excellent. We would rate our experience a 10 but, value for money, 7-8. We’re glad we ticked this experience off our bucket list but with the high cost and the anxiety over water levels it’s not something we’ll do again. Read Less

Best reviews, best TRUE all-inclusive, best dates, best location stops and tours, amazing cabin. The staff is second to none. BBQ on deck, personal service, incredible food and beverages, informative and small-town tours... we will be back many time! The ship is amazing, clean and well laid-out. Amazing and varied gourmet meals, well organized tours to very special destinations. The staff attentiveness is second to none. I researched over 25 river cruise lines for the best... this was it. Cabin, although expensive, was spacious and provided an un-encumbered view of all sides of the ship...truly and amazing experience. Special surprises such as an on-board BBQ, nightly entertainment from local sources, private concerts in Palais Lichtenstein, concert pianists, world-class violinists, dancers, and musicians. The cruise director Yvonne is a treasure and the captain and his crew approachable, thoughtful and willing to go the extra mile to ensure a wonderful and life changing experience. We will be back! Read Less

I used to cruise on Viking River ships then I started going on the Viking Ocean cruises for the last four years, I decided to go back on a Viking River cruise, and I was interested in this tour since it included two nights in Zurich, Switzerland and two nights in Paris in hotels. This trip make the fifteen cruise on Viking River or Ocean ship. I was afraid the River trip would not be as good as the Ocean trip since the Ocean ship is larger and they have more activities and restaurants. I did not need to worry the food was still great, they had local entertainment at night, in addition to piano player, and excellent free shore excursions. I love the Quiet boxes, you can really hear the information about the places you are visiting. We got to meet some interesting people at dinner. All and all it was an excellent trip. We started off in Zurich At a Hotel, where Viking provided a free cruise on Lake Zurich, then Went to Basel old town then to Strasbourg, an enjoyable twon with Renaissance architecture. In Mainz, we visited the Gutenberg Museum showing the importance of the printing press, t, We then cruised on upper Rhine ,enjoying the view of castles on hillsides. We visited some small Germany towns Speyer, Koblenz and Cochem with cobblestones and great white wine. One tour even included free wine tasting and explanation of wine making from the owner. We switched to Moselle River and ended portion of River cruise and took bus to Paris, it was a long day since we visited Luxenbourg cemetery, where Patton is buried and other World War II American veterans, then on to old city of Luxemberg, and finally arriving in Paris just in time to hit heavy traffic. Next day we had morning bus tour of Paris ending at Notre Dame Catheral. In the afternoon we went on our own riding Metro to funicular to go to Sacred Heart. We walked around enjoying the view overlooking Paris. Cathedral was free so only cost was $9 euros for Metro and funicular. The metro was clearly marked you just have to know last stop to know which direction you want to go. Viking had offered a tour that covered the trip and I am sure one would get more information on the church but I was more interested in the overview. I used the money instead for a nice lunch to the left of the church and up the street there were numerous eating areas. When you are off the boat, and staying at the hotels only the breakfast is included I am looking forward to my next river cruise when Viking starts sailing on the Mississippi River, maybe 2021. Read Less

We chose this cruise for my husband's 50th birthday. We started in Prague which was on his bucket list & extended in Budapest. We arrived on ship to be whisked promptly to our room. We headed to make our dinner reservations for the week which went super smoothly also and it was perfect we unpacked and then headed to our welcoming entertainment outside of the boat. The river boat is outstanding, the furniture throughout the interior is beautiful, as in the restaurants. There is a shaded area on the upper deck to enjoy sail outs. Comfy sofas at the front of the ship. I never felt like the boat was busy we always walked right in for breakfast and lunch to have a table waiting for us. Don't hesitate if you don't find something on the buffet you can always order something or ask if there is anything else prepared that day you may not realize you can have. A river cruise is busy so be prepared, every port we loved for different reasons & we sometimes left our tour group and did our own thing. Explore, enjoy and make the most of your river cruise. Trip of a lifetime! Read Less

This was our fourth cruise with Celebrity and the first on Reflection. Embarkation and disembarkation both smooth. We had a sky suite at the back of the ship as we like the views and we don’t mind the walk to and from the room. Room was large, comfortable and the attendant throughout the cruise kept it spotless. Plenty of storage. Bathroom small with a combined bath/shower; plenty of storage for your toiletries. We had a butler but did not make use of him; we don’t like to dine in the room and we do our own bookings. The ship was well maintained and spotless. Where we noticed a difference is the ship felt more crowded than its sister ship Silhouette; we found out the Reflection has a lot more suites and hence about 400 more people; the suite ‘perks’ of Luminae and Michaels Club felt crowded and did not have the same ambience we felt on Silhouette. This was disappointing. We had a mix up with dates for dinner bookings which was annoying as we were travelling with another couple and we realised with hindsight that Michaels club had not confirmed the details – if they had we would have picked up the errors. This resulted in us thinking we were going to dinner that had been booked for the next day (notwithstanding we were on a day trip that would only get back in time for the booking!). Our preferred night was booked out and we had to then replan our remaining nights. Food was very good but not consistent. Luminae was generally excellent and staff are amazing; Blu also very good; we had lunch and dinner in Murano and both meals were excellent. Qsine interesting as they have changed the format – we went to two ‘shows’ – the first show not as interesting but great food; the second show was excellent, but the food was lacking (steak tough and the ravoli was tasteless). Sushi on Five was mixed; wasn’t overly keen on The Porch but had best steak of the cruise in The Lawn Grill. Staff really make Celebrity a great cruise line; it is rare to bump into someone who isn’t friendly. Shows – Fox Ventura was great and there was another 4 man UK band that was also great (just cant remember the name); the comedians fell flat; hypnotist and violinist were good; the Celebrity shows were ok and the final night one, Elysium with acrobatics was excellent. Giuseppe the cruise director made us laugh with his antics whenever we went to the theatre. As an Australian the pricing of Celebrity is now expensive given the Aus dollar has deteriorated against the USD; we found it more expensive as a result. Spa excellent but expensive; had my hair styled twice - again expensive but a treat. They really do up sell/push product which is annoying. Excursions: We organised through Celebrity notwithstanding it is more expensive; we like the insurance that the boat won’t leave without us. Warnemunde: We chose the day trip to Schwerin which was a great day out and we would recommend this. We later learned people who went to Berlin had a 6 hour return train trip (and the train was not airconditioned!). Helsinki: We did small group tour (25 people). A quick trip through the city then stopped at Porvoo to wander the shops there. Quaint village which we enjoyed. The highlight was lunch at Nybergs Varpet just for the tour group. Off the beaten track it was tucked away by the water. We had outstanding finnish food prepared by the chef who was on site and chatted to the group. Saint Petersburg: We had a private tour guide for 4 over 2 days. Our guide was young, and we didn’t get that feel for what it was like to live in Russia during harsher times – can’t be helped but I think a guide with more experience would have been more interesting. The palaces are huge, amazing and over the top. It is a very crowded place so everywhere there were crowds and ques. Gardens are beautiful. Boat ride was really good to see Saint Petersburg from the water. We had lunch at the same restaurant both days which was strange; I think because we liked it the first day our guide took us back even though it meant backtracking into the city. A more experienced guide would have chosen two different places to eat. We also did not get to see the subways; our guide mentioned it late on the second day but we had run out of time (spending too much time waiting for lunch). Tallin: What a lovely town; wish we had more time there. Had a walking guided tour; a little time to browse; saw the concert area and a seaside fishing museum. An easy town to visit unguided or use the hop on hop off bus. Stockholm: Day trip to Vasa Museum; City hall to see where the Nobel peace prize dinner is held and ending the day in the Old Town. Worth doing but would have preferred more time in the Old Town to wander and explore. Also an easy town to visit unguided or use the hop on hop off bus. Copenhagen: Private tour and we were disappointed as there was a mix up at the port with the tour guide waiting in one spot while we waited in another wasting time for what was a very expensive tour. We got away about 20 mins late as a result. We had stops at Mermaid, Palace, Nyhavn, the main shopping street and Tivoli Gardens. The low light was the Tivoli Gardens stop as we were dropped there for three hours when half that time would have been sufficient. Lesson learned for us to be more careful with the ship preparing an itinerary – they did not ask us what we liked, and we would have told them we were not theme park enthusiasts. I think the hop on hop off bus would have been fine. Read Less

Having been in the travel business for over 49 years, I wanted to try this cruise line and also take a river cruise, which we had never done. We paid full fare. With some small exceptions, it was a perfect vacation. They provided fabulous backpacks and ticket wallet pre-cruise. They met our plane, and transferred us to the hotel, even though we arrived two days early to get acclimated to the new time zone. Ship was beautiful, spotless, and cabin space very well planned, with plenty of storage space for our two huge bags of luggage, as we traveled pre and post cruise. We would have liked more hooks. They provided bathrobes and velour slippers, Each room had a flat screen TV with huge number of channels, with movies, TV series, travel videos. Umbrellas, walking canes, earplugs, Moulton Brown toiletries, and WASHCLOTHS---a rarity in France. Shower space was fabulous compared to our last cruise on a regular cruise ship in March. Just wonderful. The only negative was the chairs in our in-room balcony were too big for the space and really, really uncomfortable. Included tours were excellent, the guides on almost every tour were delightful, charming, humorous, knowledgeable and spoke perfect English, which we followed on our Emerald padded headsets, which you re-charge every day. We booked 3 extra tours for the afternoons, and they were worth every penny, as these were spectacular points of interest visually, and you also got to see the countryside on the way to the destination. I don't think you could take a bad picture at any of the places we visited---we took over 75--- and every single one could be a postcard. Tournon was our least favorite stop, as there is not a tremendous amount there---maybe a cooking class could have been offered? Evening entertainment for us was mostly movies in the room, but we did go to the movie trivia night--where I won the bottle of wine! It was lots of fun, though we wished the evening events started just a bit earlier, as 9:15PM was late when you had to get up early in the morning for the tours. We are not morning people, but we adjusted. Our cruise director Darren, and the activities director Didi (I'm sorry if I have misspelled their names) were very entertaining, helpful, and efficient. Loved these guys! My husband took one of the bike tours, and enjoyed it immensely. Never used the pool, gym, hairdresser, masseuse, or did yoga, so can't comment on those activities. Breakfast had 3 times; early, regular, and quick bite so you could make the tours. Buffet of selections for every taste, but darned near impossible to get a cup of coffee right when you sat down. Don't know why they don't have coffee machines in the dining room, as I ended up getting mine at the machine in the bar and walking it downstairs---not good--- or safe. Lunch buffet was also very good, lots of selections, with choice of two kinds of ice creams with toppings, and sauces--- every day. Always a line for that. Again, getting a non-wine beverage here was also a problem, and I ended up bringing my iced tea down from the bar. However, if you are a wine drinker, you're in great shape on this cruise, as they never stop pouring...….ever. Dinner was our least favorite meal. We advised in advance that we don't eat pork products, veal, and I'm allergic to shellfish. The first night there was nothing on the menu I could eat, so I spoke to the maître d. She advised there was always a choice of a steak, salmon fillet, or chicken breast and Caesar salad. So, we ordered the steak the first night. The Caesar salad came with BACON sprinkled on it (!!!) and the steak was very tough, so we stuck with salmon most nights--though I don't love it, it was tastier than a plain chicken breast. The celebrity chef night was absolutely the best meal of the cruise, and we could have had his menu and bread every night and would have been very, very happy. The dining staff needed more training, as they could not accommodate any special requests, i.e. dressing on the side for the Caesar salad. In fact one night I was told that the Caesar was an entrée! They cannot deviate, and don't understand what you are trying to say. Also, they forgot two special meals at two other tables around us, and one passenger was furious. Dinner is one sitting at 7PM, so I understand the difficulty of serving over 130 people all at once. Maybe a smaller buffet in the bar area would help--- like they do for breakfast. I actually prefer buffets, as I can choose what and how much I eat. Dining portions were very small, but OK for us. Miguel the dining manager was very charming, always cheerful---but he has his hands full training this dining staff. Also, they need to try to smile more, as they always seemed stressed---which they were, I'm sure. If you have never taken a river cruise before, please be aware there is lots and lots of walking, sometimes you have to climb up and down stairs as you cross over other boats you are tied up to. Because you are tied up to them on some days, you cannot raise the shades in your cabin---so the "balcony" becomes unusable. But you are off early and don't spend much time in the cabin on most days. Also, this cruise is not suitable for children, as there are no activities for them. Most of the cruisers, I would guess, were over 60. All in all, an almost perfect vacation. Wish they did a Normandy River Cruise! Read Less

My husband and I celebrated our 40th Wedding Anniversary in August, 2019. Taking a look at our bucket list in 2018 it was decided to take a River Cruise and booked Emerald, mainly due to comments from reviews and chatting to others that have taken this type of a cruise. We absolutely loved it. Check in was incredibly stress free. We arrived several hours before departure, absolutely not a problem, checked in, our room was ready, went to the lounge area where they had food and beverages available. As other guests arrived, you felt really comfortable chatting and getting to know each other as we were going to be together for 7 days. The staff on our cruise we’re amazing. Always a hello, can I help you with something. Chatted with you for a few moments. If there was anything you required you just had to ask and they did there best to make you happy. The meals were delicious. Buffet for breakfast and lunch. Different choices everyday. Dinner, generally several options to choose from. If the items of the day were not something you desired, there were more choices on the menu to choose from. My husband and I received an awesome anniversary cake. Our room was beautiful. #307. Quiet, comfortable bed, lots of storage area to remove your clothes from the suitcase. We had a lovely balcony. Everyday there was a different excursion possibly two. Very well organized. Mostly mid morning. The river was very calm and quiet. Stunning views, castles, small towns. Michael, the cruise director, explained everything thoroughly the day before. We were so fortunate, no water level issues. Absolutely loved going through all the Locke’s. Thank you to the staff on the Emerald Sky for such a wonderful experience. It was sad to leave on the last day as you meet so many wonderful people. Read Less

This was our second river cruise. The first cruise was with UniWorld and he had a great experience, this time around we chose Scenic as their luxury brand was something that we couldn't ignore. We certainly made the right choice. The rooms were larger (we had suites on both cruises) on Scenic, the food was quite good for the most part (some hit and miss but found that on our other cruise as well), but what really stood out to us was the staff. The staff on the Scenic Sapphire were nothing short of amazing. From top to bottom we felt welcome, valued and always taken care of. In fact when the cruise was over and we were staying in Nice for an extra day, we ended up calling the ship to get/verify information about airport shuttles and they immediately took our call and helped us. They didn't just dump us off and forgot about us, they took the time to help us when we asked. From the cleaning staff to the restaurant staff, to the crew members who would ask me if I needed anything when they didn't have to, to the front desk staff and the captain, everyone was extremely nice, friendly and they made our experience the best it could possibly be. For this reason alone I will continue to use Scenic on future cruises. Take a bow, staff of the Scenic Sapphire, you truly made our trip an experience to remember. Thank you! Read Less

We have cruised 3 times with Royal Caribbean and decided we shall not ever travel again in their ships. Grubby worn and extremely lacking of any luxury fixtures or fittings. The chairs in the Stsr Lounge were extremely worn torn and shabby and some of the rest rooms left a lot to be desired..,. Broken door handles and fixtures missing....if you miss dinner and attempt to eat in the Winjammer it closed st 9pm do we were left to eat pizza at the small cafe on the promenade which was heaving with very loud teenagers. Great trip for families but some parents are oblivious to the antics of their offspring and we witnessed a good fight between some youngsters who were throwing ice cream at each other covering walls and floors on deck 11....bar staff were excellent as were the casino staff but the lack of quality isnd detail of cabins was very disappointing. we Are planning a cruise next spring and shall definitely be joining Celebrity again....maybe a little more expensive but extremely superior quality.... regards. Lynda Guy Read Less

We have sailed several times with the royal carribean and normally I love my cruise - however the last cruise I had in August, will sadly probably be the last cruise I choose with Royal Carribean - the staff as always were perfect and could not do enough to make our holiday special - however we had an unbelievable number of teens on our cruise who congregated each evening in level 8 - my floor - particularly near the lift area - so I was constantly feeling intimidated each time I used the lift - so much so that I opted to use the stairs - I had teens running up and down corridors late at night and once it was as late as 3.30 am - I did ring security on several occasions and in all fairness they came and solved the problem ...on that night - but it would be exactly the same on every night - annoyingly even on the last night they woke me at 1am - and as I was leaving the ship just after 7am to drive hundreds of miles I wasn’t happy at all - there was no monitoring of the corridors at all - I understand the shop is due for a refurb - which had I known I would probably have booked another ship as it looked tatty and needing paintwork in several places The food as always was incredible plenty of choice and fantastic On our return I did email customer services re our noisy holiday and was told I should have rang reception - which I did - no other help whatsoever - they didn’t seem interested whatsoever that I had saved all year for a holiday to be disturbed every single night and reluctant to use the lifts I personally will prob not ever be booking with RC again - not just because it was simply too noisy (I do have four children if my own so I am not anti children) but also the attitude I had from customer services Sadly it falls far short of the holiday I saved hard for - I love cruise ships so i’ll prob try another company next year Read Less

We had previously cruised on Oceana and loved it. We chose Britannia as we could only travel in August and we liked the ports of call in the med. We had a balcony cabin on deck 12 midship. The cabin was modern and equipped with all we needed. Our cabin steward was very polite although he didn’t clean as I thought he should have, eg he never hoovered once in 14 days. Food was excellent in all restaurants. We had a dining experience in the Epicurean which was outstanding. We found all staff polite and welcoming. There was a packed itinerary of activities all day. In my opinion cruising is value for money. The gym wasn’t the best. There was lots of cardio equipment but the free weights area was somewhat lacking. There was one lat machine with only one side working. The main pool on Lido deck was very busy and noisy but the adult on section on the deck above was peaceful. The air conditioning inside the ship was set to quite cold so I’d advise a cardigan or sweater in doors if you are sensitive to the cold. Disembarkation was organised, we were able to find our luggage without any problems Read Less

As an all inclusive cruise we liked knowing what we paid up front was the bottom line, no hidden extras. We have travelled with Scenic before so not a difficult decision. Lovely comfortable beds light airy and clean cabins. This time travelling to a region of France we have not seen before and wanted to learn more about. On board attentive staff, great food , friendly fellow passengers made the ten days most enjoyable and we learned a lot about wine, the grape varieties and wine making. Starting and finishing in Bordeaux which we found to be a delightful city and had adequate time for exploring. Other ports of call included Libourne, Pauilliac, Fort Medoc, Cadillac, Bourg sur Garrone and Blaye, we also took a side excursion to Cognac, a lovely town and of course we just had to see how its namesake spirit is made and tasted at Remy Martin. Recommend to anyone not just wine enthusiasts. Read Less

Been 6 times now and this was up there with the rest of them. SHIP Been on the larger ones but Aurora is my favourite. Very attractive ship with lovely wide Promenade Deck and tiered aft. RESTAURANTS Medina and Horizon restaurants were excellent as always. Great selection of food and always fresh and hot. Everyone smiled and welcomed guests in and out. Where we had to wait for a table for two in the Meridian the wait was only 25 minutes max. Just enough time to pop to Andersons bar to enjoy a pint. We also paid £15 each to see the galley where they make and prepare all the dishes and it was a real eye-opener. Spotless and everyone working to a Trojan standard. Told there is only one Soup Chef and one Potato Chef, etc. This is partly so if there are any complaints the Galley Manager knows who to talk with and also where they are only cooking these items day-in-day-out they always come out perfect. If you do this make sure you have a very early breakfast or none as the visit starts at 10.30am and they serve large trays of canapes along with Champagne. SERVICE Five star throughout. Many staff who you made eye contact with would say 'Good Morning/Afternoon' as they passed you in the corridor. This included the lowest-ranked staff all the way up to the officers. Ask for anything and you will get it. SHOWS The Headliners Theatre Company performers were outstanding as were the comedians and guest singers. The show choreography was also really good. ISSUES Just a couple. Room Service used to be free. It still is for breakfast but other things are chargeable now. The mattress was only 5 years old but was one with springs that had had their day. Woke up the first couple of mornings with bad backs but reception sorted it. When booking it is also not made clear that you CANNOT do Freedom Dining unless you are a Select booking or you are very lucky. We assumed Select booking meant you could choose which fixed dining time you could have, ie 6.30 or 8.30. We assumed that Freedom Dining was for everyone - but beware it isn't. The dining Manager showed us a list of over 150 people who were trying to change to Freedom Dining. Maybe some of these also made this mistake. Due to personal health reasons we did manage to get this changed and greatly thank P&O for this. Read Less

We chose this cruise as we were Interested in all the ports that it was going to, particularly that it left and returned to Malta. We did all our own city tours using local buses, which was very easy and very cost effective. Saved ourselves time and money, and would happily do it again. Was great having a duty free shop at the port in Malta and were able to buy 2 litres of spirits, a bottle of liqueur and as much mixers as we wanted for our cabin. We were able to stock up on our mixers when we stopped in at Malta at the end of the 7 day cruise before we carried on for the next 7 days. The entertainment onboard was excellent, at least two shows a night, all different, the best being a comedian from Cuba, a jazz player and the tribute to Queen on the last night. As we didn’t do any shore excursions due to the cost, I rated this poor. Would recommend this cruise Read Less

My wife and I have recently returned from our Russia river cruise via Viking. We actually sailed on a combination of canals, rivers, and lakes from Moscow to St Petersburg on the Viking Helgi. The Helgi is larger than the “longboats” we’ve sailed in previously on the Danube. Though longer, they have two decks, while the Russian river boats have four. The Russian boats are certified to sail in the ocean—but not too far from land. This was good, because some of the lakes we crossed were enormous. There are quite a few of these boats, all based on the same design. The Helgi was built in 1984. Viking acquired five of the boats in 2008 and completely stripped the interiors and rebuilt them to reflect the standards that Viking passengers are familiar with. The difference between the Viking ships and the other Russian boats is very apparent. The boats frequently dock side by side—you often have to walk through one or even two boats to get to yours, especially in the larger cities. There’s a dramatic difference when first walking through a Russian boat then onto ours. The Russian boats are quite drab. All in all she’s a beautiful and comfortable ship. One thing Viking didn’t do when they redid the interiors was improve the sound baffling between the cabins. There doesn’t seem to be much. We could clearly hear conversations and other sounds (use your imagination) from the cabins next to us. The first night aboard, exhausted from long flights, I had to politely ask our neighbor if he’d please turn down his TV, which he quickly did. Otherwise our veranda cabin was great with a very comfortable bed, pillows, linens, etc. The bath was small, but worked well and had a surprising amount of storage. The food was wonderful—every meal was great. Dinner each night featured a menu of different Russian specialities: appetizer, entree, and dessert. There are more “continental” offerings on each menu as well. The chef onboard the Helgi is German—Herr Benjamin. Though not identified as such, many meals have featured German specialties (krautwirkel—cabbage rolls; pflaumen kuchen—plum cake). They and the Russian offerings have been delicious. We looked forward to every meal. Viking offers wine or beer with lunch and dinner with no charge. I was a bit skeptical when it was clear that the only wine and beer was going to be Russian. The beer is actually excellent. Wine (red and white) is surprisingly good too, although not as good as Washington state, Oregon, or California wines typically are. Servers aboard don’t like to see empty glasses; they keep refilling your glass until you ask them to stop. Service aboard was absolutely amazing. Our cabin was kept spotless. But most impressive was the service in the bars and dining room. Servers are a combination of Russian and Filipino. They were all very friendly and extremely attentive. By the third day aboard every server was calling us by name. We’re not special, they seemed to know every passenger’s name. It was pretty amazing. Our fellow passengers were all very much like us—all older, and frequent travelers. We started with three days in Moscow. We were surprised at how much we liked the city. It was safe, extremely clean, with parks and extensive gardens everywhere. We had a pretty hectic schedule for the three days we were there, but were grateful we saw as much as we did. The next five days we cruised making stops at various cities, towns, and UNESCO heritage sites. The Russian countryside we cruised by was beautiful. We selected this cruise because of the number of days it offered in St Petersburg—three with the boat as our hotel. We opted to add the extra two days in a hotel offered through a Viking post cruise extension. Even five days wasn’t enough for this beautiful city. We’d highly recommend this cruise. All in all Viking did everything extremely well. The only thing that could have been better was the transfer from our post cruise extension hotel to the airport. Ours from the hotel was a little... um ... undersupported. We were told to be in the lobby at 2:45 am where a Viking rep would meet us. We’re there on time (5 couples) and waited. There was a Viking shuttle out front but no one in it. When someone checked again after 10 minutes the driver was sitting in it and indicated he was waiting for us. So we all boarded and he drove us to the airport and dropped us with our luggage in front of a terminal. We stood and looked at each other wondering where to go. Someone asked the driver; he pointed in a direction, shut the door and drove off. We all struggled a bit to figure out where exactly we should go to check bags etc., but eventually figured it out and helped each other out each step as we learned something useful. Read Less

Arrived in Amsterdam a day early to walk around and adjust to the time change. That worked well, but not enough time to do Amsterdam justice. The cruise far exceeded our expectations. The cabin was comfortable and always clean, the cabin arrangement was great and you could wake up in the morning a watch the country-side go by. The staff was always looking to help, whether answering questions, arranging for extra side trips or just getting another drink, they were always very helpful and friendly. The food was wonderful with a varied menu, always including fish, meat, poultry and vegetarian selections everyday. The chef made it very clear that if you wanted another dinner, or more of anything all you had to do was ask, be careful here; even having what was served resulted in a number of pounds by trips end. The off ship excursions were fantastic; the guides were very knowledgeable, informative and personable, with great stories along the way. This was our 1st cruise and we're already planning our next on Avalon! Read Less

The staff made an dream experience for us both and memories to cherish. All events and activities were well organized leaving no worries. Professional and friendly the entire trip. The cruise director was very knowledgeable and thorough with all planning details. The reception staff were patient and accommodating to all requests. The host, servers, provide a carefree environment during relaxation times. From the start to the end of the trip nothing was left out and nothing was left wanting. The enrich and cultural events were detailed and educational. The free time to self explore at each stop allowed an opportunity to shop or explore in greater depth. A good pair of walking shoes are mandatory. By the end of the cruise it was difficult to say goodby to staff and new friends. The food and the chef were exemplary allowing for an incredible culinary experience from all counties travelled during the cruise. Thank you Scenic Read Less

My cabin was 9210 which was an aft suite. In this letter I will be detailing my experience onboard your vessel. Just a little background this was our sixth cruise with your company and have had a wonderful time previously. We have cruised on the Getaway, Escape, Jade and Pearl. This was a honeymoon cruise for us and we had invited 2 other couples to cruise with us neither have even been on an NCL cruise before. Upon boarding the ship with great enthusiasm and excitement as we have been planning this trip for well over a year. The ship was delayed departing as it had a mechanical issue and did not depart till 1:30 AM the next morning. That is when things turned sour. In order for the ship to make up time it was cruising at a 22-24 knots according to the information screen. This caused our suite to vibrate uncontrollably with glassware clanging, draws opening and the safe door banging it was like traveling on the New York City subway. Everything started rattling, draws sliding open, safe door clanging, and bathroom items falling into the sink and to the floor. Please note in the pictures provided the vibration is so severe, the bathroom tiles had cracked and vibrated loose leaving it uneven. Monday July 22 upon us going to breakfast we spoke to the Concierge about being up all night and her response was she was going to look into it. Well the day progressed as the speed stayed consistence and at 5PM we went to guest services to speak with the manager, unfortunately the guest services rep had to be asked 4 times before my husband finally said that he was not happy and that he would start yelling if his request was not attended to. Finally, the front end manager came out along with the Concierge. Upon speaking with The supervisor we found out that the vibration problem was a known issue. She had said that vibration tests were done in our Suite and that the vibration occurred around 19 knots. She said that she would send an email to the Miami offices informing them of the issue. The immediate solution was to give us a room on deck 6 closer to the front of the ship with a window. So, on nights that the ship was going over 19 knots I was supposed to pack a bag and sleep in another cabin. We found this extremely inconvenient and ridiculous. We then asked for a schedule of cruising speed so we would have knowledge of sleeping arrangements. Well it was supplied but not exactly accurate we learned after the second sleepless night to add 5-10 knots per numbers supplied. By the third day after falling asleep on the bus rides for our excursions (yes paying a lot and missing a lot) I decided to set up an appointment with the Front-End Manager. Again, we found out that he was also aware of the vibration problem on the ship. By this time, I cannot understand how your company would still take $10,000 for a cabin with known issues and think it is OK. This is stealing money from your customers. So, we paid for a suite that could not be used when the ship was moving, and was offered a cabin with a window. Also, I do not understand why the concierge that did not utter a word to us after the first day. Not any staff member offered us any assistance to transition from one cabin to another as we slept in the other cabin for 6 nights. You would have thought that knowing the problem the staff would have been more accommodating and helpful to try to smooth over all of our discomfort. We then thought upon spending the night in Dublin we could stay in our cabin, the captain said that to prepare for dry dock in January they were going to be weighing the ship at night. The cruise director added that they were doing water testing. Well with the staff knowing the issues of our cabin you would think that someone would have suggested us to sleep in our other cabin. Well let me tell you what they did. The crew filled the ballast with water after moving the ship away from the dock. From 1:00am to 5:30am the crew was revving the engines up and down causing our suite to vibrate violently. I tried calling guest service but that was worthless as no one answered the phone. I find it comical how the entire ship knew the issue with the aft cabins but could not care about the guests occupying them. Later that day we had an appointment with management to hear the response from NCL corporate. They read us the response from corporate and My wife was in tears. After spending over $10,000 for the cruise it was like a slap in the face not only were we sleep deprived, falling asleep on buses to and from excursion locations and totally frustrated as not only did we have 2 other couples traveling with us this was my HONEYMOON that is being totally ruined. I felt that I was not considered a valued guest as with this cruise I was going to be a platinum member which does show the loyalty I had with your company. On top of the vibration issues, I was looking forward to a bath at night before bed. The tub had disgusting mold growing around it, and the staff had to step in and out of the tub to pull shade up or down. We had spent over 10,000 dollars for this cruise for a cabin we picked over a year ago, so we could entertain our friends with cocktails and cheese plates (which were ordered in advance). The vibration and noise did not allow any of this. I am not sure if you or a company representative have seen the condition of this ship but it should have been dry docked long ago. The bathroom tiles are cracked and have uneven surfaces as you could not walk barefoot to the toilet. The furniture was stained and looked dirty. The staff was very passive and inattentive. We heard the same issues from our neighbors, it was like the staff did not want to speak with us for fear of hearing more complaints. The service was not up to par with any other cruises we had taken with your company. Where the ship’s staff and corporate offices had knowledge of all the issues long before we had boarded, especially where vibration testing that had been done, these cabins should have never been sold or occupied. To take a customer’s money in advance and knowingly sell a room that does not allow for quiet enjoyment is stealing the customers money. Read Less

Overall I struggle with rating average or poor. We have cruised before with NCL and changed from Princess to NCL for our cruise around the British Islands as they had less ports with tenders and the service has previously been excellent. Once again, the embarkation and disembarkation were smooth. The ship departed almost 12 hours late with no communication whatsoever. We were finally able to piece together from other passengers that NCL came very close to cancelling the cruise and sending us all back to London. After denying that this delay would not impact our shore excursions, they had to make another announcement owning up to the truth. The staff at the shore excursion desk were doing what they could given the circumstances. Clearer communication from the cruise director would have saved a lot of heartache and waiting in lines. We saw very few happy employees on board the ship in every department. They were putting forward minimal effort. Food on the buffet was not hot; boring; and, tasteless. Service in the sit down restaurants was less than acceptable. Finally with the help of an assistant Matri D, we were able to find a very fun and helpful server who we requested the rest of the cruise. The ship needs a lot of work and is scheduled for upgrading soon. It needs it. Not up to NCL standards at all, and may I add NCL has basically average standards. Thankfully, the lounge acts and shows were very good and the ports of call did not disappoint. We had purchased Cruise Next on our previous cruise with NCL so we are stuck taking one more cruise with NCL. It was hard not to look at the people discussing Cruise Next options and recommend "don't do it". We will be seeking another cruise line. Read Less