Ports of call interesting.We havd never been to these countries on the Pacific side of South America.. Going this tome of year we expected, and received waem weather. Having sailed with Princess several times, with very positive results, we picked this itinerary. Being familiar with the Royal Princess, having sailed with her before, and having been told that she was refitted with new mattresses, new wi-fi, new Medallion sophistication our expectations were very high... We were given the wrong information.. With the exception of a few members of the crew, the staff was efficient but without personality. We seldom saw the ship's officers, common on most cruises. The captain was glib and amusing from the bridge. We laughed at his "rolly-poly to describe any rough weather. The entertainment was very good initially, but the last vocalists were not familiar with the passengers' preferences. Our biggest food problem was we found hair several times in our meals. Not what we expect from Princess Read Less

I have now taken 4 voyages on Crystal Symphony, and 11 total on Crystal (including one river cruise) and on this cruise had the best combination of sea days and (to me) new interesting ports to visit. I felt the service was better than ever. The staff were happy and did seem more relaxed and content, which helps me feel more relaxed during my vacation. Ambassador hosts were charming and good for company at shared tables even getting me on the dance floor a couple of times. The headwaiter was fabulous and also the wines were fantastic. I did several spa services which were quality and worth the cost. Trivia was again a highlight on sea days and all in all the cruise was filled with movies, lectures, shore tours, and great food, company and beverages. I guess we also hit the jackpot as we did have calm enough seas to get onto Easter Island for the day tours, which is a novel experience. I indulged in some great modern dishes in the dining room and was very well taken care of regarding my dietary restrictions. Also it was great to see that bartenders no longer automatically add straws in every drink. Now I can stop saying "no straw please" with my orders. Oh also I got to play table tennis doubles one afternoon! Kept in shape taking the stairs onboard, walking the promenade deck and snorkelling in Moorea! I highly recommend this itinerary, it was a real getaway and super for getting away from the winter. Read Less

This is only the second time that I have composed any dialogue regarding our many cruises around this unique planet. This cruise, on Regent SS "Explorer", was chosen by us more than two years ago. It takes a lot of discussion, a lot of planning, a lot of 'buyers' remorse, a lot of tender anticipation before deciding on the correct fit that an Ocean Going Cruise will make. Two years ago a significant birthday, for myself, was looming on the horizon and the two of us (TC2 and myself) wanted a cruise that would meet the requirements of that birthday. Since my birthday, by default, had two distinct dates ( another story, another time) the 2019 Explorer Cruise from Santiago to Los Angeles would be a perfect fit for both dates. Since we live in the northern area of the USA it can and does have very obtuse weather conditions during the winter. Our weather assumption, unfortunately, proved correct and caused us to change flights, incur unexpected hotel stays and invoke extra costs to an already expensive cruise. But, if we did not accomplish this we would never have reached the ship on time for embarkation. Taxi scams at the Santiago Airport added more frustration to our journey and being 'World travelers' we should have known better. The flight from Dallas/Fort Worth to Santiago, Chile. was made on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Comfortable and on time flight but we would never have made that flight had we not changed out flight from Vancouver to be one day earlier. However, our luggage arrived with us and having that not happen more than once, we were surprised. Boarding the "Explorer" ship and climbing the gangway to be greeted with a Champagne "Welcome Aboard" is always exciting, even though we have done this so many times. We have told each other, "do not take it for granted". We were, indeed, fortunate to obtain a 'Master Suite' due to a last minute 'upsell' which we offered to accept. It is a fine example of what Regent can put into a luxury ship. Two bedrooms, two bathrooms (one full) and a deck that commands more than 180 degree view as well as an expanse that would accommodate a Rothchild party. Put this together with Butler Service and it would be hard to find an equal. It just so happened that the "Discovery Channel" camera crew were on board with us filming for one of their episodes of "Mighty Cruise Ships". In order to cover the complete ship they need to film a Butler served dinner service en Suite. We were innocently chosen to be the couple that was provided this service. The episode will not air for about eights months but it certainly should be interesting and also give a boost to Regent. The Discovery Channel film crew attended my birthday get together. Balloons, festoons and canapes together with a full Marzipan cake for me and an Opera cake for TC2, baked by the Regent Pastry chef, all made it a Happy Birthday and unforgettable memorable occasion. The crew is always our second family and we look forward to greeting each one of them on our regular Regent cruises. General Manager, Massimo, met and greeted us as we boarded the ship and made sure that attention, care, service and safety were all prime. We particularly enjoyed being invited to an Explorer Suite on Deck Eight where we met and became extremely close with the guest of that suite. We also were fortunate to join, for cocktails in the Explorer Lounge, two outstanding guests, 'Master and Madame Echo'. I would like to comment on some items that Master Echo has reported on in his cruise critic review. 1) Electric cut off when you leave the suite. This items is about par for most hotels. I presume it is a method of conservation. However, since the ship provides its' own electricity you would think it is not necessary. It is most likely a safety item especially for batteries and chargers that are left plugged in. Because we don't want to keep putting the card key into the slot each time we enter we chooses to use either a cardboard or stiff paper insert and leave it is as long as we "own' the suite. It works fine for us. 2) Cabin cleanliness. I was surprised to learn that some funnel smut had collected in the room and also that a solitary and wayward grape had not been cleaned away. For our own experience we have found housekeeping to be above par but understand that some items can be missed. Where's that 'white' glove? 3) Vibration. Like individuals, we are different. So it goes for ships. We expected big things from Explorer when she came out. "This one is not going to vibrate and she is not going to have dischordent frequencies. She is going to be so stable you won't know your on a cruise!" Obviously not so. Every ship, again like ourselves has its' idiosyncrasies. They all creak, they all sway and they all have haunting vibrations. A super example of this is the "Navigator". It has always had problems. They have 'fixed' it several times, but it still has problems. If you 'fix' one frequency in one place it transfers to another. That is the ship world. Given the amount of weight on the Explorer, with glass, marble alloyed Prayer Wheels, etc. etc. it is a wonder that she even got our of Italy. 3) Water quality. Water quality on the ship is always a concern. It is conserved and osmetically re-cycled. Problems to emanate from rusty boilers but while it is unsightly it does affect the cleaning power. Personally, I found the shower water to be so clean that it left my shampoo squeaky clean. Most people do not realise that 'conditioners' change the structure off the hair and eradicate its' history. I do not think you can get away without putting chlorine into a swimming pool. It is ubiquidous. I found the Infinity Pool to be quite strong with this additive. 4) Gratuities. Regent classifies itself as "All Inclusive". Therefore you should never have to dig into your pocket for anything. Coming from the U.K. I am very stingy. I work for my money, I get a salary, I do expect anything else. The early coffee house in Britain in the 17th Century gave rise to the TIP. (To Insure Promptness) It has now grown, due mainly to American influence, some that is not just expected but demanded. It seems that if you do not give a 'Tip' you are embarrassed and the worker relies on this embarrassment. Regent contracts their employees. Their employees get paid well for what they do. Nowhere in the contract does it say, "Thou shalt receive a tip or extra awards for doing your job". Should you wish to contribute to a crew 'welfare' fund then do so, but you can do it without be embarrassed by it. I was extremely upset to see a head-waiter canvassing every table in Compass Rose, on the penultimate night, shaking hands with each customer and instructing them to make note of his name in the 'Comments' report. It was also noted that some exchange of dollars was taking place. 5) Explorations. The Ships' Destination Services has historical problems. Each of the port and each of the tours brings it's own problem. Dealing with contractor busses, variable languages, countries, ethnicities, safety, reliability, comfort, needs a lot of tact and experience. Transform this into on-board guests who always want to be first in the line at the supermarket and it can be a bee-hive to avoid. But, seeing the world and it's history is why we cruise. Patience! 6) Internet. On board Internet is almost a permanent failure. Contacting Satellites hovering 25,000 miles above the Earth is expected but cannot always be justified. Nature is, however always present. Climate, Gravity, Sun Spots and a myriad of galactic and global influences have a big influence on our Internet system. Just like the movies, we expect instant response but even electricity takes time to get from one place to another. Again, it pays to be patient and through in a little levity. I just wait until I get home. Just a word or two on Dining. The Pacific Rim on Explorer was a new and exciting addition. Being our fifth cruise on Explorer we had eaten in Pacific Rim several times. It took us four or five of those visits to finally grasp what the menu is about. Now, when we attend, we know what it is that we like and we have adjusted ourselves to the Asian Infusion method that type of cuisine. Service is always impeccable as provided by mostly Russian servers. Read Less

Pretty well everything about this voyage was great. The only concern I had was the obvious lack of experience from some of the expedition crew in their lack of ability and skill in operating the RIB's ( zodiac ). In saying that I was just a bit careful who I travelled with. But all of their lectures were great. And they were quite passionate in what they did in regards to the preservation of the environment and passing on information to the passengers. I think the captain certainly did his best along with the crew to make our experience the best ever. Which they achieved. The Patagonian coast with the Andes in the distance made for fabulous scenery every day while aboard. I felt the food was more than adequate and their was plenty of it. Travelling as a single person I also had no problems in meeting a lot of great people. Not only from Australia, but from a number of other countries. Read Less

I choose Crystal over the years for the magnificent service and standards. I know the company for the last 10 years, I have sailed onboard Serenity and Symphony few times. I feel the crew members are lacking motivation and training, their can do spirit from the past is gone, food is fantastic but isn't enough for a premium line, I'm frankly disappointed with the onboard experience and lack of identity crystal have these days.. The upside is that itineraries are very good, casino is very good also but overall I did not leave the ship satisfied this time. I contacted corporate to make some comments and I'm still waiting for a reply (not good). At this time I don't think I will go again, it is time to try the competitors, I have cruised with seabourn once and I think I will try again when the time is right, if not silversea could be a good option. Read Less

Its the only way to see the Chilean coast inlets and scenery short of having your own boat. There are no roads or habitation in most of the areas we visited. Excursions by zodiac to see wildlife and glaciers were amazing. The ship was small by cruise ship standards but was therefore able to sail in confined fiords and through narrow passes. The food and service was excellent. Nothing was too much trouble for the staff. The ships captain was informative and approachable. The company issued everyone with appropriate clothing which was just as well because that part of the world has heavy weather at most times of the year. If you needed items of clothing or spares for your photography the ships shop was well stocked. Improvements are possible in some detailed areas. The graphic display of the ships position was poor. The exterior of the window could have been cleaned. Read Less

Was excited to travel on this new cruise ship. As usual, great service. But there are some issues. Indochine is a worthless restaurant and not worth the time. Atlantine is wonderful and the best of all options, although one night we were turned away because no tables available for a group of 6--even if we were willing to split up. None of the restaurants that charge more are worth it. La Dame is good and so is Keiseki but we opted out since they certainly weren't worth the extra cost. Best choice is Keiseki for lunch. Incredible sushi. Love breakfast at La Terraza and dinner there is pretty good. The Grill for dinner is predictable, but given weather was an issue (cold) so not a good option. Rooms are great. Butlers were very helpful. Tours in ports were mediocre to poor. But the ports themselves were kind of boring. Loved the Falkland Islands but arranged our own tour which was the same as the cruise tour and $100 cheaper per person (plus it was only for us--no bus!). Entertainment was incredible. The singers are wonderful. The lectures were also great. Worth attending. Cruise director was fun. So on board experience was good. Fitness center is too small and needs more bikes! Read Less

My wife and I wanted to see Chile and Argentina. We had actually previously scheduled a trip on another cruise line a few years ago but a serious illness of a family member caused us to cancel. Subsequently, several friends recommended SilverSea. They are absolutely correct. The Silver Muse is as good as it gets. Our cabin [suite] was beautiful, very good size, had a walk in closet, a great bathroom with a stall shower and soaking tub. There are two TVs built into large mirrors, a nice sitting area and a large veranda. Service was outstanding with an excellent Butler and an excellent maid. Dining is great with nine restaurants, most of which were superb. My only complaint is why there is an extra fee for two of them when those two are no better than the others. Liquors and wines were uniformly excellent. Bar service again excellent. In Dolce Vita, Anwar, a server was amazing. The pool area is fine and very comfortable. Night entertainment is quite good. I do think the lectures should be more oriented to the ports and what is notable about them. Our only negative is that sometimes leaving the ship for a tour was total chaos. Most excursions were fun and quite good. The exceptions being horrendous food service in Coyhaique City and initially in the hotel in Santiago. Our additional complaint is the Check In at the Park Tower in Buenos Aires. In every other way the hotel is fine though it could use some renovation. Read Less

We chose this cruise primarily for the itinerary, but also because an acquaintance was actively recruiting people to join her and her husband on their sixth Silversea cruise. She was enthusiastic about the line and spoke highly of the travel agent she has used for many years. We ended up with a group of 18, some who had previously traveled together and others, like us, who were "newbies" to the group and Silversea. We met several times throughout the fall to discuss excursions, dining options and air travel (we flew out of different cities). Our friend coordinated everything with our travel agent and he assured her that all transfers and excursions would be booked and dining reservations made for the whole group (we agreed to meet up every night for dinner at three tables of six). Unfortunately, he died suddenly in mid November. Turns out he worked alone and had not finalized all our plans. She contacted Silversea to explain our situation and they found a travel agency willing to take over and finalize our trip. We arrived in Santiago and found our bus with no problem. Embarkation was a breeze and I was impressed with how quickly the suites were ready. By 2:00 PM, we were in our suite on deck six. The Deluxe Veranda was very nice. We found plenty of hangers, drawer space and a lovely little jewelry box in the safe - very convenient. Bathroom small, but functional. Good water pressure, no issues with hot water. Other guests had trouble with no hot water. We explored the ship and compared it favorably to our last cruise on Regent's Voyager. I thought the color scheme was pretty bland. I referred to it as "Fifty Shades of Taupe," and thought they could have used some pops of color. There is a forward observation lounge, with a smallish library and bar area. We ended up there often for cocktails (fabulous bartender there - Jiro). The main dining area on Deck 7 is La Terrazza and reminded us of La Veranda on Regent. We also scoped out the pool area, fitness center and large area called Dolce Vita, which we would end up visiting frequently, as it is where Team Trivia was played daily. There is only ONE computer available for guests to use. So, if you don't have a laptop or iPad you're stuck with queuing up for that one desktop next to the Concierge desk. All in all, dining proved to be underwhelming. We ate in Kaiseki the first night and didn't realize until we were well into dinner that this was one of the two venues that charge $60/person. No one mentioned this when we were seated, nor was it posted on the menu. That was our mistake. We should have paid attention. The food was good, but was it worth $120 for us? No. Another couple ate in the French venue, La Dame, and were so disappointed they got their account credited. We then ate in Atlantide several times and on one occasion I had to return my soup, as it was very salty and another time returned my prawns, which had the consistency of mush. My husband loves sea bass and would get a good outcome one night and a completely different result the next night. All of us in our large group agreed that Atlantide needs some serious attention. Food quality varied widely, and while service was always pleasant, it was so slow. You could count on a 2.5 to 3 hour dinner. We liked Indochine very much, loved the Hot Rocks. La Terrazzo is probably the best option for dining. Breakfast was always acceptable, especially if you stuck to fresh fruits, omelettes and cereals. Loved the Arts Cafe. Good espresso drinks and I love playing the daily quiz they offered there. The pizza on Deck 11 (Spaccanopli) was good, while the lunch at the Grill again varied widely. I finally learned to ask for something off menu, such as a grilled chicken breast. My husband returned the rueben sandwich as it had almost no corned beef. Hamburgers were very tasteless. Wines were average, the kind of stuff I get at my local grocery store. After awhile we were able to get better wine by asking to try different ones and not just accepting what they were pouring that night. Entertainment was okay, though we only attended a few shows due to the late hour. We did like the piano player in the Silver Note very much, though the dinner there was one of the worst we had. We loved playing Team Trivia with Cruise Director Vicki and enjoyed many of the lectures, though I was disappointed that there were not many on Chile itself. I was hoping for more of a destination expert. Service was always good and the staff is extremely pleasant and well trained. We weren't big on utilizing our Butler, but when we needed her, she was right there. Due to a lot of illness on this cruise, the staff was super diligent about sanitizing and overall cleanliness. Excursions were fair to excellent. The best excursion by far, was the one we organized ourselves, exploring Vina Del Mar and the Casas Del Bosques winery. The best one organized by the cruise line was the Falklands Islands Blue Lagoon tour. Overall Observations: #1. I'll never use a travel agent again who works alone, with no back up assistance. We were lucky that we were able to get another agent at the last minute, but it could have been a disaster. #2. I'm not sold on Silversea. I never once saw officers. Other than the last night when they appeared in the tiny show lounge, they were noticeably absent. On previous cruises, especially on Regent, they are in the dining venues, wandering the ship on sea days, etc....We heard once a day updates from the captain, at noon, but he sounded like he was reading from a script. We asked for a bridge tour and were told they only planned ONE and it was full. The food is NOT locally sourced at all. We asked specifically if we would have local fish and beef from South America and were told everything was brought on board frozen, earlier in the voyage and it was impracticable to have local ingredients. We were amazed that they ran out of Pisco, which is supposedly the national liquor of Chile. They ran out on day two of the cruise and said they had no way to stock it again on the cruise. #3. Value. For the amount we paid, we expected more. Very disappointed with the airfare situation. Only one hour of free WiFi a day? Excursions were pricey and mediocre at best. We organized three on our own and had better outcomes. Food was the biggest disappointment. I think based on our preferences we might either try Viking Ocean next time, or go back to Regent. I'd be curious to see if other Cruise Critic members concur. Read Less

we enjoyed our trip. Cabin and amenities are good. Service was very good. Where the ship lacked was in food, information and restaurants. Although you had choice in restaurants with different names, all were essentially the same. Menus were different yet the food tasted the same. Preparation was adequate but not interesting. Ship entertainment was less than inviting. Voices of Silversea were well below what can be had in the outside world and not worthy of listening. Lectures were well informed yet were light in substance and not as informative as they should be with relation to our country visits and lack of detail was evident. They were ok but you should expect more. All in all it was a lovely trip but I would think that given the international audience and apparent success and costs to the clients, management should reach further given style and life going on in cities across the world. Management should do better. On a final note, crew and ship were excellent. Thank you, roysc Read Less

The Muse is a beautiful new ship and it will not disappoint your expectations. But, near the last minute, SilverSea pulled one of the prized destinations in favor of another day at sea. Many of our fellow passengers referred to that as a "SilverSea bait and switch." We agreed with that and there was never an explanation as to why they pulled that. The food was generally better than we have experienced on other high-end cruises but the kitchen cannot seem to get the meat temperature even close to what you ordered. On our first night in LaDame two of the three that ordered a meat dish rare to medium rare got medium well to well done entrees. The next night at Atlantide we had six orders of beef or lamb for rare to medium rare and three of us got plates with medium well to well done meat. That frustration with that fundamental kitchen mistake continued throughout the cruise. They really need to fix that problem. Our butler was well meaning but not very hospitable - especially toward my wife and the wife of a neighboring suite that he took care of as well. However, two couples we were also traveling with on Deck 5 had an exceptional butler. The Cigar club on Deck 8 was a marvelous place to enjoy a cigar and fine scotches. The biggest disappointment (beyond the bait and switch) were the excursions. They were widely considered awful and awfully expensive. Of course, there were a couple exceptions to that general rule. If I were ever tempted to do that cruise again (and i never will be so tempted), I would book private excursions. Read Less

We chose this cruise because of the S. American itinerary and because the Muse was a new ship.We were concerned about the previous negative reviews we had read related to dining and formal nights and we were pleased to see that these items were not an issue. We never had a problem getting a reservation in any of the restaurants even though we changed many of our original reservations. There were 3 "formal " nights but over half of the men wore suits instead of more formal attire. Service was very impressive throughout the ship.It was nice having premium bar service included in the cruise package and the no tipping policy was appreciated. Public spaces were more than adequate and at times we felt like the ship was half empty, even though it was nearly full. We pre booked La Dame for 3 nights but after our first night there, cancelled our other 2 reservations. The service was impeccable but the food did not warrant a $120 surcharge. The lamb was overcooked and underwhelmed. Great wine selection however! Atlantide was probably our favorite restaurant and offered a good selection of entrees throughout the cruise. La Tarazza was typical cruise buffet fare. Breakfast was very good and you could order egg dishes alacarte from waitstaff, without needing to go through buffet line. There were few hot lunch entrees compared to our previous experiences on other lines. Desserts were beautiful to look at but failed the taste test. Disembarkation in Buenos Aires was unorganized and one of our worst disembarkation experiences ever! Bottom Line: Good ship but not worth the premium prices. I doubt that we will sail with Silverseas again. Read Less

This was our second cruise with Seabourn. The first was fabulous, prior to the Carnival ownership change. The cabin was the same, but our steward was not there when we arrived. In fact, it took some time to find out who it was. She, and her colleagues appeared to be run off their feet. We asked a couple of times for additions to the bar fridge - one being sparkling water with a screw top (which we had when we arrived), so we could reseal it. Not available. This set the tone for the whole trip. A lovely rose at lunch lasted about three days and could not be seen again. A fine weiss beer, lasted about three days also. The dining room meals were around four selections, and incredibly repetitive. No more special meals on request; no more twenty page a la cart menu. Discussion with other loyal Seabourn clientele repeated similar opinions. Check the brochure - the passenger staff ratio, once proudly boasted by Seabourn, has disappeared. But that's not the worst bit, and I'm no snob. Evenings, particularly in the bars, a large number of the passengers felt the need to behave incredibly offensively. So drunk, so loud, obscene language; one women nearly broke my foot with her 15cm high heals then fell over with her dress around her neck. She, and her friends, thought it was hilarious. Never again. Read Less

We booked this cruise specifically to experience the fjords of Chile and to see the Avenue of the Glaciers. We had been on the maiden voyage of the Muse in April 2017 and enjoyed it, so we were happy to be on the ship again. The Silversea team recognized the dining issues that the Muse had in launching and corrected them in a very good way. We liked the dress code which is now done by evening instead of location. Our cabin had no issues, 814. The service was top notch and while we are light users of the butler service, Abraham could not do enough for us. Several times a day the suite was refreshed -it was always perfect. We found the entertainment a bit light but did not always attend the shows. Of all the restaurants on board, we found the service and quality to be best at Atlantide. And therefore it was difficult to get in if you did not go early, which was not our first choice in timing for dinner. Indochine was much better than the April cruise and we went here often. La Terrazza was consistent but we always seemed to get seated in the back room, which we did not enjoy. I think Kaiseki is just OK and not worth the extra charge. This trip had quite a number of days at sea and we were blessed with excellent weather. This was quite extraordinary according to the Captain. All is all, an excellent experience and we booked another cruise in Asia! Read Less

Our reason for choosing this cruise was 2 part. Small Ship & New Horizons. This leg involved joining the ship at Valparaiso, Chile continuing to Guayaquil, Ecuador. French food was an added attraction. As 2 people in our 70's we do not try to do the impossible, and the excursion choices allowed us to stay within our limits without difficulty. For example, on this leg we chose the Flight over the Nasca Lines excursion, but passed on the Macchu Picchu excursion because of the altitude. The on ship lectures were generally good, as they varied between being delivered in French and English languages, but the slides etc had subtitles, so worked well. Ports and Shore excursions were well organised, and a ship representative travelled on the excursions at all times to smooth the way. Worked well. The small ship also has a benefit at many locations as it berthed at really convenient locations compared to larger ships which we observed along the way. Crew interaction with PAX a all times was really good. For example we had casual coffee with all deck officers at various times. Read Less

The itinerary appealed to me and the time of year was perfect. I was led to believe that Cunard were an upmarket company but several things were not up to standard. Having sailed on several ships with companies as diverse as Thompson, Fred Olsen, MSC, Royal Caribbean, P and O, Princess,Holland America and Azamara I would place Cunard somewhere in the middle. My cabin was fine with an amazing cabin stewardess ( the best I have ever encountered) but the food in the main dining room was very poor. The descriptions on the menu bore no resemblance to the food presented which was barely enough to feed a sparrow and usually tasteless and sometimes actually inedible. The food in the buffet was marginally better but we could always fill up on salad and fruit. The waiters were at times rude and at best indifferent. The daily schedule was often inaccurate and on the evening before we were due to arrive in Sydney we were advised that tomorrow on our arrival in Papeete we would not need to carry our passports. This caused a lot of confusion. On one day the date was wrong. Would I sail with Cunard again? Only if they offered an itinerary not available elsewhere, the price was very low and I would only eat salad and fruit in the buffet and not bother packing formal wear. Read Less

This was our second Crystal Cruise and was part of the World Cruise. Once again Crystal did not disappoint! We boarded in Valapariso, Chile, Traveled the Fijords of Chile , spent 2 days crossing Drake passage arriving for 2 days cruising Antarctica ....what a once in a life time experience and Crystal did it right, bringing on board 16 scientists from the USA Palmer station on Antarctica to give us a briefing on what these scientists do while stationed there. They also had enrichment speakers who spoke to the great explorers who went to the South Pole ,he was a real story teller supported by history. The Captain took the ship into the areas of Georges Island which was not scheduled due to the great weather we enjoyed. The service on the ship was excellent as usual staff is like family after 23 days at sea. ,they truly are the best. Food was fantastic, we couldn't think of anything we wanted that we weren't already served or offered. The chefs had two major lunch gala's ,they filled the atrium....all great food ,almost too much! The entertainment was also very good, even though one Billy Joel show we had seen on our last trip two years ago. It was mixed from singers, dancers, comedians, ventriloquists, opera, etc. A Madri Gras and Valentines day celebration were held with Roses to the lady at dinner. The enrichment programs were great two to three per day and included Former Ambasodors, Michael Hayden former director of CIA,NSA, etc ..as well as destinations speakers. The trip was worth the money and would recommend Crystal to anyone. In fact we are already planning our next Crystal trip. S.Mullen Read Less

We chose this itinerary and line because of our prior experience and because of the Panama Canal crossing and an opportunity to see the Mayan Ruins in Mexico. The ship itself is beautiful and very well maintained, but as a overall "luxury cruise" experience lacked service and reasonable ports. Most of the ports were very much off the beaten path and had very little to offer, for the most part........until Mexico, we never saw another cruise ship in port. The service had it high points but overall the crew was not that attentive and often seemed confused. If we did not get the included "perks" (of which there were many), we would be far less satisfied.......net/net it was OK for what the fee + perks were, but had we paid more our satisfaction would be far less. I guess what I am saying is that this was not a "luxury" cruise and we have traveled on Oceania, Wind Star and Regent......possibly this has something to do with the NCL takeover?? Not sure. Read Less

Wanted to go through Panama Canal and wanted a longer cruise. We've been working up in the length of time as we move toward retirement. Heard good things about Ocean and it fit the other criteria so we booked. Food is their claim to fame and it does not disappoint. Specialty restaurants really are special both in terms of food and even more so in terms of service. We especially enjoyed Toscana and Red Ginger. Grand Dining Room and Terrace cafe are also very good. I would suggest more vegetarian options as frequently there was no soup option that worked for us and once or twice there was meat in some salad without being listed in the dish explanation. Cabin was very comfy but as someone else stated I would leave out the tub and opt for two sinks. Tub got used once and really did not make the bathroom any bigger than standard other than having the tub. Entertainment varied. Oceania singers and dancers were OK but not outstanding. Specialty acts: two terrific, two not so good. Service was mostly very good and there were certainly some stand out staff. The one big weakness was the Destination Services staff which basically took the you booked it so don't complain to us. Only the manager seemed willing to help passengers. Not the best ports in the world that I've visited but I was more interested in seeing the canal and putting South America on my bucket list but I personally find other areas more interesting. Would we go again: I would not rule out Oceania but I would not go out of my way to seek it out. It would depend on where and when I wanted to go and what lines were available to do that. There are other lines I would actively seek out. Overall good experience and would not discourage anyone from going but would offer my thoughts if asked. Read Less

We wanted to try Oceania instead of our usual Princess or HAL. My review is very mixed because some things were better and others were not. For example, embarkation was great, we walked right on and there were some little kiosks with nice items for sale before you boarded, including wine which you could take onboard. Disembarkation was horrible. They told us to be on one floor, then changed the floor. Everyone was packed standing in the halls and there was not even a place to sit. I was lucky I could lean against a wall. The disembarked by color code and people would push their way through with different colors. Finally, one passenger took charge and told those whose colors were called to go one way, and those whose colors were not called to go another. I believe we were standing there about an hour, perhaps more. So this is what to expect from this review. Some things were great, others terrible. The first surprise came when my husband saw there was no promenade deck. Perhaps, I should have checked this, but who would have thought. You could walk on the upper deck exposed to the sun. To make this easier, I am going to just go by category- Ship - The ship was beautiful, our cabin was beautiful, it was easy to navigate. The bathroom was large with both a tub and a shower and the shampoo and conditioner you could actually use, unlike some of the other lines. Dining- As everyone has probably told you, the onboard specialty restaurants are fantastic. You could also go to them more frequently at no charge if there were openings. If possible, book before you board. You will have a better chance of getting the time you want if you are willing to share. Main Dining Room - The food was good but the service left a bit to be desired. We did have a GI type of virus during the cruise and I believe it affected more staff than passengers, so that might explain part of the problem. One day my husband finished his lunch before they even brought mine. As the cruise went on, because of the illness, things changed. First they didn't put the rolls on the table, then you could not get salt and pepper etc. By the end, when you sat down, there was nothing on the table. I am not criticizing them for this, as it is probably standard operating procedure but I started saving salt packets because I could not always get them. Outside Grill - Again, the food was good but it was confusing at first because you order at the grill but then someone brings your food so they ask for your table number, which we didn't know and the table numbers sometimes were not there. Lido Deck - This is where I was really displeased. From the beginning, you could not help yourself to anything, even a roll. It was hard to communicate with the people serving you between the language barrier and the physical barriers and they would often get things wrong. The salad bar varied every day but not with the usual things. It was difficult to maneuver and very frustrating. Entertainment - We did not attend many shows but those we did were not that good. I did like the art lessons and I heard the cooking classes were good. Shore excursions - Many of these were included in the cost and they were poorly done. The tour guides did not speak very good English. In Panama, I paid extra for the train and that excursion was very good. I guess you get what you pay for. That said, I do want to commend them for what they did in Lima, which was to have a few select vendors available at the dock, right off the ship. I could shop as long as I wanted while my husband kept an eye on me from the balcony. I believe the selection and pricing were every bit as good as in the markets. Kudos for that! Since Oceania advertises itself as slightly better than mass market, I had some concerns about the other passengers which were totally unfounded. We met the same types of people we meet on the other lines and everyone was very nice. So there you have it. I thought it was okay but not a cut above Princess or HAL. My husband hated it because of the service and will not sail with them again. Read Less

We sailed from Valparaiso to Tahiti in January 2016. This was our first Oceania cruise. I doubt we would sail with Oceania again. First thing was their loss leader concept on their brochures. Advertise a low fare and when you try to book that fare, it's long gone. I just don't appreciate that in a company. We picked this cruise specifically because of the itinerary. Mainly Easter Island and Pitcairn Island. When we got to Easter Island, the boarding process for the tenders was a complete disaster. We are independent travelers and we had a car rented for the first day on the island---fortunately the first day because the 2nd day was cancelled due to swells. Because all Oceania tours were allowed to board tenders first, it took us 2 1/2, yes 2 1/2 hours!, to get to the island on a tender. We had to call our car rental company from the ship to tell them we were going to be very late. It all worked out fine in the end since we saw most of the island. BUT, Oceania did a terrible job administering tender tickets and boarding. This one experience would keep me from using Oceania again. We found out later that here is a 50+ % chance of not being able to go to Easter Island at all because of the tender situation. Of course this wasn't mentioned in any of the literature when booking. Think about booking this 'trip of a lifetime' and finding out you couldn't even see Easter Island at all. The rest of the trip was pretty uneventful. Pitcairn Island, where the islanders visit the ship, was great. Very neat experience meeting direct descendants of the Bounty mutineers. This was definitely the highlight of the entire trip. Visits to two atolls in Tahiti plus Bora Bora were very nice but not the point of this particular cruise. I've seen a couple of posts about this cruise and one said that people were generally pushy and rude. I would agree. We met lots of nice folks and made many friends. But in general, people on this cruise pushed to get in line first, were generally very aggressive and self centered. One nice thing, not a lot of drinking like you would see on a cheaper Caribbean cruise. Entertainment in the evening was very mediocre---almost the quality you would see in a bar. Some was better than others, but generally below average. Lectures were average. One of the lecturers was excellent, but mostly not that good. With 9 days at sea, Oceania needed to make sure this part was better. The people who came on board from Pitcairn gave heartfelt and memorable talks and we appreciated that. Food was excellent and I mean excellent. Service was excellent. These two things are obviously Oceania's priority and it showed. Entertainment, lectures, and shore excursions were not their priority obviously. Disembarkation was handled very well. Bottom line, we would not likely cruise with Oceania again. Thanks for listening. Read Less

I requested a refund for the cruise we just took on 12/20/2014 - 1/7/2015. Silversea clearly cheated their naive customers, who paid for the 6-star cruise but received a 2-star experience at best. - The food was terrible, and they ran out of even of that in the end. There were hardly any fruit, stale nuts and terrible frozen fish. -The TV was not working properly. - The new in-residence entertainment team was inexperienced, vulgar with no singing talent. - No aerobic classes or instructor for the first half of the cruise - some passengers complained about dirty carpets and leaking windows Every single passenger complained about this and more. A shameless rip-off by Silversea Read Less

We're seasoned cruisers (33 total - going all the way back to Grace Lines "Santa Rosa" in 1957), and this marked our first time aboard Oceania. We sailed on Marina from Valparaiso on 17 Dec & disembarked in Tahiti on 4 Jan 2015. We'd booked our air through Oceania as well, and were quite concerned from the start that Oceania had cut the time to catch our connecting AA international flight from Miami to Santiago just a bit too close for comfort (80 minutes.) We were right: Murphy's Law!!! Our 16 Dec AA flight from Dallas to Miami was 30 minutes late taking off, and we were delayed an additional 30 minutes on the MIA tarmac waiting for a gate. Finally, once we rolled up at our assigned gate, we were advised that before we could disembark, we'd have to sit tight while a medical team came on board to check out a sick passenger. Bottom Line: If our connecting flight (from Bogota) had not arrived late itself, we'd have been SOL and would've likely missed our cruise!! Embarkation was fairly tedious, and included the fairly worthless health status declarations for both EBOLA and the flu. (If Oceania. or any other cruise line, were truly serious about preventing the spread of disease aboard their ships, they'd set up a dedicated ship's medical check-in station ashore ( a la Ellis Island), manned by the ship's doctor or nurses, and routinely take temperature scans, and quickly evaluate all passengers. (Some folks might be directed to go directly to sick bay for further eval, followed by quarantine in their cabins, for a few days to protect the health of all - or they'd be denied permission to board!!) On day two of the cruise, the captain announced over the ship's PA at midday that since 2% of the passengers and crew had already been diagnosed with a virus, that the ship would be initiating strict CDC procedures to combat it. Accommodations (9065 Concierge Veranda) were adequate, and we enjoyed having both the separate, full-sized, glass enclosed shower & dedicated tub. We partook of the ships 4 specialty restaurants on 14 of our 18 nights aboard, but had to admit that we'd had much better food at Azamara "Quest's" two specialty restaurants on 20 evenings, during an epic 56-day cruise! The Marina's Broadway-style song and dance shows were outstanding, but the rest were of little consequence. The Marina's guest lecturers were well-qualified and their topics were spot on, as were the ships afternoon movies in the main showroom (Mutiny on the Bounty, Easter Island). Easter Island was definitely the highlight of the entire cruise. All ports of call on this cruise (except Tahiti) necessitated tendering ashore. Unfortunately, the Captain opted not to let any his passengers go ashore on Pitcairn Island, due to rough surf around the island. My better half enjoyed five of the ship's $69 "Hands-On" cooking classes at the Cordon Blue Cooking Center on Deck 12. And we both enjoyed the Hands-On art classes taught by retired Art Professor Tony Turpin, right across the deck, in the ship's Artist Loft. Following disembarkation on 4 Jan, We'd booked an extra day and night ashore at a Beach Resort in Tahiti, through Oceania. Imagine our surprise, when our Oceania-contracted bus departed from the pier & quickly delivered my wife & I a mere few blocks from the ship to the rundown City Hall complex @ exactly 0815 AM. We were advised that we would be required to unload our own baggage here but would "Not Be Passing Go" and would not be scheduled to leave City Hall for the Resort UNTIL 1;20 PM. Bottom Line: we had to endure FIVE HOURS in a rundown, third world City Hall, with no air conditioning, no food, no security for our baggage, and huge conga lines waiting to use two single-stall toilets, co-mingled with hundreds of other displaced persons/Oceania passengers (including a few hundred who'd just flown in and were waiting to board the Marina!!) We'd much preferred to have been driven directly to the resort, where we could have checked our luggage into the resort's locked storage room until our rooms were ready, filled out our registration forms at our leisure, sat by the pool or on their beach, and enjoyed their food and beverages!!!! Thanks Oceania: YOU TOTALLY MANAGED TO WASTE AWAY OUR DAY IN PARADISE!!!! (We had to catch a 3 AM bus from the Resort to the Tahiti airport on 5 January!!!) Read Less

The Antarctica was very high on our "bucket list"so glad we waited for the Seabourn experience to take this amazing adventure. We sailed on the last departure of the season...the best for last! Not only the wonderful Seabourn treatment but an excellent expedition team lead by Robin West...we were really informed on the way down with wonderful interesting lectures...Geoff with his humorous take on history! Learned about penguin poo! Comes in different colors...watch your step! The actual embarking into the zodiacs was a well oiled machine...quick and helpful all along the way...amazing to move so many "older people" so quickly! We were really impressed with the attention to detail, way to go Seabourn! Capt Larsen was wonderful giving us so many trills like the whales that were all around us...so close you could smell their fish breath!!! Our 3rd time on deck 6...great location to everything..especially to the Grand Salon...cabin size is great, even with all the Antarctica gear we had plenty of space...bathroom is roomy....we had some Drakes Passage weather with wild seas but we were quiet comfy. This is an amazing cruise...not possible to tell in words you have to see for yourself! Make sure you have the Lobster Tempura!!!! a standout among standouts! Only problem was the 2 chain smokers at the end of the hall....stinky for the rest of us....BAN SMOKING SEABOURN!!!!! Read Less

We are experienced Silversea cruisers. Silver Cloud fell far short of expectations. Food eaten on board before sailing made us both ill. Heating system was broken for three days. Instead of apologizing, crew blamed cold weather but finally repairmen were aboard and fixed "non existent" problem. Gift shop was out of most sweaters due to purchase by previous cold cruisers on Buenas Aires - Valparaiso leg. The food on the ship was well below expectation and kitchen ran out of some key supplies before cruise ended. We would be pressed to rate the food even 3 star. Most of the tours were below par as there was little to see. Several guides seemed unprepared; others were excellent. The cruise consultant could not be separated from his computer and his replies were one word or, at most, "it's not my function." There was a fierce electric storm upon arrival in Buenas Aires forcing us to cancel our day and a half trip to Iguazu Falls. After five months of haranguing Silversea, we received an insurance payment for less than half the amount, the premium for which we had paid before sailing, plus an semi-apologetic offer of a discount for a future cruise. Company accepted responsibility for nothing. That Silversea was not at all proactive is the most disappointing evidence that Silversea is not what they used to be. Read Less