Always wanted to travel the Mississippi River by riverboat. It was a relaxing and very informative cruise. Especially liked the shore excursions to the Civil War battlefields. The boarding process was the easiest and quickest that I have experienced. We took advantage of the pre-cruise package that included a tour of Graceland, two nights as the Graceland hotel and transportation to the ship. The ship as immaculately kept and the staff could not have been more professional and attentive. Our cabin was the largest we have had on a cruise with floor to ceiling sliding glass doors opening to a private balcony with chairs and table. We made stops in Vicksburg, Natchez, St Francisville, Baton Rouge, Oak Alley, and New Orleans. There were on board lectures about the Mississippi River and the Civil War battlefields that we visited given by very informative experts. The shore excursions were excellent with very informative tour guides. The food was excellent and service was quick and efficient. Disembarkation was very organized. They provided transportation to the Airport in New Orleans as well as an optional two hour bus tour of the city on the way to the airport. We have already signed up for another cruise with American Cruise Lines in 2019 "Maine Coast and Harbors". Read Less

We took the Pearl Mist 11 night cruise from Chicago to Toronto last August 2018. This cruise is targeted for people 75 years an older, many of which need assistance. That's ok but it should be clearly stated. Let's start by saying the good things: 1) Stateroom and bathroom are very big. 2) Probably the best thing was the Staff, they are very friendly and helpful 3) Food was ok. 4) Drinks are included. 5) Some ports of call are very interesting: MACKINAC ISLAND, MUSKEGON / HOLLAND, Parry Sound and Niagara Falls. 6) Cruising the Welland Canal and going through 8 sets locks from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. Now the bad things: 1) Overpriced at 20 grand per stateroom for and outed ship with little to do in it. It has no pool or good onboard activities. We spent 2 days cruising with little to do. The Gym consists of 4 machines located on and outside deck. 2) The TV in the stateroom is ridiculous 3) The ship is very small 108 cabins. 4) Some ports are call should be eliminated specially Sault Sainte Marie and Little Current. Nothing to do in them. 5) The time allocated in each destination is not well planned. We only spend 2-3 hours in Niagara that had a lot of activities to do and spend a full day at Sault Sainte Marie with almost nothing to do. Read Less

We were interested in this 10 day cruise since we haven't been to this area other than Chicago & Cleveland. We also wanted to see Niagara Falls. We purchased this cruise thru Vantage which leases the ship thru Victory Cruiseline. The Victory I holds about 200 passengers. There was 115 passengers on the cruise we took - 93 being Vantage passengers. There was one Vantage staff person (cruise director called an Adventure Leader) who worked in tandem with the ship's cruise director (Expedition Host). We flew into Toronto the day before the cruise and met the Vantage Adventure Leader at the Marriot Hotel. The next day, we took a city tour and then embarked on the Victory I. Hiighlights include: Niagara Falls, Niagara area winery lunch, Lolly Trolley in Cleveland, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Henry Ford Museum, Greenfield Village (purchased ticket separately), cruising the St. Clair river, going thru the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie into Lake Superior (we can say we have been on all 5 Great Lakes), info about the Edmund Fitzgerald & Mackinac Island with the Grand Hotel buffet. Cruise Lecturers - There were 2. One focused on the port talks and history of the area. He also talked about etiquette - it's history and application into today's business world. It sounds strange, but many of us found it very interesting. The second lecturer had worked for NASA during the Apollo project & he had lectures on astronomy. They were well informed and enjoyable. We also had a guest lecturer from the Grand Hotel the evening after our visit to Mackinac Island. Very funny! Service - The staff & crew onboard were friendly, courteous & efficient. The morning after cruising on the St. Clair river into Lake Huron, we found the crew washing off the many bugs that collected overnight (Mayflies?). The Wi-Fi was included & reception was pretty good. Food - We found the food was varied & very good. There was a cocktail hour before dinner where announcements were made. Beer & wine were included on the cruise. Breakfast was buffet style, however you could order from your table if you wanted to. You ordered from a menu for lunch & dinner. There was also an outdoor grill where breakfast & dinner was offered. We did not go to any of the meals there, hubby would walk over to it in the morning for his coffee. It was a great place to have a drink and see sunsets in the evening - weather permitting. Afternoon Teas - There was 3 afternoon teas. A Royal High tea, Spirit of the Maharajahs, and a Viennese Afternoon tea. Lots of goodies to be had. Disembarkation was at an industrial port south of downtown Chicago. Transportation was arranged by the Vantage Adventure Leader. We ended up sharing a taxi - our share, $20. We are very glad we went on this cruise. I am looking at another Great Lakes cruise advertised by Victory Cruiselines - Western Great Lakes. It includes ports in Lake Superior. Read Less

It was an Anniversary cruise that was supposed to be aboard a luxury cruise ship with a wheelchair accessible accommodations. My husband was assured that he would be able to use his motorized scooter for excursions ( he used it twice) the scooter had to be lifted up and over the ramp. The ramp isn't even wide enough for a wheel chair people were made to get up and walk up or down the ramp. The elevator only accommodated the wheelchair if my husband stood up and we folded the wheelchair. The room was anything but luxury the bath room was disgraceful and outdated. The room was sold as a king but it was two twins pushed together with a piece of foam running down the middle. (Pictures to follow). Now the entertainment was 1 hour each night some nights it was a talk about what some people got to see if they were able to go on the tours that day. Happy hour was just that 1 hour then the bell was rung and everyone is shuffled off to the dining room after dinner the 1 hour of entertainment.There are only two things this cruise line has going for them the food and some remarkable young people that work their butts off. Serve your food in the morning clean your room later then back to the dining room to serve again. We paid to be transported back to our car in charleston sc and a very nice shuttle bus showed up for other passengers we had to wait for a taxi that would accommodate our scooter this was a 3 hr ride in a old,loud taxi. We have been on at least 8 cruises and never have I felt so scammed. $10,800 dollars lighter we will always remember this nightmare and I will warn everyone I can not to take a cruise with this company. Read Less

Chose this cruise because we were celebrating both my husband and I 65th birthdays. Wanted something special. This was not what we expected. The weather is obviously nothing that can be controlled but it was bad enough that out of 7 days we could only use the deck twice. Force 8 gales and it was not pleasant. The average age appeared to be older generation, lots of disabled people, more like a care home, with knitting and sewing circle every day in a beautiful lounge are. Not able to watch football in the pub on board due to having bingo everyday. Also very regimented, don,t even think of this ship, if you don,t like being told what to do and when, we paid for a princess suite, and if we had not dressed how we were told on a particular day then we could not eat dinner in the restaurant that we had paid a lot of money for. Read Less

This was a 90th birthday cruise for a long-time Cunard passenger. Embarkation took over two hours(one person fainted) and young children were being held by parents for long periods of time. Dining room service was extremely slow and the servers were not pleasant. Took 20-25 minutes to get a beverage. We were rushed out of the dining room every night. Sheet cake ordered and paid for was not delivered to our party. Dining requests(number and size of tables) that was requested many months in advance was not honored. On July 5th, lunch in the Britannia took 2 hours. Breakfast on the day of disembarkation took over and hour and there was no one in the dining room.Spent hours at the Purser's Desk trying to set up an account for beverages to all be transferred to host. This did not get accomplished until last full day of sailing. Had to sign out for two decks of playing cards and had to return. No recognition for a Cunard World Club Gold member. Lost hot water one evening. The showroom temperature ran close to 80 degrees. Very overpriced cruise. No dining room staff member seemed to care about anything except rushing us out for late dining. Only thing that did not get messed up was disembarkation. On a 1-10 scale, this cruise was a 1. Staff needs training.Having corresponded with Cunard post-cruise, they still have shown indifference to all our issues. And we had 42 passengers in our group in balconies and a Princess suite. Read Less

We had a delightful introduction to River-cruising in the USA with American Cruise Lines up the Mississippi. Their attention to every detail made the trip pure pleasure for us. And we thank their wonderful chef for accommodation to our vegetarian meal requests. Every staff person on board was helpful, anticipating all needs even before we realized we needed them! The shore excursions at each River stop were perfectly arranged. The experts on board added immeasurably to our experience, with their lectures about the River, the Civil War, and the river-boat culture. We now know that it's all about the River! A special commendation for Bill Weimuth whose outstanding presentations and multi-faceted entertainment skills are tailor-made for River cruising in the USA. Read Less

Our cruise starts in Memphis with an overnight stay at the Sheraton. We weren't very impressed with this hotel or the breakfast laid on for all the passengers making this overnight stay. On to the boat and we were on deck 4 in an outside stateroom. The cabin was cosy a little bit smaller than the only previous cruise we've done. It was 160sq ft if that helps. The food was very good the crew were very good and the daily organisation of going ashore and visiting historical sights and communication of information was very good. Everyday there were additional tours at an extra cost around 59 dollars plus per head.The nightly entertainment was a matter of taste. It was mostly musically based and was ok. The WiFi was pretty poor unless you were in specific areas. The main restaurant was fine with tables set for 2 up to 8, there was another restaurant at the front of the boat where you could eat 24 hours a day. We went there for breakfast one morning and it was just too noisy for that time of day so we didn't go back. We disembarked in New Orleans. Read Less

American Cruise Lines- Historic South and Golden Isles Cruise March 19-26, 2016 We arrived in Charleston two days prior to the cruise departure and stayed at the Hyatt Place historic district on King St. The hotel is only 5 months old and the accommodations were very nice and convenient to shopping and dining in the King St. area. I would caution anyone against ordering any foodstuffs from the “Pickup and Go Menu” in the rooms as these items are all pre-packaged and hardly edible to say the least. There are plenty of local eateries offering a wide selection of lunch and dinner options all along King St. that would be a far better choice and cost about the same. On the other hand, the downstairs daily hot breakfast at the Hyatt was quite good and plentiful. We left for the City Marina on Lockwood Dr around 10 am on Saturday and were the second to check in. ACL representatives met us at the end of the pier and took all luggage to the ship at that time. They also provided golf cart rides out to the ship for those with limited mobility. Cabins were not available until 11:30 or so and we were directed to the Chesapeake lounge where warm cookies, soft drinks, coffee, water and espresso were available. These were available all throughout the cruise at no charge. Surprisingly enough the ship also furnished free WiFi during our cruise. When we entered our cabin there were nice ACL lanyards, nametags, and room keycards along with a folder of information about our cruise and staff. We were in cabin 212, an AAL balcony cabin adjacent to the mid-ship lounge. We liked our location so much due to the proximity that we booked the same one for our next cruise. The décor was a bit dated looking but the cabin was very clean and the staff maintained that during our cruise. The AC was good as I kept the temp in the high 60’s most of the time. Each day offered delicious meals in the dining room on the first level and were among the best we have had in our cruise history. Breakfast service began at 7:30 am and choices included both hot and cold items. A table just inside the dinning room featured cold selections such as yogurt and fruit parfaits, smoked salmon and capers with bagels and cream cheese available on request, and various pastries. Hot, cooked-to-order options were provided on menus at each place setting. The reverse side of the breakfast menu featured the day’s selections for lunch and dinner as well as places to indicate whether you’d be dining off-ship for any meals. You would make a selection from offered appetizers and entrees so that the chef would have a better idea of how much of the various dishes to prepare. This was an excellent way to prevent a lot of waste with uneaten foods which ultimately helped the kitchen deliver better-cooked, more flavorful meals. Lunch commenced at 12:30pm. In addition the appetizer and entrée, dessert options were available. If you missed lunch onboard due to an excursion, the staff provided options for boxed lunches with ham or turkey sandwiches that you could take with you. We did this one day and were really surprised at how good the sandwiches were and how much they put into the boxes. The evening’s meals began with a cocktail party at 5:30 in the Chesapeake lounge and featured heavy hors d’eouvres which changed nightly. It’s worth noting that if you have a favorite brand of liquor, you can simply call the home office with your booking number pre-cruise and they’ll have it onboard for you. Dinner followed in the dinning room at 6:30. They started with appetizers and always had a soup option. The soups were outstanding and some of the best any of our four had ever had. Entrees followed and varied from seafood to beef, chicken, pork and lamb. One evening we enjoyed filet so tender you could cut it with your fork. Desserts were good as well and there were about 8 different kinds of ice cream which were always available. The servers were attentive and friendly which made for pleasant meals. We took at least one shore excursion in each port and were pleased with the cost of each. The ship was able to dock in all but 2 ports (Hilton Head and Sapelo Island) and for those we had only a short tender ride to shore and back. Toward the end of the cruise there was a presentation about future cruises with an offer to book while onboard for 15% off and free port charges and taxes ($500). If should be stated that there was no pressure and we were not asked but the one time. We were not hounded to book additional cruises. However, after consulting with our traveling companions, we did book a future cruise to the New England Islands. Being long-time Princess cruisers we were amazed at the free drinks, cocktails and coffees not to mention the free internet. The only downside we could come up with was the lack of laundry as we usually send out clothes a couple of times during a cruise. There were no telephones in the cabins; but since nothing was more than 100 feet from our cabin door none were needed. On the wall next to the desk was a large red emergency call button if anyone were to have need for assistance. All in all, we had a wonderful time and felt the value for the money was very good. The crew were all very friendly and accommodating. They really wanted us to have a great time. Obviously we’d do it again as we booked another cruise with ACL. Read Less

The catalog seems to be different from what we received on the cruise. We complained when the air conditioning did not work properly, toilets did not flush, could not get a bottle of water and public bath room was dirty. There were four couples that complained and the cruise line sent a director of hotel operations to talk with us on the fifth day of the cruise. He listened to our complaint and said he was sorry and would see if he could do something for us once he talked to the home office and would get back to us after the cruise. That was 9 days a go so I feel like I was lied too. We were told the college age people working the ship were on 12 weeks contracts and than let go, that's why we felt service like eating at a IHOP and the place was dirty. We have been on river boat cruises in Europe that cost the same $10,000 that have been fantastic and twice as long for the same amount of money. The food was OK but for the cost of the 7 days I thought it could have been much better. We felt this cruise was a waste of money. Read Less

We are on the last leg of a 21 day cruise and are currently experiencing very rough seas on route to our final destination New York. To give you a flavour of this ship our bath is currently filling up with sewage and the plug is broken so we cannot stop it. The staff say that is what happens on this ship in rough seas! We await the results! Last week our toilet flooded and although a plumber was on hand within minutes is this really what we should expect of so called luxury cruising? We understand that they are taking this ship on a world cruise in 2017. Our advice for what it is worth? Do not go! The choice of food is very limited and on a 21 day cruise the menus did not change once. Can you imagine 128 days of it! The menus are the same as they were five years ago. The ship is cramped. The staff are generally indifferent and unlike five years ago when we started with Regent it is now a case of spot the really keen friendly staff as opposed to the poor ones standing out from the rest. The same test should be applied to the food with the occasional meal standing out. The cafeteria style breakfast is now dated. Food is being cooked to order in good hotels such as our pre cruise one in San Francisco. Here the bacon is piled high and the beans congeal as time goes by! Service by staff inside and on deck is intermittent. The top pool deck was often ignored by the pool staff. The woman behind the bar both by the pool, and again in the evening was terse and argumentative. She basically told me I was wrong when I suggested I had ordered soda and lime many times and had been served Sprite and lime. According to her that was impossible. When I returned a glass of champagne which had clearly been poured hours before I was met with a scowl. I have served myself wine and cleared my own table more than once. On the pool deck I forgot to look at my table number so rather than help me out by looking across the deck to where I had pointed the waiter simply refused to take my order. I actually took a soiled sunbed cover to reception to show them the standard of cleanliness. After three days of finding dirty covers I thought at least if I took it down something would be done. I was treated as if my complaint was not worth the time and subsequently found that it had not been passed on. It was only when I followed it up a week later having heard nothing that someone called me to say it had been noted and would not happen again. Needless to say it did. We did not have any representative or information at our hotel on embarkation day. A driver pulled up to collect four people from our hotel but did not have names of clients or the ship. We just got in with two others and directed him to the Navigator berth in the terminal. We are taking a post cruise tour. Our hotel has been changed twice. The woman here on Destination Sevices failed to listen to our request for confirmation and just kept talking about something else so we walked off and are having to phone Regent in England to find out what is going on. The fixtures and fittings in the cabin are worn out. The drawers stick, the pillows are lumpy and the shower is dated. Who needs a soap tray these days? Somewhere flat to stand the shower gel would be better. The television and video player which we relied heavily upon because of the lack of entertainment, were unreliable and out of date. We have spent a lot of money in our own house to upgrade our standard of living and did not expect to be going down a notch in terms of comfort. The standard of cleaning in our cabin was poor. I often found items I had placed in the bin such as dental floss on the floor after the staff had been in. At least they came I suppose apart from two days when they forgot us completely. I decided I would use the gym on this cruise as a kick start to a new fitness regime at home. I wanted to use the time to familiarise myself with the machines. The fitness instructor was either absent from the gym or could not find the time to explain the machines to me. I felt like I was too unfit for him to take time over. When I did ask a question about heart rates and programmes on the cross trainer he barely gave me the time of day and kept darting out to reception as if looking for more important clients who had booked extra sessions and paid for them. I gave up on him and did it myself and yes I lost 6 kilos! That should give you an idea of how easy it has been to refuse the food which was often just not worth the calories. We found the entertainment team aloof and very much seperate from the guests unlike our experience on Seabourne where they really join you on the dance floor! The dancing here is late at night and the Regent orchestra is poor and boring. Everything seems rooted in the 1940's in terms of music and shows which have hardly changed over five years. We didn't bother with any and just stuck to our own films and box sets whenever we could coax the dvd player and remote in to life. This is an all inclusive cruise and in the past has been well worth it but not anymore. We are gold members as a result of all the cruises we have taken with Regent over the last five years. This is to be our last with this company. I am always fair whenever I review anything and this may seem a harsh review but it is all true. We like to reward good service and are loyal clients to may firms and companies. Although not required we did tip two waiters Siva and Alvin who embodied the old spirit of Regent. Such a shame it has come to this. We are going to book two luxury land holidays next year and give cruising certainly with this company a miss. Read Less

Overall the cruise was very enjoyable and we visited places we had not seen before. The ship’s common rooms and staterooms are cleaned daily and kept in tip-top condition, the staff are very friendly and knowledgeable, and the daily food menus are varied and leave very little to be desired. Another surprise was that complimentary beer, wine and soft drinks were available for lunch and dinner AND in addition complimentary drinks were served during each evening’s 5:30pm cocktail hour as well as during the after-dinner entertainment. Finally, the guest speaker (Barry Lane) was a virtual encyclopedia concerning the available tour destinations. There were four things in which I was disappointed: 1. The Pearl Mist is a noisy ship. Our cabin was in the aft section and when the ship was underway at speed the engine’s thumps and bangs were almost unacceptable. Additionally, when docking or leaving port the stern thruster really grinds and vibrates the whole ship so much so that at breakfast the china and table items shimmy and slide together. Therefore, only book a cabin in the forward section. 2. I thought the tours were somewhat expensive particularly the additional $50 for lunch at the Grand Hotel as part of the Fort Mackinac carriage tour. 3. Internet access is a bit of a problem in that there are only three ship’s computers available for 200+ passengers. Use of personal equipment is limited to one continuous hour daily with the next available time starting at the end of the previous day’s session. 4. The final straw was that shortly after boarding everyone was advised that the ship could no longer dock at Navy Pier (the final overnight destination) located in Chicago’s mid-city but would be mooring at the Illinois International Port, a cargo storage area located some 40 miles away from anything. Frankly, I believe they should have advised everyone beforehand however this might have resulted in some cancellations - a classic bait and switch situation. Although Pearl Seas did offer some complimentary transportation options, this is a very secure area which meant that the passengers were literally captives on the final night of their cruise. Read Less

I am writing to those passengers who want to go on this ship who is under 60. DO NOT DO IT, unless you want to be surround by limited mobility guests. This ship really depressed us, i really felt i was in a nursing home. i usually sail on CUNARD in the GRILLS and SILVER SEA. iwas told this ship was the same with luxury as them with with many amenties. I know something was wrong when we were told to meet at a place where there was no room to go inside. All passengers waited outside for a bus. There some passengers that was notified in less than 2 weeks of our trip. WOW!!!! What if it rained, we would have been drench. We went to a disgusting industrial area to board the ship. It was sooh disorganized embarking the ship. Our bags was opened up by unknow employess in the open are. I cold not believe this!!!! The room was ok , Lazy boy furniture. plain and dreary to the eye. We did not meet the steward until the next day. no fruit in the room. The welcome was trusting, you can seee afrustrated director upset when passengers wanted questions answered. The lounges were awful. one computer in one room. The work out room was pathetic, outside, no treadmill. 4-5 pieces of equipment. Sooh if it rained everything is wet. The ports location was often in a construction area and not pleaasant at all. The shore excursions,was often rush and because the old people was so slow, many times we just sat on the bus waiting. The daily programs was often had conflicting times and locations. I could go on and on. Read Less

After spending a couple of weeks in Britain with my family, we ended our travels with a Transatlantic crossing. I had previously been on one of the maiden voyages of the Carnival Magic, which had almost convinced me never to take another cruise vacation. Fortunately, the Queen Mary 2 could not have been a more different experience. The Queen Mary 2 is a beautiful ship whose engineering more than makes up for the differences that many of the reviews criticize. The ocean was fairly turbulent on the third day of our voyage and it was fairly apparent that the ship handled the waves much better than other vessels. Watching the weather in relative comfort was a highlight of the journey. For its age, the Queen Mary 2 is in excellent condition and remains well maintained. Some minor details needed repair (i.e. a couple of carpets require reattachment on the stairwells), but the crew seemed fairly attentive to on-going maintenance. Apart from a limited group of other passengers, including one moron who thought it appropriate to confront my wife and I about "how does a man your age have the resources to be on a trip like this" and to tell a random set of British retirees that they "had to go to ground zero," our time could not have been more pleasant. The crew was genuinely nice, particularly the Head Chef--Nicholas, the Captain--Christopher Wells, our senior waiter--Roy, our steward--Nick, and the Entertainment Director--Jo Haley. Even at fancier restaurants in the U.S., I have not had better food than I enjoyed on board. The Britannia Restaurant runs very efficiently with a consistently good presentation. The simplicity and British focus of the cooking made each meal excellent, with many approachable options. We did not spend too much time in the Kings Court buffet, though at different times it seemed like the food might be very good. A published menu might improve the buffet experience, but I question why anyone would want to go there with the Britannia Restaurant or the other upper class dining rooms providing a much better experience. In particular, I have to give a lot of credit to the kitchen for accommodating the gluten-free dietary needs of some in our party. Each day, the senior waiter would provide the next day's menu and the kitchen would make each chosen option with substitute ingredients. The best part of our voyage was the opportunity to relax and to get away from our ordinary stressful lives. I hope that Cunard continues doing the things that it does extremely well. Subdued atmospheres in the bars and restaurants themed around the original Queen Mary make the Queen Mary 2 an elegant experience. Likewise, entertainment that focuses on guest lecturers, theater, jazz music, dance music, and the transatlantic crossing distinguish the Queen Mary 2 from other cruise experiences. Formal nights also help underscore how a voyage is an escape from ordinary life. I only hope that more people in our demographic (29-40) will discover how nice it is to travel on the Queen Mary 2. Because of our positive experience, my family will make a point of travelling on the Queen Mary 2 as part of trips to the UK and Europe. Read Less

My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves on this cruise. The ship is small enough so that you feel you are on your own private yacht with many of your friends. It was easy to meet our fellow passengers during the nightly cocktail/social hour and quickly found some couples with whom we 'clicked'. The lounge is spacious with many different seating areas for visiting. Dining experience was delightful, also, with a good and varied menu. Loved that they tried to serve the regional food.....in this case, crab! The crew was great.....young, enthusiastic and eager to please. We have been on the Golden Odyssey and Sea Goddess as well as America Cruise West, and although the first two ships are superb in every way and perhaps more seasoned and professional, we couldn't find fault with the young people who served us. Read Less

As members of the Eagle Society, we are dedicated to cruising on American Cruise Lines. The Hudson River Fall Foliage Cruise was our most recent and 4th cruise with American Cruise Lines. We thoroughly enjoy each cruise so we continue to explore their further offerings. Our next adventure will be the Historic South and Golden Isles Cruise. There are many reasons why we continue to cruise with American. The number one reason is that we love the small ship experience. There are always so many interesting people on board. Because the number of passengers is limited, one has an opportunity to meet everyone. The cabins are spacious and very comfortable. The service staff is most accommodating and the delicious gourmet cuisine is a reflection of the area in which we sail. The ports of call are always so interesting. The cruise is enhanced by the presence of on board historians to further the educational experience both culturally and historically. Bill Ewen further complimented our most recent trip with his in depth lectures of the area. We always find our trips with American Cruise Lines to be first rate and will continue to enjoy their hospitality. Read Less

I selected ACL's cruise down the Snake and Columbia Rivers for several reasons: I'm interested in the Lewis and Clark expedition, I wanted to see the landscape of the Inland Northwest, and my earlier cruise with ACL (the Lower Mississippi) was such a treat that I wanted to travel with the company again. The Snake/Columbia River trip was one of the best I'd ever taken, and I have been traveling extensively for 52 years. My booking was handled politely and expeditiously by Sean at the ACL office, and I received all necessary papers and notices on time and in order before my departure. The itinerary, from Lewiston, ID, to Astoria, OR, was first rate. The excursions were diverse and fascinating, with excellent guides-- there was something for everyone. When we were under way, the staff always devised something fun to do, like sailing kites off the deck. Though the cabins on the paddlewheeler Queen of the West are somewhat smaller than on the Queen of the Mississippi, my room was perfectly acceptable --clean and comfortable. The company has, incidentally, just launched a new ship built to their specifications, so they are always upgrading. The service is excellent. You can tell immediately that the staff are very well trained: these young people are friendly, polite, and capable. In addition, the lecturers were outstanding. Because of my interest in history, I asked a lot of questions-- and got the answers. Above all, the cruise director was very responsive to our needs-- she even made special arrangements for me to fit in an extra excursion in Astoria. I especially enjoyed the afternoon happy hour, with included drinks, wine, and an extensive selection of hors d'oeuvres. It was a great chance to meet with the other passengers and compare notes. The ship is small, about 100 passengers, so you have an opportunity to meet like-minded, friendly people from all over the country. The food is excellent. I am a vegetarian, and the chef had no problem accommodating my needs. I have already signed up for my third ACL cruise, and I plan to take many more. Read Less

We have recently returned from our first crossing on the in August, 2013 from Southampton to New York. What a wonderful experience! We are veteran cruisers and travelers who have been many places on ships from Iceland to Antarctica but had never done a crossing before. We chose the Princess Grille category and we very happy with the selection. It was well worth the money. The cabin was spectacular--we even had a walk-in closet plus three more closets in the room and tons of drawers and storage space. We could have moved in for months. The balcony was large with comfortable chaise lounges. However, the really perk was the dining. We had an assigned table for 7--another married couple, two sisters traveling together, and a single young man. However, we could eat any of our meals at any time the dining room was open. Our places were always there for us. We had wonderful wait staff and an excellent wine steward. Everyone was friendly but not pompous. I get bored easily but was never bored on our 7 day crossing. There were a variety of lectures, entertainers, classes, activities for every interest. The planetarium was a real plus. We also enjoyed the performances by the young actors from the Royal Academy of the Dramatic Arts (RADA). The formal nights were wonderful--everyone dressed up and it was like the old days when everyone went across the Atlantic like this. We loved our experience and will definitely choose Cunard again.   Read Less

Embarkation went smoothly. The transfer from Cape Grace Hotel to Silver Whisper was so efficient that I was onboard before official embarkation time. I sneaked down the corridor to my Vista Suite to drop off my carry-on bag then went up to the Viennese Lounge. The classic Silversea hospitality had begun. Cape Town is a marvelous port for a 5-day visit before departing South Africa. Signal Hill, with the noon-day gun is a fine local tradition and the impressive Table Mountain looms over the harbour making the departure especially beautiful. In a stunning coincidence, Saga Ruby the ship was tied up at a wharf in Cape Town Harbor. It is always a treat to open the door of a Silversea suite and see again the handsomely decorated large suite, even at steerage level. My requests for fresh fruit and bottled water with a full ice bucket were waiting for me thanks to my excellent butler, Reynaldo, who anticipated my needs before I knew what I wanted. For the first time in decades of cruising, early in the cruise, I woke up at 2:00am thinking I was starving. I called Room Service which promptly brought a marvelous club sandwich and chips to my suite. A tip of the toque to the Executive Chef, Anne-Marie Cornelius. She provided exciting menus from around the world which were delicious. At dinner, my tablemates showed off their dessert plates to display the latest brilliant artistic offerings from the pastry chef. The food was consistently the best I have had onboard ships in many years with extensive choices plus the service in the MDR was excellent. Late in the cruise, we had a BBQ grill on Pool Deck for the entire ship. A generous buffet was such fun under the stars. The evening was well-organized, the food was bountiful, the waiters ably helped us walk around the deck with plates, trays, and drinks. On the penultimate day of the cruise, we were in the Caribbean headed to Fort Lauderdale and our "lunch" was a parade of nations spread out among three decks. This particular cruise was coming to the end of the World Cruise and passengers could choose exotic food offerings from Asia, Africa, Europe, and America - everywhere the ship had visited. The various food choices were impressive and it was quite fun to indulge in these many exotic dishes. The only entertainment I attended was the guitar maestro, George Sakellariou, whose topnotch skills and musical offerings are always outstanding. George's performances were well-attended as word spread through the ship about his polished technical skills which produce fine bass notes and warm tones. His CDs are excellent but a live performance brings home the point that only a master guitarist can produce such excellence because, in live concerts, there are no do-overs. I particularly appreciated the many boat drills performed by the crew. In case of emergency, the crew was well-trained to provide safety for the passengers. The cruise director, Fernando, did a fine job. I had heard about him prior to boarding Whisper and he was as good as everyone said. It was such a treat to receive a handwritten invitation to his dinner table. All CDs are like Energizer bunnies and Fernando, with his many announcements and gift for languages, is top of the mark in his field. Begonia in Reception seems to have the ability to turn water into gold. Her social and technical skills are amazing and appreciated. My main focus for choosing this itinerary was to sail the western coast of Africa which completes my African collection and also to enjoy living in the lap of luxury on the ship. Both goals were accomplished with full marks and Dinner in the Desert in Namibia was, indeed, an abfab experience. My thanks to the entire staff and crew onboard Whisper. Each and all of them made this solo passenger feel comfortable and warmly welcomed onboard this luxury small ship. Read Less

Give American Cruise Lines marketing staff an A+---but the hype is very close to fraud, based on my recent experience. Where do I begin to tell you of all the disappointments---first, the Rolls Royce stabilizers were nowhere to be seen, about 2 hours out of Portland, just as we finished lunch, and the ship started rocking side-to-side (so much that it was impossible to walk without weaving and stumbling)---2/3rds of the passengers got seasick (including my travel companion---but not me) and upchucked their lunch; only 1/3 of the passengers made it to dinner that night, and only 10 of us were able to come to the lounge at 8:15 for the talk by the naturalist. When the ship started rocking, there was no storm, and the waves didn't look that big to me (I'm a sailboat owner). When we got into bays and on rivers, there was no rocking. There are no phones in the room---even for intra-ship/room communication---no ice,no refrigerator, no bottled water (the bathroom faucet has potable water). The 2nd floor lounge, where all meetings are held, and tables are set up for one hour each day to serve as a bar, has an ice-machine, a cappucino/hot water dispenser, tea bags (but if you go to the lounge in the afternoon for a cup of tea, and the dispenser has no water in its tank, there is no phone or communications system for the passenger to ask a staff member to come and fill the tank). The first day there was a bowl of fruit on the counter, which was not refilled during the cruise, and midway through, there were flies hovering around the rotted fruit in the bottom of the bowl! There were warm cans of soda (and a sink/faucet with potable water). The only public restroom (unisex) on the ship is also on the second floor; the dining room is on the first floor. There is a small elevator (4 thin people max) on the ship. The fourth floor deck has chairs for sunbathing, but no staff member assigned to wipe the morning dew off of them; no bathtowels; no beverage or food server; no room service at all on the ship. Wine and Beer are available at lunch and dinner, and liquor available at the makeshift bar from 5:30-6:30 only; the hors d'oeuvres were minimal, and one night, featured COLD quiche passed by one of the young servers (several of them told me that they were recent high school graduates and had not had server jobs before). I identified each of the staff members (including EVERYBODY, but the captain) as having at least two jobs; for example, immediately after breakfast, the servers started cleaning the staterooms (on a seven day cruise,beginning on Saturday, they change the sheets and vacuum on Wed. of each week---other days, they make the beds and clean the bathrooms (there is a sign in the bathroom asking you to use your towels more than once if possible---but if you put them on the floor, they will give you dry, clean ones). Now, moving on to the food---this had been billed as a 'lobster cruise', and we seldom had any lobster, however, that may have been for the best, since the cook did NOT know how to cook lobster, which astounded all of us---the one night that they served a whole lobster, the people at my table couldn't figure out why the carapace was so hard and blackened (did he bake/broil/boil them rather than steam them??) and the meat dry and tough!**!! Then, the last night, we had 'stuffed lobster tails' and beef tenderloin----once again, the lobster had been overcooked, AND the tail meat not loosened or removed from the shell----the stuffing just perched on top...most of us did not each the lobster---but we enjoyed the tenderloin. We had excellent lobster OFF THE SHIP at a shore excursion 'lobster bake', ($35) where a caterer had steamed the lobster---YUM! Except at breakfast, there was no fresh fruit or vegetables to be found on the ship---and both my traveling companion and I had been cheerily assured by the marketing rep in Guilford, CT. that they catered to special food requests (I had requested fresh vegetables and fruit), and that meals were cooked to order---SO MISLEADING! This cost of this 7 day cruise was $5,000. Most of the passengers were over 65 (there were two couples that had adult children in their 30s with them); many were in their 80s, and one deflightful set of sisters were aged 90 and 92! I talked with a dozen couples for whom this was a celebration of 50 years of marriage. Read Less

We booked this cruise because of the itinerary and joined in Montreal. The boarding procedure was somewhat shambolic, herded into an old port warehouse and told to fill in a health form and take a seat on one of the old chairs set out in rows. After 40 minutes we were called to board the ship, approximately 100 people crowding around the entry to the security system to go through x-ray equipment etc. Eventually we managed to board and found ourselves in a corridor, we thought for a moment we were boarding a cargo ship, eventually we emerged in the show lounge, were given a glass of champagne, it tasted acidic so we left it, and were issued with our boarding pass and suite key card. Not a very good first impression as this was the first time we had cruised with Regent. Once we got to our suite it was better that expected, very clean and an excellent layout. There was a bottle of champagne awaiting us however I noticed it was the same brand as we were served in the lounge so left it until we had a chance to try another glass elsewhere. All the restaurants turned out to be very good although in the self service restaurant called La Veranda we were careful about what we ate. The reason for this is that there are clear plastic fixed covers over the food and we noticed on several occasions guests had to reach under the cover to get to food placed at the back and their clothing was brushing over the food placed at the front, also some guests took food, dropped it from the server then replaced it and took a different one, not a good idea. There were no staff behind some of the of the counters to assist or to watch what was happening. This was the first ship we have ever sailed on that had the observation lounge at the stern, which continually vibrated when at sea. The worse the sea conditions became the more it vibrated. When docking and manouvering in a port the vibration became excessive, it felt as though the stern was going to shake itself to pieces on occasions. I noticed that a skirt had been added to the stern of the ship and asked one of the officers about this, he told me it had been added two years ago to increase the stability. our suite was situated mid- ships and we could not feel any vibration however those at the stern told me they were somewhat fed up with it as it disturbed their sleep. To sum up I would say Regent probably deserve their six star rating on their other two ships which we understand are far superior but not on the Navigator due to its layout and vibration. Everything else is six star so I would classify it as 5*+ I think if we had the choice on two similar cruise itineraries we would opt for Seabourn as they definitely have the edge. Read Less

The Quebec to NYC 10 day cruise is one of the most wonderful routes we have taken. We previously had done a 7 day Montreal to Boston cruise 5 years ago and wanted to do this route again with additional time spent in Quebec City which has to be one of the most wonderful cities to visit in the world. As always we travel to the embarcation city a day early and stayed at Le Chateau Frontenac which overlooks both the walled city and the new city. We walked around Quebec and drove around the city to many places. We boarded the Crown Princess on Friday. We booked a rear Penthouse Suite for a change in scenery. We previously had Suites mid-ship on both sides. What a grand view with less wind than a side location. The ship was wonderful. The food was superb with one exception in one of the dining rooms we had cold potatoes and corn on the cob. The specialty dining rooms were exceptional and well worth the small extra cover charge. The many bars were top notch. We did several excursions and had two cancelled. One because of rain and fog, and the other for low bookings. When they do the Champaign tower in the Atrium, do go up and pour some champaign. It is not a problem to stand there in front of 500 people, smile and get your picture taken. The only issue we had was on the WIFI system. With a Suite it was free. However, Princess blocks Cruise Critic. You can go surf anywhere you want except Cruise Critic. I told Princess in my review to them. We also hosted a Meet and Greet for 30 of our Roll Call members on our cruise. What a neat way to meet folks who come from around the world to cruise at the same time. This was one of our best high lights of the cruise. All in all almost a 10! Recommended to do in the Fall. Read Less

My wife and I took the Cunard Queen Mary 2 World Voyage 2010 - Our trip started in Southampton January 11th and we left the Queen 91 days and 33 ports later in Ft. Lauderdale. The size of the Queen affords the passengers the luxury of large public rooms and lots of space to lounge around. The airiness and many large windows gives the light and view a chance to be admired by all passengers from every direction. The down size to this large vessel, is that you see all the major container ports of the world; the ship is so large (155 thousand tons) that it does not accommodate the ports well, and one docks miles from the center of passenger interest. The shuttle service takes anywhere from 45 minutes to one hour to transport the passengers to town and the lines are long; and in some ports, no cover was available to shade the passengers from the heat, and a few passengers fainted while waiting to board the ship..The lack of water at the port stations were very obvious to all. If the ship is your "destination", this ship has what you want. If you are concerned about seeing the ports in detail, and with maximum time, you will need to go on a "cruise" ship, not an ocean liner; the QM2 is a great venue for quiet elegance an the enjoyment of serenity, but you can also be busy all day long if you choose. The food quality ranges from 5 star cafeteria to excellent; the quality was not consistent from day to day. The Kings Court venue with its four no charge alternate dining restaurants are a nice touch from the main dining room. The service in the Kings Court was always above par. The food was excellent; but you were limited to two reservation per cruise segment, and when making the reservations, one had to call many days in advance as the space is extremely limited. The decor is a bit "dowdy" and needs help; the ship, built in 2004, is in desperate need of upgrading; the TV's are the old box type, not the new flat screen; there were no DVD players available; the Internet service was very slow and expensive, and was down many hours during this voyage. We also were told that it is coming back on, but it sometime did not for 24 to 36 hours. The Internet manager was helpful to a point, then he would walk away as he had no authority over the web service. In the meantime, one is paying 75 cents/minute to wait it out. The entertainment was broad in nature; the lectures covered a wide variety of subjects, some very stodgy, some down to earth; the port lectures were low in content and were more travel logs to brag about their own experience in the ports. The computer instructor ( different from the computer manager) was excellent, and was very friendly and helpful. Computer class were given several times a week and were at no charge. The movies in the theater were a mix bag; from gory murders to comedy, not all were current. The Broadway style shows were high school in quality and very repetitive. The headline acts were mostly violinist, piano players, and singers; very few comedy or other lite entertainment. Service was no winner. The dining room waiter had to be asked several times to refill the water, coffee, bread etc. This should have been routine training; we finally got the section head to monitor this function for our table as the waiter could not be bothered. The cabin was inside - 6103 - great location and very quiet. Our cabin steward was okay, not outstanding, but the cabin was always clean, and she did her best. On the subject of service, my main complaint with Cunard is the lack of caring from the management. This ship, and it may have a Cunard label, is very arrogant in the dealings with the passengers, and they act as though they know what is best for you. From the World Cruise concierge, to the social hostess, to pursers office, your needs are not met, phone calls not returned, and general destine is apparent. I could write volumes about the misinformation given at the pursers office, and the double talk from the staff, but you get the drift. So it comes down to this; I can not recommend the QM2 for a long cruise; a better choice would be the New York to Southampton crossing. Would I go again on this ship: NO ! We have taken 169 cruises, on several different branded lines and the QM2 does not hold a candle in quality and service to the other ships - what the Queen does have is a name and past glory. Its reputation is slowly being tarnished by the current management. Read Less

Our arrival in Rio was a bit fraught, with long airport queues for immigration and customs followed by an "interesting" 90 minutes in a Rio gridlock. We arrived at our hotel in Copacabana at 1.30am Rio time (3.30am UK time) fit only for bed and sleep. We arrived at the port to board the Voyager at 1.30pm next day. I would like to describe the embarkation process but it was so quick and efficient that we were in La Verandah eating lunch before we knew it! Our cabin - or should one say suite or stateroom - was everything we expected. It was spacious and well laid out and proved to be ideal for our 14 day cruise. Our stewardess quickly introduced herself and was always friendly and efficient, keeping the cabin immaculate. The bed was exceptionally comfortable and we slept well every night - although the alcohol may have helped. What about the food. I thought the food was very good at all times. Breakfast was usually in La Verandah, although we had room service on a few occasions and had a more formal breakfast in Compass Rose only the once. All these options were good in their own way and we always had whatever we wanted. Apart from one occasion we had lunch in Le Verandah or at the pool grill. The special barbecues and themed lunches were very good but, one day, how could I choose berween two of my favourite dishes, bouillabaisse and paella, both of which were very well executed. I took the easy, if greedy option of having both. The one criticism here was that it was not always very easy to dine al fresco as there were never enough tables outside. We had lunch in Compass Rose just the once. Some friends organised a special curry lunch and it was magnificent. As a curry afficionado I have to say that it ranked with the very best - and I think the Lamb Madras was the best I have ever had. We never had dinner in La Verandah so I cannot comment on that venue. Signatures (once) was absolutely superb, as was Prime 7 (twice). To be very picky, the steaks in Prime 7 were underseasoned - but that was easily remedied with a bit of DIY at the table. Our usual dinner venue was Compass Rose and this was always very enjoyable. We never experienced one bad meal or wrong order. Wine service was sometimes a little slow - not the fault of the wine waiters as there occasionally seemed too few of them. The wines themselves were good enough with plenty of choice always available. "Good enough" may seem like damning with faint praise, but they were right for the location. Finer wines would not have been appropriate in my opinion, as storage on a ship is not conducive to the health of fine wines. I should also add that I think the pastry chef did a magnificent job. We were lucky to be given a galley tour by the Executive Chef. This was very interesting in itself, but now having an understanding of the difficulties of provisioning and the effect of climate conditions on, for example, bread making I think the cuisine on the ship was probably as good as it could get (at least for that part of the world). There we a few niggles - eggs benedict not on the menu, the tea served was too weak for my taste, coffee was served before dessert rather than after, courses were served too quickly and a few others. However, I quickly learned that there was a simple solution - just ask! Magically, everything was then as I liked it or, in the case of the eggs benedict, available in every location. The waiters did an excellent job. Service was always just right - and in Compass Rose this must have been a very difficult task for the waiters as the design of the chairs severely hampered their movement. Bar service was generally good, although in places and at times it could be slow. Again, not the fault of the staff working, but a management issue. Excursions were good and always interesting. There was crowding sometimes - particularly in Salvador - but this wasn't a major issue. The one big shock for me was the rudeness and downright ignorance of a small minority of the passengers. Some appear to have a vocabulary that omits "please" and "thank you"; some were actually offensive to the staff;some complained long and loudly about very trivial issues. At trivia one afternoon, when setting a space for my team I was told "you can't sit there - we always sit there" - being a stoic Brit I simply moved rather than responding in a suitably Anglo-Saxon way. And was I also surprised at the venom that was spat by some players when they didn't agree with the answer to a question! The icing on the cake was the fiasco at disembarkation where some passengers ignored the very clear instructions and left before their colour was called. This resulted in a strike by the porters and a much delayed exit. This must have been a worry for those with early flights - a situation caused by the selfishness of a few others. (Actually, the delay for us probably wasn't an entirely bad thing, given the torrential rain outside!) Finally, I must mention the added enjoyment from Terry Breen's lectures. Superb! So, all in all, an excellent and enjoyable cruise. However, I do fail to see why we were told in advance that yellow fever jabs were mandatory, when clearly they were not. It was also a huge disappointment that, because the engine problems, we could not visit Antigua. I accept that such situations do happen but I do not think it was handled very well. I will not dwell on this except to say that the way it was (or was not) handled was much more concerning than the missed port call itself. Read Less