After a trip on the Orient Express that lived up to or even exceeded expectations, the ship was a bit of a let down.
Our previous cruises have not been as ‘internationally diverse’ in terms of passengers, and the camaraderie normally experienced was not there.
Also there was no quiet place on the ship where one could escape the incessant ‘lift music’ broadcast over the PA.
except for the library and the Hideaway coffee lounge.You couldn’t even escape it on the cabin balcony as it permeated up from the open deck 5.
But when the various bands/artists were performing in the lobby, the ship was open right up to the top decks and these oases were besieged with the performance.
With the exception of 1 day, there was no restaurant service for lunch, and the only alternative was to use theCafe, which was comparable to a motorway services with functionality taking precedence over comfort.
The food generally was a little disappointing: the kitchen did not seem to be able to cook a piece of fish without leaving it dry and tasteless, and the sauces that accompanied many of the dishes were either bland or unsubtle.
Breakfast service in the restaurant was often slow and seemed to be regarded as an imposition.
Also on several days, service ceased at 9:00am rather than 9:30.
Other cruise lines we have used offer a complimentary shuttle bus where the ship is away from the the main town, but Celebity take the opportunity to charge for this facility, $20 thank you.
On the plus side, there was sufficient provision for all passengers on the outside decks and poolside, where other lines have sometimes been found lacking, but there was only an option of sunbeds around the pools where chairs may have been more comfortable.
