Europe - Mediterranean Cruise Reviews

As always, we had a great time.  The ship is beautiful and everything was well organized.    The only problems were the line for guest services and the wait for a washer & dryer.  The food was amazing as was the entire staff.  I would have preferred an "at sea" day close to the end of the cruise but the side trips offered were informative.  I do feel like each time I sail, I am being given a sales pitch during most of the cruise.

This was the greatest cruise experience ever.  Everything about the Celebrity Reflection was excellent.  The ship itself, the service, the quality of the food, the entertainment, and the efficiency of the ship operation were top quality.  I do not give out 5 stars often - only when it is truly earned.

Entertainment was a bit monotonous and unvaried.   Food was good.   Staff is wonderful.  Would have appreciated more space for storing clothes that was easily within reach.   All in all a wonderful trip. 

I would definitely recommend the cruise to all, food excellent, service good and value for money excellent.  The only thing I would caution new clients is the English speaking  clients are few, therefore not always geared to the expectations of some people. It did affect the availability of some shore excursions for English speaking clients.  Overall a good cruise!

The Celebrity Reflection is a beautiful boat, the staff is lovely and rooms and particilarly the bathrooms were spacious. We booked a veranda room, so unsure how others rooms compare. We stayed on deck 11 which was perfect close enough to Lido and elevators were quick. The itinerary is PACKED and is not one for the faint. With only 2 sea days you are always on the move. Only one tender in Santorini...wake up early to get your "ticket" so you are called in a timely fashion, the waits can be quite long. Wear your walking shoes - there is tons to see! Turkey was one of our favourites, hoping Celebrity keeps these although rumours due to political unrest may be stopped for a time. We felt totally safe, people are wonderful. We booked all of our tours on our own but heard positive reviews of ones booked via cruise line. Service was consistent throughout our stay. Dining staff was top notch. We opted for fixed dining time which was perfect for us and we got to know our servers/sommelier and had the same table every night which made our dining experience even better 

We were pleased with the food,

no complaints. I was slightly disappointed on the morning of disembarkation. You could tell the staff had had enough and we were "bullied" off the boat despite having "concierge" status and being told we could stay onboard until 9:45am...would have booked an earlier flight. Other than that, everything was top notch, everything was included. We left some extra small gratuities here and there for those who went the extra mile. Our steward was attentive and ensured we had everything we needed for our room and always gave us tips and advice at each port. Highly recommended cruise line/itinerary. Grateful to Delta (Carleen) for helping facilitate a hassle free and enjoyable trip  

Oct 2016 Cruise. Fantastic service from Samantha at . A great booking experience.

We did two cruises back to back from Rome to Barcelona (12 days) and from Barcelona to Rome (12 days). The itinerary, in common with many Holland America Line (HAL) Mediterranean cruises was excellent. October is generally a good time for the Mediterranean. Highlight ports included Genoa (a substitute port after a gale warning forced us to miss St Tropez), Marseilles, Monte Carlo (because you can get a public 100 bus to Nice or Menton for 1.5 Euros (takes 30 minutes), Sete, Ceuta (and an excursion into Morocco), Calvi, Ajaccio, Algeria, Palma de Majorca, Barcelona, Cadiz and Gibraltar. 

We had calm seas and fine weather mostly, with just a few overcast days with occasional showers. The ship left and arrived on time and tender ports were well managed.

The Oosterdam however needs much improvement. Our cabin (Verandah, deck 5) was in very poor condition.  The carpet was worn and dirty, the sofa and chair upholstery was dirty and stained, the bathroom basin was badly cracked and the bath was badly chipped. The shower head fell down and could not be adjusted (later fixed), the cabin table adjustment was broken (later fixed), one bathrobe was yellow stained (replaced).

The public spaces are also very tired and worn except for the refurbished bars. the Ocean Bar has been "refurbished" but the band space and the dance floor have been eliminated. Only a piano is there now and this is played only intermittently. There is no Piano Bar as such. Dancing is out both in the Ocean Bar and in the Crows Nest where the dance floor has also been removed. The only dance venue now is in the BB King Blues Club. 

The food quality and service has continued to decline as it has on all HAL ships. the general level of service on this cruise was somewhat indifferent and not as good as our previous HAL cruises. The main Dining Room was chaos - 20 to 40 minutes wait for a shared table on most nights. People were not happy.

We had one great night at the Pinnacle Grill and one disaster night there. Same for Canaletto - one great dinner and one with poor food and very poor service. These inconsistencies/failures should not happen in flagship restaurants that are charged for.

This ship was recently dry-docked and the Suites were refurbished together with some bars. HAL has however failed to deal with the poor condition of other cabins and the public spaces. The Signature of Excellence does not apply to this ship. 

Entertainment was variable in quality. The Lincoln Centre classical ensemble is so overwhelmingly good and popular that the venue is always overflowing. The Billboard Onboard entertainment included watching the garish flashing lights of the slot machines in the Casino opposite, and listening to the pounding of two electronic pianos accompanied by screeching, out of tune singing. Very slow drink service here (20 minutes) also and short pouring of drinks (two occasions).

HAL can do much better than this as we know from many previous cruises and ships. I rate the cruise itinerary and ports as very good but the ship overall as poor. At the moment, the Oosterdam is not worthy of consideration. 

I will not travel with holland cruises again The cruise was boring. The music was not appropriately to dance. You went through the lounges and it was silence what you hear. It felt like a hospice for old people. We stay most of the time in the cabin watching some movies on TV. The food was tasteless all over except on the galas and in the canaletto.

The Oosterdam which recently underwent a makeover was a very nice ship. The itinerary of 16 ports in 24 days allowed us to experience not only the port cities themselves, but also many others through an excellent array of shore excursions which were very well organized. The crew was excellent as was the food. Altogether a great trip.

We are not at all displeased with our cruise experience. The staff, and in particular the butler Wilfred and Sineed, were terrific. 

The food @ the restaurants was especially good and again the staff and service was impeccable. Vladimir @ ocean liners could not have been more accommodating and Elmer in the Tuscan grille was very knowledgeable and could not do enough for us.

 The condition of the ship was the only drawback that we were not pleased about.

The boards beneath the sliders was ready to fall off, there were paint chips all around the hot tub, and the counter in the bathroom had a large piece broken off it. As I understand it you're planning an upgrade for the ship, that's good. Six of us had dinner with the Captain and he was a most charming and interesting gentleman.

Thanx

George Kelly and Diane Whitten.

We love all the destinations, and Reflection is a wonderfully equipped boat with lots of activities that fit most people.  However, three of the destinations either were poorly planned (Santorini), or no much to explore (Crete/Souda, Bodrum) as a first timer.   Despite the less than ideal destinations the cruise itself was fabulous.

The worst experience came during disembarking in which directions were severely lacking:  people were just confused where to go, and which shuttle to take getting back to the train station.  There was also a pending strike in Rome where the disembarking process never mentioned.  This will cause people to miss their flight if not known. 

Overall favorites; Food, Cleanliness, Furnishings and Ship Quality and Condition, Mediterranean Itinerary, Ease of Disembarkation/Embarkation at all ports, Housekeeping twice a day and Complimentary Room Dining/Service 24 hours.

Food - good quality of food in main dining for dinner (complimentary), breakfast lunch and dinner buffet (complimentary), and specialty restaurants (e.g. Murano, Tuscan Grille, Qsine, Lawn Grill) with some exceptions. The spread in buffet at all meals were very good - had there been fresh seafood (e.g. oysters, shrimps, etc) - I would have given excellent ratings.

Overall service was good but there were some appalling exceptions. As an example, toilets in the staterooms were not well cleaned (smelled), balconies above our stateroom were washed/hosed down without warning wreaking our breakfast on the balcony and morning one day, and further causing delays to our disembarkation at port, long wait times at Guest Relations on many occasions, and execution of policy (by various crew and staff) on what's included in various optional packages (e.g. classic beverage) and our cruise ticket (complimentary dining, meals, and items vs. additional fee/charges) were very confusing and sucked up a lot of time to ironed out throughout cruise.  As one of many examples a certain bottled ice tea was offered complimentary at the bar in OceanView Cafe buffet but on the next day, a different bar attendant/server wanted to charge for it.  Service is commendable at the Murano, Qsine, Sushi on Five restaurants. Servers Goran, Loreto, and Abraham were excellent. Service at Logo Gift Store & Register, OceanCafe, Future Cruises and Opus were amongst the worst - select staff were lazy, uninterested and not at all helpful.  A cashier at Logo Gift Store couldn't understand basic English. Attempts by Guest Relations to address problems when reported are acceptable - some go above and beyond like the crew member Avis. 

Ship Décor, Layout & Furnishings – Overall - Ship plan was well designed with good layout. Furnishings were good quality (equivalent of 4 to 5 star chain hotels like Hampton Inn, Marriott chains) and in great condition.  Staterooms, bathrooms in staterooms and pools were likely the poorest quality (e.g. cheap flooring and vinyl shower walls). Quality of common areas furnishings range from excellent to luxurious. So when Celebrity promotes 'Modern Luxury' - its mostly true in common areas only. Layout wise - our biggest complain would be that the Sunset Bar should bar smokers or divide the section in two; smoking and non-smoking. Most days and evenings, the winds were strong, and smokers plentiful hanging out at Sunset Bar – causing unavoidable wafts of smoke permeating in the entire section, making it extremely unpleasant for non-smokers.  This inevitably discriminates against non-smokers as although we would like very much to enjoy this very nice bar, the smoking atmosphere makes it impossible. The basketball court is a waste of prime real estate. Suggest replace it with another nice bar, and perhaps we wouldn’t have the overcrowded with smokers at Sunset Bar. Mast Bar is uninviting and also a waste of space. Suggest redesign to be more inviting or remove it. There are hardly any patrons on most evenings.

Other Comments:

Sushi on Five also a waste of space – bring back Creperie Brasserie. Café Bacio is excellent – service, ambience, snack quality. Opus dining is nice – but tables placed so close to each other and shared tables (with other diners) can make it unpleasant for private conversations. Service is very spotty.

Pools (indoor and outdoor) are too small and uninviting. 

Lounges and sundecks are plentiful and excellent.

For rent cabanas are a waste of prime real estate space.

Guest Relations – could use more staff during peak times.

Stateroom Attendant – pleasant, friendly and helpful. Attention to detail needed – housekeeping lacks the quality of good five star hotels like JW Marriott or Westin. As an example, dirty cups are not replaced or washed. Deck remains dirty after wash.  They do a superb job with bed linen. Fresh towels replace can smell. What gives? Toiletries not always replenished. Little things that annoy. Do not anticipate needs well despite opportunity to get to know guests on long cruises.

WIFI speed and availability acceptable, available in all sections of ship and fast most times.

Coffee/tea stations on decks 7 and others – extend hours beyond 5PM. Make available real milk, not creamers, and replenish mugs often

Entertainment – on the days that we did do some of the complimentary entertainment in Reflection Theatre and other common areas (e.g. bars/Deck 3 in front of guest relations) – overall ok but music and DJs blasting on Deck 3 and other common areas (e.g. Pool) way toooooo loud and can be very distasteful especially in the late evenings.

Embarkation/Disembarkation – the process at all ports is off the charts efficient. Keep up the outstanding job – very grateful for this efficiency particularly on the short days we have at select ports.

Poor evening events. 

Bad times to open and close the restaurant specially in the morning.

Poor variety of food.

There is not enough entertainment during the sea days

This was my second time on the Epic. Since the first trip the quality of the food has declined, and the loss of the blue man group was not offset by the replacement show. It was still a great cruise but not quite the impressive event it was several years ago. 

Things that got better:

Wine selection was surprising. Lots of wins that were not on the menu that were outstanding. Ridge, Caymus, Stags Leap, etc.

The sushi bar, noodle bar improved since my last trip.

Things that got worse:

Cagney's was just not very good. Far from a 4 star steak house and for sure not worth the $200 we spent with all new pricing.

No lobster on the ship to be found. We were in a haven suite and couldn't get a single tail, even with being willing to pay extra.

Kids now pay full fare at restaurants

The garden cafe buffet food was very low quality

Many drinks that were included in the UBP are no longer included. This includes things like espressos, and many top shelf booze.  surprise was the $7 uncharge for the Don Julio margs. 

The Eurodam is a nice ship and service was outstanding.  But our favorite part of the trip were the destinations provided in the itinerary.  There were no disappointments at each stop.  Each place was unique and beautiful.  Our only glitch was in Florence when we were informed on the ship(not before the trip) that all museums were closed on Mondays.  That should be pointed out by HALbefore the trip online.

Food was good but not great.  We felt there repititive choices on each night and therefore not as many overall choices

But, I can truthfully say " iT WAS GREAT"

This trip gave us the chance to see all of the Mediterranean gems,  Venice, Dubrovnik, Corfu, Naples, Rome, Florence, Monaco, Marseilles, Provence and Barcelona. Holland America offers great food and wonderful entertainment. 

The Eurodam is a beautifully maintained, not too huge ship filled with friendly and helpful staff! The rooms are nice, the food is delicious, and there was a new port almost every day. The variety of ports is what made us choose this cruise. 

Great places to see and work on my TO DO List.  Since this itinerary will no longer be offered, we chose to do the last cruise in October. Great weather with thinned out crowds.  Unfortunately, it was in Rome on a Sunday-scratch any of the Vatican museums.  Monday was Florence.-scratch the public museums.  Still was a good cruise.  Great room stewards, Dining Room staff was very good.  Entertainment was a bit weak compared to other HAL cruises we have been on. 

Did need to take a bus or van to reach the "Big Cities" or even small tour cities.  It was nice to see the countryside. 

The port of calls where absolutely amazing.   I loved every port we went to.  The Ship itself was another story.  Don't get me wrong the workers were great and always aimed to please.  I have no complaint with them.  It was disappointing that I paid so much for the ultimate dining package and the same food served in the restaurants were the same food we could have ate in the buffet for free.  The service fees we ridiculous and they had the nerve to add extra gratuities in some restaurants.  We paid extra for the internet and you can only use one device at a time.  Maybe it was the time of year we went but there was not much fun activities for people under 45.  I have been on other cruise which had more of a party vibe, but not this one.  

Over all I would probably try another cruise line before booking with Norwegian. 

WEVE CRUISED WITH NCL BEFORE ,THIS WAS OUR FIRST TIME ON THE EPIC.WE KNEW THE CABIN LAYOUT WAS DIFFERENT TO THE NORM,BUT LIVING WITH IT FOR THE WEEK WASNT GREAT. THE FOOD WAS REALLY GOOD,SHOWS GREAT,WE WILL DEFINATELY CRUISE WITH NCL AGAIN BUT NOT ON THE EPIC SIMPLY FOR THE CABIN LAYOUT,ANYBODY THINKING OF CRUISING WITH THE EPIC RESEARCH THE CABIN LAYOUT AND IF IT SUITS YOU THATS FINE!

Positives for customer service and ease of operations. The team works to give you a good experience.  The ship is in need of maintenance - rusty and uncared for exterior. It was sad. The interiors were functional but quite dated in appearance. Overall, the winning itinerary was just what I wanted and the reason I booked this particular cruise. I had a good time but wish the ship had been in better form. This is small ship cruising but not luxury cruising and too expensive for what you get.