Other (Asia/Africa/Middle East) Cruise Reviews

I have just been on the sapphire princess March 2016, Before boarding the ship you will need to check in my only advise on this cruise is that if you hold a British passport then you DO NOT NEED a visa for; Singapore, Bangkok and only a landing card for Vietnam which the ship will provide also no visa needed for Hong Kong. If you are visiting China then you will need to get a multi entree visa at a cost of up to £200 per person.   Our room was tired large stains on the carpet, the bedding had stains on and when requesting robes they both had very large yellow stains on. Pillows were very old and lumpy with blood spots inside . Even tho the balcony was large was very rusty and grubby. Cups in the room have no handles, more over there was only two Chinese tea bags to make a cup of tea. Towels were stained had to go and get them myself. The shower is very small not designed for disabled people in any way.   The food in the horizon court area is very small and did not have much choice, most of the time it was hot. Trying to find a seat is very hard but do ask to share with someone at least you will have somewhere to sit and you will never know they may be nice. Staff are very friendly and helpful. They will get you water, coffee and tea all is free with free apple and orange juice in the morning. Also you can get these things anytime.   One of the biggest problems is most of them at reception do not seem to understand English very much and you end up with a lot of misunderstanding over things so I would suggest that you try in as few words as possible one item at a time what you are asking for. When I tried to ask to take off my credit card and put dollars down they insisted that it was princess policy that I MUST put my account in to credit of $600. This I found very wrong as they can block your card at any moment, with a lot of rudeness on there part they left me feeling BLACKMAILED into handing the money over to them. This is what I did next was to make an appointment with the accounts manager who saw my point of view and resolved the mater for me. Remember on PRINCESS SHIPS YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PAY GRATUITIES just go to the front desk before you sail and get them removed and sign a bit of paper to say this. Then you can give to the person who has made your holiday.   Room service on all PRINCESS SHIPS are free try the beef sandwich and chips. They always are very happy when they arrive with it. Why not have a nice continental breakfast and pastries for free on your balcony or lunch lots to choice from. The only thing on this ship is that you can only have chocolate cake or a sweet mushroom and pear dish. But when I put a comment on paper had a call and all of a sudden there was cake or any type of desert I wanted.   Getting served in any bar on the ship is very difficult unless you are waving your arms around. The onboard coffee shop and snacks are free for food but not for tea and coffee. The bar by the coffee shop on deck 5 is the worse place to try and get a drink. I have been passed by every time that I went there.   I would not use the ship excursions as they are expensive and you always end up in a jewellery factory I would suggest that you use www.cruiseexcursions.com it is up to 85% cheaper also we did a tour of Vietnam and it was just me and my wife.   The ship itself is shabby in places like the pool were the big movie screen is, has tiles missing and paint coming off , lots of scum on the wall of the pool there and in the adult only pool at the front of the ship on deck 15. There as a lot of patching up around the lights with filler and steps.   The entertainment on the ship has a lot to be desired if you love smashing bells, bingo, quiz, but if you love to eat and drink until you pop then this is perfect for you. The shows are only 44 minute long so by the time you are sat down it is time to leave. Could not find any talks on board the ship about any port. Watching a movie on deck at 9:45 pm is very good with free ice cream and popcorn. They give you nice covers on seats and blankets if it gets chilly.        

So it was our first cruise. We were worried about sea sickness but hey big ship little movement so we were fine. The food was fantastic with lots of variety. I would recommend cruises to my friends and we plane on going again.

We chose to spend our Christmas on a Costa cruise from Abu Dhabi to Oman.Loved Oman.Hated every second of the on-board experience and as a result, disembarked early.

There is a 'Hospitality' desk in the main foyer.The clue should be in the title.NO ONE ON THIS SHIP KNOWS THE MEANING OF THE WORD:"HOSPITALITY". Food was meagre and mediocre.Bar staff were as miserable as sin.Waiting staff were even worse.RUDE!

I complained on board to one of the managers ( Dutch)...fobbed me off.NEVER AGAIN.

Well done Costa .Youve succeeded in alienating two new customers and the ten other friends who I've now shared my experience with.

Three days in Bali was a little much and 8 hours in Phucket was too short. A better solution would be 2 days in Bali and make the other day available for Phucket

Cruise ship is value for money being 20 years old, do not expect a state of the art ship that is brand new, whilst paying a cheap fare. Staff very helpful and attentive able to assist with any request. Partner and I stayed deck 2 with a large square window, as most people only sleep in the room it was big enough.   10 day cruise that stopped at 6 ports, varied off shore trips were available, that were enjoyable and nil problems encountered.  Alcohol prices reasonable.

never again will we ever sail on an old ship with Celeberty.the sewage back ups permeated the entire ship as well as the tap water. The cleaning of the Buffett area with bleach every day made you I'll when breakfast time and lunch time approached. The staff was tired and reduced in size which resulted in dirty tables,no drink orders,and just not interested in chatting..not the Celberty we have enjoyed on over 15 trips with them.

but to us what was most dissapointing was the lack of thinking out the entire trips schedule. Bad tours and guides were paid for and regretted. We learned little since the trips to get to the sights took 8 hours in some cases and we arrived at dusk to see little. Our ship arrived in Hong Kong on a weekend and with millions of Chinese  off on the weekend it took over 45 minutes just to get into the museum.Shangi was wonderful,except we bought a visa for hundreds of dollars to get into Shangi (directed by the cruise line to buy before we left home) and we were only there for nine hours only to sail toOkanowa where only candy stores were open...no one at home base planned this trip well....added to a dirty old ship with sewage problems...it was a waste of time and Monet for sure...SHAME ON CELEBERTY ...ASK GOOD CLIENTS TO GO HALF WAY AROUND TBE WORLD,BASED ON WHAT WAS A GOID REPUTATION IS. ,AND WAS....UNACCEPTABEL...

This was our 3rd Oceania cruise--what happened to this once wonderful cruise line?  Excursions were not as described: 2 hours shorter than stated; one excursion served food that was QUICKLY COVERED by flies!!!  Free internet was a total joke.  One was fortunate to get online 15 minutes during a 24 hour period.  Food & food staff, as always, was absolutely wonderful.  But otherwise---not such a great value per dollar!  Consider carefully when choosing this cruise line!!

This trip fulfilled a life long dream of going to China and seeing the Great Wall! The surprising thing is that this included so much more. The Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an were amazing! Seeing photos or videos does not do either the Great Wall or the Warriors justice. There was Tiananmen Square adjacent to the huge Forbidden City! Taking a Rickshaw ride through the Hutongs, seeing the real neighborhoods of Beijing. Being transported to the cruise ship in Chongqing to witness the spectacular Three Gorges. There was the visit to the 12 story Shibaozhai Temple which we climbed to the top. Visiting took us to an elementary school in Jingzhou, the children were so cute. Visiting the museum of ancient artifacts in Wuhan and culminating in the modern city of Shanghai.

Viking did it right! The service and kindness displayed by the Viking employees on board as well as the personal tour guides assigned to each group were first rate!  Our guide was Jane who made our group feel as though she was our friend and there was nothing else that she cared about more than us! The accommodations at the hotels and on board were 5 star in every way. Food was Chinese in most places but, was supplemented by western food on board the ship portion of the tour!

I would recommend Viking and this tour to my family and friends and anyone who wants a geat trip!

The Voyager of the Seas is a beautiful ship as it was refurbished in 2014.  We had an inside cabin on the 9th floor.  The room was very spacious and had an abundance of storage areas.  The bathroom is small, which is normal.  The food was good and there was a large selection in the Windjammer Cafe. 

We really enjoyed the ports of call.  We took an excursion tour at each port (Sanya China, Viet Nam and both days in Thailand).  The tours were well run and interesting.  Very nice cruise!

   Our itinerary left from Hong Kong (Wonderful City) to Sanya, China then to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Bangkok, Thailand and finally to Singapore.  As we docked in Sanya, we were greeted by Chinese Soldiers dressed in Riot gear - A show of force that was certainly unnecessary to protect a town with very little to offer. 

   Saigon was a very interesting city with a fascinating culture and interesting temples.  Since automobiles have a 200% duty on them which increases the price beyond the affordability of most natives, one will marvel at the sheer number of scooters that travel the streets with overloaded contents.  Families of 5 persons or 5-foot (1.7 meter) stacks of goods are not unusual to find on one scooter.

   Bangkok was an incredible city with intricate temples that awed the senses.  Nightlife was reported to be fantastic but it is the architecture that will change one's perception of the area.

   Being only 1 degree above the equator, Singapore suffers from a hot climate and no wind.  None-the-less, it is a clean modern city with excellent transportation and the world's highest-rated airport.  Most places are air-conditioned and very friendly.

   Voyager of the Seas is a good ship for about a 7-night cruise.  Any longer and the ship starts to get very small.  I recommend the Promenade Cafe for great sandwiches and wonderful pizza.  It was a welcome find after enduring the crowds at the Windjammer cafe on a daily basis.

Super Excellent Amazing trip. The tours were very good. The dinner was amazing. The service on the dinner. I I like how the rooms were decorating. The towels on the bed every day with another animal decorating.

This was our second cruise with Oceania on the Nautica. It felt like visiting our second home. The ambiance and amenities are superb. We loved dining in the dining room and having the option for private dining for two when we wanted. We chose this cruise because of the stops in Greece, Turkey, Israel, Egypt, Jordan and Dubai, and the transit of the Suez canal. The excursions to Salalah and Muscat Oman were pleasant but underwhelming. We were disappointed not to have seen Jerusalem owing to terrorist activity but understand and appreciate the cruise's caution. Would go again tomorrow if we could.

The waiters ~ Ramon and Edward from Romeo & Juliet Dining Room are very helpful, pleasant, cheerful and very attentive serving our table and topping drinks etc ..... I give them 10 points for their services. Thanks. Every evening having our dinner was a smiles and enjoy their presence.👍....and foods are excellent....👍 Suggest your Karaoke equipped with Chinese songs ( Mandarin, Hokkien and Cantonese especially Oldies)🎤 For The Theatre ~ we prefect live music shows so we can enjoying it... together.. 🎶👣👏👍😘🙌

This Amawaterways tour was exceptional in every way!  The accommodation was 5 star throughout the 2 week period.  The stay in Cape Town and tours; the river cruise safari; the safari and stay a Tinswolo in Kruger National Park; Victoria Falls and Johannesburg were all outstanding.  It was so much more than we imagined.  All this and the food was superb!  I have traveled significantly and was not disappointed with anything this trip had to offer!

River cruising is a great way to see the country side and the life of the people.  I prefer to be on a ship the whole time but staying in different cities is the only way to accomplish a trip like this.  The hotels, all Sofitel brand, were beautiful and very welcoming.  The resort in Siem Riep was beyond description!!!.  

Some of the excursions were depressing.  We did not go to the Killing Fields or the War Museum in Saigon.  We did love walking in the villages and seeing the people that lived there,  The people are very friendly and happy.

We chose to cruise back from Singapore to Fremantle as we had never cruised before, and liked the idea of arriving home refreshed instead of jetlagged for a change. Also, the larger on-board luggage limit meant any Singapore, or other port's purchases would not cost anything extra to post.

We had high expectations of getting good and varied cuisine aboard, but had expected less of the entertainment side of things. I was hoping for a magic act, and I wasn't disappointed! We had Phil CASS, who absolutely wowed us. We had not expected the acts to have been this good! I had expected the standard you get at a medium to large pub, and here was acts suitable for larger venues such as the concert hall, or Opera House.

From that point on, we caught every act and show we could. We were not let down. The Showtime Dancers put on several shows, all of a very high standard, and had a male and female lead singers who could do just about everyone. Even, dare I say it, Freddie Mercury. Whilst there never will be another Freddie Mercury, their rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody and other Queen hits had the punch and energy to pull it off well. And covering the 50's and 60's with songs such as "smoke gets in your eyes" will be long remembered. There was not a show we saw that was "padding". If we had paid to go see it at the Casino or another venue, we would have been happy with what we would have paid.

The staff were all friendly, and we were always kept up to date by the Cruise Director and his staff. His name was Mark Turner, and came from Stoke-on-Trent. He had a great sense of humour, and a real enthusiasm for the job.

The Captain was Tim Stringer, and he always had time to stop and chat with people, and it was clear that he was well respected by the crew. And was prepared to come out and get dunked for the Equator crossing Ceremony. It was clear there was no "us and them" within the crew ranks, being equally happy to say good morning to the Cabin crew as well as paying guests.

The Executive Chef was Klaus Baumgarten, and he ensured that we got 1st class food all the way. His presentation on cooking explained how he ran the Kitchen through respect and encouragement (unlike Gordon Ramsay's style) to ensure everyone enjoyed working on his team. A tour of the Kitchen followed, and it was spotless from floor to roof. Stainless steel everywhere, and the biggest mishap could be removed in no time, and back to spotless. Clearly, if anyone caught any germs, they did not come from the kitchen, but the hygiene of fellow guests. And no sooner had we sat at our table, the staff knew our drink preferences after the first couple of days, and we didn't have to ask.

There is clearly pressure on staff to sell you stuff, from ornaments to jewellery, art and the like. But they did not take offence when you declined an offer. And the service did not decline when I chose soft drink over wine (all you can drink package - good value)

Prior to every disembarkation, we were given a lecture on the upcoming tour, and hints to help get the most out of it. Disembarkations and embarkations were well conducted, with minimal time wasted, and plenty of staff on hand to help if needed.  

For anyone that has ever had a desire to see Southeast Asia, this is the cruise for you. It combines the three countries of Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam in one cruise, letting you experience life and the amazing sights of each country, providing you a good taste of each, while also including the extraordinary Bangkok, Thailand and Angkor Wat.

absolutely beautiful ship.  Truly horrible experience with staff.  No one can help on any issue.  Even to get a replacement bar of soap, the room steward told me "to use less"...  Dining experience is awful.  Lines, lines and more lines - with reservations.  No ice, no dessert, missing waitresses who never come back...  Menu mostly the same no matter what restaurant you choose.  The headliner show Mama Mia had exited the ship prior to the sailing without a replacement.  RCCL cheated us out of our shipboard credits again (same thing happened last year on a South American cruise).  I showed an email confirmation of the perks to the desk personnel, they said they could not help.  They never helped on anything, and didn't correct the extra billings on the statement.  Life is too short for such nonsense.  After forty some cruises, and being a Diamond member for the past decade, it's goodbye to RCCL, even though the ship is so beautiful, but the staff are truly non-caring.  I'd rather stay home.  I'd rather give the ten grand to the zoo, at least those monkeys smile.

The ship itself is beautiful but the service was horrible. Waiting time of 30 minutes in the restaurant without any action towards us. Only after calling the supervisor, she served us and it was good. No drinks offered around the pool, only self service at the bar with one bar tender only - you may imagine the waiting time. At 9 p.m. all 3 bars on deck 14 closed - at 30° C sitting outside was not possible due to films shown instead of serving drinks and offering music.

Most of the musicians seem to have left the ship latest in Singapore - very poor live music, nothing in the pool area. 

To get a reservation in the Grand was impossible during 9 days. The official dress code here is formal, but most of the guest (mainly chinese) where sitting there in tank top and flip flops. In the other restaurants used tables have not been cleaned up so we were sitting surrounded by empty dirty tables.

And at the end, the disembarkation was a big mass - due to a delay in arrival we had to leave the ship all together resulting in 2 1/2 hours standing and slow walking into the terminal, which is not at all suitable for this size of ships.The reason for this disembarkation was a big party with RCL officials and chinese state officials to celebrate to arrival of the ship at its new home.

This was our first RCL experience……… after 5 trips with NCL. I think NCL did regain us as customer, because such a mass we never experienced there.

Ouiet Seas and Quiet Nights filled with good Bossa Nova from talented musicians. Regent does an excellent job with outstanding sevice and outstanding port trips highlighted with continuous bus service to the center of most towns visited.

Food, which seems to be a very important aspect of cruises to many passengers, is good. The main dinning room serves a varied menu each night which is tasty and well served. If there is one area which could use a polishing it would be, to my tastes, an upgrade to the Italian dinning venue.

​In summary, both my wife and I feel that the Regent cruises are interesting and give wonderful value for the money.