Other (Asia/Africa/Middle East) Cruise Reviews

We decided that this type of cruising is not for us . Too many people .. too many lines waiting for help at the front desk ... lines waiting for help with the internet , lines waiting for help with e-visas... lines , lines , lines . Never again !

Good cruise to visit many Ports however at most Ports we had to pay $20 for shuttle bus, lots of complaints about that. Should be free to leave Port to get to town since Ports were in industrial areas.discovered it was cheaper to take Taxis

We had a lot of problems with immigration in India. Took two hours in both Indian stops, and I will never go there again. It was very dirty. Sri Lanka was very nice. Had a great time there. We’d like to spend more time there. Phuket was very nice. Would like to spend more time there. Had a great crew. The ship was clean the only problem with the ship. It seems like they have a lot of people on here, and not very many common areas always packed in the common areas hard to get a cuppa coffee in the morning the Buffet was always packed. I have been on over 20 celebrity cruises and this is the crowded list I’ve ever seen a ship. It seems like they cut down on the common areas when they built this ship. Most of the chairs were hard to sit in. The Eden is a perfect example of this the club, which they do a lot of their entertainment activities, and the seats are all uncomfortable in there. Also, they also had partitions which makes it hard to see it less.You’re in it just a couple of certain areas. Very poor design. All in all I would probably avoid this ship again unless it’s going somewhere I really really want to go to.

We have been on several Celebrity cruises and had high expectations on the quality of the cruise line based on past experience, The crew was very disorganized, inattentive to guest's needs. Lack of inventory (wine, soda and others items). Food was not up to the quality or variety that we were used to getting in the past.

This is one of the best cruise lines we have been on. Beats Cunard and Silversea hands down. Not pretentious luxury but, no nickel and dimming on food etc. drinks pricey but good. Overall excellent.

Great itinerary. It's a busy one, but fascinating. Service on ship was exemplary.

The first of Celebrity's Edge class ships it is amazingly appointed and a pleasure to sail on. I find the staff onboard Celebrity ships amazing and difficult not to develop friendships. A interesting group of ports visited offering their individual charm.

one of extremes. excellent service but food was so bad we would not return because food important to us. once you add the drink and specialty restaurant packages price is close to viking. we are going back to viking.

Celebrity’s itinerary is the best for us. All port o calls are so beautiful. We will take it again within hesitation.

The worst cruise I have been on. Everyone on board complaining about food and service. If it was any longer there would have been a mutiny. Clearly they should have cancelled the cruise.

Flight Centre booked our cruise with Princess Cruises in Japan and they did not confirm the booking. We were on the dock in Japan ready to board and we did not have a allocated room on the ship. After 4 hours on the dock and not being allowed to board, we finally boarded and were the last on the ship. Not a nice feeling, we were the last on the dock the staff were packing up and wishing us luck. Have reported this to Princess Cruises and Flight Centre and no response. Hopefully this review will get some response?

I sailed with RC once before and it was okay. On the 2nd sail, I lost 10000 dollars because they lied that they would do visas on arrival. I knew I had to do visa. I called in to check about payment and verification of booking and they told me they could do visas for us, so I was thrilled and didn’t do visa on my own. We got to the boarding site on time but got told they wouldn’t do visa for us. They wouldn’t refund either even though that was their fault. I called in to complain but they wouldn’t even reason and they cursed at me on phone. What’s worse is that was our planned honeymoon trip. We saved up for 2 years for this and were dearly looking forward to sailing on this trip. Never sailing with them ever again. We lost money and our honeymoon was ruined for life

Avalon Waterways cannot be trusted! We had a horrible experience with the company recently on a trip to Egypt, the Nile River along with Cairo, on what we’re supposed to be their riverboat, MS Farah. After we had paid for the trip in full we were sent an email saying the boat “is unavailable and you will now be sailing instead on the MS Movenpick Hamees. There was nothing we could do because of a disclaimer saying they could change the boat at any time. The boat we ended up traveling on, was in horrible shape, old and run down. We had traveled with Avalon previously, on one of their beautiful newer boats, which is why decided to use them again. Also, the trip was supposed to be adult only and ended up having many families with babies and children on board. This was a completely different experience than we expected. To add insult to injury while we were going down the Nile, the boat we were supposed to be on floated by us, MS Farah. Our whole Avalon group of 28 passengers were irate. Please heed my warning.

Our first time on Oceania will be our last mostly due to “destination services” because of their unprofessional poor communication, incorrect information and no notification of significant time changes. We booked air with them and paid for upgraded service but when United separated our seats I was left to fend for myself to fix it. Upon in arrival Japan we were told our transfer to ship would be delayed a 1/2 hour to wait for 30 other guests. Then told another 1/2 hour. 1:45 minutes later standing around the airport we left for the ship. Many emails told us no Covid test was needed then we were subjected and charged 40 dollars for Covid tests. But worse, every single one of our 10 excursions had significant time changes with only fine print time notifications. No bold lettering, No announcement or any type of warning. This caused us to miss a tour by 1 whole hour with no help to join the tour in progress and no refund of 500 dollars. The guides during excursions in Japan were sub par - not pointing things to see etc Tours ran long causing us to almost miss dinner reservations at specialty restaurants. Needless stressful. Untrustworthy. Unprofessional. Any time we asked for information, that information was wrong. We’re told one thing it ended being totally the opposite. They ruined my shirt with their included laundry service for concierge level amenity. There was no special concierge on nautica and no concierge lounge. Just better dinner seating and ruined laundry. No AC in gym and in room AC would shut off automatically at night while sleeping. Food was good, service was good and wine was good. But you just can’t trust their schedule and you can’t make plans. The hotel extension was changed multiple times. We did not know which hotel until day before making me lose birthday dinner reservations at another hotel and sky view ticket’s because they changed the entire extension tour schedule in Tokyo. BTW do not stay at Prince Tower hotel. It’s a dump. The Hilton was fine.

We had a great experience. Some things could be upgraded, like the food and menues, the activities also. Some of the crew were outsdanding and treated us like kings while others acted like "you are on the cruise so deal with it". Internet should be efficient or not offered at exponential prices.

We were on the Fridtjof Nansen Antarctic Circle Expedition from February 7 to 23, 2023. The ship usually carries 500 passengers, but there were fewer than 300 people on our trip. The cruise included one night in Buenos Aires before taking a charter flight to Ushuaia. They tell you that you are allowed a checked bag weighing 50 pounds and a carry on weighing 17 pounds. They did not weight our luggage going to Ushuaia, but they did weight it when we were returning. We had a few hours in Ushuaia; enough time for lunch and to visit a few of the many souvenir shops. They took us on a bus ride (“city tour”) along the two streets that make up the downtown. Everything in Ushuaia closes at 1:00 p.m. We spent 2 ½ days on the Drake Passage because we headed straight for the Antarctic Circle. The waves were at about 6 feet. Most people onboard did not have a problem handling this. We saw some spectacular sights. We saw hundreds of penguins and three types of seals. The ship had to stop twice, once for over an hour, because whales had surrounded the ship. The glaciers were incredible and there were plenty of glaciers to see. It turns out that some of the places where we went were uncharted. They did not tell us this until we were on our way back to Argentina. We made several landings on the barrier islands that surround the Antarctic Peninsula. We also landed at Red Rock Ridge; the only landing made on the actual continent. Certificates are given for everything: crossing the Antarctic Circle, participating in the Polar Plunge, camping on the continent, and kayaking. I was hoping that we would stop at the bar at the Ukrainian research base and the post office at Port Lockroy, but we did not. The staff from Port Lockroy came onboard and did a presentation and sold souvenirs. The post office closes for the season around March 1st, so we just made it. Hurtigruten sold postcards and stamps onboard for over $7 per postcard. The Port Lockroy people took the postcards with them. I got the impression that there really wasn’t a plan and that our stops were decided on a day by day basis. We sailed past some places more than one time and we sailed in circles on more than one occasions. They were probably looking for interesting places to show us. Most of the travelers were not from the US. We like to know what the plan is, even if the plan has to change. We don’t deal well with “we’ll let you know”. Most of the time we didn’t know what we were going to do until 15 minutes before it happened. The trip really was spectacular. I’m glad that we decided to take the longer cruise which had more days in Antarctica and crossed the Antarctic Circle. There was a landing, which usually took place in the morning, and cruising in the zodiac, usually in the afternoon, planned for each day. On the way back across the Drake Passage, the waves were at around 20 feet. The ship has stabilizers and I could not tell that the waves were this high. The food onboard was hit or miss. Dinners were either spectacular or reminiscent of dinner at a Sizzler’s. The hashbrowns at breakfast looked like they had recooked the same patty every day for two weeks. I was on vacation for 24 days and lost weight. But for the fact that the bread and the ice cream were wonderful, I probably would have lost more weight. After 2 weeks at sea the vegetables looked long in the tooth. The ship has a well-stocked bar and the drinks start at 8 euro. The weather was not really that cold; it gets colder in Atlanta. The wind could be brutal though. At one point it was so windy on the top deck that I could not inhale. There was a storm on our first day inside the Antarctic Circle and a landing was canceled once because of the size of the waves. We still did the cruising that day and we did get wet while in the zodiac, and it was cold. I was glad that I packed two of everything: two ski pants, two sets of thermals, two sets of ski gloves, two sets of glove liners and two gators. I took hunting socks and merino wool socks that I bought at Costco. I tried using the merino socks once and then went back to the hunting socks and sock liners. I bought a 35L dry bag because I had read that it was a good idea. The rules that apply to Antarctica do not allow you to sit on the ground or to place anything on the ground; including the 35L bag. It is hard to use a 35L bag if you cannot place it on the ground. I wish I had brought a 10L bag instead. I brought the plastic bag that hangs around your neck for my cell phone. The saltwater left spots on the bag and made it useless. There are rubber leashes for cell phones that make more sense. One woman did lose her cell phone over the side of the zodiac. It can be a bumpy ride. You are supposed to stay at least 15 feet from the penguins. The attached photo was from four feet because the penguin kept following me. Not my fault that he couldn’t follow the rules. Only one person used the outside track, and it wasn’t me. Packing workout clothes was a waste of the weight. There were very interesting science classes that were held almost every day. The classrooms were full each time that they had a class. The ship is beautiful. It was designed by Rolls Royce and built in 2021. The rooms are large enough, but you spend very little time in the rooms. The dress code is very casual, and the ship is kept at a very comfortable temperature. I could have saved weight in my suitcase by leaving some clothing behind. The sales department at Hurtigruten will tell you anything to sell you a cabin. I spent the first two days of my vacation being angry because of the untruths that I was told. I bounded with several people on board who were equally angry. Hurtigruten gives you the impression that you will be able to do everything that is offered. The truth is, everything is decided on the “Lucky Lottery”, even the science cruise that collects whales DNA. 180 people out of 290 passengers signed up to go kayaking at a cost of about $200 per person. Only 30 people was chosen to camp on the continent and 32 people at a time are chosen to go kayaking. Each of these activities includes an additional charge. Even after you were chosen, where you kayaked had an element of luck. Some kayakers paddled around in circles because the water was choppy. We were lucky; we kayaked in a cove with seals and swimming penguins. We bought our tickets during the “book early and save” sale. It turns out that the price went down by $3300.00 during the Black Friday Sale. As the date of the trip approached, the price continued to drop. A woman booked a cabin identical to our cabin for $5000 less than we paid and she stayed in the room by herself. There were several people who traveled alone. We asked Hurtigruten to match their own price. Instead of just saying “no”, they jacked us around for months. Several of the passengers were not happy with the way things were handled coming home. Hurtigruten held your hand all the way down to Ushuaia, but you were on your own coming home. They left an 80-year-old woman at the airport in Argentina to fend for herself. I believe that Hurtigruten charges $90 per person to take you from EZE to the hotel. We booked our own transportation for $23 for 3 people and 6 pieces of luggage. It really was one of the most amazing places I’ve ever seen. So glad that we took this cruise and that we got to have these experiences.

DONOT cruise on Norwegian, very poor managed cruise line , poor entertainment options , zero common since and cruise line simply doesn't care if your cruise was good for paying passengers they simply want your money , nearly 1/2 the entertainment options throughout the day involved a sale of some sorts again to make norwegian money , complementary entertainment was very limited , cruise should have had back up plan for closed ports , or spent additional time in Antarctica , so BOTH side could view glaciers from balcony rooms

Loved the itinerary but lost/ delayed luggage ruining the experience

Sailed on Sapphire to Antarctica in December 2022. Overall, a good cruise despite cancellations due to poor weather. We missed Punta Arenas, Port Stanley, and Cape Horn. However, we were lucky to see wonderful land- and seascapes in Antarctica, going further south than is usually possible. At the time, the captain said we’d made the record for southernmost pizza delivery, as the ship was able to provide pizza to a group of Chilean researchers. We had a very sweet server in the International Dining Room, who always greeted us warmly, like family, even when we saw her in other places around the ship. We found the food to be quite good in general. The menus for Christmas and New Year had special items, like lobster. There were some shortages later in the voyage due to difficulties restocking, but nothing awful (i.e., no Diet Coke and only limited fresh produce in the buffet). This was my favorite of three Princess ships I've sailed (Caribbean Princess and Diamond Princess being the other two). We found our cabins to be very well kept and the furnishings in much better condition than either Caribbean Princess or Diamond Princess. The dining room was also better run, and the food quality better. I believe the maitre’d was Mario, and he took the time and care to come around to diners’ tables every night. The ports that we did manage to visit, Ushuaia and Montevideo, were pleasant. We took the “Drive to the End of the World” excursion in Ushuaia. I wasn’t thrilled with the excursion as it was rushed, but the scenery was beautiful. We walked around Montevideo on our own, which was easy to do and enjoyable, but hot.

MSC Review This has been one of the worst cruises I’ve ever experienced. I planned this vacation with MSC as a “cruise of a lifetime”, considering this was my wife’s first cruise experience. My expectation was clearly not met, not to mention the ship is old and the decor is grossly outdated! What my wife and I experienced with MSC Orchestra has greatly reduced our interest in cruising. MSC failed on multiple levels and on several occasions in customer service to provide passenger satisfaction. Problems started when first boarding the ship with a pre-paid internet package we purchased. After boarding, even crew members said the package is useless and shouldn’t be offered/purchased. Rarely was any internet service available, especially in our cabin. Then, after 20+ hours of travel to South Africa from the United States, luggage was not delivered to our cabin until very late in the evening leaving us unable to shower and change clothes the first day on the ship. We boarded at 10 in then morning! Entertainment was practically non-existent, rotating between the same acts the entire cruise while spending 10 days at sea! If weather conditions were undesirable or you wanted to relax in your your cabin, the television had only ONE station with 5 movies being rotated everyday (ALL day) over and over and over with the remaining 10 stations playing advertisements for the cruise line! Your other option was to frequent the (smoke filled) casino if that’s your thing. We also pre-paid for the strange use of MSC Orchestra “drink ticket” packages. They didn’t offer typical all inclusive beverage packages. EVERY beverage required tickets…from water to soft drinks to a limited selection of alcoholic beverages at an additional cost. Water and coffee were made available during formal lunch and dinner. As not all beverages requiring tickets are equal in cost, alcohol cost more than soft drinks however, you don’t get a refund or credit for using a higher cost ticket for a soft drink. The process/line to retrieve ‘drink tickets’ was madness and extremely unorganized. Depending where you ordered drinks, the bar tender may or may not be able to make the beverage you ordered because it wasn’t on the drink ‘menu’. The schedule of excursions cannot be trusted. After 3 days at sea the scheduled Mozambique port stop was cancelled, this occurred the morning of departure after we paid the required $150 for visas. Another issue we had was when my wife and I were eating in the buffet dining area and were approached by an employee to purchase bottle service. So we inquired about the types of alcohol we wanted, 1 of the 3 bottles we requested was not listed on the price sheet. The employee was not sure if any the of alcohol types we wanted but not listed were in stock, so he went to the ‘stock room’ and reappeared with all 3 bottles, we asked what the cost would be and agreed on the cost of the 1 bottle not listed on the price sheet, he charged our cabin card, we signed the receipt…the transaction was complete. My wife and I stayed seated in the buffet area for a while enjoying the view when the employee returned stating we need to pay $80 more US dollars for the bottle not listed on the price sheet. We questioned why, he said he misquoted the price but could not show us a manifest to support this outrageous increase. He then proceeded to pick up & take all 3 bottles that we just paid for! We proceeded to ask for a manager, after being told by 3 different Food and Beverage (F&B) managers, over a 2 day period, there was nothing they could do. We called the service desk and met with the head of customer relations and the F&B Director. They both understood the inconsistency as well as the importance of customer service and provided the 1 bottle (not listed on the bottle menu) complimentary. So by now, it’s beginning to seem as though this system is an attempt to nickel and dime you to death in an attempt to have you accumulate an extensive bill at the end of your cruise. During our dining experience we often found the formal dining menus unappetizing and horribly prepared. After ordering steak on the first evening, the entire table realized all temperatures of steak from rare to medium are all prepared “WELL DONE”! All beef items during the entire cruises were over cooked, tough with little seasoning or flavor. We often didn’t receive items listed with the entree’, having to inquire about listed items with the dining staff…dessert ice cream came to the table completely melted. This was a 14-night cruise which many nights unfortunately ending with a failed formal dinner attempt resulting in hotdogs from the buffet. Since the majority of the buffet selections were below average or were immediately consumed if the items were reasonably appealing. The service staff in general left an incredibly incompetent impression on us and with many guests we conversed with. On several occasions a request would be made with staff replying, “we can not do that” rather than providing options to resolve our many issues. We found ourselves asking for a supervisor or manager because the staff would refuse to look into our inquiry or attempt to provide a solution to assist with our issue/request. Small things like asking to replenish an ice bucket for the bottles of beverages or champagne we purchased. Things as simple as honoring the “cabin occupied” light and not barging in for room servicing. We also purchased the ‘all inclusive’ digital photo package for $200, however upon review of our printed photos in the galley, we discovered 60+ photos were not uploaded to the kiosk. We brought it to managements attention and was told if they could not upload the missing photos digitally, we would have to purchase the hard copies, of the missing photos, at an additional $200…*SMH* That about did it for us!! There are numerous other occurrences and inconsistencies that could be mentioned. As a couple that travels extensively, we expect top class customer service when paying a premium price for a vacation. It’s obvious MSC Orchestra does not value recurring patronage to their cruiseline or better training, customer accommodation, and overall cruise experience would be a priority and the service emphasis completely revamped! If zero stars could be given it would definitely be applied for this cruise!