Other (Asia/Africa/Middle East) Cruise Reviews

This is a super hard cruise both because of the extreme heat and the difficult walking terrain. In abu simbel the golf carts took people down but then were out of service on the way up people had medical conditions who could not be brought up. People with sever walking issues were forced to walk up people were in tears! I think better descriptions are needed to rate the severity of the tours and the Egyptian gvt needs to do something about infrastructure by tourist areas

We were overall disappointed because we missed two ports, the sail they the straits, and lost money $100) when we bought tickets from the Tokushima city festival before, festival excursions were offered. Also disappointed in the amount of the future cruise credit (25% off the fare only), believe a 40% credit is more in line with what we missed.

If you are choosing this cruise, consider some important items: It is really hot and humid during this time in Japan and in all the stops of the cruise. We were lucky not to have rainy days during our cruise, but this might be a possibility during these dates. Although you are going to be in the cities during the festivals, the cruise excursions do not have any options to really enjoy them. If this is an important item for you, please make independent arrangements. Although there were some excellent cruise excursions, they are not all the shore excursions available through other sources. Half of the passengers are from Asia and the cruise caters to its Japanese clients.

Dining and cabin staff is amazing. Others always tired, overworked and in a bad mood, like guest services. Shows need to be updated, juggler borders in sexual harassment, Japanese cultural shows were missed. Ship needs updating, and food lacks quality. Ports are awesome but disembarking is terrible. A very 70’s experience. Doing this through United was also terrible, no help or follow up at all.

Fantastic, relaxing, entertaining, hydrating & gastronomic.

Everything was good but we would have appreciated knowing beforehand that the itinerary changed from Russia to Korea. It was a disappointment because we booked the cruise hoping to see the Russian far East island.

Wonderful experience and good service from the crew. Overall operations is well organised & plan.

I sailed on Azamara last November/December…i much preferred this cruise line ..there was more connectivity ie white nights , Azamazing on shore events, organized activities… The food was way better on Azamara

If you are the least bit mobility impaired, think twice about booking this trip especially if the weather is going to be hot. The sights you see are amazing but be prepared for long walks over uneven, rocky terrain. If you like wearing flip flops on excursions, please reconsider. The Mars staff was not up to what I have had on other Viking Ocean cruises and that was a bit disheartening. On the other hand, their food was better than I remember, with the chefs not afraid to give the food some taste.

A cruise of a lifetime. Excellent itinerary except for the change to include Jeddah - they are not ready for tourists yet. Viking is first-class - ship and staff.

Overall this cruise was a horrible experience for me. I’ve been on 5 other Royal Caribbean Cruises and had an amazing time. I’ve never had such a bad experience as I did on this Singapore cruise.

additional to above the tours were a big disappointment Bad timing all off together and most back at same time with one gangplank and old guests not good Too many in groups some poor quality guides with poor english

Good cruise, some ports not so interesting with very little to see. At port HA charged $25.00 per person for a 10 minute ride to center of town, $50.00 per couple too costly. Taxi was cheaper. Food good and varied in dining room. Highlight learnt to play pickle ball.

A disorganized ship with a complete lack of leadership on the part of the officers. A kitchen that needs to be completely restaffed with chefs that can cook.

hit and miss food quality and service along with poor customer service

This being our first cruise with Ponant, invariably there are comparisons with other luxury trips we have taken and at first, the French-first experience was intriguing yet somewhat frustrating. However, we quickly got used to the rhythms of the ship and started feeling quite at ease- and well-taken care of. Intriguingly, this was our second expedition-style cruise within the past 3 months (Antarctica being the first) so we were delighted by the on-board culture of daily event briefings and unexpected changes in itinerary to accommodate the tides and currents, etc. The expedition team on board was amazing; we had first hand experiences with David Beaune, Expedition Leader, Jennifer Ailloud and Alessandro who each made our experiences exceptional. They each ensured that we now know more about sea cucumbers, hermit crabs and the coral reef ecosystem than ever before- and a new appreciation for each and how they contribute to the amazing aqua environment. Giuliano, Shore Excursion Manager was a whirlwind of energy and activity, focused on ensuring all efforts were top-notch; and ensuring that us English-speakers were well taken care of. One gorgeous spot on the ship is the spa, with treatment rooms and the sauna featuring large windows overlooking the ocean. Christelle, Spa Manager we met on day one and booked services with her team and we were not disappointed. It’s a calm, quiet oasis on the ship that gently lulls you into submission. As expected on a French flagged ship, the cuisine was wonderful, with classics and local options expertly prepared. We did celebrate two special occasions while on board, and each was met and surpassed in my expectations. Judicael, Head Pastry Chef is singularly responsible for my weigh-gain on board with his astonishing creations, including a delightful meringue based anniversary cake I am still thinking about. Virginie, who heads the dining room as Matire ‘d keeps a close eye on the staff and ensures that everyone is where they need to be and that dishes flow alongside wine and spirits. She was a delight, always checking in and making sure our dining experience was top-notch. We should also note the attentions of two servers, Marcus and Rizal, both of whom we had the pleasure of their attentive service repeatedly and who quickly learned our likes and idiosyncrasies. That was also carried out in the two main bars on the ship, the Main Lounge and our personal favorite, the Observation lounge where our new best friend and bartender Maria learned our fave cocktails and made sure those glasses were never empty. Quite dangerous in fact- she makes a really good gin martini… Lastly, two other key leaders made our cruise completely memorable. Johan, Cruise Director and his team were charming and funny, and were exceptional at engaging the passengers in a variety of events and activities. Smaller ships usually feature smaller experiences, and this was no exception. However, a few nights of fun engagements, like karaoke and “casino night” broke the mold and were fun and frolicksome. And all this would not be possible with out the careful guidance of Fadi Mehadji, Hotel Manager whose steady guiding hand is apparent in all the efforts undertaken by the teams making sure each effort truly worked. By the end of this cruise, we’re delighted we did this and would without hesitation book again on Ponant.

disappointing on every level . . . . . . . . . . . .

We had a very wonderful time abroad the Holland Westerdam!

I was so disappointed with this cruise line. The ship was new and lovely, but their food and drink policies are ridiculous (open buffet for one hour for dinner only) and employees from security guards to stewards and waiters were glued to their phone screens instead of working. There were hardly any activities except dance classes. Food was the same thing every day and you have to pay $10-17 for a small pizza! The cafeteria was organized in a way you had to stand in three different lines to get bread, butter and jam. And no toaster. You cannot pour your own coffee. We have traveled on 5 different cruise lines and I’ve never been on one until now that I truly disliked.

This cruise seems more geared toward Italian, Europeans, and Indians. At times, we felt like we were not being heard.