Fantastic - the reason we went was it seemed the best way to see some of the amazon and we were right. Fred Olsen staff are brilliant and i would consider going back, but be aware, it’s targeted at an older, very British market. Lectures were great - if you have a chance to see Jeff Clarke speak, take it. He’s just so enthusiastic about wildlife, it’s catching, and you learn so much.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
It was all very professional. If I have any issues the only one I can think of is that the port in Bridgetown wasn’t all that clearly signposted, but that’s about it.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
The main dining room was well laid out and spacious. The cafe was very pleasant. We didn’t use the speciality restaurants.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
We were at the gym almost every day, which we enjoyed. We also went to the lectures - very good in the main - two shows and a couple of quizzes . The entertainment was very much aimed at older people - this is Fred.olsens target market so can’t complain, and it did make us feel young in comparison!
Entertainment
3 out of 5
I had my nails done while there, and was pleased with the result. However, when I first entered the spa, and also when I made the booking, I thought this must be the most unfriendly spa I’ve ever been in. I was seated with no conversation, waited for a while, and frankly felt as though I was an irritation, but perhaps this was me being over sensitive. The girl who did my nails was friendly and chatty, but I couldn’t quite shake the slightly uneasy feeling that I was out of place.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Apart from the spa, the staff were lovely, and couldn’t do enough for us.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
It is a lovely ship
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Comfortable bed, more storage than I thought there would be - ample for our 14 days - and tv with a good channel selection plus films.
Ship tip
Don’t do the amazon cruise if you are not a good sailor. The ship is flat bottomed - the larger ships would not be able to cruise the river - but when it comes to the ocean, it moved around a lot, and all the well travelled cruisers on the ship said this was the worst they’d been on in terms of movement apart from an Antarctic cruise in a force 10 gale. They have changed the itinerary now so instead of Barbados to Manaus and back, it’s now 2 cruises - one from Manaus to Barbados, and another from Barbados to Manaus, both 14 days, so there are just 3 sea days on each cruise rather than 6.
Didn’t want to leave. Spent 2 days in the eco lodge - saw so much, it was great. Visited the indigenous tribe who were lovely. Held a caiman, trekked through the jungle, fished for piranha......great. Be aware, you need to be fit for this tour. Early morning starts and a lot of pushing through undergrowth.
We went on a discover South Tobago tour - and were taken to the airport and golf course! Fort George was interesting but we didn’t have enough time there. Guide was lovely but there’s just not much to see.
Remember: Be polite and respectful. Our diverse community
is home to members with different opinions and a broad
range of cruise experiences.
*Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency,
and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners
(travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our
users' convenience. Cruiseline.com does not guarantee any specific rates or
prices. While prices are updated daily, please check with the booking site
for the exact amount. Cruiseline.com is not responsible for content on
external web sites.
Contact us
Submitting...
Need help from a personal vacation planner?
Loading...
Find the perfect cruise with weekly tips and cruise deals for as little as $30/night!
Sign up for weekly cruise deals
Join other subscribers and get the best
cruise deals of the week in your inbox every Thursday.
