Overall, we really enjoyed this cruise. Great food, lovely staff, interesting ports and a busy ship. Ship didn’t feel as big as it is!!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Pulled up in the car and unloaded suitcases. Barely had time to have a drink before we were called to check in. We were on board and in cabin within 40 mins. All 7 suitcases arrived within the hour. A finely tuned machine.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Only one slightly dodgy steak dinner out of 14 dinners. Great food in all restaurants. Could do with being a bit hotter but that’s just me!
Horizon Restaurant
3 out of 5
Can be a bit of a bun fight at busy times but it does what it says on the tin. Food a bit basic but food fresh and replenished regularly so it’s not sitting around.
Lido Grill
4 out of 5
Excellent pizza, fried chicken, hotdogs, burgers and fries without moving too far from the pool
Epicurean
5 out of 5
Highly recommended!!!! Very posh and great attention to detail. Superb food. Eric Lanlard afternoon tea served here too which is exceptional. Cover charge of £28.
Sindhu
5 out of 5
Don’t eat all day before you eat in here. Cover charge of £20 applies. Huge portions of fine dining Indian food. Tiffin lunch very good.
Peninsular Restaurant
5 out of 5
Feels more open than Meridien and more spacious
Meridian Restaurant
4 out of 5
One of the Freedom dining restaurants. Exactly the same menu as the Peninsular restaurant but atmosphere feels a bit more cramped as ceilings appear lower.
The Beach House
5 out of 5
Good honest American diner food for a small cover charge
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Gym very well stocked and always empty!! Pools were always busy. Lots of shopping opportunities if you’ve got money - Breitling, Mulberry, Tag, Ted Baker, Swarovski, Barbour, Radley etc.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Only went to two shows but very well performed and professional. Singers in the Entertainment team are very good. Pulse, the resident band, are great and truly wasted on a cruise ship.
Headliners Theatre
5 out of 5
Very spacious theatre
The Cookery Club
5 out of 5
Very good experience. Marco Pierre White masterclass exceptional.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Service very good. Only a couple of waitresses who were a bit grumpy but overall service was with a smile and nothing too much trouble. Cabin steward was exceptional and brought ice every evening at 6pm for our pre-dinner drinks! Everyone was very personable and greeted you wherever you were.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
There was much mention of there not being any stairs at the front of the ship and the lifts always being busy. We didn’t find it too much of a problem. Lifts can be busy when everyone is heading back onto the ship, so much so that we actually walked up 11 decks after waiting for 20 minutes for a lift. Think of it as a way of working off the food!! Ship was very clean and very spacious. Didn’t feel like there were 3,500 other passengers on the ship with you.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Decent size and excellent hanging space. However another chest of drawers wouldn’t go amiss. Bathroom adequate and very good shower.
Did the Gaudi tour which included inside of the Sagrada Familia, which was well worth it. Barcelona doesn’t feel like a city due to the wide tree lined streets and curved intersections. Would return.
Again, a very rushed tour with a guide who didn’t have much time for people who lagged behind. Very crowded and long queues to get through security into the Colosseum and the Forum, not helped by the scorching weather!! Would return to do it again at own pace. Great restaurant (Jazz Cafe) just round the corner from Piazza Navona.
Too....British!!! Been before so did Kings Bastion tour which quite frankly was a waste of time. The bastion has actually been turned into a leisure centre so we had a tour of the bowling alley, the ice rink and the cinema....and the loos.
Off the ship and baggage claimed within 30 minutes. However, the car park is another kettle of fish. There’s a free for all consisting of 9 lines of cars all converging into 2 lines in order to get out of the port. Took us over an hour to get out into Southampton. Expansion limited due to city centre location though so can’t see a solution coming soon.
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