Our cruise was a retirement gift to ourselves after working for 40+ years in public service.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Having never embarked in this port, we did not know what to expect. There seemed to be some confusion early on, mostly due to way too many people arriving two to three hours before their assigned embarkation time. Once the port and cruise officials were able to complete the transition from disembarkation of the previous cruise to embarkation of the next cruise, things flowed well.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Much better than expected. We never had a disappointing meal. While we used the main buffet for most breakfasts and lunches, we used the main dining rooms for our evening meals.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
We attended every evening theatre show and were impressed with the quality and professionalism of the acts. We also participated in many of the activities in the Club, used the pool, spa and fitness center.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Excellent and varied.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Never had a situation where service wasn't available and efficient.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
It's a big boat, but we were still able to get around and access almost all areas without much effort.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
The cabin was immaculately clean and well appointed.
Ship tip
Give some thought to the drink package you buy, or if you buy one at all. We don't drink a lot of adult beverages, and felt not buying a drink package was the more cost efficient.
We arrived early and visited a few sites on our own before embarking. The city is clean and friendly, but a little confusing to get around without the help of local advice.
We arranged for a local bus tour of the area using a private vendor similar to what was offered by the cruise line. It is an interesting area that could easily have held our interests for more than one day.
We were fortunate to have arrived on the same day as Napier was celebrating Art Deco Days, which is a local celebration of the many art deco designed buildings built after the devastating 1931 earthquake. It was a beautiful day, and we were able to see the area as well as mix with the locals.
We purchased a hop-on hop-off bus tour of the area which included the Marlborough area. There are a number of wineries, museums and other attractions, and all were worth a visit - just not enough time.
We purchased a bus tour of the area and were able to get out into the countryside a bit with a wonderful view of the area, as well as have time to stroll the beautiful beach and waterfront. One of the better ports to visit.
This site was the end point to a 5 or 6-day shore excursion offered by the cruise line, but only a handful of passengers took it. We enjoyed the close proximity of the fjord.
Excellent considering how many passengers and crew had to disembark in only a few hours. We left with the first group and did experience some confusion when the confiscated items taken during embarkation were not ready to be picked up upon our early disembarkation, but we only had to wait 15 minutes to get that sorted out. Also, I felt the instructions and details on ground transport to the airport at disembarkation could be better, I heard a lot of grumbling from fellow travelers that they felt they were not on the right shuttle, or heading to the wrong place, when in fact there was only one shuttle service offered going to one place.
Congratulations on your retirement! I will be heading for Hawai on the Edge for 10 days in May. Been on 24 cruises but it will be my first time on the Edge class and I understand it's fabulous. Very excited about it!!😁👍
That sounds really good. Thanks for sharing. It will be my retirement cruise next April so it's great to read so many positive comments along with the tips.
Thanks for sharing your cruise experience with us and including the details of the trip you enjoyed along with your advice. Congratulations on your retirement and hope you have many more wonderful cruise trips.
First of all congratulations on your retirement! Looks like you really enjoyed your special cruise. I always compare drink packages depending on the cruise. For me they're not worth it but sometimes it's included on certain cabins booked. I wish they had a mineral/still water package, on all cruise ships because I drink that everyday. Cunard does have a "water package" you can order onboard, which I will order onboard, since you can bring any alcohol onboard, no need to have an alcohol package.
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