Overall, a good budget choice for a cruise, but definitely not for foodies; I would choose a food cruise next time with a more upscale brand. I would also choose a newer ship as this one felt outdated.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Definitely arrive as early as possible! I arrived around 1pm for a 4pm sail time, and it was super quick to get onto the boat, even without having checked-in online beforehand. Very satisfied with check-in.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
The buffet food:
Cold water: tasted a little bit like seawater.
Honey: did not taste like honey, more like syrup.
Coffee/tea: coffee was very weak, i preferred my own Nestle instant coffee. Tea (black/white/green) were also very weak and I often needed 2 bags. Surprised there was no chai tea given the buffet food had an Indian food station.
Variety of food: A lot of indian food, no chinese food (other than a stir-fry that was cooked too quickly with cuts of meat that were too thickly sliced)
Desserts: Looked beautiful but lacked in taste. Cakes were oddly spongy as though extra air was pumped into them to make them less dense. Matcha green caked literally tasted like I was eating air. My favourite was “vanilla” mousse which tasted like whipped cream.
The restaurant food:
Scallop crudo: tasted like water, which was very disappointing. Looked beautiful though!
Beef carpaccio: taste was slightly stronger than the scallop crudo but not by much. I feel like they water down the taste for safety so there is no raw food poisoning.
Lobster tail: I was excited to finally eat lobster on the last day, but this was disappointing. The meat was tough (over cooked), and tasted off. It was not fresh at all, and you could taste the freezer burn. Next time, it might be a better idea to serve lobster on the first day.
Steaks: I was happy that the NY striploin was available every day; the quality of the steak was slightly higher than average with minimal fat, although flavour could be stronger.
Beef wellington: The beef itself was tender enough, but the puff pastry was a let-down; it was soggy and not crispy at all so I left it uneaten. I could not taste the truffle flavour, nor the mustard.
Fish dishes: one of the fish dishes was very overcooked to the point where it was hard and inedible. Other fish dishes were not flavourful and relied on the sauce and vegetables to give it flavour.
Desserts: Many of the dessert selections came from the upstairs buffet and were identical. However, for the daily specials, some were of better quality. I enjoyed the crême brulée (although it was a bit too sweet), and the frozen yogurt.
Specialty restaurants: no comments as I did not try any.
Alcoholic drinks/specialty coffee: no comments as I did not try any.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Fitness centre was great! No need to wait, and enough machines to use
Entertainment
4 out of 5
The entertainment programs were of high enough quality, especially the comedy!
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Service for the room: The employee was very friendly and stopped to chat with us when she saw us, and asked how our day was each time.
Service in the dining restaurants: The server was friendly, professional, and attentive. He recommended the best dishes of the day and served with a smile.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
Layout was easy to follow, design was a bit tacky and outdated.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Comfortable enough, although the 1 person pull-out sofa bed could have been more comfortable. I had a bit of neck/back pain after sleeping on it.
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