Overall, we loved the cruise. St. Petersburg was just too busy but still some amazing sights to see.
The on board experience was fantastic and fun. The staff are friendly and if you take time to talk to them, seem to enjoy working there.
The food is just a little too good, expect to put on ten pounds, unless you have iron power.
The ship is clean and well maintained.
Expect crowds at the Ocean View cafe at busy times.
When we cruise again, it will be with Celebrity
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Pretty smooth experience. We weren't slated to board until 2.30 but we dropped the car and the luggage off at 10.30 and spent some time shopping in Southampton. The actual boarding process took about 20 minutes.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
The Grand Cuvee is still pretty good. I know some have criticised it, but we found it to be really nice. Waiting staff very attentive and friendly. Speciality dining (Murano, Tuscan Grille, Qsine and Lawn Grill) was out of this world although we did eat too much at Qsine. The Ocean View cafe offers a wide selection, but can get really busy at main meal times and lacks the atmosphere of the other venues.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Entertainment
4 out of 5
I prefer the entertainment on offer in the various lounges. We particularly enjoyed the duet Devico with their excellent covers. The main shows we professionally done and it was usually pretty easy to find a seat.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The staff were pretty much excellent the whole way through. The only down side was a couple of times when we saw some really appalling rudeness shown towards the staff by some guests who seemed to get their rocks off by shouting at people who can't answer back.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Clean and well maintained throughout, always someone out cleaning something.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Ship tip
I found the trip to be good value for money when everything is considered. It does pay however to be aware of all the hidden extras that can be charged for. Additionally, if a talk on skin care or anything else is promoted as an on board activity, be aware that some of these may have a pretty hard sell for some form of really expensive product attached to them. Don't try and crack jokes with Russian immigration staff, they seem to be carefully selected for their antipathy towards tourists.
Amazing place. We went with a ship organised 2 day tour, although it can be done cheaper through independent companies. The guides knowledge was encyclopedic. The main down side was the sheer numbers of tourists visiting places such as the Hermitage, think Northern Line tube during rush hour.
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