It was an enjoyable cruise. Quite a bit of rocking and rolling but the Bay of Biscay and the open ocean are known for that. Part of the experience. I'd happily take this cruise again.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Embarkation could not have been any better!
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
We ate at all three specialty restaurants and were happy each time. The Black and Blue Onion soup in the Crown Grill is amazing. Sabatini's is good as usual. The Salty Dog Gastro Pub was new to us and we very much enjoyed it. The Lemon Posset dessert there was one I'll order anytime I get a chance. Buffet was good with lots of choices. One REALLY BAD thing: The International Cafe ran out of coffee lids with EIGHT days left in the cruise. Older hands and a rocking ship make it tough to not slop hot beverages around. One man got burned when his hand was bumped and that would NOT have happened had they had the lids. Huge mistake by whoever was in charge of that.
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
Lectures were okay although it most was mostly the lecture guy telling you that he knew Ted Turner.
Entertainment
I rarely if ever go to the shows because they are almost always TOO LOUD!!!
Children's Programs
no kids
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
For the most part the service was excellent. They had a woman at International Cafe (Carmen I think) who was most times not very nice to people. I saw one man say hello to her by name and she ignored him. He tried again and she came back with the most fake-y "Hello sirrrrr" that I ever heard. It stood out because normally staff on ships is either sincere in their greetings or at least smart enough to appear so.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Crown was launched in 2006 and could use a refurb.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
The cabin was fine. There was a problem with the faucet in the shower but it was quickly resolved/repaired. Fairly quiet location. You'd hear an occasional rumble of a cart or something one deck up on Lido but it was rare and not an issue at all.
Ship tip
Make sure to visit the Salty Dog Gastro Pub as a change of pace.
This was our second visit to Bruges and we love this town. Lots to see and do, easy to get around by foot. We took the Bruges on your own excursion and did our own thing for the day.
We'd been to Bordeaux before and so did the "on your own" excursion. A lovely town where you can easily walk and enjoy. Rue St. Catherine offers a lot in the way of shops and cafes. The only drag (unavoidable) is that the trip into Bordeaux from Le Verdon takes two hours by bus and then two hours back. Nothing can be done about this so it is what it is. Just be aware there is some bus time involved.
First visit to Bilbao and we took an excursion. Guggenheim Museum is an architectural marvel although for my taste the modern art within isn't much. Beautiful town and well worth the visit. Be careful about wandering on your own as the streets are narrow and twisty and it would be easy to get turned around. Seemed very safe though.
Loved Lisbon. We took the Culinary excursion so we got a tour of Lisbon and a gourmet meal at a restaurant. If you're a foodie this is worth the price.
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