The 6-day pre-cruise "Best of Australia" was very disappointing. It was 2 days Melbourne, 2 days Alice Springs, 2 days Ayer's Rock. Would have been much better if 2 days Melbourne, 1-2 days Outback, 1-2 days wine regions, 1 day Sydney.
The 4-day post-cruise was excellent, with 2 days Tongariro National Park and 2 days Auckland. The stops for lunch at local farms were outstanding, as was the visit to Waiheke Island.
Embarkation
3 out of 5
We got there in the evening, so embarkation was quick, but fellow passengers who got there during the day were unhappy with the experience. We were not happy that our Explorer Suite had no fruit or water bottles, and we had not been asked which drinks we wanted in the suite.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
2 out of 5
OK, but disappointing, given how much we were paying, and compared to a wonderful Amsterdam-Budapest Viking river cruise we had taken in 2015. Food was OK, but service was poor. The ship seemed understaffed, as you had to attract a server's attention to get a refill of water or wine.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Lectures were all uniformly good.
Entertainment
2 out of 5
Pretty limited for an ocean cruise.
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
Individual staff were all good, and hard-working, but overall the restaurants and bars were understaffed.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Ship was well designed, especially the common areas, with lots if interesting books.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Cabin was very good, spacious and well-designed. However, given that the suite was at the front of the ship, disappointing that you could only access the side balcony, and not the front of the ship.
Ship tip
Not worth paying a lot extra for suite. Also, book your own excursions, via a company such as Viator.
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