A complete list of every cruise review on CruiseReport.com.

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 12/26/17 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 12/26/17

European Christmas Markets with Tauck River Cruises

A European Christmas Markets river cruise should be on everyone’s bucket list. And, there’s no better way to do it than with Tauck.

Daily Blog

Itinerary: Vienna, Vienna, Melk, Salzburg/Linz, Passau, Regensburg, Nuremberg

December 2017 - As the saying goes, this was not our first rodeo. And, with a 90-year history of conducting tours and cruises all over the world, it is most certainly not Tauck's first rodeo. Our recent European Christmas Markets Cruise aboard Tauck's ms Savor was our fourth Christmas market river cruise on as many cruise lines in the past three years.

Tauck River Cruises is what we consider a "Luxury" brand. By our definition, a Luxury brand includes most, if not all, excursions in the cruise fare. All cocktails, beer and wine are also included as are gratuities. Of course, the ships must be modern with comfortable accommodations. And, "luxury" means that service levels must be unmatched.

We arrive at ms Savor in Vienna about 10:00 in the morning, several hours before actual embarkation begins (3:00pm). As we arrive at the bottom of the gangway, we are pleasantly surprised to be greeted by Cruise Director, Steve Marchant, whom we immediately recognized. Steve was the Cruise Director on our 2014 Tauck ms Inspire river cruise. Steve welcomed us aboard and offered to let us hang out in the Panorama Lounge until embarkation begins, or, take a taxi into Vienna to do some sightseeing. We chose the latter. Another couple who also arrived early shared a taxi with us, with Tauck picking up the tab. What other cruise line would offer to pay for our taxi into town just because we showed up early?

When we returned from our time in Vienna (around 12:45pm), Steve informed us that our stateroom was now ready. After a quick check-in at Reception, one of the Reception staff members escorted us to our stateroom (216).

tauck river cruise, tauck river cruise review, tauck review, christmas markets, europe, ms savor, skylla, river cruising, european rivers, danube, travel photography, european christmas markets, Chris Dikmen, Rickee Richardson

Accommodations

Our Category 6 Cabin was 225 sq. ft. and was nicely laid out and quite comfortable. Even though there is no desk, there is a tall coffee table that can be used as a desk. Two chairs are placed at this table.

The substantial closet (9) would hold enough clothing for two people for up to two weeks. A storage cabinet (6) with drawers is something you don't find on all river cruise ships. The electronic safe is found in this cabinet.

There is a large sliding glass door with French-style balcony (1) and another floor-to-ceiling window (3) on the opposite side of the cabin. Between the two windows is a flat-screen HD television (2) with good programming choices including CNN, BBC, Sky News, Euro News (What? no Fox News?) and a couple of movie channels. There are also some CCTV channels with safety information, a bow cam, and some On Demand movie channels (complimentary).

The bathroom (10) is the largest and nicest you will find on any river cruise ship. The very roomy shower stall (11) is outfitted with both a rain shower head and a hand-held wand. An expansive medicine cabinet-style mirror hangs over the sink offering tons of lighted storage for all of your toiletries, cosmetics, etc. There is even more storage under the vanity and above the toilet. A small, magnifying makeup mirror is attached to the interior of the medicine cabinet. Tauck supplies a nice hair dryer and top-quality Molton Brown amenities, including shampoo, conditioner, body lotion and shower gel.

We found the pillow-top, queen-size mattress (4) to be comfortable, but the pillows were a little too soft for our liking. No problem -- a visit to Reception and a request to Simona for firmer pillows quickly resolved that issue. Firmer, foam pillows were delivered to our cabin and were perfect!

More information about Tauck Christmas Markets cruises

Learn more

Tauck has intelligently included three 110 US-Style outlets. There is one on each bedside table and one by the stateroom door (next to the Vox charging device).

Overall, we found the Category 6 Cabin to be very quiet and very comfortable. Rickee still prefers the Category 3 (Loft) cabin, but I think I prefer the Category 6. They are the same square footage, but laid out differently.

Excursions

The main appeal of river cruising is the included tours in each city/town visited along the river. And, this is one area where Tauck has no real competition. They just do everything to near perfection. Disembarking the ship requires guests to be "swiped out" by presenting their room key to the crew member manning the "reader". This allows ms Savor staff to know who is on board and who is ashore. Upon returning to the ship, each guest presents his/her card to a crew member who "swipes" the card through the reader once again, showing that the guest has returned. It is the most secure system we have seen on a riverboat as each passenger's photo appears on the check-in screen when the card is swiped. Complimentary bottles of water are available at Reception before every excursion, with Tauck thoughtfully offering both small and large bottles.

When motor coaches are required for transport, Tauck uses modern, clean and comfortable coaches. Colored signs in the window of the bus correspond to the color designation of the tour group you have chosen for that excursion.

Tauck continues to provide guests with the Audio Vox receivers for use when on walking tours. Each stateroom has two Vox receivers placed in a charging base by the cabin door. Guests are responsible for making sure the Vox units are always charged and ready to go, a simple matter of placing the Vox units back into the charger when you return to your cabin after an excursion.

Another way Tauck sets itself apart from other river cruise lines is the presence of Tauck Tour Directors on each sailing. On our sailing, there were three Tauck Tour Directors overseeing the local excursions. Even though local guides are used on many walking tours, A Tauck Tour Director is never far away should additional support be needed. These Tour Directors also make onboard presentations about local culture and customs.

*Jillian, one of the Tour Directors, leads the walk into Nuremberg*

Coordinating all of the local tour guides and other activities on board is Tauck Cruise Director, Steve Marchant.

On this Christmas Markets cruise, Tauck included several special events. One such event was a group lunch at St. Peter's Restaurant in Salzburg, perhaps the oldest restaurant in the world! Another special treat was a tour of the Thurn and Taxis palace in Regensburg, which included admission to the palace's private Christmas market.

*Tickets to a tour of Thurn and Taxis palace*

A tour of Shönbrunn Palace in Vienna, along with a special buffet lunch at Palais Pallavicini, was also included. These are optional excursions on most other river cruise lines, at additional cost. But, Tauck includes them, which is another reason we consider Tauck a "luxury" brand.

In addition to these special events, Tauck also throws in a few lagniappes (unexpected little extras) along the way. One such lagniappe on our cruise was a gingerbread demonstration and tasting at Cafe Simon in Passau where we were given a decorated gingerbread star to take with us. Another little extra was a coupon for a warm drink at the Christmas Market at Schönbrunn Palace and you even got to keep the decorated mug!

*Chef Simon gives a gingerbread demonstration*

We also enjoyed the little pillow gifts left on our bed at turndown each evening. It was like Christmas every night!

A glühwein spice mix was one of our pillow gifts and we had pillow chocolates each night

When it comes to excursions, nobody does a better job than Tauck.

Food and Dining

At this point, we should note the special relationship between Tauck and Scylla. All Tauck-branded river cruise ships are owned and operated by Scylla. Therefore, all hotel operations, including Food and Beverage, engineering, and getting the ship from one place to another, are the responsibility of Scylla. Tauck basically handles all of the excursions and guest activities. It is a unique partnership that leverages the skills and assets of each company, and it works seamlessly.

As with most river cruise ships, the main dining room, Compass Rose, is located on Deck 1 forward. Breakfast and lunch are served buffet-style with a few á la carté items available at breakfast. Dinner is available from 6:30pm until 8:30pm on most nights and is open seating. Unlike the dining policy on many river cruise ships where there is only one time for dinner, on Tauck you can dine any time within that two-hour window. So, there is no mad rush to the dining room when the restaurant opens like we've experienced on other ships.

*Fruit and desserts on the lunch buffet in Compass Rose*

Breakfast each morning in Compass Rose features a variety of fruit, cereals, breads and pastries. Scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage are available from the buffet. An eggs-cooked-to-order station is available where you can get omelets or fried eggs cooked to your specifications. Eggs Benedict and pancakes are available from an á la carté menu on the table and ordered from your waiter. Rickee tried the Eggs Benedict and they were perfectly poached.

Lunch items change each day and include a nice salad bar, some sort of sandwich, a couple of hot entrées and side dishes, soup and a carving station. Dinner menus change each evening and offer a variety of starters, main courses and desserts. The Gala Dinner, held one evening during the cruise, it not to be missed.

The Gala Dinner was a multi-course, elaborate meal with some impressive offerings. The Smoked Duck Breast starter was especially nice.

Overall, the food served in Compass Rose falls into the "good to very good" range. Service from the wait staff was excellent. Complimentary red and white wines were offered each evening, and were also very good. When I mentioned to my waiter that I preferred a Reisling instead of Savignon Blanc, he did not hesitate to fill my glass with a very nice German Reisling.

*Enjoying our table for two in Compass Rose*

There are only two two-top tables in Compass Rose, one on each side of the dining room. However, because guests have the option to dine any time between 6:30pm and 8:30pm, there are usually enough four-top tables available allowing you to dine alone if you wish.

Tauck is the only river cruise line on which we have sailed that offers an alternative dining venue that is open all day long, from 11am until 11pm. Arthur's is located aft on Deck 3 and starts each day with an Early Riser breakfast at 6:00am.

A selection of cereals, yogurt, fruits, cheeses, meats, juices and pastries is available each morning in Arthur's. There is an automatic coffee machine available 24 hours-a-day along with a very nice selection of tea. Cookies are always available for the taking.

At lunchtime (beginning at 11am), Arthur's offers a lunch menu with a choice of sandwiches, flatbreads, burgers, salads and soups.

In the evening, the dinner menu at Arthur's changes to offer a steakhouse-style menu with a variety of steaks, chops, chicken and fish. One item that spans both lunch and dinner menus is the Goulash Soup, a spicy and rich broth with chunks of beef and a flavor reminiscent of Texas chili. It was delicious and a good way to warm up on a cold winter day!

*Casual seating at breakfast and lunch in Arthur's*

There is also a full bar in Arthur's, making it a great place to go for a drink, even if you don't want to have a meal.

Arthur's is a great concept offering an all-day dining alternative to Compass Rose.

Bars and Lounges

The Panorama Lounge is the main lounge on ms Savor. It is located forward on Deck 3, just forward of Reception. The elegant decor of Panorama Lounge is reflective of other Tauck/Scylla river ships on which we have sailed.

Seating is very comfortable and there are expansive, scenic views of the landscape as the ship sails the rivers of Europe. The bar is located in the front half of the lounge, with a few smaller tables in front of the bar.

Tauck river cruises are all-inclusive, so there is no need to sign a ticket for cocktails, beer or wine as all drinks are included in the cruise fare. The quality of cocktails is unmatched, anywhere. There is a house sparkling wine, or, you can order a glass of Moet & Chandon Champagne. My Crown Royal (below) pour was nearly double what was delivered on another river cruise line, and I was paying $7.50 per drink on that cruise! And, on Tauck, if you want a double, just ask for it. The price is the same!

As you can see from the photo above, there are mixed nuts on each table in a proper "pour out" bottle. There is a Cocktail Hour each evening before dinner where waiters/esses circulate with trays of delicious hors d' oeuvres. A "premium" cruise line may offer hors d' oeuvres once or twice per cruise, but a "luxury" cruise line, like Tauck, does so each evening. This is a pretty big deal for us because we often don't go to dinner. We can eat two or three of the hors d' oeuvres and be set for the night.

As mentioned previously, there is also a full bar located aft on Deck 3 in Arthur's. So, if you prefer a smaller, more intimate spot to enjoy your favorite beverage, you have that option.

Entertainment

As with any river cruise, the main form of entertainment is the destination and the excursions. However, Tauck provides guests with an array of onboard activities and entertainment. There is a resident pianist who plays in Panorama Lounge each evening after dinner and during Cocktail Hour. A small dance floor allows those who so desire to "cut a rug."

In Regensburg, we were treated to an acapella concert by Spitzweig Quartet. They performed a series of Christmas songs in both German and English. When we returned to our stateroom that evening, a CD of their music was waiting for us on our bed!

music cd pillow gift | Tauck MS Savor | CruiseReport

One afternoon, there was a gingerbread house decorating competition in Panorama Lounge. Each "team" was given a kit with pre-formed gingerbread pieces and instructions. Candies and a piping bag filled with icing were provided for construction and decorations.

Team members start building the house by using the icing to "glue" the pieces together.

Then, pieces of colorful candy, and more icing, are used to decorate the house.

*Rickee's team members and their gingerbread house*

At the end, each team's gingerbread house was put on display in the Reception area for everyone to admire. Rickee said it was the most fun activity she has ever had on a cruise ship!

Another fun activity was when Tauck gave each guest 10 Euros to purchase a Christmas ornament at one of the Christmas markets we visited. These ornaments would be placed on the Christmas tree in the Reception area. We all gathered one evening to place the ornaments we purchased on the tree. Christmas music was playing and hot beverages were served along with Christmas snacks. It was such fun! At the end of the cruise, each guest got to take his/her ornament home with them.

If you are one of those who cannot go a week without exercise, there is a nicely-equipped Fitness Center on Deck 1, and even a steam room and sauna! There is a hair salon on Deck 1 for those who want additional pampering.

Although not used on this cruise due to cold weather, the Sun Deck (top deck) has a hot tub and golf putting green. It is important to note that there is an elevator that travels between decks.

The Tauck Experience

The dress code is casual with one opportunity to "dress up" at the Gala Dinner. During the day, I wore blue jeans, vest, jacket and flannel shirts. After 5pm, it is suggested that guests not wear shorts or jeans in the public areas or dining room, a non-existent issue on this sailing with temperatures in the 30s most days. Umbrellas are provided in each cabin as well as at Reception; however, packing a small portable umbrella is advisable.

River cruising, in general, tends to attract a mature crowd, and the guests on Tauck fit this description. You will rarely find families with small children on a river cruise and, there were none on this sailing. Tauck does offer river cruise itineraries designed specifically for families.

Tauck delivers an all-inclusive experience that includes gratuities and beverages in the cruise fare. Depending on the package you purchase, it may also include a pre-/post-cruise hotel stay and airfare. This can make Tauck a very good value compared to other river cruise products. Gratuities on other river cruises can be as much as $20 per day/per person. On this sailing, that would be $280 for two people! An unlimited drink package on another popular river cruise line costs another $20 per day, so add another $280. Tauck also includes special events and meals off the boat that would easily cost you several hundred dollars on other cruise lines.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

Cruise accommodations
All meals on board
Special events and meals off the boat
All excursions
All gratuities
Airport transfers
Soft drinks, bottled water, beer, wine and liquor
Premium spirits
Complimentary use of bicycles when docked
Complimentary WiFi

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED

Incidentals (gifts, postcards, postage, etc.
Salon services (hair, nails, massage)

One important thing should not be overlooked, considering that this was billed as a "Christmas Markets" cruise. Of the four Christmas Markets river cruises we have enjoyed, none evoked the feeling and spirit of Christmas as completely as this Tauck cruise. Everywhere you looked, there were beautifully decorated Christmas trees, greenery and ornaments.

*From this vantage point, you can see three Christmas trees!*

*Even the handrails were wrapped with Christmas bows and decorations.*

*The gingerbread house display in Panorama Lounge was also very special.*

*Tauck Tour Director, Zophia, is all wrapped up in a bow for Christmas*

And, of course, Cruise Director, Steve Marchant is not going to be outdone. He wore a different colorful Christmas sweater each day.

steve marchant cruise director | Tauck MS Savor | CruiseReport

Tauck also puts a lot of emphasis on giving to those less fortunate. There is a Giving Tree in the lobby and guests are encouraged to purchase gifts or necessities (diapers, clothing) etc. for children up to the age of six and place these unwrapped gifts under the tree in the Reception area. In addition to the presents, Tauck contributes 200€ to the charity.

giving tree | Tauck MS Savor | CruiseReport

*Gifts donated by Tauck guests on this sailing*

Summary

We have been singing the praises of Tauck River Cruising for years. So, we were not surprised when this cruise lived up to our high expectations. This was our 15th European river cruise and our fourth Christmas Markets cruise (on four different cruise lines). Every Christmas Markets cruise we have taken has been enjoyable. But, none has evoked the feeling of Christmas like the ms Savor cruise. If you love Christmas and want to immerse yourself in the Christmas spirit, take a Tauck Christmas Markets river cruise!

*Chris Dikmen and Rickee Richardson are luxury cruise and travel journalists for CruiseReport.com*

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 12/5/17 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 12/5/17

Christmas Markets Cruise on Avalon Waterways

We get to enjoy our first cruise with Avalon Waterways during the Christmas Markets in Europe!

Cruise Blog

Itinerary: Prague, Nuremberg, Nuremberg, Regensburg, Salzburg/Linz, Melk, Vienna

avalon waterways, avalon vista, avalon vista review, avalon waterways review, cruise review, cruise ship review, europe, danube, european river cruise, river cruise, christmas markets cruise, chris dikmen, rickee richardson, travel photography, prag…

December 2017 - This was our first time sailing on Avalon Waterways, bringing our total number of European river cruise line experiences to 14 cruises across five different brands over the past ten years. This was also our fourth European Christmas Markets cruise. In case you are unfamiliar with the event, Christmas markets in Europe can be found in most towns, and were present in every town we visited along the Danube. Vendors set up small stands from which to sell their handmade (and sometimes imported) handicrafts, ornaments, food items, clothing, etc. Towns in Europe really go all out when it comes to decorating for Christmas making this an excellent destination for those who love to be immersed in anything Christmas.

We would categorize Avalon Waterways in the "Premium" river cruise category, comparable to Viking River Cruises and AMA Waterways, other "Premium" brands on which we have sailed. In our opinion, a "Premium" river cruise is one that has modern ships, complimentary excursions in every town/port, comfortable accommodations, and complimentary WiFi on board.

*Rickee boards Avalon Vista in Nuremberg*

We boarded Vista in the festively decorated Reception area where a line of staff waited to greet us and invite us into the Panorama Lounge to relax before check-in.

Check-in was simple. We dropped our passports at Reception, then one of the stewards grabbed our hand luggage and escorted us to our stateroom (323).

*Robert shows us how to use the electronic key*

Accommodations

Our Category P Panorama Suite was more like a stateroom than a suite. At 200 sq. ft., it is large for a river cruise ship stateroom, but calling it a suite is a bit of a stretch. It was, however, one of the most uniquely laid out staterooms we have seen. The interior wall of the bathroom is angled, which causes the bed to be positioned at an angle.

*Bed is angled, facing toward the river*

The outside wall of the stateroom is made entirely of glass and, with the curtains open, you have an almost completely unobstructed view of the river and passing landscape. The wall of glass is actually made in three sections, two of which will slide open, great for leaning out to take photos! A solid rail keeps you from falling into the river.

A nice-sized desk is big enough for my laptop and a few other gadgets. However, electrical outlets are hard to find. There is only one 220 outlet on the desk, and one next to the nightstand on the opposite side of the room. There were no 110 (US-Style) outlets, so you will need to bring adapters (220 Euro-style to 110 US-Style.) Adapters are available from Reception if you don't have one. There are no USB charging ports, something that every river cruise line should have added by now. There is a desk lamp that can be unplugged to free up an additional 220 Euro-style outlet.

The are a couple of shallow shelves on the left-hand side of the desk behind a door. They are shallow because of an HVAC vent that occupies the back 8 inches or so of the desk (you can see the vent in the photo above). Apparently, the duct for the vent is behind the desk. On the right-hand side of the desk is a mini-fridge/mini-bar stocked with a variety of beverages and snacks (not complimentary). A small sofa, coffee table and chair are at the end of the desk. Complimentary bottled water is placed on the coffee table. There is a closet with an electronic safe. Since there are no drawers to speak of, storage space is somewhat limited.

*Marble bathroom and L'Occitane amenities*

Other than the limited storage space and lack of electrical outlets, we found the Category P stateroom to be one of the most comfortable of any river cruise ship. The stateroom was well-insulated, making it super quiet. We never heard our neighbors, and since Avalon has a "no announcement" policy, we were never disturbed by voices over the PA system. The mattress was one of the most comfortable we have found on a river cruise ship. The standard memory foam mattress topper made it feel like we were sleeping on a cloud! We would like to see USB charging ports added, and more hooks! You can never have too many hooks to hang jackets, caps, scarves, etc. That said, we would give the Category P a solid 4.5-out-of-5 rating.

Excursions and Activities

Avalon Waterways includes an excursion in each town/city we visited. There are optional excursions available in some cities at additional cost such as an evening concert in Vienna. The optional excursions were reasonably priced. Clean modern motor coaches were used to shuttle guests from the ship to the walking portion of the excursions.

*Motor coaches were clean, modern and comfortable*

Portable audio devices are available in the Panorama Lounge before each tour and are different colors. Guests taking the walking tours are divided into groups of 15 to 25, based on which color of audio device they selected. This color corresponds to the color of the flag the local guide was holding. Guests could choose to be in the "red" group one day, or the "green" group the next, and so on. Avalon also offered a "Gentle Walkers" group for those who may have mobility issues, or simply choose to go at a slower pace.

Most modern river cruise operators now use these portable audio devices. They allow guests to hear the tour guide through an earpiece, making it unnecessary for the guide to yell information. The devices have a pretty good range, so if you want to drop back a few hundred feet to take photos without a crowd, you can still hear the tour guide. One advantage of the color-coded audio devices is that guests never had to fumble with setting a channel to match the transmitter used by the guide. The devices were pre-set.

The color-coded system works really well. If you forget which group you are in, just look at the color of your audio device. Then, look for the guide carrying that color flag. There is a color-coded sign in the window of the motor coach, too, so you will always get back on the correct bus!

We found the excursions to be very good. In Regensburg, Avalon gave us complimentary tickets to the Thurn & Taxis Christmas Market (7.50€ per ticket). This "private" Christmas market is set up on the grounds of the Thurn and Taxis Palace and was one of our favorite Christmas markets we visited during our two-week assignment. It was here we found more local craftsman and handmade items than at some of the other markets.

Avalon also provided us with vouchers for a meal at the historic Wurstkütcht (Sausage Kitchen) located on the south bank of the Danube at the Old Stone Bridge.

Whenever we visit Regensburg, we always try to visit the Sausage Kitchen. They simply have the best sausages in the world. So, when Avalon gave us vouchers for a free meal, we were delighted! It is the first time any cruise line has done that. The voucher paid for a plate of six sausages, sauerkraut, one roll and one beer or Coke. So, once you are seated and have placed and received your order, the way it works at the Sausage Kitchen is as follows:

Grab one of the crusty rolls from the basket on the table

Slice it open
Place 3 sausages on the roll
Slather on some of the sweet honey-mustard
Consume
Repeat steps 1 thru 5 (but be aware that each additional crusty roll you consume costs .90€!)

Now, in all honesty, we would have visited the Sausage Kitchen anyway, but it was a nice treat to have Avalon pay for our meal!

Food and Dining

As with most modern river boats in Europe, the main restaurant is located on Deck 1, forward. Breakfast and lunch are served buffet-style and dinner is full menu service, a' la carté dining, complete with white tablecloths and linen napkins.

There are six two-top tables for those couples who prefer a more intimate dining experience; however, the four that are located in the center of the dining room have very little space between the two-top and the adjoining four-top, so it is almost like dining at a six-top table. If you want more separation from your fellow diners, opt for one of the two-top tables near the entrance into the dining room.

The breakfast buffet offers anything you could want including fruits, cereals, breads, pastries, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, etc. There is an eggs/omelette cooked-to-order station in the center of the buffet line. You can also order Eggs Benedict or daily specials from your waiter. Something you will not find on any other river cruise ship, or at least the ones on which we have sailed, is a huge honeycomb!

Lunch buffet selections change each day and there is a carving station, and a fresh pasta station, in the center of the buffet line.

During breakfast and lunch, guests can start at each end of a semi-oval buffet line and they ultimately meet in the middle where the traffic can get pretty crazy. The design of the buffet can result in traffic jams. One problem is that there are different items on each side of the buffet and, rather than go to the end of the opposite line and wait their turn, when guests complete the first line they just jump in and grab whatever item they want on the opposite line, often in front of guests already in line.

The food was quite good, certainly as good as we have found on any other river cruise. Our advice: arrive early and beat the crowd!

*Daily menus are posted at entrance to the Dining Room*

During breakfast and lunch, waiters are on hand to deliver your drinks or take orders for á la carté selections. Complimentary red and white wines, beer, and soft drinks are offered at lunch and dinner. Sparkling wine is available in the mornings to make your own Mimosa. We found the wines offered to be of good quality and a nice variety was available.

An early-riser breakfast is available in the Club Lounge on Deck 3 aft, and in the main lounge each morning. I should also point out that the coffee served throughout the ship is very good, and that is something you don't usually find on any cruise vessel.

The Club Lounge has a 24-hour coffee and tea station and was the perfect spot for my early morning coffee workstation.

*Coffee and tea available 24 hours a day in Club Lounge*

Something we have not seen on any other river cruise is an Afternoon Tea. Around 4pm each day, there is a very nice selection of cakes, macarons and finger sandwiches available in the forward part of the Panorama Lounge. They even offered glühwein each day at tea time on our cruise. The finger sandwiches are some of the best we have had on any ship.

An alternative lunch venue was set up in the forward part of Panorama Lounge, serving a lighter fare. As an alternative to dinner in the Dining Room, Avalon offers The Bistro, an 11-course wine/food pairing "experience" served in the Panorama Lounge. The Bistro was only available on three nights during our sailing, so we made sure to get our names on the reservation list early. A maximum of 30 guests can be served each evening in The Bistro.

*Four wines served during The Bistro meal*

The 11 courses served at The Bistro are tapas-style, almost like a tasting menu. There is a variety of seafood, beef and vegetable dishes served. To be honest, we felt some of the dishes were a little too ambitious for a river cruise ship galley.

*One of the courses served at The Bistro*

The food was good, but no better than what we experienced in the Dining Room. However, it is a much quieter, more peaceful dining experience than the Dining Room, which could get quite noisy when full of guests since there is only one seating for dinner. If you are on an Avalon Waterways cruise, you should definitely try The Bistro at least one time during your cruise. There is no charge for this unique experience.

Overall, we found the food and dining to be on par with other Premium river cruise lines. We always like to point out that rating food is difficult because taste is so subjective.

Bar Service

The Panorama Lounge is located on Deck 2 forward and is very nicely laid out with comfortable furnishings and tasteful, contemporary decor. One of the nicest features of the lounge is the virtually unobstructed panoramic view provided by the surrounding floor-to-ceiling windows.

The bar is located at the back of the lounge, near the entrance, and is stocked with virtually any adult beverage you could ever want. The price for cocktails is on par with other Premium river cruise lines.

A Crown Royal (neat) was 6.30€ (about $7.50 US) for only 1.36 oz., which is a little on the skimpy side. A 1.5 to 2 ounce pour for a whisky neat is more common. House sparkling wine (3.38 oz.) was the best value at only 3.70€ (about $4.35 US), and it was quite good.

A better value is Happy Hour which occurs each evening for an hour before the daily briefing. During Happy Hour, all drinks are half price! Bar service from the wait staff was very attentive. And, there are two occasions where you can enjoy a complimentary glass of sparkling wine: the Captain's Welcome Cocktail Reception, held on the evening of embarkation, and the Captain's Farewell Reception, on the last night of the cruise. Waiters circulate with trays of sparkling wine and, if you drink fast, you might even get a second glass! These two receptions are also the only evenings where waiters serve a selection of hors d'oeuvres.

The lounge also has a large wooden dance floor in the center of the room. Piano music is played each evening during Happy Hour and after dinner. The resident pianist was one of the best we have heard on any river cruise.

Entertainment

We have already mentioned the piano player in the Panorama Lounge each day during afternoon tea, happy hour and in the evenings. In addition, it seemed there was always some special event going on each day in the lounge. One afternoon, we enjoyed a Christmas cookie demonstration and tasting.

cookie tasting avalon vista | Avalon Waterways | CruiseReport

In Regensburg, we were treated to an excellent onboard acapella Christmas concert performed by Spitzweig quartet, former members of the Regensburg Boys Choir.

Earlier that same evening, we enjoyed a Bavarian Beer Tasting in the lounge where we had the opportunity to try four different Bavarian craft beers and learn all about how different beers are made.

*Rickee toasts with one of the Bavarian beers*

Overall, our Avalon Vista cruise was one of the best we have experienced in the area of entertainment offerings.

Other Ship Features

Avalon guests enjoy complimentary WiFi/Internet. The WiFi worked about as well as on any river cruise...that is to say, poorly. It is just the nature of the beast. Whenever river ships go under bridges, go through locks (there were 23 on this cruise), or even narrow valleys with steep hills, satellite communications (Internet and TV) can get interrupted. We also experienced a two-day "blackout" near the end of our cruise when we had no Internet or TV due to "technical difficulties."

The Daily Newsletter for the following day is placed on the bed each evening during turn-down service, along with a map of the next place we are to visit. The newsletter is very well organized and gives a chronological view of the day's activities along with weather updates and local destination information.

For those so inclined, there is a small Fitness Center on Deck 1 with treadmills, stationary bicycles and a few free weights. Towels and bottled water are provided in there. A beauty salon is located on Deck 1 where, in addition to salon services, you can also get a massage. There is an elevator to use to move from deck to deck.

Before disembarking the ship for an excursion there was complimentary bottled water available for guests to take with them.

*A bin with umbrellas was available for guest use.*

A pad of tear-off maps showing details of the local area were also available at Reception, which is great for those of us who like to get off the ship and explore the town on foot.

On our cruise, the weather prohibited visits to the Sun Deck, other than to quickly go up to take some pictures. But, you can see that in warmer weather, this space would get a lot of use. There is a hot tub, one of the obligatory large chess sets that I have yet to see anyone use on any river cruise, and lots of covered and uncovered lounge seating.

Since this was a Christmas Markets cruise, the ship was nicely decorated for Christmas. There were Christmas trees in the Panorama Lounge, Reception and Club Lounge, and ornamentation in every public space. It really helped to put the spirit of Christmas in the air.

Staff and Service

We found the entire crew to be very friendly and always willing to go out of their way to offer assistance. Cruise Director, Tony, is a river cruise veteran and did a great job of keeping everything moving smoothly. The housekeeping department kept our stateroom, and the rest of the ship, spotlessly clean during our cruise.

Summary

We would not hesitate to recommend Avalon Waterways to anyone considering a European river cruise. Comfortable accommodations, an excellent, caring staff, good food, exceptional entertainment and well-conducted excursions combine to make Avalon Waterways a real contender in the rapidly expanding river cruise market. The no-smoking and no-announcement policies enhance the onboard experience. We look forward to experiencing Avalon Waterways again!

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 7/20/17 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 7/20/17

8-Night Eastern Caribbean Sailing on Carnival Vista

Carnival's largest ship reveals a few surprises and delivers loads of fun…

Daily Blog

Itinerary: Miami, At Sea, Grand Turk, La Romana, San Juan, St. Maarten, At Sea, At Sea, Miami - read our daily cruise blog

carnival cruise line, carnival vista, carnival vista review, carnival review, caribbean cruise, large ship,carnival cruise line review, travel photography, cruise ship dining, guy fieri, guys burger joint, chris dikmen, rickee richardson

What can possibly be said about Carnival that has not already been said? Perhaps nothing. Our recent sailing on Carnival Vista, Carnival's largest, and newest, ship revealed few surprises. However, we did notice subtle changes since our 2014 Carnival Breeze sailing.

Embarkation

“There is nowhere else that you can get this much fun packed into a week’s vacation at such a modest cost.”

— Chris Dikmen

As usual, the embarkation crowds were huge. We were fortunate to have Carnival's Priority Embarkationwhich is available to Diamond and Platinum VIFP (Very Important Fun Person) loyalty recognition program members as well as those who purchase Carnival's Faster To The Fun package (more info). By showing our Priority Embarkation document at the port terminal, we breezed past the long lines, and through security. There was a special "Priority Embarkation" line at check-in which probably cut another 20 minutes off the wait. However, after check-in, we were supposed to be whisked past the line to an escalator that took us directly to the ship, but apparently the young lady working that section was unaware of what Priority Embarkation meant, so we ended up in the normal line. That probably added 15 minutes to our embarkation. Nevertheless, we were able to embark in under 45 minutes from the time we arrived at the port terminal.

We stepped on board the ship at around 12:45. Our documentation said we could occupy our stateroom as early as 11:30.

welcome aboard carnival | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

However, when we arrived at Deck 9 aft, we were greeted by a closed fire door with a different message:

carnival embarkation notice | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

It was not a big deal to us since it was already 12:45. We decided to go have lunch then come back to our stateroom at 1:30. But, those who pay for the Faster to the Fun package and embark earlier may find the inability to access their stateroom to be disappointing. The bottom line is that the Priority Embarkation is a great feature, but Carnival still has a few kinks to work out in its implementation.

The Ship

Carnival Vista is only slightly larger than Carnival Breeze at 133,000 tons with a passenger capacity of 3,934. She is plenty big. Even though Vista only carries 244 more guests than Breeze, she felt much more crowded. Perhaps Vista has more, smaller venues resulting in this sensation, or, perhaps it is our imagination.

Lobby Bar | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

Carnival faithful may bemoan the lack of an impressive atrium with glass elevators ascending eight or more decks. Vista's three-deck atrium is sedate by comparison, but does have an interesting centerpiece that rises from the Lobby Bar on Deck 3 all the way to the ceiling featuring ever-changing artistic displays.

The layout of Vista is very similar to Carnival Breeze (and her sisters, Carnival Dream and Carnival Magic). So, if you have sailed on a Dream-class ship, you will feel right at home on Vista. There are eight forward elevators, four amidship, and four aft. However, to get to Guest Relations on Deck 3 forward, you will have to use the forward elevators. You can walk all the way forward and all the way aft on Decks 4 through 10.

*Long walkways like this on Deck 4 take you all the way forward or aft*

Most public spaces are located on Decks 4, 5, 10, 11. The Cloud 9 Spa and the Fitness Center are located on Deck 12 forward. WaterWorks is also on Deck 12 midship and the Skycourt (basketball) is located aft on the same deck.

For me, the most interesting, and fun, feature on Carnival Vista is the SkyRide, which also happens to be on Deck 12. Try to imagine a recumbent bicycle hanging from a monorail system that you pedal around the aft section of the ship! SkyRide is unique to Vista and is one of the coolest activities we have seen on a cruise ship. Here's a CruiseReport.com tip: make sure you start on the inside track when riding the SkyRide.

Accommodations

We were able to access our Balcony Stateroom (9441) at 1:30, once the fire doors were opened. The stateroom is a pretty standard Carnival-issue balcony cabin. The 185 sq. ft. stateroom is very well designed with a decent-sized closet, small desk, large sofa w/coffee table, a king-sized bed (which can be configured as two twins), two small nightstands and decent lighting.

Balcony Stateroom | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

The three-door closet reveals one area for hanging long clothing items while the middle section is divided by two hanging bars. We discovered that the lower bar can be removed in case you want to hang more long items. The captive hangers are a bit of an annoyance, but prevent guests from taking hangers home with them. One of the closets is outfitted with a couple of large shelves, an electronic safe and a three large dresser drawers.

hangars on carnival | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

There is a small mini-fridge located underneath the desk that can be used to store sodas, bottled water, wine or other food items. As is typical of cruise ship mini-fridges, it does not get very cold. Ours had some rack pieces just laying loose in the bottom of the fridge and I never could figure out where they went.

Mini Fridge | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

There are three small shelves on one side of the desk, good for storing camera gear, caps, vitamins, etc.

Desk and Safe | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

Carnival has thoughtfully included two US-Style 100v outlets on the desk as well as two USB charging ports. Now, if we could just get them to add USB ports to the nightstands! Hey, we will take what we can get. There is a small drawer under the desk that holds the hair dryer (already plugged in) and has enough space to hold charging cables and such.

Electrical and USB Outlets | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

By clearing off and relocating all of the promotional materials on the coffee table, we created another nice storage place for various items. A shelf under the coffee table is also good for storing bottled water or other items that need to be kept out of the way. The sofa itself is large enough to use for additional stowage of backpacks, beach bags, etc.

Bed and Sofa | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

The bathroom is compact, but efficient. Carnival is not going to win any awards for decor, but everything works well and the shower is actually larger than it looks. We would like to see the shower curtain replaced with a door, but now we are nit-picking. The three glass shelves affixed to the wall at each end of the vanity provide a lot space to store personal items.

bathroom | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

Only bar soap is provided at the sink and shampoo and shower gel are provided in dispensers inside the shower stall. There is no body lotion or hair conditioner provided, so plan to bring your own.

shampoo and soap | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

The balcony is also quite compact, but can seat two in relative comfort. A small table is able to hold your coffee, soda or champagne as you sit and enjoy the view. Carnival's new smoking policy prevents your neighbors from smoking on their balconies, making the balcony a much more enjoyable experience for those of us who cannot stand the smell of cigarette smoke.

The worst feature of the stateroom is the balcony door which can loudly slam shut with such force that it shakes the walls. We always seem to end up next to neighbors who can't decide if they want to be on their balcony or inside their stateroom. A neighbor's balcony door slamming shut every 4 or 5 minutes day and night can become very annoying. The door can be shut softly by holding the handle down and gently closing the door. But that requires thought, consideration and a concern for the well-being of your neighbors. The same is true of the stateroom door. And, don't think this is an issue unique to Carnival. It happens on a wide range of cruise lines, at all price points.

Balcony Door | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

The stateroom has some sound insulation. However, we could hear our neighbors cough and sneeze. Even mid-volume conversation will be heard through the walls. Being on Deck 9 aft, we were treated to the continual noise of chairs and equipment being dragged across the pool deck above. The consistent noise from above had us reaching for our our Bose noise-cancelling headphones every night in order to get any sleep. Another tip: If you are a light sleeper, don't book a stateroom on Deck 9 (or any deck right below the pool deck).

Other than the location of our particular stateroom and the associated noise, the design and layout of the cabin is near-perfect for a basic balcony stateroom. There is plenty of room for everything you need, tons of storage underneath the beds for luggage, ample light, a nice desk. The large, flat-screen television is mounted to the wall directly across from the bed. Programming is good and includes CNN, CNN International, BBC, TBS, TCM, ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox and several Carnival closed-circuit channels. There is no Fox News.

Food and Dining

This is one area where Carnival punches above its weight class. You might not expect a value cruise line to offer such exceptional dining, but you would be wrong. We found the quality of food served on Carnival to be equal to, or better than, just about any cruise line. The Horizon Restaurant(Deck 4 & 5 aft) and Reflections Restaurant (Deck 3 forward) offer the traditional cruise ship dining experience with a choice of seating times. Early Seating is offered at 6:00pm, Late Seating at 8:15pm or Your Time Dining from 5:30pm until 9:30pm. We chose the Your Time Dining which now requires check-in on Deck 5, amidship.

This check-in process is actually a good idea. If the table you desire is available when you arrive, you are assigned the table, given a slip of paper to show the host/ess at the assigned restaurant and off you go. If the restaurant is slammed when you arrive at the check-in desk, you are given one of those flashing light, buzzing electronic devices to let you know when your table is ready. This prevents long lines of Your Time Dining patrons from standing around outside the restaurants during peak periods. Good idea.

When we dined at Horizon Restaurant, we arrived at the check-in desk at 5:30pm and had no problem procuring a nice table for two. The menu was fairly typical for a cruise ship main dining venue.

The menu, which changes each evening, is divided into three main sections: Appetizers, Mains and Desserts. Soups, salads and appetizers now appear under the Appetizers heading. However, you are more than welcome to order more than one item from the Appetizers section, which we did. There are also some grill items that are "always available" just in case none of the daily offerings excite you. There is also a new Steakhouse Selections sub-menu from which you can order "premium" cuts of steak for a $20 surcharge, or a Seafood Tower for $60 (for 2).

Premium Dinner Selections | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

We found the food served in Horizons to be good, but not great. Nothing really stood out, but the food was served hot and everything was relatively tasty. It was pretty standard cruise line fare. The service in the dining room was crisp and efficient, although we struggled to understand our waiter's English. One change we noticed since our last Carnival cruise in 2014 is the lack of tablecloths used in the dining rooms. In fact, we did not see tablecloths in any restaurant on board. While this does give the restaurants a much less formal feel, I am confident this move was intended to save on water and for other environmental reasons.

The most popular dining venue on any Carnival ship is the Lido Marketplace buffet (Deck 10 aft). Rickee and I are not huge fans of buffets, but Carnival's Lido Marketplace appears to be better than most. It can get really crowded here during peak dining times, but we visited one afternoon at lunchtime while most guests were in port. We tried the Deli which offers a selection of delicious sandwiches and panini. My Cubano sandwich was very good and Rickee enjoyed a fully-loaded hot dog.

Of course, the buffet is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. At breakfast, the omelette stations get very busy, so the earlier you can get in line, the better. Lunch and dinner items change each day, and everything we saw looked fresh and nicely presented. There are plenty of beverage stations with coffee, tea, water, fruit juices (mornings), lemonade and fruit punch (afternoon and evenings).

lido marketplace buffet | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

Ice cream lovers will find soft-serve machines in Lido Marketplace, close to the pool area entrance. There are machines on the port and starboard sides. In addition, there is also a station where fresh ice cream is being made and scooped into bowls. We found this ice cream to be very good. There are toppings available so you can make your own sundae.

carnival vista ice cream | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

Our favorite lunch spot on Vista (as it was on Breeze) is Guy's Burger Joint, located on Deck 10 amidship, starboard (by the pool). Carnival's partnership with Food Network star, Guy Fieri, has resulted in the best hamburger you will find on any cruise line, period. On sea days, the lines can get really long here, so get in line early. The burger is well worth the wait. And, the fries are fresh, well-seasoned and delicious. The 80/20 beef/pork-mixture burgers are cooked fresh on a super-hot griddle. The melted cheese atop the crusty beef patty is sublime. The buns are fresh, soft and a lightly toasted. It is burger nirvana. A Toppings Bar offers a wide variety of items (onions, peppers, mushrooms, sauces, etc.) to tailor the burger to your specific tastes.

Guy's Burger Joint | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

Directly across from Guy's Burger Joint is Blue Iguana Cantina (Deck 10, port side). If you are in the mood for a huge, made-to-order burrito or soft taco, this is your place. Blue Iguana can get very busy, too, during peak periods. At breakfast, they offer a nice choice of made-to-order breakfast burritos.

While we are on Deck 10, let's not forget two other popular venues: Pizzeria del Capitano and the Seafood Shack. Pizzeria del Capitano is located on Deck 10 aft, port side, by the Tides Pool. Carnival's pizza is legendary and we found the pizza served here to be quite good.

Pizzeria | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

The pies are all handmade and the pizzeria is one of the few places open 24/7. So, if you get the munchies at 3am, head to Deck 10 aft and a pie will be made for you. Pepperoni is the most popular, but there are several choices available. If you are not in a hurry, wait for a fresh pie right out of the oven. These pies have a short shelf-life and the longer they sit, the more flavor they lose. But, when they are fresh, they are very good!

On the opposite side of Deck 10 aft is Seafood Shack. Here, you can get a variety of fresh seafood items. Unfortunately, we did not have an opportunity to try Seafood Shack, but the menu looked very tempting, and quite a good value. This is the only dining venue on Deck 10 where there is an additional charge for the food.

Seafood Shack | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

If you are in the mood for barbeque, you will want to check out Pig and Anchor BBQ on Deck 5 starboard midship. This is another Guy Fieri project and the lines here can also get very long. This venue is only open for lunch. We tried every item on the menu and found the pulled pork to be our favorite meat. The potato salad and beans are quite good and the Bourbon Brown Sugar BBQ sauce is a real winner.

Pig and Anchor BBQ | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

Unfortunately, everything we tried was served at room temperature. None of the meat items were hot, nor were the beans. But, the flavor was certainly there.

Bonsai Sushi on Deck 5 amidship is another one of our favorite dining spots on Vista. The menu is very limited, which may be one reason the quality is so high. The Spicy Tuna Roll ($7) is as good as I have had anywhere, and an excellent value. The Edamame ($2) is great for sharing. Ordering is as simple as filling out the menu on the table and handing it to your waitress.

Bonsai Sushi | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

There is also shaded outdoor seating at Bonsai Sushi (starboard) and you can get orders to go. Service is excellent.

There are three restaurants on Vista that require reservations, and have a cover charge. Cucina del Capitano ($15 per person) is an Italian restaurant (Deck 11 aft). JiJi Asian Kitchen ($15 per person) is an Asian-these restaurant located right across from Cucina del Capitano on Deck 11. Fahrenheit 555 steakhouse ($35 per person) is located on Deck 5 amidship. We had the opportunity to experience all three of these restaurants on our eight-night cruise. Each of these are featured in our new Cruise Ship Dining Reviews blog, so for more details, check our reviews below:

Fahrenheit 555 steakhouse click here
Cucina del Capitano Italian click here
JiJi Asian Kitchen click here

Bars and Lounges

We visited a few different bars and lounges during our eight-day cruise. Our first stop was Plaza Baron embarkation day, which is sort of the "go to" bar for anyone hanging out at Ocean Plaza on Deck 5. The two rum punch drinks were both tasty at $8.95 per drink, plus 15% gratuity.

Plaza Baron | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

The Red Frog Pub is one of the most popular watering holes on Vista, and this one even has its own micro-brewery! I ordered a Crown Royal one evening and was a little surprised when it was delivered in an aperitif glass! A Crown Royal will set you back $7.25, for a modest pour.

Red Frog Pub | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

Although it is not widely advertised, you can make any drink a "double" for only $3 more. That is actually a much better value than having two drinks. After my Red Frog Pub experience, I began specifying that I wanted my Crown served in a rocks glass. The Lobby Bar complied with a generous double pour in a proper glass.

Rickee was ordering Lemon Drop martinis. She has struggled to get them made the way she likes them on other ships, but not so on Vista. The bartenders seemed to make them just the way she liked them.

Overall, we found the bar service to be very good. Drink prices are comparable to what you will find on other cruise lines. The double-shot is a good value. If you consume more than six alcoholic beverages per day, you should seriously consider Carnival's CHEERS! Drink Package. The package offers you up to 15 drinks per day for $49.99 per person (if you purchase in advance).

The only "bad" experience we had was at Havana Bar one evening. There were only two other guests in the entire bar and we sat at a table for more than five minutes. The bartender basically ignored us. He was engaged in a conversation with the other employees. We just got up and left. There are plenty of other bars on Vista where you don't have to wait.

Entertainment and Activities

Carnival Vista is a "Fun Ship", like all Carnival ships. There are so many things to do on Vista that you will have trouble doing all of them in only eight days. When the ship is "at sea" the list of activities is seemingly endless. For an interesting look at humanity, you won't want to miss the "Very Hairy Chest Contest" poolside. Decks 10, 11, 12 and 15 are filled with guests soaking up the sun in a variety of ways. The Beach Pool (Deck 10 midship) is the most popular venue for sun-lovers with its massive screen playing music videos throughout the day. There are plenty of shaded loungers on Decks 10 and 11, too, with a view of the pool.

Pool (Lido) Deck | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

Just a couple of decks up from the Beach Pool is Carnival WaterWorks featuring two exciting water slides. WaterWorks is popular with kids of all ages. We tried both Kaleid-o-Slide and The Twister slide. Both are fun, but The Twister is the more exciting and does not require the hauling of a big inner tube up a lot of stairs.

The Tides Pool is located on Deck 10 aft and has the advantage of proximity to Pizzeria del Capitano and Seafood Shack, just in case exposure to the sun gives you the munchies. There is also the Tides Bar nearby to keep guests "hydrated". Two large hot tubs and expansive views from the stern make this a popular spot.

tides pool carnival vista | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

Since we have been to all of the ports visited by Vista on this cruise, we decided to stay on board and enjoy Serenity, Vista's adult-only retreat on Deck 15 forward. Serenity is always a better option for a more peaceful adult getaway, but even more so on port days when everyone is off the ship. Here you will find large wicker "cocoons" with cushions and pillows, perfect for comfortably enjoying the sun. There are also plenty of sun loungers scattered around for direct contact with the sun.

cacoons at serenity on carnival vista | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

Serenity also has two hot tubs (one port and one starboard) with views of the ocean.

hot tubs at serenity | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

Serenity was one of our favorite daytime spots on Vista. Of course, there are all sorts of outdoor activities going on amidship. Long lines form early for SkyRide, Vista's very cool and very fun monorail bicycle ride. The SkyCourse is a ropes course where guests can test their balance and agility. And, SkyGreens is a miniature golf course where you can put your putting skills to the test.

For complete relaxation, the Cloud 9 Spa (Deck 12 forward) offers every imaginable spa treatment. And, a fully equipped Fitness Center offers circuit training machines, free weights and cardio gear. And, of course, the cruise staff conducts trivia, games and contests in Ocean Plaza (Deck 5 aft) throughout the day. Camp Carnival and Carnival Youth Program staff members keep the little ones entertained with a variety of activities, day and night.

When the sun goes down, the entertainment options on board include a variety of lounge entertainers in Ocean Plaza, Red Frog Pub, Piano Bar 88and the lobby.

*Carnival's lounge entertainers are the best we have found on any cruise line*

Our favorite spot was Piano Bar 88 (Deck 5 amidship), where Elizabeth kept everyone entertained with sing-a-long classic tunes. Return visits toPiano Bar 88 revealed a group of "regulars" who came here every night to enjoy the music. It had the feel of a neighborhood bar!

Carnival's production shows are also very popular. Even though we found the Liquid Lounge to be rather unimpressive compared to other large ship theaters, the stage, lighting and choreography were all first rate.

Production Show | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

Another very popular evening destination for us, and for many Vista guests, is the Limelight Lounge (Deck 4 aft), home to Punchliner Comedy Club. Each cruise, Vista features a variety of first-rate comedians and they have expanded the number of shows each day. Lines can get very long to get into these shows, so show up early!

Punchliner Comedy Club | Carnival Vista | CruiseReport

Staff, Crew and Service

When evaluating individual job performance of cruise ship staff, it is important to remember that when we visit a ship, we are only there for a brief time. Those working on the ship are there for four to six months, or more. They work long hours and have to deal with every sort of guest. Yet, in almost every case, crew members are smiling and always willing to assist.

We found everyone on Carnival Vista to be very pleasant and helpful. From a service standpoint, the only hiccup was with our stateroom attendant. He was pleasant enough, and willing to assist, but upon embarkation we found our stateroom to be in disarray. The mirror in the closet was very dirty, the balcony door had hand prints all over it, we did not have any beach/pool towels placed in the room, there was dried syrup (like from an exploded soft drink can) on the wall next to the desk and the telephone buttons were sticky, too, there was only one glass in the bathroom, and the drawer under the sofa where they store bedspreads was open. It is almost as if he got distracted, or called away, in the middle of cleaning the room. However, the mirror and glass never did get cleaned throughout the eight days we were on board. And, we only got the beach towels after requesting them. Really, nothing major, but not up to the standards we have come to expect from Carnival housekeeping.

We visited Guest Relations (Deck 3 forward) on a couple of occasions. Guest Relations has to be the hardest job on the ship, yet we found everyone working there to be pleasant and helpful.

We sailed with Matt, the Cruise Director, on Breeze in 2014. He is very affable and an excellent Cruise Director. One of his staff, Ryan, would host the comedy shows each evening and was very entertaining. He would also host some of the trivia. Ryan is someone to keep your eyes on; he could end up as a Cruise Director one day.

*Ryan doles out trivia questions in Ocean Plaza*

All of the restaurant staff that we encountered in all dining venues were top notch. Mirela, at Fahrenheit 555, was an excellent waitress. But, all of the wait staff were good throughout the ship.

Final Analysis

This was our seventh Carnival Cruise and, over the years, we have seen many improvements in the product. Carnival is successful for a reason. And, we think the reason is that they continue to deliver one of the best vacation values on Earth. There is nowhere else that you can get this much "fun" packed into a week's vacation for such a modest cost. The service is good, the food is much better than you would expect, the accommodations are comfortable, and the entertainment is off the charts. Sounds like a formula for success!

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 6/15/17 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 6/15/17

Rhine Getaway on Viking Alruna

Viking River Cruises continues to impress with the best hardware on the rivers of Europe and great service.

Itinerary: Basel, Breisach, Strasbourg, Heidelberg, Koblenz, Cologne, Kinderdijk, Amsterdam

The Assignment

This assignment took us on a seven-night cruise from Basel, Switzerland, to Amsterdam on Viking Longship Alruna, one of the newest longships in the Viking fleet. This was our second sailing aboard a Viking Longship, the first being aboard Viking Hlin in 2014 on the Danube River.

Viking Alruna

Pre-Cruise

We arrived in Basel the day before embarkation. For overseas cruises, we like to spend one or two days in a hotel before embarkation to overcome the jet lag and explore the city of embarkation, which often gets overlooked by the embarking guests. Also, in the event of an airline delay or flight cancellation, by going in a day or two early, we are less likely to miss a sailing. This is our third visit to Basel and we chose to spend one night at the Swissôtel Le Plaza. Basel may not be the most picturesque city in Switzerland, but it is definitely worth a two-night stay if you can arrange it.

Swissôtel Le Plaza | Viking River Cruises | Viking Alruna | CruiseReport

Swissôtel Le Plaza, Basel

A few days before we were scheduled to depart the USA, we received an email from Viking River Cruises informing us that, due to technical difficulties, Viking Alruna would not be able to embark guests in Basel. Instead, the boat would be in Breisach, Germany, (about 40 miles north of Basel) and Viking Cruises would provide a shuttle from Basel to Breisach on the morning of embarkation. The email also indicated that we had the option of joining a Basel walking tour on the morning before the transfer to Breisach. We decided to join the walking tour, which was quite informative and enjoyable. Viking Cruises did a very good job of dealing with a schedule change.

Basel Walking Tour

Embarkation

After the Basel walking tour, guests boarded the motorcoach for the 45-minute drive to Breisach, Germany, where Viking Alruna was ready and waiting for us. Upon arrival, we step aboard Viking Alruna on Deck 2 and are greeted by Hotel Manager, Evelyn Kolditz, who, after looking at our passports, checked us in and handed us our stateroom keys. But wait a minute, we were supposed to be in an odd-numbered cabin and now we are in an even-numbered cabin. What's up? As it turns out, we got upgraded to a Veranda Suite! I suspect that this is because the boat only had 93 guests on this sailing which is less than half full.

Registration Desk | Viking River Cruises | Viking Alruna | CruiseReport

Reception Desk on Viking Alruna

The entire check-in process took less than three minutes. Viking has the process down to a science and guests never have to wait in a long line to check-in. When we enter our stateroom, we find that our luggage has already been delivered since it had been transported by truck from the hotel.

Viking Alruna

Viking Alruna is the newest boat in the Viking Longship fleet, having made only four sailings prior to ours. Of course, everything is shiny and new. But, with the housekeeping and maintenance that Viking has in place, the boat will look brand new for years to come. All Viking Longships share the same basic design and layout. We were told by a crew member that you can tell the Longships apart by looking at the picture hanging at the top of the lobby staircase.

The Viking Lounge

The Viking Lounge is the most visited place on any Viking Longship. Located forward on Deck 3, the lounge is bright and light with soothing colors, leather seating surfaces and a decidedly contemporary Scandinavian decor. There is a large well-stocked bar at the back wall and a small dance floor in front of the bar. Off to one side of the dance floor is a piano where Stefan entertains guests each evening and during lunchtime.

Viking Lounge | Viking River Cruises | Viking Alruna | CruiseReport

The lounge is where guests congregate for daily briefings, evening entertainment, or just to relax, enjoy a cocktail and watch the riverscape go by. The floor-to-ceiling windows that line both sides of the lounge offer unprecedented views of the river. Furnishings, carpeting and all surfaces are of the highest quality and give the lounge a very rich feel. The Viking Lounge would be our pick as the best lounge of any river cruise boat on which we have sailed.

Aquavit Terrace

Viking Longships are immediately recognizable by the Aquavit Terrace located at the bow of the boat, just forward of the Viking Lounge. Aquavit Terrace is an indoor/outdoor alternate dining venue where guests can enjoy a casual lunch, dinner or continental breakfast.

Aquavit Terrace is very intelligently designed with collapsible glass wall panels that can be opened on sunny, bright days, and closed in the event of inclement weather. No other river cruise boat offers al fresco dining at the bow of the boat, at least none we are aware of.

Library/Internet Cafe

On Deck 3, just above the Reception Desk, there is a small, but very nicely stocked, library with a comfortable seating area. Opposite the library is the boat's "Internet Cafe" with two computers available for guest use. All guests have complimentary WiFi Internet access and complimentary use of the computers.

Library | Viking River Cruises | Viking Alruna | CruiseReport

Reception/Gift Shop

Located on Deck 2, the Reception area is where you embark and disembark the vessel. There is someone at the Reception Desk 24 hours a day to assist guests. Directly across from Reception is a "gift shop" which is actually a wall of shelves and racks filled with Viking logo items.

Gift Shop | Viking River Cruises | Viking Alruna | CruiseReport

Also located in the Reception/Lobby area is a Concierge Desk. Yes, all Viking Longships have a Concierge! The Concierge can assist guests with restaurant recommendations/reservations in the towns visited along the river, make transportation arrangements, and provide a host of other concierge-like tasks.

The Restaurant

Located forward on Deck 2, The Restaurant is Viking Alruna's main dining room. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served here.

The Restaurant is designed with large tables to seat 6, 8 or 10 guests. There is a buffet/serving station located in the center of The Restaurant which is used for breakfast and lunch buffet service. Like the rest of the boat, The Restaurant is decorated in light wood and beige tones and reflects the same Scandinavian style.

Coffee Bar

Another great feature of a Viking Longship is the coffee bar, or coffee bars, as there are actually two of them. The coffee bars are located at the top of the staircase on Deck 3, just above Reception and at the entrance to the Viking Lounge. Each coffee station has an automated coffee/espresso machine where guests can get hot tea, a cup of coffee or hot chocolate 24 hours a day. In the morning, a selection of pastries is available. In the afternoons, delicious cookies are there for the taking. Go ahead, grab a few, nobody is counting!

Sun Deck

Every European river cruise boat has a "Sun Deck." But, only Viking Longships have a living herb garden on their Sun Decks! And yes, the chef uses the herbs grown here in some of the dishes he prepares.

Of course, the Sun Deck is much more than herbs. This is the place to be on a beautiful day as Viking Alruna sails up or down the Rhine River. The expansive deck is covered with plush Astroturf and there are dozens of lounge chairs for relaxing in the sun or under one of the many canopies.

Herb Garden | Viking River Cruises | Viking Alruna | CruiseReport

Herb Gardem

At the aft end of the Sun Deck you will find the aforementioned herb garden flanked by a shuffleboard court and golf putting greens.

Accommodations

Our Veranda Suite (304) was the forwardmost cabin on Deck 3. Our unexpected upgrade gave us an opportunity to compare the Veranda Suite to Viking's Category A/B Veranda Stateroom, which we occupied on Viking Hlin in 2014. Even the smallest Viking staterooms are comfortable and well designed. As you might expect, the Veranda Suite is quite a bit larger. At 275 sq. ft., the Veranda Suite (Cat AA) is quite an upgrade from the 205 sq. ft. of the Veranda Stateroom (Cat A or B).

Veranda Suite Living Room | Viking River Cruises | Viking Alruna | CruiseReport

Veranda Suite Living Room (notice the 'cubbies')

The Veranda Suite is one of the most intelligently designed "suites" we have occupied on any cruise vessel. Alruna's (and all Longships for that matter) designers have squeezed the most use out of 275 sq. ft. The separate living room can be closed off from the bedroom allowing an early riser like me to watch TV or work on my computer without disturbing a late riser like Rickee. There is a small desk in the living room, but it is plenty large enough for a laptop workstation. My favorite feature? Cubbies are everywhere surrounding the desk. These little cubbies can be used to store cameras, sunglasses, caps, binoculars, cell phones, etc. They are extremely handy and were quickly filled with all of our travel gadgets.

Every stateroom is equipped with two QuietVox personal communication devices (in a recharging station) for guest use on excursions. Fresh fruit is replenished daily as is bottled water. Instead of using plastic bottles of water, Viking has employed the use of glass bottles which they refill with fresh water each day. We found the decanted water to taste very good.

Bottled water | Viking River Cruises | Viking Alruna | CruiseReport

Bottled water is replenished daily

The attention to detail in the Veranda Suite (and really, throughout the entire boat) is as good as we have seen in 15 years of cruising. A small shelf under the flat screen televisions (one in the bedroom and one in the living room) has two USB outlets above it and is just wide enough to place a cell phone or pocket camera to recharge them. Someone really put some thought into that.

USB Ports | Viking River Cruises | Viking Alruna | CruiseReport

Small shelf under television and USB charging ports

The Veranda Suite utilizes a very unique lighting system. There are light switches/buttons located throughout the suite which have a series of pre-set lighting configurations. Selecting a bright daytime, dim daytime, bright evening, dim evening allows you to set the mood in the bedroom and/or living room with a single touch. Of course, you can fine tune the lighting using up and down arrow buttons.

Unique lighting controls

There is a sofa, chair and coffee table in the living room. One end of the sofa is an ottoman which performs double duty as a desk chair. The other end of the sofa is where you will find a small table with a pull out cube tucked beneath it that can be used for additional seating. A small mini-fridge is located behind a door in the bottom part of a cabinet where you can store soft drinks, beer or wine. And, there are two more drawers below the cabinet surface to use for storage. There is NO wasted space in this suite. A full-length mirror next to the entry door is a nice touch as are the hooks placed on the door to hang coats and hats.

Bar in Veranda Suite

Moving to the bedroom, the king-sized bed (which can also be configured as two twin beds) is dressed with quality linens. There is a lot of room under the bed to stow your luggage once you have unpacked. However, we did not find the mattress to be as comfortable as we remembered from our Hlin sailing. The closet has more than enough storage space for two weeks of river cruising. It would be nice if they added some hangers with clips for hanging pants. One of the four drawers in the closet has an electronic safe to store valuables. All closet doors and drawers throughout the suite have soft-closing dampers to prevent the annoyance of slamming doors and drawers.

King-size bed

There are two bedside tables, one with a small drawer and cubby underneath and the other with two nice-sized drawers and a pull out shelf. There was also a plug located above each nightstand which came in handy for charging a cell phone or iPad. The flat-screen HD television is mounted on the wall across from the bed and has decent programming choices including BBC World News, CNN International, Sky Sports, CNBC Europe, TNT, Nat Geo and Sport 1, etc. On our sailing, the bridge cam and lounge cam were not functioning, even though we could get the audio from the lounge cam channel.

TV Programming | Viking River Cruises | Viking Alruna | CruiseReport

TV Programming menu

The bathroom is very nicely laid out with a larger than expected shower stall with beautiful ceramic tile walls. The large vanity has lots of storage including a small medicine cabinet on one wall that was large enough to hold all of Rickee's creams, lotions and potions. There were additional shelves on the left side of the mirror and also below the vanity. The plush towels are very high quality. The L'Occitane bathroom amenities that we loved on Viking Hlin in 2014 have been replaced with Viking's own brand, Freyja, named for the Torsten Hagen's grandmother. We found the Freyja products to be high quality. Bathrobes and slippers are available upon request. A nice addition that would make this a perfect bathroom would be a magnifying makeup/shaving mirror.

Freyja amenities | Viking River Cruises | Viking Alruna | CruiseReport

Freyja bathroom amenities

As you would expect, the Veranda Suite also has a full balcony with two chairs and small table accessible via a sliding glass door in the living room. In the bedroom, there is another sliding glass door opening to a "French-style" balcony.

Balconies | Viking River Cruises | Viking Alruna | CruiseReport

Full balcony and French balcony (left) in Veranda Suite

Now that we have had the unexpected pleasure of occupying the Veranda Suite, we are spoiled for anything else! If you are trying to decide which category of stateroom to book, treat yourself and go for the Veranda Suite.

Food and Dining

We have noticed a continual improvement in the quality of food on Viking River Cruises over the years we have been covering them. With each and every sailing, we notice something new and improved. Guests can enjoy a casual continental breakfast in Aquavit Terrace each morning starting at 6:00am. The term "casual" may be misleading, as all dining on a Viking River cruise is casual. A full breakfast buffet is offered each morning in The Restaurant from 7:00am until 9:30am (times may vary depending on the day's activities). There is an omelette station where a chef will create your favorite omelette with a variety of fresh ingredients. You can also order pancakes, waffles or egg dishes (including Eggs Benedict) a la carte from a menu. On the buffet, you will find a variety of fruits, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, beans, breads, cereals. You can also enjoy a Mimosa made with orange juice and Viking's sparkling wine.

Continental Breakfast | Viking River Cruises | Viking Alruna | CruiseReport

Continental Breakfast Buffet in Aquavit Terrace

At lunchtime (typically served at noon), The Restaurant once again offers a salad, soup and sandwich buffet. A choice of a la minute entrees is available from your waiter. You may also choose to dine in Aquavit Terrace where a smaller buffet is available with soup, salads, sandwiches and hot entrees. This quickly became our favorite place to enjoy lunch as there are a few two-top tables here and if the glass doors are open, you can enjoy the fresh air.

Table for 2 | Viking River Cruises | Viking Alruna | CruiseReport

Table for two in Aquavit Terrace

For dinner, The Restaurant typically begins seating guests at 7pm and it is recommended that you show up at that designated time. There are no assigned tables or seating so you dine with whomever you choose. In the evenings, a full menu service is offered with a variety of dishes that change daily. There are a few 'always available' items like the rib eye steak, chicken breast and pasta dish. The rib eye has replaced the NY Strip that was on the menu during our Viking Hlin cruise in 2014. Personally, I preferred the NY Strip served with the three dipping sauces. But, the rib eye is still a good choice, topped with a chimichurri sauce.

Delicious desserts | Viking River Cruises | Viking Alruna | CruiseReport

Delicious dessert creations served in The Restaurant

At the Captain's Welcome Dinner, guests were invited to select a table and dine with a member of the Senior Staff seated there. I don't recall this from previous Viking sailings, but it is a very nice touch. We enjoyed a fun and delicious meal with our Program Director, Dewi (pronounced Day-Wee), who is from the Netherlands.

Captains Welcome Dinner | Viking River Cruises | Viking Alruna | CruiseReport

Captain's Welcome Dinner with our hostess, Program Director, Dewi

A casual dinner is offered in Aquavit Terrace from 7:00pm each evening which features a starter plate of Norwegian specialties, said to be some of Viking CEO Torsten Hagen's favorites. A carmelized, brown cheese named Gudbrandsdalen (say that three times real fast!) that is slightly sweet and delicious was our favorite. A salmon dip, crab dip and marinated shrimps were also very good. There is a soup and entree served each evening in Aquavit that changes daily. One evening we had BBQ brisket sliders and pork spareribs...delicious! Judy and Michael were always on hand in the evening to prepare a memorable meal.

Norwegian specialties | Viking River Cruises | Viking Alruna | CruiseReport

Norwegian specialty starters served in Aquavit Terrace

The service in Aquavit and The Restaurant was very good. Guests can enjoy complimentary wines and soft drinks at lunch or dinner. A house red and white wine are offered throughout the cruise, but other 'premium' wines are available at an additional cost. A Silver Spirits drink package can be purchased that features unlimited wine, cocktails and soft drinks throughout the cruise.

Bar Service

Bar service is available throughout the day and evening in the Viking Lounge and Aquavit Terrace. Drink prices are competitive with other cruise lines. A 3.5 oz. glass of the Viking-label sparkling wine is 3.50€ (about $4.00 US) and is a good value. In fact, Viking's house sparkling wine has always been one of Rickee's favorites. The fully-stocked bar was able to make any cocktail you desire. Unfortunately, my personal favorite, Crown Royal, was not available on the bar menu.

Excursions

River cruising is all about the destination and the daily excursions to explore the cities, towns and attractions along the river. Every Viking River cruise includes at least one complimentary excursion in each town you visit. Early each evening, there is a daily briefing held in the Viking Lounge to inform guests of the following day's schedule. Dewi, our Program Director, would explain the excursion options and meeting times. Typically, we were off the boat by 8:30am each morning, but there were a couple of days when we got to sleep longer due to a later excursion departure time.

Cruise Director | Viking River Cruises | Viking Alruna | CruiseReport

Dewi conducts a daily briefing each evening

Viking River Cruises has a very efficient system for dividing guests into smaller tour groups. Before departing the boat, guests are asked to retrieve their excursion group cards and "port pass" from the Reception Desk. The excursion group card has a number identifying which tour group you are a part of that day. The port pass lets Reception keep track of who is on or off the boat. After exiting the boat, all you have to do is look for the Viking motorcoach with your group number in the window. What could be easier?

Tour Group Number | Viking River Cruises | Viking Alruna | CruiseReport

Tour group number matches motorcoach

On walking tours that depart directly from where the boat is docked, you simply look for the local guide holding a lollipop sign with your group number and join that group. Upon your return to the boat, you turn in your group card and port pass to let them know you are back on board.

Lollipops | Viking River Cruises | Viking Alruna | CruiseReport

Lollipop signs keep you with the correct local guide

It is not uncommon for several tour groups from different river cruise boats, or even land tours, to be at the same location. Fortunately, Viking River Cruises pioneered the use of the QuietVox communication devices, which are provided to each guest. With the QuietVox, you will only hear your local guide's commentary. You can also wander away a bit to take a photo or examine something a bit closer and still be able to hear what the guide is saying.

QuietVox | Viking River Cruises | Viking Alruna | CruiseReport | Rickee Richardson

Rickee shows her QuietVox

We were very impressed with the quality of the local guides Viking River Cruises utilized during this cruise. Every guide was very knowledgeable, fluent in English and kept the groups organized and separated from other tour groups. We have previously experienced excursions in several of the cities we visited on this cruise and we felt that Viking Alruna provided as good or better an experience on every excursion as compared to any we had taken before.

Guests have complimentary use of umbrellas, which are conveniently stashed in a bin as you exit the boat. Complimentary bottled water is also available for the taking as you depart for your tour.

Complimentary bottled water

While some walking tours begin and end at the boat dock, many will require a motorcoach transfer. Viking River Cruises has a fleet of modern, new and spotlessly clean motorcoaches to shuttle guests to and from their tours. In certain towns where Viking Alruna was scheduled to stay for a longer period, shuttle buses were provided so guests could remain in town longer and return to the ship later.

Viking motor coach

OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS - On this sailing, we booked several of Viking River Cruises' optional excursions which incurred an additional cost. These excursions can be pre-booked and paid for through the MyVikingJourney.com website. Our optional excursions included:

Medieval City of Colmar ($49) - This optional tour departed from Breisach, Germany. After a 45-minute drive to Colmar, our local guide conducted a walking tour of the Old City. The guide had a great sense of humor and knew his Colmar history. We had enough free time at the end of the tour to do some souvenir shopping and exploring on our own. Colmar is a charming place well worth visiting, especially if it is not a Sunday and more shops are open. We would rate the value of this tour as a 5 out of 5.

Alsatian Wine Tasting ($79) - This tour departed from Kehl, Germany, and occurred in the afternoon (after lunch), after our included morning tour of Strasbourg. The tour started with a motorcoach drive through the Alsatian wine country to the small town of Obernai. A brief guided walking tour of Obernai concluded with some free time to do souvenir shopping. Afterwards, the motorcoach took us to the Zeyssolff winery where we were given a brief tour of the winery and had the opportunity to taste six different Alsatian wines. We even got to keep the small shot glass used for the tasting. As wine tastings go, this one was fairly typical. At the conclusion of the tour, guests were given the opportunity to purchase wine while some guests went across the street to visit a gingerbread shop. We would rate the value of this tour as a 4 out of 5.

German dinner in Rüdesheim ($99) - On this optional excursion, we departed Viking Alruna early in the evening for a short mini-train ride into the charming little town of Rüdesheim, one of the most visited cities on the Rhine River. We arrived at a local German restaurant, Rüdesheimer Schloss, and were seated at a large table set for 10 people. The restaurant had a lively, albeit a bit touristy, atmosphere. There was a band playing German music, and the place got rather raucous and noisy. The multi-course German meal was a set menu, so we did not have a choice of courses, but the food was good. Beer and wine flowed freely, but soft drinks were also available for the asking. Guests were encouraged to participate in some fun group activities, including a conga line marching through the restaurant to German music. I think everyone had a good time and we would rate the value of this excursion as a 5 out of 5.

Tour of Augustusberg Palace in Brühl ($59) - This afternoon tour begins with a 40-minute motorcoach drive from Cologne, Germany, to the town of Brühl where Falkenlust was our first stop, the favorite hunting lodge of elector and Archbishop of Cologne, Clemens Augustus. Afterwards, we toured Augustusberg Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Both tours were excellent and we found the palace to be well worth a visit. The value of this optional excursion is rated a 5 out of 5.

Entertainment

You won't find flashy production shows on a river cruise. The entertainment, for the most part, is provided by entertainers from the area you are visiting and provides an insight into the local culture and traditions. On our Rhine River cruise, we experienced a variety of local groups including four performers from the Alsace region who took us on a musical journey from the Rhine to the Seine with German and French songs. In Mannheim, a traditional German glassblower came on board to create an exquisite work of art during a demonstration of his craft. During our Taste of Germany dinner, we were entertained by two local musicians who played rousing German melodies while we dined. In Cologne, two extremely talented local musicians treated us to a classical concert. When we were not being entertained by local groups, the onboard pianist, Stefan, played for our listening (and dancing) pleasure. Or, you could always watch an on-demand movie on your stateroom television.

The cultural immersion included lectures on pertinent topics such as Dutch Water Management and an introduction to the Dutch Masters and their art by Program Director, Dewi Klop, who also introduced us to Dutch cheeses and gin with samples of each for us to taste. A guest lecturer, Birte Meinschien, talked to us about France and Germany and their place in Europe today. Executive Chef Mark Anthony Saldua demonstrated how to prepare various local specialties such as Flammkuchen, a German version of pizza, and the famous Rudesheim Coffee, with samples for all, of course.

The next day's activities were listed in the Viking Daily, which is delivered to your stateroom each evening. In addition to meal times and starting times for each event, the Viking Daily is packed with interesting and helpful information about the place we would next visit including the area's history, geography, things to see and do, special products the area is known for, and local customs and traditions. The Viking Daily gave you a peek into what you could look forward to the next day. The expected temperature and weather conditions were also included along with the ship's phone numbers, the Program Director's phone number and the ship's docking location should you somehow get lost.

Staff and Crew

Viking River Cruises has a knack for hiring good people. This is not an easy task when you launch as many new boats per year as they do. How they get good people and get them all effectively trained remains a mystery. Nevertheless, every single member of the crew and Senior Staff we encountered was friendly and knowledgeable. From Ozzy, our room steward, to Dana at the bar who always called us by name, to Evelyn and Dewi (Hotel Manager and Program Director), everyone was wonderful.

Dewi and Evelyn | Viking River Cruises | Viking Alruna | CruiseReport

Dewi, Program Director and Evelyn, Hotel Manager, at Explorer's Society Cocktail Reception

Disembarkation

Viking has a very efficient mechanism in place for a smooth, painless disembarkation. Guests are organized into groups based on their flight departure times. Those with early flights disembark first, those who are staying for a post-cruise hotel disembark last. We did not observe any crowding or hassle at all. In our case, we required a taxi to transfer to another river cruise a couple of miles away. The Concierge, Zoltan, made a phone call to the other boat to see where they were docked and arranged for a taxi to pick us up. Great service!

What’s Included?

Included in your cruise fare:

Cruise accommodations (stateroom or suite)
All meals on board vessel (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
Bottled water and fresh fruit in stateroom (replenished daily)
Excursions in each town visited (motorcoach or walking tour)
Use of QuietVox communication devices
Wine with lunch and dinner (choice of house red or house white)
Soft drinks or beer with lunch and dinner
Use of umbrellas
Bottled (plastic) water available on excursions
Entertainment in lounge each evening
Airport transfers (if air is booked through Viking River Cruises)

Not included:

Wine, beer, cocktails or soft drinks served in lounge
Premium wines
Optional excursions
Meals off the boat
Gratuities
Airfare (unless booked as part of your Viking River Cruises package)
Airport transfers (unless you book your air through Viking River Cruises)
Incidentals

The Experience

On a Viking River Cruise, you can expect a casual, relaxed atmosphere. There's no need to pack a suit, or even a sport coat, unless you just want to. Slacks and a shirt with a collar are recommended after 6pm, but shorts and t-shirts are acceptable during the daytime. The clientele leans toward a more mature crowd, but that is changing. Every year we are seeing more and more 30 to 40-year-olds in the mix. You won't see many families with small children. In reality, there is nothing for kids to do on a river cruise. We have also noticed that most people who love river cruising have little or no interest in big, oceangoing cruise ships with a thousand or more people.

Summary

You would think that with the rapid expansion of Viking River Cruises over the past few years, the quality of the product would suffer. This company defies logic because somehow, the bigger it gets, the better it gets. How is that possible? We still consider the Viking Longships to be the best hardware sailing in Europe. Even though the boats can carry up to 190 guests, they feel incredibly spacious and comfortable. The quality of workmanship both inside and outside the vessel is impressive.

Viking Hlin and Viking Alruna | Viking River Cruises | Viking Alruna | CruiseReport

Viking Hlin and Viking Alruna docked together in Breisach

Equally impressive is the polished service Viking guests enjoy delivered by a well-trained, friendly staff. Viking River Cruises continues to exceed our expectations each time we sail with them. We will continue to recommend Viking River Cruises to our friends and followers who are looking for a high-value European river cruise.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Best boats sailing in Europe. Spacious, modern, comfortable
Veranda Suite is awesome, roomy and super comfortable
Excellent local tours and guides
Concierge available to make local reservations or arrangements
Optional tours are a good value
Food and dining continue to improve
Bar service and reasonable drink pricing
Aquavit Terrace alternate dining
Most comfortable lounge of any river boat (on which we have sailed)
Motorcoaches - new, clean and very comfortable
Excellent, polished service throughout the boat

Cons

Internet/WiFi needs improvement (true of all river cruises)
Mattress was not as comfortable as we remember
Bathroom could benefit from addition of magnifying makeup mirror

Video

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 5/6/17 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 5/6/17

Silver Muse - A New Standard of Luxury from Silversea

Silversea’s new flagship sets a whole new standard for luxury cruise travel.

Cruise Blog

Itinerary: Valletta, Taormina, Amalfi, Sorrento, Civitavecchia, Livorno, Villefranche, Villefranche

Silver Muse in Italy | Silver Muse | CruiseReport

I remember the last time we sailed on a brand new Silversea flagship, Silver Spirit. At that time, Rickee and I agreed that there was little Silversea could do to improve upon that ship. And, while Silver Spirit is still one of our favorite Silversea ships, Silver Muse reflects a whole new direction for Silversea, one that the entire luxury segment may soon try to copy.

Embarkation

We boarded Silver Muse in Valletta, Malta, for the second half of a 14-night Inaugural sailing from Monte Carlo to Villefranche. The sailing was sold out, so the person occupying our suite (848) disembarked in Valletta the morning before we embarked. In fact, there were only five of us who embarked in Valletta, which made for an interesting embarkation process. When we arrived shoreside at 2:00pm, we were the only ones embarking. We walked up the gangway, showed the security officer our paperwork and, after a call to Reception, he directed us to Deck 5 where we could check in.

As soon as we stepped off the elevator on Deck 5, Marcus (one of the Reception staff) was there to greet us and escort us to the Reception Desk which is located at the back of the Dolce Vita lounge. In true Silversea fashion, Marcus quickly produced cool towels and glasses of chilled champagne for a proper Silversea welcome aboard. Check-in only took a few minutes and, after our photos were taken, we were given our suite keys and escorted to our Deluxe Veranda Suite on Deck 8.

*Luggage was waiting for us when we arrived*

We were pleasantly surprised to find our luggage had already been delivered to our suite and placed on two luggage racks (much nicer than throwing them on the bed). A butler soon arrived to greet us and inform us that our butler, Haley, was currently off duty but that he could take care of anything we needed until she was back on duty. As is customary on Silversea, a bottle of chilled prosecco was chilled and waiting for us on our coffee table.

This is one of the easiest embarkations we have ever experienced.

The Ship

By the numbers, Silver Muse has a grt of 40,700 and can accommodate 596 guests. She is the largest ship in the Silversea fleet, edging out Silver Spirit's guest capacity by a mere 56. But, Silver Muse represents more revolution than evolution compared to other Silversea vessels. This manifests itself primarily in the area of dining. Silver Muse has eight dining venues compared to five for Silver Spirit. Because the ship is an all-suite, all-veranda design, there is only one main corridor through each deck. This allows for larger suites and wider hallways.

*Single corridor design means expansive hallways and elevator lobbies*

The ship is very easy to find your way around. This is, in part, because of its smaller size, but also because of its design. There are four elevators aft and two forward on every deck with the exception of Deck 11 which only has forward elevators. There are stairs near the elevator lobbies for those who prefer to walk off some of the additional weight they will no doubt be gaining in Silver Muse's restaurants.

Central staircase | Silver Muse | CruiseReport

Public areas are where you expect them to be on a Silversea ship. Reception and Shore Excursion desks are on Deck 5 at the rear of the Dolce Vita lounge. The Venetian Lounge is located on Deck 5 aft and is the ship's main theater for lectures and production shows.

Deck 4 is dedicated to four restaurants, which will be covered in more detail under Food and Dining.

Nearly a third of Deck 6 is taken up by the massive Zagara Spa and Fitness Center. The spa offers every imaginable massage treatment, facials, a nail and hair salon and even teeth-whitening! The well-equipped fitness center has top-of-the-line TechnoGym cardio and circuit-training equipment.

On Deck 7 aft you will find La Terrazza, the ship's breakfast and lunch buffet restaurant and evening Italian restaurant. Silver Note, a jazz supper club, is just forward of La Terrazza as is a very small Casino. The ship's boutiques are located on Deck 8 aft as is the Arts Cafe and Connoisseur's Corner (smoking lounge).

*The Arts Café offers a relaxed spot for tea, a snack, or a cocktail*

There is a handy (and elegant) spiral staircase at the back of Deck 8 that ends in Panorama Lounge on Deck 9 aft.

The Panorama Lounge is quite large and has both indoor and outdoor seating. Deck 10 is where you will find the ship's pool, lots of open deck space for lounging in the sun and the Pool Bar and Pool Grill. The pool itself is surprisingly large and will be loved by those who like to swim a few laps each day.

There is additional lounging available on Deck 11 overlooking the Pool Deck and this is also the location of the walking/jogging track.

Deck 11 is also home to Spaccanapoli, the ship's pizza restaurant which overlooks the swimming pool. Moving inside and forward, Thor's Observation Lounge becomes the highest point on Silver Muse where you can enjoy a cocktail, relax, and look out over the ocean ahead.

From top to bottom, Silver Muse is the most beautiful Silversea ship to date. As with all Silversea vessels, "understated elegance" can best describe the approach to decor. The whole ship has a quality feel that is hard to describe, but easy to get used to.

The ship is equipped with WiFi Internet service (for an additional fee). There are different service plans available for a "standard" Internet/WiFi. We opted for the Premium Internet Package which offers unlimited WiFi, presumably at a higher speed. The speed of the Premium package was reasonable, but it had an annoying characteristic of interrupting our service periodically, forcing us to have to log in again. This would frequently happen right in the middle of a work session. So, it is not as though it was timing out from lack of use. We overheard other guests complaining about the same experience with their Internet service. Another annoyance was the inability to connect more than one personal device simultaneously to the ship's WiFi. If I wanted to use my phone's WiFi, my laptop would automatically be disconnected from the service.

Accommodations

Every stateroom on Silver Muse is a "suite", each with its own private veranda and butler service. Our Deluxe Veranda Suite (848) was situated amidship on Deck 8 and was very conveniently located. At 387 sq. ft., it is among the smallest suites offered on this ship but is certainly not small.

As with all Silversea ships, the suite decor is muted with neutral tones and hints of blue. Once again, the feeling is one of understated elegance. The long desk/vanity in the living room has a very elegant marble surface instead of wood. No doubt it will hold up better over time. Above the desk is a large see-through mirror wall behind which you will find a flat screen television hiding.

*Flat screen television behind mirror in living room*

Television programming is quite extensive with multiple international news channels and a closed-circuit, on-demand movie selection (complimentary). You can also pull up your account balance and charges through the television as well as restaurant menus and daily activity schedule. What you can't see are any future reservations you have made for restaurants or shore excursions. One of the first things we attempted to do when we got on board was use the interactive system on the television to confirm the restaurant reservations we had made online through the MySilversea website, but could not.

The desk is quite elegant and a great workspace. There are multiple electrical outlets and two USB charging ports (thank you). There are also two US-style 110 electrical outlets and at least two Euro-style 220 outlets (which will work with most phone/camera chargers).

A very nice iHome™ alarm clock is also placed on the desk and can easily be seen from the bed. The alarm clock is outfitted with a wireless charging surface for any cell phone that can be charged wirelessly. Very cool!

*Your cell phone can charge wirelessly on top of alarm clock*

A mini-bar/fridge is located under the desk and is stocked with whatever beverages you request from your butler, all complimentary. A large oval stool provides a comfortable seat for working at the desk. Opposite the desk is a nice coffee table, small sofa and large leather chair. The coffee table can be converted into a large dining table with the addition of a folding tabletop stored in the closet. Your butler will set this up for you so you can have an elegant meal, complete with linen tablecloth, right in your suite. All furnishings were very comfortable.

The large walk-in closet is big enough for a 100+ day world cruise. There's a lot of hanging space and another large dresser with plenty of drawer space. An electronic safe sits behind a door. All cabinet drawers and doors in the closet, and throughout the suite, are dampened for soft, noise-free closing.

The bathroom is a nice-size and clad in beautiful marble. There is a full-sized bathtub and a separate shower stall. There are shelves on both sides of the mirror and a large open shelf underneath the single sink. Thankfully, Silversea has moved away from the stylish, but clumsy vessel sinks.

The shower is a fiberglass, prefab unit that is oddly-shaped to fit the space. It is larger than it looks and actually quite comfortable to use. However, we did experience a fair amount of hot/cold water fluctuation during showers, making it difficult to get a consistent temperature. A nice, large chrome basket can hold all of your shampoos, conditioners, soaps, etc. The rain shower head in the ceiling augments the handheld wand.

Our suite was outfitted with Bvlgari™ amenities, but your butler will offer you a choice of luxury-brand amenities. The bath towels are very high quality, soft and absorbent. For some reason, there were no hand towels provided, only bath towels and wash cloths.

As for the bed, this was the most comfortable Silversea bed on which we have ever slept. And, the linens are top of the line. A pillow menu allows you to choose from a variety of pillow firmness levels and materials. There are flexible reading lamps on each side of the bed. Nightstands have a small drawer and a cubby underneath for more storage. There are two US-style 110 outlets and one Euro-style 220 outlet on each night stand. What you won't find here are USB power ports. So, if you want to keep your phone charged overnight, you will have to leave it on the desk, or bring an AC/USB adapter with you.

The teak-deck veranda is compact but comfortable with nice furnishings including two chairs (with footrests) and a small table. Out butler said that the table can be expanded for al fresco breakfast service.

And, while we are on the subject of butlers, one of the unique features of a Silversea cruise is that ever suite has butler service. Our butler, Hayley, was excellent and always available to answer any questions. She made sure all of our dinner reservations and shore excursions were scheduled. If we needed anything, she was a phone call away.

The Deluxe Veranda Suite was extremely comfortable and well appointed.

Food and Dining

Where other areas of Silver Muse could be considered evolutionary in design and execution, when it comes to culinary pursuits, the ship is unquestionably revolutionary. There are more dining venues on Silver Muse than many ships three times her size, topping out at a total of eight! Each restaurant has its own unique menu, theme and evening dress code. That's right, there is no daily shipwide dress code on Silver Muse as with other Silversea ships. Every night is formal night when dining at Atlantide* or Le Dame*, and every night is casual night when dining at Hot Rocks Grill or Spaccanapoli. All other restaurants are informal*.

Silversea menu | Silver Muse | CruiseReport

This new dress code system takes a little getting used to, especially for the Silversea faithful. Because there is no formal night, so to speak, and dining in Atlantide is formal every night, you could be having a drink in Panorama Lounge at 6:30pm dressed in a tuxedo while sitting next to someone in blue jeans who is planning to have dinner at Hot Rocks Grill that evening. It took a few days for us to figure out the system, but I think we like it!

Atlantide

This seafood-theme restaurant on Deck 4 is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. You can expect à la carte menu service here at every meal. In the evening, the dress code for Atlantide is formal. You can read our full review of Atlantide here.

Indochine

Indochine is one of the largest restaurants on Silver Muse and can seat up to 180 guests. It also boasts the boldest menu of any restaurant on board. The choice of Indian, Thai and Chinese cuisine is the spiciest you will find in any restaurant at sea. My lamb curry had me perspiring from the heat, which is exactly how I asked for it to be prepared. Dress code for Indochine is informal. To read our full review on our Cruise Ship Dining blog, click here.

Kaiseki

Dinner at Kaesecki | Silver Muse | CruiseReport

Kaiseki is open for lunch and dinner. At lunch, it is a sushi and sashimi restaurant (complimentary). In the evening, it is a full-blown Teppan grill with an incredible dègustation menu. The dress code is informal in the evening and there is a $60 per person charge to dine here. Reservations are recommended. Read our full review of Kaiseki here.

Le Dame

Also located on Deck 4, Le Dame is Silversea's Relais & Châteaux-inspired restaurant featuring French cuisine. This restaurant would be comparable to Le Champagne on other Silversea vessels. Dress code is formal. Reservations are required. And, there is a $60pp cover charge to dine here.

Silver Note

Silver Note is located on Deck 7, just forward from La Terrazza. This intimate jazz supper club is perhaps one of the most unique dining experiences at sea. The menu is over-the-top and borders on being quirky, but the food and entertainment are spot-on. You can read our full review of Silver Note here.

La Terrazza

As on other Silversea vessels, La Terrazza offers buffet service for breakfast and lunch and is transformed into an Italian restaurant each evening. What differs on Silver Muse is that the evening menu never changes (menus rotate on other Silversea ships). That said, the menu is very well composed and quite comprehensive. You can read our full review of La Terrazza on the Cruise Ship Dining blog, click here.

The Arts Cafe

Think of a coffee shop, snack bar, cocktail lounge all rolled into one. The Arts Café on Deck 8 aft is a venue unique to Silver Muse and we found it to be quite a nice spot for a relaxing drink in the evening, or a mid-afternoon snack with tea. The snacks offered here change throughout the day. In the morning, you will find a selection of smoothies, pastries and other small plates. In the afternoon, a selection of snacks and delicious flavor-infused waters are available, as well as teas or any other beverage you might desire.

The Arts Café is a great place to curl up with a book, or bring your laptop to get some work done while enjoying a cup of coffee or tea.

Pool Grill/Hot Rocks

Ordering at Pool Grill | Silver Muse | CruiseReport.jpg

The Pool Grill (daytime) is your basic burger, hot dog and sandwich spot located poolside on Deck 10. The menu includes a variety of wraps and salads and some of the best French fries you will find on a ship. I am pleased to report that the Silversea Signature Burger is MUCH improved over past experiences. My burger was cooked to order (medium) and was quite tasty. Even the bun appears to have been improved upon.

Silversea Burger | Silver Muse | CruiseReport

In the evening, the Pool Grill becomes Hot Rocks, Silversea's signature "cook-it-yourself" concept where thick steaks, lobster, shrimp or seafood can be prepared right at your table on a searing hot rock exactly to your level of doneness, since you are doing the cooking! With only seven nights on board Silver Muse, and eight restaurants to try, Hot Rocks is one we had to skip on this sailing. We will catch it next time!

Spaccanapoli

Located just one deck above the Pool Grill on Deck 11, Spaccanapoli is Silver Muse's pizza restaurant. This restaurant is open from 11am until 11pm every day, making it a great place for those of us who like to go to lunch early. The menu here is pizza and, well, more pizza. There are no salads, no pasta dishes, nothing but pizza. All seating is outdoors and the dress code here is always casual.

How will I ever eat all of that pizza? | Silver Muse | CruiseReport | Rickee Richardson

The pizza here is thin crust, neopolitan-style pizza. Every pie is made to order in the nearby pizza kitchen. The ingredients are fresh and the pizzas are perhaps the best you will find on any cruise ship anywhere.

Spaccanapoli pizza | Silver Muse | CruiseReport

Room Service

Of course, we can't fail to mention that Silversea offers guests an unmatched level of room service. There is a room service menu in each suite with items that are available 24 hours a day. However, during dinner hours, you can order any item from Atlantide, Indochine, Spaccanapoli, or La Terrazza, delivered to your suite.

Anywhere/Anytime Dining

You can order just about anything and have it delivered anywhere on the ship. Let's say you would like to enjoy a cheese platter while sitting poolside. How about a burger and fries delivered to Panorama Lounge aft deck? Just call 404 (room service) and place your order. We love it!

I used this service each morning at 5:30am in Panorama Lounge. I would order a pot of hot water and a coffee cup for my coffee (I use a French press) and have it delivered to Panaorama where I settled in for my morning blog sessions. Wonderful!

Anytime-Anywhere Dining | Silver Muse | CruiseReport | Chris Dikmen

I can't recall sailing on any cruise ship, of any size, that offered as many dining options as Silver Muse. What's missing is the traditional cruise dining restaurant with a menu that changes every evening. Instead of guests going to one place to experience a different menu each night, guests can go to a different restaurant each night. Since each restaurant has the same menu every day, logic would dictate that execution of that menu would be much improved. As I stated earlier, this new way of dining takes a little getting used to, but after seven days, we loved it! I suspect many Silversea guests are going to feel the same way.

* The exception to this rule is embarkation and disembarkation day when every dining venue is casual.

Bars and Lounges

Bar service has always been excellent on Silversea, and this has not changed with Silver Muse. All beer, wine, spirits and soft drinks are complimentary on Silversea cruises. This not only adds to the value of a Silversea cruise, it eliminates the hassle of having to sign for drinks every time you place an order.

During the day, one of the busiest bars on the ship is no doubt the Pool Bar. Waiters are circulating around the pool area to make sure guests' thirsts are adequately quenched. The largest lounge on the ship is Dolce Vita on Deck 5. Comparable to The Bar on other Silversea ships, Dolce Vita also offers piano music in the evenings.

We only visited Dolce Vita one evening for pre-dinner cocktails. We preferred the smaller, more intimate feel of Panorama Lounge on Deck 9 aft. We also enjoyed the music of the Silver Muse Contemporary Trio. Panorama Lounge has the advantage of outdoor seating making it a great place to enjoy warm-weather sunsets while sipping champagne.

*Creative and delicious hors d'oeuvres served in Panorama Lounge and Dolce Vita*

If you prefer a smaller, quieter spot to enjoy conversation while sipping your favorite beverage, The Arts Café on Deck 8 aft is a great choice, as is Thor's Observation Lounge on Deck 11 forward. If you have dinner reservations in one of the restaurants on Deck 4 (Indochine, Atlantide, Le Dame or Kaiseki), you can enjoy a drink in the Atlantide Bar or Enoteca (located inside Indochine).

No matter where you are on Silver Muse, a watering hole is nearby. Bar service was excellent throughout the ship.

Entertainment and Activities

As with most cruise ships, when the sun is shining and the weather is warm, the Pool Deck is where you will find many Silver Muse guests. On our sailing, it was a little too cool for all but the true sun-worshippers to sit poolside. No problem, Silver Muse's entertainment staff offer a variety of activities to keep guests occupied. Team Trivia is always popular on Silversea and offered every day, even when the ship is in port. Golf Putting is another Silversea signature activity that we have always enjoyed. Guests who participate accumulate Silversea Points during the cruise that can be redeemed for Silversea logo prizes at the end of the cruise.

A protected section of Deck 9 portside has been set aside for table tennis and shuffleboard. This is the nicest setup we have seen for table tennis as it is protected from the wind and other elements.

For the little kiddos, an Activities Room is equipped with televisions and areas for playing a variety of games and other activities. We did not have any cooking demonstrations on our sailing, but this is probably due to the fact that there were no days at sea.

On most days, we enjoyed a lecture series conducted by Dr. Mark Elovitz on a variety of geopolitical topics. Silversea always has excellent lecturers.

In the evenings, guests migrate to the Venetian Lounge (Deck 5 aft) for the nightly performance. The Venetian Lounge is the main theater and is the venue for all lectures and evening performances. The lounge has comfortable seating and good sight lines to the stage. Acoustics are also very good.

The Silver Muse Contemporary Trio provided background music in Panorama Lounge each evening during cocktail hour.

The Silver Muse Singers, a group of three male and three female singers, performed a variety of production shows during our cruise. The quality of vocals, costumes and set design is much improved over what we have experienced previously on Silversea.

Production shows | Silver Muse | CruiseReport

All of the entertainment is under the direction of Cruise Director Jimmy Kovel.

In addition to the cast of resident singers, Silversea has guest performances on some evenings. There were also a couple of "big screen movie nights" held in the Venetian Lounge, showing new-release movies.

*And of course, Helene and Andre performed excellent jazz in Silver Note.*

Overall, we felt the entertainment on board Silver Muse was some of the best we have ever experienced on Silversea, certainly worthy of their new flagship!

Shore Excursions

Silversea guests tend to be very well-traveled, experienced world explorers. Silversea knows how to cater to this elite group of guests by offering high-quality excursions that also happen to be a very good value. During our cruise, we joined three different Silversea excursions and each one was unique and very well executed, and each one was a good value.

*A tasting at a Michelin-star restaurant was one of the most unique tours we have ever experienced*

Silversea always tries to keep tour groups smaller, which makes for a much more pleasant experience. Have you tried visiting Florence with a group of 80 others? It's not fun.

*Smaller groups make for a more enjoyable tour*

For those who enjoy exploring on their own, Silversea arranges for complimentary shuttle services is most ports. Shuttle schedules are always available at the Shore Excursion desk on Deck 5.

When disembarking Silver Muse on one of the ship's tenders, or using the gangway to go ashore, complimentary bottles of water are always available for the taking.

When tendering was required, Silversea ran tenders to and from shore on a regular basis. Tender service was unusually "rough" on this cruise for some reason. Perhaps a new style of tender boat was the reason, but we noticed much more pitching and rolling of the tender boats, especially when attempting to pull alongside the ship. Even in relatively calm seas, the tender boats seemed to bob up and down in the water more than we have experienced in the past.

We have always been impressed with Silversea's Shore excursion operations. We still are.

The Silver Muse Experience

For now, at least, the Silver Muse experience is slightly different that the Silversea Experience. The lack of a daily shipwide dress code will no doubt be praised by many, and scorned by some traditionalists. The evening dress code is now determined by where you choose to dine. If you are dining in one of the formal restaurants (Atlantide or La Dame), you can enjoy cocktails with like-clad diners at Atlantide Bar. Informal diners (Indochine, Kaiseki, La Terrazza, Silver Note) can retreat to Enoteca on Deck 4 or The Panorama Lounge, where we found most guests tend to adhere to informal attire. Casual diners will feel more comfortable enjoying a drink at the Pool Bar or The Arts Cafe in the evenings.

Silversea has taken a very bold step to revolutionize the cruise ship dining experience. This is the first ship on which we have sailed that does not have a traditional "cruise ship restaurant" dining venue. We, too, were a little hesitant for the first few days. But, after seven days, we are huge fans of this new paradigm. Each restaurant has its own unique theme and menu, each executed very well.

The one thing that has not changed on Silver Muse is the excellent Silversea service and attention to detail. It is hard to declare a favorite Silversea ship, but I think we may have give a slight edge to Silver Muse. This may be the most luxurious, decadent way to see the world.

*Chris Dikmen and Rickee Richardson are professional travel journalists for CruiseReport.com*

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 2/15/17 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 2/15/17

Tahiti & Society Islands Cruise on m/s Paul Gauguin

Tahiti is the most romantic destination on Earth, and Paul Gauguin Cruises is the best way to experience it.

Daily Blog

Itinerary: Papeete, Huahine, Taha'a, Bora Bora, Bora Bora, Moorea, Moorea, Papeete

paul gauguin cruises, ms paul gauguin, paul gauguin review, tahiti, society islands, tahiti cruise, tahiti cruise review, paul gauguin cruise review, french polynesia, small ship, cruise review, cruise ship review, chris dikmen, rickee richardson, t…

There are a handful of cruise lines that don't fit the typical cruise review mold. Paul Gauguin Cruises is one such cruise line. First, the cruise line currently operates only one vessel: M/S Paul Gauguin. Second, they are focused on South Pacific destinations, most notably the islands of French Polynesia. And, third, guests will most likely be flying into Papeete to embark M/S Paul Gauguin, which presents its own set of unique circumstances.

Embarkation

As mentioned previously, our sailing embarked in Papeete, Tahiti, which required a total of about 11 hours of flying time. Our flight from DFW to LAX took approximately three hours, then add another eight hours for the flight from LAX to Papeete. Most US guests will likely fly to Papeete on Air Tahiti Nui (ATN), as was the case with us. That means you will probably not arrive in Papeete until very late at night. We flew in Economy Class, electing not to spend the $1,000 per person (each way) to upgrade to Business Class.

Air Tahiti Nui | Paul Gauguin Cruises | CruiseReport

Economy Class on ATN is not all that comfortable. The Airbus A-340 is a wide-body aircraft with 2-4-2 seating. We were fortunate on the flight over to have a window and aisle seat on the "2-side" of the plane, as opposed to the center section. We also flew on one of their newer planes (not to be confused with a"new" plane) which did have touch-screen, on-demand entertainment in each seatback and had USB chargers. The seats, however, were very cramped and very uncomfortable. Halfway through the flight, we were re-thinking our decision to not upgrade.

legroom on air tahiti nui | Paul Gauguin Cruises | CruiseReport

In the photo above, you can see where my knees (I am 6' 2" tall) touched the back of the seat in front of me. And, this was before the person in front of me reclined their seat! Also, Air Tahiti Nui provides no way to select a seat in advance through their website. Multiple phone calls to their reservations' 800 number resulted in the same response: "You can only select your seats at check-in at the airport." Now, I only mention this because when you sail on Paul Gauguin Cruises, you are very likely going to be flying on Air Tahiti Nui so, if you can afford it, pay for the upgrade to Business Class!

Also, we highly recommend flying into Papeete a day or two ahead of your cruise. Get a room at the Intercontinental Hotel and Resort and you will be able to board the ship in the afternoon on the day of embarkation. Because of our late night arrival, we did not get to the ship until midnight, and we were pretty wiped out the next day.

*Embarking M/S Paul Gauguin after midnight*

Fortunately, once we boarded the ship, check-in was very fast and efficient. We were impressed that crew members were on hand to carry hand luggage up the gangway and into the lounge where we checked in. Once we arrived in the Grand Salon, we were greeted with glasses of champagne and whisked through the check-in process. A stewardess escorted us to our stateroom and, within 10 minutes of boarding, we were unpacking our luggage which was waiting for us in our stateroom.

The Ship

M/S Paul Gauguin is 19,200 tons and can carry 332 guests on seven passenger decks. The ship was originally operated by Radisson Seven Seas, which later became Regent Seven Seas. If you look at the smokestack very closely, you can still see the outline of the original Radisson Seven Seas logo underneath the prominent "P" that now emblazons that space. The ship is 18 years old and I can still remember touring her in 2000 when we were in Tahiti for a cruise with the now- defunct Renaissance Cruises.

From the exterior, you would never know that the ship is 18 years old. Even inside, the ship has held up well, although there are a few spaces that could use a refresh. An upcoming dry dock will no doubt address some of these areas. For Goldilocks cruise enthusiasts that find ships with 700+ guests overwhelming, and those with fewer than 100 guests boring, M/S Paul Gauguin is "just right." With a crew complement of 215, she has one of the highest crew-to-guest ratios in the industry.

Because of her modest size, M/S Paul Gauguin is very easy for guests to find their way around. If you forget something right before you board the tender on Deck 3, it won't take more than a few minutes to get back to your stateroom, even if it is on Deck 8, to retrieve that bottle of sunscreen or beach towel.

The Grand Salon is on Deck 5 forward and is the venue for entertainment and lectures on board. It is also the meeting point for shore excursions. The Grand Salon is actually a very well-designed theater for a ship this size with comfortable seating and excellent sight lines.

There are two sets of stairs and elevators, one aft and one forward. You can move from Deck 3 all the way to Deck 8 from either set of stairs/elevators. This makes M/S Paul Gauguin easy to navigate for those with mobility issues.

The forward section of Deck 6 is occupied by balcony staterooms, as is all of Deck 7, and Deck 8 forward. Deck 8 midship is where you will find the ship's pool and the Pool Bar. The nice-sized pool is surrounded by plenty of sun loungers. However, the lounge chairs are not quite up to the standards we would expect to see on a ship that spends its days sailing the sun-drenched waters of the South Pacific. The addition of cushions would be nice.

Deck 9 forward is where you will find Bar Du Soleil, a very nice area that appeared to only be used for special events. It is too bad that it is not utilized more because it is a wonderful space with expansive views of the ocean. There is also a lot of open deck space on Deck 9 and sun loungers can be found here for those who want a bit more privacy than is available on the pool deck.

The ship is equipped with stabilizers, which can help to smooth out the ride in rougher seas. We only experienced minimal motion the first night sailing from Papeete to Huahine, and it was not bad at all. On several evenings, the ship is anchored at night in protected waters.

M/S Paul Gauguin is equipped with WiFi Internet access for guest use. The costs are in line with what most other cruise lines charge for Internet access. I was pleased with the speed and reliability of the Internet on board...for a cruise ship. I was able to connect from our stateroom and from La Palette (Deck 8 aft). There were only a couple of instances of dropped connections, which is common with cruise ship satellite Internet connections.

ms paul gauguin internet | Paul Gauguin Cruises | CruiseReport

Accommodations

Our Category C Balcony Stateroom (760) was located on Deck 7 aft, port side. The 202 sq. ft. stateroom is nicely laid out and quite comfortable overall. The use of mirrored walls helped to make the room appear larger. The queen-sized bed was reasonably comfortable and linens were top quality. A beautiful fresh tropical floral arrangement was the nicest (and largest) we have ever seen in a stateroom. However, it did take up a sizable amount of much-needed space on the coffee table.

The white marble bathroom has a full-size tub/shower combination, toilet (obviously) and single sink with storage on each side of the sink behind mirrored doors. There is additional storage space both above and below the sink. Lotion, shower gel, shampoo and conditioner are all L'Occitane and are replenished as needed.

The twin closets can easily hold enough clothing for two people for a two-week cruise. Between the closets there is a vanity with mirror, but no makeup mirror, and less-than-perfect lighting. This space can also double as a small desk and is the only place we found electrical outlets (1 US-Style 110 and 1 European-style 220). This table soon became cluttered with all of our chargers, computer, iPad, camera and cell phones. A small battery-operated alarm clock is provided, a welcomed feature.

Between the bed and the balcony is a small sofa, coffee table and padded stool that can be used as additional seating. A wall unit has lots of storage cubbies and cabinets, a small flat-screen television w/DVD player, and a mini-fridge (stocked with soft drinks, water and beer). The balcony is only 37 sq. ft. but can easily accommodate two people to enjoy Tahitian sunsets or watch dolphins playing alongside the ship. Enjoying breakfast al fresco might be a challenge due to the very small balcony table. The sliding door to the balcony functioned smoothly, but could easily be slammed if you were not careful. The stateroom door, on the other hand, is difficult to slam. In fact, if you let the door close on its own, you can barely hear it.

If I were picking nits, I would say the reading lights attached to the wall on each side of the bed should be changed to cool LED lights instead of the broiling hot, and super-bright halogens. And, please add more electrical outlets and perhaps even a couple of USB charging ports. The stateroom was reasonably quiet. We could hear our neighbors slam their balcony door a few times. And, if you book a stateroom on Deck 7 aft of 756 (port) or 755 (starboard) you will hear the late-night disco music (especially the pounding bass!) coming from La Palette. The music would crank up around 10pm and continue until about midnight.

A hair dryer is provided in each stateroom. Laundry service is available for a fee. There is no self-service launderette on the ship.

Food and Dining

A continental breakfast is set up in La Palette each morning at 06:30 with pastries, fruit, cereal, coffee, tea and juice. Buffet breakfast is available starting at 7:00 or 7:30am in Le Grill on Deck 8 and La Veranda on Deck 6. Both venues offer an a la carté menu and eggs cooked-to-order. Tip: have breakfast in La Veranda to avoid crowds. Most people have breakfast at Le Grill because of the outdoor seating near the pool. But, La Veranda has outdoor seating, too, and fewer people!

Lunch is served at La Veranda and Le Grill each day at noon. Both venues offer a buffet of salads, breads, desserts, a pasta station and an a la carté menu featuring burgers, sandwiches, hot dogs, etc. La Veranda was our favorite place for lunch because it was less crowded and had more food choices including a carving station and additional hot entrees. They also offer a different ethnic "theme" each day in La Veranda (French, Italian, Tex-Mex, Greek, etc.)

*A variety of fresh salads on the lunch buffet*

For dinner, guests can choose to dine in the ship's main restaurant, L' Etoile, on Deck 5 aft. This is a more traditional cruise ship dining venue but with open seating allowing you to dine anytime between 7:00pm and 9:00pm and sit with whomever you like. We had dinner in L' Etoile on three evenings and never had a problem finding a table for two.

Reservations are required to dine at Le Grill on Deck 8 and La Veranda on Deck 6 in the evenings. Both offer fixed menus with Le Grill offering a Pan-Asian-influenced menu. The menu at La Veranda offers a Menu Dégustation (multi-course chef's selection) as well as an a la carté menu. You should make reservations as soon as you board the ship to ensure the dining day and time you want.

On the evening of our dinner at Le Grill, the weather was perfect, so tables were placed on the pool deck for a very romantic setting. Tables are candlelit (battery-operated candles), and the mood is as nice as we have experienced on any ship. My Polynesian marinated strip steak was flavorful and cooked perfectly. Rickee's Wahoo fish was a bit overcooked and dry. We also shared an order of the Chicken Chow Mein, which was my personal favorite. Dinner at Le Grill is a must on any Paul Gauguin Cruise.

At our La Veranda dinner, Rickee and I ordered the exact same thing. The cream of mushroom soup was delicious. The mushroom risotto was cooked well, but swimming in truffle oil. The vanilla creme bruleè was excellent.

Everyone should try Le Grill and La Veranda at least once per cruise. And, L' Etoile, the only evening venue that does not require reservations, is quite good. Guests can also enjoy room service 24 hours a day with a fairly extensive room service menu. The evening menu at L 'Etoile is also available from room service during regular dining hours. We saw a lot of room service meals being delivered each morning at breakfast.

Complimentary wines are offered each day for lunch and dinner and we found the wine choices to be excellent.

*Excellent wines are offered at lunch and dinner*

When we mentioned to our waiter that we prefer a sweeter wine, he did not hesitate to bring a bottle of Gewürztraminer (a sweet German wine) to our table for us to enjoy. Not many cruise lines even stock sweeter wines, much less allow you to deviate from the standard "red or white" offering of the day. From that day forward, our waiters somehow remembered that we liked the Gewürztraminer and always offered it.

Bar Service

All cocktails, beer, wine, spirits and soft drinks are complimentary on Paul Gauguin. That means you will never have to be hassled by having to sign a check every time you order a drink at one of the bars. We feel that is a huge value. Bar service throughout the ship is extremely good. Bartenders were not shy about pouring generous amounts of rum into the fruity, colorful "drink-of-the-day" and, the Spicy Bloody Mary at the Pool Bar is as good as you will find anywhere.

The Piano Bar on Deck 5 was our overall favorite spot for pre-dinner cocktails. On our second visit to the Piano Bar, the bartender knew our favorite drinks and, as soon as we sat down, the drinks were delivered. Delicious canapés are served each evening in the Piano Bar and La Palette.

ms paul gauguin bar service | Paul Gauguin Cruises | CruiseReport

All the way aft on Deck 8 you will find La Palette. La Palette is a panorama lounge with indoor and outdoor seating. There is a full bar here and this becomes the ship's disco each evening. If you want to enjoy your favorite cocktail while taking in an amazing sunset, La Palette is your spot.

*Guests enjoy the patio at La Palette for a sunset cocktail*

La Palette is one space that is showing its age but we were told that a renovation of this area is scheduled in the upcoming dry dock. The indoor seating is not as comfortable, or attractive, as the seating in the Piano Bar and the tables are small and dated. However, La Palette was my go-to spot for early morning coffee and blogging/internet duties. Fortunately, coffee and hot water were available after 5:30am and a nice continental breakfast is served here from 6am until 11am.

Entertainment

Onboard entertainment focuses heavily on immersion in the Polynesian culture. On our voyage, we were treated to a dance performance by the "Children of Huahine" and to a group of local musicians who performed during Polynesian Night. We also had the opportunity to be entertained by the most famous dance troupe in French Polynesia.

*Local performers come aboard in Moorea to perform*

The Les Gauguines, a group of Polynesian crew members who serve as onboard cultural ambassadors, perform local music at various venues around the ship. They proudly share Polynesian history and traditions with guests.

*Les Gauguines perform at a special celebration*

The ship also has its own musical band, Santa Rosa, that performs at the pool and in La Palette.

On our sailing, Cruise Director, Claudine Carle, presented a one-woman show that featured her tribute to famous singing "divas".

Activities

Guests can enjoy quite a few onboard activities when they are not off the ship exploring the beauty of the Society Islands. Les Gauguines conduct a variety of classes such as pareo tying, shell-jewelry making, hair-pick creations, Tahitian language lessons, dance classes and various other glimpses into the culture of French Polynesia.

The ship has a marina on Deck 4 aft where guests have complimentary use of a variety of water toys. Guests can kayak, paddleboard or wind surf when weather and local laws permit. Snorkel equipment is available at no charge for guests to use for the week.

m/s paul gauguin paddleboard | Paul Gauguin Cruises | CruiseReport

Experienced and wannabe SCUBA divers will appreciate the ship's commitment to the sport. The m/s Paul Gauguin offers PADI certification on board. All dives offered are guided by a professional PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) Dive Master/Instructor. Each is skilled in ensuring that guests have the best dive possible.

The ship is fully equipped with an onboard practice pool, a tank-filling station, and two inflatable dive boats with ladders. Each holds eight divers and two instructors. No tender to shore is needed—you simply leave from the marina platform of the ship and return to it after your dive, where a warm shower awaits.

One day, M/S Paul Gauguin shuttles guests to a small motu for a beach party and BBQ. You can read all about our day at the beach on our cruise blog.

*Enjoying my (third) rum punch at the beach BBQ*

There were several lectures conducted during our sailing. By far, the most interesting for us was an Indian Cooking Demonstration by Canadian Chef, Vikram Vij. This was a lecture meets cooking demonstration meets comedy show. Chef Vij is a celebrity chef in Canada having appeared on Top Chef Canada, Chopped Canada and Dragon's Den. He owns four highly-acclaimed Indian restaurants in Vancouver.

*Chef Vij shows us how to create his signature Curry Chicken*

We have attended more than our share of cruise ship lectures in the past 15 years, but nothing like the one with Chef Vij. He was very entertaining.

Paul Gauguin is very popular with honeymooners and those celebrating their wedding anniversary. The crew goes out of their way to show special attention to those guests celebrating a special occasion.

*A special anniversary cake delivered to your stateroom*

One evening, a special "by invitation only" celebration is held in La Palette just for honeymooners and those celebrating their anniversaries. Attendees are greeted with a glass of champagne and Les Gauguines are on hand to entertain with Polynesian music and a special dance. Each couple is invited to have their photo taken with Bora Bora in the background, wrapped in a traditional Polynesian blanket that symbolizes love. For those celebrating a special day, Paul Gauguin helps make it a day they will not soon forget!

Repeat guests on Paul Gauguin were invited to a private function at Bar Du Soleil (Deck 9 forward). We were greeted by Hotel Director, Jacques Le Tallec, and had the opportunity to mingle with other senior staff while enjoying champagne and delicious canapés.

*Hotel Director, Jacques Le Tallec, greets Rickee at Welcome Back Party*

The Deep Nature Spa offers every possible type of treatment you could want.

spa ms paul gauguin | Paul Gauguin Cruises | CruiseReport

The small fitness center is nicely equipped with LifeFitness machines, bicycles, treadmills and stair climbing machines.

fitness center ms paul gauguin | Paul Gauguin Cruises | CruiseReport

Excursions

Paul Gauguin Cruises is all about the destination, and the destination just happens to be one of the most beautiful and romantic places on Earth. During our 7-night Tahiti and Society Islands cruise, we participated in four different excursions, three of which were booked through Gauguin and one booked independently.

Half-Day Lagoon Excursion

Our first excursion in Bora Bora was with a local tour provider, which we booked directly over the Internet. The tour was identical to one the ship offers called Lagoon Excursion with Moahi Nui. The tour begins with an outrigger boat tour of Bora Bora followed by three stops. The first stop was to snorkel in the ocean with black tip reef sharks.

*Rickee snorkels with black tip reef sharks*

The second stop was at a shallow sandbar to snorkel with friendly stingrays. And, the third stop was at the coral garden where we enjoyed snorkeling with many different colorful fish.

Finally, we visit a tiny motu (island) for a fresh fruit snack before returning to the ship. This is a great tour and highly recommended. Also, the cost of the tour through the ship's shore excursion desk is the same as booking independently. On our tour, we had to spend about an hour for the outrigger to make several stops at various hotels to pick up other guests. This would not be an issue with the ship's tour, so you would likely get to spend more time at each stop.

Lagoonarium: Open-Air Aquarium Snorkeling Experience

This excursion is a unique snorkeling safari in an open-air aquarium. Once again, a ride in an outrigger canoe takes you to the small motu where the Lagoonarium is located.

Lagoonarium | Paul Gauguin Cruises | CruiseReport

The Lagoonarium offers an abundance of marine life and a beach with a beautiful view of the island. Here, we had an opportunity to swim/snorkel with lemon sharks, rays, parrot fish, and more. Snorkeling is in water ranging in depth from 3-10 feet.

*Rickee is surrounded by lemon sharks in the Lagoonarium*

After our time in the water, we were served fresh fruit, but there was no time to enjoy the beach. Some other guests with whom we spoke were a little disturbed by the idea of having marine life contained within the confines of the Lagoonarium. Personally, it did not bother me. After all, they are sharks! But, if the idea of swimming in what essentially is a big aquarium does not appeal to you, you can always opt for another excursion. The ship offers many excursions that include time in the amazingly beautiful, crystal clear waters surrounding the Society Islands.

Moorea by Catajet

We departed the pier for a boat transfer to a hotel beach where the Catajets (and Waverunners) are based. Upon arrival, we were given (very) brief instructions regarding safety and operation of the Catajets, then climbed aboard our two-seat, side-by-side watercraft.

rickee richardson and chris dikmen in tahiti | Paul Gauguin Cruises | CruiseReport

Our first stop was a sandbar for snorkeling in the shallow waters with black tip reef sharks and stingrays.

Our second stop was a small motu where we had the opportunity to swim in some deeper waters, but we found the current a little to strong to really enjoy a swim. Refreshments consisting of water and sliced pineapple were served on the motu before we returned to the home base. We enjoyed this excursion, but felt that it was a little expensive ($299 for two people/one Catajet) for a two-hour tour. Also, half of the fun was driving the Catajet, and there really was little time to enjoy this as most of the time was spent in the water.

Slow-Paced Belvedere and Pinapple Valley by E-Bike

This slow-paced guided bicycle tour in Moorea was one of our favorite excursions. The tour began with a short introduction on how to use the E-bike.

E-Bike in Tahiti | Paul Gauguin Cruises | CruiseReport

The E-Bike has an electric motor that provides assistance at varying levels (that you can select). This should not be confused with a Mo-Ped since you are always required to pedal the bike. There are a few scenic stops along the way to the Belvedere Lookout point.

Rickee Richardson on E-Bike in Tahiti | Paul Gauguin Cruises | CruiseReport

There is a lot of nice scenery along the twisty mountain road. The motor-assisted feature of the mountain bike made it easy to complete the tour, but I would recommend this for those who are at least in moderately good physical condition.

At $85 per person for the 3.5 hour tour, this excursion is the best value of all excursions we enjoyed. We prefer active excursions and this fit that description perfectly. It was really fun riding this unique bicycle!

Paul Gauguin Experience

The Paul Gauguin cruise experience is a romantic journey through one of the most beautiful places on Earth. No other cruise ship can deliver the South Pacific experience like Paul Gauguin. Life on board is very laid back, casual and relaxing. Leave your suit at home. All cocktails, beverages and bottled water are included in your cruise fare, so you never have to be inconvenienced with signing a check at the bar. All meals, even specialty restaurants, are also included to make this cruise an even better value. You will find adult guests of all ages on board ranging from 20s to 70s. But, you won't find many children. Take your kids and grandkids on Disney or Carnival in the Caribbean. Paul Gauguin Cruises is best when enjoyed by adults (of course, we don't have kids, so we are a bit biased). That said, Paul Gauguin Cruises does offer during the summer and Christmas holiday sailings.

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 1/28/17 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 1/28/17

Panama Canal Transit on Azamara Quest

We sail on Azamara Quest for 11 nights from Miami to Caldera through the Panama Canal and Costa Rica.

Cruise Blog

Itinerary: Miami, At Sea, At Sea, Cartagena, At Sea, Panama Canal Transit, Fuerte Amador, Golfito, Golfito, Quepos, Puntarenas, Caldera read cruise blog

Some cruise lines defy conventional logic. Azamara Club Cruises is one such company. They only have two ships, and have not publicly announced any new builds. The two ships they do operate, Quest and Journey, some would suggest are getting 'long in-the-tooth' at 17 years. And, by today's standards, these ships are small, each holding only 686 guests. Smaller is better for those of us who prefer a less crowded experience, but it makes it tougher for a cruise line to be profitable. You know, economies of scale, and all that. Yet, Azamara has found a niche, and have a passionate and loyal following. More than 50% of the passengers on our recent cruise were Le Club Voyage members (past guests). Impressive.

The Ship

When we learned that Azamara's ships had emerged from dry dock last summer, we could not resist the opportunity to see the changes for ourselves. We are already fans of Azamara, having previously sailed on both Journey (2014) and Quest (2011). Our chance to see the updates came with an 11-Night Panama Canal and Costa Rica sailing aboard Azamara Quest in January.

We embarked Azamara Quest in Miami after a brief mixup over ground transportation at the Miami airport. Apparently, our names did not make it on the list to receive the Azamara transfer to the ship. Fortunately, there was Uber to the rescue. Mr. Uber showed up within five minutes and whisked us off to PortMiami. We arrived at the pier around 3pm, a great time to embark if you want to avoid crowds. We were through security, checked in at the terminal and walking on board Quest within ten minutes of being dropped off! As soon as we boarded on Deck 5 midship, we were greeted with a warm "welcome home" and a glass of sparkling wine. We would come to learn that "welcome home" is a theme that now runs throughout the entire Azamara onboard experience.

Accommodations

Getting to our stateroom was easy as we had only to walk up one flight of stairs (or use the elevator) and a few steps forward port side. Our Club Veranda Stateroom (6016) was open and waiting for us when we arrived. Dry dock refurbishments were immediately apparent. New bedding, new wall coverings, fresh carpeting and new furnishings give the stateroom a more modern, up-to-date appearance.

Azamara stopped short of replacing the built-in furnishings (desk, mini-bar, closet); perhaps the cost and time required would be prohibitive. Nevertheless, that which has been upgraded makes a big impression. The bathroom also got new flooring, wall coverings, and new shower fixtures. Eco-Boutique amenities have replaced the Aveda provided on our last Azamara cruise.

Now, let's be honest. The stateroom is no larger than it was before the dry dock, and the bathroom is still pretty cramped. But, appearance-wise, it looks much nicer than before, and the new bed is a huge improvement. I can still remember the neck and back pain from my first Azamara cruise thanks to the rock-hard mattress. The new mattresses are very comfortable. Pillows are soft, but I always travel with my own pillow. Firmer pillows are available upon request.

More importantly, everything in the stateroom works well. The HVAC will freeze you out if you set it to the max, there is always plenty of hot water in the shower, the cabin door hinges do an admirable job of preventing the dreaded "wall shake" when the doors slam shut. In fact, the stateroom is very quiet and peaceful. I don't think we ever heard our neighbors during the cruise. We could hear the band playing in The Cabaret Lounge during the shows (our stateroom was right above the lounge), but the music did not last long enough to be bothersome. We much preferred the Deck 6 stateroom location to our 2014 Deck 8 stateroom location. On Deck 8 you will get noise from the pool deck above.

The small refrigerator below the safe is a nice touch, but ours barely cooled the cans of soft drinks to above room temperature. I mentioned this to Edwin, our stateroom attendant, but the issue remained unresolved throughout the cruise. Perhaps that's as cold as it gets? The electronic safe is large and easy to operate. The wall-mounted, flat-screen television is very nice and Azamara has excellent interactive programming. You can check your account balance from the television, a nice feature. The bridge cam channel came in handy when we were transiting the Panama Canal as we could see the lock gates opening ahead! There were movies on demand available for a fee and two different free movies were repeated throughout the day.

We appreciated the addition of the little, almost hidden, USB charging ports located under the bedside lamps. A digital alarm clock on the nightstand is also an often overlooked necessity on most cruise ships, but not on Azamara.

A veranda is a must on a Panama Canal cruise and we were able to enjoy most of the transit from our veranda! It did not look as if any changes had been made to the veranda during dry dock. In fact, the decking on our veranda was bubbling up in a few places. The furnishings are almost too large for the small space, but the large table makes having room service breakfast al fresco a pleasure.

*Enjoying the canal transit from our veranda*

Within minutes of our arrival at our stateroom, we were greeted by Edwin, our stateroom attendant. After a brief introduction, Edwin took Rickee's request for more hangers and promptly delivered them. We mentioned to Edwin that we often go for drinks around 6pm and may even skip dinner and come back to the stateroom earlier than normal. We asked if he could make up our room early in his rotation, and he agreed. Our stateroom was always made up when we returned in the early evening.

Food and Dining

We barely had time to unpack before we were required to attend the mandatory muster drill. Our muster station was The Cabaret Lounge on Deck 5. Fortunately, Azamara has dropped the requirement for guests to bring their life vests to the drill. After the drill, we decided to celebrate the first night on board with a drink at what was formerly The Looking Glass on Deck 10. We were pleasantly surprised to see that this observation lounge has been completely refitted. Now designated as The Living Room, this lounge's new name reflects that "welcome home" theme we mentioned earlier.

This lounge has undergone a major upgrade, not the least of which is the addition of a tapas bar. Each evening, The Living Room offers a nice selection of hot (and delicious) tapas. We found ourselves having completely spoiled our appetite for dinner on more than one evening after enjoying the tapas. During the day, light snacks are available here.

*Items on the tapas bar change throughout the day at The Living Room*

Azamara is on to something with the evening tapas at The Living Room, and it started a few years ago with Mosaic Cafe offering light snacks throughout the day (which they still do). This is actually how we prefer to dine in the evening. Rather than a large, elaborate dinner, we like to "snack" on small-plate dishes. We are seeing this "small plates" concept appear on several cruise lines, and it is something that we really enjoy.

While we are on the subject of food and dining, this is one area where we noticed quite a bit of improvement over our last Azamara cruise. For breakfast, most guests opt for the extensive buffet served at Windows Cafe on Deck 9 aft. The cooked-to-order eggs/omelets complement the buffet items, but the real star is tucked away behind a little window on the port side of Windows Cafe. Fresh waffles and pancakes are available at this special window along with some of the best donuts, cinnamon rolls and sticky buns you will find anywhere. If you want a smoothie, there is a Smoothie Bar in Windows Cafe. Pastries, coffee and tea are served at Mosaic Cafe on Deck 5. Breakfast is also available in Discoveries Restaurant on Deck 5 and, of course, room service is a popular choice for many guests.

There are several options for lunch. On sea days, Discoveries Restaurant offers a menu-service lunch. The nice thing about lunch in Discoveries is that it tends to be less crowded than Windows Cafe.

Of course, Windows Cafe (Lido buffet) is always a popular lunch spot, offering a variety of salads, soup, breads, sandwiches, hot dishes, desserts and a carving station each day. Another popular spot, and one of our favorites for lunch, is The Patio (formerly the Pool Grill) on Deck 9. The Patio opens a little earlier for lunch than the other restaurants and offers burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, brochettes (skewers), and more. There is also a self-serve salad bar. My favorite thing on the menu was the cheeseburger while Rickee always ordered a hot dog. They also have nachos here (tortilla "chips" with chili, cheese, jalapenos, etc.). Since they have salsa and guacamole on the salad bar, Rickee and I just wanted some "chips and salsa" on one visit here. We ordered some "chips", telling the waiter that we did not want the nachos, only the chips. We forgot that cruise ships use European lingo and we ended up with a basket of French fries (what the Brits call "chips"). Maybe we should have ordered "crisps"!

There are also two soft-serve frozen yogurt machines at one end of The Patio, dubbed "Swirl & Top" where guests can help themselves to a bowl or a cone throughout the day. A full bar of toppings and sauces allows you to pile on as many calories as you wish!

For dinner, Discoveries Restaurant is always a popular place, with a menu that changes daily. We were very impressed with the quality and presentation of the food in this main restaurant. Discoveries is one area of the ship that looks exactly as it did the last time we were on Quest. We remembered from our last voyage on Quest that the restaurant can get a bit noisy when the place fills up with guests. That has not changed. One thing we noticed in all of the dining venues is the number of two-top tables. If you enjoy dining as a couple, you are in luck! Of course, the tables can easily be pushed together to form four-top, or six-top tables.

Windows Cafe is open for dinner with a different theme (Asian, Indian, Italian, etc.) each evening and is very popular with guests. On "Asian night", there is a large stir-fry station set up outside in the Sunset Bar. Indian night features a variety of fragrant and spicy dishes from Northern and Southern India.

One of the more interesting new evening dining venues is The Patio on Deck 9. This space is transformed into a casual bistro each evening and is a big hit with guests. The menu is quite interesting, sort of like that of a mini-steakhouse. I had the lamb medallions with sauteed mushrooms and they were very good.

In addition to all of the dining previously mentioned, Azamara also offers guests a variety of specialty dining opportunities (at additional cost). There are two specialty restaurants, Prime C and Aqualina, each of which requires reservations in advance and carry a $30 per person service charge. Prime C is the Azamara's signature steakhouse serving massive cuts of beef and lamb. We dined at Prime C on the last night of the cruise. They have brought back the delicious Chicken Lollipop appetizer, which is a must-have. Both of our steaks were cooked to perfection, fork-tender and delicious.

Even if you choose to order the souffle for dessert, don't forget to order the signature mini-donuts. These cinnamon sugar-coated donut holes are served fresh, warm and are addictive. The three dipping sauces served with them are delicious!

Aqualina is Azamara's other specialty restaurant that, in my opinion, has previously suffered from an identity crisis. On our first Azamara cruise, it was billed as a seafood restaurant, which sort of fits with the name "Aqualina". In 2014, it was described as offering "Contemporary American Cuisine with a Mediterranean flair," whatever that means. At the time, we felt the concept was so confusing that we did not dine there. Now, Aqualina is an Italian restaurant, which makes much more sense (even though the name "Aqualina" is no longer relevant). Regardless of whether the name fits the theme or not, the menu and the food were spot on. In fact, our dinner at Aqualina was perhaps our best meal of the cruise.

*Seared scallop appetizer served in Aqualina*

We both ordered the Crispy Duck Confit with Mushroom Risotto. Delicious. My Proscuitto-wrapped Scallops with Cauliflower-garlic Puree, and Rickee's Watermelon and Tomato salad with Balsamic Glaze antipasti were both near perfect. Service in both Aqualina and Prime C was a step above what we experienced in other dining venues. Both restaurants delivered an exceptional dining experience, and both are a bargain at only $30 per person. However, you should definitely book reservations before the cruise, or as soon as you get on board, as both restaurants tend to fill up quickly.

There were two other specialty dining opportunities offered on our cruise: a Chef's Table dinner ($95 per person) and a Rijsttafl Indonesian Rice Table feast ($25 per person). The Chef's Table is offered in three different themes: French, Italian and Californian with each theme featuring food and wines from those areas. Each of the five courses of food is paired with a different wine that best complements the dish.

At our Chef's Table dinner, Executive Chef, Monica Ortiz, greeted us and explained the elaborate and complex menu. Sommelier, Jackson, introduced each wine before it was poured. This is a unique and special dining experience. There were 14 guests seated at one long table (set up in the Prime C bar area). The menu is a five-course tasting menu, with your only choice being meat or fish for a main course. Each dish was expertly prepared and presented.

*Expertly prepared dish at Chef's Table*

The Rijsttafle (pronounced "riss toffel"), or Indonesian Rice Table, defies description. A large table was set for 20 guests at The Patio. After a brief introduction on what we were about to experience, we soon had waiters bringing huge platters and bowls filled with a variety of Indonesian specialties. There were rice dishes, there were noodle dishes, there was fish, there was chicken, there was lamb, there was beef, there were veggies. Must I continue? All dishes were served family style, so we spent the entire evening passing dishes around the table. There was enough food for at least 40 people!

Entertainment and Activities

When it comes to entertainment, Azamara punches above its weight for a ship with only 686 guests. Each evening, there is something going on in The Cabaret Lounge. Immensely talented Cruise Director, Russ Thomas Grieve, is featured in a fantastic "Mama Mia" show, which we remembered from our 2014 sailing with him. The Azamara Quest Singers and Dancers are backed up by a live band and presented some very good production shows. On our voyage, we were also entertained by a comedian, a magician and a Broadway-style singer. Simon played the guitar for our listening pleasure in The Living Room and by the pool, and Ed played piano in various venues around the ship. There was also a DJ for all the late-night partying in the disco!

*DeAna Earl, one of the Quest Singers, performs in The Cabaret Lounge*

One of the entertainment highlights of any Azamara cruise is the signature "White Night" party. Guests are asked to wear something white and join together on the Pool Deck for a Deck BBQ followed by a rousing folkloric show put on by local performers.

*Local performers entertain at White Night*

When the local performers complete their show, Russ Grieve wastes no time in getting the Azamara Quest Singers and Dancers, along with the band, on stage to start a lively dance party. Virtually everyone hits the dance floor to boogie the night away. White Night is always a big hit with guests.

Another signature entertainment event is the Azamazing Evening. This complimentary event will vary depending on the destination. On our sailing, we enjoyed an incredible piano concert in Cartagena, Colombia. Guests are invited to board motor coaches for a drive to an historic theater in Old Cartagena where Ivan Dario Arias, artistically known as IVANN, a Colombian piano sensation, put on a Vegas-esque performance just for Azamara Quest guests.

*IVANN performs for Azamara Quest guests*

The Azamazing Evening is an expensive and complex undertaking for a cruise line. A lot of pre-planning and coordination must go into securing these venues and the performances, not to mention transporting 600+ guests from the ship to the venue and back. Azamara pulls this off seamlessly and everyone who attends seems to love it. As an additional treat, when the coaches returned to the ship after the concert, we were greeted with glasses of sparkling wine as we got off the coach. As if this was all not enough, we were then invited to enjoy a late-night buffet in the Living Room! Azamara knows how to put on an event.

On sea days, Azamara offers a wide range of activities, all listed in the daily Pursuits which is delivered to your cabin each evening. We attended two cooking demonstrations, both conducted by Chef Joao, and both were quite interesting.

*Chef Joao demonstrates how to make Risotto*

Bridge lovers, and there are quite a few of them, were treated to a series of Bridge lessons conducted by Jim and Millie Gavin.

And of course, our favorite sea day activity is the Progressive Team Trivia, conducted by Russ and Activity Manager, Lee, in The Cabaret Lounge. If trivia is not your cup of tea, there were many other things to do including: watercolor art lessons, origami demonstrations, fitness lectures, health and wellness lectures, dance lessons, gaming lessons and slot tournaments in the casino, and bingo, just to name a few. There was a destination lecturer who talked about the countries we were visiting and about the Panama Canal, its history and operation. We also were enlightened by a representative from the World Wildlife Federation who talked about whales, sea turtles and being environmental stewards of the oceans.

One of the most popular ways to enjoy the beautiful weather is lounging by the pool, or up on the Sun Deck (11). Our "layin' in the sun" days are behind us, so we now tend to look for indoor activities. A visit to the onboard spa, The Sanctum, is a popular choice. They offer massages, facials, salon services, steam rooms, acupuncture, a medi-spa, and a fitness center. A "popcorn movie" was shown each afternoon in the Cabaret Lounge featuring some fairly recent releases.

*The Pool Deck (9) and jogging track (11)*

While not necessarily a form of entertainment, Azamara does offer guests Internet access through the ship's new "full-signal WiFi" throughout the ship. I was able to access the Internet, with respectable performance (for a cruise ship) from our stateroom, at Windows Cafe (my morning blog hangout), and Mosaic Cafe. WiFi signals were strong from every location and the Internet connection was one of the most reliable I have experienced on any cruise ship to date. I was even able to live stream the NFL Division Playoff game on my phone using the ship's WiFi! There were only a couple of brief periods, during the transit of the Panama Canal, where Internet service was interrupted. Guests have 24 hours access to the "in touch" Internet cafe located in the Card Room on Deck 10 forward.

Rates for Internet access are competitive with other cruise lines, and have not changed significantly since our last Azamara sailing (2014). However, there are two new package options now available. A One-Day Pass (unlimited access) for $69.95, or a Full Voyage Unlimited package for $30 per day. If you own a business and need to stay in touch throughout the cruise, the Full Voyage is the way to go, and is a decent value compared to other cruise lines.

Shore Excursions

Azamara is really focused on destination experiences. Their itineraries allow them to remain in port longer than most cruise lines and they offer an wide variety of excursions through their Land Discoveries shore excursion desk. We booked two tours through Land Discoveries and found them to be a good value and very well operated. The local guides spoke excellent English and were very approachable.

*Excursions through Land Discoveries were well conducted*

For those (like us) who enjoy exploring on their own, Azamara provides complimentary shuttle service into town at most ports. This is a huge value, saving guests the hassle and cost of arranging local transportation to get from the port into a city. In Cartagena, Rickee and I wanted to explore the old walled city on our own. The Azamara shuttle dropped us off right at the gates to the Old City! Printed shuttle schedules are provided as are maps of the town you are visiting.

Whether you choose to explore on your own, or participate in one of the ship's excellent shore excursions, Azamara goes the extra mile by providing complimentary chilled bottles of water to keep you hydrated on your journey, a very nice touch.

Bars and Lounges

After spending the day exploring exotic ports-of-call, nothing is more relaxing than enjoying your favorite beverage in comfortable surroundings. Our favorite onboard watering hole is The Living Room (observation lounge) on Deck 10 forward. Spirits (formerly, Casino Bar) on Deck 5 is smaller, but also very comfortable with big, cushy leather sofas and wall-mounted televisions. Sun worshipers will no doubt pay a visit to the Pool Bar (Deck 9 midship), or the Sundowner's Bar (Deck 9 aft). Azamara guests now enjoy a variety of complimentary beverages including Budweiser and Beck's beer, a selection of wines, and spirits refer to list here. My favorite, Crown Royal, is not on the list of included spirits, but I found Seagram's to be a satisfactory alternative. And, even though we could find no reference to it, a complimentary sparkling wine is available for the asking. There is also a red and white wine offered with lunch and dinner each day.

*Rickee enjoys a glass of complimentary sparkling wine at White Night*

Azamara does offer a variety of optional beverage packages featuring top-shelf brands for an additional per day/per person cost depending on the package. You can see details about Azamara's beverage packages here. We found bar service throughout the ship to be inconsistent. The wait staff are very polite and responsive, but there were a few times when I had to walk up to the bar to request another drink. During peak periods, having more wait staff available would probably alleviate this issue.

Demographics

If you are wondering to whom Azamara Club Cruises appeals, on our 11-night sailing it was a mostly older clientele. Children were almost non-existent. I think we saw one teenager, one toddler and one infant, and that was it. Families with small children will probably find larger ships with kids' programs and activities more appealing. The guests we met and spoke with were mostly seasoned travelers, many of whom have sailed with Azamara several times. The company has a very loyal following and we heard several people say they had already booked their next Azamara cruise while still on this one. Le Club Voyage is Azamara's loyalty program and guests are automatically enrolled after their first cruise.

Le Club Voyage members receive points for every cruise aboard Azamara, and there is reciprocity with Celebrity Cruises' Captain's Club and Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society. Points and benefits are interchangeable between the cruise lines. Nice. Members can receive discounts, shipboard credit, free Internet minutes, complimentary laundry service, even complimentary cruise nights! The complimentary bag of laundry is a nice perk and kept us from having to visit the onboard launderette on Deck 7.

*One bag of laundry free for Explorer level and above members*

Of course, Azamara recognizes Le Club Voyage members each cruise with a special "repeater's party" held in The Cabaret Lounge. On our sailing, there were 322 guests at the Le Club Voyage party! That is nearly 50% of the people on board. One couple was recognized for having sailed on 22 cruises with Azamara.

Summary

It has been three years, almost to the day, that we sailed aboard Azamara Quest the last time. We sailed on this Quest cruise to see what changes were made as a result of the dry dock last summer. We discovered a lot more than just new carpeting and furnishings. Azamara continues to evolve and improve, while retaining those things that loyal guests love. How much better can Azamara get? We don't know the answer to that, but we look forward to finding out.

*Rickee Richardson and Chris Dikmen co-editors of CruiseReport.com have sailed on more than 130 cruises across 34 different cruise lines*

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 10/13/16 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 10/13/16

ABC Islands on Windstar Cruises' Star Pride

We sail the ABC Island aboard Windstar Cruises new Star Pride.

Itinerary: Barbados, St. Lucia, Bequia, Grenada, Tobago, Mayreau, At Sea, Bonaire, Curaçao, Aruba

Editors' Choice Award for 2016 | Best Small Ship Cruise Line for 2016 | Windstar Cruises | CruiseReport

It has been a few years since we sailed with Windstar Cruises, so when the opportunity came up for us to spend nine days aboard one of their new motor yachts, Star Pride, we jumped at the chance. Windstar has gone through a lot of changes since our last review and we were anxious to see what has been going on with one of our favorite brands.

History

Windstar Cruises has long had an admirable reputation as a small sailing ship cruise line, with 4- and 5-masted sailing vessels carrying from 148 to 310 guests to some of the most remote and exotic destinations in the world. The company continues to operate three sailing yachts: Wind Star, Wind Spirit and Wind Surf. However, in 2014, Windstar launched the small motor yacht, Star Pride, followed by sister ships Star Breeze and Star Legend. Each of the new "Star" motor yachts can carry 212 guests. The addition of the three motor yachts makes Windstar one of, if not the, largest operator of small ships in the world.

The Ship

Star Pride was built in 1988 and was originally christened Seabourn Pride, operating under the Seabourn flag. At just under 10,000 tons, the ship is 438 feet long with a beam of 67 feet and, as previously mentioned, can carry up to 212 guests. The ship has stabilizers to smooth out any rough seas she may encounter. Because of her small size, Star Pride can take guests to smaller ports where large cruise ships simply cannot go, one of the big advantages of small ship cruising.

The ship has been fitted with a large marina at the aft section to allow guests to enjoy a variety of water toys (complimentary) such as paddle boards, water skis, wake boards, etc.

Star Pride has five decks (passenger decks) and three elevators. The two amidship elevators and the nearby dual spiral staircase extend between Deck 3 and Deck 7. The forward elevator and stairs go from Deck 3 all the way to Deck 8. We found the forward elevator to be quite small and possibly a tight fit for a wheelchair. The aft (main) elevators are larger. Therefore, it may be difficult for someone in a wheelchair to get to Deck 8.

*Main, dual spiral staircases amidships*

Most of the interior public spaces are located aft on Decks 5, 6 and 7 with the exception of The Yacht Club which is located on Deck 8 forward. The ship is small enough that it never takes more than a couple of minutes to walk from one space to another which is yet another advantage of small ship cruising.

The public rooms appear to have been recently refurbished with new carpeting, furnishings and other surfaces. Only the stage and dance floor in The Lounge are showing some signs of wear. Carpeting throughout the hallways, and even in the suites, all appear to be in very good to excellent condition. The HVAC system seems to be working well, perhaps too well. A sweater may be in order when visiting The Lounge or AmphorA Restaurant. However, based on our experience, interior cold temperature is not unique to this ship.

Windstar has an "open bridge" policy allowing guests to visit the navigational bridge while the ship is underway, or anchored. It may be closed during sail away or docking procedures.

*Guests are invited to visit the Bridge on all Windstar ships*

As far as outdoor spaces, Decks 7 and 8 provide loungers for sun-lovers, and shade-lovers as well. However, on days at sea with a full ship, you should pick out your lounger early as they can get scarce. We had about 140 people on our sailing (72 below the max) and on our one day at sea, we had difficulty finding a lounger on the non-smoking Starboard side of the ship.

*Loungers with tables and umbrellas on Deck 8*

There are also a few loungers hidden forward on Deck 3 at the bow, along with a little-known-about hot tub.

*Hot tub and loungers at the bow on Deck 3*

A larger hot tub and swim-against-the-current pool are located aft on Deck 7.

On this cruise, there were several ports requiring use of the ship's tenders. It should be noted that the tender service was the best we have experienced on any cruise line. There were always two tenders running continuously between ship and shore, so you never had to wait very long to get to shore or return to the ship

*One of the ship's two tenders at Pigeon Island*

The ship is equipped with WiFi Internet access which we found to be quite good. Cruise ship Internet is never as good as what you are used to on land, but Windstar's was better than average. Windstar offers a choice of Internet packages as follows:

The Email Plan $60 This plan gives you 200 MB of data to use during your cruise. This plan is recommended for people who will be checking email and doing very limited browsing. The estimated minutes range from 15 to 60.

The Surfing Plan $120 This plan gives you 500 MB of data to use for additional browsing and small file transfers (such as posting pictures to a social media site). The estimated minutes range from 90 to 360 (approximately 5 hours).

The Unlimited Plan This plan gives you unlimited internet access. You have no worries about how much time you spend on the internet

- 7 Day Cost $250
- 8 Day Cost $280
- 9 Day Cost $315
- 10 Day Cost $350
- 11 Day Cost $385
- 14 Day Cost $490
- 15 Day Cost $525
- 2 devices
- 1 ticket issued onboard valid for two devices

Accommodations

We were assigned to Balcony Suite 308 located, contrary to what you might think, on Deck 6 port side. Balcony suites and Ocean View Suites are essentially identical with the exception of the narrow, step-out balcony in the Balcony Suites. Both configurations are 277 sq. ft. and are identical as far as their layout and amenities.

The "suites" are technically "suites" because they have a separate living room which can be separated with a curtain, quite nice when one wants to stay up late and watch TV while the other one sleeps. The living room has two comfortable chairs separated from a medium-sized sofa by a coffee table. The coffee table can double as a dining table when enjoying room service.

*Living room in Ocean View and Balcony Suites*

And, while you can't sit on your balcony and enjoy breakfast or soak up the sun, the step-out balcony is quite useful for photo taking purposes, or just to get some fresh air. There is a small, narrow desk/vanity at the end of the bed with a mirror and too-dim-to-put-on-makeup lighting. You can control most of the lighting in the suite from switches located near the desk, and there are woefully few electrical outlets for today's techno-junkies, a sign of the ship's age. The comfortable, leather desk chair is nice, but when someone is sitting at the desk, the other person may have to climb on the bed to get from the living room to the bathroom or closet. There's just not enough space between the end of the bed and the back of the chair. A small, round pedestal-type stool tucked under the desk might be a better solution.

To free up desk space, we quickly re-located the huge World Atlas and magazine rack to shelves in the living room where they were out of sight, and out of the way. The added space made the desk very usable for my laptop and for Rickee's makeup application duties. She, of course, would like to see brighter lighting for the mirror lights, LEDs perhaps? The portable magnifying mirror that she relocated from the bathroom to the desk, is a nice touch, but it would be even better if it were a lighted makeup mirror. The large drawers (six of them), on each side of the desk came in very handy for storage. In fact, there is quite a bit of storage throughout the suite.

The very ample walk-in closet had more than enough hanging space for our 9-day cruise. There were drawers and an electronic safe tucked away at one end of the closet, and a series of shelves as you walk in on the right. Storage was not an issue.

The queen-sized bed is flanked by small nightstands, each with a small drawer and cubby for additional storage. The linens and bedding were high quality, however, the mattress was a little firm for our liking and not very plush. The bed seemed very low to the ground! There are small, lamps attached to the wall on each side of the bed in addition to the wall-mounted adjustable reading lights. The suite was very quiet and peaceful notwithstanding the occasional "whoosh" from a flushing vacuum toilet.

The flat-screen television offers decent satellite programming with major news channels, a couple of closed-circuit movie channels and a European sports channel. A DVD player is connected to the TV with DVDs available on a complimentary basis from the library. Underneath the TV is a Bose iPod sound system. A mini-fridge is stocked with soft drinks, tonic and club soda, all of which are complimentary. Small, airline-type bottles of liquor are placed in the cabinet with the refrigerator and are available for purchase, as are beer and wine stocked in the refrigerator. Bottled water is also available from your room steward(ess) upon request. Two bottles of filtered water are refilled as needed.

The bathrooms have double sinks, a very nice touch. There is plenty of storage for your toiletries in the bathroom, too, in mirrored cabinets on each side of the vanity. The bathtub/shower combo makes taking a shower a bit clumsy because of where the shower head/wand is mounted on the wall. We would prefer a nice shower stall, but we understand that some people just love bathtubs. Top-quality L'Occitane soaps and bath products are provided and replenished as needed.

Food and Dining

The one area where we noticed the biggest improvement over past Windstar sailings was food and dining. That's not to say that the food on Windstar was bad before, but it was nothing notable, at least in our opinion. The food on this cruise, however, was notable. Let's start with Veranda, the ship's indoor/outdoor venue for buffet breakfast and lunch. We are not breakfast eaters, so we only had a morning meal there on the day of disembarkation. Nevertheless, the buffet was well stocked with every item you could possibly want. However, on the day of disembarkation, they do not offer Eggs Benedict, most likely because of the large crowd. Omelets and eggs made-to-order were available, however, and were very nice.

Lunch is typically served from 12:30pm until 2:00pm in Veranda and the buffet items change every day. We were quite impressed with the quality of the soups, salad choices, and entrees available on the buffet. And, the amazing breads made watching carb intake a real challenge!

*Chicken noodle soup, Thai beef salad, grilled zucchini and fresh bread*

An à la carte menu is available at lunch with daily specials prepared à la minute. Hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, veggie burgers and hot dogs are always available with lunch, and are quite good. The French fries are hot and crispy, too. It may sound nit-picky, but you would be surprised how many cruise lines, even 5-star cruise lines, cannot deliver something as simple as a decent hamburger. The burgers and hot dogs on Star Pride were delicious.

If you prefer something a bit lighter, there is a Continental breakfast served in the Yacht Club (Deck 8 forward) from 6am until 10am. Here you will find a selection of muffins and assorted pastries, fruit, yogurt, coffee drinks, delicious hot chocolate, and a variety of smoothies. Oh, I almost forgot -- they have the most delicious chocolate croissants and almond croissants, too. I visited the Yacht Club early every morning, finding it to be the quietest place on the ship to enjoy my coffee and get my blogging done.

*My morning workstation at the Yacht Club*

At lunchtime until 5pm each day, the Yacht Club offers a selection of finger sandwiches, mini-wraps, cupcakes, and cookies. What a great idea!

At dinnertime, there are a couple of choices available to guests on Windstar's motor yachts. AmphorA Restaurant is the main dining room located on Deck 3. The restaurant looks as if it has undergone a complete refurbishment recently. It looks brand new and is one of the nicest public spaces on the ship. The menu at AmphorA changes every evening and offers a variety of delicious choices across multiple courses. The restaurant offers open-seating any time between the hours of 7pm and 9pm and there are tables for two available.

We were impressed with every meal we had here, although some offerings seemed a bit dated. Chicken Kiev? Seriously? It's 2017, not 1980. That said, there were contemporary dishes and everything we ordered was expertly prepared and presented. The Curry Duo I had one evening was very inventive and delicious.

One night I ordered Prime Rib and was delivered a huge slab of tender, perfectly-cooked beef that was as good as I have ever had on a cruise ship. Rickee had a Sesame Crusted Seared Tuna one evening that she still talks about. The service in AmphorA was also top notch; however, when the restaurant begins to get busy, the time between courses can increase dramatically. We were impressed when the restaurant manager noticed that Rickee was wearing black pants and exchanged her white napkin for a black one to prevent lint transfer that sometimes comes from the white napkins. I don't recall that level of attention to detail on any other ship.

Black napkins offered | Star Pride | CruiseReport

The other option for dinner is Candles, otherwise known as Veranda during the day. In the evening, Veranda is transformed into a romantic restaurant with candlelit tables and a steakhouse menu.

*Guests dining at Candles can see the meat offerings upon entering the restaurant*

Dining at Candles is complimentary, but guests are only guaranteed one meal per cruise. However, guests occupying an Owner's Suite do not have that restriction. We ate at Candles on the first evening of the cruise. We were seated outdoors, and while it was very romantic, it was also very, very dark. It was impossible to read the menu without using the light from my cell phone. A small flashlight on the table might be a nice touch. The food here was very good. My Veal Chop was perfectly cooked, tender and juicy.

There is one other, often overlooked, dining option: room service. Room service is complimentary and there is a quite an extensive room service menu. Guests can even order from the daily AmphorA Restaurant menu during dinnertime hours, a nice feature that you normally only find on luxury cruise lines. Room service is available 24 hours a day.

One of the highlights of the cruise was the Pool Deck BBQ held one evening on Decks 7 and 8. The outer decks of the ship are transformed into an elegant dining area for the event.

At sunset, the ship comes alive with guests lining up at the huge buffet line for everything imaginable: grilled lobster, steaks, lamb chops, pork ribs, boiled shrimp, and on and on. A gigantic Paella pan is overflowing with rice and seafood. The galley crew really put on an amazing display of food, and it was all delicious. We even enjoyed the music of a local steel-drum band that provided musical entertainment after dinner.

In every way, the food quality and dining experience on Star Pride exceeded our expectations.

Bars & Lounges

There are two main venues for enjoying cocktails. The Star Bar is located on Deck 8, just above the pool deck, and is open all day and into the evening. On any other ship, it would be called the Pool Bar, but it is actually located one deck above the pool. The Star Bar also serves as the cocktail center for anyone wishing to enjoy a drink in the Yacht Club.

The other bar/lounge is in Compass Rose on Deck 6 aft. This space appears to have been recently refurbished as everything here looks brand new. Compass Rose is closed during the day and opens sometime around 8pm for after-dinner drinks, music and dancing.

The Lounge on Deck 5 aft is used for evening talks, events, and as a gathering point for shore excursions. There is no bar here, but waiters can be found taking drink orders during some events in the evening, so you can enjoy a cocktail here if there is a scheduled event.

Entertainment

As is the custom on small ships, there are no evening "shows" as you might expect on a larger cruise ship. One duo, D' Harmony, performed nightly at the Star Bar on Deck 8. To their credit, they played at a reasonable volume so that you could enjoy their music, but still have a conversation.

The other performing duo, Mistura Fina, was not as considerate with the low volume. They performed in the Compass Rose and in The Lounge prior to some of the scheduled events such as the Crew Show. And speaking of the Crew Show, it was one of the most energetic we have seen in a long time. You definitely do not want to miss the Crew Show.

The crew takes a bow after the crew show

Activities

Small ship cruising is more about the destination than it is about the ship itself. Therefore, when the ship is docked or anchored in port, there is not much going on around the ship during the day. Windstar expects guests to seek their adventures on shore, either on their own, or through their shore excursions. We booked a Clear-Bottom Kayak excursion in Grenada and found it to be a good value, and a lot of fun.

Those who are into SCUBA and snorkeling will love the wide selection of Windstar excursions that cater to these activities, especially when sailing in the Caribbean. Windstar even provides complimentary snorkeling gear for guests. When the ship is anchored, and the waters around the ship are calm, guests have full access to the ship's marina and all of the water toys, which include kayaks, paddle boards, water skis, wake boards, and a big floating mat that is tethered to the back of the ship.

*Some guests and crew members using the floating mat*

Of course, the most popular activity any day in the Caribbean is just hanging out on Deck 7 or Deck 8 and soaking up some sun. The comfortable loungers have umbrellas for those (like me) who prefer the shade. Fresh towels are available at the Star Bar and drinks are also just a few steps away. On our one day at sea, we enjoyed a cooking demonstration presented by Executive Chef Stany, and a towel-folding demonstration where we actually got to make the cute and creative animals that our room stewards make for us each evening and place on the bed.

*Anton shows Rickee how to turn a towel into a dinosaur*

There is a library on Deck 6 and a very small casino next to the library. Since we had such a port-intensive itinerary, the casino was not open much, which was probably a good thing for us! There is also a small shop on board selling Windstar logo items, clothing and sundries. It was closed much of the time due to Customs regulations about not being able to open while the ship is in port

One of the most popular activities on a Windstar Caribbean Cruise is the signature Beach Party and BBQ. Our day at the beach was in Mayreau and was one of the best beach BBQs we have ever experienced. The beach was beautiful and the facilities, great.

Rickee Richardson | Star Pride | CruiseRreport

Guests have access to the Windstar water toys to use from the beach and there are more than enough loungers for everyone. A steel band plays Caribbean music in the background and there is plenty of shade available for those who prefer to stay out of the sun.

Sun Loungers on beach | Star Pride | CruiseRreport

Of course, there is a full service bar available and the galley crew put on a huge Beach BBQ with Jerk chicken, chicken skewers, shrimp mac & cheese, burgers, hot dogs and too many other items to list. Everyone had a great time and it was a highlight of the cruise.

Water toys at beach | Star Pride | CruiseRreport

Staff and Crew

Nothing new here. Windstar continues its tradition of hiring and training an excellent staff and crew. Crew members are predominately Indonesian and Phillipino and are always smiling and willing to serve.

Anto, our excellent room steward, was always there when we needed him

Fellow Shipmates

So, who exactly are you most likely to be sailing with on Windstar? This ship appeals to an active demographic, those who like to explore destinations rather than sit in a casino or ship's theater. You won't see many (if any) children, perhaps because there really are no programs for kids on these small ships. Average age is somewhere between 40 and 60, with a few on either side of that equation. On our voyage, 60 out of the 140 people had sailed with Windstar at least on one occasion before.

Sunset at sea | Star Pride | CruiseRreport

Summary

If you are into small ship cruising, then Windstar should be on your short list of choices. If you have never considered a small ship, perhaps you should. You won't have to worry about fighting large lines to get on or off the ship, or standing in line to be seated for dinner. The Star Pride (and her sisters, Star Legend and Star Breeze) represents the ultimate small ship experience. She was originally designed as a luxury, 5-star cruise ship, so the accommodations are huge by cruise ship standards and everyone gets a suite! The ship has multiple dining options, and plenty of space so you never feel crowded. Combine this with an excellent staff and competitive pricing, and you have quite a combination. Our advice: book a Windstar cruise and see for yourself. You might just become addicted to the experience!

Video

Parting Shots

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 5/18/16 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 5/18/16

The Rhine and Moselle on Tauck MS Grace

Tauck's newest riverboat continues the tradition of excellent service

Itinerary: Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Nijmegen, Remagen, Cochem, Bernkastel/Luxembourg, Trier, Boppard/Rüdesheim, Heidelberg, Baden-Baden, Strasbourg, Basel/Lucerne

The Assignment

We spend 12 nights aboard Tauck's new ms Grace sailing The Rhine and Moselle rivers from Amsterdam to Basel. Grace is one of Tauck's newest riverboats and we will be aboard the 6th sailing of this brand new vessel. Tauck Grace is basically the exact same class of vessel as Tauck Inspire, on which we sailed in 2014.

Tauck/Scylla Relationship

At its core, Tauck is a tour company. They have been in the tour business for more than 90 years. When the decision was made to enter the rapidly expanding river cruise market, Tauck partnered with Scylla, a Swiss river cruise operator with 40 years of experience in the industry. This unique partnership gives Tauck guests a "best of both worlds" experience. Tauck sets a brand standard on its ships that Scylla is required to meet. Therefore, Scylla hotel/restaurant staff deliver their portion of the onboard experience to meet or exceed Tauck's requirements. In addition, Scylla designs the Tauck-branded riverboats to meet Tauck's specifications. With Scylla responsible for the hotel side of the experience, Tauck can focus on the destination presentation, excursions and enrichment experience. This arrangement may seem a bit confusing at first, but the system works, and works very well. Both Tauck and Scylla appear to have the same focus on, and penchant for, great customer service.

*The Scylla flag flies proudly beside the Tauck flag on MS Grace*

Embarkation

We arrived very early on the morning of embarkation, around 10am. Embarkation day for us is also disembarkation day for the guests from the previous sailing, so early in the morning things are a bit hectic. As soon as we stepped aboard, we met Maggie, Grace's Cruise Director. In spite of being very busy helping guests who were disembarking, she took the time to greet us and invite us to relax in the Panorama Lounge until our stateroom was ready for occupancy. Normally, we would have used the time to explore Amsterdam on foot, but the weather today is extremely cold, windy and rainy. As soon as we were seated in the lounge, we were approached by a waiter who asked us if we would like something to drink, a preview of the great service we knew we were going to enjoy over the next 12 days.

About 11am, the crew began setting up a "Welcome" lunch buffet in the Panorama Lounge with soup, sandwiches and light snacks. By noon, the Hotel Manager informed us that our stateroom was ready. We visited the Reception Desk where we left our passports, had our photos taken (for security reasons) and were issued our stateroom keys. The whole process only took a few minutes.

MS Grace

The interesting thing about riverboats in Europe is that, regardless of the cruise line, the boats are all roughly the same size. This is due to the limitations imposed by the rivers themselves. A riverboat can only be so long, so wide and so tall, otherwise it would not be able to transit the various locks along the river or travel under the bridges. Where Tauck distinguishes itself from other companies is the space-to-guest ratio. Tauck's ms Grace only has 67 cabins which means it is designed to carry a maximum of 134 guests. There are riverboats exactly this same size that carry up to 190 guests.

PANORAMA LOUNGE - The heart of every riverboat in Europe is the lounge. The Panorama Lounge on Grace is located forward on Deck 3, "Diamond Deck." The lounge is elegantly decorated in blue and silver velvet fabrics giving it a very rich look and feel.

The fully-stocked bar is located forward in the center of the room with seating surrounding the bar. There are sliding doors on each side of the lounge leading to the outer deck and to stairs that go up to the Sun Deck. Each evening around 5:00pm, you will see guests begin to make their way to Panorama for a "social hour" and to hear the daily briefing about the next day's activities. The lounge is also the venue for evening entertainment.

RECEPTION/GIFT SHOP - The Reception Desk is located on Deck 3 starboard just aft of the lounge. There is always at least one crew member at Reception 24 hours a day. Guests interact with Reception each time they leave or return to the boat. Before exiting the boat, guests are asked to "swipe out" by handing their room key to someone at Reception who swipes the key through the onboard system to record that the guest is off the boat. Upon returning to the boat, you hand your key to someone at Reception to "swipe in" to let them know you are back on board. Of course, Reception is available to answer any questions or deal with any issues with your cabin. On our sailing, Edua and Sintija (Cynthia) were always at the desk, smiling and willing to help. If you wanted to use the complimentary WiFi service on board, it was necessary to register your devices with Reception. This was a simple process wherein your computer, tablet and/or phone were scanned into the onboard system to allow you to access the Internet.

COMPASS ROSE - The Compass Rose Dining Room is located on Deck 2 forward. The dining room is laid out exactly like Tauck's other ships on which we have sailed. Tables are elegantly set with white tablecloths for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Most tables are set for four, six or eight guests. However, there are two tables-for-two (one portside and one starboard). Seating is along the sides of the boat while the middle of the dining room is occupied by a long buffet serving station.

ARTHUR'S RESTAURANT - Arthur's Restaurant is Grace's alternate dining venue, and more. Located aft on Deck 3, Arthur's is an all-day dining venue, 24-hour coffee station, game center and bar.

FITNESS CENTER/SALON - The Fitness Center and Beauty Salon are located on Deck 1. There is even a massage room with a nice selection of massage treatments offered at reasonable prices. There is an elevator/lift that transports guests from Deck 1 to Deck 3.

SUN DECK - The Sun Deck (top deck) on Grace is open to the elements, as is the norm on European riverboats. However, there are a lot of covered areas to provide protection from the sun and rain. A section behind the Bridge is protected by glass on three sides for more protection from the wind. Aft, you will find a large hot tub and a putting green.

Forward of the Bridge on the Sun Deck there is an open area with very comfortable wicker furniture, the perfect location for enjoying your favorite beverage while taking in the sights of the river.

SECURITY - It is worth noting that Tauck has enhanced its security when it comes to how guests, and others, are able to access the interior of the boat. The guest must place their room key on a scanner which will open the door to Reception, Arthur's or the Panorama Lounge. It is no longer possible to simply walk onto the boat unless the room key is swiped across the scanner. While this is a little inconvenient, it is a measure we would like to see other river cruise companies employ. On most river boats, there is nothing to keep anyone from just walking into the Reception area. So, we commend Tauck for this new security measure. We also noticed on this trip that, when tied up right next to another riverboat between us and the shore, which is common practice on the increasingly crowded European rivers, we no longer exited through the lobby inside the other boat but instead had to go outside, climb the stairs up onto our Sun Deck and step across to the other boat's Sun Deck and down their outside stairs to access the shore.

Accommodations - Loft Cabin

Our Loft Cabin is a totally new stateroom design, and one we were anxious to experience once again. To fully appreciate the Loft Cabin, you have to be familiar with a typical Deck 1 (the lowest deck) cabin on a river ship. The floor of these cabins actually rests below the water line and a typical cabin will only have the top few feet above the water line. Therefore, a traditional Deck 1 cabin will only have a small window about 14 inches tall just above the water line. By comparison, the Loft Cabin is actually a split-level design with five steps up to a "loft" landing which has a very high ceiling that has been "carved" out of Deck 2. The Loft Cabin is one of the most innovative concepts we have ever seen on any ship. The windows, which are 1.5 decks tall, are fantastic. It was so nice to sit at the table and chairs in front of the windows and watch the river go by! And, a portion of the window could be raised at the touch of a switch to allow fresh air into the cabin or to take pictures without shooting through glass. Very nice!

The Loft Cabin is 225 sq. ft., which is quite large for a riverboat. The loft platform initially makes the room seem smaller than it is, but you soon realize that this is a very roomy and usable space. There is ample storage in the form of closets and drawers. The contemporary carpeting and furnishings offer both style and class. The mattress on the bed is as comfortable as you will find on any ship --- river or ocean. The pillows were a bit on the soft side, but after an extra one was delivered from housekeeping, I found the 'sweet spot'. Whomever designed the cabin has obviously been the victim of limited AC outlets on other ships. I counted more than 10 electrical outlets! And, there are US-style 110 outlets in addition to the European-style 220 outlets. Bravo! Stateroom lighting can be controlled from switches by the door, or from either side of the bed. "Cove" lighting beneath the stairs and around the headboard offers a soft glow that really classes up the room. There are also adjustable LED reading lights attached to the wall on each side of the bed. Even the tall curtains and sheers covering the massive window are controlled electronically from switches in the loft, or on one side of the bed. And, just when you think you have found every possible electronic control, you find yet another switch by the bed to raise and lower the flat-screen TV to make it more viewable from the bed! That is just plain cool. There is a mini-fridge that is stocked daily with your choice of beverage and an electronic safe for your valuables. An espresso machine was placed in each cabin along with a variety of coffee pods to use in it. Each cabin also is equipped with an alarm clock, a feature we really appreciated.

Switches next to bed can control lights and curtains

The bathroom is perhaps the nicest one you will find this side of a top-level suite on a 5-star cruise ship. The ceramic tile has the look of wooden planks and really gives the bathroom a warm and inviting appearance. The shower stall is large and has a rain shower head as well as a handheld shower head/wand combination. The vessel sink, a popular trend on new ships these days, places form over function. Prepare for water to splash all over the place when you wash your face or brush your teeth. A large two-door medicine cabinet opens to reveal roomy shelves that keep liquids and creams hidden from view and there's even a small magnifying makeup mirror mounted inside. The medicine cabinet doors are mirrored on both sides so you can use the items you need inside the cabinet without having to repeatedly close and re-open the doors. And, there is even additional lighting within the medicine cabinet itself making it easier to see to apply makeup! There is also a large cabinet under the sink that can be used for storage.

Even though the Loft Cabin is the most innovative and downright "cool" stateroom we have ever occupied, it is not without its shortcomings. There is a little problem with the noise coming from neighboring cabins' vacuum toilets when they are flushed. This is an issue we noted in our 2014 review of Tauck Inspire and, even though more insulation has been added for noise abatement, the flushing noise is still noticeable. We were often awakened by the loud sound of running water that seemed to flowing down the inside of our cabin walls. Even with the noise, the positives of this cabin far outweigh the negative. I would still rate this cabin 4 out of 5 and would not hesitate to sail in a Loft Cabin again in the future.

Food and Dining

Meal service starts each morning from 6:30am till 9am (times may vary) in Compass Rose with an elaborate buffet breakfast. As you would expect, there are scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, pastries, fruit, cereals, breads, etc. An á la carte breakfast menu is available for cooked-to-order eggs, a variety of pancakes, French toast or waffles. Early risers will find a selection of Continental Breakfast choices at Arthur's from 6am until 10am.

The lunch buffet in Compass Rose begins at 12:30pm or later, depending on the daily activities, with buffet choices that change each day. There is always a variety of freshly-made salads, sandwiches, breads, hot entrees, and even a carving station. There is also an extensive charcuterie platter each day on the buffet with a beautiful selection of salami, Parma ham, proscuitto, liverwurst, etc. Soups are delivered to your table by your waiter/waitress.

Dinner in Compass Rose is full-service with menus that change each evening. We found the service to be very polished and prompt. The menus were varied and we found the food quality and presentation coming from Dutch-born Executive Chef, Fenna, to be even better than what we remembered from past Tauck sailings. All of the beef dishes I had were excellent and perfectly prepared. The food served in Compass Rose was as good or better than we have found on any river cruise to date. The suckling pig served at lunch one day was delicious, as was the roasted chicken. The only slip up was one morning when Rickee's Eggs Benedict has a strong smell and taste of vinegar. Apparently, too much was added to the poaching liquid. Every other egg dish we ordered during the cruise was perfectly cooked.

Arthur's is open from 11am until 11pm each evening and offers a complete menu with a variety of lunch and dinner selections. Throughout the day, all dishes are prepared á la minute in the restaurant's "open" kitchen where you can see the chef making your meal. Burgers and steaks are prepared on a flattop grill. A hamburger is on the menu, the only burger I have ever seen on a riverboat.

The atmosphere in Arthur's does not change from lunchtime to dinnertime and is much more casual than the previous steakhouse concept. Tables are set up as needed, when guests arrive. There is a small full-service bar in Arthur's and a large table in the back of the dining room sports several board games for guests to enjoy. Bridge players also congregate here for card games, so you might be dining right next to a heated bridge game. Therefore, an intimate, romantic dining venue, Arthur's is not.

Arthur's also serves as Grace's 24-hour coffee bar where guests can enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and a choice of freshly baked cookies. If you want something light to snack on, you can order a "Bite to Eat" plate available daily from 10am until midnight which can be delivered to your stateroom, the Sun Deck, the Panorama Lounge or Arthur's. The menu is found in your stateroom and also at Arthur's and consists of items such as a cheese plate, sandwiches, cookies, etc.

Bar Service

Grace guests can enjoy their favorite beverage in Panorama Lounge (Deck 3 forward), Arthur's (Deck 3 aft) or on the Sun Deck. Waiters circulate through the Panorama Lounge taking and delivering drink orders. Rickee and I have a favorite table near the bar that we occupy each evening. By the second night, Farhan Hamdi (Bar Manager), knows our favorite drinks and a waiter delivers them to our table without our even having to order. We sailed with Mr. Hamdi on Tauck Inspire in 2014, and he remembered us. Farhan makes an excellent Mojito, which Rickee loves. There is a "social hour" in Panorama Lounge each evening to entice guests to attend the daily briefing before going to dinner. Waiters circulate through the lounge offering trays of delicious appetizers. On more than one evening, we ate so many of the amazing hors d'oeuvres that we had to skip dinner altogether!

Excursions

Visiting the towns, cities and villages along the rivers is what river cruising is all about. When it comes to immersing guests in the destination, nobody does it better than Tauck. From the very first off-the-boat excursion, it becomes obvious that Tauck has unequaled experience in this area. Overseeing all local excursions is Tauck's team of Tour Directors. Tauck Directors are knowledgeable professionals, well-versed in local culture, customs and traditions. They seem to always be looking for creative ways to share their love of the destination, with pleasant surprises or spur-of-the-moment opportunities along the way to make the each day the best day of your river cruise. In addition to Tauck Directors, local guides are used in most places, all speaking very good English, and all very knowledgeable about their local points of interest.

Each day, guests are invited to join one or more of the offered excursions. A complete description of the day's excursion(s) is provided during the previous day's briefing in the Panorama Lounge. Information is also available in the daily newsletter. To divide guests into smaller groups, Tauck uses colored poker chips. Each morning, guests are asked to select a colored poker chip (one per person) to determine which tour group/guide they will be assigned to for that day. The chips are then dropped into a waiting silver bucket to be used again the next day.

When all the chips of a certain color are gone, the group is full. Upon exiting the vessel, guests look for the local guide holding a sign with the color of the chip(s) they selected for the day. The system seems to work very well and keeps everything organized. On most days, there is one group geared toward a slower pace, which is great for guests with mobility issues.

Bottled water is always available in Reception before an excursion departure and, when guests return from the excursion, they are welcomed back on board with a moist warm or cold towel (depending on outside temperature) and some sort of local delicacy refreshment such as candy or cookies or special beverage.

Each guest is provided a personal communication "Vox" device, complete with an earpiece, that is programmed to the transmitter used by their local guide. These devices are becoming commonplace now and they really make local excursions much more enjoyable. The Vox units used by Tauck can be worn around your neck using the provided lanyard, or they will easily slip into a shirt or jacket pocket, great for those of us that have a camera hanging around our neck. The provided earpiece is very comfortable and can be fitted to either ear. At the end of the day, the Vox units are placed into a charging station in your stateroom.

While some excursions take place right from where the boat docks, others require a short drive to a tour departure point. Tauck has a fleet of new, comfortable and spotlessly clean motorcoaches to transport guests. The buses are wrapped in recognizable Tauck-branded graphics to make them immediately recognizable when parked among dozens of other tour coaches. These coaches also serve as shuttle buses that transport guests back to/from the ship at scheduled times when the opportunity exists to remain in a city for lunch, extra shopping or additional exploration. Tauck is all about choices. You usually have more than one choice of excursion. Don't feel like going on a walking tour today? No problem. A Tauck motorcoach will pick you up at the boat at a certain time and take you to meet the rest of the group at the winery or restaurant or wherever the walking tour was scheduled to end.

Entertainment

Riverboat entertainment, for the most part, is geared toward a cultural experience. Local entertainers come on board to sing, dance and play instruments. On this trip, we were treated to performances by La Prada, a string trio that played classical and not-so-classical music; the Sandy Quartett, who have been entertaining fans for over 25 years on European stages; and an Alsace Folklore show featuring local costumes and dances. But, the highlight was the Scylla Crew Show!

We were educated by guest lecturers and enlightened on local cultural topics by our Tour Directors. One night a movie on Dutch waterway management was shown in the Panorama Lounge. We even had a "Battle of the Sexes" game one evening after dinner! Musical entertainment was always available in the Panorama Lounge from Stefan, the onboard pianist. If you did not feel like venturing out, you have access to on-demand movies on your stateroom television. There was also a control on your stateroom wall that would allow you to listen to music or hear commentary delivered by a Tour Director when we were sailing through notable scenic areas of the rivers.

Board games were available in Arthur's and Bridge players were often found there in a friendly game. If you felt like getting some exercise, yoga classes were offered on several mornings or, when we were docked, you could ask a member of the crew to get a bicycle out for you to ride along the river paths. Golf putters were available at Reception if you wanted to get a little practice in on the Sun Deck putting green.

Staff and Crew

During a Tauck river cruise, guests will engage with both Tauck and Scylla employees. However, this is really seamless to the experience and every member of the Tauck and Scylla staff we encountered was friendly and dedicated to providing a great experience. From the Tauck side, our Cruise Director, Maggie Chada, could always be found at her desk across from Reception. It was pretty obvious that Maggie runs the show and she does an amazing job of keeping everything running smoothly. There were three Tauck Tour Directors on our sailing, Michael, Kati and Iris, and each of them went out of their way to ensure that each guest had a memorable experience.

Maggie Chada, Cruise Director

The Hotel Manager, Marija, and her team of Edua and Sintija were always available at the Reception Desk to handle any issues or answer questions.

Edua, Marija and Sintija

The housekeeping staff is also worthy of mention. Crew members are continually cleaning the public areas and keeping the brass surfaces polished and free from fingerprints. Our room steward, Yusup, did an admirable job of keeping our Loft cabin clean and well stocked. Room stewards and stewardesses also perform a variety of other tasks, including waiting tables in the restaurant and bar.

Jenny and Yusup

The Tauck River Cruise Experience

The dress code is casual with opportunities to "dress up" provided with the Captain's Welcome and Captain's Farewell receptions and dinner. During the day, we wore blue jeans and tees with a light jacket since the weather was on the cool side. After 5pm, it is suggested that guests not wear shorts or jeans in the public areas or dining room but we saw several male guests wearing shorts and jeans during cocktail hour. Umbrellas are provided in each cabin as well as at Reception; however, packing a small portable umbrella is advisable.

River cruising in general tends to attract a mature crowd, and the guests on Tauck fit this description. You will rarely find families with small children on a river cruise and, there were none on this sailing. Tauck actually offers four river cruise itineraries designed specifically for families, one each on the Danube, Rhine, Rhone and Seine. Naturally, families will gravitate toward those sailings. Part of the Tauck Bridges collection of family tours and cruises, the four Bridges river cruises are very popular with families. In 2017 Tauck will be doubling family river cruise departures from 10 to 20. On our sailing, the average age was between 45-65 with an occasional 30-something or 80-something in the mix. Tauck guests tend to be very experienced travelers.

Tauck delivers an all-inclusive experience that includes gratuities and beverages in the cruise fare. Depending on the package you purchase, it may also include a pre-/post-cruise hotel stay and airfare. This can make Tauck a very good value compared to other river cruise products. Gratuities on other river cruises can be as much as $20 per day/per person. On this sailing, that would be $480 for two people! An unlimited drink package on another popular river cruise line costs another $20 per day, so add another $480. Tauck also includes special events and meals off the boat that would easily cost you several hundred dollars on other cruise lines.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

Cruise accommodations
All meals on board
Special events and meals off the boat
All excursions
All gratuities
Airport transfers
Soft drinks, bottled water, beer, wine and liquor
Premium spirits
Complimentary use of bicycles when docked
Complimentary WiFi

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED

Incidentals (gifts, postcards, postage, etc.)
Salon services (hair, nails, massage)

Summary

Tauck River Cruises is far from the largest river cruise line, but what they lack in fleet size, they more than make up for in quality. This a truly all-inclusive vacation. The only thing we ended up paying for after twelve days was a few stamps for postcards, which were mailed for us by Reception. All beverages consumed on board are included as are gratuities. Staterooms are elegantly decorated, with plenty of storage, and the most comfortable beds you will find on any ship at sea or on a river. The partnership between Scylla and Tauck works to the benefit of the guests who sail with them. Our advice: book now before the word gets out about these exciting new ships!

Review by Chris Dikmen and Rickee Richardson

Chris Dikmen is President of CruiseReport.com. Rickee Richardson is Senior Editor of CruiseReport.com. Together, they have reviewed more than 120 cruises over the past 13 years.

Video

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 1/18/16 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 1/18/16

Silversea Cruises - Silver Shadow - Southeast Asia

We spend 14 glorious nights aboard Silversea Silver Shadow in Southeast Asia.

Our first visit to Southeast Asia was back in 2008, and we loved it! So, when we were presented with the opportunity to do a cruise on Silversea's Silver Shadow in Southeast Asia, well, you can imagine our excitement. The last time we were on Silver Shadow was also in China and Korea, back in 2011.

PRE-CRUISE IN SINGAPORE

Most guests on this cruise took advantage of Silversea's pre-cruise hotel stay in Singapore at the luxurious Shangri-La Singapore. We had actually booked two nights to give ourselves some extra time to shed jet lag and still be able to explore the hotel and the city. Unfortunately, due to a missed connection in Hong Kong, we had an additional seven-hour layover that cost us one night at Shangri-La. The travel agency booked our flight with only a one-hour connection window in Hong Kong. Lesson learned. Check your flight itinerary and do not accept one that has less than two hours on any segment.

We did not arrive in at the Shangri-La until 6:30am, and after going for more than 35 hours without sleep, all we could do was head straight to bed. However, we did have a chance to experience some of the hotels facilities, including restaurants and the spa. For more information, you can read our review of Shangri-La Singapore.

EMBARKATION

Silversea's local ground operator in Singapore had a hospitality desk set up in the Shangri-La hotel and they had advised us to meet at 12pm in the hotel lobby for the transfer to the cruise ship. We had the porter take our checked luggage to the lobby as instructed, and it was whisked away for transfer to the ship. Along with about 50 other guests, we were escorted to motor coaches for the drive to the port.

Guests board motor coaches for the drive to the port

Singapore's port serves more than 1,000 ships every day, making it one of the busiest shipping ports in the world. Even though the cruise traffic is not huge here, at least by Miami standards, they probably have one of the nicest cruise terminals anywhere. Embarkation here is quick and efficient, especially when boarding a ship with a total capacity of 385 guests. Less than 15 minutes after arriving at the cruise terminal, we were walking down the long hallway to board Silver Shadow.

Once on board, we were greeted with a glass of Silversea's traditional 'welcome aboard' champagne and invited to complete our check-in at the Reception desk on (Deck 5). This basically involves handing over our passports and having a security photo taken. We were told that the suites were not quite ready to be occupied and that we could enjoy lunch on Deck 8 (Pool Grill or La Terrazza) until an announcement was made. We skipped lunch, but instead enjoyed a soft drink in the quiet and nearly empty Panorama Lounge on Deck 8 aft. The Panorama furnishings have been recovered in new red and white fabrics since our last sailing.

Overall, the embarkation process was about as smooth and painless as can be. Of course, embarking a small vessel is always much easier than one of the bigger ships, and is one more reason why we love small ship cruising.

ACCOMMODATIONS

With the exception of the two Owner's Suites, the Grand Suite is the largest guest accommodation offered on Silver Shadow (and sister ship, Silver Whisper). The Grand Suite can be configured as a one-bedroom or two-bedroom floorplan (by combining an adjoining Verandah Suite).

For the first time in our cruising career, we actually were assigned the exact same suite that we occupied back in 2011 when we sailed on Silver Shadow from Shanghai to Incheon. Therefore, much of our assessment from that cruise still applies to this day. Even by hotel standards, our Grand Suite (802) is massive. The entry foyer leads into the living room with its full-sized sofa, two large and comfy chairs and coffee table. A dining room table large enough for four people to enjoy a meal together sits next to an impressive bar with two bar stools (formerly three). The bar is equipped with a mini-bar/fridge and an espresso machine. A nice-sized desk spans one wall of the living room with more than enough space for a laptop and any electronic gadgets you may have brought with you. However, more electrical outlets would be a welcome addition in this day and age. There is enough seating in the Grand Suite to host 13 people comfortably.

The 103-116 sq. ft. verandah is accessible via a sliding glass door and features one large wicker seat with footrest, two wicker chairs and two small tables. Due to its location under the wing bridge, the balcony is covered by a sizable overhang that blocks much of the direct sun from the balcony. Therefore, if you plan to sit on your balcony and soak up some sun, you may want to consider a Grand Suite on Deck 6 (601) or 7 (701). Note: All four Grand Suites (601, 701, 801 and 802) are located all the way forward on their respective decks. The same is true for the two slightly smaller Royal Suites (602 & 702). Therefore, if you are prone to motion sickness, you may wish to consider a Silver, Medallion or Owner's suite, all of which are positioned closer midships. On this 14-night sailing, the seas were ultra-smooth, making this a non-issue.

A door separates the living room from the forward-facing bedroom. Guests can select from a menu of eight pillow choices to suit their personal requirements. A dressing table with three-sided mirror will be every lady's dream come true. A magnifying makeup mirror is on the dressing table. The walk-in closet is huge and houses an eight-drawer dresser and personal safe. Two long rods with wooden hangers can hold enough clothes for a world cruise.

The closet is large enough to get dressed in. There is also a built-in storage unit across from the bed that occupies the entire wall. There are three large, and I mean LARGE drawers, six regular-size drawers and lots of storage cabinets behind doors. Two large windows look out over the front of the ship. There is a full-length mirror on the wall as you enter the bedroom and also one on the wall of the bathroom opposite the shower.

The completely separate bedroom allows Rickee to continue to sleep uninterrupted while I do my morning work. I can enjoy my Fox News in the morning on the large, flat-screen LCD TV in the living room while working on my blog and enjoying my coffee ritual. However, the door between the living room and bedroom was in need of adjustment. It was very hard to open and close, like it was not centered properly. We lived with it, but did report it on our Cruise Questionnaire.

One of the two bathrooms is found one step up from the bedroom and is equally lavish. Slathered in Italian marble, the bathroom features a full-sized jetted bathtub, vanity with two sinks, separate marble shower stall and sequestered water closet with toilet, bidet and sink. The master bathroom is stocked with your choice of Bvlgari or Ferragamo soap, shampoo, lotion and conditioner. Cotton balls and cotton swabs are provided, too. There is also a powder room off the entryway accessible from the living room. In total, our suite had four sinks, two toilets and one bidet! The shower door in our bathroom would not close completely, and therefore, would not latch. It appeared as though the hinge mechanism had been worked on extensively as there was visible caulk and screw heads extending from the surrounding marble. With any motion, the door would swing open, a situation that could be dangerous if one entered into a dark bathroom at night and walked into an open shower door. The only other issue was with the sliding door leading to the balcony. It was nearly impossible to open, almost like it needed grease, or an adjustment. We mentioned this to Reception on the second day of the cruise and when we returned to the suite that night, it had been fixed.

Grand Suite guests don't only benefit from space; there are other amenities as well. Each suite on Silversea enjoys butler service. Your butler is always available to make restaurant reservations, secure shore excursion tickets, provide evening en-suite dining, pick up and deliver laundry, and virtually anything else you may require during your stay. Guests occupying large suites also enjoy complimentary laundry, dry cleaning and pressing from the ship's laundry, another huge benefit. And a new perk since our last sailing on Silver Shadow allows guests occupying a large suite to enjoy unlimited Internet/WiFi access during the cruise. A chilled bottle of champagne is waiting in each suite upon arrival. Complimentary bottles of liquor are no longer offered automatically but, if you ask your butler, a bottle of your favorite wine or spirit will be delivered to your suite. They have also replaced the plastic bottles of water with glass bottles of "tap" water, an obvious nod to the environmental movement. Sorry, but I much prefer the plastic bottles of water. Your choice of daily newspaper is also available for delivery to your suite.

A bottle of your favorite wine or spirit will be delivered to your suite

On our last cruise aboard Silver Shadow in 2011, the ship had recently undergone a multi-million-dollar refurbishment. All suites had been updated with new mattresses and bedding, new upholstery and carpeting. Large suites had been updated to include a high-end Bang & Olufsen CD player. After five years, however, it is probably time for the mattresses to be replaced again. Large sunken dips in the mattresses are an indication that they have reached the end of their life cycle. The carpeting in our suite was still acceptable and the fabrics on the chairs and sofa looked to be in good condition.

Even the smallest suites on Silversea are spacious and well appointed. But, for those who insist on nothing but the biggest and the best, regardless of cost, the Grand Suite offers over-the-top luxury and spaciousness. Larger suite guests are also treated to two hours of complimentary international ship-to-shore telephone service and dinner at an officer's table once per cruise.

FOOD AND DINING

The Restaurant

The Restaurant located on Deck 4 is the ship's main "traditional" dining room. As we mentioned in 2011, The Restaurant looks like it did the day the ship launched (in 2000). The atmosphere here is elegant and luxurious. Service is crisp and efficient, as it is throughout the ship. Breakfast is served here each morning from a set menu. Lunch and dinner menus change daily and offer a nice variety of choices. Breakfast and lunch in The Restaurant makes a nice, calm alternative to the sometimes busy La Terrazza buffet (lido buffet). Complimentary wine selections change each day (one red and one white), but if the wines offered are not to your liking, every attempt will be made to find a suitable alternative.

A table for two is almost always available at breakfast or lunch. And, unlike on larger cruise ships, guests always have the option of dining privately at breakfast and lunch. In the evening, The Restaurant comes alive with activity as the ship's primary dining venue. The menus have been updated since our last sailing, although they continue to lean toward Continental cuisine. I suspect this may be an attempt to cater to the largely European clientele. Dining in The Restaurant is open seating, so you may dine whenever and with whomever you wish. The dress code follows the ship's recommended dress code for the day.

Sadly, the signature Galley Brunch and Pool BBQ are no more. They will be (and were) missed.

La Terrazza

La Terrazza is the most popular dining venue on Silver Shadow (or any Silversea ship for that matter). Breakfast buffet service is complemented by made-to-order egg dishes, pancakes and waffles. Lunch buffet choices change daily and usually offer items from The Restaurant's menu in addition to a carving station and a 'pasta-of-the-day' station, fresh sushi daily and a wide variety of salads and desserts. A large al fresco dining area is located aft of La Terrazza where you can enjoy the ocean breeze as you dine. The outdoor dining furniture appears to be new since our last cruise, and is very nice. An awning has also been added since our last sailing on Shadow which provides shade on sunny days.

La Terrazza has embraced the Slow Food concept that began at a grass roots level in reaction to “Fast Food” and is dedicated to proper land stewardship while preserving cultural food traditions. For example, La Terrazza's chef uses buffalo mozzarella from Naples, organic balsamic vinegar and olive oil from Umbria, and air-dried ham out of Parma. The Emilia-Romagna region also produces Silversea's 24-month aged Parmigiano Reggiano, while the pasta is made daily right on board.

Each evening, La Terrazza is transformed into a romantic, dimly lit Italian bistro. The evening dress code here is listed as casual, but a jacket would be a wise choice if you want to fit in. Even though the main courses offered in the evening are excellent, we have a hard time making it past the pasta course before crying "uncle". The pasta is made fresh daily and is the highlight. The Ravioli is still amazing. Reservations are required for La Terrazza in the evenings.

The Grill

Come nighttime aboard Silver Shadow, the pool bar and grill is transformed into The Grill featuring "hot rock" dining under the stars. This fun, interactive cooking concept allows guests to grill their own seafood and prime meats at their table on a heated volcanic rock plate. The seating here is limited, so you need to make reservations early in the cruise to enjoy this experience. Guests can choose from steak, veal chop or salmon which arrives sizzling on a hot, and I mean HOT volcanic rock plate. The rock plate retains the heat long enough to completely cook the meat to your desired level of doneness. So, in effect, you are cooking your own meal! Side items like baked potatoes, salads and vegetable skewers are pre-prepared so you do not have to cook those, just the meat. The concept is innovative and one that everyone should experience at least once per cruise. The dress code at The Grill is always casual.

Le Champagne

The only Wine Restaurant by Relais & Châteaux at sea can be found aboard the ships of Silversea. Guests can indulge in an evening where fine wines are complemented by a set tasting menu of regionally-inspired dishes in an intimate, elegant setting. The six-course experience celebrates some of the world’s most distinguished wine regions. Reservations are required and there is a per-guest reservation fee.

We celebrated my birthday with dinner at Le Champagne. We felt like the biggest selling point at Le Champagne was the intimate atmosphere and the attentive service. The dishes offered through the multi-course menu are sophisticated, perhaps too much so for our Texas tastes. Other than the presentation, we did not feel that the food served here was any better than what The Restaurant offers. Perhaps that should be considered high praise for The Restaurant. Reservations are required for Le Champagne, and there is a $40pp cover charge, which includes wines from the ship's daily wine selection. There is an optional wine-pairing menu available for an additional cost featuring some higher end wines. Guests occupying larger suites are invited to dine in Le Champagne once per sailing on a complimentary basis.

Room Service

This often overlooked and underrated dining option is taken to a new level on Silversea. We routinely enjoy dining in our suite, especially after a long day of touring an exotic destination. The dining table in our Grand Suite was transformed into an elegantly-set romantic venue with Frette linens and fine silverware, just like you would find in The Restaurant. Even in the Veranda Suites, the coffee table is converted into an elegant dining table. Our butler, Amiel, carefully prepared the table then served our dinner (or breakfast) choices expertly. The food was delivered quickly and was fresh and hot. Breakfast is the most popular room service meal, and on this cruise, we had breakfast delivered several times.

A substantial 24-hour room service menu also includes the daily lunch and dinner choices served in The Restaurant (during normal lunch and dinner hours). The lunch and dinner menu for the following day is included each evening in the Silversea Chronicles that is delivered to your suite. But here's a little secret about Silversea. If you want something, just ask for it and odds are Silversea will find a way to make it happen, as long as it is within reason. For example, one day we stayed in our suite to watch a movie and we asked for some popcorn. No problem!

Pool Grill

One of my favorite spots for lunch is the Pool Grill. There is something about sitting outside on a beautiful day at sea and enjoying a simple burger, fries and onion rings. Silversea has stepped up its hamburger game considerably. There are two new "gourmet" burgers now offered at the Pool Grill (and on The Restaurant menu at night). I had the Jalapeno burger on two occasions and the burger was excellent each time. The fries were served hot and fresh; however, the onion rings still could use some improvement.

Silversea's Pool Grill is a noticeable step above other cruise lines with full table service and a pretty extensive menu of made-to-order burgers, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, salads and other treats. On most days, a poolside buffet was set up with a variety of salads, hot dishes, fruit and desserts. An cream sundae bar has been added to satisfy your sweet tooth. As with all Silversea dining venues, you dine here with linen napkins and silverware. No plastic or paper in sight. Even a burger and fries feels elegant on Silversea!

Afternoon Tea

The British tradition of Afternoon Tea has been kept alive on Silversea with an elegant tea service held each day in The Panorama Lounge. A variety of teas are accompanied by traditional finger sandwiches, scones and other sweet treats served by white-gloved wait staff. Afternoon tea is a perfect way to stave off any hunger that might try to sneak in before dinner. You can also enjoy Afternoon Tea delivered to your suite.

ENTERTAINMENT AND ACTIVITIES

Entertainment has been steadily improving on Silversea over the past several years. This Silver Shadow cruise was no exception. Each evening at 10pm, the Athenian Lounge showcases a movie or a different production show or guest entertainer. The four production shows were performed by the The Voices of Silversea. Evening shows typically last 30 to 45 minutes, and while we wish they started a little earlier in the evening, you can usually be back in your suite by 10:45pm if you are not a night owl. Music and dancing continues in the Panorama Lounge long after the show has ended for those who like to take a spin around the floor. The two Gentlemen Hosts onboard were available as dance partners.

The Voices of Silversea are featured in lively production shows

Before and after-dinner musical entertainment was provided by the Musiclink Duo in the Bar and the Silver Shadow Quartet in the Panorama Lounge. On a few evenings, guests were entertained by Australian virtuoso concert violinist, Ian Cooper, in the Athenian Lounge. On one occasion, we were treated to the vocal stylings of Cruise Director, Kirk T. Detweiler, a talented and energetic entertainer.

Kirk Detweiler puts on an energetic show

IF YOU WANT SOMETHING EXTRA, JUST ASK FOR IT

During the day, Silver Shadow offers guests a variety of onboard activities. Your day might begin with a 7:30am "Sunrise Walk" or 8am stretching session with Personal Trainer, Ales, who also presented several seminars on fitness topics. International hostesses offered language classes. Bridge lessons were scheduled and Bridge sessions conducted. The most popular daytime activity seemed to be Team Trivia held each afternoon, which can get very competitive and lively. Trivia is followed by golf putting. There were table tennis and shuffleboard competitions. Various dance classes were led by the multi-talented Cruise Director, Kirk T. Detweiler. If you wanted to tour the galley, that was offered, too. Art lovers were treated to several presentations by onboard Art Curator, Rami Ron. A cooking demonstration was presented by Executive Chef Jerome, and the Bar Staff had several cocktail demonstrations and tastings.

On our voyage, there were two guest lecturers, Evelyn Evans and Roger Condon, each speaking on topics pertaining to our destination.

The well-stocked library also has a huge selection of movies on DVD for guests to check-out and view in their suites. This is the place to pick up the daily Silver Quiz, sudoku and crossword puzzles. If a board game is in your daily plan, you will find a selection of them in the library. Rickee dominated the Silver Quiz, winning the contest (and the prize points that can be redeemed at the end of the cruise for Silversea trinkets) on several days.

Rickee racking up some Silversea points with her Silver Quiz victories

If keeping fit is in your plans, there is a well-equipped fitness center on Deck 10 open daily from 6:30am until 8:00pm. Several classes were offered each day and you could even hire a personal trainer. The fitness center has a variety of carido machines, free weights, LifeFitness™ circuit machines and more.

For those who like games of chance, the Casino accepts donations whenever the ship is sailing. There are 18 slot machines, a blackjack table, roulette and craps. We had some fun with the slots and, fortunately, we broke even for the 14-day cruise. The Casino Staff conducted gaming lessons from time to time and there were Blackjack and slot tournaments. A tiny Lampadina Bar adjoins the Casino for those who would like to take a break and enjoy a cocktail.

A small, but well-equipped Internet Cafe is located next to The Library with a few desktop computers available for use. Silversea has completely revamped its Internet/WiFi program, and it is one of the most generous in the cruise industry.

Unlimited Internet access for guests in Medallion, Silver, Royal, Grand, and Owner's Suite
One hour of Internet access per guest/per day for guests in Vista, Terrace, and Veranda Suites

In addition to the above, several other options are available:

Plan 1: Internet Service 1 Day: $30
Plan 2: Internet Service 2 Days: $50
Plan 3: Internet Service Cruise 3 Nights: $60
Plan 4: Internet Service Cruise 7 Nights: $140
Plan 5: Internet Service Cruise 8+Days: $16 per day
Plan 6: Time Plan (1,000 minutes): $250 ($0.25 per minute

Internet connectivity is available through the ship's WiFi network from virtually any location. I got the best connectivity in the public areas. WiFi was accessible in our suite, but not as reliable. Of course, this will depend on your suite's proximity to a WiFi repeater. If I was willing to leave our suite door open, the WiFi signal improved dramatically.

One of the most popular spots on Silver Shadow, especially in warm weather, is the pool on Deck 8. Cushioned pool lounge chairs surround the pool on Deck 8, and more are available on Deck 9. There are some loungers shaded from the sun and a few wicker "cocoon" loungers.

The Boutiques of Silversea, found on Deck 5, offer an extensive range of merchandise including jewelry, designer clothing, perfumes and skincare products. Silversea logo items are available. On this voyage, women could purchase a custom-made pair of Preludio Capri Sandals which were fitted and made on the spot, sewn by hand without the use of glue. You choose color, heel height, shape, and all the added "bling."

Rickee checks out the Preludio sandal options

The Spa at Silversea is a full-service facility offering massages and salon services and also teeth whitening. On our voyage, several specials were offered discounting the cost of certain spa services. The spa also has separate dressing rooms with lockers for men and ladies. Each dressing room has shower, sauna and steam room, available for guest use on a complimentary basis.

La Thérapie products featured in the spa

PORTS-OF-CALL

Silversea's complimentary shuttle service is a huge value to guests that often goes unnoticed...

Singapore - One of the nicest cities in Asia. Singapore is spotlessly clean and safe. If your cruise embarks or disembarks here, plan on spending a few extra days.

Bintulu - On our cruise we did the Highlights of Bintulu excursion, which is probably a good choice here. The butterfly farm was a bust, but visits to the Chinese temple and local food market were interesting.

Brunei - We stayed on board Silver Shadow in Brunei. We had heard that there was not much to see here, and talking to other guests confirmed that. A good change to have the ship to ourselves and enjoy the pool deck!

Kota Kinabalu - We were stood up for our scheduled river rafting excursion here, which we booked ourselves online. A good reason to use the ship's excursions here.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) - Ho Chi Minh City is definitely worth exploring. Smaller ships, like Silver Shadow, can sail up river and dock right in the middle of the city. Larger ships will have to dock two hours away, not good.

Bangkok, Thailand - This was our favorite port on this cruise. As with Ho Chi Minh City, Silver Shadow is able to sail up the river and dock at Klong Toei, right in the middle of town. Larger ships will dock at Laem Chabang, two hours or more from the city center.

Ko Samui, Thailand - This island was another highlight of the cruise. Don't miss a visit to the elephant park.

SILVERSEA GUESTS

As you might expect on a 14-night sailing aboard a luxury ship, the clientele tends to be older. We did see a few 40-somethings roaming around, but most guests were in the 55+ range. We only saw one child on board, and quite frankly, there is not much for kids to do on these ships. But, we live in an age were some people take their kids with them everywhere, so I guess we just have to accept that reality. On this sailing, about 60% were British, approximately 25% were Americans and the rest were from everywhere imaginable. There were less than 20 Australians on board, but they are always easy to spot. They are the noisiest group and having more fun than anyone else!

Silversea has a published dress code with "formal" nights where a tuxedo or dinner jacket is the order of the day for men and cocktail dress or evening gown is worn by the ladies. On "informal" nights, men must wear a jacket but tie is optional. On "casual" nights, men don't have to wear a jacket, but a collared shirt is required and jeans or shorts are never appropriate after 6pm in any indoor venue.

THE SILVERSEA EXPERIENCE

In a world of self-serve gas stations, and a 'do-it-yourself' mentality, it is nice that one company insists on delivering an alternative. In fact, modern society has changed us so much that one can almost become consumed with guilt when this level of pampering is experienced. A Silversea cruise is what a vacation is supposed to be: worry-free, relaxing, luxurious and fun. We have sailed on all but one Silversea ship over the past several years and the story never changes. It is always excellent service delivered in an unobtrusive manner. Silversea embodies the nature of good taste, quality and service. There are a lot of good cruise lines, a handful of great cruise lines. Silversea is unquestionably one of the few great cruise lines in the world. But more than that, Silversea is one of the few places left on Earth where everyone is made to feel special, welcome and valued.

All-Inclusive Value

Silversea has always been a great value in the luxury cruise segment, and now even more so. Of course, Silversea's cruise fares include all beverages (wine, beer, spirits, soft drinks, etc.) consumed during the cruise. And, gratuities for the ship's staff are also included in your cruise fare. The addition of included shore excursions is a huge value for guests. Complimentary shuttle service in each port (at least on this cruise) was also a huge benefit, something you don't find on most other cruise lines. All of the shuttles we used were air conditioned, clean and efficient. The shuttle buses usually drop you off in town, near shopping or other local landmarks and run to and from the ship every hour or half-hour.

Another huge value, at least for someone like me, is the new complimentary WiFi (see above). Even with an hour per day per person, you can get your basic email duties accomplished. Additional WiFi plans are also reasonably priced.

What We Loved

Friendly staff, impeccable service
Gratuities included in cruise fare
New, included shore excursions
New, complimentary WiFi
New, gourmet burgers
All beer, wine, champagne, cocktails and soft drinks included
Big, roomy suites, most with balconies
Butler service in every suite
Excellent room service for en suite dining
Bottled water (complimentary) available as you disembark ship in port
Quality shore excursions with ship's tour guide present
Pool bar now open late

What We Would Like To See

6:30pm dinner times (instead of 7pm)
9:30 show time (instead of 10pm)
Mattresses (at least in our suite) need to be replaced
A casual, no-reservation-required, á la minute dining option at The Grill
Bring back the bottled water in suites

SUMMARY

Silversea remains one of the best cruise lines in the world. The all-inclusive value and over-the-top luxury are a tough combination to compete with. We always know what to expect on Silversea, excellence.