There are six basic cabin size categories, but 20 price categories (14 for double occupancy and 6 for single occupancy). The cabin size categories include: Owner’s Suites (6), Master Suites (4), Deluxe with balcony, Superior Plus with balcony, Superior with balcony, and Standard Outside View/Standard Interior (No View) Cabins. The price you pay will depend on the grade, size and allocation you choose. Some cabins have interconnecting doors (good for families with children), while 18 cabins on Deck 6 have lifeboat obstructed views. All suites/cabins have tea/coffee making facilities (however, the milk supplied is powdered, not fresh). One thing really spoils the many balcony cabins is the patio-style white plastic furniture – it would be more in keeping with the “country house” style of the Swan Hellenic product if this were changed to teak).

Standard Outside-View and Interior (no view) Cabins: All the standard interior (no view) and outside-view cabins (the lowest four grades) are extremely compact units, and tight for two persons (particularly for cruises longer than five days). They have twin beds (or queen-sized bed), with good under-bed storage areas, personal safe, vanity desk with large mirror, good closet and drawer space (in rich, dark woods), and bathrobe. Color TV sets carry a major news channel (where obtainable), plus sport and movies.

Cabins with Private Balcony: Cabins with private balconies (about 66 percent of all cabins) have partial, and not full, balcony partitions, sliding glass doors, and, due to good design and layout, only 14 cabins on Deck 6 have lifeboat-obstructed views. The bathrooms, which have tiled floors and plain walls, are compact, standard units, and include a shower stall with a strong, removable hand-held shower unit, hairdryer, 100% cotton towels, toiletries storage shelves and retractable clothesline. Personal toiletry items include soap, shampoo, body lotion, shower cap, and shoeshine mitt.

Owner’s Suites/Master Suites: The six Owner’s Suites and four Master Suites provide the most spacious accommodation (in my view, well worth the extra cost). These are fine, large living spaces located in the forward-most and aft-most sections of the accommodation decks (particularly nice are those that overlook the stern, on Deck 6, 7 and 8). They have more extensive private balconies that really are private and cannot be overlooked by anyone on the decks above. There is an entrance foyer, living room, bedroom (the bed faces the sea, which can be seen through the floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding glass door), CD player (with selection of audio discs), bathroom with Jacuzzi bathtub, and a small guest bathroom.

Berlitz Guide © Apa Publishing 2008