Overall Score

BERLITZ'S RATING
	Possible	Achieved
Ship	500	422
Accommodation	200	166
Food	400	299
Service	400	289
Entertainment	0	0
Cruise	500	391

How this score is created

There are just three price categories, making your choice a simple one. Regardless of category, all cabins are very nicely equipped, have crisp, inviting decor, and a mini-bar/refrigerator (stocked when you embark, but all drinks are at extra cost), 24-hour room service, personal safe, a TV set (with CNN, when available) that rotates so that it is viewable from the bed and the bathroom, video player, compact disc player, plenty of storage space, and two portholes. Videos and compact discs are available from the library. There are six 4-person cabins; 35 doubles are fitted with an extra Pullman berth, and several cabins have an interconnecting door (good for families). Some of the cabinetry is looking a little tired.

The bathrooms are compact units, designed in a figure of eight, with a teakwood floor in the central section. There is a good amount of storage space for personal toiletries in two cabinets, as well as under-sink cupboard space, and a wall-mounted hairdryer. The shower enclosure (cabins, except two new suites, do not have bathtubs) is circular, and has both a hand-held and a fixed shower (so you can wash your hair without getting the rest of your body wet).

A range of L’Occitaine amenities is provided, as.is a vanity kit and shower cap. The lighting is not strong enough for women to apply make-up – this is better applied at the vanity desk in the cabin. Bathrobes and towels are 100% cotton, while bed linen is of a mix of 50% cotton/50% polyester (100% cotton sheets available on request).

In 1998, 31 new suites were added to Deck 3 during an extensive refit (one Owner’s Suite plus 30 suites created by combining former standard cabins). All but one of these suites have two bathrooms, a separate living/dining area, sleeping area (this can be curtained off from the lounge), two writing desks (there is even enough room for you to have an in-suite massage), and four portholes instead of two. A further two new suites (approximately 500 sq.ft./46.4 sq.m) were added during a 2006 refit; it has a bedroom, separate living/dining room, and marble bathroom with Jacuzzi bathtub. In the 2006 refit all bathrooms were refurbished with granite countertops, open glass shelves, new cabinets, and magnifying mirror, making bathrooms more contenporary.

There are two TV sets (one in the lounge, on in the sleeping area), VCR and CD player, and BOSE SoundDock for ipods. However, note that movies cannot be watched from the bed – only from the sofa in the lounge area. Popcorn is available from room service.

Berlitz Guide © Apa Publishing 2008