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All these P&O Cruises - Artemis Ship Cruises Reviews are written by REAL cruise passengers & we DO NOT moderate or change any of the review. You can agree or disagree by posting up your own comment. If you write your own review we will send you a Fodor's Guide to Cruising forFREE, Get Some Fantastic Deals OnP&O Cruises 2012
Looking for a good itinerary for Panama and being limited by dates we booked on the Artemis for what was an excellent trip. Being fans of P&O\'s \'no kids\' ship Arcadia, we thought we\'d try Artemis. I must admit I spent the first few days making comparisons, Arcadia usually winning in terms of what was on offer, but gradually Artemis won me over and I found her a very friendly ship with a pleasant atmosphere. Lots of deck space, a \'proper\' promenade deck for the \'mile walk\' each day.
We were glad we had booked a deluxe balcony cabin - it was very spacious, lots of storage space and very comfy beds (I\'ve never slept so well on holiday before), although the bathroom was a little \'tired\' it was kept very clean by our cheerful steward, the balcony was big enough and room service breakfast on the balcony was sheer luxury. One small criticism is that there were few quiet and comfy places to read inside (not being a sun worshipper). The Horizons lounge would have been perfect but there was always loud pop music or TV or (worse) football and rugby matches!
The entertainment was fine, some of the Headliners shows were very enjoyable, it\'s easy to criticise the odd show but they have to cater for a wide variety of passengers so overall we were happy with what was on offer. A personal gripe was that the starlights lounge was used for a concert pianist or other activities several evenings so the ballroom dancing was either non existent or very late, this being one of our main attractions was a disappointment as we had enjoyed excellent dance classes in the morning and afternoon. The Cinema is a bonus and there was a good selection of films (however the seats were not comfy enough for a full length film and it was quite cold in there).
The ports of call were a good variety, we had done our research and booked to go on trips at ports were there seemed little to do, I do think the trips are pricey but you have the security of knowing you will get back on time and will be well looked after. The highlight was the Gamboa aerial tram in the rainforest.
The Oasis Spa really was an oasis, it\'s pricey compared to spas at home, especially as a gratuity is also expected, but the service and experience was wonderful (I can recommend the hot stones back massage of which I had five!)
The evening meals in the Coral Dining Room were excellent. I have heard people say P&O are trying to save money in this area and can see that there have been economies made, but there was always a good choice (with a regular selection of standard dishes available every evening as well) and with the exception of one \'chewy\' fish, the standard and the service was fine. The wine and drinks remain good value but we would have liked easier access to a full detailed wine list. The waiters work incredibly hard and I wonder if they have increased the workload over recent years?
The Conservatory Buffet was a pleasant place to eat, but after the norovirus outbreak there was a reduced menu and it could be time-consuming. I agree with other comments that hand gel should have been available in the main restaurant, but there will always be people who disregard personal hygiene after using the bathroom which is the main cause of the virus, I think people consider using hand gel can replace the need to wash hands thoroughly and so makes them lazy!
On our final day I was feeling unwell and on returning to cabin after a morning trip was sick. I dutifully called the medical centre to report this but was sure I had food poisoning from eating ashore the previous day and had no other norovirus symptoms. I was told this was unlikely, that it was the virus, was given an injection (£46) which knocked me out for 18 hours and left me groggy, so I couldn\'t have left the cabin if I\'d wanted to! The care I received was great and we were able to stay in the cabin till it was time to go to the airport.
This was our third P&O cruise and we consider ourselves loyal customers, we have another Artemis cruise booked and are glad to have had the pleasure of sailing on her before she is sold.
Quality of Food
Coral Dining Room
Entertainment
Headliners were most enjoyable of the evening entertainment
Shore Excursions
Gamboa aerial tram from Colon was excellent.
Staff
Carla in the spa gave fantastic massages.
Leon the cruise director was very entertaining and professional
Children's Facilities
n/a
Onboard Activities
Good choice, things often clashed though and the ballroom dancing was often on too late
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