DonaldMc

We completed this itinerary on the Crown Princess. We particularly enjoyed the time at sea. The daytime and night time programmes were excellent. It was a Christmas/New Years cruise. The only mishap was the champagne fountain that tumbled as the ship hit a small wave. Amazingly, the head steward rebuilt it in under 1/2 hour. This was an excellent way to sample Hawaii. Enjoy!

Hi Fellow Cruise Enthusiasts! I have been passionate about ships since I was very young. My first 'cruise' was on the venerable Lake Huron ferry the SS Norisle. I was 8 years old and thought I was truly on a ship. I decided that travelling on ships must be in my future. Once I started working, I planned as many holidays on ships as I could afford. I truly enjoy shipboard life and have taken a number of Transatlantic and one Transpacific crossing. The opportunity to sample various destinations is another appeal for me. I (now we) have returned for longer vacations to ports we loved and also taken places off our wish list after a cruise visit. There is no favourite ship or cruise line for me, as I love to sample all different sizes and styles. My cruise log includes QM2, QE2, Seadream Yacht Club 1, the original and elegant Royal Princess. We recently spent a wonderful 34 days circumnavigating Australia on Oceania's Regatta. There has only been one ship and line that I truly disliked, but I will be polite and not name it here. We are now retired and cruises are always figure in our travel plans. Below are few pictures of some of my most memorable ships including the old SS Norisle. It is a pleasure to be a part of Cruise Crazies. I look forward to hearing your stories and seeing your photos. Donald

It always surprises me that Crystal wins so many awards. I have been on a wide variety of cruise lines and Crystal was the most disappointing. The service was unfriendly. The dining room was noisy and chaotic. The spaces that had been recently renovated were showing wear and tear. (In fairness, this was after the previous refit not the most recent one.) The cruise director was lacking in competence. His lack of knowledge about the ship's activities lead to having some elderly passengers very upset. The food was inconsistent. Incorrect table settings were the norm. In short, this was a 3 star cruise on a line that claims 5 star plus status.