Review: Legend of the Seas

Former editor of Escape, Brian Crisp, cruised on Legend of the Seas from his home town of Brisbane to Darwin and wrote this review for Cruise Critic.

Here's 5 things he loved, and one thing he didn't. Interesting for anyone planning a cruise when the ship is based in Brisbane from December 2015.

http://www.cruisecritic.com.au/blog/just-back-from-legend-of-the-seas/

It reads more like an infomercial than a blog or review, especially with the big plug for the expensive speciality dining.

Good for our Canetoad cousins to have a Royal ship to cruise on without having to come to Sydney - good luck to them. I have family & friends living in SE Qld so it may be a good option for them. Never know, maybe we will do a family reunion cruise out of Brissie.

Cruising out of Bris opens up some more possibilities for Sth Pacific islands cruising, being a day closer than Sydney.

Review suggest Legend to be similar to other Royal ships, which is good. It is a good fit for many and provides another option for the cruisers. Reviewer seems to have enjoyed his cruise. We are yet to go down the specialty dining route, but maybe we will give it a go next time.

His comments on the US$ are pertinent - who knows maybe 1 day Royal will base a ship downunder full-time and use $A onboard.

More ships and more cruisers - all good downunder :D

Have 2 cruises booked and looking forward to sailing on LOTS.

Similar to Rhapsody but missing Giovannis.

3 balcony decks -v- only 2 on Rhapsody.

I think she will be very poplular.

Being based in Brissie will be good for them.:D

It reads more like an infomercial than a blog or review, especially with the big plug for the expensive speciality dining.

I must agree, but it depends on where it was written for, if that is good or bad.

It is good that more ships are based in Brisbane seems like only yesterday that Sydney was the only choice of embarkation ports.

I must agree, but it depends on where it was written for, if that is good or bad.

True. It was the sort of thing I expect to see in a magazine, when all costs have been paid for by the cruise line.

It is good that more ships are based in Brisbane seems like only yesterday that Sydney was the only choice of embarkation ports.

I agree! We can drive up, stay the previous night near the Port, leave our car at long term parking nearby without the worry of a same-day flight to Sydney as we've done in the past!

Hope Royal decides to base a ship here year-round but it appears that P&O & Carnival are our only options during our winter months!

I would say more like an agent 'famil' report rather than an infomercial. I didn't think it was a big plug for the specialty restaurants either, it was only mentioned over 3-4 lines. More like a recommendation based on what he experienced. Didn't feel like it was something that was being forced on me. Just a short review highlighting some points rather than going into too much detail. I like longer reports but some people get into way too much detail and I end up speed reading!

I agree! We can drive up, stay the previous night near the Port, leave our car at long term parking nearby without the worry of a same-day flight to Sydney as we've done in the past!

Hope Royal decides to base a ship here year-round but it appears that P&O & Carnival are our only options during our winter months!

I expect Sydney will get Royal year round before Brisbane does.

I would think if Royal have a ship here all year it will do the rounds and have cruises going from various ports, including Freo.

I would think if Royal have a ship here all year it will do the rounds and have cruises going from various ports, including Freo.

Probably the first step.

But I think it may still be a while off yet.

yes, too much money to be made in other locations (their peak season), in our off season.

We like the specialty dining options & always go to at least 2 each cruise.

I don't see why some people have issues with it as it's voluntary participation & plenty of free food options still available.:)

Regards Royal having a ship here all year - YES PLEASE! I would so love to cruise on Royal/Celebrity in our Winter, especially since we are from the lower southern part of the country where Winters are chilly.

The current cruise timetable from Oct - Apr isn't great for us as we have a farm & can't usually travel in Spring/Summer before January due to animal husbandry related issues. So that leaves us just a few months a year to find a cruise that suits.

Options are even further limited in that time if you don't want to cruise during school holidays.

We like the specialty dining options & always go to at least 2 each cruise.

I don't see why some people have issues with it as it's voluntary participation & plenty of free food options still available.:)

 

 

Regards Royal having a ship here all year - YES PLEASE! I would so love to cruise on Royal/Celebrity in our Winter, especially since we are from the lower southern part of the country where Winters are chilly.

 

The current cruise timetable from Oct - Apr isn't great for us as we have a farm & can't usually travel in Spring/Summer before January due to animal husbandry related issues. So that leaves us just a few months a year to find a cruise that suits.

 

Options are even further limited in that time if you don't want to cruise during school holidays.

Yes, having several cruise lines here all year round would be good but only if the itineraries are varied.:D

Yes, having several cruise lines here all year round would be good but only if the itineraries are varied.:D

But in reality we only have a few itineraries here:

Islands

NZ

Qld Coast

Tas

Around Aus

Japan

And the bigger the ships get the more alike even these will come.

But in reality we only have a few itineraries here:

 

Islands

NZ

Qld Coast

Tas

Around Aus

Japan

 

And the bigger the ships get the more alike even these will come.

But if we had a ship here all year then the itineraries could be more varied and interesting. Legend of the Seas is just the right size for this to compete with Carnival. What about Borneo, PNG, etc in winter as well as northern Australia.

People will cruise the same itineraries but if they want to cruise every year or even cruise several times a year, the variety has to be there. PNG is opening up with more and more ports so possibilities are there.:D

People will cruise the same itineraries but if they want to cruise every year or even cruise several times a year, the variety has to be there. PNG is opening up with more and more ports so possibilities are there.:D

Yeah PNG is on our list.

Having said all that I've cruised to Tas 5 times, and suspect I'll go again.

I know people who go to the same place every year [the Gold Coast being a common one] so see no problem with someone dong the same itinerary a number of times. Do something different in each port each time.

But I do agree more ships hopefully equals more itineraries. I hope that soon we see more Nth Qld cruises during winter.

 

Options are even further limited in that time if you don't want to cruise during school holidays.

Even worse when you are limited to ONLY cruising during school holidays.

But if we had a ship here all year then the itineraries could be more varied and interesting. Legend of the Seas is just the right size for this to compete with Carnival. What about Borneo, PNG, etc in winter as well as northern Australia.

But P&O and Princess have ships here year round, but the itineraries remain pretty much the same.

By the same token I'm not sure how much they can do different.

But in reality we only have a few itineraries here:

 

Islands

NZ

Qld Coast

Tas

Around Aus

Japan

 

And the bigger the ships get the more alike even these will come.

You forgot Singapore and SE Asia, although most of these seem to depart from Fremantle.

I'd love to see more options to cruise to warmer climes in our winter from lines like RCI, Celebrity, even a few more from Princess, and maybe one ot two of the luxury lines. Don't think we'd get a Cunard ship based here though. ;)

You forgot Singapore and SE Asia, although most of these seem to depart from Fremantle.

 

I'd love to see more options to cruise to warmer climes in our winter from lines like RCI, Celebrity, even a few more from Princess, and maybe one ot two of the luxury lines. Don't think we'd get a Cunard ship based here though. ;)

Yeah left those off was manly thinking from Sydney.

Would love any line to do more Sydney-Sydney even if they weren't based here.

I think Next year Azamara has none and Cunard has 2. Let alone any of the luxury lines.

It's a shame the Indian Pacific is so expensive. Much more enjoyable than flying to Perth.