I wish we had seen Shoalwater’s comments before we took this cruise. His points about the ports are misunderstood by a few people who replied: what he is criticising is the paucity of the port experiences not their poverty. There is so much more to see and do in the Amazon than we did or were shown. There is the rub. But perhaps a more useful comment is this: is it likely that you can have a rewarding experience of such a vast and inaccessible area from a cruise ship carrying 900 people? What chance you will see ANY of the stunning vistas or wildlife you are shown in the destination lectures? This is something you should do with a back pack at age 26.
The entertainment on our cruise was actually very good. We were way less excited by the food. The World Cafe is like a stressed version of a self-serve restaurant. It is way too cramped for its purpose. The Chef’s Kitchen is a lottery both in terms of choice and standard. Some of the included port tours are badly designed (destination: souvenir shop) and miss important sights.
Overall, I think it was the substance, not the style, that failed to meet our expectations.
Review- Viking Sea: From the Caribbean to the Amazon (Dec 16, 2017 to Jan. 6, 2018)
in Viking Ocean
Posted
I wish we had seen Shoalwater’s comments before we took this cruise. His points about the ports are misunderstood by a few people who replied: what he is criticising is the paucity of the port experiences not their poverty. There is so much more to see and do in the Amazon than we did or were shown. There is the rub. But perhaps a more useful comment is this: is it likely that you can have a rewarding experience of such a vast and inaccessible area from a cruise ship carrying 900 people? What chance you will see ANY of the stunning vistas or wildlife you are shown in the destination lectures? This is something you should do with a back pack at age 26.
The entertainment on our cruise was actually very good. We were way less excited by the food. The World Cafe is like a stressed version of a self-serve restaurant. It is way too cramped for its purpose. The Chef’s Kitchen is a lottery both in terms of choice and standard. Some of the included port tours are badly designed (destination: souvenir shop) and miss important sights.
Overall, I think it was the substance, not the style, that failed to meet our expectations.