HELP!!! Update on Amadeus Symphony???

[martinimadam]

Has anyone been on the Amadeus Symphony lately? Some friends of mine who are new to cruising are considering a Rhone River cruise through Gate 1 on the Amadeus Symphony in 2012. I did a search and the most recent comment appeared to be from 2010. The post was quite unflattering about the condition of the ship: failing AC, filthy carpets, etc. Does anyone know if she's been refurbished or is planned to be refurbished.

 

I wouldn't want my friends to have a bad experience, as the husband is somewhat reluctant to go after a horrible experience on one of the mega cruise ships.:eek: I'm trying to convince them that river cruising is totally different and I think he'd enjoy it.

 

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

[doctor4kydz]

We just returned from the Viking "Portraits of Southern France" cruise on the MS Amadeus Symphony. This ship is not owned by Viking; they lease it. The ship was built in 2003 and (we heard) will be "retired" at the end of this year's cruisong season. However, the ship is VERY nice; you will not be disappointed. The rooms are small (168 sq feet), but average size compared with ocean cruises that we've taken. They are well-organized with adequate room for storage. The bathroom and showers are also very nice. The public areas are clean and well-maintained. There is only one dinign room and one lounge area. In the lounge there is 24 hr complimentary coffee/tea/hot chocolate service and free WiFi. We LOVED the trip. If you have any specific questions, please feel free to email me (bradfeldstein@verizon.net).