LA Times Story on 5-Star Cruise Ships

[berry22192]

http://www.calendarlive.com/books/cl-tr-insider28may28,0,7414834,print.story?coll=cl-books

 

This is the link to a LA Times story about Berlitz's latest Ship Rating Guide. Eighteen ships received their 5 Star award (not QE2 and only QM2's Grill class). One ship is rated "five star plus"--that being Hapag-Lloyd Cruises' Europa--an award it has earned for the sixth consecutive year.

 

The top ships (says Berlitz) are:

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises' Europa

followed by

SeaDream I and II;

Seabourn's Legend, Pride and Spirit;

Silversea's Silver Shadow, Silver Whisper, Hanseatic, Silver Cloud and Silver Wind;

Queen Mary 2 (Grill Class only);

Sea Cloud and Sea Cloud II;

Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony;

and Seven Seas' Mariner and Voyager.

 

The QM2 is rated 4.5 stars. The QE2's rating is not provided.

 

One more disclosure: The LA Times story makes clear to check under your bed.

 

For those that have sailed on Europa--is its top rating justified?

 

 

Chris

[ocngypz]

Europa - yes.

 

It would be interesting to see the exact rating points per ship.

 

I have a 2003 copy here.... those 5* were... the same as listed in the reviewed edition plus: QE2 Grill class, the 4 M-Class Celebrity ships, Hebridian Spirit and Princess.

 

What Mr Ward often fails to realize that in many US ports, butter has to be served in the little wrapped squares.... and with the many Norovirus outbreaks tighter food handling controls have been initiated.