This is a very thorough review because part of taking on a destination Cruise involves all the little details you may not think to prepare for especially when traveling to a foreign country.

I spent months researching and preparing for this cruise. Our travel agent had wanted to save us on the length of time we would be flying by having us on a flight that landed in Istanbul Turkey at 5pm because the boat departed at 8pm. We decided to change the flight to landing at 1pm instead. This ended up working out because he ship wanted everyone on board by 6pm. A few days before departure, she e-mailed me she would set up transportation from the airport to the ship. The night before our departure, we realize she has not done this. I find out the port our ship will sail out of and contact info. For the ship. One of the issues preparing for a trip like this is figuring what to pack, what the weather will be. Then your friends and family are e-mailing you and you are trying to work, take care of your daily routine, do research, it can be harrowing. My travel agent had booked the cruise and arranged for transportation at the end of the cruise. She had also provided me with the address of the port, I just did not realize Istanbul had 15 million people living there!! We had e-mailed a few days before departure about doing an excursion before getting on the ship, I declined and said just arrange transportation from the Airport to the ship. Well, the night before we left, I had not heard anything. I e-mailed and then and right before we left for the airport. Nothing, I asked her to text us as we would be flying all night, still nothing. She was on a cruise at the time herself and simply arranged for the transport, however, what she and I were about to find out as we got to the Airport, that our flight to New Jersey was cancelled due to thunderstorms in the area. No problem as the agent proceeded to rebook us. We ended up flying to Reagan International where midflight, the pilot started talking about the thunderstorms in that area and that we might have to land in Richmond Va. due to low fuel because he could not fly in a holding pattern, we ended up landing at Reagan, claiming our luggage, catching a cab to Dulles airport, 30 miles away in Friday afternoon rush hour traffic. We made our Lufthansa flight about one hour before takeoff. We bordered the flight, taxied down the tarmac and had to wait and sit for two hours because the thunderstorms were over New York! We landed in Frankfort and our now earlier flight to Istanbul on Turkish Air took off and landed on time. In the meantime, my travel agent booked the transfer from the airport to the ship, but, she did not text us and our flight had landed two hours earlier. So here we were in a very little English speaking country, hailing a cab with a non-speaking English cab driver with only the name of the port, the ship was going out of. It was a 40 minute wild ride, but, we made it to the port! The real enemy here was the weather and my lack of knowledge about a city and a country. I have never fought so much to fly and get on a ship. Consider yourself warned and make sure you yourself are prepared.

The ship: we get on board, it is lovely, and we shower and prepare for dinner. Everything is top notch! We go to bed, wake up at 10am, all is well, they have a ship drill at 10:30am, we shower and then the sanding starts. We are in a port, the wind is blowing, I look out and our balcony is covered!! With the sand! Our chairs, the table, the floor. I wipe it off as best I can and we order room service because none of the restaurants are open. I am furious, why are they sanding with the wind blowing. I order a tuna salad pita, my husband orders the Salmon. His food is great, mine is inedible. I go down to book an excursion, they do not have record of my $300.00 onboard credit. I have had it!! Nelson and the receptionist save the day. They will make sure the onboard credit is corrected and take care of the balcony. They invite us to the bridge to view the departure for later that day. We go back to our stateroom which is perfect and watch as a man is thoroughly washing down the balcony and cleaning the windows. We then go to the lunch buffet and sit on the stern eating a delicious lunch overlooking the beautiful harbor of Canakkale, Turkey. The ship holds 90 passengers and is very clean and attentive to passengers. We are walking around up top and are offered tours of the ship and made to feel welcome, safe and secure. I would not embark from Turkey tho. I did not feel safe nor do I feel they welcome Americans. Keep in mind there is an 8 hour time difference and that needs to be part of the plan. We go to the bridge for our departure from Canakkale. We served nonalcoholic cocktails, a storm gathers and as we glide off, a torrential downpour, lightning and hail!!!!! At 5pm, we go to the Piano Bar for cocktails and soft piano music. The canapés come out, piped blue cheese over cucumbers, salmon, delightful. Vishal is the bar manager in charge and it feels like you are on your own private ship. The Tere Moana is starting to intrigue me, we head to our room with a wine to go and they deliver it for me! Where are the other 70 plus guests on this ship? There are plenty of cubbyholes for everyone. I am starting to think this must be the ship for me. We are invited to dine with the Chief Engineer with another amazing dinner and I had the lamb this time. Read more