My wife and I are in our 60's and we planned this cruise with another couple about a year in advance. We wanted to celebrate my wife's 65th birthday and were not disappointed. We do try to travel 2-3 times a year but this is the first extended cruise we have taken. When planning we looked at the number of ports which were included and decided we would not be able to see all of the countries we covered for the cost involved and the time spent in each area. We started with a 2 day stay in London to avoid being exhausted upon arrival at the ship. Stayed at the Hilton Hyde Park for two nights and it was very acceptable. The package included dinner the first night which really worked out since we did not have to chose a restaurant in an unfamiliar town. The meal was very good. Also included breakfast each morning and that was also very good. Complete with most everything you would want. We had prearranged transportation from the airport to hotel and then to the ship. While expensive, it was the best way to go for the four of us and would do this again as opposed to arranging this thru the ship. It ended up costing less and we were more comfortable. The drive from London to Dover is a little over two hours and being in a comfortable van as opposed to a bus was better. Checking in on arrival was very smooth as there were no others passengers checking in at the time. We had a concierge level room which gave us a dedicated line for check in but was not needed. We arrived about 1:00 pm and our room was ready which was an advantage of the concierge level. Others were not able to get their room until about 3:00 pm (Deck 6 and below) Lunch was available and was in the Terrace Cafe buffet. I would recommend making your dining reservations for the Polo Grill and Toscana as soon as you arrive on the ship. They fill up fast and to get time days and times you want, do it ASAP. Our stateroom was as expected with plenty of closet space and storage. Included with this room was a small refrigerator with drinks of all types. Be aware there is a charge for all that you use but the cost is the same as anywhere on the ship. We also had a DVD player which was used sparingly. Having a balcony was a definite advantage both for relaxation and arriving at the different ports. It was nice to be able to relax and see the sights on arrival. We were fortunate to have Olena and her assistant John as our cabin steward. They did a fantastic job. If you do not like the duvee you can ask for a blanket instead which suited us better. The only complaint about the room is the size of the shower but on a ship you do not expect large areas. The Penthouse suites and above included a tub and more living space. You have to decide whether the extra cost is worth it.

We tried to find anything bad about the food and the dining areas and could not. The food was excellent in all of the dining rooms and the service was always first class. Our favorite server in the dining room as Shiaiane who was a wine and cocktail server. From the first night she never forgot what we wanted for cocktails and even when she was not our server, always check to make sure all was OK. A very special person if you get to meet her. Toscana and Polo Grill were top notch with the food being above and beyond what we expected. On my wifes birthday they sang Happy Birthday and brought a special personalized cake which was the best dessert I have ever had, truly special. For the men, a sport coat is not required for country club casual. I had planned to take two and changed to one and was very pleased to have done so. I wore it 5 times for the whole cruise. Nice dress slacks and a sport shirt are very acceptable in all areas. I wore the sport coat in the Polo Grill and Toscana and one night in the Grand dining room.

The size of the ship is perfect. The average age of the passengers is 55 and above. We saw a few younger kids but not many and this cruise is not designed for children. We only took one ship excursion and that was in Helsinki and it worked out fine. We had pre-arranged tours in Germany and St Petersburg with Viktoria of spb-tours.com. We can truly recommend this company as the best. We did not want to be on a bus so arranged for the four of us only and it was worth the small additional cost. You could do what you wanted when you wanted to deviate from our original plans if necessary. We did and saw many things that the ships tours did not do including going to special local restaurants in St Petersburg. The 3 days there were the highlight of the cruise. I had also prearranged a stop at the Absolute Ice Bar in Stockholm which happened to be the last night of the cruise and was really lots of fun and quite and experience and would recommend it for a fun thing to do. All other port we would take a cab into town or take local transportation which included the hop on and off buses and canal boats. Do not miss the Van Gogh museum and get tickets before you get to the museum. There is a place about 1/2 a block away which you can do this an avoid the long lines for tickets. At each port the ship had a representative from that town on board to help and I would take advantage of that resource. Read more