Balmoral Review

Summer sun

Review for Europe Cruise on Balmoral
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Artemisgirl
2-5 Cruises • Age 60s

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Sail Date: Jan 2019
Cabin: Balcony Junior Suite

We wanted to get away for some summer sun in January but didn't want the hassle of flying so a cruise from Southampton to Madeira and the Canary Islands sounded perfect, and it was. We couldn't believe how smooth embarkation was. On arrival at Southampton a member of staff was ready to whisk our bags away before we had even parked and within minutes of arrival we were sat in the Observation Lounge with a G&T. The crew were friendly, helpful and very efficient. The ports we visited were all interesting and the days at sea gave us a chance to relax. We were very lucky with the weather as the Bay of Biscay was calm. There was an outbreak of Norovirus (only to be expected) and full marks to the crew for stepping up to all the additional duties with a smile. Bottom of the class were the passengers we saw taking plates of sandwiches from the cafe back to their room, eating them on their way and then touching the handrails - hardly hygienic; the partner of a quarantined passenger who was determined to go on his booked tour excursion even though the captain had said he was not allowed ashore and the passengers who refused to use the hand gel. Only downside was the decision to ban jogging outside. The gym was hot and running machines are not good for knees. There are many responsible joggers who like to run in the fresh air and are always considerate to fellow guests. Come on Fred you could have some 'jogging time' on deck when other passengers could be warned to keep an eye out for runners.

Cabin Review

Balcony Junior Suite

Cabin BJ

Spacious with a great bathroom and a large bed. Good balcony

Port Reviews

Lisbon

Easy to walk around and see all the sights on your own

Madeira (Funchal)

Took the cable car up to the gardens, no queues and it was good not to be rushed. Then came down in the 'baskets' - a must, if a bit scary.

La Coruna

Easy to walk around independently

Tenerife

Stunning landscape but high winds meant we were unable to take the cable car up the volcano

Las Palmas (Gran Canaria)

Easy to walk around independently

6 Helpful Votes
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