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What a fantastic cruise, just perfect!! |
| Reviewed By: Avon, Barry on 5th Oct 2008 |
| Cruise Line: Fred. Olsen Cruises |
Times cruised before: 0 |
| Cruise Ship: Braemar |
Sailed:
September,
2008 |
| Destination: Mediterranean |
Age: 56-65 |
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We couldn't have wished for anything better.We have only good memories of the Braemar and Fred Olsen Cruises and would definitely repeat the experience.
Our inside cabin was cosey and comfortable and kept clean and tidy twice a day.It was lovely to return from an enjoyable evening to find the beds prepared with chocs on the pillow and a Daily Times covering all the activities and news for the next day. We loved the interactive tv with info on ports of call,news,info on excursions which could be booked in your room via the interactive tv and also a limited free film channel though other films were available to purchase we never had time to watch !We also liked the ability to check our total spend each day via the interactive tv .
We arrived at our cabin greeted by classical music and a lovely bouquet of red roses.These we think were part of our anniversary package. It was a lovely welcome. There were tea and coffee making facilities in our cabin which was very acceptable but drinks were always available in the Palm's Cafe 24/7.
We enjoyed eating in The Palms Cafe and The Thistle Restaurant .The Palms was help yourself but still had the air of a good restaurant with helpful,friendly staff always showing you to a table and always ensuring your drinks were kept topped up whether it be tea,coffee,water or something stronger. If you have a hearty appetite you wont be dissappointed with the food here. It was delicious with plenty of variety and the quantity was up to you. The Thistle Restaurant was also enjoyable. Here it was more formal and great fun to dress for dinner. There were only 3 formal nights and we were pleased to find that dark suits and ties were acceptable on a formal evening. My husband would never wear a tux and bow tie! The remaining evenings were informal or casual and these evenings were enjoyable too.There was a great choice of menu(We opted for reindeer for our anniversary meal, delicious) Anyone with a birthday or anniversary was made to feel special on their celebration day in the restaurant. We wont spoil the surprise but just say it made our 40th anniversary one to remember. As part of our anni package we also enjoyed champagne and canapes delivered to our cabin together with an anniversary gift. Also included was a complementary profesional photo taken on one of the formal nights to commemorate the occasion.
We couldn't believe the fantastic spread laid on at the midnight buffet everyday. The only dissapointing thing about it was sometimes being too full to enjoy such tempting morsels. High tea was also provided in the Palms everyday with delicious cakes and sandwiches to tempt you again!
We chose a medium ship thinking it would be friendlier and more personal than the larger cruise ships. This was definitely the case according to many staunch cruisers we spoke to on the cruise. Most of our fellow cruisers had holidayed on the Braemar more than once many had cruised with Fred Olsen many times before and we can appreciate why now we have completed our first cruise on the Braemar, we can't wait for the next. The entertainment was enjoyable and there was always a variety to chose from. The Braemar's cruisers were on the whole in the older age bracket which from our point of view was more relaxing i.e.No families with young children. Having said that though, the entertainment catered for all tastes from ballroom dancing to the more lively DJ etc. We particularly enjoyed the shows. These were performed twice nightly to allow both dinner sittings to be able to catch a show. We particularly enjoyed the talented staff performing one evening and must mention a particularly funny cookery demo where the chef had enlisted the help of the Captain and Engineer. The captain was a very funny guy. The cruise was made more interesting too as the captain gave us a daily updates on weather,when we'd be arriving at port and any interesting sights not to miss along the way.
We did an excursion for each port. As it was our first cruise we needed to feel reassured about getting back to the ship before sailing. We felt that all of the tours were well worth the money as they all had a full programme and the benefit of a knowledgable guide. However next time we would leave booking until on board .This would enable us to decide whether or not to do your own thing as many of the ports were only a stones throw away from the town or place of interest. However to cover as much ground as possible a tour is the best way to do it.
To sum up. Fred Olsen and The Braemar gave us a fantastic holiday. The service,the staff,the accommodation,the hygiene, the entertainments and the food were excellent and we can't wait for our next trip.
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| Quality of Food |  |
| We ate in the Palms for breakfast and lunch and alternated between the Palms and Thistle for dinner.
We ate varied foods and enjoyed everthing.
We were impressed with The Farewell Buffet only disappointed that we were too full to eat much!!Keep it up. | | Entertainment |  |
| The most enjoyable was the Braemar singers and dancers though their performances tended to be repetitive(i.e different songs performed on similar lines)
The British night sing song(not our cup of tea) | | Shore Excursions | |
| Ston and Trsteno, Palaeokastritsa and old Corfu town, a taste of Malta, Kotor,Budva and St Stefan,West coast of Majorca and La Granja, Cannes and Nice, The Gaudi tour,Barcelona were all excellent.
Florence and Pisa were enjoyable but more time could have been spent at Pisa
Venice was disappointing as it was not a long enough stay, too hurried. | | Staff | |
| All staff were friendly and helpful.
The waiters in both the Palms and Thistle particularly those who helped us celebrate our anniversary in the Thistle were excellent.
Also Agung our cabin maid always ready to help.
We particularly liked the Captain .He was a very funny guy.We liked the daily bulletins especially about interesting sites along the way. The active volcano for example was a nice surprise. | | Children's Facilities | n/a |
| | Onboard Activities | |
| We certainly had no time to watch films in our cabin though it was nice to have the facility if we neede it. | | Cabins | |
| We particularly liked the little touches choc on pillows ,Daily times, tea and coffee being kept topped up,beds made ready for the night. | | Overall Rating | |
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