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Island Cruises

MS Island Escape

Your Rating:
Reviewed by: Clive Astley-Mynd
# previous cruises: 2
Date of Trip: August 24, 2004
Itinerary: Mediterranean

Luxury cruising for the masses. You would have to be very determined to find faults with the overall package. Customer service and customer satisfaction was very high indeed. If you want serene gentility and ball gowns then spend three times the price or get your own yacht.

If we start by saying all facilities were of a luxurious standard and receive a high overall rating from me I can then start getting picky.

There are a lot of people on board so at times the seating in the 24 hour access restaurant was tight with a bit of seat/ table shuffling.

Same for the sun loungers at certain times.

The pool is small and dominated by the kids. Daytime entertainment can be annoying if you want to quietly sunbathe.

Food was very varied in choice and high in quality. We have a teenage daughter who could always find lots to eat.

The food is buffet style but forget your burgers and chips. We're talking top notch international cuisine. I put on seven pounds during the holiday.

Wine a bit pricey at #10 plus for a bottle of ok wine, couple of quid for a glass of drinkable house.

Buy cheap wine/ beer during port stops and have pre-dinner drink.

Ours was a 4 berth with an outside window on the coral deck. Two floor, two fold down 'bunks'. Bit tight but nothing to whine about. Small but perfectly good shower. Room service v. good.

If you want a cabin to entertain from or spend all day in then you're on the wrong cruise.

Shows were professional but remember they have a wide age range to cater for so you will not like every show.

Shows going on in two theatres - the above applies.

Stopped at Messina Livorno Naples Toulon Barcelona.

Only the Toulon/Marseilles tour was iffy.

Ask how much coach travel is on the tour, how many stops, how long. How much walking.

A full tour every day willl be an ordeal so choose wisely. I did Pompeii myself and regretted it, but walked into Barcelona from the ship and had a great day.

If you do it yourself you may not be insured and if you get held up in traffic or lost then the ship willl not wait. And your insurance willl not pay for you to rejoin the ship. One late passenger had to pay #300 for a lift on with the Pilot boat.

All ages, all backgrounds. Grumpy, happy, noisy, quiet. With any group like this you willl find some annoying, yet some very friendly and nice.

If you like to grump about people you could have a great time.