Small boat luxury cruises are they worth the cost? Part 4: 2019 Silversea Lisbon to Amsterdam

Note this cruise was taken before Royal Caribbean Group acquired Silversea Cruises in July 2020. Some reviews from regular SC cruisers since then have noted changes in food and inclusions. But others say they’re as good as before. So always do some research if considering booking a cruise.

Spring 2019 Silver Cloud Lisbon to Amsterdam

With one delightful Silversea expedition cruise under our belt, we happily signed up for another expedition with the company.

I love Lisbon so was more than happy to visit the city again in late spring, rather than the fierce summer heat. We were relaxed and ready to sail, after a few days staying at our favourite art deco hotel in the city.

The cruise was 12 nights/13 days with tours in Portugal, Spain, France and the Netherlands, with only the penultimate day spent at sea.

When is an expedition cruise not an expedition?

The itinerary and excursions didn’t mention zodiac rides and included only one bird watching option, so was interested to see how this ‘expedition’ cruise would play out with a full complement of expedition crew on board. This was billed as gourmet adventure through Portugal, Spain and France and had three guest chefs doing most of the heavy lifting when it came to entertaining and informing the guests.

Expedition crew gave occasional lectures (not as many as previous cruise) and were mainly relegated to manning the tour desk and accompanying some of the land trips.

The Silver Cloud

This is a true expedition vessel, used on company’s Antarctica cruises. With a passenger capacity of up to 254 passengers in non-polar regions, our European tour was at (or close to) full capacity.
This ship has a few more bells and whistles than the Silver Cloud, though is much smaller than most of the vessels used on Silversea’s other European cruises. The extra amenities included 4 restaurants (three inclusive in the price, Le Dame with a US$60 charge for a six course meal), cigar/cognac lounge, observation lounge and photo studio. There was an extra bar and DIY clothes washers and driers (as well the usual laundry options).

This slightly larger vessel also included an entertainment director (though too small to have actual shows at night, except a better than expected Galician group of young musicians).  I’ve never got into the night time lounge activities before but really enjoyed playing trivia and our talented entertainer’s musical abilities.

The cabins, bars and lounges were similar to the Silver Discoverer but a bit bigger, with up to date interiors and clean lines.

The cruise

Let’s get this out of the way from the beginning. This cruise didn’t go to plan. Unseasonably rough seas meant additional days at sea with slow progress and three missed ports! Sadly these included the two big drawcards for me – Oporto and Brittany.

I’m usually a good sailor but at least half the boat was afflicted with mal de mer. Instead of feeling a little off colour, I had 17 hours of vomiting. My sister, who is prone to seasickness, had two severe episodes requiring a shot from the ship doctor. Not a good start to a gourmet cruise. Even members of the crew with many years at sea remarked they’d not come across this particular type of rolling plus back and forward motion before.

There was only one upside to the vastly redacted itinerary, we ended up having three delightful days/two nights moored up right next to the city in Bordeaux. It was such a charming town to explore and having so much time in one place is highly unusual for a cruise.

The tours

While some of the excursions were a disappointment, as many of our personal highlights were cancelled, there were two stand outs. These included a lunch in a Michelin starred restaurant in one of the Bordeaux wine regions and a very special tour of the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao.

What made the Guggenheim extraordinary, is where luxury tours like this excel. The early start (being docked almost an hour away from the town) allowed our group entry into the museum two hours before it opened to the public. Not only could we explore the art in small groups led by expert guides, with none of the thousands of visitors that come each day, but there was also a string quartet playing exquisite music in the atrium for the entire time.

Once again, Silversea treated us like adults. The local guides were of a high calibre and group sizes small. Our art historian guide for the Bilbao trip was so knowledgeable and passionate about the art, you could tell he absolutely relished having the freedom to guide his group in a sequence that he felt best explained the works.

 

Our cruise mates on the Silver Cloud

I didn’t notice any children on this cruise, with a gourmet theme it tended to attract the over 55s. There was a strong US contingent, many obviously wealthy, spending a lot of their time cruising. There were even women travelling alone, very comfortable being both part of new groups and seeking solo time.

Despite not being the best social/political match, I surprised myself getting on with a bunch of raucous Americans who invited us to join their trivia team, when we haplessly wandered in on an after dinner game. It was so fun we made a habit of joining them most nights.

Best bits

I may have been in the minority of passengers who love contemporary art (most could not fathom the value of such confrontational pieces, despite a lecture from one of the expedition crew the day before that had valiantly attempted to prepare and educate them) but I was certainly a very happy customer that day. It really was the highpoint of the entire cruise for me.

The culinary experts, especially Will Torrent – who seemed to always be in a good mood even when feeling ill, and made the dairy intolerant passengers three stellar desserts.

As always, all the crew were amazing. Cleaners, waiters, bar staff and of course our own butler. We still felt uncomfortable about having a butler and called on him infrequently, except our standing order for a morning coffee in bed. Ah…that’s luxury!

And having a free laundry!

Not so good

While a cruise is not responsible for the weather or when the unexpected happens, it’s how they deal with it that matters. On the whole the disappointments were handled well, with perhaps one exception. With additional days at sea, the was little or no extra lectures programmed. The expedition crew, most experts in their particular area, seemed to be on holiday during this cruise. As the team been a highlight on our previous cruise, perhaps our expectations had been set too high?  

However the entertainment director* did a great job all round, including some extra afternoon trivia, for those who weren’t too indisposed to attend.

* OMG a shout out to the amazing Moss Hills, entertainment director and musician extraordinaire. Not only was he stellar in his role, had the patience of a saint and is an all round delightful person, on return I discovered he is also a bonafide hero! If you’ve not heard of his Moss Hills and the lives he saved on the Oceania in 1991 – I promise you that you’ll be amazed (and want him on every cruise).

Was this Silversea luxury small boat cruise worth the price?

“If this was my first Silversea expedition cruise, I doubt we would have taken a second one” was the feedback I gave at the end of the trip, that best sums up my experience. The Sri Lankan expedition was outstanding and perhaps set our expectations too high, as this was a very different itinerary.

The company delivered a high quality product, it’s just unfortunate that so many ports were missed and some of the expedition crew so obviously appeared to be on holiday themselves.

Read my reviews of small boat cruises:
Part 1: APT river and ocean cruising in Europe
Part 2: Aranui 5 Tahiti cruise
Part 3: Silversea across the Indian Ocean

Small boat luxury cruises are they worth the cost? Part 3: Silversea expedition Thailand to Sri Lanka

Note this cruise was taken before Royal Caribbean Group acquired Silversea Cruises in July 2020. Some reviews from regular SC cruisers since then have noted changes in food and inclusions. But others say they’re as good as before. So always do some research if considering booking a cruise.

After our previous experience with APT, a friend recommended Silversea as a ‘step up’. While a white gloved butler is not our thing, it was a particular expedition cruise itinerary that caught my eye. Could I persuade my elderly father to choose a destination a bit outside his comfort zone?

2017: Phuket to Colombo, Silver Discoverer

Sri Lanka has always been on my List. I confess it’s largely because of the food. While I lived in Melbourne there was a fantastic Sri Lankan lunch bar in the CBD and I ate there at least once a week for about 15 years.

The route took us through coastal Myanmar and the Andaman Islands and included three excursions in different parts of Sri Lanka. As we’d reach our destination a few days before Christmas, and flying anywhere in the world at that time of the year is a nightmare, we independently arranged a land trip for a week after disembarking.

The journey began in Phuket, with a seamless check in. The Silver Discoverer is the smallest in the Silversea fleet. It’s a bit less glitzy than the larger vessels but I do love a good expedition cruise. The specialist crew (about 8 or 9 of them) seemed relaxed and particularly happy that the ship was not at capacity, with only 70 or so passengers aboard.

The destinations

We woke up the next day in Myanmar with a shore visit to Kawthaung, a city close to the Thai border. We were delighted to be able to free range but there was a local guide for those that wanted a tour. Kawthaung is a bit of a wild frontier, with a busy wet market, local shops, park and elaborate Buddhist monastery atop the hill with a great view of the town.

Over the next couple of days we explored the Mergui Archipelago, an incredible, untouched part of the world. This included snorkeling (gear supplied) and white sand beaches on uninhabited islands, dawn and sunset zodiac cruises, observing the bird life and Moken fishing boats and a visit to a small village.

Through the Lampi islands in the archipelago, the expedition crew really excelled, not just with interesting lectures ranging from history, geology, marine biology, to ornithology, but as nature guides and zodiac drivers.

They were a talented and engaging bunch, generous with their time and information, making the zodiac tours incredibly interesting, while immersed in such unspoiled beauty.

The Andaman Islands were not as spectacular as Myanmar. It didn’t help that I was stung by a sea creature on one of the beach stops! As an aside, the ship’s doctor had been alerted before I got back to the ship and was fascinated by the injury, and didn’t charge me for the consult (I’d basically treated myself as being an Australian I know how to treat a jelly fish sting).

We probably could have skipped the mandatory (expensive and last minute before flying out) Indian visa that allowed us to visit Port Blair.  The historic cellular jail was rather gruesome, the museum and afternoon tea underwhelming, all set within the usual chaos of an Indian city.

The two days at sea as we cruised towards Sri Lanka were relaxed and passed quickly. Every day on Silversea cruises a lavish afternoon tea is served in the lounge. There were tours of the bridge (one of the best I’ve been on), lectures and all the wonderful meals to fill the time. I was mesmerised watching the flying fish leap in our wake.

There was a choice of tour options when we docked at Tricomalee, both requiring longish bus trips into northern Sri Lanka. I chose to climb Lion Rock and wander through the ancient rock fortress of Sirigiya, as we were returning to the area on our land tour and would get another opportunity to explore the extraordinary ruins of Polonnaruwa. Lion Rock is a busy site, with a lot of tourists (and cheeky monkeys). Sirigiya is not for the vertiginous as most of the climb is up steep steps suspended on the side of the rock. Usually the best time to visit is earlier in the morning when the weather is cool as there is no shade but luckily our late morning arrival coincided with cloud cover, so the walk was bearable. The history of the fortress is fascinating and the view worth the exertion. It was followed by our first Sri Lankan lunch at a nearby hotel, a feast that did not disappoint.

Overnight the ship headed south and the tour took us to the famous Yala National Park wildlife sanctuary. Unfortunately, it poured with rain and we didn’t see any of the leopards but a lot of elephants, birds and other wild life in our rather long and bumpy 4×4 tour. Once again, a spectacular local lunch was provided enroute.

Our final stop was in the South West with a visit to a tea plantation in Akuressa, another superb lunch feast on the beach at Unawatuna and a tour of Galle – which was cut short due to another downpour. We disembarked the next day in Colombo to continue our next adventure.

Ship life

We enjoyed our time aboard this rather small expedition ship, though it may have felt a little cramped if it was at full capacity. Meals are served in the main dining room, with a smaller lunch menu available poolside and the opportunity to book the hot rock grill their at nights. As we like eating al fresco, we’d hoped for more opportunities but to do so at night, the hot rocks offers very limited choices. Food in the dining room was first class. Alcohol is inclusive in your fare and available at all hours.

We were a little uncomfortable with having a butler (butler service comes with all cabins), though appreciated being able to order an espresso on waking. The crew were friendly and professional, and tips were included, when booked in Australia.

Everything was all inclusive including excursions and snorkelling gear. Those with PADI licence had opportunities to scuba dive.

Cruise mates on the Silver Discoverer

Unlike APT, Silversea attracts a more diverse range of ages and nationalities, though predominantly from the US. We had some interesting conversations with our fellow passengers but appreciated there being no pressure to dine with others when we weren’t in the mood.

The itinerary, tours, food, expedition team, crew and onboard facilities were a stand out. We particularly enjoyed being treated more like grown-ups than on the APT tours, for those who wanted to go on a dawn zodiac cruise there were no announcements to round people up as the team respected that some people wanted to sleep in uninterrupted. No paddles to follow on shore visits!

Best bits

The expedition crew were a stand out especially the English geologist and ornithologist.

It was a well-planned tour that went smoothly. Unexploited Myanmar islands and the Sri Lankan food alone, would have made this a great trip!

Not so good

We didn’t sign the consent form to be filmed for the show reel, that was sold at the cost of USD$100 towards the end of the cruise, but appeared in it none the less. As this was a commercial venture, you’d have expected that consent or lack of, would have been respected. The young videographer was the only member of the team that didn’t engage well with passengers and could be intrusive with the locals in the few towns we visited.

Was Silversea worth the cost?

This is next level financially but certainly offered more than the Aranui or APT cruises. Those used to large liners would find the facilities limited on the small expedition ship but we are happy to forgo this for a more intimate cruising experience.

This was a memorable holiday in previously unexplored lands, with five star service and facilities and the opportunity to learn about history, culture, flora and fauna.

Read my reviews of other small boat cruises:
Part 1: APT river and ocean cruising in Europe
Part 2: Aranui 5 Tahiti cruise
Part 4: Silver Sea Europe cruise

Small boat luxury cruises are they worth the cost? Part 2: Aranui 5

2017: 13 nights Aranui 5. Marquesas Islands returning via Bora Bora.

In part one, I shared our small ship cruising experiences with Australian company APT on the European waterways, Mediterranean and Adriatic seas. Read this first if you want to found why I was I took to the high seas. These reviews are entirely independent.

The French Pacific was an entirely new territory for me, with a novel cruising opportunity. The Aranui 5, a dual-purpose cargo and passenger ship, is quite different from other cruises. It’s become so popular over the decades that the latest Aranui expanded its passenger capacity to just over 250.

Cruising with a purpose

Unlike classic small ship luxury cruising, on the Aranui 5 there’s a much wider diversity of cabin classes and berths, from palatial balcony suites (which we stayed in, due booking late these were the only berths on offer) to dormitories. While our suite was roomy with a rather odd shaped deck, the four bed dorms are windowless and very tiny, but it does make for a more egalitarian passenger list. It also allows locals to island hop for a few days and sleep in a separate 8 person dorm. But all passengers eat meals together in the communal dining room.

The route takes you as far as the Marquesas, a remote group of islands. via an idyllic atolls, where snorkelling and observing the tropical sea life was an option.  This was quite extraordinary, though for those not into beach life, these tiny islands had little to offer.

There was a day at sea in each direction, with was a lot of rocking and rolling in the open water, making my sister quite ill. We usually sleep in cabins lower down, and found being so high up in the vessel (with no stabilisers) meant I was almost tossed out of bed a few times.

Once in the Marquesas there was no swimming (“too sharky” was how one of the crew described it) but included some great 4×4 excursions put on by the locals, with traditional food and handcrafts. Gauguin’s Tahitian home and Jacque Brel’s grave on Hiva-Oa were also quite interesting, how either men ever made it to this remote part of the world is extraordinary.

This is a unique cruise experience, as essentially it’s a cargo run with a side line in tourism. I loved watching the cranes and small tenders expertly manoeuvre cars and other large goods from the deck to the land (rarely was there a jetty to tie up). One of the drop offs involved an incredibly tight cove to get in and out of. It was thrilling to observe the skill involved. The cargo crew were multitalented, many doubled as entertainers at night with both local attire and songs, and more contemporary crooning and strumming in the bar late at night.

Unlike the APT small ship cruises we’d been on, there were a couple of entertainment officers who lead a variety of activities including traditional dance classes, a fashion show, cooking and wreath making. They were fun! There were regular briefings but the couple of cultural lectures that were offered onboard were only in French.

Meals were not quite so lavish, nor the wine as free flowing as other ‘luxury’ cruises. A lot of other luxury cruising extras weren’t included (like a free bar or wifi, and some of the additional excursions incurred a fee). Breakfasts in particular could be hit and miss with some items running out long before the breakfast dining hours came to an end. There were pre-opened bottles of red and white wine on the tables at lunch and dinner (causing the staff some annoyance if passengers took the leftovers to their cabin, it appears these fine French wines came in bulk and the bottles refilled each day).

Dining was also a little more utilitarian. You elected the (not so) early or later dining time and had to stick to it. Seating was at long communal tables and passengers tended to naturally group into languages spoken. There was a large English speaking contingent, then  theFrench. A few passengers were Swiss, German and a smattering of other nationalities including Italian and one valiant Japanese guy who Google translated every mealtime ‘conversation’.

While service and food were a little haphazard the desserts were not (and worth the long wait). This cruise had a pastry chef and she was extremely talented and generous. This was one of the few cruising experiences where our dairy allergy was well catered for. No boring fruit platters night after night, instead there were sabayon, chocolate mousse and other dairy-free delights.

Your cruise mates on the Aranui

I found it refreshing to have such a diversity of ages, backgrounds and nationalities on board, and amusingly inevitably there was some English/French friction, especially when hapless Aussies dared to sit at the table that an extended French family and friends had earmarked as their own! There were family groups, including children of all ages. The Pacifica crew and locals island hopping really added to the authenticity of the experience.

Best bits

Those desserts!

Our own little island on Bora Bora for a day, swimming, snorkelling and sunbathing in the most beautiful water I’ve ever experienced.

Deck barbecue nights.

Marquesas Islands, their remote beauty and people (and I thought at Maori haka was fierce!) Delightful to be immersed in some Pasifika culture again.

Spectacular sunsets and more relaxed travelling.

Not so good

Everything in French Polynesia is very expensive, from local souvenirs (absolutely no bargains) to the bar prices on board the ship. Timing of flights meant it was necessary to stay in Papeete before and after the cruise, which wasn’t too exciting and also expensive. 

Was this small ship luxury cruises worth it?

Price-wise this was a luxury cruise (remember the previous comment that nothing is cheap in this part of the world), unless you travel in the dorms. Many aspects of the cruise don’t fit the luxury tag, nor do the company claim that it is.    

Being a passenger on a dual-purpose ship is sometimes dubbed ‘cruising with a purpose’. The cargo run is vital for the islanders and the primary reason it sails. There are plenty of shore excursions, mostly cultural and scenic in nature, though there are some good opportunities to hike at some of the stops.

All in all this was a very relaxing trip, that takes you to some difficult to otherwise visit Pacific islands. This is not the cruise for you if you want a butler and free bar, but is inclusive for those travelling alone or with families, who would like to experience Polynesian culture and rub shoulders with a more diverse array of passengers. Speaking of diversity, it was delightful to have a couple of Māhū hospitality crew members.

Read my reviews of small boat cruises:
Part 1: APT river and ocean cruising in Europe
Part 3: Silversea across the Indian Ocean
Part 4: Silversea Europe gourmet

Small boat luxury cruises are they worth the cost? Part 1 – APT

Luxury cruising

We read the glowing reviews – luxurious cabins, sometimes butlers and all-inclusive packages but these are rarely independent, usually with a tag that the reviewer travelled as a guest of the company.

This is an independent, retrospective review of six different voyages and three companies. We were full-fee paying passengers, though for the sake of transparency, all trips were paid by a family member.

How I ended up on the high seas

My father is an intrepid traveller, though as he gets older favours all-inclusive tours. His latest trip was at the grand age of 92. My sister and I have accompanied him in recent years, when he ran out of other travel companions. What we thought would be a single trip has turned into an annual holiday, many of them cruises.

I’m a free-range and independent traveller by preference. I love comfort but can’t afford  and generally wouldn’t seek luxury tours, as I find the barest, curated glimpses of wonderful places frustrating at best. But holidaying with others will always involve compromise. For us ‘younger’ ones we asked for no long bus trips. and if a cruise it needed to be in the smallest vessels possible (70 is ideal but we been on a few with 200- 300 passengers). Absolutely no big cruise liners!

 

The APT cruises

 

River cruising

2012 Budapest to Amsterdam

European river cruising is what this Australian company built its reputation on. The tour director was excellent and even pulled an all-nighter when unexpected traffic delays on the river meant an unscheduled stop and some massive reorganisation. He also personally accompanied me to a dentist in a small German town when my crown needed to be reattached. (As an aside, it was astoundingly cheap to have an emergency appointment with a dentist, the tour director was rather shocked when I told him how much it costs me in Australia!)

New to group touring, I found the headsets and ‘follow-the-guide’ holding up a paddle slightly embarrassing and annoying. Fortunately walking tours were broken up into fast, medium and slow groups which kept groups small and appropriately paced. Often there were multiple choices of free tours each day (sometimes making it difficult to choose). While there were some stand out local guides (our Nuremburg historian was exceptional), on a number of occasions my sister and I quickly departed the group with the aid of a local map and wandered on our own.

 

 

Shipboard life was comfortable but the décor a bit like staying at an elderly aunt’s house, both formal and bland. On our cruise all dinners were served in the formal dining room at a set time, they tried to seat all passengers at the same time before service commenced (this may have changed since). Meals were multi-coursed and generous, dietary requirements were catered for (though if you were vegan it would have become very boring). The breakfasts were a stand out. All breads and pastries were cooked onboard from scratch, no frozen, we were told.

Fellow passengers were almost exclusively Australian, mostly over 65 (I was one of the youngest, still being in my 40s) and on the whole very conservative politically. However, there was a demographic of passengers for whom this was the grown up version of a Contiki tour, with a lot of free grog and food plus comfortable rooms and not much to have to think about.

 

 

Best bits

Christian our tour director – for both the dentist run and impromptu night time tour of his home town, when we were unexpected stranded on the river.

Floriade in the Netherlands. This river cruise coincided with this amazing botanical festival held just once a decade. Due to a hold up on the river, we actually ended up with a longer bus journey but paradoxically a longer visit to the site at our own leisure.

Not so great bits

I’d been warned by a friend who had been on a previous river cruise that things can get a bit cliquey – you know like high school when groups of kids don’t want others to eat lunch with them. Dinner time could be rather interesting if the maitre d haplessly seated you at the ‘wrong’ table!

For me it was largely not having anything in common with 95+% of my fellow passengers  that made me feel like a fish out of water.

 

 

Sea cruising

2014: Lisbon to Valetta MS Island Sky

Our first small ship sea cruise. The Island Sky is an expedition vessel with a capacity of about 100 passengers. Both the ship and décor were a bit faded, and looked in need of a refurbishment.

Unlike the river boat, on this cruise there was no espresso machine to help yourself to at any hour, just urn coffee. Espressos, like alcoholic drinks outside of meals, had to be purchased on this cruise.

The weather was superb and we quickly began taking breakfast, lunch and dinner al fresco on the rear deck, which was more relaxed that the dining room but serving the same food. Friendly crew, mostly from the Philippines, and an energetic tour director from the UK, who was currently living in Rome. She gave up some of her day off to lead an impromptu local’s tour of her home town, for those who’d previously seen the main tour highlight of the Italian capital.

The itinerary was followed without a hitch, all round a smooth voyage in all senses of the word.

 

 

Best bits

The Al Hambra was wonderful and somehow managed to avoid some of the crowds, we had an unhurried tour and plenty of time to explore on our own.

Also in Spain, Cartagena was an unexpected delight. The upside of touring was that we scored a tour of the Roman amphitheatre on a day that it’s usually closed to the public. It felt very special having a major tourist attraction to ourselves.

Not so good bits

The usual frustration of not having enough time to free range in some places. Would have preferred to skip Menorca for an extra day in Rome or Sicily.

 

 

2016: Venice to Istanbul Athens MS Island Sky

With one successful Island Sky cruise behind us, we had high expectations for our Adriatic Odyssey. But even before we boarded the ship there were some major issues that the company did not deal well with, including a free night’s predeparture accommodation due to membership status and political events in Turkey. While the company was not responsible for the latter, it was many weeks after DFAT issued warnings about travel to Istanbul and only days before departure that the destination was pulled. This was particularly upsetting because we chose this cruise to spend over a week in Turkey after disembarking.

On the positive side the ship had some improvements since our previous cruise, there was now free WIFI, espresso and bar drinks. Bring on the cocktails!

 

I loved returning to Venice, and my first trip to the Adriatic. The pace was relaxing and once again we loved our meals al fresco.

However, just as things went wrong before we’d even boarded, the end of the tour was equally as problematic. We could not dock in Mykonos and missed exploring the island and a planned swim. The waters around the island are notoriously unpredictable but friends who’ve been on similar cruises with other carriers just reroute to another island. This did not happen.

The biggest upset was for the many Australians who’d selected this cruise as it included a pilgrimage to Gallipoli. This was not the drawcard for me but for the majority of the passengers this was the key to the whole trip. After many hours of hovering offshore, and amendments being made to the foreshortened itinerary, by early afternoon the excursion was cancelled. Along with the change to disembarkation port, this resulted in 35 hours at sea. Not fun on a ship with limited entertainment, except the bar, which many very upset passengers took to drown their sorrows.

 

 

Best bits

Swimming in the Adriatic in Korcula.

Ephesus: Turkey was devoid of tourists that summer due to the political unrest. Despite Istanbul being cancelled we did still visit the famous ruins at Ephesus. There was 90% less tourists according to the local guide, so we got a less crowded exploration of the site.

 

 

Not so good bits

Until I reread my feedback to the company I’d forgotten the cruise lecturer, who was disorganised and a really bad presenter. Why do they even bother if they can’t find someone entertaining?

The sour atmosphere on the day of the failed Gallipoli expedition, meant ending on a bad note with a boatful of grumpy or downright angry passengers. The Cruise Director was missing in action from that morning onwards. I’d never been on an APT tour when the person responsible for guiding the passenger experience did not make a point of saying goodbye.

 

Across all the APT cruises – was luxury small ship cruising worth it?

 

Regardless of the type of vessel or destination a few things were common to all the cruises.

• The hospitality and hotel staff were fantastic, and it was always service with a smile.
• Our rooms were spotless, comfortable and quite spacious (even in the least expensive suites), though our twin beds were always incredibly narrow and very close together.
• Food was generous, with multiple courses and the wine flowed freely.
• ‘Entertainment’, including guest lecturers on the ship and local musicians on the river cruise, were unmemorable at best and dreadful at worst.
• Airport transfers are included when going directly to or from the ship, or choosing an add on pre or post tour hotel option. However, there was often a long wait for the transport, which is not what you need after flying across the world
• The clientele APT attracts are Australians somewhere between my comparative youth and our father’s octogenarian years. While we met some interesting and enjoyable fellow travellers, many had very different world views to my own. I kept my mine to myself but it’d have been more enjoyable if some had done likewise. I began to dread dinner times for fear of having to labour my way through a couple of hours of polite conversation.

Value for money?

These are high budget holidays. That said, once you’re on board you don’t need to put your hand in your pocket again, except for additional drinks on the first two cruises (most luxury small ships cruises now have a free bar).

There were a lot of excursions to choose from (especially on the river cruise), at no additional cost. All meals and most drinks included.  Once you factor the all-inclusive aspect, plus 10 -14 days with no accommodation, food, entry fees, tips (gratuities to crew and guides is part of the package with APT and most Australian companies) or transport costs, they’re not as expensive as they seem. Plus there are often some good deals including airfares, if you keep your eyes open. 

Your cruise mates

As you’ll see in the following parts of this cruising series, the demographics tend to vary. Not all luxury small ship companies attract the same types of people. 

The APT clientele is almost exclusively Australian and New Zealanders, predominantly over 65 yo, retirees. I’m sure not all Queensland farmers of a certain age are climate change deniers, but it did seem to be a theme on ALL our APT land and ship tours.

Post script: parting company with APT

Our family had many trips with APT (my father at least 8 and my sister and I five each). That’s a lot of loyalty, let alone money. On some previous tours there had been some unexpected twists. It’s the nature of travel that the unexpected can and often will, happen. Our earlier ‘twists’  had been handled professionally. For example, other than the tireless efforts of Christian on the river cruise when traffic was halted unexpectedly for more than 24 hours throwing the entire itinerary off kilter, our South American guide skilfully got us safely out a potentially deadly riot (it makes a good story in retrospect), so we’d seen how well the company can respond when things don’t go according to plan.

It’s how the unexpected is dealt with, that turns it into a great anecdote or creates memories of a less favourable kind. The Gallipoli debacle was handled so badly that it ruined the final days aboard.

But overall, it was the poor response to our detailed complaint to head office about many aspects of this final APT experience (I’ve only shared the tip of the iceberg, there were a LOT more issues) that nailed our decision to cease touring with this company. A little more empathy, generosity and a speedier response may have led to a different conclusion.

Read my reviews of small boat cruises:

Part 2: Aranui 5 Tahiti cruise
Part 3: Silversea across the Indian Ocean
Part 4: Silversea Europe gourmet cruise