NEW YEAR ON THE BLACK PRINCE
Review of Fred. Olsen Black Prince by Sandiway (07 Jan 08)
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Overall Rating


We were delighted that Fed Olson had chosen the Port of Liverpool for several cruises this year. As Liverpool is European Capitol of Culture we thought we would start the Year with a cruise. We knew the ship was quite small and old, but with Fred Olson's fine reputation we looked forward to our trip. The cabins were small but there was plenty of room for all your clothes and belongings. There isn't tea or coffee making facilities but you can have your stewardess bring you your tea in the mornings. There is a bell push instead of a phone, which reminded me of when as a child we used to cross the Atlantic. There are 3 restaurants, although the one on the deck was closed for obvious reasons. The two main one are quite nicely decorated but the food was just ok. We also thought we were rushed every night. There are two main lounges. The one with the entertainment also has a mezzanime floor. The other is a piano lounge, which is quieter and a nice place to talk to friends later in the night. The entertainment is pretty much the same each night. Music from shows, a comedian etc. I quite like that sort of thing. There is no stage so the performers just used the dance floor. They worked very hard and I thought they were entertaining. There are 2 pools, one outside and 1 inside. We visited the inside one and although it was very small we enjoyed it. The ship itself was fine, but there were some very annoying things which I thing should be addressed. The toilets outside the main lounge need upgrading. They are also used as a dressing room for the dancers and are closed while the entertainment is on. Also there was never any toilet paper in the toilets. If Asda can check their toilets every half hour, then surely this can be done on this ship. The dress code was changed nearly every night to casual except New Year. We had all the wrong clothes with us. The fine reputation that Fred Olson has wasn't to be seen on this ship. The service was appaling. The first two nights were ok as a lot of passengers were ill due to a force 9 gale. The last two nights were almost impossable to get served a drink. New Years Eve (which was why we booked the ship was a nightmare) It's the first time in 40 years my husband and I have been sober on a New Years Eve. Someone did bring a tray of wine in at 12:00 which we managed to grab a glass. I lokked around at 11:30 for a waiter and none was to be found. We ended up going back to our cabins just so we could have a drink. After 12:00 the music changed to a younger tone and a lot of the crew had taken over the dance floor. I didn't mind that bit, but a lot of passengers were annoyed. Would I go on the ship again? I doubt it. We have just booked the QM2 in a superior balcony. Night for night it has cost us the same. I knew there was something going on with this ship when, as we were all leaving, the Captain came on the tannoy and stated that passengers had upset his crew and staff. (You know who you are he said). We all left in a depressed mood.

Quality of Food	Service	Entertainement	Childrens' Facilities
Cabins	Spa / Fitness Facilities	Shore Excursions

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