I must start by telling readers that I am usually pretty shirt if people start moaning about perceived trivial service faults while on holiday, especially on a cruise where so much can go wrong but is usually so right. On this occasion I am forced to change my position radically. I shan't bother Fred Olsen again and the following explains why.
Friends, upon whose judgement previous experience had lead me on rely and who had sailed with Fred several times in the past latterly in 2012, spoke so warmly of both line and ship that I booked with confident expectations. I anticipated a lovely experience at least akin to my handful or so of previous cruises with P&O over the past 10 years. Alas disappointment was to be my reward.
You board with no ships map so stand lost in the reception area not knowing where to go. After a time a member of staff approached me and directed me to my cabin. The room was pleasant enough but as I explored I found:
Reasonable but lacking fridge, free bottle of water, shampoo, and shower cap as basics. Oh yes, and when requested the sewing repair kit had been pre-used......unless the stewardess had decided I needed the inner cellophane packet opened and needle pre-threaded with white cotton and knotted?
The door often opened again after you thought it secure so I took to locking it from the inside and swinging off it hard to ensure it was secure when leaving.