We were looking for a no fly cruise to celebrate our friends 60th birthday, don't usually go in August but being a one off this fit the bill, it was just a lovely cruise, cabins were clean and well maintained by our steward, the food was excellent in the Waterfront dining room, didn't feel the need to use the other choice restaurants. The ports of call had enough interest based on the length of time in ports, it certainly didn't disappoint, we were a bit unsure as to what to expect based on some reviews read prior to departure, all the staff worked very hard and a very good team effort from all concerned, the entertainment was decent, some shows were better than others but overall the team did a good job, nice to see the Captain and his crew out and about on the ship and all very friendly, the highlight was Seven steps big band for the entertainment, exceptional talent from all the band. Christopher Gee and Mel Harvey were funny. Female violinist was excellent.
The only gripe for me was if you sat up on deck 8 to watch a show in the palladium, anything beyond the front row is very difficult to see anything, the glass and rail is very off-putting, I know the need for Health and safety but there should be better view from up on that deck and the need to clean the glass that you have to watch the show through, but that would be my only issue,
Columbus only do a couple of cruises with kids on and this was one of them, overall they were well behaved and respectful of other passengers.
Nice cabin, plenty of space for clothing, adequate shower, comfortable beds, nice to have the kettle and facility for a drink.