The Lounge on these long ships is my favorite place to be while on board. The atmosphere is lovely and changes throughout the day. The mornings are quiet, mid-day the casual lunch buffet is wonderful and picks up the pace and after dinner, the mood is lively. In the late afternoons, I love bringing my book and getting a coffee and a bit of a cookie and sitting by the window in the lounge, watching the enchanting countryside float by.

We had looked into taking this cruise later in the summer and after pricing the trip decided to wait to book. A few days later we received an email that offered a 2 for 1 special with free air fare booking a "standard" room. We were delighted with the value of the trip but I was very skeptical about the accommodations. We booked the trip and traveled soon thereafter.

The ship was smaller than the other long ships we had been on. It was delightful! The Standard Room was spacious, bright and beautiful. The money we saved made it possible for us to book several extra excursions and we were delighted.