This was the first cruise for our party of four. We traveled with close friends and both couples were celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary. We flew into Basel a day early and stayed at Hotel Spalentor, right outside the historic gate to the old city. This was a reasonably priced hotel with large, modern, clean rooms and a nice breakfast included. It was easy to walk throughout historic Basel from the hotel. I think the pre-cruise guests stayed at the Hotel Les Trois Rois, which was spectacular with lovely Rhine views, but more than twice the rate we paid.

We checked out of the hotel on Sunday and arrived at our dock in Basel around noon. The area near the dock isn't particularly pretty but there were several other boats docked there as well. Check in was easy and our room (Room 416 - Balcony) was already ready. The room was nice, quiet, comfortable, a little small, but well thought out with plenty of storage. We stored our suitcases under the bed and we were good for the week. There is a safe in the closet for your valuables. The bathrooms are an adequate size with a drawer to store toiletries. There is a hairdryer in the drawer. Some of the toiletries (body wash) were in a larger pump container attached to the shower. There are several outlets in the room that are adapted to US standards. Housekeeping did a great job tidying up, leaving little gifts and refilling the chocolate jar.

Overall the ship was lovely. The chandelier in the entry is impressive. We particularly liked the Salon du Grand Trianon (lounge area, bar and entertainment) and the Leopard Bar, which was pretty lively the nights it was open. Dinner was very good with plenty of entree options. Everyone was seated around 7:00. People were friendly and felt comfortable joining our foursome. We made a point of sitting in Vladimir's section every night. He was very personable and enhanced our dining experience. It was my friend's birthday the first night (I had mentioned it when sitting down at our table) and he brought a birthday cake out without being asked. A featured entree was offered every night, which was always a good choice. Wine flowed freely. I saw french fries (a weakness), somewhat hidden on the menu, and made the table jealous when I ordered them (twice). Ice cream (rumored to be home made) was popular with our group for dessert. Breakfast and lunch were buffet style with plenty of healthy options. They had an omelet station for breakfast that made my husband very happy. We just showed up during buffet hours and there were plenty of open seats since guests arrived at different times and didn't linger. Read more