Ocean Countess Reviews

We liked the idea of a weekender to Dublin, but were slightly apprehensive after reading some of the reports about Ocean Countess. I have to say, we had no complaints about the ship. The cabin (outside) was a good size, the food was very good and there were plenty of places to sit round the ship. The problems were really fairly small, but the sort of thing that makes a difference to your experience. The gangway going on to the ship (in Liverpool), swayed, so not easy going up with hand luggage. As a Scouser, I was rather ashamed of the dock area, but that is not the fault of the cruise line. We were shown to our cabin by a crew member, something that doesn't always happen on the large ships. It was a good weekend, I would certainly consider the ship again, but the company needs to tighten up some aspects of their organization.

We did the west med cruise in September and must agree with most of the reviews that the liner is spotless and the food amazing but oh! the boredom and with so much time at sea it was awful. One stop was only 5 hours 3 were six hours and when we realised we were getting 11 hours in Gibraltar everyone was delighted until they realised that as it was a Sunday the shops were closed. If you were happy to play scrabble, cards shove ha'penny and see how many bean bags you can throw in the bucket within a minute then this is for you. There are 3 quizzes a day and at 9pm every evening you can be "entertained" by playing the old gameshows etc. Mr & Mrs, generation game, catchphrase and so on. I would not recommend taking the excursion to the cider factory in Gijon as it wasn't even in use and we saw 3 presses and about 12 massive barrels. We saw some beautiful cities and the weather was excellent but we would not travel on this liner again. I would recommend this boat to 75 years old and higher as it would be perfect and most of the people on board with us were elderly and it suited them even the people who brought there knitting. ( we are in the sixty age group)

My sister and I have just returned very sadly from the Ocean Countess, and what could one possibly say about this most wonderful ship, the staff were absolutely amazing and faultless, from the fantastic and trustworthy cabin steward George, to the waiters, bar staff, and chefs, entertainers and medical staff, they were all fantastic not enough can be said. Food was lovely and if what was on the menu didn’t suit then you just had to ask and it would be sorted, from the restaurant to the boat house buffet, it was just brilliant. I would strongly advise anyone who was ever thinking about a cruise to book the ocean countess for an experience of a life time, it wasn’t poncy or boring, it was just right, the one and only fault is, it isn’t returning to Dublin in the next few years because of and I quote they said "not enough interest" how that can be I just don’t know, so come on Dubliners ask your travel agents or request on the internet for this cruise to be repeated from Dublin, no flying no delays unrestricted luggage and wonderful, wonderful staff. our mother who is 78 and unstable on her feet was treated like royalty, my two nephews who are in their early 20s had a ball so young and old alike were thoroughly entertained throughout the 10 days we were travelling, PLEASE PLEASE come back soon to Dublin .

Due to the weather being very poor when we were due to leave our first port we unfortunately were not able to either leave port or go on the itinerary we were meant to, and we are glad for this as the wind force 9-10 would not have been safe or comfortable. The company kept us fully informed at least hourly over the onboard pa system as they arranged for the cruise to go ahead, although to different ports. Yes it was a huge disappointment, but we were glad that the new itinerary took us to places through much safer seas. The crew were fantastic, always friendly and helpful. The ship always clean and tidy and the entertainment amazing and the food fit for a five star restaurant and being able to eat in either the served restaurant or the self service boat deck did mean you had more choice than you could cope with. All prepared from fresh ingredients by amazing galley staff. I will be taking my Mum away again with cruise and maritime and we will try and book the same cabin on Ocean Countess as although it was the owners cabin was furnished well and very serviceable.

We had a fantastic time on the cruise to the Norwegian fjords. Neither of us had been on a cruise before, so we weren't sure what to expect. We both really enjoyed the trip, fantastic scenery and a wonderful trip. The crew couldn't do enough for you and we would definitely think about doing another cruise again. The boat was really clean and the food was lovely, maybe take your gym kit to help burn some of it off! Norway is expensive so make sure you take your credit cards!! I would recommend this cruise to anyone, you'll have a great time.

Just returned from a cruise around the Baltic. Found the ship to be very clean and staff really polite and helpful. Food was rather over spicy and herby but with practically all Asian catering crew that was to be expected. Entertainment was rather average and more or less as seen on Marco polo. Talks were good and interesting. Cruise director a bit lacking in personality. The weather was perfect throughout the trip which contributed towards such an enjoyable time. There was a medium to rough sea on 1 occasion mainly overnight in North sea and the ship doesn't handle bad weather very well. The incessant vibration when the ship was up to speed was very annoying and received much comment.

Ocean Countess the Baltic cities and St Petersburg 3rd to the 15th June. Food excellent plenty of choice on the menu. Kensington restaurant and boathouse first class. Entertainment first class in Hamptons and Holyrood show lounge. James Hadley singing Michael Buble was great. Game shows, quiz, line dancing the list is endless. Non stop entertainment if you want it. Plenty of quiet rooms if not. Good value for money visiting six countries. Direct from hull an added bonus. will certainly sail with this ship again

We've just returned from a 6 night cruise to the Norwegian Fjords on the Ocean Countess with my 87 year old "cruise virgin" mother, and it has been a thoroughly enjoyable experience.  The boarding process at Hull was very well organised, with people ready to take your luggage and ferry you by minibus from the car park to the check-in terminal. They had staggered the check-in times according to your cabin number to try to reduce queuing times as much as they could, and provided seats in the area which my mother really appreciated.  We were only aboard for 15 minutes when they carried out the Life Boat drill, so no compulsory early start for us the next morning!  Dinner was served in 2 sittings in the main dining room, and the food was varied with plenty of choice, well presented, and always hot where appropriate. Food was also available in the buffet restaurant, The Boat House, however we found it was a bit too cool to sit out to eat, and the inside table area was a bit lacking in atmosphere.  There were 2 performances of the show each evening, and what an extensive show team there was - 6 dancers, 4 singers and a 6 piece orchestra, plus and activities team of about 7 or 8. In addition there was a pianist in the Deck 8 bar, and a keyboard player and singer in the Hamptons bar. The majority of the entertainers were Eastern European and whilst very professional, I personally found that the songs were a bit stilted because English was not the first language of the singers. On the whole the shows were good if you like big song and dance numbers. We particularly enjoyed the UK comedy musician, Bruce Thompson, who had the whole audience laughing out loud. Alternative entertainment, on the lines of quizzes and game shows, was found in Hamptons each night, and the Assistant Cruise Director Gareth singing "muddled melodies" (one song to the tune of another) was a personal favorite! Gareth should get a special mention for just how hard he worked - he was covering for the Cruise Director James whilst he was indisposed - and I wonder if he even had time to eat, since he was scheduled for activities constantly from 10am 'til gone midnight.  The scenery on the cruise was absolutely beautiful, and made even more so by the sunshine we were lucky enough to have for most of the trip. Mum had decided before the trip that she would probably not go ashore, as she is no longer too mobile, but because the ship docked right in town at 2 of the stops (Eidfjord and Flam) she was able to get off easily and have a little wander around the shops and cafes which were charming (and very expensive - £10 for an Irish Coffee vs £3ish on the ship).  A word of warning though, this ship only has 2 lifts, both of which are at the front of the ship, and both only go to deck 8. Therefore it can be quite difficult for the less mobile to get around, and you do need to be able to climb some stairs (especially since the lifts are out of action during Life Boat drills) if you want to go to the pool deck, piano bar, or go ashore. The other thing that should get a special mention is the cleaning. When we arrived, we were told that there had been an outbreak of Norovirus on the previous cruise and that the company had undertaken a deep clean, and special measures to ensure that it didn't recur. They were really true to their word as every inch of that ship was cleaned and sanitised during our cruise, and every member of staff was involved - I even saw the dancers washing windows and doors down! The use of alcohol gel sanitisers was strictly enforced anywhere that many people might touch things, and all food and drink was served rather than being self-service, even in the buffet. This meant that sometimes, especially at breakfast, things were slower to be served to you than normal, but it did the job - no-one got the dreaded lurgy!  All in all, this was a very good cruise. The ship may be a little old and creaky, but she is well looked after and the staff are happy, hardworking, and helpful. There are more upmarket cruises available, but this offered brilliant value and a very relaxed way to experience some of the splendours of Scandinavia without the airports or the crowds.

From the excellant check in at Hull, swift bording by very friendly crew and staff to the basic but ample very clean cabin. Then to the first of many great meals served by our dedicated waiter from a five course menu, the service and quality coud not be faulted, this also went for the breakfast buffet witch catered for all tastes. Then to the shows, (one every night) performed twice to cater for each of the two sittings. Plus live music and dancing in a choice of other bars with talks and demostrations at other times. The excursions where varied and well organised by a very plesant and knowlageable staff. Now the sad bit, departure, again organised to perfection. Can't say anymore except GREAT, Thanks.

Recently back from our first ever cruise - it was to the beautiful Norweigan Fjords. We got a late deal for the Easter holidays, and we thought it would end up being cheaper than a self catering holiday. We thought the ship was a good size. It was plenty big enough so that it didn't ever feel claustrophobic but not a city on the sea. There were 800 people on board but we never felt cramped. We were more than happy with the size of our room, and the facilities we had. Our cabin steward was very attentive, and our room was spotless. We thought the service was excellent throughout. Although some of the staff didn't have the best grasp of English, we always had good service - it was just sometimes a bit of a struggle trying to make small talk as they didn't always understand us. We are perhaps a bit younger than the average guest (I'm in my 30s and my partner is a 20-something), but we found lots to do that we enjoyed. We didn't go on any organised excursions and enjoyed doing our own thing when off the boat. I think we saved a lot of money doing this, and also came across lots of lovely places we wouldn't have found otherwise. We only went to a couple of the entertainment shows, but I enjoyed yoga, quizzes and the Scrabble games in the serene Tower Bar. Unfortunately, I found the lectures to be dull and poorly presented, which was a shame as I would have enjoyed more interesting lectures. Perhaps some Norwegian language lessons might have been a nice idea before we reached land as well. We found the cruise to be the best holiday we have had, as it was the perfect stress relief. Unfortunately for our bank balance, we have now got a bit of a taste for cruising!