Excellent staff and great time

The staff are so wonderful. Everyone remembers your name and is extra kind. The rooms were clean and the bed was comfortable. We did a balcony and I am so glad we did to have some quiet time to look at the sea. Dinner was great and their desserts were especially delicious- the melting chocolate cake and creme brulee were exceptional. The karaoke was especially fun- the crowd on our boat were supportive and every song became a sing along and dance party. The only negatives were that they allow smoking in the casino so the fifth floor smells awful and made me nauseous. I would’ve stayed at the tables longer if it was nonsmoking. Also the comedian we saw was awful- he was punching down on the audience and just insulting people names in a way that felt really racist. There’s a difference in being funny and just being a bad comic who doesn’t get that crowd work isn’t about putting down your audience. We had a couples massage from Sheila and Lonnie and they were amazing. Again, the staff are excellent. Enjoyed the stops in the keys. Lots of fun.

Wonderful week on the Douro!

Review of our Scenic Portugal cruise from 8/2/25-8/9/25. I wanted to take a minute to review our Scenic Cruise of Portugal last week. I went with 8 other women who are all about 60 years old but we are a very active and energetic group. We were one of the youngest groups on the cruise, I would say most people were a little older than us but most everyone was delightful. I have only been on one other river cruise with UniWorld in 2018 down the Danube and I felt this cruise line was nicer than the Uniworld brand. The Scenic ship was in beautiful condition and the service of the entire crew was 5 star. Scenic has thought through all the little niceties that are appreciated in a river cruise room such as comfortable reclining beds, nice linens, an extra blanket, plenty of storage for clothes and luggage, laundry service, lighted mirrors in the bathroom and the blue night light. Our air conditioning worked very well thankfully because it was extremely hot during our cruise. The shower was large and it was lovely to receive clean towels and room service every day. The entire ship was very clean and everything was always in order. Having our own butler was also a plus. You never had to go searching for someone if you needed help and they were always accommodating no matter what your request. We had a room with the sun porch window which gave us more room in our cabin which was appreciated. The wait staff and the bartenders were very well trained and always pleasant. The food was outstanding and the drinks were very well done. The entire crew always offered things to do during our cruising time and most of the activities were very interesting and informative. The dance party on the deck one night was great fun. It was one of the only times we were able to enjoy the top deck due to the extreme temperatures while we were in the Douro Valley. It was nice having some spa services on the boat that we all took advantage of and I enjoyed the morning yoga stretch. Bringing the flamenco dancers on board one evening and going to the private concert at St Francis Church in Porto was also exceptional. We enjoyed the cooking session and the tile painting project one afternoon. The multiple choices for tours were great and all the tours we went on were interesting with professional tour guides. I felt we got to see some of the very old hilltop towns in Portugal that we would not have seen if we only went to the big cities. Salamanca was also a highlight of the trip and we spent the day there. The cruise director was very informative and the crew was always positive and pleasant. Everything ran according to schedule and the communication was very good. The only feedback I can give is that one day we walked up a hill to see some tile work in a train station and it was about 100 degrees that day. About half the group turned around and went back to the boat due to the heat and the steep climb. I would suggest doing that walk later in the day and I would also warn the older customers of the steep climb of the walk so they could decide if they want to go. I would also suggest replacing the pillows on the beds which were lumpy and not very comfortable. Overall it was a wonderful week and we got a good taste of Portugal, the people, the food and the hospitality. I would recommend Scenic to any of my friends in the future and look forward to going on another Scenic cruise soon!

best cruise ever

This was our 40 th cruise and have sailed on 9 different cruise lines, and this was by far the best ever! Great beautiful ship! Over 7,000 on board and never waited in any lines. This was our first mega ship and the fear of long lines was in our minds before we sailed, but did not happen. Getting on and off the ship was the fastest ever,20 minutes on and 10 minutes off. The staff was very friendly and always willing to help. The onboard shows were by far the best we have ever seen. It is important to make your reservations in advance to all three main shows. The food was very good and exceeded our expectations. We had an inside cabin with a virtual view. There was a large looking window that showed the outside of your cabin. It make our room feel larger and not closed in that a normal inside cabin does. We would choose this room again. The only negative we could find is that we did not like their coffee. It was not very hot but I know others may have liked it when we did not. My perception of these mega ships has changed and I highly recommend this ship to any one. There was so many activities that you could not do all of them. If you have children or grand kids, this ship has many options for the family. I cannot give a higher grade than A1++ to this cruise and ship. Look forward to sailing again on a mega ship.