tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53798140056885618822011-04-21T14:47:09.034-07:00Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867665204159716163noreply@blogger.comBlogger11100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379814005688561882.post-80832449851078916122008-11-09T12:52:00.000-08:002008-11-09T16:35:53.001-08:00<strong>The Cruise<br /><br /></strong><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266768832376109538" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6h_AGyAFFQM/SRdSWTfgeeI/AAAAAAAAABE/6tcUmkI4ChE/s200/DSCF0660.JPG" border="0" />We spent a week on this fantastic cruise from Slovenia along the Adriatic Coast, taking in Croatia and Montenegro. We visited the Pula with its Roman amphitheatre, the beautiful bays of Rovinj, the clear blue seas at Zadar, the famous walled palace of Split, the picturesque island of Korcula, the historic city of Dubrovnik with its 2 km of city walls, the Montegrian city of Kotor, the coastal resort of Budva and the world famous bridge at Mostar. We cruised on the Arion at the beginning of September and weather was superb, with temperatures varying from high 20s to mid 30s.<br /><div><div><div></div><br /><div><strong>The Ship<br /></strong><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6h_AGyAFFQM/SRdSW0b5jFI/AAAAAAAAABU/nbB9_cx7ovk/s1600-h/DSCF0691.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266768841219345490" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6h_AGyAFFQM/SRdSW0b5jFI/AAAAAAAAABU/nbB9_cx7ovk/s200/DSCF0691.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div>MS Arion was amazing. With only 330 passengers at full capacity there is a lovely small ship friendly relaxed feel onboard. We cruised with an interesting mix of nationalities - French, English, Irish, Australian and Sri Lankan. The crew are mainly from the Balkan countries and France. All menus, announcements, briefings and entertainment are in both French and English. This makes the safety briefing a bit long but for the rest of the cruise it is great! I found the staff to be consistently attentive, friendly and obliging. </div><div><br /> </div><div><strong>Dining<br /></strong><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1142/3493/1600/S4200176.jpg"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1142/3493/1600/S4200176.jpg"></a><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266818634061358114" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6h_AGyAFFQM/SRd_pJOipCI/AAAAAAAAABs/lUiLza_tr3I/s200/speciality+buffet.jpg" border="0" />As far as dining is concerned, Arion provides at feast for your tastebuds, starting with a buffet breakfast which offers a choice of cooked breakfast, fresh fruits and a variety of bread and brioches. Lunch and breakfast can be taken either on deck in the sunshine or in the main dining room. At lunchtime there is a choice of either a plentiful buffet out on deck - meat, fish, vegetables, salads, all fresh high quality international food or a five course lunch with waiter service in the restaurant! Afternoon tea of sandwiches and cakes is generally served on deck at around 5pm. For dinner you are allocated a table that you stick to for the week, and are served an extravaganza of six courses every evening. The food was amazing..a real treat for anyones tastebuds. The menu was extremely varied and always with choice of meat, fish and vegetarian. If you have any space left at all then you can indulge further in the midnight snacks that ae brought to the bar for you! Once a week there is a special buffet at midnight a grand affair with amazing food carvings and the traditional cruise Baked Alaska parade.<br /></div><div><br /> </div><div><strong>Life On Board<br /></strong><br /></div><div>Every evening after dinner there is entertainment of one form or another, in the bar/main lounge. This varied from a low key band with singer, to a full-on singing and dancing show.</div><div><br />Drinks on board are incredibly reasonably priced, especially if you opt for the drink of the day or the BOGOF beers at lunchtime!! Tea and coffee are included at meal times but to be paid for during the rest of the day. The ship operates a no cash system during the cruise, but bills can be settled on the last day either by credit card or cash.<br /><br /></div><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6h_AGyAFFQM/SReAgyb3hAI/AAAAAAAAAB0/GmRrZKvEqQ8/s1600-h/January+2008+044.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266819590015910914" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 179px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6h_AGyAFFQM/SReAgyb3hAI/AAAAAAAAAB0/GmRrZKvEqQ8/s200/January+2008+044.jpg" border="0" /></a>There is no shortage of places to enjoy a drink, with the outside seating area, the Lido bar, the main lounge, and the bar area all being pleasant areas to sit and relax.<br /><br />Also onboard is a plunge pool (filled daily with sea water and not heated!!), quiet sheltered seating areas, a shop stocked with essentials and souvenirs, a photo shop, extensive outside areas with sun loungers, a hairdressers and beauty salon, and a doctor.<br /><br />Smoking is only permitted in one area of the bar and on deck.</div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div><br /><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6h_AGyAFFQM/SRdSXCEHIbI/AAAAAAAAABc/gdDwjfErSQE/s1600-h/DSCF0692.JPG"></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div><br /><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div><br /><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div><br /><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div><br /><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div><br /><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div>Getting there</div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div><br /><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div><br /><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div>Day by day</div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6h_AGyAFFQM/SRdSWvaDyqI/AAAAAAAAABM/qqZ_gSzjTG4/s1600-h/DSCF0690.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266768839869450914" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6h_AGyAFFQM/SRdSWvaDyqI/AAAAAAAAABM/qqZ_gSzjTG4/s200/DSCF0690.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5379814005688561882-8083244985107891612?l=arionadriaticcruise.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15867665204159716163noreply@blogger.com0