Judy,

I really feel for your situation. This is not the first time your much anticipated cruise has been canceled.

I'd like to offer some of our findings on the Diamond, if I may.

We loved the crew, for the most part, and with a few exceptions. The service was outstanding. Capt. Neil is a charming man and always accessible. He makes you feel like a valued guest in his home, rather than just a passenger on a cruise ship. We really appreciated that. The Grand Dining Room was excellent. I agree that this dining room surpassed both the Voyager and Navigator. We did not find our suite, which was the lowest sitting category, deck 7, to be cramped. There is no question that the suite is smaller and offers some storage "challenges," but nothing we couldn't deal with. We would not have had a problem staying on the Diamond for a B2B. The small, intimate atmosphere of the Diamond can go either way. If you want privacy, you have it, as the ship does not carry the amount of guests both the Voyager and Navigator carry. If you want to mingle, there is more ease in doing so on this vessel, due to her size.

We did have some issues with the Diamond. We experienced a tremendous amount of vibration throughout the ship and in our suite; unlike the Voyager and Navigator, where the vibrations are in more confined areas. There was a drainage problem in our suite (as well as others suites). Several public areas had very dank and musty smells. The Diamond does show signs of wear. The receptions were more down-scaled (not as lavish as what we experienced on Voyager/Navigator). No laundry facilities (which we knew about prior to booking. Just want to point this out in weighing pros and cons). Laundry services became costly for us. Very limited dining choices (we also knew this going in - However, Grand Dining Room and Don Vito's were wonderful, serving excellent cuisine! We would do Don Vito's once, though. Been there, done that).

In regard to both statements made about the vibration and plumbing issues - I did discuss this with a Sr. crew member. I was told that our particular cruise was particularly challenging for the Diamond. To not compromise this individual, I will leave her/his statement at just that.

The Diamond did withstand very, very rough waters on our journey to Mykonos. Capt. Neil was unsure of whether we would dock at this port or bypass it completely (which the Voyager had to do). Despite "rocking and rolling" all night, the Diamond made it! A real positive for the Diamond!


Would we book the Diamond again? Yes, if there was a great itinerary and deal. We found our cruise to be enjoyable and we still experienced Radisson staff (for the most part) to be impeccible. But, to be totally fair and honest, the Diamond does not have the polish that Voyager and Navigator have (I can only speak for those two ships, as they were the only ones we've sailed on). I do suggest trying Diamond for yourself, if you've not done so, and formulate your own opinion.

It's like comparing apples and oranges. Depends on my mood to determine which one I'd choose at the time. Both taste great!