Let me begin by saying that the most impressive thing about this ship is he willingness of the staff to customize for an incentive program. I have never met such a friendly and welcoming crew. I arrived at the pier in San Juan with two clients, a half hour earlier than scheduled. I expected to wait for someone to greet us, but I was happily mistaken. As soon as we walked into the terminal, a hostess greeted us by name and escorted us immediately onto the vessel. As we walked through the reception area several crew members bid us "hello" and we were taken to the Windows lounge and offered beverages. What a nice first impression for my clients, who instantly felt important. 

And it was all uphill from there. The Hotel Director, Lars, was a 39 year old Swede with a sweet smile and an adorable sense of humor. He gave us a ship tour - and in each public area, explained how this group could use it for a group function. He encouraged them to customize their program. (as opposed to some cruise line Hotel Managers who just see it as extra work) He explained how they can completely cover the pool and make a huge dance floor, perfect for an outdoor party. He showed us all of the areas on the ship where the soft goods had been replaced, and where they plan to do work over the next few months. He answered our questions before we had a chance to ask them. He was charming and informative. 

The public space on this ship is lovely. The Windows Lounge will just about accommodate the entire compliment of the ship for a welcome party. There is a band with two singers that entertain in the evening. Just next to the lounge is a fairly large casino for a ship of this size. Gaming tables are on one side of the hall, and slots on the other. You can actually flow the cocktail party into this corridor if you need additional space. The other lounge on the ship, The Club, is a wonderfully sophisticated room. It is perhaps the prettiest room on the ship, with very simple decor. It almost has an Asian feel to it. There is a nice size dance floor and a piano bar inside. This is an interior room without windows, so you would probably only find passengers here in the evening. It's a great place for a cocktail party if you only have 100 or so guests. It was also the room that least showed its age. 

Keep in mind that the ship entered service in 1992 - so there were areas that were somewhat worn. They did not detract from our enjoyment of the ship however. The Grand Dining Room is magnificent, with floor to ceiling windows. We had a delicious lunch in a setting that reminded us of Monte Carlo. The wait staff is all female (as opposed to most ships where you only have waiters.) Our waitress looked like Tara Lipinski! They are all charming and accommodating. One of my clients ordered something that was not even on the menu and they were happy to accommodate him. The remaining staff on board was mostly European, but all spoke English as if it was their first language. 

The conference facilities are the best in the business. Even if you don't run meetings, you can use them for offices, storage, etc. The casual dining area is up on the pool deck, along with their alternative restaurant, Don Vito's - where they accommodate 50 passengers each evening for a special fixed menu Italian Meal. I understand the evening is quite memorable. If you charter the ship and want all of your guests to experience this, you can have the same menu in the Grand Dining room for your entire group on one evening. The Diamond Spa is certainly adequate, complete with fitness room, massage rooms and sauna/steam rooms. 

The staterooms (175 in total) are lovely, in your choice of pink, blue or green. They are all 243 square feet. The only difference is that some have balconies and some have larger sitting areas. There are two master suites of 522 square feet each. Each stateroom has a shower/bathtub combination, but I have to warn you that you would have to be the size of Tattoo from Fantasy Island to fit in the bathtub comfortably! All staterooms come with four .375 l. bottles of liquor and the mini refrigerator is stocked with beer and soft drinks. You will also have a fruit bowl that is replenished daily, a bud vase with fresh flowers, two terrycloth robes and two Radisson Diamond visors upon arrival. All mineral waters and soft drinks are complimentary onboard, as is wine with dinner. All gratuities are included with your fare. 

In short, I would absolutely recommend this ship for her 4/5 night Caribbean sailing's from San Juan, as well as her 7 night Med voyages. She is truly a Diamond in the ruff!

Report prepared by Steve Bloss - Feb 2002. This report reflect the view of the author and not necessarily that of WWTCA