My Columbus Cruise Ship Experience with Cruise and Maritime
Have you been on the Columbus cruise ship
? Cruise and Maritime's Columbus was a quirky cruise ship with lots to do on board along with some great food and entertainment!
Check out my review and my experience on board the Columbus below.
We booked a 7-night cruise
with Cruise and Maritime
to sail on the Columbus cruise ship to the Norwegian Fjords. We booked it nine months in advance and got a reasonable price for it by booking with Iglu. We sailed off from 5th October to 12th October 2018. It was my second cruise (see my previous cruise article here) and my husband's first cruise.
We got on the Columbus at the London Cruise Terminal based at Tilbury in Essex, United Kingdom. We sailed to Amsterdam at 4 pm on the first day and we enjoyed the sunshine on the top deck as the Columbus moved into deeper waters.
The Food and Drink on Board the Columbus
The Plantation Bistro
The free food was excellent. We had so much choice. On our first day, we went to lunch and enjoyed a wealth of buffet food in the Plantation Bistro restaurant on deck 12. This was the main restaurant to go to for buffet food. The food was exquisitely laid out for everyone. There were lots of dishes to choose from along with an assortment of desserts. You could have a delicious meal or just something small if you wish. There was a different soup every day too for your starters. I was amazed at how delicious the food was and it made our cruise more exceptional. This restaurant was open for breakfast from 6.30 to 10 am, lunch from 12 to 2.30 pm, tea time started from 3.30 pm to 4.30 pm and dinner from 6.30 pm to 9 pm if you preferred on a casual dress down night. The tea time service had a buffet of rolls, sandwiches, cakes and an array of superb desserts. You were never left to go hungry. This restaurant was open till 9 pm and you could even turn up at 9 pm and still have your dinner. There was plenty of seating and you could also sit outside if the weather permitted you to do so.
Pool Grill
There was also more free food served on deck 12 on the outside deck at the Pool Grill which was open from 11 am to 6 pm. They served hamburgers and hotdogs only. We sat outside on the deck when we came back from our walk around Amsterdam as it was sunny. We ate from the Pool Grill as we had skipped lunch at the Plantation Bistro because we wanted longer to see Amsterdam. We then had tea time later in the Plantation Bistro.
Waterfront Restaurant
There is also the Waterfront restaurant on deck 7 where we went for the evening formal nights but we were there for every evening meal because the service was the best. You are served a six-course meal but you don't have to have six courses. The service was superb and the food was excellent. The Waterfront restaurant was also opened for breakfast and lunch if you preferred to be served your food. We preferred eating here if we were in a rush as the service was much quicker.
There are other restaurants to eat from but a fee is charged. All charges are added to your cabin room account.
Drink Packages
We also had a deluxe drinks package which cost us £23 per day per person and I can't stress how brilliant this can be to have if you love having wine and cocktails to your heart's content if you are that kind of person. It helped us not to worry what we were having as it is added to our account each day. Whilst on a cruise ship you have an account that is paid for at the end of your holiday from either a credit card or bank card that you add at the beginning to your cabin room with customer service.
The Itinerary
We sailed to the Norwegian Fjords with Cruise and Maritime's Columbus cruise ship. Our first stop was Amsterdam where we had a leisurely walk around where we stopped off in a cafe. We had been to Amsterdam before so we weren't on any excursions. The Columbus then sailed to Eidfjord where you could have a train ride higher up into Eidfjord town where you witness beautiful scenery and sights along with Viking burial grounds. Then onto Flam where we did the Flam Railway excursion and then we arrived in Bergen, a large city of Norway. I must say that Norway was delightful with lots of unique sights and mountain waterfalls to see. I will definitely be going back there.
What to do On Board
There is an array of things to do on board the Columbus. During the day there are quizzes and bingo in the pubs, card play get-togethers in Trumps and Aces which is the card room on deck 11. During sea days or when the ship is cruising, you can visit the casino where we played on the tables a few times. There are craft classes too. There were also guest speakers on board. On our cruise, we had a historian speaker who gave us a lecture on Vikings. In the evenings, we attended the Palladium Show Lounge on decks 7 and 8 where we were entertained on stage by a professional team of entertainers. Show times at 7 pm and 9 pm, so if you want to see the show and you were on second sitting at evening meal times, you would have to go to the early one.
The Entertainment
The shows were always so entertaining and first class. Great dancing shows and singers. There were some outstanding singers on the Columbus and one of the girls called Chloe had an incredible sound with a full vocal range (see my video below).
There was the Dome Observatory and Nightclub on deck 14 where you could sit later in the evening and have cocktails and dance to some great tunes. Sometimes there would be a band playing here too.
Cabins
The cabins were large with lots of cupboard space and wardrobe hanging. There was a kettle with tea and coffee. There was a television with quite a few channels. Our room was an Ocean View cabin on deck 8. It had everything we could have hoped. Our cabin was always cleaned every day. We were regularly left clean towels twice per day if needed and we had incredible service whenever we wanted or needed anything. There was also an ironing room not far from us where we could go to if wanted to iron something last minute.
Overall on Cruise Holidays
So overall, we enjoyed our cruise on the Columbus. It was unique and incredible to enjoy. We would do it again without hesitation.
I recommend a cruise wholeheartedly now and give this cruise 8 out of 10.
Thanks for stopping by.
Why not read about my Independence of Seas cruise trip here.
? Cruise and Maritime's Columbus was a quirky cruise ship with lots to do on board along with some great food and entertainment!Check out my review and my experience on board the Columbus below.
 |
| The Columbus Cruise Ship - Photo by Denise Larkin |
We booked a 7-night cruise
with Cruise and Maritime to sail on the Columbus cruise ship to the Norwegian Fjords. We booked it nine months in advance and got a reasonable price for it by booking with Iglu. We sailed off from 5th October to 12th October 2018. It was my second cruise (see my previous cruise article here) and my husband's first cruise. We got on the Columbus at the London Cruise Terminal based at Tilbury in Essex, United Kingdom. We sailed to Amsterdam at 4 pm on the first day and we enjoyed the sunshine on the top deck as the Columbus moved into deeper waters.
The Food and Drink on Board the Columbus
The Plantation Bistro
The free food was excellent. We had so much choice. On our first day, we went to lunch and enjoyed a wealth of buffet food in the Plantation Bistro restaurant on deck 12. This was the main restaurant to go to for buffet food. The food was exquisitely laid out for everyone. There were lots of dishes to choose from along with an assortment of desserts. You could have a delicious meal or just something small if you wish. There was a different soup every day too for your starters. I was amazed at how delicious the food was and it made our cruise more exceptional. This restaurant was open for breakfast from 6.30 to 10 am, lunch from 12 to 2.30 pm, tea time started from 3.30 pm to 4.30 pm and dinner from 6.30 pm to 9 pm if you preferred on a casual dress down night. The tea time service had a buffet of rolls, sandwiches, cakes and an array of superb desserts. You were never left to go hungry. This restaurant was open till 9 pm and you could even turn up at 9 pm and still have your dinner. There was plenty of seating and you could also sit outside if the weather permitted you to do so.
Pool Grill
There was also more free food served on deck 12 on the outside deck at the Pool Grill which was open from 11 am to 6 pm. They served hamburgers and hotdogs only. We sat outside on the deck when we came back from our walk around Amsterdam as it was sunny. We ate from the Pool Grill as we had skipped lunch at the Plantation Bistro because we wanted longer to see Amsterdam. We then had tea time later in the Plantation Bistro.
Waterfront Restaurant
There is also the Waterfront restaurant on deck 7 where we went for the evening formal nights but we were there for every evening meal because the service was the best. You are served a six-course meal but you don't have to have six courses. The service was superb and the food was excellent. The Waterfront restaurant was also opened for breakfast and lunch if you preferred to be served your food. We preferred eating here if we were in a rush as the service was much quicker.
There are other restaurants to eat from but a fee is charged. All charges are added to your cabin room account.
Drink Packages
We also had a deluxe drinks package which cost us £23 per day per person and I can't stress how brilliant this can be to have if you love having wine and cocktails to your heart's content if you are that kind of person. It helped us not to worry what we were having as it is added to our account each day. Whilst on a cruise ship you have an account that is paid for at the end of your holiday from either a credit card or bank card that you add at the beginning to your cabin room with customer service.
The Itinerary
 |
| Eidfjord, Norway |
We sailed to the Norwegian Fjords with Cruise and Maritime's Columbus cruise ship. Our first stop was Amsterdam where we had a leisurely walk around where we stopped off in a cafe. We had been to Amsterdam before so we weren't on any excursions. The Columbus then sailed to Eidfjord where you could have a train ride higher up into Eidfjord town where you witness beautiful scenery and sights along with Viking burial grounds. Then onto Flam where we did the Flam Railway excursion and then we arrived in Bergen, a large city of Norway. I must say that Norway was delightful with lots of unique sights and mountain waterfalls to see. I will definitely be going back there.
 |
| Amsterdam |
What to do On Board
There is an array of things to do on board the Columbus. During the day there are quizzes and bingo in the pubs, card play get-togethers in Trumps and Aces which is the card room on deck 11. During sea days or when the ship is cruising, you can visit the casino where we played on the tables a few times. There are craft classes too. There were also guest speakers on board. On our cruise, we had a historian speaker who gave us a lecture on Vikings. In the evenings, we attended the Palladium Show Lounge on decks 7 and 8 where we were entertained on stage by a professional team of entertainers. Show times at 7 pm and 9 pm, so if you want to see the show and you were on second sitting at evening meal times, you would have to go to the early one.
 |
| The hallway to cabins on the Columbus cruise ship |
The Entertainment
The shows were always so entertaining and first class. Great dancing shows and singers. There were some outstanding singers on the Columbus and one of the girls called Chloe had an incredible sound with a full vocal range (see my video below).
There was the Dome Observatory and Nightclub on deck 14 where you could sit later in the evening and have cocktails and dance to some great tunes. Sometimes there would be a band playing here too.
 |
| Palladium Show Lounge on the Columbus cruise ship |
Cabins
The cabins were large with lots of cupboard space and wardrobe hanging. There was a kettle with tea and coffee. There was a television with quite a few channels. Our room was an Ocean View cabin on deck 8. It had everything we could have hoped. Our cabin was always cleaned every day. We were regularly left clean towels twice per day if needed and we had incredible service whenever we wanted or needed anything. There was also an ironing room not far from us where we could go to if wanted to iron something last minute.
 |
| Kettle in cabins on the Columbus cruise ship |
Overall on Cruise Holidays
So overall, we enjoyed our cruise on the Columbus. It was unique and incredible to enjoy. We would do it again without hesitation.
I recommend a cruise wholeheartedly now and give this cruise 8 out of 10.
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| My group of friends and I in Flam in Norway for sightseeing |
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| My husband and I - Formal Night on the Columbus cruise ship |
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| A friend with myself on Formal Night on the Columbus Cruise Ship |
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| On the Flam Railway Excursion in Flam, Norway |
Thanks for stopping by.
Why not read about my Independence of Seas cruise trip here.
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