Small Cabins, lousy Passenger-Crew and Pax-Space Ratio, it is an absolutely high-density Ship when full.

There are much better afloat nowadays, and Prices in International Cruise Business are down.

It is always possible to get an Bargain, if you are a bit flexible in Itenary and Termin.

I would not book this Ship.

Take the Marco Polo, if you want an Oldie, she is in Service and Food Quality clearly above the Average, is an real Classic and offers very good Prices.

I was in last Summer with Louis on the Sapphire.

She would be an better offer, but she needs Renovation and Organisation was lousy.

One of Louis Family Members was on Board, on the 3rd Day they throw out the Captain and 2 Officers in Pireaus, and the new Captain 3 Days later set the Ship at the Bottom of the Sea in Mykonos, so we had great delay for the following Itenarys in
Santorini and Heraklion...

The working Waiters are willing, but in an Dining Room for about 350 Person with only 4 Service Stations and no Busboys (Assistant Waiters) it is definitively impossible to serve good.

On the other Hand, the Budget Food (cheap Items)
was cooked fresh on Board and tasty, no precooked Food from ashore and made warm in Water Bath.

I would never book the Calypso.

well, former ferries might not be as good as real cruiseships. But reconstructions can also turn out quite well.
ISLAND ESCAPE is a good example. For a ship of her category she it not too bad.

Also CALYPSO is quite ok. Under Transocean Tours flag, the vessel did a good job and the management behind as well.

Now under Louis-management, the product might not have become better as it was before, but the ship itself is quite nice.
Ok, open deck space is small and if fully booked, it will be a bit crowded. But if you book her out of high season, the product will be fine.

THE AZUR is another good example. She was never a high quality ship but she was always very well booked in the Mediterranean during the last years.
Now, Mano has refurbished her quite well. She got more deck space and a larger restaurant.

They are certainly not the best ships but they all do a good job and people still like them.

By the way, CALYPSO's program for Northern Europe is cancelled again. The vessel will now replace CORAL again in Greece.

[ 06-17-2005: Message edited by: Patrick ]

quote:

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Originally posted by Patrick:
Hi everybody,

By the way, CALYPSO's program for Northern Europe is cancelled again. The vessel will now replace CORAL again in Greece.

[ 06-17-2005: Message edited by: Patrick ]

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Patrick,
sounds like Louis is reshuffling there itineraries swifter than your eye can keep track. Must be some magican's trick, where you should guess under which of three cups the cruise is (for Germans: Hütchenspielertrick)!
But I was under the impression that the Northern European Itinerary was planned for next year (2006) not for 2005. Or has the 2006 itinerary been revised before I even got to know of it?

I think with Greek (and Cypriot) cruising, guessing where the voyage goes to is part of the fun???

The Ship was not bad, but the Organisation lacks Quality, especially in the Restaurant.

An Member of Louis Family was on Board, in Piraeus they throw out the Captain and 2 Officers, and 3 Days later in Mykonos the new Captain grounded the Ship.

They are working until next Morning, to become the Ship free, and then the Schedule for the next Destinations did not work.

The Food was Mediterranean in Style, but cooked fresh on Board, not catered from ashore and made warm in Water-bath.

At that Time the Ship needs some Renovation, but i have heard, that this is done last Winter.

At the Moment, it is possible to book a lot of Cruises cheap, including better than Louis, so i think, they will have an hard Job, if they go to the North.