Royal Olympia Cruises: Olympia Explorer: the company's latest speedster is the concorde of cruise liners - Ship of the Month

Cruise Travel, Sept-Oct, 2003 by Theodore W. Scull

Up towards the bow, the pillared show lounge offers typical musical reviews and specialty performers, such as a crew-staged Greek night, fine enrichment lecturers, and ballroom dancing. Aft of the forward foyer and alongside the atrium well, the open casino features blackjack and roulette tables on one side and banks of slot machines in a partly enclosed space opposite. On the starboard side, a most attractive smoking room serves as a delightful place to read ensconced in a leather chair facing a faux fireplace or a big window looking out to sea. (Note to nonsmokers: often there are no cigarette or cigar puffers in residence.)

The main corridor then leads past two shops featuring clothing, perfumes, jewelry and souvenirs, and a double row of cubic insets displaying colorful Greek rocks and gems. Next come the open-shelf library for reading shoreside newspapers and magazines and satellite-produced newssheets available in four languages, and then the cozy card room.

The corridor angles into the lovely and well-patronized piano lounge with a sit-up bar and two conversational sections located across the aisle from one another. A pianist and singer perform here before and after dinner. The aft staircase landing has illuminated opaque panels with Greek poems etched in the glass, a pleasing sight and worth a stop to read, happily with the thoughtful Greek text translated into English.

On Helios Deck, one level up and then forward, the circular observation lounge with its 270-degree view serves multiple functions: for quiet morning reading, afternoon tea with music, and a disco at night. The gym and spa are just aft on this same deck.

The dining arrangement has the typical variations of a traditional ship. The entrance foyer to the 470-seat restaurant located aft or Selene Deck is bright and inviting, and it is best to see the maitre d' straightway to fix good table. Nicely partitioned and with windows on three sides, the room has tables for two, four, six, and eight at two seatings, 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Times are adjusted for late returning shore programs.

The food is uniformly good international fare supplemented with Greek specialties such as moussaka, souvlaki, marinated octopus, stuffed vine leaves, salads with feta cheese, and sweet desserts like baklava. The meats come from the U.S., so the steaks and mast beef are top quality. The longterm stewards are Greek, generally very proud men, who take a genuine interest in the menu and offer cheerful, good service.

The evening dress code compliance varies considerably between hemispheres. Formal in the Mediterranean means mostly jacket and tie for men, while the longer winter itineraries on this side of the Atlantic Ocean see more dressing up, including suits and dinner jackets for men and cocktail dresses for women.

In lieu of a restaurant breakfast or lunch, the Garden Cafe on the deck above the dining room has both indoor and outdoor seating. On nights when passengers return late from ashore, the buffet is open tar dinner. But the serving set-up is not the best for handling the number of passengers who all seem to want to eat at the same time. Better to simply wait until near the end of the lunch hour or have a lighter meal from the outdoor lido grill. Located on the deck above, the grill produces stone of the best pizza afloat, with different selections every day, plus daily pasta and a small salad bar. This facility is also ideal when time is short.