The blogs are only half the story of the 'XXX Empires Criuse'. After many hours researching we booked a spa cabin on the Panaroma Deck (10). The cabins are a level above the Spa and a level below the Crows Nest and Observation Lounge, Explorers Coffee Shop. The staterooms include fresh fruit each day, ice, room service and a yoga mat (unused and still in the corner). The best thing about some of the staterooms they overlook the bow, we have one of these stateroom...

After many ANZAC dawn services attended it was my time to rise before dawn in Turkey to view the Dardanelles . We entered the Dardanelle Straight at 5:30 am, I was up at the Crows Nest with 5 others watching land come into view. Robert was snoring peacefully. As the Dardanelles came into view I went down to deck 10 for a better photo spot. On the horizon was a monument, then a short time later the town of Burhanli, which has an old fort and a monument to WWI on t...