NILE CRUISE REVIEWS

Royal Viking
Movenpick, El Gouna
October 2010

Hi Barbara & Colin,

Firstly many thanks for the post card awaiting us on our return last week ? better than the 9 postcards I posted in the box on the reception desk on Royal Viking 3 weeks ago!!
 
Anyway we had a fantastic time ? the first week was culture and the second a complete chillout ? exactly what we had wanted and planned for with your assistance.
 
Nile Cruise ? Royal Viking

From arrival at Luxor Airport it was a week of laughs ? we had a great crowd on our table and all the multi-tasking crew were very friendly and entertaining but without a doubt it was our Egyptologist Mohammed (from Cairo) whose enthusiasm for the subject and our wellbeing helped to ensure we had the trip of a lifetime.  His trademark blue umbrella together with his references to us as his Kings and Queens will stay in our memory for a long time.

The restaurant made a special event of any birthdays etc and it was pure luck that mine happened to be on the night of the Galabaia party ? much fun and much appreciated.

Then it was a five-hour coach journey to the Red Sea ? but there was much to enjoy with the changing geography from the fertile lands of Luxor through the dramatic scenery of the Red Sea Mountains.

El Gouna is a very interesting place split as it is into two distinct zones ? Downtown and Marina ? with a wide variety of restaurants serving excellent food at very reasonable prices.

Our week here was spent recovering from the active week and recharging batteries for the onslaught of Autumn/Winter in UK ? this was easily achieved with the option of pool or sea areas for sunbeds and swimming. In fact we enjoyed mostly spending the day on Zeytouna Island with the clean and clear swimming and reasonably priced bar/restaurant.

As for the Moevenpick it was not in the 5* bracket when we compare to Ritz-Carlton in Sharm-el-Sheikh and Elysium in Paphos which is what we had hoped for. 

Our room was very nice and the view (we paid extra at last minute) spectacular but the service and attitude of staff at Il Limone and Spa Pool bar left an awful lot to be desired.  The breakfast chef vanished for a full 5 minutes while we were waiting for eggs; coffee was in short supply and on many occasions had to ask for it more than once; tables were not reset complete until we sat down and then cups would be missing.  At the pool bar after waiting 20minutes enquired where our food was to be told ?the restaurant (across otherside of pool) is busy implying we had to wait for them to fit us in; asked for draught Heineken to be told ?pump is broken?.  Small points maybe but not consistent with 5* standards.

We visited adjoining Sheraton Miramar and asked Guest Services if we could look around with possible future return ? the girl replied ?of course ? are you from Moevenpick!  Says it all!

Would we recommend El Gouna ? Yes.   Would we recommend the Moevenpick ? No.
 
We will recommend Nile Cruises 4 U.

If you wish to use any part of this in your reviews feel free to so do. It?s what helped us in our research and I believe in knowing rather than hiding experiences.

We are now looking to how and where to relax in 2011!

Thanks,

Andrew & Heather B.

Royal Viking Nile Cruise
Three Corners Ocean View, El Gouna
September 2010

Hi Barbara
 
It's now a week since we returned from our Nile Cruise and week in El Gouna and high time I gave you some feedback on our fabulous holiday.
 
My wife & I along with our 20 year old daughter had a wonderful time in Egypt the highlight undoubtedly being the Nile Cruise. After a comfortable flight we were met by our guide who informed us that the as the Viking Princess was in for maintenance we would be sailing on the Royal Viking instead.
 
We'd read about the Royal Viking in your Nile Cruise guide and were not disappointed. We had two lovely middle deck cabins immediately opposite one another so we had a choice of views when we were sailing!
 
The ship was clearly of superior quality compared with some of the others we glimpsed as we walked through to get to and from shore. Without exception the staff were friendly and helpful and our daughter soon got involved in a lively competition with the cabin staff as to who could create the best towel sculpture. Kathryn was particularly proud of her Pharaoh's head and camel!
 
There was entertainment arranged every evening in the lounge and we enjoyed dressing up for the Galabiya party but it was so pleasant just to sit up on deck with a drink looking out at the Nile there was hardly any need for any organised entertainment.
 
Our tour guide Victor was excellent bringing all the places we visited to life and his genuine passion for all things ancient Egyptian was infectious. Whilst in early September it is still very hot, especially at some of the more sheltered sites, this is offset by the fact that everywhere is less busy than later in the year and we did not have to queue for any of the tombs in the Valley of the Kings or at Abu Simbel.
 
Its hard to pick a favourite from everything we did but the optional Hot Air Balloon trip, seeing the sun rise over the Nile and the birdseye view of the Valley of the Kings is an experience none of us will forget.
 
I have already recommended a Nile Cruise and your website to a number of friends and relations since our return.
 
Our second week at the Three Corners Ocean View in El Gouna got off to something of a shaky start.

After the 5 hour coach transfer we arrived at 2pm only to be informed that one of our rooms would not be ready until 5pm. The second room turned out to have no balcony and had clearly not been cleaned properly. After some debate and with the assistance of the local Discover Egypt rep we finally got into one room at about 4pm.

The second room next door was finally ready for us at 6pm and thankfully this room did have a balcony overlooking the central courtyard. This was not the start we were hoping for to what was supposed to be the relaxing part of our holiday.

Can I suggest that it is pointed out to anyone booking the Ocean View in future that not only might they not get said Ocean View but they also might not even get a balcony!

Subsequently looking round the hotel revealed that it does appear to have a majority of rooms with views of the sea, lagoon or marina but it was also apparent that several members of our party that transferred from the Nile ended up with rooms looking onto a courtyard or with no balcony.
 
Nevertheless despite this stressful start we did enjoy the rest of our stay at the Ocean View. The food and drinks in the all inclusive package are of a high standard and we would highly recommend using the 'Dine Around' option to sample the hotel's own separate Belgian (excellent steaks) and Italian Restaurants. El Gouna is a fascinating place with a lovely marina to stroll around and a complete contrast to the Egypt you see on the Nile.
 
All in all it was an excellent holiday and while memories of resorts and hotels start to blend into each other after a few years our cruise on the Nile in the Royal Viking is something all three of us will always remember.
 
Thanks again to you and Colin for all your help and advice.
 
Cheers
 
Steve
September 2010

Nile Cruises 4u is a trading name of The Freedom Travel Group Limited registered in England and Wales with registered number 3816981. Vat No. 403 3146 04. Registered Office: New century House, Manchester, M60 4ES. Head Office: Hamil Road, Burslem, Stoke-On-Trent, ST6 1AJ. The Freedom Travel Group Limited is part of Co-operative Group Limited.