MS Terramar, Nile Cruises, Egypt
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MS Terramar Reviews
" Thomas Cook "
Submitted By: dave jackaman
The boat was built in 1992 with an original complement of 56 cabins. It was subsequently remodelled in 1998-99 to support just 20 cabin/suites, each having a floor area of about 30m2. This was personally my reason for choosing this boat. The large sitting area allowed us to relax in comfort when the temperature on deck was too high for comfort.
The boat is now showing signs of age and has become less like shiny patent leather shoes and more like a well loved pair of old slippers, a slow pair of slippers at that.
The suites are large, the air conditioning effective (on the lower deck where we were) and everything in our suite was spotless. On our cruise (at the end of the low season) there were just 26 guests looked after by 60 staff who were courteous and friendly at all times.
The public areas were spacious and never crowded. There are enough of all types of sunbeds/chairs/loungers to suite the full complement of guests and because there are so few guests aboard, each guest becomes easily recognisable very quickly.
The food quality is very good, varied and easily enough for all appetites. I found myself having to conciously control my intake to keep the weight under control.
The all inclusive package was easily the best option and even without trying we saved the initial outlay by a factor of two. This option also avoided one of the few niggles some guests had when it came to settling bills. Some could not remember whether they had raided the mini-bar but with only an hour or two before leaving the boat were upset about requests to pay for items they say they hadn't had.
The excursions were tiring, especially in the high thirties, and would have been even more rewarding had we taken the trouble to read up on the 3000 years of egyptian history. The sites and temples tend to blur after a while but can be surprising. The unfinished obelisk at Aswan was easily the least impressive in terms of spectacle but extremely impressive when you stand back and consider its size and an attitude of mind that says 'we can do this'. I'm not sure whether the egyptians could have.
The coach transport was good, clean and cool.
The quality of guides appears to be variable. The one we had was friendly and seemed to know his stuff, but a smaller group found their guide to be unfriendly and obtrusive.
The mooring at Aswan was central and it was entertaining to wander into the market areas to do battle with the sellers. We bargained hard but were almost certainly taken to the cleaners. For example one item was bargained down from 380LE to 80LE and I still think I probably overpaid. If you buy perfiume oil from a market seller keep an eye on the bottles used, ours was switched for a different oil.
Some visits are made to commercial enterprises as part of tours, but not many, there was very little hassle or pressure to buy.
The evening entertainment was limited but enjoyable nonetheless.
Generally we took no special medical precautions and suffered no ill effects throughout the 1 week holiday, although I have been struck by a stomache upset on my return. This was probably due to the trouble taken in food preparation, for example coffee is brewed from bottled water supplies. Two other guests had similar problems but it's possible that theirs arose from the consumption of ice creams away from the boat.
If you want a hectic, fast moving and glitzy break then this boat isn't for you. If you're looking for a friendly cosy boat then this one might be.
The boat is now showing signs of age and has become less like shiny patent leather shoes and more like a well loved pair of old slippers, a slow pair of slippers at that.
The suites are large, the air conditioning effective (on the lower deck where we were) and everything in our suite was spotless. On our cruise (at the end of the low season) there were just 26 guests looked after by 60 staff who were courteous and friendly at all times.
The public areas were spacious and never crowded. There are enough of all types of sunbeds/chairs/loungers to suite the full complement of guests and because there are so few guests aboard, each guest becomes easily recognisable very quickly.
The food quality is very good, varied and easily enough for all appetites. I found myself having to conciously control my intake to keep the weight under control.
The all inclusive package was easily the best option and even without trying we saved the initial outlay by a factor of two. This option also avoided one of the few niggles some guests had when it came to settling bills. Some could not remember whether they had raided the mini-bar but with only an hour or two before leaving the boat were upset about requests to pay for items they say they hadn't had.
The excursions were tiring, especially in the high thirties, and would have been even more rewarding had we taken the trouble to read up on the 3000 years of egyptian history. The sites and temples tend to blur after a while but can be surprising. The unfinished obelisk at Aswan was easily the least impressive in terms of spectacle but extremely impressive when you stand back and consider its size and an attitude of mind that says 'we can do this'. I'm not sure whether the egyptians could have.
The coach transport was good, clean and cool.
The quality of guides appears to be variable. The one we had was friendly and seemed to know his stuff, but a smaller group found their guide to be unfriendly and obtrusive.
The mooring at Aswan was central and it was entertaining to wander into the market areas to do battle with the sellers. We bargained hard but were almost certainly taken to the cleaners. For example one item was bargained down from 380LE to 80LE and I still think I probably overpaid. If you buy perfiume oil from a market seller keep an eye on the bottles used, ours was switched for a different oil.
Some visits are made to commercial enterprises as part of tours, but not many, there was very little hassle or pressure to buy.
The evening entertainment was limited but enjoyable nonetheless.
Generally we took no special medical precautions and suffered no ill effects throughout the 1 week holiday, although I have been struck by a stomache upset on my return. This was probably due to the trouble taken in food preparation, for example coffee is brewed from bottled water supplies. Two other guests had similar problems but it's possible that theirs arose from the consumption of ice creams away from the boat.
If you want a hectic, fast moving and glitzy break then this boat isn't for you. If you're looking for a friendly cosy boat then this one might be.
Advice: read up on the New Kingdom before you go
Activities: Try to work out how they would have moved the unfinished obelisk
- Date of Holiday:Sep 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" Fantastic "
Submitted By: pamiemorgan@yahoo.co.uk
Brilliant holiday would recommend highly, great food , plenty to do and see,never a dull moment, booked with rivernilecruises who were very helpful,nothing was too much trouble .
Advice: will definitely be doing this again
Activities: balloon ride over the valley of the kings
- Date of Holiday:Jul 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" Captured by the Nile "
Submitted By: Coed
The MS Terramar is a small, charming boat, but it has large spacious suites. My two teenage children and myself shared a suite and there was plenty of space for us and all our belongings, and never once did we feel cramped. Our suite was port side, and the only occasion of being moored beside another boat was at our arrival at Kom Ombo. We had all the fun of walking through 6 or 7 other glitzy boats to get to the shore for our temple visit, but within the hour, all the other boats departed and we returned to our usual single berth status.
The airconditioning in the lower deck cabins was far more efficient than in ours- our cabin was close to the glass cupola over the main staircase which in itself was a heat trap; we had opening windows, but even at night it was hotter outside. Everything was spotlessly clean. The bathroom was very nice, and there was an abundance of hot water for the many showers taken everyday. Towels were replaced regularly throughout the day.
The swimming pool water was changed every second day, the deck polished; in fact the boat was very well looked after and my opinion was the crew are very proud of their boat.
The food was super. Buffet breakfasts, continental, lots of pastries, hot dishes to sample and eggs to order from the omlette chef. Hibiscus, mango and grapefruit juices made a change from orange! Lunch on the first couple of days was served but then became buffet when more passengers arrived. The soups were very good indeed, full of flavour and quite refreshing. There was always a wide choice, often pasta and beef and the fish dishes were especially delicious. Dainty deserts and fruit rounded off the meal. Coffee and tea was never in evidence, so we were glad we had taken out own sachets. Dinner was much the same; waiter served, with a choice from two main courses-we were never disappointed. The local white wine and beer were very good. The English speaking group made an an effort to look smart for dinner, which made it an occasion.
Very friendly and attentive crew on board who all understood English well. When one of us felt a little under the weather, the crew were extremely helpful and provided mint and camomile tea and all were concerned.
Our guide was knowledgebale, very understandable and his enthusiam for his job and country made our tours very enjoyable. There were 14 in our group of English speakers with all ages represented from 14 - 70ish.
The MS Terramar has the reputation for being the slowest boat on the Nile, yes, it's leisurely, and very smooth and the engines are extremely quiet.
Galabaya night dressing up was amusing - we had great help from the on board shop, and the other entertainment nights were captured on the video of the cruise so they could be relived.
For comfort, calm and relaxation, the MS Terramar is an appropriate choice. If you desire something more lively-chose a different boat.
The airconditioning in the lower deck cabins was far more efficient than in ours- our cabin was close to the glass cupola over the main staircase which in itself was a heat trap; we had opening windows, but even at night it was hotter outside. Everything was spotlessly clean. The bathroom was very nice, and there was an abundance of hot water for the many showers taken everyday. Towels were replaced regularly throughout the day.
The swimming pool water was changed every second day, the deck polished; in fact the boat was very well looked after and my opinion was the crew are very proud of their boat.
The food was super. Buffet breakfasts, continental, lots of pastries, hot dishes to sample and eggs to order from the omlette chef. Hibiscus, mango and grapefruit juices made a change from orange! Lunch on the first couple of days was served but then became buffet when more passengers arrived. The soups were very good indeed, full of flavour and quite refreshing. There was always a wide choice, often pasta and beef and the fish dishes were especially delicious. Dainty deserts and fruit rounded off the meal. Coffee and tea was never in evidence, so we were glad we had taken out own sachets. Dinner was much the same; waiter served, with a choice from two main courses-we were never disappointed. The local white wine and beer were very good. The English speaking group made an an effort to look smart for dinner, which made it an occasion.
Very friendly and attentive crew on board who all understood English well. When one of us felt a little under the weather, the crew were extremely helpful and provided mint and camomile tea and all were concerned.
Our guide was knowledgebale, very understandable and his enthusiam for his job and country made our tours very enjoyable. There were 14 in our group of English speakers with all ages represented from 14 - 70ish.
The MS Terramar has the reputation for being the slowest boat on the Nile, yes, it's leisurely, and very smooth and the engines are extremely quiet.
Galabaya night dressing up was amusing - we had great help from the on board shop, and the other entertainment nights were captured on the video of the cruise so they could be relived.
For comfort, calm and relaxation, the MS Terramar is an appropriate choice. If you desire something more lively-chose a different boat.
Advice: So glad we did most of the visits at the beginning of the week so we could relax and unwind later.
Activities: All the guided visits were wonderful. I dreaded the camel ride, but that too was terrific!
- Date of Holiday:Jul 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" Great Time and Great Ship "
Submitted By: Twiglet
We booked the Ms Terramar through a website called www.rivernilecruise.com and went on the Cruise in June 2009. The Ms Terramar was everyting we expected and more. We agree with other reviews that if you can get a starboard cabin then try but never the less we had wonderful time. The rooms are all suites and were well decorated with plenty of room, the food was great and the staff on board could not do enough for you, the english speaking tour guide was also really helpful and answered all the questions that we had. The boat only holds about 40 people so it was nice and comfortable and we did not have to fight for sunbeds etc etc.
Good for: City Breaks
- Date of Holiday:Jun 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" Pharaoh's Attack! "
Submitted By: kaaatht
We have just got back from the most fantstic holiday on board the MS Terramar.
Fantastic all round service,clean,lovely.Food fantstic,no illness's with us!Fab tour guide,fab tours! I even went on a balloon flight across the valley of the kings and im terrified of heights!!!!
We would recommend this trip to most. But be warned! you will be very tired as it is full on sight-seeing!
Fantastic all round service,clean,lovely.Food fantstic,no illness's with us!Fab tour guide,fab tours! I even went on a balloon flight across the valley of the kings and im terrified of heights!!!!
We would recommend this trip to most. But be warned! you will be very tired as it is full on sight-seeing!
Advice: fantastic
Activities: balloon flight
- Date of Holiday:Mar 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" Holiday of a life time "
Submitted By: susan wain
The MS Terremar is fantastic. Rooms, food, service and plenty of sunbeds for everyone. There are 60 staff on board and only 22 rooms so you get more of a personnel touch compared to a very large cruise ship.
The swimming pool is a large plunge pool of which is plenty if you only want to cool off then carry on sunbathing. When travelling along the Nile you would not know that you were on water at all as it is that smooth.
The holiday is very exhausting and exhilerating but well worth it. You have your own personnell guide of which ours was Hani who was absolutely fantastic with his depth of knowledge, friendliness to all and professionalism. You have your own table in the dining room which is yours all week and your own waiter of whom can not do enough for you.
The rooms are spacious, air conditioned and have tea, coffee, sugar, hot water and milk available from reception. I took my own travel kettle and boiled the water again.
The entertainment is sparse but enough, as up early every morning. Entertainment is good fun to join in with too. The extra trips I would reccomend is Abu Simbel across the desert, The Mosque and market and Luxor Museum of which you can buy as a complete package at about £107 for all.
Recommendations:- Take anti-bacterial hand wash and use whilst out and about, before and after leaving dining room and whilst shopping, of which can be a bit of a scary experience. Bartering always when shopping as their first price is usually ridiculously high. Be wary on eating lots of salad as it has been washed in their water, fruit wash or peel before eating. Take £1 coins as they will accept these and you can get lovely scarfs for £1 and you don't pay any exchange rate. The duty free is all priced in dollars of which are accepted by all. When out and about take small notes e.g 50pence, 25pence, 1's, 2's egyptian pounds for the toilets for the paper other than that take your own paper with you. I would not recommend this type of holiday for those who are not used to walking a lot and are not very stable on their legs as some of the places has very uneven ground.
The drinks on board are on tab until the end of the week but you sign for it as you go and are given a copy so you can keep a check on what you spend. Coke £0.90, Beer £1.30 large bottles though. Dearest is spirits £5 a shot (lge).
During you whole week you are being videod of which is put onto a DVD which lasts about an hour, Fantastic memories.
Our group of 4 all thoroughly enjoyed the holiday in which we thought was good value for money.
Mrs S Wain
The swimming pool is a large plunge pool of which is plenty if you only want to cool off then carry on sunbathing. When travelling along the Nile you would not know that you were on water at all as it is that smooth.
The holiday is very exhausting and exhilerating but well worth it. You have your own personnell guide of which ours was Hani who was absolutely fantastic with his depth of knowledge, friendliness to all and professionalism. You have your own table in the dining room which is yours all week and your own waiter of whom can not do enough for you.
The rooms are spacious, air conditioned and have tea, coffee, sugar, hot water and milk available from reception. I took my own travel kettle and boiled the water again.
The entertainment is sparse but enough, as up early every morning. Entertainment is good fun to join in with too. The extra trips I would reccomend is Abu Simbel across the desert, The Mosque and market and Luxor Museum of which you can buy as a complete package at about £107 for all.
Recommendations:- Take anti-bacterial hand wash and use whilst out and about, before and after leaving dining room and whilst shopping, of which can be a bit of a scary experience. Bartering always when shopping as their first price is usually ridiculously high. Be wary on eating lots of salad as it has been washed in their water, fruit wash or peel before eating. Take £1 coins as they will accept these and you can get lovely scarfs for £1 and you don't pay any exchange rate. The duty free is all priced in dollars of which are accepted by all. When out and about take small notes e.g 50pence, 25pence, 1's, 2's egyptian pounds for the toilets for the paper other than that take your own paper with you. I would not recommend this type of holiday for those who are not used to walking a lot and are not very stable on their legs as some of the places has very uneven ground.
The drinks on board are on tab until the end of the week but you sign for it as you go and are given a copy so you can keep a check on what you spend. Coke £0.90, Beer £1.30 large bottles though. Dearest is spirits £5 a shot (lge).
During you whole week you are being videod of which is put onto a DVD which lasts about an hour, Fantastic memories.
Our group of 4 all thoroughly enjoyed the holiday in which we thought was good value for money.
Mrs S Wain
- Date of Holiday:Feb 2009
- Board Basis:Full Board
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" ms terramar "
Submitted By: rocky59
excellent accomodation, all suites on this cruiser, and i think only 40 cabins or so.
nice lounge area in cabin, very roomy,clean and tidy.
staff could not do enough for us and were excellent.,excursions excellent with a great guide.we enjoyed the food,in our opinion it was very good, but as always in egypt u have to be careful what you eat.nice intimate boat,not like some of the giants we saw that were too impersonal. we knew our travelling companions in the first couple of days. entertainmnet was not all that, but heh it was a great chill out.we would certainly go again.
nice lounge area in cabin, very roomy,clean and tidy.
staff could not do enough for us and were excellent.,excursions excellent with a great guide.we enjoyed the food,in our opinion it was very good, but as always in egypt u have to be careful what you eat.nice intimate boat,not like some of the giants we saw that were too impersonal. we knew our travelling companions in the first couple of days. entertainmnet was not all that, but heh it was a great chill out.we would certainly go again.
- Date of Holiday:Oct 2008
- Board Basis:Full Board
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" I agree with the other reviewers... "
Submitted By: Mrs S Sharp
I agree with the other reviewers about the boat, and as there were only 14 English people on and 40 staff we all had a good time and mixed well.
We liked the bowl of fruit which was in our room on arrival,and appreciated the tea and coffee with the thermal jug, you took the jug to reception and very soon came back with hot water in it. I took my own powdered milk so do not know if they would have brought that aswell if asked for, we did get replacement sachets, but if not took them from the breakfast table. Only hot drinks provided with breakfast meal, not lunch or dinner.
You were asked to book tours only an hour after arriving, and they were not pleased when you said you had thought about them and wanted to cancel one, it was easier to add them on later, even to Abu Simbel.
The early morning calls were always promt, an hour before departure time. For the hot air balloon trip that means 4am, drinks were provided before you went and then you were given a breakfast bag, which you ate after the flight, it was good value for money.
Beware the tour of Aswan, they take you to a mosque then walk you through the market before depositing you at a cafe and giving you a drink, you could have done it yourself.
Sunrise charge you 2% on credit card payments even though with Thomas Cook card it should have been free. We took US Dollars but wished we had taken more Egyptian money.
Beware the masseur I did not find him very good and he wanted a tip, which everyone in Egypt wanted as well. You would think people were being helpful but at the end they were only doing it to get money.
The crew spoke English but at times found it difficult to understand you.
Entertainment was lacking and only lasted half an hour, one night Nubian dancers and another Belly Dancer, which I have seen better in England.The cocktail party was pathetic, one small drink which tasted like medicine. The Galabaya night was allright if you did not mind making a fool of yourself, paying and dressing in an Egyptian costume, otherwise you went up on deck and had a drink, coke 90p beer £2.20.
We really enjoyed the cruise and the beautiful weather.
We liked the bowl of fruit which was in our room on arrival,and appreciated the tea and coffee with the thermal jug, you took the jug to reception and very soon came back with hot water in it. I took my own powdered milk so do not know if they would have brought that aswell if asked for, we did get replacement sachets, but if not took them from the breakfast table. Only hot drinks provided with breakfast meal, not lunch or dinner.
You were asked to book tours only an hour after arriving, and they were not pleased when you said you had thought about them and wanted to cancel one, it was easier to add them on later, even to Abu Simbel.
The early morning calls were always promt, an hour before departure time. For the hot air balloon trip that means 4am, drinks were provided before you went and then you were given a breakfast bag, which you ate after the flight, it was good value for money.
Beware the tour of Aswan, they take you to a mosque then walk you through the market before depositing you at a cafe and giving you a drink, you could have done it yourself.
Sunrise charge you 2% on credit card payments even though with Thomas Cook card it should have been free. We took US Dollars but wished we had taken more Egyptian money.
Beware the masseur I did not find him very good and he wanted a tip, which everyone in Egypt wanted as well. You would think people were being helpful but at the end they were only doing it to get money.
The crew spoke English but at times found it difficult to understand you.
Entertainment was lacking and only lasted half an hour, one night Nubian dancers and another Belly Dancer, which I have seen better in England.The cocktail party was pathetic, one small drink which tasted like medicine. The Galabaya night was allright if you did not mind making a fool of yourself, paying and dressing in an Egyptian costume, otherwise you went up on deck and had a drink, coke 90p beer £2.20.
We really enjoyed the cruise and the beautiful weather.
- Date of Holiday:Jun 2008
- Board Basis:Full Board
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" Other reviews suggest that Ms... "
Submitted By: Mr A R Reed
Other reviews suggest that Ms Terramar can only be booked through Thomas Cook as they have an interest in the shipping line.
We booked through Celtic Holidays (via the internet) who specialise in Nile Cruises and offerred a choice of about 20 boats from various operators.
When we arrived in Luxor we were the only two passengers booking through Celtic. We were met by their agent and from this point on we treated as VIP's. Private cars to take us everywhere and our own personal guide to show us around. Our itinery was generally the same as everyone else's but it was tailored to suit us and we chose how long to spend at each site.
The other advantage of booking through Celtic was an all inclusive rate that included all drinks on board.
We may have paid slightly more than booking through Thomas Cook (it is difficult to make an exact comparison) but the benfits made it well worth it. Some of the Thomas Cook customers said that they wished they had done the same as us but were unaware of Celtic Travel.
The boat was as good as other reviews suggest and overall we had an excellent holiday.
We booked through Celtic Holidays (via the internet) who specialise in Nile Cruises and offerred a choice of about 20 boats from various operators.
When we arrived in Luxor we were the only two passengers booking through Celtic. We were met by their agent and from this point on we treated as VIP's. Private cars to take us everywhere and our own personal guide to show us around. Our itinery was generally the same as everyone else's but it was tailored to suit us and we chose how long to spend at each site.
The other advantage of booking through Celtic was an all inclusive rate that included all drinks on board.
We may have paid slightly more than booking through Thomas Cook (it is difficult to make an exact comparison) but the benfits made it well worth it. Some of the Thomas Cook customers said that they wished they had done the same as us but were unaware of Celtic Travel.
The boat was as good as other reviews suggest and overall we had an excellent holiday.
- Date of Holiday:Apr 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" The majority of the reports you will... "
Submitted By: Mr M Mulhern
The majority of the reports you will read on the MS Terramar will tell you that it is an exceptional Nile boat – and it is. However, my report will also include some details that are not in the brochures.
Firstly, Egyptian money: my advice is to obtain it prior to leaving home as the opportunities to change into Egyptian pounds when on board are severely limited and, as explained below, the opportunities to locate an exchange bureau when ashore are virtually nil. However, the need to use Egyptian money is restricted to the odd barter or tip, or for toilet stop when ashore. We took from UK the Egyptian pounds equivalent to £100.00 sterling and that was more than enough for one week on the Nile and one week over at the Red Sea.
On-board, all bills are settled at the end of the cruise and money does not change hands in the restaurant or the bars. Most guests settle with plastic or Euro/Sterling. As an example our bar bill for the week on board was £80.00 (two persons).
There are two shops on board: gold/jewellery and a gift shop; they will trade in any currency and credit/debit cards also. A snap survey showed that the boat prices were reasonable and not a lot different from ashore. Bartering was not encouraged on board but was absolutely essential when on shore.
MS Terramar is one of several Nile boats managed by Sunrise and Blue Sky Tours and they moor about 12kms downstream from the main town of Luxor. While this makes for a quieter mooring point it does severely restrict your opportunity to leave the ship and tour the local shops – this will mean a taxi ride of 15 minutes or so. The car/bus park at the mooring has two or three small shops but severely limited as to what was on sale. The majority of Nile cruises dock right in the centre of Luxor and ashore shopping from those boats is much easier. A similar circumstance takes place at Aswan (the other major city) where the boat is moored away from the main tourist area.
A word of warning at this point. The boats managed by Sunrise are vastly different in quality although the brochures and/or prices may not reflect this. The MS Terramar is exceptionally luxurious in the style of the old RAJ (although only about seven years old). The internal decoration and spaciousness is superb. The sister ship is the MS Semiramis and, by comparison, is very very poor and not recommended. One obvious reason is the size of the latter boat as it is much bigger and carries many more passengers. The standard of cleanliness on the Semiramis is deplorable – yet it is classed as “an exclusive cruise ship” with a high star rating.
Some information about the MS Terramar: there are a total of 20 suites and all the suites are forward of the central reception area. There are three levels for the accommodation: the lower deck (below reception) is on the waterline and there are 6 suites on this level (plus several suites for staff); three are on the port side and three on the starboard side. If you look at a photograph of the boat – each suite on the lower deck has two square windows. The size of these suites is impressively big and consists of a spacious living room and a spacious bedroom with a divider between the rooms. There is also a separate room with toilet and shower facilities. The living room has a settee and an armchair, coffee table, sideboard, dining table with two chairs, a mini bar and flat screen TV. The standard of decoration is very pleasing. The bedroom has twin large beds (larger than a standard single and smaller than a standard double size). Extremely comfortable and air-conditioning is available if needed. We were located in the lower deck and the only criticism of the suite was the dirty windows which clearly had not been cleaned for some time. It was the only negative feedback we left for the tour operator.
On the second level there are 8 suites in the same area as the lower deck so the assumption is that they must be smaller in size although we never got to view them.
The upper deck also has six suites of the same size and decor as the lower deck. The essential difference between the upper and lower suites is that the windows of the upper suites can be opened. The main grievance of passengers staying on the upper deck was the allocation of the cabins (which was on arrival). Two of the six upper suites were known as executive suites and they were slightly bigger and had additional windows looking forward over the bow of the boat. It was the luck of the draw as to who was allocated the superior suites. Apparently, they could not be pre-booked or reserved and this did disappoint several of the parties on board.
On our cruise there were 11 Brits and 13 Europeans and everyone mixed by the end of the cruise (one of the benefits of only 20 suites on board). The only disappointment aired by the Brits was that they were all accommodated on the port side of the boat and were allocated port side tables in the dining room. The Europeans were allocated on the starboard side. The significance of this was very apparent when docked as the boats do not have single moorings and are stacked up alongside each other. The MS Terramar (being a smaller boat) was usually moored on the outside of the stack and always pointed in the direction of travel. This meant that the port side was always alongside another boat which effectively cut off all light in the cabins and restaurant. Port-side cabin windows at all levels were totally useless when docked as there was nothing to see except the sides of the adjacent boats. Starboard-side cabins looked out onto the Nile without restriction. As a lot of time was spent moored during the cruise, it meant that the Europeans had a definite advantage over allocation of suites.
Cleanliness on board appeared to be ok although several of the Brits were stricken with severe stomach bugs that ruined their holiday. Most Brits took their own sterilizing gels and we were extremely surprised to see no evidence of sterilizing gels outside the restaurant (anyone who has recently cruised the Med will know that sterilizing the hands before entering the restaurants is mandatory). When we aired this with the rep we were advised that Egypt has not yet reached that level of awareness. Many on board were taking the local Antinal tablets as a preventive measure (available for 50 pence a box from the pharmacy). It was significant that the rep made a coach stop at a pharmacy at the earliest opportunity in order that these medicines could be purchased. It is recommended that you take Buscopan to counteract the severe cramps that are a feature of catching the bug!
With regard to the staff on board: all were extremely helpful and cheerful but their level of 5-star service is somewhat different from the cruise liners. As an example, the soap/shampoo in the suite was never replaced (we used our own as it happened). We also had to request toilet rolls rather than the cabin staff noting that they needed replacing. And on a final toilet note: no toilet paper was allowed to be flushed away: as in the remote Greek islands, the toilet paper had to be deposited into a flip top bin!
One bad mark for the bar staff: this event took place early morning towards the end of the cruise. The barman was obviously auditing his stock and had a simplistic way of measuring the spirits left in the various bottles. He lined up all the different gins and proceeded to pour from one brand into another brand to equalise the levels in the bottles!! He continued this exercise with the brandy and vodka. God knows what combination of local and imported spirits were being served to us during the course of the cruise.
Other reports on the MS Terramar will praise the tour guides and the plaudits are justified as they are extremely informative and worthy of the tips that are recommended at the end of the tour. I cannot speak for the Europeans, but the Brits were given an envelope for the guide’s tip and an envelope for the combined boat staffs’ tip and the suggested amount was £20.00 per person into each envelope. The actual amount will be your own decision as the sealed envelopes are given back to the guide on the final night.
Firstly, Egyptian money: my advice is to obtain it prior to leaving home as the opportunities to change into Egyptian pounds when on board are severely limited and, as explained below, the opportunities to locate an exchange bureau when ashore are virtually nil. However, the need to use Egyptian money is restricted to the odd barter or tip, or for toilet stop when ashore. We took from UK the Egyptian pounds equivalent to £100.00 sterling and that was more than enough for one week on the Nile and one week over at the Red Sea.
On-board, all bills are settled at the end of the cruise and money does not change hands in the restaurant or the bars. Most guests settle with plastic or Euro/Sterling. As an example our bar bill for the week on board was £80.00 (two persons).
There are two shops on board: gold/jewellery and a gift shop; they will trade in any currency and credit/debit cards also. A snap survey showed that the boat prices were reasonable and not a lot different from ashore. Bartering was not encouraged on board but was absolutely essential when on shore.
MS Terramar is one of several Nile boats managed by Sunrise and Blue Sky Tours and they moor about 12kms downstream from the main town of Luxor. While this makes for a quieter mooring point it does severely restrict your opportunity to leave the ship and tour the local shops – this will mean a taxi ride of 15 minutes or so. The car/bus park at the mooring has two or three small shops but severely limited as to what was on sale. The majority of Nile cruises dock right in the centre of Luxor and ashore shopping from those boats is much easier. A similar circumstance takes place at Aswan (the other major city) where the boat is moored away from the main tourist area.
A word of warning at this point. The boats managed by Sunrise are vastly different in quality although the brochures and/or prices may not reflect this. The MS Terramar is exceptionally luxurious in the style of the old RAJ (although only about seven years old). The internal decoration and spaciousness is superb. The sister ship is the MS Semiramis and, by comparison, is very very poor and not recommended. One obvious reason is the size of the latter boat as it is much bigger and carries many more passengers. The standard of cleanliness on the Semiramis is deplorable – yet it is classed as “an exclusive cruise ship” with a high star rating.
Some information about the MS Terramar: there are a total of 20 suites and all the suites are forward of the central reception area. There are three levels for the accommodation: the lower deck (below reception) is on the waterline and there are 6 suites on this level (plus several suites for staff); three are on the port side and three on the starboard side. If you look at a photograph of the boat – each suite on the lower deck has two square windows. The size of these suites is impressively big and consists of a spacious living room and a spacious bedroom with a divider between the rooms. There is also a separate room with toilet and shower facilities. The living room has a settee and an armchair, coffee table, sideboard, dining table with two chairs, a mini bar and flat screen TV. The standard of decoration is very pleasing. The bedroom has twin large beds (larger than a standard single and smaller than a standard double size). Extremely comfortable and air-conditioning is available if needed. We were located in the lower deck and the only criticism of the suite was the dirty windows which clearly had not been cleaned for some time. It was the only negative feedback we left for the tour operator.
On the second level there are 8 suites in the same area as the lower deck so the assumption is that they must be smaller in size although we never got to view them.
The upper deck also has six suites of the same size and decor as the lower deck. The essential difference between the upper and lower suites is that the windows of the upper suites can be opened. The main grievance of passengers staying on the upper deck was the allocation of the cabins (which was on arrival). Two of the six upper suites were known as executive suites and they were slightly bigger and had additional windows looking forward over the bow of the boat. It was the luck of the draw as to who was allocated the superior suites. Apparently, they could not be pre-booked or reserved and this did disappoint several of the parties on board.
On our cruise there were 11 Brits and 13 Europeans and everyone mixed by the end of the cruise (one of the benefits of only 20 suites on board). The only disappointment aired by the Brits was that they were all accommodated on the port side of the boat and were allocated port side tables in the dining room. The Europeans were allocated on the starboard side. The significance of this was very apparent when docked as the boats do not have single moorings and are stacked up alongside each other. The MS Terramar (being a smaller boat) was usually moored on the outside of the stack and always pointed in the direction of travel. This meant that the port side was always alongside another boat which effectively cut off all light in the cabins and restaurant. Port-side cabin windows at all levels were totally useless when docked as there was nothing to see except the sides of the adjacent boats. Starboard-side cabins looked out onto the Nile without restriction. As a lot of time was spent moored during the cruise, it meant that the Europeans had a definite advantage over allocation of suites.
Cleanliness on board appeared to be ok although several of the Brits were stricken with severe stomach bugs that ruined their holiday. Most Brits took their own sterilizing gels and we were extremely surprised to see no evidence of sterilizing gels outside the restaurant (anyone who has recently cruised the Med will know that sterilizing the hands before entering the restaurants is mandatory). When we aired this with the rep we were advised that Egypt has not yet reached that level of awareness. Many on board were taking the local Antinal tablets as a preventive measure (available for 50 pence a box from the pharmacy). It was significant that the rep made a coach stop at a pharmacy at the earliest opportunity in order that these medicines could be purchased. It is recommended that you take Buscopan to counteract the severe cramps that are a feature of catching the bug!
With regard to the staff on board: all were extremely helpful and cheerful but their level of 5-star service is somewhat different from the cruise liners. As an example, the soap/shampoo in the suite was never replaced (we used our own as it happened). We also had to request toilet rolls rather than the cabin staff noting that they needed replacing. And on a final toilet note: no toilet paper was allowed to be flushed away: as in the remote Greek islands, the toilet paper had to be deposited into a flip top bin!
One bad mark for the bar staff: this event took place early morning towards the end of the cruise. The barman was obviously auditing his stock and had a simplistic way of measuring the spirits left in the various bottles. He lined up all the different gins and proceeded to pour from one brand into another brand to equalise the levels in the bottles!! He continued this exercise with the brandy and vodka. God knows what combination of local and imported spirits were being served to us during the course of the cruise.
Other reports on the MS Terramar will praise the tour guides and the plaudits are justified as they are extremely informative and worthy of the tips that are recommended at the end of the tour. I cannot speak for the Europeans, but the Brits were given an envelope for the guide’s tip and an envelope for the combined boat staffs’ tip and the suggested amount was £20.00 per person into each envelope. The actual amount will be your own decision as the sealed envelopes are given back to the guide on the final night.
- Date of Holiday:Feb 2008
- Board Basis:0
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
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Forget your chrome and glass which can sometimes be used as smoke and mirrors to hide a boat's failings. This 'lovely old pair of slippers' which a recent reviewer called her is spot on! Ok.. in some respects she is getting a little tired but in my view this made for a relaxing, atmospheric, friendly, comfortable and elegant weeks holiday which I would do all over again! Terramar has the reputation for being one of the slowest boats on the Nile, this is a positive in my book! We somehow revelled in our slow elegant status as the huge brash floating casino type boats steamed past us, I swear I saw someone waterski from the back of one! Choosing one of the over 300 Nile boats available can be a minefield. My wife and I are both mid 50's professionals and consider ourselves well travelled.If like us, you try to research your trips in advance, seek value but also know that you only get what you pay for, I honestly believe that you can do no better for the money.
The 20 suites are on three decks, all roughly the same size (30sq m), we paid a premium for the upper deck which had opening windows to view the nile. The lower deck has fixed windows and I believe the middle deck has opening windows. Being a smaller boat we usually were moored alonside on our own or at busier quays on the outside of other boats, on average a starboard cabin had more 'nile view time' There was usual satellite TV, mini bar etc, but why spend time in your room when you have the choice of sun loungers and comfy armchairs up on deck in plently of shade to watch the world go by. (I'm starting to sound like a travel brochure!) The pool is a great way to cool off, the water was changed every 2 days and I saw staff regularly testing water quality. Thick beach towels are in a box on deck for your use.
The staff were, without exception, polite and attentive in particular the cabin attendant, who obviously took great pride in his work, as the cabins were spotless and we were greeted every evening with a different towel sculpture. The chef's team provided a varied and tasty menu and I was not aware of anybody, amongst the 16 Brits on board, who suffered any ill effects during the whole trip (there were a few hang overs I suspect!) I did not however discuss bowel movements with the 12 or so German guests but I can see no reason why they would have suffered more.
We took the all inclusive option, which, unless you are tee-total is by far the best way to go. All local beer, wine, soft drinks, water and spirits were included. Dissapointingly the orange juice was powdered, with no fresh orange juice option, the beer was cold and good. We took a duty free litre of bacardi with us to remind ourselves what the real stuff tasted like as some of the spitits were distant cousins of the branded varieties. It still represented good value and had the desired effect. We all used the ice on board which was clear and made of bottled water with no ill effects.
There were three evenings of entertainment. A 'Galabaya' dressing up party where you buy local dress for couple of quid and play some purile (but very amusing!) games. Dress up, get into the party spirit and you will most definitely have a laugh. The Nubian dancers were somewhat upstaged by audience participation. Finally, the belly dancer demonstrated great skill in keeping her best assets stable and under control whilst wobbling her belly. Join in with all the fun and you will be entertained.
So that's the ship...now the trips.
Most wake up calls on trip days were at 0600...ouch....I am on holiday! But you soon realise that it is better to get up and out to avoid the crowds and the heat of the sun, you are back beore 1300, greeted by a refreshing mint tea and a cold towel to chill out in the lounge before lunch, then you can relax all afternoon. There were 6 in our group with our local guide Amir who was very informative. The is an obvious hierachy amonst the guides and Amir is obviously well thought of locally, he knew exactly where to sneak us off to a quiet area to impart his considerable knowledge. It would help to do some reading beforehand to make your trip more enjoyable otherwise the barrage of information can be overloading. For us the trip was about the history and the sites which are phenominal but I can understand why some may suffer 'temple fatigue'. All the arranged trips are a must. Valley of the Kings includes three of the best tombs and if like us you wanted to see King Tut's tomb, ask your guide to buy a ticket for you (100LE) His Mummy is on display in the tomb as is the outer gold painted wooden mummy cover. The tomb is small though.
The extra Nubian village trip was universally enjoyed, a backwater river trip with some great bird life, a humbling visit to a Nubian house and a camel ride, they give you the reins and away you go if you wish!
If you are remotely serious about Egyptian history an optional trip to Abu Simbel is a must. It is 280 km through the desert on the banks of lake Nasser. We went there intending to fly thinkng that we would get there earlier to avioid the crowds. But I was persuaded otherwise. In effect the extra cost merely buys you a couple of more hours in bed, and you arrive the same time as the coaches. The Alarm call is 0315 (not a typing error) and you are home for lunch. There were fewer people that I had imagined and the temples, carved into the mountain are truely wonderous. Many colours are still intact and the temple reliefs are not defaced in any way by subsequent religions as is the case at Luxor and others.
Luxor museum is quiet, cool and shows some of the stunning finds from Tut's tomb and statues that look as if they were carved yesterday.
Vendors can be a pain, but just smile, say 'no thank you' and keep walking. Never get angry and keep your sense of humour.
Finally tipping....why is it that us Brits seem to get so hung up about greasing a few palms? All the guides suggest £3 sterling per person per day whilst on board. Amir collected £20 each from us at the beginning of the trip to sort out the everyone for us.
Egypt thrives on 'Baksheesh'to oil the wheels of life. My philosophy is that I am there for a week to enjoy myself so I will reward individual staff on board who I think have served me well, do it early and they will be your friend for life. I also seek out the heads of deptarment, eg head chef, head barman and trust ther honesty to cascade some tips down to all in their kitchen and bar. I treat the cabin steward as I would any other Hotel maid service by leaving a couple of quid every other day on my pillow.
If you do want to buy local gold, souvenirs, perfume, papyrus etc and are not confident in bartering which is a must... ask your guide to help, you will not end up with the cheapest price but at least you know you are getting the right quality.