MS Monica, Nile Cruises, Egypt
Hotel Information
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MS Monica Reviews
" fantastic "
Submitted By: mandyfairall@hotmail.com
wow what a holiday just arrived back from the Monica what a fantastic time we had from the moment we arrived at luxor airport we have been looked after by the guides who i must say are very professional and very helpful
the Monica is a lovely boat its very clean cabins are comfortable and more than adequate
the restuant is clean the food was excellant plenty of selection and the staff are very friendly and helpfull some guest on the boat had a wedding anniversary and a cake was made and all kitchen staff and waiters sang and played bongos around the restarant it was brill.
all the staff on the boat were friendly and relly made our stay enjoyable
it was the perfact base to explore the sights along the nile which were amazing and as mentioned before the guides are very knowlagable and very good at what they do
i would reccomend this boat and trip to anyone it exceeded my expectations and much much more
the only downside to this is the all inclusive should continue to you leave the boat at the end of your stay and not after breakfast .
the Monica is a lovely boat its very clean cabins are comfortable and more than adequate
the restuant is clean the food was excellant plenty of selection and the staff are very friendly and helpfull some guest on the boat had a wedding anniversary and a cake was made and all kitchen staff and waiters sang and played bongos around the restarant it was brill.
all the staff on the boat were friendly and relly made our stay enjoyable
it was the perfact base to explore the sights along the nile which were amazing and as mentioned before the guides are very knowlagable and very good at what they do
i would reccomend this boat and trip to anyone it exceeded my expectations and much much more
the only downside to this is the all inclusive should continue to you leave the boat at the end of your stay and not after breakfast .
Advice: just fantastic
Activities: all the temples
Good for: City Breaks
- Date of Holiday:Oct 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:classic holidays for you
" fantastic journey "
Submitted By: osprey
have just returned from 1 week on the Monica with 7 other friends, and am amazed by the negative reviews sent in by other people. the boat is not a 5*, more like a good 4*, it was clean, and the rooms small but adequate and were cleaned every day.the staff were very helpful especialy our cabin boy Malik who formed a sculpture made of towels every day, very amusing.the tours were well organised we were in the pharaohs group with our guide Ahmed,who was quite informative and interesting.the food was very repetitive but more than enough for me. we were on all inclusive which i do recommend, we definately got our monies worth,the bar staff didn't like to see your glasses empty. the arab night was quite fun most people got into the spirit of things and dressed up in arab gear. there were a lot of positives on the Monica but a few negatives also. the queuing for food was a bit annoying if you got there the wrong time. the jacuzzi never worked for the whole week,and the boats moored along side could be a pain,but that occured on most boats on the river. to sum up,we all had a great time on the Monica, if you go looking for faults you'll always find them, my advise is go and enjoy yourselves like the 99% of our fellow did.
Advice: it was a fantastic trip, highly recommended
Activities:
- Date of Holiday:Oct 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:orbital
" What a Joke !!!! "
Submitted By: la02
Having just got back from our 1 week cruise on the MS Monica all I can say is WHAT A JOKE
5* NO WAY, ALL INCLUSIVE NO WAY, we where met at the airport by the quides who where going to show us the sights, so far so good, we then arrived at the boat, what a dirty rust bucket this was, it had no life boats and only 2 floatation rafts, but hay ho here we go, the foyah is very impressive with glass and brass surrounds but it all for show, we then get taken to our room {421} which on the fourth deck directly under the swimming pool and sun loungers, the passage way to the room was dark and dingy not to mention dirty, the we opened the door to room or should I call it the broom cupboard, it was so small and grubby I nearly died, the tiny wardrobe was ok for a 6 month old baby and the bathroom room oh my god was a mess, nearly every tile was craked, the basin and bath did not possess a plug and there was a tiny waste bin for the toilet paper with a notice telling you must use it!!!!, when I turned the bed down I found a piece of broken glass on the sheets oh what a good start, we then went to our first evening meal we were told where to sit and that we must sit there for every meal or else, We have been to Eygpt many times and know what good food we usually receive but this was like nothing I had had before, you could have soled your shoes with the beef and the calimeri and fish were like rubber the vegetables we always under cooked but in fairness the bread was ok which was a good thing as I finished up only eating bread and tomatoes for the whole week not bad for 5* we sat in port for 2 days without sailing and we where moored 30 minutes outside Luxor town so never got to see it, but we did have the 2nd week to look forward to which we where staying in Luxor but those who were only there for a week didn't. The plunge pool was extremely dirty to the point that I asked for it to be cleaned which didn't happen,the staircase was brassoed every day but not polished correctley so when you touched it you got black everywhere. the food never inproved all week and most people were ill, and the reception staff were handing out stomach tablets like sweets free of charge. I could go on but it is quite upsetting knowing how much money we paid. All that is left to say is that fortunately our 2nd week in the Iberotel hotel in Luxor was excellent with good good food and clean surroundings. We are not over picky people but just like to receive what we have paid for and we didn't but no one is intrested in our complaint, so if you are thinking of booking this boat then please think again there are better boats out there.
5* NO WAY, ALL INCLUSIVE NO WAY, we where met at the airport by the quides who where going to show us the sights, so far so good, we then arrived at the boat, what a dirty rust bucket this was, it had no life boats and only 2 floatation rafts, but hay ho here we go, the foyah is very impressive with glass and brass surrounds but it all for show, we then get taken to our room {421} which on the fourth deck directly under the swimming pool and sun loungers, the passage way to the room was dark and dingy not to mention dirty, the we opened the door to room or should I call it the broom cupboard, it was so small and grubby I nearly died, the tiny wardrobe was ok for a 6 month old baby and the bathroom room oh my god was a mess, nearly every tile was craked, the basin and bath did not possess a plug and there was a tiny waste bin for the toilet paper with a notice telling you must use it!!!!, when I turned the bed down I found a piece of broken glass on the sheets oh what a good start, we then went to our first evening meal we were told where to sit and that we must sit there for every meal or else, We have been to Eygpt many times and know what good food we usually receive but this was like nothing I had had before, you could have soled your shoes with the beef and the calimeri and fish were like rubber the vegetables we always under cooked but in fairness the bread was ok which was a good thing as I finished up only eating bread and tomatoes for the whole week not bad for 5* we sat in port for 2 days without sailing and we where moored 30 minutes outside Luxor town so never got to see it, but we did have the 2nd week to look forward to which we where staying in Luxor but those who were only there for a week didn't. The plunge pool was extremely dirty to the point that I asked for it to be cleaned which didn't happen,the staircase was brassoed every day but not polished correctley so when you touched it you got black everywhere. the food never inproved all week and most people were ill, and the reception staff were handing out stomach tablets like sweets free of charge. I could go on but it is quite upsetting knowing how much money we paid. All that is left to say is that fortunately our 2nd week in the Iberotel hotel in Luxor was excellent with good good food and clean surroundings. We are not over picky people but just like to receive what we have paid for and we didn't but no one is intrested in our complaint, so if you are thinking of booking this boat then please think again there are better boats out there.
- Date of Holiday:Oct 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Orbital
" MS Monica....Just great! "
Submitted By: pamd
I have just returned from a week cruising on Monica and it was GREAT! I had read many adverse reviews and was quite nervous about the trip but I should not have worried. The boat was excellent, the crew friendly and very helpful, the food was excellent, always hot, well presented and something for all tastes. The waiters were helpful always filling our wine glasses and making our mealtimes a pleasure. The cabins were clean if a little tired which is why my rating is not 10. The cabins were clean towels changed twice a day and personal humerous touches! The guides were amazing and their attention to detail made the whole experience come alive. Every trip was organised expertly without any problems.My husband and I had a cabin towards the back and my two friends had a cabin at the back of the ship and neither of the cabins had problems with fume smells or excessive noise.
My advice is enjoy the trip, you cant please everyone all the time but the crew on this ship try their best to do just that!
My advice is enjoy the trip, you cant please everyone all the time but the crew on this ship try their best to do just that!
Advice: relax and enjoy watching the nile go by and go all inclusive.
Activities: the valley of the kings and abu simbel (optional extra worth the trip)
- Date of Holiday:Oct 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Orbital Travel
" Magnificent Monica "
Submitted By: Poppy Freeman
Having seen the reviews before I travelled on the MS Monica I was a bit apprehensive. I needn't have been. For the money that we paid I cannot fault the boat, staff and organisational arrangements. Food was excellent, cabin was spotlessly clean beds changed regulary nice touches with the towel arrangements, food was excellent variety good always plentiful and hot. All inclusive is a good option well worth the money. Guides very knowledgeable and could not do enough for you. My initial apprehension was soon overcome once I was on board the MS Monica, I cannot understand where some of these peoples comments have arisen from. Go and enjoy you will not be disappointed it was a magical trip that I and my partner would highly recommend. We could not fault the Nile cruise Ms Monica in anyway.
Advice: Go and enjoy the MS Monical
Activities: All of the visits on the Nile cruise
- Date of Holiday:Sep 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" Ms Monica Nile Cruise "
Submitted By: suizeee
Ms Monica Nile Cruise
Hi was on the Ms Monica on the 15th september 2009 for 7 days and here is my opinion of the boat.
On arriving at he Monica we were give our room (no 411). On entering the room the first thing we saw was cracked floorboards and bathroom needed updating which after looking at the pictures and reading the reviews was very dissappointing, we spoke to rep as the boat was supposed to have been refurbished in May however he said only part of it had been done, (we are still looking for that part) lol. The balcony is standing room only and for the two and a half days the boat was sailing we had four mesh wires going diagonally across it,which was for the walkway to get on and off the boat.
Here are some pointers
Positives
On the two and a half days out of seven that the boat sailed the views were lovely.
All the trips were fab very well organised and the guide ahmed was very informative
Bar staff and chefs were very friendly
Negatives
Room small and tired looking
Food okay if you like chicken,beef or calamary and rice
For anyone who is not on a trip and has a long lie or misses breakfast all inclusive does not start till 11.30am and ends 11.30pm on the dot.
Pool not very clean
No good for anyone with walking difficulties as you need to go through sometimes two boats and walk the plank to go ashore.
Management on boat always tended not to understand and referred you back to your guide
Expected tip of £4 per person per day you are told that this is divided amongst all the staff for the whole of your holiday even your second week in hotel, though the staff in hotel know nothing about this. The tip is collected on second day, and a lot of the passengers refused to pay, and on reflection we wish we had not paid either, as we would rather tip who we want ourselves.
We loved the history fo egypt however if you are thinking of going then go to a hotel in Luxor and book trips from there because as I said before you only really sail for two and a half days within the week the rest of the time you are sitting at the side of the nile with other boats parked beside you so there is very little nile view and you cannot go out on your balcony as you would be looking into some other boat.
Hope this helps if you are thinking of going.
Hi was on the Ms Monica on the 15th september 2009 for 7 days and here is my opinion of the boat.
On arriving at he Monica we were give our room (no 411). On entering the room the first thing we saw was cracked floorboards and bathroom needed updating which after looking at the pictures and reading the reviews was very dissappointing, we spoke to rep as the boat was supposed to have been refurbished in May however he said only part of it had been done, (we are still looking for that part) lol. The balcony is standing room only and for the two and a half days the boat was sailing we had four mesh wires going diagonally across it,which was for the walkway to get on and off the boat.
Here are some pointers
Positives
On the two and a half days out of seven that the boat sailed the views were lovely.
All the trips were fab very well organised and the guide ahmed was very informative
Bar staff and chefs were very friendly
Negatives
Room small and tired looking
Food okay if you like chicken,beef or calamary and rice
For anyone who is not on a trip and has a long lie or misses breakfast all inclusive does not start till 11.30am and ends 11.30pm on the dot.
Pool not very clean
No good for anyone with walking difficulties as you need to go through sometimes two boats and walk the plank to go ashore.
Management on boat always tended not to understand and referred you back to your guide
Expected tip of £4 per person per day you are told that this is divided amongst all the staff for the whole of your holiday even your second week in hotel, though the staff in hotel know nothing about this. The tip is collected on second day, and a lot of the passengers refused to pay, and on reflection we wish we had not paid either, as we would rather tip who we want ourselves.
We loved the history fo egypt however if you are thinking of going then go to a hotel in Luxor and book trips from there because as I said before you only really sail for two and a half days within the week the rest of the time you are sitting at the side of the nile with other boats parked beside you so there is very little nile view and you cannot go out on your balcony as you would be looking into some other boat.
Hope this helps if you are thinking of going.
Advice: Great if you like the History of Egypt
Activities: Loved the Valley of the Kings
- Date of Holiday:Sep 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Co-operative Travel
" ms monica huge mistake "
Submitted By: ann/ken/will/rose
We were on the same cruise as Andy Lowe and his wife, we can so relate to and endorse his views. When we booked in second week of july, future travel told us that we best hurry up and book as there were only 2 cabins left at rear of the boat, I(Ann) who booked the holiday,voiced my concerns then,saying that I am a pensioner with health issues and did not wish to have disturbed sleep through engine noise etc, I was reassured that the noise would be minimal and only when sailing, and should not cause us any problems. Gratified by this reassurance I booked the holiday. We found out from many passengers who booked before us and after us, that they were told that there were few cabins left and rear ones only,but were reassured that also noise would be minimal and would not cause problems, why on earth would future travel tell so many people the same'story' at different times of booking enquiries? How could people who booked in early june be told the sames us others who booked much later, which raises the question"were noise complaints in rear cabins commonplace?" Hence the need to tell passengers who may be unfortunate enough to get one that only rear cabins were available!! A lovely couple at our dining table were told the same at beginning of june but were over the moon to be allocated a suite!!!
We were allocated cabins 426 and 427, we noticed the noise and acrid diesel fumes when we got to our cabins, but due to tiredness from our journey and holiday excitement, we didn't pay it much heed at the time. We went up on top deck and then to dinner, an early night was order of the day, as we were tired and had a 5am wake up to go on our 6am excursion. We were kept awake all night by the loud noise from the engine room and the other boats moored alongside, the acrid smell of diesel fumes was very overpowering and made rest and breathing very difficult, when we opened our sliding doors we also found our hands covered in soot,grease and filthy grime from the inner curtain linings, also the cabin became engulfed in blue/black smoke and diesel fumes, prompting the rapid closure of doors, which we quickly found did little to stop the noise and vile diesel pollution that we had to endure for our entire week. Rose,one of our party,aged 79 became so upset that she went to reception on our behalf to complain TWICE that first night, nothing was done and we had to spend half the night pacing our cabins and ended up on top deck from about 3am. Other passengers that we met, complained before us and were moved to lower levels in staff quarters, they were much quieter and not full of acrid fumes as windows were sealed. Sadly the nile view with patio windows that they had paid for became extinct, but it was sleep and breathe, or choke on fumes and flag from exhaustion,or put up with their non existent view, the need to survive won!!!!
We would have settled for that,Rose had to be taken by taxi into luxor where she had to have medication for a cough and chest problem she developed, Will was exhausted had headaches and breathing difficulties, as Ken and I all had within the first 48hours. I am about 22lbs overweight but never have any rrouble climbing stairs etc. I walk my dog for several miles each day, I have stairs in my home,the first day or two I had no stairs problems, but thereafter I could not climb the stairs even on the air con areas of the boat without stopping and gasping for breath at least once or twice each time.
My feet always swell a bit when I fly or go to hot countries(I've flown abroad on hot holidays many times) it is a nuisance but nothing a good nights sleep with feet up doesn't remedy, so discomfort is always minimal, not on the monica!!!! My feet were swollen to a grotesque size, which through lack of rest and sleep got worse instead of better as the week progressed, I could only wear slippers on board, and evening had to resort to floppy old mules as no other shoes would fit,excursions I wore floppy old pair of open sandals. Within 2 nights sleep at home my feet were normal size. The only time we managed to snatch some fitful sleep and minimal fumes was when the boat was actually sailing, which was seldom as we spent 2 nights moored in Luxor deafened by the other boats as well as the monica, and the same for the 2 nights in Aswan and anywhere else we were moored up!!! The food on board the first night was quite nice, but became dull and monotonous by the end of the week, we also thought the quality of food and presentation and general service on board seemed to deteriorate towards the end of the week. The boat itself was smart in places and reasonable in most public areas, the cabins were quite shabby and tired, as were the corridors leading to them, wallpaper peeling, or non existent in places,holes in wall hastily filled with polyfilla or the like, bathrooms were small and cramped and generally cabins needed a good revamp. We felt that they were adequate as after all they were only a place to shower,change,sleep and rest in,sleep and rest sadly were conspicuous by their absence, and took their toll on us badly.
The excursions were magical and wondrous, we did feel that they could have been split into some on our journey back down the nile, as they all seemed to be cramped into few days over short space of time, our guide "Magic" lived up to his name in every way, what a learned,patient,polite,kind and very lovely man he was,also our cabin boy was a sweet lovely lad, the crew in general were nice people. We felt very humble visiting the places that kings and queens had frequented, and I personally would like to thank the people of Egypt for the great privelege of visiting their country and seeing the wonders it beholds. Andy Lowe mentioned to us on the day that we at last escaped the hazards of ms monica, that cabin 407 had been left open so that later departees could use it for changing clothes and to freshen up, as we had to vacate our cabins by 11am. We went in there to compare it to our cabin as it was near the middle of the boat, we were amazed by the "strange smell and strange noise"in cabin407, it took a few seconds to click thay the smell was clean air and the noise was silence!!!!!
For passengers who were not stuck at the rear of the boat amongst the vibration in the cabin from the dreadful noise, and the acrid blue/black diesel laden air, it must be very hard for them to relate to this, because cabin 407 was like another world, shang ri la!! So having not experienced the nightmares(wakeful ones)that we had,then they must be saying that we are a bunch of complaining lunatics!!! We can't say that we would blame them, if we had been in quieter cabins, fume free, then we are sure we would be giving praise not complaining about our stay on ms monica. We usually come back from holiday feeling relaxed and renewed, we returned feeling shattered and ill and deeply let down.
Ken and I had done a nile cruise in 2007, and enjoyed it to the full, so much so that we persuaded our very dear friends to accompany us on this one. We researched the internet for the best option in our price range(not cheap) and were blown away by the photos and info on ms monica, they must have used wide angle anamorphic lenses or something, as the cabins had shrunk by the time we got there.
We also met some really lovely people on our trip, we'd like to thank and say hello to them all,we were particularly fortunate to be seated at the dining table for our stay with some smashing folks,big hello and best wishes to them. I have been on line to-day reading up on diesel fumes and related dangers and side effects, how could any uk company sell us such a hazardous holiday, we can personally relate to each and everyone of the side effects and symptoms, because we have had them all, we are still 8 days after our return feeling some of them, also looked on line about noise problems, it would be illegal for any boat in this country to do this to people. We bought the holiday in good faith, believing what we were told by a british company, if you go to any store or company and are sold faulty and or inferior goods or service, then consumer protection/trading standard laws stipulate your rights. I have been feeling unwell since I came home, as have all our party, but I am a bit better now, and I shall be contacting Co-op Future travel to complain, in the hope that we have better luck than Andy Lowe, who judging by the time he wrote his review had not really got much joy, we shall see what transpires, surely it adds weight to this fiasco when different people from different walks of life, who live miles away from each other, who were on the same trip at the same time or different times, had the same bad experiences and the same ill effects as a result,when in the rear cabins.
We feel that we were badly misled by future travel about the serious conditions that prevailed for the people who got rear cabins and had to experience what we did, a very bad let down and experience all round, I was only a couple of steps on the return transfer coach, when I was saying thank God I am going home, as did all of our party,I have never felt that way at the end of any holiday. I have apologised relentlessly, countless times to Rose and Will for persuading them to join us on that trip, we all four of us go off on holidays abroad together every year, it is the first one that was a nightmare, we are all glad to be recovering at home in peace and quiet and fresh air!!!
I am happy for all the passengers who enjoyed their ms monica experience,on our trip and at other times, I wish we had, but for others considering this boat, beware the rear cabins or any story you are told about them from your tour operator, and be very careful who you book with, we would not wish this experience on anyone. Good luck, but for us never again.
We were allocated cabins 426 and 427, we noticed the noise and acrid diesel fumes when we got to our cabins, but due to tiredness from our journey and holiday excitement, we didn't pay it much heed at the time. We went up on top deck and then to dinner, an early night was order of the day, as we were tired and had a 5am wake up to go on our 6am excursion. We were kept awake all night by the loud noise from the engine room and the other boats moored alongside, the acrid smell of diesel fumes was very overpowering and made rest and breathing very difficult, when we opened our sliding doors we also found our hands covered in soot,grease and filthy grime from the inner curtain linings, also the cabin became engulfed in blue/black smoke and diesel fumes, prompting the rapid closure of doors, which we quickly found did little to stop the noise and vile diesel pollution that we had to endure for our entire week. Rose,one of our party,aged 79 became so upset that she went to reception on our behalf to complain TWICE that first night, nothing was done and we had to spend half the night pacing our cabins and ended up on top deck from about 3am. Other passengers that we met, complained before us and were moved to lower levels in staff quarters, they were much quieter and not full of acrid fumes as windows were sealed. Sadly the nile view with patio windows that they had paid for became extinct, but it was sleep and breathe, or choke on fumes and flag from exhaustion,or put up with their non existent view, the need to survive won!!!!
We would have settled for that,Rose had to be taken by taxi into luxor where she had to have medication for a cough and chest problem she developed, Will was exhausted had headaches and breathing difficulties, as Ken and I all had within the first 48hours. I am about 22lbs overweight but never have any rrouble climbing stairs etc. I walk my dog for several miles each day, I have stairs in my home,the first day or two I had no stairs problems, but thereafter I could not climb the stairs even on the air con areas of the boat without stopping and gasping for breath at least once or twice each time.
My feet always swell a bit when I fly or go to hot countries(I've flown abroad on hot holidays many times) it is a nuisance but nothing a good nights sleep with feet up doesn't remedy, so discomfort is always minimal, not on the monica!!!! My feet were swollen to a grotesque size, which through lack of rest and sleep got worse instead of better as the week progressed, I could only wear slippers on board, and evening had to resort to floppy old mules as no other shoes would fit,excursions I wore floppy old pair of open sandals. Within 2 nights sleep at home my feet were normal size. The only time we managed to snatch some fitful sleep and minimal fumes was when the boat was actually sailing, which was seldom as we spent 2 nights moored in Luxor deafened by the other boats as well as the monica, and the same for the 2 nights in Aswan and anywhere else we were moored up!!! The food on board the first night was quite nice, but became dull and monotonous by the end of the week, we also thought the quality of food and presentation and general service on board seemed to deteriorate towards the end of the week. The boat itself was smart in places and reasonable in most public areas, the cabins were quite shabby and tired, as were the corridors leading to them, wallpaper peeling, or non existent in places,holes in wall hastily filled with polyfilla or the like, bathrooms were small and cramped and generally cabins needed a good revamp. We felt that they were adequate as after all they were only a place to shower,change,sleep and rest in,sleep and rest sadly were conspicuous by their absence, and took their toll on us badly.
The excursions were magical and wondrous, we did feel that they could have been split into some on our journey back down the nile, as they all seemed to be cramped into few days over short space of time, our guide "Magic" lived up to his name in every way, what a learned,patient,polite,kind and very lovely man he was,also our cabin boy was a sweet lovely lad, the crew in general were nice people. We felt very humble visiting the places that kings and queens had frequented, and I personally would like to thank the people of Egypt for the great privelege of visiting their country and seeing the wonders it beholds. Andy Lowe mentioned to us on the day that we at last escaped the hazards of ms monica, that cabin 407 had been left open so that later departees could use it for changing clothes and to freshen up, as we had to vacate our cabins by 11am. We went in there to compare it to our cabin as it was near the middle of the boat, we were amazed by the "strange smell and strange noise"in cabin407, it took a few seconds to click thay the smell was clean air and the noise was silence!!!!!
For passengers who were not stuck at the rear of the boat amongst the vibration in the cabin from the dreadful noise, and the acrid blue/black diesel laden air, it must be very hard for them to relate to this, because cabin 407 was like another world, shang ri la!! So having not experienced the nightmares(wakeful ones)that we had,then they must be saying that we are a bunch of complaining lunatics!!! We can't say that we would blame them, if we had been in quieter cabins, fume free, then we are sure we would be giving praise not complaining about our stay on ms monica. We usually come back from holiday feeling relaxed and renewed, we returned feeling shattered and ill and deeply let down.
Ken and I had done a nile cruise in 2007, and enjoyed it to the full, so much so that we persuaded our very dear friends to accompany us on this one. We researched the internet for the best option in our price range(not cheap) and were blown away by the photos and info on ms monica, they must have used wide angle anamorphic lenses or something, as the cabins had shrunk by the time we got there.
We also met some really lovely people on our trip, we'd like to thank and say hello to them all,we were particularly fortunate to be seated at the dining table for our stay with some smashing folks,big hello and best wishes to them. I have been on line to-day reading up on diesel fumes and related dangers and side effects, how could any uk company sell us such a hazardous holiday, we can personally relate to each and everyone of the side effects and symptoms, because we have had them all, we are still 8 days after our return feeling some of them, also looked on line about noise problems, it would be illegal for any boat in this country to do this to people. We bought the holiday in good faith, believing what we were told by a british company, if you go to any store or company and are sold faulty and or inferior goods or service, then consumer protection/trading standard laws stipulate your rights. I have been feeling unwell since I came home, as have all our party, but I am a bit better now, and I shall be contacting Co-op Future travel to complain, in the hope that we have better luck than Andy Lowe, who judging by the time he wrote his review had not really got much joy, we shall see what transpires, surely it adds weight to this fiasco when different people from different walks of life, who live miles away from each other, who were on the same trip at the same time or different times, had the same bad experiences and the same ill effects as a result,when in the rear cabins.
We feel that we were badly misled by future travel about the serious conditions that prevailed for the people who got rear cabins and had to experience what we did, a very bad let down and experience all round, I was only a couple of steps on the return transfer coach, when I was saying thank God I am going home, as did all of our party,I have never felt that way at the end of any holiday. I have apologised relentlessly, countless times to Rose and Will for persuading them to join us on that trip, we all four of us go off on holidays abroad together every year, it is the first one that was a nightmare, we are all glad to be recovering at home in peace and quiet and fresh air!!!
I am happy for all the passengers who enjoyed their ms monica experience,on our trip and at other times, I wish we had, but for others considering this boat, beware the rear cabins or any story you are told about them from your tour operator, and be very careful who you book with, we would not wish this experience on anyone. Good luck, but for us never again.
Advice: choose tour op.with care,think twice about this boat
Activities: excursions,guide and lovely fellow passengers
- Date of Holiday:Sep 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" MS Monica "
Submitted By: pudd
I have recently returned from a trip on the MS Monica and felt that I must write a review as what I have been reading from the last reviews is totally unforgiving. Having cruised the Nile many times this is by far the best boat that I have been on and trust me I have been on some 5* and 5* Deluxe boats. On every boat that you travel on you are going to get noise whether your cabin is at the back or the front of the boat and the fumes well this is absolutely ridculous. My husband and I had a cabin at the rear end of the boat on the MS Monica and we never incurred any of the problems that previous people have stated. Our cabin was kept clean at all times and it was the size that one would expect from a Nile cruiser one must remember these are river boats not large cruise ships. The food on the boat was plentiful and hot and it is understandable why they do not spice the food up as this can cause upset stomach and then people would complain that they have food poisioning!!!! It is also normal for boats to be moored together in a row this happens to all nile cruisers and September is the start of the busy season from my understanding.
Orbital Travel who I booked through were great with their knowledge and did not tell us any force information. You will never please everyone on Nile cruises and everyone has their own expectations.
This boat justifies its rating and I would certainly have no hesitation in recommending this boat to anyone.
Orbital Travel who I booked through were great with their knowledge and did not tell us any force information. You will never please everyone on Nile cruises and everyone has their own expectations.
This boat justifies its rating and I would certainly have no hesitation in recommending this boat to anyone.
Advice: Enjoy
Activities: Visit the sites that Egypt has to offer
- Date of Holiday:Sep 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" Misery on the Monica "
Submitted By: Andy Lowe
Any body wishing to take a nile cruise, beware your choice of ship, and travel agent.
My wife and I chose to book a nile cruise to celebrate our 38th wedding anniversary, after looking at various options we chose to book through the Co-op, believing that such an organisation would look after its clients. We booked in late June, and were told that the boat was almost full, and that we may be in one of the rear cabins, I asked what this meant, and was told that we may experience some slight engine noise at night when we travelled, but was assured it was slight.
We arrived at Luxor at about 8.00 pm on our first evening, and were taken straight to the boat, where we were allocated our cabin, number 328. Cabin 328 was the last cabin at the rear of the mid upper deck, as we approached down the corridor, the engine noise and smell of diesel was considerable. When we opened the cabin door, we were apalled, by the incredible noise, and thick grey diesel smoke, it turned out that our cabin was directly above the engines, with the engine exhaust ports just aft of our balcony window. The balcony windows were covered in diesel residue, as was the UPVC frame on the inside of the cabin, as was the wallpaper . My wife opened the curtains to look out, only to see the heads of the engine room crew, some 12 inches below, when she closed the curtains, she had black diesel residue all over her hands off the curtains.
I immediately returned to reception and refused the cabin outright, demanding that our tour guide come an inspect the smoke filled cavern for himself, and stated that he should report back to the tour operator that the level of fumes were a dangerous health hazzard.
He agreed with our comments, but could only tell us that there were no other cabins available.
At this point I demanded that they put us up in a hotel and send us home the next day. After five minutes he came back to tell us that he had spoken with the tour operators rep in Cairo, and they could change us to another cabin for that night. After ten minutes we were shown to a cabin below decks next to the crews quarters. The cabin was in fact our tour guides own cabin, which he had given up for us, the below deck cabins were for the use of the crew and tour guides, but we were promised a better cabin for the following day.
Next morning, we were up at 5 am to visit the valley of the kings, the sights were fantastic, and our tour guide Amir Helmy and his profound knowledge made the sites come to life, but unfortunately we had to return to the boat.
Back at the boat late in the afternoon, we were made aware of our new move, two cabins further back in the crews quarters in cabin 106 next to the public toilets for the resaurant.
Note that because these rooms are on the water line your only view of the nile is when it washes over the sealed windows when the boat is underway. Because of this the rooms rely all day on airconditioning, with no fresh air, which means they become damp and the wallpaper peels away, the crew sprayed air freshener in the cabin every morning, but by evening the damp smell is back. Also, it is normal when in dock for boats to moor up agaist each other, and all have a steel ledge to butt up to, this ledge was above our cabin, which meant that all light dissapeared from our cabin when in dock.
As our week progressed ( or degenerated ) we obviously met with many other passengers, only to find that no less than three couples had refused cabin 428 ( above our original cabin and further away from the exhaust) as totally unfit and a danger to health. this was just one room, others had refused cabins on the port side also, which is why no other rooms were available.
What disgusts me is that although we registered our complaint, we had no contact from the tour operator, no offer of a move to another boat nothing !!. From other reviews we have Since read, we are not alone in our experience of the MS Monica, but British tour operators are either choosing to ignore the situation, or are failing in their duty to ensure that everyone paying the same price recieves the same standards.
The holiday we purchased was the same price as eveyone else, but the treatment we got was far from what we had expected from what is proffesed to be a reputable tour operator.
Nile cruise, choose your tour company with care, and doubly make sure you choose your room !!!
My wife and I chose to book a nile cruise to celebrate our 38th wedding anniversary, after looking at various options we chose to book through the Co-op, believing that such an organisation would look after its clients. We booked in late June, and were told that the boat was almost full, and that we may be in one of the rear cabins, I asked what this meant, and was told that we may experience some slight engine noise at night when we travelled, but was assured it was slight.
We arrived at Luxor at about 8.00 pm on our first evening, and were taken straight to the boat, where we were allocated our cabin, number 328. Cabin 328 was the last cabin at the rear of the mid upper deck, as we approached down the corridor, the engine noise and smell of diesel was considerable. When we opened the cabin door, we were apalled, by the incredible noise, and thick grey diesel smoke, it turned out that our cabin was directly above the engines, with the engine exhaust ports just aft of our balcony window. The balcony windows were covered in diesel residue, as was the UPVC frame on the inside of the cabin, as was the wallpaper . My wife opened the curtains to look out, only to see the heads of the engine room crew, some 12 inches below, when she closed the curtains, she had black diesel residue all over her hands off the curtains.
I immediately returned to reception and refused the cabin outright, demanding that our tour guide come an inspect the smoke filled cavern for himself, and stated that he should report back to the tour operator that the level of fumes were a dangerous health hazzard.
He agreed with our comments, but could only tell us that there were no other cabins available.
At this point I demanded that they put us up in a hotel and send us home the next day. After five minutes he came back to tell us that he had spoken with the tour operators rep in Cairo, and they could change us to another cabin for that night. After ten minutes we were shown to a cabin below decks next to the crews quarters. The cabin was in fact our tour guides own cabin, which he had given up for us, the below deck cabins were for the use of the crew and tour guides, but we were promised a better cabin for the following day.
Next morning, we were up at 5 am to visit the valley of the kings, the sights were fantastic, and our tour guide Amir Helmy and his profound knowledge made the sites come to life, but unfortunately we had to return to the boat.
Back at the boat late in the afternoon, we were made aware of our new move, two cabins further back in the crews quarters in cabin 106 next to the public toilets for the resaurant.
Note that because these rooms are on the water line your only view of the nile is when it washes over the sealed windows when the boat is underway. Because of this the rooms rely all day on airconditioning, with no fresh air, which means they become damp and the wallpaper peels away, the crew sprayed air freshener in the cabin every morning, but by evening the damp smell is back. Also, it is normal when in dock for boats to moor up agaist each other, and all have a steel ledge to butt up to, this ledge was above our cabin, which meant that all light dissapeared from our cabin when in dock.
As our week progressed ( or degenerated ) we obviously met with many other passengers, only to find that no less than three couples had refused cabin 428 ( above our original cabin and further away from the exhaust) as totally unfit and a danger to health. this was just one room, others had refused cabins on the port side also, which is why no other rooms were available.
What disgusts me is that although we registered our complaint, we had no contact from the tour operator, no offer of a move to another boat nothing !!. From other reviews we have Since read, we are not alone in our experience of the MS Monica, but British tour operators are either choosing to ignore the situation, or are failing in their duty to ensure that everyone paying the same price recieves the same standards.
The holiday we purchased was the same price as eveyone else, but the treatment we got was far from what we had expected from what is proffesed to be a reputable tour operator.
Nile cruise, choose your tour company with care, and doubly make sure you choose your room !!!
Advice: Sites Fantastic, be carefull of the choice of boat and cabin
Activities:
- Date of Holiday:Sep 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Co-operative Travel
" Certainly not 5* "
Submitted By: buzzferris
My wife and I went on this cruise as our main objective was to see the various historic sites, temples, tombs etc and to this end we were very satisfied. Our tour guide, Ayman, was excellent, an Egyptologist who really knew his subject and was always enthusiastic and interesting. Yes there were some very early morning starts but in view of the intense heat late morning and early afternoon this was quite sensible and acceptable. However for the rest I really cannot find much to recommend the "Monica". We selected this ship deliberately on the basis of the description and photographs stating this was 5*. On arrival we went on board and were allocated cabin 316. Our immediate reaction on entering was "It is very confined and noisy". The Monica was moored adjacent to the pier but there was at least one other ship moored against us on the outside which totally blocked any view from our window and balcony.The distance between ships being abou 4 feet. Whilst on the subject of the balcony this was also a disappointment as the balcony is only some 18 inches wide (someone referred to it as a "French balcony". Totally unsuitable for sitting out on even if one did have a view.
I sought advice from the staff on reception and the tour guides as to the noise which was coming from a power generator situated somewhere below our cabin. It was amplified by the fact that we were moored so close to the other ship. I was informed that the ship was full and I would get used to it. Not very encouraging. We had little choice but to accept the situation and unpacked. There was no drawer space at all and very little wardrobe space. The doors to the wardrobe were situated such that they had to be closed before the bathroom/toilet could be used and the whole thing was very cramped. The first evening when going in for dinner we were free to select a table but having done so were told that we were expected to sit in the same seat for our meals all week. In this respect we were fortunate as the other guests who selected our table were excellent company and we spent some very pleasant hours with them. The food, although plentiful, was uninspiring and repetitious. As a previous reviewer has said you could anticipate very accurately what would be on the menu. It was self service buffet style and the dining room was very compact and there was invariably a long queue for the food. Certainly not 5*. The food was often uncovered and the flies were obvious. For the first two full days the ship did not move and then we moved up river. The actual cruising was good as the Nile has ever changing scenery but overall there was far too little actual cruising. Having reached our next destination we were again moored up with ships outside us so no outlook from the cabin. By this time the noise had got to us, I complained quite strongly and we were moved to a"Suite" with the whispered plea "Don't tell anyone else as they will all want a suite". Oh dear what a joke. This was cabin 201 the very forward cabin. It was much bigger but if anything even noisier and had no more furniture than the original 316.
The bathroom was tatty and generally tired and dull. On the second night we were subjected to even worse motor noise and at 2am, unable to sleep, I went to reception and got rwo of the mangerial staff to come to the room to listen. It seems that in addition to the ships forward generator some craft or other had simply moored alonside our bow and had whatever machinery it was going full blast. To their credit the managers must have made some representation as a few minutes later the other vessel disappeared. However this still left the ships own generator thumping away. On this subject we discussed the problem with other passengers and by far the biggest majority stated that their cabins were noisy. Even those that were quieter were subject to quite strong vibration and we were told of guests having to use tissue paper, flannels etc. etc to stop mirrors,lampshades etc vibrating. At Aswan we were tied up alongside for another two full days, again against the pier with other boats moored alongside on the outside. Here in addition to the generator noise was the traffic noise as the main road was immediately adjacent to the pier. It seems it is compulsory in Aswan to sound the vehicle horns continuously 24/7 and many passengers complained of lack of sleep. We returned to Luxor for the last two days and yet again were moored so that no views were possible. The staff generally were quite helpful and we were glad that we had taken the all inclusive option as to buy drinks was quite expensive. To sum up, the trips and the guide were excellent.There was only two days of cruising. The food was plentiful but uninteresting and the ship generally is very noisy and very "tired". It may interest you to know that our guide informed us we were there in the "Quiet" period and during the cooler months there are several hundred ships plying the river and these are aften moored even 7 or 8 deep. I you go on this trip be warned it is NO WAY 5 STAR but if you are prepared to put up with the downsides then the sightseeing is worth it.
I sought advice from the staff on reception and the tour guides as to the noise which was coming from a power generator situated somewhere below our cabin. It was amplified by the fact that we were moored so close to the other ship. I was informed that the ship was full and I would get used to it. Not very encouraging. We had little choice but to accept the situation and unpacked. There was no drawer space at all and very little wardrobe space. The doors to the wardrobe were situated such that they had to be closed before the bathroom/toilet could be used and the whole thing was very cramped. The first evening when going in for dinner we were free to select a table but having done so were told that we were expected to sit in the same seat for our meals all week. In this respect we were fortunate as the other guests who selected our table were excellent company and we spent some very pleasant hours with them. The food, although plentiful, was uninspiring and repetitious. As a previous reviewer has said you could anticipate very accurately what would be on the menu. It was self service buffet style and the dining room was very compact and there was invariably a long queue for the food. Certainly not 5*. The food was often uncovered and the flies were obvious. For the first two full days the ship did not move and then we moved up river. The actual cruising was good as the Nile has ever changing scenery but overall there was far too little actual cruising. Having reached our next destination we were again moored up with ships outside us so no outlook from the cabin. By this time the noise had got to us, I complained quite strongly and we were moved to a"Suite" with the whispered plea "Don't tell anyone else as they will all want a suite". Oh dear what a joke. This was cabin 201 the very forward cabin. It was much bigger but if anything even noisier and had no more furniture than the original 316.
The bathroom was tatty and generally tired and dull. On the second night we were subjected to even worse motor noise and at 2am, unable to sleep, I went to reception and got rwo of the mangerial staff to come to the room to listen. It seems that in addition to the ships forward generator some craft or other had simply moored alonside our bow and had whatever machinery it was going full blast. To their credit the managers must have made some representation as a few minutes later the other vessel disappeared. However this still left the ships own generator thumping away. On this subject we discussed the problem with other passengers and by far the biggest majority stated that their cabins were noisy. Even those that were quieter were subject to quite strong vibration and we were told of guests having to use tissue paper, flannels etc. etc to stop mirrors,lampshades etc vibrating. At Aswan we were tied up alongside for another two full days, again against the pier with other boats moored alongside on the outside. Here in addition to the generator noise was the traffic noise as the main road was immediately adjacent to the pier. It seems it is compulsory in Aswan to sound the vehicle horns continuously 24/7 and many passengers complained of lack of sleep. We returned to Luxor for the last two days and yet again were moored so that no views were possible. The staff generally were quite helpful and we were glad that we had taken the all inclusive option as to buy drinks was quite expensive. To sum up, the trips and the guide were excellent.There was only two days of cruising. The food was plentiful but uninteresting and the ship generally is very noisy and very "tired". It may interest you to know that our guide informed us we were there in the "Quiet" period and during the cooler months there are several hundred ships plying the river and these are aften moored even 7 or 8 deep. I you go on this trip be warned it is NO WAY 5 STAR but if you are prepared to put up with the downsides then the sightseeing is worth it.
Advice: Be prepared for noisy cabins with restricted or non-existent views and uninteresting food.
Activities: The various sites, Valley of the Kings, temples etc. excellent.
- Date of Holiday:Sep 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" Food for Thought!!!! "
Submitted By: cals6667
The flight and airport experience all to time and no problem. Transfer to the Cruise vessel very good and Tour Guide excellent.
Arrived on board at 6.45 luggage taken to the cabin by staff, all good so far.
The dining experience on the first night was good, but it seemed to replicate itself at both lunch and evening meal daily. We had even managed to chant the menu by the end of the third day rice, beef, chicken pasta, fish, pureed veg. There was one evening whereupon 4 of us decided we could not face the same food again. We had a word with the tour guides and the next day things did seem to pick up.
The excursions and tour guides were of the highest calibre, the tour guides were very protective of us and arranged the shopping to coincide with Temple visits. s.
On the 6th day the food, heat and change of diet finally took its toll and has remained with me and my travelling companion. It is the nastiest experience I have ever encountered and I am reasonably well travelled.
I would advise that anyone visiting goes prepared to get the Tour guides to obtain Antinal commencing them upon arrival taking one night and morning. It seemed that passengers who had been on the cruise before were told by the tour operator to take these and they did seem to be free of the Pharoah's revenge.
All in all I summarise the holiday - the excursions were well thought out, transfers very comfortable, plenty of water available - it was very hot. The cruise ship needed fine tuning with regard to cabin furnishings and decoration. There seemed to be some flesh eating bugs even with insect repellent sprays and electrical devices.
The food however left a lot to be desired purely due to its repetitive nature and then being served up in a different format the following day if unused.
I am sure that with a little nudge in the right direction things could be improved.
Arrived on board at 6.45 luggage taken to the cabin by staff, all good so far.
The dining experience on the first night was good, but it seemed to replicate itself at both lunch and evening meal daily. We had even managed to chant the menu by the end of the third day rice, beef, chicken pasta, fish, pureed veg. There was one evening whereupon 4 of us decided we could not face the same food again. We had a word with the tour guides and the next day things did seem to pick up.
The excursions and tour guides were of the highest calibre, the tour guides were very protective of us and arranged the shopping to coincide with Temple visits. s.
On the 6th day the food, heat and change of diet finally took its toll and has remained with me and my travelling companion. It is the nastiest experience I have ever encountered and I am reasonably well travelled.
I would advise that anyone visiting goes prepared to get the Tour guides to obtain Antinal commencing them upon arrival taking one night and morning. It seemed that passengers who had been on the cruise before were told by the tour operator to take these and they did seem to be free of the Pharoah's revenge.
All in all I summarise the holiday - the excursions were well thought out, transfers very comfortable, plenty of water available - it was very hot. The cruise ship needed fine tuning with regard to cabin furnishings and decoration. There seemed to be some flesh eating bugs even with insect repellent sprays and electrical devices.
The food however left a lot to be desired purely due to its repetitive nature and then being served up in a different format the following day if unused.
I am sure that with a little nudge in the right direction things could be improved.
Advice: The cruise itself was amazing, lots to see and do, tour guides exemplary!!!
Activities: The Temple at Philae was my favourite.
- Date of Holiday:Sep 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:The Co-Operative Travel
" Mutiny On The Monica "
Submitted By: Harry36
"BEWARE OF THIS BOAT YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED".
My wife and I arrived at the Monica arround 11.45 pm on the 26/08/2009 our flight from Birmingham having been delayed by three hours and at this point we had been awake for some 18 hours,
We were directed on arrival to the dinning room where the staff had waited on to give us something to eat the atrium and dinning room were visually impressive and the food plentiful and varied,
"However" once past this facade the boat showed its true colours as a sad grubby vessel in need of a major clean and room refit,
We were shown to our room at the rear of the boat Room No325 on entering we were confronted by a diesel fumed filled room and had we remained in it I am sure we would not have woken up,the walls were coverd in greasy black smutts which came off on your hands as you touched them and we point blank refused to stay in this room,
We were then shown to another on the opposit side of the corridor Room No 327 before we entered we were told by our guide Hussian that this was a tempory measure as this room was very very noisy "he wasnt kidding" it was just above the auxiliary diesel engine which powers the boats ancillaries 24/7 its exhuast vented just under our window the noise was unbearable which made it impossible to sleep, everything vibrated including the walls,light fittings and the bed.
We made our first trip at 5.30am the following morning still dressed in the clothes we travelled in the day before and the lack of sleep made this a miserable experience,
On returning to the boat we were told our replacement room would not be ready for another hour and when eventually we were shown to our third room No 324 we were appalled to find it was right next to the room we had the night before and equally as noisy we were then informed it was this or nothing as the boat was full,
We could however for a further £280 have one of the presedential suits which were vacant !!!!
These boats moor alongside each other sometimes five deep and only two feet appart which means you have to contend with another boats auxiliary engine and exhaust which is in the exact same place and opposite yours "Thus Double The Noise" after stuffing tissues in all the light fittings,duck taping anything that vibrated in an attempt to stop the rattles, and making ear plugs from the foam in our suit cases we accepted defeat and in an attempt to get some sleep spent the night On the sun deck under towels on sun beds in the open air.
The following day I informed the boats manager that unless we were given a room which was habitable I would sleep in the atrium a threat that he could see from my fatigued manner I would undertake "three nights without sleep makes you a little irritable",
We had also discovered at this point that all the rooms we had been given to date had already been refused by a number of other passengers who had arrived on the boat earlier than us,
The issue had now become a major talking point among the passengers and such was thier concern a number of them went on block to the boat mananger and tour guides and insisted that unless our plight was rectified to a satisfactory conclusion they would all withhold any tip payments as this was thier only weapon of protest at our treatment,"TO THESE PEOPLE A BIG THANK YOU".
Eventually and as a direct result of these passanger good natured mutiny we were given a room at the front of the boat which we were told was the boat managers room,
We had not been offered this room earlier the manager informed us as the air conditioning had broken down and it had been flooded by a previous passanger making the floor uneven ?.
The room was large just as grubby as the others but at last quiet and a good nights sleep prevailed.
During the last few days on this boat my wife started aquiring small red spots on the left hand side of her body which turned itchy after a day or two we put these down to insect bites on deck However they turned out to be BED BUG bites and has left my wife quite Traumatised.
On returning to the UK we tried to discuss these issues via the telephone with our tour operator as a matter of courtesy of our intent to leave reviews they point blank refused to talk about it stating that all and any customer complaints must be subbmitted in writing !!!
In my opion all the rooms at the rear of this boat should be advertised as INFERIOR/NOISY and priced Accordingly so at least poeple Know what to expect if they choose to buy a cheaper room owing to noise,
The only positives the guides and general waiting staff on the boat were extremley good, and the sights and sounds of Egypt Magnificent.
However a Kings Ronsom would not get me back onboard The M S Monica.
My wife and I arrived at the Monica arround 11.45 pm on the 26/08/2009 our flight from Birmingham having been delayed by three hours and at this point we had been awake for some 18 hours,
We were directed on arrival to the dinning room where the staff had waited on to give us something to eat the atrium and dinning room were visually impressive and the food plentiful and varied,
"However" once past this facade the boat showed its true colours as a sad grubby vessel in need of a major clean and room refit,
We were shown to our room at the rear of the boat Room No325 on entering we were confronted by a diesel fumed filled room and had we remained in it I am sure we would not have woken up,the walls were coverd in greasy black smutts which came off on your hands as you touched them and we point blank refused to stay in this room,
We were then shown to another on the opposit side of the corridor Room No 327 before we entered we were told by our guide Hussian that this was a tempory measure as this room was very very noisy "he wasnt kidding" it was just above the auxiliary diesel engine which powers the boats ancillaries 24/7 its exhuast vented just under our window the noise was unbearable which made it impossible to sleep, everything vibrated including the walls,light fittings and the bed.
We made our first trip at 5.30am the following morning still dressed in the clothes we travelled in the day before and the lack of sleep made this a miserable experience,
On returning to the boat we were told our replacement room would not be ready for another hour and when eventually we were shown to our third room No 324 we were appalled to find it was right next to the room we had the night before and equally as noisy we were then informed it was this or nothing as the boat was full,
We could however for a further £280 have one of the presedential suits which were vacant !!!!
These boats moor alongside each other sometimes five deep and only two feet appart which means you have to contend with another boats auxiliary engine and exhaust which is in the exact same place and opposite yours "Thus Double The Noise" after stuffing tissues in all the light fittings,duck taping anything that vibrated in an attempt to stop the rattles, and making ear plugs from the foam in our suit cases we accepted defeat and in an attempt to get some sleep spent the night On the sun deck under towels on sun beds in the open air.
The following day I informed the boats manager that unless we were given a room which was habitable I would sleep in the atrium a threat that he could see from my fatigued manner I would undertake "three nights without sleep makes you a little irritable",
We had also discovered at this point that all the rooms we had been given to date had already been refused by a number of other passengers who had arrived on the boat earlier than us,
The issue had now become a major talking point among the passengers and such was thier concern a number of them went on block to the boat mananger and tour guides and insisted that unless our plight was rectified to a satisfactory conclusion they would all withhold any tip payments as this was thier only weapon of protest at our treatment,"TO THESE PEOPLE A BIG THANK YOU".
Eventually and as a direct result of these passanger good natured mutiny we were given a room at the front of the boat which we were told was the boat managers room,
We had not been offered this room earlier the manager informed us as the air conditioning had broken down and it had been flooded by a previous passanger making the floor uneven ?.
The room was large just as grubby as the others but at last quiet and a good nights sleep prevailed.
During the last few days on this boat my wife started aquiring small red spots on the left hand side of her body which turned itchy after a day or two we put these down to insect bites on deck However they turned out to be BED BUG bites and has left my wife quite Traumatised.
On returning to the UK we tried to discuss these issues via the telephone with our tour operator as a matter of courtesy of our intent to leave reviews they point blank refused to talk about it stating that all and any customer complaints must be subbmitted in writing !!!
In my opion all the rooms at the rear of this boat should be advertised as INFERIOR/NOISY and priced Accordingly so at least poeple Know what to expect if they choose to buy a cheaper room owing to noise,
The only positives the guides and general waiting staff on the boat were extremley good, and the sights and sounds of Egypt Magnificent.
However a Kings Ronsom would not get me back onboard The M S Monica.
Advice: Sights and Sounds Magnificent
Activities: The Temple of PHILAE was the highlight of my trip.
- Date of Holiday:Aug 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Classic Holidays/Orbital Travel
" Fantastic holiday "
Submitted By: Mad cats
HORUS Rules!!!
Having travelled to Egypt several times, this was by far the best. Boat, staff, food and guides excellent-what a service. Nothing was too much trouble for them. Amr was our guide as head of the Horus team. Yes team!! We were the best with pharoahs and Walid's team laging behaind by miles. Don't worry travellers this was all part of the fun and just shows that all on board joined in to make this a holiday of a lifetime. All inclusive is a great idea can have that drink without worrying about your purse. Also paying for the tips at the begining at the week clears that up. Agree with all other coments below. Boat is one of the best out there and believe me I know. Saving to go back. Thanks to all the staff on the boat for a great holiday.
Having travelled to Egypt several times, this was by far the best. Boat, staff, food and guides excellent-what a service. Nothing was too much trouble for them. Amr was our guide as head of the Horus team. Yes team!! We were the best with pharoahs and Walid's team laging behaind by miles. Don't worry travellers this was all part of the fun and just shows that all on board joined in to make this a holiday of a lifetime. All inclusive is a great idea can have that drink without worrying about your purse. Also paying for the tips at the begining at the week clears that up. Agree with all other coments below. Boat is one of the best out there and believe me I know. Saving to go back. Thanks to all the staff on the boat for a great holiday.
Advice: Be sensible
Activities: Valley of the Kings
- Date of Holiday:Jul 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Style Holidays
" ms monica nile cruise "
Submitted By: hubbo
just spent a week on this boat ,,, we had a really good holiday ,,the boat in general was in good shape , cabin was adequate and spotlessly clean and looked after very well by cabin staff,,in fact the whole boat was,,,,, all our trips were pre arranged ,and because of the extreme heat at this time of year were all scheduled for early morning ,so up at 05.00 and out at 06.00 after breakfast ..this gave the advantage of not being cooked by the mid-day sun and also being able to visit the sites when not crowded.usually back on board around 11.00 ..both tour guides were excellent ,,our tour guide was "WALID" he was very knowledgable on all sites visited
and spoke very good english with a marvelous sense of humour ,,he explained just enough information to be readilly understood without getting to deep into the subject ,allthough if asked he would... the food on board was quite varied with a good choice ,allthough generally cooked in egyptian style with lots of spices etc; our board was all inclusive ( i would advise this as the drinks in egypt are heavily taxed and rather expensive)
on the whole a very pleasant and friendly boat to cruise the nile on ,,i would recomend this boat to my friends...enjoy !!!!!!!
and spoke very good english with a marvelous sense of humour ,,he explained just enough information to be readilly understood without getting to deep into the subject ,allthough if asked he would... the food on board was quite varied with a good choice ,allthough generally cooked in egyptian style with lots of spices etc; our board was all inclusive ( i would advise this as the drinks in egypt are heavily taxed and rather expensive)
on the whole a very pleasant and friendly boat to cruise the nile on ,,i would recomend this boat to my friends...enjoy !!!!!!!
Advice: loved it visit and enjoy
Activities: dont miss the sound and light show at philea temple
- Date of Holiday:Jul 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:orbital
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Advice: Fantastic cruise and fabulous sites
Activities:
Good for: City Breaks