The ship Simaris 111 was not up to standard. It was too small , especially in dining room, for number of people on board. Food always cold and very repetitive. Drinks (local( poor quality compared to our experience in past, and very expensive.
Everything was ‘cut right to the bone, or margin’. All about getting money from us. Our ‘Meeting Point’ guide was of little use , only interested in getting people to sign up for expensive extras. this was our third visit on the Nile and so lacking in quality compared to our first two trips. Run by Sunrise company….bot recommended.
MS Jamila Nile cruise January 30th 2020
We booked a 15 day Egyptian stay with a 7 day Nile cruise. We spent 2 nights in Hurgarda and then a bus trip to Luxor. We left from AMC Royal hotel first on the bus it took us 2 hours to collect other passengers and then 4 1/2 hours to Luxor. Our booking agent had requested an upper deck cabin, we were given a 2 floor cabin which was changed to 3rd floor,Room 304. Nice picture window and enough space for clothes etc. Think 4th floor would be best as no one above you and as a lot the tours start early and if your not doing the package get woken up anyway ( not a bad thing but non tour people breakfast starts at 7:30) There is a kettle in the cabin with couple of tea bags and coffee/milk sachets, that are refilled daily. First bottle of water free E£ 21 after that. (NB if you like your coffee or tea I would bring some with you as Nescafé sachets not great and breakfast coffee is very weak)
The food at every meal was enough choice and very good, we found all the staff to be friendly and helpful.
We decided against any package as thought we could pick and choose once we were here, the same full package was available at same price on boat as when booking holiday with optional tours available. You can also book any of the tours individually, the only two temples you can walk to from the boat are Kom Ombu and Esna otherwise you need transport. Everyone who did the package were very happy with it and Abdou was a very informative guide. We did do the Nubian Experience and Nature reserve tour at Aswan. A lovely boat ride, lots of bird life, Nubian village very colourful, fun school lesson worth the money.
IMPORTANT
A lot of people who booked full package thought that included the trip to Abu Simbel this is a "Optional" tour at cost of £99 and it is a 5-6hour round bus trip,Again everyone who did it was impressed but the guide wasn't as good as Abdou. Also what is not mentioned is you have to pay £27 per person tips for staff, I don't object to paying that but would have been nice to have been told when booking. I must say that the staff deserved every penny) Also all these payments are in sterling so you either need cash or card payment.
Also apart from breakfast tea/coffee all drinks you need to pay for( see drinks menu) you just sign a chit and pay your drinks bill at end of the cruise, nobody had any queries with their totals. ( if you do like a drink you can do the AI package but no one we met did as an extra £30 a day! the room has a fridge which is handy, so you can bring some duty free to drink in your room but not in the common areas)
The room was very good. A full width picture window ( some of the other boats we saw had only half or just circular windows, so worth checking pictures of boat beforehand)nice firm bed, pillows quite large so if your used to small one bring your own or I used one of throw cushions which was very comfortable. Shower/bath big enough and always had hot water. Enough storage space, safe, everything you needed. Our room was 304 which was on the starboard side of boat most days we woke to view of the river, unless we were moored between boats, the odd numbered cabins will always be on the land side as boat always docks facing upstream.
On our last day now. Arrived back in Luxor yesterday evening and unless you do Ballon ride or Valley of the Kings tour, you have whole day on boat. ( some people had extra day at beginning and left this morning but rest of itinerary is the same) Have had a wonderful time, staff very helpful and pleasant as have been most of the guests. Our boat was full all the time but plenty of space for everyone on deck and not too much pre booking of sun loungers! We did have people leaving the cruise most days at the different ports, quite a few Egyptians came and went as their school holiday time. Also big change over at Aswan I would recommend starting at Luxor as when stopped at Koh Ombu on way back it was a zoo around 30 boats and so many people at the site, where as when going up stream was very peaceful.
NB The pool was very inviting however the water was so cold only a few brave souls went in. I ventured in twice which was enough..
Things to bring
Sunscreen, small or big binoculars, your own coffee/tea, (Duty free) sterling/euros/dollars,(£coins as well for buying things if no Egyptian money) But most importantly a good Attitude.