African Safari Club, Royal Star Reviews
Latest Reviews
★★★★☆
“I CANNOT SAY, HOW MUCH I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED THIS...”
Written on: 05/12/2009
I CANNOT SAY, HOW MUCH I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED THIS CRUISE.OK I WAS SEA SICK A FEW TIMES, BUT MORENO THE DECK STEWARD, JUST KNEW TO LEAVE ON THE SUN LOUNGERS EVEN IF RAINING.FOOD WAS EXCEPTIONAL...THE MAITRE D,S WERE WONDERFUL. WE WENT OFF SHIP WITH A LOT OOF THE CREW. AND HAD A FAB TIMEIT WAS LIKE ONE TO ONE ON BOARD.THE PEOPLE WE SAT WITH AT A TABLE OF EIGHT WERE AMAZING,RANGING FROM DENTISTS TO COMPUTER EXPERTS,BUT THEY WELCOMED US ALL OF THEM. I PERSONNALLY HAVE NLY EVER BEEN ON THIS... (read more)
★★★★★
“Both me and my girlfriend found the Nile cruise both...”
Written on: 03/10/2009 by Guest1988 (1 review written)
Both me and my girlfriend found the Nile cruise both enchanting and beautiful.
The only problems encountered are down, in my opinion, to nothing more than such vast differences in culture and location, and if you can look past this you really can enjoy the trip.
For one, its going to be hot, its in the desert and you're on a boat. But the cabin is as cool as you want it to be, and there's plenty of shelter on the sun terreace.
The food isn't to the same quality as you would find in a 5...
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★☆☆☆☆
“I had very bad experiences with African Safari Club....”
Written on: 18/04/2009 by paolom (1 review written)
I had very bad experiences with African Safari Club. Customer service before holidays is bad. They do not answer for emails and you can ' t get to many informations before departing.
I bought bed and breakfast hotel (Palm Beach Hotel) and on their website, it was continental breakfast. However, I had to pay for the breakfast partly in the hotel. We had coffee or tea, some fruit and bread. We had to pay for an omelette, fried eggs or any kind of eggs. They did not put any information about...
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★★★★☆
“The wonderful crew-- they really tried to please. ”
Written on: 04/03/2008
The wonderful crew-- they really tried to please.
The food was good & very nicely presented. The drinks were not overpriced nor were the excursions compared to P&O & others
The deck steward did not allow saving of sunbeds
The Entertainments Officer was excellent -- his talks were a high light. The Dance troupe gave 101%. One of the guest artists a singer was very goodOverall we had 9 happy nights. The boat was old & shabby. The cabins were small. The Captain just ignored the passengers. The...
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★☆☆☆☆
“Sure it was cute boat, but that doesnt make up for...”
Written on: 06/02/2008 by MegsDad (1 review written)
Sure it was cute boat, but that doesnt make up for comfort and the cooling thing, oh yes air conditioning!
It has been an eye opener to travel with a company with such little regard for their clients, I think they are forgetting who are paying the wages. The whole experience was a joke.
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★★★★★
“As a party of five ranging from 20 to 56 all members...”
Written on: 18/01/2008
As a party of five ranging from 20 to 56 all members had a very enjoyable holiday. Our cruise was the Spice Island tour with a weeks stay in the Shanzu Paradise Beach hotel over Christmas and the New Year.
Previously, we have travelled with Fred Olsen and NCL cruise Lines and found the Royal Star evening meals excellent in comparison. The staff are first class.
The ship is small - as expected- but makes the holiday much more sociable than found on the larger liners.
The second week at the...
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★★☆☆☆
“A lot of time was spent choosing our cruise, it's a...”
Written on: 09/01/2008 by Kate Corlett (1 review written)
A lot of time was spent choosing our cruise, it's a shame that African Safari Club do not consider thier clients in the same way,
obviously we humble clients really are a means to an end-namely a good healthy profit.
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★★★★★
“loved the holiday and enjoyed the stay in Kenya after....”
Written on: 07/01/2008
loved the holiday and enjoyed the stay in Kenya after. We stayed at the Flamingo and the rooms were basic but the pool was wonderful. Food was good, especially the seafood restaurant. Did a 7 day safari which was a little too long. Zebra lodge was best accom. And Mara Buffalo camp was the worst. Overall a holiday to remember and would recommend to others. (read more)
☆☆☆☆☆
“People cruise for many reasons - to celebrate a...”
Written on: 17/12/2007 by adamsorenson (1 review written)
People cruise for many reasons - to celebrate a lifetime, or the end of a life in some cases. And cruises aren't cheap either. Save your money and put it towards a cruise from another company that can actually fulfill your dreams. This cruise was a waste of time, money and most importantly, our effort. (read more)
★☆☆☆☆
“my advice is don't do it, unless you are used to...”
Written on: 17/12/2007 by OMEGA865 (1 review written)
my advice is don't do it, unless you are used to sub-standard quality and then you will be pleased.
I am however used to quality and value for money this was not offered by the cruise line.
the ship is far to old and is due to be scrapped in 2 years [2010] so there will undoubtedly be no improvements.
I do not expect to be told upon boarding the ship "she is old, but we try to colour her grey to make her look young" this didn't work for me, sure the ship has wonderful charm but needs a...
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See next 10 reviews
Showing 1 - 10 of 27 Reviews
★★★★★
“Don't expect large cabins and a large ship. The beauty...”
Written on: 20/08/2007 by lynworswick
Don't expect large cabins and a large ship. The beauty of this cruise is the smallness of the ship so you make great friends and see people often - doesn't matter if you are a lone traveller you will always have someone to talk to.
Don't expect action all day at sea - beauty is the relaxation.
The places the ship can get to is fantastic - small paradise islands.
Can't wait to save up for the next one.
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★★★★★
“Going back through Mombassa airport was a trial but it...”
Written on: 16/12/2006 by peterfphillips (1 review written)
Going back through Mombassa airport was a trial but it is a third World country so what else can you expect? (read more)
★★★★☆
“The African Safari Club, Royal Star cruise ship was...”
Written on: 14/11/2006 by Rutherfordxx (1 review written)
The African Safari Club, Royal Star cruise ship was wonderful, and the staff were excellent, from the cabin boy to the cruise director. The best entertainment was the crew's evening - what talent! There was plenty of information about the places we were visiting. The itinerary was good - we loved Madagascar, Mauritius and Zanzibar, but you can keep Reunion and Mayotte - too French and lacking in local colour. We loved our time on the ship, including the days at sea, where you could either... (read more)
Rutherfordxx's Response to Rutherfordxx's Review
Written on: 09/02/2007
To Amanda Chapman regarding her comment.
<br/>Thanks for this! I wrote in great detail to African Safari, having received a comments form from them, which invited me to 'make a difference' (ha ha!). This was in mid November, and I have not even had an acknowledgement.
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★★★★★
“After reading some reviews, I considered cancelling my...”
Written on: 02/10/2006 by A R Webb (2 reviews written)
After reading some reviews, I considered cancelling my holiday. Some people will complain about anything, and they seem to enjoy making themselves miserable. I couldn't fault anything about the Royal Star African Club Safari Mysterious Zanzibar cruise, and nor could any of the friends that we met on-board.
I highly recommend ASC, and I will certainly travel with them in the future.
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★★★★☆
“An excellent holiday overall. Couldn't fault it. ”
Written on: 07/09/2006 by sherwooh (1 review written)
An excellent holiday overall. Couldn't fault it.
A helpful note - the deluxe package ensured that there were no hold ups with transport from/to ship/hotel/airport, and the gourmet pass is definitely recommended, as the a la carte restaurants in the Dolphin hotel were superb.
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★★★★☆
“We thoroughly enjoyed the Royal Star African Safari...”
Written on: 03/09/2006 by Jacky Stevens (1 review written)
We thoroughly enjoyed the Royal Star African Safari Club Secrets of the Seychelles cruise (but see comments above regarding the hotel in Mombasa, airport and transfer).
Yes, it's a small ship, but this allows not only closer anchorage to ports of call, but more intimacy with fellow passengers and crew who all learn passengers' names within a day or so. It is 50 years old, but this can add to its charm - lots of wood and brass work.
The staff - particularly the Filipino restaurant and...
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★★★★☆
“We loved just about every minute of this excellent...”
Written on: 03/09/2006 by rogerharrop (1 review written)
We loved just about every minute of this excellent cruise and the delightful ship.
The staff could not be more friendly or helpful and the food was excellent.
The excursions were well selected and organised.
We will definitely travel on the Royal Star again - a real ship - not a floating hotel and holiday camp!
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★☆☆☆☆
“The complete holiday from initial booking to finish...”
Written on: 17/08/2006 by PDERRICK (1 review written)
The complete holiday from initial booking to finish was a disaster. We were overcharged for the holiday by the travel agent. After boarding the flight from Gatwick, we were ordered off because the toilets were blocked - a two hour delay ensued. During 6 out of the 9 days on-board the Royal Star African Safari Club cruise there were very heavy seas, and consequently a good proportion of the passengers remained in their cabins, as the stabilisation on the ship was non-existent.
With one...
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Mjeavo's Response to PDERRICK's Review
Written on: 25/08/2006
I am booked to go on the Seychelles Royal cruise this weekend. I have been reading all the bad reviews and am considering trying to find a hotel in the Seychelles and forgoing this cruise. I am travelling in a party of 10 with 4 children. Can anyone give me any positive comments about this ship? I am quite concerned about the lack of stabilisers and food poisioning which has been commented about. Not so bothered about the entertainment.
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Silverfox7422's Response to PDERRICK's Review
Written on: 28/08/2006
totally agree with the comments of PDerrick. this was without doubt the worst holiday i have ever been on and the organisational skills of AS are to be rated at Zero.
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Silverfox7422's Response to PDERRICK's Review
Written on: 28/08/2006
This is not a cruise for children, there is absolutely nothing to entertain the children on board ship or on the stops along the way. In addition to that the stabilisers are ineffective once the ship is in the Indian Ocean.
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★★★★☆
“Having read many reviews prior to taking the plunge we...”
Written on: 13/08/2006 by boltbolt (1 review written)
Having read many reviews prior to taking the plunge we went with expectations that were probably a little low for the money we paid, however we were pleasantly surprised when on board the Royal Star.
She is an old ship but that does add to the charm and nostalgia. Lots of wood and brass that is lovingly cared for by the mainly Phillipino staff that are a credit to the Royal Star. The food was extremely good and plenty of variety. Tea/coffee on tap whenever required and always served with a...
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Mjeavo's Response to boltbolt's Review
Written on: 25/08/2006
It is good to read a fairly positive review. I am booked on the Seychelles Royal cruise leaving 26th Aug. I am quite concerned about La Digue and Prasin being removed from the itinery - was a reason given for this? The other question I have is about the sea sickness - is the sea very rough and should I take a large supply of tablets? One more question did you find the engine noise a problem?
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Boltbolt's Response to boltbolt's Review
Written on: 25/08/2006
reply to your comment:
<br/>
<br/>We were on a different cruise to you. La Digue was at the end of our cruise as we were due to terminate at Mahe to fly back to Kenya. The cruise director told us they had informed ASC that La Digue had been taken off the itinerary last November. After a barage of complaints from a lot of passengers La Digue was back on the list of ports of call. This apparently was due to the good will of the captain, expertise of the chief engineer and a good tail wind! I will say that I did'nt read of any other reports of La Digue being taken off the list for previous trips, I'm sure someone would have commented on this on the web...perhaps it was a little rouse to make the ship seems ever so efficient...not that it is'nt.
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<br/>Sea sickness, well it's all down to the individual. I personally never suffered at all but there were plenty that did. The sea is not that rough but a good swell will cause the ship to rock 'n roll. She is'nt that big as I said and the Indian Ocean is a big place. Sea sick pills are in ample supply and happily dished out by the restaurant manager (parden the pun), a real gem.
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<br/>We were in the depths of the ship on the caribbean deck with a porthole that had its inner cover closed during rough or choppy seas. Most likely due to it being under water some of the time but nothing to worry about. It really was'nt that rough I think it was just a little precaution they take, it does mention it in the book. The engine noise was surprisingly not as bad as I thought it would be. Even in the middle of the night you could hardly hear it. Just the motion of the ship during the swell..
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<br/>It should be a good trip remember to take it on face value and have some fun...watch out for the female singer...and have a nice holiday.
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Rutherfordxx's Response to boltbolt's Review
Written on: 14/11/2006
I agree with your African Safari Club, Royal Star review totally. We had a trio called the Fan F.Arts - whoever thought that one up?
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☆☆☆☆☆
“Additional service on the Royal Star African Safari...”
Written on: 02/08/2006 by Hello Sailor (1 review written)
Additional service on the Royal Star African Safari Club cruise is from wearily cheerful, indentured Filipino staff on micro-wages, superintended by a seemingly Xanaxed Greek misanthrope Captain, incapable of speech. The ship shaking and juddering to the ceaseless death throes of its geriatric engine, you may wish by day two to resort to painkillers and gin cocktails. I recommend dihydrocodeine tartrate, which take the edge off nicely, although you can stock up on Valium in Mombasa.
Further...
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Rogerharrop's Response to Hello Sailor's Review
Written on: 03/09/2006
This anonymous review is total garbage and says more about the writer I suspect than the cruise. we would recommend it to anyone - and we got back yesterday!
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259484_Rosiew's Response to Hello Sailor's Review
Written on: 13/09/2006
I disagree. The staff, ship and food were delightful. The only thing I would say is the ship was a little rocky!! But saying that, what do you expect with an old ship? You're told that at the time of booking. The safari was great and the flamingo hotel OK. I can't say much about the dolphin, except it could do with a good clean and makeover.
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264142_Richlee's Response to Hello Sailor's Review
Written on: 21/10/2006
I disagree with your views. After enjoying a lovely cruise followed by a wonderful safari, I can only commend all the staff on-board the Royal Star for making my holiday such a wonderful experience.
<br>
<br/>What type of cruise liner are you comparing The Royal Star to? RMS Queen Mary or P&O Arcadia? These luxury cruises provide a totally different type of holiday. Perhaps one better suited to your needs for next year.
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See next 10 reviews
Showing 11 - 20 of 27 Reviews
★☆☆☆☆
“Luckily, the ship was only 50% full, otherwise there...”
Written on: 14/06/2006 by JIMSS (1 review written)
Luckily, the ship was only 50% full, otherwise there would have been a lack of sun beds. There was virtually nothing to do during sea days if the weather had been poor, and there was a lack of sufficient public area seating. Food was adequate on-board.
The management at the hotels were only interested in their Continental guests. Not even toast, cold meat or cheese was available for breakfast. Complaints were met with a "go somewhere else" attitude. Luckily good food was available in the...
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☆☆☆☆☆
“The Royal Star holiday started with a flight to...”
Written on: 18/05/2006 by rickcraft (1 review written)
The Royal Star holiday started with a flight to Mombasa which was adequate in comparison to other charter airlines. Transfer was in buses that were dirty, uncomfortable, no a/c and not roadworthy. The stay in The Flamingo Beach Hotel was appalling. The hotel was dirty, with poor fittings, grubby and worn towels, bedlinen and curtains. The food was repetitive and of a very low standard.
We then transferred to The Seychelles to the MS Royal Star for an 11 day cruise. The cabin was dirty with...
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★★★★☆
“The Ms Royal Star is exactly what I expected. We...”
Written on: 06/02/2006 by kaswell (1 review written)
The Ms Royal Star is exactly what I expected. We travelled on the Jewels of the Indian Ocean Cruise which departed on the 27th December 2005. The islands are beautiful, especially Mauritius and Port Louis. The staff on board were amazing and couldn't help us enough. The food and presentation really is top class with a superb variety. The ship is 100% suited because of it's size to sail the Indian Ocean and visit the islands I only dreamt of visiting. For the price we paid at msroyalstar.com... (read more)
★☆☆☆☆
“Royal Star not appropriate for the holiday. The ship...”
Written on: 11/01/2006 by Jay Shah (2 reviews written)
Royal Star not appropriate for the holiday. The ship is only good for the cargo. The refitting does not provide any comfort.
I have sued the ASC and successfully received a positive result.
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★★★☆☆
“Although the African Safari Club information booklet...”
Written on: 06/01/2006 by Cordelia (1 review written)
Although the African Safari Club information booklet sent out with the tickets is helpful it needs to state more clearly what type of visa is required. After our cruise we had to go through immigration at Mombasa airport before we proceeded to our hotel. Confusion and mayhem reigned! Although we were all on the same package some of us were paying for transit visas and some of us for single visas! ASC club need to state categorically what type of visa is required for a particular package.... (read more)
★☆☆☆☆
“African Safari Club. ”
Written on: 15/08/2005 by Eganoc
African Safari Club.
We spent 7 nights on the Royal Star sailing from Mauritius to The Seychelles. The ship is 50 years old and not suitable for the conditions. 200 passsengers on board with a large number ill for 3 or more days through lack of sleep and` sea sickness. Food and`service fine.
Accomodation poor(Toilets in cabins need some effort to clear). Some cabins`ae below the`water line in poor weather and can be very noisey with the sound of water crashing and banging. July and Aug...
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★★★☆☆
“We spent 9 days on the Royal Star cruising with...”
Written on: 16/02/2004 by steph004 (1 review written)
We spent 9 days on the Royal Star cruising with African Safari Club from Mombasa visiting visiting Zanzibar, Mayotte, Nosy B', La Reunion and Maurituis. The ship is a little old, but if you are looking for a small ship with excellent food and service we can recommend this cruise. All the cruise staff were wonderful. Beware though if you are spending anytime in one of the African Safari Club hotels in Mombassa, the standard is well below what we expected. We stayed in the Paradise Beach Hotel... (read more)
Napier's Response to steph004's Review
Written on: 10/11/2005
Having just returned from the Magic (huh) of the Mascarenes I have to say that overall it was one of the worst cruises I have ever been on. Very bad value for money.
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<br>We stayed at the Flamingo, very pretty but again very worn in the rooms. Towels cheap and nasty (same on the ship). Food generally very poor and badly organised, dinners awful. Saving grace but not by much was the A la Carte restaurant. All show no substance.
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<br>The Ship. The only praise is for the cabin and waiting staff who were truly professional. The Cruise Director should be sacked, no style, no organisation ran the entertainment like a two year old. The entertainment (apart from the Magician) was dreadful the same four dancers who danced the same dance in different costumes every night. The band (not really a band) the singer, good voice but repeated her repetoire every night. The drummer who played jazz violin like Stefan Grapelli, we only saw twice at teatime. Other than that he was trapped backing two keyboard players who thought they were god's gift.
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<br>The Casino - be warned it is only open when at sea for three hours after 2100 and the girls (charming) knock off at midnight - no poker table.
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<br>No real deck games organised, those that were were very half hearted - no real organisation everyone left to drift either reading or being seriously bored!
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<br>Food not too bad, although if you were expecting the odd curry or spicy dish, forget it. Menus given titles e.g., Creole - not a Creole dish in sight.
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<br>As for the ship's officers, they would not break a smile, the capitain walked about very occasionally and only spoke to you if you spoke first and then he would run.
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<br>They change the itinerary to suit themselves and only make one announcement and if you don't like it then tough.
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<br>Cabins - couldn't swing a gnat let alone a cat. Everything is worn and a bit threadbare and the interior colours are dismal and dreary. The towels are threadbare - awful the excuse for cheap towels being that people steal them (oh yeah).
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<br>All in all everything is done on the cheap but not cheaply priced.
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<br>Really don't bother, it put off cruising some first time cruisers, which I think it a great pity.
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241231_Janet Church's Response to steph004's Review
Written on: 03/05/2006
Food was not too bad at all, always something for the children. The waiters, head waiter and resturant waiters more than friendly, pleasing, polite and knew your name making it very personal, could not do enough for you.
Entertainment good, what there was, which was not a lot. Very repetitive. Not much at all in day.
Cabins need attention, toilets did not flush very well. The main lounge, their chairs were extremely uncomfortable.
177 passengers on board (Mystery of the Mascerenes) April 2006, 150 reported to the doctor, for sickness and diarohea.
The visas were a real problem at airports, there was problems at Mombasa with being charged for overweight in luggage, and even though most had paid for this at Gatwick, they again wanted you to pay at Mombasa. There was no one from A.S.C. at the airport to represent the company. The minibuses from the ship back to the airport were wet, seats and stunk of cat wee, passengers clothes got ruined. Very poor standard, and nobody from the ship escorted us back to the airport.
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Rutherfordxx's Response to steph004's Review
Written on: 14/11/2006
I also thought the standard of transfer vehicles was very poor. They were full of mosquitos, and I got fleas on the way from the Dolphin hotel to Mombasa airport, and was eaten alive on-board the Royal Star ship for 5 days, until they fumigated our cabin. The crew couldn't have been more helpful - offered another cabin which we declined, but cheerfully lugged all our kit around. The cabins were just what I expected, having done a cruise on an even smaller ship in the Maldives, and I found them simple but functional, and spotlessly clean.
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Top 4 Africa Cruises
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273989_Amanda Chapman's Response to Rutherfordxx's Review
Written on: 11/01/2007
I fully agree with this review, and I could not believe that although these problems have obviously been alerted before, nothing has changed. We travelled in December, and we stayed at The Paradise Beach.