MyWorldReviews.com

MS Norma

The M.S. Norma was a cruise boat we sailed on from Luxor, Egypt to Aswan, Egypt. We were on the boat as part of Trafalgar's Best of Egypt tour.

The boat was acceptably nice, with well-decorated common areas, but it did feel a little bit old. We definitely saw some other cruise boats that were much nicer.

There was a shop on the upper level of the ship that sold many touristy items. They also sold gold cartouches that could be purchased with your name on them. The jewelry was available in gold or silver, and priced accordingly.

We found the gift shop was a great place to get "upper limit" prices from. We had a couple ideas for souvenirs we wanted to purchase (a set of alabaster pyramids, for example). We looked at the prices in the gift shop, and then tried to get better prices bargaining on the street. The prices in the gift shop are pretty good, but you will always be able to get a better price on the street if you follow the bargaining rules mentioned earlier.

We thought that the boat had a bit of a funny smell, but that might just be because the Nile was smelly. Overall, our experience on the boat was fairly average - it could have been much better, but it also could have been much worse.

Most of the staff at the front desk spoke adequate English, but most of the cleaning staff did not. Internet access was not available on the ship.

The Room

The room was pretty nice, and adequate for our stay. Behind the curtains shown here, there was a window (that opened), but the blinds were usually closed when we were docked, since we were often docked right next to another large ship (we had a view of another person's room). We also kept the window closed to keep bugs out (since there was no screen), and to keep the smell out too.

The TV only had a couple English channels - the only one we watched was BBC World. On some evenings, there was another English channel that had more entertaining shows. The boat also played a DVD during most evenings. When the boat was moving, none of the channels worked.

Service

Everyone on the boat seemed very helpful and eager to earn their tips. (Tips were placed in an envelope at the end of the cruise, and deposited in a box). Our room was cleaned twice daily, and most times, the person cleaning the room arranged the towels into cute animal shapes (as is customary on cruise ships).

The Bathroom

Each room was equipped with its own bathroom. The bathrooms were a little bit cramped, but weren't all that bad. The showers were hot, and the shower pressure was also good, so that was nice. The bathroom was in need of repairs - some tiles were out of place. There were also a number of very small bugs that were crawling around on the floor, but they were small enough that they didn't bother us.

The Lounge

Over the course of the cruise, there were a couple nights where the lounge was used for communal events. These events included a dress-up night, and a belly dancer show. The lounge had a bar, and a small dance floor.

The Dining Area

We ate three meals a day on the boat, and they were all served buffet style in the dining area pictured here. Each meal featured a substantial cheese and vegetable selection. Although it was quite good (especially the cheese), the selection got boring after a couple days.

There were always a couple of "staple foods" that were there every day. For example, each day during breakfast there was a man (there were no women working on the ship) making omelettes. Breakfast also featured some white breads, pastries, and a couple hot items.

The hot items varied each day, but often weren't that great. There was often a selection of chicken, fish, or beef at lunch or dinner. There was also hot potatoes, vegetables, or rice at each meal.

Each meal also featured a dessert selection. This usually consisted of a nice selection of fruits (including fresh dates and figs), and then sweet baked goods at dinner that were nothing to rave about.

The Upper Deck

During days we were sailing, most people chose to lounge around on the upper deck. There was a very small wading pool that could be used to stick your feet in. Part of the pool was deep enough to stand in, but not large enough to swim in. The water was quite cold, which was nice on the hot days. There were plenty of lounge chairs and seats. Approximately half the boat was covered, so there was shade for people who wanted it. Sailing down the nile was often very hot, so the shade was appreciated!

There was also a bar that served hot and cold beverages (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic). Strangely, they didn't have any ice cream. We thought that was odd, considering how hot it was most days! Each day around 3:30p, the upper deck featured "tea time". We were presented with tea or coffee, and a small piece of fruit cake or other small dessert.