Sonesta Star Goddess - Opinions?
Apr 10th, 2007, 08:26 PM
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Sonesta Star Goddess - Opinions?
We're considering a nile cruise with Sonesta on the Star Goddess. It appears to be a very nice boat but I haven't seen many comments regarding it. Has anyone on the board taken this boat? If so, can you comment on the boat, in room dining and overall impressions? Is dining casual? Was internet access affordable? Etc.
Many thanks to you all. Happy travels.
Many thanks to you all. Happy travels.
Apr 11th, 2007, 10:47 AM
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We're also interested in the Sonesta Star Goddess. The ship looks amazing. The Oberoi Philae is another option. We've had a hard time finding first hand reviews about either ship.
With all the experienced Fodor's travelers on this board, you'd think someone would have cruised the Nile on one of these ships. Anyone?
With all the experienced Fodor's travelers on this board, you'd think someone would have cruised the Nile on one of these ships. Anyone?
Apr 12th, 2007, 12:00 AM
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I have many friends who did the Oberoi Philae and everyone raved about it. That wasn't available when we did our cruise, so we had the Oberoi Sheharazad and it was spectacular. Good food, great staff. The pool is really tiny, but I didn't want to use it anyway.
Can't tell you anything about the Star Goddess. Sorry!
Can't tell you anything about the Star Goddess. Sorry!
Apr 12th, 2007, 06:10 AM
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Our family of 4 did a 3 night cruise in Dec/Jan on the Star Goddess. We were on the ship on New Year's Eve.
We ate all meals in the dining room so I can't comment on in-room dining. The internet access never worked the whole time we were on the boat, even though it is touted on the website.
This is billed as a 5 star cruise, and they certainly charge 5 star prices, but the product you receive is closer to 3.5 stars in my opinion. It is the nicest ship we saw (there are some really yucky looking boats on that river!) but the pictures on the website are deceptive...they make it look much bigger and more luxurious than it really is, with the exception of the cabins, which are very comfortable and nicely equipped. We were in Beethoven Suites. We really liked the idea of our cabins having balconies, but we couldn't really sit on them while we were cruising because the diesel fumes from the engines were very strong.
The food was good but not outstanding. Buffet for breakfast and lunch, a la carte menu for dinner. The disappointing thing about the dining room was that the windows are at water level, so there is really no view at all when you are eating. Service in the dining room was pretty good until the last night. We had become friendly with a family at the next table, and since it was NYE we wanted to put our tables together for a more festive dinner. The maitre d carried on and made such a big scene about the inconvenience of moving a table 3 feet, that he embarassed the waiters who later apologized for his rudeness.
Tourguides provided by the ship were a mixed lot. We had such a terrible guide in Aswan that most of the people on our tour wandered away and did their own thing. He got the timing so messed up that we never did see the Unfinished Obelisk because it was closed by the time we got there. When I told the purser about the problem, he merely shrugged his shoulders. They tell you in advance that the tours will be grouped by language. But they put English, French and Arabic speakers on one bus in Aswan, so the guide had to repeat everything 3 times. He didn't really seem competent in any of the languages.
On the other hand, our guide in Luxor was excellent and made that whole day fantastic and memorable.
The morning of checkout was a complete mess. I had advised the purser the evening before that we had a 6am departure because of an early flight, so we needed the bill for our incidentals ready by then. When we arrived at the front desk to check out, there was no one there who spoke English, our bill was not ready and when I tried to pay cash, there was no change available. It was a very stressful way to leave the cruise.
In spite of all these lapses in service, we enjoyed the experience because hey, it was Egypt and the temples and historic sites are incredible.
Just be advised up front if you are expecting a real luxury 5 star experience, this is not it.
We ate all meals in the dining room so I can't comment on in-room dining. The internet access never worked the whole time we were on the boat, even though it is touted on the website.
This is billed as a 5 star cruise, and they certainly charge 5 star prices, but the product you receive is closer to 3.5 stars in my opinion. It is the nicest ship we saw (there are some really yucky looking boats on that river!) but the pictures on the website are deceptive...they make it look much bigger and more luxurious than it really is, with the exception of the cabins, which are very comfortable and nicely equipped. We were in Beethoven Suites. We really liked the idea of our cabins having balconies, but we couldn't really sit on them while we were cruising because the diesel fumes from the engines were very strong.
The food was good but not outstanding. Buffet for breakfast and lunch, a la carte menu for dinner. The disappointing thing about the dining room was that the windows are at water level, so there is really no view at all when you are eating. Service in the dining room was pretty good until the last night. We had become friendly with a family at the next table, and since it was NYE we wanted to put our tables together for a more festive dinner. The maitre d carried on and made such a big scene about the inconvenience of moving a table 3 feet, that he embarassed the waiters who later apologized for his rudeness.
Tourguides provided by the ship were a mixed lot. We had such a terrible guide in Aswan that most of the people on our tour wandered away and did their own thing. He got the timing so messed up that we never did see the Unfinished Obelisk because it was closed by the time we got there. When I told the purser about the problem, he merely shrugged his shoulders. They tell you in advance that the tours will be grouped by language. But they put English, French and Arabic speakers on one bus in Aswan, so the guide had to repeat everything 3 times. He didn't really seem competent in any of the languages.
On the other hand, our guide in Luxor was excellent and made that whole day fantastic and memorable.
The morning of checkout was a complete mess. I had advised the purser the evening before that we had a 6am departure because of an early flight, so we needed the bill for our incidentals ready by then. When we arrived at the front desk to check out, there was no one there who spoke English, our bill was not ready and when I tried to pay cash, there was no change available. It was a very stressful way to leave the cruise.
In spite of all these lapses in service, we enjoyed the experience because hey, it was Egypt and the temples and historic sites are incredible.
Just be advised up front if you are expecting a real luxury 5 star experience, this is not it.
Apr 12th, 2007, 07:34 AM
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The Star Goddess is a new boat that just came into service last year.
We were on the Sun Goddess last November. There were only eighteen passengers on the boat. It was under renovation; however, the room we were in was not one of the ones that had been renovated. The faucet in the bathroom sink dripped, everything was a bit dingy and run down, and the cabin floor was "soft" in places, but the most aggravating thing was the toilet seat--it was loose and would fall off. I asked the front desk guy to have it fixed and he said he would get it done. Not. I asked again. Nothing. When I asked a third time, he said the repair person had been there while we were away from the cabin and had tightened it up all he could. I then asked for a new toilet seat (after all, if they were renovating the boat, surely they had some toilet seats available) and he said that was not possible. He said he could move my husband and me to an inside cabin (no Nile view).
Now, with only 9 out of 60+ rooms being used, you know there had to be plenty of Nile view cabins empty. When I said that to him, he said that was true, but they had us all in the same corridor to keep the housekeeping all in one section and he wasn't moving us to another corridor. Grrrrrrrrr. At dinner, I complained to our guide (who was with us on our whole trip) and he left the table saying he would remedy the situation. When we got back to our cabin, there was a new toilet seat installed. I asked our guide how he had succeeded when I couldn't and he smiled and said that was his secret.
The other passengers complained a lot about the quality of the guides that Sonesta provided. From what our guide overheard at the various sites, he agreed with their evaluations and was surprised that a company like Sonesta would use such incompetent tour guides.
Another incident with that same front desk guy was when we were checking out. I saw he had added a charge for a bottle of water from the cabin refrigerator. We hadn't used anything from the fridge, though we did keep our own water, which we bought from the dining room, in it. I went back and checked and the correct number of bottled waters were in it. He argued that we must have replaced the one we used but refused to remove the charge. (As an aside, there was no list of the contents of the fridge in the cabin when we arrived and I had had to call to have that remedied just so we wouldn't be charged for items we wouldn't be using.)
Other than that fawning but passive/aggressive front desk guy, the rest of the staff on the Sun Goddess was superb. Can't say enough good things about them. One evening when we requested tables be put together with some of the other people we'd gotten friendly with--it was done quickly and with smiles. And the meals were all up to 5* standards. I shouldn't single one person out as, with the exception of the reception guy, they were all first class, but Mahmoud (I think that was his name, I'm not good with remembering names) who was in charge of the dining room was absolutely outstanding in his care about the quality of what was offered us. One example--I was the first person in the dining room one morning selecting my breakfast from the buffet and waiting for my omelet to be cooked when I saw him sampling the coffee, then asking another member of the staff to take the urn away and bring another. When I asked him why, he said the coffee wasn't up to the standard it should be.
We were on the Sun Goddess last November. There were only eighteen passengers on the boat. It was under renovation; however, the room we were in was not one of the ones that had been renovated. The faucet in the bathroom sink dripped, everything was a bit dingy and run down, and the cabin floor was "soft" in places, but the most aggravating thing was the toilet seat--it was loose and would fall off. I asked the front desk guy to have it fixed and he said he would get it done. Not. I asked again. Nothing. When I asked a third time, he said the repair person had been there while we were away from the cabin and had tightened it up all he could. I then asked for a new toilet seat (after all, if they were renovating the boat, surely they had some toilet seats available) and he said that was not possible. He said he could move my husband and me to an inside cabin (no Nile view).
Now, with only 9 out of 60+ rooms being used, you know there had to be plenty of Nile view cabins empty. When I said that to him, he said that was true, but they had us all in the same corridor to keep the housekeeping all in one section and he wasn't moving us to another corridor. Grrrrrrrrr. At dinner, I complained to our guide (who was with us on our whole trip) and he left the table saying he would remedy the situation. When we got back to our cabin, there was a new toilet seat installed. I asked our guide how he had succeeded when I couldn't and he smiled and said that was his secret.
The other passengers complained a lot about the quality of the guides that Sonesta provided. From what our guide overheard at the various sites, he agreed with their evaluations and was surprised that a company like Sonesta would use such incompetent tour guides.
Another incident with that same front desk guy was when we were checking out. I saw he had added a charge for a bottle of water from the cabin refrigerator. We hadn't used anything from the fridge, though we did keep our own water, which we bought from the dining room, in it. I went back and checked and the correct number of bottled waters were in it. He argued that we must have replaced the one we used but refused to remove the charge. (As an aside, there was no list of the contents of the fridge in the cabin when we arrived and I had had to call to have that remedied just so we wouldn't be charged for items we wouldn't be using.)
Other than that fawning but passive/aggressive front desk guy, the rest of the staff on the Sun Goddess was superb. Can't say enough good things about them. One evening when we requested tables be put together with some of the other people we'd gotten friendly with--it was done quickly and with smiles. And the meals were all up to 5* standards. I shouldn't single one person out as, with the exception of the reception guy, they were all first class, but Mahmoud (I think that was his name, I'm not good with remembering names) who was in charge of the dining room was absolutely outstanding in his care about the quality of what was offered us. One example--I was the first person in the dining room one morning selecting my breakfast from the buffet and waiting for my omelet to be cooked when I saw him sampling the coffee, then asking another member of the staff to take the urn away and bring another. When I asked him why, he said the coffee wasn't up to the standard it should be.
Apr 12th, 2007, 03:20 PM
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One small correction about the Star Goddess being "new." It's an old boat that has been completely gutted and redone. But there are spots where you can tell that this is definitely not a brand new boat.
Apr 13th, 2007, 08:50 AM
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Really? That's interesting, Lindsey. I believe too easily!!! Instead of saying "year built 2006", they should say "rebuilt". Like you, we thoroughly enjoyed the Nile, in fact our whole Egypt experience, even the annoyances.
Apr 13th, 2007, 03:01 PM
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Thanks to everyone for their reviews. As a result, I'm really thinking twice about which ship to take. I was leaning towards the Star Goddess, but now I might have to look at the Oberoi Philae again.
Also, I've searched the web, and I can't find any other mention of the Star Goddess being a "rebuilt" ship. Everything I read says that it is new or even "completely new". Odd.
Also, I've searched the web, and I can't find any other mention of the Star Goddess being a "rebuilt" ship. Everything I read says that it is new or even "completely new". Odd.
Jul 10th, 2007, 02:41 PM
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our trip includes a 6 night trip down the nile on the Sonesta "Sun Goddess" Has anyone taken a cruise on this ship recently? Did you encounter the same problems as the previous posts regarding the Star Goddess? Thank you in advance
Jul 11th, 2007, 10:49 AM
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greyman: our cruise on the Sun Goddess was just last November (see my post above). I imagine the renovations are completed by now. With the exception of the front desk man, the rest of the on-board staff were first class, as was the food.
