Sonesta Star Goddess Review
Aug 17th, 2007, 03:18 PM
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Sonesta Star Goddess Review
Like many people looking for the best possible ship to take a nile cruise on we were confused at the 200+ options. We narrowed it down to the Sonesta Star Goddess and the Abercrombie & Kent ships the Sunboat III and Sunboat IV. Our first choice was the Sunboat IV but because it was in drydock for July-August we chose the Sonesta Star Goddess. The main criteria we had in mind was luxury with a modern look as opposed to the kitschy old world look of many of the luxury nile cruisers.
There are 5 decks on the Star Goddess with Deck 1 being at water level and that's where the restaurant is. Deck 5, the top deck, is where the pool is. As another poster recommended, try and avoid cabins on Deck 4 because it's directly below the pool area and you will hear people walking above you and noises from the deck if you're sitting on your balcony. Decks 3 and 2 are ideal. Another tip is to request a cabin with a low number like 301-308 because those are towards the front of the ship and you won't suffer from any engine noise or fumes when you sit on your balcony. Lastly, cabins on the port side (the left side of the ship if you're on board and facing the front of the ship) are slightly better because you'll see more nature and less development on this side (only if you're going south from Luxor to Aswan).
The food on the Star Goddess is decent buffet style in the morning with a la carte dining in the evenings. If you're a wine lover like my French wife I strongly recommend bringing a bottle or two with you for your cruise as the available wines on board are Egyptian brands that are great for cleaning silverware. Room service is available but it's pretty spartan with chicken sandwiches, BLT, salads, etc. being the extent of it.
We looked at several other luxury ships such as the Sonesta St. George and the Oberoi Philae and found them comfortable but we really prefer luxury with a modern clean look. The vast majority of luxury nile cruisers are gaudy in their style. A very big plus for the Star Goddess is it's balconies which we did not see on any other ship. You spend a lot of time on board and it's very nice to be able to sit on your balcony and watch the nile slip by.
In summary, if you want luxury and don't care for faux napoleanic furniture and floral prints then consider the Sonesta Star Goddess or Abercrombie & Kent's Sunboats 3 and 4. We did see the Sunboat 3 and it was like South Beach on the nile with it's look (very trendy and luxurious). Only the Star Goddess has balconies you can sit down on and enjoy and coupled with it's look you've got the best ship on the nile.
There are 5 decks on the Star Goddess with Deck 1 being at water level and that's where the restaurant is. Deck 5, the top deck, is where the pool is. As another poster recommended, try and avoid cabins on Deck 4 because it's directly below the pool area and you will hear people walking above you and noises from the deck if you're sitting on your balcony. Decks 3 and 2 are ideal. Another tip is to request a cabin with a low number like 301-308 because those are towards the front of the ship and you won't suffer from any engine noise or fumes when you sit on your balcony. Lastly, cabins on the port side (the left side of the ship if you're on board and facing the front of the ship) are slightly better because you'll see more nature and less development on this side (only if you're going south from Luxor to Aswan).
The food on the Star Goddess is decent buffet style in the morning with a la carte dining in the evenings. If you're a wine lover like my French wife I strongly recommend bringing a bottle or two with you for your cruise as the available wines on board are Egyptian brands that are great for cleaning silverware. Room service is available but it's pretty spartan with chicken sandwiches, BLT, salads, etc. being the extent of it.
We looked at several other luxury ships such as the Sonesta St. George and the Oberoi Philae and found them comfortable but we really prefer luxury with a modern clean look. The vast majority of luxury nile cruisers are gaudy in their style. A very big plus for the Star Goddess is it's balconies which we did not see on any other ship. You spend a lot of time on board and it's very nice to be able to sit on your balcony and watch the nile slip by.
In summary, if you want luxury and don't care for faux napoleanic furniture and floral prints then consider the Sonesta Star Goddess or Abercrombie & Kent's Sunboats 3 and 4. We did see the Sunboat 3 and it was like South Beach on the nile with it's look (very trendy and luxurious). Only the Star Goddess has balconies you can sit down on and enjoy and coupled with it's look you've got the best ship on the nile.
Aug 17th, 2007, 03:34 PM
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Hi TravelBear,
I thought the Oberoi Philae had balconies. Am I wrong about that? Thanks for the info on the Sonesta Star Goddess. I'm thinking about future trips and Egypt, specifically Giza pyramids, Nile Cruise, Luxor, Abu Simbel, is high up on the list. Unfortunately it is competing with Uganda/Rwanda, and I can't do both. Can you tell me other highlights of the Egypt portion of your trip? I read the report on hotel room to chose at Mena House. Thanks.
Dana
I thought the Oberoi Philae had balconies. Am I wrong about that? Thanks for the info on the Sonesta Star Goddess. I'm thinking about future trips and Egypt, specifically Giza pyramids, Nile Cruise, Luxor, Abu Simbel, is high up on the list. Unfortunately it is competing with Uganda/Rwanda, and I can't do both. Can you tell me other highlights of the Egypt portion of your trip? I read the report on hotel room to chose at Mena House. Thanks.
Dana
Aug 18th, 2007, 05:26 AM
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Dana,
Yes the Oberoi Philae does have balconies and they are proper ones that you can sit on unlike other 'balconies' on ships like the Sonesta St. George. I had forgotten about the Philae until now.
If you had to chose between Egypt and gorilla trekking I'd highly recommend the gorilla trekking. Fly into Cairo, see the pyramids at Giza then fly to Rwanda (better viewing than Uganda) for the experience of a lifetime. Egypt's ruins will always be there but the gorilla trekking may be very difficult to book in the future due to popularity and they aren't making too many new gorillas.
Yes the Oberoi Philae does have balconies and they are proper ones that you can sit on unlike other 'balconies' on ships like the Sonesta St. George. I had forgotten about the Philae until now.
If you had to chose between Egypt and gorilla trekking I'd highly recommend the gorilla trekking. Fly into Cairo, see the pyramids at Giza then fly to Rwanda (better viewing than Uganda) for the experience of a lifetime. Egypt's ruins will always be there but the gorilla trekking may be very difficult to book in the future due to popularity and they aren't making too many new gorillas.
Aug 18th, 2007, 08:05 AM
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Thanks TravelBear. I have never thought about Egypt and Rwanda in the same trip due to time constraints. I can usually only get away for 2 weeks (3 max) including travel to/from, at any given point in time. I thought to Egypt justice I should have atleast 10 days there alone. I just assumed combining Uganda with Rwanda would be fairly easy, but have not really looked into details yet. Once I get my trip report from Botswana/Namibia written and posted, I'm going to start reading the Uganda and Rwanda posts in detail, and likely post questions on this board.
You are definitely right about Egypt's ruins being there long after the gorillas. To a lesser extent this also holds true for other wildlife in Africa when looking for more remote unspoilt areas not covered with tourists. That is probably why Egypt has been on my wish list for many years but never quite gets to the top.
You are definitely right about Egypt's ruins being there long after the gorillas. To a lesser extent this also holds true for other wildlife in Africa when looking for more remote unspoilt areas not covered with tourists. That is probably why Egypt has been on my wish list for many years but never quite gets to the top.
