This ticked a lot of boxes for us. We wanted to see Petra for the first time and go back to see the pyramids and Luxor etc again. My partner is more keen on cruising than me but it suited us fine. We aren't interested in the dressing up in the evening aspect and I see little point in doing it on a Thomson cruise anyway. We had a very basic bottom of the boat inside cabin but it was bigger than the one we had on the Destiny the year before.

Apart from no porthole to tell us when it was dawn it was fine. No problems with hot water and the staff kept it spotless with plenty of fresh towels. Lido buffet fine but it could get very busy at times especially with the excursions forcing you to eat at certain times. The all day trips were good and what you expect in Egypt. The half day trip to Hurghada wasn't much cop but you can't win them all. Once you had worked out what entertainment you liked there was enough for everyone.

2 Intense were good in Horizon's and the main lot in the Broadway Lounge had the unenviable job of doing a different show every night. They could not be faulted for effort. Steve Johnson and his 'ciao of now' at the end of every single announcement got on our wick till we made a joke of it but like all the crew they all tried very hard to make our trip very good. They succeeded and we could do the trip again doing a different trip to what we did every day. The captain's Q & A session was very good. Read more