This cruise was very reasonably priced and the itinerary appealed to us. In fact it was so cheap that my expectations were not high.We had been on a number of cruises with different cruise lines including The Queen Mary so I feel we are in a position to compare. First of all, I’m afraid the embarkation was chaotic, as all passengers seem to arrive together. The result was that it took us over 3 hours to embark which was not pleasant. On the other hand, disembarkation went really smoothly with no delays. The cabin and we had a balcony was surprisingly good , not luxurious , a bit dated but the bed was comfortable and we had as much space as we needed. We had been allocated the earlier dining which didn’t always suit us , so we very often ate in the buffet area which gave us more flexibility. The food was fine , not gourmet but we enjoyed it. The best choice was definitely as you would expect Italian especially the pasta and husband loved the bread and the desserts. The theatre shows were mixed, excellent and mediocre but I would suggest appealed to a variety of tastes. Personally, I thoroughly enjoyed the Italian tenor and The Beatles look-a-likes.Though not as sophisticated as others we have enjoyed on other cruises, the shows were entertaining. The shore excursions on the whole were excellent. Overall, the service from all the crew was A1.Unfortunately the behaviour of some of the guests was abhorrent. They were rude to the crew and to the other guests. Thankfully it was only a minority but I was delighted that I had a cabin. I would suggest a movie in the theatre in the afternoons especially during sea days, and notices regarding towel- hugging chairs and sun beds around the pool area would alleviate tensions and hence make the cruise more pleasant for all. Read Less

I travelled with the Oppiwater Kunstefees. The embarkation and disembarkation was very slow but allwrite. The food was good but not excellent, the cabin was very good/excellent. The shore excursion was good and interesting but not excellent. The ship is very big and it takes quite some time to accustom yourself and not get lost. The informal dining room was to crowded, to few tables. The services was excellent. I would not go again and next time prefer a smaller ship or a river cruise. I did not travel with children. The kunstefees which I attended was excellent.. The swimming pools area was good and the deck chairs also good. The services allover was excellent and the staff very friendly and professional. The venues for the shows was excellent, although a lot of the shows started late. The embarkation and disembarkation was very slow but very efficient, I suppose its nessasary for the officials to be very complete. The information on the ship was also excellent with the day to day papers. Read Less

cruise was advertised in the sunday times as pay for double and 50% for the third person was a very good deal and any6 other offers of that type would surly see me on board again only problem expoerienced was the drink coupond that was delayed and only recieved it on Sunday evening the excursion was vey good as far as the activeties on the island was concerned as well as the food that was catered for and the shattel of passangers to the island was also very well ocastrated cleanleness was obseved on the ship and lots and lots of a variety of food was on offer and also thier was coffee and tea as well as hot chocalte available almost 24hrs the appreciation also for the hallal corner was also noted The entertainment was most appreciated as the people that staged the show were of proffasionalst and the people on board really enjoyed themselves with the on going none stop dancing from embarkment to disembarkment If there would be a special package again i will certainly be on board again thanking MSC CRUSES for a wonderfull experience on board and a very safe sailing to and from Read Less

I went with 16 family members. The food, entertainment, crew was fantastic. The cabin and service were excellent. The only thing, which was not the Captains fault, was that we never got to both islands due to the heavy sea swells. But we were entertained well for those two days. The children were well looked after, 6 year old and four year old.And for the older children the disco and fun times were good. We found that the swimming pools and Jacuzzis were very relaxing. The waiters were very friendly and always ready to serve you. The photos that were taken were very professional and the quality excellent. The boughey was very good with a wide variety of foods. You could never get hungry on the ship as there was always something to eat, no matter what time of day or night. And as for the entertainment there were excel;lent shows and game shows. I highly recommend this cruise. This has been my 4th cruise with MSC and will be planning another one next year. Read Less

It is safe to travel with MSC Cruise with family and I enjoyed being on a cruise employees are friendly and it is the best place to be with family and friends, Me and my family travelled with two of our friends and they really enjoyed being on a cruise though it was not the first time being on a cruise but a first to be in Portuguese Island before they travelled to Pomene. I have recruited my family and friends, cousins they are coming with us next year, I am spreading the word with my friends and family to come and enjoy and experience the fun in the cruise, I am recruiting people to come and enjoy the cruise, You know we work the whole year and we need some time to relax and thank your body for keeping you the whole year now you need a holiday, We are cruising with 5 families next year to Portuguese Island and the beauty of the ship I can't wait to see Orchestra next year, I have been to Sinfornia twice and Musica this year and next year Orchestra, I love the Island and exploring the beauty of the Island Read Less

We did the Sokkie cruise from 08 to 11 March 2019....which was supper...mostly white Afrikaans speaking passengers onboard which all like the Afrikaans Sokkie Music.. so the vibe on the ship was great.. Cruising these days are not cheap any more and we staying in Pretoria so to travel to Dbn and back is also costing a lot. Therefor to make it worthwhile we decided to do the back to back cruise. Embarkation and disembarkation went well. We are pensioners and cruising a lot. The MSC Musica is a beautiful ship but we prefer the outlay of the MSC Sinfonias pool area more. On the day of embarkation the eating arrangements was quite chaotic...you were standing in long ques to get to the food just to find that some of the dishes put out was already finished...and to got a seat to sit down with your plate of food was even worse.During the whole cruise we never had a decend cup of hot coffee from the coffee stations. Hot water was kept in a non electric urn to make your coffee from.. and only cold milk was available...terrible...and most of the times there was no coffee powder available...you have to beg someone to find you a coffee sachet or two...only ready made American coffee...also luke warm ...was most of the times available. The juice at breakfast times is also a problem...either to sweat...or most of the times to watery...The food was good...not a big variety...same food over and over during the cruise..we only had fried fish once during the whole week...fried or grilled fish is much nicer than the steamed fish over and over on the menu during dinner times in the restaurant...give us a choice from the menu.. fried,grilled or steamed fish...What happened to the prawns on this cruise...we only had one prawn one night on a plate with a piece of fish and a calamari steak that nobody ate because the calamari steak was to chewy..you cant prepare calamari steaks in advance...rather make fried calamari rings...much better option for a lot of people...there was calamari rings for a starter but the portion was very small...we never got garlic snails or sushi on the menu for a starter ..may be MSC should put it on their menu....the south africans love it!!!!The sushi in the Kaito Sushi Bar was quite expansive...unaffordable for us.... The entertainment was great...specially the entertainment by the Sokkie team...Chambels en friends..most enjoyable..The Duo Resonance band was also very good..outstanding..most enjoyable..nice music for dancing...the best in a long time...it would have been nice if only they could have played alone in one of the lounges at all times and the Definition Band in another lounge...it gives everybody a choice to enjoy what ever they want to. When the Duo Resonance band was playing the dance floor was permanently full....that say something!!!! Overall the service and the staff onboard was good. I really hope that MSC can try to make things better in the problem areas....as we already booked the South Bound cruise in October on the Orchestra coming to SA as well as 3 cabins for the New Years cruise in December to Mauritius with our married children and grandchildren for my mothers 80th Birthday....as I said ...to cruise these days is costing a lot of money...!!!!so at least give us nice food and great entertainment... Read Less

Why is the photos so expensive. When you dont buy it they throw all away?? Their are many people that look at the photos but dont buy. It is very nice pictures but really expensive. Think about cheaper prices as to throw everything away.. The food staff rooms and entertainment is very nice. On our 2 nd trip their was also more fish available. Deserts and so many of a variety of fruits were avaible. Cocktail of the day was also our favourite The staff is helpfull and friendly. We enjoy all the entertainment . We did not see the Sokkie singers too much to mingle with them as it would have been nice. On Portuguese Iland with all the changes and enough shades was awesome. We will definitely go on another cruise. Prices is resonible. Their is 1 more last thing. The hairdryer does not work as the laat time Read Less

We have chosen this cruise because we were previously on 2 voyages with the MSC Opera and Sinfonia and it was unforgettable voyages. The service and food in the Restaurant was very good and more than enough. Experience with the Musica was also good but we found that the food in the Restaurants was scaled down and our room service was not standard. Our cabin was neglected with the clean up when we got up. Another problem was that our cabin cleaner was not able to speak English and struggled to communicate with him. Entertainment was very good in the theatre as well as the singers who performed. The visit to the island was very enjoyable, as were the meals and entertainment. However, there was also the problem that we could not get chairs / seats at the pool as people occupied more chairs than they needed, sometimes it was also a problem to find a table with chairs in the restaurant to go for breakfast or lunch. The cruise has gone very well and will definitely going on more cruises in the future. We are planning to go on our 4th cruise next year. Read Less

My wife purchased the tickets. Whilst the weather was not our friend, there were enough activities on board to keep one entertained. The staff certainly had a lot of patience, especially the Bar staff as they were kept on their toes at all hours. We were assigned to a 9th floor balcony cabin. Spacious and neat and always keep clean. The food was plentiful with the food platters kept stocked for breakfast and lunch. The restaurant we had supper in was 5 star. I was however hoping for a good juicy steak on the menu but no luck. Whilst the interior of the ship appeared in good condition, the exterior needs some TLC such as rust removed and a paint job here and there, but overall still in good condition. If I had to change something it would be the ability to use South African Currency on board as the US Dollar is not a good friend of the Rand. Read Less

Was on a birthday cruise with my husband. Compared to the MSC Rhapsody, Sinphonia, Opera, the Musica was a bit of a disappointment. Although its a big ship, it did not compare favorably with the other smaller ships. It was not as friendly. Staff were a lot more impersonal; food selection was a lot to be desired. Too much of the same and not enough variety, including with the fruits. Menus seemed to repeat. Even the inside restaurants had "poor" menus that lacked immagination in the food department. Waiters here were very good, whereas the outside (top deck) were very loud with each other and took a long time to clear tables. When were had to share our table with others, we were not asked, but told. e did not mind sharing, it was just the attitude and tone of voice of the waiter. The only exclusive restaurant was the sushi, which we do not like. Surely there could have been a better selection!!!! Our cabin, although nice, still had sand on the carpet from the previous occupants, throughout our cruise. Our sheets seemed as if they were just straightened out every day. The toilet in our cabin always had a weird "toilet" smell. Luckily, we had very good weather, so.... no sea-sickness.... I was happy to receive a Birthday Card from MSC, although it came a day late, but thanks. Read Less

This was our second cruise with MSC, the first one being on the Sinfonia. The cruise on Musica was an extremely pleasant experience from the boarding process to all other services. Friendly crew, spacious lounges and dining areas. Abundance of food whenever you are hungry. The trip to the island, transfer from the ship to the zodiac and return was handled with all the care. The experience on the island itself was great...well catered to suit everyone...good seating areas....clean toilets...great fun on the beach...enjoyable entertainment. All round entertainment on board was also fantastic. Dinner menus gave suitable choices and what stands out for me was there was also Indian Delights on the menu and a variety to choose from. Passengers requiring Halaal food were also well catered for. We occupied a balcony cabin. It was well spaced and comfortable. The only problem i had was that the mini bar was locked and my request to have it unlocked was not attended to. To sum it up......the experience was just fantastic. Read Less

We celebrated our 40th anniversary recently and decided to spoil ourselves with our first ever cruise from Durban to Portuguese Island. We were impressed by the efficiency of the booking and check-in. We had a balcony cabin and very satisfied with the quality, neatness and appointments in the cabin. The dining in all restaurants were excellent and we were suitably impressed. The quality and variety were outstanding. Service was excellent in all respects: reception, dining, bars, pooldeck, household, etc. We bought the wine and drinks packages beforehand and that system worked perfectly without any hassles. We could not partake on the shore excursion to Portuguese Island as I had limited mobility due to a recent back-operation, but the stay on board at the pooldeck was perfect, i.e. not overcrowded. We found the pooldeck a bit noisy and overcrowded on the day at sea, but I suppose that is par for the course. The shows we attended were enjoyable and of a high standard. We will definitely do a cruise again, maybe in the Mediteranean or the Caribean. Read Less

I enjoyed the cruise. The only thing I wasn’t happy about was the food. It was mostly tasteless, it really needs a lot of improvement. Our cabin was great. Spacious and well-presented. It would be great if the bedding/sheets were changed daily. Our steward told us they only change them every 3rd day. The entertainment was great as well, enjoyed the comedy shows and performances in the evenings. Also enjoyed chilling by the pool deck, that was my favorite part! With regards to the drinks packages voucher, they should be linked to the passenger cruise card. We lost one of our vouchers on the ship and there was nothing that we could do to recover it. At least if it was linked to our cruise cards, we could just block it at reception and get issued new ones. But we couldn’t do that so we lost about R850. Embarkation process also needs improvement. We were in the queue for over 2hours waiting to board. I would definitely recommend the cruise! Read Less

We are pensioner couple on our FIRST cruise ever. We were so excited before trip but the reality soon set in when we were told the ship would be 2days late docking in CTown and hence cruise cut short by 2 days . Embarkation was very busy but ok and delayed due to passengers still getting off. Our cabins were very nice and clean . However we were angry when we were only told on the last day that the ship would arrive 7 hours late and we still had to disembark. We could not get any internet signal and spent hours in the cyber room without sucess to try and get new flights scheduled . The final day was spent standing and waiting in queues at reception for use of the only phone . They told us expenses in the delay in Durban would be covered . We never saw a show due to the fiasco of waiting . The evening meals were of a poor quality and quantity . The reception was understaffed and very stressed We disembarked in Durban and had to find our own way to get a hotel and later we learned that all flights to Cape town were booked up for 2 days . So we were stuck in Durban hotel. OVERALL IT WAS A GREAT DISSAPOINTMENT for us oldies especially when our claims for expenses in Durban were later declined. Such a waste !!! Read Less

Choose this as a first time cruise to explore other cruises. Thought that four days from Cape Town via Port Elizabeth too Durban would be a great test of the waters so to speak. Ended up frustrated at late departure due to high winds preventing scheduled departure. More annoying was the lack of communication from MSC regarding anticipated departure as well as impact delay would make on arrival as we had already booked a return flight to Cape Town. Instead we had to rely on mixed messages from on board passengers on social media. Even the travel agent did not/could not supply updated information. When we eventually did board two days late there was again insufficient information regarding arrival date and time. MSC eventually let us know on the day that we would disembark at lunch time. This lack of communication resulted in our having delayed our flight unnecessarily as well as extra cost including an overnight stay in a hotel. The boat itself was great and the good as good as expected however this was ruined by very poor service from a waiter at breakfast. When we did get some reimbursement from MSC for the loss of two of the four days trip it worked out at about 20% of what the trip cost and nowhere near 50%! All in all very disappointing and definitely not worth recommending to anyone ever. Read Less

My friend and I decide to go on a cruise for my 60th birthday, she never been on a cruise thus a new experience for her. On our arrival our cabin was clean and ready for us to occupy. Everything was clean and nothing to really complaint about everything was to our satisfaction. The food was good and even thou we stayed two days on board longer because of the weather that did not allow us to dock at Cape Town port the crew make great food with what was available. Most of the crew was very friendly and what stand out are the people servicing us during dinner and after dinner coffee. Phila Khamrang was very friendly and her service excellent, with her our food servicer Putu Darsana was very kind and helpful; both were very friendly and kind. Most of the personal in the dinner room was professional and friendly. The lady that served us our after dinner coffee was the best Tanuj Deeno and is excellent in what she is doing. We made some awesome friends and had a fantastic time. The music was a blast and we went to the disco and it was really like the old age home coming out and we all had so much fun with the most awesome music. We loved all the shows not one stands out as they were all of a very good quality and very entertaining. During our extra stay everyone was very helpful explaining the situation not being able to go into the port and was very professional in helping us all with travel arrangements etc. I love eating in the dining room we were seated at table 516 and had an awesome time. The food was tasty and the portions sensible size. The 24 hour dining facility was not really to our liking the coffee taste horrible but if one thinks how many people go through constantly the fast foods was hot and available. I found the duty free shops to be extremely expensive but I travel a lot and it seems duty free is more expensive these days maybe because people think it should be cheaper. The day tour to Swakopmund was very over priced for that price they could have supply the passengers a light meal, we only had a hour in Swakopmund and was nearly late - we went out late. For cost they could make it a day tour. Overall Wonderful Cruise!! Read Less

Embarkation was a disastrous experience. There must a way to divide the passengers into groups with different time slots. It will definitely prevent queuing for more than two and a half hours. Some of the elderly people did find difficult to stand that long. Disembarkation was much easier. The worst experience, however, was that we were left in the dark regarding docking. The captain should have kept the passengers informed with regard to problems that made it impossible to enter the port in Cape Town. The people on land were sometimes better informed than us. The ship itself was clean and the majority of the staff friendly and very helpful. Our cabin was clean and the up-keeping was outstanding. The service provided by Mr Putu was outstanding. He was also very helpful in regards to stuff that was not part of his job. The food, entertainment and other activities was excellent. I would have liked it more if I would have been able to sit where-ever I want during dinner. It should be handled in the same way as during breakfast and lunch. I would do it again. Read Less

Ship's crew, staff, and officers were very friendly and competent. They took very good care of us and made us feel appreciated. Production team (4 singers/dancers, 2 fantastic dancers) were excellent. Overall food quality and service was very good. Ken Beattie was one of the best guest lecturers we have ever had. We did the Oceania precruise out of Johannesburg which included Victoria Falls, and Chobe Marina Reserve (2 game drives and one river experience). Had a great time. We are very glad that we got to visit/experience these ports. Most were not the usual tourist ports which meant they didn't have as much infrastructure, but that was one of the reasons we booked this cruise. We have been to most of the typical tourist ports. It was great getting to interface with some of the locals and learn about totally different life styles. One of our best/favorite cruises (and we have cruised a lot (>800 days), due to the unusual/different nature of the ports, and the onboard experience. We have cruised most of the usual cruise lines, but this was our first on Oceania. We were very pleased and would be very pleased to cruise with them again. One item that was less than ideal was the showroom. Their are 8 sister ships of which this is one, and they were all built with a single deck/level showroom, which means most seats have a lousy/restricted view of the stage (especially frustrating for watching dancers). Lecturers, singers, etc. are not a problem since you can see the top half of the performer. Some evenings the entertainment was a movie. In my opinion they should have live entertainment every night. However, we still had a fabulous time. Read Less

Itinerary was our priority and I fully understand missing Mombasa but from then on it went downhill. Due to currents etc.???, we battled to make ports on time, resulting in less and less time in port. There was no plan B with Nautica, the currents are always there and the weather was not that bad. The itinerary was cut so fine. There was no give in the itinerary, at all, for conditions that are always going to be there. It felt like the cruise was cut short by one day in the initial planning. Oceania this trip, needs to have full days in port for the benefit of the guests. It felt at times that there was a rush and that we were shortchanged The ships entertainment troupe were fantastic, but the guest artists were tired and repetitive, with an occasional singer thrown in. They were not quality. Dining - The Grand Dining Room was a grand disappointment, cold food cold plates and tasteless food, many returned meals with no improvement. It felt like a cafeteria not Grand in anyway, except for the waitering staff, who make up for the quality of food. Tocannas and Polo shamed the GDR with their hot and flavoursome food Service - across the dining spectrum, the wait staff, were either brilliant and attentive or not. On observation, at many a meal, the supervisors stood aloof and were not attentive to what was not happening, leaving it to the good wait staff to try and rectify the poor service. Training was not as good as seen previous, an example, for 20 days we asked for spoons to be in “Waves” for breakfast and eventually it happened for the final 8-10 days. It seems if a guest suggests something you get treated as though you do not know what you are talking about, or know better than supervisor you spoke to. Finally, I would also like to make comment on the complaint process. It seems that complaints are always referred back to head office. A fellow traveler had an issue and wanted to see someone high In management, firstly to talk, before putting it in writing but was told that reception had to decide whether to forward the complaint. This is not a process, but a poor vetting system, where you get the feeling that we will wear you down, and then hope you will give up Read Less

We chose this cruise because of the unique African itinerary. We have done about 20 other cruises. We are used to sailing with "older" cruisers but this was the first time we felt like we were in a retirement home. This was due to the boring "party" band. Almost everyone on board was in bed by 9pm. Maybe 10pm if you count the uninspiring guest performers shows. Luke's show was an exception, very well done. Niko is a great piano entertainer. The crew were excellent. Food in the Terrace Cafe (buffet) was amazing. This and Waves Grill were the only places we ate. The activities staff did a great job with mini golf, shuffle board, ping pong, trivia and other fun games. The itinerary was nice although we couldn't stop at Kenya for safety concerns. The South African stops are mainly safari starting points and don't offer much else to see. Madagascar, Seychelles, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Malayasia all proved to be excellent ports of call. We can't wait to go back to Seychelles for an extended trip. Singapore is always a great place to start or end a cruise a deserves a few days stay minimum to experience everything they have to offer. Overall we felt this cruise did not offer the value per dollar that other cruise lines offer. We don't see where our extra money was spent. Plus now that the itinerary is changing there are better and more economical options. Read Less

My friend and I were looking for a cruise and found this one on the internet. It was a wonderful experience for me. The embarkation process [ from 11:30] until we were in our cabin was to long for me. The disembarkation went very smooth. The cabin was excellent and always nice and clean. The beds are fantastic. I enjoyed the balcony very much. The food were outstanding and there were something for anyone to eat. Even the two extra days we were on the ship - the food were still enough. The crew and waiters were always friendly and helpful. I did not take part in the outdoor activities because that is not my kind of thing. But I enjoyed the shows and the documentary films very much. I really enjoyed the lounges where I could relaxed with a book. The hospital crew were great and help my friendly and very quick. I certainly will make use of your cruises again in the future Read Less

My Wife and I Love Listening to Heart 104.5 Radio. We heard about their Jazz Cruise and enquired if there were any vacancies which there were so we Booked for their LoveJazz Cruise. We Booked a Disabled Cabin but to our diss appointment we got a normal Balcony Cabin which we were unable to get Our wheelchair through the door. After going to the Guest Services to complain we were given a seat for the shower as my Wife is unable to stand in the shower it was tiny but a shower seat was able to fit in. Apart from this small hiccup we had a wonderful time on board. The corridors were a little narrow to navigate the wheelchair as the laundry trolleys were also parked in them and it was a tight squeeze to pass them with the chair. The Public Areas were very Grand and wide so we were able to navigate them easily. There were plenty of elevators so we were able to get around to all the Decks. The Shows were great but no ramps to reach the seats upfront so we had to sit in the back as the wife could not navigate the steps. But we still had a good view of the action on stage. We enjoyed a good laugh with our Local Comedians who were on board. The Jazz Bands were good but played rather late in the evening for us Seniors I am 70 & my wife is 68 but we managed to stay up until 1-30am to listen to them. The Casino was beautiful to see although we are not Gamblers we went to have a look see at it. We.got to see most of the Ship the Shopping Area's and bought to MSC Jackets, as we forgot to pack Jackets and it got quite Chilly in the Evening's on Deck. It was my Wife's first time on a cruise and she thought enjoyed the experience that we have Booked again for next year on the MSC Orchestra,and we have a Disabled Cabin with all the bells and whistles yaay Read Less

Having travelled on MSC before I wanted to do the Jazz cruise. It was an experience I wish to share with my friends. The activities, shows, entertainment were superb. The staff were were very professional at all stages. Cabins were exceptionally clean. dining was divine. dressing up for each dinner was my highlight. The activities on board were well executed. Did I have fun! the service overall was of a very high standard. Staff was very helpful and just wanted to do their best. I loved the professionalism among staff on board. They go out of their way to make us feel special. Our room 10202 was always in an immaculate condition. Thanks to your staff members who operated that section.The excursions were well-planned and to the point. I was able to travel to Swakopmund for those hours and I really enjoyed it.I did not travel with my kids. But the parents of the children on board were taken care of. I hope to encourage more of my friends to go on this trip next year cause it is worth every cent. Read Less

We selected this trip as it was arranged by Bokradio and this is where it was advertised regularly as well as we are listeners of this radio station every day. The number of Afrikaans singers whom committed to the trip also contributed to our decision to go on the trip. The arrangements were excellent and as myself is a double amputee we were accommodated through early on board as well as preference treatment when disembarking at the Cape Town harbour on return. As a disabled person we were accommodated in a quite large suite and I could easily move around with the wheelchair in the room as well as the shower was also comfortable.The food, service and music was excellent every day. Thank you for also having a special place on the pool deck for disabled people it was needed and really appreciated. Just one comment I would like to make on the pool deck is that people should not be allowed to put towels and stuff on all chairs for their friends it should be first come first serve.I have seen this created some unhappiness with some people. Yes I would again go on the bokboottrip Read Less

After having a great experience with Viking in Russia, my wife and I again chose Viking for our tour of Egypt. We were met at Cairo airport at the arrival gate (before immigration) by Viking's airport representative, Amr, who guided us effortlessly through all required formalities and delivered us to our transport. From Cairo airport we were delivered to the Nile Ritz Carlton hotel (fabulous), in which we stayed for three nights while we toured the sights with Viking (pyramids, Citadel, museum and markets). On the fourth day we were flown to the Viking Ra in Luxor. This is a great little ship with all suite cabins, a great lounge and two exterior sun decks. The staff which consisted of both international and local personnel, were fantastic. The restaurant was very comfortable and the food very good. The cruise down the Nile was fantastic and all excursions were well organised and very engaging thanks to our program directors, Amr and Ahmed. We highly recommend the optional excursion to Abu Simbel and also the optional balloon ride over Luxor. Disembarking and returning to Cairo was also very well organised. And the accommodation and food at the Intercontinental CityStars was first rate. Transport back to Cairo airport also went smoothly. The only minor irritation was that some of our luggage was left at Luxor and we had to wait until just before we flew out of Cairo before we recovered it. Overall, a fantastic holiday with a great company. Read Less