Travel Extras
Testimonials
These are a selection of recent comments from our clients. For more testimonials click here.
From: pollyed
Sent: 31 January 2012
To: Info
Subject: holiday: booking ref 32004
My son and I returned from our Nile cruise on the 19th and I thought I should let you know what a wonderful holiday we had.MS Stephanie was one of the nicest boats on the river, very clean,good food and very helpful staff.
The itinery had to be changed a bit due to the low level of the nile but we saw everything we were supposed to see and more!
Our guide Amir (daddy)Melaik was fantastic, very knowledgeable and went out of his way to be as helpful as possible, he was always on hand. To make sure our holiday was the best it could be.. He arranged a tour of the kitchens and of the bridge. He also gave a class on hieroglyphics! As a representive of Orbital Travel he did your company proud.
Thanks for arranging a fantastic holiday.
H.P.Frejus - Ms Frejus travelled with us during 9th - 16th January 2012 on board Ms Stephanie.
From: andrew bailey
Sent: 15 January 2012
To: Info
Subject: FAO: John McCallum. Managing Director. Orbital Travel Limited. Thanks from another satisfied customer.
Dear Mr McCallum,
I intended to compose a suitable letter of thanks for a most enjoyable weeks holiday, on M/S Monica, but, on reading through the website I realised that all I need to do is endorse, 100%, the many other testimonials on your website. Easy!
We were a party of five, spending Christmas on our first Nile cruise and we had a wonderful time. The accommodation, food and service was all first class. The ship’s staff did everything with a smile and kind word ( and lots of fun with the sculptured towels!). The two local guides, Amro and Adel opened our eyes to the fantastic history of the Gods and Pharaohs of Egypt, with tireless energy and enthusiasm, and your manager, Peter Barnett, discretely managed the whole programme. He clearly doesn’t need much sleep?
A special mention must be made for the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners and entertainment, into which all those mentioned put even more effort for our enjoyment and this was clearly appreciated by all of your client passengers, who appeared in a dazzling display of Jelabiyas and shemaghs. We looked like the cast of an exotic ‘Carry On’ film!
Prior to leaving the UK, like many people, I was concerned about travel in the Middle East. But I need not have worried and, with Peter and the guides always chaperoning us, we all felt completely at ease at all times and had a huge amount of fun.
Until this trip, I had absolutely no interest whatsoever, in doing a cruise but this holiday has completely won me over! A great combination of culture, company and relaxation while cruising through this beautiful, Biblical, landscape. Something I will happily recommend, and do again. The Valleys of The Kings, and Queens, The Temple of Abu Simbel? Who would miss these trips?
Our thanks and congratulations to all involved. Orbital Travel is the company we have been looking for all these years past!
Andrew Bailey - Andrew and his party travelled on board Ms Monica during 21st to 28th December 2011.
From: Jirina R Stone
Sent: 22 November 2011 13:35
To: John McCallum
Subject: holidays in Egypt
Dear Mr. McCallum,
We wish to thank your company, and in particular to our tour manager, Peter Barnett, for a wonderful time we spent, together with our daughter and cousin, on the Nile Cruise on Ms Monica 19 - 29 Oct 2011. The boat was very comfortable, clean and suited all our
needs.
The staff were friendly and attentive and food was interesting and well presented. The whole organisation of our tour was very efficient and punctual without fail. The excursions were well chosen and our guides well informed. In this context we would like especially thank to Amro (sorry we do not know his full name) who was very knowledgeable and we learnt a lot from him not only about history but also about modern life in Egypt.
Finally, we would like to mention that Peter Barnett helped us a lot personally - he took into safe keeping our laptop computers during the whole trip. Our visit to Egypt was a part of a much more complicated trip and we had to have the
computers with us. They contained a lot of data related to our work as scientists. Peter's help put our minds at rest and made our
holiday even more enjoyable.
We will certainly recommend your company to our friends and, perhaps, one day we will spend another holiday on Monica.
Yours sincerely
Jirina and Nick Stone. Jirina and Nick travelled with us on board Ms Monica 19th October to 26th October 2011
From: Nicki and Rob
Sent: 18 November 2011
To: Info
Subject: Holiday thankyou
Good evening,
I have just posted my very first ever report on "Trip Advisor" for the hotel which we stayed at, but could not find a corresponding web site on which to post a report on the services of those associated with our time on the MS Monica, during the last week in October.
Could we praise the boat staff (our waiter Yousef, in particular) our guide (Mena) who was really excellent and Peter Barnett. If you are able to, please pass on our thanks.
We only had one criticism, which were that the bedrooms were a little tired, but they were clean and acceptable. The remainder of the boat was spotless and as I've said before the crew couldn't have been more helpful. Even arranging a refund for my Abu Simbel trip, because I fell foul of a little tummy trouble.
I'd be more than happy to recommend your services to anyone, even though we booked through Co-op, we couldn't have ended up in better hands.
Hopefully we'll look direct with you sometime in the future.
Many Thanks,
Rob and Nicki Nairn. Rob and Nicki travelled with on board Ms Monica from 26th October to 2nd November 2011
From: Roger
Sent: 24 November 2011 14:05
To: Peter Barnett
Subject: NILE CRUISE- 02/11/2011 TO 09/11/2011- M/S MONICA
Good Afternoon Peter- on behalf of myself, Sue Willmott, Gwenda and Norman Dennis I would like to say a huge thank you for a wonderfully entertaining week. We all thought that the journey which took us back more that 5000 years into time was fantastic. Would you be kind enough to forward our thanks to all the crew, guides(particularly Walid as he was our tour guide for the week) and all the background staff/employees who work so hard to achieve the standards that have been set; and of course to you for running a very tight ship. All of you were so wonderfully friendly, all blessed with such sunny dispositions. They must all have their own personal worries and problems but it was never revealed.
I was so worried about coming on the trip because of all the potential health hazards but was absolutely fine. The second week on the red sea whilst ok was not in the same league. Too longer journey really- the food was absolutely fantastic and again all the staff so friendly. Would have happily come home after the cruise had finished and on such a high because of the pleasure it have given.
We do hope that all goes well for you in the future- it appears from the UK that the problems are continuing to escalate but it looks as if the general populace will obtain their wishes- they have literally put their lives on the line. Lets hope it is all sorted sooner rather than later. The country and the people deserve that.
Again many thanks for everything.
Kind regards,
Roger Willmott
Dear Jane
,Just a note to thank you and Orbital Travel for a wonderful holiday between 7th and 14th November cruising the Nile in Domina Prestige..
Your organisation was superb from the moment we arrived in Luxor and our departure. Everything was done efficiently with a minimum of fuss and totally hassle free.from getting the necessary visa on arrival in Luxor, transferring luggage, joining the boat and booking and taking part in excursions.
The Domina Prestige and crew were superb with great food and a variety of evening entertainment, the highlight being the fancy dress Egyptian Night in which nearly all our group of 21 took part. The excursions were well planned and full of interest. We would like to give a special mention to our Tour Leader and Egyptologist, George, who helped make our trip so unforgettable. He certainly knew his subject, was conscientious and worked hard to ensure that everything went smoothly. Nothing was too much trouble for him. He is a great Tour Leader and we hope that Orbital will use his services again.
Thank you once again for a fantastic experience and an unforgettable, well organised holiday.
Your sincerely
Ralph and Lin Wylam - Ralph and Lin travelled with us on the 7th November 2011 on board our five star boat the Domina Prestige.
From: Duncan Robson
Sent: 31 October 2011
To: Info
Subject: MS Stephanie Nile Cruise
We recently returned from a cruise on MS Stephanie and I would like to thank your company for the excellent service we received. We were there from 3/10/11 and found the ship to be of a great standard, the crew were very helpful and attentive, the cabin was lovely and the sun deck was superb.
The best part of the whole trip however was your tour guide, Emad. He was a delight to be with, very knowledgeable about all of the excursions but he was able to impart just enough information without overwhelming us. In addition he was a very cheerful companion and nothing was a trouble to him. We wanted to buy an Egyptian football team shirt for our son and Emad contacted someone by phone and then diverted the coach returning from Karnak temple so that we could collect it. We cannot praise him highly enough and believe that all the people in our small group (12) felt the same about his service. Please pass on our compliments to him as he made our holiday superb and left us with fabulous memories of our trip aboard Stephanie. He is a credit to your organisation.
We would also like to thank you for the outstanding service of your company, particularly regarding Visas, luggage and the smooth handling of all the transfer arrangements. Once again, thank you for a great trip which we would recommend to anyone.
Carol & Duncan Robson
Carol and Duncan travelled with us on board Ms Stpehanie 3rd -10th October 2011.
From: The Brewsters
Sent: 15 October 2011 16:02
To: Greg Garner
Subject: Nile Cruising 5/10 to 12/10
Dear Greg,
Just returned from a week on MS Monica and it was excellent.
The staff on board and the Orbital staff were very good. Food and service first class.
Thanks to Peter on board and he was always available. Our guide for the week was Mena , he had good English and always made sure the party were safely returned to the ship.
Super Egyptian evening where virtually everyone wore the costumes.
How you convince more tourists to visit I don’t know – no troubles where we were .
Orbital reps were a credit to you and showed a well managed company.
Many thanks
Richard Brewster
Richard travelled with us on board Ms Monica 5th October to 12th October 2011.From: Michael Gaunt
Sent: 14 October 2011 09:28
To: Jane Alberts
Subject: Egypt holiday
Hi Jane,
I just thought I would let you know how we got on with the holiday in Egypt.
Booking Ref No 31199
All connections & pickups at the airports & hotels went very smoothly no problems at all. The agents very friendly & very helpful. They did everything for us. From getting our cases checked in to getting our tickets.
The Cruise boat (Emilio Domina Prestige) very nice accommodation very friendly staff etc. The tour guides very knowledgeable & well organised.
The stay in Cairo (Meridien Pyramids Hotel) very very nice hotel could not fault it. The tour was very good & well organised.The stay at Dana Beach Resort Hotel in Hurghada. It was a very big complex but very nice. Very clean & would go again.
I must say again all Staff, Tour Guides & Transport pick ups at the airports & the hotels etc was very good. I will certainly be recommending Orbital Travel to my friends & I will be using you again in the future.
Many thanks again Jane for sorting this all out.
Kind Regards
Michael
Michael and his party travelled on board Ms Domina Prestige on the 26th September 2011.
From: Pete Selway
Sent: 24 September 2011 19:20
To: Info
Subject: Recent Holiday to Eygpt 07-09-2011 till 21-09-2011
Just like to send this e-mail to thank your company for the wonderful time we had on our Nile cruise on the Monica, and seven days at the Jolie Ville, Kings Island Resort, Luxor.
The tour guide Walid was both very knowledgable and helpful, and he looked after are party of 8 people very well. Nothing seemed too much trouble, he was always there for help and advice.
Our tour guide at the Kings Island Resort, Mohammed, was also excellent. It makes all the difference in a different country when you have reliable people on hand. I would recommend these people to anyone who plans a trip to Egypt.
Thanks again for a great holiday
Pete Selway
From: D Lewis
Sent: 07 June 2011
To: Info
Subject: Nile Cruise - 30th May 2011 - 6th June 2011
I would just like to say that we have just spent the most enjoyable week's holiday on the MS Stephanie. My husband and I booked our cruise through Classic Holidays but have enjoyed the services of Orbital Travel during the week. We have been so impressed by the Orbital Travel reps - when we were met at Luxor airport and transferred to the Stephanie, the fantasic guide, Sam, who took us on all the excursions and also the rep who met us yesterday and transferred us back to the airport.
We don't think that we have ever been on such a well organised holiday and have been truly impressed by your company and organisational skills. As the trip was to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary we wanted something special and the holiday was exactly that.
Thank you very much
Pat and Dave Lewis. Pat and Dave travelled with us on board Ms Stephanie during cruise of the 30th May 2011.
From: Mark
Sent: 20 April 2011 13:00
To: Jane / Orbital Travel
Subject: Mark & Julie Winter / Nile cruise / Monica
Hi Jane,
A big thank you to all at Orbital (particularly you Jane) for making our Nile Cruise a fantastic experience. We loved the Monica and the organisation within. Everything was perfect for us and we had a superb trip. I am advising many others to go on this trip and to book with Orbital.
I'll send you a few holiday snaps. If you want any for your website let me know! I think the internal shots of the Monica came out particularly good.
Take care and best regards,
Mark & Julie Winter
Mark and Julie travelled with us on board Ms Monica on the 6th - 13th April 2011
From: Terry Bannister
Sent: 09 April 2011 17:19
Subject: Thanks to your Tour Manager Peter Barnett and guide Marco.
For the attention of: Mr. John McCallum. Managing Director.
Dear Sir,
My wife and I would like to express our thanks for the really good care that your Tour Manager Peter Barnett gave us whilst on the M/S. Monica Nile Cruise last week (30th March - 6th April). Peter was very efficient, always available and making sure that we all had a really enjoyable holiday. Nothing was too much trouble and he was always on hand to give a hand. He was always impeccably dressed and well spoken.
Along with Peter, our guide Marco was brilliant. He was always willing to add to his set pieces and often had much more information that he was ready to impart if we were interested to listen. He was also willing to answer our questions, both about the things we were experiencing and more generally about Egypt (Ancient and Modern). He was also very good at explaining the schedule for the day for all of the groups on the M/S. Monica.
These two gentlemen (as were the other guides) are a great credit to Orbital Travel. Please give them our thanks for a very enjoyable holiday.
Best Regards
Terry Bannister
Terry travelled with us on board Ms Monica 30th March to 6th April 2011
From: Elaine sheath
Sent: 05 April 2011 16:59
To: Jane Orbital Travel
Subject: RE: Booking ref 30427
Hi Jane,
We have just returned from our Nile cruise on Domina Prestige, and also our 3 nights in Cairo at the Mena House hotel, and I felt that I must contact you to say a very big thank you to yourself and Orbital Travel for the most fantastic holiday.
We spent my partners 50th birthday watching the sunset on the pyramids and I don't think you could have recommended a better hotel the Mena house was fantastic, the staff and rooms, etc were exceptional. The tour guide Henny was amazing and so well informed, he did what he could to make our trip special, nothing was too much trouble.
The Domina Prestige was a amazing cruiser and the same again, the staff, the boat and the tour guides, was top class, our tour guide Youssef, was very well informed, as well as laid and fun, we learnt so much from him.
We have had such a fantastic trip, Orbital, from the moment we were picked up from the airport, to the time we were dropped back again, everything was looked after for us, we have been so impressed with the organisation and we will definitely be recommending you to anyone who wants to do this kind of travelling.
Also a big thank you to Jane who organised this trip for us and recommended everything that we have done.
Yours sincerely,
Elaine Sheath and Greg Taylor
Elaine and Greg travelled with us on the 25th March 2011, 3nts Cairo and 7nts cruise.
From: ALISON LEE
Sent: 04 May 2011
To: Jane
Subject: Nile cruise Ms Stephanie
Hi
Just wanted to say that we had a fabulous trip to Egypt = all wonderfully organised by Orbital!
The Meridien Hotel in Cairo was in a fantastic location, with a great view of the pyramids. The rooms were beautifully appointed and he staff were very courteous and couldn’t do enough to make sure our stay was comfortable. Our Egyptologist, Hany, was also brilliant – extremely knowledgeable and also very funny.
MS Stephanie was a lovely boat and once again the staff and our Egyptologist really made the trip for us. We have returned having seen some truly awe-inspiring sights with very few other tourists – it really is a trip everyone should make! Just watching the slow rural pace of life unfold on the banks of the Nile as we floated past is something that will stay with me forever.
Once again, many thanks
Alison Lee, Martin Turner and Sophie Lee-Perkins
Alison and her party travelled with us on our "Classical Tour" programe 25th March.
From: Mark
Sent: 20 April 2011 13:00
To: Jane / Orbital Travel
Subject: Mark & Julie Winter / Nile cruise / Monica
Hi Jane,
A big thank you to all at Orbital (particularly you Jane) for making our Nile Cruise a fantastic experience. We loved the Monica and the organisation within. Everything was perfect for us and we had a superb trip. I am advising many others to go on this trip and to book with Orbital.
I'll send you a few holiday snaps. If you want any for your website let me know! I think the internal shots of the Monica came out particularly good.
Take care and best regards,
Mark & Julie Winter
Mark and Julie travelled with us on board Ms Monica on the 6th - 13th April 2011
From: Guy Potter
To: info@ Orbitaltravel.co.uk
Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Subject: Nile Cruise
Dear Jane,
I have recently returned from a Nile Cruise on the 2nd - 9th March on the m/s Monica. I am writing to say how well it was organised and how helpful Peter Barnett was who was our Tour Manager.
All the coaches arrived on time and the guides were very well informed and made the whole trip very enjoyable with their sense of humour. Considering we were worried about our security and safety we were well advised and looked after so we had no qualms about visiting all the temples.
We have been happy to inform everyone on our return to England that it is safe to travel to Egypt and how much we enjoyed all it had to offer. As well as the Nile Cruise we visited Cairo and had 5 days in Luxor.
Regards
Carol Potter (Mrs)
Mrs Potter travelled on board Ms Monica 2nd March 2011 - 9th March 2011
From: Samuel Brown
18 March 2011
To: Info
Subject: Thanks To all on MS Monica,
My wife and I have just returned from a Nile cruise on the Monica And we would like to thank the staff for giving us a wonderful time,our trip was the first one up the Nile since the troubles, We would like to thank Peter the tour manager who seemed to be there 24/7 and our guide Amir (family group) who knew more about the ancient Egyptions than they did themselfs.
Thanks again for a job well done.
H & E Brown.
Mr and Mrs Brown travelled on board Ms Monica 23rd February to 2nd March 2011
Sent: 20 April 2011 11:43
To: Info
Subject: Big Recommendation to the Nile!
Good Afternoon
I am writing to you regarding my recent Nile Cruise holiday on the M/S Monica (16-23 March 2011).
My mother and I had a wonderful time. We would highly recommend this trip. The cruise ship was to a very high standard and all the staff onboard were always very polite and friendly, this includes our Tour Manager Peter and our Tour Guide Big George who were also very polite, informative and always willing to answer our queries.
We thoroughly enjoyed it all! - the temples, the weather, the culture and the lazy days cruising the Nile.Egypt is another world and we fell in love with it!!!!!!
Yours sincerely
Miss J Ireland
Miss Ireland travelled with us on Ms Moncia 16th March - 23rd March 2011
Sent: 04 March 2011 11:40
To: Orbital Travel / Greg Garner
Subject: FAO Greg Re: Our Egypt Holiday
Dear Greg
I just wanted to say thank you for sorting out the holiday arrangements with my husband Pete for our 23rd February Nile cruise on the MS Monica.
I had a fantastic 50th birthday holiday, and Pete and I had a fab and amazing holiday which we will reccomend to friends, and on travel forums. We loved the room, many thanks for that.
The staff on board were all lovely, and special thanks have to be given to our guide George ( Kimi's) and our waiter Joseph.We have met some wonderful friends, and it will be a holiday I will never forget.
I am on twitter and yesterday sent a tweet to Orbital travel to thank you that way too.
Once again many thanks.
Kindest regards
Jan & Pete Gibbs
Jan & Pete sailed with us on Ms Monica 23rd February to 2nd March 2011.
From: ROBERT ROACH
Sent: 23 January 2011 19:37
To: Info
Subject: Our recent Nile Cruise on MS Monica
Dear Sirs,
We would like to communicate to you the excellent management of our week long trip by Peter Barnett.He was on the case at all times and was always accessible to clients.
He gave us excellent advice and his interaction with others in the party was highly visible.The way he bade everyone goodbye at the end of the week and saw that they were absolutely taken care of to the last detail, was exemplary.
In addition, the conditions on board, the staff, food and entertainment were excellent.The excursions were brilliant and our guide Waleed was exceptional.
Yours truly Elizabeth and Robert Roach
Date of travel 05/01/2011 to 12/01/2011
From: malcolm spence
Sent: 01 January 2011 14:08
To: Peter Barnett
Subject: Nile cruise (Orbital travel)
Dear Sir/Madam
I would like to give you feedback regarding a recent Nile cruise we had on MV Monica, starting from Luxor 8th/15th Dec 2010.
We thoroughly, enjoyed the experience and thought it was very well organised. Your rep Peter Barnett and Egyptian guide Amro were excellent and the trip was very interesting and satisfying.
I would certainly recommend the boat and your company to my friends.
Yours Truly
JM Spence
From: denise.coffey
Sent: 31 December 2010 16:25
To: Info
Subject: Thanks
We have just returned from a Nile Cruise M/S Stephanie Dec13-20th.on behalf of my husband and myself I would like to thank your Egypt organisation for their care and consideration throughout our trip everything ran like clockwork.
In particular we would like to bring to your attention the guide that was on board ,I believe he is freelance so under contract to you at that time,his name was Adel he made our trip, his knowledge attention to detail and safety for others was astounding ,all of us agreed we were fortune to have him.
We also would like to comend the staff on the boat we were looked after exceptionally well they were always busy cleaning the boat always looked smart.It was our holiday of a lifetime and one we will never forget thanks to Adel and the team.
Best widhes for the New Year Denise (Catherine) and Andrew Coffey
From: W WATSON
Sent: 05 December 2010 20:33
To: Info
Subject: Nile Cruise on MS Monica. 3-10 November 2010
Must record our thanks to Orbital for such a wonderful experience in Egypt. From arriving in Luxor and collecting our luggage Orbital representatives were obvious. The first one directing us through to the next hall where your rep took any documents and tickets he needed and directed us to the coaches. Our first contact on the coach was Amir Helmy, who also was our group (Family) Egyptologist. On board Monica the Tour Manager, Peter Barnett, was excellent. He appeared every day and was always available if we had any questions.
Thank you also for noticing that the first night of our holiday was my husband's birthday and a cake was produced for him (much to his embarrassment). Excellent PR.
Yousef, our table waiter was excellent. Very friendly and efficient. Anything you asked for was provided with a smile and very quickly and there was always a trick at our table to amuse us. Cabin staff were also excellent with wonderful towel sculptures.
Our main praise goes to Amir (Family group). He was extremely friendly, funny and passionate about his job. My feeling is that anything he didn't tell us wasn't worth knowing.
Would strongly recommend MS Monica to anyone.
Many thanks, June and Bill Watson
From: Jessica Archer
Sent: 14 November 2010 21:35
To: info@orbitaltravel.co.uk
Subject: Many thanks to all To whom it may concern,
I am writing because I wish to thank orbital and all who we had contact with regarding our trip on the Ms Monica on the 3rd November. We could not have wished for a better service from receiving the quote for the holiday right up to arriving back in the UK.
Both our tour manager Peter and our guide Ayman were extremely knowledgeable and made sure we were satisfied with all aspects of the trip. The boat was clean and exactly what we expected. The food was plentiful with enough choice for everyone's taste.
The best part of the experience on the boat was the staffs attention to looking after us, from the cabin cleaning/towel sculptures to the waiters and guides. This was our first holiday as a group of four professional friends, and thanks to everyone involved, one that we hope to make a regular occurrence.
Again many thanks to Peter and all involved on our trip,
Miss Jessica Archer (Jessica travelled on board Ms Monica 3rd November 2010)
sent: 12 November 2010 16:30
To: Info@orbitaltravel.co.uk
Subject: Nile Cruise 1-8th November MS Stephanie
I together with my wife and friends have recently returned from the above cruise.I would like to say that we all found this holiday very well organised and also good value for money.
Thanks are due in particular to our very capable contact and Egyptologist by the name of Walid whose vast knowledge was imparted in a very interesting and informative way.
The cleanliness and food on board was good and the staff generally were most helpful.
Thank you once again for an extremely enjoyable holiday.
Mr. John Williams
From: David Fleming
Sent: 07 November 2010 15:05
To: Info
Rrecent holidayI have just returned from Egypt with my friend who, organised the trip, to the Nile through yourselves. I would like to say that the trip was a marvelous experience from beginning to end.The staff and crew on board the M.S.MONICA, absolutely tremendous in every aspect especially in kindness and friendliness.
I would in particular like to mention, first of all our guide on the Nile Ayman, who not only new his subject very well he manage to introduce the humor that is necessary to make a good lecture interesting, without losing peoples attention. Over and above this he gave his group his undivided attention in relation to all other matters, in relation to our stay on the ship.
The other person that I would like to mention, is Peter Barnet, who went out of his way to help us. The main problem was that my wife left essential medicine at home, the problem was explained to Peter, he took the situation in hand, as my wife had her prescription with her, Peter took this to various pharmacies, to which he came up with a negative response there after he managed to get a doctor out who in turn prescribed an alternative to which Peter manage to get for her within a short space of time. I had only Scottish notes with me and the doctor would not take them off me, on contacting Peter again he came up trumps, I only hope that he managed to get them changed. On the whole Peter, made sure that everything was right for everyone not only us, and I cannot thank them enough as it is these things that make a holiday enjoyable.
Further to this I would like to say that the whole holiday travel experience, was a great success and everything went without a hitch, your organisation of the trip and transfers was excellent, as we travelled on to Cairo, and then to the Stella Makady in Hungada On the whole I would say our trip was educational, enjoyable and that we had a great time a lot of this I would put down to yourselves and your oganisation.
THANKS A LOT DAvID AND ELIZABETH FLEMING
(David and Elizerbeth Travelled on board Ms Monica 27th October 2010)
From: Tecwyn
Sent: 17 November 2010 17:17
To: Info@orbitaltravel.co.uk
Subject: nile cruise
Hi. Just returned from a one week cruise aboard M/S/ Monica 27th October to 3rd November and from the very start when we where greated at the airport the organisation was just perfect. Visa's was organisd the journey to the boat and the checking in procedures was very quick and we where in our cabin in no time.
As requested we asked for a cabin at the highest deck and to the front which we where allocated and as it turned out it was the largest cabin on board. The boat itself was immaculate exept for the door way leading to the staff entrance next to our cabin, but so what this did not have any bearing on our time aboard.
I am a very fussy eater due to a medical condition and for all the meals provided its only on 2 occations did I have difficulty finding something to my taste, but I did not starve, my wife had a whale of a time as she will eat anything. From the moment we got up in the morning to the time we went to bed we where looked after like king's nothing was to much trouble for any of the staff and there was always a smile and a great deal of humour.
The tour guide we had was AYMAN group name RAMSES he was just outstanding in his knowledge, great sense of fun and humour and his english was perfect, he really made every tour as something to look foreward to and made a huge contribution to a fantastic holiday. All the tours where included in the cost [ and its best to go A/I ] and some we did not go on as we have been to Egypt before, however the tour to Abu Simbel was [ optional ] and cost £65.00 pounds p/p by bus, we did originally intend going br air but thankfully we traveled by bus as we where able to witness the sun rise and the mirage in the sahara desert even getting up at 3.30 a/m was worth the effort just to walk around this amazing temple and to see for myself the sheer genious and skills of the people who created this temple out of solid rock and for the ingenuity of the people who moved it in order to preserve this WONDER OF THE WORLD for future generations to see. [ This is a must if traveling to Egypt ]Thank you Orbital for a wonderfull experience and great organisation we will be travelling with you again
Tecwyn (who Travelled on board Ms Monica 27th October 2010)
From: christine lane
Sent: 01 July 2010 13:29
To: Orbital Travel
Subject: Holiday
Dear Orbital,
We have just returned from our holiday in Luxor, I would like to let you know that the service and attention we received while on the M/S Monica was outstanding. That was our 4th holiday in Egypt and our 3rd Nile cruise and certainly the best so far.The cabins were great and nothing was too much trouble for any of the staff We enjoyed it all.
Also the service we received from Orbital Travel with dealing with our booking, Jane was always there with any problems we may have had. We very much look forward to dealing with you again on our next Egypt holiday which we hope will be in the very near future.
Thank you once again
Regards
Mrs Christine Lane (Booking ref;28601)
From: Kathleen Crane
Sent: 05 June 2010 08:19
To: Info
Subject: K Crane - Nile Cruise - 17th May
Hello
I just wanted to drop a line to say how very, very pleased and impressed I was with my cruise on M.s. Stephanie. The vessel, the food, the standard of accommodation and the boat was so very good and the staff went out of their way to make everyone's trip extra enjoyable. The organisation was superb and great consideration was given by all the staff to make the whole trip the best.
Both our guides on the excursions, Waheed and George, were so knowledgeable and so helpful, making every excursion an adventure and a delight.
Peter Barnett gets singled out for his attention to detail, his constant involvement that everything was as it should be. He was very efficient and friendly too, taking a personal interest in people and ensuring their holiday was the best it could possibly be.
I then went on to a week at hotel Jolie Ville, Kings Island, Luxor and this too could not have been better. Again the accommodation, the grounds, the location, the food and the staff were superb. It was a peaceful hotel but with enough to do in the evenings so one did not get bored.
I especially liked the sunset hour when everyone watched the sun go down over the Nile whilst classical music played, the birds sung and in the distance one could hear people being called to prayer. It was a delight. I would certainly go back again.
Many thanks and regards
Kathleen Crane
Subject: nile cruise on ms stephanie
Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2010 20:37:44.
We have recently returned from a nile cruise on board the ms Stephanie We would like to say how much we enjoyed the experience and to congratulate your company on the professional manner in which all the arrangements were carried out.
The transfer to our Luxor hotel the second week was seamless and all the representatives were terrific.
Praise in particular must go to Peter Barnett the tour manager who was always on hand to keep everything running smoothly. The highest accolade must go to our guide Amir Helmy whose enthusiasm and knowledge of the ancient monuments was a revelation. He is a tremendous asset to your company. He did so much more than was ever required of him.We have told many people of the holiday and have no hesitation in recommending your company and the Ms Stephanie.
Kind regards,
Alan Ramsey and Christeen Ramsey
vacation dates 3/5/2010 to 17/5/2010
From: Sheila Hilton
Subject: MS STEPHANIE CRUISE
Date: Sunday, 30 May, 2010, 0:07
Hi, Weve recently returned from a 2 week holiday in Egypt ,the first week being on Stephanie. What a lovely time we had , there was nothing we could fault. Peter the cruise manager is worth his weight in gold.
Nothing was to much trouble he almost knew what was needed before we did!!
Our Egyptian guide Emad was excellent,he told the egyptian history in such a way we were hanging on his every word.Its a lovely ship ,the staff in the dining room were great ,the food was varied and there was entertainment in the lounge each evening ,though we were so tired after our excursions that we saw little of it.By the end of the week we were one big family.The second week was spent on the Red Sea at the Dana Beach which was good value too.
So, thank you Orbital travel for one of the best holidays ever.
We are thinking of going again for Christmas!!
RegardsSheila HILTON
Cruise date: 10th May 2010
Hi everyone at Orbital.
My friend and I have just returned from a wonderful cruise on the MS Stephanie and I have just got to drop you a line to sing the praises of everyone we came into contact with on this holiday.
The host Peter had everything organised like a well-oiled machine. There was nothing to complain about at all but should you find you needed something that they hadn't thought of (this was very unlikely), you only had to ask and it was done immediately.
The food and selection of same was fantastic as were the waiters.The standard of the ship was excellent and the reception area not short of glamorous. Very clean and shiny. When Stephanie was moored 3 or 4 abreast we never walked through another boat that could compare with our reception area.The room was kept to a very high standard of cleanliness by Ibrahim who also entertained us by arranging our towels in the shape of a different animal sometimes twice a day culminating on the last day by my opening the door of our cabin and walking straight into a swinging monkey!!
The deck and swimming pool was just right with a large shallow area for laying in when it was too hot to just lay on the beds.The trips were wonderful, well organised, with the added bonus that they were mostly included in the price we had paid. They were led by our very knowledgeable and lovely guide, Emad, who spoke very good English and who made them all so interesting even in the early hours of the morning.
I have never been on such a well organised, whilst not regimented, holiday and I shall certainly recommend this holiday to anyone thinking of taking a cruise on the Nile and especially the MS Stephanie as the ship to go on.
Thanks once again.
Jan travelled with us on board Ms Stephanie during May 2010.
Subject: NILE CRUISE
Dear Orbital
My husband Tony and I were lucky enough to book with you for a threee night stay in Cairo followed by a 7 day Nile cruise on MS Stephanie. Wow, what a holiday - we usually go independently and book everything ourselves so this was so refreshing being in the hands of the experts. In Cairo we were in the capable hands of Angie who was very knowledgable and had a lovely sense of humour and made the two full day trips so enjoyable and was always very happy to take questions and she had all the answers!
Then we boarded the boat "MS Stephanie" and were pleasantly surprised by the grandeur of the reception area and the spotlessly clean dining room and lounge area. We were fortunate enough to be allocated a cabin at the front of the boat where it was quiet with nothing to disturb our sleep. Our cabin boy was unobtrusive and very efficient.Our waiter was Keiro and he couldn't have been more pleasant and he remembered what we liked to drink and it was there waiting for us. We both found the food to be of excellent quality and there were plenty of choices at every sitting.Now to the tours - we had asked to change our group because we wanted to be with the people we had met in Cairo and this request was dealt with straightaway.
We were in the capable hands of "H" who I nicknamed Dundee as his group were known as Crocodiles. He was a fountain of knowledge and had an excellent command of the English language and a very clear speaking voice which could be heard whether you were at the front or the back of the group and another advantage was he was tall so could be seen at all times. The organisation of the tours was second to none - we would never have seen half of the sights if we had attempted to plan it ourselves.
The transfers were always on time and the drivers very good indeed - there was never any worries about our safety.We went the last 10 days of March and the temperature was just right as long as you were sensible and wore a hat and drank plenty of water. We had Peter Barnett as our Cruise representative from Orbital and he was superb - nothing too much trouble for him and remained calm and collected the whole time even though sometimes he was trying to handle four requests for various things at the same time. He is a credit to your company and obviously thoroughly enjoys his work.
All in all a splendid holiday and we shall recommend Orbital Travel to our friends.
Thank you.
Regards Kate and Tony Green.
Kate and Tony's holiday was our Classical tour program (Cairo and Nile cruise) during March 2010.
Sent: 26 February 2010 16:12
To: Info
Subject: Monica Cruise
Hi Orbital,
My wife and I have just returned from a week on the Monica from Luxor to Aswan. We have had a fantastic week and would like to say that we were treated so well by everyone on board we did not want to leave.In particular, our guide,Amir, was incredible.
We felt as if he was only there to look after us personally and that is the way the rest of our group felt.He was so helpful and willing to go out of his way to look after us. We are in our 60's and have been on lots of tours and I have to say I think he is the best guide we have ever had.
We intend to go back to the Monica again next year if we can and are hoping we see him there so we can ask only for him. Thanks again for a lovely holiday.
Regards John and Lynne Zamorski.
John and Lynne travelled with us during February 2010
Sent: 26 February 2010 16:12
To: Info
Subject: Monica Cruise
We’ve just completed a Nile Cruise on MS Monica. This trip exceeded all our expectations despite the flight delay on the return journey to the UK.
The organisation by Orbital Travel was excellent, everything went like clockwork. The process of getting our visas on arrival and going through immigration went without a hitch.
We stayed on MS Monica. You can’t help but be impressed by this traditional and stylish ship (or boat, I’m still not sure which is correct) – the public areas and particular the reception has the “wow” factor. She carries about 140 passengers and 90 crew (many of whom, are never seen), this makes for an intimate experience.
Our cabin (a suite as we were upgraded) was excellent and had everything you would expect. It was of a good size with a double aspect window and balcony. We hardly used the balcony except when we went through Esna Lock and on few evenings before dinner. On the first evening you are seated with a group and you stay with this group for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I’m not keen on shared tables, but this worked out fine.
Meals are generally buffet style except on the “special” night when it is table service only. The food was presented to a high standard, was of excellent quality and there was a good choice. The range and quality of desserts was probably the best I’ve seen for a long time. We loved the fresh dates, very different from those we get at home. All inclusive is highly recommended.
The staff are very pleasant, efficient and are very keen to please. The housekeeping was very good and the “towel art” added a personal touch – we were left guessing what would happen next!
We were split into groups for the trips and remained in the same groups throughout. Our guide George was outstanding (I’m told the others were as well.) His English was impeccable, he was organised, extremely knowledgeable and always keen to make sure everyone was OK; he also had a great sense of humour.
As for the temples, fantastic! You have to be there. No words or pictures can adequately describe these. If you are thinking of going to Abu-Simbel take the coach, despite the 3.00am start going across the Sahara and seeing the sunrise is an experience not to be missed.
One point to note is that optional trips must be paid in cash, credit cards are not accepted.
Did we enjoy the trip…YES, YES, YES!
The Bylett Family
To: Info
Subject: Nile Cruise
Good Afternoon I am writing to congratulate you on providing the best holiday we have had. We had the pleasure of being aboard the M/V Stephanie on week commencing 25th January 2010. Not having been on a Nile Cruise before I was a little apprehensive on what to expect, but having boarded the ship it became obvious that little was left without prior thought and consideration.
From the cleanliness, to the food and the politeness of the crew - all proved to be of an excellent standard.The excursions themselves were so enjoyable and the hours flew by! I enjoy taking photographs and having a little time given at the end of each tour was really appreciated. (Picture of sunrise from Stephanie attached)
In particular, our guide, Emed, was brilliant!!! Well done on finding such a treasure!He is sooo good!!I did hear that some others on the cruise had made complaints, about the food, and I feel this is so unfair that I have to contact you.
Peter, (I’m sorry, don’t know his last name) was a super host, a very affable friendly guy, and I’m sure that nothing untoward would escape his attention. (And I hope he finds his supply chain of Branson pickle!)
I’ve never written to a holiday company before, but I can’t have people complain about M/s Stephanie when all is as it should be – and more. We had a second week at the Hotel Isis, Luxor, which was really nice but not to the standard of your ship. Hence delay in writing to you.
I hope that you pass on our thanks to those concerned – it’s easy to moan and complain, but not many pass out plaudits when they are really deserved – the best things usually just get taken for granted. And that is a bit unfair.....So thanks again for a brill holiday!! I loved it!!!!!
Kind regards and best wishes to all
Kay Simpson
Sent: 26 February 2010 16:12
To: Info
Subject: Monica Cruise
Hi Orbital,
My wife and I have just returned from a week on the Monica from Luxor to Aswan. We have had a fantastic week and would like to say that we were treated so well by everyone on board we did not want to leave.In particular, our guide,Amir, was incredible.
We felt as if he was only there to look after us personally and that is the way the rest of our group felt.He was so helpful and willing to go out of his way to look after us. We are in our 60's and have been on lots of tours and I have to say I think he is the best guide we have ever had.
We intend to go back to the Monica again next year if we can and are hoping we see him there so we can ask only for him. Thanks again for a lovely holiday.
Regards John and Lynne Zamorski.
John and Lynne travelled with us during February 2010
To: Info
Subject: Nile Cruise
Good Afternoon I am writing to congratulate you on providing the best holiday we have had. We had the pleasure of being aboard the M/V Stephanie on week commencing 25th January 2010. Not having been on a Nile Cruise before I was a little apprehensive on what to expect, but having boarded the ship it became obvious that little was left without prior thought and consideration.
From the cleanliness, to the food and the politeness of the crew - all proved to be of an excellent standard.The excursions themselves were so enjoyable and the hours flew by! I enjoy taking photographs and having a little time given at the end of each tour was really appreciated. (Picture of sunrise from Stephanie attached)
In particular, our guide, Emed, was brilliant!!! Well done on finding such a treasure!He is sooo good!!I did hear that some others on the cruise had made complaints, about the food, and I feel this is so unfair that I have to contact you.
Peter, (I’m sorry, don’t know his last name) was a super host, a very affable friendly guy, and I’m sure that nothing untoward would escape his attention. (And I hope he finds his supply chain of Branson pickle!)
I’ve never written to a holiday company before, but I can’t have people complain about M/s Stephanie when all is as it should be – and more. We had a second week at the Hotel Isis, Luxor, which was really nice but not to the standard of your ship. Hence delay in writing to you.
I hope that you pass on our thanks to those concerned – it’s easy to moan and complain, but not many pass out plaudits when they are really deserved – the best things usually just get taken for granted. And that is a bit unfair.....So thanks again for a brill holiday!! I loved it!!!!!
Kind regards and best wishes to all
Kay Simpson
To: Info
Subject: Nile Cruise
Dear Sir/Madam
My husband and I have just returned from a cruise on the Nile.16th Dec 09 to 23rd Dec 09 MS Monica. I would like to let you know we had an absolutely fantastic holiday. Our guides Walid and Amr were very professional, informative and friendly, nothing was a problem. In fact all the people that worked on the ship were excellent. the good work.
Kindest regards
Judy and Kevin Whiting
To: Info
Subject: Nile Cruise
Dear Sir / Madam
We have just returned from a Nile Cruise on the Ms MONICA.From 23/12/2009 until30/12/2009. May I say what a fantastic week we had, the staff aboard the Monica could not have been more attentive, they looked after our every need.
They were brilliant.But your team were incredible,in particular Walid El-Barbary,what a gentleman. He's Knowledge, he's manners, he's personality were second to none, he looked after our every need, he cared for us from the moment we joined the boat until the time we left, we just can't thank him enough for making our holiday so memorable. We were part of he's Pharaoh group and at the end of our holiday the whole group felt a genuine sadness that it had come to an end, such was the bond he had created in such a short space of time.
Although we thanked him before we left, could you please thank him again for everything he did and wish him,he's team and yourselves "A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR"
Yours Sincerely
Garry Cummings
Dear Mr McCallum,
My Fiancee and I have just returned from a Nile cruise on the above cruise ship
.
After reading both positive and negative posts on Tripadvisor I felt that I should write to you personally with my experiences as we feel all the negative posts are completely untrue.
Our holiday was booked with Orbital through Nile Cruises 4u (Barbara Maddocks) and the whole holiday was a complete success
.
All aspects of the trip that where dealt with by Orbital ran like clockwork which also includes all the relevant transfers. There was no searching for contacts at the airport, transport arrived at the time stated. Brilliant!
The 3 Egyptologists on board the the Monica Alaa Ezzat, Maged Habib and Amir Helmy where truly outstanding. We had dealings with all 3 during our time on board but most of our time was spent with Amir Helmy. Amir is very passionate about his subject and was really helpful and informative, he gave every excursion a personal touch, he really is an asset to your company. We could not thank him enough he made our holiday in Egypt very special.
We do intend on taking another cruise and will ensure that we use Orbital and hope that Amir will by available to guide us once again.
Thanks to everyone
Mr M Turner & Miss J Cooper who travelled with us on board Ms Monica during the cruise of 9th December 2009.
To: John McCallum
Subject: Nile cruise 9th to the 16th November 2009
I would like to drop you a line to say how much we have enjoyed our recent holiday, sailing down the Nile from Luxor to Aswan aboard the MS Stephanie with Orbital Travel, booked via Holiday Experts. I have been to Egypt before in 2007 on another Nile cruise ship, and recommended this type of holiday to our friends, who had joined us on this trip.
We were a little apprehensive wondering if this holiday would match our previous fantastic Nile Cruise experience in 2007. However we need not have worried. The MS Stephanie is a fine ship, very clean, with lovely rooms and of course opening windows which allow great views of day to day Egyptian life as you sail down the Nile.
We all received great service from all the staff on board ship, who were all extremely kind and made sure our every need was catered for. The food was excellent and varied throughout the trip.
I feel it is impotent to make particular reference to our Egyptian guide Amir, who was very professional and helpful, offering to help on any issue we were unsure of. I have had a long nterest in Ancient Egyptian history, and Amir's tours of the ancient sites were very informative, and interesting, and his inclusion of humour made the holiday even more memorable.
The barman Mohammed and restaurant waiter Ahmed, should also be congratulated on the impeccable service and courteous manner which made us all feel our every need was not a
problem.
Both myself and my friends would have no problem in recommending the MS Stephanie and Orbital travel to any traveller, and although this is my second Nile cruise, I don’t think it will be my last.
Thanks to both Orbital and the crew of the MS Stephanie for a fantastic time.
Kind Regards
Richard and Denise Hill
Dear Sir/Madam
We have just returned from three days spent in Cairo followed by seven days on the Nile cruise ship Stephanie, from 5th to 16th November.
We would like to compliment Orbital Travel on the superb organisation by your tour guides, who arranged a complicated set of tours with no hitches whatsoever and the staff on Stephanie who made the whole trip so enjoyable by being so friendly and helpful.In particular we must express our thanks to our tour guides, Amir Milake on the cruise and Hany Safwat in Cairo, who explained the history in such a clear, informative manner and whose great sense of humour made the trip so outstanding.
Many thanks Barry & Win Ross
Barry & Win travelled on Ms Stephanie during the 5th November 2009.
I've just returned today from a one week Nile cruise on the MS Stephanie booked via Holiday Experts.I would just like to congratulate your company on giving excellent service throughout. Our nominated guide/Egyptologist, Amir was both very informative as well as humorous. He made our trip much more than just a holiday.
The staff on the boat were also very friendly and welcoming with a couple that stood out as exceptional, Mohammed (21 year old barman) and Ahmed (18 year old dining room waiter). Many others made our experience such a pleasure, not least the ones who made the funny shaped creatures from towels in our rooms.
The whole trip, from landing in Luxor was just fantastic. I and my 3 colleagues will not hesitate in recommending Orbital for similar excursions in the future. It was such a pleasure to have seen so many enthusiastic people, intent on giving us a good time. You have certainly built a first class team.Feel free to include me in 'email marketing' about other holidays that you do.
Thanks again,
Keith Holman,
Mr Holman travelled with us on 9th November 2009 on Ms Stephanie
Dear Orbital Travel
We have just returned from a 1 week cruise on MS Stephanie, booked through future Travel. I was wanting to say we had an excellent time and was really impressed with every aspect.
Having never taken such a holiday before we didnt really know what to expect, but I will certainly be recommending your cruise to friends.
The boat and crew were outstanding. I would also like to make a special mention for our fabulous tour guide, Amir. Nothing was too much trouble for him, his services often went over what I would have expected. He was also so passionate and knowledgeable about his culture and history which made every excursion very special. I cannot praise him enough.
Many thanks for making this special holiday one never to forget.
Yours sincerely
Mr & Mrs Whittick who travelled with us during October 2009
Subject: Nile Cruise
My wife and I have just spent aweek on a nile cruise on the MS Monica, we would just like to say how much we enjoyed our holiday and thank Orbital Travel for a fantastic hoiday.
All the staff were great a special thanks to our tour guide Amir, who made our week so special he is so honest and helpfull and nothing was too much trouble.
We would certainley pass you on to our freinds after having such a great time .
Mr. & MRS. T Leivers who travelled with us on Ms Monica on the 16th September 2009.
Sent: 18 September 2009 16:32
To: Info
Subject: Nile cruise 7-14th Sept 2009
Dear Sirs,
On having just returned from our Nile cruise on the MS Stephanie i thought i would write and thank you for a wonderful holiday. It is the first time my wife and i have been on a Nile cruise and we did so with some trepidation after reading some rather negative comments from travel forum sites.
We thought the standards of service, quality of food and the cleanliness of the cruise ship were excellent.Our tour guide Sam, was a credit to your company. He was very organised, polite and extremely witty. His knowledge of the subject matter was incredible and he is very passionate about the history of his country. His presentation of the guided tour was both articulate and interesting - his knowledge of the English language exceptional.
We enjoyed all the tours immensely - even with the early starts, which are essential to escape the heat of the midday sun!
We certainly did not enjoy the harrassment of the street sellers whilst visiting the sites. This was a comment echoed by nearly everyone on board. We feel if Egypt is to prosper as a tourist attraction, this is one element their Government will have to address if they wish to encourage more European people to visit. Europeans will certainly spend money whilst abroad but they like to chose how to do it. They would rather browse and look at things rather than be pestered and harrassed in the streets. This is not meant to be a criticism of the services you have provided but constructive critisism for your tourism industry to ensure that people are not put off from returning to Egypt again.
We really enjoyed the entertainment on board and in particular the Egyptian night. Everybody joined in with the fun and dressed up in appropiate Egyptian dress. It was a huge success. We also enjoyed all the other shows, particularly the Nubian folk show.
We met and enjoyed the company of some wonderful people on board who, like us, were having a marvellous holiday.
All in all a wonderful experience and we would have no hesitation in recommending your company to friends considering a trip to Egypt.
Kind regards
Mr and Mrs A + S Gilmour
Subject: Nile Cruise Ms Stephane.
We have just returned having cruised on the Stephanie from 7th - 14th September 2009, this must rate as the best holiday we have had in years, thanks to your fantastic organising skills.
Our complete holiday was arranged through Your Travel, but the transfers to and from the Nile, and the cruise & excursions were Orbital, everything happened the way we were told it would.
The Stephanie was brilliant, the staff couldn't do enough for you, meeting us on our return from hot excursions with cold flannels and cool drinks.Our guide, Amro, was the one who really made the difference, he must be about the nicest person we've ever met whilst on our travels to other countries, his knowlege about ancient Egypt is unquestionable, his committment to his task undeniable, his expanations on Egyptology and his considerations for his "groups" wellbeing in the hot sun was, without doubt the most professional
we have come across, a true gentleman.
The food and comfort onboard the Stephanie was first class, and it does deserve the 5 star status.We can certainly recommend Orbital travel and the M/s Stephanie, and will be be doing so to all our friends and family.If possible, can you pass on our thanks and best wishes to all the staff & crew on the Stephanie, and of course to Amro, for whom during Ramadan, it must have been a very difficult job to do.
We will go back to the Nile sometime in the future, but wonder if there are longer cruises Available on the Stephanie, or if you have any plans to do cruises to the north of Luxor.
Thanks again for everything.
Philip & Audrey Di Sotto
Phillip and Audrey travelled with us on Ms Stephanie 7th September 2009.
Subject: Nile Cruise Ms Monica 10th - 17th June 2009.
We have just returned from a Nile Cruise on the MS Monica, and wanted to let you know how fantastic the guide was, and we hope that you will pass this information on to your colleagues at your offices in Luxor.
Our guide was Magred (think that is how you spell it, we called him Magic!). We must say, that he made our holiday, his knowledge about Egypt and his attention to his guests was exceptional. Nothing was too much trouble. He is a credit to your Company.
At the airport we spoke to other holiday makers who had been on other cruise ships and were not happy with their guide. We had no complaints, we were on the MS Monica from 10th to 17th June, and could not have wished for more.
Please pass on our thanks and we will certainly be recommending your company to others.
Regards
Daren and Michelle Grainger,
Subject: Nile Cruise 30th March 2009.
For many years I had a dream of sailing down the Nile like Cleopatra. I finally did it and want to recommend it to everyone. From John at Orbital Travel, who helped me with every concern as a single traveler, to Waheed the wonderful guide for our excursions, it was fabulous.
There was a reason I had never done a cruise. My idea of being in a building on water didn’t interest me, but the MS Stephanie is a great size with only 60 or so guest rooms. The ship was immaculate (much better than most I saw on the river), the food was good (3 meals a day – not the 24/7 feeding frenzy), and the other passengers were delightful. One recommendation is that you do the all-inclusive, as it will be much more expensive to buy bottled water and drinks..and you need a lot of water if you sunbathe. The excursions were timed perfectly for the heat, from the temples to the tombs to the felucca sail, it was everything I ever dreamed it would be.
After a morning climbing ruins and a healthy lunch, sometimes I would go to my cabin, open the sliding glass door, and let the breezes of the Nile waft over me lulling me into a deep nap, as the scenes of Egyptian palms and sand rolled by. It is smooth sailing indeed!
The staff on the boat were all lovely, very good senses of humor. If you are considering this trip, stop. Just do it! Memories are made of this!
Patti Dahlstrom MS Stephanie (the boat to be on) March 30th-April 6th
Subject: Nile Cruise 6th April 2009
Dear Sir/Madam,
My wife and I, and our daughter and son in law have just returned from a Nile cruise, on "MS Stephanie"and would like to thank you for a wonderful holiday on a lovely boat, everything about the holiday lived up to our expectations and more, your staff, and all personnel were absolutely wonderful, and could not do enough for us.
Although all your staff were excellent, we would like to mention our "Egyptologist", Rafike, what a lovely man, apart from the fact that he was so very knowledgeable and made our excursions come alive, he was an absolute gentleman throughout our whole trip, his caring and understanding nature was wonderful, and his understanding of everyone's personal issues made it an even more enjoyable trip, so many thanks to you and your team on the Stephanie.
Our Regards,
Carol & Clive Stearn
Tracey & Ian Bates
Dear Jane,
I would just like to email you to say what a fantastic holiday we had last week. The Orbital Representatives were brilliant at the airport, both on arrival and departure and made life very easy for us.
I would also like to make a special comment regarding our Egyptologist, Rafik. He was excellent - so helpful, polite and attentive to every detail and nothing was too much trouble for him. He certainly made a huge difference to the enjoyment of the holiday.
We would certainly use your services again and will recommend this trip and your company to family and friends in the future.
Kind regards
Karen McCrory
The holiday itself wa superb with the accommodation, itinieary and staff all being superb.
The food was varied and of good quality and tha all inclusive option worked well and is the sensible option because the drink prices in Egypt can be expensive.
Our Tour Guide and Egyptologist was called Walid and he was superb with everything in the day to day events and we had nothing to worry about from the start to the end of the holiday.
Although we had early starts on most of the excursions we appreciated that it was necessary due to the temperatures, even in March, and we found that we also had spare time at the end of the day to relax etc.
Thanks again and we will be only too happy to reccommend your company to our friends and family.
Alan and Sharon Stone .
Who travelled on board Ms Stephanie 23rd March 2009.
My wife and I would like to thank yourselves and Holiday Experts for our recent Nile cruise on Ms Stephanie. The ship was immaculate with good food. The only complaint we had was the condition of the towels provided in the cabin, which were worn and not pristine white.
The staff were all very friendly and polite and very honest. My wife lost her gold necklace with diamond pendant on it on the evening of the Egyption night where we all dressed up. Later that evening after we reported the loss ,one of the staff found the necklace without the diamond pendant on it and handed it to reception.
Two days later after we had given up hope on anyone finding or handing in the diamond pendant, we were asked to go to reception by our cabin steward as he had found the diamond whilst cleaning in the main lounge bar where the entertainment took place. In this day and age, with the world as it is, we cannot thank them enough for their honesty, particulary as the value of the item was probably more than they earn in a year.
We would also like to inform you of how well Marco our tour guide, organised our trips and how knowledgable and informative he was , along with his ability to be humourous and keep the British group, who had never met each other before the cruise, all together, everyone said it was one of the best holiday experiences they have had.
Perhaps you would be good enough to forward a copy of this to Holiday Experts Ltd.
Mr and Mrs Ray and Jill Heathman.
Travelled on board Ms Stephanie during 23rd February 2009.
To everyone at Orbital travelI just had to write in to say a big thank you for your organisations management of one of the best holidays in my life.
After cancelling due to Excel going bust then re booking and a change of boat at the last minute I thought I was going to regret booking this holiday. I can honestly say my family and I had the best time ever and we have travelled on many holidays. The boat was clean and the service was impeccable. The food was excellent and none of my family were ill. Peter the rep was knowledgeable and helpful when needed which was not often. Amal our Egyptologist was unbelievable in the knowledge that she had about Egypt and she was able to answer the most unusual questions. The tours were well organised and brilliant and I went on every one!!! I was knackered by the end of the holiday!!
I have been and will be recommending your company to all my friends and colleagues and will travel with your company again to re do a Nile cruise
Thank you from my family and I.
Regards Stephanie Johnson.
Stephanie travelled with us during December 2008
Apologies for not sending this email earlier but since we returned from our wonderful holiday in Egypt our feet don’t seem to have touched the ground.
The holiday you arranged for us was indeed wonderful; far better than we ever imagined. It was made so good because of the great organisation that Orbital has in Egypt. Everything went like clockwork- if somebody said that they would meet us at a certain time it was always with punctuality, even in Cairo with the traffic problem!
The Egyptologists were both good and John, who was with us throughout the Nile cruise was exceptional. Even though he called for early starts it paid dividends as we were always among the first to arrive at the various temples which, particularly at Abu Simbel, meant we had the place to ourselves.
Many thanks for arranging our holiday which turned out to be an experience of a lifetime.
Merry Christmas and a happy new year to you and all your colleagues.
Best wishes.
John Doyle.
Mr Doyle's holiday was our Classical tour program (Cairo and Nile cruise) during November 2008.
Everything has been perfect. The tours and information given by the guide were amazing - the food and waiters were excellent and all the staff have been friendly and helful. We would not have changed anything and have had the experence of a lifetime. Thank you!
Client Thompson who travelled on board King Tut III on the 8th September 2008
This is one of the best holiday's I have had been on. I have travelled the world but the ease at which everthing was organised was excellent a big thanks to the guide for his knowledge. I will come back.
Margaret Willis travelled with us on the 8th September on King Tut III
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Posted by: orbital
Review of our cruise on MS Monica- January 2012
To celebrate my 60th birthday my sweetheart, Harry secretly organised a Nile Cruise on the MS Monica from Luxor to Aswan and back again.
He could not have chosen a more wonderful holiday. I knew very little about Egypt (past and present) beforehand, but now I know so much about this beautiful country and its warm, friendly people. I can’t wait to return.
This was far from a slow resort holiday. Everyday was full of new experiences. But the smooth organisation of Orbital Travel and Peter Barnett, the tour manager, the professional hospitality and steady, silent , every present river achieved the perfect balance of rest and interest.
Excursions were varied but all was beautifully explained and made accessible by Ayman our Egyptian Egyptologist and guide. He made sure we learnt about the present strengths and challenges of Egypt as well as it history and past triumphs and treasures. He kept us well entertained, combining the skills of teacher, performer and shepherd !
The Monica itself is a very beautiful boat and the crew looked after us perfectly and with great good humour.
I would recommend this cruise to anyone………
Jo Engelkamp
Aberystwyth
Jo and Harry travelled with us during 4th - 11th January 2012 on board Ms Monica