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Airtours

MV Sunbird

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Reviewed by: Claire and Katherine Rush
# previous cruises: 0
Date of Trip: July 21, 2001
Itinerary: Mediterranean

The cruise was brilliant and the Sunbird was a magnificent ship. We would recommend it to all first time cruisers and we have booked to go back on it next year only days after coming back from this one.

The public decks were kept spotlessly clean by the hardworking cleaners! There were staff vacuuming at 2.00am in the morning to ensure the high standard of cleanliness was maintained. The pool area had numerous sun loungers but as the ship was filled to capacity, it was sometimes difficult to find one especially in the afternoon. The seats on deck seven where ideal to get away from the noise and buzz of the pool in order to have a quiet read.

There many bars on the ship and my personal favourite was the Chart Room. It had a lovely ambience since it overlooked the pool area and the views were magnificent at night. As it was not frequented by many passengers, it gave it an intimate atmosphere and provided the ample opportunity to get to know other people and the bar staff. The other main bar- the Clipper Bar - was also nicely decorated but very busy.

We thought that the food and service was superb on the Sunbird. We were all entitled to six meals a day with choice of breakfast, lunch and dinner in the Seven Seas Restaurant or in the Lido Cafe. The Cafe on the pool deck was perfect for a relaxed mood and had a variety of hot and cold meals for lunch buffet styled. Dinner in the restaurant was the highlight of the day as the food was always delicious. We were in the second sitting, which we highly recommend as it prevents a rush to get ready if you were on a full day excursion. The waiter service was superb and very efficient. These multi-talented waiters not only served food but sang and dance. Pure entertainment. They were also very friendly as our daughter always left the restaurant with a paper napkin rose and some origami animals every night!

Initially we were disappointed with our cabin as it looked small and gloomy. We were on the B Outside Deck at the front of the ship. As the two weeks went on, our cabin grew on us and it was more than adequate. It did have sufficient wardrobe space but more drawers would have been welcomed. It was always kept clean by our excellent cabin steward Achyar who deserves a lot of praise. He was always willing to help and was genuinely nice. The bathroom facilities were disappointing as there was just about enough room in the shower. It was also hard to adjust the temperature in the shower as it went from scalding hot to cold very quickly.

As our cabin was situated at the front of the ship, we were not disturbed by any engine noise. However other passengers at the aft of the ship did complain. The walls of the cabins were very thin so it was possible to hear your neighbours talking or their loud TV's.

The entertainment was excellent but was certainly and understandably not up to the calibre of the West End or Broadway. The dancing was stunning and the comedian, Barnaby had us all in stitches.

The Itinerary was mind blowing. We visited Naples, Malta, Sicily, Tunis, Menorca, Rome, Florence and Pisa, Monaco and Barcelona all in the space of two weeks. However the excursions were expensive and a rip off. For example it cost ,for the three of us £75, to visit Monaco while it would have cost £3 on a train. So be wary. We also felt that the Shore Excursion Staff were reluctant to give information to the independent traveller as they were more concerned to get people to sign up for tours! Despite other opinions, we loved our stop in Tunis, Tunisia and thought the souks were great and memorable experience. Our second stop in Tunisia- Bizerte -was not as good as we went on the only excursion offered - a beach transfer to a 'top' hotel with the a BBQ included. We advise Airtours to reconsider this 'top' hotel as it was very unclean and dirty. The food served at lunch was swarmed with flies and my family all got a jippy stomach after eating it.

We were on for two weeks and our table buddies were great both times but we have not kept in touch. The majority of passengers were Brits but there were also many Canadians and Scandinavians