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Airtours

MV Sunbird

Your Rating:
Reviewed by: Keith Pendlington
# previous cruises: 2
Date of Trip: March 25, 2002
Itinerary: Caribbean - Southern

My wife and I sailed on Sundream last year and can honestly say that the cruise on Sunbird was every bit as good, if not slightly better. The ship is attractive, spacious and very well maintained. I cannot find anything to complain about. The ports we visited were all excellent and the organisation of Sun Cruises is well planned and thought out. There is only slight vibration felt when all four engines are running. The Norwegian Captain, Geir Larsen had a terrifically dry sense of humour and we eagerly anticipated his daily address over the PA system. His 'April Fool' joke was brilliant! The ship was having its new livery painted whilst we were on the ship. Airtours (Sun Cruises) have the balance just about right and long may we continue to cruise with them. I highly recommend this ship!!

All public areas are good. Favourite place was the 'Clipper Bar' for pre-dinner drinks. The 'Chart Room' is very impressive and has a very intimate atmosphere. Pursers Square is very well laid out and was only spoilt when they decided to display the awful and expensive art that they were hoping to auction. The pools were good, but I wish the staff would enforce the existing rule that children should use the aft pool only. Both pools were full of children. There is also a rule that people should not reserve their sunbeds with towels and leave them, this also is not enforced. You cannot blame the Germans as there are none on board. We British and Canadians are every bit as bad!!One British lady reserved hers every morning at 7.00am even if she was going off the ship for the day. The Can-Can lounge is very good and many thanks to a wonderful waiter called Aldwyn Fernandez who really looked after us with the drinks.Keeping me well supplied with a fantastic cocktail called 'Long Island Iced Tea'.

Food and Service excellent!! We had breakfast and lunch on the Lido deck and Dinner in the Seven Seas Restaurant. We were on Table 16, 2nd sitting for the two weeks and had an absolute gentleman waiter called Ariel Abelera who was wonderful, ably assisted by Marlon. Am still in contact with Ariel even now on e-mail. The standard of food and choice was superb. We thought Sundream was good last year, but this just shaded it.

We had a standard inside cabin (4052) on Main Deck with single beds. We had the best sleep in years. Our cabin steward Yudi was extremely efficient and friendly. Closet space was good and the shower was small, but adequate. It also had copious amounts of hot water with a very effective shower. The cabin was very quiet.

The cruise staff were very good. We lost the Cruise Director (Joff Eaton) after a couple of days of the cruise and he was very ably replaced by Kelly Gunnar, who reminded me very much of Lesley Spencer from the Sundream in her mannerisms. The show Galleria by the ships singers and dancers was excellent. Liverpool comedian in the first week started well but then seemed to lose his way a little. The two magicians we saw on board were both very clever, especially the first one who also played the piano brilliantly. Best of the caberet acts was the Welsh Comedienne Diane Cousins. She was an absolute hoot!!

Started at Barbados then sailed to Antiuga, St Martin, St Kitts, Aruba, Barbados, St Lucia, Grenada, Margarita, Curacao, Aruba and back to Barbados. When on shore we took our own trips with local taxis etc apart from Margarita because the ship docks many miles away from any civilization. There, we took an organised trip to a beach. Every stop was wonderful in their own individual ways. St Lucia and Grenada stunningly beautiful. Palm Beach in Aruba is like Paradise. I used the well equipped Gymnasium a couple of times but even though my intentions were good, my enthusiasm diminished toward the end of the cruise as I became lazier.

Fellow passengers were very nice. We had good company on our dinner table and we are keeping in touch with a few of them. We would have no hesitation in inviting them to Dinner at our home.

Only irritant was the lady reserving sunbeds and wanting to be at the front of every queue. Would not invite her to a BBQ on my private beach. (If I had one!!)