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Airtours

MV Sunbird

Your Rating:
Reviewed by:Martin Clare
# previous cruises: 4
Date of Trip: December 11, 2000
Itinerary: Caribbean

Choosing a 10th wedding anniversary cruise for me and my wife this experience with the flagship of Airtours fleet is one that can be regarded as a really pleasant surprise. Unpretentious staff, crew and overall atmosphere led to us getting what we all hoped to pay for - a genuine bargain in terms of quality and quantity. The big cruise lines had better watch out - here is a well thought out product from a big player in the UK package holiday scene. Save some money - enjoy yourself - without the worries.. A firm Recommendation ! The general feel is more English - but the international crew add to the cosmopolitan feel. The high number of Canadians on board seemed to be very at home.

The ship is meticulously cared for - the decks are cleaned varnished and painted at every opportunity - and at little inconvenience o passengers who are visibly happy to be on board a ship where housekeeping for appearance and safety sake is important. The main dinner is in two sittings and the main show tI ames split into two similar shows. The main show lounges are therefore always capable of seating everyone, especially the main CAN CAN lounge where the small orchestra gave rise to good quality sound and shows. The main like on this ship is the amount of deck space and promenade space. Regular deck runs/walks were organised for those keep fit fanatics- outside of main activity tI ames. The two good size pools were never overcrowded even when we had 1500 passengers on board. The Oklahoma lounge was my favourite - where you could take dance lessons in the afternoon and practice to CD band or live band music from around 7-30pm each evening. The Neptunes disco lounge - also a large circular lounge was normally quite empty - catering to the disco types. The meticulously kept teak decks are a credit to this ship and something many other newer ships could do well to aspire to.

The food was definitely the best I've had in my short experience with ship catering. Almost gourmet class- and I've dined at most major hotels around the world - from Tokyo to Sydney. My wife - Spanish and a cookery enthusiast was very impressed at the speed of service and much more than this the absolute lack of any pressure from the waiter staff - much better than the other lines who are pushing to make sure their tips are up to scratch. Airtours say prices include all tips - and that is how it feels in practice - so much so that you feel you want to tip the generosity anyway !!- The reverse psychology seems to work!

The cabin we chose was a standard outside cabin. - The decor is a little older than the newer ships around but we spent 2 weeks in here and we were never reluctant to want to go back to it at the end of the day. There was two good size wardrobes, and a smaller wall cupboard. I had read from an American review about the small size of the bathroom - but for me the shower , toilet were fine. Maybe I do not eat as much . Our cabin was to the back of the ship - and engine noise was not a problem - Engine drone seemed to be higher around the midship area. I slept well fro all of th 14 nights on board - better than I do when at home- the gentle rocking seems to do it for me.

We attended all the on board shows. We were happy with the resident band as entertainers. However the quality did not always hit the mark but that nothing new in my experience. But hey these groups do so much - 4 completely different 1 hour shows every 2 weeks . On top of this there were guest singers and comediens, magicians. The cruise staff produced a daily newsletter giving all daily events and shows available - the SUNDIAL . Also included were suggested dress codes for selected events - a good mix of casual and smart / formal attire.

The small but uncrowded gym was very useful- trying to burn off those calories. My wife loved the main deck sunbathing areas, and we both spent a lot of time on deck 7 promenade deck - a very relaxing reading venue. .and one where you can admire the teal decks while reading the latest best seller.

We shared a table with 2 English and 2 Canadians. All were in the age range 35 to 55. Their company will be missed. Most people on this ship were younger businessmen / professionals or older retired couples. The ambiance created never seemed to clash. Some younger children joined during the Christmas holiday season - but the efficient crew were always mindful that rowdy spirits should not spoil the day for other more mature ones (self included - I am only 35 years old)