MV Pegasus

Colin Garnham-EdgeGoogle Reviewer

A great way to cruise the islands. The boats are relatively new but look very worn in places. Crew are great, friendly and obliging. Food served is good but can be repetitive at some meals. Diving, paddle board and kayak available to play with. Overall fair but a could do with facilities being improved

Karin SinnigerGoogle Reviewer

We booked the Maya Dugong to Aldabra. Before our trip, our queries were promptly and efficiently answered (Lara). However, although passengers met just next to the Silhouette offices prior to the departure of the cruise, the same staff showed no interest to greet, meet or welcome the pax they had communicated with over so many months. Our cabin had a bed for two and one narrow single bed with an ensuite bathroom and toilet. The mattresses were comfortable and lighting was good. However, contrary to what the brochure depicted, the boat and our cabin were far from being luxurious. We had a broken down electrical appliance of some sort squashed in a filthy cupboard, which rattled in strong seas and ensured we had no space to store clothing, other than the top of a shelf. Mercifully, the air conditioning worked well. There was virtually no hot water unless we showered at times other than after the dives/snorkels. Other than the old, dirty carpet and closet that was out of commission, the cabin was kept clean and tidy daily by Nella, the kindly, matronly stewardess. Bath towels were changed often as were the deck towels. However, the deck towels weren’t numbered leading to confusion about whose towel was whose. The boat has no WIFI. You can use the very slow WIFI at the Aldabra Ranger Station for free the day that you are there. If you wanted to sit outside, there were hard wood benches and two cushioned seats that could seat a couple on the top deck. One passenger asked the captain to arrange for some plastic chairs to be brought on board so that we could sit properly. Hopefully, they will leave these chairs on the boat for the comfort of the next round of passengers. The food was good, although there was a constant shortage of vegetables and salads which got more acute as the trip progressed. No provision was made to give vegetarians extra protein (a standard on other cruises and necessary if you are diving 3-4 times a day) which exacerbated the situation. Vegetarians got what everyone else was eating minus the fish or meat. There was no dessert at lunch—just the cheapest biscuits and some fruit which were available all day. There was a dessert for dinner. There was no mid- morning snack served. In the afternoon, they usually served samosas. Most dive boats do everything to encourage divers to hydrate before and after diving (to avoid decompression sickness) and serve water immediately before the divers get into the water and immediately after. On the Maya Dugong, we occasionally got an after dive juice . Also, one obtained drinking water straight from the tap (stored several weeks in the belly of the boat), so you can imagine that the taste was not very good. Most other boats use recyclable large water bottles instead. Note that soft drinks, alcohol and espresso coffee are chargeable. The rental dive equipment was in good condition. However, the compressor interfered with the operation of the clothes dryer causing delays in filling the tanks and meant that we had to complain to get frsh bed sheets after 10 days. The crew were friendly and willing to please. The dinghy drivers were excellent. Nella, the stewardess, was outstanding. Reggie, our Seychellois dive master was a good diver and competent DM. Soof, the Israeli Cruise Director, was a fun, hard working, enthusiastic dive instructor based in the Sinai. Flown in for this trip, she however lacked experience in her role. She quickly lost credibility in the eyes of the passengers as confusion reigned the first days. But she has a lovely sunny personality and is eager to be helpful. The South African Captain, Kevin, was also very good and was eager to address issues and request. He has been on the Maya Dugong for ten years and tried hard despite having disappointed passengers who missed 2.5 days of their itinerary due to a crane break down. (No apologies or rebate from management.) The trip is priced to perfection and management seems to lack the skill or will to provide this to their passengers.

Gerhard MitterbaurGoogle Reviewer

We had a perfect week on Sea Bird, very special thanks to captain Steven. Helpfull and very friendly crew, delicious meals, nice and easy divespots - thank you Maria to be our instructor.

Aspekte medizinisch therapeutische BiografiearbeitGoogle Reviewer

We had a wonderful week on the seastar with skipper Randy. The team was very nice, a good mood and always someone there to help out or just to take your glass. I lost my snorkeling mask and they even ordered me a new one without surcharge. The trip is beautiful in itself, we were beginners in snorkeling and really enjoyed having someone with us most trips and the dingy nearby in case we got tired or the waves were too strong. The only negative thing was that we booked this trip while it is advertised as a "sailing trip" with beautiful photos of day to day sailing full sail to the next island. BUT it never sails! The motor is on all the time and only twice was the little foresail out, but only for show. And no actual sailing despite us asking several times during the week and all the advertising about it. Otherwise the trip was very good and we had a great time.

Ocean HouseGoogle Reviewer

Review of the Voyage Privé Sailing Trip Boat sea star Our experience on this sailing trip was extremely disappointing. From the start, there was no warm welcome at the harbor. We arrived early (7 am). but there was no arrangement to accommodate us. We had to wait until 12 am to be set on the boat. At the harbor, we had no food no toilet. On Saturday and throughout the night, the boat had smoke of the engine in the rooms and in the bar (inside), making it very unpleasant. The boat did a long trip on the engine and the system is old. Due to that smoke comes in the boat. The was the worst part of the trip: the air quality in the cabins. At night, I woke up from the smell of diesel fumes entering the room through the air conditioning. Every morning, we woke up with a dry, painful throat. It is simply not healthy to sleep or live on this boat. All the guests complained about this. The the captain opened a hatche. Due to that we could go through the week, but it still stayed unhealthy. The bathroom was poorly finished, and was old and had clearly been repaired numerous times. The boat itself was painted in an unprofessional manner, both inside and outside, giving it a neglected appearance. Additionally, all the outdoor mattresses, sunshades, and indoor carpets were stained and torn, making the environment feel unclean and poorly maintained. To make matters worse, the captain twisted our words when communicating with our Travel agency. Their response was dismissive, claiming I was the only one complaining. They even suggested I could leave the ship and get a refund—essentially abandoning us on an island, leaving us to fend for ourselves. There were five smokers on board, and the other five passengers complained about this. When people smoked on the back deck, the smoke lingered there. We asked the captain to designate a different smoking area, but he did nothing. As a result, smoke drifted towards the dining area, making it impossible for us to enjoy a smoke-free meal or relax in the shade. Sailing was also a joke. With the sails up, the boat moved at only 4 km/h—essentially, there was no real sailing experience. This was not possible to keep the schedule. Safety on board was another major concern. There was no safety briefing, and we were never instructed on emergency exits or what to do in case of an emergency. There was no “man overboard” training, even though the boat swayed heavily from side to side while sailing. The only instruction given was that there was a life jacket in the cabin, supposedly with a whistle. However, our life jackets had no whistles. I requested one, and they assured me they would attach it, but we never received one. If I were the owner of this boat, I would be deeply ashamed to charge such prices for such poor conditions. Positive note: The concept itself is perfect for exploring the islands. Snorkeling every day was fantastic. Going from island to island like this is wonderful! Nature is great! However, the overall execution of the trip was far from acceptable.