Pyramids or Suez Canal transit??

[bazzaw]

Hi

 

Have just booked passage on the Oriana, Brisbane to UK via Suez.

 

We met someone who had done this cruise a couple of years ago and I think they went on a tour to the pyramids for the day, while the ship transited the Canal. It seems that you can only do one or the other. My wife wants to do the transit - while I want to do the thing (whatever it is) that will be the most memorable. Of course , I would like to do both - but!!!

 

Any thoughts please?

 

Thanks

 

Barry in Brisbane, Australia

[bazzaw]

Just bumping this one to the top again.

 

C'mon - someone must have some thoughts about this??? :)

 

A friend of our has been to the Pyramids and was quite underimpressed. She said that she could not really explain why - but thought it had something to do with "anti-climax" after seeing many photos and videos about them over the years. I can kind of understand that. When we went to Paris for the first time many years ago, I enjoyed "seeing" the Eiffel tower - but had more enjoyment just exploring the streets and people watching.

I think we are firming up on just staying onboard for the canal transit - the tour to the Pyramids from Port Suez at the southern end of the canal is 14 hours long - a bit long for us, I think.

 

Barry

[Ontariotrekker]

The pyramids of course!! Google and find pictures of the Suez Canal and you'll see that there's nothing too exciting to watch, especially if you've already been through the Panama Canal. If it's your only stop in Egypt, go and see the Sphinz, the Pharoah boat and the Pyramids.

[jenny wren]

Having done both twice I would say it is difficult to choose between them !!!! however you may get the chance to visit Cairo another time say on an eastern med cruise (we recently went to Cairo from Port Said)....as ontario trekker says there is not much to see in the Suez but it is an experience...we found it interesting ...seeing the fishermen, the local children throwing stones at the ships!!! and the soldiers waving as we passed...we also took some amazing photos of the ships passing by (seemingly on the sand) whilst we were in a 'lay-by'.

 

Cairo is totally different ..absolutely chaotic...but wonderful..we have seen the Pyramids at Giza with the Sphinx, the museum, an excellent Son et lumiere show at the Sphinx....the step pyramid and Sakkara....we have done these trips from the southern end of the Suez canal (Port suez or Port Sokhna) and the northern end (Port Said or some ships go from Alexandria) they are all long journeys to Cairo usually at least a 12 hour day......and really the decision can only be yours ...depending on what your interests are...we loved both choices....

[jodanuke]

Just because someone else did not like the pyramids, does not mean you won't. I have seen them, and I though they would be bigger! Though I was impressed, also with the Cairo museum, which should be part of your trip.

 

Cairo itself, one of the dirtiest places I have been to.

 

Having said all that, if your wife wants to see the Suez transit... guess where you will be going!:rolleyes:

[Rum Rat]

Why does one HAVE to do what the other wants?

 

One do one thing, the other do the thing of their choice.

 

My wife and I are not joined at the waist, we please our selves

[Merlin7]

"Just because someone else did not like the pyramids, does not mean you won't. I have seen them, and I though they would be bigger! Though I was impressed, also with the Cairo museum, which should be part of your trip.

 

Cairo itself, one of the dirtiest places I have been to."

 

The above quote is very true. We would not have missed it, the pyramids and the Egyptian museum for anything, although it was eventually an 18 hour day.

 

We could have done without bobbing about in a tender for an hour at Port Said while all the other tenders were filled, the security before we enbarked the coaches, the traffic in Cairo which was stop start and made lunch almost afternoon tea,the endless trip back to the ship with the security vehicle playng silly b*****s with regard to crawling along at 30 mph or so, BUT, the whole experience was amazing!!!

[robanddiane]

We were fortunate as just came back off a Thomson repositioning cruise which covered both the pyramids and the suez canal. We would find it hard to choose between them. The pyramids was a long day from Port Sokhna while the suez was a totally relaxing day. Whichever you decide on you wont be disappointed.

[bowen]

Why does one HAVE to do what the other wants?

 

One do one thing, the other do the thing of their choice.

 

My wife and I are not joined at the waist, we please our selves

I agree , hopefully you will have 2 camera's and can enjoy each others experience when you get home, I'm sure by then you will have both made new friends to keep you compant.:)