Cruising December 7 from Venice

[Melody Steinberg]

We are six people going on this cruise. Our question is about the tours in Alexandria, Egypt. Some of us want to take a private tour off the ship and some of us are uncomfortable with that. Can anyone offer any help. The tour company we were looking at was Memphis Tours. Has anyone used them?

[onthebalcony]

We are on the Magnifica leaving Venice on Dec. 8. I made a reservation for 4 adults with ramsestours@gmail.com for a tour to the pyramids, Sakkara and Memphis, their Cairo Option 3 . This private tour was recommended in Cruise Critic. Too bad you aren't on the Dec. 8 cruise because I am looking for more people to join our tour to bring the price down! There are no responses for the Dec. 8 cruise in the Roll Call section. MSC sailings are being offered on a discount cruise website so I wonder how full the ships really are for their Dec. sailings.

You may want to go into the Roll Call section to find other people on your cruise or start a thread for your cruise date.

Good luck!

[Melody Steinberg]

We are on the December 8th cruise... I get mixed up because we are leaving New York on December 5th for two nights in Venice and then get on the ship.:) How much are you paying per person for the tour?

[onthebalcony]

I can make arrangements for a group of 7-10 at $80/person to be paid at the end of the tour. Ship's tour is $160/person. If you want more information you contact me at annesny@comcast.net. I requested that we be back 2 hrs before the ship leaves.

We are leaving Dec. 6 from JFK to spend one night in Venice and then 2 after the cruise.

Go into the Dec. 8 cruise roll call where I have a lot of information on independent tours that we are taking. We are also confirmed with a private tour to Northern Israel. Six or more people would be $99/person. No ship tours are listed in the MSC USA website, but I have read there may be tours in the Australian website.

[Melody Steinberg]

I am new to this site... where do I find the cruise rolls?

[onthebalcony]

On the home page go to the "Board" section in the orange area. You have to be a member of Cruise Critic (it is easy to do in the log in area) to get into the Roll Call section and then go to MSC.

Hope this helps.

[Melody Steinberg]

One of our couples has been talking to someone who went on a cruise to Eygpt last year and they went on the tour from the ship. They had an armed guard with them both ways. What does that say about the safety of going on our own?

[onthebalcony]

Go into the website for Ramses Tours: www.ramsestours.com. All tours have armed police guards as stated below:

 

Safety: Egypt is a safe destination. Crime in Egypt nearly does not exist. Security is good and there are specially trained Tourist Police

The buses move in convoys for protection. The Egyptian government take so much care of the tourism as it is the national source of income in Egypt. the tourist in Egyptis VIP person So the Egyptian police (not the ship) provide police cars, security, guards around all the buses. This service is not by the ship or Ramses tours its provided for all the tourists that arrive to Egypt, make organized tours.

 

This tour company also lets you pay in US $ and at the end of the tour. I found others who wanted a prepayment and we don't do that.

 

I know the cruise lines scare passengers into taking independent tours.

[onthebalcony]

Hi Melody,

Have you thought about any tours? I haven't seen you in the MSC Roll call for Magnifica on Dec. 8! Glad to hear there are some English speaking cruisers on this ship! No one else has responded and we are less than 3 months until the cruise.

Hope to see you in CC!!

[bcpcept]

We are taking Magnifica on 1/15/2011. We want to take a private tour in Egypt and Israel. Is anyone going on that date who would be interested in doing these tours?:o

[onthebalcony]

bcpcept,

Go into the roll call section and you will find some other cruisers on your trip. Your date is very active. Not like the Dec. 8 cruise!

Good luck!