Andy60 Posted November 4, 2011 #101 Share Posted November 4, 2011 One person that I know of was ill about the third day after Egypt. She was not on our EPE tour with us, however, and I don't know what she did while we were in port in Alexandria. We had visited Istanbul between our Egypt port call and the day she was sick, so she could have picked up something there and not Egypt. Anyway, that's the only instance of illness after Egypt that I was aware of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welshcruiser20 Posted November 8, 2011 #102 Share Posted November 8, 2011 Andy - thanks for the great feedback on your tour. Sounds like you had an awesome time and that EPE lived up to expectations. It was great that everyone was so helpful and friendly (except those hawkers.....I guess their incomes have taken a dive too in the recent months so it makes them more pushy) Mohem is a fantastic guide! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy60 Posted November 10, 2011 #103 Share Posted November 10, 2011 Andy - thanks for the great feedback on your tour. Sounds like you had an awesome time and that EPE lived up to expectations. It was great that everyone was so helpful and friendly (except those hawkers.....I guess their incomes have taken a dive too in the recent months so it makes them more pushy) Mohem is a fantastic guide! Thank you, Hazel, for organizing the tour and I'm glad to hear you will be getting there soon after having to cancel on our trip. Linda did a great job after taking over for you and we much enjoyed getting to know her and Franz as well as others on the tour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manoftheworld Posted November 15, 2011 #104 Share Posted November 15, 2011 Thank you, Hazel, for organizing the tour and I'm glad to hear you will be getting there soon after having to cancel on our trip. Linda did a great job after taking over for you and we much enjoyed getting to know her and Franz as well as others on the tour. it's great to hear that about EPE i did a great time with them and i recommend them for anyone heading for Egypt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karennella Posted November 15, 2011 #105 Share Posted November 15, 2011 Yes, our whole group of six got sick, one after another, the first on the day after we left Egypt. We will never know whether it was from the ship or from Egypt. We stayed at Mena House and were very careful with not drinking local water, ice etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deadzone1003 Posted November 16, 2011 #106 Share Posted November 16, 2011 We were aboard the Star Princess that visited Egypt on Oct. 24-25. Our guide was a lady named Dahlia who was excellent. We were a group of 13 from the roll call. If I had to do it all over again, I would have kept the group size at 6-8 as I felt that would have been the ideal size. However, we couldn't complained about the cost as Princess was charging 3 times what we paid and we certainly saw and did alot more than the Princess excursion. Dahlia is one of EPE's best guides and is used quite often for the week long assignments. The first day she did talked alot more than we like, not that she was boring, but that our group was a bit older and standing around and listening was a problem for a few of us. I mentioned that to Dahlia and the 2nd day of our overnight trip was simply great - the highlight was that we were able to climb (part-way) the Great Pyramid of Cheops (Khufu). The first day we had already entered the Pyramid of Teti at Saqqara so none of us needed to visit another pyramid. We rode the camels at Giza and went to numerous spots where you can take your ideal picture of the pyramids or the Spinx. We stayed at the Mena House Oberoi which was an excellent hotel and an ideal spot. My wife and I had the pyramid view room, but in October the sun sets by the time we got to the hotel and we really couldn't enjoy the view until the following morning. We ate at the Indian restaurant at the Mena House, very good though a touch expensive. In all a great experience and highly recommended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dog Posted November 17, 2011 #107 Share Posted November 17, 2011 deadzone, thanks for posting. glad it worked out well for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lover007 Posted November 17, 2011 #108 Share Posted November 17, 2011 Hi We used Egypt Private Excursions and we were delighted with our tour in Cairo on October 24 and our tour in Alexandria. Our driver, Ossama, did a great job handling the traffic and our guide, Mohmed, was personable, informative, and very helpful in every way. Mohmed and Ossama were wonderful! We were completely satisfied and we are very glad that we booked this tour with Egypt Private Excursions Company. Thank you! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NETexan Posted November 24, 2011 #109 Share Posted November 24, 2011 I have been meaning to give my thoughts since we returned, and I guess better late than never. . We also used EPE for the overnight from the Star Princess on Oct 24-25. It was just the 2 of us, our guide, and driver. We were very satisfied with the tour and service. The best thing in my opinion was that our guide flipped the itinerary and we did the museum and churches the first day. When we got to the museum there were very few people there and we could walk up to each artifact and discuss it quietly. As we were getting ready to leave the buses started arriving and unloading and within a short time it was shoulder to shoulder in the museum. There is no way we would have learned as much in those conditions. . We also stayed at the Mena house and thought it was a great place. . As others stated the price was way below Princess. We paid $260 per person so the total cost was still less than what it would have been for one of us through the ship. . Our guide was Marwan Sayed and he was extremely knowledgeable. . Lastly I would like to say that the knowledge from Cruise Critic made our trip the great adventure it was. Thanks to all! . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rawlin Posted November 24, 2011 #110 Share Posted November 24, 2011 Although another passenger had initiated our 2-day tour of Cairo/Alexandria from the Star Princess, I took over the coordination when she had to cancel her own cruise. From the moment EPE was notified of the change until the time we were dropped at the ship’s pier in Alexandria, we were treated with prompt, professional courtesy. Response time to my e-mails and follow-through was immediate and EPE was able to accommodate last-minute additions to the passenger list. Moemen, our guide, and Dina, Reservations Manager, met us at the port with broad, welcoming smiles and very open attitudes. The driver navigated traffic the likes of which we had never, in all our travels, experienced. The trip to Cairo was 3 hours, during which Moemen educated us with a history of Egypt and running commentary on sites we were passing. He utilized our National Museum time to the max allowing us a good amount of time to experience the Tut exhibit and offering, with the aid of audio-phones, good commentary on exhibit highlights throughout the museum. Prior to each of the areas we visited, we were provided with thorough explanations of egress and exit plans so that no one would be confused. The pyramids, sphinx, and camel rides were once-in-a-lifetime experiences. On the return to the ship, Moemen shared much information on the social/cultural conditions in Egypt today. Alexandria tour included valuable time in the Catacombs and at the new Library and other highlights of the city including some time in one of the most symmetrically beautiful mosques we’ve visited. I can highly recommend EPE and am sure the 24 other tour passengers would agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruise47 Posted November 27, 2011 #111 Share Posted November 27, 2011 (edited) Hi We used Egypt Private Excursions and we were delighted with our tour in Cairo on October 24 and our tour in Alexandria. Our driver, Ossama, did a great job handling the traffic and our guide, Mohmed, was personable, informative, and very helpful in every way. Mohmed and Ossama were wonderful! We were completely satisfied and we are very glad that we booked this tour with Egypt Private Excursions Company. Thank you! :) Thanks for the information on Egypt Private Excursions how far in advance is required to made a reservation to book this company ? Our curise is for November 2012. Edited November 27, 2011 by cruise47 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare cruisemom42 Posted November 27, 2011 #112 Share Posted November 27, 2011 Although another passenger had initiated our 2-day tour of Cairo/Alexandria from the Star Princess, I took over the coordination when she had to cancel her own cruise. From the moment EPE was notified of the change until the time we were dropped at the ship’s pier in Alexandria, we were treated with prompt, professional courtesy. Response time to my e-mails and follow-through was immediate and EPE was able to accommodate last-minute additions to the passenger list. Moemen, our guide, and Dina, Reservations Manager, met us at the port with broad, welcoming smiles and very open attitudes. The driver navigated traffic the likes of which we had never, in all our travels, experienced. I can highly recommend EPE and am sure the 24 other tour passengers would agree. I'm glad you enjoyed your visit so much. I'm also glad you mentioned Dina -- IMO she does a lot to ensure that every tour is an excellent experience. She also met me with my guide in Alexandria and then made a point to also show up at lunchtime and see if everything was going as I expected. Top notch service. Thanks for the information on Egypt Private Excursions how far in advance is required to made a reservation to book this company ? Our curise is for November 2012. I wouldn't recommend booking any later than when you make your final payment, and possibly earlier (especially if you want to request a particular guide or put together a custom tour). Also, if you are looking to get a grouop together, it's often better to do it earlier than later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helga29 Posted November 27, 2011 #113 Share Posted November 27, 2011 Thanks for the information on Egypt Private Excursions how far in advance is required to made a reservation to book this company ? Our curise is for November 2012. Looking at how popular EPE are....I'd say book as soon as you can! The great thing is that no payment is needed up front so if your itinerary did change, you have no risk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helga29 Posted January 9, 2012 #114 Share Posted January 9, 2012 Does anyone know what the current situation is regardimg elections in Egypt? I think it's the People's Assembly? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welshcruiser20 Posted January 17, 2012 #115 Share Posted January 17, 2012 (edited) Does anyone know what the current situation is regardimg elections in Egypt?I think it's the People's Assembly? Thanks I have been in touch with a friend over there and he tells me that the elections are completed and the Muslim Brotherhood has a majority Edited January 17, 2012 by Welshcruiser20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havcamwiltravel Posted January 17, 2012 #116 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I have been in touch with a friend over there and he tells me that the elections are completed and the Muslim Brotherhood has a majority Yes, quite right. The majority of candidates that were elected are representatives of the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafi Muslims. The young liberal candidates that were representative of the young revolutionaries that filled the squares during the revolution were much less organized for the election than the winning parties. To many western eyes, that may seem to indicate that Egypt will now be less likely to form a government that will be more 'open' and progressive, as we westerners would like to put it. But the Muslim Brotherhood has often stated in its manifesto that the party is driven by the same thirst for freedom and justice that drove the young revolutionaries. Certainly, though, it means that there may not be official separation of religion and state in Egypt's government. That will disappoint those who wanted to see Egypt become more 'western' in both practices and appearance. With regard to tourism, however, it is unlikely that Egypt will adopt any policies that will hurt the tourist industry, as it represents fully 12% of Egypt's GDP. For the people who will visit Egypt, there will probably be little change in the short term with regard to security and hopefully, less unrest in the long term, if the new government can provide better justice for the Egyptian people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helga29 Posted January 24, 2012 #117 Share Posted January 24, 2012 many thanks to welshcruiser20 and havecamwilltravel for your answers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manoftheworld Posted January 29, 2012 #118 Share Posted January 29, 2012 do you think egypt now is a good destination after the election or what?? i would like to hear from those who can share thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doonan Posted January 30, 2012 #119 Share Posted January 30, 2012 I have travelled many times to Egypt and to many parts of the world under many different religious views ... that is the right of the people. If Egypt now leans towards Muslim ... I do not see that as a reason to be concerned about visiting the country at this time. The country now seems to be, in general, at peace and it does not concern me for my next visit planned for November. Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manoftheworld Posted February 1, 2012 #120 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I have travelled many times to Egypt and to many parts of the world under many different religious views ... that is the right of the people. If Egypt now leans towards Muslim ... I do not see that as a reason to be concerned about visiting the country at this time. The country now seems to be, in general, at peace and it does not concern me for my next visit planned for November. Neil I agree with you and I think that cultures remain the same regardless of the ruling party. The accumulated wisdom of the past is what keeps the identity of this country different. Wish you a good time there Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillPizzaiolo Posted February 16, 2012 #121 Share Posted February 16, 2012 We were slated to join a group in Egypt. However our cruise changed its ports of call...we canceled all our reservations. We hoped to use Egypt Private Excursions as we heard so much good stuff about them. They put together a once in a lifetime package for us which we hope to use when things settle down to a new normal in Egypt. Maybe next year? Bill & Jerzeetomata Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San11 Posted March 20, 2012 #122 Share Posted March 20, 2012 We are trying to decide where to stay for our overnight. Would it be better to stay at the Oberoi Mena House or to stay at Fairmont Nile City Hotel in Cairo:confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havcamwiltravel Posted March 20, 2012 #123 Share Posted March 20, 2012 We are trying to decide where to stay for our overnight. Would it be better to stay at the Oberoi Mena House or to stay at Fairmont Nile City Hotel in Cairo:confused: It depends on where you want to be. If you want to be close to the center of Cairo and perhaps have a Nile River view, then choose the Fairmont. If you want to have closer access to the Pyramids, Sakkara and Dahshur, and perhaps a Pyramid view room, then choose the Mena House. I did not stay in Cairo, so I can't tell you much about what the pluses and minuses are. But I did stay in 2 places in Giza, one being the Mena House and can tell you that I may not choose anywhere else to stay when I return to Cairo. It was that good. For a full report and links to other reports check out this thread: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1563179 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manoftheworld Posted March 21, 2012 #124 Share Posted March 21, 2012 We are trying to decide where to stay for our overnight. Would it be better to stay at the Oberoi Mena House or to stay at Fairmont Nile City Hotel in Cairo:confused: I stayed at menahouse oberoi but I read good reviews about Fairmont Nile City and next time I will be with EPE wish you best of luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lover007 Posted March 23, 2012 #125 Share Posted March 23, 2012 I stayed at menahouse oberoi but I read good reviews about Fairmont Nile City and next time I will be with EPEwish you best of luck I stayed at mena house oberoi too but I see Fairmont Nile City has a good rate online Please check out this link http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g294201-d580690-Reviews-Fairmont_Cairo_Nile_City-Cairo.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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