Review of Viking Pathways of the Pharaohs Nile-Lake Nasser Cruise- Part 1

[Phoenix cruiser]

My wife and I just returned from the subject cruise-tour which originated in Cairo on December 21. The trip met or exceeded all our hopes for a vacation that had been on our “bucket list” for decades. Rather than present a travelogue, since there are ample sources describing the sights of Egypt, I want to provide my views on the good, the not so good and the suggestions I have for future travelers.

Prior to departure and in flight: Prior to the trip I secured $500 worth of Egyptian pounds through my bank at the published exchange rate. While not a necessity, it saved us one chore upon arrival and in fact lasted the entire 2 weeks so I never had to hit an ATM. They are readily available in Cairo hotels and a few other locations, but the tour is fast paced and it was nice not to have to chase down an ATM. I also got $50 worth of $1 bills which came in extremely handy for tips (more on this later).

We spent 2 days in New York City prior to departing from JFK. It served as a nice transition, seeing an opera, walking up Fifth Avenue, shopping and seeing a film not showing in our home town (The King’s Speech). The fact that we were bumped from the Waldorf Astoria and given a free room at the San Carlos was an added bonus. Knowing we would be running for most of the time in Egypt made having some rest time between work and the plane ride a good choice. Using Super Shuttle to JFK was a snap.

The flight on Delta (non-stop) was better than I expected. The leg room was sufficient for both of us and we did not feel like we were wedged in to our seats as we have been on other airlines. Not sure how someone over 6 foot would feel, but we were satisfied. We followed our mantra of arriving a day early. Some of our fellow Viking travelers ended up missing the first day of our tour because they followed Viking’s schedule and got stuck in Europe due to weather. Arriving a day early allows for en route snafus, gave us some time to overcome the worst of jet lag and also provided a full day to spend in the Egyptian Museum.

Arrival in Cairo: Once we exited the bus from the plane into the arrivals hall we immediately went to a small kiosk where $15 per person gets you an entry visa. After clearing passport control we got our luggage and headed for the Cairo shuttle, which had a small stand in the lobby. There you get your first introduction to Egypt when you are besieged by people offering to give you a ride “cheap.” The shuttle is sanctioned by the Cairo airport authority and it cost us 90 LE (about $16) for the 2 of us to our hotel. We had a reservation at the Semiramis Intercontinental, the same hotel Viking uses for the tour. This allowed us not to have to change hotels and it is only 1- blocks from the Egyptian Museum. It is an elegant hotel and we had a magnificent room overlooking the Nile.

Egyptian Museum and Walking in Cairo: After a good night’s sleep we were ready to fulfill our dream of spending the day at this museum. Although we only had to cross 2 streets we knew right away why they say walking in Cairo is your greatest danger. There are no lights or cross walks and it is every man for himself. We were lucky to come across a tourist policeman who for a few dollars stopped traffic so we could cross. Our dollars were already paying off! On the way back we took advantage of a vendor who guided us across, and who was disappointed when we refused to follow him to his shop.

Prior to leaving the US I purchased a used version of The Illustrated Guide to the Egyptian Museum through Amazon. It leads you through the museum room by room, with photos and a detailed description of the key objects in every room. We also found that wherever we turned there were guides leading small groups through the museum so while we were studying many of the objects we were treated to a description. I don’t believe it is ethical to follow guides around to eavesdrop on their talks, but if you are standing by an object and they walk up next to you I don’t think you need to cover your ears or move away. Besides the 100,000 plus objects that range from Paleolithic to Greco-Roman, each one more priceless than the other, take time to absorb the feel of the museum, with objects tucked away in corners and behind other displays so it almost like discovering the piece for yourself. I hope the new museum at Giza won’t be too modern and sterile.

In Part 2 I will describe our guide for the trip and our excursion to the pyramids.

[Phoenix cruiser]

Tour Guide and Pyramids: Our first full day as part of the Viking cruise-tour package involved an included excursion to the step pyramid at Saqqara and to Giza for the pyramids and sphinx. Our guide, Amr, is an Egyptologist working on his doctorate. He works not only for Viking but Lindblad/National Geographic, which tells you his pedigree. He was definitely one of the best guides we have ever had, not only in his knowledge and ability to transmit the information clearly, but in the little things such as insuring we got to places ahead of or after the crowds so we could maximize our experience. This was also our first chance to see the security that would be present throughout our tour, always accompanied by an armed guard. Other than trying to cross traffic in Cairo, we never felt unsafe wherever we went. I won’t elaborate on what it is like to experience the first pyramid at Saqqara or the great pyramid at Giza and the sphinx, as enough has been said about them and there are no words to convey the awe no matter how hard you try.

Vendors and Camel Jockeys: Saqqara and Giza were our introduction to the worst of Egypt- the vendors. No matter where you turn at any tourist site they are in your face and the word no is clearly not in their vocabulary. It goes beyond annoying to not be able to take a single step without one of them being in your face. I early on mastered the art of not making eye contact and ignoring their entreaties, but woe unto those who actually acknowledge their presence. I don’t mind the haggling when I express interst in something and actually want to buy, but when I have no interest I don’t want to expend all my energy evading the onslaught. A camel ride was included as part of our tour package, so we had some leverage with the camel jockeys. It was a fun experience until they start trying to wheedle more money from you to let you down. You are truly held hostage unless you have someone on the ground looking out for you, in our case our guide and security person. Whatever you do, don’t give them their tip until you are safely back on earth.

Pharaoh’s Revenge/Mummy Tummy: My wife was one of the 2 lucky members of our 32 person tour group to succumb to this ailment. She awoke during the night with all the symptoms you don’t want to hear about. Suspicion is that it was the salad she ate at the buffet, but that is something we will never know. We had brought charcoal tablets with us and she started right out with those. Then first thing in the morning I grabbed Antinal from the pharmacy in the hotel and by the next day she was about 80% recovered, enough to function on out tour. We did miss the Citadel and the visit to the Egyptian Museum (I stayed with her that day as she was convinced I might return to find her lying on the floor). Since we had already enjoyed a full day at the museum it was at least the best day to miss.

Luxor: The early morning drive to the airport was easy as we set out before the traffic got bad, and the Viking rep already had our boarding passes waiting for us. It was a pleasant flight to Luxor on a regional jet. Our guide altered the agenda so we enjoyed the Temple of Karnak and all its splendor after lunch and then toured the Temple of Luxor in the evening when it was bathed in lights. Viking has altered the itinerary based on feedback to allow more time overall in Luxor, so we spent one night in the Sonesta hotel prior to boarding our ship the next day. It is a lovely hotel right on the Nile, but its real claim to fame is the high tech bathrooms. The showers have remote controls with more options for where water might come from then you can imagine, including a full Jacuzzi tub. The toilet has a control panel with so many options it probably requires a training course to operate. On day 2 at Luxor we visited the Dendara temple complex and the wonderful Luxor Museum.

Royal Lotus: Our first of 2 ships was the Royal Lotus operated by Movenpick. For a ship that has been in operation for some time there is a regrettable lack of attention to detail. This was most evident in the restaurant where the waiters rarely got an order correct and sometimes brought out soup and salad courses multiple times. The food was acceptable but far from memorable and the cleanliness was passable but not as good as expected. I will discuss the other ship, the Prince Abbas, later, but the difference was like night and day for 2 ships operated by the same company.

Part 3 will cover the Valley of the Kings and the voyage to Aswan.

[Viking Cruises]

Tour Guide and Pyramids: Our first full day as part of the Viking cruise-tour package involved an included excursion to the step pyramid at Saqqara and to Giza for the pyramids and sphinx. Our guide, Amr, is an Egyptologist working on his doctorate. He works not only for Viking but Lindblad/National Geographic, which tells you his pedigree. He was definitely one of the best guides we have ever had, not only in his knowledge and ability to transmit the information clearly, but in the little things such as insuring we got to places ahead of or after the crowds so we could maximize our experience. This was also our first chance to see the security that would be present throughout our tour, always accompanied by an armed guard. Other than trying to cross traffic in Cairo, we never felt unsafe wherever we went. I won’t elaborate on what it is like to experience the first pyramid at Saqqara or the great pyramid at Giza and the sphinx, as enough has been said about them and there are no words to convey the awe no matter how hard you try.

Vendors and Camel Jockeys: Saqqara and Giza were our introduction to the worst of Egypt- the vendors. No matter where you turn at any tourist site they are in your face and the word no is clearly not in their vocabulary. It goes beyond annoying to not be able to take a single step without one of them being in your face. I early on mastered the art of not making eye contact and ignoring their entreaties, but woe unto those who actually acknowledge their presence. I don’t mind the haggling when I express interst in something and actually want to buy, but when I have no interest I don’t want to expend all my energy evading the onslaught. A camel ride was included as part of our tour package, so we had some leverage with the camel jockeys. It was a fun experience until they start trying to wheedle more money from you to let you down. You are truly held hostage unless you have someone on the ground looking out for you, in our case our guide and security person. Whatever you do, don’t give them their tip until you are safely back on earth.

Pharaoh’s Revenge/Mummy Tummy: My wife was one of the 2 lucky members of our 32 person tour group to succumb to this ailment. She awoke during the night with all the symptoms you don’t want to hear about. Suspicion is that it was the salad she ate at the buffet, but that is something we will never know. We had brought charcoal tablets with us and she started right out with those. Then first thing in the morning I grabbed Antinal from the pharmacy in the hotel and by the next day she was about 80% recovered, enough to function on out tour. We did miss the Citadel and the visit to the Egyptian Museum (I stayed with her that day as she was convinced I might return to find her lying on the floor). Since we had already enjoyed a full day at the museum it was at least the best day to miss.

Luxor: The early morning drive to the airport was easy as we set out before the traffic got bad, and the Viking rep already had our boarding passes waiting for us. It was a pleasant flight to Luxor on a regional jet. Our guide altered the agenda so we enjoyed the Temple of Karnak and all its splendor after lunch and then toured the Temple of Luxor in the evening when it was bathed in lights. Viking has altered the itinerary based on feedback to allow more time overall in Luxor, so we spent one night in the Sonesta hotel prior to boarding our ship the next day. It is a lovely hotel right on the Nile, but its real claim to fame is the high tech bathrooms. The showers have remote controls with more options for where water might come from then you can imagine, including a full Jacuzzi tub. The toilet has a control panel with so many options it probably requires a training course to operate. On day 2 at Luxor we visited the Dendara temple complex and the wonderful Luxor Museum.

Royal Lotus: Our first of 2 ships was the Royal Lotus operated by Movenpick. For a ship that has been in operation for some time there is a regrettable lack of attention to detail. This was most evident in the restaurant where the waiters rarely got an order correct and sometimes brought out soup and salad courses multiple times. The food was acceptable but far from memorable and the cleanliness was passable but not as good as expected. I will discuss the other ship, the Prince Abbas, later, but the difference was like night and day for 2 ships operated by the same company.

Part 3 will cover the Valley of the Kings and the voyage to Aswan.

 

Dear Phoenix cruiser,

 

We are pleased to learn that overall you had an enjoyable trip and appreciate your detailed review! However, we are sorry to hear that there were a few situations that did not quite meet all of your expectations. Please contact us directly at TellUs@vikingrivercruises.com so that we may address your concerns.

 

Sincerely,

 

Viking River Cruises

[Phoenix cruiser]

Valley of the Kings: Our final day in Luxor was spent at the Valley of the Kings, touring the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut and visiting the Mortuary Temple of Ramses III. I was grateful our tour director got us up early to head for the Valley of the Kings, as there were very small lines when we arrived but the crowds had swelled by the time we left. Your ticket gets you in to any 3 tombs of your choice from those that are open. Our guide suggested what he thought were the best 3, and these aligned pretty well with what I had seen studying various web sites ahead of time. For an extra price you can visit Tut’s tomb, but my wife and I passed on that to spend more time in the 3 we did visit. I followed a Cruise Critic recommendation and brought along a small flashlight, which helped. I regret that cameras were not allowed but we did get some excellent postcards for only a few dollars. It is worth allowing some time after your visit to the tombs to wander around and get a feel for the place- it is incredible the number of tombs grouped so close together embedded into the sides of the hills. The Temple of Queen Hatshepsut is noteworthy just for the setting, let alone its grandeur.

Nile Cruise to Aswan: We sailed away from Luxor after lunch on our 3rd day there and cruised the Nile for the next day and a half, with stops at the temple of Horus in Edfu, the Temple at Kom Ombo and a passage through the one lock we would encounter. The Temples were all impressive and each one unique, even if not as overwhelming as Karnak. At the lock is where we met up with the Pirates of the Nile. This is a fascinating choreograph where vendors in boats latch on to the side of the ship. They toss their merchandise up and you haggle by shouting back and forth. If you agree on a price they toss up a bag for you to put money in. Otherwise you throw the merchandise back. One trick is to wait as long as you can before you enter the locks when they are the most desperate to make a sale before you disappear.

Aswan: I was surprised at the city of Aswan, which looked like a hybrid of Las Vegas and an Egyptian city. Neon lights, a 3 story McDonalds and high end shops alongside mosques and a courthouse shaped like the Temple of Isis. We enjoyed a ride on a felucca (an Egyptian sailboat) and encountered another phenomenon- kids who paddled up on rafts that look like water skateboards and sing in several languages, looking for tips. This was followed by tours of the Aswan high dam, the Temple of Isis at Philae and the Temple of Kalabsha.

Prince Abbas: Whereas the Royal Lotus suffered by lax management and careless attention to detail, the Prince Abbas was a bright light in cruising. The crew was continually polishing and scrubbing, the waiters were meticulous in their service and the food was much higher quality. The cabins were well attended and overall it was closer to an ocean cruise level of quality. The staff hit their high water mark (no pun intended0 when we stranded ashore at Amada due to high winds and waves. The captain somehow maneuvered the ship into a secure cove without running aground and the entire crew including the general manager came ashore to help guide all passengers safely to the cove and onto the ship.

Cruising Lake Nasser: The pace relaxed quite a bit on lake Nasser and we enjoyed a lot more sailing time. The visits to Wadi el Saboua and Amada were very nice but obviously lower key than some of the higher profile temples we saw earlier. Of course this was the build up to Abu Simbel.

Abu Simbel: Whether you get to Abu Simbel as we did via boat or if you have to arrive by air or bus, do not miss seeing this homage to the excess of Ramses II as well as his devotion to Nefertari. As with the pyramids, no words or even photos do it justice.

Return to Cairo and Flight Home: The next day was another smooth flight back to Cairo. This time we were on an A320, very impressive for what is basically a short haul flight of 1.5 hours. Our hotel the last day was the CityStars Intercontinental. Someone in our group described this as Viking’s way of sending you home in a glowing mood. The property is impressive with a massive series of pools and rooms that include a kitchenette, a sitting area, balconies with real grass plots and a Mall of America type shopping complex attached. How sad that my wife and I could only enjoy the room for half a day as we had an overnight flight back to the US.

Final Thoughts: The trip lived up to our highest expectations. Even the least of the temples and monuments we visited had enough hieroglyphics or bas relief to make it worth the visit. The grandest of the temples and pyramids quite literally were breathtaking. The Egyptian Museum requires a full day to scratch the surface and cannot be appreciated on a quick walk through. Even with paying everyone an Egyptian pound or a $1 for the privilege of using their toilets, braving Cairo traffic, trying to not let the griminess of Cairo get you down, and walking through the Valley of the Shadow of Vendors, we take away the fondest of memories that will last a lifetime.

[Suesan Jean]

Traveling to Egypt is not exactly on my "To Do" list, but, I must tell you that I have THROUGHLY ENJOYED your review!!!

 

IT WAS A GREAT READ!!!

 

It sounded as if your entire trip from start to finish (except for the first cruise ship unfortunately) was EXCELLENT!!!

 

What was the temperature when you went?

 

Was this considered the "busy season" or the not so busy season?

 

Thank You VERY MUCH for your review.

[Phoenix cruiser]

I am delighted that you found my review worth the effort to read through. The temperatures were in the 70s until we got to Aswan when they hit the 80s. I cannot imagine going in the summer with temperatures exceeding 110, that is hibernation time. Not sure what is considered "high season" but the crowds were never overwhelming. That may just be because Egypt is still thought of as too risky by many in the west, even though NYC may be more dangerous.

[shoshona2]

Hi Phoenix Cruiser,

 

Thank you for posting such a thorough review of your recent Egyptian Adventure! We went in November of 2009 and it brought back such wonderful memories of our awesome trip. My brother-in-law put all my photos on my computer and some days I open the computer to a wonderful photo of Abu Simbel or one of the Pyramids. AFter we returned home, I went to Barnes and Noble and picked up a wonderful glossy book on how they discovered King Tut's tomb and all the artifacts at the Cairo Museum. You were very smart to buy a used copy of the book which showed the artifacts at the museum before hand.

 

Happy cruising!

 

Sheila

[nordski]

We really appreciate your review. Detailed but concise enough to give us a clear analysis of your memorable trip.

 

Plan to take this cruise soon.

[jacksonnh]

I to have not thought about Egypt but after reading your very well written review, my thoughts have changed. Nicely done!

[Quilting Queen]

Thank you Phoenix Cruiser for the wonderful review from a different point of view.

 

We will be there with Uniworld in late March/early April and one of the boats we will be on is the Prince Abbas. Glad to know it is what the brochure says it is.

 

Norine

[HDS]

Loved your review, especially the reference to yet another walk through the "Valley of the Shadow of the Vendors". Very similar experiences to our January 2010 trip with Bunnick tours. We were on the Movenpick Lily where dining room staff were very attentive but food, as almost everywhere, was yet another tasteless tepid tourist buffet. We avoided salad but loved the (peelable) fresh fruits and regretted we were offered so little Egyptian food other than the excellent dips and breads.

 

Our guide said that December-February are the peak tourist season, the Egyptian "winter". After the Christmas holiday season the tourist bookings reduce a bit, but it seems that crowds are part of the Egypt experience.

[stretchcruz]

Thank you so much for your review. Can't say that Egypt is on my list, but I really enjoyed your review, and thank you for taking the time to do so!

[cormike1]

Thanks for that great write-up!!! We are going Feb. 21st for 2 weeks cruising and 1 week at Sharm-el-Sheikh to wind down afterwards lol. I really liked your tips about getting money ahead of time. We usually do that also as you just never know if you will have time to get some in the airport, etc. We are going with an open mind about Cairo and looking forward to seeing the chaos in the streets....we went to Moscow and St. Petersburg a year ago and we couldn't believe that traffic so Cairo sounds like that and more..an experience I am looking forward to. So thanks again for your report...it certainly was fun to read.

 

Corinne

[slimsloany]

Phoenix Cruiser!

Thanks so much for the fabulous journal of your trip. I'm on Gate 1 trip and hope all is well. Those that have gone before assure me it will be a very memorable experience.

Egypt has always been a dream of mine and I am so ready for the trip. I have been researching this trip since May but have been a student of Egyptian history since I was a child.

Again, thanks for sharing your memories.

Six weeks from today!

Suzie

[Windy56]

Very well written review. I enjoyed reading it very much. Sounds like a wonderful adventure!

 

I'm also impressed with the Viking representative who is conscientious enough to keep an eye on these boards and actually forward you contact information in response to one of your travel concerns. Now that's service!

[Phoenix cruiser]

To follow up- I contacted Viking as suggested in their reply and they quickly sent me a personal e-mail. They promised to address my one issue in order to improve their already high quality product. Clearly they recognize the benefits of satisfied customers even after the 'sale" and I would not hesitate to use them again and recommend them to anyone. Now the challenge will be decide which river cruise to take next.......

[Phoenix cruiser]

For anyone frustrated by the inability to take pictures in the Valley of the Kings tombs, here is an outstanding web site. Select "Sites" and then choose any tomb and select images and you will be in Egyptoligist heaven!

 

http://www.thebanmappingproject.com/

[shoshona2]

Dear Phoenix Cruiser,

 

Thank you so much for posting the link to the Valley of the Kings website!! That was a fantastic day for us sightseeing in Egypt!!!

 

Sheila

[C-sea]

Hi Phoenix Cruiser,

 

Enjoyed your review! We are looking forward to our "Pathways of the Pharaohs" trip Nov. 2013. Have the insurance, and will hope for a great adventure ;)

 

"Once we exited the bus from the plane into the arrivals hall we immediately went to a small kiosk where $15 per person gets you an entry visa."

 

Anyone???

I was wondering... circa 2013....as a US citizen... can we still acquire the needed visa once we arrive at the Cairo airport?

 

Thanks,