Would you go to Egypt in November?

[cruisemom42]

We are booked on Oceania Nov 6, 2011 to Middle East.. There are three of us and we are going, unless something dreadful happens last minute...My understanding is that Egyptians are wanting tourists and the sights (luxor) are not as crowded as in the past. I also hear that King Tut's tomb will be closing permanently at year's end due to risk of deterioration and this is a must in our bucket list. There are cruises in the area right now with no problems. I have a few concerns but not enough to cancel the cruise..we have purchased private insurance just in case. I am considering doing private excursions rather that pricey cruise sponsored ones to both Luxor and Petra..does anyone have any experience doing so in these two ports? Thank you and good luck if you decide to go..

 

If King Tut's tomb is a must for you, I think you'd need to go with a private tour. I'm not sure any ship's tours guarantee entrance to Tut's tomb; most just say that you will visit "three tombs", because this is the standard ticket. Visiting Tut's tomb requires a separate ticket. Perhaps Oceania differs in this respect, but I'd still consider a private tour. I know the agency I've used twice in Egypt offers tours in Luxor as well, so if you want their name (they are frequently recommended), I'm happy to give it to you.

 

I can't help with Petra, having just done it on a land trip. However, I'm guessing a private excursion will allow you the most flexibility and probably enable you to see more at Petra than a standard cruise excursion (and will probably be cheaper as well).

[girlofsummer]

Hi cruise mom42..Thanks for the info..we were already leaning towards a private tour rather than the cruise sponsored one...Yes I would like the name of the company you used in Egypt as it is always better than picking one out of the blue (plus you were happy with their performance) ..Thank you also for the info on the Israeli stamp on the passport.. Any other insights you have would be appreciated..Thanks again:D

[cruisemom42]

Hi cruise mom42..Thanks for the info..we were already leaning towards a private tour rather than the cruise sponsored one...Yes I would like the name of the company you used in Egypt as it is always better than picking one out of the blue (plus you were happy with their performance) ..Thank you also for the info on the Israeli stamp on the passport.. Any other insights you have would be appreciated..Thanks again:D

 

 

I used Egypt Private Excursions. If you look elsewhere on this page, you'll find a discussion about them where others have also given positive recommendations for them. I toured with them twice -- in Alexandria and in Cairo (two separate cruises) and can highly recommend them. I know they also arrange tours in Luxor.

 

How long are you in Luxor? Just one day or overnight? In addition to the Valley of the Kings, there are so many more "must see" places in Luxor, including Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, and Deir el-Bahari (Hatshepsut's funerary temple).

[havcamwiltravel]

I used Egypt Private Excursions. If you look elsewhere on this page, you'll find a discussion about them where others have also given positive recommendations for them. I toured with them twice -- in Alexandria and in Cairo (two separate cruises) and can highly recommend them. I know they also arrange tours in Luxor.

 

How long are you in Luxor? Just one day or overnight? In addition to the Valley of the Kings, there are so many more "must see" places in Luxor, including Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, and Deir el-Bahari (Hatshepsut's funerary temple).

 

Hi GirlOfSummer, another great site to see if you have the time in the Luxor area is the Habu Temple of Ramses III (aka Medinat Habu). It is the most complete temple in the Luxor area and has a lot of original colour in the hieroglyphs and drawings of the temple's walls.

[dileep]

Early morning hot air balloon ride in Luxor can be fun too.

 

Our Luxor Highlights

[tiyana4]

Early morning hot air balloon ride in Luxor can be fun too.

 

Our Luxor Highlights

 

 

The Ballon ride look amazing!!! I definitely want to do that when we return to Egypt.

[Travelcat2]

We are also going to Egypt and Israel in November/December on Regent. There are port stops in Egypt (only Luxor), Israel, Oman and Jordan. We will then go through the Gulf of Aden (I believe with members of the Israeli army on board for protection). We are very aware of what is happening in the Middle East but it will not change our plans.

[Grannycb]

We returned from our Holy Lands cruise late last night. Our experiences in Israel and Egypt were very positive.

 

Security was tight in Israel. Several passengers had their bags searched. Our van was stopped twice. Both times were to check for seat belt use. Both passengers and drivers are fined there for not wearing a seat belt. There was also a checkpoint where the driver showed his license. No big deal.

 

The people who took Princess tours to Cairo reported people smiling and waving to the convoy. Egyptian parents wanted to take pictures of their children with tourist from the buses. DH and I did a private tour in Alexandria. That too was very positive. There were no safety issues and we felt very welcome. There were no crowds.

 

A note about Port Said: The vendors there were the worse we've encountered anywhere. All other ports had well mannered vendors.

[girlofsummer]

Thanks for all that replied to my inquiries...We will be in Luxor for 2 days but were probably thinking of doing just the one all-day excursion...My husband sleeps with a C-Pap machine and worries at staying at hotels he is not familiar with..Does anyone know what the "LUXOR" hotel is like? Is it a Hilton, Sheraton or similar type accommodation? I'll check with Egypt Private Excursions and check their itinerary and rates....King Tut's tomb is a must for us. Oceania's excursion also lists visit to "3 tombs" with no mention of Tut's. We have no problem paying extra to see it, our concern is if they will allow us the time to visit it, particularly if there are long lines....We've also checked "Albaraa Travel" and their rates are also much better than those for the ship. Ha anyone traveled or have any experience with them? They have excursions listed for both Petra and Luxor...Thanks again:p

[havcamwiltravel]

Thanks for all that replied to my inquiries...We will be in Luxor for 2 days but were probably thinking of doing just the one all-day excursion...My husband sleeps with a C-Pap machine and worries at staying at hotels he is not familiar with..Does anyone know what the "LUXOR" hotel is like? Is it a Hilton, Sheraton or similar type accommodation? I'll check with Egypt Private Excursions and check their itinerary and rates....King Tut's tomb is a must for us. Oceania's excursion also lists visit to "3 tombs" with no mention of Tut's. We have no problem paying extra to see it, our concern is if they will allow us the time to visit it, particularly if there are long lines....We've also checked "Albaraa Travel" and their rates are also much better than those for the ship. Ha anyone traveled or have any experience with them? They have excursions listed for both Petra and Luxor...Thanks again:p

We stayed at the Sheraton Luxor with a Nile view room. It is a beautiful, American-style hotel owned and operated by Sheraton, as the name implies. The hotel is right on the banks of the NIle and are located just a little south of downtown Luxor, about 1.5 miles from Luxor temple.

 

I don't think you would need to worry about your husband's c-pap system, as long as you had the right voltage adapter/converter, as it is 210 voltage in Egypt.

 

The hotel has two beautiful pools, one on the river's edge, and 2 or three restaurants.

 

We enjoyed our stay, although with the touring, we didn't spend a lot of time there. The meals we had there were great, our room was beautiful, modern and spotless, and the service was excellent and friendly.

 

We visited 3 tombs in the Valley of the Kings and did not opt for Tut's tomb. There are no line ups right now due to the lack of visitors so visiting Tut's tomb should not be an issue, however if the crowds return, I'm told that there can be a long lineup there and you are often waiting in 45 degree temperatures. Although Tut's tomb is one of the best known, it is apparently quite small and less interesting than many others in the Valley. I understand, though, why it is a "don't miss" item on many visitors' list, especially considering that Tut's mummy is still there in its sarcophagus.

 

Bring a big bottle of water with you to the Valley of the Kings (water is gold, there) and make sure you make provisions for your camera, as they are not allowed in the Valley. I left mine with the driver of our tour van, after taking pictures at the entrance gate. I also decided that I was going to leave a little money in the hands of at least one vendor at every site I visited because they are hurting so badly right now. So, I bought an illustrated guide book at Valley of the Kings for fifteen Egyptian pounds (about $3). The books sold by the vendors are actually very good keepsakes.The one I bought shows the interiors of 2 of the 3 tombs I visited and without the book, I would have no pictures of. A good buy and I'm sure a needed sale for that vendor.

[havcamwiltravel]

(Sorry for the double post. The edit option timed out and I had more to write)

We stayed at the Sheraton Luxor with a Nile view room. It is a beautiful, American-style hotel owned and operated by Sheraton, as the name implies. The hotel is right on the banks of the NIle and is located just a little south of downtown Luxor, about 1.5 miles from Luxor temple. The hotel has two beautiful pools, one on the river's edge, and 2 or three restaurants. We enjoyed our stay, although with the touring, we didn't spend a lot of time there. The meals we had there were great, our room was beautiful, modern and spotless, and the service was excellent and friendly.

 

I don't think you would need to worry about your husband's c-pap system, as long as you had the right voltage adapter/converter, as it is 210 voltage in Egypt.

 

We visited 3 tombs in the Valley of the Kings and did not opt for Tut's tomb. There are no line ups right now due to the lack of visitors so visiting Tut's tomb should not be an issue, however if the crowds return, I'm told that there can be a long lineup there and you are often waiting in 45 degree temperatures. Although Tut's tomb is one of the best known, it is apparently quite small and less interesting than many others in the Valley. I understand, though, why it is a "don't miss" item on many visitors' list, especially considering that Tut's mummy is still there in its sarcophagus. It was 48 degrees the morning we were there, there were no lineups at all, and although we are both very fit, my wife and I were very happy to beat a retreat to our air-conditioned van after visiting the 3 tombs we visited. We were as red as lobsters from the heat.

 

Bring a big bottle of water with you to the Valley of the Kings (water is gold, there) and make sure you make provisions for your camera, as they are not allowed in the Valley. I left mine with the driver of our tour van, after taking pictures at the entrance gate. I also decided that I was going to leave a little money in the hands of at least one vendor at every site I visited because the Egyptians are hurting so badly right now, with so few tourists there. So, I bought an illustrated guide book at Valley of the Kings for fifteen Egyptian pounds (about $3). The books sold by the vendors are actually very good keepsakes.The one I bought shows the interiors of 2 of the 3 tombs I visited and without the book, I would have no pictures of those tombs. A good buy and I'm sure a needed sale for that vendor.

 

Much is written about the aggressive vendors at Egypt's sites but I did not find them irritating at all. To the contrary, I found that with few exceptions, when we or our tour guide thanked them politely,with a smile, they would retreat. I would say "La, shukran. Assalamu alaikum." to them (No, thank you. Peace be unto you) and it appeared that making an effort to politely say no and bless them in their own language was all that it took for them to smile and accept that they weren't going to make a sale. Our tour guide was especially caring and would repeat a longer sentence that translates to: "Peace be unto you, and if Allah wills, more tourists will come to help with your burden." That would always elicit a blessing in return: "Alaikum al salam." Our tour guide and driver often singled out an unfortunate child or handicapped beggar and gave them alms or perhaps, a bottle of water. It was enormously touching and heartbreaking at the same time and gave us an idea of just how much the Egyptian people are hurting right now and hoping that their economy will turn around.

[Sekhmet]

Visiting Tut's tomb should not be an issue, however if the crowds return, I'm told that there can be a long lineup there and you are often waiting in 45 degree temperatures. Although Tut's tomb is one of the best known, it is apparently quite small and less interesting than many others in the Valley. I understand, though, why it is a "don't miss" item on many visitors' list, especially considering that Tut's mummy is still there in its sarcophagus.

 

Bring a big bottle of water with you to the Valley of the Kings (water is gold, there) and make sure you make provisions for your camera, as they are not allowed in the Valley. I left mine with the driver of our tour van, after taking pictures at the entrance gate.

 

Tutankhamun's tomb is small and not very well decorated, as it wasn't supposed to be his - nobody expected him to die so young and when he did, a partly built tomb was appropriated for him and hastily "finished". However, I can see that it would be on a must-see list.

 

As far as surviving the heat is concerned, I can only reiterate the "lots of water" and "a small umbrella" recommendations of other posters. One other tip might be useful - some guides in their enthusiasm to impart their knowledge to you may give you a talk before seeing tombs, other sights etc, as you stand in the hot sun. Don't be afraid to ask them to move to a bit shadier spot, if possible.

 

On other Luxor sites/sights, I'm not sure anyone has mentioned Deir el-Medina to you, the village where the workers who built the royal tombs lived. The village is interesting, but the tombs are fabulous - this was the best workmen in the world building their own tombs. Sennedjem is probably the best, but Anherkau and Pashedu are also good.

 

Please ask if there's anything else I might know which would be useful.

[wack001]

We have a Holy Land cruise booked for November. No flights, no pre- or post- hotels yet. This cruise has stops in Israel and Egypt.

 

With current events in mind, I'm a little leery of this one. Would you go?

 

YES and why not, do you think the cruise line will stop at a port that the passengers are at risk. Go and enjoy Egypt, great weather that time.

cruisinbob

[NavCom]

We had booked our Jordan and Egypt vacation before the current "troubles" and thankfully have an insurance policy that will give us a full refund should we with to back out at the last minute (assuming the published travel recommendations are still in place).

 

That said, we are still very much planning to proceed, even in light of the riots in Cairo over these past two days. Most of our time will be spent south of Cairo and that area is still being given the green light by both the US and Canadian governments.

 

As was said earlier, tourism is the life blood of Egypt and they are apparently going the extra mile these days to protect their valuable visitors.

[havcamwiltravel]

We had booked our Jordan and Egypt vacation before the current "troubles" and thankfully have an insurance policy that will give us a full refund should we with to back out at the last minute (assuming the published travel recommendations are still in place).

 

That said, we are still very much planning to proceed, even in light of the riots in Cairo over these past two days. Most of our time will be spent south of Cairo and that area is still being given the green light by both the US and Canadian governments.

 

As was said earlier, tourism is the life blood of Egypt and they are apparently going the extra mile these days to protect their valuable visitors.

In our recent trip through Egypt - a six-day overland tour - our guides, tour leaders and drivers all told us that they had each been in Tahrir Square in January and February, that they are so very optimistic and enthusiastic about seeing that Egypt will change now that Mubarak is gone.

 

They wanted us to know (to tell the world, if we could) that they are keenly aware that change doesn't happen quickly, nor will it come without sacrifice, so their demonstrations are a necessary part of that sacrifice. That being said, they were also very anxious to stress that the demonstrations MUST be limited to Tahrir Square if Egypt is to survive and for the world to gain confidence that the people know what is at stake: their economic health and survival.

 

They each knew friends and relatives who were hurt or killed during the Revolution, so they are very courageous, saying they have and will return to Tahrir Square to make sure the progress doesn't slow but they desperately wanted to reassure us, to get the message out, that they are doing their utmost to ensure that things remain safe for visitors.

 

So far, what they were saying seems borne out, as thousands have indeed stayed within the environs of Tahrir Square during the peaceful demonstrations, which are limited to occurring on Fridays.

 

They told us it is wise to stay away from planning visits to the Museum on Fridays and it seems like great advice. We went on a Wednesday, visited the museum and they proudly took us to Tahrir Square to show us how clean and safe it was. It looked like a normal busy Cairo day and there was not a piece of paper to be seen in the Square - and for Cairo, that made it look like the cleanest place in town!

 

My advice to anyone worried about planning a trip to Egypt is to take their advice and plan your itinerary around what we know to be true: it's best to avoid Tahrir Square on Fridays. But for the rest, it appears that Cairo (and, indeed, Egypt) is open for tourism.

[GrandmaHofmann]

We did the Egyptian 2 day tour with Ramses tours. Never felt threatened. Felt welcome. A simple Shokran elicited huge smiles and friendliness.

[4774Papa]

Something to think about going to Egypt. Egypt is still a work in progress.

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/29/tension-rises-as-islamists-dominate-tahrir-square/

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_4787.html

[PROCRUISE]

We spent the last 2 weeks of September,2010 in Egypt and were treated extremely well everywhere we went. Naturally, since then the country has undergone some radial changes. However, if you're simply planning on making some stops via a cruise ship, you're probably going to be just fine. Remember, the most danger you'll face on any world trip is during the drive to your local airport for your initial flight. As an ER/ Trauma nurse, I see it everyday

[Karennella]

In our recent trip through Egypt - a six-day overland tour - our guides, tour leaders and drivers all told us that they had each been in Tahrir Square in January and February, that they are so very optimistic and enthusiastic about seeing that Egypt will change now that Mubarak is gone.

 

They wanted us to know (to tell the world, if we could) that they are keenly aware that change doesn't happen quickly, nor will it come without sacrifice, so their demonstrations are a necessary part of that sacrifice. That being said, they were also very anxious to stress that the demonstrations MUST be limited to Tahrir Square if Egypt is to survive and for the world to gain confidence that the people know what is at stake: their economic health and survival.

 

They each knew friends and relatives who were hurt or killed during the Revolution, so they are very courageous, saying they have and will return to Tahrir Square to make sure the progress doesn't slow but they desperately wanted to reassure us, to get the message out, that they are doing their utmost to ensure that things remain safe for visitors.

 

So far, what they were saying seems borne out, as thousands have indeed stayed within the environs of Tahrir Square during the peaceful demonstrations, which are limited to occurring on Fridays.

 

They told us it is wise to stay away from planning visits to the Museum on Fridays and it seems like great advice. We went on a Wednesday, visited the museum and they proudly took us to Tahrir Square to show us how clean and safe it was. It looked like a normal busy Cairo day and there was not a piece of paper to be seen in the Square - and for Cairo, that made it look like the cleanest place in town!

 

My advice to anyone worried about planning a trip to Egypt is to take their advice and plan your itinerary around what we know to be true: it's best to avoid Tahrir Square on Fridays. But for the rest, it appears that Cairo (and, indeed, Egypt) is open for tourism.

 

Unfortunately our cruise arrives in Alexandria on a Friday. We were notified earlier in the year that it was switched to Crete and Cyprus but later the Egyptian ports were restored.

Then only two weeks ago we were notified that it had been again changed (but it seems that only some people here in Australia were notified) A week later we were then notified that we are going to Egypt after all. We are a bit tired of all the switching and are not sure what is going on.

[Seabreeze8]

The situation in Egypt could change from day to day. I'm sure the cruise lines are monitoring it closely before making any changes as changes could cost the cruise lines money too. I know it's hard to plan but it's always a good idea to have a backup plan anyway. Don't let any changes ruin your cruise. A cruise is better than no cruise. :)

[havcamwiltravel]

The situation in Egypt could change from day to day. I'm sure the cruise lines are monitoring it closely before making any changes as changes could cost the cruise lines money too. I know it's hard to plan but it's always a good idea to have a backup plan anyway. Don't let any changes ruin your cruise. A cruise is better than no cruise. :)

If you do get to Egypt on a Friday, my best advice is that you have an itinerary that saves the Museum visit until the last thing before you return to the ship, on Saturday afternoon.

[Fblack]

For me, I will not be going to Egypt any time soon as long as these new protests continue. At least not to Cairo and the Museum. I am sure the cruise lines are watching these as well.

 

Religion the issue at divisive Egypt demonstration

Saturday, July 30, 2011

 

A huge rally Friday meant to symbolize unity highlighted instead the deepening splits between secular and religious parties over Egypt's future, signaling battles certain to unfold in coming months over the influence of Islamic law on the nation's new constitution.

 

The demonstration in Cairo's Tahrir Square, one of the largest since President Hosni Mubarak was toppled in February, reaffirmed the power of the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist organizations that amassed tens of thousands of supporters.

 

 

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/07/29/MNPJ1KGU8C.DTL

 

and

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx5DHjTiAMQ&feature=player_embedded#at=15 Video

[mikewrit]

Nothing much new about the weekly protest in Tahrir Square. This week the reporter heard Islamists loudest. Last week it was labor. Maybe next week it will be chambers of commerce. As have other Friday gatherings, the one on Jully 29 proceeded to a generally peaceful end with some rock-throwing along the way. The people running the county right now, generally military officers trained by the U.S. military and educated in U.S. universiities, apparently know how to allow this weekly political theater go ahead without serious harm to the city or its valuable institutions. On Saturday, Oct. 22, we fully expect to visit the aftermath of the Oct. 21 demonstration and hear about it from our Ramses tour guide.

[jmlh]

Mikewrit - I like the way you think!!! We will also be there on October 22nd on a land tour. I also think that if one does not go in the vacinity of demonstrations (usually on a Friday) that all will be well.

[Fblack]

Nothing much new about the weekly protest in Tahrir Square. This week the reporter heard Islamists loudest. Last week it was labor. Maybe next week it will be chambers of commerce. As have other Friday gatherings, the one on Jully 29 proceeded to a generally peaceful end with some rock-throwing along the way. The people running the county right now, generally military officers trained by the U.S. military and educated in U.S. universiities, apparently know how to allow this weekly political theater go ahead without serious harm to the city or its valuable institutions. On Saturday, Oct. 22, we fully expect to visit the aftermath of the Oct. 21 demonstration and hear about it from our Ramses tour guide.

 

 

"Nothing much new about the weekly protest in Tahrir Square?" Read some of the reports on troubles in Egypt from just this last week. It's not a very good situation.

 

"Hundreds of military police backed by anti-riot policemen stood by without intervening as the two sides fought for several hours. At least 300 people were wounded in the clashes."

 

Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Egypt-s-generals-protesters-moving-to-open-clash-1579240.php#ixzz1Te5pGvLh

 

 

One Egyptian man and a police officer were killed and 12 were injured when dozens of gunmen clashed with Egyptian police Friday in Al-Arish city in North Sinai and attacked the police station, state media said. ... The violence came hours after a massive demonstration in Cairo's Tahrir square where tens of thousands of Egyptians rallied, seeking to justify their demands despite rifts over key issues between liberal activists and Islamist groups.

 

http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/two-killed-12-injured-in-clashes-with-gunmen-in-egypt-1.376022

 

Call to arms : The Egyptian impasse raises a sobering question: whether a revolution can succeed without violence.... Leftist political thinkers have turned to the history of the French and Russian Revolutions to argue that a full break from Egypt’s authoritarian past will ultimately require the use of force against the regime.

 

 

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2011/07/31/call_to_arms/