Would you go to Egypt in November?

[mikewrit]

"The Egyptian impasse raises a sobering question: whether a revolution can succeed without violence.... "

 

Sobering questions are often raised by reporters hanging out in plush hotels and saloons wating for something real to happen so they won't have to justify expense accounts to restive bosses back home. Impasse means no movement.

[aussie cruzer]

"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/

 

 

As tourists we can't solve the worlds problems..is Egypt any less save than any port of call on a Med cruise ?

 

The only info we have is no tourist has been hurt in these protests,as i plan to stay away from any protests....i think Egypt for us tourists is as save as anywhere else on a European holiday.

 

It's strange Istanbul doesn't get such negative posts as Egypt gets,yet a bomb went off recently in the down town area.Their is no mass hysteria about don't go to Turkey .

The reports from cruisers who have been recently are very positive.

[cruisemom42]

While I doubt anyone is in danger, I can understand people's concerns about travel to Egypt at this time. It doesn't take tourists being targeted to disrupt one's visit. Anyone following the news this year has seen cruise lines cancel ports in Egypt, then reinstate them, and (were the situation to become more volatile) possibly cancel them again.

 

Also, while there may be a benefit to seeing Egypt while few other tourists are there, it is also possible that circumstances may force changes in tours that result in truncated itineraries or even places that can't be visited (i.e. perhaps the Egyptian Museum on a Friday).

 

The majority of posters who've returned from Egypt this year have had positive experiences, but there are also a small minority that ran into a few problems along the way.

 

In the end, the best thing to do is to do as much research as possible on the current situation and then decide what to do based on your own comfort level. If you asked me my opinion at this moment, I'd say that if this is going to be your one and only trip to Egypt, and you have no pressing reason to go this year versus another year, perhaps I'd advise waiting. However, if Egypt isn't your "be all and end all" reason for taking the cruise and you could live with a few blips or possibly a cancelled/substituted port, then go for it.

[kennetro]

We're still going. ---for 12 days.

[mikewrit]

So, returning to the original question: Would you go to Egypt in November? I would, but the answer is as academic as the question. Since the election has been moved to November, hardly anyone is going to Egypt as a tourist. NCL and other cruise lines have canceled all plans to go there. But I would relish the chance to watch the process even knowing there woud be a slightly elevated chance that bad things might befall. The chance oif mishap accompanies any movement from the comfort of my own home -- which is, of course, statistically the most dangerous place of all.