Cruise to Egypt & Aegean

[walkerer]

My finance & I are consider the cruise on Golden Princess to Egypt and the Aegean which visits Greece, Turkey, Italy and Egypt. Has anyone been on this cruise? I noticed it is only offered one time this year. Also, if you have been on this trip, which excursions are the best. :)

[SusieS]

I think that this is also a new trip for Princess......

[Pam in CA]

Not really a new itinerary. This sounds very much like my Eastern Med cruise in 2001 on the Royal Princess. We left from Rome > Naples > Alexandria (overnight in Cairo) > Port Said > Rhodes > Kusadai > Istanbul > Athens. It was a GREAT trip. Absolutely fabulous.

[Toto2Kansas]

We looked into this cruise when it was first offered this year and really wanted to go. That is until I read the cost of the excursions to places like the pyramids. :eek: It was just a bit (?) too expensive for what we were willing to pay. And of coarse you can't go that far without seeing the special things in port.

[Pam in CA]

We looked into this cruise when it was first offered this year and really wanted to go. That is until I read the cost of the excursions to places like the pyramids. :eek: It was just a bit (?) too expensive for what we were willing to pay. And of coarse you can't go that far without seeing the special things in port.

Yes, the cost of the excursions to the pyramids and the overnight were very expensive (this was 5 years ago but I think it was almost $300/pp), but my guess is that a lot of that went towards paying for security. When we went, the buses went in caravan-style with military vehicles leading and following. In addition, two soldiers and two Princess crew were on each bus. Getting to the Pyramids is about a 3 - 4 hour drive so you're paying for a lot of transportation. I debated whether it was worth it and can tell you that it was worth every single penny. Words can't describe what it was like to be at the pyramids and looking in one direction, see the verdant Nile River valley and turning 180-degrees and seeing absolutely nothing but sand, see the Sphinx show at night, stand on my hotel balcony overlooking the Nile, visit the Cairo Museum -- these are things that to me are priceless.

[Toto2Kansas]

Oh Pam, now I am drooling all over again. Someday I am going to get there no matter what the cost. It is a dream I have had since I was a child.

[Pam in CA]

Oh Pam, now I am drooling all over again. Someday I am going to get there no matter what the cost. It is a dream I have had since I was a child.

I hope you can get there some day. We spent only four hours in the Cairo Museum and I could have spent 4 days or even longer. It was absolutely fascinating.

 

One of the things I really loved about this cruise is that if you have any interest in history, you quickly realize that every single one of the major ports (Rome, Alexandria, Istanbul and Athens) all conquered the others at one point. To me, it was a fascinating perspective because you can see the influences of one to the other. For instance, in Istanbul, go to the cisterns and you can see Roman engineering.

 

I'd do this itinerary again in a heartbeat.

[Casshew]

Oh Pam, now I am drooling all over again. Someday I am going to get there no matter what the cost. It is a dream I have had since I was a child.

 

I'd do this itinerary again in a heartbeat.

 

Toto? Pam? come book the November 21, 07 cruise :D you know you want to!

[Toto2Kansas]

I would do it in a moment, but the DH says he won't go. Maybe I should use my future booking and secure a spot and then keep working on him up until then? LOL I am so sneaky!

[Sharkin]

Just to add to your obsession, my wife and I have been getting pants pi$$ing excited looking over the excursion booklet for our upcoming Golden Mediterranean - Aegean - Egypt itinerary. I believe there are still berths available.

[gvre]

We visited Cairo and the pyramids on our "Holy Lands Cruise" on NCL in 1999 just before the millenium when everything was pretty friendly. I call it my ancient ampitheaters of the world cruise because I think we sat in everyone of them:rolleyes: !

 

Our ship docked at Port Said right on a city street and it was the most exotic thing I've ever seen. We disembarked the ship on a "barrel bridge" with barrels in the water and planks on top, that "teeter" back and forth, with rope hand holds. When we reached the dock we were greeted by a group of long robed men playing flutes and dancing. I was fasinated!

 

The street was completely blocked off to the public by armed military and our bus trip to Cairo was in a caravan with all the other buses from the ship. Each bus was supposed to have an armed guard but ours never showed up for the trip. At the end of the day we waited again for all the buses to arrive and drive enmass back to the ship. Our bus was a little early so our bus driver decided to take us on an impromtude tour which included a visit to the viewing platform where Anwar Sadat was assasinated.

 

It was a fullfillment of my dream to see the pyramids and sphinx and I'm glad we did it!

 

Have a great time on your cruise!

Debbie

[bubbachief]

We are on the NCL Jewel next May for a similiar trip. We overnight in Alexandria and we contacted Decastro Tours for a price on a two day tour to Cairo. Cost was $160pp including 5*hotel. Admissions to all the sights was another $29 and the light show was $25. You might look at their web site and then contact them.

[cjpj]

We are on the Golden this coming November and arranged tours in Egypt with overnight in Cairo at a five star hotel, Nile Dinner Cruise and all the other sights for under 200.00 per person with Egypt On Line Tours. I'll post back after the cruise and let you know what our experience was like. I did contact Decastro Tours for a quote but never received a reply from them. Get some Egypt tour books, do some reading, and I think you'll be up to saving by arranging your own tour.

[KLLund]

We did a very similar itinerary on the Millenium .. just weeks before all hell broke lose with 9/11... and I have to say I agree there is nothing like seeing the pyramids for the first time and actually standing ON the great pyramid. It was indeed a dream come true.

 

Sadly our ship did not overnight there so we were a bit limited timewise but we did get to visit a tomb in Sakahrah .. and see the statue of Rames at Memphis as well as the pyramids.

 

I also love Istanbul and was happy to be back in one of my favorite cities in the world to start our cruise.

 

Now it is off to Asia in 41 days .. and quite frankly I am totally excited to see something completely different again. Imagine .. the Great Wall .. right up there with the pyramids in my imaginings.

 

Thank god for cruising :)

[T&J]

Just to add to your obsession, my wife and I have been getting pants pi$$ing excited looking over the excursion booklet for our upcoming Golden Mediterranean - Aegean - Egypt itinerary. I believe there are still berths available.

 

That's if they GO!...I have friends onboard telling the Company is monitoring events in the Middle East and a 50% chance they might not be going at all to Egypt...that's why I pulled out as well as were booked the first day they opened for bookings last June of 2005.

 

I just came off the Grand and we missed the bombings in Istanbul by 6 days...the Company is pulling Istanbul on the next two runs possibly and won't make a decision until 48 hours prior.

 

I am not so convinced they will go and certainly not if the State Department puts out any further travel warnings for Egypt...Princess always follows those religiously.

 

Tony

:cool: :eek: :cool:

[Spikesgirl]

and will look forward to hearing all about your adventures, Casshew! We are hoping to combine this with a cruise down the Nile, providing the Middle East is still there when Bush gets through with it (opp, my bad).

 

We have long wanted to do this cruise, but my DH would only consider it when Princess started offering it as a regular cruise stop. Even if we go and the port gets cancelled, it will be in our best interests, so what the hey! I'd rather risk it - besides, it's one more thing off the Must Do During this Lifetime List.

 

Charlie

[DeBlasio1]

T& J...

I don't understand what you are talking about relating to Egypt. There are no warnings, except for the Avian Flu. I have even spoken with Princess and they are keeping it in the itinerary as of right now, as there are no threats at this time. Who are you talking too?

I sure do hope we get there...we have done several of these ports in the past and Egypt is one of the main reasons for this choice in itinerary

To all my fellow passengers on this most exciting upcoming cruise...keep the prayers a comin'...we need to see the whites of the camels eyes.

[MercedMike]

We are hoping to combine this with a cruise down the Nile,

 

That is a truly wonderful experience. Check out our Cruising the Nile page.

 

Even if you can't do that, just the trip from Alex or Port Said to the pyramids would be a fabulous experience. Don't miss it!

 

We are booked on the Holy Land cruise on Royal Princess in Dec 07. Fingers crossed!

 

;)

[Pam in CA]

Toto? Pam? come book the November 21, 07 cruise :D you know you want to!

Of course I do! I'd love to just stay on the Royal Princess for the next two months, like some people are doing. :) My daughter would kill me if I missed Thanksgiving with her.

 

As for the itinerary for the 11/4/07 cruise, we're currently scheduled to go to Turkey, Israel and Egypt. Who knows? Maybe we'll have a completely different itinerary by the time we actually sail. It doesn't matter to me. I'll be on the ship with family and friends. Nothing else counts.

[Casshew]

I looked at that cruise but I am not interested in the Holy Land at all. The Star Itinerary looks better for us.

[Pam in CA]

I looked at that cruise but I am not interested in the Holy Land at all. The Star Itinerary looks better for us.

I'd do the Star only if it were the only ship doing that area since we much prefer the smaller ships. (For example, we'll probably do the Star for a Baltic cruise the summer of 2008.) We've already been to most of the ports on our itinerary but had never been able to get to the Holy Land before (it was cancelled from our 2001 Royal Princess cruise) and we wanted to go there. If we don't get to the Holy Land on this cruise, it won't be the end of the world. To us, for the most part, the ship is the destination, along with our friends with whom we've booked. :)

[Serendipity50]

We visited Cairo and the pyramids on our "Holy Lands Cruise" on NCL in 1999 just before the millenium when everything was pretty friendly. I call it my ancient ampitheaters of the world cruise because I think we sat in everyone of them:rolleyes: !

 

Our ship docked at Port Said right on a city street and it was the most exotic thing I've ever seen. We disembarked the ship on a "barrel bridge" with barrels in the water and planks on top, that "teeter" back and forth, with rope hand holds. When we reached the dock we were greeted by a group of long robed men playing flutes and dancing. I was fasinated!

 

The street was completely blocked off to the public by armed military and our bus trip to Cairo was in a caravan with all the other buses from the ship. Each bus was supposed to have an armed guard but ours never showed up for the trip. At the end of the day we waited again for all the buses to arrive and drive enmass back to the ship. Our bus was a little early so our bus driver decided to take us on an impromtude tour which included a visit to the viewing platform where Anwar Sadat was assasinated.

 

It was a fullfillment of my dream to see the pyramids and sphinx and I'm glad we did it!

 

Have a great time on your cruise!

 

 

 

Debbie

 

 

Hi, we have been to Egypt seven times [love the place!!] and have done the trip you mentioned twice, you can never be tired of Egypt there is so much to see and do.

I think one of the best ways to see everything is to take a Nile cruise with a few days extention in a hotel, then you can go off and do the other trips, we have done Cairo, Abu Simble and Hurghada like this, we have took trains from Luxor to Aswan just to stay in the Cataract Hotel [ Death on the Nile, Howard Carter etc] there is so much you can do, you are a little bit restricted with the security issue now, but still dont let it stop you seeing 'Wonderfull Things!' [ Howard Carter]

Jean

[mandiecandie5]

I also like the Star itinerary and ship but I don't like that in 2007 it goes later than I want to go (late October-November only I think?). :(

[Casshew]

I'd do the Star only if it were the only ship doing that area since we much prefer the smaller ships.

 

Oh I agree 100%, I would much rather sail on Royal Princess... not to mention the Star almost freaking burned down last year :eek:

[MercedMike]

If we don't get to the Holy Land on this cruise, it won't be the end of the world.

 

Well, I have high hopes that things will settle down there by Nov 07. If not -- then we will cancel. The Holy Land is really the only reason we chose that particular cruise.

 

I am being optimistic -- but at the same time I am keeping an eye on other options. South America looks really good ...

 

LOL -- I just realized that in 2001 we were booked for a Holy Land cruise and it was cancelled when things blew up over there -- literally -- and our replacement for it then was the Amazon River. Do I see a pattern here?

;)