seabourn spirit:alexandria-dubai :4-20 november

[ralf]

Hi,

 

We have just booked the Seabourn Spirit Alexandria ( 4 november ) -Dubai ( 20 november ) cruise and we're really looking forward to our 5th Seabourn experience.

 

We feel really priviliged that we have the opportunity to cruise this part of the world ( Alexandria-Suez canal-Sharm el Sheikh-Aqaba(Petra)-safaga(Luxor)-Red Sea- Gulf od Aden -Salalah-Arabian sea-Khasab-Dubai ) and this on one of the best ships in the world !

 

Could anyone advise us on the weather conditions, especially when cruising the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea as I was told that there can be a cold wind ( even at a point that being on deck isn't longer a pleasure ) ?

 

And a question for the past passengers/visitors of these places: do you recommand a special/memorable excursion ( either Seabourn organised or on your own ) ?

 

Many thanks for our help/answers !

 

Kind regards,

 

ralf & johan

[xplrcrzn]

Don't miss Petra-it will be the highlight of your cruise. Seabourn's excursion is good and fairly priced.

[Seabourn-nail]

Nice to see you post here as well!

I'm pretty sure we have met you once on Seabourn. We are: René and Marja from Nederland. Do you remember? I think we were visiting a cave together in a small boat. Have fun on you cruise in November. We will be doing the Legend crossing during that time. Groetjes!

[SailorTom]

I also will be on this journey and would like to hear from previous cruisers on this itinerary their experiences with land excursions, i.e. Seabourn-offered versus privately arranged.

 

Any other suggestions for this trip?

[xplrcrzn]

The tourism infrastructure is not well-developed along much of your route and Seabourn has hired the best available.

[norm2002]

If you do the 2 day tour to Luxor and the Valley of the Kings - which I highly recommend - try and get on the coach led by Bassam El Shamaa. He led our pre-cruise tour in Egypt last year and was one of the group leaders for Luxor. He is a very entertaining and intelligent lecturer. He has a fascinating theory about there being a second sphinx at Giza alongside the famous one. We had great fun with Bassam.

[GrannyLorr]

Hi Ralf....we did the trip you are doing, but in reverse, back in April/May....if you go to Page 4 of the Seabourn posts, and have a look at the thread called "Granny at Sea" you will find my ramblings about some of the Ports you will be going to........also somewhere in that report, think it may be Post # 30....there is a link to my Blog, which also has some pics of the area.

[ralf]

Hi,

 

Many thanks for your replies!

 

Yes we had already decided to go to Petra , with Seabourn as it's a transfer of almost 1,5 hours one-way and the time is limited in Aqaba ( 08.00 - 18.00 ).

 

And indeed Luxor is not be missed ; but we have been very lucky to have already stayed twice in Luxor for one week ( 2000 and 2004 ) and it's a beautiful city , one could think that it's one big open air - museum. Being there we stayed twice in the Old Winter Palace , the perfect place to go back after a day of sightseeing or just relax in the pool / garden. ( If you are not staying there, you should have a drink there on a evening or have dinner , it's like a palace of past times) .So I think that we'll be staying in Safaga and visit the neighbourhoud as we don't like 3 hours-transfers.

 

And I'll certainly read the extended report of the reverse cruise.

 

Kind regards,

 

Ralf,

Belgium

 

PS and to René and Marja, enjoy your Seabourn cruise , we know why we keep returning to Seabourn, don't we ? ;-)

[clarky]

Ralf,

 

We have done the cruise you are taking but also in the reverse in April 2005. We took the Seabourn trip into Petra and it was fantastic but should I do this trip again I would arrange my own car and driver/guide. The reason for this being that there was a lot more of Petra to see and if we had skipped the long lunch in the hotel at the end of the tour we could have visited a lot more of Petra. A few passengers on the ship arranged to do their own tour and shared the car with another couple which made the price the same as the Seabourn tour. They were able to see much more of Petra and visited a small restaurant for a quick meal after their tour. We are fairly fit and had no problems with the walking around Petra but it is hot and many passengers did stuggle with the heat and all the walking. So it depends on how much you want to see and how fit you are as to which option is better suited to you. I will say that Petra blew my away!

 

I will also say that we lived in the United Arab Emirates for 3 years and that it's a fasinating part of the world to visit. Dubai has so much to see and the surrounding emirates should also not be missed. Emirates airlines web page has some fantastic tours that will give you an idea of what there is do in Dubai and the surrounding emirates. I would say that 3 or 4 days at the end of your cruise and you would be able to see a lot of this area. Also the time you are going is the coolest in this part of the world so it is much more comfortable to sight see.

 

Have a great cruise in a fasinating part of the world.

[simonv]

If you are into diving/snorkeling, there supposed to be some great spots around Safaga. As you might know the Red Sea is known for diving, and as Safaga further south and less populated, underwater scenery should be good. Next time I'm in Safaga, I'll have the ship arrange for a snorkeling excursion for me, as I've been to Luxor already.

[ralf]

I like to thank you all for your answers/help/hints !

 

Kind regards,

 

ralf

BELGIUM

[juliedawg]

I like to thank you all for your answers/help/hints !

 

Kind regards,

 

ralf

BELGIUM

Am also on this sailing. I have been hoping someone would answer your question re. the weather. I had anticipated "warm" throughout the trip.

Have been booked for many months but notice that the cruise is heavily discounted...Do you know how full it is? I am hoping that my ROS will turn into a verandah!

I will be arriving in Cairo on Sunday prior to sailing and spending a night before the cruise in Alex. Its a long way from Atlanta Georgia to Egypt.

Looking forward to meeting ya'll

JulieDawg

[SailorTom]

Also I would like to hear from fellow travelers on transfers from Cairo to Alexandria for embarkation. Price quote from Seabourn of $340 seemed pricey from The Four Seasons Hotel at the First Residence to the ship for a single traveler. Any comments or suggestions?

[xplrcrzn]

Seabourn uses Abercrombie & Kent in Egypt; it might be useful to contact them directly for a transfer quote. The Seabourn transfer includes sightseeing, I believe.

[ralf]

Hi Juliedawg, hi Sailortom,

 

Juliedawg, I hope you'll be upgraded to a french balcony as it's always nice to be able to open the balcony doors and hear the sea when being in your suite. Let me know when/if the upgrade fairy has passed :-)

 

We'll be flying on monday 30 october directly to Alexandria because we have never been in Alexandria and like to spend some days there ( and we already were 3 nights in Cairo some years ago ).That gives us 4 whole days to explore!

 

340$ is indeed a lot of money but if it’s indeed A&K, you know you’re be taken care of by one of the best travel agents in the world !

 

I wish you all luck for this voyage.

 

Kind regards,

 

Ralf

BELGIUM

[shefinch]

We (Shelagh and Larry) are also on this cruise - Alexandria to Singapore. Can anyone advise as to sea conditions generally? (Granny Lorr??) With regard to the transfer price mentioned above, we have been quoted as per SB's brochure and confirmed by TA £265 pp for two nights at the Four Seasons including transfers. The price mentioned I assume is just for the transfer and not including the hotel? It does seem excessive.

[PeaSea8ch]

We (Shelagh and Larry) are also on this cruise - Alexandria to Singapore. Can anyone advise as to sea conditions generally? (Granny Lorr??) With regard to the transfer price mentioned above, we have been quoted as per SB's brochure and confirmed by TA £265 pp for two nights at the Four Seasons including transfers. The price mentioned I assume is just for the transfer and not including the hotel? It does seem excessive.

Shelagh, I do not know how Seabourn markets the hotel packages on Her Majesty's side of The Pond, but I assume it is the same or very similar. On the west side, the chart in the brochure has 4 columns of prices to the right of the hotel list. The first two columns to the right of the hotel names are for per person, double occupancy and the second two columns are for single occupancy. The first and third colums to the right of the hotel list are prices for the first night only. According to the fine print, this first night rate includes the room, breakfast, transfers (airport to hotel and hotel to ship), services of a hospitality desk and porterage. The second and fourth colums to the right of the hotel list are prices (exclusive of transfers) for any additional nights you may want to stay.

 

The transfers to/from the airport and hotel are individual (due to pasengers arriving/departing at different times from/to all over the world on different airlines) in a private car or minivan (if several arrive/depart on the same flight). Transfers to/from the hotel and ship are group transfers on tour busses because the passengers are embarking/disembarking at the same time. The individual transfers, obviously, are more expensive than the group transfers. If you book Seabourn air and a hotel packeage, the duplicate transfers are NOT refundable (that is in the fine print too).

 

You may have to get your magnifying glass out and read the "fine print" in the UK brochure. As others have posted here, there may be other transportation options and you may do better booking with the hotel directly. However, there is peace of mind in booking the Seabourn package and knowing everything is taken care of. Hope all of this minutiae helps and good luck! :)

[shefinch]

Paul,

Sorry I guess I wasn't very clear. I was referring to Sailor Tom's query about the transfer price when I said I assumed the price quoted was for the transfer only.

I don't understand your point about duplicate transfers not being refundable??

We always book our own airfares but on occasions Seabourn's hotel and transfer package is a better deal than doing it through somebody else or directly with the hotel - this applies in this instance. We have gone into it quite thoroughly! The same also applied when we were in Fiji after the New Zealand cruise earlier this year. We got a much better price booking the hotel and transfer only through Seabourn.

I believe that the UK's hotel and transfer package in our brochure is the same as the one in the US brochure.

Thanks anyway for all the info. Maybe you could clarify the point about duplicate transfers? (I'm probably being stupid but I asked my husband to read it and he didn't understand either!!)

Shelagh

[PeaSea8ch]

I don't understand your point about duplicate transfers not being refundable??

I believe that the UK's hotel and transfer package in our brochure is the same as the one in the US brochure.

Thanks anyway for all the info. Maybe you could clarify the point about duplicate transfers? (I'm probably being stupid but I asked my husband to read it and he didn't understand either!!)

Shelagh, Sorry my last missive was so confusing. :o Let me try again. Here in the US, when you book Seabourn airfare, the price includes transfers between the airport and ship on embarkation and disembarkation days ONLY. If you book Seabourn air AND book a pre and/or post cruise hotel package (which includes transfers airport/hotel and hotel/ship), the fine print in the US brochure states that the duplicate transfers (the airport/ship transfers that you paid for when booking the Seabourn airfare) are not refundable. In other words, Seabourn will not credit you the cost you paid for the airport/ship transfers included with the airfare because you also booked a Seabourn hotel package that also included transfers. Since you are doing your own airfare, this is not an issue for you on this cruise.

 

I hope you can now understand what I was trying to say previously. :)

[shefinch]

Paul,

Now I understand! Having just got off the Legend (last Saturday) I don't think I'm functioning very well - it's having to adjust to normal life!!

Shelagh

[GrannyLorr]

Shefinch...the sea conditions on our cruise were perfect. As first time sailors we had no idea if we would suffer sea sickness....so went prepared with all sorts of "ginger" remedies.......had to declare the unopened packets of ginger to Customs as we came back into Australia! (of course we now know there is a big platter of ginger in the Restaurant...so wont bother taking our own next time) Most of our cruise the seas were like a mill pond...a couple of times we had a ~slight~ swell. I had thought we would feel a lot more movement on such a small ship (not really looking forward to going around The Horn though!) My brother was on a cruise at the same time as us...on one of those 3,500 passenger monster ships......they rocked and rolled very badly!

[PeaSea8ch]

Paul,

Now I understand! Having just got off the Legend (last Saturday) I don't think I'm functioning very well - it's having to adjust to normal life!!

Shelagh

Shelagh, Glad you understand what I was originally trying to say. I need to spend a bit of time reviewing my posts for this sort of thing. I did not know you were aboard the Legend! After I return home from a Seabourn Yacht, I am in this deep Grand Funk Depression / Separataion Anxiety! I miss the wait staff, crew, officers, entertainers, passengers, being waited on and pampered, deck walking and my list goes on and on! Anyway, I fully understand why you are not 100 percent back to normal! :)

[shefinch]

Granny Lorr,

Thanks for info re seas although I suppose they might be different in November to April - I was just a bit worried through the Bay of Bengal as we always seem to experience air turbulence there (not that I suppose air turbulence and rough seas necessarily correspond!)

Paul,

Yes we got on as Host Dan got off. I'm afraid I didn't post whilst on board though unlike Host Dan - just never seem to find the time! The only thing that keeps me going when I get off Seabourn is the thought of the next one! The trouble is they seem to be getting more and more popular - not hard to see why! We have taken out an option on Athens-Rome next August and there are no guarantees, all the A cabins have gone and there are only 3 A1 cabins left and they are the ones next to the As!!

[SailorTom]

In all these discussions I still do not see any information on what temperatures to expect. . will be it swim suit warm by the pool in November?

 

Will winter wear be needed on any of the shore excursions? Would appreciate any advice?

 

Thanks,

[SailorTom]

One other query. . .. . .. I am getting confused info from TA and websites about visa for Oman. . . government website can get on ship or at dock. . . TA says I need to purchase in advance. . .any clarification?