seabourn spirit:alexandria-dubai :4-20 november

[bgood]

Hi Sailortom,

 

 

World Weather Guide says temps should be from high 80s to about 70 F. throughout most ports. Alexandria expects 77-62 in November. Oman averages 86-73. Jeddah ( just for comparison) 91-71. Eilat (Just across the bay from Aqaba) gets 82-61. Should be lovely.

 

bgood

[GrannyLorr]

SailorTom, as Aussies we didnt have to get Visas for Oman.......have no idea what the go is for other Nationalities.......as far as I know the ship took care of all that......only Visa we had to get was for India.

[bgood]

Because of the scheduled itinerary, you will need a multiple entry visa or two single-entry visas for Egypt. One to arrive at Alexandria/Cairo, and another when you sail from Aqaba back into Egypt at Safaga. These can be bought on site (at the airport and on board the ship) or you can go ahead and get a multiple entry visa from a visa service or the consulate. Oman will issue a blanket visa for all passengers in transit (not disembarking).

 

bgood

[cryscruiser]

ralf

look for Kitty. She got on yesterday in Athens, and will be onboard until Singapore. Loads of fun!!!!

[SailorTom]

Just back from the Spirit Alexandria to Dubai cruise and biggest disappointment was the land excursion to Luxor.

 

Overnight trip was operated by A&K. I expected the standard of service and accomodations one receives worldwide from A&K.

 

This was not to be.

 

Our rooms at the Winter Palace Hotel were in bad need of refurbishment. Bedspread was in need of a cleaning. Wooden door to minibar cabinet was off the hinges and propped against the front. No clock in the room. Carpets in hall by elevator were worn so thin all color was gone. Pillow seemed to be of two types-- brick-like or a case with air. At least my tub was clean unlike some others. TV did not work in all the rooms.

 

In fact everyone on our bus had similar tales of woe about the hotel.

 

And even more disappointing when I returned to lobby after check-in and found Nicola from the ship and asked had she seen the rooms, she said no she was staying elsewhere.

 

The food was truly disappointing. All meals were buffets. And basically lunch and dinner the first day and lunch the second all were about the same.

 

Having traveled with A&K around the world, I had always experienced excellent lodging and great meals usually a la carte. Not here.

 

Dinner was originally announced after the Sound and Light Show; some complained about the lateness so it was offered at 6 pm. Those of us who opted for the original time found the buffet bare. Seabourn did pay for dinner in the coffee shop. Some of us just went to a dining room on the property and paid for our own meals.

 

One response to complaints was the trip usually uses the Sonesta St. George, but it had been booked solid a year earlier so a change was made to the Winter Palace.

 

If I ever did this again, I would arrange for a private tour from Safaga to Luxor and return. I was disappointed that Seabourn and A&K had their brands on this land excursion. And the price was a premium, $755 for a single and $695 double.

[CruisinMatt]

SailorTom, thanks for the review!

 

$695? This was one night with what else included? It seems underpriced to me...

[SailorTom]

Website is quoting garden view room which we all had (not Nile View) with taxes and breakfast around $188 US.

 

And surely packager can get much better rate. One travel writer on the cruise had priced through her TA the hotel prior to departure and could get garden view for around $139 US.

 

Furthermore many of us developed "stomach issues" within 24 hours of return to ship. First question doctor on board asked was "Did you go to Luxor?" Every bite of food eaten was at the Winter Palace. No way to prove connection; maybe just a coincidence.

 

The issue is not so much cost as quality. Using A&K and Seabourn one expects a "good hotel" and not a place in serious need of remodeling. When I purchased the land excursion, I was expecting the best.

[LaPaloma]

Website is quoting garden view room which we all had (not Nile View) with taxes and breakfast around $188 US.

 

And surely packager can get much better rate. One travel writer on the cruise had priced through her TA the hotel prior to departure and could get garden view for around $139 US.

 

Furthermore many of us developed "stomach issues" within 24 hours of return to ship. First question doctor on board asked was "Did you go to Luxor?" Every bite of food eaten was at the Winter Palace. No way to prove connection; maybe just a coincidence.

 

The issue is not so much cost as quality. Using A&K and Seabourn one expects a "good hotel" and not a place in serious need of remodeling. When I purchased the land excursion, I was expecting the best.

 

I have eaten in the best of places in Egypt, love the food, was careful, and among a group of 65 that I was in charge of, we had 98% illness, many of them extreme. They seem to have bacteria that we just cannot..pardon the pun...'stomach". That being said, I really enjoyed the history of a wonderful country. So sorry that my husband did not experience it as well.

[CruisinMatt]

I never knew this info about the food in Egypt, thanks LaPaloma. It sounds a bit like Mexico.

[juliedawg]

Website is quoting garden view room which we all had (not Nile View) with taxes and breakfast around $188 US.

 

And surely packager can get much better rate. One travel writer on the cruise had priced through her TA the hotel prior to departure and could get garden view for around $139 US.

 

Furthermore many of us developed "stomach issues" within 24 hours of return to ship. First question doctor on board asked was "Did you go to Luxor?" Every bite of food eaten was at the Winter Palace. No way to prove connection; maybe just a coincidence.

 

The issue is not so much cost as quality. Using A&K and Seabourn one expects a "good hotel" and not a place in serious need of remodeling. When I purchased the land excursion, I was expecting the best.

 

Well said. I was one with the mold in the bathtub..... am still waiting for the ice from roomservice.

 

I was also disappointed in the tour itself. We had one well qualified guide to a rather large, physically diverse group of people. i.e. one guide per bus.

Before I left I had looked into the possibility of being met at the ship and taken into Luxor on a private tour. This would have been half the price for only one person. I opted out since I had complete confidence in A&K and thought they would do a first class luxury tour.

I do not like big bus tours and this only underscored my dislike...as a result, this was the only Ship sponsored tour that I took.

I agree that Nicola was little or no help in solving any type of problems, she was the only Seabourn person on the cruise that I felt was not trying to make the Seabourn Adventure memorable.