Ships tour overnight to Cairo

[MercedMike]

We're booked on the NCL's Overnight in Cairo excursion - $429 pp and a piece of mind. We'll enjoy it regardless.

 

Now, do we need to get Egyptian visas ourselves or do we not need them because we're going on the ship's tour?

 

Egypt has a special visa for cruise passengers. When we were on Princess, the ship collected all passports the night before and we picked them up in the morning as we disembarked.

 

Have a GREAT cruise!

[travelite]

My opinion is save the $400 plus each and use it toward a future Nile river cruise. The river cruises are wonderful, reasonably priced; you will see more of Egypt in depth and at a slower pace. HOWEVER, if the ship's tour includes an overnight at the Mena House Hotel, I'd definitely go for it. That hotel is quite an experience, atmospheric, and with views of the pyramids you will never forget. The sound and light shows are disappointing.... something to just fill the time of tourists. The drive from Alexandria to Cairo is long. A positive to taking the ship's tour, the ride on a large bus will be more comfortable than the ride in a van. You really have to ask yourself if you want to subject yourself to this pace and only see a very tiny sampling of this amazing country. If seeing the pyramids has been a life's dream and there is no chance of ever returning, by all means get to see them...and if that means ship's tour....then ship's tour it will be. I don't usually take ship's tours, but sometimes they make the most sense. Those that I have taken were very well done. With every private tour there is an element of chance. My advice, unless you can stay at the Mena House Hotel, would be to explore the area closer to your port of call -- my guess, Alexandria. Another important consideration is the guide. Be sure your guide is a licenced Egyptologist. You definitely need a knowledgeable guide.

[rosie#1]

We're booked on the NCL's Overnight in Cairo excursion - $429 pp and a piece of mind. We'll enjoy it regardless.

 

Now, do we need to get Egyptian visas ourselves or do we not need them because we're going on the ship's tour?

 

 

Hi,

I am booked on the same excursion. When you get back please let me know how it was.

[smeyer418]

My opinion is save the $400 plus each and use it toward a future Nile river cruise. The river cruises are wonderful, reasonably priced; you will see more of Egypt in depth and at a slower pace. HOWEVER, if the ship's tour includes an overnight at the Mena House Hotel, I'd definitely go for it. That hotel is quite an experience, atmospheric, and with views of the pyramids you will never forget. The sound and light shows are disappointing.... something to just fill the time of tourists. The drive from Alexandria to Cairo is long. A positive to taking the ship's tour, the ride on a large bus will be more comfortable than the ride in a van. You really have to ask yourself if you want to subject yourself to this pace and only see a very tiny sampling of this amazing country. If seeing the pyramids has been a life's dream and there is no chance of ever returning, by all means get to see them...and if that means ship's tour....then ship's tour it will be. I don't usually take ship's tours, but sometimes they make the most sense. Those that I have taken were very well done. With every private tour there is an element of chance. My advice, unless you can stay at the Mena House Hotel, would be to explore the area closer to your port of call -- my guess, Alexandria. Another important consideration is the guide. Be sure your guide is a licenced Egyptologist. You definitely need a knowledgeable guide.

or you can do a day room at the Mena house after seeing the sun rise over the pyramids...(the Mena house is also on my youtube site....http://www.youtube.com/smeyer418)

 

 

[bluesea777]

Hi,

I am booked on the same excursion. When you get back please let me know how it was.

 

We just returned from NCL Jade 12/21/2008 - 01/04/2009. We used NCL Best of Cairo Overnight tour and we can HIGHLY recommend it. Price might look steep but it's fully inclusive - all admission prices are included as well as all meals (fantastic buffet meals in huge beautiful banguet rooms in 5 star hotels). We were app 30 in our coach (there were 9 coaches total for that tour (it was a full ship) but we all didn't travel together most of the time - partly to avoid congestion) and we had an Egyptologist, driver and a security guy - with gun (yes, 3 different people). I think we saw more that the other independent tour firms did - the cars in congested Cairo happily give away to us coaches. We were late getting back to the ship but the ship waited for us. We returned to Alexandria after late LUNCH as opposed to 'after breakfast' as other private tours say so.

 

We were so happy to have taken the ship's tour, however the price, it gave us safety and security as well as comfort and plenty of sights from high up coach windows. The site visits were wondeful. You'll enjoy it!

 

We overnighted at Intercontinential Semiramsis and it was LOVELY.

[rosie#1]

We just returned from NCL Jade 12/21/2008 - 01/04/2009. We used NCL Best of Cairo Overnight tour and we can HIGHLY recommend it. Price might look steep but it's fully inclusive - all admission prices are included as well as all meals (fantastic buffet meals in huge beautiful banguet rooms in 5 star hotels). We were app 30 in our coach (there were 9 coaches total for that tour (it was a full ship) but we all didn't travel together most of the time - partly to avoid congestion) and we had an Egyptologist, driver and a security guy - with gun (yes, 3 different people). I think we saw more that the other independent tour firms did - the cars in congested Cairo happily give away to us coaches. We were late getting back to the ship but the ship waited for us. We returned to Alexandria after late LUNCH as opposed to 'after breakfast' as other private tours say so.

 

We were so happy to have taken the ship's tour, however the price, it gave us safety and security as well as comfort and plenty of sights from high up coach windows. The site visits were wondeful. You'll enjoy it!

 

We overnighted at Intercontinential Semiramsis and it was LOVELY.

 

Thank you for the review. I am defiantly going to take the tour.

[travelite]

I would think if you are on a ship's tour your visa will be taken care of for you; be attentive to directions given on the ship for those on tours. If going with a private guide, the guide will take care of it for you upon arrival in Egypt.

[bluesea777]

I would think if you are on a ship's tour your visa will be taken care of for you; be attentive to directions given on the ship for those on tours. If going with a private guide, the guide will take care of it for you upon arrival in Egypt.

 

Jade took all our passports upon embarkation check-in, gave them back to us with Egyptian visa stamped in on the day before we got to Alexandria.

 

Then as we boarded the ship at Alexandria for departure they took the passports again. We got them back between Athens and Malta.

[snorklinbarb]

bluesea777,

This really helps and I'll look to see if you did a review in the Member's Review section.

 

I'll look up the hotel though that may change for 2010.

 

As we are looking at Jan. 3rd, wondering how your weather was in Egypt (and other places).

 

Any other tips?

 

Thanks!

[travelite]

bluesea777' date='

This really helps and I'll look to see if you did a review in the Member's Review section.

 

I'll look up the hotel though that may change for 2010.

 

As we are looking at Jan. 3rd, wondering how your weather was in Egypt (and other places).

 

Any other tips?

 

Thanks![/quote']

 

I was in Egypt on a river cruise in January. The weather was perfect. Mornings and evenings were cool. The days were sunny and in the low 70's. I took a light weight wool jacket and wore it when it was cool, mostly evenings.

[travelite]

I was in Egypt on a river cruise in January. The weather was perfect. Mornings and evenings were cool. The days were sunny and in the low 70's. I took a light weight wool jacket and wore it when it was cool, mostly evenings.

 

bluesea777' date='

This really helps and I'll look to see if you did a review in the Member's Review section.

 

I'll look up the hotel though that may change for 2010.

 

As we are looking at Jan. 3rd, wondering how your weather was in Egypt (and other places).

 

Any other tips?

 

Thanks![/quote']

The above reply on weather was intended for bluesea777. Sorry for the jumble.

[MercedMike]

My opinion is save the $400 plus each and use it toward a future Nile river cruise. The river cruises are wonderful, reasonably priced; you will see more of Egypt in depth and at a slower pace. HOWEVER, if the ship's tour includes an overnight at the Mena House Hotel, I'd definitely go for it. That hotel is quite an experience, atmospheric, and with views of the pyramids you will never forget. The sound and light shows are disappointing.... something to just fill the time of tourists. The drive from Alexandria to Cairo is long. A positive to taking the ship's tour, the ride on a large bus will be more comfortable than the ride in a van. You really have to ask yourself if you want to subject yourself to this pace and only see a very tiny sampling of this amazing country. If seeing the pyramids has been a life's dream and there is no chance of ever returning, by all means get to see them...and if that means ship's tour....then ship's tour it will be. I don't usually take ship's tours, but sometimes they make the most sense. Those that I have taken were very well done. With every private tour there is an element of chance. My advice, unless you can stay at the Mena House Hotel, would be to explore the area closer to your port of call -- my guess, Alexandria. Another important consideration is the guide. Be sure your guide is a licenced Egyptologist. You definitely need a knowledgeable guide.

 

The long tour of Egypt with a Nile Cruise is wonderful! Actually, we did that first and later came back on the ship. Check out our review and pics at http://www.elite.net/~thehalls/egyptmain.html. We stayed at the Oberoi Mena House at the pyramids and it is indeed a great place. Pay the supplement for a pyramid view room. Stepping out on your balcony in the morning before dawn, and watching the Great Pyramid slooooowly loom up out of the darkness is stunning! Check out our pics of the Mena House at http://www.elite.net/~thehalls/egyptacc.html

 

However, for most people the overnight from the ship is likely to be their only chance to visit Cairo. DON'T MISS IT! Even with the 3 hour bus ride it is still an experience you will never forget.

 

Have a GREAT cruise!

[luv2bcruzng]

We are trying to decide between an overnight tour to Cairo and then Alexandria the next day or just taking two - one day tours (one of Cairo and one of Alexandria). It appears all the tour companies on the 2nd day just take you straight to Alexandria after breakfast -so why not sleep on board the ship and pick up a one day tour of Alexandria. The Nile Cruise and Sound and Light show do not impress us too much. What do you think?

Reba

[MercedMike]

It appears all the tour companies on the 2nd day just take you straight to Alexandria after breakfast -so why not sleep on board the ship and pick up a one day tour of Alexandria.

Reba

 

HMMM? Overnighting gave us lots more time on the first day. In fact we saw so many things that we wound up at the shopping stop in the early evening!

 

Here is what we did on the second day of our tour:

 

Felucca ride on the Nile

The Egyptian Museum and Mummy Room

Fabulous lunch

Khan el Khalili Bazaar

 

THEN we left for the three hour ride to Alex.

 

The only reason I could figure that your tours would leave for Alex after breakfast is that your ship has a very early sailing time.

 

Check out our review and pics at http://www.elite.net/~thehalls/holyland2.html

[luv2bcruzng]

What tour company did you use? Our cruise does not leave Alexandria until 10pm so we have time to spend most of the 2nd day in Cairo with a some time to sightsee Alexandria also.

Thanks for the information,

Reba

[GranMona]

I agree with MercedMike, our tour has several things planned on the second day before we head back to Alexandria. We are going to the Egyptian Museum (king Tut), then after lunch we go to the Citadel of Saladin, a Mosque and shopping at Khalili bazaars. I wouldn't want to rush through my trip to Cairo just to get back to sleep on the ship!

[luv2bcruzng]

Which tour company did you book with?

Thanks for the help.

Reba

[GranMona]

Which tour company did you book with?

Thanks for the help.

Reba

 

We booked with Memphis Tours. http://memphistours.com/ Decide what you want to do. Then go to the 'build your trip' section with the dates and ports and times and tour you want. They will come back with a price. (You can negotiate a bit with them) We are going with just the 2 of us and are saving about $250 from the cruise tour offer. The more you have in your group, the cheaper it gets. You can go to your roll call and find others on your cruise that probably want to do the same tour.

[Captain Canuck]

we did an overnight in May off the Royal Princess. It was $190 a person with the Meridien Pyramid hotel included. Sound and light show was extra.We had a nice 24 seat bus..air conditioned. It made the trip to Cairo with the convoy. The rest of the time we seemed to hit the attractions with limited crowds..it was also easier for the 12 of us to get on and off the bus. the 2 lunches were included (drinks extra) one at the Hard Rock in Cairo. can really recommend it...we previously did a day trip to cairo with the ship...convoy of 50 buses...they split up a bit in Cairo but there was still a horde of us. we spent a lot of time in an "approved" store. We did that too this time but it was a quick stop with a clean bathroom. I can really recommend nileblue...

[travelite]

We are trying to decide between an overnight tour to Cairo and then Alexandria the next day or just taking two - one day tours (one of Cairo and one of Alexandria). It appears all the tour companies on the 2nd day just take you straight to Alexandria after breakfast -so why not sleep on board the ship and pick up a one day tour of Alexandria. The Nile Cruise and Sound and Light show do not impress us too much. What do you think?

Reba

 

The Sound and Light show did nothing for me. I would not spend the night in Cairo if the only extra is the Sound and Light Show and a short boat ride/sail on the Nile. Every ship has different tours to Cairo so be sure to read all the details.

[cribdink]

My mother and I are planning to visit the Holy Land next year on Princess. She and I are mobility challenged but don't want to miss an opportunity to see Egypt (and Israel). Can anyone tell me if any of the tour companies provide tours for folks who have difficulty walking? Thanks for the help.:)

[MercedMike]

My mother and I are planning to visit the Holy Land next year on Princess. She and I are mobility challenged but don't want to miss an opportunity to see Egypt (and Israel). Can anyone tell me if any of the tour companies provide tours for folks who have difficulty walking? Thanks for the help.:)

 

I walk with a cane, slowly, and can climb a few stairs, even more slowly. Neither Egypt nor Israel has a Disability Act! There are simply some places I could not go. For example I did not walk the whole Via Dolorosa, nor could I go inside a pyramid.

 

But I was able to do a great deal. If you book a private tour, YOU are in control and can tell the guide what you can and cannot do. We booked with Avitours in Israel, and Egyptian Express in Egypt, both highly recommended on this board. Both were excellent in making arrangements for me to see as much as possible at my own pace.

 

Check out our review and pics at http://www.elite.net/~thehalls/holyland2.html

 

Have a GREAT cruise!

[travelite]

My mother and I are planning to visit the Holy Land next year on Princess. She and I are mobility challenged but don't want to miss an opportunity to see Egypt (and Israel). Can anyone tell me if any of the tour companies provide tours for folks who have difficulty walking? Thanks for the help.:)

 

Mike is correct. There are no provisions for the mobility challenged in Egypt. Definitely book a private tour and work out ALL your needs with them well in advance.