Has anyone been on the MS Neptune on the Nile?

[drpatch]

still no e-mail from Gate 1. guess we'll have to be more patient.:mad:

[texancruzer]

I got an e-mail from Gate 1 today and just looked up my reservation on their website and the "Travel Documents" buttons on the upper left hand side of the screen are now active under my individual reservation.

 

And YES to Texancruiser, Cabin Numbers are assigned, and almost everything else......I am on Bus 1 and lots of other stuff. Tons of Vouchers since I prepaid for everything.

 

Wonderfull that this arrived today......super insane at work right now and this was a great pick up to make it through the day.

 

Carlisleboy - a couple of quickies........ please ?

 

1. Did you book on line or thru a TA ?

 

2. Airline stuff - restrictions ? 1 bag right - 50 lbs ???? please say it is so.

 

3. Wow - even bus assignment ? hope dh and I are on the same one :eek:

 

4. We also prepaid for all our optional excursions (didnt do light show or jeep safari) - so vouchers for each one.....must not lose huh ? !!!!

 

5. One last biggie - visitor visa is available at the airport as you get off plane - right ? EVERYTHING I have read states this to be the case. Everyone says the banks at airport issue visas and Egyptian pounds..... so our plan is to exchange some $$ then.

 

Thanks - its amazing what a driving force the need for information is..... of course that is what this site is all about...... thank goodness for CC !

[Carlisleboy]

Carlisleboy - a couple of quickies........ please ?

 

1. Did you book on line or thru a TA ?

 

2. Airline stuff - restrictions ? 1 bag right - 50 lbs ???? please say it is so.

 

3. Wow - even bus assignment ? hope dh and I are on the same one :eek:

 

4. We also prepaid for all our optional excursions (didnt do light show or jeep safari) - so vouchers for each one.....must not lose huh ? !!!!

 

5. One last biggie - visitor visa is available at the airport as you get off plane - right ? EVERYTHING I have read states this to be the case. Everyone says the banks at airport issue visas and Egyptian pounds..... so our plan is to exchange some $$ then.

 

Thanks - its amazing what a driving force the need for information is..... of course that is what this site is all about...... thank goodness for CC !

 

Ok. Lets go through 1 by 1

1. Online, No Travel Agents in Dutch Harbor Alaska

2. That is what I am going with though not specifically laid out in Documents

3. I'm sure they get couple on the same bus

4. I'm Bringing along three copies in various luggage pieces, (Suitcase, Laptop and Carryon along with all my other Documents.)

5 Visa is Available at the Airport as well as currancy exchange. I am Bringing a good amount of Small Denomination US $ though for tips. Just easier to keep track of it in my head that way. It specifically says NO TRAVELERS CHECKS as they are almost impossible to cash in egypt.

There is even a suggested "Tipping" guide in the Papers.............LOL

 

17 More Days till I leave Dutch Harbor!

[texancruzer]

Thanks !!!

[TravelJM]

Carlisleboy - a couple of quickies........ please ?

 

1. Did you book on line or thru a TA ?

 

2. Airline stuff - restrictions ? 1 bag right - 50 lbs ???? please say it is so.

 

3. Wow - even bus assignment ? hope dh and I are on the same one :eek:

 

4. We also prepaid for all our optional excursions (didnt do light show or jeep safari) - so vouchers for each one.....must not lose huh ? !!!!

 

5. One last biggie - visitor visa is available at the airport as you get off plane - right ? EVERYTHING I have read states this to be the case. Everyone says the banks at airport issue visas and Egyptian pounds..... so our plan is to exchange some $$ then.

 

Thanks - its amazing what a driving force the need for information is..... of course that is what this site is all about...... thank goodness for CC !

 

With Egyptair it is a two bag limit, however US carriers are not the same. Word of advise check your bags all the way through coming home and you will not have to pay luggage fees. They dont really care about wieght..except maybe at JFK.. Cairo not sooo.

 

The Visas are right before you go through customs and you will see the banks... you need to get the stamp before you get in line for customs.Just watch were everyone is going and if you are in a line for customs you have gone tooo far. They cost 15 us dollars a person... I would wait to exchange your money till you are at the hotel theres a mad rush in the airport and less hassel at the hotel. There is a great bank at the hotel and all the banks have the same exchange rate.

 

 

TravelJM...

[drpatch]

still no documents. :mad: what's going on with them?

[Carlisleboy]

still no documents. :mad: what's going on with them?

Well I booked Early and paid it off early so maybe they are doing it in the order they recieved final payment? ( I think I remember you saying you just paid it off a few weeks ago?). Also I called and made sure My ticket was purchaced early.....was trying to use miles to upgrade to 1st but it was not available, so maybe that is why.

The Documents are nice, but you really have pretty much everything on the itinary page of the Gate one site except the Vouchers. Don't Worry.

[Carlisleboy]

Testing to see if my Countdown clock will appear.......

[texancruzer]

With Egyptair it is a two bag limit, however US carriers are not the same. Word of advise check your bags all the way through coming home and you will not have to pay luggage fees. They dont really care about wieght..except maybe at JFK.. Cairo not sooo.

 

The Visas are right before you go through customs and you will see the banks... you need to get the stamp before you get in line for customs.Just watch were everyone is going and if you are in a line for customs you have gone tooo far. They cost 15 us dollars a person... I would wait to exchange your money till you are at the hotel theres a mad rush in the airport and less hassel at the hotel. There is a great bank at the hotel and all the banks have the same exchange rate.

 

 

TravelJM...

 

thanks for the advice but we are not flying staight thru all the way home on the return trip but spending one night in New York and flying home the next day. Since we land at 3:30(ish) and then customs, Immigration, baggage claim and we fly out of La Guardia, we can't get all the way home that night anyway......so why kill ourselves after the long flight !!! So will stay at hotel by JFK and fly home the next morning......

[drpatch]

still no e-mail or documents. may call tomorrow if nothing by then. want to make sure we're not mislaid because the gal we worked with at Gate 1 not longer works there.

[drpatch]

The Neptue was nice. It is a small ship when compared to the other ships on the Nile. However that was the nice thing about it. Because it was small our group really got close and we made some great friendships along the way. The ship is in good condition. The rooms are a good size and the beds are comfortable. The only bad thing about the rooms is the bathroom which is on the small side. You really don’t spend anytime in your room because you are on the top deck by the pool talking to people and watching Egypt pass by. The crew is really great. The waiters in the dining area were alot of fun to play with (boy do I have stories). One of the people in our group actually had tea with the captain of the ship. The really cool part is you can go up to the bridge, when you go through the locks it’s the best place to be. Right under the bridge is the panorama room which is down the hallway on the deck with the dinning area, find it its a great place to watch from. The food is ok by the 7th day it gets repetitive but heres a hint when in Luxor go to McDonalds its right there and a nice break from the meals. We never had a bad meal. The crew is very nice and you will have a great time....

 

TravelJM

Hi, Just a couple questions about the Neptune. Are there toiletries supplied in bathrooms? Also, is there a line in the shower for hanging a couple of hand-washed things up to dry? Thanks.

[texancruzer]

Hi, Just a couple questions about the Neptune. Are there toiletries supplied in bathrooms? Also, is there a line in the shower for hanging a couple of hand-washed things up to dry? Thanks.

 

Don't remember where - but I read somewhere there is no shampoo provided...... I plan to take a very small travel size bottle just in case and pick up a few things in Cairo.......

[slimsloany]

I read that somewhere too, that there was no shampoo/conditioner on the Neptune. I'm buying a small bottle in Cairo too.

If you are worried about a clothesline, just take one hanger with clips on it. I do this so I can wash out clothes and hang them on the bathroom door. But, being a boat that catered to Brits/Europeans, I bet they have the clothesline.

A little over 5 months to wait, ugh! Keep the good info coming so those of us who follow you can read.

Safe travels!!!!

Suzie

[Carlisleboy]

UGGHHHH!!!

Just looked at the Date today and realized that in One month the Egypt trip will be coming to an end and I will have a Long Flight that evening to be dreading.

Still though, 12 days and a few hours till I leave the Island.

[texancruzer]

UGGHHHH!!!

Just looked at the Date today and realized that in One month the Egypt trip will be coming to an end and I will have a Long Flight that evening to be dreading.

Still though, 12 days and a few hours till I leave the Island.

 

No No No...... you must not be already looking at the END of the trip before you even start on the trip !!!!!! There is a law forbidding that :D

Just checked my calendar......we leave for NY 7 weeks from tomorrow.

yeeeehawww That's Texan for "I'm getting excited" !

[Carlisleboy]

Don't remember where - but I read somewhere there is no shampoo provided...... I plan to take a very small travel size bottle just in case and pick up a few things in Cairo.......

 

I am a pathetic product snob and will have to Bring my own Neutrogena.

In my defense the Deep Pore Cleaner is the best product out there!

[drpatch]

Still no documents. Talked to Gate 1 yesterday. I must be on their "pain-in-the-neck" list. She told me that we'd probably get our e-docs sometime later this week or early next week. I asked why some had gotten them the previous week and her reply was "We don't send out the documents, that's another department". We booked and paid in full over two months ago, it's not like it was last week. I'm bummed, husband says "be patient".

[texancruzer]

I sympathize. I would also be on the "pain in the neck" list :o

[Carlisleboy]

Still no documents. Talked to Gate 1 yesterday. I must be on their "pain-in-the-neck" list. She told me that we'd probably get our e-docs sometime later this week or early next week. I asked why some had gotten them the previous week and her reply was "We don't send out the documents, that's another department". We booked and paid in full over two months ago, it's not like it was last week. I'm bummed, husband says "be patient".

 

No Worries! I am already on their Pain in the neck list. Called to get them to purchase the airline tickets early so I could try for an upgrade and called to book an extra night at the hotel since I only leave at 11;50pm that last day. Just relax and Know that in 15 days you will be too tired from the Flight to Cairo to even think about things like Travel Documents!

[slimsloany]

Hey, when you pay the price of a trip, they should know that it gives you the right to be a pain in the neck, and other parts of the body........lol.

I don't leave for 5 months and I am trying to upgrade our cabin to a Cat B and they are trying to charge me $200 instead of the $100 listed on the website. Why? Because I got the original price on sale. So I am being punished for booking early. Word of advice, if you book early expect to make ALL of your decisions up front. But, I will keep trying and if that doesn't work, I guess Cat C means I still get to go.

To those leaving soon............Bon Voyage.

 

;)

[texancruzer]

Hey, when you pay the price of a trip, they should know that it gives you the right to be a pain in the neck, and other parts of the body........lol.

I don't leave for 5 months and I am trying to upgrade our cabin to a Cat B and they are trying to charge me $200 instead of the $100 listed on the website. Why? Because I got the original price on sale. So I am being punished for booking early. Word of advice, if you book early expect to make ALL of your decisions up front. But, I will keep trying and if that doesn't work, I guess Cat C means I still get to go.

To those leaving soon............Bon Voyage.

 

;)

 

We definately did this........ I didnt book until we had decided on ALL the decisions...... upgrading, excursions etc. I booked our trip insurance seperately tho since I went with another company (on the advice of my TA). We also booked our air from Corpus Christi to New York and back seperate (even tho add-on was available from Houston) Still would have to get from Corpus to Houston so was just easier.

 

I have heard of many people waiting until they get there to decide on excursions and then book them there...... We knew exactly which ones we wanted from the get-go....... I don't like to leave stuff "undone".

 

7 WEEKS from today we leave NY for Cairo :D

[Carlisleboy]

Just Switched my Dives from

Ilios Dive Club & Aqua Center

Steigenberger Al Dau Beach Resort

Hurghada - Red Sea - Egypt

Tel: +2(0)65 346 5442

E-mail: marketing@iliosdiveclub.de

To the One at Fort Arabesque

http://www.idive.it/diving.php?id=1

Read some Negative reviews online about Ilios and after a confirmation e-mail from them about "Special Add on Prices" Made the switch.

Then I saw that the Crew that runs the one at Fort Arabesques also runs on in the Maldives near the Conrad Resort that I worked at for 2 months. They seemed like a good crew there so I am hopefully optomistic about this one.

[texancruzer]

Just Switched my Dives from

 

Ilios Dive Club & Aqua Center

Steigenberger Al Dau Beach Resort

Hurghada - Red Sea - Egypt

Tel: +2(0)65 346 5442

E-mail: marketing@iliosdiveclub.de

 

To the One at Fort Arabesque

http://www.idive.it/diving.php?id=1

 

Read some Negative reviews online about Ilios and after a confirmation e-mail from them about "Special Add on Prices" Made the switch.

 

Then I saw that the Crew that runs the one at Fort Arabesques also runs on in the Maldives near the Conrad Resort that I worked at for 2 months. They seemed like a good crew there so I am hopefully optomistic about this one.

 

 

This is the AI resort that our tour (Oct 28th - 15 day) is staying at. Have heard good things about Idive....... we plan to try and dive our first afternoon with them..... they also have snorkle trips so will do that the next day since we can't fly within 24 hours of dive....... Please review when you get back !!!! Thanks

[TravelJM]

Hi, Just a couple questions about the Neptune. Are there toiletries supplied in bathrooms? Also, is there a line in the shower for hanging a couple of hand-washed things up to dry? Thanks.

 

Hi, I dont think there was any shampoo provided, but there was hand soap. I dont thing there is any line to hang your clothes, but you could hang it on the shower door... They do have a laundy service thats not really expensive. It was ok, the clothes came back fresh and clean...

 

TravelJM

[Anubi]

I was so glad to find this thread, your excitement is contagious!! :D

 

DH and I are in the very preliminary planning stages of our Egyptian cruise and so like so many on this thread I'm looking for information.

 

We've been to Egypt, a quick in-and-out 36 hour shore excursion - see the avatar - but what we saw excited us so much that a return became a 'must'. We stayed at the Meridian Pyramids so if anyone wants to know about that, its something that I can contribute. My email is wandatp at rogers dot com.

 

I hope that all of you will post some kind of review for the rest of us. It would be so appreiciated because these cruises just aren't as popular as the mass market lines.

 

I hope you all have a wonderful time!! Egypt is an experience...especially the driving. :eek: