Oceania Cruises - Sirena - Alexandria/Egypt

Hi,

03 June 2016, my wife and I will be on Sirena, and we are planning to have an excursion at Egypt (Alexandria port).

Any recommendations for excursion type, destinations and local operator?

Thanks,

Hi,

 

03 June 2016, my wife and I will be on Sirena, and we are planning to have an excursion at Egypt (Alexandria port).

 

Any recommendations for excursion type, destinations and local operator?

 

Thanks,

Welcome to Cruise Critic. Here's a bit of information to help you better navigate this site.

Since you'll be sailing on an Oceania ship, I understand the appeal of posting your question to the Sirena board. You may even get some useful suggestions here. However, there are two other boards where the chances are higher of finding the information you want: the Port of Call Boards and the Roll Call Boards.

Here's the link to the African/Middle East Boards:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=32

This is the place where people sailing on all lines discuss specific ports of call. Here's a link to a 17-page thread about visiting Cairo and Alexandria.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=974101

When you open a thread, I recommend you get in the habit of looking at the dates of the posts. The above link will take you to a thread that has been running since 2009. The information from those early years is likely to be stale and useless; however, jump ahead several pages and you'll come to the current posts that, hopefully, will offer productive information.

Also, you appear to be interested in taking an excursion with a private company rather than with a ship-sponsored tour. That means the Roll Call threads will be of great interest to you. On this board, you'll first locate the cruise line, and, then, locate the ship, and, finally, locate the specific cruise.

Oceania Roll Calls: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=420

Sirena Roll Calls: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=1007

I can't help you with a link to your specific cruise, but, hopefully, someone else will have started posts and you'll spot the cruise name and dates.

@ Pet - Thank you, that was really helpful.

Hi,

 

03 June 2016, my wife and I will be on Sirena, and we are planning to have an excursion at Egypt (Alexandria port).

 

Any recommendations for excursion type, destinations and local operator?

 

Thanks,

Hi David we are on the same cruise and unless you are doing a B2B we are not visiting Egypt. However if you are doing the B2B I can recommend a visit to Cairo to visit the Pyramids of Giza and the Spinx. It's like stepping into the Bible.

Hi David we are on the same cruise and unless you are doing a B2B we are not visiting Egypt. However if you are doing the B2B I can recommend a visit to Cairo to visit the Pyramids of Giza and the Spinx. It's like stepping into the Bible.

Hi, Issyalex. Pyramids are my major plan, I was there once long ago. I hope we can arrange something.

Hi, Issyalex. Pyramids are my major plan, I was there once long ago. I hope we can arrange something.

FYI, it is about 3 hours driving each way to Cairo and abut 2 1/2 hours to the Giza Pyramids so at least 5 or 6 hours on a bus there and back. Not a short day.

FYI, it is about 3 hours driving each way to Cairo and abut 2 1/2 hours to the Giza Pyramids so at least 5 or 6 hours on a bus there and back. Not a short day.

Then there is the dreaded camel ride - $1 to get on, $100 to get off :D :D

Then there is the dreaded camel ride - $1 to get on, $100 to get off :D :D

LOL! They attempted that with DH.

OP - one consideration is to do an overnight excursion in Cairo, with drop off in Port Said.

It allows more time in Cairo, where most of the interesting things to see are.

If you go that route, avoid scheduling the added night events. Just about everyone that opted for the dinner dhow cruise regretted it.

Do you really want to be in Egypt now with the news this morning of the Egypt Air plane crash? May be act of terror. A little early to tell for sure but will there be more in Egypt? Or Paris again. Very scary to travel these days.

Hi, Issyalex. Pyramids are my major plan, I was there once long ago. I hope we can arrange something.

When we did this tour which also included a cruise down the Nile with food and entertainment, it was a ship's tour and well worth the cost.

To do justice to Egypt, I suggest a minimum of 4 days in Cairo followed by a 7 day Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan.

Cheers,

Don

Then there is the dreaded camel ride - $1 to get on, $100 to get off :D :D

Sadly this is true. I would have paid anything to get off that camel.

Beware of camel handlers, our tour guide warned us some of them are untrustworthy. Let your guide choose a handler.

We did an overnight excursion to Cairo with a private tour company, we were there five months after the revolution. Armed guards were in the tour vehicles.

We stayed in a pryamid hotel, thought to be a safer area than downtown Cairo. I don't think I would do it again but the sights were amazing.

Sadly this is true. I would have paid anything to get off that camel.

Beware of camel handlers, our tour guide warned us some of them are untrustworthy. Let your guide choose a handler.

 

We did an overnight excursion to Cairo with a private tour company, we were there five months after the revolution. Armed guards were in the tour vehicles.

We stayed in a pryamid hotel, thought to be a safer area than downtown Cairo. I don't think I would do it again but the sights were amazing.

Did these things about 6 years ago. Today,, NO.... the risk is too great. Whats next after shooting down planes? Attack hotels, tourist buses, Who is next? Not me. I stay home.

Did these things about 6 years ago. Today,, NO.... the risk is too great. Whats next after shooting down planes? Attack hotels, tourist buses, Who is next? Not me. I stay home.

I totally agree. I questioned my sanity when I did it five years ago.

Hi D,

When we visited Alexandria we walked along the seacoast to the Library - very nice museum downstairs - and then let a carriage driver take us back.

The return trip was quite interesting, with views of back streets and people going about their daily business.

The folks who went to Cairo were, in general, not enthusiastic.

Major complaint was how dirty the city was.

Hope this helps.

Ira