Thomson Spirit - Port Said

[goodspirit]

We are on the Pharaohs and Promised Land cruise on Wednesday.

 

We have been to Cairo before - is there anything to do off the boat in Port Said?

[grannypops]

one of the ports is Alexandria, but Port Said isn't bad to do your own thing if you don't mind the hassle from the vendors that you get in Egypt.

 

We had a nosy round the souvenir stalls at the port, usual tat but the sellers seemed used to us brits and don't really keep on as much as some places in Egypt. They were quite jovial and would quickly take half the price for souveirs they originally asked for. There is one man there with a table set up just selling postcards and stamps and says he will post them for you (make sure you stick both the stamps needed on the card).

 

We went for a caleche ride - the horses looked well kept with no ribs showing. Didn't really have to haggle just said take us round the town for an hour and a half and we'll give you £15 there were 3 of us so it was well worth a fiver each and the driver pointed out all the places of interest - though his English was limited.

 

There's a military museum, the suez canal, mosques. You could walk. I posted the port information sheets on here so there may be more ideas of what to do on there.

[smilesback]

We are on the Pharaohs and Promised Land cruise on Wednesday.

 

We have been to Cairo before - is there anything to do off the boat in Port Said?

 

We just completed the Jade 12d cruise to Eastern Med. We booked with Nile Blue Excursions. They are a licensed tour group and have both overnight tours in Cairo as well as day tours in both Cairo, Alexandria and Port Said. You can customize what you want to do since you have been to Cairo before.

 

They give special rates for groups. The smallest group is 4 people. Our group was just the right amount of people 17 and then a couple more added on, which was fine too. We had an A/C Toyota mini van that looked brand new. They provided an Egyptologist as a guide, and security on-board who also drove the van really well. We didn't hit any potholes - it was a really comfortable ride. I wrote up a review for CC if you want more details. We signed up by sending an email to the tour manager. If you want to contact someone to organize a group and check out prices, email Ghada, at manager@nileblueexcursions.com

 

Wish I was going to Egypt again! Have Fun!

[benbhoy2000]

one of the ports is Alexandria, but Port Said isn't bad to do your own thing if you don't mind the hassle from the vendors that you get in Egypt.

 

We had a nosy round the souvenir stalls at the port, usual tat but the sellers seemed used to us brits and don't really keep on as much as some places in Egypt. They were quite jovial and would quickly take half the price for souveirs they originally asked for. There is one man there with a table set up just selling postcards and stamps and says he will post them for you (make sure you stick both the stamps needed on the card).

 

We went for a caleche ride - the horses looked well kept with no ribs showing. Didn't really have to haggle just said take us round the town for an hour and a half and we'll give you £15 there were 3 of us so it was well worth a fiver each and the driver pointed out all the places of interest - though his English was limited.

 

There's a military museum, the suez canal, mosques. You could walk. I posted the port information sheets on here so there may be more ideas of what to do on there.

is that £15 in british or eygpt pounds thanks benbhoy

[bilty]

Grannypops, thank you for the posting, can you post a link to your port review as unable to find it. We are going on the spirit at the end of April and visit Port Said and Alexandria, we have been to the Pyramids so are looking for something different. Many thanks

[grannypops]

Hi there it ws £15 English. I offered what it was worth to me as we shared with someone else and wanted a happy driver not one who was going to keep on asking for more or cut the ride short.

 

The Explore Ashore port info newsletters are here:

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1171058

[krammer]

We are on the Pharaohs and Promised Land cruise on Wednesday.

 

We have been to Cairo before - is there anything to do off the boat in Port Said?

Port Said - Just a jumping off point for long tours to Cairo, Pyramids etc. Nothing much locally. Try a buggy ride or 5 minute walk to de Lesseps monument. Not very exciting!

[goodspirit]

Have just returned from our week on the Spirit

 

Our favourite day was Haifa - we went on the guided tour around the Bahai gardens at 12 noon - make sure you get there in plenty of time - we walked, but you can take the underground cable car

 

We enjoyed Port Said - went over on the free ferry - walked along the prom - interesting to experience an Egyptian resort and less frenetic than Alexandria

 

No sickness on the boat - hand sanitizer used by everyone all the time

 

Food and service was excellent:):)

 

Cannot understand why anyone would take children on this cruise:mad:

[Ozzimandius]

We are on the Pharaohs and Promised Land cruise on Wednesday.

 

We have been to Cairo before - is there anything to do off the boat in Port Said?

Ignore all this rubbish about hassle in Egypt.

We got off at Port Said and Alexandria independently and walked all over both cities with no hassle whatsoever.

If you are being given unwanted attention just ignore them.They soon get the message.

I got off twice in Port Said and one man asked me if I wanted a carriage ride.I poltely declined and that was that.

As for Port said there is a pleasant stroll along the prom from the Fish port.

Again hassle free.

[Blue Petra]

Have just returned from our week on the Spirit

 

Our favourite day was Haifa - we went on the guided tour around the Bahai gardens at 12 noon - make sure you get there in plenty of time - we walked, but you can take the underground cable car

 

We enjoyed Port Said - went over on the free ferry - walked along the prom - interesting to experience an Egyptian resort and less frenetic than Alexandria

 

No sickness on the boat - hand sanitizer used by everyone all the time

 

Food and service was excellent:):)

 

Cannot understand why anyone would take children on this cruise:mad:

 

I was on the same cruise....

 

Ozzimandius - I suppose it depends on your definition of "hassle"

I am always really keen to get off ship at every destination, and I did in Port Said.

Not the prettiest of places, and Destinations/reception staff on board really give you NO help and advice on what is to be seen locally.:mad: They just wrote off the stop as being just a 'bus station' so you can go onto other places - i.e. Cairo etc.

Having already done the Red Sea Cruise, I had been to the Pyramids etc, and after 2 very long, enjoyable but exhausting days in Israel I wanted a more leisurely day.

I did walk around the immediate streets near the ship, but although not constantly 'hassled' I certainly was aware of being closely watched every step of the way.

Whether this is because I am a very fair skinned blonde female I don't know.

I was very well covered - arms and legs, and was not alone, but everyone I saw on the street, and even inside shops and cafes just stared all the time.

I was approached by the horse/carriage driver despite keeping my head down, not making eye contact, and repeatedly saying "No thank you" several times.

He stopped me, stroked my arm and was very persistant.... I was equally very polite but firm in repeating "No thank you"

 

I had got off the ship with every intention of buying a few trinkets to take home, but re-boarded without buying anything.

If you so much as pause in your stride, or let your eyes rest on an item on a stall for longer than a moment you are immediately 'approached' and subject to the 'sales patter'.

 

I know "haggling" is part of their culture ( which I actually enjoy usually) but I would have thought they would have sussed that we Brits like to 'browse' at our leisure.

I should think locals in every tourist destination in the world have learned that Brits are not big tippers for example, where as other nationalities tip everyone and anyone - eg Americans.

So why haven't they adapted their sales techniques accordingly to take in our desire to browse ??

 

By comparison Alanya was very picturesque, and there were hundreds of shops to visit. The salesmen and women were no less persistant, but always most polite and when I said "no thank you", or "I'm just looking" they accepted that and even called a pleasant greeting after you.

They did not grab your arm, physically bar your way etc.

I actually went ashore just to stretch my legs and see the sights, but ended up buying lots of things here..... most of which I didn't even need !!!:p

Virtually everyone getting back on the ship had at least one bulging shopping bag, so I was clearly not alone is spending money in Turkey.

 

Back to Port Said.

I cannot believe that Port Said had nothing of interest to anyone - it was after all the place where the workers on the suez canal were based, and a base during the war for troops etc going through the canal.

I booked this cruise less than 7 days before departure, so unfortunately did not have a chance to do a lot of research about the ports and things to do. I would strongly recommend that anyone going on this itinery do plenty of research before hand, esp if not going on the organised trips. You will receive no help or advice about Port Said or Alexandria from the Cruise staff, apart from 'not worth getting off' ! - which I found very disappointing.

 

I was also disappointed with this cruise that there was no courtesy buses laid on in ANY port to take passengers to the town centers for example. Another port was Limossol where the ship docked quite a distance from any touristy areas.

In Port Said and Alexandria the Ships literature stresses that they do not recommend you use local buses. But for small groups taxis can work out expensive, and can equally be a safety concern, esp for single travellors male and female.

Maybe the Port Said authorities should consider what they could do to help get passengers to spend more money in their town.... provide a bus themselves to take passengers to the local bazaar ?

Again back to Alanya - all the shops had been told that the British Cruise Ship was coming into port today so they were ready for us, with their sunniest smiles and very pleasant manners.

Turkey is another country where 'haggling' is the norm, but a much more enjoyable experience.

 

Sorry this is long and rambling, I have just registered with the forum, and am enjoying reading all your posts.

I found the 5 things to recommend thread useful - so for example I packed a strip socket this time !!

[Ozzimandius]

You get no help from destination services because they want you to go on all their trips.

We did our own thing in every port and found something of interest in each port.Yes even in Ashdod.

There was a perfectly pleasant stroll along the prom in Port Said as there was in Ashdod.The latter had a very nice beach with purpose built shaded huts and lovely clean sand.

If a lot of cruisers had known this they could have spent a day on the beach in Ashdod.

Alexandria was intersting to walk around as indeed was Haifa and the Kale in Alanya.

There is no excuse now with the internet.I found out all about each port by googling, for example, 'Ashdod beach' or even looking on google earth.You get an idea by simply finding the port area then planning your days out before you go.

[Blue Petra]

I didn't just mean the destinations staff - but all the staff, inc those on the main desk, who I found quite helpful with information on the other ports.

The Destination staff said the ship only goes to Port Said so they can do trips to Cairo...... but that seems very narrow minded imo

 

I think passengers who wanted to go on the organised trips to Cairo from Port Said for example usually have not been to Egypt before.

But Thomson must know they have seasoned passengers on board who have ( like me) already been to Cairo etc.

I would not go on another 10 hour plus trip again costing £80 to see the Pyramids, if I had already seen them last year..... so it didn't help their sales by NOT offering me a shorter, closer trip.....or by NOT giving out any helpful information about Port Said.

Port Said was THE one port where lots of people took a rest and did not go on trips, because we had just had 2 intensive days in Israel, and because they had mostly all been to Cairo etc before.

Hence finding a chair or lounger was nearly as bad as on the 'Day at Sea'.

I am sure if Thomson had organised a more relaxing half day excursion somewhere local they would have made some more sales - even if this was to the local Bazaar, Mosque, Christian Church, Museum or farm/pottery shop.

 

I agree entirely about using t'intenet Ozzimandius.... unfortunately in my case I was busy booking Airport parking, getting routes to strange airports, getting travel insurance, organising currency.... as well as madly washing, ironing and packing:p

 

While talking of currency can I pre-warn anyone else going on this itinerary that Israeli and Turkish currency is not available on board.

I had plenty of Egyptian pounds, Euros, Sterling and US Dollars.... but I was unable to get Israeli Shekals before I left the uk as it has to be specifically ordered - and I ran out of time.

 

Personnally I did not find this a problem ( but then I did go on the 2 organised trips in Israel) and most places took $ and £ - including the small stalls and street urchins !!

But, I noticed in El Alamain and Alanya that local tourist attractions would only accept their own local currency to pay for admission.

 

Also, if you are quite good with money and numbers, the more currencies you have the more chance you have of getting a good deal.

A fellow passenger was quoted £8 for a round of drinks, when they asked how many $ that would be, the reply was 8 as well

Needless to say they paid the $8 rather than the £8 ;)