........ off in Sokhna

[balf]

I am on board QM2 in the port of Sokhna. This must be the worst place to be of all the ports we have been to in all 6 continents. Because this is the port selected basically as the nearest for visits to the pyramids there has been no thought given to those of us who have "got the t shirt" and remained on the ship. Half an hour ago a hot wind blew up and with it a sandstorm that covered everything with fine sandy dust driving us inside and we have a tug along side because of the wind. The advice is don't go ashore, no problem because there is nothing there except desert. All this in what is the main container port serving Cairo. Virtually nothing to do on the ship, even seen the featured movie. And Cunard are coming here again next year. Not with us that's for certain. Anyone sorry for us?

Thought not.

 

David.

[ToadOfToadHall]

4 years ago on the QV we docked at Port Said and almost everyone got off the ship and went to the Pyramids. However, me and the good lady stayed on board. Why you may ask ? Because I'd been to Egypt just a few year before for work - I've seen it, it's horrible. I had no desire to leave the ship.

 

The odd thing was that many of the people who we spoke to before we arrived could not understand why we were not getting of the ship in Egypt - but when they returned their comments changed to "Now we know why you stayed on board !".

 

You have made to right choice not to get off the ship.

[Tony & Trevor]

We have just arrived back from cruising with Seabourn.

 

 

Had a superb time in Egypt as did many of my fellow passengers.

 

 

Each to his own!

 

 

Kind regards

 

Tony

[balf]

Well we are still here at 2220hrs long after we should have left for our passage through the canal in the morning. The port is closed and the sandstorm is still raging with the ship covered with a sandy fine dust. The captain has no idea when we will get away

 

It's a long way back to Southampton from here, I can see a missing or shortened port somewhere.

 

David.

[Salacia]

Sorry for the delayed departure Balf, but the view from the webcam earlier showed an eerie looking sea...so I'm happy to read that you're safe at port. Best wishes -Salacia

 

Edited to add: Just found this news item "...Major General Mohamed Abdel Qader Gaballah, the head of the authority, announced the closure of Port Tawfiq, Adabeya, Zeiteyat and Sokhna ports. They are expected reopen before midnight..." quoted from http://news.egypt.com/english/permalink/105014.html (dateline Wednesday 18 April 2012 : 12:40 PM )

[safarigal]

I am on board QM2 in the port of Sokhna. This must be the worst place to be of all the ports we have been to in all 6 continents. Because this is the port selected basically as the nearest for visits to the pyramids there has been no thought given to those of us who have "got the t shirt" and remained on the ship. Half an hour ago a hot wind blew up and with it a sandstorm that covered everything with fine sandy dust driving us inside and we have a tug along side because of the wind. The advice is don't go ashore, no problem because there is nothing there except desert. All this in what is the main container port serving Cairo. Virtually nothing to do on the ship, even seen the featured movie. And Cunard are coming here again next year. Not with us that's for certain. Anyone sorry for us?

Thought not.

 

David.

 

It's not that I am not sorry for you, but if I had the choice of being on QM2, albeit in the middle of a sand storm, or sitting at work doing battle with my computer, I would go for the QM2 and the airconditioned Commodore Club every time! :)

 

I hope you don't miss any ports because of the delay. Enjoy the rest of your voyage! I really could do with being on QM2 at the moment.

[Mid-Atlantic Ridge]

It's not that I am not sorry for you, but if I had the choice of being on QM2, albeit in the middle of a sand storm, or sitting at work doing battle with my computer, I would go for the QM2 and the airconditioned Commodore Club every time! :)

 

I hope you don't miss any ports because of the delay. Enjoy the rest of your voyage! I really could do with being on QM2 at the moment.

 

Moi aussi, the ship is now at sea it appears. Maybe some fast running will be required to make up time? Always exciting, but then I am a bit of a speed merchant, I know that I was once overjoyed when QM2 was clocked in excess of 30 knots while I was on board. Maybe the (dust) cloud will have a silver lining.

 

M-AR

[oceansandseas]

I was on that portion of the World Cruise 4 years ago. I just loved Egypt and going to the Pyramids. I know what you mean about the sand storm. We had one when we were at the Pyramids. I just wish that we had more time there. With the long drive in, our time was very short. I will return some day.

 

Enjoy your time on QM2. I know that I would.

[Salacia]

QM2 webcam has been frozen since Thurs April 19 13:16:17

 

Balf, dust off the camera will you please:)

 

Best wishes,

Salacia

[bazzaw]

QM2 is now entering the Suez Canal

 

 

We thoroughly enjoyed our transit of Suez - FAR more interesting than the Panama. In our opinions - and my wife and I seldom agree on anything :rolleyes:

 

EDIT - Woops ! -- maybe not. The map is showing that she is in the Mediterranean already. Perhaps the sandstorm has frozen her camera.

 

Barry

[Salacia]

Buzz, I believe that is the frozen screen capture I mentioned. QM2 has long past that point. Regards,-S.

[bazzaw]

Buzz, I believe that is the frozen screen capture I mentioned. QM2 has long past that point. Regards,-S.

 

YES - looks like it :)

 

Barry

[MIAN]

Are you saying it's as bad if not worse than Walvis Bay??

That would take some doing.

Cunard seem to have picked some really out of the way places to call this trip.

As for being jealous.......... Not for a minute.

Went from Southampton to Fremantle got bored stiff and haven't missed it for a minute.

Worst cruise i've ever been on.

Best ship worst (miserable) crew.

[unclewilson2]

I hope you don't miss any ports because of the delay. Enjoy the rest of your voyage! I really could do with being on QM2 at the moment.

[Salacia]

It appears that QM2 is fairly close to Piraeus port. After that, there is only one scheduled port stop at Malaga before arriving in Southhampton on 27 April.

 

The ships webcam is still frozen - last image remains Thurs April 19 2012 13:16:17 (source: http://www.cunard.com/Ships/Queen-Mary-2/Bridge-Web-Cam/

[capnpugwash]

What has happened to Cunard?? They take you to a desert and you get a sandstorm. It just isn't fair

[Pies4u]

4 years ago on the QV we docked at Port Said and almost everyone got off the ship and went to the Pyramids. However, me and the good lady stayed on board. Why you may ask ? Because I'd been to Egypt just a few year before for work - I've seen it, it's horrible. I had no desire to leave the ship.

 

The odd thing was that many of the people who we spoke to before we arrived could not understand why we were not getting of the ship in Egypt - but when they returned their comments changed to "Now we know why you stayed on board !".

 

You have made to right choice not to get off the ship.

 

Just wondered why you chose an itinerary with Egypt in if you dislike it so much.

 

Have to say, couldn't agree more - I'd avoid any cruise that goes anywhere near northern Egypt. Once is more than enough, a great place to miss IMO. Pyramids are best viewed on t'internet and the rest of it is, pretty much, beyond words.

 

River cruises from Luxor are far more appealling & there are some decent hotels there too.

[balf]

What has happened to Cunard?? They take you to a desert and you get a sandstorm. It just isn't fair

 

We have American friends on board who did not have a big problem with the sand storm, it was the dead cow in the river that freaked them out. This port is chosen because of the comparative nearness to Cairo but it is not a place for a pleasant stroll.

 

We are now well on the way to Malaga which was sustituted for Lisbon for some reason and the full world cruisers are saying that as usual things are running down gradually as the long cruise comes to an end. There must be some very weary crew longing for Southampton.

 

David.

[Salacia]

PARTIAL QUOTE

...We are now well on the way to Malaga which was sustituted for Lisbon for some reason and the full world cruisers are saying that as usual things are running down gradually as the long cruise comes to an end. There must be some very weary crew longing for Southampton.

 

David.

 

Hi Balf. I can understand how the crew (and passengers) might be weary. I've been following the World Voyage when time permits, reading about current events in ports of call, studying the history, politics, economy and geography of countries visited, viewing the ships webcam...and I'm also longing for the ship to dock in Southampton! A virtual world cruise is hard work (but a heck of a lot less expensive than the real thing!)

 

Best wishes for an enjoyable voyage home. And thanks to you and other passengers who shared their voyage with those of us in dry dock :)

 

Salacia

[Louise D]

PARTIAL QUOTE

 

Hi Balf. I can understand how the crew (and passengers) might be weary.

Salacia

 

This brings back memories of one of the QE2 world cruises (2004?) when the crew became so "enthusiastic" on the last night that several ran amok, leading to the notorious affair of the missing tapestries. For quite some time the tapestries were feared lost overboard, but several days later were eventually found secreted onboard in a somewhat damaged condition. I believe several crew were sacked for their part in this affair.

[AlexDouglass]

Well, as someone who adores both Cairo and Alexandria (as well as the lovely resorts on the Med), I suppose I shall just say that there are different shades of opinion.

 

More to the original point, while I don't know what options were offered from Sokhna, and of course the sandstorm must have narrowed them considerably, it has some of the loveliest beaches and swimming I've ever seen - at high tide, you can walk out in the perfectly calm clear water for great distances. When I lived in Cairo, we would spend long weekends at the local hotels; I understand that it's developed quite a bit since then and I believe has several international/five star options. Perhaps a good daytrip option for people who don't fancy the Pyramids (which do come, even I admit, with crowds, noise, and the craziness of Cairo).

[ToadOfToadHall]

Just wondered why you chose an itinerary with Egypt in if you dislike it so much.

 

I can see how you would wonder that, but the itinerary included Greece, Turkey, Scilly, Italy and Malta and we visited Istanbul, Ephesus and Pompeii.

 

Egypt was only 1 day out of 14. So just stay on the ship and you don't have to look at it.

 

Oddly, I was in the British Museum only yesterday and in the Egyptian section, whilst looking at a picture of the pyramids, one of the people I was with said "I've been there, funny how they don't show you the Pizza Hut that's 50 yards away from them ?". How true.

[snoozy]

Oddly, I was in the British Museum only yesterday and in the Egyptian section, whilst looking at a picture of the pyramids, one of the people I was with said "I've been there, funny how they don't show you the Pizza Hut that's 50 yards away from them ?". How true.

 

I think there are many very different views of the pyramids, and the one with Pizza Hut is definately not the best, although it's alot more than 50 yards away. If your only opportunity of a vantage point is the Pizza Hut one, try standing in front of the Pizza Hut, the view of the pyramids is better that way. Or preferably, take the road away from there, past the Great Pyramid at the other side completely, you can't see much commercialism at all, just the ancient Pyramids, sand, desert, heat haze and the occasional nomad on a camel. Now that's the view I remember.

[ToadOfToadHall]

I think there are many very different views of the pyramids, and the one with Pizza Hut is definately not the best, although it's alot more than 50 yards away. If your only opportunity of a vantage point is the Pizza Hut one, try standing in front of the Pizza Hut, the view of the pyramids is better that way. Or preferably, take the road away from there, past the Great Pyramid at the other side completely, you can't see much commercialism at all, just the ancient Pyramids, sand, desert, heat haze and the occasional nomad on a camel. Now that's the view I remember.

 

I may have been exaggerating for effect !

[QuarryMan72]

Oddly, I was in the British Museum only yesterday and in the Egyptian section, whilst looking at a picture of the pyramids, one of the people I was with said "I've been there, funny how they don't show you the Pizza Hut that's 50 yards away from them ?". How true.

 

Yeah maybe so - but the bloke who built them was a great guy. In fact, he was a diamond giza.

 

:D:D

 

QM