****Live From the Golden Princess****

[Druke I]

I'm sure that you are right about the yellow fever shot being required if you stop in French Guyana.

 

We've been to Brazil a couple of times, and we had to have it just the once when the trip included Devil's Island, French Guyana.

[arlenemilt]

Just wanted to set the record straight for the Marriott Towers and Omar K. Casino in Cairo. I checked my Amex bill this morning and the Coke was $5.50 not $14 like I had said. Wouldn't want that misinformation to scare any of you away from a beautiful hotel with great beds!

 

WOW! Only five and a half bucks for a coke. This Pepsi girl ain't buying!:mad: We love Marriott; will be staying there in Buenos Aires as well as Athens

 

Also wanted to add Hazem's email for Nile Blue Tours in case anyone is interested in planning his/her own private excursion next year. Hazem is the manager and his email is info@nilebluetours.com.

 

I'm going to contact him as soon as we get home from this partying weekend.

 

I'm in cruise withdrawal (sigh.....:() but at least my DH is over his Norovirus. I'll be looking forward to following the "Live Froms" coming up from those of you doing them.

 

I'm going to try.

 

 

Vicki

 

Thanks again for the wonderful review/info

Arlene

[SassyLeslie]

Nancy, when you finish reading this, scroll to the bottom of the page where you will find Forum Jump. Open up this area and scroll to the bottom where you will find a catagory called Fun Stuff. One of the items in this area is Floataway Lounge. This is where old posts don't have to die and can continue to survive with chatting.

 

Arlene

 

Arlene,

 

Thank you, I tried to find the "Floataway Lounge" once before and couldn't. :rolleyes: ;)

 

Leslie

[SassyLeslie]

Once in Port Said busses sat and waited until after 9am. Convoyed with other busses to Cairo. Bus very comfortable with WC. Provided bottled water for PAX. Went to Eygptian Museum first and passed thru two security stations. No cameras allowed. Suggest anyone going to this

museum look up exhibits at museum website. I marked what we wanted to see. We left tour group and saw museum on our own using the map I had downloaded.Had lunch at Cairo Hilton.Good buffet..wine and

beer inc.

as well. Gift shops off lobby interesting. Drove to Pyrimids where we went to overview area first. Amazing moment when you first see what you have read about. You can see the encroachment of Cairo coming closer. Many of us wondered how they will be able to handle this in the future. Moved down to the Pyramids. We were told later that the vendors are liscensed by the authorities. They are extremely persistant and annoying. It does interfere with the enjoyment of the site. Took time at the Sphinx. Saw sunset. Amazing! Drove back to Port Said. Had to walk long distance from bus to ship. Many,many venders.........felt like we were running gauntlet! Boarded at 10pm. Very tiring day....but a dream come true. Had lovely breakfast aboard and then took tour of Alexandria. A&K tour guide excellent. He explained about the Europeon visitors who transform the city each summer. Showed us several buildings that are being designed and sold to Arab investors. Lovely waterfront promenade. Stopped at Alexandria Library.........Interesting to see window washer walking across sloping roof. Went to gardens surrounding King Farouk's palace. Warm and sunny weather. Saw much of city, so much to see.....donkey and horsedrawn wagons of produce, children just getting out of school, several markets of varying kind. Stopped where Faro Lighthouse used to stand. Small market along water.......was able to bargain for some gifts.......Wonderful slice of life! Once back at ship we had delightful late lunch with some friends.........they had to turn out the lights to get us to leave! Some more walking along quay. Watched sunset and then returned to ship for dinner. I think we got a lot out of what we did, without being too tired or pressed for time. Egypt is a big culture to take in a short time. The Egyptians were very friendly. In particular,as we passed,time and time again individuals would wave and welcome us to Egypt. The children were very well behaved and,quite obviously respect their elders. As far as the security is concerned. Egypt has a huge dependency on tourism. They are right in putting security at such a level. At no time did Bill or I feel in anyway uncomfortable or endangered. We would have liked another day in Alexandria just to explore some more.

At home until next time.................

Judy

 

Judy,

 

Did you do Cairo and Alexandria through Princess Tours or privately? If Princess Tours, do you feel you got your value's worth?

 

Also, it seems you got back on the Golden in Port Said and cruised to Alexandria, what was it like being on the ship with so few pax?

 

Leslie

[SassyLeslie]

Vicki,

 

Thank you for your wonderful posting of your Egyptian experience. I hope your husband is feeling better.

 

Leslie

[sailors2]

Leslie,

We booked our tours ahead of time through Princess online. We would have done some private tours but were told we were locked into the Princess tours and would not get refund. We were very pleased with the tours. A&k is a good tour company. Some guides were better than others,but,in general all tours were good. Especially liked the taste tour that inc. Poppeii,drive up the Amalfi coast,lunch in Sorrento, visit and tasting at farm and time to walk around Sorrento. In Istanbul we told tour guide we were going off on our own after we saw Topkapi. The tour stopped at rug shop after Topkapi and we had already done that in Kusadasi last Spring. We enjoyed walking the Grand Bazaar and found the merchants to be more restrained then we had heard. We did go back aboard after the Cairo tour and found that there were a lot of others who did the same. It gave us a chance to see Egypt slip slowly by. Alexandria was my favorite b/c it is such a beautiful,rich environment. Our tour guide was a young man who explained marraige customs and a great deal about what it was like to live in Eygpt. I would like to see Alexandria again someday.

Any other questions? I'd be happy to answer.

Judy

[Anubi]

I'd be interested in knowing how many people got sick...

 

I was wondering about that as well. I am also wondering if it was confined to those who took the independent tour or the Princess tour. Since both tours had buffets, and from what I understand that's where they usually say its from, it might be good info for future cruises.

[ladysail2]

Hello to you...womdered where you went to?

Yes, I had a great onbord these 2 cruises b2b...imagine we were in Venice at the same time?...huh!

 

You only need a Yellow Fever shot to go to Brasil if you are visiting a country before hand that is on the list such as Franch Guiana, whihc I am doing on the Jan 6th cruise and also the Antartica cruise after; otherwise I wouldn't need a shot and you don't either to go to Brasil.

 

Tony

:cool: :eek: :cool:

 

Thank you, Tony, for the yellow fever shot informtion. I'm relieved to know that I won't need one.

Now, back to catching up on your b2b....:D

[ladysail2]

WOW! Only five and a half bucks for a coke. This Pepsi girl ain't buying!:mad: We love Marriott; will be staying there in Buenos Aires as well as Athens

 

Arlene....do you know how hard it was to find Pepsi in the European and Mediterranean cities that I just visited...finally found it in a Ponto Delgada grocery store...our last port before the Atlantic crossing. So, I stocked up!!

I don't eat Baaah or baby Moooo....either!!

Pepsi drinkers beware..... bring your own or be prepared to search high and low for it.

:D

[kruisey]

I was on the Island Princess while you were on your Asian cruise on Pacific Princess alot of which I couldnot read due to computer freezes...and writing a report for this site.

Could you put the lead in thread on here for me to get to.?...I cannot locate it.

Thanks Tony.

[arlenemilt]

 

Pepsi drinkers beware..... bring your own or be prepared to search high and low for it.

 

:D

 

Can't really stock up anymore. I refuse to put cans in checked luggage and with the new rules, can't fly with it either. I've managed to find Pepsi along the way in some of the strangest places, or, I suffer with the free diet coke Princess provides. :(

Arlene

[T&J]

I was on the Island Princess while you were on your Asian cruise on Pacific Princess alot of which I couldnot read due to computer freezes...and writing a report for this site.

Could you put the lead in thread on here for me to get to.?...I cannot locate it.

Thanks Tony.

 

Kruisey check the Floatawa Lounge for it...Live from the Pacific Princess....

 

Tony

[sailors2]

Tony,

I am hoping you will have some idea that may solve a problem I have. I promised my room steward on the golden that I would email him so he could work on his english. He wrote down his email address in Thailand but obviously made a mistake. The email came back to me. I called Princess to see if they could check crew lists but they can't. Do you know of anyone on that crew who might have a way to check the email address of Viharn? He was at the end of his contract and going home for two months. I feel bad that I am unable to keep my word.

Any ideas appreciated.

Judy

[T&J]

Tony,

I am hoping you will have some idea that may solve a problem I have. I promised my room steward on the golden that I would email him so he could work on his english. He wrote down his email address in Thailand but obviously made a mistake. The email came back to me. I called Princess to see if they could check crew lists but they can't. Do you know of anyone on that crew who might have a way to check the email address of Viharn? He was at the end of his contract and going home for two months. I feel bad that I am unable to keep my word.

Any ideas appreciated.

Judy

 

You can email the ship directly at goldenprincess@princesscruises.com

 

If you don't get a response let me know and I'll use a couple of internal emails for some people I have on the Pursers Desk etc...

 

Tony

:cool: :eek: :cool:

[cactusrose]

You will need it for our Royal cruise from Rome to FLL because we stop I believe in a place that requires it before getting into Brazil.

 

Plenty of time to debate this one.

 

Tony

:cool: :eek: :cool:

 

Yes we will need it for Senegal and French Guiana.

 

Tony. . . who did you say the CD is on the Golden. I tried to search but can't seem to get the right results.

 

See you in about 45 days.

Stacey

[sailors2]

Tony,

I have sent off an email to the address you gave me. If they are unable to help I will let you know.

Thanks again for everything.

Judy

[Andiamo!]

Glad to hear that Jean-Luc is better...I knew he had Noro...remmeber me telling you about the symptoms....

 

Tony

:cool: :eek: :cool:

 

Yes, we both knew he had Noro. I figured it out when I was woken up at 9:30 am by Lotus Spa to tell me my hairdresser was out sick for the day and my appointment was cancelled. Then I met someone at breakfast who told me that the Scholarship at Sea computer classes were cancelled. When Jean-Luc said he had "lost his cookies" I figured it had to be that, but he kept insisting it was seasickness (which made me laugh because he had been in the French Navy for 6 years! ...but I know how stubborn he is ;) ). Fortunately I never got sick, but I did advise our room steward who said that she has been working for Princess for 6 years, and even though she cleans the rooms she has NEVER gotten it herself. I am as strong as a horse, but my husband is the first to have a stomach upset. I also heard from friends on the ship (the wife actually) that I continually ran into, that her husband was sick on Monday evening and I never saw the two of them again.

 

Just so glad I never came down with it. I asked out steward for a disinfectant pump and left the room by opening the door with my elbow!!

[Andiamo!]

Thanks again for the wonderful review/info

 

Arlene

 

Remember that the $5.50 probably included a cover charge for the belly dancer! But I guess if you don't like Coke you're not interested anyway. Are Coke and Pepsi EVER sold in the same place?

 

Hazem at Blue Nile Tours was a tour guide for 15 years before starting his own company 3 years ago. He reminds me of the Avis ad: he tries harder!

 

I am looking forward to your Live From. I am SURE it will be great! Hope we can cruise together sometime because I'd love to meet you!

 

Warm regards,

 

Vicki

[T&J]

Yes we will need it for Senegal and French Guiana.

 

Tony. . . who did you say the CD is on the Golden. I tried to search but can't seem to get the right results.

 

See you in about 45 days.

Stacey

 

The CD will be JJ Ulrich at some point before the Antartica Cruise as there will be one CD that will fill in for one cruise before then...can't remember who eactly, perhaps Omar.

 

Tony

:cool: :eek: :cool:

[T&J]

Tony,

I have sent off an email to the address you gave me. If they are unable to help I will let you know.

Thanks again for everything.

Judy

 

Judy keep me posted...

 

Tony

:cool: :eek: :cool:

[cactusrose]

The CD will be JJ Ulrich at some point before the Antartica Cruise as there will be one CD that will fill in for one cruise before then...can't remember who eactly, perhaps Omar.

 

Tony

:cool: :eek: :cool:

 

Ah. . .thanks Tony

[kruisey]

Kruisey check the Floatawa Lounge for it...Live from the Pacific Princess....

 

Tony

I have found it Tony Thanks.:)

[sultan_sfo]

ARLENE:

About your Golden to SF, if you feel comfortable you can send us an email at:

karachi@speakeasy dot net (replace "dot")

Tony can check us out on the Rio/BA cruise to reassure you! We live in the "city". /Sultan

 

Can't really stock up anymore. I refuse to put cans in checked luggage and with the new rules, can't fly with it either. I've managed to find Pepsi along the way in some of the strangest places, or, I suffer with the free diet coke Princess provides. :(

Arlene

[T&J]

ARLENE:

About your Golden to SF, if you feel comfortable you can send us an email at:

karachi@speakeasy dot net (replace "dot")

Tony can check us out on the Rio/BA cruise to reassure you! We live in the "city". /Sultan

 

I'll give a full report on you to Arlene when I "check" you guys out!

 

Tony

:cool: :eek: :cool:

[sultan_sfo]

Tony:

Let us know (even at the last minute) if you decide to make it all the way to SF (instead of jumping ship earlier)! /Sultan

 

I'll give a full report on you to Arlene when I "check" you guys out!

 

Tony

:cool: :eek: :cool: