Alexandria question(s)...

[Euphemus]

A group of friends and I are booked on Legend of the Seas next July for the eastern Med, including a stop at Alexandria. These questions are really for anyone who has recently (this year?) sailed a similar itinerary with an Egypt stop:

 

1) Did anyone do any of the RCCL shore excursions that involved a trip to the pyramids at Giza? If so, were you satisfied? Did you feel at all nervous (or annoyed) traveling with so many other tourists? We've traveled a lot, including harsh developing world conditions, but the thought of caravaning across the desert in large buses (that seem like an easy target) is making some of my group uneasy. However, traveling in a small vehicle with local people feels safer to several members of the group. I'm not defending/judging other's feelings, I'm more looking for what others here thought or felt when they did this same excursion.

 

We are contemplating arranging a private excursion with a local provider because we want a 'smaller' experience. The price for a group of 6 is actually cheaper than the RCCL excursions and basically covers all of the same visits (and includes the transport from Alexandria to the Cairo area.)

 

2) Does anyone with first hand experience know what time the first non-shore excursion passengers were able to disembark in Alexandria (i.e. how long after the official docking time)? If we go ahead with this private excursion, timing will be important. The itinerary says we dock at 7am, but I want to be able to give the tour provider a relatively realistic pickup time...if I base it on previous experience, does anyone know whether I can predict a 7am - 7:30am pick up? The ship is not tendered. According to the itinerary, it's docked. (And yes, I know that all sorts of unforseen circumstances could change this...) Any first hand experience with getting off the ship in the morning in Alexandria?

 

I know that these questions are terribly specific and may not be of general interest...so don't take up any extra time or brain cells with this if it's outside of your experience or not of interest...on the other hand, I'd love to hear from people who have sailed this itinerary or plan to...

[CAT GIRL]

We just did the E. Med on the Legend in Sept. It was an

awesome trip. So let me go back to my notes on Alexandria.

We arrived at 8:00am(scheduled for 7:00am) and we were off the ship at 8:30. Met our private tour guide rep and were taken to our own

private van. It could have seated about 12 people or so but it was just me, my husband, the driver, and our

tour guide who is an Egyptologist. She confirmed what we had

booked and then we were off on our 2 1/2 hour drive to Cairo.

Our first stop was the Egyption Museum and then by that time

we were hungry. We weren't "scheduled" to eat quite yet but

since it was our private tour we called the shots. Then onto

to the pyramids and the Sphinx. Then we went to a papyrus

shop to kill time while we waited for some people who were also

doing a tour with the same company so we could convoy back

together. I never felt nervous at all. The tour guide was

constantly in contact with her office and the tourist police. From

what I understand they have to obtain permits to travel so they

are constantly checking in with the van to be sure you are where

you are supposed to be. For instance, when we ate hours earlier

that we were scheduled I'm sure she had to make a phone call

to note our itinerary change. We were back at the port by

7:30pm and walked around the port area and bought some trinkets.

The tour buses didn't get back to port until 8:30. We were

already fed, showered, and relaxing in our room by then.

I highly recommend a private tour. Probably more information than

you wanted to know but I'm happy to help if you have anymore

questions.

[Lisichka]

You should come to the roll-call thread and join our various tours we have been organizing. We have a terrific one planned for Egypt (about 50 Euros pp), a great one for Turkey (about the same I think), and an incredible one for Naples.

[robtulipe]

We are stopping in Alexandria on our Nov.6 Legend cruise and have a few questions.

Was it Decastro tours that you went with and if yes, did they provide a good tour and what was your guide's name?

I believe RC provides the visa required for this stop and for Turkey. Is this correct? Is there any extra cost on your seapass account for this service or is it included in the port fees they have charged you already for the stops?

Thank you in advance for your kind assistance.

[CAT GIRL]

We are stopping in Alexandria on our Nov.6 Legend cruise and have a few questions.

Was it Decastro tours that you went with and if yes, did they provide a good tour and what was your guide's name?

I believe RC provides the visa required for this stop and for Turkey. Is this correct? Is there any extra cost on your seapass account for this service or is it included in the port fees they have charged you already for the stops?

Thank you in advance for your kind assistance.

 

Yes, it was DeCastro Tours that we went with. I have the name our

our guide at my office. I will post later. She was very good

and I would recommend her.

Regarding visa's, the cruise ship took care of all of that. There were

no extra fees posted our our account. When you check in on

embarkation day you will surrender your passport. Then on the

day before the port you will pick them up at a prearranged time

and location and they appropriate stamps will be in it. They

do this twice during the cruise.

 

If anyone would like to email me with questions my email is

anitak63@sbcglobal.net. Just be sure to put cruise critic in

the topic.

[IMNiles]

We stopped in Alexandria in May, and took the "caravans in the sands" ship tour. Normally I'm a "private tour" kinda guy, but knowing how far away Cairo was I wanted to be sure that the ship wouldn't leave without us if there was a problem. We were off the ship very early, and as you noted rode in a caravan of busses on the long trip to Cairo. From time to time, the guide would narrate about what we were seeing, or about Egypt in general. There was a restroom on the bus, and water was provided. The Visas were all handled by the ship without our intervention.

 

Everything we saw, with the exception of the final "papyrus institute" fluff shopping stop, was great. My only regret is that there was so much packed into the day that we were really rushed from place to place. We were on a very tight schedule and had to really keep moving to stay to it. In hindsight, I would drop one or two sights to get more time at the others. The desert caravan and camel ride was actually a lot of fun (we got a bit jostled in the caravan, but it was entertaining), and the meal at the "country club" was surprisingly good.

 

The weather was brutally hot. Except during the caravan and camel ride, the busses were always running and available if you wanted to cool off.

 

We got back to the ship very late (long after early dinner), but the dining room was kind enough to accommodate our late arrival (we had late dinner, but were late even to that) - we were stinky, dirty and sweaty so we showered and changed before heading down and they were very accommodating.

 

All in all I'd say the tour was fantastic, with the caveat that I think we tried to do too much in one day. I never worried at all about being a "target" as there were busses of tourists everywhere, and the major sights were literally bursting at the seams with people so it's not like we stood out (quite the opposite, it was sometimes hard to find our bus in the sea of other busses).

 

The worst part about the trip was not the travel, but the EXTREME aggressiveness of the trinket vendors. For people not accustomed to being literally constantly bombarded with offers to buy, it can be off-putting. The vendors will literally hound you and follow you, some going so far as to actually put products in your hands (I had one fellow rest something on my crossed arms) and then chase you down for payment. Any offer of assistance (photos, directions, information - anything), no matter how genuine appearing, will result in a demand for payment later. One member of our group was actually barred from exiting the sphinx by men demanding money (they got out without paying but it was frightening for them). I understand that these people are very poor and just trying to make a living, and in fact I got some fantastic trinkets from them (far better prices than the papyrus "institute"/store), but forewarned is forearmed.

 

Would I do it again? Absolutely, though I might choose a tour with fewer stops. I was exhausted by the end of the day.

 

Other people have already commented on their private tour experiences so I won't go into that. I'm sure you'll have a fantastic time no matter what you choose.

[Euphemus]

Thanks to those who've responded! All great information!

 

I am worried about the heat. We are in Egypt on July 17th next summer. I can imagine that it will be *HOT*. I wish we could go at another time when the temperatures aren't so brutal, but we are all teachers/educators so our vacation times are pretty prescribed.

 

Sunscreen. Check. Hats. Check. Cold water. Check. ;)

 

Once in a lifetime, we'll survive!

[CAT GIRL]

Ditto what IMNiles said about the aggressiveness of the vendors.

I was actually mentally prepared for this as I was forewarned but

they were very aggressive. They'll start off with "Where are you

from?" and follow you. They'll put their scarves on your head and

want you to take a picture. It was very off putting. I just wanted

to take my pictures and get out of there. I found the vendors

outside the cruise ship were more laid back and that's where we

ended up buying all of our souveniors. I still need to learn how to

bargain, though. I must be really bad because by the time we were

done they gave us another thing we were looking at for free.

[tomko2]

We are usually "do-it-yourselfers" but decided on our Med cruise (Legend Aug. 23) to book a few tours with RCI notably Egypt. We are very glad we did this because the buses travel in a convoy and there is an armed guard on the bus who walks with the group at the sites. Our trepidation about possible problems quickly was replaced by wonder and amazement at all we were seeing. Yes, the "vendors" are aggressive but a simply "No thank you" worked as long as we had no eye contact and walked quickly away. From time to time security at the Pyramids would shoo the vendors away. It is a very poor country and lots of people had their hand out including the guide on the bus who arranges to have personalized items - jewellry, tee shirts etc. made up during the day ready for pick-up as you leave Cairo; we were all on the bus ready to leave to return to the ship but were delayed about 10 minutes while our guide stayed inside the jewellry ship likely getting her cut of the day's orders.

Even a policeman on a camel at the Pyramids demanded money when my DH took his picture.

Another prime reason with decided to book a ship's tour was the distance from Alexandria to Cairo - 2 1/2 hours each meaning that any vehicle problem might end up with us stranded and we wanted to make sure that RCI would be responsible for us.

It is a long tour, very hot tour (August) but a once in a lifetime experience!

Kathy

[Lady Chew]

I was on the same cruise with CatGirl (hi, Anita & Moses!) but we took one of the ship excursions. It was great! We did not have a guard on the bus with us, never felt threatened or like a "target" for anyone. The drive through the desert to Cairo was very long & very interesting ... we had a wonderful guide.

 

We had been forwarned about the vendors but I have to say I was not bothered by them at all ... and I was wandering around the pyramids by myself while Mr. Chew went into the pyramid itself. I was snapping pictures right & left, no one approached me, none of the camels (or their riders!) minded having their picture taken or asked for a tip ...

 

They were a little more agressive down around the Sphinx, but once again not too bothersome. Don't know if it's because Mr. Chew is so big, but we were not joined at the hip all the time and no one bothered me. I did buy some postcards from one of the children so some of the others tried to sell me some more, but I just kept walking.

 

Of course inside the Papyrus Inst they do try to pressure you into buying, but we're pretty well able to resist that kind of pressure!

 

The tourist police (white uniforms) were everywhere, saw a few regular police and army ... I felt very safe all the time.

 

Trash everywhere, most of it from the locals! I asked our guide, and she said that most locals don't care that much about the pyramids, she siad they are just not special to most people who are just trying to get by, and there is no $$ provided by the govt for preservation & presentation of the Pyramids ... their own historians & archeologists are trying to change that but their are other priorities.

 

Don't remember what time we got back to the ship, but we dropped off our stuff in the cabin and ate up in the Wjammer and just relaxed ... spent several hours on the upper decks, watched the sailaway ... the port area is very nice, looks fairly new ...

 

have a great trip!