Port report -- Port Said to Alexandria Egypt overnight

[MercedMike]

We recently visited Egypt on Royal Princess. My review and pics, as well as information on the tour company we used, are posted at

http://www.elite.net/~thehalls/holyland2.html

 

But I wanted to add some specific information to this board. First of all, visas for Egypt were positively unnecessary. The ship collected our passports, stamped them, and handed them back to us, and that was all we needed. Strangely, though, we were required to go to the Purser's Desk and register our camera for Egyptian authorities. How odd.

 

We disembarked and met our great driver and guide promptly -- and then sat and waited while a lot of Egyptian officials ran around and waved their arms, trying to get the convoy organized. It took almost an hour for us to get in line, right behind our "protection" -- a jeep with three teen age boys waving machine guns. Frankly I was more afraid of them hurting somebody than terrorists. Our drive and guide laughed at the convoy idea and said it was just welfare to provide government jobs for a lot of beaurecrats.

 

The first part of the trip paralleled the Suez Canal and it was very interesting to see the ships moving. With the convoy, the trip to Cairo takes about three hours.

 

I wanted some historical perspective before visiting the Great Pyramids at Giza, so we started with the step pyramid at Sakkara. Then we visited the pyramids at Dashur. This site has only recently been opened up, and is really a stunning place to visit. The Red Pyramid is uncrowded, and if you are able to climb the steep steps to the entrance can be visited inside. The famous and mysterious Bent Pyramid is even less visited and is a really interesting place. If you visit Egypt, and have independent guides, I strongly suggest you visit Dashur.

 

Then we went to Giza. It is really great to have a good guide to negotiate with the camel drivers and arrange your camel ride! Of course this place is mobbed, and surrounded by souvenir vendors everyplace.

 

After sightseeing we went to a very nice Bazaar for shopping for quality merchandise. Faris promised us we could get enough cheap junk tomorrow! I realized a dream of mine and bought a beautiful 2 1/2 by 4 foot papyrus painting of the Court of the Dead, for a very reasonable price. In fact it is costing me more to frame it than I paid!

 

We stayed at the Nile Hilton. This is a beautiful hotel, but of course does not have pyramid views. Its big advantage is location. Just across the street you can sail in a felucca on the Nile, and then promptly at opening time of 9 AM walk across the courtyard and enter the Egyptian Museum. A smart guide, like ours, will immediately direct you up the stairs to the mummy room! The six of us were positively alone with the Royal Mummies, and it was an awesome experience. By the time we finished there and got to the Tut exhibit,however, the crowds had hit. It was incredibly crowded, and too many of the tourists were pushy and disrespectful. Despite frequent admonitions not to take pictures, many were trying to use cell phones. I don't know why, because much better pictures are available on postcards. At least one lady got a good picture of the back of my hat since I simply stepped in front of her as she clicked;)

 

We saw one camera confiscated. Just as the owner clicked the guard came pushing in, yelling "Give Camera!" Our guide told us that he would confiscate her ENTIRE memory card. I hope she lost a lot of valuable pictures. It might teach her some respect.

 

We had lunch at a wonderful restaurant in the Khan el Khallili Bazaar, and then quite a shopping experience.

 

All in all I can highly recommend the overnight experience. While the ship's excursion got reasonably good reports, this is a time that a great independent guide can make all the difference. We booked with a premium company, more expensive than some mentioned on this board, but we were very glad we did. It was still much less than the ship's tour, and was positively first class in every way. Having dessert on top of the Nile Hilton by candelight, overlooking the Nile, was an elegant experience that typified our tour.

[kdowneymd]

This sounds just wonderful. We visited Cairo this summer only for the day when the Legend (RCCL) docked in Alexandria. HAving the overnight would have been terrific to not be so hurried. I loved the experience and would love to have a little more time there. We also used a private guide with less than optimal results but really is the only way to go.

[marie61]

Mike,

 

thanks for the review, and especially for the recommedation re. Egyptian Express.

 

My dream is to visit Egypt, but not on one of those fit-it-all-into-7-days tour companies with huge packed buses. I'm willing to pay for quality touring. this group sounds excellent.

 

Ellen

[whale-watcher]

Great review...

we will check out Egyptian Express for our Pacific Princess cruise next summer!

[mochuck]

But I wanted to add some specific information to this board. First of all, visas for Egypt were positively unnecessary. The ship collected our passports, stamped them, and handed them back to us, and that was all we needed. Strangely, though, we were required to go to the Purser's Desk and register our camera for Egyptian authorities. How odd.

 

 

When we were on Legend of the Seas we also had to fill out a form about our video camera, which I too thought was odd. Does anybody know what this is about?

 

As for stamping the passport - that is the visa. You certainly don't need to get it beforehand but you still definitely need a visa to enter Egypt. You will probably find a charge for it somewhere on your final bill.

[roscoe39]

When we were on Legend of the Seas we also had to fill out a form about our video camera, which I too thought was odd. Does anybody know what this is about?

 

As for stamping the passport - that is the visa. You certainly don't need to get it beforehand but you still definitely need a visa to enter Egypt. You will probably find a charge for it somewhere on your final bill.

 

Yes I agree... a visa is definately required....you wont get far thinking you wont need one when it is a government requirement.

 

My experience with video cameras is because it is a relatively older law and was bought in when the technology was newer. There is and was a huge blackmarket for them and it was a way for customs to make sure that you left with the equipment and hadnt sold it off to the highest bidder.

 

A friend had his stolen while he was there a few years back and had some heavy explaining to do at the border., from memory he was interrogated pretty closely by the police also when he reported it......

 

Hey...its Egypt...you dont ask too many questions! You just let the experience wash over you......

[cruisemom42]

Here is another great report from a group on Star Princess that used Nile Blue tours to arrange an overnight in Cairo (see post #76):

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=664850&page=4

[smeyer418]

They really are serious about this and frankly having the police escort probably saved you an hour in traffic. We were four(us, the guide and the driver)...

 

They sent 6 guards. 4 in the back of the truck, one driving and one in our car.

 

 

They weren't that young. You can hear our guide explain that they(the guards) are actually in the Army. 90% of Egypt foreign currencyl comes from Tourism. In 1997 when there was an incident tourism dried up for almost two years. They want you to feel safe and it also employs a lot of people.

 

It didn't delay us at all and it was pretty funny. I wanted to take their picture at the end but the officer in charge knew exactly what I wanted to do (baksheesh) and wouldn't allow it!

 

You can see me riding the Police Camel too by the Bent Pyramid at http://www.youtube.com/smeyer418

 

I had to ask to remove the AK 47 before I rode it...they would have left it in the saddle.