Anyone Recently Used Ramses Tours?

[molly23]

There are many positive and negative reviews of Ramses Tours on this site.

Can the people who have enjoyed their Ramses tours please identify the full name of their tour company, and the recommended tour guide.

I would really appreciate it.

 

Thank you,

Molly23

[Mexfolkart]

Cruise Mom..thanks for sending your photos..we are even more excited about this tour! Sherry

[tiyana4]

We are sailing on the Pacific Princess in Mid May and currently have a group of 7 it appears. We were considering the Albaraa Group but they want payment up front when they pick you up and am a little concerned to pay and then have them not show up for day 2 and being high and dry in Cairo. Another thing is that a driver apparently picks you up and the guide joins in Cairo. Is that the way it works with Ramses too or is the guide there to visit and share on the drive from Port Said?

 

I do not blame you for not wanting to give them money upfront. When we were having doubts about Ramses we contacted Memphis tours. They were very responsive, and had an itinerary and hotel choices ironed out for us literally overnight. The bump in the road came when they wanted a 25% deposit for everyone in my group (12 pp) upfront. So we went back to Ramses...glad we did.

 

Our ship docked in Alexandria but our guide did not meet us at the port. It was only our driver. We did not pick up the guide until we exited the port area. He mentioned that he could not go into the port area, we didn't ask him why. Many of the other tour buses had their guides meet them inside the port. It may be different in Port Said, but we dropped our guide off outside the port area at the end of Day 2.

[wrk2cruz]

We used Ramses in November (Brilliance of the Seas) There were only 2 of us so we were really excited about a truely private tour.... (overnight) Our cost was $300PP that included an upgrade to the Mena House in Cairo and nothing extra..no light show, dinner etc..

Both the driver and guide(Mohammed) met us at the port, after about an hour "fog delay" we were off.

The tour was not that wonderful... spent most of the time driving in an unairconditioned car...windows open... our driver and guide smoked constantly, and he (guide) was very hard to understand, The driver spoke no english. The restaurants we were taken to were not that good...but we did not get sick... We were looking forward to going to Hard Rock but were told it was closed...

We actually spent most of the 2 days driving...

 

When we were leaving Cairo to head back to the port the driver asked to be paid....so being fearful we would be left at the gas station, we abliged...apparently he was not thrilled with the tip ($150)...and actually asked for more!!!

All we had was an additional $40..so he got it...I was not impressed!!!

 

So if any of your guides ask (there will NOT be a next time for us with Ramses) pay them in full and tell them they will get their tip when you are back at the ship!!!

Ramses "contract" their drivers...so be careful.

 

The Pyramids were awsome and we are glad to cross them off the bucket list, and our Hotel the Mena Oberoi was absolutely the highlight of the tour, WONDERFUL!!! Spotlessly clean !!! We ate at the Italian restaurant there and it was delicious!!

 

We were glad that we were able to experience this adventure, but next time we will be more proactive when making plans.

[Mexfolkart]

There are several Mohammeds..what was your guide's last name, please? We are set with a "Mohammed" and don't want a smoking one!! Thanks, Sherry

[Zukini]

When we were leaving Cairo to head back to the port the driver asked to be paid....so being fearful we would be left at the gas station, we abliged...apparently he was not thrilled with the tip ($150)...and actually asked for more!!!

All we had was an additional $40..so he got it...I was not impressed!!!

 

We're not booked with Ramses, but the question of a tip is something I've been puzzling over. Was the $150 intended to cover both the driver and the guide, or did you tip the driver separately?

 

If anyone can offer some guidance on what would constitute an acceptable tip for the driver and guide, I'd appreciate it. We're also talking about a 2 day private tour for two, with an overnight at the Mena House, so our price is also roughly $320 per person.

 

In another thread, I came across this post:

 

I generally ask the tour operator for specific tipping info. I got this response directly from Ramses:

 

As for tipping kitty, it is really up to your satisfaction, and how much you appreciate the service. Average of 8-10% of the tour price (that is a suggestion guide)

 

I was thinking that since the price of the hotel is included, a tip of perhaps $100 for the guide and $60 for the driver would be generous, and is well above the 8%-10% mentioned above, but maybe I'm off-base? Or is haggling over the tip something to be expected no matter how generous you are?:confused:

[dog]

wrk2cruz says: quote:"So if any of your guides ask (there will NOT be a next time for us with Ramses) pay them in full and tell them they will get their tip when you are back at the ship!!!

Ramses "contract" their drivers...so be careful."end quote

 

Thanks so much for reporting back. Very helpful.:)

Can you tell us the guide Mohammed's last name and the name of the driver?

Also, in my correspondence with Ramses, I was told that I could pay at the end of the tour, allowing me to go to the ship to get the money.

The unairconditioned van and smokers in the van is very disturbing, so I will be contacting Ramses about these issues today.

 

Thanks again

dog:)

[wrk2cruz]

We're not booked with Ramses, but the question of a tip is something I've been puzzling over. Was the $150 intended to cover both the driver and the guide, or did you tip the driver separately?

 

If anyone can offer some guidance on what would constitute an acceptable tip for the driver and guide, I'd appreciate it. We're also talking about a 2 day private tour for two, with an overnight at the Mena House, so our price is also roughly $320 per person.

 

In another thread, I came across this post:

 

 

 

I was thinking that since the price of the hotel is included, a tip of perhaps $100 for the guide and $60 for the driver would be generous, and is well above the 8%-10% mentioned above, but maybe I'm off-base? Or is haggling over the tip something to be expected no matter how generous you are?:confused:

 

We have never had to haggle over a tip!!! I was really put-off by that, I thought the tip we gave was more that adequate....next time (on any tour) no tip till we get back to ship!!!

[dog]

We have never had to haggle over a tip!!! I was really put-off by that, I thought the tip we gave was more that adequate....next time (on any tour) no tip till we get back to ship!!!

 

I absolutely agree with you.

 

 

Tipping thread below:

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1085537

Edited January 15, 2011 by dog

[wrk2cruz]

I don't know what Mohammed's last name was....but I would request a non-smoking driver.

There were only the 2 of us so we were in a small car, A/C may not be a problem if you are in a van.

 

 

When we got back into port we were dropped off outside the ships gate by the numerous vendors...

We had no problems carrying cash with us as security is absolutely everywhere...never felt unsafe...just intimidated.

Also take dollars or one euro coins with you...seemed everything was "1 euro" .

Also if you can get 1 pound Egyptian coins (about 17 cents US)..you need them for the restrooms. and they make nice souvenirs. Take tissue with you too:)

[tiyana4]

There are several Mohammeds..what was your guide's last name, please? We are set with a "Mohammed" and don't want a smoking one!! Thanks, Sherry

 

Sherry, I'm sure there are a ton of Mohammeds in Egypt. "Our" Mohammed did not smoke, nor did the driver. I would simply ask Ramses for a nonsmoking guide and driver.

 

We're not booked with Ramses, but the question of a tip is something I've been puzzling over.

 

In another thread, I came across this post:

 

I was thinking that since the price of the hotel is included, a tip of perhaps $100 for the guide and $60 for the driver would be generous, and is well above the 8%-10% mentioned above, but maybe I'm off-base? Or is haggling over the tip something to be expected no matter how generous you are?:confused:

 

That was my post. I wouldn't stress too much. Whatever you decide to tip is fine. The tipping amount should be based on the level of service provided not what the guide thinks is appropriate. Just take what you plan to tip and put it separately from your spending money. That way when it comes time to pay/tip, there is no question of more. Our tour guide was halfway off the bus and we literally had to tell him to wait because we had a tip for him. No haggling...only appreciative. This is the first I have heard about a guide or driver actually requesting a larger tip. Tacky IMO.

 

Can you tell us the guide Mohammed's last name and the name of the driver? Also, in my correspondence with Ramses, I was told that I could pay at the end of the tour, allowing me to go to the ship to get the money. The unairconditioned van and smokers in the van is very disturbing, so I will be contacting Ramses about these issues today.

 

Thanks again

dog:)

 

Dog, check to make sure they understand that your plan is to return to the ship afterwards to get your money. Typically what "pay at the end of the tour" means is giving the money to your guide/driver at the port BEFORE heading back to the ship. In our case, the guide was dropped off outside the port, so going back to the ship first was not an option. Not to mention it could easily take 20-30 minutes or more (imagine everyone returning at the same time) to go through the terminal, through security, to your cabin and back. From their perspective, I would be very leery about someone returning once they are on the ship, and would hate to have to wait an additional 30 minutes after the tour is over when they could be on their way home to their families...kinda unfair to them. Just make sure there is no confusion.

 

If you are concerned about A/C in the vehicle, this may be something you want to inquire about as well. We had a nicely air-conditioned minibus/van based on our group size.

[chrispb]

We used ramsestours in October to go to Cairo. Our guide was Osama and he was great, very knowledgeable and able to answer all our questions. There were 4 of us in a very clean mini-van, plenty of room and no smoking. None of us wanted to stop for lunch so he replaced it with a felucca ride on the Nile, no extra cost.

Mohey did try to up our price in one of his emails but I reminded him of the price he had previous quoted and his reply was "yes, Ok, that's fine".

We paid Osama when we returned to the ship.

Egypt is one of those places where sometimes they will "try it on". Stand firm and rather than lose custom they will usually back down. This doesn't apply if your hotel is changed but you are able to check that for yourselves.

[gail h]

We used the Ramses Tours on our Jan 9&10, 2011 trip to Cairo from the NCL Jade.

I booked a tour for a total of 22 people. We had a large bus with lots of extra room. We even had a toilet on the bus so we did not have to stop on the way to Cairo.

They provided chilled bottle water for all of us which was nice.

Our guide , Islam, was a treasure. Very intelligent, funny, and really took care of us.

He was so proud of his country and the history of it. For two days he told us about each place we visited - Memphis, the Pyramids, the museum, the Muhammed Ali mosque, etc.

He also had a great sense of humor which made it even more fun.

Our group was from all over the world.

We saved over $250 from what the cruise ship wanted and we got everything and more from Ramses tours.

We had two couples that griped about everything - too many people on the tour, the hotels (they were 5 star hotels). They made it quite uncomfortable for some of the others but I just ignored them. Maybe next time they should just take a private tour and pay that $500 a day price.

The rest of us became fast friends and still communicate via email.

Anyway, Ramses is a great company. If you have any particular things you need for the tour, they respond very fast to your comments.

Also you don't pay til the end of the tour so you can see if you get what you expected. We all paid the fee plus a large tip. It was well worth it.

[luvtravelbug]

We also used Ramses for our tour on January 9 and 10, 2011. Our guide was Karim (independent guide) and our driver was Zacharius. Zachiarius did smoke, but he always stepped outside of the bus. We had the free mineral water as promised. Our rate was supposed to be $210, but the guide said $220. As soon as I showed him a print out of the correspondence that explained pricing, he accepted it and adjusted. Karim was very informative and he gave all of us little gifts. Our group really stood out in the crowd because we all wore the white head dresses that Karim gave us. He helped everyone put theirs on correctly and we all got a kick out of it. He also gave us papyrus bookmarks since we did not go to the papyrus institute. Karim was patient and answered all of our questions, sometime having to repeat himself because not everyone was listening. He was also very conscientious that everyone was satisfied, but of course you cannot please everyone. Some did not want to shop, others wanted to shop more. I tried to explain to everyone up front that we would do some shopping, but not a lot. Oh well, to each his own.

Our guide warned us about the aggressive vendors and taught us how to say "No thank you" in Arabic.

Our guide showed us his hotel and it was a nice hotel. Our driver was from Cairo, so he got to go home. I don't think either of them had a problem with their accommodations.

Overall, I think everyone enjoyed the tour and got what they wanted from it. Personally, I thought the tour was excellent. I did not have any of the issues others have reported. Good luck and safe travels.

[right trip]

My husband, two cousins, and I were on Costa Pacifica last December. Our guide in Egypt was Osama. He was a pleasure to work with. He knew the history of his country and could answer any question we asked. He was proud of the gifts the Egytian civilization gave to the world. The four of us will return in November. This time, we will be in port for two days. Our plan is to book with Ramses. We hope Osama will gide us again. He was also helpful to members of another group that had lost their guide.

Osama and his driver represented Egypt and Ramses well.

Bobbie

[Fishbait17]

I was in touch with Mohamed Yousef from Ramses this morning. He and Usama Othman (our guide there) are safe and proud of what their country has accomplished. He asked me if I had visited the Ramses website lately, as he has posted both a statement and video concerning the Egyptian uprising and it's aftermath. I have read his statement and viewed his video and was wondering if maybe others had seen them or would be interested in doing so, so I am posting them here. The statement can be found here: http://www.ramsestours.com/egypt-revolution/

 

The video can be found here, on the right side of the page: http://www.ramsestours.com/

 

I can wholeheartedly recommend Ramses, as I have done here before.. My short visit in Egypt has left me with a deep connection to the country and a lasting friendship with two wonderful people. I am thrilled that Egyptians have shown the world how change can be made peacefully, and I pray that democracy can be set in place quickly and easily, and am happy that tourists will soon be returning to such a wonderful place..

 

Robin

[Fblack]

I am glad that Mohamed is doing well. Due to a mix up at the pier, he personally stepped in and gave us a personal tour of Alexandria. It was very obvious that he was proud of his Hermitage and his City. He did a wonderful job and I would not hesitate to use his company again.

 

I learned something very interesting that day about the Egyptian people. As the three of us were walking towards the Castle, a young girl about 12 ran up to us. I tried to "shoo" her away as I thought she was trying to sell us something. Mohamed said that she was just being friendly and wanted to visit with some Americans. She followed us for a while and then she and a number of others nearby wanted to pose and take photos with us. It was quite amazing at the time.

[CRUISERTN]

I just saw the Youtube video on the Ramses site....the Mohammed Yousef in the video is the co-owner of Ramses and has also been known to many on this board as "George"....there is sometimes confusion with the names........we used Ramses a little over a year ago and had a tour of a lifetime.....we are world travelers and have been all over the world and this was by far the best tour we have ever had!! If you look on Ramses' website under the section of "pick your guide" you will see all of their guides....we had Karim Serry and would HIGHLY recommend Karim....he took very good care of us and made sure we got to see and do all that we wanted...he went more than the extra mile for us and we would not hesitate to use Ramses again.....hope the ships will start calling in Egypt again soon.

[Embracedbylife]

I have a tour booked with Ramses for our cruise in May (assuming we stop there) and my emails back from Ramses tours have been "one-liners" and appear to be form letters. Does everyone receive the same spotty emails back from them or are others getting more concrete conversations? I am beginning to wonder if I should try another company or if this is just normal for them and that I shouldn't worry?

[unberwoob]

We had Karim as our guide in November. He is outstanding and made our visit wonderful.

[CRUISERTN]

Embracedbylife- why don't you contact Ramses as ramsestours@gmail.com and ask for a detailed communication from George. Sometimes the emails can be sketchy and you have to keep asking for clarification but I think it is just the language barrier. Specifically ask for George to correspond with you. I would highly recommend asking for Karim to be your guide if you want to see and do tons of things and go non-stop as he is full of energy and wants to make sure you get to see and do all that you can possibly do in the time frame. He really gave us a fantastic tour. Hope you have a great time!!

[Embracedbylife]

Embracedbylife- why don't you contact Ramses as ramsestours@gmail.com and ask for a detailed communication from George. Sometimes the emails can be sketchy and you have to keep asking for clarification but I think it is just the language barrier. Specifically ask for George to correspond with you. I would highly recommend asking for Karim to be your guide if you want to see and do tons of things and go non-stop as he is full of energy and wants to make sure you get to see and do all that you can possibly do in the time frame. He really gave us a fantastic tour. Hope you have a great time!!

 

Thanks! This is a good idea. I think I'll do that as I get closer to the cruise. I did ask for one of 4 guides based on reviews here. (I did ask for either Karim Serry, Osama Nasef, Islam Said or Mimmo). In my reply they said I would get one of these that I asked for). I'll push for Karim on my follow up email in April. Thanks again for the advice, good idea!

[CRUISERTN]

I believe some of the tour operators have been answering emails on George's behalf, so that may be the answer to some people receiving emails from people they have never corresponded with before - and the language barrier may be why they are sketchy and/or somewhat incomplete. Contact him at the ramsestours@gmail.com because that is the email address that seems to work the best. You will have a fabulous time with them!!

[CRUISERTN]

Embracedbylife - read the post a few below this one on Princess' update on their itineraries going to Egypt.:(

[Embracedbylife]

Thanks so much. Just got the email from Princess this morning....