Travelling from Port Said

[Ramizraja]

I was wondering if anyone knew of a way to get into Cairo and Giza independently from Port Said or if its best to go with the Cruise company?

Any suggestions would be great! :-)

Thanks

[Marie-Claude]

I would certainly not attempt to do this on my own, renting a car. But there are several ways to do this independently by using local operators. Many offer day tours from all the cruise ports in Egypt. You have several options for day tours, or overnights if you cruise ship moves to another port in Egypt like Alexandria.

We used Ramses Travel last november for a day tour to Cairo from Alexandria. It was fantastic, and so much cheaper than with the cruise line, and all that for a completely private tour, just the 2 of us.

We are going back next November, this time we have a day in Port Said and one in Alexandria, so I have contacted Ramses Travel again and have planned an overnight in Cairo. They pick us up in Port Said, and the next day, will take us to Alexandria.

You can find a lot of recommendations for this company on this board - you should definitely contact them to see if they can help you with your specific needs!! info@ramsestours.com

MC

[jegoodman]

I used Ramses Tours on my 11/28 Brilliance cruise. From initial dealings to delivery George of Ramses was the best. He customized the tour that I wanted, was half the price of the ship's tour, the guide was wonderful, and everything from start to finish went flawless. We did a one day tour of Cairo and then the next day did a 1 day tour of Alexandria.

I wouldn't hesitate to use them again. Also, they don't require money up front which was a HUGE BONUS!!

[maryann ns]

I am another very satisfied Ramses customer. They are very professional and will tailor your tour to your wishes. You pay much less than with ship's tours and get a better tour.

[cruisemom42]

Either a ship's tour or a privately arranged guide are the only realistic options for a one-day port stop. The train from Port Said to Cairo is a local and takes four hours -- not doable.

If you read this board you'll find several highly recommended private tour agencies.

[Ramizraja]

Cool, thanks heaps!! I have just emailed them to find out more information.

[museumlover]

We are on the same boat with you. We are doing a Ramses tour of the Egyptian museum (with an emphasis on King Tut) and a tour of the Pyramid area. Please contact us if you would like to join us and we will see if our goals match up. Thanks!

[4774Papa]

I lived in Saudi Arabia for five years, and traveled to Egypt twice, including a Nile cruise, which was super.
Egypt is not Europe. It is a poor country, rich in history. I had many Egyptian friends, and loved my visit there.
However, I DO NOT recommend that you try to travel on your own in Egypt.
First, it is not entirely safe to do so. Sure, you can fly from Cairo to Luxor, or take the French train down to Luxor, but transport on highways is difficult.
Egyptians drive like their manhood is challenged. Seriously, you don't want to be driving a rental car in Egypt. You want to be in a large bus. If you take a taxi, make sure that it is a reputable firm. When I visited Cairo some years ago, I was checked at the airport as well as my taxi driver by the police (took down my name and hotel and taxi driver's name). I was told that people were being taken to the desert and robbed and women raped.
Also, not a lot of the people there speak English. Sure, around tourist areas, but most people there don't.
Enjoy Egypt, it is great.

[BigGuy25]

We were also very happy with the Ramses tour to Cairo from Port Said.

[chrispb]

We had a day trip tp Cairo with Ramses. Our guide was Osama and he was excellent. We went to the pyramids, the Sphinx and also the Museum. Osama was very knowledgeable about his country and was able to answer any questions we had. We would thoroughly recommend Ramses.

[cruisemom42]

I do not recall the OP specifically asking for recommendations of private tours.....but since others have posted, I will say that I recently toured with Egypt Private Excursions (their website has the same name) and their communication and attention to detail is second to none. They are very reasonably priced compared with ship excursions. My guide was fantastic. I am a huge history buff and not only did she give me thorough information (and spoke English very well), she actually brought more with her to share with me in the car between sites!

I enjoyed touring with them so much that I am utilizing them again when I am in Cairo for a day later this month, and I would highly recommend them for anyone looking for an unforgettable visit to Egypt.

[happy trailer]

Originally Posted by cruisemom42

I do not recall the OP specifically asking for recommendations of private tours.....but since others have posted, I will say that I recently toured with Egypt Private Excursions (their website has the same name) and their communication and attention to detail is second to none. They are very reasonably priced compared with ship excursions. My guide was fantastic. I am a huge history buff and not only did she give me thorough information (and spoke English very well), she actually brought more with her to share with me in the car between sites!

I enjoyed touring with them so much that I am utilizing them again when I am in Cairo for a day later this month, and I would highly recommend them for anyone looking for an unforgettable visit to Egypt.

Cynthia-

Was there a particular reason that you chose this company over the others that are recommended on CC?

I'm planning to be in Cairo with a very 'particular' cousin for a few days at the end of December, and the trip planning has fallen on my shoulders.

TIA!

Ruth
(Let me know if you'd prefer to email me privately.)

[epixx]

Originally Posted by happy trailer

Cynthia-

Was there a particular reason that you chose this company over the others that are recommended on CC?

I'm planning to be in Cairo with a very 'particular' cousin for a few days at the end of December, and the trip planning has fallen on my shoulders.

TIA!

Ruth
(Let me know if you'd prefer to email me privately.)

I asked the same question on another thread. Take a look at post number 13 to see her answer:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1288337

[cruisemom42]

Originally Posted by happy trailer

Cynthia-

Was there a particular reason that you chose this company over the others that are recommended on CC?

I'm planning to be in Cairo with a very 'particular' cousin for a few days at the end of December, and the trip planning has fallen on my shoulders.

TIA!

Ruth
(Let me know if you'd prefer to email me privately.)

Hi Ruth -- if the response mentioned below doesn't fully answer your questions, feel free to email me at cmkahn*at*bellsouth*dot*net and I'll be happy to discuss further. I've been meaning to talk to you via email anyway about my upcoming Israel trip!

Originally Posted by epixx

I asked the same question on another thread. Take a look at post number 13 to see her answer:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1288337

Sorry -- it didn't click that I'd already responded to you on the other board as well.

[happy trailer]

Originally Posted by epixx

I asked the same question on another thread. Take a look at post number 13 to see her answer:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1288337

Thanks!

[happy trailer]

Originally Posted by cruisemom42

Hi Ruth -- if the response mentioned below doesn't fully answer your questions, feel free to email me at cmkahn*at*bellsouth*dot*net and I'll be happy to discuss further. I've been meaning to talk to you via email anyway about my upcoming Israel trip!

Thanks, Cynthia- that response gave me the info I was looking for, but you'll have email in a few moments anyway. It's never too early to start planning your Israel trip

Ruth

[Qit]

Originally Posted by Ramizraja

I was wondering if anyone knew of a way to get into Cairo and Giza independently from Port Said or if its best to go with the Cruise company?

Any suggestions would be great! :-)

Thanks

I just came back from Egypt. I had booked with Ramses independently and I can honestly say that they did exactly what I asked them to do for my tour. The guide and driver that I had were exceptional. The guide I had was named Bassam and he was an expert. I had been to Egypt, three times before and Ramses Tours made all our arrangements, including a 5 * hotel stay. They were super. I highly recommend this agency.

[Health Inspector]

We used Ramses Tours and our guide was Islam Alex and he was great. He was extremely knowledgeable, fun, and made us feel welcomed in Egypt. He educated us on the culture, religion, and made us have a completely different view of Egypt. Ramses booked us in a 5 star hotel across from the pyramids. I did everything through email and they took care of everything.

[Embracedbylife]

We used Ramses tours when our cruise onboard the Star Princess stopped at Alexandria, Egypt on May 21. We had an excellent day to our to the pyramids and back. Our guide was Osama and he was oustanding. Seamless tour! Highly recommend it!

[putnam]

Originally Posted by Embracedbylife

We used Ramses tours when our cruise onboard the Star Princess stopped at Alexandria, Egypt on May 21. We had an excellent day to our to the pyramids and back. Our guide was Osama and he was oustanding. Seamless tour! Highly recommend it!

Thanks for the reassurance that our upcoming tour with Ramses Tours will be great. Now we just have to hope that the itinerary remains unchanged and Egypt isn't skipped. We've been looking forward to this for so long.