ShipsandDipper

Hi

Have a few questions.

Since this is our first time to Egypt we are just letting Ramses plan the tour...except for a shopping stop...

Did any of you change any money into Egyptian Dollars??

We are planning to go to the bizarre and wondering what currency would be best.

Also did anyone eat at the Mena House? (We are not going to do the dinner cruise or light show) Or is there another restaurant anyone would recommend?

 

There will just be the two of us...any other recommendations?

 

Thanks!!!

When you say you want to go to the bazaar, be specific with your guide -- the Khan el Khalili bazaar, or a government shop? We were not specific and ended up at a government shop (which probably was best anyway because we had very little time).

We changed about $50 (actually, took it out of an ATM at the rest stop all the tours seem to stop at about halfway between Alexandria and Cairo) and found it very useful. The hotel only accepted Egyptian pounds and credit cards in settlement of the extra charges we incurred. We also were able to buy stamps for postcards, give baksheesh in local currency (one enterprising gentlemen actually refused American dollars and asked for local currency), buy drinks for our lunches, etc.

We did eat at the Mena House. The food was good (though I wasn't very hungry because we ate a huge lunch of Egyptian food). We had a window table at the Khan el Khalili restaurant and we were able to see the Great Pyramid periodically lit up by the Sound and Light show. There are several other restaurants at the hotel as well. After a long day of touring and another to come we were happy not to search out a restaurant, plus it gave us more chance to enjoy the Mena House itself.

We had only a few kids (fewer than two dozen, I would guess) on an October 2008 Canada/New England cruise, even though it was only 7 days. The timing and the itinerary were probably key.