DeCastro or ship tour

We have just booked Costa for next Feb. After reading every thread in the search for DeCastro I contacted them. Costa offers a "Pyramids. jeep and camel" tour that includes the step Pyramid.

Also we are in port from 8am-10pm, so getting back to the ship is always a concern.

Normally we either use public transportation (easy in Europe) or go with a private guide. I cannot even remember when we last took a ship tour. However the ship tour looks nice.

On the other hand having a small group (or just the two of us) is what we prefer.

How open is DeCastro to personalizing tours? The tour outlined is ok--but we just saw the Tut exhibit in Philly and I would rather spend time outside than in the museum in Cario. Are shopping stops a must do for any tour?

I'm writing back to DeCosta--but just wanted some opinions.

Also, when you are given a price for two (or four) do you get combined with other people?

Thank you.

I booked with DeCastro for October. I told him what I wanted and he customized it for me. Here is the itinerary he put together for me. I thought it was very reasonable. He has been highly recommended on this board.

Day 01 19Oct 2007

Early Morning “07:00am” Meet Decastro Tours Representative

and the Tour Guide at Alexandria port Holding the signboard

With your name and Decastro Tours name

Escort to Cairo by A/C Deluxe Van 12 Seats

The Bus will Join the Convoy From Alexandria to Cairo

Driving about 2hours and 30Min

Arrival to Cairo .around 09:30am

Start the visit to The Pyramids ,Sphinx and the Valley temple

Leisure time to have Camel Ride ”Optional” ,Or Visit Inside the Great Pyramids “Optional”

After the visit escort to Cairo .

Lunch at a restaurant

After Lunch escort by A/C Bus to the Egyptian Museum and start the tour to visit the sections

That contain the most important masterpieces dated back to the royal Pharaonic families

Ruled Egypt

Optional to visit the Royal Mummies Room

Finishing the tour then escort to the Old Khan El Khalili Bazaars

Tour will end in Cairo around 05:30pm

Escort back to Alexandria by A/C Bus

Arrival to Alexandria around 08:30pm

Package includes

· All the transfers mentioned per itinerary will be by A/C Deluxe Van

· All the Guided Excursions mentioned per itinerary will be by A/C Deluxe Van

· Egyptologist “Tour Guide” Licensed English Speaking

· Decastro Tours Representative “

· All the sightseeing entrance fees mentioned per itinerary

· One Lunch at Cairo

· One small bottle of water per person per day

· Taxes

Thank you-

We just had a follow-up response from DeCastro and I think this is the best choice for us.

The luxury of having a private guide for two history geeks is too good to be true and it seems like we can do research for a few months to see what is important to us.

Deloresgardella, it looks like were going to enjoy the same sailing, and the tour info you provided sounds exactly like the itinerary my husband and I had been looking for. Thanks for the great info. Have contacted DeCastro and requested more info. Hope to meet you there.:)

Not to claim anything special. I never have used them before.

I am using bestwaytravel.org for a tour rather than DeCastro

I wanted to offer some other options. Their pricing seemed reasonable with the same locations

They did not ask for any deposit for the tour and said that they would meet us at the pier after the customs check point with a name board. They responded by email very promptly.

Hi All,

There is a reason that De Castro has had such a following on these boards. I did so much research before we booked with them. Our trip is detailed on these threads, and Sage Ruby ended up using them as well, after rejecting my recommendations. DeCastro will put a trip together for you whether you will be off the ship for one night or four. It is scary sending the deposit but they are totally reliable. The service they provide is, unmatched, IMHO.

Egypt is such a wonderful country, whatever you choose, I hope it is a satisfying excursion for you and your traveling partners.

Regards,

Shannon

Delores... De Castro Tours sounds like they would be perfect for us, a definite option instead of a ship's tour. We wouldn't be using them until '08 but if you don't mind, I would like to have info on what such a day tour costs for 2 or 4 people. You can e-mail me at sandy@riskin.net. Thanks!

Sandy--We're also going in 2008 (Feb 29 sailing) and I just went on the DeCastro website and contacted them. Moustafa has been very prompt in answering our questions. For a one day tour that includes the museum we were quoted $120pp for two and $105 for four. I asked if we went as two if groups were put together and he said no--unless you add more people that you know.

I'm still debating about what I want to see, I really want to explore Saqqara which he says is possible. My instinct is to sacrafice the museum, especially since King Tut is in my hometown right now and we've seen the collection in the Louvre. I'm still in the planning stages.

Sandy--We're also going in 2008 (Feb 29 sailing) and I just went on the DeCastro website and contacted them. Moustafa has been very prompt in answering our questions. For a one day tour that includes the museum we were quoted $120pp for two and $105 for four. I asked if we went as two if groups were put together and he said no--unless you add more people that you know.

I'm still debating about what I want to see, I really want to explore Saqqara which he says is possible. My instinct is to sacrafice the museum, especially since King Tut is in my hometown right now and we've seen the collection in the Louvre. I'm still in the planning stages.

Obviously on a single day tour you are very limited. Honestly, I would suggest that Saqqara is more spectacular than the Egyptian Museum unless you are a true student of antiquities.

Check

The Halls Egypt Trip

for some pics.

Have a GREAT cruise!

It pains me to say this because normally I am an "outside" person and would vote for Saqqara vs. a museum any day (DH is the museum person). However, in this case - the Philly exhibit has very little of the "good" Tut stuff, because they just don't let the really "good" stuff out of the country. The Egyptian Museum quite honestly has the real goodies. We could tell what was present last time & what is there this time & all the good stuff is still there. We are going to Philly before the exhibit leaves with the understanding that a lot of what is there is not the better stuff, nor is a lot of it even Tut stuff.

Second, we just returned from our second two week trip to Egypt, both in February, and while the weather in Cairo the first time was spectacular, this time it wasn't quite that great. Our day in Giza/Saqqara was EXTREMELY windy which of course means lots of sand blowing around, and it rained very lightly at Saqqara.

I thought I'd throw those two points in. We were on a river cruise but used DeCastro to fill in a few days when we left the group to avoid duplication from the first trip, and I know he'll do just about anything you want. If you can get to both Saqqara & the museum by eating on the fly that would be my first thought, but if not I'd seriously consider the museum for the reasons stated - and again, I am NOT a museum person, I like my stuff "on location."

Either way you will not make a wrong decision! :D

Hi Mike, I was just looking at your web site it is great. I noticed you and your wife rode a camel, that is one thing I want to do. My question is' was it hard getting on and off the camel. I am in my late 60's want to made sure that I can do it. Even if I can only sit on it. We will be on the Legend of the Seas in October from 7am till 10pm. Have a private tour lined up. Will at least have a picture of that. Thank you

Delores

Hi Mike, I was just looking at your web site it is great. I noticed you and your wife rode a camel, that is one thing I want to do. My question is' was it hard getting on and off the camel. I am in my late 60's want to made sure that I can do it. Even if I can only sit on it. We will be on the Legend of the Seas in October from 7am till 10pm. Have a private tour lined up. Will at least have a picture of that. Thank you

Delores

Hey Delores! The camels were fun, if a bit smelly!

My DW is in her 60's, and as you can see is not small, slim and in shape! She had no trouble getting on the camels. They kneel down and are probably easier to get on than a horse that is standing up. If you look at the dismounting picture on

Egypt Tour

you can see that actually the saddle not more than waist high when the camel kneels. There are lots of helping hands.

But the secret is -- if you look VERY closely at the one of me in front of the step pyramid at Saqqara -- judicious cropping of the picture! That camel is in fact, lying down, and I just sat on its back for the picture, and then trimmed it at the bottom! It was very easy, and it suited me fine!

Have a GREAT cruise, and a great tour!

Thanks Mike for that information. I am a little fluffy also and not in real great shape but want to do as much as possible on this cruise. I will do an camel ride or at least sit on one. I also want one of those hats that the girl sold you. My son collects hats and I try to get him one where ever I go.

Delores

Mike, wonderful pictures!!! Thank you so much!!!

Hi,

I sailed with Costa in January and took their tour from Alexandria into Cairo with my husband & 2 Children. All in all if you can get a private tour guide I would, with the costa tour the itinerary was:

1)Arrive in lounge to collect bus ticket, after they had handed out a bus full of tickets you were then sheperded to the coach,

2)get on bus, big push of hieroglyph t-shirts and silver and gold cartouche pendants, then a small talk ~ 30 mins max on trip into cairo (approx 2hr 15min) arrive at pyramids.

3)30minutes at pyramids to go inside whichever one is open on the day 25LE per adult free for children, go back to bus, get on wait 30 mins for people who can't tell the time,

4)drive round to a vantage point, get off bus take photos get back on bus,

5)drive round to sphinx, wait for guide to get tickets, take ticket go view sphinx ~ you have 30mins again, then go back to bus and wait again for the people who can't tell the time.

6) drive to the le meridien pyramids for a buffet lunch with everyone else off the ship who is on an organised tour ~ have an absolutely gorgeous lunch in excellent surroundings, tea coffe and bottled water is provided (you are free to take the bottled water with you at the end of the meal!) Nearly 1hr 30 mins spent on lunch.

7)get back on bus, go to a papyrus store for 45mins and get the hard sell, also if you ordered t-shirts or pendants this is where you collect them

8)get on bus yet again and go to Cairo museum spend approx 1hr on guided tour then get 20mins in small gift shop

9)Back on bus and back to the ship!

Honestly take the private tour you will see so much more of what you wish to see rather than the inside of gift shops

Shelley

Delores - I was quoted the same exact tour when I asked it to be customized. I believe this is a stock package which just happens to fit many of our wants in the region for a day cruise (actually - I think you might have considered our Nov 6 sailing before moving your trip up, but I could be mistaken).

How much did he quote you? He quoted us $115pp plus entrance fees and tip. Also, drinks at lunch would be additional. I'm curious if we're in line with each other!

Thank you-

We just had a follow-up response from DeCastro and I think this is the best choice for us.

The luxury of having a private guide for two history geeks is too good to be true and it seems like we can do research for a few months to see what is important to us.

If you're truly history geeks, don't pass up the museum. It's the best in the world. I saw the Tut exhibit in Fort Lauderdale and have also been to the British Museum and the Louvre -- believe me when I say they all pale in comparison to the Cairo Museum.

I also did Sakkara, and while it was nice, it wasn't as spectacular as the pyramids at Giza. The view across the desert was not that great on the day we went due to sand blowing (and, no doubt, pollution).

Day 01 19Oct 2007

Early Morning “07:00am” Meet Decastro Tours Representative

and the Tour Guide at Alexandria port Holding the signboard

With your name and Decastro Tours name

Escort to Cairo by A/C Deluxe Van 12 Seats

The Bus will Join the Convoy From Alexandria to Cairo

Driving about 2hours and 30Min

Arrival to Cairo .around 09:30am

Start the visit to The Pyramids ,Sphinx and the Valley temple

Leisure time to have Camel Ride ”Optional” ,Or Visit Inside the Great Pyramids “Optional”

After the visit escort to Cairo .

Lunch at a restaurant

After Lunch escort by A/C Bus to the Egyptian Museum and start the tour to visit the sections

That contain the most important masterpieces dated back to the royal Pharaonic families

Ruled Egypt

Optional to visit the Royal Mummies Room

Finishing the tour then escort to the Old Khan El Khalili Bazaars

Tour will end in Cairo around 05:30pm

Escort back to Alexandria by A/C Bus

Arrival to Alexandria around 08:30pm

Package includes

· All the transfers mentioned per itinerary will be by A/C Deluxe Van

· All the Guided Excursions mentioned per itinerary will be by A/C Deluxe Van

· Egyptologist “Tour Guide” Licensed English Speaking

· Decastro Tours Representative “

· All the sightseeing entrance fees mentioned per itinerary

· One Lunch at Cairo

· One small bottle of water per person per day

· Taxes

Package excludes

· Personal Expenses

· Optional items mentioned per itinerary

· Tipping

Thanks so much for the pics. We will be on the Legend in 9/08 and can't wait to see Egypt. We will also hire a private guide. I rode the camels in Marrekish and they are tall but they do lie down in order to get on. Not a problem. They are alot taller than horses I can tell u that!!!!

To Doloresgardella

How much are they charging you? I'm curious because I'm taking the same cruise.

thanks

Oops, just saw it. :D

Hi potteran, Are you going on the Legend of the Seas on Oct. 12th this year if so you may want to join ou roll call. A great group of people. DeCastro tours are charging us $130 a piece. I sent an deposit of $50 and will pay the rest when we get there.

Delores

How did you have to send your deposit to Decastro?

Mary

I did a wire transfere. They emailed me all the information. It cast me $30 to do this. Was very easy. They notified me as soon as their bank notified them.

Delores

Deloresgardella

Cool Cruiser

Hi potteran, Are you going on the Legend of the Seas on Oct. 12th this year if so you may want to join ou roll call. A great group of people. DeCastro tours are charging us $130 a piece. I sent an deposit of $50 and will pay the rest when we get there.

Delores

Hi Dolores, yes that sounds like fun, but how do you join? I'm new to this chat rooms. Don't know my left from my right or how to navigate the chat room. Will you be staying in room after the cruise?

Hi Dolores, yes that sounds like fun, but how do you join? I'm new to this chat rooms. Don't know my left from my right or how to navigate the chat room. Will you be staying in room after the cruise?

Potteran if you click on my link or Delores's which say "join my roll call" it will take you to our thread. At the top of the page is a link to "Register for a Meet & Mingle"