Egypt port and time question

[NETexan]

The wife and I are planning a cruise to include Egypt, and have looked at NCL and Princess 12 day cruises. Here is my main question, and please tolerate my ignorance.

 

The most important part of the cruise to me will be seeing the pyramids and sights in Egypt. The cruises I have considered will be in port for two days at Alexandria, because I think that it would be less crowded time wise to do some sort of overnight excursion (maybe Ramses) to see the sights. From reading the threads it sounds like a very full day to see the pyramids and back to the ship in one day. I also see other cruises that stay one day in port Said and one day in Alexandria. What are your opinions on which is the best way to see these sights as far as the ports decisions go?

 

I know it is a very broad and general question, but I would appreciate any information as I am currently working off my assumptions. We took our first ever cruise last year to Alaska, and it was fantastic.

 

Thanks in advance for any info. We finally got the kids grown and out of the house, got the house paid for, and now are enjoying "our" time!

[cruisemom42]

I would agree that doing an overnight to Cairo is the best way to do justice to all the sites in and around the Cairo area, including the pyramids and sphinx, and the Egyptian museum.

 

I don't think it matters too much whether your ship overnights in Alexandria or does Alexandria one night and Port Said the next (or vice versa). The only benefit I could see to the Alex overnight would be if you want to allow some time at the end of Day 2 for a brief tour of Alexandria's highlights (e.g., Qait Bey, the library). But I wouldn't really give up much time in Cairo for that -- not at least until a subsequent visit....which I'm doing this year. ;)

[NETexan]

Would you say that the overnight is just as easily arraigned getting off in Said and back on in Alexandria and the sights would be pretty much the same?

 

I noticed that the Princess cruise does not leave Alexandria until 8pm on the second day, compared to 6pm for NCL. I don't know if this makes much difference overall.

 

Thanks

[paul929207]

While every minute in Egypt is a plus, the tour guide will get you back to the ship on time

[NETexan]

Thanks for the replies. Seeing Egypt has been a fixation of mine since I was in school a looonnng time ago. There are so many things we want to see and do, I don't know if we will ever be back and I want to make sure I can do it as "right" as possible.

 

We are looking to do the round trip from Rome cruise and spending 2 days in Rome before the cruise to get our body "clocks" reset.

[cruisemom42]

I don't think a couple of hours will make that much difference. Now if it was a half day's difference, I'd definitely take that into consideration.

 

By the way, if it is the Princess "Egypt and the Aegean" itinerary you are considering, it is a fabulous trip. Pretty much the "Grand Tour" of the ancient world with all the biggies -- Rome, Athens, Istanbul, Cairo. I did it in 2006 and really REALLY loved it. So much so that I considered taking the same cruise again two years later.

 

Instead, I booked a land trip to Egypt. Like you, I'd always dreamed of going and when I visited for 2 days, it just wasn't enough. I realized how safe it really is there and I returned (solo, I might add) for a land tour of two weeks. I had a wonderful time. :)

[NETexan]

The "Egypt and the Aegean" is the cruise we are looking at, along with a similar one from NCL. It is good to get some feedback from someone who has done it. NCL is a little cheaper, but our Alaskan cruise last year was on Princess and I am leaning that way.

 

I get excited just thinking about standing where so much history has occurred. I have been talking about it a lot with my friends and some of them just don't "get it" and can't understand my excitement. To each his own I guess.

[GranMona]

The wife and I are planning a cruise to include Egypt, and have looked at NCL and Princess 12 day cruises. Here is my main question, and please tolerate my ignorance.

 

The most important part of the cruise to me will be seeing the pyramids and sights in Egypt. The cruises I have considered will be in port for two days at Alexandria, because I think that it would be less crowded time wise to do some sort of overnight excursion (maybe Ramses) to see the sights. From reading the threads it sounds like a very full day to see the pyramids and back to the ship in one day. I also see other cruises that stay one day in port Said and one day in Alexandria. What are your opinions on which is the best way to see these sights as far as the ports decisions go?

 

I know it is a very broad and general question, but I would appreciate any information as I am currently working off my assumptions. We took our first ever cruise last year to Alaska, and it was fantastic.

 

Thanks in advance for any info. We finally got the kids grown and out of the house, got the house paid for, and now are enjoying "our" time!

We booked our cruise expressly to have the overnight tour in Cairo. Originally our ship was scheduled to stop in Port Said for 1 day then on to Alexandria for 1 day. It ended up docking in Alexandria for both days, but it doesn't really matter on the overnight which city you are picked up from or brought back to, the tour you plan will be basically the same. The tour companies are very efficient in timing your travel times to and from both those ports.

We LOVED our overnight!! And like you it was the dream of my life to see the pyramids. Have a wonderful cruise!

ps. We LOVE Alaska too:)

[lcumpire]

The wife and I are planning a cruise to include Egypt, and have looked at NCL and Princess 12 day cruises. Here is my main question, and please tolerate my ignorance.

 

The most important part of the cruise to me will be seeing the pyramids and sights in Egypt. The cruises I have considered will be in port for two days at Alexandria, because I think that it would be less crowded time wise to do some sort of overnight excursion (maybe Ramses) to see the sights. From reading the threads it sounds like a very full day to see the pyramids and back to the ship in one day. I also see other cruises that stay one day in port Said and one day in Alexandria. What are your opinions on which is the best way to see these sights as far as the ports decisions go?

 

I know it is a very broad and general question, but I would appreciate any information as I am currently working off my assumptions. We took our first ever cruise last year to Alaska, and it was fantastic.

 

Thanks in advance for any info. We finally got the kids grown and out of the house, got the house paid for, and now are enjoying "our" time!

 

We are on the Celebrity Equinox in October which is 13 nights that includes an overnight in Alexandria and two nights in Israel. I like the fact that the ship stays overnight in Alexandria instead of moving ports as it eliminates the remote possibility that the ship does not dock in Egypt the second night. Also staying overnight in Cairo removes the 3 hour trip EACH way from the ship to Cairo and allows you to start the second day much earlier then from the ship. As you also probably read it is not unusual to get back to the ship the first day at about 11:00PM and then have to start again early the next morning - UGH. Take a look at the Celebrity Equinox - we did and that is why we are going with them.

Also loved Alaska - can't wait to go back.

[MercedMike]

The itinerary which includes Alexandria to Port Said is a very common one and many people do the overnight trip. If for some unimaginable reason the ship did not dock in Port Said the next day there would be hundreds and hundreds of people stranded because the overnight trip is done by so many.

 

We really enjoyed the overnight to Cairo and saw so many of the sights you read about all your life.

 

Check out our trip report and pictures at http://www.bully4.us/holyland2.html#egypt

 

Have a GREAT cruise!