NCL Cancels Ports in Egypt for the Rest of the Season

[CostaSmurfette]

For the following winter season Norwegian Cruise lines has canceled their arrivals in Egyptian ports Alexandria and Port Said. Instead NCL Jade Eastern Mediterranean itinerary in November will include Istanbul, Naples or Crete.

 

 

Read more : http://crew-center.com/ncl-cancels-ports-egypt-rest-season

[jdvmd]

Thanks for the information.

[KirkNC]

Yes it is a shame but understandable.

[davesgirl51]

Kudos to Norwegian for being proactive. :)

[jaja]

Kudos to Norwegian for being proactive. :)

 

 

I agree :) Better safe than sorry.......

[DEL67]

Kudos to Norwegian for being proactive. :)

 

Not really. If they were really proactive, the 10/10 and 11/10 sailings would not be still going to Egypt.

 

And they could have chosen better substitute ports than Crete and Naples, especially for those of us on the 12/22 sailing. We will be in Naples on New Years Day when almost everything is closed.

[WhenIsOurNextCruise]

We docked in Alexandria in February exactly one year before the riots. Three hour trip to Cairo in an old van down a road under construction to arrive in Geeza - one of the dirtiest places I have ever seen. The Pyramids and museums and the 5 star hotel (we spent the night) were amazing, but it was unsettling to be there then - no way I would go anywhere near there now. Horrible traffic, poverty everywhere, dead animals floating in the ditches in the main part of town, and the feeling that we were barely being tolerated. I was never afraid, but I was never comfortable either. I was never so happy to be back on board and sailing away from any port as I was to be sailing away from Alexandria. Glad I saw it. Never going back.

[ce2000]

NCL made the right decision in this case.

[cruza]

For the following winter season Norwegian Cruise lines has canceled their arrivals in Egyptian ports Alexandria and Port Said. Instead NCL Jade Eastern Mediterranean itinerary in November will include Istanbul, Naples or Crete.

 

 

Read more : http://crew-center.com/ncl-cancels-ports-egypt-rest-season

 

Celebrity Silhouette just sailed away from Egypt. One of the passengers reported that they felt safe and had a great time there.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=35639977&postcount=1

[xenagurl]

But thankfully not for my sailing.:) I think Norwegian is quite proactive in realizing that not all of their customers (even if some might be American) have the same fears and that many would still like to go. I take it that these might be rather crowded sailings with those that might have re-scheduled. I am however slightly wary of Athens. They was quite a bit of protesting and violence last year around the time of our sailing and they don't seem to be doing any better this year on that front, but I will be getting off of the ship there as well.

 

Quite happy to be going back to Egypt. Last year was just fine too. Very enlightening experience. I'd be royally miffed to have to dock some place like Naples compared to stops in Turkey and Egypt. Not a substitute in my book. However if they'd like to hit the Amalfi coast I'd get over it. LOL

[GrandmaHofmann]

We docked in Alexandria in February exactly one year before the riots. Three hour trip to Cairo in an old van down a road under construction to arrive in Geeza - one of the dirtiest places I have ever seen. The Pyramids and museums and the 5 star hotel (we spent the night) were amazing, but it was unsettling to be there then - no way I would go anywhere near there now. Horrible traffic, poverty everywhere, dead animals floating in the ditches in the main part of town, and the feeling that we were barely being tolerated. I was never afraid, but I was never comfortable either. I was never so happy to be back on board and sailing away from any port as I was to be sailing away from Alexandria. Glad I saw it. Never going back.

 

We were in Alexandria that same month, were taken up what seemed to me a perfectly fine road with far less construction on it than our own in a very nice private car by Ramses Tours. We overnighted at Mena House, a beautiful place. We talked with various Egyptians who were very friendly. I never felt uncomfortable at all. I felt welcomed. In particular I remember saying "shokran" to a ticket taker at the Sphinx and him breaking into a huge smile and saying, "Welcome to my country." Yes, I saw the dead animals. I have seen them in Latin America, too. Third world countries have those things. We will go back if we can when things settle down. I do agree that it is a fabulous place!

[Turtles06]

We docked in Alexandria in February exactly one year before the riots. Three hour trip to Cairo in an old van down a road under construction to arrive in Geeza - one of the dirtiest places I have ever seen. The Pyramids and museums and the 5 star hotel (we spent the night) were amazing, but it was unsettling to be there then - no way I would go anywhere near there now. Horrible traffic, poverty everywhere, dead animals floating in the ditches in the main part of town, and the feeling that we were barely being tolerated. I was never afraid, but I was never comfortable either. I was never so happy to be back on board and sailing away from any port as I was to be sailing away from Alexandria. Glad I saw it. Never going back.

 

We were there the same time you were and also did an overnight private excursion to Giza/Cairo from Alexandria. Yes, a lot of poverty (as in many parts of the world) and dead animals in the Nile tributary in Giza. But I did not feel we were "barely being tolerated," and I would love to go back some day and see more of the country.

[conandrob240]

We went a few years ago and enjoyed it. We experienced quite the opposite treatment and felt very, very warmly welcomed as Americans. Hugs and handshakes from strangers on the street, people yelling hello to us everywhere we went. My feeling of discomfort stemmed from the palpable tension in the streets- you " felt" that people were ready to blow. It was very tense and seemed dangerous to me even then. Glad we went. Will probably never go back.