Any idea on overnight shore excursion in Cairo?

[tak2]

I'm booked on Nov 10-24 Insignia, the only itinerary in 2007 that overnights in Alexandria. The highlight for us is the opportunity to stay longer in Cairo, hoping that the tour includes Light Show of Pyramids. It will be a letdown if they do not offer this. The one on their website that overnights in Cairo pertains to a previous tour that obviously spent the entire day 2 in Cairo, which is not listed as available this year.:confused:

I may choose to go in 2008 instead if there's no overnight tour in Cairo.

Thanks for your comments.

[wripro]

I'm doing an overnight in Cairo from Alexandria on Seabourn this April and I have hired a private car and guide and will spend the night at a hotel inh Cairo. This way I can pick and choose what I want to see and at what pace I want to go. It even probably will cost less than if you book through the ship. I highly recommend this way of seeing Cairo in a limited amount of time.

[tak2]

I'm doing an overnight in Cairo from Alexandria on Seabourn this April and I have hired a private car and guide and will spend the night at a hotel inh Cairo. This way I can pick and choose what I want to see and at what pace I want to go. It even probably will cost less than if you book through the ship. I highly recommend this way of seeing Cairo in a limited amount of time.

 

Due to the distance of the port from Cairo, and the ship departing at 1 pm, I will feel uncomfortable with the risk of missing the ship if anything like a flat tire or heavy traffic happens. Your point is well taken, I wish the ship is in port longer. Thanks.

[drwong]

The early departure on the second day is one of my pet peeves about Oceania's Egyptian itineraries. The ship left at 1 pm on the "second" day on our cruise too, with the captain explaining they had to sail that early in order to make it to Malta in a day and a half, and even that was cutting it close as we pulled into Valletta about six hours behind schedule due to westerly seas.

 

If the next port of call was in the Eastern Med, that might have given a little more flexibility with their sailing schedule, but on the whole, I would have done my own overnight in Cairo and seen the Egyptian Museum and wandered the outdoor bazaars the next day, instead of spending an entire day driving down to Pyramids for a quick photo op and back. The way Oceania organizes the shore excursions, it's an either-or option, and about 90% of the passengers opt for the Pyramids tour.

[tak2]

The early departure on the second day is one of my pet peeves about Oceania's Egyptian itineraries. The ship left at 1 pm on the "second" day on our cruise too, ...........of spending an entire day driving down to Pyramids for a quick photo op and back. The way Oceania organizes the shore excursions, it's an either-or option, and about 90% of the passengers opt for the Pyramids tour.

 

Do you mean your cruise did not offer an overnight option in Cairo? Then what's the point of staying til 1 pm the next day? Are there many people who really want to do another quickie morning tour in Alexandria, after an exhausting 12 hour tour to Cairo?

If indeed they don't provide overnight tour, then it's rather inefficient use of time there.

[drwong]

My frustrations precisely. The second day shore excursions were limited to driving tours around Alexandria. Of course, when that's the only show in town . . . .

 

Do you mean your cruise did not offer an overnight option in Cairo? Then what's the point of staying til 1 pm the next day? Are there many people who really want to do another quickie morning tour in Alexandria, after an exhausting 12 hour tour to Cairo?

If indeed they don't provide overnight tour, then it's rather inefficient use of time there.

[wripro]

I didn't realize the ship left at 1pm the second day. Mine doesn't leave until 6 which allows us to sightsee until 2 before heading back.

[twscott1961]

Tak2,

 

We are booked on Insignia, 9/13/07, that stays overnight in Alexandria. We dock at 8:00 a.m., the first day, and stay the second day till 11:00 p.m., which means your cruise is not the only cruise in 2007, with an overnight stay in Egypt. We are looking into private tours for an overnight stay in Cairo.

[tak2]

Tak2,

 

We are booked on Insignia, 9/13/07, that stays overnight in Alexandria. We dock at 8:00 a.m., the first day, and stay the second day till 11:00 p.m., which means your cruise is not the only cruise in 2007, with an overnight stay in Egypt. We are looking into private tours for an overnight stay in Cairo.

 

You're right. I forgot that I was only looking at cruises that stop in Istanbul.:o

All the more disappointing, Oceania doesn't even have overnight tours ( according to their website ) for the 2 itineraries that spend 2 days in Alexandria, yours and the one in May.

[twscott1961]

Tak2, If you find a cruise that stays as late as the 9/13/07 cruise, on the second day, I think it would probably be safe to do a private tour. The second day, you would have a lot of time to make it back to the ship. Just a thought, or maybe tour Cairo, the first day, and return to the ship, then tour Alexandria, the second day.

[Napi's Mom]

I'm booked on Nov 10-24 Insignia, the only itinerary in 2007 that overnights in Alexandria. The highlight for us is the opportunity to stay longer in Cairo, hoping that the tour includes Light Show of Pyramids. It will be a letdown if they do not offer this. The one on their website that overnights in Cairo pertains to a previous tour that obviously spent the entire day 2 in Cairo, which is not listed as available this year.:confused:

I may choose to go in 2008 instead if there's no overnight tour in Cairo.

Thanks for your comments.

If the only reson you'd skip this trip is the lack of being able to see the "Light Show"...don't worry, it's OK but really quite a bit "tacky", you're very far away, and WE set up on the veranda of a bar and had waiters and patrons walking back & forth all night. THESE were the "GOOD" seats, they thought we would want them, comfortable rattan type chairs, wheras the others were folding chairs, down lower and in long rows, BUT nobody was walking in front of them . I think that itinerary is do-able...ours didn't ARRIVE until 2pm, but left the next day at 8, you could do all but the pyramids on the first day, as it's cool and less people early am (Open at 8 I believe) Now the 11 departure is a little early for a 2 nt. stay:confused: OOPs I guess that was 11pm

[Napi's Mom]

I'm doing an overnight in Cairo from Alexandria on Seabourn this April and I have hired a private car and guide and will spend the night at a hotel inh Cairo. This way I can pick and choose what I want to see and at what pace I want to go. It even probably will cost less than if you book through the ship. I highly recommend this way of seeing Cairo in a limited amount of time.

Sorry the cost from the ship is WAY more expensive than if you arrange tours on your own!

[hammybee]

If the only reson you'd skip this trip is the lack of being able to see the "Light Show"...don't worry' date=' it's OK but really quite a bit "tacky", you're very far away, and WE set up on the veranda of a bar and had waiters and patrons walking back & forth all night. THESE were the "GOOD" seats, they thought we would want them, comfortable rattan type chairs, wheras the others were folding chairs, down lower and in long rows, BUT nobody was walking in front of [u']them[/u] . I think that itinerary is do-able...ours didn't ARRIVE until 2pm, but left the next day at 8, you could do all but the pyramids on the first day, as it's cool and less people early am (Open at 8 I believe) Now the 11 departure is a little early for a 2 nt. stay:confused: OOPs I guess that was 11pm

 

Years ago, I too was way into the night lights shows at the Pyramids and at the Acropolis in Athens. Both were tacky, a waste of time and money. Think once, twice and then again about wasting time on this.