posted
I've been checking Thomson holidays websites looking at holidays in Luxor in May, looking at "sun" holidays and "Pricebreakers" holidays and I find it really expensive. Some holidays advertised on Teletext Holidays aren't much better.
A woman I work with, whom I have shown thousands of Egyptian holidays photos to over the years, has said for the past few months that she would like to visit Luxor with me. She has a mortgage, car, teenager, many pets and a 2nd job to stay in control of her finances and she cant afford to spend much. (I saw the Ra2 cruise priced at £569 but this is about £200 over budget for her).
I can remember the days when you could get a really cheap last minute deal to Luxor esp. for May and June.
I can remember looking in advance at brochure prices which dipped down for the summer months. But that doesnt seem to be the case now.
The travel companies must be buying up less holidays to avoid them having to sell them off dirt cheap at last minute.
Do you find this to be the case? Do you think we should wait until the last minute for a cheaper holiday to Luxor for May?
or is £424 for return flights from Gatwick and 1 week at the Mercure Etap normal these days?
posted
[Have your tried looking at freedomflights.com. They do cheap flights and maybe you can contact the novotel in Luxor for a cost of a room, it may work out cheaper. Also if you wait tioll 2 weeks before, I have gooten 1 week flight and accomodation at the novotel for around £167 on teletext. Also try Meridian travel company. I beleive they are on teh Internet as well.
Posts: 288 | From: UK | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
Prices are certainly going up Wise Woman. I am off in 2 weeks, but I booked it through Portland months ago. The price is currently up by 50% on what I paid. The price of a flight only is more than I paid for a week in the Sonesta. There are definitely no last minute bargains available now. I think the only way to get a deal is to really wait until the very last minute and keep your fingers crossed that they arent fully booked. Have you tried looking at Portland Direct, they are still Thomson, but you cut out the middle man and they are considerably cheaper than Thomson. They do the Novotel, Movenpick and Sonesta. The Novotel is very well situated I think, but I would pay the extra and get a Nile view room. Having said that..... £569 for a Ra2 cruise is very good, but if its in June, is the cheap price because the lock is closed?
Posts: 1196 | From: www.spiritofthenile.com | Registered: Jun 2002
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posted
I tried the freedom flights website above but the flight only was £400.
The website which I got from Teletext - I've never used before and can't vouch for it, is www.holidayholiday.co.uk
the Ra2 cruise is leaving Manchester on 23rd May 2005. £569. Full board and excursions included.
Oh what I would give to cruise on the Ra2 again but only if it gets to dock first, I like the safe steel "bridge".
I really thought the price would be less than what it is, not been to a Luxor hotel for 3 years. In past 3 years, 1 x Ra2 cruise and 2 trips to Cairo.
My friend is really keen to go to Luxor. She remembers me telling her of cheap deals I got year ago. There are other cruises on that site for £419 which includes food and excursions which means less spending money.
But now I am so scared of crossing over the wooden "bridge" all the other boats have. I'd rather pay the extra for her and book us both on Ra2. But maybe there's no guarantee of Ra2 always docking first? Maybe I should offer baksheesh.
I think i'll tell her to wait til late April and i'll keep checking Teletext. Although, I've never tried dealing with Thomson directly. I'll have a look at Portland Direct.
I have a heavy cold just now, headache, earache, cant taste or smell, not sleeping, feel so miserable and I had surgery 3 weeks ago, off work with long sick line just now. Need to hold onto the dream that I may return to Egypt this year.
posted
You would be ok with the Ra2, Eastmar still have their own docking facility as far as I am aware so you wouldnt have to cross over any other boats. And that is a really good price.... especially as you would be there over the Spring Bank Holiday, peak weeks and all that. Out of curiousity, I just checked the Portland website..... and they do a week in the Novotel for £375, you could even get the Sonesta for £414 (less than the Etap and an extremely nice hotel) You would probably get a good deal if you could wait until June when the lock closes, the cruises arent so full and neither are the hotels, but it will be hot! Hope you are feeling better soon, hang on to that dream...... it will happen!!
Oh, I just had a thought, Brittania are now flying out of Birmingham and its much cheaper than Gatwick or Manchester, would that be worth looking at? Not sure how easy it would be for you to get there, but its worth looking into. £315 for the Novotel and £354 for the Sonesta. Quite a difference!
[This message has been edited by Shareen (edited 23 February 2005).]
[This message has been edited by Shareen (edited 23 February 2005).]
We are K.T. Travel, and inbound tour operator in Egypt and we can provide a holiday trip to Egypt for you at an affordable price! If you have any questions or would like us to organize a trip for you and offer you a reasonable quotation, just contact us at: general@kt-travel.com
posted
I guess it's time to mention Casual Cairo detours and our Customized Excursions around Cairo and beyond.
For all the Brits.... keep an eye out for The Mail on Sunday (this weekend or next) Cairo will be the featured city in "How to spend £100 in ______. And guess who helped write it?
posted
Hi. Just checked http://www.skytravel.co.uk they have 7 nights in Luxor in May for £313 p.p. Hope this is of some help to you.
Posts: 119 | From: West Midlands. U.K. | Registered: Aug 2003
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What a co-incidence, I am on sky.com website just now looking for info about their Box Office movies (cant see a price for them anywhere). Forgot they had travel channels.
They have the Mercure Etap for £362 and New Winter Palace £367.
Shareen - I didnt know Thomson now fly from Birmingham. I'm in Glasgow and these days I fly to Manchester or Gatwick for flight connections. Will look into flying to Birmingham (couldnt even point it out on a map).
I stayed at Novotel 2 years ago, had sickness and diarrohea on the 2nd night. I remember it well. I had just checked in to the Novotel and walked up to Television St in the dark and had my bum pinched by a young boy on a bike. I wolfed down kushari which may have been reheated 1,000 times that day. That may have been what disagreed with me.
The next evening at Italian restaurant at rear of Novotel, I had pasta ribbons in butter/oil sauce with garlic bread. I was violently sick that night and I could smell the garlic when I was sick. The doctor said it may have been the kushari. That's 2 restaurants I'll never eat in again. Not sure if I could face the Novotel again. But I suppose at a cheap price, I could be tempted. This happened 1 week after a fire at the hotel (I never found out what caused it) which closed off one of the elevators.
[This message has been edited by wise_woman (edited 25 February 2005).]
posted
Debbie I will certainly watch out for that, do you want a copy sending out to you or I could take one to Luxor and leave it with someone who will be coming up to Cairo?
Wise Woman, I havent heard any bad reports about the Novotel, but having said that I havent eaten there. But some of our group next month will be staying there, and my friend and I are booked in for 2 weeks next Christmas, so fingers crossed it got better.
quote:Originally posted by Shareen: Debbie I will certainly watch out for that, do you want a copy sending out to you or I could take one to Luxor and leave it with someone who will be coming up to Cairo?
Shareen, I would love it if you will save me a copy. You can give it to M.D. if you want. She and I see each other often enough. Or if it is easy you could mail it to me from home or from Luxor. Thanks.
posted
Novotel Luxor Egypt, Luxor. 11 May 2005, BIRMINGHAM 2 adults. 07 nights, Bed and breakfast BASIC COST £325.00 X2 £650.00 FUEL SUPPLEMENT £10.00 X2 £20.00 ONLINE DISCOUNT -£40.00 Total Holiday Price £630.00
also same price for departing 4th may
departing from manchester is £80 more each but from where you are birmingham should be not much harder to get to then manc
soooooooooo funny what you say about your sickness WW. as we always stay at novotel we find it so central. but our 1st year there the tour rep thing they do on the coach when you arrive she did say 'to be safe it in your hotel' worst meal we had in our whole 2 weeks we did try the pizza too , O MY GOD !!!! but we LOVE the hotel, just dont eat there anymore breakfast is good though as chef knows us now and has the fried eggs cooking for us as soon as we walk in
Posts: 130 | From: torquay . uk | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
When I was vomiting, I was on holiday alone. Mum was getting extra "home help" care and this was 1 week of relaxation just for me. It was just after midnight and the morning of my 29th birthday. I have very long hair and this was my only priority, trying to hold it back.
I phoned reception and they sent someone up. He was so nice, he tied my hair back, got me a bucket, tissues and water and dabbed my face. I felt embarassed after it but during the experience was still puzzled as to why I was being sick. It seemed neverending. I'm never sick.
I wasnt sunbathing so it wasnt the heat and November is cool anyhow. It must have been the kushari I had the night I came off the plane. I dont drink alcohol. I wasnt dehydrated. I was bitten by some kind of insect on my ankle when out on my balcony.
I'm sure the restaurant is fine, I'd ate there a few times before over the years.
I dont pay attention anymore to what the holiday rep says on the bus. They strongly suggest you buy your overpriced excursions from them and dont wander off the main road and dont eat outside. Stay in the hotel.
The Novotel is in a great location. Great for hopping on one of the microbuses (what are they called and is it still 25 piastres a one way fare?).
posted
thats a great way to remember when someone asks you what you did for your 29th
Posts: 130 | From: torquay . uk | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
mmmmmmmmmmm thats was strange, pressed space bar and it posted my reply LOL thats so funny i think the staff would still remember it now
cant remember the name of them,but yes they are still 25 piastres but i always give 50 as i feel guilty for some reason got 1 back from the hilton this year after having a chinese banquet for 55le . love the local way and it seemed to round the evening of lovely yeah we never listen to the reps anymore as we like to do our own thing all the time , local bus , the ferry and bike hire on west bank etc we do get some strange looks sometimes though when the kalesh drivers see us walking and can not understand why we dont want ........ 'kalesh , you know how much ? cheep price ! ' sorry tried to talk like a kalesh driver then no i didnt mean it might of been novotel food made you ill just a lot of much nicer places to eat i.e the hilton
im sorry but i cant help going back to your post and laughing wish you had some photos
Posts: 130 | From: torquay . uk | Registered: Feb 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Debbie: Shareen, I would love it if you will save me a copy. You can give it to M.D. if you want. She and I see each other often enough. Or if it is easy you could mail it to me from home or from Luxor. Thanks.
posted
Glad I amuse you so much Gary. Even 2 years on, I cant look back at that event fondly. Other unpleasantries in my life I can look back and see the funny side now, but not that one.
I did that, when using the buses with my mum, we gave LE1 and said to keep the change or if it was passed back to us, we would hand it back in through the passenger window when exiting/sliding out the bus.
The doctor that came out that morning of my 29th birthday, insisted on the 4 injections in my buttock method of medication.
That also happened to me on my first trip to Egypt. But when my friend had similar symptoms on another holiday, he got his injections in his arm.
Hmmmmmm.
The doctor phoned me later that day, from reception. He said he wanted to check on me. I had been sleeping on and off in bed all day and it was about midnight. He said he was visiting another tourist in the hotel and it was no problem to see me and no charge.
I had stopped vomiting but still wobbly on my feet and feeling unwell. I told him to come up. I didnt see the harm in it.
It was awkward, he wouldnt leave until I thanked him for the birthday present of perfume that he had just given me and asked me to give him a kiss. I staggered over to the door, shook his hand and asked him to leave, said I felt tired.
He stood there refusing to leave but in a nice way. He said I could sleep and he would leave when I was asleep. I told him I had a bout of diarrohea coming on and I would be embarassed if he was still there listening in. White lie. He left.
He had been asking me why was I on holiday alone, my religion, did i have a husband ... the usual stuff. It's one of those situations where you dont want to tar him with the same brush as some other over friendly Egyptians but at the same time it's none of his business.
I was brought up to trust doctors, that they know best but I found him to be too over-friendly. Would you let a strange man watch you fall asleep in your hotel room??
I mentioned all this to the holiday rep the next day. She described him to me, same guy, he had an unusual description. She said another guest had complained about him too and she would speak to Hotel Manager that she does not want him attending to their clients.
A few days later I booked at the hotel (not through the holiday company - I'm such a rulebreaker) the cruise up to Denderah. After the cruise, I exited the boat and walked through the hotel with other tourists and I was standing next to a payphone but near hotel doorway, looking inside my bag for phonecard.
A hotel worker came up to me. His English was basic and he asked me if I good now. I was puzzled and said "yes good thank you". He asked again if I good now and I see doctor. Then it dawned on me. He was the guy that held my hair back when I was vomiting and dabbed my face with water. He was so nice and although we didnt really communicate much during that event, I felt very comforted by his presence.
I was so hysterical when I was sick. When I phoned Reception, I think they thought I was being bludgeoned to death with a square of frozen breakfast butter. you know the ones I'm talking about, most hotels have them, small square plastic tub of frozen unspreadable butter). I dont think I made much sense. At least they didnt send the Tourist Police up to my room.
I'm surprised he recognised me standing upright with my mouth closed.
I gave him LE60 at the time, he didnt want it but I insisted. Maybe I should have gave him more. If I were in his position, all the money in the world would not have kept me in that room with the hysterical vomiting tourist.
[This message has been edited by wise_woman (edited 26 February 2005).]
posted
WW- Oh man Oh man....that doctor story is as bad as, if not worse than your experience in the Khan with the sleezy belly dancing costume salesman. Your luck has been bad now and again! With the doctor you expect him to be decent and not cross the line, but that guy was a pig! I hope he was fired. Asking for a kiss and "I'll stay until you fall asleep" - Good Grief! How professional is that? The sad part is, he has probably gotten that and more from other tourists in the past and thereby thinks it's ok and "we want it". AAAARRRRRRRUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGG! Posts: 3246 | From: Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt | Registered: Mar 2001
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posted
Debbie, I'm still confused about that situation. It's not as if I was "asking for it" or sending out signals. Unless being a lone female in the privacy of her own room is "asking for it".
When the doctor came back that night, I was wearing baggy button-up pyjamas with vomit down the front and long messed up hair, soaked in sweat, sitting at the end of my bed shivering. Hardly the seductress, was I?
And then that guy in the Khan, I'm with my elderly mother that I care for, and he's standing behind me wrapping the skirt around me over my clothes and fastening it but he's pressing himself against my bum.
I have a photo of me taken earlier that day, I was wearing long sleeved cotton loose top and tracksuit trousers. The only flesh I exposed was my hands and wrists and my face and neck. Unless the sight of my wrists did it for him.
Maybe he was didnt realise he was pressing against me? i think not. But when I did speak up - he at first said I was wrong (then I felt a bit guilty for over-reacting) and then he said i liked it, all the tourists like it.
Some people would say it was me that had the dirty mind, reading into things the wrong way.
They really take chances. Whether you're sick and alone or in a shop with your mother. I'm still learning about people and human nature, always surprised.
Out of 13 trips to egypt, that was just 2 bad times, the other 11 trips were great. It doesnt put me off.
sorry it was not the fact you were so ill made me laugh,it was the thought of all this hair cascadding everywhere when the poor guy came up to help,but like you said , at least he will never forget you
your doctor story is so bad,we had a strange encounter a couple of years ago along the corniche when a guy asked us if we 'both' wanted a man for the night ! but for you to be in your room and for a doctor to act like that is outrageous!!!
Posts: 130 | From: torquay . uk | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
Hi Debbie Just to let you know the article "How to spend £100 in Cairo" was is yesterdays Sunday Mail - it's great - Well done. Posts: 97 | From: uk | Registered: Jun 2004
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I have the Sunday Mail here and the supplement magazines but I cant find any article mentioning Cairo.
I can't see anything about it on the Daily Mail/Mail on Sunday website. But I dont think they dont put all articles on their website although I will keep looking.
I'm sorry Debbie - havent left the house for over a week, if I was out yesterday I would have bought it, but well done!
quote:Originally posted by mydream: Hi Debbie Just to let you know the article "How to spend £100 in Cairo" was is yesterdays Sunday Mail - it's great - Well done.
Thanks for noticing mydream. I wish I could see it now. I wrote bits of it, but the feedback I'm getting makes it sound like I wrote the whole thing and some people are referring to it as an ad. Is this article "How to spend....", written as an article or as an advertisement? I mean I know he was supposed to put my website in and my email in return for the help I gave him, but I'm dying to see what it looks like.
Anyway, thanks for the congrats you guys. It was fun and it's producing good results.
posted
I scanned the article and mailed it to you Debbie. Its really good and doesnt read like an ad..... just a great review of what you can offer. I am taking the original to pass on to MD for you next week.
Posts: 1196 | From: www.spiritofthenile.com | Registered: Jun 2002
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quote:Originally posted by mydream: Hi guys Yes it is the Mail on Sunday - not Sunday Mail - sorry for the confusion.
Surely you are joking! You guys have two newspapers on Sunday named so close to the same thing? What happened to the Chronicle, the Times, or some other normal newspaper name? JEEZ LOUISE!
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