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Hi everyone. I'd like to visit Egypt next summer and take a cruise ship on the Nile. There are so many options available. Has anyone tried it and if so can you share your experience?
I live in Florida and take a lot of Carnival cruises. These Nile cruises seem to be twice what I would pay for a carribean cruise. If someone can recommend a ship that is a little more reasonable I would appreciate it. Thanks
Posts: 15 | From: USA | Registered: Nov 2006
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Nile cruises are nothing like Carribean cruises, far from it. The five star boats are nothing like the big ocean ships. I've done a couple of Nile cruises on fairly small boats. The rooms were not exactly big but they were ok. We had great fun on the boats and the staff were wonderfull. All the excursions were included in the price and the food was as well although we paid for drinks at the end of the cruise. We had a qualified guide who looked after us for the duration of the stay. If you've done Carribean cruises then the Nile cruise will be a bit of a culture shock for you but I would still do it. Shop around on the net as prices do vary. The big holiday groups have their boats and then there are smaller Egyptian based companies who have boats. We went with Discover Egypt and stayed on Viking boats. They weren't the best boats on the Nile but we had fun and they looked after us very well.
Posts: 120 | From: uk | Registered: Nov 2006
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I went on the Nile Jewel it was nice, the rooms are a little bigger than carnival cruises. They are more like a huge houseboats or a river boat, nothing like a ship. You go down the river, stop and all the boats tie up and you have to walk through 5 other boats as they are side by side to get to the bank. I went to Egypt for nile cruise 4 days, sleeper train 2 nights, and 3 nights in 5 star hotels for 10 days and private tours entrance fees included, for 678/person plus 1100 dollars airfare. I didnt think that was bad at all. we went to cairo, aswan luxor, and alexandria and did all the tours. It was totally an exhausting trip as your not used to the time difference. You are begging for sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep.
Posts: 45 | From: kentucky usa | Registered: Oct 2006
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Hi Beachlover, I went on a nile cruise just over a year ago and loved it. Personally I would avoid the hot months of July and August. It was 42 degrees when I got off the plane in Luxor at the end of August. Sometimes there is a slight breeze on the Nile but you need to bear in mind you will be walking around various sites and it is extremely hot. I did Luxor to Aswan and we moored the first couple of days in Luxor. Often you will not have a view from your cabin window unless moving as the boats do tend to be moored side by side to other boats. Being smaller boats some people did complain of engine noise. These are just a few things to bear in mind so there are no surprises. I have worked on boats before so readily accepted what some others did not. I found the cruise wonderful, fascinating and restful. Some boats have a pool and some a small dip pool. I went with a company which is now bust but had a wonderful time. I would do this again one day. Have a great time, I am sure you will. For anybody visiting Egypt and worried about tummy upsets, I would avoid Imodium as this just blocks you up. They have a marvellous tablet called Antinal which kills the bacteria and works a treat really fast. I took some to the UK and gave some to my mum who had had a bad tummy for 4 days and it sorted her out that day. Anyway, go for it and have a wonderful time.
Posts: 233 | From: uk | Registered: Aug 2006
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A word of warning re an earlier response - depending on which Tour Operator you book with, excursions are not necessarily included. Also do not 100% believe what you are told if booking over the telephone, don't forget these people are paid mainly on a commission basis, and they don't have to deal with the complaints from dissatisfied guests!
Re the Antinal, there is also another very good one for upset stomachs called Streptoquin. Usually works very fast without any cramps afterwards. Very cheap.
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