Hi

I'm going on a 7 night Nile Cruise (on MS Fleurette) at the end of June and I'm just trying to figure out the best method for taking cash/currency. Can anyone recommend anything? I've read lots of posts suggesting that you should take sterling and some small notes of eqyptian pounds for tipping etc - but just wondering whether the Ships convert currency for you and whether there are lots of ATMs at the different ports/excursions to get more money (as I'd rather not take a lot of cash with me).

Any advice would be really appreciated.

Hi,

my advice is to take sterling and change at Luxor airport. On the boat they should be able to change money but the rate is always worse than at the apt banks. During your time in Luxor there are some banks with ATMS on the main corniche but I cant rememeber where your boat moors. In Aswan you could be some way from a bank.
I would also check with your operator if the boats accepts credit cards for the optionals and also to settle your bill (if applicable) at the end of the cruise but sometimes the credit card machines do not work but this is more from my experience
The advice abt having alot of small egyptian for tips is good

thanks

Totally agree. Change money on arrival at Luxor airport. You cannot miss the booths to your left as you enter arrivals area. Pay for your visa at the same time. I asked for some small denominational notes, which he duly obliged with.

If you have any old small currency notes of any country then I would take them as well. Always good for tipping, just as long as you don't consider 5US dollars to be small!! Old coins as well. It's all a game this tipping lark as well.

Once a local wanted me to give him a £UK20 note for 20 £ coins. I played the game with him. I told him that I will give him a £20 note for 25 £ coins. Of course, he refused and did not even want to 'bargain'. Bit different aren't they when you play them at their own game.

Hi there

Is this £7 per person tip for every trip? Or just a "one off"? Im taking my hubby for a surprise 40th birthday treat and need to plan spending money etc befopre I go

Thanks

Jo

Are you going with First Choice?

No, the compulsory tip of £Uk7 per person is just a one off payment and is supposed to cover all the trips.

Don't forget that you will be expected to tip the Egyptologist, Reps and crew at the end of your trip as well.

Any more questions then just ask,

regards

Hi Pedrogooner

Yes we are going with first choice - they will not let me have any info on which boat we will be on although I have booked the Junior Suite on all inc basis. Ive looked on the "wings" website and it says the Orchid is out of commission at the moment?

Any tips regarding anything at all would be most welcome - its our first time to Egypt. We are staying 4 nights in Sharm then cruising then 3 nights back in Sharm

Thanks
Jo

I am sure you will have a great time on your Nile Cruise. The 'Wings' website is out of date apparently and The Orchid is sailing and I think that is your vessel if you have sensibly booked the Junior Suite.

Check this forum on this site and you will see a few reviews referring to First Choice.

http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=47977&start=0

If you have any specific questions I will gladly try to help but although I went with First Choice I was on the M/S Tulip.

regards

Thanks again!

What trips did you do on the cruise - I was planning on booking the package offered by FC including flying to Abu Simbel. Is it worth it? What about the balloon flight? Im looking forward to going now and as much information I can glean before we go will make me feel a little more comfortable.

Regards
Jo

Hi Jo,

My wife & I returned from Egypt 3 weeks ago & had a good time apart from a bit of an upset stomach. There are only 2 Junior suites on the Orchid, rooms 201 & 202 which at the front of the boat. We stayed in 202 but I think 201 is better as the sun is not on it in the afternoon so I imagine it to be a bit cooler.

The air conditioning in 202 is rubish. The carpet in the room looks as if it has never been hoovered but I did see them do it with my own eyes so they must use a useless hoover.

This may come as a surprise (especially to Pedrogooner), but the money grabbing reps recommended that we did not fly to Abu Simbel but go by coach which is cheaper. It is a long journey though!

My wife & I missed this trip along with a few others due to our stomach upset. My wife still is suffering now can you believe!!! The Luxor & Kom obo were good though.

Hi

Thanks for the info - sorry you both got ill - We are Goa regulars so am hoping we have become a little immune to the upset tum!

Looks like Ive paid to have a good room but that they are not really good! Oh well you live and learn. Is there a fridge in the Suite? I need to keep medication cool. What else do you get in the suite?

How long was the coach ride to Abu Simbel? Why did the rep say not to go by air?

Thanks again

Jo

Hello,

Abu Simbel is 3 hours by road 1 way and means starting around 0400 to get there. Against this it is a 20-30 minute flight. I have no idea why the reps would say not to go by air but I would assume it is something to do with how much commission they might earn. I would always take the plane myself even being more expensive.

Your suite should have a fridge but the orchid is quite an old boat now so will not have some of the facilities of the more modern boats. Generally on suite you just get more space and sometimes a bigger bathroom.

thanks

Hi,

Yeah there is a fridge and it worked fine. You get a tv & dvd player. You will have a great time & the room is worth the extra.

The reps said it is better to go by coach to Abu as you get to see the sunrise over the desert & that was their only reason.

I managed to dig out the excursion list we were handed!

Here are the adult prices & times as of May 2008

Edfu Tues pm £20
Kom Obo Wed am £15
Aswan Tour Thur am £40
Felucca Sail Boat Wed pm £12
East Bank (Karnak) Sat pm £28
West Bank (V of K) Sun am £37

Abu Simbel (road) Fri am £67
Abu Simbel (Air) Fri am £120
Philae light sound Wed eve £20

Karnak Light sound Sun eve £18
Camel ride Mon am £12
Sea plane Mon am £70

Oh yeah... you can book the first six on the list for £120 as a package. We booked a couple of them separately with 2 other couples & had a guide just for the six of us which was great & more personal!! We even had our own little mini bus!

I would like to go back but its a big NO from the wife!

Yes Abu Simbel is about 30 minutes by plane

But there is always a however.

However (told you) you still have to take in to account travel times to & from the airport at Aswan and Abu Simbel (for both directions) and also the strict and time consuming security checks and check-in procedures at both airports, so in fact flying is not that much quicker than the bus trip overall.

Plus a top tip is to take your pillow from the boat, recline the seat on the coach and go to sleep for a couple of hours.

Oh, and going by coach is almost half the price of flying

This may come as a surprise (especially to Pedrogooner), but the money grabbing reps recommended that we did not fly to Abu Simbel but go by coach which is cheaper. It is a long journey though!

I had to laugh at that. Yes reps and their associates are not my favourite people!!

Cynic as I may be-- can I put forward a suggestion as to the reason why they may have suggested going by coach.

As I mentioned before I also went with First Choice. We went to Abu Simbel by coach as well. However, we did have an elderly couple who opted to go by air. They had an absolutely horrendous time. They actually only had about 30 mins max at Abu Simbel. Everyone on the boat felt so sorry for them. They compained to the Rep/Egyptologist Mustafa who did absolutely nothing other than to say 'sorry'. I know this is so because my wife and I spoke with the eldery couple. No offer of refunds etc etc. Maybe word got around and the FC Reps decided to recommend coach travel.

My wife and I did not find the journey too tiring. As Graham suggested-- take your pillows for comfort. They also showed a video on the coach of how Abu Simbel was moved etc.

What did make me laugh was that all the coaches had to have a 'policeman' on board. Ours was no different. The thing is that he slept all the way to Abu Simbel!

Hi
If we don't want to do all the trips is there anything else we can do while the boat is moored and is the bar open while people are out on there trips. Can anybody tell me about the Sea plane where does it go and how long are you out for because I havn't heard about it before. How long was the Camel ride for and is it easy to get on and off the Camel., While we are out and about can we buy water at the sites and will it be cold when we buy it.
Thanks Eilean

Yes, the bar is open whilst people away on trips. Not everyone takes the full package either. Other than chill out on the sun decks I am not sure what they did if not on the trips. There will be plenty to do when in Aswan if you don't fancy the trips. Probably the same in Luxor although the boat is moored up a bit out of town. First Choice do not have the best mooring berths.

In Aswan you could visit the Cataract Hotel of Agatha Christie fame. My wife and I did and did not regret it. No-one else bothered to go which surprised me. To me -- it is a 'must see' hotel. We went there just before sunset and it was fabulous.

Hi,has any one been on the lady mary recently have booked cosmos cruise and stay.Just a query but when you book with first choice doesn't there cruise include trips like cosmos or are the trips being talked about in above post extras.Also thanks for info re fly or road to abu simbel as I found the different takes very helpfull.

No, on First Choice the trips are not included in the price. They say that is for the customer to have 'choice' but, in effect, it is probably that it makes their package look cheaper.

Hiya, I have to say that when i was pricing my nile cruise holiday for this year First Choice came in cheaper than Thomson's or Thomas Cook with the excursion package added on.

Suzie.