Hi Helen

A work colleague has been to Egypt before, and says that she seems to remember paying some sort of charge or tax at the airport. I don't know if she meant on entry or departure. Can anyone enlighten me please?

I presume that it is the entry Visa she is thinking about, remember you only need to purchase the Visa if you intend to go out with the Sinai Peninsula.
http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=189&start=200

Thanks Graham - I've done the trips before, so it's a sunbathing holiday this time round!

Even if you dont want it you will still probably get pushed through into the visa queue if you are on a package . Your passport will still need a "sinai only " stamp Helen so if you havnt done so already do read the topic so you can familiarise yourself with the proceedure on arrival.

So that means I'll still have to pay Lyn? We've been to Egypt before - just for 3 days when we cruised down from Cyprus, so I've got a stamp in my passport - I think it's Port Said

No you don't need to pay Helen .It's a little black stamp that will say you are staying "sinai only"
you will need to fill in a landing card and just write "sinai only " on the top if you dont intend on buying the visa .

Do read through the topic Helen because so so many people still get hoarded unsuspectingly into buying a visa . T/Os are still in the habit of telling you it is advisable to get one .

Will do Lyn - thanks

Hi Helen

You just have to be kind of dogmatic about it and stick to your guns in terms of not paying for the visa. I was so sure of my ground from what I had read on here I didnt even pay the first time I went to Sharm.

If anybody came anywhere near me I just bellowed 'Sinai only' at them, probably terrifying other travellers.
I had scrawled it on the back of my card, but the chap at the desk also put a rubber stamp on it as well.

The Thomas Cook staff seem to be the worst they seem to tell everyone they need a Visa.

There are all sorts of theorys and speculation as to why, from they get a rake off, to it makes it easier for them to sell you trips once in resort. For a lot of the big trips you need a visa and if you havent got one, it means they have to organise it from resort for you and go back up the airport themselves with your passport and money.

I hope you have a great holiday.

Doe

I was so sure of my ground from what I had read on here I didnt even pay the first time I went to Sharm.

Same here and that was back in the day when they didnt even tell you you had a choice at the airport , never mind the T/O's .

I was so proud of myself that the rest of my family backed away and disowned me when I started to make myself busy informing others in the queue that they didnt need them either . Word soon spread . I was a woman on a mission with big gob .

LOL @ I am a woman on a mission with a big gob. The thing is there was 4 of us so it was going to be a fair amount and just a waste as I had no intention of going to Cairo etc. I would rather spend it on a meal out, still goes into their economy but I kind of get the benefit with an increased waist-line.
Didn't inform others in the queue, but then you got me thinking 'what queue?' Every time I have gone through it has been chaos, last time was really bad we just got swept along in a crowd, it was madness. Dont suppose its like that this year, TO's all seem to be pulling out of Egypt left, right and centre, I am wondering if by the time I am due to go, will I be bumped to Spain or somewhere else more popular (no point in worrying), hopefully you will be OK with Easter being one of their busiest times.

I hope so, as it's my first visit to stay. I'm really looking forward - and I don't intend paying for a visa that I'm not going to use! Do any of you know if there's a webcam in Sharm, that shows the temps?

with the way bookings are going out there at the moment I've just done a check and I can get my rooms for almost 400USD cheaper if I book now . I've sent hilton at SB an email asking them if they can match or I will cancel and rebook .
Watch this space . If It goes sucessfully I will post on the hilton topic. Not even sure if I have a flexible booking as I'd already bartered the price down direct with them when I booked .Official hilton Confirmation certainly appears that I can but if I get no luck direct with the hotel I'll be on to hilton customer services in the morning .

We've booked with First Choice, and I've just checked today's price. If I booked today, it would cost me £190 more for the both of us - and I thought they'd want to attract visitors back now

The funny thing is the flight prices are still really high . Easyjet want almost 500 per person but you go and check the accomodation only prices for the likes of hilton or go and check what you would pay for your hotel here Helen and I bet it's a bargain price. http://www.hotelscombined.com/SearchResults.aspx?fileName=Sharm_el_Sheikh&Adults=4&Rooms=2&checkin=2011-04-16&checkout=2011-04-23&languageCode=EN#languageCode=EN&currencyCode=GBP&fileName=Sharm_el_Sheikh&checkin=2011-04-16&checkout=2011-04-23&adults=4&rooms=2&pageSize=15&pageIndex=0&sort=Popularity-desc&showSoldOut=true&view=hc_sr_summary&scroll=1228&mapstate=contracted

Good luck with that Lyn I'm sure when I have looked on the hilton web-site they have two rates, a cheaper one if you book then and there and a more expensive on that lets you cancel/change you booking up until he last minuite, hopefully you went for the later.

I agree about the TO packages the prices are still high, pehaps its because nobody is booking Egypt and they need to max what they get due to planes and hotels being half empty.

I know last year I was on their best available rate booking which meant i couldnt cancel and had to pay 30% in advance but then I booked direct on the web . For this years I haggled with the hotel direct and they just eventually sent me an official hilton confirmation booking for the price I wanted to pay based on what i could get it with the bed bookers for . No request for any money. Still not heard anything

You have definately got a booking then ?

I've just rang hilton reservations so as to get my facts together before I try and comuunicate with the Egyptians .

I have a normal flexible reservation that I can cancel upto 3 days before . I dont even need to cancel and rebook .
She was quite happy to go ahead and change my booking to a "pre-paid " booking and save me almost 400 USD

Only problem is that I would no longer have the flexibility . Will see what the Egyptians offer me first .

Ooooh Lyn, a saving of 400 USD will come in useful!

Not even sure what that is in pounds but it's got to be £250 maybe

You can get a room at the hilton for £500 over easter at the moment and they are one of more expensive ones . Just got a price on hotels4U.com (part of TC)
£250 per person for a weeks A/I at peak time is very good . Some of the other traditionally less expensive hotels must be a lot cheaper .

It's a shame about the flight prices as looks like the Egyptians are doing their best to attract us there but if others at this end don't lower the cost to get there it's not going to be of any use.