Carol thanks for the review of Viking2.

We are going on May1st(yes all fools day) and our itinery is, all inclusve of trips, SO, looks like we get to see the lot.

And itlooks like we will meet up with Lisa.:)

Hiya, sorry all meant to say we are going on the Etoile du nil, and wanted to know if they have a shower there, also can anyone tell me if there are showers at the Sonesta st George.
Thanks 'sorry Lynne we wont see you on our boat'
Lisa

We are going on May1st(yes all fools day)

April

Yes well spotted.

You get first prise, it,s an email from my mum. please dont take the mickey out of her or mention her age.

I need a break, isnt May 1st when all those fertility dances take place, might have a go at that aswell

*Edit to remove off topic on Corgi Briar

Hello

Wow what a forum!

I will be heading off on 9th October 2006 to celebrate my 50th for a seven night cruise aboard the MS Lady Mary followed by 3 nights at the Le Meridian Pyramids at Giza and 4 nights at the Le Meridian in Luxor.

I wondered if anyone could tell me of what I should not do (visits and the like) on the cruise part of the holiday in Luxor. Then do those visits in my own time during the 4 night break in Luxor. Or should I do most things quickly and then just relax during the 4 night break at the end of the holiday.

I will be a lone traveller and wondered about the seating arrangements on board for meals. Do you keep the same tables or will I be able to change each evening and get to chat to other people.:lol:

Does anyone have any info, tips on the Lady Mary.

Does anyone have any info, tips on the Giza pyramid site.

Does anyone have any info about seeing any football games in Luxor or Cairo. They won the Africa Cup and I have heard they love their football.

Anything will be appreciated.

This site has really whetted my appetite and I'm now at the local library gathering book after book about the Nile.

Martyn

Lisa and Martin,
I'll try to answer your questions as best I can.

Lisa, the Etoild du Nil III had a bath and a fixed, proper shower with a glass screen to avoid too much splashing. We were in cabin 109, on the dec below the reception. There are other cabins higher up, but none lower than ours. I guess the allocation of cabins is undertaken before your arrival. many fellow passengers complained of poor air cond. in their cabins but I worked-out they were on the entry level (reception deck) or above. The two stair wells leading from reception to the lower deck had large aircon units creating a cold-curtain and this lower deck was, if anything, a little too cold for my wife (perfect for me though). Ask if you can be allocated in a cabin on this lower deck (numbers in the 100-199 range - although only about 14 cabins and 2 suites on the lower deck).

The Sonesta also had a bath and a shower. We upgraded to room on the first floor, overlooking the Nile. Whilst this provided a jacuzzi bath I rarely bathe (no, not smelly, just shower instead). The bathrooms on both ship and hotel are large enough, the hotels being fully marble fllored, walled and well lit with a wall mounted hairdryer (not brill my wife says as no difuser!). The Sonesta also has showers in the pool changing area. This was a real bonus as on our last day we were able to sunbathe 'till 11:30am, then complete the packing and exit the room. Reception stored our cases safely, we continued to sunbathe 'till 3:00pm. Showered in these changing/toilet facilities in the basement (spotlessly clean), changed into travel-home clothes, then a final late lunch in "Beban", the Sonesta's Italian style restaurant. I had a fillet steak cooked perfectly, Viv a sea bass. Cost for both was just £13 (UK).

If you want to know more about either please ask on the open forum and I'll gladly oblige.

Martyn,
I have not travelled on the MS Lady Mary, but on the Etoild du Nil - so some things will be similar. Stayed in Luxor for the last week - at the Sonesta, but had a look in the Meridien for future reference.
I presumt you are cruising Luxor to Aswan. At the start, in Luxor you might get to see the Temple of Karnak. This is within walking distance (20 mins at avg. 3-4 mile per hour). Cost of entry was (from memory) about £4 (UK). There are guides outside touting for your business (no experience of their expertise) or you can buy a guide book (or take one with you). Guess you could spend and hour or two in here depending upon your interests. T.O. trips to Karnak are likely to be quite a bit more expensive than d.i.y. The Luxor museum is good for a d.i.y. trip. Again, walking distance from both the ships and the Le Meridian. About £5-6 entry fee and all exhibits well signed in English - don't need a guide, a book might be useful for reading afterwards.

The West Bank (Valleys of Kings and Queens, Hatchepsut's temple and Colossi of Memnon) can be visited by yourself - but you might find some of your boat companions during their stay in Luxor might want to arrange a group trip. We did this, starting with 8 and it grew to 20. If you're real intrepid you can catch the public ferry over to the west bank from the terminal near the Mummification Museum (Opp. Old Winter Palace hotel). On the other side there are taxi touts who will take you to the sites. Chances are they will not be permitted to "guide" you around the tombs and you'll have to pay approx £5-6 (UK) for tomb entrance fees on top of the taxi drivers costs.

Check out the Sunset Cocktail floating bar - it was moored opp. the Hotel Mercure. The Belgium chap who owns this promised me that should I return he would arrange taxi transfers to/from airport etc. using his recommended drivers. He's keen to built a reputation with the tourists for honesty and excelence. Even if he cannot sort you out it's worth a drink in his bar - it's clean, elegant and reasonably priced.

Hot Air balloon is worth doing privately, enquire with Jolley's Travel shop just outside the Old Winter Palace.

As you sail away from Luxor, south, you'll pass the Sonesta, then the Le Meridian, then the Pyramisa Isis, the Sheraton then finally the Movenpick. When you return, check out the Sonesta's Japanese restaurant (assuming you like sushi, tepanyaki etc.). The Meridien looked impressive. I was very taken with the Italian style "square" created by the four high-walled overlooking rooms and balconies, with a couple of restaurants/bars at the sides and a fountain in the middle. In the early evening you feel you could be in the heart of Rome. Never ate at the Meridian but would guess it's excellent.

Lone travellers are probably ideally suited to the dining arrangements on board the boat. If, like ours, you are placed on a table with other guests you probably keep that same seating throughout. This creates good, albeit temporary, friendships. If I'm correct and you keep the same seating arrangement you can of course easily chat to other people whilst up on the sun-deck, or after dinner.

October will be hot in Luxor - make sure you have a hat or head cover when visiting the Valleys - I'm still pealing.

Enjoy yourselves.

Mike

hi mike,
this is lisa mother we are both going in may and your replies were a great help thanks, but can i ask you did you go to cario while you were in luxor if so how did you travel there and if you stayed over the hotel you may have stayed in if you did and how much was it? also did you do the abu simbel while on the cruise again how did you travel and how much this would help. when we go to cario we are going to get a private guide for the pyamids if we can.
thanks jackie.

Jackie,
we didn't travel outside of Luxor - just relaxed for the 7 days. You can travel to Cairo either by plane there and back in a day or by overnight rail sleeper, each way being overnight. Cost difference didn't seem too much and from memory, the aircraft option was about £160 per person (sterling) - the train being perhaps £130 each. As we loved the Sonesta so much we decided to skip the train version (we'd lose 2 nights accomm. at the hotel) and the air option was too much hassle.

Bit gutted about the Abu Simbel. Whilst in Aswan on the boat there were two versions of this trip. The one by minibus set-off at about 4:00am and involved a 3-4 hour drive through the desert south to Abu Simbel. The air option left a little later and was only a 45 minute flight (about). Cost of the flight option was £150 per person. We didn't even consider the minibus choice. We had a budget of about £120 for the flight version and the T.O. arranged trip was just too expensive. We never looked into the possibility of arranging our own flight with an Aswan travel company but we did check the prices when back at Luxor with a couple of local companies based on the Corniche (the main street running down the East bank of the Nile in Luxor) just near the Old Winter Palace hotel. They were trying to push the train option to Aswan, then fly to Abu and again, costs were high but this is understandable as you've got the cost of lLuxor to Aswan to add onto the Aswan to Abu leg.

Knowing what I now know, I'd check with Jolley's via the web if possible to find costs from Aswan to Abu privately by air. If you speak with a local Egyptian company before travelling get their quotes in writing (faxed) as I feel they would want to renegotiate otherwise once you are at their offices in Aswan.

Folks on the boat who did the bus option to Abu were in raptures about it.....once they'd woken up again next day

Mike

Much appreciated Mike.

I am sailing from Luxor to Aswan and back.

I will probably take it easy in Aswan instead of Luxor as it looks very picturesque.
Has anyone been to Kitchener's Island at Aswan as the botanical gardens look impressive and may be a break from all the temple visits.
I may not go to Abu Simbel and instead try and take in some of the local life in Aswan instead.
Is there a train from Aswan to the High Dam as I would like to try that mode of transport.
The air ballon trip in Luxor sounds a must do.
I don't think I've looked forward to a holiday as much and still six months to go!

Martyn

Martyn,
cannot recall seeing a train in the high dam area. It is not too far from the moored boats to the high dam - probably about a 20 minute drive in a cab. To be honest, there's not a lot up there unless you're into civil engineering. If you are energetic, try walking up the large hill to the Aga Khan's mausoleum (spelling?) - his wife did after his death, every day.

If you really fancy a train journey, travel from Luxor to Cairo on the overnight sleeper.

Mike

Wel how wonderfull, Discover Egypt just canceld our holiday.

All payed up, and got a letter this morning saying the flights to Sharm on the second week are now not taking place, so we dont want the alternative of a long haul bus trip to Hurgada.

I wonder if the Greeks will mind us coming back???

Hi Everybody, Well we are finally getting within striking distance of our holiday ... twelve days and counting as I said in the heading.
We fly out on Monday 27th to join the Domina Prestige Emilio in Luxor and would be very grateful to anyone who wants to give us some last minute updates on either the ship, the weather or anything else that they may think is useful
I would also love to hear from anyone who is going on the same boat at the same time ... we can meet up on board
Thanks to everyone who has helped us out in the past and I will post a report on the holiday on my return
Going to think about packing now!!!!!!
Bobbie

Lynegrange,

if your second week was to follow a Nile Cruise (just a guess) consider staying in Luxor. OK, there's no Red Sea but the quality of hotels there and the location/pool/weather are probably as good as elsewhere in Egypt.

Mike

hi lyne,
did they offer you a refund if so why not try http://www.fasttrackholidays.co.uk myself and lisa are going on the 1st may for a week cruise and a week stay at the sonsta st goerge in luxor that was £599 including excr for the two weeks
hope this helps jackie.

hI nytram,
kitchener island is well worth a visit, but don't expect too much. It has an extensive collection of trees, but my memories of the island is of walking around at a leisurely pace and just taking in the ambience. There is not much else there, but it is very tranquil and it makes a nice change from the hustle & bustle of the cruise. In Aswan itself, make sure you visit the 'Unfinished Obelisk' just a ten minute taxi ride away & the Nubian Museum, about the same time. If you can, try to see the rocks around Elephantine Island, you will see why it was given the name. I have to agree with Mike about the 'High Dam' I was not overly impressed. The original British dam actually looks better (perhaps this is not PC) I think it is due to the fact that you really do not get to see the real scale of the work due to the height of lake Nasser. It was a bit like stopping at the bridge over the 'Manchester Ship Canal' on the M6, not really that impressive in a modern world. As you say the balloon trip over the West Bank is a must, do it if you can.
Tez

has anyone been on the etoile du nil we are going on it in june
and would like to know any feed back that anyone has

hi, skip
if you look at all of mikecunliffe egypt forums it will tell you what you want to know, if not you can ask him as he has been on that boat, we are due to go on that one the 1st may and his forum helped us good luck.
jackie

Hi Bobbie

Hope you have a wonderful holiday. I don't have any personal knowledge of the weather but I've been keeping an eye on the reports for Luxor in the newspaper over the last month (I know that's a bit sad since I'm not actually going until May, but hey, when you get to my age anything's exciting! ) and as far as I can tell it looks like an average temperature of 81f.

I'll look forward to your report.

Jael

Thanks for your good wishes Jael, Nine days and counting now!!! Well at least that is til the Sunday when we go to the airport and stay overnight (its all part of the holiday really isnt it?) Which boat are you going on in May?
Cant wait.... dont worry mega report to follow.
Bobbie