1. Will I need Visas if I arrange independent tours eg. via memphistours. I am looking at booking Petra with Thomsons but fancied the independent-ness of memphistours for the pyramids/cairo museum. Price-wise, there is not much in it. Looking to book with them for around 7:15 am (supposed to be in port from 0600) so should be alright ?
We never needed any VISAS for any trips we did independently and we did them all independently - none with Thomson - that includes Petra, Cairo etc
2. How safe is it going it alone. I have read about police convoys. As mentioned, thinking about memphistours for Cairo and local taxi for a trip on the last day into Sharm. What time will our airport transfer be if our return flight is early evening ?
Going alone was ok - of course you need to be sensible and agree all the costs in advance but then there should be no problem - can't answer the bit about your transfer but I would guess at 3 hours before flight.
3. Any tips for the kids. Is there stuff for them to do. Are the excursions suitable. Can the kids get fruit juice free at the restaurants at any time ?
Can only remember free tea, coffee and water all day - there was some fruit juice if that's what you want to call it ( not real fruit juice ! ) at breakfast - sorry to disappoint but there was little for kids of any age.
4. Thinking of taking £50 Jordanian money, £150 Egyptian money, £300 euros and my debit/credit card. Is this sufficient ? Are there safety deposit boxes and what are the charges ?
They prefer UK £ not Egyptian ones so take a max of £25 Egyptian - if you do the Jordan trips on your own the taxi driver you go with will give you Jordanian money for the Petra entrance so you probably will not need much - suggest £25 would be ok.Safety deposit boxes were at reception and cost £ 10 per week - I do remember they kept your passport until you got off on your last day at reception
5. How is the dinner tabel sitting allocation achieved ? Are you at the same sitting once allocated all week ? Do you possibly miss dinner if you're on a trip ? Is there much queueing. Any tips ?
Hardly ate in the restaurant so not sure if you could sit where you wanted - on Captain's night they certainly gave you a table. What I am sure about is if you are on early dinner you are on early all the cruise and it is impossible to get it altered to late - altering from late to early is easier I Understand - but if you miss the dinner ( unlikely) you can always eat in the 24 hour buffet restaurant. Hardly any queueing of consequence - as for tips I guess you meant advice and there is none really but whilst on the other meaning of tips - they are included in the cruise price !!!
6. Cameras are allowed everywhere except the Cairo museum - yes ?
Pretty much accurate I would say - that was the only place we went to where camera were banned from memory.
7. What and when is the Captains dinner (I embark on a Thursday at Sharm). Can kids go to the captains dinner ? Dinner Jacket or Suit and Tie and yes Kids can go but when we went on this cruise ( Mar 06) I think we spotted less than 10 kids on the whole ship and I mean less than 10 !!!!
Captains Cocktail Party was its official title and started at 5.30 pm for early dinerseating at 6.30 and 7.30 pm for the late sitting eating at 8.30.
8. What and when is the midnight buffet (I embark on a Thursday at Sharm). Is the buffet magnifique ?
The Captains Party was the Sunday and the Buffet Magnifique was the Monday.
9. If the ship says it arrives at 0600 and departs port at 2100 what time can you get off at the earliest eg. 0630 /get back on at the latest eg. 2030 ?
I would say you can get off as soon as it docks and sometimes it docked earlier than it said on the Cruise News etc - As for getting back on then I would say 30 minutes before is ok - in reality 10 minutes before is ( infact whilst we were in Sharm people were running to get back on as it was almost pulling away ... yes half the ropes were already untied from the quay ! )
10. If we elect to stay on the ship, for say 4 days - is there really enough things going on to keep us and the kids occupied (not big sunbathers) ?
I would say probably not but it depends on your boredom threshold and what your interests are - there are things going on eg quizzes,cinema,bingo , live music on the deck etc - Kids club opens from time to time and is for 3 to 12 year olds but hardly saw anything of it as there were only about 5 kids on the whole ship !
11. Is the drinks package still available ?
You would have to ask Thomsons that one - if you do not drink alot I would say it is not worth the money per person.I also think everyone in your cabin / party has to pay for it so with kids that could be pricey
Thanks for any advice.
I cruised on the Spirit last April and took the Cairo/Museum excursion.
On the coach the guide offered us the chance to buy a Gold or Silver Cartouche necklace or bracelet made with our chosen name and we collected them from a small gift shop on the way back.
Has anyone purchased one of these and if so can you please let me now a rough guide to how much they cost and the quality etc. My niece has a birthday shortly after our return and loves anything eygptian, I want to ask her if she would like one as a present but as I am unsure of the cost, wouldn't like to disappoint her if they are too expensive or of poor quality.
Any information would be grately appreciated.
I bought a gold cartouche and I think it's lovely! It was about £60, the silver ones were much cheaper but I can't remember exactly. I have no idea if it's really good quality - all I know is that my skin is hypersensitive (it reacts badly to any metal other than gold) and I haven't had any problems and I've worn it every day since we got home. One of my students has a silver one bought by her very kind aunt and she's been wearing hers since she was six and she's seventeen now! I'm sure your niece would love one.
Have a lovely holiday
Thespian
We bought a silver cartouche for my son about three years ago whilst on an excursion on Emerald. Can't remember the price now but my son absolutely loves it and wears it all the time ( he is 19 ) always says it's the best present we have bought him back from a cruise.
A quick bit of info for people in the north west uk, Magic FM (104.2fm i think) are on the Celebration this week doing the Red Sea trip! well worth tuning into for anyone going on this cruise!
We're going on the red sea cruise this week - sooo excited. We are definitely going to buy a silver cartouche!
Just a quick question, can you purchase the all inclusive on arrival on the ship and why is red sea all inclusive £49 more than canary all inclusive (on Destiny).
We only paid £99 each last year on the celebration/colourful coasts for all inc! Wouldnt pay it this time, @ £189 each theres no way we'll drink nearly £400 worth of booze in a week!!!
A quick observation, take plenty of change (pounds) on the trips to avoid ending up with lots of Egyption 1le notes. These are available in the casino change machine instead of taking them with you.
The weather was superb every day.
Of to work now, but will answer any questions later.
Welcome back smiffyz! Glad you had a good time. I would appreciate it if you could write a review by clicking on the link at the top of the page.
off on ours on the 29th march, 4 weeks today my friend won one on magic and we have paid £100 each on top of budget given to go all inc cant wait, and thanks for all the info given on here
I'm of on the red sea magic cruise too on the 29th March! Perhaps bump into you in the passing ozziebird!
Now, can anyone help me with this? I'm travelling with my 15yr old, 6ft son (desperate to see the pyramids! ) who happens to have very long curly hair which he chooses not to cut!!
Does anyone know the views of Egyptians to long haired men??
Really looking forward to the trip which I only booked a few days ago, but am now frantically trying to bone up on practicalities and history before we go.
Oh, and I was thinking of doing just Petra and Pyramids/Cairo tours then snorkel instead of do Valley of the kings, but, my brother says we'd be mad to miss it out. Any thoughts??
Thanks in advance,
Hilary
My excursions are definitely going to include:
Classic Egypt
Petra - The Rose Red City
Luxor - Karnak and the Valley of the Kings
I've been told the Valley of the Kings is a must.
It's too bad we're only at port near Cairo for the one day, I would've wanted to do Class Egypt and see Pyramids, Memphis and The Tombs. Oh well.
Other excursions I'm interested in are:
Dead Sea Resort
Glass Bottom Boat
St. Catherine's Monastery
Other than "the big three" I listed as for sure tours, which tours do everyone else suggest?
Also, if you see two blokes at the bar, talking with Canadian accents, and correcting people when they're mistaken for Americans, that'll be me and my flatmate.
Glad to hear we will be in good Canadian company
I wish we had more time EVERYWHERE!
Would love to be able to float in the dead sea, travel through the desert and see Petra including the monastery all within the time allocated but guess that's asking a bit much. Am starting to wonder if we'll actually see any of the ship!! Have you and flatmate cruised before? I have, but I still can't wait!
Oh...:hyper ...., tickets arrived this morning!
Hilary
In case you haven't seen them, apart from this topic, we also have reviews of this cruise which you can read by clicking Cruise Reviews at the top of the page and selecting Thomson Spirit. Some of the older reviews will relate to the Canaries cruise which she did before moving to the Red Sea.
luci
This'll be my first cruise, but my flatmate has been a few before this one.
I'm actually going to be on the Thomson Celebration, and I have taken the opportunity to read some reviews on this site, which has been a great help. I've prepared myself for the 2.5 hour convey trips from the port to the valley of the kings, for example.
Hopefully it's a good trip, and I honestly can't wait to see the pyramids!
lovely to see others on this cruise too we have booked a private tour with memphis tours for the pyramids, so if anyone wanted to join us i can pm you details as price is already less than thomson and includes almost all of their 3 cairo tours they take up to 10 and price reduces the more that book let me know, otherwise we can meet for a drink
Good news,
Woo hoo! Can't hardly wait! 14 more sleeps!
so pleased you two have both joined us, cant wait, I'm not excited either
Hahah, we're going off to Brussels after we get back for the Easter break.
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