Up next in 10
Seven out of ten travellers told me they really want to do a Nile River cruise. But almost all said they were unlikely to do it, because they had too many questions and concerns. Having done one, I have discovered the answers to those questions, and a few they should be asking but aren’t.
For bonus & exclusive content (including videos, articles, eBooks and more) become a channel member or patron:
---------------------------------------------------
* Patreon Patron: https://www.patreon.com/tipsfortravellers
* YouTube Channel Member: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_qE-Obs2ocdmPXY0TIU-cw/join
Check out my cruise-themed T-shirts and products:
---------------------------------------------------
* T-Shirts: http://bit.ly/TFTStore
* Mugs, notebooks, hoodies etc: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/tipsfortravellers?ref_id=22354
My social media:
---------------------------------------------------
* Blog: https://www.tipsfortravellers.com
* Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/garybembridge
* Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tipsfortravellers
* Instagram: http://www.instgram.com/garybembridge
* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bembridge
ABOUT TIPS FOR TRAVELLERS: If you want to get cruising right, Tips For Travellers makes it easy to plan and have the incredible cruise experiences you dream of every time. All my Tips For Travellers advice, tips and tricks tips draw on everything that I have learnt on the 101 cruises I have done to date.
#cruisetips #CruisingTips #CruiseTipsAndTricks
Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:00
7 out of 10 Travelers told me in this
0:02
poll they want to do in our river cruise
0:04
but almost all said they were unlikely
0:07
to do it because they have too many
0:09
questions and concerns now having done
0:11
one I've discovered the answers to those
0:13
questions and a few more that I think
0:16
people considering going should be
0:18
asking but aren't as you will find out
0:20
I'm Gary bember and while I will get
0:22
into safety security and health in a bit
0:24
I realized I should have first before
0:26
worrying about that been asking a few
0:29
more things about what a Nar River
0:30
Cruise experience was like to see if it
0:33
suited how I like to travel
0:36
I'd focused on all the sites I was going
0:39
to see but hadn't asked enough about how
0:41
it would actually play out on the trip
0:44
the trip packs in lots and lots of
0:47
sightseeing there were long and
0:48
intensive days both in Cairo and on the
0:51
two-way Cruise between lakso and Aswan I
0:54
was surprised how limited downtime there
0:56
was actually sailing and because I found
0:59
this just 140 miles about 225 kilometers
1:01
between Luxor and Aswan so you don't do
1:03
very much sailing we spent multiple days
1:06
I discovered docked in Luxor and Aswan
1:09
and on the plus side though the sites
1:11
were not too far from the docking areas
1:13
probably the longest time I spent on a
1:15
bus was about 45 minute drive out to the
1:17
Valley of the queens and the Valley of
1:19
the Kings though they were incredible
1:21
sights to see and I dive into each of
1:24
them more in this particular video where
1:26
I talk about the best ones to see and I
1:28
must rest seven night Crews is an
1:31
absolute must to see everything and not
1:33
be too rushed so check if you're going
1:35
that you're not on one with a three or
1:36
fortnite itemi must be seven nights now
1:39
did I get templed out by the end of the
1:41
trip I was feeling a little betrayed and
1:43
it struck me when I was touring the
1:44
Luxor Temple at the end of the trip that
1:46
I was almost dismissing it as rather an
1:49
impressive which was insane because it
1:51
is incredible we were in small groups of
1:53
24 with one egyptologist per group for
1:57
the entire trip no mean it was mine was
2:00
incredibly knowledgeable and she made
2:02
the trip so fascinating the other key
2:06
thing of note when off ship is the
2:09
lenders they are Relentless and all the
2:12
sites make visitors go through the
2:14
stores on the way in and out of any site
2:16
there is no way to escape them and they
2:19
are very pushy ask your guide how to
2:21
handle them I found don't let them hand
2:24
me anything put anything on me look
2:26
ahead ignore them and go no no no
2:29
which means no the stuff being sold by
2:32
the way seemed pretty touristy and
2:34
mass-produced I wasn't that impressed
2:35
with it to be honest found found though
2:37
the public toilets grubby you have to
2:40
pay to go into all of them not very much
2:42
just one US dollar or a couple of
2:43
Egyptian pounds I took toilet paper and
2:45
wipes out with me every day there were
2:48
armed police military checkpoints and at
2:51
every site we went through metal
2:52
detector screening with bags going
2:54
through screening too one thing I had
2:56
not asked but found I should have was
2:59
around taking photographs and video Once
3:01
in Egypt our cruise manager Walla warned
3:04
us all to be really cautious of taking
3:06
photographs and never take anything of
3:09
say the screening areas the checkpoints
3:11
the police or any other authorities or
3:14
anything that could vaguely be construed
3:17
as suspicious like given at airports
3:18
where there are military aircraft too
3:20
also I found I should have asked about
3:23
packing people on the trip with
3:26
binoculars for example where they were
3:28
told do not take them out I hadn't taken
3:30
my drone but just as well because they
3:32
are totally banned in the country even
3:34
some of my camera tripods I was advised
3:36
to not take out because they could raise
3:39
attention from authorities also I am
3:42
really pleased I checked the weather and
3:43
came prepared I went in April which was
3:45
between 30 to 35 degrees Celsius that's
3:48
86 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit and I found
3:50
with good sunscreen a hat drinking lots
3:52
of water wearing cool clothing it was
3:54
fine flies and bugs were something I had
3:57
not asked about and I did get bitten
3:59
quite a lot because I'd forgotten to
4:01
take bug spray with me also I had just
4:03
taken US Dollars which worked fine
4:05
everywhere though I had not taken lots
4:08
of small notes like one dollars and five
4:09
dollars which is what I needed most so
4:12
remember that moving on from the off
4:14
ship experience I found the onboard
4:16
experience was not one that I'd asked
4:19
enough about either
4:22
I chosen to go on Emerald trees because
4:24
I knew and I loved it from my experience
4:26
in Europe and I thought that familiarity
4:28
would be really really reassuring
4:30
however
4:31
what I didn't ask is if they were really
4:34
running the show I discovered they were
4:37
not by law they must be Egyptian owned
4:41
operated and only use Egyptian crew and
4:43
that's true of all of the river cruise
4:44
boats Emma waterways like other
4:46
well-known cruise lines are just
4:48
Partnerships with Egyptian companies my
4:51
cruise was much more a wing screws which
4:54
is their partner in Egypt running under
4:56
the kind of ammo waterways Banner of
4:59
course Amber waterways I could see they
5:01
had set certain standards they had some
5:04
requirements but it was not the usual
5:07
ammo waterways kind of experience that I
5:09
was used to and that was a bit of a
5:11
surprise to me the second aspect of the
5:13
cruise experience I should have asked
5:15
probably more about was about the ship
5:18
and the experience itself having been on
5:20
river cruises in Europe and Asia whilst
5:23
a lot of it wasn't as much as a surprise
5:25
to me as it was to others here's some of
5:28
the things that stood out ships on the
5:30
Nile are all pretty much the same as the
5:32
height is fixed to go into Bridges and
5:34
the width to get through the asthma
5:36
locks between Luxor and Aswan which you
5:39
sell between this limited size means of
5:42
course limited facilities the Abu Dahlia
5:45
for example had one main restaurant for
5:46
breakfast lunch and dinner they had an
5:48
Alfresco chef's table dining area open
5:51
only on certain nights when we were
5:53
sailing a lounge with bar for the
5:55
briefings the entertainment afternoon
5:57
tea relaxing a small Reception Area a
6:00
small Library a shop packed with jewelry
6:03
and souvenirs a fitness room a spa room
6:06
for hairdressing a massage a great Sun
6:08
Deck with a plunge pool and a bar there
6:10
was of course no Casino no medical
6:12
center and those kind of things I also
6:14
realized I'm not asked enough about the
6:17
food and beverage offerings on board
6:19
before going on amadalia breakfast was
6:22
largely a buffet with some items ordered
6:24
from a menu lunch was a buffet service
6:26
and dinner was totally a la carte the
6:29
menus were relatively tight with some
6:31
choice of start his main courses and
6:32
desserts the food was kind of a mixture
6:34
of international and Egyptian food it
6:37
was pretty good but not amazing but good
6:40
as I don't drink alcohol I not asked
6:43
about what was included and a found
6:45
drink has had a kind of a mixed view
6:47
around that Egyptian wines and beers
6:49
were included at lunch and dinner
6:51
there was the Emma waterways signature
6:53
Sip and sail hour every evening before
6:56
dinner at a pretty decent menu of
6:58
included drinks but only drinks and
7:00
Cocktails using Egyptian sourced Spirits
7:03
so if you wanted a kind of a more
7:04
International Spirits beers or wines you
7:07
would pay for those entertainment was
7:09
limited it was I thought
7:11
I felt touristy there was a belly dancer
7:13
one evening a tanura whirling dervish
7:15
dancer uh galabaya party where we're all
7:18
dressed up in traditional garb one thing
7:21
I did ask is what is and is not included
7:25
in the onboard experiences while build
7:26
as all-inclusive I always know that the
7:29
definition on any River Cruise Line
7:31
differs slightly line by line now on my
7:33
trip which included a land portion in
7:35
Cairo it included all the transfers
7:38
hotel stays in Cairo flights to and from
7:41
Luxor entry fees into all the sites
7:44
listed in the program the crews of
7:46
course food and drink that I've already
7:48
mentioned Wi-Fi and the services of a
7:50
cruise manager Walla and egyptologist
7:53
guides mine was called namim the extra
7:55
cost on my trip with the optional
7:57
excursions to abbison Bell an optional
7:59
afternoon tea at the old cataract hotel
8:01
and as one camera rides at Giza Pyramids
8:04
gratuities now gratuities are quite high
8:06
it's about 250 per person then of course
8:08
you know services like laundry and
8:10
spartnership would be next though I wish
8:13
that I had asked and checked much more
8:15
about the best cabin and location on the
8:18
ship this is a really really big one now
8:22
there are like all River Cruises a
8:23
limited range of cabin types the least
8:25
costly on the lowest deck most under the
8:27
wartime with a window about three
8:29
quarters of the way up the others on the
8:31
higher decks they have floor-to-ceiling
8:33
Windows and some of them had little
8:35
small kind of balconies however
8:38
location is what I found the most
8:42
important factor of all of these not the
8:46
cabin itself the nine is really busy
8:47
with at least 250 ships selling that
8:49
short distance between Luxo and Aswan
8:51
they talk almost every single night we
8:54
adopt six of the seven nights the ship
8:56
adopt side by side and also then in rows
9:00
along the bank so often there will be a
9:02
ship docked literally a few feet away
9:04
from your window blocking any of you and
9:06
I found off tonight to walk through
9:08
multiple ships on up to four to get to
9:10
the bank but the mistake I made was not
9:13
asking past Travelers about locations to
9:16
avoid my seemingly on paper anyway
9:18
perfect cabin close to the front of the
9:21
ship was a disaster later I found people
9:24
that said so on the ammo World trays fan
9:26
Facebook group so if I'd asked I would
9:28
have known that now Nile River Cruise
9:30
engines run 24 hours a day seven days a
9:33
week and they don't get plugged into
9:34
shoreside power when docked these are
9:36
noisy and fume pumping engines now as
9:39
the ships are docked in rows along the
9:41
bank it means the loud rear engines make
9:43
Caverns at the front of any ship dock
9:45
behind them like mine unbearable it
9:48
really was awful now what about the
9:51
safety side which so many people ask
9:54
about
9:56
I did find traveling in the bubble that
9:59
Emma waterways effectively created for
10:01
the trip meant I felt secure and safe it
10:04
started as soon as I arrived at the
10:06
airport because even before going
10:07
through immigration I was met like
10:10
everybody else by one of the team who
10:12
explained the whole process of going
10:13
through immigration and then onwards
10:15
there was always always always somewhere
10:18
with us in fact right up until I went
10:20
through final security at the airport to
10:22
fly home there was someone with us I
10:25
always was in a group there was always
10:28
the Emma waterways team there guiding
10:29
explaining smoothing the way watching
10:32
out for us and they also seemed to be
10:34
some additional security at places we
10:36
visited too because some familiar faces
10:39
kept sort of popping up as we traveled
10:41
around we were always by the way briefed
10:43
about what to do and what not to do and
10:46
how things would be and how they would
10:48
work and now groups egyptologist Namine
10:51
would even step in if the vendors got a
10:53
little bit too aggressive now this
10:55
bubble was also a real Plus for
10:58
travelers like for example a solo women
10:59
travel on the group and an LGBT couple
11:02
on the Strip because Egypt has a
11:04
reputation of some intolerance and
11:05
hassling of LGBT people and it insulated
11:09
everybody from you know any hassles from
11:11
the outside there was also a lot of
11:13
Egyptian security everywhere which was
11:15
reassuring armed and tourist police at
11:17
every site checkpoints and guards are
11:20
bounded we did have police escorts from
11:22
the airport in Luxor and in Kina north
11:25
of Luxor but nowhere else other people
11:27
have said they've had it more often
11:28
Egypt did feel although politics is way
11:31
more settled a little bit on edge and
11:34
you know kind of a little bit worried
11:36
about safety security and assume a risk
11:38
of things getting more intense really
11:39
quickly so being in that bubble with
11:41
local knowledge and guidance was I felt
11:44
key it definitely kind of made me feel
11:46
much more comfortable now this leads me
11:48
to the other question I get asked a lot
11:52
before going and while there I was a bit
11:55
obsessed
11:56
how do I make sure I don't get an upset
11:59
stomach that could ruin things quite a
12:01
few people on the trip by the way did
12:02
get an upset stomach but I did not
12:05
because I was constantly focusing on it
12:08
I used hand gel all the time including
12:10
after handing banknotes which I was
12:13
warned was a potential risk I drank
12:15
bottled water both on and off the ship
12:17
even using it to rinse my mouth and my
12:20
toothbrush when brushing my teeth I
12:22
didn't eat salad because that was
12:23
another risk I you know I heard that was
12:26
a risk I never had ice for example I
12:28
only had fruit that was peeled or
12:30
vegetables that were cooked another
12:31
question I found I should have been
12:33
asking was
12:35
if I did get an upset stomach what was
12:37
the best way of dealing with it and the
12:39
answer is ask for the local remedy
12:41
Imodium which is what I'd taken with me
12:43
according to people on the trip that had
12:45
upset stomach didn't really work I
12:48
wasn't that effective but a local remedy
12:49
offered by the ship at reception was and
12:53
worked a dream
12:54
so knowing these questions to ask one
12:56
I've learned more about the best and
12:58
worse things about cruising now about
12:59
watching this video starting with the
13:03
sites you need to absolutely ensure are
13:05
on your itinerary because they will make
13:07
or break your trip see you over there
Travel & Transportation
Cruises & Charters
Tourist Destinations
Adventure Travel
Historical Sites & Buildings