You often see on trip advisor new posts asking for advice on what is the most luxurious/best Nile Cruise and then the various replies list their favourites and reasons for it. In general the same boats appear and luckily ones offered by Atp Travel, Ms Farah and Ms Mayfair are most often included.
The truth is that it is impossible to say which is the best or most luxurious as most of the top end luxury boats are quite similar in a lot of ways and it can come down to style and décor as the deciding factor. Of course there are several Nile Cruise boats sold at large prices - Alexander the Great and Sanctuary Nile Adventurer - that would definitely fall into the top luxury Nile Cruise list. But for the extra money you would pay for these boats would it be worth it?
Most Nile Cruise boats are the same - length, width, height, have 1 restaurant, 1 large lounge bar, 1 sun deck bar and several shops/boutiques. The newer/luxury ones will sometimes have some form of spa area, a second smaller lounge/bar area and a second smaller lounge/quiet area. Also on the luxury Nile Cruises the décor will be of a much higher standard - some boats costs over $10,000,000 - the service standard much higher as well as the meals of which at least dinner will be a la carte.
However for all of this, is still worth paying possibly an extra £1000.00 per person for a weeks Nile Cruise? Of course some people will think its worth it or be convinced by a good sales person, but it definitely does not have to be the case.
At Atp Travel we believe in offering affordable priced luxury Nile Cruises and our clients during November have testified to this.
So if you are looking for a great value Luxury Nile Cruise on some of the newest and most luxurious boats on the Nile then please contact us at info@atptravel.co.uk or call on 0845 680 9261 for details.
Wednesday 5 December 2012
Tuesday 27 November 2012
December Nile Cruise deals
MS Farah - From £799.00 pp
Ms Mayfair - From £859.00 pp
RA II - From £649.00 pp
All of these prices include return flights from London Gatwick with 20 kgs of luggage, 7 Nights full board, standard sightseeing itinerary and all transfers in Egypt.
For more information please contact us on 0845 680 9261 or email us at info@atptravel.co.uk
Monday 12 November 2012
Nile Cruising - What Sites and Temples you see on a cruise
A Nile Cruise offers the opportunity to visit some of the most intact historical sites in the world. For over 5,000 years the world’s longest river has been the lifeblood of Egypt and a Nile Cruise on the Nile has to be among the world’s most exciting and romantic voyages.
In general most Nile Cruises run between Luxor and Aswan and back, with the majority of the sites being in Luxor and Aswan. Several cruises, the RA II being one of them, also sail north from Luxor to Abydos to visit the Temple of Dendera which then allows a whole days sailing back to Luxor which is surely one of the highlight of any Nile Cruise.
Dendera Temple
The Dendera Temple Complex is one of the best-preserved temple complexes in Egypt, and covers a huge area of over 40,000 sq. m. with the oldest building dating from 360-343BC. The site is believed to have been used as an area for chapels and shrines however since the beginning of Ancient Egypt with the most famous of all the sites in Dendera, the Temple of Hathor, being built in 1st century B.C. The site has recently gone through a large restoration process.
LUXOR
Valley of the Kings
The famous Valley of the Kings, located on the west bank opposite Luxor, is resting place to many of the great Pharaohs including Tutankhamen A place of great archaeological interest, the tombs and burial sites found here still offer research and intrigue, and excavations regularly find new pieces of history. The tombs here give an insight into Egyptian beliefs of the time, with perfect examples of mummification and of the material goods rulers were buried with still to be seen when exploring.
Colossi of Memnon
A very popular tourist photo stop, originally built over 3000 years ago to stand guard at the entrance to Pharaoh Amenhotep III’s memorial temple, these two giant statues of the pharaoh in a sitting position towering 60ft over visitors. The statues were actually built during Amenhotep’s lifetime, protecting the temple he had already built for himself.
Temple of Hatshepsut
The Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut is located at Deir el Bahari, and was built as a funerary Temple for one of Egypt’s most successful Pharaohs the great Queen Hatshepsut. The temple was also a dedication to the sun god Amon-Ra. On the middle terrace can be found a relief depicting the expedition sent by the pharaoh to trade goods with Punt (now known as Somalia), the first pictorial documentation of a trade excursion.
Karnak Temple
The Temple of Karnak was built over 2000 years ago and today is the second most visited historical site in Egypt, only behind the Great Pyramids at Giza. Part of the city of Thebes, it was built in dedication to the Theban Triad, Amun, Mut, and Khonsu. Karnak, and is the largest ancient religious site in the world. One of Karnak’s most famous features is the Hyposyle Hall, an area of over 50,000 sq. ft., and the biggest room in any religious building in the world.
Luxor Temple
Luxor Temple faces the Nile and was originally joined to Karnak Temple by an avenue of Sphinxes over 2 kms long and parallel with the riverbank. King Amenhotep III who reigned from 1390-53 BC built this beautiful temple and dedicated it to Amon-Re, king of the gods, his consort Mut, and their son Khons. This temple has been in almost continuous use as a place of worship right up to the present day. It was completed by Tutankhamen and Horemheb and added to by Ramses II
EDFU
Edu Temple
The temple of Edufu was dedicated the Falcon god Horus, and is yet another well preserved temple. Located north of Aswan the temple took over 180 years to build, being completed around 57 BC. The walls of the temple are covered in inscriptions that tell many stories, including how the temple was constructed.
KOM OMBO
Kom Ombo Temple
The Temple of Kom Ombo was built to honour the gods Horus and Sobek by Ptolemy VI, in 119BC. The temple became well known in Ancient Egypt for its healing powers, and became a sanctuary for many patients who would come to the temple to fast for a night. There are still many of the three-hundred original crocodile dummies which were made here in honour of Sobek, the crocodile god.
ASWAN
Philae Temple
Relocated from its original setting to an island in Lake Nasser due to the building of the Aswan Low Dam, The temple was built as a dedication to the goddess Isis during the 13th dynasty, and following the construction of the Aswan Low Dam spent half a century partly flooded. Following a campaign by UNESCO all the buildings on the island were painstakingly relocated to their current home of the island of Philae.
High Dam
Located just south of Aswan, the world famous High Dam was an engineering miracle when it was built in the 1960s. It contains 18 times the material used in the Great Pyramid of Cheops. The Dam is 11,811 feet long, 3215 feet thick at the base and and 364 feet tall. Today it provides irrigation and electricity for the whole of Egypt and is probably the most important site/place in the whole of Egypt
Unfinished Obelisk
The Unfinished Obelisk is situated in an ancient quarry in Aswan. Had it been finished, it would have been more than 40 metres long, and weighed 1,200 tons, making it the largest stone obelisk erected in ancient Egypt: almost one third longer than the nearest completed obelisk. However, during quarrying work on it a large crack developed which ruined the obelisk and it was abandoned.
ABU SIMBEL
Abu Simbel Temple
Situated on the banks of Lake Nasser, Abu Simbel Temple is a symbol of ancient and modern engineering genius. It was completely relocated to higher ground following the building of the Aswan High Dam in 1968. Originally built during the reign of Ramesses the Great, and dedicated to the gods Amun, Ra-Horakhty, and Ptah. The entrance to the Great Temple is an iconic site of Egypt, with four 20m statues of the pharaoh Rameses sitting either side of the doorway.
In general most Nile Cruises run between Luxor and Aswan and back, with the majority of the sites being in Luxor and Aswan. Several cruises, the RA II being one of them, also sail north from Luxor to Abydos to visit the Temple of Dendera which then allows a whole days sailing back to Luxor which is surely one of the highlight of any Nile Cruise.
Dendera Temple
The Dendera Temple Complex is one of the best-preserved temple complexes in Egypt, and covers a huge area of over 40,000 sq. m. with the oldest building dating from 360-343BC. The site is believed to have been used as an area for chapels and shrines however since the beginning of Ancient Egypt with the most famous of all the sites in Dendera, the Temple of Hathor, being built in 1st century B.C. The site has recently gone through a large restoration process.
LUXOR
Valley of the Kings
The famous Valley of the Kings, located on the west bank opposite Luxor, is resting place to many of the great Pharaohs including Tutankhamen A place of great archaeological interest, the tombs and burial sites found here still offer research and intrigue, and excavations regularly find new pieces of history. The tombs here give an insight into Egyptian beliefs of the time, with perfect examples of mummification and of the material goods rulers were buried with still to be seen when exploring.
Colossi of Memnon
A very popular tourist photo stop, originally built over 3000 years ago to stand guard at the entrance to Pharaoh Amenhotep III’s memorial temple, these two giant statues of the pharaoh in a sitting position towering 60ft over visitors. The statues were actually built during Amenhotep’s lifetime, protecting the temple he had already built for himself.
Temple of Hatshepsut
The Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut is located at Deir el Bahari, and was built as a funerary Temple for one of Egypt’s most successful Pharaohs the great Queen Hatshepsut. The temple was also a dedication to the sun god Amon-Ra. On the middle terrace can be found a relief depicting the expedition sent by the pharaoh to trade goods with Punt (now known as Somalia), the first pictorial documentation of a trade excursion.
Karnak Temple
The Temple of Karnak was built over 2000 years ago and today is the second most visited historical site in Egypt, only behind the Great Pyramids at Giza. Part of the city of Thebes, it was built in dedication to the Theban Triad, Amun, Mut, and Khonsu. Karnak, and is the largest ancient religious site in the world. One of Karnak’s most famous features is the Hyposyle Hall, an area of over 50,000 sq. ft., and the biggest room in any religious building in the world.
Luxor Temple
Luxor Temple faces the Nile and was originally joined to Karnak Temple by an avenue of Sphinxes over 2 kms long and parallel with the riverbank. King Amenhotep III who reigned from 1390-53 BC built this beautiful temple and dedicated it to Amon-Re, king of the gods, his consort Mut, and their son Khons. This temple has been in almost continuous use as a place of worship right up to the present day. It was completed by Tutankhamen and Horemheb and added to by Ramses II
EDFU
Edu Temple
The temple of Edufu was dedicated the Falcon god Horus, and is yet another well preserved temple. Located north of Aswan the temple took over 180 years to build, being completed around 57 BC. The walls of the temple are covered in inscriptions that tell many stories, including how the temple was constructed.
KOM OMBO
Kom Ombo Temple
The Temple of Kom Ombo was built to honour the gods Horus and Sobek by Ptolemy VI, in 119BC. The temple became well known in Ancient Egypt for its healing powers, and became a sanctuary for many patients who would come to the temple to fast for a night. There are still many of the three-hundred original crocodile dummies which were made here in honour of Sobek, the crocodile god.
ASWAN
Philae Temple
Relocated from its original setting to an island in Lake Nasser due to the building of the Aswan Low Dam, The temple was built as a dedication to the goddess Isis during the 13th dynasty, and following the construction of the Aswan Low Dam spent half a century partly flooded. Following a campaign by UNESCO all the buildings on the island were painstakingly relocated to their current home of the island of Philae.
High Dam
Located just south of Aswan, the world famous High Dam was an engineering miracle when it was built in the 1960s. It contains 18 times the material used in the Great Pyramid of Cheops. The Dam is 11,811 feet long, 3215 feet thick at the base and and 364 feet tall. Today it provides irrigation and electricity for the whole of Egypt and is probably the most important site/place in the whole of Egypt
Unfinished Obelisk
The Unfinished Obelisk is situated in an ancient quarry in Aswan. Had it been finished, it would have been more than 40 metres long, and weighed 1,200 tons, making it the largest stone obelisk erected in ancient Egypt: almost one third longer than the nearest completed obelisk. However, during quarrying work on it a large crack developed which ruined the obelisk and it was abandoned.
ABU SIMBEL
Abu Simbel Temple
Situated on the banks of Lake Nasser, Abu Simbel Temple is a symbol of ancient and modern engineering genius. It was completely relocated to higher ground following the building of the Aswan High Dam in 1968. Originally built during the reign of Ramesses the Great, and dedicated to the gods Amun, Ra-Horakhty, and Ptah. The entrance to the Great Temple is an iconic site of Egypt, with four 20m statues of the pharaoh Rameses sitting either side of the doorway.
Monday 5 November 2012
Is Egypt safe for tourists
The FCO website upgraded its travel advice for Egypt last Friday which has naturally led to a lot of tourists and prospective tourists asking if Egypt is a safe place to travel to.
Although the actual update was specific to certain parts of Sinai (Northern) which nearly all tourists will not go to or need to go to, unfortunately given past events in Egypt over the last couple of years and also elsewhere in the Middle East, any change in the advice is not good for Egypt.
The debates on trip advisor have raged on with the usual, "it wont change my plans" as well as some suggesting that they would not go on holidays already booked.
In the world we live in, with all its various threats means that the FCO is duty bound to issue changes and upgrades when it receives information of a possible new threat. However if you look at the advice for virtually any country, the terms general or high threat of terrorism appear (France, Germany and Spain were three that I checked).
So what to do? although there have been several past attacks on tourists, Egypt is generally a very safe place and whilst there is no guarantee of anything, I don't think that anyone travelling to any tourist resort should be worried by the new advice.
If however anyone does need any further information then please do not hesitate to contact me on 0845 680 9261 or email me at info@atptravel.co.ukinfo@atptravel.co.uk
Although the actual update was specific to certain parts of Sinai (Northern) which nearly all tourists will not go to or need to go to, unfortunately given past events in Egypt over the last couple of years and also elsewhere in the Middle East, any change in the advice is not good for Egypt.
The debates on trip advisor have raged on with the usual, "it wont change my plans" as well as some suggesting that they would not go on holidays already booked.
In the world we live in, with all its various threats means that the FCO is duty bound to issue changes and upgrades when it receives information of a possible new threat. However if you look at the advice for virtually any country, the terms general or high threat of terrorism appear (France, Germany and Spain were three that I checked).
So what to do? although there have been several past attacks on tourists, Egypt is generally a very safe place and whilst there is no guarantee of anything, I don't think that anyone travelling to any tourist resort should be worried by the new advice.
If however anyone does need any further information then please do not hesitate to contact me on 0845 680 9261 or email me at info@atptravel.co.ukinfo@atptravel.co.uk
Monday 29 October 2012
November Nile Cruise deals
There are some great late Nile Cruise deals for November 2012. As winter sets in what could be better than cruising along the Nile enjoying temperatures still in their 80s with some fantastic sightseeing as well.
Atp Travel have some fantastic offers on some of the newest and most popular boats on the Nile:
Ms Farah luxury Nile Cruise from £849.00 pp
Nile Festival All Inclusive from £779.00 pp
RA II Nile Cruise from £699.00 pp
All of these offers include the following:
Return flights with luggage
7 Nights full board or all inclusive
Sightseeing itinerary
All transfers
So if some winter sun appeals then please contact us on 0845 680 9261 or email at info@atptravel.co.uk
Atp Travel have some fantastic offers on some of the newest and most popular boats on the Nile:
Ms Farah luxury Nile Cruise from £849.00 pp
Nile Festival All Inclusive from £779.00 pp
RA II Nile Cruise from £699.00 pp
All of these offers include the following:
Return flights with luggage
7 Nights full board or all inclusive
Sightseeing itinerary
All transfers
So if some winter sun appeals then please contact us on 0845 680 9261 or email at info@atptravel.co.uk
Monday 22 October 2012
Nile Cruises - Having your boat changed at the last moment or on arrival
Over the weekend with the weather changing and having the children to look after I found my myself with some time on my hands so went through some of the many posts on trip advisor on the Nile River Valley Forum to see what contributors were saying, advising, complaining or asking about.
One of the reoccurring themes was the number of passengers who had their Nile Cruise boat changed at the last minute, and in some cases were not informed until they arrived into Luxor. The reason for this is that simply not enough tourists are travelling to Luxor and so although the Nile Cruise companies want to operate their boats, if they do not get the minimum number before the cut off date for the respective sailing they will cancel the sailing. This then means that that the travel company or tour operator has to find another boat which is some cases may not be of the same standard.
At Atp Travel we do not operate this policy unless there is no other choice. We ensure that the Nile Cruise boat the clients booked is the one that they travel on. We have had clients on the Ms Farah where the total number of passengers was less than 10. There is nothing worse than planning a holiday having spent time choosing a boat only for it to be changed.
We have however had 4 clients who were booked on our Creative Dahabeya this week that we had to move to a different Dahabeya as the Creative one was not sailing. Rather than downgrade or risk any issues we upgraded them to the Sonesta Dahabeya Amirat.
So the moral of this one is if you book with Atp Travel you wont be disappointed with your Nile Cruise holiday as you will be on the one you booked.
For more information please contact us on 0845 680 9261 or email us at info@atptravel.co.uk
One of the reoccurring themes was the number of passengers who had their Nile Cruise boat changed at the last minute, and in some cases were not informed until they arrived into Luxor. The reason for this is that simply not enough tourists are travelling to Luxor and so although the Nile Cruise companies want to operate their boats, if they do not get the minimum number before the cut off date for the respective sailing they will cancel the sailing. This then means that that the travel company or tour operator has to find another boat which is some cases may not be of the same standard.
At Atp Travel we do not operate this policy unless there is no other choice. We ensure that the Nile Cruise boat the clients booked is the one that they travel on. We have had clients on the Ms Farah where the total number of passengers was less than 10. There is nothing worse than planning a holiday having spent time choosing a boat only for it to be changed.
We have however had 4 clients who were booked on our Creative Dahabeya this week that we had to move to a different Dahabeya as the Creative one was not sailing. Rather than downgrade or risk any issues we upgraded them to the Sonesta Dahabeya Amirat.
So the moral of this one is if you book with Atp Travel you wont be disappointed with your Nile Cruise holiday as you will be on the one you booked.
For more information please contact us on 0845 680 9261 or email us at info@atptravel.co.uk
Monday 15 October 2012
Sonesta Nile Goddess Luxury Nile Cruise deal
If you are looking for a luxury Nile Cruise deal in November 2012 then Atp Travel have some great offers on the Sonesta Nile Goddess.
Probably the most famous name on the Nile the Sonesta Nile Cruise boats are a byword for luxury and Atp Travel can offer the Sonesta Nile Goddess boat from just £949.00 pp based on selected departures in November. The price includes return flights from London Gatwick with luggage, transfers, full board and sightseeing which can be arranged as private.
This is a massive reduction on the normal price offered by other companies such as Holiday Place or Mosaic Holidays and shows it is possible to enjoy a true luxury Nile Cruise without it costing a fortune.
As well as the Sonesta Nile Goddess we have deals on the Ms Farah for November with prices starting from £899.00pp
For more information please contact us on 0845 680 9261 or email us at info@atptravel.co.uk
Probably the most famous name on the Nile the Sonesta Nile Cruise boats are a byword for luxury and Atp Travel can offer the Sonesta Nile Goddess boat from just £949.00 pp based on selected departures in November. The price includes return flights from London Gatwick with luggage, transfers, full board and sightseeing which can be arranged as private.
This is a massive reduction on the normal price offered by other companies such as Holiday Place or Mosaic Holidays and shows it is possible to enjoy a true luxury Nile Cruise without it costing a fortune.
As well as the Sonesta Nile Goddess we have deals on the Ms Farah for November with prices starting from £899.00pp
For more information please contact us on 0845 680 9261 or email us at info@atptravel.co.uk
Tuesday 9 October 2012
Luxury Nile Cruises
As the winter Nile Cruise season starts we are seeing a rise in demand for Luxury Nile Cruises. These boats are generally the same size as those of lower standards but are normally much newer, have superior facilities a higher level of service and also of cuisine.
One question we get asked frequently is whether the extra cost is justified against other boats and if a Luxury Nile Cruise offers value for money. Although not an easy question to answer part of our reply will always include the statement "what you pay is what you get" and we explain this by saying that it is possible to have a great Nile Cruise holiday on a 5* or 5* superior boat but as these boats tend to be older and are being sold at a lower price there are other factors that can have an effect.
On Nile Cruises of a lower standard or price, the quality of the food and standard of the cabin is generally not as good. For the food this can mean a lot of repetition of meals, less choice and lower quality. For the cabins, these may not have as many facilities, the windows may not open and they may also be alot smaller. Also where boats are sold at a much lower price there is more of a tendency to push sales and other extra revenue making opportunities which can have an adverse effect on the holiday.
The modern Luxury Nile Cruise boats are truly floating hotels and offer an oasis to return to after a long but enjoyable days sightseeing.
Cabins are of a generous size and all will have fully opening windows to enjoy the Nile floating by. Bathrooms will be equipped with showers and bathtubs and finished to a very high standard. The lounge bars and public areas will provide a very relaxing and comfortably area to enjoy a drink or just to relax. The restaurants will serve a superb choice of meals and most will now serve dinner as a la carte. The sun decks will offer sumptuous day beds and relaxed sofas to soak up the sun. Many now also offer spa and health facilities.
Atp Travel Ltd feature 3 of the newest and most luxurious boats on the Nile, Ms Farah, Ms Mayfair, Ms Esplanade as well as the Luxury Creative Dahabeyas.
Prices start from just £899.00 pp and include return flights, 7 nights full board, transfers and sightseeing itinerary.
For more information please contact us on 0845 680 9261 or email us at info@atptravel.co.uk
One question we get asked frequently is whether the extra cost is justified against other boats and if a Luxury Nile Cruise offers value for money. Although not an easy question to answer part of our reply will always include the statement "what you pay is what you get" and we explain this by saying that it is possible to have a great Nile Cruise holiday on a 5* or 5* superior boat but as these boats tend to be older and are being sold at a lower price there are other factors that can have an effect.
On Nile Cruises of a lower standard or price, the quality of the food and standard of the cabin is generally not as good. For the food this can mean a lot of repetition of meals, less choice and lower quality. For the cabins, these may not have as many facilities, the windows may not open and they may also be alot smaller. Also where boats are sold at a much lower price there is more of a tendency to push sales and other extra revenue making opportunities which can have an adverse effect on the holiday.
The modern Luxury Nile Cruise boats are truly floating hotels and offer an oasis to return to after a long but enjoyable days sightseeing.
Cabins are of a generous size and all will have fully opening windows to enjoy the Nile floating by. Bathrooms will be equipped with showers and bathtubs and finished to a very high standard. The lounge bars and public areas will provide a very relaxing and comfortably area to enjoy a drink or just to relax. The restaurants will serve a superb choice of meals and most will now serve dinner as a la carte. The sun decks will offer sumptuous day beds and relaxed sofas to soak up the sun. Many now also offer spa and health facilities.
Atp Travel Ltd feature 3 of the newest and most luxurious boats on the Nile, Ms Farah, Ms Mayfair, Ms Esplanade as well as the Luxury Creative Dahabeyas.
Prices start from just £899.00 pp and include return flights, 7 nights full board, transfers and sightseeing itinerary.
For more information please contact us on 0845 680 9261 or email us at info@atptravel.co.uk
Monday 1 October 2012
New Year Luxury Nile Cruises
A Luxury Nile Cruise over the new year period is now available from just £1099.00 per person departing from Gatwick for 7 nights on the 31st December.
Prices on the luxurious Ms Farah have been discounted by 25% for all new bookings from now until the 15th November which is a fantastic saving. The price (which is subject to availability) includes return flights, 7 nights full board, all transfers and the sightseeing itinerary.
Among the sightseeing itinerary are visits to the Valley of the Kings, Luxor and the world famous Karnak Temples as well as the spectacular Temple of Philae in Aswan and a relaxing felucca cruise along the Nile in Aswan.
For more information please contact us on 0845 680 9261 or email us at info@atptravel.co.uk
Prices on the luxurious Ms Farah have been discounted by 25% for all new bookings from now until the 15th November which is a fantastic saving. The price (which is subject to availability) includes return flights, 7 nights full board, all transfers and the sightseeing itinerary.
Among the sightseeing itinerary are visits to the Valley of the Kings, Luxor and the world famous Karnak Temples as well as the spectacular Temple of Philae in Aswan and a relaxing felucca cruise along the Nile in Aswan.
For more information please contact us on 0845 680 9261 or email us at info@atptravel.co.uk
Tuesday 25 September 2012
Nile Cruise winter deals.
Its fair to say that the Nile Cruise industry has not really recovered following the events of January 2011 with flight prices and the lack of flights not helping.
However as the flights have returned so have some great Nile Cruise deals if you are looking for a winter break with guaranteed sun and great sightseeing included.
Currently we have deals on the Domina Prestige for December starting from £599.00 pp including flights, transfers, full board and sightseeing with the all inclusive supplement at an extra £105.00 pp.
Our Luxury Nile Cruise boats are also available from just £859.00 for departures on the 3rd December and this includes flights, transfers, full board and sightseeing as well.
We also have the UK favourite RA II available at £499.00 including flights, full board and transfers which is a great deal, with its private mooring and extra sailing excursion to Dendera.
For further details contact us at info@atptravel.co.uk or on 0845 680 9261
However as the flights have returned so have some great Nile Cruise deals if you are looking for a winter break with guaranteed sun and great sightseeing included.
Currently we have deals on the Domina Prestige for December starting from £599.00 pp including flights, transfers, full board and sightseeing with the all inclusive supplement at an extra £105.00 pp.
Our Luxury Nile Cruise boats are also available from just £859.00 for departures on the 3rd December and this includes flights, transfers, full board and sightseeing as well.
We also have the UK favourite RA II available at £499.00 including flights, full board and transfers which is a great deal, with its private mooring and extra sailing excursion to Dendera.
For further details contact us at info@atptravel.co.uk or on 0845 680 9261
Friday 21 September 2012
Atp Travel All Inclusive Nile Cruises
For this winter Atp Travel will be featuring several All Inclusive Nile Cruise boats offering great value for your Nile Cruise holiday.
From just £649.00 pp on selected departures, guests can enjoy 7 Nights on a 5* Superior boat on an All Inclusive basis and the sightseeing itinerary plus transfers.
Our featured boats will be the very popular Domina Prestige and the Nile Festival both of which offer superior levels of accommodation and a host of facilities which will make your Nile Holiday experience even more memorable.
Excursions on these Nile Cruise boats include the Temples of Luxor, Karnack, Horus, Sobek, Philae and Queen Hatshepsut, the Colossi of Memnon, the Valley of the Kings, the Aswan High Dam and a Felucca cruise along the Nile in Aswan.
If a Nile Cruise holiday is something you have wanted to take and you want great value for your money, then one of our All Inclusive Nile Cruise boats could be what you are looking for.
For further details contact us at info@atptravel.co.uk or on 0845 680 9261
Tuesday 18 September 2012
Atp Travel and Holiday Elite
Having been off the radar for the summer season Atp Travel are now back and working under the banner of Holiday Elite offering an even better Egypt Holiday experience and in the current climate of collapsing companies such as Express Bookers, total financial security.
With more of an emphasis on Luxury Nile Cruises we have a great range of boats to meet the demands of the UK market which is still in a recovery stage following the events of 2011.
All of our Nile Cruise and Classical tour holidays are individually put together to give our clients the best value and service standard available. We offer impartial advice on any aspect of you holiday, and with over 25 years in the Egyptian travel industry, we certainly know Egypt.
To book or for more information, contact Andrew at Atp Travel 0845 680 9261.
Tuesday 15 May 2012
NEW Aswan to Cairo long cruise
After more than 15 years the long Nile river cruise is back. One of the newest and most luxurious boats on the Nile, the Ms Farah, will be operating a very special 15 day program from Cairo to Aswan and back to Cairo departing on the 30th August 2012.
With guest of honour Dr. Zahi Hawas this special sailing is an event surely not to be missed as you follow in the footsteps of the Pharoahs and sail at a leisurely pace between Aswan in the south and Cairo in the north. Stopping to visit some of Egypt's finest ancient tombs and temples along the way, a dramatic landscape unchanged for a thousand years unfolds before your eyes, the long Nile river cruise allows you to discover the magnificent ancient sites along the Nile.
Atp Travel offers you the chance to enjoy this unforgettable experience in five-star luxury, aboard one of the finest boats on the Nile.
The program includes:
-3 nights accommodation in Cairo
(2 nights in Mena House Oberoi)
-11 nights accommodation on board of M/S Farah
- meals as per program
-all hotels and cruise taxes, service charges and governmental sales taxes
-all transfers on private air conditioned luxury coaches
-assistance at the airport and during the trip
-Licensed Egyptologist English speaking/spiritual guide
-entrance fees to all mentioned sites in the program
-farewell dinner
-tipping throughout the trip
Return UK flights on Egyptair
With prices starting from £1899.00 this is a fantastic opportunity not to be missed
Tuesday 21 February 2012
Luxor summer flights from the UK
The summer season in Luxor for Nile Cruises as well as hotels has been dealt a bad blow with the cancellation of both the Monday flights from Gatwick on Easy Jet and Monarch.
Flights from other regional airports such as Manchester and Birmingham had already cut but these new cancellations will leave only the EgyptAir flight from Heathrow on a monday as well as the Thomson flights from Gatwick and Manchester on wednesdays.
This is obviously going to put more strain on the Nile Cruise market which is struggling to recover from the problems of 2011 but is a sign of the lack of faith the airlines have in Luxor.
Fingers crossed for the winter season.
Monday 6 February 2012
Trip Advisor
Last weeks censure of Trip Advisor by Britain's advertising watchdog brought back the argument about how much reviews on the site are genuine.
As someone who spends sometime going over the reviews for Nile Cruises and hotels in Egypt on the site this is a subject close to my heart. I use to tell clients "would you believe anything a stranger advised you if he walked up to you in the street?" but at the same time if a prospective client sees a good or several good reviews on a holiday he was interested in, it is most likely to have an effect on whether he books or not.
As a tour operator/travel agent, the rules on what I can and cant do on Trip Advisor are quite tough but pretty much boil down to no advertising or soliciting of your own products, which is quite fair but of course companies and organisations will always look at ways to get around this, hence bogus reviews etc, and the problem is there no way that Trip Advisor can check everyone that posts a review. I ask my own clients who have sent me a good feedback if they wouldn't mind putting this on Trip Advisor but for some reason most do not, why I don't know.
The forums for each destination are in some ways now a better way to glean information/ideas about a prospective holiday. Most seem to have their own "destination experts" - who in Trip Advisor's own words - are the backbone of the TripAdvisor community. They are regular contributors who exemplify the best of our forums - and their level of knowledge is generally high normally because they visit their destination so often or have lived or live there.
That said, in the case of Egypt, when some of the posted questions/comments are as follows, you wonder why they would want to reply:
What side of the plane to sit on?
Are Jeans ok in Soho Square?
However recently with the latest problems in Egypt including the deaths and riots at the football match at Port Said and the kidnapping of 2 American tourists last week and other smaller issues it seems that both Trip Advisor and some of the destination experts are having some problems.
Whilst it is completely understandable that many people going to Egypt want to find out information about whether it is safe to visit at the moment etc, Trip Advisor has closed some topics and removed a number of posts on this subject that "did not meet their guidelines". Several had a number of comments, many from destination experts where they had slightly descended into arguments about who could say what which is unfortunately always going to be the case where you have "experts" offering their own comments, but still they were talking about the safety issue.
The overall feeling is that Trip Advisor seems to be getting much tougher on what it will allow anyone to say even if it can effect their safety as opposed to asking "if jeans are ok?" which cannot be good. If they carry on like this it could start to affect how many people want to carry on contributing as destination experts or even posting questions if they feel that Trip Advisor will censure them.
Thursday 26 January 2012
UK Charter flights to Luxor cancelled for Summer 2012
The UK Nile Cruise market seems to have been dealt a huge blow for summer 2012 with the cancellation of both Monday flights from London Gatwick.
Currently the last available Monday outbound flights on both Monarch and Easy Jet is the 23rd April though Easy jets Wednesday service continues till the 20th June.
This will then leave only Egypt Airs flight from London Heathrow as the only direct service to Luxor on the day when most of the UK Nile Cruises start their service.
It seems the reason for the cancellations is pure commerce, ie the flights were not selling sufficiently well to make the route profitable and with the Egyptian Tourism board seemingly not in a position to offer any support this will create further problems for a market still struggling to recover after the events of 2012.
Thomson's Wednesday flights from both London Gatwick and Manchester will still be operating but with most of the UK Boats, The RA II being one of the exceptions, operating a schedule where they have already sailed from Luxor it remains to be seems what this will mean and how it will effect tourists who have already booked a Nile Cruise holiday.
Monday 23 January 2012
Jordan and Turkey Holidays
As well as our Egypt programs, for 2012 we will be selling a selection of quality holidays to Jordan and Turkey from weekend breaks to extended classical tours with the same quality and service that we offer for Egypt.
Our Istanbul weekend starts at just £459.00 pp and our Jordan weekend from just £599.00 pp based on 2 people with private sightseeing included at not extra charge.
We also have a selection of extended tours that showcase each of these beautiful and fascinating countries from 4 to 8 nights and all at very very competitive prices. So if you are looking for something different this year why not Jordan or Turkey??
Wednesday 11 January 2012
Cairo-Aswan Super Cruise
Several Nile Cruise companies are planning to restart the Cairo-Aswan "long Nile cruise" which previously operated between Cairo and Aswan and vice versa.
The planned restart after 16 years is hoped to give tourism to Upper Egypt a boost as the Cruise had previously been a very popular way to see many of Egypt's fantastic historical treasures. The cruise was stopped for a number of reason but chiefly due to lower water levels as well as a lack of good docks for the boats.
Only a small number of Nile Cruises companies will have the license to operate this service and most are building new purpose built luxury boats to cater for demand. In most cases the boats will be smaller but with larger cabins and more top end amenities such as spa and aromatherapy facilities, fitness centres and al a carte dinning.
The planned start is March 2012 and here at Atp Travel we will be offering several boats to our customers. This certainly is an exciting new development for Egyptian tourism.
Tuesday 3 January 2012
2012 Nile Cruises
Good morning and a happy new year to one and all, though on day like to day there really is nothing much good about it !!!January is never really a good month for most people what with the post christmas blues, the bad weather and the bills to pay for all the presents bought. So I thought a few photos of our Luxury Nile Cruise boats showing warm and sunny Egypt seemed like a good idea.
January is a great time to visit Egypt, the weather is not too hot and in general the tourist sites are quieter than most other months and at the moment there are some great deals on flights from both Gatwick and Manchester. So if you fancy escaping the cold English winter why not enjoy a luxury Nile Cruise.
Again a very happy new year to you all.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)