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
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