Legends
of the Greek Isles and the Nile
A Grand 14 day Mediterranean Tout : Greek cruise
and a Nile Cruise
Compare
with the 14 day version adding
Athens tour.
Compare wit the 16 day Santorini
Version , or a foray into
Istanbul .
Tour
starts weekly in Athens on : Sundays , March through November . You
may add extra days pre or post .
Among the most treasured memories of many travellers are a cruise
to the Greek Isles and a journey on a Nile steamer. You'll experience
both, along with the high points of Classical Greece, on this tour.
Compare
with Touring Greece by land rather than by cruise - 15 day Edition
.
Grand
Tour ATHENS, ISTANBUL & NILE CRUISE
Compare with Egypt & Israel version
. Compare
with the Santorini edition
DAY
1 - USA/CAIRO Saturday - Weekly : Mar - Nov
JFK Passengers : We take off from New York's John F. Kennedy
International Airport, bound for Athens ,
For west coast passengers : you need not to fly thru JFK, usually we
will use Lufthansa, or British or Air France etc, so you fly non-stop
to Europa then a short flight to Cairo .
Air fare add-on : For Boston, Chicago, Miami, Orlando Houston : $300.
Most West Coast cities : SFO, LAX, SEA, SAN , PDX $ 350
This
tour is available without air fare : If you choose to make your own
arrangements for international airfare, please deduct $600 per person
from the rates. We do welcome bookings from all over the world.
DAY
2 - ATHENS Sundays - Weekly in Athens - All transfers in Athens and
Egypt are on a private basis. In Athens : Our local personnel meets
you at the airport and escorts you to your hotel. Athens is yours and
you may wish to cover on your own the high points of the city.
DAY
3- CRUISE TO MYKONOS- Monday (BLD)
Our staff will escort you to Piraeus, the port of Athens, where
you'll embark on your three-day cruise to the Greek Isles. You'll sail
into the Aegean, and by sunset, reach the jet-set isle of Mykonos. Stroll
at your own pace along lanes lined with whitewashed houses, up to the
Church of Paraportiani, or along the shore to the island's signature
windmills. Enjoy an ouzo or a glass of retsina at a waterside cafe.
Re-embark for a nighttime sailing.
DAY 4 - RHODES- Tuesday (BLD)
Our cruise ship arrives early at the harbor, allowing a full day
on the Island of Roses. The compact, cobbled medieval city is perfect
for exploring on your own. You'll want to visit the Palace of the Knights
of St. John, take a look at the wares in the boutiques, and spend some
time in a seaside cafe.
Or discover a hill-fringed beach a short walk or taxi ride from town.
We also offer an optional excursion to the Acropolis of Lindos and the
Valley of the Butterflies. Spend a restful night on board as we sail
to our next destination.
DAY
5 - KUSADASI (Turkey), PATMOS - Wednesday (BLD)
We anchor at 7 a.m. in Kusadasi, on the Turkish mainland, gateway
to ancient Ephesus. Stroll the streets and stop in at shops filled with
leather goods and bargains in gold. Our optional tour takes you to Ephesus,
one of the best-preserved archaeological sites in the world. You'll
reboard in time for an afternoon sailing. In the late afternoon, your
ship will call at the island of Patmos. Here you can visit the Monastery
of St. John where the Book of Revelations was written.
DAY
6 - HERAKLION (CRETE), SANTORINI - Thursday (BLD)
We drop anchor in the port of Heraklion at 7 a.m. You can explore
the old Venetian section of town on your own, or take an optional excursion
to the 5000-year-old Minoan Palace at Knossos and the archaeological
museum. We sail at midday. In a few hours, we'll reach Santorini, where
the lost civilization of Atlantis flourished. Enjoy outdoor cafes and
wander the lanes of Thira, lined with craft and clothing shops and bakeries
and cafes. Ride the funicular to the cliff top, or be adventurous, and
do it on mule-back! Either way, you'll be rewarded with a spectacular
sunset over the Aegean.
DAY
7 - ATHENS, CAIRO- Friday (B)
You'll sail into Piraeus early in the morning. Our Athens-based
personnel will take you to the airport to catch your flight for Cairo,(
air ticket is included in economy class with tax) where our local staff
whisks you through the excitement and hubbub of the terminal, and onward
through the desert to your hotel .
Visa fee is included, issued upon arrival for EU , American, Japanese
and Australian , NZ citizens, passports must be valid for at least 6
month beyond the date of arrival. You are responsible for your passport
being valid & in order.
Visa
will be issued upon arrival.
As you exit the gate, you will pass through a door or two , down some
stairs , then walk for 2-5 minutes , until you pass the duty free shops,
at the end of a wide corridor , you will see the security officers.
There you will be met by a local representative, who will be holding
a sign with the name you prefer to use for the sign .
Our local representative will then take your passport to obtain a stamp
from the cashier / bank window and escort you to speak with the passport
officer. He will escort you through another last check on your passport
as you exit the passport control, into customs area, he will assist
you in collecting your luggage and clearing customs . After exiting
the terminal, our local representative will escort you (private vehicle)
to the hotel
DAY
8 - CAIRO- Saturday (BLD)
Today, you'll explore the wonders of the Egyptian Museum, with its
treasures of the ancient pharaohs: mummies, statuary, precious stones
and metals. Travellers have long come to Cairo just to gaze on these
sights, but your day has just started. You'll also see the Citadel of
Saladin and the alabaster mosque of Mohammed Ali. In Giza, on the edge
of the desert, you'll gaze in awe at the mysterious Sphinx and the Pyramids,
for those interested a complimentary ticket is included for entry to
the King's chamber inside the Pyramid, you must be physically fit to
be able to climb.
DAY
9 - ASWAN - Sunday (BLD)
Our Cairo personnel will escort you to the airport to board your
flight to Aswan in Upper Egypt. You'll arrive in time to take lunch
aboard your Nile cruiser. We'll have the opportunity to experience Egypt
at its most authentic, as we sail the Nile in a graceful felucca. If
you wish, try your hand at camel riding! We'll take a traditional caravan
to enjoy tea with Nubian villagers.
DAY
10 - ASWAN, KOM OMBO - Monday (BLD)
After breakfast on board, we'll visit the dams at Aswan,
including the High Dam, a modern wonder in this ancient land. At the
ancient granite quarry, we'll see an obelisk left unfinished, then board
a launch on Lake Nasser to visit the Temples of Philae, rescued from
rising waters. Back aboard our cruiser, we'll sail northward down the
Nile at a stately pace, disembarking for a visit to Kom Ombo, the twin
temple dedicated to the crocodile river god, Sobek.
DAY
11 - EDFU, ESNA - Tuesday (BLD)
Horse-drawn carriages or vans meet us at riverside to take us through
Edfu to the Temple of Horus, best-preserved in all of Egypt. Later,
we'll cruise to Esna, and by evening, we'll be in fabled Luxor.
DAY
12 - LUXOR- Wednesday (BLD)
We'll cross the Nile to view an array of ancient splendors: the
tomb chambers of the Valley of the Kings; the imposing tomb-temple of
Queen Hatshepsut in the Valley of the Queens; and, on the way back to
the ferry landing, the Colossi of Memnon.
DAY
13 - LUXOR, CAIRO - Home Hosted Family Dinner - Thursday
(B)
We'll visit the imposing Great Temple of Amon at Karnak and the
great Temple of Luxor before heading to the airport to catch our flight
to Cairo. After we settle you into your hotel, you'll have your last
opportunity to experience the excitement of this great city and, of
course, do some last-minute shopping. This
evening we'll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread . . . right
into the homes of some of the people of Istanbul! You'll be invited
to a family dinner, and while you enjoy wholesome home-cooked specialties,
you'll learn about and appreciate the outlook, aspirations, and way
of life of your hosts. Be assured, as curious as you may be about your
new friends, they're sure to have questions about your own background.
Once the ice is broken, you'll enjoy a lively evening, and find that
you have more in common than you ever suspected. Of course, you may
enjoy a quiet evening with your travel companions, by letting us know
your preferences.
DAY
14 - RETURN HOME - Friday (B)
Our
Cairo-based staff escorts you to the airport for your flight home. Bon
Voyage.
-
Cruise itinerary may vary according to ship and line available at
the time you book
- RATES
per person in double occupancy in US$:
- Rates
based on Greek & Nile cruise in an outside standard cabin with two
lower beds.
Rate
per person from JFK, in USD $
Louise Cruise Lines in Greece or the Aegean I
| Tourist
Class Hotel |
Superior
First Class |
Deluxe
Hotel |
| US$
4720.00 |
US$
4990.00 |
US$
5390.00 |
Regardless of the category /rate you choose
your cabin will always be an outside cabin with 2 lower beds.
AIRFARE
NOTES
-
Our
airline partners for departures from New York are British Airways,
Lufthansa, Swiss International
For
Boston, Chicago , DC : Please add:$300 , for Miami, Orlando ,
Houston : $350.
Most West Coast cities : $ 350
In addition, for any departures from May 1 through Sep 3,
please add $250 high-season airfare surcharge to the rates shown
above. This air fare supplement doesn't apply when you
handle your own airfare.
-
If
you choose to make your own arrangements for international airfare,
please deduct $600 per person from the rates.
Rate
includes:
- Lonely
Planet travel guides to Greece and Egypt .
- International
air fare JFK Athens and Cairo JFK , tax included
- 3-day
cruise to Greek Isles and Turkey, including meals. Royal Olympic Cruises,
or Golden Sun, we'll confirm the specific ship before you send us
your deposit.
- 5-day
Nile cruise, including all meals , afternoon tea served on deck daily
, and shore excursions.
- One
large bottled water per person delivered to your cabin daily while
you are on board the Nile Cruise . Plus a small bottle of water with
each & every meal on board the cruise
- Tea
or coffle and water with each & every meal while you are on board
the Nile cruise.
- Complimentary
welcome drink upon arrival on board the Nile Cruise.
- Complimentary
welcome fruit basket on board the Nile Cruise.
- Hotel
accommodation as mentioned in Athens and Cairo, including tax and
service charges, and breakfast daily.
- Meals
as indicated, with preset menu (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner).
-
Airport greeting and assistance. Transportation between airports,
hotels, and port.
-
One-way air transportation from Athens to Cairo in Y class .
- Port
taxes.
-
Domestic air transportation in Egypt in economy class.
- Egyptian
visa fee, available only for American, Canadian, EU , Mexican & Japanese
citizens. Must have a valid passport. Issued upon arrival at Cairo
airport.
Not
Included:
- Trip
interruption and cancellation insurance (please ask your own local
insurance agent ).
- Shore
excursions from Greek cruise ships (Please note that the Egyptian
Nile Cruise does include all shore excursions as part of our service
s& rate).
- Additional
personal expenses, beverages, and meals not specifically mentioned
in the itinerary .
Compare
with Jordan & Israel Version
or the Grand
Tour of Athens ,Istanbul & a NILE CRUISE
BIBLICAL
ODYSSEY: EGYPT,
JORDAN & ISRAEL
Cairo, Luxor, Petra, Amman, Jerusalem, and four days by the Red Sea
at Sharm el Sheik-
Weekly on Saturdays. All in 11 days
Christmas,
New Year's & Easter weeks, please add %20 supplement to the rate.
Deluxe
Nile Cruises : Monaco , Monte Carlo , Mojito , Beau Soleil
, Florence. Adonis or similar
First Class : Nile Dream ,Lady Diana , Ruby or Similar
Upgrade
to the Ultra Deluxe Nile Cruises: Movenpick
Radamis II, the Royal Lotus
Moon
Goddess , or M/S Philae ( all state rooms are Junior
Suites do offer private balconies)
The Ultra Deluxe" Queen TiYi
Supplement : 20 % applies to be added to the deluxe rate
The all suites M/S
Amarco
The
Ultra Deluxe all suites M/S Amarco :
Supplement : 30 % applies
to be added to the deluxe rate
DEPARTURE
NOTES:
this tour departs on Fridays , weekly, year round For departures
during Christmas, New Year's or Easter weeks, please add 15% to the
rates above.
Honeymoon/
Anniversary & Birthday trips : Please advise us in advance:
Free Upgrade to a Junior Suite
subject to availability
For
PRIVATE GUIDE/CAR/DRIVER for Nile Cruise Shore Excursions:
For the full duration of the Nile Cruise & shore excursions: please
add $200 per person .This supplement doesn't apply when you have at
least 6 guests in your party, as you'll have always your own private
car/driver/guide.
Nile
Cruise :
DINING NOTES
The set-menu meals included in your tour are indicated in the itinerary:
B = Breakfast, (or cB, Continental Breakfast), L = Lunch, D = Dinner.
On our luxury Nile cruise vessels, our spacious dining rooms accommodate
all passengers at one seating, so there is no need to worry about making
reservations ,
one less thing to worry about while you are on the Nile. Enjoy the cosmopolitan
atmosphere with several different languages being heard at dinner.
Do we get sea sickness while sailing the Nile ?
This is river sailing, so do not expect any waves , no rough seas
! Your Nile cruises is actually a floating hotel that moves from place
to place along the Nile. Actual cruising times are short and pleasant.
Compare
with Jordan, Palestine & Israel Version
DRESS
CODE :
All
of our Nile cruise vessels are fully air conditioned. Onboard dress
is casual except at dinner, when smart casual is the rule. Lightweight
cotton and other natural fiber clothing is best, with swimsuits and
sun hats for the sundeck and pool. Bring a light sweater or light jacket
for cool mornings and evenings, but most days are warm to hot, with
very little rain. Comfortable walking shoes are essential for shore
excursions.
The
Great Pyramid of Cheops . . . Are You Up to the Adventure?
A journey into the heart of the Great Pyramid is a real-life Indiana
Jones adventure. But it can also be a taxing and frightening one.
You'll follow claustrophobic passages cut into the heart of the pyramid,
feel the pull of the mass of stone directly above. For better or worse,
you have placed yourself in the hands of the engineering expertise
of the ancients.
As
you continue along the unventilated passages, the oxygen becomes depleted,
the air becomes noticeably warmer and more pungent. The ascent of
steep stairways consumes more energy than you imagined, and you find
yourself short of breath. Lighting is dim, every footstep must be
carefully calculated. Low passageways repeatedly oblige you to advance
while bent down, and your muscles protest. Where walls disappear into
the dark above, you feel wedged into a shaft. Despite warnings, and
your own resolve, claustrophobic feelings are hard to suppress.
Finally,
you behold the King's Chamber at the heart of the Great Pyramid. The
effort to reach it has made the reward more exhilarating than you
imagined. If only you can face the return.
Is
the King's Chamber for you? If you're not used to bending and regular
exercise, you might find the challenge beyond your capabilities. Turning
back is more difficult the farther you go, and the experience could
leave you aching for days afterwards.
Be
realistic about yourself, your abilities, and your disposition. And
remember that there are many other rewarding sights and adventures
at Giza, without the physical challenge and risks of the King's Chamber.
The
decision is up to you.
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