Cruise of a lifetime! - Eastern Mediterranean "Ports" Review by moilman

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Home > Member Reviews > moilman's Port Reviews of Cairo (Port Said), Haifa, Jerusalem (Ashdod), Naples, Kusadasi, Athens

moilman's Port Reviews of Cairo (Port Said), Haifa, Jerusalem (Ashdod), Naples, Kusadasi, Athens
Celebrity Equinox cruise in September 2009

Member Name:	moilman
Cruise Date:	September 2009
Embarkation:	Civitavecchia
Destination:	Eastern Mediterranean
Member Review:	moilman's Celebrity Equinox Review

	Cairo (Port Said) Port Rating: The guide (Celebrity Excursion)on our trip to the Pyramids ripped all of us off for an additional 5 Euros, but gave it back after he was caught in his scheme! Though we traveled in Egypt with an armed security man, he was asleep portions of the trip, and on the phone constantly and I thought that he was worthless. Cairo? Whew what a cesspool! The Pyramids? Ahh...I finally saw them!
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	Haifa Port Rating: We had a great guide (Celebrity). He was knowledgeable and used the time wisely.
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	Jerusalem (Ashdod) Port Rating: In plain English...the guide was a moron! He was not knowledgeable, and talked about two pieces of sculpture for close to half an hour instead of touring the Holocaust Museum that we came to see. Eventually we needed roller skates to get through a venue that is so moving that you want to dwell for hours. He took us to "Rachel's Tomb", a very Holy place, where only Ultra Orthodox Jews come TO PRAY. WE intruded! Quite honestly this is not a place that tours should go. Go to pray YES, Go to intrude NO! Additionally, access is in an area that it not open to Israelis and you have to wait for access surrounded by twenty foot concrete walls, barbed wire, and lookout post with armed guards and machine guns. ( Now...don't YOU want to go?) Another waste of close to an hour. I would advise everyone to do some research and think about going with private tour guides.
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	Naples Port Rating: Having been at these places before, I feel qualified to say that our guide was knowledgeable and used her time wisely. Unfortunately this itinerary Naples, Sorrento, Amalfi Coast, Positano is so beautiful it needs more time regardless. We then ventured to Pompeii where, once again, our guide was great, boy oh boy though was it crowded!!! The excursion was the most expensive around $360 each and I would once again, consider the use of a private guide if you have the time to research one, I unfortunately did not.
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	Kusadasi Port Rating: CROWDED!! I though that by the end of September the tourists would have left, but the ruins of Ephesus were crowded beyond my expectations. Great guide, and I am happy that we went on this tour with Celebrity. They take you to a "carpet Factory"....(uhh...make that tourist trap), skip it and use the half hour or so to go to the bazaar that adjoins.
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	Athens Port Rating: CROWDED!!!As crowded as Ephesus was Athens was MORE crowded! If we had time to research I think we would have been better off with a private tour guide. The new museum is terrific, don't miss it!
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