Q – We started out along the Seine, what’s not to like, we then brought our Bubba along on a cruise out of her native Budapest, we then took a chance and actually sailed the Irrawaddy River in Myanmar. And you know what – we loved them all. We’re in our mid-sixties, we retired smart, and now we want to “glide” through the world’s most interesting locales. All of which brings us to Egypt, always one of the first locations on any of our many bucket lists. But problems of safety are always there and we are wondering if there is a product that might come close to Avalon or Uniworld, two lines we’ve tried and enjoyed immensely. Is Egypt safe enough to consider a visit there, a sailing visit, in the next 24 months?
A – AMA has announced it will be launching a ship along the Nile in 2021 to compete with the placement of ships on the river by Viking and Uniworld. So you will have several options.
The fact is that, despite the street demonstrations and the headlines, Egypt has come roaring back and 2020 and 2021 are expected to be record years. One of the world’s top tour operators in the region recently told us that Egypt is so popular that they have run out of qualified guides – the good ones are fully booked many months in advance.
You will note security aboard your riverboat and also ashore. There will be tours accompanied by armed guards. But Egypt isn’t a destination easily replaced by some other place with a camel population. The story of how Egypt has come roaring back, despite its problems, is one of the major travel news stories of the year.
Given your positive experience in Myanmar, not exactly an example of a shining light of democracy, we think this is one dream you might want to pursue. Do look carefully at AMA Waterways.
