justshootme

I had read some good things on this website about Lady Egypt tours, who also operate as Experience Egypt Tours. I had sent an email to Lady Egypt about two weeks ago and another email a week ago. Never heard from them. The Lady Egypt website still works but the Experience Egypt website doesn't work anymore. Does anybody know what is going on with these companies?

Thanks.

LAleslie

I had e-mails from Lady Egypt last winter when I was planning an Egypt trip. They were slow to respond but eventually did. I decided not to go with them because of their high price (at least for the service I wanted, an overnight tour of Luxor from a cruise ship port), and the insistence that we pay 100% up front, among other things. It's a very large company and I assume it's still in business.

I went with GAT Tours instead. They were good, professional and reasonable, for a standard tour, which is what most of these large companies do. My contact there was Noha, who was always quick to respond and very flexible when we added people and had several last-minute changes. www.gattours.com, or contact Noha at [email protected]

judi_in_guatemala

I have been e-mailing Mohamed Kamel of Lady Egypt at this address: [email protected] He has been very prompt and has answered all my questions in a day or two. The payment plan he explained to me was 50% at time of booking and the balance 30 days before arrival.

justshootme

LAleslie and judi_in_guatemala, thanks for the feedback. Judi, I am sending Mohammed an email.

LAleslie

Judi, I gotta say in my experience it's easy to find operators who agree to 50% in advance and 50% on arrival.
What if you get sick, or something else untoward happens? If so, they'll keep all your money. 50% seems more than fair.

P_M

LAleslie, I can see your point so that's why I always buy travel insurance. You will be covered for an unexpected illness as well as a variety of other problems that can arise.

I was very happy with Lady Egypt.

retiredinflorida

I too agree about travel insurance, but you need to check the fine print of the policy.

Another thing that concerns me is that if the company goes bust how are you going to get funds back? Be it 50%, 100% or even 10%.

As least if you by from some tour operators, they belong to organization have some sort of protection from this.

P_M

Depending on the policy your travel insurance will cover you if the company goes bust.

retiredinflorida

I never knew that, thanks P_M, I'll look into this next time I purchase an insurance policy.

sandi

And, if you do have insurance and your tour operator does go bankrupt, you'll still be last on the list to collect even if they belong to some organization - years down the road.

retiredinflorida

that's why I've always dealt with operators in my area who are protected by various organizations, yes, it may cost a little more but I'd hate to be out of pocket for the cost of the trip.

There was a post in the lounge a few days ago, which was interesting about how a cc member was taken for a ride by a company across the country.

I'll find it and post it here, I know that at least if something were to go wrong with my booking at least if my travel agent is local I can go into the office and raise hell before the trip. If they go belly up, then I'm out of luck.

retiredinflorida

here's the link:-

http://www.fodors.com/community/fodo...s-220919-2.cfm

P_M

sandi I'm confused, I thought the insurance company would pay if your tour company goes bust. That's always been my understanding from TravelGuard, but thankfully I've never had to put it to the test.

LAleslie

PM It depends on the travel company. Insurance companies have lists of companies that they will not cover, which include companies that are in bankruptcy (Delta was on the list while it reorganzied some time back). We are talking about an Egypt-based company, here, and good luck. They are not part of any U.D. based tour operators associaltion.
If you pay with a credit card, that's more secure, but be sure to call and find out what their policy is on collecting on unprovided services. Also, the illness thing has gotten very restrictive. You have to read those policies very carefully. My understanding with ady Egypt and others was that the deposit is non-refundable.

P_M

Thanks for that info LAleslie, next time I'll ask TravelGuard if my company is covered.

judi_in_guatemala

justshootme: I have added some free days and will have 7 nights total in Cairo at the Cairo Marriott Hotel and will have 17 nights total in Egypt. The final price is $2169 per person in double room; $3255 per person in a single. Maybe a bit more, but hey! I'm worth it!!!

justshootme

Mucho Gracias, judi_in_guatemala. You are right you are worth it! Enjoy your trip.

dutyfree

Judi-you are paying $2169 for 17 days in Egypt? Is that through Lady Egypt?

MissGreen

I too have been dealing with Lady Egypt for a private personalised tour. After looking at going with a company that sells their tours in Australia, it was going to cost me AUS$4500 per person for a 5 star, 14 day tour with meals included and sight seeing and entrance fees included. I "found" Lady Egypt via the writings on this website and I must say I have been very Impressed. I have dealt with Amanda Whittmore from Lady Egypt and I must say that she has replied to every little question I had from, and I have had a lot of little questions. We even discussed non smoking rooms and the light show at Giza, then without asking or being reminded, she noted these things down in a new itinerary version. The price for this tour is about US$2200 for 15 nights, staying at Mena House, Cairo Marriot, Movenpick Aswan, Steinberger Luxor and including a 4 night cruise on the nile. The Aussie exchange range is at a very good rate at the moment (AUS$1 = approx 92 US cents) so it is very economical for us compared to our first foray into the egyptian tour world. I largely prefer travelling with my husband and myself, our Egyptologist and our driver, instead of a bus full of 40 people who all have different wants and needs and travelling "abilities". If we want to sit on a bench and watch the view for 10 minutes we can, if we want to deviate off the tour route, we can and I like the thought of being able to ask any questions that we want.

Lady Egypt has their refund policy online and your agent can email it to you. Amanda happily emailed it to me as I missed it online. I thought the refund policy was very fair. I will buy my travel insurance - the highest cover, which is about AUS$250 and that covers me for the company absconding with my money. It also covers a resumption of journey costs, hopefully not needed, but my partner has parents who are not well and as they say "better to be safe than sorry".

I am about to fill in first bit of info for my booking and I have been told that as I am now not going until Sept next year, they said I can just pay 25% of the fee. With the exchange rate being so good, I am not concerned with paying the fee early, in fact, I might pay it all just in case the aussie dollar goes down to some god awful figure (like it did once when I visited LA).

I am now just trying to work out what airline would be best for me.

Shukran. x