Cruise passengers · Alexandria & Port Said

Egypt shore excursions

Q: Which Egyptian ports do you cover for shore excursions?

The two Mediterranean cruise gateways: Alexandria and Port Said. From either port, Cairo and the Pyramids are about a three-hour private drive each way — and Alexandria adds a superb stay-local option with zero road time. Each port has its own dedicated page with the full excursion list.

Q: How much do Egypt shore excursions cost?

Private day plans start from $60 per person (Cairo city day) up to $120 for the Pyramids & Grand Egyptian Museum day — prices as listed on each tour, with terminal pickup and timings confirmed for your ship in a fixed quote before you pay.

Docking in Egypt for the day? Private, licensed-guide-led shore days from both Mediterranean ports — timed to your all-aboard, with pickup at the cruise terminal.

Choose your port Get my shore plan

Cruise ports covered

~3 hrs

Port to the Pyramids

4.9★

Average rating

$60

Day excursions from

x2705; Timed to your all-aboard x1F6F3;️ Pickup at the cruise terminal x1F393; Licensed Egyptologist guides x1F4AC; WhatsApp contact all day

Ports Compare Plan your port day Fully guided Why us FAQ Day excursions from $60Plan my trip

Why private

Built around your ship’s clock

Shore days are unforgiving — the ship will not wait. That’s exactly why a private car beats the coach tour: no 40-passenger head-counts, no fixed lunch stops, and a driver who leaves when you are ready. We plan backwards from your all-aboard, build in a buffer, and stay reachable on WhatsApp the whole day.

We cover both of Egypt’s Mediterranean cruise gateways: Alexandria, where the Pyramids are ~220 km away and the city itself offers a superb stay-local option — and Port Said, the Suez Canal stop with Cairo about three hours by road. Same private standard, same licensed guides, either way.

Every excursion runs as a private shore day with terminal pickup — exact timings, and any port-day adjustments for your ship, are confirmed in your fixed quote before you book. Open your port below for its full excursion list.

“The ship will not wait — so we never cut it fine. We plan backwards from your all-aboard, and my phone stays on from gangway to gangway.”

Maro Saeed · Tour Consultant & Travel Advisor · with us since 2013

Choose your port

Two ports, one standard

Open your port’s page for its full excursion list — every day plan is private, licensed-guide-led, and timed to your ship at booking.

Alexandria Port

Private · Your port day, your plan

Alexandria Shore Excursions

From
$60/ppOpen port page →

Port Said

Private · Your port day, your plan

Port Said Shore Excursions

From
$60/ppOpen port page →

Not sure which port your ship calls at — or comparing cruise itineraries? Send your cruise line and sailing date; we’ll map the right plan for you.

Get a free custom itinerary

Side-by-side

Compare the two ports

The same private standard from either gateway — here’s how the days differ.

Port	Day shape	From (USD)	Stay-local option	Pyramids	Museum	Best for
Alexandria Shore Excursions	Your port day, your plan	$60/pp	Alexandria half-day — zero road time	✓	✓	Mediterranean-route sailings
Port Said Shore Excursions	Your port day, your plan	$60/pp	Cairo-focused day	✓	✓	Suez Canal transit calls

Ship calling at both ports on one cruise? Message us — we’ll split the sights across the two days so nothing repeats.

Planning your port day

How your shore day works

Everything cruise guests ask before booking — the hour-by-hour shape of the day, practicalities and tips.

Your shore day at a glance

Stage	What happens	Details	Note
Terminal pickup (typically 07:00–08:00)	Guide & driver meet you at the gangway	Sign with your name; timed to your ship’s docking	Confirmed for your sailing at booking
Drive to the sites (~3 hours)	Alexandria: desert road, ~220 km · Port Said: canal-side route	Private A/C vehicle; rest stop on request	Your guide briefs you en route
At the sites (4–5 hours)	Pyramids, Sphinx & museum stop	Private pace — no coach head-counts	Lunch woven into the day
Return drive (~3 hours)	Back to your port	Live traffic monitoring	Driver leaves when you’re ready
All-aboard buffer (1–2 hours)	Safety margin before departure	Built into every plan — non-negotiable	WhatsApp contact throughout

A typical 10–12-hour port call fits the Cairo day comfortably from either port — and if your window is tighter, Alexandria’s own highlights fill a superb half-day with zero road time. We confirm feasibility against your ship’s schedule before you book.

Shore-day practicalities

⚓ Ship-safe timing

Every itinerary is planned backwards from your all-aboard with a built-in buffer. We track your ship’s schedule and adjust on the day if needed.

🛂 Going ashore

Carry the ID your ship requires for shore visits — requirements vary by ship and nationality, and we confirm what applies to your sailing at booking.

🧢 What to bring

Comfortable shoes, sun protection and a bottle of water — bottled water is cheap and available everywhere. USD in small bills is handy for tips and the bazaar.

💳 Booking & payment

Enquire with your ship name, port and date. You receive a fixed quote and itinerary first — free to enquire, nothing charged until the plan is confirmed.

Your options from the port

Pyramids & GEM · the classic

The Great Pyramid, the Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum — the day most cruise guests come for, from either port.

Giza + Sakkara & Memphis

Three pyramid fields and 3,000 years of history in one sweep — for guests who want depth, not just the postcard.

Cairo + the bazaar

Pyramids in the morning, Saladin’s Citadel and Khan El Khalili in the afternoon — ancient and living Cairo together.

Alexandria · zero road time

Docking in Alexandria? Qaitbay Citadel, the Catacombs and the Bibliotheca fill a superb half-day that never leaves the city.

Port days · first come, first served

Cruise-call days concentrate demand — guides and vehicles are assigned in booking order.

Booking window · as early as you like

Send your ship name and date as soon as you have them — the quote is free and nothing is charged until confirmed.

Port-day tips

💵 Money

USD is widely accepted at tourist sites. Bring small bills for tips and bazaar shopping; there’s no need to change money for one day.

📱 Staying reachable

Your guide and driver are on WhatsApp all day — ship Wi-Fi or roaming both work; a local SIM isn’t needed for a port call.

👔 Dress

Light, comfortable clothing and sturdy shoes. Cover shoulders and knees if a mosque visit is on your route.

⌚ Ship’s time

We run the whole day on your ship’s clock — confirm all-aboard time with us when booking and again on the morning.

Fully guided options

Fully guided, gangway to gangway

A fully guided shore day means a licensed Egyptologist accompanies you from the cruise terminal to your return — every transfer, ticket and timing managed against your ship’s clock.

You never negotiate with taxi drivers or watch the time — your guide and driver handle everything while you absorb the day. A private vehicle also clears every stop faster than any coach group, which is exactly what a port day needs.

Licensed Egyptologist guide dedicated to your party for the whole day
Private air-conditioned vehicle — never a 40-seat coach
Pickup and drop-off at the cruise terminal, timed to your ship
WhatsApp contact with your guide and driver throughout the day
Fixed USD quote itemised before you pay anything

Ask about escorted departures

Who escorted tours suit best

First-time cruise callersOne shot at the Pyramids — a private guide makes every hour of the port day count.

Families on shore daysYour own vehicle, your own pace, and a guide who keeps kids engaged from gangway to gangway.

Guests staying localAlexandria’s Greco-Roman highlights in a relaxed half-day — no desert road, no clock-watching.

Why Egypt Tours by Locals

Why cruise guests choose us

⚓

Built around your ship’s clock

Every plan starts from your all-aboard time and works backwards, with a built-in buffer and live monitoring on the day.

🚗

Private, not a coach tour

No 40-passenger head-counts, no fixed lunch stops — a private vehicle that leaves when you’re ready.

🎓

Licensed Egyptologist guides

Every excursion led by a Ministry-licensed guide dedicated to your party — commentary from a life lived here.

💵

Transparent USD pricing

A fixed, itemised quote for your ship and date before you pay anything — no hidden gate costs.

💬

WhatsApp all day

Your guide, driver and our Cairo office stay reachable from pickup to drop-off — you’re never out of contact.

✅

Licensed & trusted

Operated by Egypt Planners, a licensed Egyptian operator (Reg #256841), with verified reviews on Google & TripAdvisor.

60+

★★★★★

Verified reviews across Google & TripAdvisor — for tours operated by Egypt Planners.

Google TripAdvisor

Traveler stories

What our guests say about traveling local

Genuine reviews from real travelers across our private tours and excursions. Egypt Tours by Locals is operated by Egypt Planners — specialists in complete Egypt travel packages, not just day trips.

★★★★★

“Our guide didn’t just show us the Pyramids — she made us feel what it meant to build them. The private morning at the Grand Egyptian Museum with no crowds was extraordinary. A truly local experience, not a tourist conveyor belt.”

Sarah & James L.

London, UK · 8-Day Best of Egypt

★★★★★

“Our consultant knew every guard, every way around the crowds, and told us stories not in any guidebook. We’ve done tours in 30 countries. This was the most engaged we’ve ever been.”

James & Rebecca T.

New York, USA · 6-Day Affordable Tour

★★★★★

“They designed our entire 12-day itinerary personally, then guided us through every day. As history enthusiasts we had very specific requests — they exceeded every one. Their knowledge of Nubian culture in Aswan was extraordinary.”

Linda & Mark H.

Toronto, Canada · 12-Day Complete Tour

How it works

How to book your shore excursion

Choose Your Port

Alexandria or Port Said — open your port’s page above for its full excursion list and details.

Send Ship Name & Date

We check your ship’s schedule and reply within 24 hours with a fixed quote and an hour-by-hour plan.

Confirm with a Deposit

A small deposit secures your guide and vehicle for the port day — cruise-call dates are assigned in booking order.

We Track Your Sailing

Before arrival we re-confirm timings against your ship’s actual schedule and share your guide’s WhatsApp.

Step Off the Ship — We Take It From There

Your guide meets you at the terminal with a name sign. The whole day runs on your ship’s clock.

FAQs

Egypt shore excursions — questions & answers

Which Egyptian ports do you cover for shore excursions?

The two Mediterranean cruise gateways: Alexandria and Port Said. From either port, Cairo and the Pyramids are about a three-hour private drive each way — and Alexandria adds a superb stay-local option with zero road time. Each port has its own dedicated page with the full excursion list.

Can I see the Pyramids on a cruise stop in Egypt?

Yes — that’s the classic Egyptian shore day. From Alexandria (~220 km) or Port Said, the drive runs roughly 3 hours each way in a private air-conditioned vehicle, leaving 4–5 hours at the Pyramids, Sphinx and a museum on a typical port call. We confirm feasibility against your ship’s actual schedule before you book.

How do you make sure we’re back before the ship sails?

Everything is planned backwards from your all-aboard time with a built-in buffer: we track your ship’s schedule, your guide and driver stay in WhatsApp contact all day, and a private car clears every stop faster than a 40-seat coach. The buffer is non-negotiable — it’s in every plan we quote.

Are your shore excursions private or shared?

100% private — a licensed Egyptologist guide and a private vehicle dedicated to your party, at every port. We never merge cruise guests into coach groups.

How much do Egypt shore excursions cost?

Private day plans start from $60 per person (Cairo city day) up to $120 for the Pyramids & Grand Egyptian Museum day — prices as listed on each tour, with terminal pickup and timings confirmed for your ship in a fixed quote before you pay.

What happens if the ship is delayed or the schedule changes?

We adjust on the day — a later start, a shorter route, or a switch to the stay-local plan. You’re never left at the terminal wondering; your guide is already tracking the change.

How do we book a shore excursion?

Send your ship name, port and date. You get a fixed quote and an hour-by-hour plan first — free to enquire, and nothing is charged until the plan is confirmed.

Make your port day count

Send your ship name, port and date. A Cairo consultant replies within 24 hours with a fixed quote and an hour-by-hour plan — free to enquire.

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Operated by Egypt Planners · Reg #256841 · 30% deposit to secure · 24/7 Cairo support