I am not a big cruiser thus my adherence to Rick Steves and this forum which I have used for several trips. That said, my husband and I felt a cruise was the best way for us to experience the key sites in Egypt and are going in late October through early November. Can anyone tell me if I will be okay onboard wearing summer clothes in the Fall? I understand we can wear shorts on board even though we can’t wear them when we’re out and about in Egypt, but because it’s Fall, is it okay/acceptable to wear my summer outfits in the Fall while on board… this would include wearing white pants, jeans, sandals as well as pastel summer colors, etc…? Or will I look like the inexperienced cruiser that I in fact am? Thank you.
Posted by
SC and CA
205 posts
We took the cruise last December and it was still warm, so summer clothes were appropriate. There were no clothing restrictions on the ship. We saw every kind of (modest) apparel while touring the sites. BTW, you will love the trip and it's safe.
Posted by
Long Beach, Ca, usa
1222 posts
rjwolters,
Having spent seven days on a Nile cruise, I would say it is okay to wear shorts on the boat, but short shorts would, I feel, be inappropriate, considering that the crew and staff are probably all Islamists. I personally don't wear any shorts that are more than an inch above my knees, and didn't wear shorts at all on our February cruise on the Nile. (My legs would definitely NOT add to the scenery!) The weather we had in February was such that I sometimes wore a shawl on the top deck in the evening, so I think summer clothes would fit weather-wise.
Just my opinion, but loose summer-fabric capris or slacks or skirt would be better than shorts. Still, you may have a pool on the top deck and would be wearing a swimsuit, so I am probably being over conscientious.
(FYI, Our time on our cruise was absolutely wonderful! Our boat held about 100-200 guests, I think. It wasn't full. The Nile River is so beautiful, and seeing the life of the Egyptians as we slowly cruised by was very soothing and heart-warming...the fishermen, the farmers, the herdsmen, adults and youth...One of the best weeks of my life!)
Posted by
UK
672 posts
considering that the crew and staff are probably all Islamists
Hi Judy, can I just politely point out that the word “Islamist” usually means a hardline support of fundamentalist Islam and I think you might just mean that the crew and staff are Muslims.
Posted by
Long Beach, Ca, usa
1222 posts
Golden Girl,
So sorry, I did not know that. I just meant to refer to people who practice the faith of Islam. How should they be called? I say Christians, Jews, Hindus. I hope those are proper terms.
Posted by
UK
672 posts
You could just say Muslims! That’s the usual term for a person who follows Islam as their religion.
Islamist has a very specific meaning which I’m sure you didn’t mean. I used to work in broadcasting in a very diverse city so I got to know this stuff.
Of course Christian, Hindu and Jew are fine. “Islamist” is very different.
Anyway, I didn’t mean this to be political and I didn’t mean to make you feel bad about it.
Posted by
Atlanta, GA
776 posts
Anything light and loose is good. Whites and pastels are all good, although white may show dust, of which there is a lot. I wore a lot of raw linen in Egypt. Be sure to pack a sun hat. Sandals are fine, but I would also bring some sturdy, closed-toe shoes for the ancient sites.
Shorts are probably fine on the ship. I imagine that the crew is accustomed to people wearing shorts. I would not, however, wear shorts off the ship. I didn't wear shorts, but I don't wear shorts at home either, even when it's 100° outside.
By the way, the dry air gets quite chilly (low/mid 50's) in the evenings. It's not a bad idea to bring a light jacket or wrap.
Posted by
Long Beach, Ca, usa
1222 posts
Golden Girl,
No hurt feelings. Happy for the heads up.
Posted by
Atlanta, GA
776 posts
Islam, at least as I saw it in Egypt, makes a big distinction between what you wear in public and in private.
Funny story. My friend and I were in Daraw, a village not far from Kom Ombo that is far more conservative than anything I saw in Cairo or Luxor. The women all wore long black robes and black headscarves. As we were wandering through the markets, I was totally surprised to see all sorts of women's garments that would have put Victoria's Secret to shame --- bright red, hot pink, lace, polka dots, and silky camisoles. We asked our tour guide about it later, and his reaction was: "oh yeah, you can wear whatever you want, just don't show it off in public." So, you mean that there are bright colors and fancy stuff under all those black robes? Yep.