1) Check your MS flight bookings often
As mentioned before, MS stopped selling our CAI-ASW midday flight for a while. I assume it has been sold out. Then about a week ago when I looked it up, I saw MS added a 30min stop at LXR! On UA My Trips it also reflects the change, and a request to accept the change. Note - if you dont accept the change for a long enough time, the booking would be auto-canceled by UA. I think AA does the same thing too.
Went on TripAdvisor to ask if this is frequent occurrences. The answer is NO. Speculation is that the MS needs to ferry some passengers to LXR but does not want to make a special flight, hence adding a 30 min stop at LXR on our flight. It may change back to original nonstop flight. Right now this change cuts 30 min from our tours after arrival to ASW.
So you may need to check your flights every now and then because I never receive any notification on this change either from MS or from UA.
2) Secured Payment to Travel Provider
The Secured Payment Link is a One-Time Use link good for 8 days. It expired when Payfort still not able to resolve its server issues. I had the rep resent a fresh link and made the payment last Tuesday.
Amazon Payment Services continues to produce error in its payment function, but thankfully does not affect the payment being processed. I used Chase Sapphire Preferred Visa, never contact Chase on foreign transactions. Payment went thru within seconds with text alert to my cell. Also received a receipt from Amazon Payment Services to confirm the payment made to Misr Travel. The One-Time Use Secured Payment Link when clicked, shows a Zero balance.
Below is the email I sent to my Misr Rep and his reply. Self-explanatory.
PLEASE confirm that you have received the deposit payment.
...........................................................................................................................................................................................................
Good morning,
We received with pleasure your kind payment of USD xxx.
We wish you a nice vacation in Egypt
With my best personal regards.
Gehad.
...........................................................................................................................................................................................................
On TripAdvisor there are posters continue having issues with AirCairo as well as several travel services, but a guy said he was able to buy ticket from MS by calling its office in NYC.
This payment is for the deposit. Misr will send a secured payment link 30 days before tour for the payment of the balance. They will also give me the details of Meet and Greet, plus the WhatsApp contact numbers for their drivers/ guides at each segment as time comes. Meanwhile I will give them details of our flights and hotels.
3) BonVoy Cairo Hotels in City Center -
Ritz Carlton, St. Regis, Cairo Marriott and Casino, Sheraton and Casino.
Ritz Carlton is out of consideration due to not only is an old Hilton but it also does not recognize BonVoy elites. No benefit.
St. Regis does not have lounge but is a very new high end property. The issue with it is, it does not recognize Platinum benefits which includes free breakfast as one of the Welcome Gift Options to choose from. They play games by not listing it on the Welcome Gift List. A Plat asked for it point blank. The clerk was taken aback then sheepishly said, "We would make an exception just for you." What a BS! So if you are not Titanium, be prepared to fight the battle.
Cairo Marriott is old but for whatever reason it is on the more expensive hotel list on both Gate 1 and Misr tours even though on Marriott site it often costs LESS than Sheraton. No idea why.
It has tons of really good restaurants. Because of such, it seemingly is a preferred socializing place for the locals with means. Hence a lot of nonguests on the hotel ground all day long, creating a noisy and crowded environment in the public areas. Rooms are very old.
The worst parts are - a) rooms are reek of cigarette smoke smell even in so-called non-smoke rooms. I guess after decades of smokers in the rooms with the furnishings never refreshed, that is what you get. b) This is even worse, prostitutes are everywhere every hour with the majority of guests are from wealthy neighboring countries.
Sheraton is old, only one building is renovated the other building remains a Ghost building without lights at night. A bit errie. The renovated building has rooms much better than Cairo Marriott. Lounge is open for long hours, breakfast, afternoon snacks and evenihg happy hours till 8pm. Reportedly the offerings are decent. The view at lounge is definitely decent as it is on high floor facing the Nile with good view.
The drawback is, it is at an awkward location of an intersection with very heavy traffic. A guy said on one occasion the taxi driver told him to get off and walk the half mile as it would be much quicker then the taxi to make several turns in order to get to the hotel front entrance. However since both Gate 1 and Misr also use it for the standard hotel option, I guess their drivers know how to navigate the traffic.
On our Cairo stays, I put the 3rd night, the night before flying to Aswan, at Sheraton. (The first 2 nights at Mena House which has M Club, and hopefully I can use my SNAs) On the day we return from Luxor, and it is the last day in Cairo, I currently have double bookings - one at Sheraton with points and the other one at St. Regis with Chase 35K FN + 5Kpts. After our first stay at Sheraton I then can decide which booking to keep.
It pays to check your bookings often for any lowered rates be it in $ or in points. You can use the Change Room function to get the lower prices, no need to cancel / rebook. Extra points go back to account balance instantly, but not reflected in the Account Activity until overnight processing. I was able to lower the first Sheraton stay from 30K to 27K.
