• Write a Review
  • Boards
  • Deals
  • Find a Cruise
  • Reviews
  • News
  • Cruise Tips

Cruises to Safaga

27 Reviews
Safaga (Photo:FenlioQ/Shutterstock)

About Safaga

Safaga, a working port on the coast of the Red Sea, brings you close to what may be the world's greatest open-air museum -- the temples and tombs of Luxor (what was ancient Thebes). "Close" is the important word here, however.

The bus ride from the Red Sea port to inland Luxor, which is in the Nile Valley in central Egypt, is 3.5 hours each way, making for a very long day. (Full-day shore excursions run 15 hours or more, and nearly everyone falls asleep on the bus ride back to the ship.) That's why several lines also offer Luxor and the Valley of the Kings as an overnight option from Safaga. Experiencing Luxor's bounty can easily fill two days or more.

As a tourist destination in and of itself, few cruise passengers choose to stay in Safaga, unless they're really into diving or windsurfing.

With steady thermal winds blowing year-round, it's not surprising that Safaga's claim to fame is hosting the 1993 World Windsurfing Championships. Divers also come here for spots not yet spoiled by crowds. Not far offshore, the Red Sea's world-renowned turquoise waters are home to stunning reefs teeming with marine life.

At the port, most memorable are the rugged desert cliffs that end right at the sea. Their reddish hue makes for a pretty view, but at the same time, your ship will be surrounded by ugly industrial vessels that serve the port's primary function of hauling phosphate from local mines. Located on the western flank of the Red Sea, Safaga is also a port for ferries to and from Saudi Arabia, across the way.

The town, about 1.5 miles from the port (cabs are rarely available unless you arrange them in advance) is a dusty, rough-and-tumble kind of place with a few unimpressive shops and banks and not much else. It's not a charming place. North of town is a beach strip, with clean beaches and moderately priced hotels that attract tourists -- many from Germany -- with their diving and windsurfing centers.

But if your goal here is Luxor -- and it should be -- you're in for a special treat. Amazingly, Luxor has been drawing tourists since the Greek and Roman periods. And, when you get there, your eyes may just pop out. You might have trouble convincing yourself that you're really in Egypt and not, instead, watching an Indiana Jones movie.

Important to know: To enter the Nile Valley, you have to go through border stations, and buses and taxis are required to travel this route, with police patrol, as part of a convoy. (Your bus will also have a plain-clothes security guard with a gun under his dark suit.) This is the result of terrorist incidents in the 1990's, including the 1997 shooting of terrorists in Luxor at the Temple of Hatshepsut. It also explains why your shore excursion to Luxor will probably require you to leave at the crack of dawn – the first convoy departs at 7 a.m. And don't forget your passport; you need to carry it ashore in Egypt.

  • More about Safaga

  • Why go to Safaga?

  • Good to Know?

Loading...

We found you 174 cruises

Loading...
Loading...
Zuiderdam
Zuiderdam

46 Night
Grand Africa Voyage

1,013 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker
Silver Moon
Silver Moon Exterior (Photo: Colleen McDaniel)

10 Night
Africa Cruise

19 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker
Norwegian Dawn
Norwegian Dawn

19 Night
Asia - Middle East

2,932 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker
Nautica
Nautica

40 Night
World Cruise

368 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker

20 Night
Mediterranean Cruise

368 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker

30 Night
World Cruise

731 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker

8 Night
Africa Cruise

19 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker

32 Night
World Cruise

368 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker

18 Night
Mediterranean Cruise

129 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker
Cruise Critic Favorite

132 Night
132 Night World Cruise

378 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker

17 Night
Middle East Cruise

141 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker

27 Night
Mediterranean Cruise

339 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker

11 Night
Mediterranean Cruise

384 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker
Cruise Critic Favorite

88 Night
World Cruise

490 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker

40 Night
World Cruise

368 Reviews
Leaving:
Cruise Line:
No prices currently available for this sailing.
  • Itinerary
  • Ship
  • Reviews
  • View All Prices
  • Fare Insight
  • Price Tracker

More about Safaga

Why go to Safaga?

Pros:

There are good beaches nearby for windsurfing, while scuba diving on the Red Sea reefs is spectacular

Cons:

The town is dusty and offers little to lure tourists, while strong thermal winds blow throughout the year

Bottom Line:

It's a good access point for tours to Luxor's temples and tombs, in the Nile Valley

Good to Know?

Avoid aggressive souvenir vendors, especially in Luxor. It is best to say a firm “no” when offered merchandise on the street. If you don't, expect to be pestered for several minutes.

Getting Around?

Taxis are not readily available at the port, nor are they in town. If you do see one, you can flag it down, as in other cities, but if you want to take a taxi, it is best to arrange one in advance through your ship. The ride to town should cost less than $4. Taxis to Hurghada are about $20 each way. Taxis to Luxor can run $100 or more each way and must be arranged in advance, due to requirements that they travel in police convoys.

Currency & Best Way to Get Money?

The Egyptian Pound is the currency, and $1 U.S. equals about 5.69 Egyptian Pounds. (Check XE.com for the latest currency rates.) Most souvenir shops are happy to take U.S. dollars. Bank branches (Banque Misr and Banque du Caire) in Safaga have ATM's, which dispense Egyptian Pounds. Exchange traveler's checks on your ship or at hotels and banks. Credit cards are widely accepted at shops and restaurants.

Language?

Arabic, but English is readily spoken by those in the tourist trade.

Where You're Docked?

Port Safaga is mostly an industrial port, located about 1.5 miles from the town of Safaga. There are no tourist facilities at the port.


Safaga Cruise Reviews
Luxor and Valley of Kings awesome. Read More
User Avatar
Vcb420
Since the tours to Luxor are around 3 hours each way, we didn't want to waste all that time in the car, so we opted for a private overnight tour in Luxor and were glad we did. Egypt is something else... A little out Read More
User Avatar
kirkandmimi
Cold and dirty seaRead More
User Avatar
Ekaterina Panycheva
Would have been nice to go to Cairo but maybe next time. Luxor was great, security was extremely tight. Armed guard in our small bus, checkpoints everywhere. Read More
User Avatar
donnabob

Related Cruises

Cruises to Ocho Rios

Cruises to Ocho Rios

1,206 Reviews
Cruises to Newport

Cruises to Newport

250 Reviews
Cruises to Puerto Limon

Cruises to Puerto Limon

390 Reviews
Cruises to Saint John (New Brunswick)

Cruises to Saint John (New Brunswick)

435 Reviews
Cruises to St. Vincent

Cruises to St. Vincent

133 Reviews
Cruises to Santiago (Valparaiso)

Cruises to Santiago (Valparaiso)

124 Reviews
Cruises to Berlin

Cruises to Berlin

230 Reviews
Cruises to Portland (Maine)

Cruises to Portland (Maine)

382 Reviews
Cruises to Punta Arenas

Cruises to Punta Arenas

187 Reviews
Cruises to Salalah

Cruises to Salalah

34 Reviews
Cruises to Falmouth

Cruises to Falmouth

1,556 Reviews
Cruises to Saint-Malo

Cruises to Saint-Malo

14 Reviews
Cruises to Manila

Cruises to Manila

85 Reviews
Cruises to Suva

Cruises to Suva

125 Reviews
Cruises to Apia, Samoa (formerly Western Samoa)

Cruises to Apia, Samoa (formerly Western Samoa)

1 Review
Cruises to Gothenburg

Cruises to Gothenburg

87 Reviews
Cruises to Hvar

Cruises to Hvar

36 Reviews
Cruises to Tournon

Cruises to Tournon

35 Reviews
Cruises to Skagen

Cruises to Skagen

95 Reviews
Cruises to Pinhao

Cruises to Pinhao

38 Reviews
Want to cruise smarter?
Get expert advice, insider tips and more.
By proceeding, you agree to Cruise Critic’s Privacy and Cookies Statement and Terms of Use.
About UsCruise DestinationsFirst Time CruisersFind A Cruise

International Sites

© 1995—2023, The Independent Traveler, Inc.

  • Privacy and Cookies Statement

  • Terms of Use

  • Site Map