Red Sea (Egypt) closed (covid-19 confined)

[Adr1an]

The TUI hotel mentioned above had Nestle bottled water. Made in Egypt, of course, but still very decent. I've been in Egypt 5 times since Dec 2018 just for beach and diving, in 3 different hotels, never had a problem with bottled water.
Anyway, with the bottled water problem sorted out, I'm wondering where the Breakers stands now about the drinks? Maybe @Ministryofgiraffes has a recent insight.

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

Two nights in 2010 during lengthy Egypt tour. I chose it at the time because I wanted to get a first hand impression, as I had some friends who were raving about it.
Haven't returned so far. They were definitely going overboard with crazy prices for bottled water and whatnot. That was a major problem as I was there during the summer and there was pretty much nothing outside the hotel. From this perspective it really felt like a tourist trap.
I saw now on their website that they are offering free bottled water, probably someone in the management finally came to their senses.
Dinner was pretty good back then but seriously, it wasn't something to write home about.

Again, the local presence came as surprising to me this summer in Sharm. If we are to compare oranges with oranges we would need someone who was at the Breakers this summer as well.

I think that’s a fair review, the bottle water bit did annoy me as well, but I still think it was all on point for the price compared to other hotels I have been at in the Red Sea area, mind you, I generally don’t go in for ‘all inclusive’ resorts outside of the Caribbean, and even then I’d only opt for 5* as I’d rather pay for good food. I always say that the day I realized I had become an adult was the day that free booze didn’t excite me anymore . I still haven’t found a joint in the Red Sea where ‘all inclusive’ booze was a trade off for the other issues at the hotel.but saying that, I’m the kind of dude who bring his own beer on the boat because I won’t settle for sakara.

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

The captain sanitizing my beer onto the boat 2 weeks ago

 

[JustSurfaceInterval]

Are these 60 cans for 1 week? for you or for everyone on that boat?

 

[Adr1an]

I always say that the day I realized I had become an adult was the day that free booze didn’t excite me anymore . I still haven’t found a joint in the Red Sea where ‘all inclusive’ booze was a trade off for the other issues at the hotel.but saying that, I’m the kind of dude who bring his own beer on the boat because I won’t settle for sakara.

Well, let me elaborate a bit: by no means me or my wife could be considered heavy drinkers . However I don't mind having a mojito after lunch, while the lunch itself goes down better with a glass of wine. Then of course after doing whatever activity we plan for the afternoon we wouldn't mind another cocktail and the dinner of course asks for a couple of glasses of wine. Plus I'm a coffee snob (as in owning my own professional machine+grinder at home) so 3 double espresso go down easily during a normal day. All this for 2 people, while being just very moderate drinking by AI standards, would almost double the room rate at a hotel like the Breakers. (or at least would have done that back in 2010 - if memory serves they wanted like 8-9$ for a glass of local wine).
This being said, I don't mean to imply that AI is the default way to go as one can easily have horrible experiences if they don't do their homework well, so to speak. However Egypt IS a cheap country and for as little as 50$ on top of the rates at the Breakers (sometimes even less, see above) one can get equally better food and a competent AI package. Plus FAR better facilities (for example Magic Life Sharm has 4 tennis courts, a basketball court, a natural grass football pitch of a decent size, an archery range, a proper gym, essentially all you need to keep teens busy if you catch my drift).

As a matter of fact the only problem that good AI hotels have in Egypt is the quality of some guests plus the endemic incapacity of maintaining some discipline when it comes to adult only areas and so on. I don't mind paying as you go but Red Sea hotels where a glass of wine costs more then in decent restaurants in Nice or Antibes aren't my thing.

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

Are these 60 cans for 1 week? for you or for everyone on that boat?

My theory was to take these on the boat, instruct everyone to help themselves and then just add the money they would have spent on boat beer to the tips for the crew at the end of the week... i appreciate this isn't good news for the boat who are trying to sell the beer... but i theorize that the extra tips mean more to the crew than the lost beer revenue means to the boat...

 

[tridacna]

Jewish slaves built the pyramids, .

Hmmm...not so sure.

Who Built The Pyramids? Not the Jews - Tablet Magazine

 

[Sunn]

Are these 60 cans for 1 week? for you or for everyone on that boat?

do not scare me, should be per person ?

because for everyone, it would be a single day only...

 

[bvbellomo]

I was supposed to leave yesterday. Lufthansa advertises Centogene COVID testing at the Frankfurt airport. Since no one seems to know if the Egypt entry requirement is 72 or 96 hours, and whether that is from when you leave the States or arrive in Cairo, this seemed a much better option. Lufthansa cautioned me that if the test takes longer than usual, I could get bumped to the next flight, but agreed this was a good idea.

I went to check in with United (who handles the first portion of my route before Lufthansa) online the morning of my departure. I was given a notice on United's website that I would not be able to board without my COVID test. I called Lufthansa, and they said I should be able to board but may want to talk with United to be certain there are no issues. I called United. I was on hold 20 minutes before even being able to talk to a person, and then a bunch of confused agents kept transferring me and telling me they had to talk to their supervisor. The whole call took over an hour, but I was told not to worry and I would definitely not have any trouble boarding.

At the airport, United's agents read the same prompt I did on the screen. They told me it was impossible to board without a COVID test in Cleveland. I explained my early phone call and asked them to call their office. An older lady told me she was the head customer service person in Cleveland, and basically "the buck stops here", and it was her decision and I would not board. I requested a flight either directly to Frankfurt, or to Hurghada. I was told I would not be allowed to board to either of those destinations. I told the agent there is no advanced testing required by either the German or Egyptian government to either of those destinations, and the agent got mad at me, said there was, and this stuff changes daily so I don't know what I am talking about.

I got the soonest COVID test I could, but the pharmacist says it could take up to 7 days for results. I doubt I will be able to go, and am really upset, as I was really looking forward to this trip.

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

Ugh!. I feel so bad for you... I have been telling everyone to fly egyptair from Washington or NY to minimize the ‘changing rules’ in international transit. You would still need a negative test to fly though 72 hours before departure. Where you booked on a boat?