18/03/02
I also did a Nile Cruise last year with VJV. I also was taken aback by the Visa procurement charge and found out too late that it could be procured in Egypt. You have to ask yourself, however, whether you want the peace of mind of not having to worry about getting it during the confusion of arriving at Luxor Airport. I would be interested to know the cost of it if procured personally, but I agree that I was surprised at the size of the charge. As far as tips are concerned, I am surprised at the comments. On my own cruise (and on another VJV holiday this year we wre asked to put gratuities for the hotel (or boat) staff and for the courier in sealed envelopes at the end of the holiday. Although amounts were recommended it was all totally discretionary and anonymous and all of the people I spoke to felt that the recommended levels were fully justified, many giving more. Most excursions were included in the total charge and covered all tips. We were told NOT to give additional tips to anyone involved with the excursions. The one or two optional excursions were a simple offer at a price that included tips. If the courier was quoting separate charges for tips I would suspect that this is a local scam. I suspected (but cannot substantiate) that on my latest VJV holiday the courier was getting some kickbacks from restaurants and also making some money on a rather expensive optional excursion that was not, I suspect, under VJV auspices. I am afraid that holidaymakers are always at risk of being fleeced and VJV holidays are no different. The bottomline is - look at the price of the tour - £600 for a week on the Nile (or with some days in a hotel) with heaps of included excursions and return flights and full board on the boat. Does the issue of tipping really mean so much?

14/02/01
Well, so they are still going about things in the same way, then... I went on a Nile cruise with Voyage Jules Verne and although it was good value this Tour Operator gave every impression of not being in charge of the arrangements that they alleged they had made for us. They made a 'Visa Procurement charge' for which they did absolutely nothing because all we had to do on arrival at Luxor was hand over money to an Egyptian policeman who put a stamp in our passports....wh at, then, was the charge for? Although asked several times for an explanation, none was given by Voyages Jules Verne. That sort of question they do not want to answer because they know that they do nothing to justify the charge and that each time they do so it is merely another addition to their 'take'. They said that tips were for the individual to make but the Couriers insisted on adding a percentage to the face cost of excursions...if you did not cough up the percentage, you did not go - simple as that. Explanation from Voyages Jules Verne? None. These people seem not to be very interested in the provision either of service or of 'after sales' care. They appear only to be interested in taking your money. Recommendation: try some other operator.

14/02/01
Well, so they are still going about things in the same way, then... I went on a Nile cuise with Voyage Jules Verne and although it was good value this Tour Operator gave every impression of not being in charge of the arrangements that alleged they had made for us. They made a Visa Procurement charge for which they did absolutely nothing because all we had to do on arrival at Luxor was hand over money to an Egyptian policeman who put a stamp in our passports..what , then, was the charge for? Although asked several times for an explanation, none was given by Voyages Jules Verne. That sort of question they do not want to answer because they know that they do nothing to justify the charge and that each time they do so it is merely another addition to their 'take'. They said that tips were for the individual to make but the Couriers insisted on adding a percentage to the face cost of excursions...if you did not cough up the percentage, you did not go - simple as that. Explanation from Voyages Jules Verne? None. These people seem not to be very interested in the provision either of service or of 'after sales' care. They appear only to be interested in taking your money. Recommendation: try some other operator.