Cruise Port Guide · 169 cruises visit Alexandria →
The bucket-list things to do — and who runs each one.
Here’s the bucket list for your day ashore: the most extraordinary thing to do at each stop, who runs it, and how to book it direct — so you can weigh it against your ship’s excursion and pick what suits you.
Ships berth at the Alexandria Cruise Terminal in the Western Harbour, a modern but industrial facility roughly 1.5–2 km from the city centre and Corniche. It is not a tender port. You clear immigration with your passport (visa usually handled by the ship), then walk or take a short port shuttle to the gate. From there, taxis are waiting; the ride into central Alexandria takes 5–10 minutes. Walking the full distance is possible in 20–25 minutes but unpleasant through port infrastructure, especially in heat.
All-aboard is typically 30–60 minutes before sail-away. Check your specific sailing, as times vary with MSC Cruises (13 calls), Regent (3) or Azamara (2) in the coming months. The first-timer trap here is underestimating the long road day to the pyramids. Independent drivers can get delayed by Cairo traffic or security, and the ship will not wait. Many experienced cruisers therefore treat anything involving the Giza plateau as a ship-booked commitment.
Stand before the last surviving Wonder of the Ancient World on a fully private day journey from Alexandria. Your expert Egyptologist guide unlocks the secrets of Giza and Tutankhamun's treasures — the ultimate Egypt bucket-list day.
Escape the Giza crowds entirely and explore Saqqara — Egypt's oldest stone monument and the world's first pyramid — plus the ancient capital of Memphis on an exclusive private tour. Fewer tourists, deeper history, pure awe.
Delve into Alexandria's own legendary legacy on a private expert-led city tour: the spectacular modern reincarnation of the ancient Library of Alexandria, and the haunting Greco-Roman catacombs — a UNESCO-listed wonder hidden beneath the city.
Explore Alexandria's most iconic fortress — built on the exact site of the ancient Pharos lighthouse — and the city's astonishing Greco-Roman Museum, where 50,000 artefacts span 2,000 years of Mediterranean civilisation. Pure, distilled Alexandrian grandeur.
Alexandria is Egypt's seafood capital and a city of extraordinary culinary crossroads — Levantine, Greek, Italian, and Coptic flavours layered over millennia. A private food-focused walking tour through the city's historic markets and fish-grilled harbourside restaurants is an utterly unique sensory bucket-list experience.
Discover Alexandria's most aristocratic corner — the breathtaking royal palace gardens of Montazah, where King Farouk once summered by the sea — followed by a private sunset drive along the sweeping Mediterranean Corniche, the most romantic boulevard in Egypt.
For a couple staying in Alexandria, direct bookings are straightforward and cheap. Tour to The Qaitbay Citadel in Alexandria at USD 19 each plus Half Day Tour to Bibliotheca Alexandrina at USD 22 each totals USD 82. Add the Food Lover Taste Of Egypt in Alexandria at USD 56 each and the day comes to USD 194 before any transport. The same couple buying comparable ship tours would pay several times that.
The math changes for the pyramids. Alexandria Port: Private Pyramids, Sphinx & Grand Egyptian Museum is USD 215 per person direct. The comparable ship excursion is usually priced higher but includes guaranteed return, convoy security, and a buffer against traffic. For a long-transfer day with real risk of missing the ship, many find the ship version the better buy. The shorter city options have no such tight call; direct wins on price and flexibility.
Assume a typical 8am–4pm window. Book the Half Day Tour to Bibliotheca Alexandrina for morning, returning to the ship by 1pm. Use the remaining time for the Tour to The Qaitbay Citadel in Alexandria on your own or with a quick taxi from the port gate. Skip anything involving Cairo or the pyramids entirely; the drive eats the clock in both directions. This keeps the day relaxed, avoids the worst heat, and still gives you the two strongest local sights without rushing.
Start with the Alexandria Port: Private Pyramids, Sphinx & Grand Egyptian Museum at first light (typically 6–7am departure). The 2.5–3.5 hour transfer each way plus time on site fills the day; expect back aboard around 7–8pm depending on your ship’s schedule. If you prefer to stay local, combine the Tour to The Qaitbay Citadel in Alexandria in the morning, Food Lover Taste Of Egypt in Alexandria for lunch, and the Half Day Tour to Bibliotheca Alexandrina in the afternoon, with taxis bridging the short distances.
I would choose the Private Pyramids, Sphinx & Grand Egyptian Museum without hesitation. The city sights are pleasant and inexpensive on their own, but the pyramids are a once-in-a-lifetime scale of wonder. The long transfer is real, yet that is exactly why the private tour at USD 215 per person makes sense here; it is still markedly less than most ship equivalents while delivering the main event. The local options are better saved for a repeat visit when you can linger over koshari and books without watching the clock. (Word count: 682)
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