East Africa 2007
(including United Arab Emirates [Dubai], Kenya [Nairobi, Masai Mara], Tanzania [Serengeti, Zanzibar, and Dar es Salaam])
Reviews
Emirates Business Class
Complimentary Chauffeur Service:
JFK: At JFK, Emirates uses Boston Coach (www.bostoncoach.com) for their transportation. Vehicles were comfortable (Towncars and Cadillacs), drivers seemed knowledgeable. Upon arrival at JFK, business and first-class passengers who used the chauffeur service are met at the car by an airline representative, who supervises the removal of your luggage and assigns it to porters who take you right to the appropriate counter. Our only issue was that service is provided within a 60-mile radius (we live about 90-miles away), and we were not even able to pay for the additional routing. Instead, we drove our car and parked within the 60-mile radius in order to use the service. There wasn’t much of a hassle, and it was well worth the service that we received upon arriving in the car at JFK.
Dubai: We also used the chauffeur service in Dubai to get to/from our stopover hotel. Even if you have made your reservation previously, find the Emirates “room” (counter) after claiming your luggage and request your car. There wasn’t more than a 3-minute wait. Upon arrival back in NY, again find the Emirates representative after claiming your bags to reconfirm your transportation (not more than a 2-minute wait).
Nairobi and Dar es Salaam: No chauffeur service available.
Lounges:
JFK Lounge: Fabulous! The best food we’ve had at an airline lounge (e.g., filet mignon, shrimp cocktail, Asian foods). Good restroom facilities, comfortable chairs and couches for lounging, full range of self-service beverages, lots of staff.
Tip: Wait in the lounge until you are called for boarding, then you’ll breeze right onto the plane without having to wait at all. I got a bit antsy, since we were still (uncalled) in the lounge 20 minutes before take-off, but they really seem to know what they are doing.
Dubai Lounge: Business class lounge was good; probably the first class lounge is better and more comparable to the combination lounge at JFK. There are upper and lower floors. The upper floor seems used by smokers, primarily, because that’s where the smoking area was. There are computer terminals (free internet access) in the smoking area, a small food/drink service area (there is a much larger area downstairs), several TVs, and small restroom facilities (larger facilities available downstairs).There are flight boards throughout the facility, and the usual announcements are made. Wait in the lounge until you are called. The boarding procedure at the Dubai Airport takes a long time, so it is best not to go until you are called; there are multiple security checkpoints before boarding the plane, and it takes a long time if you try to clear with the larger number of coach passengers (again, I got antsy waiting).
Dar es Salaam Lounge: The Tanzanite Lounge is rather poor, but still preferable to waiting in the general boarding area. It is air-conditioned, and has free drinks and some limited hot snacks, as well as restroom facilities. Think of someone’s basement, with dark leather couches, the Tanzanian versions of “Dogs Playing Poker”, and that’s the Dar priority lounge. At least there WAS a lounge.
Equipment:
Boeing 777-200 (JFK to Dubai and Dubai to JFK): Excellent! We had the nearly lie-flat slumberette beds in business class. We saw the first class seats on our flight from Dubai to JFK, and they had the in-seat mini-bars (not sure if they had the enclosed “pods” or not. Definitely what I aspire to on my next flight!) These seats enabled my husband and I to get some actual sleep for the first time ever on an international flight, so it was worth the ticket price (used the American Express Platinum buy 1/get 1 free deal). Service was good, but not exceptional (service was better on the return than the outbound). The ICE entertainment system kept us busy when we weren’t sleeping--there were too many movie, TV, music choices to mention. The food was quite good. Three meals were served on the transatlantic flights: dinner (three entree choices), snack (three choices), and breakfast (three choices), accompanied by cocktails and various wines. There were additional snacks (e.g., sandwiches, fruit, chips) available in the galley whenever you liked. Meals are followed by a cart with desserts, cheeses, fruits, chocolates, and coffee/port/cordials. The cabins and bathrooms were kept clean. There were plenty of amenities available whenever one desired in the lavatories (e.g., toothbrushes, paste, razors, shaving cream, moisturizer, perfume/aftershave). Hot towels are passed out before/after all meals. There is a good selection of magazines and newspapers. Blankets, pillows, socks, eyeshades are provided, as well as noise cancelling headphones. There are separate amenity kits handed out for men and women, with the usual toothbrush, paste, comb, razor, deodorant, lotion, lip balm, etc. The business class cabin is large; if possible, request the smaller front cabin (behind first class) with just two rows, instead of the larger cabin with approximately six rows. The seating configuration is surprising for a business class cabin (2-3-2), but with the upgraded seats with the privacy panels and the amount of space between rows, even the middle seat in the middle configuration would be rather good. The middle bulkhead seats had the same large (I think it was 19” monitors) as the other seats; however, the bulkhead seats in the 2-seat side configuration had smaller (17” monitors) that pulled out from the armrests. Not only were the screens smaller (although who needs a 19” screen on the plane??), but they must have made the seat width slightly narrower (although the seats are wide enough for you to sit sideways or with one’s feet Indian-style for variation). There were NO laptop power ports at the seats--my only minor complaint about this aircraft. There is a neat nighttime starry sky displayed on the roof of the cabin during sleeping times.
Airbus 320 (Dubai to Nairobi and Dar es Salaam to Dubai): This aircraft is poor in comparison to the 777. We had problems with the entertainment system on all of our flights, but especially on this aircraft where you must request small cassette tapes to watch movies. It seemed rather archaic, and my first tape got stuck in the arm of the seat and was not fixable. On another flight, we were unable to remove the GUI directional information from the monitors, so it was difficult to watch a film unimpeded. The screens were smaller (less than 15”), and the seats not nearly as comfortable. The screens really ARE GUI, but you need to press so hard that it causes movement to the seat of the person in front of you. The business-class seats were certainly preferable to economy class, but they weren’t very wide, so you were unable to turn to either side to achieve a comfortable position for sleeping. Socks and eyeshades were provided, but no other amenity kit. Blanket, pillow, and noise-cancelling headphones also distributed. One meal was served; no dessert cart was seen in business class. We compared this flight to a first-class domestic flight in the United States: better than coach, but certainly not international business class (even though we flew internationally). The aircraft had the same 2-3-2 configuration. Our flight from Dubai to Nairobi was changed from a 3-class to a 2-class piece of equipment after booking.
Bottom Line: We would definitely use Emirates again, especially on the transatlantic portion! They allowed us a multi-night stopover in Dubai free of charge, and we were supposedly able to claim Continental (or alternately United) miles for our flights, which will be more usable to us in the future instead of Emirates miles (but we still haven’t received our miles, even a week after the completion of our itinerary, or even for the first outbound leg, which took place three weeks ago). We should each receive enough miles for a free domestic ticket in the US (about 25,000 each), or to use for upgrades. Emirates participates in the American Express Platinum buy 1/get 1 free program, although you are purchasing the first ticket at a higher business class (refundable) rate rather than the lowest business rate that you can find online (but it still saved us money).
Airports:
JFK: We used the new Terminal 4, which even has its own website (www.jfkiat.com). There really isn’t much to do within security in the terminal, so we spent our time in the lounge. You cannot smoke anywhere within the airport, including in the Emirates lounge.
Dubai: Huge airport, with about 4 floors (website www.dubaiairport.com)). It’s nearly all duty-free shops, the largest we’ve ever seen. They resemble grocery stores, with many cashiers lined up, each running a separate conveyor belt/cash register. All the usuals are for sale (e.g., liquor, cigarettes, perfume, jewelry), but also less frequently seen items like TVs, blenders, and other household appliances. Passengers walk through the airport with their luggage carts (which resemble shopping carts) piled high with duty-free. There are smoking rooms and other stations throughout the airport, including in the Emirates lounge. In August of 2007, there was NO visa required for US citizens who were on a 96-hour stopover in Dubai (or for transit passengers). Emirates passengers with a layover of greater than 4 hours are entitled to a meal in specific restaurants. There are separate lounges for business and first-class passengers.
Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta (International): We didn’t spend much time there, but the airport seemed older in style (website www.kenyaairports.com/jkia). The few shops and restaurants that we saw were small and cramped. But to be fair, we didn’t spend enough time there to make an accurate comment. We got visas for Kenya before leaving the States, and we were glad when we saw the line at the airport (not that you need to rush anywhere, unless you’ve got a connecting flight). The visas were about $50 each USD for single-entry, and we paid another $50 USD each for the service who got them for us (see A Briggs at www.abriggs.com).
Nairobi Wilson (Domestic): Wilson is the domestic airport in Nairobi (website www.kenyaairports.com/wilson). We flew on SafariLink (website www.safarilink-kenya.com), but it seemed that all airlines operated similarly. Each airline has its own small building, where you must go to check in and check luggage. The SafariLink building has a small snack bar and restrooms. There is no smoking inside, but it’s not a problem outside. You are then mini-bused to the small airport facility from which you will fly. Once through security, there are two duty-free shops and restrooms, but they are in separate small buildings. There is a small waiting area with seats, but there are many more passengers than room to comfortably wait. We have used other domestic airports before, and this didn’t resemble anything we had previously seen, whereby you could pull up to the doors an hour before your flight, find your appropriate airline counter, check in, and have a quick wait in a shop or coffee bar. There was no problems with it; it just wasn’t what we were expecting. There is a small window for customs/immigration, which you’ll need to use if flying from the domestic airport to Tanzania or another country (this was fast and easy, and the staff from SafariLink led us by the hand through the steps). There is no coffee shop in the main departure area, but I believe that one of the two shops sold cold drinks and packaged snacks. There is regular security here, and our bags at the SafariLink “terminal” WERE weighed.
Kichwa Tembo Private Airstrip: I think that this was a paved (macadam) runway, surprising for being out in the middle of nowhere. We flew on a rather large plane between Wilson and Kichwa Tembo, probably holding about 50 passengers, having a restroom, and even a flight attendant who served hard candy and bottled water. This plane was much larger than I had imagined it would be, but the planes would get smaller from here on in. There is no formal airport building, only a small round seating area with a bench and covered by a roof (but open on the sides). There are no bathroom facilities at this airstrip; no running water; no electricity. We were met by staff from Bateleur, and greeted with a wonderful champagne welcome (including crystal flutes). It was a great beginning to our safari, and we would soon grow accustomed to the unbelievable luxury of the CC Africa lodges and staff! It was immediately apparent that we chose the best company for our safari (although we did not book through CC Africa itself). Luggage is NOT weighed here, and there is NO security.
Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA): Our flight departed Wilson late, and therefore arrived in Kilimanjaro late (probably by about an hour) (website www.kilimanjaroairport.co.tz). We flew Regional Air from Kilimanjaro to the Crater (Lake Manyara Airport). Since our flight was full, we did not need to stop in Arusha en route to the Crater, although some flights may if there aren’t enough passengers for the direct flight. Kilimanjaro is a “real” airport, but still very small. I only saw one snack bar inside, several bathroom facilities, and (joy!) an indoor/outdoor smoking area near the departure gates. There were a few shops outside of the security area (I saw some fake designer bags in the windows). The staff at Kili were great--and also led us by the hand through baggage claim and luggage recheck. There was no wait at the visa window, although we had gotten our visas before leaving the US ($50 USD each, plus another $50 each for the service). There is regular security here, and we were not allowed to take liquids on board with us. Luggage was not weighed, even though there were facilities.
Lake Manyara Airport: This is an actual airport, but teeny-tiny. The runways are paved (macadam). There is a small departure area (think grandma’s basement, complete with velour sofas) where you can smoke. There is a building across the parking lot with crafts and souvenirs. There is a bathroom building nearby, which even had toilet paper, soap, and running water on my arrival (but none of those on my departure, so it seems variable). People were quite nice. There was nowhere to buy drinks or snacks (which isn’t a problem if you use CC Africa, for they won’t let you go hungry or thirsty for a moment and always pack you a to-go bag with a sandwich, small dessert, fruit, nuts, and drink box; sandwiches were delicious!). Luggage was not weighed, and I did not see any facilities.
Arusha Airport: This is a CUTE little airport, with everything that you need: tiny coffee bar, several small shops, snack bar/coffee house, decent restrooms. There is no problem smoking here, since everything is indoor/outdoor. There is a security scanner and X-ray machine, but it was no problem taking liquids on board. Luggage was not weighed, and I did not see any facilities (although we transferred through). I would fly through this airport anytime!
Zanzibar International Airport: This is a small airport, but very traditional (website www.zanzibar-airport.com). It is indoor, and semi-air conditioned with chiller machines. Oddly, there is no restroom after passing through security, but it wasn’t a problem to go back out if necessary. There is a restaurant (?called the Palm Tree Terrace?), but again, it was prior to security so not really accessible. There are two shops inside (one duty-free with lots of books), one that sells drinks and snacks. There is NO smoking inside this airport. There was even a priority lounge (I guess for first class passengers flying internationally), but it had NO amenities other than being blocked off from the masses (no services inside). We flew Coastal Air from Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam, and since we arrived at the airport early, they put us on an earlier flight, so we only spent about 20 minutes waiting (it would be tough to spend 1+ hours here constructively). This was the only airport where we needed to pay a departure tax, which was $5 USD per person for flying domestically (I think it was $30 USD for international). They took dollars for the fee. All the check-in counters are almost at the curb (so outside), and those flying Kenyan Air looked the most harried.
Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) in Dar es Salaam: For one of the country’s two main international airports, this was surprisingly disappointing. Helpful Hint: Use a porter! It will be $5 or $10 well spent. They greeted us at the car door, whisked us through special security line, waited to grab bags, and then deposited us at the airline check-in counter (even though no one knew at that time that we were business class). There were shops outside, but the inside security business takes a bit of time, and I wouldn’t linger outside too much. The ”regular” security line was quite long, and there were at least two other security checkpoints inside. We weren’t allowed to take matches on-board, and they screened our bags heavily. Our luggage was weighed (with the meat-hook type devices, not digitally). There are a few nice shops inside security, along with a snack bar. There are a good variety of souvenirs, and reasonably-priced. Another airport where it’s difficult to spend 1+ hours, though. The priority Tanzanite Lounge was disappointing (see my other review for Emirates), but still better than waiting with the masses. The airport is not air-conditioned except after passing through the final security scan just before boarding, where there were chillers. There were bathroom facilities (though small for the number of people waiting), but there was NO smoking allowed inside (even though it seemed sort of an open-air building). I wouldn’t jump at the chance to fly through here again, unless it really fits my schedule well--just disappointing for an international airport.
Tours:
Desert Safari (Sandboarding and Dunebashing in Dubai) with Hormuz Tours (website www.hormuztourism.com) Hormuz was extremely responsive to my e-mails (unlike many other companies in Dubai), and they offered the exact tour that we wanted at a reasonable rate. (I think we paid $40 per person, excluding gratuity for a private tour.) I did NOT want to take the afternoon desert safari that included dinner at a bedouin camp, which was what most companies offered. The driver picked us up at our Dubai hotel for the hour drive to the desert. The drive is fairly interesting, with lots of construction projects along the way (they are building Dubailand: Dubai’s version of DisneyWorld, scheduled to open in 2010, I believe.) The road conditions were excellent. We actually left the emirate of Dubai in order to dune bash in Sharjah. The car (SUV) was comfortable, and the driver was friendly. We stopped at a small store just before dune bashing so that the driver could deflate the car tires in preparation for dune bashing. The store sold cold drinks, small souvenirs, and had restroom facilities (which we did not use). Dune bashing was really scary! We definitely should have signed a release waiver, and worn helmets. There isn’t much preventing the vehicle from flipping over on the soft dunes (they are really powdery--not hard-packed like the sand that we drive on in the beaches in the US), because you are going at a high rate of speed up and down some serious hills. It was fun, but I almost wanted to turn back several times because I couldn’t get the idea of flipping out of my head. We saw some camels being herded in the desert. The sandboarding was tough--not quite like skiing, and we’ve never actually snow boarded, so we can’t make a comparison. Going down is fun, but when you fall, the sand is burning hot! And you’ve got to walk back up any hill that you board down. If you’re worried about sandboarding, you can always just sit on the board and go down on your butt. But you do have to come back up after the fun.
Kudos for Kennedy! Waymark Safaris in Nairobi (website www.waymarksafari.com) As everyone online gushes, Kennedy is a great guy! He gave us a tour of Nairobi, including Kenyan Wildlife Services for the “cheetah hug” (highly recommended!), the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage, Langatta Giraffe Center, Karen Blixen Museum (we didn’t feel that this sight had any particular merit for us personally, and wish we had saved the time and entrance fee). Our tour also included the Utamadumi Craft Center (with optional lunch at Verandah), and the Bomas of Kenya, but we really only wanted to see the cheetah, ellies, and giraffes, so we went back to the hotel early. We paid for the whole day anyway, about $70 per person, excluding gratuities to the KWS guide, Kennedy, and the entrance fees to the sites. I think the entry fee for each site was approximately $10 USD per person; the Karen Blixen Museum was the only sight that required Kenyan shillings rather than USD. Kennedy, being the great guy that he was, agreed to change some money for us (I can’t believe we weren’t more prepared, but most of our trip was prepaid months ago). The other amazing thing that Kennedy did for us: My husband and I each bought a Tilley hat for our safari. My husband used his hat on a previous vacation, but mine was brand-new. We took the hats on our day tour with Kennedy (but didn’t use them), and proceeded to leave them in the back (luggage area) of his SUV. We didn’t even realize it until 9:00 pm that night (the night before our departure on safari). Kennedy offered to drive the hats to the airport for us, but we really didn’t expect to get them back, especially after seeing the unique airline building/departure terminal setup at Wilson. The minutes kept ticking by, and just when we had given up hope, an airline representative brought the hats out to us. We gave her a tip to give Kennedy, since we couldn’t go back out through security. We are unbelievably grateful to him! It was nice to meet since a kind and good-hearted person on our first full day in Africa.
Balloon Safari (from Bateleur Camp in the Masaai Mara)
This was the only part of our trip that didn’t go as planned. We were awoken at 4:00 to prepare for a 5:00 am departure to the ballooning site. After an hour’s drive, we reached the take-off spot, where we received a briefing from an incredibly funny balloon pilot and were offered hot drinks. It was a wet morning, so they started blowing up the balloons with fans in order to dry them off. Then several test balloons (regular helium balloons) were sent up, but it was determined that it was too windy to fly that day. I’m sure they would have done everything possible to send those balloons up, since at $435 per person x 40 people (2 balloons each held 12 passengers, and 1 balloon held 16 passengers) meant a lot of missed money that day (although our travel agent has promised us a refund, we are still waiting for it over three weeks later). The balloon safari was run by Governor’s Camps (www.governorscamps.com). We were back at our camp by 7:00, in time to take the morning game drive (I think the balloon company called the camps to make sure they waited for their guests). Our game drive that day turned out to be excellent, so it was a good consolation for the missed balloon experience. We tried to rebook for the next day, but there was no space available. As long as you heart won’t be broken if you can’t go, it seems like a great experience. Just seeing the little that we did, it’s something that we will try to do again in the future (even if it’s in the US).
Masaai Village (from Klein’s Camp in the Serengeti)
We paid $40 total for my husband and I to visit this village. The money goes directly to the family whose house you visit. We went late in the afternoon (probably arriving around 4:30 pm), and we got to go inside one of the small bomas. There were three teeny-tiny rooms, if you could call them that: the mother’s bed, the father’s bed, and a small common area where there’s a fire and where simple meals are eaten. I think that the children sleep in the father’s bed when he is not there, for when the father does visit and spend the night, the children are sent elsewhere (men have more than one wife, and all wives live in the same cluster of bomas). The most astounding part of the house is that half of it is taken up by a cattle pen filled with calves. This is to keep them warm and safe. Despite the close quarters, I thought that the house and pen were neatly kept and did not smell. Amazingly, the animals were absolutely quiet while we were inside--there was no “mooing”, and had I not seen them through a tiny window, I wouldn’t have even known that they were inside right next to me. The local women all rush to the area in hopes of selling their crafts (mostly beadwork and carved wooden objects; there were no textiles or paintings, which I was interested in buying). Prices seemed fair. The tour is a good opportunity to see the local people (or rather, the women and children). We also visited the newly-established clinic and passed both the primary and secondary schools and the town center (surprisingly, there was a satellite dish, and people were dressed in traditional Western clothing). Some Masaai seem to adopt modern conveniences when they choose to (we saw D cell batteries on the mother’s bed), but for the most part, they live an authentic lifestyle and it’s worth seeing.
Stonetown (in Zanzibar, Tanzania)
We took a 2-hour tour of Stonetown before leaving the island of Zanzibar. We stayed at the Palms, which was a 1-hour drive each way to Stonetown, so rather than give up half a day of relaxation for the tour, we decided to leave for the airport a bit early and see it en route. (This was a wise choice, for while it was a nice tour, it was quite hot and not worth giving up our luxurious post at the Palms.) We saw the main sites: synagogue (closed after noon on Fridays for services), House of Wonders, Old Slave Market, Anglican Church, Roman Catholic Church, markets (meat, fish, spice, vegetable), ampitheatre. We used a Unicef guide, who charged $20 per person, probably a bit steep, but he did manage to steer us to all the proper places in a short amount of time. The passageways were narrow, and we certainly would have gotten lost. Our map wasn’t very good (Stonetown was much larger than we envisioned). I didn’t see any of the hotels that I had considered staying at for one night (we looked at Emerson & Green, Sultan’s Palace, Serena Inn), but in retrospect, it was a bit noisy and crowded and wouldn’t have suited us.
Hotels:
Link to My Review of Dar al Masyaf (at Madinat Jumeirah)
Link to My Review of the House of Waine (Nairobi)
Link to My Review of Bateleur Camp at Kichwa Tembo (Masaai Mara, Kenya)
Link to My Reivew Ngorongoro Crater Lodge (Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania)
Link to My Review of Klein’s Camp (Serengeti, Tanzania)
Link to My Review of The Palms (Bwenjuu, Zanzibar)
Link to My Review of the Kilimanjaro Kempinski (Dar es Salaam)
We
expected the service to fall off here, as we were leaving CC Africa
properties and using another company. But we needn’t have worried, the
service and food was every bit as attentive and luxurious as we had
grown pleasantly accustomed to. We looked at the CC Africa property
Mnemba, but ruled it out because the rooms didn’t have air conditioning
(not necessary on safari but well used at the beach), nor did I remember
it having a swimming pool (I’m not an ocean swimmer). I’m sure it was
lovely, but I was ecstatic at the Palms.
Villas: The houses are
enormous! We had Cinnamon, which I believe to be the best located, since
it sits closest to the beach as well as closest to its own beachside
banda. Each villa and banda has a name assigned so there’s no need to
wonder where you’ll be lounging. (Other names included Frangipani,
Hibiscus, Clove, Jasmine, and one other name I can’t recall.) The bandas
have a king-size mattress under a palapa thatch roof with tons of comfy
pillows, as well as two sun lounge chairs with cushions and a small
table on a cement slab surrounding the banda. There was plenty of room
to move the chairs as necessary to get the maximum sun. On the porch of
the villa is a twin-sized 4-poster canopy bed with fluffy pillows and
mosquito netting, used for relaxing. There’s also a baraza, a staple of
Zanzibar architecture, which is a stone bench topped by cushions and
pillows also for relaxing. Each villa has it’s own private plunge pool,
more of a cold water jacuzzi. Just a nice touch, and for the Cinnamon
villa, excellently located to pop into from your banda rather than using
the main pool. (The whole property is a great size, however, feeling
neither huge nor cramped but just right.) There’s a living room, with a
wall open to the bedroom area. Living room has a couch/bed,
chair/ottoman, armoire with TV and DVD player (can borrow 2 movies per
day from reception), and a bar/wet bar with 2 stools. There’s a mini-bar
included (alcoholic, non-alcoholic sodas, and waters). A second small
bedroom (twin bed only) and another full bath (stall shower only) is off
the living room. The master bed was beautiful and romantic--mosquito
netting which was opened at turndown (but not needed--might have been if
you had opened your windows rather than using the FIVE air conditioning
units in each villa). There is a large dressing room/closet, and an
immense bathroom, with a separate water closet (toilet and bidet), stall
shower, soaking bathtub, twin sinks placed face to face with a mirror
in between, tiny dressing table. A good selection is provided: shampoo
(but NO conditioner), body lotion, bubble bath, sewing kit, loofah mitt.
NO washcloths were provided, although there were plenty of towels.
There is an electronic safe, umbrellas, and robes provided (but NO
slippers). The doors can be locked with a key, but we didn’t bother.
Common
Areas: There is a lobby area for check-in, with a small shop and
internet room off of it (free internet). The lounge/bar area is quite
large, but we didn’t use it, instead choosing to gather with other
guests (it’s amazing how often you run into people that you’ve seen at
other camps throughout your trip) on the wide porches with comfy
armchairs/ottomans and twin, 4-poster canopy beds used for lounging!
Really beautiful! The pool was really nice (rarely used, enough chairs
for all guests anyway so there’s no need to reserve), tiled in royal
blue, which was accented by the royal blue privacy fabrics of the
lunch/poolside restaurant and on the bandas, as well as the table
runners/napkins at the pool restaurant. Breakfast takes place on the
verandah of the main building; and dinner just inside in a more formal
dining room (un-air conditioned, but large doors are opened to let in
the sea breezes). There was an upper loft area with another big relaxing
bed above the bar/lounge area in the main building. There is a
dedicated spa for the guests of the Palms (we didn’t use it, but other
guests raved about services and said the prices were reasonable).
Food:
The food at The Palms was outstanding: five course meals every night,
since the bread (and compliment) was almost a course in itself, followed
by two starters, the entree, and the dessert (homemade ice creams are
often an ingredient). Someone will find you in the morning to learn your
lunch selection (two choices for the appetizer, two choices for the
entree), then find you again in the afternoon at sundowner time to see
what you want for dinner (just a choice between two entrees at dinner).
Beach:
The sand was nice and soft, but there was some seaweed. The tides
changed quite quickly. At low tide, you could walk out for what seemed
like miles, and the beach was wide, with unbelievably pretty shells. At
high tide, there was just a narrow strip of sand to walk on. The water
color changed with the tides, sometimes very light aqua to dark blue
(but it’s not the aquamarine color in your wildest dreams).
Breezes:
Guests of the Palms are entitled to use the services next door at
Breezes. This is a much larger property, with a more typical
all-inclusive feel (although not all was inclusive). We could eat and
drink there, but it wasn’t included as guests of the Palms (though why
would you want to leave your exclusive enclave?). There was another spa
(which seemed to fill up quickly with all the guests at Breezes), a
small fitness room, tennis court, watersports facility (snorkeling
equipment and water shoes for walking out to the reef are free). Breezes
had many restaurants--probably 5, although 2 were a la carte--and a few
bars. There was a supposedly larger shop there than at the Palms, but
it was closed when we tried to visit. I could have been happy at Breezes
had I not seen the Palms, but as it is, I’m glad we chose to spend the
extra money.
Surprise at The Palms: DON’T READ ANY FARTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SPOIL THE SURPRISE!
On
your last night at the Palms, you will not eat with the other guests,
unless they are departing on the same day as you. For us and another
couple, tables were set up in the spa area surrounded by candles. I’m
sure the meal was the same as for the other guests, but it just felt
special to be in a more remote, private area.
The management of
the Palms also has a bucket of champagne and fruit waiting for you at
check-in time, and they also give each guest a pareo/sarong to wear and
then take home.
It is also possible at the Palms to request a
private dinner on the beach, but I think it was an additional cost, and
it was set up at the banda closest to the dining room, which wasn’t all
that far from other guests. You could also request sundowners on the
beach accompanied by canapes, but that didn’t seem worth the extra cost
either because the staff found you wherever you were and brought your
sundowners and snacks to you (sometimes appetizer food, sometimes
homemade chocolates). Your banda couldn’t have been that much closer to
the beach than the spot that you would have paid for.
Suites:
Absolutely incredible rooms--or several room areas connected together.
First, there’s a little anteroom that we liked to call the “empty glass
room”, because we would put our empty glassware there for our butler to
pick up whenever we finished a round of drinks. Your morning wake up
service (drinks and cookies) was also left on that table. The main
bedroom area had a king size bed with enormous headboard, huge floor to
ceiling doors/windows, and a small desk, there was also a wood-burning
fireplace and two club chairs/ottomans in one corner. The next room was
the bathroom, which could be blocked off by opening the wardrobe doors
and fastening them together. Huge waterfall tiled shower, lovely
free-standing bathtub, twin pedestal sinks, makeup table, and another
floor-to-ceiling door (and the ceilings were HIGH!). Then there was
another tiny room (like the “empty glass room”) that held the toilet. I
don’t think there was a bidet here. The rooms are not spaced far apart,
and due to the elevation of the landscape, it was nearly possible to see
from our deck into the next rooms water closet (and there were no
curtains or wooden doors provided for some of the windows--but other
windows did have them). There are zebras and cape buffalo right on the
property (no fences), so be sure to call your Masaai guide (there are
phones in the rooms) for an escort to the main building. The animals
will come right up to your deck and front door. (Each room has a larger
deck off the bedroom area--use the four cushions provided at the end of
your bed to set up a comfortable spot on the wooden step/bench--and a
smaller deck located off the bathroom. Toiletries are provided in these
neat, refillable glass bottles with cork stoppers (shampoo, conditioner,
body lotion, bath salt scrub, shower gel). Massages are available (not
included: about $40 for 1/2 hour and $60 for an hour). Robes and
slippers were provided; umbrellas too. There is a lovely wooden/glass
box filled with chocolates/sweets, and glasses with brandy/sherry in the
fireplace area. There was an electronic safe, and the rooms could also
be locked with a key. The rooms get quite chilly in the late
evening/early morning. You’ll definitely need slippers to walk around
(not bare feet), and the fireplace and electric space heater are
necessary. Your bed will also contain a dual-controlled electric
blanket, which will be turned on for you during the nightly turndown.
(We found it too hot with the electric blankets, however, and turned
them off.)
Common Areas: What can I say? Everything is true! It’s
OVER THE TOP! We had room number 8 in the North Camp, which was midway
between the dining area and the end of camp. North Camp would be the
best choice, I think, if you have any mobility issues. The farthest room
in South Camp required walking up a hill. We didn’t really see Tree
Camp, but I think it was probably hilly as well (although the smallness
of it may have helped). I requested North or South Camp prior to my
stay, but perhaps Tree Camp would have been the better choice. There are
a lot of rooms in North and South as compared to Tree, and we missed
the more personalized service that we got at our previous (small) camp,
Bateleur. The service was good, just not as personal or personalized.
There was a curio shop which had a computer if you wanted to purchase
internet time. There’s no pool at Crater Lodge, but don’t worry--there’s
neither the time nor the hot weather to use one. (I can’t believe I
almost didn’t stay there because they didn’t have a pool! What a fool!)
Be sure to use the restrooms in the lobby/dining area--and don’t forget
that you’ll have to go outside and via a wooden walkway to the restroom
building. There is a common sink area, but separate rooms for men and
women (look above the doors for the appropriate character--I missed it
the first time and ended up in the men’s room instead). Cocktails were
held in the lobby/lounge area from about 7:30 to 8:00, but we missed
them both nights. It seemed like the time to chat with the other guests
if you were so inclined.
Food: The dining room is lovely, with
formal service. The meals were very elaborate and formal--and delicious.
The current chef is from Oregon, and trained somewhere else in the
United States (we think he said San Francisco)--it was our first and
only encounter on the trip with someone on staff who was American). We
had one really unique lunch here--ask to be seated out on the deck if
the weather is nice. It’s too cold to eat out there for breakfast or
dinner, so lunch is your only option. Breakfast is a cold buffet (e.g.,
juices, fruit, bread, cereal, yogurt, meats, cheeses), followed by a hot
entree (if desired); too much food for me so early in the morning.
Electricity
and Water: There are plenty of outlets in the rooms for recharging.
Don’t forget an adapter (you will need the 3-prong English/Great British
adapter for all of Kenya and Tanzania--not the Africa adapter); a
converter was not necessary. There was 24-hour hot water here, but the
electricity was turned off from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm and then again from
12:00 midnight through 3:00 am (or thereabouts). There is 24-hour hot
water.
Laundry: Laundry service is included, and the Crater Lodge
actually has washing machines and dryers, so you’ll receive a 12-hour
turnaround or so. If you’re going to have laundry done, this is the
place--I felt terrible asking someone to hand wash my unmentionables.
And by the way, they do “smalls” (underwear and bras) at the CC Africa
camps, unlike many other places that I heard about online. Laundry is
returned in a neat wicker basket, wrapped in a satiny bag, tied with a
ribbon, accompanied by a rose. It looked like a gift!
Game
Drives: You can only do ONE game drive per day at the Crater Lodge, but
it can be a long/extensive one, with a box breakfast and lunch to take
along if you desire. I think the “morning” drive went out from 7:00 am
to 2:00 pm, and the “afternoon” drive went out from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.
You must stay on road in the Crater, under all circumstances, so
binoculars and telephoto lenses are a must if animals are far away. This
was the most crowded park of our safari, but not overly so. Another
couple we met described the Lodge and park as touristy, but we
disagreed; it was just more dense with vehicles and people. There are
two restroom facilities in the Crater, but there might as well not be.
It was my first experience with squat toilets: there’s a porcelain plate
with footprints on the floor of each stall, and you squat and go--not
easy!
Surprise at Crater Lodge: DON’T READ ANY FARTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SPOIL THE SURPRISE!
One
day after lunch, when you return to your room, the butler will have
drawn a lovely bubble bath for you, surrounded by rose petals. When you
see that the tub is half full, you might add just a bit more hot (really
scalding!) water to top it off, but don’t forget about the water
displacement that your body will cause (therefore, DON’T FILL the tub to
the top). I thought that I knew better than my butler, and filled the
tub to the top with really hot water. Not only was it too scalding to
sit in, but I would have flooded the entire room. The butler closed the
drapes to the door/deck, but it was nicer with them open (particularly
since the time coincided with the afternoon power cut), and I also lit
the candle that was near the bath. A really relaxing afternoon! Crater
Lodge also gave us a bag of coffee beans on our last night.
Villas:
The villas were lovely, with a large deck overlooking the private
concession. There was a small table and two chairs for viewing. Inside,
there was a 4-poster bed with mosquito netting (for effect), the first
bureau (chest of drawers) that we saw on our trip, two side chairs (one
with a little table next to it and an art box with pencils, pastels, and
watercolors). There were 3 mason jars filled with snacks (e.g., nuts,
candy), as well as the sherry/brandy bottle and two glasses. There was
an electronic safe, and the rooms could also be locked with a key.
Umbrellas were provided, as were robes but NO slippers (we had gotten
used to them). We were provided with bug spray here, but didn’t need it.
We had room number 8, which was midway between the last room and the
dining area (rooms 4 and 3 would be the closest, with 10 the farthest).
Massages are available in your room ($40 for a 1/2 hour, or $60 for an
hour).
Electricity and Water: The power turned off from 1 hour
after the last guest went to bed (probably around 11:00 pm) until 4:00
am. This was the longest time without power, but two battery-operated
lanterns were provided, and my Petzl headlamp again came in handy. There
is NOT 24-hour hot water here. The water is heated using a wood fire
beneath a metal reservoir twice daily: once in the early morning before
your game drive, and again in the afternoon before your game drive. You
could ask for additional heating, which took about 15 minutes. Still, if
that’s “roughing it”, then count me in!
Laundry: Laundry is included, but everything is hand-washed and line dried, so allow 24-hours for turnaround.
Common
Areas: The lobby/lounge/bar area was in a separate rondaval (open on
the sides) with an awesome view over the concession. There are many
comfy chairs and couches to spend some time, and there’s a beautiful
fireplace in the center. There’s a nice, formal bar here for drinks. The
dining room is in a separate rondaval (open sides, but flaps are rolled
down at night) that has a fire pit type thing in the center at dinner
for warmth. The pool is quite nice, but we didn’t have time to use it
(we had the least amount of free time at Klein’s, where we would have
valued it the most). There is a curio shop, and we also heard of a TV
lounge, though whether that was for staff or guests, we do not know (but
it was located within the guest area, not the staff area).
Game
Drives: Because it is located on a private concession, Klein’s Camp
offers night drives, which is an important reason to stay here. We
departed around 4:30 and returned about 9:15, so you start off in
daylight but end in complete darkness. It’s a good contrast to daytime
drives, so definitely participate if you can. The morning drives were
about 7:30 to 1:30, followed by that 2-hour lunch, a short break to
freshen up, and then the night drive. In addition to the private
concession (where they can drive off-road), you can also visit the
Serengeti (driving on-road, except in rare circumstances when large cats
are spotted). A tracker/spotter can be used in the private concession,
but not in the Serengeti (be sure to take some pictures of yourselves in
the spotter’s chair attached to the hood of the vehicle). The night
drives and the spotter add a different element than other camps. Roads
in the Serengeti are fairly good, but the access road to Klein’s is very
bumpy.
Food: We liked the food here, for it seemed a bit lighter
than at the other camps--there were only 3 courses instead of 4 (the
soup course (again, no repeats), the entree, and the dessert,
accompanied by drinks and bread. Breakfast was a cold buffet (cereal,
juice, meats/cheeses, pastry), followed by a hot entree, (if desired).
There is an afternoon tea, which consisted of iced coffee and iced tea
and some type of loaf bread--just enough to take the edge off, but not a
formal British tea as I had envisioned. The usual linens, china,
crystal, and silver flatware were used to complete the picture.
Staff:
Sombe was our spotter. He’s a Masaai with those earlobes that you read
about. Rabin was our driver/guide--he was very friendly and good at his
job, even finding us a leopard! I don’t know if he or we were more
excited by his find! I can’t recall our butlers name, which is
unfortunate because he did a great job, particularly in serving at our
private sundowner and then making it back to camp in time to serve our
dinner. The relief managers, Sarah and Mike, really make the guests feel
welcome (they are relieving Alistair and his wife Petro, who is
pregnant and will be going back to South Africa to have the baby).
Surprises at Klein’s Camp: DON’T READ ANY FARTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SPOIL THE SURPRISES!
Welcome
greeting: When you arrive at the top of the bumpy hill to finally reach
Klein’s Camp (about 40 minutes from the airport), the entire staff is
waiting for you at the top and waving a greeting. They also did this
when we making our final departure. A really nice touch!
Special
Events: If you are celebrating a special event (I was celebrating the
last birthday of my 30s), the staff will set up a private sundowner for
you (or I guess for your group if you have another couple or two on your
afternoon game drive). We decided to go to the Masaai village on our
last night (the night of my birthday), and on our return, we pulled off
road to allegedly look for animals, when we entered a clearing where a
little bonfire was built, surrounded by some chairs as well as that
futon couch that is shown in the brochures, and lit by lanterns. There
was a table set up with drinks (including champagne) and snacks (fruit
kabobs and roasted cashews). We just chilled out for a while and watched
the sun set. This was a really special ending to my day. There were
about four staff members there to serve just my husband and I! Even our
butler was there, and somehow, he still managed to make it back to camp
on time (it had to have been an hour drive) to serve us dinner. Almost
like being in two places at once.
Typical
business-class hotel. Smallish rooms (we had the standard, but you
could book a suite). There is an executive floor, which we were not on,
with the usual free drinks and snacks. Very modern furniture in the
rooms, glass-walled bathrooms (but still having a lot of privacy). Good
selection of toiletries; one robe and one pair of slippers provided.
There was a hairdryer and electronic safe, also a plasma TV with many
stations, minibar (not included), laundry service (not included).
Turndown provided. We ate dinner at the Oriental restaurant--very good
dim sum. We had drinks at the bar on the eighth floor (it has a large
deck, so you can go outside, but there are no tables and chairs, and I
imagine it’s quite windy), and also in the lobby bar (which had outdoor
seating). The breakfast buffet was unbelievably extensive, and included
in most room rates (as are applicable room taxes). The pool, gym, and
spa areas are nice. There is a good selection of small shops in the
lobby, and a tiny casino (must wear long pants inside). It was located
about 20 minutes from the airport, which cost about $20 for the cab
ride. This hotel was a great value for the price we paid ($160 US per
night), and I wouldn’t hesitate to stay there again.
We visited Dubai on a 2-day stop-over en route to Nairobi, Kenya.
Hotel:
Dar al Masyaf (at
Madinat Jumeirah near Al Qasr and Mina a’Salaam)
Website
www.madinatjumeirah.com/dar_al_masyaf
The Dar al
Masyaf is the more private enclave within the Al Qasr, so if you are
asking for transportation from the Dubai Airport, tell them to take you
to the Al Qasr lobby, where you will take an abra (boat) or buggy (golf
cart) to your building. There is a small pool for every three or four
buildings (each with about 8 rooms; 4 upper with balconies and 4 lower
with patios). There is a butler for each building, which is essentially a
concierge service. The butler also holds a nightly happy hour (6:00 to
8:00 pm), which is a nice touch so that you can enjoy some complimentary
drinks and snacks and swap stories with other travellers. The rooms at
the “Dar” are lovely, with a king-size bed, large seating area (two
couches and coffee table), wet bar, dressing room area, and huge
bathroom (separate shower, bathtub, water closet with toilet and bidet,
twin sink vanity). GREAT selection of toiletries: separate shampoo,
conditioner, body wash for men and women, toothbrushes, paste, talcum
powder, lotion, cotton swabs, nail kit, sewing kit, shower cap). They
supply nearly everything that you will need (minus mouthwash, floss,
razors). You are supplied with robes (two kinds per person) and
slippers, and more towels than you can use (they do the towel animals,
too). Rooms have hair dryers and safes. You also get a fruit basket
(replenished daily), and two boxes of amazing sweets (in neat leather
boxes that you can keep). Bottled water is free in the rooms. The
lighting in the rooms is good, with plenty of artificial and natural
light. The mini bar prices are steep ($5 for a can of soda), but
comparable to the hotel itself. We ate a light breakfast in the Al
Faroozh lounge, where four sodas and two bagels with cream cheese ran
about $15 (not bad). There are also two breakfast buffets, but it was
too much food for us. There were too many restaurants on the property to
mention; sadly, we did not use any of them for dinner. We didn’t eat on
our first night after arriving late, and we chose to eat at the Mall of
the Emirates on our only other night there. We walked along the
concrete pathway past the ocean and the main Al Qasr pool (huge, great
amenities like fruit kabobs, Evian facial sprays, cold towels throughout
the day), and staffed by TONS of lifeguards. (In fact, EVERY pool had
its own lifeguard, even the small ones). We didn’t really see the Mina
a’Salaam, and unfortunately, it was TOO ungodly hot in August to take
advantage of our free visit to the Burj al Arab (which was not as tall
as I had imagined). August really isn’t the best time to visit Dubai.
While 107 degrees merely sounds hot, with the humidity, you really can’t
be outside for even 2 minutes without sweating and experiencing
breathing difficulty. I’m not sorry that we stopped over in Dubai; it’s
something to be seen once, but I wouldn’t hurry back for an extended
stay anytime soon.
Tour:
Desert
Safari (Sandboarding and Dunebashing in Dubai)
Hormuz Tours
(website www.hormuztourism.com)
Hormuz was extremely responsive to my
e-mails (unlike many other companies in Dubai), and they offered the
exact tour that we wanted at a reasonable rate. (I think we paid $40 per
person, excluding gratuity for a private tour.) I did NOT want to take
the afternoon desert safari that included dinner at a bedouin camp,
which was what most companies offered. The driver picked us up at our
Dubai hotel for the hour drive to the desert. The drive is fairly
interesting, with lots of construction projects along the way (they are
building Dubailand: Dubai’s version of DisneyWorld, scheduled to open in
2010, I believe.) The road conditions were excellent. We actually left
the emirate of Dubai in order to dune bash in Sharjah. The car (SUV) was
comfortable, and the driver was friendly. We stopped at a small store
just before dune bashing so that the driver could deflate the car tires
in preparation for dune bashing. The store sold cold drinks, small
souvenirs, and had restroom facilities (which we did not use). Dune
bashing was really scary! We definitely should have signed a release
waiver, and worn helmets. There isn’t much preventing the vehicle from
flipping over on the soft dunes (they are really powdery--not
hard-packed like the sand that we drive on in the beaches in the US),
because you are going at a high rate of speed up and down some serious
hills. It was fun, but I almost wanted to turn back several times
because I couldn’t get the idea of flipping out of my head. We saw some
camels being herded in the desert. The sandboarding was tough--not quite
like skiing, and we’ve never actually snow boarded, so we can’t make a
comparison. Going down is fun, but when you fall, the sand is burning
hot! And you’ve got to walk back up any hill that you board down. If
you’re worried about sandboarding, you can always just sit on the board
and go down on your butt. But you do have to come back up after the fun.
Dubai Airport:
This is a huge airport, with about 4 floors (website www.dubaiairport.com). It’s
nearly all duty-free shops, the largest we’ve ever seen. They resemble
grocery stores, with many cashiers lined up, each running a separate
conveyor belt/cash register. All the usuals are for sale (e.g., liquor,
cigarettes, perfume, jewelry), but also less frequently seen items like
TVs, blenders, and other household appliances. Passengers walk through
the airport with their luggage carts (which resemble shopping carts)
piled high with duty-free. There are smoking rooms and other stations
throughout the airport, including in the Emirates lounge. In August of
2007, there was NO visa required for US citizens who were on a 96-hour
stopover in Dubai (or for transit passengers). Emirates passengers with a
layover of greater than 4 hours are entitled to a meal in specific
restaurants. There are separate lounges for business and first-class
passengers.
Dubai Airport Emirates Lounge:
The business class lounge was good; probably the first class lounge
is better and more comparable to the combination lounge at JFK. There
are upper and lower floors. The upper floor seems used by smokers,
primarily, because that’s where the smoking area was. There are computer
terminals (free internet access) in the smoking area, a small
food/drink service area (there is a much larger area downstairs),
several TVs, and small restroom facilities (larger facilities available
downstairs).There are flight boards throughout the facility, and the
usual announcements are made. Wait in the lounge until you are called.
The boarding procedure at the Dubai Airport takes a long time, so it is
best not to go until you are called; there are multiple security
checkpoints before boarding the plane, and it takes a long time if you
try to clear with the larger number of coach passengers (again, I got
antsy waiting).
Airline: Emirates Business Class
We flew a Boeing
777-200 (JFK to Dubai and Dubai to JFK) which was excellent! We had the nearly
lie-flat slumberette beds in business class. We saw the first class
seats on our flight from Dubai to JFK, and they had the in-seat
mini-bars (not sure if they had the enclosed “pods” or not. Definitely
what I aspire to on my next flight!) These seats enabled my husband and I
to get some actual sleep for the first time ever on an international
flight, so it was worth the ticket price (used the American Express
Platinum buy 1/get 1 free deal). Service was good, but not exceptional
(service was better on the return than the outbound). The ICE
entertainment system kept us busy when we weren’t sleeping--there were
too many movie, TV, music choices to mention. The food was quite good.
Three meals were served on the transatlantic flights: dinner (three
entree choices), snack (three choices), and breakfast (three choices),
accompanied by cocktails and various wines. There were additional snacks
(e.g., sandwiches, fruit, chips) available in the galley whenever you
liked. Meals are followed by a cart with desserts, cheeses, fruits,
chocolates, and coffee/port/cordials. The cabins and bathrooms were kept
clean. There were plenty of amenities available whenever one desired in
the lavatories (e.g., toothbrushes, paste, razors, shaving cream,
moisturizer, perfume/aftershave). Hot towels are passed out before/after
all meals. There is a good selection of magazines and newspapers.
Blankets, pillows, socks, eyeshades are provided, as well as noise
cancelling headphones. There are separate amenity kits handed out for
men and women, with the usual toothbrush, paste, comb, razor, deodorant,
lotion, lip balm, etc. The business class cabin is large; if possible,
request the smaller front cabin (behind first class) with just two rows,
instead of the larger cabin with approximately six rows. The seating
configuration is surprising for a business class cabin (2-3-2), but with
the upgraded seats with the privacy panels and the amount of space
between rows, even the middle seat in the middle configuration would be
rather good. The middle bulkhead seats had the same large (I think it
was 19” monitors) as the other seats; however, the bulkhead seats in the
2-seat side configuration had smaller (17” monitors) that pulled out
from the armrests. Not only were the screens smaller (although who needs
a 19” screen on the plane??), but they must have made the seat width
slightly narrower (although the seats are wide enough for you to sit
sideways or with one’s feet Indian-style for variation). There were NO
laptop power ports at the seats--my only minor complaint about this
aircraft. There is a neat nighttime starry sky displayed on the roof of
the cabin during sleeping times.
Airbus 320 (Dubai to Nairobi and
Dar es Salaam to Dubai): This aircraft is poor in comparison to the
777. We had problems with the entertainment system on all of our
flights, but especially on this aircraft where you must request small
cassette tapes to watch movies. It seemed rather archaic, and my first
tape got stuck in the arm of the seat and was not fixable. On another
flight, we were unable to remove the GUI directional information from
the monitors, so it was difficult to watch a film unimpeded. The screens
were smaller (less than 15”), and the seats not nearly as comfortable.
The screens really ARE GUI, but you need to press so hard that it causes
movement to the seat of the person in front of you. The business-class
seats were certainly preferable to economy class, but they weren’t very
wide, so you were unable to turn to either side to achieve a comfortable
position for sleeping. Socks and eyeshades were provided, but no other
amenity kit. Blanket, pillow, and noise-cancelling headphones also
distributed. One meal was served; no dessert cart was seen in business
class. We compared this flight to a first-class domestic flight in the
United States: better than coach, but certainly not international
business class (even though we flew internationally). The aircraft had
the same 2-3-2 configuration. Our flight from Dubai to Nairobi was
changed from a 3-class to a 2-class piece of equipment after booking.
We
would definitely use Emirates again, especially on the transatlantic
portion! They allowed us a multi-night stopover in Dubai free of charge,
and we were supposedly able to claim Continental (or alternately
United) miles for our flights, which will be more usable to us in the
future instead of Emirates miles (but we still haven’t received our
miles, even a week after the completion of our itinerary, or even for
the first outbound leg, which took place three weeks ago). We should
each receive enough miles for a free domestic ticket in the US (about
25,000 each), or to use for upgrades. Emirates participates in the
American Express Platinum buy 1/get 1 free program, although you are
purchasing the first ticket at a higher business class (refundable) rate
rather than the lowest business rate that you can find online (but it
still saved us money).
Emirates Business Class Complimentary Chauffeur Service:
JFK:
At JFK, Emirates uses Boston Coach (www.bostoncoach.com) for their
transportation. Vehicles were comfortable (Towncars and Cadillacs),
drivers seemed knowledgeable. Upon arrival at JFK, business and
first-class passengers who used the chauffeur service are met at the car
by an airline representative, who supervises the removal of your
luggage and assigns it to porters who take you right to the appropriate
counter. Our only issue was that service is provided within a 60-mile
radius (we live about 90-miles away), and we were not even able to pay
for the additional routing. Instead, we drove our car and parked within
the 60-mile radius in order to use the service. There wasn’t much of a
hassle, and it was well worth the service that we received upon arriving
in the car at JFK.
Dubai: We also used the chauffeur service in
Dubai to get to/from our stopover hotel. Even if you have made your
reservation previously, find the Emirates “room” (counter) after
claiming your luggage and request your car. There wasn’t more than a
3-minute wait. Upon arrival back in NY, again find the Emirates
representative after claiming your bags to reconfirm your transportation
(not more than a 2-minute wait).
Nairobi and Dar es Salaam: No chauffeur service available.
