Live from the Voyager, Istanbul to Dubai, 31 Oct to 21 Nov 2015

There is a good-size group of CC members on this cruise and we'll try to collectively post here about our experiences when we are underway in a week. For any who are on this cruise and didn't come across the role call, it is at: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2031946.

The role call of CC nom-de-plumes:

Algonquian, Art Instructor, bigcanoe3, Brianbr, CarlsbadSally, Eager2Travel, hampshirelad, hlthsrch, JerzeeJane, Matriarch, Nanmimi, nealpc, NJBelle and Portolan

Joint blog--oh boy! Looking forward to it. . . .

Great! will enjoy following along.

Oct 31 Sat – Istanbul, Turkey

Nov 1 Sun – Kavala, Greece

Nov 2 Mon – Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey

Nov 3 Tue – Cruise the Mediterranean Sea

Nov 4 Wed – Jerusalem (Haifa), Israel

Nov 5 Thu – Jerusalem (Haifa), Israel

Nov 6 Fri – Jerusalem (Haifa), Israel

Nov 7 Sat – At Sea (Mediterranean)

Nov 8 Sun – Cruise Suez Canal

Nov 9 Mon – Luxor (Safaga), Egypt

Nov 10 Tue – Luxor (Safaga), Egypt

Nov 11 Wed – Aqaba, Jordan

Nov 12 Thu – Cruise the Red Sea

Nov 13 Fri – Cruise the Red Sea

Nov 14 Sat – Cruise the Gulf of Aden

Nov 15 Sun – Cruise the Arabian Sea

Nov 16 Mon – Salalah, Oman

Nov 17 Tue – Cruise the Arabian Sea

Nov 18 Wed – Muscat, Oman

Nov 19 Thu – Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Nov 20 Fri – Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Nov 21 Sat – Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Hello All,

I journal every cruise and this one will be no exception. I am inviting all of you to not only read the group's joint blog, you are also welcome to follow mine.

Please visit:

http://consultm2.blogspot.com

I invite you to subscribe. (No spamming, I promise!)

Like so many others, I enjoy living vicariously reading about someone else's voyage. I am confident that with all the contributors, we'll be able to give an amazing account of this fantastic cruise.

Best,

Marcia

Hello All,

 

I journal every cruise and this one will be no exception. I am inviting all of you to not only read the group's joint blog, you are also welcome to follow mine.

 

Please visit:

http://consultm2.blogspot.com

 

I invite you to subscribe. (No spamming, I promise!)

 

Like so many others, I enjoy living vicariously reading about someone else's voyage. I am confident that with all the contributors, we'll be able to give an amazing account of this fantastic cruise.

 

Best,

Marcia

Hi Marcia,

So happy to read that you and Harry are going on a wonderful cruise. I'll look forward to reading your blog.

Nancy

Nancy,

I love having you as a Facebook Friend, but it's even more fun to see you here!

Please "tag-a-long!"

Love to both you and Larry!

Marcia

Nancy,

 

I love having you as a Facebook Friend, but it's even more fun to see you here!

Please "tag-a-long!"

 

Love to both you and Larry!

 

Marcia

Miss you!!!

Love to you and Harry

Nancy

We love sailing with you! There's room on board, so pack your suitcase and join us! We'll order lobster for you!

Marcia

Art Instructor: Based on some posts on this thread, I am making the assumption that you have sailed on Crystal at least once. Is that correct? Also, is this your first Regent cruise? Just curious:)

Art Instructor: Based on some posts on this thread, I am making the assumption that you have sailed on Crystal at least once. Is that correct? Also, is this your first Regent cruise? Just curious:)

You must be assuming the crystal connection because I posted. She has sailed on Crystal, we sailed together a couple of times and has been on regent including regent world cruises.

So now you have your answer.

Nancy

You must be assuming the crystal connection because I posted. She has sailed on Crystal, we sailed together a couple of times and has been on regent including regent world cruises.

 

So now you have your answer.

 

 

Nancy

Thank you for your response. So, it seems that she likes both Crystal and Regent - a bit unusual but nice:)

Thank you for your response. So, it seems that she likes both Crystal and Regent - a bit unusual but nice:)

you're very welcome. there are many folks that like both, including your friend, Mudhen...please...not unusual...enough!!! have a lovely evening.

Nancy

Thank you for asking. I have sailed on both Crystal and Regent, more the latter, than the former. We loved the intimacy of the Diamond, Barry Hopkins (RIP) on the Mariner and everything and everyone on the Voyager. In fact, I once met you on board the Voyager, however, I don't remember the cruise date.

Cruising has taken me to all seven continents and over 95 countries with two and half world cruises on the Voyager and many more voyages in between. It's my favorite way to travel.

I suspect it's yours, also. I've followed your posts on Cruise Critic for years and always enjoy reading what you have to share. I hope we meet again in the near future!

Marcia

Thank you for asking. I have sailed on both Crystal and Regent, more the latter, than the former. We loved the intimacy of the Diamond, Barry Hopkins (RIP) on the Mariner and everything and everyone on the Voyager. In fact, I once met you on board the Voyager, however, I don't remember the cruise date.

 

Cruising has taken me to all seven continents and over 95 countries with two and half world cruises on the Voyager and many more voyages in between. It's my favorite way to travel.

 

I suspect it's yours, also. I've followed your posts on Cruise Critic for years and always enjoy reading what you have to share. I hope we meet again in the near future!

 

Marcia

Wish I could remember when we cruised together. Were you the art instructor (not sure if that is the proper name) on Regent? We took a class from someone with your first name on our Cape Town to Rio Cruise (I think that was the one) on the Voyager. I'm hopelessly non-artistic but I seem to remember making some kind of baskets. Is this ringing a bell or am I totally off base?

Really looking forward to reading the reviews of this cruise. We have done the Istanbul to Dubai itinerary and loved it (a couple of ports are different than this one), and were in Turkey, Egypt and Israel on a cruise that ended at the beginning of October (great cruise).

Nancy: Yes - Linda does enjoy Crystal and Regent as well as Cunard. We will be sailing with her and her DH on the new Regent Explorer at the end of next year. They are a lovely couple.

Yes, I do believe that was the cruise. We spent several days at sea making baskets! What a mess we made in La Veranda, with raffia all over the room and embedded in the carpet. The baskets were fantastic, though, and our art exhibit garnered raves from envious guests who wanted to buy the baskets! What fun!!

I followed your recent cruise. Everyone had a wonderful time and the group blogging was great to read.

Marcia

Yes, I do believe that was the cruise. We spent several days at sea making baskets! What a mess we made in La Veranda, with raffia all over the room and embedded in the carpet. The baskets were fantastic, though, and our art exhibit garnered raves from envious guests who wanted to buy the baskets! What fun!!

 

I followed your recent cruise. Everyone had a wonderful time and the group blogging was great to read.

 

Marcia

Yep - that was the cruise! We so enjoyed meeting you and taking the class. I also remember that you gave me a hug when you learned who I was. Really hope that we sail together again -- maybe on the Explorer? There is an amazing group of people (a lot of fun) on the Rome to Miami cruise next year.

Jackie

Thank you, Jackie! I'd be delighted to do it all over again on the Explorer with you!

I think we have sort of "hijacked" this thread and I apologize for that. So, let me encourage people to read our joint blog beginning October 31st. Like my fellow cruisers, I am very excited to get to Istanbul to meet the Voyager for our 21 day adventure.

So looking forward to meeting everyone at the pool bar after sail-away!

Marcia

Marcia, kind regards to you and Harry! We have fond memories of a fun evening in the desert with you both during that 2008 World Cruise on Voyager and wish we could say "see you in Istanbul". Hope you are both well - I shall look forward to reading your blog!

Gill (and Mark)

Gill,

The art classes were great fun, but that evening in the desert was one of the true highlights of our world cruise! Thank you for posting a note on my blog. It was a delightful surprise. Very warm regards to you and Mark. I hope we cross paths again.

Marcia

consultm2.blogspot.com

Marcia, I need a "like" button :-) I'll follow your blog and will continue our conversation there. Have a great time!

Gill, How could you let slip your hero's real name:eek:

Hehe, Bill. Promise me you'll keep it to yourself? :-)

Hello All, my husband and I are about to leave for the airport to fly to Istanbul. Plane seems to be on time, weather is good, so here we come, JFK.

Looking forward to several wonderful days in Istanbul, before the cruise on Saturday. We have been a couple of times before, so this time we are going to focus on food. We are doing a cooking class, and we are also going to do a food-eating walking tour. And of course, check out some wonderful restaurants and I am sure that we will buy some spices in the Spice Market.

Will post again once we are in Istanbul.

Hello All, my husband and I are about to leave for the airport to fly to Istanbul. Plane seems to be on time, weather is good, so here we come, JFK.

 

Looking forward to several wonderful days in Istanbul, before the cruise on Saturday. We have been a couple of times before, so this time we are going to focus on food. We are doing a cooking class, and we are also going to do a food-eating walking tour. And of course, check out some wonderful restaurants and I am sure that we will buy some spices in the Spice Market.

 

Will post again once we are in Istanbul.

What a great plan. The food in Istanbul, and Turkey in general, is fantabulous!