Jayayeff

11 minutes ago, Old Sea Dog said:

If you look for Royal Navy Portsmouth re Red Sea Operations you should be directed to the article and site

You may also look at bbcsouthtoday for the video of their visit to the centre 

Best of luck 

Roy

 

 

 

Roy

I think it may be the UKMTO as have also had an office here for many years now…I know when I did the Dubai to Athens cruise back in 2010 that was the office that monitored vessels as they transited the waters along the route…

https://www.ukmto.org/

Anne.

Hi Adrian,

I have just spent an hour or so of my Sunday morning reading this ‘live’ review of your current ‘journey’ whilst enjoying a nice hot cup of tea (made with boiling water and almost the last of the tea I brought back from my trip to Kenya last summer - the lengths we Brits will go to for our tea!!!).   As always, your posts are honest, informative and entertaining - so much so that Boris, who I am currently dog-sitting, must be wondering why I keep laughing out loud as I read. I hope you both enjoy the remainder of your cruise and have a safe and uneventful journey (that word seems to have taken on a life of it’s own since EJ came to be) back to the UK.  Although I still haven’t returned to cruising post pandemic I look forward to our travel paths crossing again someday.  Enjoy the Big Birthday celebrations - I’m a wee bit ahead of you and it’ll be the same dreaded big ‘number’, but plus a smaller one for me next week!!!!   🥳🥳
 

Anne…

12 hours ago, Old Sea Dog said:

Anne

Could be as a result of your popularity 

Somehow I doubt that - more likely to be having channeled bookings through all of the above at some time during the 18 years since my first Crystal cruise back in 2006, and never having changed contact details during that time!!!!  😀😀

7 hours ago, Stickman1990 said:

This is the Alaska mail from Crystal - I just received it 10 minutes ago so it’s coming out progressively 

 

If you think you’re on the mailing list and haven’t received it then write to guestrelations@crystalcruises.com with your name and email that you want subscribed letting them know you’re still not getting them 

 

Received the above email twice in the space of 30 minutes, both times with the UK contact telephone number on it.    There seems to be no telling with them - sometimes I get emails with the US contact number, sometimes the UK contact number (yours above seems to show an Australia contact number?) and a couple of weeks ago I received an email promoting Crystal summer voyages from an email address representing Crystal Cruises GCC & Cyprus with a Cyprus contact number shown on it....Take your pick whose mailing list I must be on!!!!

1 hour ago, shrkdive1 said:

Does not look like a good idea to prioritize financial considerations over the safety of the crew; even if they volunteer and with a navy escort. All other cruise lines plus most cargo ships are taking the long way around.  Too risky.

I agree, and as if to prove a point.  After the US & UK launched more air-strikes overnight, the Houthis have already retaliated by firing missiles at a ship off the coast of Yemen earlier today..  I’m not sure what reassurance having a US navy escort is when the US and the UK are the Houthis prime targets….

6 minutes ago, Whipsnade said:

Still no word on board Symphony of Red Sea plans. 

I was just chatting online to a friend onboard Serenity - still no word there either…

On 2/4/2024 at 7:48 AM, TER777 said:

Both versions of the Chairmen's cruise, Jeddah to Athens and Jeddah to Rhodes have gone to "Join the Waitlist" recently. 

Meanwhile, back to April, the Mumbai to Athens cruise and the now Waitlisted Chairmen's Cruises - just my luck as these were the first itineraries of real interest to me since the Symphony returned to service.   However, I think it's highly unlikely they were ever going to happen considering they weren't even announced until the region, and now the Red Sea in particular, was already a hotbed of activity!!! 

57 minutes ago, Whipsnade said:

I don’t think it has to be as elaborate or complicated as Kingfoot suggests. Just deposit world cruisers in Dubai at Burj for a week then charter flight to Port Said. What a great adventure!?!

Much as I would love to have my friends who are currently onboard Serenity for the World Cruise stay over in Dubai for a week or more while the ship transits the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea without them, I think there is zero chance of that happening!!   I suspect they are more likely to get an unplanned visit to Cape Town than to Dubai...🙂

22 minutes ago, Dog-man said:

Looks like we won’t be on a Mumbai to Athens cruise then! Something that was predictable weeks ago.

 

The strikes that took place last night were to take out two missiles ready to be fired into Red Sea shipping. 
 

For any of you interested in open source intelligence on the situation I have placed a link below. The touch map feature is very interesting.

 

https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/security-aviation/2024-01-15/ty-article-magazine/30-attacks-all-red-sea-ships-targeted-by-the-houthis/0000018c-5df7-d6f9-afbc-5dff7a430000

 

 

 

Also, subsequent to those most recent strikes, the Houthis have given the UN and other aid agencies notice that all UK and US nationals (or dual nationals of either country) are to leave Yemen within the next 30 days.. I really can't see any passenger ship affiliated with either country heading into the Red Sea anytime soon...

2 hours ago, boatbob said:

So that means the the World Cruise passengers will mot be kicked off - am I right??  Fingers, eyes, & ties crossed!!

I don't believe that was ever likely to happen as they have time to re-route with passengers on their side.  The voyages that really need addressing now are those of the Symphony that don't have time to re-route around Africa with passengers...

40 minutes ago, Whipsnade said:

That is pretty much what I would guess looking at the map. 

Me too….

17 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

One day flying to Europe, one day flying back, five days on the ship.  Perfect for those who have one week of vacation from work.

 

In other words, not for me.

 

 

Not for you, but perfect for me!!!!  However, I suspect current affairs will intervene and it will be a non-starter anyway!!!

Anne..

14 hours ago, Psoque said:

I’m not necessarily liking this particular itinerary, but 5 day cruise plus 5 days of land-based vacation might be something we might consider.  However, Crystal is not pricing this 5 night cruise at a reasonable price point.

Similar to the other 'getaways' they have created from the original 17 night Mumbai to Athens itinerary.  Whilst they do interest me as I live out here so they'd be great for a short getaway, there is no way I'm prepared to pay those prices.  At least when 'old' Crystal split voyages up into shorter segments they pro-rata'd the full voyage fare and didn't price them at a 50% premium!!!!   However, my guess is it is all academic anyway as I doubt very much whether that voyage will actually sail as currently scheduled...

Anne..

20 hours ago, cruisr said:

And the pre cruise land for the 6 day cruise is entirely in Saudi Arabia.  Its also very expensive but that is to be expected for A and K.

 
It is, and apart from A & K being high-end and very expensive, accommodation in AlUla is very expensive.  What struck me was how expensive the 6 day partial cruise fare is - is cruising with these “two luminaries of the travel world” so exclusive it warrants a 50% increase in the per diem solo fare when compared against the same for the full Mumbai to Athens cruise that it is a 6 day part of???    I’m not sure I see any logic in that pricing strategy when the cruise is only a couple of months away??? 
 

Anne.  

On 12/28/2023 at 2:01 PM, zigtraveller said:

I'm really surprised that they have chosen this as the itinerary given the current political environment.  Not for me. 

 
I was surprised to see this itinerary too, more so due it falling in the middle of Ramadan which is more strictly observed in KSA than it is in some of the more cosmopolitan Arab countries… Having lived in this part of the world for a long time now the current situation is not so much the issue….

Anne

23 hours ago, Noggins said:

Symphony has arrived in Venice this morning (Fusina) and is being readied for a 3 day charter (for a wedding - wow, that's some wedding party!).

I'll post some thoughts on how we found things shortly but suffice to say that NC is very hard to differentiate from OC (in a good way).

Adrian 

Hi Adrian

Good to see you a Kathleen enjoyed your return to the Symphony.  I’m looking forward to seeing her arrival here in a couple of weeks, although I’m unlikely to make it onboard now as the friends who will be onboard have an early flight out on disembarkation day, and with the arrival now scheduled to be later than initially given the previous day it leaves them very little time in port… Look forward to reading your full review later…

Anne…

On 8/29/2023 at 9:52 PM, Worldtraveler22 said:

Thanks Paul.  I was looking to confirm this on an official web page and can’t find it.  Do you know how to find it?

The information you have already been given is correct...

Visa on arrival | The Official Portal of the UAE Government

6 hours ago, nancygp said:

This is also my understanding regarding the standard suites/cabins on both ships.

 

Nancy

Mine too, and that is definitely what the deck plans lead us to believe….🤔

Anne

3 hours ago, oakridger said:

Isn't that a picture from Symphony?  The WC is on Serenity.

 

~Nancy

 

That is definitely 7060 on the Symphony - my very first stateroom onboard a Crystal ship…. 😀😀

Anne

9 hours ago, bitob said:

I have no idea what was deleted but no need for apology. I don’t take anything said on these boards personally. 

Wise decision - hopefully you don't take it too seriously either!!!   Having spent a large part of my working life in five star hotels, which is not too dissimilar to the hotel operations onboard ships, the views of armchair experts with regard to the onboard hotel management, service, staffing levels etc.is interesting to say the least!!!!    🥱

Anne.

3 hours ago, ak1004 said:

Here are the numbers from our bookings. All prices are for the lowest category (OV).

 

1. 9 nights Los Angeles to Vancouver $3,099 USD or $345 per night.
   Comparable cruise: https://www.crystalcruises.com/cruises/none-cse-008-240624 - 8 nights $4,400 or $550 per night (59% increase)
    
2. 11 nights London to Lisbon $3,549 or $322 per night
   Comparable cruise: https://www.crystalcruises.com/cruises/none-cse-010-230812 - 10 nights $5,600 or $560 per night (74% increase)
    
3. 17 nights from Athens to Abu Dhabi $4,550 or $268 per night
   Comparable cruise: https://www.crystalcruises.com/cruises/none-csy-017-241206 - 17 nights $8,300 or $488 per night (82% increase).
    

All prices include taxes and are before Crystal Society discounts. Old Crystal sailings were booked in 2019-2020 (before Covid). The sailing seasons are comparable.

Well, I'm pleased to see I wasn't the only one whose past and currently available similar cruises show such a significant increase.    It would appear that the biggest increases affect those of us who previously booked in the OV categories whereas those in Penthouse and above are noticing little change.    I have my suspicions as to why that should be the case, but I'll keep them to myself rather than start yet another hostile debate on here!!!

Anne..

11 hours ago, VisionaryJax said:

Thank you so much! This is great information! I appreciate your taking the time to comment here. Do you live in Dubai? What are the "don't miss" things for a few days before our trip? Thanks!

 

Also you are right about the Queen mary in Long Beach; I have been on that ship and forgot the name! LOL

Yes, I am living in Dubai, and have done for a long time so am always happy to help with visitor info.   A lot depends on what time of year your trip is, what your interests are and whether you are comfortable getting about independently.   Dubai is spread over a large area, and as previously mentioned traffic can be a major issue to take into consideration, so unless you want a beach break then I would always recommend picking a more central location for a pre or post cruise stay…

Anne

6 hours ago, Tranquility Base said:

Hi Anne,

I can't find the exact info online yet.

 

Would you happen to know whether Oceania cruise lines would use Port Rashid or Dubai Harbour ?

Thanks.

 
In November when the Nautica was here the ship was docked in Port Rashid.  I had friends on that sailing and met up with, and dropped them off later in the day at the cruise terminal there…

Anne 

11 hours ago, goldengatecruisers said:

 We may even see various promotions in 2023/2024 to entice bookings on certain itineraries.  

We can but hope however, I very much doubt they would be applicable for single occupancy fares!!!  There are so few entry level Oceanview staterooms left now that any promotion at that level is unlikely.  I suspect my days of Crystal cruising are now behind me!!!   😢

Anne...

39 minutes ago, Old Sea Dog said:

Hello Anne

We are booked for this in October. If they will still allow guests do you want to come aboard?

Roy & Sue

If, being the operative word!!!  Yes, I’d love to see you both again - it must be nearly another anniversary time by now!!!!  You have my email, stay in touch and hopefully we’ll catch up again in October…

Anne..