HotelSnob1

Good to know about road closures on Sunday to the port. We will allow some extra time. We just arrived today in Istanbul, independent, and Regent transfer along with Viking at the airport. Hotel for Regent guests?

We got our visa via the link that was posted. The cost was less than 60 Euros. Took 10 minutes. Just have passport ready.

Just got our boarding passes from RSSC for Istanbul port …. and away we go! 😀

So sorry for our fellow cruisers’ dilemmas. Truly! We never, ever book our air thru a cruise line, we feel it simply gives up our autonomy with flight times, layovers, seat selection, etc. Learned our lesson about 12 cruises ago when RSSC booked us through Toronto after AK cruise and it was not pleasant. And barely is there a price difference. Never, never again. We were fortunate that we re-booked with United thru to IST via MUC fairly quickly after R’s email on Sunday. See everyone on board.

Thank you! Joining the ship on 10/15. We were on Regent many times when the ship was diverted due to unpredicted hostilities in a country we were scheduled to visit. Nicaragua comes to mind while we were on a Panama Canal cruise. It’s been our experience with Regent that it errs on the side of caution, sometimes to the disappointment of its passengers. We always felt very, very safe with Regent and are looking forward to this trip.

Understandable. I would feel equally frustrated not knowing what my new travel plans are. We have got to the point where we don’t use transfers to/from airport/ship or hotel/ship that cruise line offers. Too many variables …

I never buy air with a cruise line. I re-booked with no problem our United flight (no charge), great seats, great flights and excellent customer service. All within 32 minutes. (I am not an employee or share owner of United.) Learned our lesson decades ago. Just sayin.’

For those of us who have traveled often, there are incumbent risks involved, especially in today’s climate. We acknowledge them at the start of any commitment to an adventure. Travel insurance helps and is a balm, but there are risks. What’s the alternative? It must be to stay at home and become an “armchair” traveler. No thanks!

First, thank you to those onboard the Voyager for giving us info even before we heard officially from Regent. It’s been well received. Second, as events escalate in Israel, we are saddened very much by this turn of events, least of which “inconveniences” us travelers. Third, Regent is keeping to most of its initial itinerary, which we are glad of. (Though events could escalate.) We have re-booked air & hotel (within an hour) and are looking forward to joining the Voyager in Istanbul. Two sea days by the pool onboard amid good company sounds fabulous!

Do they mention what port we are embarking on on the 15th? We are doing our own air. We are on US east coast. Thank you for this!

And clients’ ability to get air to meet the ship at this late juncture.

Yes. That tragedy is in the news … we will see what options Regent may offer based on the region’s general instability at this point in time.

We are doing a wait & see. Regent may offer options for those who may want to do something that they are more comfortable with. Anorher wait & see. Again, thank you for keep us informed as we plan ahead. No word from Miami office yet.

Confused a bit. So where do we embark on the 15th - in Istanbul instead of Haifa? Thanks again for the update!👍

Thank you! Liz

Yes. We received ours, too. Thanks for sending out. As ever, fingers crossed!

Yes, calm is a good thing at this point. I am sure that RSSC is working hard behind the scenes to get some answers for those of us waiting to board (somewhere on the 15th). Flights from the US east coast are filling up that go to the Med ports. Grateful for your insight from the Voyager, really appreciate it! 👍👍👍

Thank you both for posting, especially updates from those onboard at the moment. I agree on Italy/Greece - they are the likely scenarios … as for going to Egypt … hmmm … probably not such a good idea either … unfortunately … as this is why we booked this cruise … we have been to most of these ports already on previous RSSC cruises. Thanks for keeping us posted and enjoy your time onboard right now.👍👍

Good info to know. Yes, we have travel insurance. Very curious to see what RSSC does with the itinerary given most cruise ships in the area have the same dilemma.

My husband is putting bets (just kidding) on Athens as it is well-equipped to handle the situation. It seems many, many other cruise lines are in the same boat (no pun intended.) Our suitcases are packed and we are ready to launch. Thanks for the observations … hope those already in Israel are able to join us … I am sure there will be stories abounding once we all get onboard.

Right now our suitcases are still packed for the trip. Celebrity and RC and Norwegian are all reported cancelling Israeli ports .. waiting on Regent to tell us where we meet. Hope we can make it.👍

I put my money on Athens. I agree about Cyprus … hope we hear soon … we were shut out if Cuba, Nicaragua, Jerusalem (now twice) and Morocco on other Regent voyages due to politics, civil unrest, Covid 19, and now political unrest again. Fingers crossed!

United Airlines just cancelled our flight to Tel Aviv that was to leave from Newark on October 8. We are in a holding pattern ti to see where the Voyager will let us embark. Ashod is close to the action of the moment. So far, Haifa us not, but who knows what will happen in northern Israel. Right now! we have no air to Israel. I hope we can do this cruise. Any ideas?