holy land cruise Oct 10 - No Egypt!

Just saw that they have canceled Egypt and replacing with Istanbul. Perhaps it will settle down and Egypt will be on again? One can only hope!

I know that must be a disappointment but on the positive side, Istanbul is a fantastic destination with a lovely 'sail-in/sail-out' through the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus. The city is vibrant with many amazing sights and sites and a visit to the Grand Bazzar is a must too.

Below I have posted the extracts fom my review of our Black Sea cruise which may be of use to you.

Have a wonderful cruise whatever happens.

Day 2 – A sea Day:

During the morning the ship sailed through the Dardanelles and it was possible to see several of the war memorials belonging to the different countries which were involved in the battles during WW1. We also sailed through the Bosphorus with the 2 parts of Istanbul lining each bank. This gave us an idea of the vast size of the city and a taster of the fabulous sights which we would see on our return.

I think this experience ranks highly alongside the passages through the Panama and Kiel canals.

Day 8 – Istanbul - Best Of Istanbul

We were up early to enjoy the sail into Istanbul and were dismayed to find that the thundery weather had followed us and it was pouring down! Our tour guide reckoned that it would rain all day but, fortunately, he was wrong and it cleared up by 09.30. Rain doesn’t bother us too much as we are used to it in the UK but sunny conditions do make for better photos and we got some wonderful ones here!

The ship docked close to the Galata Bridge which, once crossed, is close to the main sites.

Our tour started early so we were the first tour group at the Blue Mosque. This was fantastic because we were able to admire the vast beauty of the building without the huge crowds spoiling the silence.

Our guide was very knowledgeable and the use of the headphone receivers made it really easy to hear all the information as we walked along. This is a great idea and I wish more guides had the chance to use the system.

Our next stop was the ‘carpet experience’. We gave this a miss and headed to the nearby Grand Bazaar. I have to say that I loved the place and, because it was still quite early, there were very few shoppers about. It is huge with hundreds of colourful stalls selling virtually everything you could possibly need. The best part for me, though, was the lack of hassle from the stall keepers. I have had fun in the souks of Tunis and Egypt but much preferred the chance to wander and browse without the constant pestering that happens in other places. It was even better when I discovered that the shop keepers bartered with humour and patience. I didn’t buy a lot but could happily have spent a lot longer in there. Even my ‘shopaphobic’ DH enjoyed the colours, sights and exotic smells!

From the Grand Bazaar we took the short drive to the Topkapi Palace. This covers a large area which requires quite a lot of walking and, also, by this time, it was getting crowded. We saw the treasure house and Sultans’ robes exhibitions and had to queue for each one. We had a ‘set’ Turkish style lunch with water and a soft drink included at the restaurant in the Palace grounds. This had a fabulous view over the Bosphorus.

Our afternoon started with a tour of the Topkapi Harem building. This was fascinating and our guide really brought things to life for us. I was staggered by the size and ornateness of the building and its decoration.

A shortish walk then took us to the St. Sophia building which is now a museum but was originally a church and then a mosque. The inside is much more impressive than the outside.

A 20 minute coach ride got us back to the ship for 3.45p.m after a long, intensive but exhilarating tour.

It was lovely to sail out of Istanbul as the sun was setting and then to pass through the Dardanelles as it got dark so we could see the lights of the villages along the coast.

TIP:

All the main sites are very close together so easy to do independently. I would definitely use public transport next time.

The Grand Bazaar is a great place to buy gifts. Do barter though... it is expected.

Soccerref, your post brought back memories of our week on our own in Istanbul before we discoverd the ease of cruising and group tours.

We had a 'basic' hotel in the old walled section of the city and roamed far and wide and used the odd taxi for distant exploring. While we took the local ferry in the harbour we missed your grand entrance and exit to the city. I'd return at the drop of a hat -- correct -- drop of an anchor.

Egypt too is wonderful, but I'd worry about safety right now.

Just saw that they have canceled Egypt and replacing with Istanbul. Perhaps it will settle down and Egypt will be on again? One can only hope!

We're on the Ocean Oct 15th (this one doesn't go to Cairo) and on the Pacific Nov. 15th. Have had no news about either cruise.

I called Princess this morning to see if our Alexandria,Egypt port on the Star 10/21 sailing was cancelled or not and I was told that it is still on the itinerary.

I may do a followup call on Monday when I can talk to someone on the tour desk.

This itinerary does not go to Israel but I doubt that would make a difference?

The reason Egypt has been cancelled is Egypt will no longer be offering visas at entry points but will have to get the individual visa from an Embassy or Consulate (just like a visa for China). They do say they will offer visas for group tours but it sounds like they haven't worked out how to make it work yet.

Egypt is still not stable. Riots have broken out there today and there's concern for the river boat cruise passengers currently there. Posted by Cruise Critic on Facebook: http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/211716/20110910/cairo-riots-prime-minister-ruling-council-israel-embassy-us.htm

I called Princess today 9-11-11 and they are still going to Egypt.

My cruise is the 10-22

please check further down in new notice paragraph five they have reinstated egypt.you are refering to old notice when earlier demonstration started in egypt.

The reason Egypt has been cancelled is Egypt will no longer be offering visas at entry points but will have to get the individual visa from an Embassy or Consulate (just like a visa for China). They do say they will offer visas for group tours but it sounds like they haven't worked out how to make it work yet.

That decision has now been put on hold due to the outcry from Egypt's tourism sector:

http://thedailynewsegypt.com/tourism/changes-to-egypt-visa-regulations-revoked.html

For now, visa process has not changed. However, the situation is definitely volatile and bears watching.

Egypt is still not stable. Riots have broken out there today and there's concern for the river boat cruise passengers currently there. Posted by Cruise Critic on Facebook: http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/211716/20110910/cairo-riots-prime-minister-ruling-council-israel-embassy-us.htm

Yes, I saw that. It sounds like all hell is breaking out in Egypt AGAIN.