OMG I just received my Voyages to Antiquity brochure!

[SwissMyst]

Awful ship.

Awful organisation.

Inadequate aircon.

Awful food.

Awful wine.

Excursions poorly managed and rushed.

Rude senior staff.

 

Just back from two weeks of this 70s converted car ferry which covered

us in soot and reaked of sewage for many days.

 

One could say that about almost any cruise. Sorry, but this was not a hurtful post if that was the intent. Had a wonderful time on the MV Discovery recently but one could have easily written those exact same comments, and 95% of the rest of the passengers would have said, yes, but we had a great time anyway.

[cruisemom42]

Awful ship.

Awful organisation.

Inadequate aircon.

Awful food.

Awful wine.

Excursions poorly managed and rushed.

Rude senior staff.

 

Just back from two weeks of this 70s converted car ferry which covered

us in soot and reaked of sewage for many days.

 

 

I notice that all 3 of your posts thus far have been extremely negative comments on the Voyages to Antiquity trip. What a shame that you looked up this website just to make complaints that are so vague as to be unhelpful in any way. :rolleyes:

 

Perhaps you should stick around -- Cruise Critic is an excellent place to research upcoming cruises. You might find one to suit you better, as obviously you were not a good match for the premise of this line....

[Ontariotrekker]

Shar, thanks so much for all your informative posts. Were you on the same trip with Lynn Duncan (see above).

Angie

 

I was on the same cruise and I responded to some of her comments on the other blog. Yes, the organization and the administration needs a short, sharp shock but.....the ports, the itineraries, the on shore tour guides and the scenery were all amazing. Bottom line, would I go again?? If the single supplement is dropped again then Cathage, here I come:) - Shar

[Caroleh123]

I would agree that the scenery was beautiful. The weather was very good too.

 

However this cruise did not deliver what the brochure promised. I thought that it would be intellectually stimulating but poor logistical planning meant that what should have been a very good itinerary was frequently cut short in order to get back to the boat for another poor meal.

 

2hrs in Pompeii? Ridiculous. No visit to the archaelogical museum in Palermo? Madness. Less than 2hrs in Paestrum? Less than an hour in the Doges Palace? Lack of lecturers etc etc FYI Many of these tours did not actually include visits to anywhere that you had to pay to enter, which in itself is interesting.

 

I did not pay for the this ship to trial nor should the crew and management of this ship to be trained at my expense.

[SwissMyst]

I think for what you get on this cruise, one is paying for a trial run when you compare what it offers and the uniqueness of the itinerary. However, the reports about the poor physical condition of the ship that needs capital improvements right away was fatal to my wish to at least give them a try, and only then find we risked losing any money we put into this ahead of time. I am sure if/when they get this up to the promised expectations it will cost a lot, lot more.

 

I did see this as the guinea pig tour - subsidized by them to just get this first run up and going. However, having learned after losing a substantial deposit post 9-11 because there is really no security for any security deposit, this trip will have to wait. This is too bad because it started out with such good expectations and a once in a lifetime itinerary.

[cruisemom42]

I think for what you get on this cruise, one is paying for a trial run when you compare what it offers and the uniqueness of the itinerary. However, the reports about the poor physical condition of the ship that needs capital improvements right away was fatal to my wish to at least give them a try, and only then find we risked losing any money we put into this ahead of time. I am sure if/when they get this up to the promised expectations it will cost a lot, lot more.

 

I did see this as the guinea pig tour - subsidized by them to just get this first run up and going. However, having learned after losing a substantial deposit post 9-11 because there is really no security for any security deposit, this trip will have to wait. This is too bad because it started out with such good expectations and a once in a lifetime itinerary.

 

So you are out, then? I am sticking with it, unless things get worse. I do believe they'll fix many if not most of the problems by the end of the season. And I have pretty reasonable expectations. I don't want to miss out on the chance to see Palmyra, Aleppo, etc before the hordes discover Syria. ;)

[Doubloon]

Cruisemom42,

Have you seen this? http://*******.com/292fejn It sounds like improvements are underway. I would love to hear from some recent passengers.

[snorkling lady]

And I too am sticking with the VofA Egypt-Jordan trip. I am remaining hopeful that initial glitches and problems will be pretty much solved by November. Expedition type trips tend to be different from the main-line cruises, and I have always had a good time no matter what. I did an inaugural pole-to -pole trip a few years back and one of the glitches was everything shut down in the middle of ice berg strewn ocean. Now that was interesting!

Happy cruising to all.

Cheers,

Lorna

[cruisemom42]

Cruisemom42,

Have you seen this? http://*******.com/292fejn It sounds like improvements are underway. I would love to hear from some recent passengers.

 

Any chance you can repost and list the name of that site in a way that won't get blocked? I'd enjoy reading it.

[Caroleh123]

Thought that was exactly the right demographic for this outfit which is

why I booked them in the first place - I have a classical education.

 

However it seems that VtA dumbed down/overplayed the intellectual side of this cruise in order to get more XXXX on seats.

 

The ship was full of elderly passengers from the USA many of whom were

not interested in the excursions, couldn't manage the terrain and who were

moaning because they were bored.

 

Assume that's what you're looking for yourself.

[cruisemom42]

Thought that was exactly the right demographic for this outfit which is

why I booked them in the first place - I have a classical education.

 

However it seems that VtA dumbed down/overplayed the intellectual side of this cruise in order to get more XXXX on seats.

 

The ship was full of elderly passengers from the USA many of whom were

not interested in the excursions, couldn't manage the terrain and who were

moaning because they were bored.

 

Assume that's what you're looking for yourself.

 

Sorry, it's a bit unclear what you are assuming I'm looking for -- which would be a cruise that provides a chance to visit ports not on the usual Mediterranean runs as well as speakers and included tours that are a cut above (intellectually) what one finds on the mass-market cruise lines.

 

Hopefully this is what you meant -- if not, guess I've just been insulted. :rolleyes:

[Caroleh123]

There are a lot of reviews available now about this company

and its offerings: http://www.trencherman.org/VoyagesToAntiquity.cfm si one

that I came across this evening.

 

As I said before this is not intellectually stimulating, it is pretending to be.

This may suit you, I have no idea.

 

You can visit all these places without going on a cruise.

 

Regarding the lecturers - we were down to 1 most of the trip and he was a geologist which is fine but that was not was I expecting.

Academics with serious reputations would probably not wish to be associated

with this outfit, so don't be surprised if other lecturers pull out.

[cruisemom42]

As I said before this is not intellectually stimulating, it is pretending to be.

This may suit you, I have no idea.

 

You can visit all these places without going on a cruise.

 

 

As a solo woman traveler, I am pretty adventurous but I really cannot see myself organizing a trip that goes to Syria and Lebanon on my own.

 

If needs be, I suppose I can regard the ship as primarily transportation to these places I want to visit. I am perfectly capable of doing my own reading and research; it is what I normally do when I travel anyway.

 

Of course, I will be disappointed that the premise of the cruise is not being met. But as I said before, I hold out hope that many of these issues will be addressed in 5 months' time.

[Doubloon]

Cruisemom,

If you just type in ******* where the **s are, you should be able to find the blog. Don't know why the **s showed up.

Angie

[Doubloon]

OK. I don't get the **s that are being put in.

Google Amber Nolan June 18 voyages to Antiquity.

Angie

[Doubloon]

The Amber Nolan article does make the point that some of the problems were related to the Greek economic crisis/strikes and shipping/air problems due to the Iceland volcano--all of which occurred just before the scheduled launch date --and perhaps the launch should have been postponed. She does mention some improvements that have since been made.

[cruisemom42]

The Amber Nolan article does make the point that some of the problems were related to the Greek economic crisis/strikes and shipping/air problems due to the Iceland volcano--all of which occurred just before the scheduled launch date --and perhaps the launch should have been postponed. She does mention some improvements that have since been made.

 

Thanks, I found it.

 

I've read over and over on these boards about ships being launched (or coming out of extensive dry docks) more or less unfinished and not ready for passengers, so I guess I am just not that surprised that there are some growing pains.

 

Also, as someone who started out cruising in the 1970s, when there were only ocean liners and small, re-purposed cruise ships with very similar issues (e.g., limited eating times, one small pool that sloshed with the waves and was usually drained in port, a smoke stack that blew gritty black soot everywhere), I have a feeling I will be just fine. :)

[Caroleh123]

CruiseMom what we are all trying to tell you is that these are not glitches these are major major issues.

Personally I agree with the trencherman article: everything points towards a cashflow issue with this line. Why else ask American passengers to settle their on board accounts in cash on a cashless ship?

[Caroleh123]

The Greek economic crisis and/or an errupting volcano in Iceland cannot and should not take the blame for poor organisation, bad management, ancient

smelly ship etc etc.

 

Anyone who believes that must be very naive indeed.

[cruisemom42]

As I still have 2 months before my final payment is due, I will continue to follow reviews and see how things go. If they improve, well and good. If they continue to go south, I can always cancel. I'm just not yet convinced the doom and gloom is warranted.

[SwissMyst]

Sadly we did cancel. The reports of the constant diesel smoke and grit is what finally did me in. And the fear with its needed capital improvements as well as mere personnel changes, it may not make it past its first initial trips and we would risk any money we put down. Still waiting to see if we do get our deposit back. That will be some important information for you to consider too. I will keep you posted.

[cruisemom42]

Sadly we did cancel. The reports of the constant diesel smoke and grit is what finally did me in. And the fear with its needed capital improvements as well as mere personnel changes, it may not make it past its first initial trips and we would risk any money we put down. Still waiting to see if we do get our deposit back. That will be some important information for you to consider too. I will keep you posted.

 

Thanks! :)

[patseacruiser]

My friend was on the maiden voyage. I guess lucky for her she doesn't get upset because she traveled during the strike in Greece, they lost her luggage for 3 days, her itineraries were reversed but here are some pics she sent me as she goes through everything she puts a little page together.

Delos.pdf

Ephesus.pdf

Epidaurus.pdf

Mycenea.pdf