kibutzer Posted May 8, 2013 #76 Share Posted May 8, 2013 I did both. I had an existing booking. They gave me the on board discount. For my cruise it will be 800. It depends on cruise and stateroom category. I also booked a placeholder cruise that I do not intend to take. Deposit only 375 pp and fully refundable When the 2015 itineraries come out in sept, I will change the booking and get the on board booking discount. The amount will be based on the cruise and state room category I also got 100 obc for this cruise for making the new booking It's a no brainer When we went in February we had a existing booking and they refused to honor any additional discounts when we went to talk to the Cruise consultant. Also I believe the onboard booking credit being offered was only 200.00. I wonder if these folks have discretion because on this cruise these agents offered little to nothing and kept saying they could only do what the home office authorized. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted May 8, 2013 Author #77 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Great to hear Pacheco on Ramses in Petra. Looking forward to your report on Luxor. You were very pleased with the tour operator in Oman...who might that be? We will be on Nautica next spring Bangkok - Rome. TIA! We booked everything through Best Shore TRips. Great service. Great guides They contracted to Mark tours in muscat so you could book with them directly We loved Oman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted May 8, 2013 Author #78 Share Posted May 8, 2013 When we went in February we had a existing booking and they refused to honor any additional discounts when we went to talk to the Cruise consultant. Also I believe the onboard booking credit being offered was only 200.00. I wonder if these folks have discretion because on this cruise these agents offered little to nothing and kept saying they could only do what the home office authorized. I have gotten credit for the existing booking before The amount is based on the cruise and the cabin. It varies My cruise is 20 days in a ph so it has higher credit than eg a 12 night cruise in a verandah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted May 8, 2013 Author #79 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Wow Laraine! Sure hope I can get one of those handsome butlers!!! It's gonna be lonely knocking around that PH suite all by my little old self!!! Hoping I can get one that looks like George Clooney. One night I was reading a gossip mag and fell asleep with the book open - when I first opened my eyes I was staring at a big picture of George smiling ....for a moment there ... I ..... well .... you know!!!! :eek: THEN ...:( Lol We rarely book suites. This was an upsell. But I am hooked. We just changed our next booking from an outside to a ph. When I factored in the additional on board booking credit, the higher obc from my ta, and what I would pay for an upsell if it were offered, it is costing us 100 extra a day (for two) to be in a ph I am loving the space and the butler. For 21 days it makes a difference. My next cruise on o is 20 days. I decided to go for it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nuka Posted May 9, 2013 #80 Share Posted May 9, 2013 I have gotten credit for the existing booking before The amount is based on the cruise and the cabin. It varies My cruise is 20 days in a ph so it has higher credit than eg a 12 night cruise in a verandah Thanks for the reply! I will have to see what the policies are onboard later this month for both existing and new bookings with the caveat to myself that some pax's experience seems to differ from yours. Not sure if the policies have changed or if it depends on what type of stateroom is booked. I will investigate. Best,Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mura Posted May 9, 2013 #81 Share Posted May 9, 2013 I agree with you. We always get invited to eat with a couple of the ship's officers but we keep it to ourselves. Oceania does it for those passengers who have reached their 5th cruise and more. It is a nice touch but we certainly don't make an issue of it. The last cruise we were on, the officers with whom we had dinner, sent us a bottle of wine the next day to thank us for the wonderful evening we had spent with them. Now, that was a nice touch!!! I have to say that we were invited to several of those dinners with officers around our 5th and 6th cruises, perhaps even the 7th, but not since. (#10 is coming up) We have always enjoyed those dinners. The officers are always entertaining hosts and I do appreciate the free flowing wine ... At the same time as I say this, we don't EXPECT those invitations! Especially as more and more passengers have lots of Oceania cruises under their belts, it no doubt would be difficult to host all of us at these private dinners. Mura Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted May 9, 2013 Author #82 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Some musings on the ship as we wait to do our overnight in Luxor I love these r ships. By now I think I know, have met or have seen most of the passengers and staff. This intimacy of 700 passengers trumps the additional venues on the o class ships IMO. Size matters. This cruise just re confirms my feelings. So glad insignia coming back We have never been room service people. No more. We are loving being pampered. Maybe it's the extra space in the suite. Maybe it's because my butler is so handsome. Photo below. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted May 10, 2013 Author #83 Share Posted May 10, 2013 On the way back from our overnight in Luxor. Wifi in our van! There are no words to describe the majesty of it all. Fabulous guide from Ramses tours. Ask for Mustafa. Lots of discussion about politics in Egypt. Fascinating how we are misled by the media Egyptians are very welcoming to Americans. Another must see place Craving a burger and shake at Waves. Should make it back in time Egypt is a shopper's paradise. Very cheap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare jpalbny Posted May 10, 2013 #84 Share Posted May 10, 2013 On the way back from our overnight in Luxor. Wifi in our van! There are no words to describe the majesty of it all. Fabulous guide from Ramses tours. Ask for Mustafa. Lots of discussion about politics in Egypt. Fascinating how we are misled by the media Egyptians are very welcoming to Americans. Another must see place Craving a burger and shake at Waves. Should make it back in time Egypt is a shopper's paradise. Very cheap Agree - we spent a few days there last November, on a riverboat. The tombs and the temples are spectacular. Glad that you enjoyed it - and Petra too, what amazing places! Almost everyone was happy to see us, though the incredibly persistent attempts to sell you something can get tiring... The only one who wasn't happy to see us was some felucca driver in Luxor, who was angry that we wouldn't buy a ride from him - he called us "rubbish tourists" - which we still laugh about! You are right on; it's so different there than you'd expect if you just listen to the media. And, we were surprised by the great Middle Eastern food. Your postings about all of the "special" treats onboard are making us miss O... Glad you are having such an awesome time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted May 11, 2013 Author #85 Share Posted May 11, 2013 We are so confident in the safety of Egypt that we are going to plan a trip to Cairo,alexandria and sharm el sheikh . Our guide was so exceptional that we will book with him privately. I cannot tell you how taken we are with Egyptian treasures. We have two sea days and we need them. Lol Luxor was quite hot and exhausting. We got back,had our burger and shake and slept thru dinner till the morning. Great way to keep the pounds off! Today we cruise the Red Sea. Tomorrow we go thru the suez canal They have planned an Arabian buffet for dinner. I highly recommend this itinerary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wripro Posted May 11, 2013 #86 Share Posted May 11, 2013 Pacheco18, I must say you are making this trip come alive. I am now starting to regret canceling a Seabourn cruise I had booked for October on the same itinerary. I didn't cancel for safety reason but because I did not want to support the government of Mohammed Morzi. I still feel that way but your descriptions leave me with a tinge of regret. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted May 11, 2013 Author #87 Share Posted May 11, 2013 Pacheco18, I must say you are making this trip come alive. I am now starting to regret canceling a Seabourn cruise I had booked for October on the same itinerary. I didn't cancel for safety reason but because I did not want to support the government of Mohammed Morzi. I still feel that way but your descriptions leave me with a tinge of regret. We are not supporting morzi. We are supporting the people who need the tourists to make a living. The loss of tourism has hurt the people. The message we have been asked to take back is that Egypt is safe. Come to Egypt. Today was the Oceania club cocktail party. Half the ship are returning cruisers. More than 100 reached bronze on this cruise ( including us ) Dinner in Polo tonight. Shared table with two lovely couples. One has been in the Owners Suite for 70 days. I am jealous. Lol As we approach the Suez Canal there are plenty of ships protecting us. One is a US destroyer. Impressive. Looking forward to the transit and then on to Israel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted May 12, 2013 Author #88 Share Posted May 12, 2013 Suez Canal transit Fabulous. Perfect weather. Blue sky. Breezy. We lucked out with cabin selection as our balcony faces the scenic side of the transit. We woke up, opened the drapes and were wowed We are now on pool deck just soaking up the scenery Again, this itinerary is beyond superb. I can't understand why I waited so long to see this part of the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wripro Posted May 12, 2013 #89 Share Posted May 12, 2013 We all have different feelings about these things but it's the people of Egypt who elected Morzi without considering the consequences. I don't want to turn this into a soap box because, as I said, I am starting to regret canceling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted May 13, 2013 Author #90 Share Posted May 13, 2013 We all have different feelings about these things but it's the people of Egypt who elected Morzi without considering the consequences. I don't want to turn this into a soap box because, as I said, I am starting to regret canceling. All the egyptians we spoke to want to overthrow morzi. Lol Docking in Haifa on a gloriously sunny morning. High temp around 80. Although I am Jewish I was not brought up in a religious family and I never had a burning desire to visit Israel. But I teared up as we approached Go figure We have an incredible private tour to Jerusalem scheduled for today with a guide recommended by Tanny 18. Thank you Arlene. There will be just four of us on tour and since we are docked overnight no need to rush I am almost overwhelmed by all the history and cultural diversity I have experienced on his cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wristband Posted May 13, 2013 #91 Share Posted May 13, 2013 Pacheco - thank you for your great posts. Are you staying overnight in Jerusalem. Would you please let us know how the guide was and their email or name here? We are on the same itinerary on Nautica next April so your insights are very informative and helpful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanny18 Posted May 13, 2013 #92 Share Posted May 13, 2013 Docking in Haifa on a gloriously sunny morning. High temp around 80. Although I am Jewish I was not brought up in a religious family and I never had a burning desire to visit Israel. But I teared up as we approached Go figure We have an incredible private tour to Jerusalem scheduled for today with a guide recommended by Tanny 18. Thank you Arlene. There will be just four of us on tour and since we are docked overnight no need to rush I am almost overwhelmed by all the history and cultural diversity I have experienced on his cruise. I think everyone gets that feeling when docking in Israel - we had it also last year when we there - especially when you see signs in Hebrew!! I know you will love Dina!! Enjoy. Arlene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted May 13, 2013 Author #93 Share Posted May 13, 2013 We had an amazing day with Dina Horn, at Arlene's suggestion Fabulous guide. Book her well in advance Dinatouring@gmail.com We were just four. Best way to tour crowded Jerusalem. I cannot imagine what it was like with 50 on a bus. Yuck I was simply overwhelmed by our visit to Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Israel is surprising me We will be back. Way too much to see on a cruise stop We have a day in Haifa tomorrow with a group of 12 and different guide, arranged by a fellow cruiser This cruise just gets better and better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
potterhill Posted May 13, 2013 #94 Share Posted May 13, 2013 We loved Israel on our visit there in 2011. I would never have considered a land trip there prior to our cruise, but now it is on our bucket list. We were discussing it last night as a matter of fact! Glad you are enjoying it. Mo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mura Posted May 13, 2013 #95 Share Posted May 13, 2013 I was simply overwhelmed by our visit to Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Israel is surprising me We will be back. Way too much to see on a cruise stop We have a day in Haifa tomorrow with a group of 12 and different guide, arranged by a fellow cruiser We went to Israel in November 2006 on a land trip and I absolutely agree that there is far too much to see on cruise stops. We had the best of all possible worlds because my husband has an Israeli cousin who is a licensed tour guide and she took us all over the country in her own car. (We spent a couple of days in Egypt and Jordan for Petra and Mt. Sinai.) Just about everywhere we went there were tons of tour buses and our private car. Before we went I was always apprehensive (because of terrorism incidents mainly) but I absolutely loved it. It is so fascinating to see three major religions with landmarks in such a small area. Jerusalem is particularly fascinating. You really need at least 4-5 days there. Mura Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruppert18 Posted May 14, 2013 #96 Share Posted May 14, 2013 Thank you all for such wonderful information. We will be on this itinerary on the Nautica in March, 2014 with wristband. We were on the Nautica last August and were in Egypt and Israel. Had wonderful guides and felt very safe in Egypt. Agreed about the 700 passenger size. Loved our PH on Riviera but prefer smaller ships. Keep up the posting!! I am sure we have been with some on you on past cruises (going on 8th on Oceania). Lois Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted May 14, 2013 Author #97 Share Posted May 14, 2013 Our second day in Israel was as amazing as the first. This time we were in a group of 10 with a fabulous guide (Ido ) from guided tours Israel. The guide matters. Not everyone who went with gti raved about their guides. And we found out that our private tour for four with Dina to Jerusalem was more comprehensive and only a tad more expense than going with gti and a group of 16. Do your homework. Today we went to the excavation at akka, the fabulous historic town of Safed (we will go back), to a kibbutz that was begun by our guide's father and then to the Sea of Galilee . A fabulous day. Safed is not only an historic town, it is also an artist's colony. The handicrafts are incredible. Lucky for me the ship arranged for vat refunds on board. Lol The entire Israel experience has left me wanting much more. We felt entirely safe. We will return Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare PaulMCO Posted May 14, 2013 #98 Share Posted May 14, 2013 You have to return -- You missed some of the best parts like Masada, Dead Sea, Old Jaffa, the Negev desert, Elat... :) and some of the worst parts TLV Taxi Drivers Enjoy the rest of the cruise... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wristband Posted May 14, 2013 #99 Share Posted May 14, 2013 Pacheco - you have been a delight to read. Thank you for sharing so much here on this threat and for suggesting Dina (she & I have emailed each other for next year). I welcome the opportunity to hear more details of your excursions when you have the time. As mentioned, we (and Ruppert) are on Nautica April 2014 (Bankok - Rome) and are feverishly planning excursions now. We were on Nautica in 2012 HK - Bangkok for 24 days. Love it! Anyways, would you please email me at mailbag2020@gmail.com if you would be so kind. I very much want to learn more of your insights and recommendations on excursions so that our cruise - which closely mirrors what you are presently enjoying - is just as lovely. TIA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare PaulMCO Posted May 14, 2013 #100 Share Posted May 14, 2013 Pacheco - you have been a delight to read. Thank you for sharing so much here on this threat and for suggesting Dina (she & I have emailed each other for next year). I welcome the opportunity to hear more details of your excursions when you have the time. As mentioned, we (and Ruppert) are on Nautica April 2014 (Bankok - Rome) and are feverishly planning excursions now. We were on Nautica in 2012 HK - Bangkok for 24 days. Love it! Anyways, would you please email me at mailbag2020@gmail.com if you would be so kind. I very much want to learn more of your insights and recommendations on excursions so that our cruise - which closely mirrors what you are presently enjoying - is just as lovely. TIA! You might want to check out the roll call that Laraine started for the Dubai-Rome segment for this years cruise. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1514930 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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