Egyptian ports of call cancelled

[Keith1010]

We've just booked on Soujourn Singapore to Athens in March-April 2015 which also stops at the Red Sea Egyptian ports. Of course, they are still "live", but if they do get cancelled (for the third time on a cruise for me :( ) I'll live with it, but I'll be very cranky if the other highlights, Rangoon and Petra, get chopped! I guess that is less likely. :)

 

Petra is absolutely wonderful.

 

I would book a private excursion there. This will allow you to see more of it than if you are on a group tour and also give you the undivided attention of the guide. My wife and I have visited Petra twice and I want to go back again as it is just wonderful. It is one of the most special places I have ever visited.

 

Keith

[redheadednancy]

we have been to Salalah twice and did that same trip as Nancy mentioned. We enjoyed it, seeing the countryside, the camels and the beautiful coastline. I bought some frankinsense but so far have NOT been able to get it to burn! I love the smell of it and have tried many ways, over candles, bbq fire starters etc etc. Any clues? I also bought a burner from the same stall, but I am sure they were burning with little fires made of twigs etc. Not quite what you would want burning in your home!

I bought my set for my daughter. She loves this stuff. I bought the one they recommended as did most with me...it was sort of a beige/white....a little more than the plain stuff and I bought the burner that came with a kit. I asked me daughter and she said it needs the charcoal that came in the kit...sort of what Mrs. Waldo said... My daughter said to check UTube as they show it on there!

[redheadednancy]

Petra is absolutely wonderful.

 

I would book a private excursion there. This will allow you to see more of it than if you are on a group tour and also give you the undivided attention of the guide. My wife and I have visited Petra twice and I want to go back again as it is just wonderful. It is one of the most special places I have ever visited.

 

Keith

I am right with Keith and yes you should book a private tour. I would have done it but my husband could not have handled all the walking, etc. so only I went. As a single, he wanted me on the Seabourn tour to be sure I got back, ha! You could have spent more time if you had the special tour as Seabourn includes too much lunch and time in the town. I would grab a bite and skip everything else so you can have more time in Petra.... Interesting though no one told us to take a jacket. It was FREEZING there. Higher altitude. Where the ship is it was 90 degrees. At Petra in the 60's.

 

I am in reasonably good shape for age and can easily walk two miles but on this terrain (slightly worse than cobblestones) you had to look where you put your feet and the uphill back is not fun. Yes you can take a donkey cart and bounce your way back...looked miserable but a lot had to do it because they couldn't do it all the way. With all this said, not to be missed!

[seabournaddict]

thanks for the frankincense info. I just bought the actual frankincense and a china burner will have a look on YouTube. That electric burner looks interesting!

[seabournaddict]

found the charcoal disks in an ebay shop in NSW so will order some! They also have lots of other interesting smelling resins! My house will smell like a souk! :D

[Emperor Norton]

we have been to Salalah twice and did that same trip as Nancy mentioned. We enjoyed it, seeing the countryside, the camels and the beautiful coastline. I bought some frankinsense but so far have NOT been able to get it to burn! I love the smell of it and have tried many ways, over candles, bbq fire starters etc etc. Any clues? I also bought a burner from the same stall, but I am sure they were burning with little fires made of twigs etc. Not quite what you would want burning in your home!

 

MAP torch!:D

 

<--- that looks good for indoor use

[redheadednancy]

found the charcoal disks in an ebay shop in NSW so will order some! They also have lots of other interesting smelling resins! My house will smell like a souk! :D

Yes it will and you won't have to take a bath as often if you stand over the incense and let it permeate your clothes...dishdashas are wonderful for that. Ha!

[Keith1010]

I am right with Keith and yes you should book a private tour. I would have done it but my husband could not have handled all the walking, etc. so only I went. As a single, he wanted me on the Seabourn tour to be sure I got back, ha! You could have spent more time if you had the special tour as Seabourn includes too much lunch and time in the town. I would grab a bite and skip everything else so you can have more time in Petra.... Interesting though no one told us to take a jacket. It was FREEZING there. Higher altitude. Where the ship is it was 90 degrees. At Petra in the 60's.

 

I am in reasonably good shape for age and can easily walk two miles but on this terrain (slightly worse than cobblestones) you had to look where you put your feet and the uphill back is not fun. Yes you can take a donkey cart and bounce your way back...looked miserable but a lot had to do it because they couldn't do it all the way. With all this said, not to be missed!

 

Nancy, your post reminded me of two things.

 

The first was that each time you visit the weather can be different. First time it was sunny and hot the entire time. Second time it was a cloudy day and it was cool and we needed a jacket for part of the time. Weather actually made for perfect days each time because the colors looked different when it was sunny versus when it was cool. Each time was amazing and we want to go back again.

 

The other thing was lunch. Both time instead of taking (I call it wasting) time for lunch so we would have more time there we had the ship box us a lunch which we ate in the vehicle on our return. And before anyone yells in Jordan it is allowed to take food off the ship so we broke no rules. I promise. :)

 

But either way the nice thing about a private tour is you go at your own pace and that includes lunch where if you eat lunch in town at the many places they have you can do it much quicker than the group tour.

 

My view on tours is a bit different than some. We do a combination of private, ship as well as seeing things on our own and this is in our list of places to do with a group tour other than the reason you had mentioned which I fully understand. We could see much more and it was great to have the undivided attention of the tour guide. On our first tour the guide we had a a bedouin for the first part of his life as his parents were so he used to live right at the lost city. Usually what they do on the private tours (at least the ones we did) is that we had a driver and a guide with the guide explaining items to us on the way to and from Petra. Then at the lost city of Petra you get another private guid who is hired from there who gives you the tour of Petra while the driver and the other guide just stay back and you meet them at the appointed time.

 

Oh, and the other advantage of the private guide is that you can usually get to Petra earlier than others from the ship and others in general and that allows you to get started before many of the tourists arrive which is really beneficial.

 

All in all one of the most interesting sites we have ever seen in all of our travels.

 

Keith

[MrsWaldo]

found the charcoal disks in an ebay shop in NSW so will order some! They also have lots of other interesting smelling resins! My house will smell like a souk! :D

 

Awesome.

 

I've seen the charcoal in the spice market at Punchbowl (yep I love my fresh spices to Masterchef by and it is worth the drive to get stuff for the tagine) LOL can't read the label on the charcoal though ;) and it isn;t always in stock. Often around Ramedan/Eid.

 

never even dawned on me you wouldn't find it locally

[redheadednancy]

Nancy, your post reminded me of two things.

 

The first was that each time you visit the weather can be different. First time it was sunny and hot the entire time. Second time it was a cloudy day and it was cool and we needed a jacket for part of the time. Weather actually made for perfect days each time because the colors looked different when it was sunny versus when it was cool. Each time was amazing and we want to go back again.

 

The other thing was lunch. Both time instead of taking (I call it wasting) time for lunch so we would have more time there we had the ship box us a lunch which we ate in the vehicle on our return. And before anyone yells in Jordan it is allowed to take food off the ship so we broke no rules. I promise. :)

 

But either way the nice thing about a private tour is you go at your own pace and that includes lunch where if you eat lunch in town at the many places they have you can do it much quicker than the group tour.

 

My view on tours is a bit different than some. We do a combination of private, ship as well as seeing things on our own and this is in our list of places to do with a group tour other than the reason you had mentioned which I fully understand. We could see much more and it was great to have the undivided attention of the tour guide. On our first tour the guide we had a a bedouin for the first part of his life as his parents were so he used to live right at the lost city. Usually what they do on the private tours (at least the ones we did) is that we had a driver and a guide with the guide explaining items to us on the way to and from Petra. Then at the lost city of Petra you get another private guid who is hired from there who gives you the tour of Petra while the driver and the other guide just stay back and you meet them at the appointed time.

 

Oh, and the other advantage of the private guide is that you can usually get to Petra earlier than others from the ship and others in general and that allows you to get started before many of the tourists arrive which is really beneficial.

 

All in all one of the most interesting sites we have ever seen in all of our travels.

 

Keith

Keith, we are kindred spirits. That isi why we private guide and driver almost everywhere that we can fine ones. These boards have been so helpful in that regard. We like to go at our own pace and do not want to inconvenience anyone. In Mumbai, as I have previously written, it was so wonderful to do the slums with our guide and driver who also hired a student guide to take us through Darvardi (sp?). One of the best tours we have had and I was skeptical.

 

I am envious of your two trips to Petra. I think Seabourn has been listening about the lunch as it was buffet and I was in and out in 15 minutes and explored the town on my own. However, would have rather done what you did and left earlier and come back later. And yes, I had read about the changing temps that it could be hot or cold, depending. Of course I forgot about that when we left the heat early morning and it got so chilly at Petra. Luckily I had long pants and long sleeves on and that helped. The only two Seabourn tours we took were Khasab (recommended by a fellow poster) and Salalah. Both good decisions. Everyone else was private guide and driver.

 

And we went to a resort in Sharm al Sheihk for the day and enjoyed the Red Sea and rented a room to shower stc.at the resort. We had the ship pack us lunch also and it was so much fun. We met a lot of interesting people at the pool and beach from all over.

 

You are making me want to go back now as I think about all the wonderful experiences. However, I am like Chairsin and although have been on all the big ships (some multiple times) for the foreseeable future I am not leaving the little ones and then of course if we do Capetown, it will and should be on the big ones. Time will tell. I do believe the little ones just have a different clientele and since the Med has so many shorter cruises you get a lot of people who that is their one shot at a vacation for the year and they are going to make the most of it and not in a way that I think is appropriate.

[PaulaJK]

Well these frankincense posts will be helpful if I ever visit Oman again. I must have had a brain drain as I tried to burn it directly, causing mini plumes [and fright] of acrid black smoke ! We also enjoyed Salalah, perhaps because it seemed so different. We found the people very friendly and our guide was sweet.

[redheadednancy]

Well these frankincense posts will be helpful if I ever visit Oman again. I must have had a brain drain as I tried to burn it directly, causing mini plumes [and fright] of acrid black smoke ! We also enjoyed Salalah, perhaps because it seemed so different. We found the people very friendly and our guide was sweet.

Paula, my daugther is an expert in incense...she has been using it for years with all sorts of holders, etc. That was why she was so glad to have all the stuff I brought her. I also brought back a lot of the oils and she loved those too. If you have any questions I will ask her.

 

I did tell Jan Stearman our CD afterwards not to make fun of Salalah that it was 100 times better than Sur. She had never been on any of the tours so she was strictly looking at the port, and yes we found the people lovely...of course we tourists are their bread and butter and they were lovely everywhere.

 

So many people asked us if we were English and when we said no, Americans and they said, wow! We don't see many Americans. I thought I know why! (this was mostly in Egypt but other places too) Plus the long distance for Americans.

[NYKshipping]

Paula, my daugther is an expert in incense...she has been using it for years with all sorts of holders, etc. That was why she was so glad to have all the stuff I brought her. I also brought back a lot of the oils and she loved those too. If you have any questions I will ask her.

 

I did tell Jan Stearman our CD afterwards not to make fun of Salalah that it was 100 times better than Sur. She had never been on any of the tours so she was strictly looking at the port, and yes we found the people lovely...of course we tourists are their bread and butter and they were lovely everywhere.

 

So many people asked us if we were English and when we said no, Americans and they said, wow! We don't see many Americans. I thought I know why! (this was mostly in Egypt but other places too) Plus the long distance for Americans.

 

Nancy why don't you book the 32 day Barcelona to Cape Town for Nov 2014? Sure would like too finally meet you...:);)

[redheadednancy]

Nancy why don't you book the 32 day Barcelona to Cape Town for Nov 2014? Sure would like too finally meet you...:);)

You don't KNOW how bad I want to do it BUT Christmas is sacred in our family. (as is June, July and August) No holiday travel between Thanksgiving and Christmas. With five children and 15 grandchildren (some in three different states)....it's hard to please everyone and travel as much as we would like. So I can't get on till Jan. 1, and in 2014 we will be in Florida four and a half months...home for summer and then the 35 day cruise that takes us to almost end of Oct...and then Nov. Dec. the no travel months!!!

 

We also have a house sitter who comes and stays and I think she would scream if we told her we were gone more!! Now aren't you sorry you asked? Anyway, God willing we will be on Jan 1 2016. I figure it will give Seabourn one season to get the bugs out of the new itinerary. Ha!

[NYKshipping]

You don't KNOW how bad I want to do it BUT Christmas is sacred in our family. (as is June, July and August) No holiday travel between Thanksgiving and Christmas. With five children and 15 grandchildren (some in three different states)....it's hard to please everyone and travel as much as we would like. So I can't get on till Jan. 1, and in 2014 we will be in Florida four and a half months...home for summer and then the 35 day cruise that takes us to almost end of Oct...and then Nov. Dec. the no travel months!!!

 

We also have a house sitter who comes and stays and I think she would scream if we told her we were gone more!! Now aren't you sorry you asked? Anyway, God willing we will be on Jan 1 2016. I figure it will give Seabourn one season to get the bugs out of the new itinerary. Ha!

 

Hopefully they will go back the following year.;)

[redheadednancy]

Hopefully they will go back the following year.;)

I think this itinerary will stay in. It's what many have requested and it will be well booked. I'm not worries. If you wait a year, see you then! Or better yet, maybe you are lucky enough to do it twice!

[seabournaddict]

Well these frankincense posts will be helpful if I ever visit Oman again. I must have had a brain drain as I tried to burn it directly, causing mini plumes [and fright] of acrid black smoke ! We also enjoyed Salalah, perhaps because it seemed so different. We found the people very friendly and our guide was sweet.

 

I have tried to burn it so many ways! Over candles, on top of candles, bbq lighters, blow torch, you name it we have tried it! I have no idea how the fire alarms haven't gone off in our home, think they must be broken! One effort also sent black smoke and soot all over the house, (with a lot of white furniture THAT was fun!) I have burnt "normal" type insence and oils for years, but never tried the resin type before. Now I have found an ebay store that has lots of different "smells" including frankincense and myrrh!

[Laylam]

This is now a standard Marine Dept practice that Seabourn believes that by leaving port by 4:00pm instead of the usual 5:00pm or 6:00pm as most other cruise lines leave, that they will save on fuel cost, being able to go slower to the next port and also avoiding port congestion and getting out first thus avoiding delays. What a shame because Dubai deserves an overnight or at least a late sail at bare minimum. They will be do a large loading in Dubai that day so pray that the containers haven't arrived on time and/or are late making for a forced overnight....happened to us in Dec 2011 on the Legend.:)

Thanks for your reply. I could understand this if the next port of call wasn't so close. Khasab (Oman) is only a 3hr drive from Dubai, not sure what it is in nautical miles, but allowing 16hrs for the journey seems excessive. BTW, although we are yet to be notified, I see the Legend has also cancelled it's Egyptian ports for April 2014.

[wripro]

It costs them far less in fuel to sail veeeerrrrrryyyyyy slowly than to pay extra port charges in Dubai.

[Laylam]

It costs them far less in fuel to sail veeeerrrrrryyyyyy slowly than to pay extra port charges in Dubai.

LOL - maybe they plan on drifting!!

[wripro]

Or rowing.

[Laylam]

So is Sur! Great ship day. Actually we had a good tour in Salalalalala....as Jan Stearman would say. It was fun but there was only one to take that was worthwhile.

Nancy, I just found this online and I thought it may bring back some memories for you. The Salalah excursion is 13 mins into the video. There are another 2 videos posted by this man, documenting the Quest's continuing journey through the Suez Canal and beyond, but I haven't watched them yet.

 

Oops, and earlier in the video there is the s-l-o-w trip to Khasab and a Dhow cruise