Voyager - Dubai to Barcelona 5/2 - 5/23/16

[WesW]

No worries Jennifer on the glitchy cruise critic posting esp. while on board.

 

Thanks for checking on our HD.

 

On our Auckland to Hong kong cruise we will visit almost all of the ports that the 2018 Singapore to Sydney voyage y'all are considering--we miss Thailand but do get to seven ports in New Zealand and the Philippines. Hopefully, we will be able to spur your excitment for Singapore to Sydney when we share our voyage experiences. Next time we get together will share what we think is best air routing to take if y'all elect to turn down Regent's incl biz class air (saving you$7K pp).

[forgap]

Thanks, Wes! You have tutored me well on the points game so I was already planning to nix the included air. If I can't put the points together, I can always add the bus class air later. We opted to do the pre-cruise (included) to Chang Mai. Other options were Siem Reap in Cambodia, Singapore, or post cruise in Sydney. Can't wait but we're over a year and a half away!

[forgap]

We had our 4th sea day packed with activities, including a Smithsonian lecture on the geology of Petra, the delightful documentary "Meet the Patels", the 007 martini show, and dinner in La Veranda with the Artful Travelers group.

 

We almost blew off the 007 show as we had done it before and it's not our cup of tea. However, the show has been revamped and was very entertaining with lots of interaction with the audience and acrobatics down the aisle.

 

Today we have a 9 hour excursion to Petra which we are looking forward to immensely.

[forgap]

It was an exhausting but thrilling day in Jordan. We docked in Aqaba which is just across the gulf of Aqaba from Egypt. The topography of Jordan is startling in its variety - from Mars-like mountains to high plateaus to Grand Canyon like vistas. Our goal was Petra and it took us about two hours to get there. The walk to the main site, the treasury is almost 4 miles going down hill...it morphs into 10 miles coming back when you are hot and tired and your feet hurt from navigating the rocky path! Our guide said it was 2 miles and we all grumbled that it seemed MUCH further. When all was said and done, my low tech pedometer said we had walked 12 miles round trip. A Fitbit would probably give us a better assessment!

 

You can take a horse or a horse drawn carriage but the guys hawking the ride look like Arab meth attacks and they get a kick out of racing the horses at top speed, kicking up dust and rocks and scaring pedestrians.

 

So after a drink in the Obsevation lounge, a chat with our cruise director,

Lorraine Weimerskirch, and dinner, we stumbled off to bed.

 

By the way, I think that Lorraine is the best cruise director we have had. Normally, I don't care much to have personal relationships with any of the staff other than polite interactions. But, Lorraine is so cordial, welcoming, and fun that it's hard not to engage her in conversation. I've observed her work a room and it's as if she is giving a party at her house and making every guest feel welcome. This is no small accomplishment!

[WesW]

Continued wonderful reports Jennifer (and Georges). We loved Petra too and that some of the Voyager crew members could enjoy it too (pls see pix below). Lorraine does a fabulous Christmas routine too.

 

[kmkord]

I'm really enjoying this cruise, but I have a huge pet peeve with reserving chairs in the shade by the pool. They are at a premium and I had one this morning since I was staying on board. I was going to lunch in the dining room, and being the rule follower that I am, I took my things with me instead of leaving them on the chair. I knew I was going to be longer than the allowed 30 minutes. When I returned, there were items on all the chairs in the shade. Not many people sitting there, but lots of stuff on the chairs. I guess I should just break the rules like the others, but that is not in my nature. I hope they actually sit in them some time this afternoon.

[EAGLESLOVER]

So after a drink in the Obsevation lounge, a chat with our cruise director,

Lorraine Weimerskirch, and dinner, we stumbled off to bed.

 

By the way, I think that Lorraine is the best cruise director we have had. Normally, I don't care much to have personal relationships with any of the staff other than polite interactions. But, Lorraine is so cordial, welcoming, and fun that it's hard not to engage her in conversation. I've observed her work a room and it's as if she is giving a party at her house and making every guest feel welcome. This is no small accomplishment!

 

 

 

We really like Lorraine also. Will she still be on board in June??

[newlondon]

kmkord, From bitter experience I learned not to trust policy or the better instincts of fellow passengers.

On our SYD/HK cruise temps hit 100f and needless to say shade was important.

Those who wanted to use the pool, me included, arrived at 9a. I stayed because DW had other interests but many left and their place holders were there for several hours. To be even more obnoxious some staked out seats that wouldn't be in the shade until afternoon.

TBH, the crew does not enforce company policy, for whatever reason.

At the risk of having this post removed I would comment that many feel that the company policy on tipping is inviolable.

[PaulaJK]

Many cruise lines have this problem............and many have a policy which is not enforced. It is uncomfortable to many passengers to activate the enforcement. I have always felt that the deck staff should not be left to this alone but that a junior officer should oversee the removal of left items. It's really tough for the deck staff to do this.

[flossie009]

We did see the policy enforced for a few days on Mariner last December

 

Personnel belongings that had been left on unoccupied loungers for excessive time periods were moved by staff to a table set up near the Pool. We nicknamed it "the table of shame" ;)

[forgap]

We had an exhausting day with a 12 hour excursion from the port, Safaga, to Luxor. The ride was 3 1/2 hours each way through arid mountains, desolate desert, then fertile farmland in the Nile valley until we reached the Nile itself and the archeological sites of ancient Egypt.

 

Our first stop was in the Valley of the Kings where the tombs of the Pharaohs are located. Imagine going to the rocky mountain ridge that overlooks the lush Nile River basin. You enter a high valley with absolutely no vegetation and magnificent tombs carved into the rock face. The artistry, rich with symbolism, defies description, and focuses on the journey into the afterlife. We toured three tombs although I only made it 10 feet into the last tomb when I realized it was about 80 steep steps down (which meant 80 steep steps back up) in 110 degree heat.

 

This high valley with surrounding cliffs acts like a massive convection oven. Even the ticket puncher was concerned, insisting I take his bench and fanning me with my hat. I poured my water down my back and stared to revive but for a moment I thought I might join the pharaoh!

 

We went on to see several more sites and ended at the Luxor temple itself. Luxor is connected to another temple, Karnak, by a 3 km alley of human headed sphinx- many headless at this point, but impressive none the less.

 

Egypt is really suffering from the decline in tourism because of the uprisings and terrorism of the last few years. This also impacts the archeological digs and maintenance of the sites. The people were universally welcoming, however, smiling and waving as we traveled through villages and towns. The only disconcerting thing is that there are countless "checkpoints" - some police checkpoints, some traffic checkpoints, and some military checkpoints - all with rifle toting men milling about. Our guide minimized it, saying it was their method for tracking criminals and drug traffickers - not terrorists. I didn't completely buy the explanation. Anyway, we expected to be traveling in a convoy with armed guards, but that didn't happen and we have lived to tell the tale!

 

We returned to the ship at about 9:30 pm to the most spirited welcome back reception. It seemed like most of the staff were outside, the band was playing, and everyone started dancing and clapping. As if by magic, we were no longer sweaty, bone weary, bedraggled tourists. We got a shot of Regent love and we were good to go! A buffet was served in La Veranda, wine flowed liberally, then we sailed away while lounging on the back deck off the Horizons Lounge, drinking champagne. Does it get better than this?

[Catpow]

Forgap, thanks for this summary. We were on the previous leg and our friends are still on board. We know from them how difficult the internet is this leg (it wasn't great last leg), so these posts are extra special. There's a great team on board; we had so much fun - and we're very pleased this has continued even in (um) somewhat difficult external circumstances.

[Travelcat2]

Wonderful report of your visit. It is good to hear that you did not have to go in a convoy with armed guards. We found the people very welcoming during our last visit to Egypt (September, 2015). Hoping that Egypt will remain on Regent's itineraries as it is such an amazing place.

 

Thank you for taking the time and making the effort to post.

[1982CruzStart]

Thanks for your posts. The last one describing Luxor brought back such fond memories of our first Regent cruise that ended at Safaga and included a tour to Luxor & Cairo. We still hope that things will calm down in Egypt and we will once again be able to visit this fascinating country.

[forgap]

The Internet is exceptionally slow today.

 

We had an interesting transit of the Suez Canal today. We were number two in a convoy of 18 vessels with a Mersk container ship with 18,000 containers taking the lead. It took us 11 hours staring at about 5 am this morning. Many of us were up on the top deck taking it all in. For a good part of the way we were in the new canal which opened in 2015. It is an engineering marvel to be completed in less than a year.

 

To break up the day, we signed up for the Connisseurs Wine lunch in Prime 7. It was very entertaining. I'll spare you the wine and foodgasm but it included about 9 wines and delectable pairings.

 

The Seven Seas Society reception was tonight but since it is a 21 day cruise, everyone gualified!

[RachelG]

I want to hear about the wine lunch. Please tell!

 

Loving your posts btw.

[forgap]

Rachel, will dish on the wine lunch in my next post...too exhausted from all day in Jerusalem and the BBQ extravaganza on our return. Just cancelled another long day tomorrow for a shorter excursion. We LOVE Israel. Must go to bed now!

[RachelG]

Love Israel as well. Can't wait to hear about it.

[forgap]

As requested, this was the menu for the Connoisseur's Wine Lunch.

 

Tuna tartar with crispy leeks and caviar

Moët and chandon cuvée Dom Perignon

 

Porcini dusted scallops, roasted shallots and truffle

Bouchard pere & fils chassagne Montrachet

 

Stuffed quali with morel risotto & fois gras foam

Groth Cabernet Sauvignon

 

Grilled tornadoes of beef with yellow chanterelles and fois gras red wine sauce

Chateau Lynch Bages, 5eme cru classe

 

Roquefort, Saint Paulin, Reblochon

Taylor Floodgate 10 year old port

 

Nougat Glacé Soufflé

Chateau D'Yquem 1er cru classe

 

Plus we had three other wines that were covered in foil that we had to guess the varietal, country, and with some luck, vineyard. It was much fun! We waddled and staggered back to our room and had a good nap!

[jhp]

I don't often post, but am loving yours, I took this cruise many years ago, as I remember we had an overnight in Luxor, perhaps by choice. So appreciate your constant updates, forgap!

[PaulaJK]

Thank you for posting that very special lunch menu. It sounds both elegant and scrumptious.

[newlondon]

forgap, We will be doing this cruise next year and are interested in the day in Jerusalem v the day in Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee. We would also see Ceaserea Phillipi the next day. We're not sure the stress of Jerusalem plus the "danger" is worth it.

[forgap]

We are now sailing towards Cypress after two days in Israel. We toured Jerusalem for the first tour. It was a very long day during an unusual heat wave for this time of year so we were pretty wiped out. We had scheduled a Jewish-centric tour for the first day then a Christian-centric tour of the city the next day. After the first full day and the 2.5 hour drive from Haifa, we decided to revise our next day to take a tour of Tel Aviv and Jaffa instead of the second day in Jerusalem. Jaffa was really picturesque and we enjoyed ourselves immensely.

 

I am looking forward to a land tour of Israel. It was a completely unexpected experience. I felt very safe. It is a very beautiful country, very western, lush with vegetation (in marked contrast to the other countries on this trip), and rich with history. There is so much to see and do, you can really only do a "drive by" on a cruise. Everyone was lovely and , after out tour of Jerusalem, it's the first time I've seen everyone on the bus embrace our tour guide on departure. We sang, we laughed, we cried. What an experience!

[mrlevin]

I am glad you enjoyed Jerusalem and Israel. I have never tried to tour Israel on a cruise; just a land trip. Twice two weeks in length and once for two months. It is a wonderful country with wonderful people.

 

I am really enjoying your reports. We are booked on the return (from Rome to Dubai) in 2017 and following all of your reports of both the ship and ashore.

 

Marc

[RachelG]

Love your reports! Lunch sounds fabulous, and we love Israel as well. And look forward to a land trip perhaps in the future.