Istanbul: NY Times Rated Tops!

[ravinblue]

I found out that there are no ATM fees if I use a Bank of America "partner" which in Turkey is TEB. There are no TEB ATM's listed at the airport, but there is one a short walk from my hotel. I'm still not sure if I really need Turkish lira or whether I can just used a credit card - I'm not much of a shopper and likely won't eat street food.

 

[michelle028]

Thanks for the updates!

[TLCOhio]

On 4/20/2023 at 5:56 PM, ravinblue said:

I found out that there are no ATM fees if I use a Bank of America "partner" which in Turkey is TEB. There are no TEB ATM's listed at the airport, but there is one a short walk from my hotel. I'm still not sure if I really need Turkish lira or whether I can just used a credit card - I'm not much of a shopper and likely won't eat street food.

 

Appreciate this great follow-up.  Excellent research in checking with your local bank, finding out their "partners", etc.  

 

Yes, our experience has been on many multi-country cruises that we can get by without a need to have local cash for many port stops.  In many areas, credit cards work well and you can get by without loading up too much with local currencies.  As noted, much depends as to how much of a "local shopper" you are, how much you are into street food, etc.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Venice: Loving It & Why??!!  Is one of your future desires or past favorites? See these many visual samples for its great history and architecture.  This posting is now at 102,437 views.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

[TLCOhio]

From the London/UK Telegraph yesterday, they had this headline: “How to spend a vibrant weekend in Istanbul" with this sub-headline: "Where to eat, shop and stay in the city of two continents, where history oozes at every turn.”

 

Here are some of their reporting highlights by Terry Richardson: “No other city in the world straddles two continents; nowhere else has been the capital of two empires. This vibrant metropolis of 15 million people, sprawling across the European and Asian sides of the Bosphorus Strait, is unique. Founded by the Greeks, later capital of the Christian Byzantine Empire, Istanbul blossomed anew at the heart of the Moslem Ottoman Empire following its capture by the Turks in 1453.  Both empires bequeathed Istanbul a wealth of superb buildings, most concentrated in the old city centred on Sultanahmet.”

 

WOW!!  That is a great and true above summary for Istanbul and its amazing history.  Here is one of the top highlights cited: "the greatest single building in a city full of wonders, the Hagia Sophia. Initially a church, it was converted into a mosque in 1453, made a museum in 1934 and converted once again to a mosque in 2020; standing beneath its 55m-high dome is a humbling experience."

 

Many options to consider are outlined, including for places to stay, what to see, etc.  

 

Full story at:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/turkey/istanbul/articles/istanbul-travel-guide/

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Amazon River-Caribbean 2015 adventure live/blog starting in Barbados. Many visuals from this amazing river and Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, San Juan, etc.).  Now at 71,259 views:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2076101-live-amazon-river-caribbean-many-pix’s-terryohio/

[TLCOhio]

From National Geographic magazine last fall, they had this headline: “10 great food markets around the globe" with this sub-headline: "History, culture, and cuisine mix at these distinctive and tasty destinations.”

 

Here are some of their profile highlights: “Around the world, food markets create a place for community gathering and nourishment and they allow visitors to immerse themselves in the culture and history of their destinations, all while serving up delectable—and often adventurous—culinary treats.”

 

For Istanbul, they spotlighted their Spice Market.  Here are some of their details cited: "Officially known as the Egyptian Bazaar, this centuries-old Istan­bul market is home to dozens of enthusiastic vendors selling exotic spices. Bring home lemony sumac and spicy Urfa biber, as well as other tasty souvenirs from tea to Turkish delight (lokum). "

 

Full story at:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/10-fabulous-food-markets-around-the-world?loggedin=true&rnd=1682976656778

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

AFRICA?!!?: Fun, interesting visuals, plus travel details from this early 2016 live/blog. At 53,958 views. Featuring Cape Town, South Africa’s coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Okavango Delta.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

[jc522]

Istanbul looks like a fascinating place to visit. We were supposed to stop there on an Azamara cruise a few years ago, but there was some civil unrest or threat of terrorism, and our ship had to divert.

 

We recently put a small deposit down on a Viking "Ancient Adriatic Treasures" cruise in February of 2024. It ends with 2 days in Istanbul. Then we read the following on travel.state.gov. How seriously do you think we should we take these warnings?

 

Terrorism: The potential for terrorist attacks in Turkey, including against U.S. citizens and interests, remains high.

• Terrorists have previously attacked U.S. interests in Turkey, including the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, the U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul, and the U.S. Consulate in Adana.
• Terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in Turkey. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, local government facilities, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, parks, major sporting and cultural events, educational institutions, airports, and other public areas. Terrorists have also previously targeted Western tourists and expatriates.

Under laws passed in 2018, Turkish security forces have an expanded legal ability to stop and search individuals and to detain individuals without charge.

[Lois R]

I just returned home from a cruise that stopped in Istanbul and we were there overnight so actually had 2 days to see things.🙂 It is a truly an amazing place and I felt quite safe.  It was my first time there and I would love to go back!

[jc522]

1) Has anyone had problems (check-in lines, security, customs, etc) flying home from Istanbul New Airport? We have the option of reversing our cruise and flying into Istanbul and out from Venice.

 

2) Does anyone have experience with Turkish Airlines? Should we fly a major airline (Lufthansa, Delta or Air France) instead?

[Host Bonjour]

On 5/2/2023 at 7:40 PM, jc522 said:

Then we read the following on travel.state.gov. How seriously do you think we should we take these warnings?

 

Check other major cities, security levels remain high and State Department warnings have specific details too, for example Ankara, Turkey's capitol city is specifically cited, as most capitol cities are politically sensitive and protected for obvious reasons.  

 

Where I live, threat levels, especially in particular places of the city, it's always high level and will never not be. But I think more people worry about the subway...one kind of has to go about each day making sensible decisions according to their comfort level. For a native like me, that will be different than for a visitor, and for a new visitor vs. a frequent visitor, it will also be different. What would be the same for anyone, anywhere, don't go where you don't know and don't need to be, especially if you aren't able to speak the same language. In other words, common sense. 

 

While alerts and advisories should always be considered, in 2023 it's fair to say that they have become an ordinary part of life. And while many cities take care to ensure that cities are well protected (more cameras than ever, access to intelligence, visible and invisible security personnel on the ground) to ensure its own citizens and lucrative tourism visitors are safe, there is no 100% certainty.

 

That said, anything can happen anytime, anywhere: big city, small town for any number of reasons, but more tends to happen closer to home than away. No one can decide what's ideal for anyone else, it's important to weigh the risks and rewards to the extent it suits each person and hopefully keep going, with care and wisdom. 

 

Here's hoping you'll enjoy Istanbul. 🙂 

[TLCOhio]

21 hours ago, jc522 said:

1) Has anyone had problems (check-in lines, security, customs, etc) flying home from Istanbul New Airport? We have the option of reversing our cruise and flying into Istanbul and out from Venice.

2) Does anyone have experience with Turkish Airlines? Should we fly a major airline (Lufthansa, Delta or Air France) instead?

 

Appreciate these great comments and follow-ups from Lois and Host Bonjour.  Very helpful and solid background information.

 

As per the question above, we have not flown out of the new Istanbul Airport.  Since it was newly designed and built recently from the ground up, I assume and hope that things function reasonably well there compared to many older and more "sprawling" such facilities from decades earlier.  

 

For Turkish Airlines, they are hardly a "minor" operation.  They have grown and expanded significantly.  Per Wikipedia, "As of 2022, it operates scheduled services to 340 destinations in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, making it the largest mainline carrier in the world by number of passenger destinations.  The airline serves more destinations non-stop from a single airport than any other airline in the world and flies to 126 countries, more than any other airline."

 

Clearly that airline would not have grown that much if it was providing inconsistent, poor service.  Even "major" US airlines such as American, Delta, Southwest and United, etc., have had recent challenges and service flaws.  Istanbul has a strategic location to serve as a "link" between Europe and the Americans with fast-growing Asia, etc.  

 

Also to consider is that the Venice airport is relatively small and not easy to reach, plus having a more limited number of frequent non-stop flights to major, world-wide airports. Sorry, nothing is perfect and/or easy/simple.  

 

More background at:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_Airlines

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Athens & Greece: Visuals, details from two visits in a city and nearby with great history, culture and architecture.  Now at 53,102 views.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1101008

[sahara1]

On 5/2/2023 at 9:36 PM, Lois R said:

I just returned home from a cruise that stopped in Istanbul and we were there overnight so actually had 2 days to see things.🙂 It is a truly an amazing place and I felt quite safe.  It was my first time there and I would love to go back!

Could you take a little time to tell us what you did? Did you need lira?

[Lois R]

33 minutes ago, sahara1 said:

Could you take a little time to tell us what you did? Did you need lira?

Hi, I took a private tour on the first day........me and a guide (and a driver). It was a 1/2 day and we spent 90% of it at The Topkopi Palace. I highly, HIGHLY recommend this....the entire place is magnificent.  Even with a 1/2 day you cannot see it all but I am so happy we went there. The exhibits, the grounds, etc....are just amazing. My tour guide was fantastic too so that made a big difference.

We then went to the Spice Market but didn't stay there very long. We walked by the famous Hagia Sophia Mosque but the line was very long and so after the Spice Market the driver drove me back to the ship. I would say we were gone for about 4 hours. As for Lira, Turkey is very flexible.....they actually take Lira, Euros AND US $.....but of course if you need change back, that will only be in Turkish Lira.

Here is a link to the palace: check it out........I would go back in a heartbeat.🙂

https://www.millisaraylar.gov.tr/saray-kosk-ve-kasirlar/topkapi-sarayi

 

The 2nd day I went on a riverboat tour on the Bosphorus River. We were only about 10 people and the guide was very good on this one too. 

 

I did not go to the Grand Bazzar and I am ok with that......the Spice Market is supposed to be like a miniature version and that was big enough. The Grand Bazzar is supposed to be about 10x larger LOL

I don't mind big and crowded but I am happy with the choices I made🙂

 

Hope this helps a bit. Oh, I tipped both of my guides in Euros and they were more than happy to accept it.

 

 

 

 

[sahara1]

Very helpful.

 

[TLCOhio]

On 5/5/2023 at 4:33 PM, Lois R said:

Hi, I took a private tour on the first day........me and a guide (and a driver). It was a 1/2 day and we spent 90% of it at The Topkopi Palace. The 2nd day I went on a riverboat tour on the Bosphorus River. We were only about 10 people and the guide was very good on this one too. I did not go to the Grand Bazzar and I am ok with that......the Spice Market is supposed to be like a miniature version and that was big enough.  Hope this helps a bit.

 

Yes, very helpful details and recent background from Lois.  Keep up the great questions, sharing, etc.  Much fun and excitement to consider in Turkey.  

 

In order to share more "eye candy" from istanbul, below are three visuals from the 2024 Silversea Worldwide Voyages book by skilled professional photographer Steve McCurry.  It provides more evidence that one of our favorite cities, Istanbul, offers such amazing history, architecture, food, culture, etc.

 

As background, Steve McCurry, now age 73, is an American photojournalist. His photo, Afghan Girl, of a young lady with piercing green eyes, appeared on the cover of National Geographic.  McCurry is the recipient of numerous awards, including Magazine Photographer of the Year, awarded by the National Press Photographers Association; the Royal Photographic Society's Centenary Medal and two first-place prizes in the World Press Photo contest.  McCurry's famed career was started when, disguised in Afghani garb, he crossed the Pakistan border into rebel-controlled areas of Afghanistan just before the Soviet invasion.  He has covered a wide range of armed conflicts around the world and focuses in on the "human connection" for these various locations.  To him, it is not just about the landscapes, but for the people who inhabit these areas.

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

From late 2018, see “Holy Lands, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Dubai, Greece, etc.”, with many visuals, details and ideas for the historic and scenic Middle East. Now at 21,810 views.  Connect at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/

 

From the 2024 Silversea Worldwide Voyages book with visuals by Steve McCurry, here are three photographs from Istanbul, including the bridge over the Bosporus, the underground cistern and a sampling of local culture.  Bring back nice memories from Istanbul for Lois and others?:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

 

 

[cruisemom42]

This Sunday (May 14) Turkey will hold the first round of their general elections. It has been broadly reported that many who previously supported Erdogan have become disenchanted with his government, especially after the fiasco of the severe earthquakes in Turkey (and Syria) some months ago. Not only was response to the hard-hit areas slow and responders unprepared, there is also coming to light the fact that a huge number of recent buildings -- on which Erdogan and his party pride themselves -- are shoddily built and often built on ground that is unsafe.

 

It will be interesting to see what happens on Sunday. Unfortunately I fear that if Erdogan does not do well, there will be repercussions. The possibility of civil unrest, demonstrations, etc following a victory on either side could also happen, with potential to impact any cruises headed to Istanbul in the following weeks.

 

 

[TLCOhio]

21 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

This Sunday (May 14) Turkey will hold the first round of their general elections. It has been broadly reported that many who previously supported Erdogan have become disenchanted with his government, especially after the fiasco of the severe earthquakes in Turkey (and Syria) some months ago. It will be interesting to see what happens on Sunday.  The possibility of civil unrest, demonstrations, etc following a victory on either side could also happen, with potential to impact any cruises headed to Istanbul in the following weeks.

 

Appreciate this helpful follow-up from cruisemom42.  I previously had on my calendar for this coming Sunday to check the election results from Turkey.  On April 11 on this thread, I had posted a detailed story from Washington Post and Bloomberg News about this key election upcoming for Turkey's future.  But, as you noted, this probably will be only the first round to determine ultimately who will be the next leader for this nation and the future direction for this historic nation.    

 

From the respected Reuters international news service this morning, they had this headline: “Erdogan's rival boosted by withdrawal, poll lead ahead of Turkey vote” with these highlights: “The man challenging Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey's presidential elections this weekend received a boost on Thursday when a small party candidate abruptly withdrew and a closely-watched poll gave him a more than five percentage point advantage.   The withdrawal by Muharrem Ince, one of four contesting Sunday's presidential vote, could reshape the last days of campaigning in what is seen as Erdogan's biggest test in his two-decade reign.”

 

Clearly there is major interest to see how this election works out and affects future tourism/stability there.  

 

Full story at:

https://news.yahoo.com/turkeys-erdogan-lags-election-rival-091415899.html

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Summer 2019 Calgary, Jasper/Banff National Parks, Western Canada Rocky Mountaineer rail adventure, Vancouver, sailing up to Alaska on Silver Muse, post-cruise excursion to Denali, etc.  Many visuals, Our firsts in these scenic areas!  Now at 19,071 views. Live/blog: 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2682584-live-terryohio-silver-muse-alaska-canadarockies-pix’s/

[TLCOhio]

YES, Turkey's election is not final and completed.  They will have a run-off and there are disagreements about the election counting and results.    

 

From the New York Times this morning, they had this headline: “Four Takeaways From Turkey’s Nail-Biting Presidential Election" with this sub-headline: "Recep Tayyip Erdogan is headed for his — and his country’s — first presidential runoff vote. But the first round showed the longtime leader’s continued strength.”

 

Here are some of their reporting highlights: “Turkey’s nail-biter election will go to a runoff, election officials announced on Monday, extending a pivotal vote that has demonstrated that the incumbent, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is still a formidable political force, despite his failure to secure a first-round victory.  Turkey’s Supreme Election Council said the runoff would be held May 28 after official preliminary results showed that Mr. Erdogan had won 49.5 percent of votes and his main challenger, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, 44.9 percent, with nearly all ballots counted.  Sunday’s voting was closely watched around the world for how it could shape the course of Turkey, an important NATO ally with a wide array of diplomatic and economic ties across continents.  The election council said that turnout on Sunday surpassed 88.9 percent of the 64 million eligible voters in Turkey and overseas.”

 

Will be watching on May 28 for how those results turn out.  

 

Full story at:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/15/world/middleeast/turkey-election-results-erdogan-runoff.html

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Early 2020, many visuals and details from New Zealand/South Pacific in going from Auckland to French Polynesia.  This includes Bora Bora, Fiji, NZ experiences, etc:  Live/blog;

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2735732-live-terryohio-“new”-regatta-south-pacificnz-pix’s/

[TLCOhio]

Earlier on this thread, I mentioned about Roger Crowley's book titled "City of Fortune" related to Venice and its incredible history from the period when it "ruled the seas". It took me some time, but earlier this week, I completed reading this 383-page book.  

 

Fascinating and enlightening are two quick summary words for this book by a skilled, highly-detailed historian.  I always knew Venice had a great background in its rise for power and wealth.  His writings explained much more as to exactly how and why.  Plus, what happened when it started to change around 1500 as the "tides" shifted as the powerful Turkish Sultans pushed them out of the eastern Med and as Portugal was finding a cheaper/better way to bring back spices from India and the East.  

 

Being rich and powerful could not be sustained indefinitely. That's the bottom line in history, right?

 

Much of the early history involves Constantinople, how Venice fought and gained its power and position in that key location as a link/base between Europe and Asia, plus how it allowed more trading involving areas around the Black Sea. 

 

In the Middle Ages, Venice started its wealthy path through its control of trade between Europe and the East, began to expand into the Adriatic Sea. Venice became involved in the Crusades from the very beginning that took many tangled twists including how they battled and won in Constantinople.  This book goes into great detail about the shifting history in and around this current part of Turkey.   

 

In the 12th century, Venice built a large national shipyard that became known as the Venetian Arsenal.  With such skill and creativity in building new and powerful fleets, the republic was able to take control over the eastern Mediterranean.

 

Until reading this book, I had forgotten about the battles Venice had with Genoa, another powerful Italian City-State, plus tangling with the Pope and dealing with other Europe nations who wanted to re-take the Holy Lands from Islamic forces.  It's a long, long history with many victories and defeats.  Plus, I did not realize how slavery worked in those days, plus the brutality of warfare during this period.  It was not all a pretty or nice story!!   Lots of lives and fortunes were lost from the many wars and accidents in rough seas.  

 

Greece plays an important part in this history of Venice.  Lots of depth was shared for how it all fitted together, who controlled whom at what time period, etc.  To say it is a complicated history is a massive understatement. 

 

Also, the author credits Venice for the way it operated, kept records, managed an early, rough form of "Democracy", their use of legal "due process", the ethical standards used during this period, their diplomatic skills, etc.  Yes, it was also ALL about money and wealth, too!!  Nobody was richer than Venice at its peak.  

 

But, the times changed and power shifted. The same is true for Istanbul/Constantinople.  Much in this book is focused on Sultan Mehmet II and his rise to power in 1451 at a young age. He proved to be an aggressive, ruthless, effective, creative leader . . . and warrior!  He was a key factor in the rise of the Turks and the sliding starting that impacted Venice so much.  

 

Lots of unique and amazing history in these areas. 

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Barcelona/Med: June 2011, with stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Great visuals with key highlights, tips, etc. Live/blog now at 256,469 views.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1362155-solstice-livefirst-timer-reportspix’s-italycroatian-june-7-19/

[beesgma]

On 5/2/2023 at 9:36 PM, Lois R said:

I just returned home from a cruise that stopped in Istanbul and we were there overnight so actually had 2 days to see things.🙂 It is a truly an amazing place and I felt quite safe.  It was my first time there and I would love to go back!

We are going to Istanbul in October and will be there overnight.  Can you provide the tour operators that you used for both days.  Thanks in advance

Anne

[Lois R]

35 minutes ago, beesgma said:

We are going to Istanbul in October and will be there overnight.  Can you provide the tour operators that you used for both days.  Thanks in advance

Anne

Hi Anne, I don't remember.......both were purchased through the cruise line. I got a card from one of them but now I cannot find it. Sorry!  

[TLCOhio]

On 6/2/2023 at 7:45 AM, beesgma said:

We are going to Istanbul in October and will be there overnight.  Can you provide the tour operators that you used for both days.  Thanks in advance.  Anne

 

Hi, Anne!  Great you will in Istanbul overnight.  That provides more, needed time and flexibility.  

 

Earlier in this thread, I mentioned that our guide, Lale Kosagan, is still very active, doing tours, etc.  Their website is 

www.toursinistanbul.com

Their two main e-mails are: kosagan@yahoo.com and kosagan@hotmail.com.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 247,072 views.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1172051-livesilver-cloud-norway-coastfjords-july-1-16-reports/

[TLCOhio]

Earlier there was discussion about Turkey, their government leadership and major elections.  

 

From CBS-TV news earlier this past week, they had this headline: “Turkey's President Erdogan wins runoff election, set to remain in power until 2028” with these highlights: “Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won re-election on Sunday, the head of Turkey's Supreme Election Council announced on Sunday, declaring Erdogan the winner of a historic runoff vote that is set to extend his 20-year rule until 2028.  YSK Chairman Ahmet Yener said that Erdogan was elected as the new president with 52.14% of the votes.   With a third term, Erdogan will have an even stronger hand domestically and internationally, and the election results will have implications far beyond Ankara. Turkey stands at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, and it plays a key role in NATO.”

 

Clearly, it was a closer election in a country with deep divisions.  But, hopefully things will stay "stable" in this key nation that is very popular for tourism.  

 

Full story at:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/turkey-erdogan-wins-presidential-reelection-runoff-2023/

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Late Summer 2022, many scenic visuals and details from Canada Maritimes doing Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton Island, etc., via a Tauck land tour.  Visual Summary:

www.flickr.com/photos/196555480@N08/albums

[Cru Doll]

On 6/2/2023 at 7:45 AM, beesgma said:

We are going to Istanbul in October and will be there overnight.  Can you provide the tour operators that you used for both days.  Thanks in advance

Anne

We will also be in Istanbul overnight in October.   Our ship arrives at noon on October 4,  and are thinking about cruising on the Bosphorus Straight that afternoon, with perhaps another stop that day.  At this point it looks like October 5 would be a good day to do a full day sightseeing tour.

We enjoy joining others for small group tours.  When will you be in Istanbul?
Anne Marie

[beesgma]

4 hours ago, Cru Doll said:

We will also be in Istanbul overnight in October.   Our ship arrives at noon on October 4,  and are thinking about cruising on the Bosphorus Straight that afternoon, with perhaps another stop that day.  At this point it looks like October 5 would be a good day to do a full day sightseeing tour.

We enjoy joining others for small group tours.  When will you be in Istanbul?
Anne Marie

We are in Istanbul on the 21st & 22nd

[beesgma]

8 hours ago, TLCOhio said:

 

 

Hi, Anne!  Great you will in Istanbul overnight.  That provides more, needed time and flexibility.  

 

Earlier in this thread, I mentioned that our guide, Lale Kosagan, is still very active, doing tours, etc.  Their website is 

www.toursinistanbul.com

Their two main e-mails are: kosagan@yahoo.com and kosagan@hotmail.com.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 247,072 views.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1172051-livesilver-cloud-norway-coastfjords-july-1-16-reports/

Thanks.  I have them on my list to contact.  Was your tour a private or small group tour?