Barrheadlass

Not golden circle,  Grand Circle.  I’ve enjoyed 5 Grand Circle Cruises.  They only market to Americans but there have been Canadians on several trips.   

A Douro Cruise also stops in small villages and towns.

2 minutes ago, Mura said:

I'm assuming that Ping Pong's request to the OP for a larger font was because for him/her it was too small?  OTOH, on my page it was far too large ... Odd.

I think Ping Pong was being sarcastic.

I’m leaving in less than 5 weeks for the Eternal Nile trip with OAT, with the pretrip to Jordan.  It’ll be my 17th trip with the company, so I know I won’t be disappointed, but it is so great to read your comments, Ella!

Thank you for the info, Croisie!

Well, better than double the price, I guess!

I appreciate your info, PacMom. I’m taking my second Road Scholar trip this year, both land tours, but have cruised with GCT and Uniworld.  I guess I’ll have to look at RS cruises, but am afraid the single supplement will be prohibitive.  It is so sometimes on their land tours.

Roz, I think it was you who said you sail solo?  Did you ever find out about how they handle single supplements?   After cruising with GCT and Uniworld, I’d like to try Croisi too.

2 hours ago, CPT Trips said:

I’ll dissent.

 

In our experience dinner attire Is typically casual and varies quite a bit. A few people, both men and women will wear jeans to dinner and for the evening. Some will wear travel/safari attire (for want of a better descriptor). Definitely a number of people will, of course, go dressier for the special dinners but not all, or even close to all.

 

YMMV

 

I totally agree.

 

There will be a suggested per person per day gratuity for the ship staff.  There will also be a suggested gratuity for the program director...I think usually $7-10 per person per day for the program director.  I’ve got 16 trips with OAT or GCT and only once did I not think the maximum was deserved.  Cash will be required, either local or US currency, I often do a combination.  Laundry is reasonably priced.  Pillows were fine but I’m not fussy.

Ella, I’m so looking forward to reading more about your trip!  

I’ve done 5 river cruises with GCT ( and two with Uniworld).  Do you have any particular questions?  I’ve not done the cruise you’re booked on, though.

5 hours ago, EllaDuChien said:

 

Barrheadlass - I leave for this trip with OAT in three weeks!  Doing the Jordan pre-trip as well.  I will be sure to let you know how it went!  This will be my first trip with OAT so I am interested to see how they do things.

Oh, I can’t wait to hear about it!  Thank you!  As I mentioned in another thread, I’ve taken many trips with OAT and have never been disappointed.  I’m a solo traveler and have always had a great time.  I’ll be interested to hear your impressions.

Funny, I just posted on a thread about Egypt cruises.  I’m going in March with Overseas Adventure Travel.  My ship is the Aida Dehabeya.   I’ll have to report back after my trip ( I’ve traveled about 17 times with the company).

I’m going to Egypt and Jordan with Overseas Adventure Travel in March, it includes a cruise on the Nile.

On 8/9/2019 at 7:01 PM, CPT Trips said:

 

Unfortunately you didn’t miss anything. They didn’t even run all the scheduled cruises this year. I don’t know definitely, but I don’t think they sold well. There were a fair amount of last minute specials for that itinerary. 

 

IIRC it was an itinerary with more nights in hotels than on the ship. It was on my list, but . . .

I was booked for that cruise on GCT for last October...they cancelled all cruises after June and offered us a deal to go earlier.  We went in May.  Having done 6 or 7 river cruises ( with Uniworld and GCT) I have to say this one was a disappointment.  Just plain blah, in my view.  We were told the ship was being moved to Provence, where the demand is much higher.

I tried to upgrade from economy to comfort + for a Delta flight from Boston to Edinburgh recently.  They wanted $370 extra round trip, which is nuts.  I’ve got over 100,000 SkyMiles because of my Amex Delta card...and could not use them because of my fare bucket ( or some such thing.). 

I would not accept that flight.  I was in CDG 3 weeks ago for a connecting flight, , and getting through passport control took close to 45 minutes.  I’ve flown through there on connecting flights many times, and would not be comfortable with less than 2 hours.  I do admit, though, that I’ve never needed 2 hours!

Things do change!  We took a Uniworld cruise about 10 years ago, and for the captain’s dinner there was exactly one man without a sport coat!

Loved my cruise on the Douro on Uniworld.

I just returned from a river cruise where my cabin was the last one before the door that led to the crew area.  I never heard a single noise and actually saw a crew member enter the area exactly once.  

I appreciate everyone ‘s advice!  

I do have an issue, and it is a big one.  I take a lot of trips with a company that gives a 7.5 percent discount if not paid with a credit card.  And my flights are usually booked through the company.  And I don’t think this company takes American Express if I wanted to pay that way!

8 hours ago, Zach1213 said:

 

Don't assume, do your research. If you truly want to travel, look in to credit cards and stick to one alliance, that will help your chances of upgrading to or using miles on Business. I'm not sure how much you plan to travel, but do look in to it.

Thanks, Zach!  Actually, I recently got a Delta Amex gold card.  I’m about to pay for a trip in Scotland and really hope the company takes AmEx.  .  If so, the cost will get me my sign up bonus miles.  I do have a SkyMiles number of course.  I do about 4 international trips a year.

I’m really pleased to see all the good comments about Cathay Pacific Premium Economy as I’m flying Boston to Hong Kong to Bangkok that way later this year.  I fly most trips on Delta in comfort plus and it is ok.  I’m fairly simple to please too.  My most recent flight was 16.5 hours long on Air Canada from Hong Kong to Toronto to Boston in business class, and it was absolutely terrific...but unfortunately it was a once in a lifetime splurge (well, I did do it both ways of course) that if I want to travel as much as I do, I won’t be able to repeat.  Sigh.