Athens to Istanbul Cruise Review

[cruisealert]

My wife and I just finished a fabulous 12 cruise on the Mariner. My review is at http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=85487

 

Our next cruise will be November 2012

[Responder]

My wife and I just finished a fabulous 12 cruise on the Mariner. My review is at http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=85487

 

Our next cruise will be November 2012

 

Sure sounds like you had a great time..Regent is our favorite as well..

 

What is really good, is that you took all the events in stride and allowed yourselves to enjoy every minute of your adventure no matter what..

[Peek-a-boo]

My wife and I just finished a fabulous 12 cruise on the Mariner. My review is at http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=85487

 

Our next cruise will be November 2012

 

It sounds as if you had a great time :)

I am so happy that you took the time to write a review. We will be doing almost the same trip in August. I have been debating about which excusions to take in Israel...did you stick with Regent included tours? Also, can you tell me what you loved about Antalya and Crete? Thanks so much!

Debi

[OrpingtonT]

My wife and I just finished a fabulous 12 cruise on the Mariner. My review is at http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=85487

 

Our next cruise will be November 2012

 

Good review of what seemed to be a great cruise on Mariner. Makes me look forward to our Transatlantic later in the year. Thank you, cruisealert.

[joandbun]

Glad to hear you had a great time.

We will be on baord in Sept & as Regent newbies we are soaking up all info & tips

[RachelG]

Sounds like you had a fabulous time. I had thought about this cruise, but didn't do it as I was worried it would be too hot in Israel and Egypt this time of year. How did you find the temps?

[claudiaYVR]

Thank you for your great review. We're booked on the Pathways of Antiquity Oct 31 2012 which will be our first Regent cruise. Some of the ports, particularly in Israel, are the same as yours. Did you do any of the ship shore excursions and if so, could you give a few details?

[Travelcat2]

Thank you for the great review (and it must have been fabulous being in the Master Suite on the Mariner). We had friends on the same cruise -- all of them loved it. The only thing that made it difficult was the weather . . . . extremely hot.

 

We're going to Israel on the Voyager in December and also wonder about the tours you did in that area. Would also appreciate knowing how full the tours were. Thanks much.

[Anna B.]

Hi cruisealert,

 

Thanks for the great review. It was fun reading it especially since I immediately figured out who you are. (We were on the same cruise, also at the Grande Bretagne and sat right behind cruisalert and his beautiful wife on the Continental flight from EWR to ATH). Agree that the cruise was one of the best ever. I only regret that it couldn't have been longer!

 

We really enjoyed the little bit of time we spent talking with you....hopefully will meet again in the future!

 

Kathy and Al

[gbp]

It sounds as if you had a great time :)

I am so happy that you took the time to write a review. We will be doing almost the same trip in August. I have been debating about which excusions to take in Israel...did you stick with Regent included tours? Also, can you tell me what you loved about Antalya and Crete? Thanks so much!

Debi

We are also on the August 12th Mariner Istanbul - Athens cruise. For Instanbul and the Israel ports, I'm looking into private tours. (Actually, I've already reserved the Istanbul tour for 8/12, using a guide recommended by our TA. We will embark on the ship at the conclusion of the tour -- around the late afternoon or early evening.)

 

For Israel, we are considering staying ashore one or two nights and integrating the hotel stay with our tour. Ideally, the tour would include pickup and drop-off at the ship.

 

All Regent-offered car, minibus, and van private tours have been wait-listed. They also seem rather expensive compared to hiring an excellent local guide and driver on our own.

 

To cruisealert: Thanks very much for the review; it sounds very encouraging! I expect it will be a few degrees warmer (hotter? <g>) in August than in June and my wife wilts in the heat, but the memorable itinerary and reduced price was just too tempting for us. If you have more details about the ports and the excursions you took, I'd be very grateful. Thanks!

[TPAtravelfan]

Didn't we have a lovely time at dinner with Paul, Maxine and Adam! Enjoyed meeting you and your wife and sharing stories. Hope to see you again on another Regent cruise!

 

Kyle

[cruisealert]

Hi cruisealert,

 

Thanks for the great review. It was fun reading it especially since I immediately figured out who you are. (We were on the same cruise, also at the Grande Bretagne and sat right behind cruisalert and his beautiful wife on the Continental flight from EWR to ATH). Agree that the cruise was one of the best ever. I only regret that it couldn't have been longer!

 

We really enjoyed the little bit of time we spent talking with you....hopefully will meet again in the future!

 

Kathy and Al

Kathy,

 

Please tell Al I lost his business card so I do not have your email address. We really enjoyed spending time with you guys and do hope we cross paths. I know we are not supposed to share emails on here, so how can we get each others email?? Is there a way to send a private email?

[cruisealert]

Didn't we have a lovely time at dinner with Paul, Maxine and Adam! Enjoyed meeting you and your wife and sharing stories. Hope to see you again on another Regent cruise!

 

Kyle

Jane and I were just talking about that fun dinner. We were sending Paul a copy of my review and mentioned our dinner. Maaybe we will see you in November 2012. Enjoyed meeting you and Joe.

[cruisealert]

We are also on the August 12th Mariner Istanbul - Athens cruise. For Instanbul and the Israel ports, I'm looking into private tours. (Actually, I've already reserved the Istanbul tour for 8/12, using a guide recommended by our TA. We will embark on the ship at the conclusion of the tour -- around the late afternoon or early evening.)

 

For Israel, we are considering staying ashore one or two nights and integrating the hotel stay with our tour. Ideally, the tour would include pickup and drop-off at the ship.

 

All Regent-offered car, minibus, and van private tours have been wait-listed. They also seem rather expensive compared to hiring an excellent local guide and driver on our own.

 

To cruisealert: Thanks very much for the review; it sounds very encouraging! I expect it will be a few degrees warmer (hotter? <g>) in August than in June and my wife wilts in the heat, but the memorable itinerary and reduced price was just too tempting for us. If you have more details about the ports and the excursions you took, I'd be very grateful. Thanks!

To you and others, we used Regent excursions throughout the cruise other than at Antalya and Crete (Aghios Nikolaos.0 At those 2 fabulous ports we just walked around the beautiful towns, shopped, and had an enjoyable lunch. We had so many tours planned, we just wanted to go at our own speed and they were great PORTS TO DO THAT.. Tours in Israel were great and buses always were about 60% full so lots of room to move around. We went to Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee (fantastic if you love to travel in Jesus' footsteps -- we did), A Day in Jerusalem and Bethlehem - just disappointed that a visit to The Upper Room was not included), and Dead Sea and Masada. Also went to the beautiful Golan Heights and Jordan River (but it overlapped with Sea of Galilee Excursion stops). Dead Sea was fun. Our favorite tour was Glories of Ephesus. Increduible civilization!! Also had time to buy a rug there. Rhodes culinary delights was fun and great meal. Make sure you get morning excursion. I swam on the public Beach there too . Istanbul was fabulous and we took a sail on Bosphorous and had regent City overview tpour on way to our hotel. Next day after we left the ship took a private tour and it was just right. Low key, great guide and comfortable Mercedes van for the two of us!!

[cruisealert]

It sounds as if you had a great time :)

I am so happy that you took the time to write a review. We will be doing almost the same trip in August. I have been debating about which excusions to take in Israel...did you stick with Regent included tours? Also, can you tell me what you loved about Antalya and Crete? Thanks so much!

Debi

Antalya has a wonderful "old town" that you can amble thru, shop, and have a meal overlooking the port. There are also public beaches, but we did not know that. Very scenic.

Crete (Aghios Nikolas) is a very pretty small port. Reminded us a little of Porto Fina in Italy. Hilly, nice shops, beautiful views. Highlight is a pretty lake in the middle of the town. Everything is walking distance from the ship.

[Peek-a-boo]

To you and others, we used Regent excursions throughout the cruise other than at Antalya and Crete (Aghios Nikolaos.0 At those 2 fabulous ports we just walked around the beautiful towns, shopped, and had an enjoyable lunch. We had so many tours planned, we just wanted to go at our own speed and they were great PORTS TO DO THAT.. Tours in Israel were great and buses always were about 60% full so lots of room to move around. We went to Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee (fantastic if you love to travel in Jesus' footsteps -- we did), A Day in Jerusalem and Bethlehem - just disappointed that a visit to The Upper Room was not included), and Dead Sea and Masada. Also went to the beautiful Golan Heights and Jordan River (but it overlapped with Sea of Galilee Excursion stops). Dead Sea was fun. Our favorite tour was Glories of Ephesus. Increduible civilization!! Also had time to buy a rug there. Rhodes culinary delights was fun and great meal. Make sure you get morning excursion. I swam on the public Beach there too . Istanbul was fabulous and we took a sail on Bosphorous and had regent City overview tpour on way to our hotel. Next day after we left the ship took a private tour and it was just right. Low key, great guide and comfortable Mercedes van for the two of us!!

Thank you...one thing I cannot decide on...Tel Aviv & Jaffa or Masada. I would love to go to Masada, however I am afraid that it will be very hot & humid and we will then have three 11 hour tour days in a row. We are definitely doing - Jerusalem & Bethlehem and Nazareth & the Sea of Galilee, these are the most important to me. Your opinion?

[cruisealert]

Sounds like you had a fabulous time. I had thought about this cruise, but didn't do it as I was worried it would be too hot in Israel and Egypt this time of year. How did you find the temps?

Not as hot as Tulsa!!

[cruisealert]

Thank you...one thing I cannot decide on...Tel Aviv & Jaffa or Masada. I would love to go to Masada, however I am afraid that it will be very hot & humid and we will then have three 11 hour tour days in a row. We are definitely doing - Jerusalem & Bethlehem and Nazareth & the Sea of Galilee, these are the most important to me. Your opinion?

Yes we had three 11 hour days, but that was known and we rested on buses and always had a delightful dinner. We enjoyed Masada and Dead Sea, but TelAviv sounded interesting. We just really wanted to experience Dead Sea and glad we did, but we were tired.

[WesW]

Cruisealert, your descriptions of the Regent Israel excursions are very helpful--thank you. We will be on the Voyager and will stop in Israel for three days this November. In Tel Aviv, we also look forward to enjoying Regent's tours; A day in Jerusalem and Bethlehem on the first day and Masada and the Dead Sea on the second day.

[RachelG]

Not as hot as Tulsa!!

 

HAHA you are right about that. Above 100 today for like the 11th day in a row. I probably should go to Israel for a break.