Louis Cruise Lines

[Wanttoknow]

I was told on Sept. 2 by my TA that the ship is The Coral.

 

My heart also go out to the thousands of people who are affected by the terrible outcome of Hurricane Katrina. I can not imagine being in a situation like that.

I guess snow isn't so bad after all!

[Wanttoknow]

Doug

 

Sorry for the mix up re names.

 

I do enjoy reading your comments and thanks for the info on The Serenade.

[jadranjohn]

I would like info on who to book th E.Med on the Sapphire through in Canada. Is there a rep./agent in Canada dealing with Louis Cruise that I can use.

I am planning my 25 anniversary cruise with a bunch of friends. this cruise sounds perfect but I am unable to find an agent dealing with Louis.

Help

[LHT28]

I would like info on who to book th E.Med on the Sapphire through in Canada. Is there a rep./agent in Canada dealing with Louis Cruise that I can use.

I am planning my 25 anniversary cruise with a bunch of friends. this cruise sounds perfect but I am unable to find an agent dealing with Louis.

Help

 

IMHO

If it is a special Anniversary cruise I would choose Orient or Oceania rather then a Greek based cruiseline.

Better staff, better food etc....

[jadranjohn]

Not looking for $$$ cruise. Looking for budget cruise. This cruise suits me fine

[passaporta]

I emailed Louis Cruises last week & received my reply. They said that our cruise leaving 23/09/05 would be on the Serenade. So Doug, you were right.

Their website says the 23/09 departure is the Holy Land. Oh well, it's the Magical Mystery Tour.

[Wanttoknow]

You are right a mystery tour or maybe even better the mystery ship. I checked out Doug's info on The Serenade and some of the areas on the ship look quite interesting. The cabins don't look very big but then again they looked small on the other ships as well, unless you have booked a suite. Sometimes small spaces bother me so that's what I am worried about but I am trying not to let that get to me.

It would be nice to meet on board to at least say hello or maybe even have a drink together after all the communicating that has been done on this web site.

 

I wish you and your friends a great trip and hopefully we can meet.

 

J.F.

[Wanttoknow]

Haven't heard from you lately. Did you find out what ship you are on? How did you make out with booking your private tours?

 

Have a great trip and maybe our paths will cross.

[passaporta]

It would be fun to get together while cruising on our Mystery Ship. I can leave a message for you at the Purser's Desk.

My name is Suzanne & the message I would address to Wanttoknow or use your first name, what ever you wish.

Have a wonderful time in Italy. Hope to see you in Greece.

[dougnewmanatsea]

I emailed Louis Cruises last week & received my reply. They said that our cruise leaving 23/09/05 would be on the Serenade. So Doug, you were right.

That is, assuming that they did not just look at the web site that I looked at to find out ;) .

 

Whatever ship and itinerary you wind up with, have fun. But my guess is that it will be SERENADE and the 7-day Greek Isles itinerary that you signed up for.

 

I checked out Doug's info on The Serenade and some of the areas on the ship look quite interesting.

She is definitely a very interesting ship... As you can see from the site I linked (it's not mine though I am an occasional contributor - it is run by two friends of mine from California, Martin Cox and Peter Knego; the latter is the author of that article) she has quite a history.

 

She was the French cruise ship for many years and through the '90s was actually regarded as a fairly upscale operation though she was not marketed much outside France.

 

I have heard that she is now, to quote a friend who was on her last year, a bit "battered" (Though others have reported that she is in great shape, so who knows - another mystery I guess!) but personally I think she would be a fascinating ship to sail in.

 

Most of her interiors date from the '80s and were designed by Marc Held, who designed the interiors of the Windstar ships. At the time, they were really tres chic.

 

So even if she seems like an old tub to you today (and she may or may not, depending on your expectations and what sort of condition she's in), if all else fails think of the ship as just another historical site on your trip, and view her from an archaelogical perspective!

 

She will probably be the most interesting ship you will ever sail in, if not the most luxurious, newest, biggest, etc.

 

The cabins don't look very big but then again they looked small on the other ships as well, unless you have booked a suite.

The cabins on older ships (pre-1970s) like this one come in all shapes and sizes. This is actually better news than you think. Your cabin might be tiny, but then it might not be. This is a much better situation than the early '70s-vintage PERLA or CORAL, in which unless you booked a suite your cabin will be tiny, without exception.

 

Anyhow, hope that both of you have a great trip and I am really looking forward to hearing your impressions. I am always interested in reviews of Louis, but as SERENADE is a particularly interesting vessel this adds just another dimension of interest. Honestly, at least if you do wind up on SERENADE, I would absolutely love to go, not just for the destination (which, having been to some of those ports, I can assure you is wonderful) but for the ship too. This is one of the very last chances to sail in a real vintage liner like this - enjoy it as you'll probably never get to do it again.

[mm]

I have been reading your posts, but have not written because I have not yet received any information about our ship and cabin. I can't believe a cruise line operates this way! I am also concerned that some of you have received tickrts and we were told we would receive ours in Athens. We are being met at the airport and taken to out hotel by a cruise line representative....maybe that's why.

I booked the tours in Athens I wrote about earlier, and one in Rhodes with a guide recommended by the Athens George. Also one for our day in Istanbul I choce after e-mailing several. I didn't go with CHAT as they were quite expensive and required payment in advance with no refund of any kind for cancellation. Will report any other news I receive.

It would be fun to get together on board. My name is Peggy, and using the Purser as a mailbox shpld work.

MM

[mm]

I have been reading the ports, but have not replied as I have not yet heard anythng about our ship or cabin. I will write them again tomorrow.

I have never known a cruise line to operate thie way!

I have booked the tours in Athens that I wrote about earlier, and one in Rhodes with a Rhodes George recommedded by the Athens George. Also booked a day in Istanbul with someone I chose after e-mailing several possibikities. I didn't go with CHAT tours, as they were quite expensive, and wanted full payment in advance.

It would be fun to get together once on board and the Purser should be a good mail drop. My name is Peggy

MM

[passaporta]

Hi MM (Peggy), happy to meet you. Do you know the name of your hotel in Athens? We will be staying at the Titania. Hope you are able to get some info.

 

Suzanne

[Wanttoknow]

Suzanne and Peggy - My name is Joan (wanttoknow) so if you want to leave word at the purser's desk, that would be fine and we will get to-gether. We are staying at Hotel Titania on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. The only private tour I have booked is on Oct. 1 when we are in Athens. I guess we will use the ship's excursions when in port.

[passaporta]

Hi Joan, we will be at the Hotel Titania Sept 30 & Oct 1st also. We fly home on AT Oct 2nd. Is that when you leave for home?

[mm]

I just received word that we are on the Coral, leaving Pireaus on the 23 of September for the 7 day cruise. I hope we are all on the same ship. I must say after reading Doug's post about the Serenade, I was hoping for it.

 

We will be at the the Electra Palace Hotel from Sept. 19 to the 23, and the night of Sept. 30. It seemed in walking distance of most thing we want to see.

 

Besides the guides we have arranged with we will also take several of the ship tours. I was told that in Mykonos and Kusadasi the port is in walking distance of the town, and that taxis are avsilable in Santorini to get to Fira.

 

Hope this doesn't get posted twice! After I clicked on submit the last time I was told the web site wasn't responding, so I wrote again.

MM.....Peggy

[passaporta]

Hi Peggy, we also arrive on the 19th of Sept. We leave on the 20th on a Classical Coach Tour then back to Athens on the 23rd for the cruise. It will be interesting to see how this works out. What ever ship we're on it will be terrific seeing these wonderful places. Hope we can get together. Suzanne

[Wanttoknow]

We do fly home on October 2 leaving Athens at 6:30 am flying to Milan, changing planes there and then Milan to Toronto. We fly Alitalia Airlines because of us doing the intineray that took us to Italy for the first week of our trip. I figured out the total flying time that day is closed to 12 hours. We are suppose to arrive in Toronto approx. around 2:10 pm on the 2nd.

 

It's getting close now. I have to start packing and boy do I hate that part. I guess it's going to be hot there and alot of places you can't where shorts and have to have your arms covered as I am finding out by my researching on the internet.

 

Re currency: Are you people taking traveller's cheques and cash?

I understand over in Europe they charge you to cash the traveller's cheques. I know that they are safer than cash. We are taking both. It sounds like pick pockets are a major thing to be aware of over there.

 

Don't you feel that we have already met by all the communicating we have done via this website. I think it's great.

 

Talk to you later.

[passaporta]

I'm excited for you. Italy is wonderful & so is Alitalia, better than AT. We flew home from Rome Sept/03 & we were 17 hrs on the plane. There was a blackout across Italy, then labor problems & we had a stopover in Venice. We were with our children & 2yr.old grandson. We ended up just silly & giddy, kinda bouncing off the walls Oh well, just another travel story. We were on Skyservice that yr. not their fault, just one of those days.

We are taking a few US$, Euros, & our bank cards. This seems to work well for us, & we make sure we notify our Credit Card Co. to the fact that we will be overseas & using our cards there, we had a problem in the past.

Be careful of pickpockets. They are masterful in their craft. We always wear a moneybelt with all our important stuff in it & only carry a few $'s in a wallet. I have had my purse opened twice in Rome, on crowded buses. My husband Garry, had a young 'student looking' girl, roll across him while he was standing on the subway, as she rolled past him both her hands went into his pockets & then she rolled off the train when it stopped. It all happened so fast & was timed so well, he laughed & said it felt kinda good. All he had in there was a packet of tissues. Should have had a mouse trap. Just be aware of anyone leaning on you, or unnecessary pushing on public trans.

We went to a Turkish Rest. in TO last night, had a terrific time great food etc. can't wait.

Have a great trip Joan. Hope to see you in Greece.

Suzanne & Garry

[mm]

I, too, am getting excited. We leave a week from today. We will fly to JFK in New York and spend the night and fly on to Athens on Sunday. To go from LA to Athnes is just too long a stretch for us any more.

Before leaving we will get some Euros, and maybe some Turkish New Lira. We don't carry traveller's checks any more, just our credit and debit card and some cash (in small denominations), also using a money belt. We have has very good luck that way so far.

looking forward to meeting up with you both.

MM

[dgk_kos]

I just received word that we are on the Coral, leaving Pireaus on the 23 of September for the 7 day cruise. I hope we are all on the same ship. I must say after reading Doug's post about the Serenade, I was hoping for it.

 

I just saw an advertisement in a Greek newspaper stating that the Coral will make a 3 day cruise to Istabul departing 23rd of September from Pireaus.

I think that you will probably be on SERENADE, wich is in better condition this time than the CORAL.

[dougnewmanatsea]

David - thanks for providing a local perspective. If CORAL actually operates that 3-day cruise then obviously our members will not be aboard her.

 

SERENADE is certainly a more attractive option to me, so I would consider that good news.

 

Hope all is well on Kos Island.

[Wanttoknow]

All of these mixed messages regarding the ship "Coral" or "Serenade" I still am not completely sure which one I will be setting foot on. One day I think it is definetly the Coral and then the next day it seems like it is the Serenade. I think the mystery is still present. I will check at the pursers desk to see if there are any messages from you guys. If not then if we pass by the other ship I will wave how's that!

 

All kidding aside I wish everyone a great trip and you people sound like you are old pros at cruising. This is only my second one.

 

Now back to packing, any tips in that department.:confused:

 

Joan & Alex

[passaporta]

Well it seems the word in Greece has us on the Serenade. It looks like an interesting ship & would be my choice.

We are bringing casual clothes. The temp. has been great, warm days, cool nights. Sounds perfect. My husband is bringing a blazer, happily not his tux. I am bringing a long black skirt & kind of a mix & match thing goin' on.

Just heard on the 8am news, Alberta had 45 cm of wet snow on the weekend.

For me it's all about the feet. We have to keep Mama's feet happy.

Each cruise is different & exciting. Just a wonderful way to travel. Let a pro look after the maps & directions.

So is Dave dgk_kos joining us? Sounds like he has his finger on the pulse of what's happenin' in Pireaus.

Thanks for the info To Doug & Dave.

Well ladies, we will see you on the ship.

Take care,

Suzanne

[dgk_kos]

It is definitelly that you will be aboard the SERENADE. Even the Louis Cruises web site is state that the SERENADE will make the CORAL cruises from September 23rd.

Doug you are right, i also think that the SERENADE is a better choice this time.

I will not be aboard on this cruise but i was aboard the Coral at the end of July 2005. This cruise -"golden fleece" was its name during ROC period- is so popular because of the places but also for the ship that started them.

This ship was the TSS STELLA SOLARIS.

I am pretty sure that you are going to have a nice time even though that the magic of these cruises aboard the TSS STELLA SOLARIS is gone for good.