19-Night Holy Land and Arabian Gems LIVE

[russg140]

So, I've done this one previous cruises: reporting on each day's activities from everything from what we did to food/restaurants.  If you're interested, let me know.  If no one says anything I'll assume there is no interest and won't bother.  This cruise leaves from Athens, transits the Suez Canal and ends in Dubai.  Thanks!

[pretty princess]

I’d be very interested. Thanks

 

[cruising kirby]

I am very interested!!!  Looking forward to your reports

[SLSD]

I'm interested!  I really enjoy reading about Seabourn cruises and love hearing all the details!

[Williwannago]

Post away, this is a Cruise I look forward to enjoying in the future. 

Aloha,

willi

[koalapanda]

Please post it is the opposite cruise we sailed on Encore earlier this year. It would be interesting to hear your angle on the itinerary and experiences of the region. We loved the journey and agreed it was a most informative, enlightening, delightful and mind changing sojourn.

Be prepared, buy your arabian outfit along the way as the Arabian night is a highlight not to be missed.

 

[macmarsue]

Please post. I would love to read about your experiences.

 

[Camillus112]

Yes, please post your comments and insights...I am very interested.  Thanks, and have a great cruise!

 

[Corony]

We are on this cruise on the Ovation from Athens to Singapore leaving November 14 so I will be very interested in your experiences. Thanks in advance!

[SwankPooch]

Looking forward to your upcoming posts.  Thanks.

[russg140]

So.  My apologies.  I had a hard time figuring out the Seabourn internet process.  It’s 2 steps, but I think I’ve got it!  LOL!

 

Right now we are on our way (day at sea) from Argos Nicolas (Crete) on our way to Haifa (Israel). Here’s a recap of the first few days:

 

Spent one one night in Athens at the Electra Metropolis.  Loved it!  Centrally located and great views of the Acropolis.  The taxi ride to Piraeus took about 20 minutes.  No traffic.  Got to the ship about 1:30.  10-12 agents at the service counter and checked in in about 10 minutes.  Went to the Colonnade and grabbed a light lunch.  Just before 2, Chelsea (Coin, our CD) announced that the suites were ready.  Muster drill at 4:00.  Left around 7:00.  The decks were hopping for sail away.  It’s very clear these folks like to drink!  Dinner in the Restaurant was excellent, cocktails in the Observation Lounge were fantastic.  Unpacked and to bed.

 

Yesterday we took a SB shore excursion to the Palace of Knossos and Heraklion.  Really fun with a excellent guide.  Learned a lot and, even though it was Sunday and most of the shops were closed, we were able to stock up on Cretan Olive Oil and soaps. Back to the Encore at 3:15 (total tour was 6 hours long).  Grabbed a quick lunch at the Patio and was able to get in an hour cardio in the fitness center.

 

Cocktails in the Observation Lounge again.  They offer a great spread of hors doeuvres that you could almost make a meal of.  We had dinner again in the Restaurant, joining a couple we met from Canada.  Once again the food was excellent, with the wine flowing freely.  After dinners then to bed.

 

This morning breakfast in the cabin then out to the pool on Deck 5. Had the place to ourselves for a while and understand why:  every so often little flecks of black from the stacks floats down.  Nothing to worry about but just wasn’t expecting it.

 

Two items of note:  this morning they held the Caviar in the Surf event in the pool.  Most people were taking pictures but others were enjoying the caviar and champagne.  (n.b. We ordered caviar from room service last night, and probably will again tonight.  It was delicious and felt decadent).  The second thing was that the crew ran a security exercise where the Captain instructed the crew to “gather in the internal corridor, sit on the floor and await further instructions.”  I can only imagine that is in case we have any issues off the coast of Somalia.

 

Weather has has been awesome: sunny skies in the upper 70’s.  Seas are calm.

 

Any questions?  Just ask.

 

 

[Isklaar]

Hello and thanks for posting your thoughts about your first couple of days on this cruise. 

Are you new to Seabourn? If not is this the first time on one of the bigger ships?

Interesting to read about the soot issues on deck 5 on Encore, I've never noticed that on the O class ships. 

Envious of your having the opportunity to buy the olive oil in Crete. The Cretan ones tend to be my favourites. I haven't yet visited the island so I rely on a local importer to keep me supplied with the stuff!

[russg140]

On 10/22/2018 at 9:12 PM, Isklaar said:

Hello and thanks for posting your thoughts about your first couple of days on this cruise. 

Are you new to Seabourn? If not is this the first time on one of the bigger ships?

Interesting to read about the soot issues on deck 5 on Encore, I've never noticed that on the O class ships. 

Envious of your having the opportunity to buy the olive oil in Crete. The Cretan ones tend to be my favourites. I haven't yet visited the island so I rely on a local importer to keep me supplied with the stuff!

 

Yes.  This is our first trip with SB.  The olive oil was an added bonus, but we were happy to find it.

[russg140]

Sorry for my absence, but we just got back from an awesome overnight excursion to Masada, the Dead Sea, Jerusalem and Bethlehem.  It was really fantastic and our guide Barak couldn’t have been more friendly and informative.

 

In a nutshell we left the ship at 8:15, drove to Masada through the West Bank, drove to a hotel for lunch and a swim in the DS, arriving in Jerusalem around 7.  A quick check in (the hotel was beautiful) and we were off to dinner.  After we visited the Western Wall then back to the hotel.  An early morning this morning and after breakfast we visited the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, room of the Last Supper and then were off to Bethlehem for a visit to the Church of the Nativity and lunch.  Back to the ship at 1:00.

 

Left Ashdod a little late.  Now headed to the Suez Canal.

 

Interesting note delivered to our cabin regarding extra safety precautions being put in place to protect the ship from piracy.  Better safe than sorry, right?

 

Any specific questions about the excursion, or about Israel, Jerusalem, Bethlehem etc. let me know.

[Isklaar]

I'm always interested to read the experiences of new Seabourn cruisers. Sounds as if you're having a great time. Enjoy!

[SLSD]

russg140, I loved hearing about your overnight.  Any other details would be welcome.  

 

[Sunviking]

Russg140, thank you for letting me follow along on your cruise.  We are doing the reverse next May so I'm very interested in your experiences.  We have been considering doing the overnight tour that you took but have been curious about the hotel used for the overnight.  Can you tell me in which one you stayed?  We did a cruise similar to yours 4 years ago but ours ended in Mumbai rather than Dubai.  We enjoyed it enough to go back to the area again next year.  We picked up additional security before leaving Ashdod and then more people before we passed through the strait of Bab-el-Mandeb between Yemen and Djibouti.  We also received the information about what to do in case of an emergency.  Seabourn handled all the security very competently.  I look forward to reading more about your voyage and adventures.

[russg140]

15 hours ago, Sunviking said:

Russg140, thank you for letting me follow along on your cruise.  We are doing the reverse next May so I'm very interested in your experiences.  We have been considering doing the overnight tour that you took but have been curious about the hotel used for the overnight.  Can you tell me in which one you stayed?  We did a cruise similar to yours 4 years ago but ours ended in Mumbai rather than Dubai.  We enjoyed it enough to go back to the area again next year.  We picked up additional security before leaving Ashdod and then more people before we passed through the strait of Bab-el-Mandeb between Yemen and Djibouti.  We also received the information about what to do in case of an emergency.  Seabourn handled all the security very competently.  I look forward to reading more about your voyage and adventures.

Ann

 

We stayed at The Orient.  It was lovely.  

 

As as for security SB did deliver a letter outlining the steps guests should take in the unlikely event there is a security issue.  I don’t know whether additional security was brought on.

 

i’ve taken a pic of it and will post it if anyone is interested in reading it.

[russg140]

Today was a day “at sea”, although in truth we were in the Suez Canal from 5 in the morning until 5 in the evening.  Very windy, and the wind caused the sky onshore to appear very hazy due to dust/sand storms.

 

last night was a lot of fun with a dance party on the pool deck.  The band was really great.  Of course the drinks were flowing liberally!

 

We had dinner last night at The Patio.  Buffet salad with additional starters of marinated portobello mushrooms and salmon tartare.  Grilled ribeyes were perfectly cooked and juicy.  Sides of crisp broccolini and potato mousseline were terrific as was the strawberry profiterole.

 

Tonight we’re going to enjoy dinner at The Grill by Thomas Keller.

 

Tomorrow we’ll be cruising the Red Sea on our way to Jordan.

Edited October 25, 2018 by russg140
Added next destination

[Sunviking]

Russg140,  thank you for the info on the hotel.  It looks very nice and it sounds like the tour was worth taking.  That will help us make our decision.

[Corony]

Great to hear the reports each day. We look forward to boarding on this same itinerary in a few weeks and find all of this very interesting. Thanks for taking the time to blog about this Russ!

[russg140]

7 hours ago, Corony said:

Great to hear the reports each day. We look forward to boarding on this same itinerary in a few weeks and find all of this very interesting. Thanks for taking the time to blog about this Russ!

 

You’re very welcome.  I have fun doing it and glad you’re having fun reading it!

[russg140]

So, dinner last night in TK.  On a scale of 1 to 10 my husband and I would rate it 5.  Nothing earth shattering.  Crudités for staters we’re on the table less than 5 minutes before being whisked away.  Crab cake appetizer was just o.k. and the globe artichoke had the leaves cut so short they were hard to eat.  Dover sole as very good.  Lamb chops were perfectly cooked, but the mint sauce barely tasted of mint. Sides were good, but nothing special.  Desserts were chocolate cake and coconut cake.  They looked impressive but didn’t deliver on flavor.  Overall a mediocre experience.

 

The show last night was “Can’t Stop the Feeling” featuring the Encore singers and dancers.  Really good.  Sort of like watching DWTS live.

 

Right now we’re sitting around the pool, sun is shining and Encore is making her way gingerly towards Aqaba.

 

I’ve read a lot about the Napa Burger, so I’m going to search it out for lunch.

 

Tonight is the Block Party, a “Seabourn signature event” where you stand in the corridor outside your cabin and meet your neighbors while they pass cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.  Stay tuned.

 

 

[SLSD]

I hope you love the Napa Burger as much as we do!

 

And about the Block Party.  I had read about it here and thought it was a hokey idea.  On board the Ovation, it was scheduled by Handre and I didn't want to do it.  I disappeared into our suite to get dressed for dinner.  However, my husband made it clear that he expected me to attend with him.  I did--and was glad I did.  We met a couple at the Block Party who became some of our best friends on the cruise.  So--never say never.  It's just a few minutes of your time and something good may come of it.  

[Mauzac]

I love the Napa Burger and enjoy a block party!  However, it hasn't happened on our last two SB cruises, and they were 15 - 19 days ones, I thought it didn't happen anymore, it obviously does!