19-Night Holy Land and Arabian Gems LIVE

[SLSD]

The block party I am referring to was last June.  Perhaps it is up to the discretion of the cruise director on each ship.  I would look forward to one now--after the good results of the last one.  

[Sbtravels]

Thank you so much for your journey notes.  I too, as CORNY am leaving on November 14, the Ovation, for the same ports and your input has been helpful.  On a previous Seabourn, with my husband we didi the overnight in Israel.  Instead, we were at the Hotel David but all the stops were included and we so enjoyed it.  This time I will be traveling solo as my husband passed in March.  Do you have any info on feedback from the other excursions in Israel.  In Jordan, we did Petra and loved every bit of it.  This time I am hoping to find some kind of tour to go to Wadi Rum in lieu of Petra.  So far in my research I have not found anything.  Perhaps you will hear of a doable one.  Again, thank you for all of your postings.  I am definitely keeping track of your days and preparing for mine at the same time.  The oil sounds good.  Think I will add that to my list.

 

 

Best

 

[SLSD]

Sbtravels, My condolences on the death of your husband.  I hope your upcoming cruise is absolutely wonderful!   I hope you will provide us with a travel log right here while you are enjoying this itinerary.  

[russg140]

On 10/26/2018 at 4:04 PM, SLSD said:

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.  

 

Totally agree!  It was a lot of fun and it was nice to meet the other people on our floor.  They passed tiny canapés and champagne (good Lord how much champagne they must go through!).  Then the Captain came through to introduce himself.  Much nicer than having to deal with a whole ships worth of guests at a “Captain’s Cocktail Reception”.

[russg140]

On 10/26/2018 at 10:14 PM, Sbtravels said:

Thank you so much for your journey notes.  I too, as CORNY am leaving on November 14, the Ovation, for the same ports and your input has been helpful.  On a previous Seabourn, with my husband we didi the overnight in Israel.  Instead, we were at the Hotel David but all the stops were included and we so enjoyed it.  This time I will be traveling solo as my husband passed in March.  Do you have any info on feedback from the other excursions in Israel.  In Jordan, we did Petra and loved every bit of it.  This time I am hoping to find some kind of tour to go to Wadi Rum in lieu of Petra.  So far in my research I have not found anything.  Perhaps you will hear of a doable one.  Again, thank you for all of your postings.  I am definitely keeping track of your days and preparing for mine at the same time.  The oil sounds good.  Think I will add that to my list.

 

 

Best

 

 

SB

 

We were just in Petra yesterday and had friends do the ship’s Petra excursion and others who did the Wadi Rum.  We did a private tour (see below).  Here were their comments:

 

SB Petra tour - not enough time spent at the site (1 hour and 45 minutes) and too much time spent at tacky tourist shops.  Guides were ok, although one got rather political.  Petra was very crowded (obviously not SB’s fault).

 

Wadi Rum (for those that are unfamiliar, Wadi Rum is where Lawrence of Arabia was filmed) - it was cold since the site is located in the mountains- so bring appropriate attire.  The ATV’s were, in reality, pick up trucks with benches.  They stopped at a we’ll known spot from the movie and (I believe) offered champagne.

 

Overall both excursions got a fair rating, but each person will have their own experience.

 

Hope this helped.

[russg140]

So.  Petra.

 

We rolled the dice with a private tour booked through Tour Israel, which we found through Trip Advisor (ranked #1 for the area, although now we’re not sure how).

 

We were told the driver would meet us at the port, but after waiting 30 minutes decided to call.  Long story short: their driver isn’t authorized to enter the port, so we had to take the shuttle to the visitor center, then had to wait for the driver to come pick us up 15 minutes later.  We ended up getting to Petra about an hour late, but had almost 3 hours there (significantly more than the SB excursions), seeing most of the site and having a nice lunch after.  Another positive was the guide we got in Petra, Isan, was excellent and kept us moving at a quick pace.  He recommended the perfect spot to take pictures and did so for us repeatedly.

 

We were concerned about getting back to the ship on time, especially when the driver decided he needed to stop for a coffee and cigarette.  We made it back with an hour to spare, breathing a sigh of relief.

 

Bottom line?  We would do a private tour, just not with Tour Israel.  Totally disorganized and we felt stressed almost the entire time.

 

Dinner last night was in the Sushi restaurant.  Phenomenal!  The meal was truly outstanding and the service even more so.  They offer a special menu on Formal nights (our second is tomorrow) and we are going back for sure.

 

The ship was really quiet.  It seems almost everyone was wiped out from the extensive walking in Petra, so it was a relatively early evening.

 

Today is the first of five “at sea” days.

 

Love the questions!  Keep ‘me coming!

[russg140]

As a p.s. to SBT

 

Ran into my friends who took the Wadi Rum excursion.  They weren’t offered champagne.  Instead they had coffee, tea, cookies and dates with the Bedouins.  Lots of flies.  They said they would rate it “barely fair “

 

Just FYI.

[Fletcher]

We went to Petra in 1983 on a land tour of about 20 people.  We first went to Damascus and then to Palmyra and Bosra, down to Amman and then to Petra where we stayed three nights.  On the first night we walked down the Siq, serenaded by wild dogs, and reached the Treasury at midnight.  The building sparkled in the moonlight and we all drank a wee dram of Scotch.  The hotel wasn't really  hotel at all, just a rest house, which served oranges, processed cheese and bread for dinner.  For the next two days we wandered all over Petra and apart from our little group there wasn't a soul to be seen.  After that it was Wadi Rumm and then Aqaba - from the land, just like Aurens.

 

That was one of my life's most magical experiences and if you read the comment above you'll understand why I'll never go back. 

Edited October 28, 2018 by Fletcher

[Sbtravels]

I so appreciate everyone’s input as I start to prepare for my upcoming November trip with our favorite cruise line. This will be a new for me as I will “be doing it on my own” but then I chose to do with ‘my family ‘ Seabourn. Yes things will be different but I am excited. Your daily input is refreshing and exciting. Some of the ports we had  been to before and I love hearing your experiences and that on the ship too.  Here I come!  Enjoy, stay in the moment as we will never have again.  Now I have to concentrate on excursion choices. Best to all. 

[koalapanda]

This itinerary is truly one of the most enjoyable and educational we have experienced.

If you are reading to be prepared to cruise this route, we would like to advise you regarding Petra.

It is a must visit destination, but be careful, assess your ability to accomplish this walking tour comfortably, invariably the climate is very hot. The terrain is uneven, no shade, down hill in approx 3.5km and up hill leaving 7km total.

If you are fit, walk regularly and in good health you should be fine. Older 80+ the heat can be taxing and smooth rocks slippery. However there are golf buggys that are the best option for a comfortable way to see this amazing sight. Unfortunately we were not well informed and Panda tho' a very fit 81 years young struggled. It was a shame as his experience coloured his recollections of Petra . The champagne and caviar stop returning to Encore from Petra soon returned his "spirits". A purchase of headress and gown for the Arabian night was also a funny Panda moment.

 

[Roxburgh]

The problem with a tour to Petra is that it is a long way from the ship and a long way back to the ship and that limits the amount of time you get at the site.

 

We went there in 2015 spending two days at the Movenpick hotel and a full day on the site itself. There is so much to see that even a day isn't really enough. All you get from the ship's tour is a 'taster'. Nothing wrong with that but one should set expectations accordingly.

Edited October 29, 2018 by Roxburgh

[russg140]

Great comments all!  Thanks for your thoughts!

 

Today is our second Sea day, and we woke up to very hazy skies.

 

Last night’s dinner was great, although there must have been an issue in the galley as our entrees took a bit long to arrive.  No worries though as our wine glasses were kept filled and in no time we were enjoying another fantastic meal.

 

Encore is sailing at a very leisurely pace, 13 knots.  Seas are calm and there is very little breeze (see below).

 

Went to a lecture on the Rosetta Stone and Deciphering Egyptian Heiroglyphs.  Really interesting, but how much can you cover in an hour?  LOL!

 

Tonight is the second of two Formal nights, and were opting for the Sushi restaurant.  We’ll be in our tuxes (which you really only need for the main restaurant) but we figure we brought them so we might as well wear them.

 

[CRUISER94044]

Thank you so much for sharing your trip with us.  We also are on the Nov 14 sailing and are booked on the Israel overnight and Petra day tours. I am so excited and enjoying every word on this thread.  I hope the rest of your journey is wonderful. Wow fly out to Athens on Nov 10.   🛳

[russg140]

Today is our last day at sea before we arrive in Salalah, Oman.  Yesterday was Halloween, and there was a festive dance party in the Grand Salon (costumes optional).  We had a fun time dancing to the Seabourn singers and most of the crew in attendance were in costume.

 

We enjoyed dinner last night with new found friends from the Jerusalem overnight at The Patio.  It’s lovely eating outdoors and, as always, the service was excellent.  The previous night we dined in the Restaurant as the TK selections included an appetizer of Hudson Valley foils Gras.  Unfortunately they ran out of it.  The chicken, though, was outstanding.

 

Speaking of Thomas Keller; the general consensus among the friends we’ve met is that The Grill is nothing special, certainly no better than the Restaurant.  We have a reservation tonight which we were considering canceling, but we’ll try it again.  Of course I’m sure there are other guests who would disagree.  To each their own.

 

Any way, the sea today is almost flat and the sky is hazy.  Kind of eerie.

[russg140]

I am assuming that, even though nobody has responded to my posts, there are people that are interested in this journey.  But that’s just a guess.  So onward...

 

Yesterday we were in Salalah, Oman, with an early afternoon departure scheduled for 2:00.  We booked a private tour and our fingers were crossed that we would have a better experience than we had in Aqaba.  When we disembarked the Encore there was a man with our name.  Hooray!  Unfortunately he told us that he wasn’t our guide, but that our guide was waiting for us just outside the port as he didn’t have authorization to enter.  We met up with our guide, Ali, a short time later and for the next 4 hours we explored the seaside outside Salalah, the mountains and finally the city itself.

 

The scenery was really stunning: cliffs that cascaded into the sea, beautiful  sandy beaches with crystal clear water and camels, camels, camels!  Oman is a main supplier for the world’s frankincense, and a stop at the souk showed how much of it they have.  If you’re not familiar with frankincense just think of the incense that is used in most churches on high holy days.  That’s frankincense.

 

Now normally we don’t go in for the touristy souvenirs that scream “made in China”, but when in Rome...So we bought a gift set for a friend and one for us.  Not sure how often we’ll burn it, but we wanted to support the locals.  The sad thing was that the souk consisted of not just a few booths selling the stuff but row after row of essentially identical booths.  You could also find scarves and “perfume” and, of course, frankincense soaps, the latter of which we passed on not wanting to smell like church all.day - LOL!

 

Ali got us back to the ship on time and was able to get through security with no problem, driving us right to the gangplank.

 

AIDAvita was in port with us as they were in Aqaba.  Don’t know if they’re following the same route.

 

At 6:00 there was a showing of a movie produced for Seabourn highlighting Antarctica.  It was interesting but we will probably do that trip on a ship smaller than Seabourn Quest.

 

We introduced a couple of our new friends from Australia to sushi.  Again it was excellent.

 

In case I haven’t mentioned it I want to tell you how exceptional the service is on this ship.  We’ve heard some guests making some borderline outrageous requests or complaining about the most insignificant of issues (“the watermelon is too dry”, I kid you not).  Each request/complaint is met with a smile and an assurance that they will do what they can to make the guest happy.

 

We can see why Seabourn has such a loyal following.  They’ve certainly got us hooked!

 

Thanks for reading!

[SLSD]

russg140,  I can assure you that I am reading all of your postings with great interest.  Thank you for reporting.  Glad to hear that this is such a good cruise with great service.  

[Isklaar]

russg140, I'm also reading with interest. Appreciate you taking time out from your cruise to post here, keep 'em coming!

[fdnycruiser]

I too have been following and enjoying your reports. We did this itinerary in reverse in April. 

[frantic36]

Enjoying your reports russg140. I haven't done this itinerary yet and I am especially interested in your experiences with private guides as we prefer to do private tours.

 

Julie

[Chairsin]

I also would love to do this itinerary at some point as it’s one part of the world we have not yet visited. And like Frantic we also prefer private tours so that information will be especially useful. 

[Sbtravels]

russg140,  I am so sorry I have not been responding but wanted you to know how I value your comments and love your pictures.  Yes, I a on the Ovation with this reverse route starting November 14.  I was gone for the month of October on five separate trips: mostly 'framily' (family and friends) but to Cuba too.  Now I am madly preparing for Ovation and 43 days.  Your input has been invaluable.  As I will be going 'on my own' for the first time I do know I can do this with Seabourn family.  Some of the ports I have been too but value your comments on all of them.  Would at times like to do private guides as we have done before but find it more difficult with only one.  Of your Seaburn excursions which ones do you highly recommend or the other side of the coin; don't recommend?  

 

Wished I could capture the picture moments as you.  They are wonderful.

Thanks.

[basor]

On ‎11‎/‎3‎/‎2018 at 2:21 AM, russg140 said:

At 6:00 there was a showing of a movie produced for Seabourn highlighting Antarctica.  It was interesting but we will probably do that trip on a ship smaller than Seabourn Quest.

 

JMI - We were planning on going to Antarctica on a "smaller" ship but after comparing routing, time spent ashore in Antarctica, cabin, what is included in the price and the price......we chose to go on the Quest and it was the absolutely best decision.   We left Buenos Aires the middle of January for a 21 day cruise ending in Santiago.  When traveling to Antarctica , Quest only carries 380 passengers and has an expedition team of 12.  The enrichment lectures, the landings and the zodiac trips (now kayak too) were outstanding.  Our cruise on Seabourn was the same price as a 10-11 day cruise on a smaller ship and we spent 1 more day in Antarctica.  We also walked off the ship with no bill - so actually ended up being less expensive (no bar bill, no gratuities, etc.).   I encourage you to look at Seabourn when you begin your investigation of a trip to Antarctica.

[Fletcher]

The Quest to Antarctica is a sort of 'budget option.'  When we docked in Ushuaia we were surrounded by far more expensive ships such as the Lindblad NG Explorer and the Ponant vessels.  I have no regrets doing the Quest earlier this year - this was the South Georgia trip, the only one to consider as the other route seriously short-changes everyone on the Falklands.  There are so many pros/cons about the Quest vs. an expedition ship . . . 

[SLSD]

Fletcher, I have a question for you.  Do the more expensive ships like the Lindblad NG Explorer and the Ponant ship also include all the amenities of the Quest and Seabourn?  

 

Just curious as I have heard of them, but have not explored what they have to offer.  

[Sunviking]

Russg140, I too have been following along with great interest since we'll be on the Encore doing the reverse cruise next May.  I've been especially interested in your reports on excursions.  Thank you so much for taking the time to post your experiences and thoughts.