Pirates, Camels and Pharaohs - Whisper - Mahe to Aqaba

[Silver Spectre]

This will the second leg, which officially starts tomorrow.

[Silver Spectre]

Two interesting developments for those onboard and joining tomorrow, firstly no Pharaohs as SS has pulled out of the 2 day stop in Safarga, and second no alcohol at all for 3 full days in Saudi waters. Oh joy! 😢

[audobon_tx]

Saudi waters?  Are you going to Jeddah?  Red Sea isn't Saudi.

 

Wonder what's the problem with Safaga?

[Randyk47]

1 hour ago, audobon_tx said:

Saudi waters?  Are you going to Jeddah?  Red Sea isn't Saudi.

 

Wonder what's the problem with Safaga?

I think the problem is Egypt has just announced very strict rules.   As reported on another thread Egypt has said a cruise ship with even one active Covid case will be denied entry.   That’s a pretty high hurdle so Silversea apparently has decided not to risk it.   

[Silver Spectre]

3 hours ago, audobon_tx said:

Saudi waters?  Are you going to Jeddah?  Red Sea isn't Saudi.

 

Wonder what's the problem with Safaga?

We have an overnight in Jeddah.

[Silver Spectre]

1 hour ago, Randyk47 said:

I think the problem is Egypt has just announced very strict rules.   As reported on another thread Egypt has said a cruise ship with even one active Covid case will be denied entry.   That’s a pretty high hurdle so Silversea apparently has decided not to risk it.   

I believe the rules have been there a while, and whilst SS knew about them I wonder just why did they relax their protocols on here, making a case more likely.

[Stumblefoot]

4 hours ago, Silver Spectre said:

…no alcohol at all for 3 full days in Saudi waters.

What will Moses do and will this finally be the demise of Duke?

[Randyk47]

11 minutes ago, Silver Spectre said:

I believe the rules have been there a while, and whilst SS knew about them I wonder just why did they relax their protocols on here, making a case more likely.

Interesting question.  On top of that my wife, who works in healthcare management, received an email from her headquarters in Washington, DC, that they are tracking recent Covid upsurges in the UK and Germany.  Not much specific information yet but may be the Deltacron variant which supposedly is more contagious than Omicron and causes more serious symptoms than Delta.     

Edited March 16, 2022 by Randyk47

[Stumblefoot]

1 minute ago, Randyk47 said:

…the Dektacron variant which supposedly is more contagious than Omicron and causes more serious symptoms than Delta.     

If true, yikes!

[Randyk47]

4 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

If true, yikes!

Yikes is correct.  Seems like poor timing if Silversea and other lines are reducing and eliminating restrictions.  As it is it is hard to believe we’ve, at least locally, been fighting Covid for so long.   Two years today ago my wife went to work and got a call from her headquarters in DC.  She was told to immediately send everybody home to work from home and basically close the offices.  Two years later and they have reached maybe 40-50% back in the building at times only to cut back again and again.  Up until last week they were limited to no more than 25% in the building and were starting to talk about ramping up again. 

[TLCOhio]

4 hours ago, Silver Spectre said:

Two interesting developments for those onboard and joining tomorrow, firstly no Pharaohs as SS has pulled out of the 2 day stop in Safarga, and second no alcohol at all for 3 full days in Saudi waters. Oh joy! 😢

 

Wow!  Double WOW!!  Losing that two-day stop at Safari is a huge, significant loss.  In late 2018, we had a two-days there and that allowed us to do an amazing overnight in Luxor.  Totally amazing as to what we saw, did and enjoyed in and around Luxor.  Like the Valley of the Kings!!  Have you visited there previously>   Yes, I would like to sample some of Saudi Arabia, but if the price means no alcohol for three days, that is a "stiff" price to pay.  Right?

 

Your overnight stop at Aqaba will allow time for Petra and Wadi Rum.  Both are awesome, historic and super scenic locations.  Hope it works out to experience those wold-class locations.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

From late 2018, see “Holy Lands, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Dubai, Greece, etc.”, with many visuals, details and ideas for the historic and scenic Middle East. Now at 20,731 views.  Connect at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/

[Randyk47]

31 minutes ago, TLCOhio said:

 

Wow!  Double WOW!!  Losing that two-day stop at Safari is a huge, significant loss.  In late 2018, we had a two-days there and that allowed us to do an amazing overnight in Luxor.  Totally amazing as to what we saw, did and enjoyed in and around Luxor.  Like the Valley of the Kings!!  Have you visited there previously>   Yes, I would like to sample some of Saudi Arabia, but if the price means no alcohol for three days, that is a "stiff" price to pay.  Right?

 

Your overnight stop at Aqaba will allow time for Petra and Wadi Rum.  Both are awesome, historic and super scenic locations.  Hope it works out to experience those wold-class locations.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

From late 2018, see “Holy Lands, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Dubai, Greece, etc.”, with many visuals, details and ideas for the historic and scenic Middle East. Now at 20,731 views.  Connect at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/

Have to agree not stopping in Safaga is a significant loss.   We did the Silver Spirit in late 2017 just before her stretch job and had two amazing stops in Egypt.  My wife said the look on my face when I went into the first tomb in the Valley of the Kings was worth the whole trip.  My minor in college was archeology and Ancient Egypt so my number one bucket list.   

[Silver Spectre]

Basically it’s crap, BM states that it’s a safety issue to protect the guests, more SS BS.

Edited March 16, 2022 by Silver Spectre

[audobon_tx]

Having worked in the oil bizness in Egypt for 15 years, my guess would be baksheesh.

[Silver Spectre]

11 hours ago, TLCOhio said:

 

Wow!  Double WOW!!  Losing that two-day stop at Safari is a huge, significant loss.  In late 2018, we had a two-days there and that allowed us to do an amazing overnight in Luxor.  Totally amazing as to what we saw, did and enjoyed in and around Luxor.  Like the Valley of the Kings!!  Have you visited there previously>   Yes, I would like to sample some of Saudi Arabia, but if the price means no alcohol for three days, that is a "stiff" price to pay.  Right?

 

Your overnight stop at Aqaba will allow time for Petra and Wadi Rum.  Both are awesome, historic and super scenic locations.  Hope it works out to experience those wold-class locations.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

From late 2018, see “Holy Lands, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Dubai, Greece, etc.”, with many visuals, details and ideas for the historic and scenic Middle East. Now at 20,731 views.  Connect at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/

Hi Terry, luckily we have been to Luxor and the Valley of the Kings before, most recently in 2018. We have also been to Petra and Wadi Rum before. The extra overnight in Aqaba is pretty useless to us as it the last day of the voyage and therefore a packing day.

When this voyage was originally scheduled it included a day in La Digue and Praslin at the start and one night in Jeddah, I don’t know why but we lost the first Seychelles day and gained an extra day in Saudi, which means now 3 dry days in their waters!

Edited March 17, 2022 by Silver Spectre

[Silver Spectre]

12 hours ago, Stumblefoot said:

What will Moses do and will this finally be the demise of Duke?

Moses is undertaking an extensive course in making exotic alcohol free mocktails.

[Silver Spectre]

Good to see David Bilsland onboard this morning. He has been parachuted in to entertain us during the next 6 sea days.

[brimary]

19 hours ago, Silver Spectre said:

Basically it’s crap, BM states that it’s a safety issue to protect the guests, more SS BS.

Agree...Hope SS do the right thing and compensate guests for such a reduction in Ports visited particularly as those mentioned were the reason for most people picking the cruise.Doubt it though and suspect it will merely boost SS bank balance.

[TLCOhio]

8 hours ago, Silver Spectre said:

Hi Terry, luckily we have been to Luxor and the Valley of the Kings before, most recently in 2018. We have also been to Petra and Wadi Rum before. The extra overnight in Aqaba is pretty useless to us as it the last day of the voyage and therefore a packing day.  When this voyage was originally scheduled it included a day in La Digue and Praslin at the start and one night in Jeddah, I don’t know why but we lost the first Seychelles day and gained an extra day in Saudi, which means now 3 dry days in their waters!

 

Appreciate this follow-up and the background for your past visits to Luxor, Valley of the Kings, Petra and Wadi.  Good news!!  Agree 100% with Brimary in the UK that Silversea should do the "right thing" and provide some adjustment and/or compensation for missing those key Egypt port stops.  The whole reason for most people in traveling in this region is in order to experience these world-class locations.   Keep up the great postings and sharing.  Plus, lots more nice visuals.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio   

 

Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 243,711 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[Silver Spectre]

13 hours ago, brimary said:

Agree...Hope SS do the right thing and compensate guests for such a reduction in Ports visited particularly as those mentioned were the reason for most people picking the cruise.Doubt it though and suspect it will merely boost SS bank balance.

There have been significant adjustments to the schedule since the WC started and as far as I am aware SS has done nothing. That may work for the WCers, however there are at least 50 guests on this segment who would have booked expecting to get to Luxor. They are the ones who should be compensated.

[brimary]

Couldn’t agree more.SS should do the right and proper thing and compensate for missing the main features of the itinerary advertised and the actual reality.

[Silver Spectre]

Tonight in the theatre we have no mask, the left ear hanging mask, the mask under the chin, the it's not really hanging from my n****e enhanced lady mask, it's under my nose coz I only breathe through my mouth mask. And about 60% conforming and wearing it properly.

[Silver Spectre]

Another calm day at sea and we head north towards Pirate Alley. At noon today we are about 6 degrees north and have 1868 nautical miles to go.

[TLCOhio]

7 hours ago, Silver Spectre said:

Another calm day at sea and we head north towards Pirate Alley. At noon today we are about 6 degrees north and have 1868 nautical miles to go.

 

Keep us posted as you sail through "Pirate Alley" as to what, if any, added security is present on your ship.  Or, if ay requirements are suggested for passengers in their suites, etc.  In late 2018 when sailing south through that area with Oceania, they had extra "special personnel" with "equipment" on our ship and took additional precautions.  Good luck navigating through that interesting, challenging part of the world.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Sydney to NZ/Auckland Adventure, live/blog 2014 sampling/details with many exciting visuals and key highlights.  Now at 235,203 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

[jpalbny]

Safe travels, Silver and Whisper! Definitely disappointed to hear that you are missing the Egypt stops; hope you can make the most of the stops that you do have left.