Got a lot of shore excursions clearances to day on different trips. Hopefully everyone will clear for all their excursions.

One for me also; three to go.

TURKEYS on Thanksgiving.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but I checked with Regent and they will not do a turkey to be carved at the table on a special order. Logistically this would be a nightmare and it was probably done once (when Peggy saw it) and then it started everyone wanting it so it is no longer done.

Well that's just unAmerican.

I'm not crazy about turkey, I'll probably celebrate with REAL American meat!

Roast Beef - NO Feathers!

I totally understand that. THey cannot do it for every table.
Their Thanksgiving menu is always wonderful anyway.

Yay, my passport is back with 48 extra pages. Turnaround was just over a week door to door.
Now I have so many pages that my passport barely closes.

Ted, if you get this, check your PM's

YES, glad to join if I can have something other than turkey. IF NOT I'll "bite the turkey" and still make up the "Dirty Dozen."

Ted, I've never liked their rolled turley slice, so that's a good night to go to Prime & for some real meat.

The last couple times we've been on Regent for Thanksgiving they had real turkey, not turkey roll, but they had plenty of other things on the menu in Compass Rose also.

I have been on for Thanksgiving twice or 3 times before, and ever remember anything resembling turkey roll.....I hate that stuff. And I will even tolerate McNuggets if I am on the move.

Everyone can choose what they wish! Some of my favorite La Veranda lunches are when the carving station has baked ham or turkey.

Whittling down excursions. Wait listed 5 now down to 2.

Does anyone know who we use as reference in India for our visa applications? I am just getting around to visa applications and it is a bear.

Marc

Marc, I used CIBT with good result with Rio visas and will use them for India. Regent uses CIBT also:


customerservice@cibtvisas.com

Marc, Regent uses CIBT , I used them for Rio visa with good result.


customerservicec@cibtvisas.com

It didn't appear to take first time! Thus you have it twice!

Marc, I think you use Regent Seven Seas cruises as a sponsor, but we should get some detailed instructions from Jennifer in Ngaire's office before long. Just FYI, I read on the Points Pro blog that India now issues visas through Cox & King (www.ckgs.us). The total cost on their website is $80, but don't know how that compares with other visa processors. The blog also said that India will be going to a visa on entry system this fall -- don't know how that will affect us, but since it doesn't take long to get the visa, I think I'll wait a while to apply and see what transpires.

Peggy, that is great news that we may be able to wait for India visa upon entry! That will no doubt be less expensive and hassle!

I'm crossing my fingers and and toes BUT NOT my eyes!!

Marc, here's the information I used last year and what Lauri used to get her India visa a couple of months ago:

The references are:

In India:

Ventours
116, Dalmal Tower, 211
Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021
Phone Number 22040910

I used Travisa and the turn around time was around a week. I used the info Andrea posted above. The application was a bit of a pain but the Travisa website walks you through it. The five and ten year visa are the same cost so I opted for the ten year one, why not?
Just make sure you have enough consecutive blank visa pages. Some countries can be real sticklers about that (especially South Africa which is our last stop).

Thanks for all the feedback!!! Given the fast turnaround time, and the changeover last week of Indian Visa processing service, I am going to wait until we get back from Narwhal in early September to get visa; should be plenty of time.

Again, thanks for the info!

Thanks, Andrea, I had forgotten the info on the sponsor.

Did everyone survive making final payment?!

We'll see after I pay the credit card bill

I did not like having to make final payment 150 days in advance. As H guarantees are still available, I thought about canceling and rebooking later; after all, I would still probably end up with the same excursions anyway.

I've survived making final payment but my yellow fever vaccine is making my arm hurt.

"Do no harm:" Hippocrates

A sore arm beats yellow fever any day.

Touche!

Well rats, it looks like we'll just miss the change in India Visas--they change to electronic visas on arrival in December:

http://livefromalounge.boardingarea...arance-to-40-countries-by-december-2014/

Peggy, will these electronic visas be free? If so, seems like we should only bother with six month visa since it is cheaper.

I'm sure it won't be free, just a whole lot less hassle. It sounds like you'll be able to apply and pay for a visa online and they'll validate it on arrival. But since we arrive in November, we still have to go through the old process. If I get any more information, I'll let you know. I'm assuming that for those who have five or ten year visas, they'll still be good after the new system is put in place, but who knows.

Is there consensus getting India visa on you own or a visa service and what was the result - good, bad or ugly?

Very spicey!!!

Very cute! Four months and counting.....

Completely frustrated doing India visa. Seem to make a mistake each time. Hopefully it is right. Sending off to visa co. Don't be dumb like we were and not get a 10 year visa. Thought we would never be back and here it is a year later and we are. We were very "penny wise and pound foolish"

India application was MUCH WORSE than a VERY HOT July at Ft Dix, NJ, sweltering through "basic training!"


And I paid Regent to " take care of it" - what a fool!

Interested why you say this, Ted, if you went through Regent. I have to get on this, and in the past have always gone through Zierer. I have to get a new passport with extra pages first, and then get the visa. Hoping to find one-stop service.

What have been your problems as you say you are handling through the cruise line?

Preliminary cruise information we received said we need visas in Kenya, Tanzania, and Mozambique; are those needed in advance or do we get on the ship?

Only two months to go!