Who is joining us on Regent Seven Seas EXPLORER Jun 5-19, 2022 - Haifa to Venice - Sacred Lands & Picturesque Canals?

Ngaire & Ken
Helen & Jerry 846
Barbara & Alex 847
George & Rachel 716

Explorer banned from Venice but looks like Marghera will be ready by time CAMEL arrives. 2021 cruises out of luck.

https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/por...banned-entering-venetian-lagoon-august-1

I just saw this on the news not 5 minutes ago and thought to myself "I will ask Marc what will happen to our cruise. He will know "
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Helen

We were supposed to be embarking in Venice October 16. Wonder where they will send us now? I suspect they might be busing us to Trieste or Ravenna. I really don't care - just want to get on the ship!!

Cindy, we need Karen to find a guinea pig emoji for you and VayaConJim + Stacy and others that are taking the first steps back on Regent.

🐹

Ha ha!!

Any other LCT’ers joining us?
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Helen

George and Rachel 716--can't wait to sail again with you all. I got our plane tickets to Tel Aviv booked last week with AA miles. Long trip--TUL-ORD-MAD-TLV

Yay George and Rachel! We haven’t booked flights yet. We are booked on the pre-cruise Holy Land trip which I’m very excited about!
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Helen

We got DFW to Tel Aviv non stop with miles on American. Could not believe there was a nonstop flight I was thrilled. A lot of miles but worth it.

We could have done that flight, but it was more than twice as many miles, so my frugal nature won out.

We have a ton of miles and decided to SPLURGE. So many miles were put back in our account with 16 cruises cancelled that all had air we are pretty flush with miles right now.

Has anyone checked out the prices for airfare back from Venice? With either miles or money, they are heartstopping.

For $2700 + deviation fee Regent will not only fly you to and from but also provide transfers.

That is a great deal. We never do regent air, but that is a great deal. I will keep it in mind. But I have a lot of airline credits from all our cancelled trips that I need to use somewhere, and some will expire.

Marc is that biz class or coach?
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Helen

Biz, that is the amount of the credit that Regent gives if you don't take their flights and transfers.

Count us in, we've never been to the Holy Lands.

Yay Marcie! We have never been either. We have had 2 prior trips cancel so third times the charm!
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Helen

Was able to nab 2 seats with miles (57.5K each) on BA/AA! Will have to overnight at LHR, but was able to get a room at the terminal 4 hilton for $103 so not bad.

oops... our room # is 749

Is there a roll call for CAMELS June 5, 2022 Jerusalem to Venice ?

Yes,this is it and you are on it, Marcie!
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Helen

Now I am getting worried for this cruise. I know things can change drastically between now and June, but I saw where Israel now requires you to have a covid booster within 180 days of entry into the country. We will be outside of that time unless they come up with another booster. They also require a PCR test upon arrival at the airport and you have to stay on quarantine until you get the results. It says "usually less than 24 hours". Where will this quarantine be and what does it entail? We are supposed to get on the ship the day after we arrive in the country. And this cruise was paid for using FCC's which will expire at the end of 2022. At least they have made final payment not due yet. But all this is stressing me out.

I have the same worries Rachel. I’m also assuming the postponed final payment date reflects Regents similar concerns.
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Helen

I hope it's a GO for you guys. We'll be with you in spirit !

have you canceled Marcie? I thought you guys were on this one.

Sorry Rachel, we were on it but too much going on around here (Tom had surgery, we both had Covid but FINE now). Yes, we did cancel. We may regret it but my head was spinning.

I took you off the roll call, Marcie. Guess I was hoping you would change your mind? Glad you are doing good now.
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Helen

Marcie, glad you all are ok now. We will miss you (IF and that is a big IF the cruise goes)

Just got an email that we are no longer ending in Venice. Dubrovnik has been replaced with Taormina and what would have been our overnight in Venice is now one day in Sorrento and then disembark the following day in Rome. Guess I will have to see about changing my flight.
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Helen

I got the email too, and am very upset. Getting a return flight from Rome to Tulsa at this point with any reasonable number of FF miles is impossible. AA wants 400k per person. My flights from Venice to Tulsa were fine and only 75k pp since I got them ages ago.

Plus we have been to all the ports except for Kavala.

Suspect you all would think about this but look into flying from Rome to Venice. Might be easier to do than flying from Rome.

There is also a "high speed" train from Rome to Venice.

Flying Rome to Venice is a great idea if the connection can be made or if the dates can be changed. We have not looked at this yet but will do so when we get home from this trip. Often we have done this is the past if we had a great deal on the original flight.

I have to be back at work on the 20th, so not an option. My nurse practitioner will be out on maternity leave. but I was able to get our AA miles reinstated for the flight home from Venice and bankrupted my Chase mileage account to get reasonable flights from FCO to Atlanta then to Tulsa on Delta. The schedule is actually better--just cost more points.

Thanks for the suggestions but unfortunately our flight from VCE left at 9:30 am. I did get someone on the phone at Deltas medallion desk. If we want to fly home from Rome in biz class in the afternoon of June 19 I would have to pay an additional $8000! There was a later flight for $4500 more. Ugh.
So we will stay overnight and fly home on a 6 am flight on June 20 for $1822 more. This really sucks. I wish Regent had made this call earlier before the fares got so outrageous.
Anyone have a recommendation for a hotel at FCO?
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Helen

I stayed at a Hilton right at the airport a few years ago. I think I have done that more than once. Was ok and location can not be beat.

I know it is wishful thinking but with such a huge change Regent should, maybe even must , provide some level of compensation.

We too have stayed at the Hilton right by the airport in Rome. For an early morning flight, it is best. We took a taxi to the little town by the airport and ate dinner at a fabulous, not expensive, restaurant there filled with Italian families.

We are probably going to get off in Sorrento, one night early and fly to Venice and spend the night in Venice. Then we can pick up our original flights back to DFW.

Just heard from our friends who are currently on a land tour in Israel. As you know, a covid test is required at the airport upon arrival in Israel. They report that it took just a little over 5 hours to get the results, which is a relief, as George and I arrive very late on the 4th. You have to quarantine in your hotel until results are back, but we will be asleep so not a problem.

Actually I didn’t know we had to have a covid test at the airport. We arrive at 4 am so quarantine for a few hours shouldn’t be a problem for us either
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Helen

There is a company at the airport that will pre arrange the PCR test and results within 4 hours. Now has to be a PCR test be great if they make it an antigen. Much faster.

Not set that up yet for us but I will send it out to everyone when I get back. Of course the ship may need the results before they let us board. I am also hoping this may change before we leave. Things change rapidly.

Israel announced today that, beginning May 20, it will no longer require covid tests at the airport upon arrival by air. (Reuters). PCR or Antigen tests will be required prior to flying to Israel.

BEST NEWS EVER!! I was hoping that would happen before our trip. Thanks so much for posting that you definitely made my day!

Dave, what about those arriving by sea (e.g., 24 May Explorer Athens to Haifa cruise)?

thanks,

Marc

Marc, Regent has included the requirements for the May 24 cruise in rssc.com/voyage-health. It indicates that a PCR test, administered and paid for by Regent, will be required upon arrival in Israel on June 2. The website entry for the May 24 cruise is dated May 5, so following today’s announcement, only an antigen test may be required.

Excellent news! Makes things so much easier.

We are ensconced in the Virgin Atlantic lounge at LAX on our way to CAMELS precruise. Kind of cool lounge, with an outdoor patio with couches and fire pits. But alas despite the presence of 3 bars there is not a bartender in sight!
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Helen

Oh nooooo! Side effects of the Great American Resignation?? Bartenders in an upscale airline lounge even?? Fingers crossed that there is plenty of booze once you board your flight! So excited to have "Luxury" friends traveling and hopefully posting reports on LCT! Hoping you and Jerry have a great flight and amazing trip! Wish we were there!

Helen sounds great that you are "on your way". We leave on Saturday, been to Jerusalem twice before so decided to just pass it this time. Smart to do the pre-cruise just so far each day to do it directly from the ship. It is a fascinating place for sure.

We were booked on CAMELS once upon a time then cancelled. Dang, today I wish we were still on it.

Have a WONDERFUL time !

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JUNE TODAY....Tom and i hope you have a super-duper birthday !

Hi Marcie - Thanks for your birthday greetings. We are anticipating having a lovely evening with family and close friends at a nice restaurant on the 11th June before we leave to return to LA on the 13th. The time has gone far too fast but we have thoroughly enjoyed every minute, even during the torrential rain we have been having over the past few days! Good for the gardens everyone tells us!!!

We will see you soon. We fly out tomorrow at noon, have a long layover in Madrid and arrive in Tel Aviv on Saturday night.
I am sure everyone has heard about the mass shooting at my hospital in Tulsa. I was actually doing surgery in that building just a few hours before, but finished up early so I could go get my mani/pedi for the cruise. George says he will never complain about me getting a mani/pedi again, as if it had been my regular schedule, I would have been there. At any rate, I will be happy to have a vacation and destress a bit.

Glad to hear you were not there Rachel!

We slept most of the day today and begin our tour tomorrow morning after breakfast. Apparently a combination of tomorrow being the Sabbath and a Pride Parade here on the streets of Jerusalem has resulted in our itinerary being adjusted. Tomorrow we will head out of the city and go to Masada and Dead Sea.
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Helen

So scary Rachel, timing is everything and so often out of our control. Hard to even imagine things of this nature happening.

So sorry about the horrible incident at your hospital and for the loss of your colleagues! Thank goodness you had left early to prepare for your trip. Have a wonderful time and try to relax! Sounds like you will have a fun group onboard!

A very busy and interesting day today. We went to Masada which was fascinating but a bit taxing for Jerry and me. It was very hot so our next stop at the Dead Sea was welcome. That’s quite an experience! The floor of the sea is hard to walk on since it is covered in chunks of salt. Of course we had to go ahead and lay back and float. Not too surprising that I could not get myself turned back to vertical! I had to call Jerry to come tand push my legs down. People of many ethnicities found my predicament hysterical 😃. We are now back at the hotel and heading to dinner. A great day.
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Helen

Helen-- My Jerry and I loved the trip to Masada and the Dead Sea several years ago. I did the same float in the Dead Sea and was covered in salt when I got out. The trip to Israel is one of my all time favorites.

Rachel--so happy you're safe. I was thinking about you when I heard about the shooting in Tulsa.

Masada it is an interesting place for sure. We are leaving today instead of tomorrow as the embarkation times for independents were 12.00 pm to 3.30 pm and then not again until 10.00 pm. We arrived at 5.00 pm. The thought of waiting for 5 hours to go to the ship after a long trip was not appealing. So now we are going in a day early and spending the night of the 4th and arriving for embarkation at 12 noon on the 5th. Much more civilized.

Today the pin for Clays trip on July 15 arrived but the pins for my trips on the Splendor June 21st and July 8th did not arrive. So we are using luggage free to deliver the pins to the Splendor. Only good thing is they are along with all the paperwork it is a ton of weight so we are not having to lug all that stuff around with us.

Rachel - It is hard to believe such a thing could have happened at a medical centre.
Very distressing to say the least. Such a blessing you were not there at the time, but extremely unfortunate for those who were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Perhaps you have an angel on your shoulder.
Have a wonderful time on your cruise which sounds quite fabulous.
Cheers, June and Ralph

Rachel, as a Tulsa girl myself I was SO DISTURBED. I'm so thankful that you are OK.
Soooooo very sorry....ENOUGH already. Tom and I are thankful you weren't there. Prayers for those that weren't so lucky.

Happy cruising to you and George.