jacketwatch

Thats great! We will look f/w to dinner, perhaps at Portofinos? Our cabin is 8099 and my email is [email protected]. And what happens on the Connie stays on the Connie. No worries. BTW my wife is Indian and I've been there 6 times so maybe we can help a little if you want to go there. Cheers, Larry

jacketwatch

Oops. I meant of of their speciality restaurants but Portofinos is on RCI.

dogster

Indeed, jacket, I understood you perfectly. Well, what a surprise, eh? This'll be fun. You'll be easy to find, anyway, 'cos of your glamorous Indian wife. Well, except when the seas are other than dead calm, in which case she'll be throwing up in the cabin. lol.

As for India, mmm - I've been there a coupla times...
http://thedogster.wordpress.com/

but, after 'Connie' and Azamara, I'll be so infantilised, so deep into the cruising torpor I'll scarcely be able to think - so I'm looking for an easy option, this time. Who was your tour guy? The esteemed Mr. J.P. Singh?

jacketwatch

LOL! Lets hope for calm seas. In 2006 I made to colossal mistake of booking a f/w facing cabin on the Tahitian Princess, a tiny ship much like the Azamaras, about 32 k tons. Well thats the worst place to be and when the seas rose it was just plain ridiculous.She was really sick. By good fortune an amidships cabin became available 3 days into the cruise. We were at lunch and heard my name paged and though "this can't be good" but a crewman who saw how sick she was thought of us when he heard of this cabin and sprung into action to get it for us. They sent 3 guys to our room and w/i 10 mins we were outta there. Great stuff and it saved out cruise. Mr. JP Singh?? Well she is beckoning now. Gotta go to a wedding so time to get ready. Well the wedding is an India bride and a Mexican groom so I imagine things will start a wee bit late. Cheers, Larry

emdee

The dog sails again!! Wow.
If I had left over holidays this year I would have joined you on the Connie. Havent been to the holy land yet. I do like the back balconies on the connie - but dont get sea sick so they are ok for me.

I journey on the Journey in Jan 2012. I noticed on the A website they mention azamazing..... I think they got that from you... didnt they? LP is likely reading all your writings!

I guess A is offering fabulous deals in other parts of the world. Here its more or less full price.

Miriam

jacketwatch

Just got a Regent brochure today and they are offering 2/1 deals w/ free airfare and free shore excursions. Oceania has similar offers out there.

thursdaysd

Hi dog, when do you leave? Watch out for that Iranian border - I don't think you'd like their jails....

dogster

Nice to hear from you guys - yup, I'm teetering right on edge of making that final booking plunge: my technique is to plan it all then, at the magic moment, book the lot. Well, the cruises are long booked - but what to do before? I've abandoned deepest Turkey, thursday - in favour of Egypt - well, at this moment. Getting into and out of Luxor is a hassle but today I'm much taken by this:
http://www.nourelnil.com/

I'm also much taken by the fact they don't have a bloody single supplement - the bane of my life.

Azamazing... emdee I'd like to think the esteemed Mr. Pimentall was reading my every word but I suspect he has better things to do. lol. The story continues to be very popular - way over 10,000 hits now - but I scarcely think Azamara would be overly interested in the ramblings of some souffle-soaked loon. I guess I'll find out in December when I get back on Quest for a month - maybe I'll get lucky and Rudi will be the F&B manager again.

I like the idea of the Azamara trilogy... there's a nice shape to it: from argh-h-h-h! Get me OUTTA HERE to Mmmmmm, it's not so bad to We-e-eeelll, I might just book another cruise to Ahh-hhh-hh... Azanaesthetised.

As for fabulous deals... nah, not really - but I discovered that if you hover and keep checking, every now and then you get a big surprise. I did well on my timing, both for Connie and Quest... no OBC tho. I'm still working out the system. Daily checking and the ability to go with the deals brings rewards.

Me? I'm free. Zooom.

So today is the day to decide. I've been up and down the Nile several times - but always on one of those container tourist boats - which is a crap way to see the sites. Nour El Nil looks perfect... but, by the end of the day, who knows?

thursdaysd

Hi dogster - pity about the Kurds.... But I just read an article in Nat Geo Traveler about travel in Egypt during the "disturbances" - sounded good. You can probably find it online - look for "Egypt's New Day" by Carl Hoffman.

dogster

Yup, the idea of Egypt without the yowling hordes appeals to me - and the chance to get to some sites without another 14 boats arriving simultaneously makes it very attractive - otherwise it's a bit of a misery, isn't it?

Couldn't find that particular piece but I've been reading the earlier stuff from February. I'm enjoying Mr. Hoffman's insight.

Dayenu

Where was I all these long months?

jacketwatch

Hello Dogster. Hmmm. When life gives you lemons then make lemonade. Or maybe limoncello . I was initially bummed that the Connie had cancelled the Alexandria stop though the addition of Haifa was good. Then I thought to make things more positive that seeing Egypt as a land based venture was be better and a Nile cruise would be wonderful. I didn't know a Nile cruise could be 5 days. Wow, 5 days cruising the Nile sounds idyllic. Gotta look into that. Anyway 6 weeks from today we leave for IST. Now gotta leave for the gym. C U on board. Larry

dogster

I'll tell you about Egypt when we meet, jacket - I've been there 3 times - but I'm getting nowhere this time. Flights are too much of a shlep so its back to the lemon squeezer. I'll doubtless just turn up in Istanbul three days before 'cos its easy. I'm not feeling in the least adventurous at the moment. Just stick me in business class, lie me flat and deliver me to Istanbul...

jacketwatch

Well rest up b4 the cruise and then pls. tell what a "lemon squeezer" is.

emdee

Enjoy your cruises dog and hopefully we will get some more instalments.
FYI since you like to cruise - AMEX Plat gives you a $300 OBC on a number of cruise lines.

Jacket I have foresworn Regent for now though have a number of cruises on that line. Hated Oceania the one time...

jacketwatch

What was wrong w/ Oceania?

Eschew

Larry, you and the Dog on the same boat? It will be a riot!

Someone quick, call X to get ready for both of you. I am really looking forward to see the two trip reports from you two.

jacketwatch

You bet. Man I am looking f/w to this cruise.

jacketwatch

Actually Dogster will be like a mentor I think.

dogster

Actually, I find I'm always a bit of a disappointment. Mr. Dogster is much more interesting than his owner.

Luckily, he'll be on a chain in the cabin, under sedation while I'm having dinner with Mr. & Mrs Jacket.

Mr. Dogster's owner is a charming, shy gentleman, scarcely worth the time of day. He has been witness to bacchanalian scenes of horror and excess, courtesy his disgraceful canine companion but has somehow survived, not very intact.

Alas, the only thing he specialises in is his own stupidity so I'd cautious with his advice.