Congratulations Kathy,
WOW....you and Frank are very lucky. Enjoy the cruise and make sure to send seamail!

Cheers, Pam

OH WOW KATHY!!!
HOW FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!
Mazel Tov!

The way this happened, you'll have to be sure to sepnd alot of time in the Casino onboard extending your luck!!!!

What a great itinerary - we'll expect lots & lots of pictures & Seamail.

Yes, I am sure I will see some of the casino, and hope my luck holds out. The SPA is a Steiner (Mandara) Spa, so I probably will not be spending much time there on this one. Not a big fan of the heavy sales pitch and haven't found the same quality as on Regent. You can't get everything FREE (unless you win on the B&K cruises!)but this is a great itinerary for my camera. All CCC is good too. Still need to be pinched to believe it.

Kathy, Congratulations. This is amazing news! Have you ever won anything before? My mother won a '56 Plyomuth. To think of all the contests I have entered & tickets I have bought only to come up empty or at most with weeny little stuff I don't want. This itinerary is one of our favorites. You are right, it will be a great cruise for your photography talents.

Have you been celebrating your big win or hasn't the reality set in yet? Again, CONGRATULATIONS

Thank you all for the good wishes and celebrating with us. I think unitl we doc dance, I am not sure I will believe it, but, I am planning anyway (ha ha)

Jackie,

Well, a few years ago, at a travel show, we won a trip to Saba Rock, BVI for three days but we didn't take it since the airfare was on us and from LA it was a few thousand to get there. And my ExHusband was on Let's Make a Deal and won 50 hams (we don't eat ham!) so that doesn't count either.

And we had some Perrier Jouet last night to celebrate. I get more details today.

That is such great news lucky lady!
What are the dates? I love that itinerary..
:D :D :D

Way to go with PH Kathy..just read the itinerary and it is the best.
:app:

Congratulations! Wow!

Ah it came thru Rotary (Peter's father was a longtime Rotarian, over 50 years) so your mitzvah's have paid off...and HOW!!!

That's fantastic news Kathy. I'm sure you'll have a great time and the itinerary sounds wonderful.

Kathy, Crystal uses the Steiner people in their spa and they have never been pushy with me. all of the personnel have been delightful. Perhaps the Steiner personnel on the mass-market lines are different than on the luxury cruise lines.

Nancy

That would be good although I read on CC someone did get the major sales pitch even after asking them not to. It's not the sales pitch as much as if you book an 80 minute massage they stop 10 minutes earlier to sell you their products so you are paying for something you don't want and losing the benefit of an 80 minute massage. It won't stop me from one treatment - just not going to be a spa junkie on that one. Plus their pricing is higher - $135 for a 50 minute massage.

Kathy, that is the most fantastic itinerary, to my mind! We have been to most of the stops, and they are some of our favorite in the world -- Santorini, Rhodes, Delos, Mykonos, Kusadasi, Athens. Wow! That's all I can say. If you need the name of a private guide for Rhodes or Kusadasi let me know and I will get the contact information of the good guides we had in both locations.

Oh, Yes Pricilla, PLEASE. I would be very appreciative.

If anyone has info to share with me, I would love it. I would love to know what any one did in these ports and the do not miss things as well. I usually have a lot more time to plan than this but I am in full tax season mode and my time for planning is so much more limited. I've already looked at all the ports for CROSS and this was supposed to be AFTER that - not in 5 months.

Kathy, I can only speak for my own experiences on Crystal regarding the spa. I have had several massages and no one pushed anything on me. I'm sure this happens from time to time on any cruiseline.

Enjoy and congrats, nancy

PS. I've never been on Oceania so I have no experience with their procedures in the the spa

Kathy, I hope you love Greece. It's one of my favourite parts of the world. And those ports (most of which I have not been to) make me drool!

Well, whatever we do on this cruise will be a bonus! I am so looking forward to living this dream - who would have expected to win something like this - not me!

Congratulations! That is fantastic. We have been wanting to try Oceania so be sure and let us know. It sounds like a fabulous trip!

Kathy, contact information for the tour guides I mentioned is below. Emek Evyn in Kusadasi escorted us on a wonderful tour of Ephesus. She is a delightful, intelligent and knowledgeable guide. Nicholas, of Rhodes Private Tours, also was a great guide as well as loads of fun. Both of these recommendations I got through LCT, so there will be others who have used their services also. Enjoy!

emekevin@hotmail.com
nick-ax@rho.forthnet.gr

Well, our internet has been down since yesterday, and it is just now fixed and what do get back on here and see????

WOW! Congratulations Kathy! You must have fallen out of your chair when you heard the news. That is fantastic. Especially with exactly the itinerary that you wanted to do anyways. What an itinerary. Turkey, Greece, and Croatia. We are soooo excited for you. <img border="0" alt="[vhappy]" title="" src="graemlins/icon_vhappy.gif" />

Congrats Kathy
Lucky You.

Congratulations Kathy!!! Wow!

Masaki

That's wonderful news for you and Frank, Kathy! It will be here before you know it.

Cheers, Anne

We used Emek for Ephesus and Nicholas (actually his brother, Michael) for Rhodes and referred not only Priscilla, but several other people to them. We were very pleased. If you contact them, please send Alan's and my kindest regards.

Wow, I never got around to reading LCT yesterday so I am late in adding my CONGRATULATIONS! What wonderful news. I'm so happy for you.

Thanks for the help and recommendation, Denise and Priscilla. Not sure if I was dreaming this or not, but, it is true. Funny, Frank is even researching this one. Usually, he leaves it to me. Now because there is SO much travel time, we're going in early and we're going to use the O hotels because of the transportation. It's 24 hours of travel to get to Istanbul.

The "O" hotels? Which ones are they in Istanbul, and how long in advance do you want to go? If you like luxury, and want to see the main sights, I would strongly suggest the Four Seasons. The big advantage is that you're right in the old part of town, Sultanahmet, right close to Topkapi and the Blue Mosque.

There's a great travel site called "turkeytravelplanner.com". Very helpful.

They have packages at the Istanbul Hilton on the Bhospourus or Suissehotel, also with a view of the Bhosphous. The Hilton doesn't seem anything special, except it's walking distance and in a safe area. The Suissehotel will require a cab but is a bit more luxurious.

We're thinking about the Hilton of the two because we can walk, if we have the energy, it's near the Blue Mosque and they have some security checkpoint before entering. It's okay by Trip Advisor as is the Suissehotel. Most of the Hilotn Hhonors members - which we are - seem to get bumped up to the Executive level too.

My concern is that both times we've gone to Europe we got in, went sightseeing for a bit and then crashed for a good amount of time. More to get over Jetlag. The Nautica does not sail until the second day of the cruise so you overnight in port the first night anyway and then have a second day there too.

We were with a couple who were at the Suissehotel and were very pleased. There is a small B&B type place near the Blue Mosque which comes highly recommended. I believe Denise knows its name. It is not expensive. With your timing, Kathy, this may be a great option for you. We also had an outstanding tour guide in Istanbul, compliments of Denise's research.

Maybe you're talking about Yesil Ev. It comes highly recommended, I believe. We looked at it, but chose something a bit less expensive. But our friends had lunch there and loved it. It's just around the corner from the Four Seasons.

The Hilton is on the other side of the Golden Horn, in Beyoglu district near Taksim Square. You'd have to take a tram or a cab to get to the old area where the Blue Mosque is. they have a modern tramline snaking around through the city.

It was June when were there as well--bear in mind it will be humid and fairly hot (unlike Greece which is dry.)

Kathy, looking at the Suissotel, and it looks great. Here's what Tom (turkeytravel.com) has to say about them:

The Hilton Istanbul was the first deluxe hotel built in the city (1958).

Having been built first, it had the pick of the best sites, which is why it has 13 acres (over 5 hectares) of gardens, with tennis courts and swimming club, and superb views over Dolmabahce Palace to the Bosphorus beyond.

The Hilton is only a 15-minute walk north of Taksim Square northwest of Beyoglu, the shopping and nightclub district.

Most of the hotel's east-facing rooms have splendid Bosphorus views; the ones looking west overlook the city, which is less inspiring, but not bad. It's also the only top luxury hotel in which every room has its own balcony.

I really like the Hilton Istanbul. It has always been Istanbul's status address for me because of its great location, spacious gardens, and excellent staff.

The aptly-named Swissôtel Istanbul-The Bosphorus has some of the finest Bosphorus views among Istanbul luxury hotels.

Besides fine indoor and outdoor swimming pools, the Swissôtel has its own Bosphorus cruise boat for excursions, nightly dinner cruises, and a Sunday brunch cruise.

Managed by Singapore-based Raffles International despite its Swiss-ô name, the 600-room Swissôtel Istanbul is set on a hill overlooking Dolmabahçe Palace and the Bosphorus.

It's a great location for views, but less so for walking anywhere. You'll probably find yourself taking taxis most of the time.

If you are a walker you can stroll 15 minutes up the hill to the Tesvikiye and Nisantas districts for shopping and restaurants. Half way along is the teleferik, a cable car that crosses the valley behind Dolmabahçe and lands you near the Istanbul Hilton and Hyatt Regency hotels.

HOLY COW!!! CONGRATULATIONS!! How fantastic!!
:app: :app: :app: :app:

Thanks, Wendy for all that research. The TA handling our booking is going to reserve the Hilton for us.

We also decided to just go ahead and book the Oceania Discovery package of shore excursions. They are exactly what we'd look to book individually, they take you to the highlights of the location and they also give you free time with a guide and transportation. Since we want to take photos, it's perfect for us without the cost and research of a private guide.

Oh, we couldn't get an assigned cabin - we're on a guarantee. We are the only one in that category on an A1 guarantee; Only way up is Vista or Owners Suite; the TA thinks it's very possible that we will get that. The cruise is sold out except for the Owners Suite. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Also, we're probably flying United or Lufthansa. That could be excellent too.

Is Lufthansa good? That's what Regent put us on for our Med cruise in May, Denver to Munich and Munich to Athens. We don't know a THING about them, never been to Europe!!! :eek:

Congratulations, Kathy and Frank! What a wonderful thing to happen. I hope you really enjoy your windfall cruise.

Kristin,

We have flown Lufthansa Business Class and loved them. We are flying with them once again in November for CROSS. Service is impeccible, food and wine actually very good, Business cabin clean and very comfortable.

Are you flying Business class? If so, I believe they have redone their seats. Everything was excellent before, so I would imagine they will be superb now!

No, as of now, we are braving it in Coach. The price of the upgrade was so expensive ($5000+) that we thought for 11 hours of the NS flight we'd manage. The we will have a 3 hour layover in Frankfort before our 2.5 hour flight to Istanbul. After all, this is supposed to be a nearly free trip and we still have our CROSS to bear. Since our AMEX Miles can be used on Lufthansa, I am waiting until we are ticketed to see if the fare class is upgradeable and if so, then I will push the miles over.

Glad to hear that, Denise - we are flying business on the outbound and coach on the return. From what I understand, only the flights that go in & out of Frankfurt have "redone" seats. We are going through Munich, so we will probably have the "old" ones - but they sound great, regardless!

Kathy, hopefully you'll get the upgradeable fare!

Lufthansa is a good airline in general. Business class seats and service are very nice as well. Frankfurt airport is a nightmare, mostly just very large, and there are still smokers lurking around every corner.

Kathy, great that you're trying the O excursions. You'll be able to give us a full report on how they turn out!

Oh my I came to post a question, and saw this, BIG CONGRATULATIONS, I'm so happy for you I hope you have a wonderful, fantastic time.

Mrs. Moose