Agree with Susan, sounds perfect and good time of year but we're "full" for 2011...wish our Regent options would have gone into 2012.

Yeah 2011 won't work for us either - we have to be in Bangkok for my grandmother's 100th birthday.

Wow Peter, that is definitely a must do. How awesome, I want to be your Grandmother when I grow up.

WINES is a possibility, but we are sort of wating to see what others are doing. We do like the June 17 one that Marcie mentioned. And we like cruising with a group, its much more fun. We also are looking at the last leg of the SA Rio to FLL. I have no idea what we might do.

The issue I see is those FCC's apparently are only good for a 2010 or 2011 cruise, and I'm not sure we can manage another on by then. Like Marcie, wish they could be good thru 2012 to have a chance to see what the 2012 itineraries might be that they could be used for.

For some reason, I am finding this really funny.....we got home at 1:00 am this morning and we are already trying to figure out our next cruise! We also like the June 17th but are a little concerned about the heat in Cairo in June. Also like WINES! Will be very interested to see what everyone decides to do.

Kathy

Wow, I'm away from LCT for a few days, and look what trouble you all get into!

So sorry for the missed cruises. It sounds like the un-TUTables made the best of it.

Anna,

Glad you are home and planning a new cruise.

Anna,

Glad you are home and planning a new cruise.

Us too Kathy, glad you are finally home and getting rested.

We have decided to apply credits and $ to FUN2 and CANADA. It makes the most sense in our case. We're so looking forward to both of these cruises :app:

Marcie, sounds smart. If this weren't our "free cruise," I would be tempted to make the same move.

I am also seeing my extra nights were added (I have so many nights needed to get to Titanium I will never make it), but just not showing up on my list of cruises taken, since I really didn't do it!

I used laundry services once on TUT and it is a great perk!!! too rushed for us to make plans from here so taking credit...yesterday we had fully recovered from jet lag so enjoying our visit knowing my return flights are in place helps!!! We miss everyone and happy you r home safe and sound..we fly out the 18th in the evening thru LA overnight there and home the19th in the evening....all biz which will make trip little easier..things are so $$$$$$ here bottle of wine on low end $30 so we bought 6 bottles for apt consumption...ate Thai food last night at little place and then sat outside with others and sipped wine in Clark's Quay good people watching - enjoying meeting my son's friends from work guys from all over the world of course I hit it off with the kids from Boston and Queens NY..STAYING IN 2 BEDR 2 BATH APT/condo WITH balcony AND huge pool and b'ft included very nice but it is hot here all the time!!!!

Great to hear from you Joanna; glad things are going well, but, yes, it is hot there ALL the time!! #2 son lived there 1+ yrs, fabulous opportunity and he loved it, but was happy to return to more temperate climate (altho' now in OK which is ??)

Greetings:

We are at the Athens Airport (Continental Lounge) awaiting our direct flight to Newark, thence Cleveland.

We've been doing a lot of touring of Athens and vicinity courtesy of Regent and enjoying Concierge Level at the Intercontinental Hotel. Its all been stress free and quite frankly we have enjoyed our stay. There was no reason for us to hurry home.

Since I have had time on my hands have been editing about 5 ten min videos to record our Aegean Sea Misadventure.

The last cruisers leave Athens tomorrow and believe they are mostly Australian/New Zealanders.

Cheers! Ray & Penny

Glad you made something out of this Joanna and are enjoying time with your son and his friends. Have a safe trip home, talk to you soon.

Sounds good Joanna - so glad your flights are set. Do you still plan to go to Bali?

Safe travels home, Ray & Penny!

Have a good trip home, Ray and Penny. See you soon!

Joanna - that should be a neat flight Singapore - LA on an all-business class plane (too bad they didn't put you on the Newark flight).

Peter we are flying Cathay Pacific Sing air not part of REGENTS air choices - Tony heard BALI (he needs a trip to belltone hearing) but was Phuket one hr flight from here I am too burned out to do it this weekend while preparing for trip home Monday just too much....

Just checking in here. So sorry that your cruise was canceled, but it sounds like most of you are home while others are making lemonade out of the adventure. At least you have the fun of planning another cruise and have something to look forward to.

We did the Singapore to US flight (NY) on Cathay Pacific and it was great. Ray and Penny and Joanna and Tony, have safe flights home. Glad you are all having a great time.

Joanna - wouldn't be as neat but still nice - credit your miles to American!!!

So happy you're having a good time. Too bad you couldn't have squeezed in Phuket, one of our very favorite places on earth...but guess squeezing in Singapore was enough of a challenge LOL!!

Keep having a great time.

Joanna and Tony, Ray and Penny, glad to hear you've been having a good time. Fantastic. Continue those memories, and safe travels home.

Gosh, I wish we all were cruising together today ... but we're all safe and sound and now looking forward to our next adventure, whatever that may be.

We're home, safe and sound after a couple of very "uneventful" flights.

Today we have to contact the neighbors to let them know we're back and it's not someone that has broke into our home.

So, now what?

Cheers! Ray & Penny

I decided to check the internet for the average temperatures for the same basic itinerary for the June 17 cruise to see how hot it would actually be during that time. Not as hot as I would have anticipated.

Athens
Average high 86 Average Low 68

Alexandria
Average high 83 Average Low 69

Cairo
Average high 93 Average Low 70

Tel Aviv/Ashod
Average High 81 Average Low 69

Haifa
Average High 85 Average Low 69

Limmasol/Cyrus
Average High 84 Average Low 68

Antalya, Turkey
Average High 90 Average Low 68

Rhodes
Average High 83 Average Low 68

Kusadasi/Ephesus
Average high 84 Average Low 68

WOW, I thought it would be much much hotter so we just kind of put that one aside. That makes it maybe rethinkable (is that a word?) LOL.

When we did the Greek Isles in 2007 on Oceania during the same period, all of the temperatures exceeded 100 degrees in every port. In Santorini it was 115 the day we were there.

We're definitely thinking about the 6/17 cruise too now that we see the average temperatures. I like that this cruise spends 3 days in Israel and that it is not there on a Friday.

We would definitely be intersted if there is enough intrest. I also like that it includes Istanbul, another new place for us. We might even want to consider the 7 night add on back to Athens to see those Greek Isles we were so excited about on TUT.

Ngaire, let please us know what develops on this.

Wayne and I were hoping the June 17th cruise on the Mariner would be offered as an option for our missed cruise replacement. I actually like the itinerary better since it ends in Istanbul. But I haven't seen anything about it being an option.

I'm not sure that it is really a better deal to have the 6/17 Mariner cruise offered as a replacement cruise rather than taking a refund with the $1,000 FCC (of course airfare paid and other discounts could make a difference). But on the "surface" the cost of this cruise is very similar (possibly very slightly less than TUT). The "replacements" already offered are all longer than TUT.

June 17th is not a "replacement cruise"

On the information I send to everyone there was information about this cruise at the very end of this letter. We would be getting a refund and using the $1000 FCC issued and another reduction that reduces the price and these fares were listed on the letter.

These fares are ONLY for those B&K guests on 10/03/10 and this is an effort to replace the TUT itinerary at a little better price for those who want to find a cruise similiar. You can also get an onboard booking discount from being aboard on TUT.

I cannot put those prices here and if you need the letter again just email me. If several of you move over Ken and I will cancel the Silversea Cruise and go on this cruise instead.

The other popular itinerary that many are moving to is the Voyager 2/23/11 which is the best value of all. Of course many cannot take a cruise that long.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
Regent is now REFUNDING EVERYONE for TUT. Those that move over to a "replacement" cruise will still get the fare they paid for TUT honored for the replacement cruise. For whatever reason this is the way they are doing it now. You just need to let me know by the deadline if you want a replacement cruise.

I also need to let you know that Regent refunds in a strange way. You may find some of your payments hit your credit card and others do not. It can take a couple of days for everything to get applied. Just wait a few days - add it up and be sure you got all your money back. Any problem just email me.

I love LCT as a way to communicate, I can adjust a post but once an email goes out you have to go back and send a new email if you think of anything else.

Probably just a cleaner way to do it - especially for submission to Regent's Insurance carrier for "business interruption" insurance claim.

Sorry this is going to sound really dumb, and I am sure I am misunderstanding, but now it sounds like everyone will get a refund, OK, but then it sounds like those that can take or want to take a replacement cruise will get the replacement cruise AND a refund AND the FCC's??

JoAnn the price of the replacement cruise will be PROTECTED at the rate paid for the TUT cruise

Just using random figures to give an example.
If the normal fare for the replacement cruise is $16000 pp and you only paid $9000 pp for TUT then you get bonus savings to reduce the fare by the $7000 pp. Making your replacment cruise fare EXACTLY what you paid for TUT.

You have a refund for TUT in hand and you pay a deposit as you would normally would and the final payment at the normal time.

If you take a replacement cruise you do NOT get the $1000 pp FCC.

I think that those that choose one of the replacements will get recharged the fare paid for TUT and not get the FCC (from TUT).

Also, just exchanged email with Ngaire - apparently Regent has submitted the refund of the final payment for TUT already - and the refund of the deposit should be forthcoming.

I do have a question though, we're now considering that 6/2011 "TUT like" cruise, would we have to decide by 10/15 like for the replacements or do we have until later since this isn't really a "replacement".

Thanks Peter, that does make more sense.

As to the 6/2011 cruise, I think you can just take the refund and decide later, although there might be some kind of deadline to get the special fares Ngaire noted in her letter. I'm sure she will answer that for you.

Still the same deadline for selecting a "replacement cruise" this will all be done at the same time and the window for this option will close.

Checking on the deadline for the June 17, 2011 cruise.