Following this thread - on TUT BUT not paying $1000 PP for some excursion -

Ray - I imagine shipboard credit would be problematic to use on these since you'd have to book them in advance and couldn't wait until you are on board. Ngaire will correct me if I'm wrong.

I booked our tours for Alaska in the amount of $1000.00......what "FREE" tours?...I wont tell you are bill for our wines on CAPTAINS....all enclusive?

But Pat, that $1000 would have cost way more before. Regent is subsidizing some of those tours. At least that's what we found this fall on our Alaska cruise. There's no way they're going to make tours that include helicopters, floatplanes, etc. free.

As far as the wine, we're happy with what's offered for free. I'm not sure what that says about our taste in wines ;) .

When do you go to Alaska? I'm sure you're going to have a great time.

Pat,
With the larger ship board credits what else would you spend it on. That creates quite a " Conundrum" does it not.

See you soon in Cairo.

LOL Ralph ,it sure does create a great "Conundrum" for us.Hope they stock up for BEAR.
Now Cairo is a whole new deal....getting anxious

Donna,to ensure we were able to get our choices,we had to pay up front,c'est la vie.
We booked salmon fishing and I can't remember what else,mostly $99.00 pp for most of the rest. Don't beleive we booked any helicopters. Know we will have an awesome time anyway,we always do.

The company we used in Israel is called Travex . Our contact, who handles individuals is Ann Hillel. Her email address is ann@travex.co.il.

Their website has different options for one day tours. You can contact them and ask what advantage there would be to a two day tour. There transfer arrangements were wonderful on our tour so I am sure they would be able to put together a great two day tour.

I would probably wait until Regent tours get posted for comparison. The May 28 Mariner cruise also goes to Israel; Regent has to have the tours listed pretty soon to use for comparison.

Thanks Marc,

We are taking your advice and waiting on Regent for the options. Looking at a map of Israel and the distance between the two ports and the places we want to see (Jerusalum & Nazareth), one day tours might make sense.

In Egypt, the overnight is a must since we want to spend so much time near Cairo. We are booking an overnight at http://memphistours.com/ which offers our group of 4 a private van, transport and everything offered by Regent for ~$200PP v. $1000 (hotel is Le Meridian instead of Four Seasons but won't be there much so no matter).

If anyone has any history with Memphis Tours (good or bad) please let me know, but they seem to have some good ratings on Trip Advisor. I just cannot wait to see those pyramids again...

Kent

Kent - You might be able to find out more about Memphis Tours by doing a search on the Middle East & Africa board on Cruise Critic:

Middle East & Africa CC Board

There is a lot of discussion on that board about guide services in Egypt.

Cheers, Fred

A recent post on Fodor's was not positive about Memphsis tours regarding a nile river cruise.

Thanks for the advice Freddie and Ralph. The CC board was very helpful. I'm sure Memphis would probably be okay but booked with Ramses Tours as they had more hotel options and don't require a deposit. Lots of good remarks on CC and Trip Advisor. About $340PP at the Oberoi Mena House near the pyramids with a pyramid view including the 2 day full tour and transport to and from the ship.

For Israel they suggest www.GuidedToursIsrael.com for either day or overnight excursions if you aren't happy with the ship's offers.

Kent

Kent, thanks for the information about Ramses Tours and also the tour company in Israel.

Thanks Kent for the information on Guided Tours Israel. Going to Israel is one of the main reasons I booked TUT, so I think going with a smaller tour group will be worth the money.

I contacted them and have booked the Ashdod-Jerusalem-Dead Sea tour for the 8th, and the Haifa to Northern Israel tour for the 9th. The Ashdod tour is $135 and the Haifa tour is $99. They don't ask for any money or a credit card # up front.

Please let me know if you're interested in coming along!

Andrea, thanks for the information on the tours you booked in Israel. I've checked the website and they sound great! I hope Regent can post details soon on the tours it will be offering. We're kind of on hold till then.

I'm not on TUT, but I am on the May 28 Mariner cruise with a similar itinerary. I just wanted to make you guys aware that Regent's website now shows their excursions for the Israel ports for 2010 cruises.

Sue

Thanks, Sue. Duh on my part!

Who is spending the 17th in Venice? We go out at 10 am the 18th - thinking about booking a Starwood hotel with pts and cash - anyone looked into hotels?

sorry...we fly out @ 12:15pm same day we disembark. We've stayed in several of the Starwood properties in Venice before...all are VERY NICE !

We're flying back home same day as disembarkation, too. Such a shame, because we've never been to Venice. I am glad we sail in the day prior so we can at least get a taste of it. We need more vacation days from work!!! :mad:

Hopefully some of us will be on the same flight! Would love to leave with you, Marcie, at 12:15. We are taking Regent air and I just have a feeling they will put us on an early a.m. flight... :mecry:

Kristen I would prefer leaving the 17th but only thing available when I booked FF was the crack of dawn flight so I decided to spend the night - I am going to see, as time goes by, if I can get the noonish flight out the 17th but not counting on it - once the trip is over I like to come home - unless, of course, we're headed for a wonderful post trip somewhere - sure would be nice to head to the airport with others -

I hear you, Joanna - early a.m. flights = no fun! We've got lots of time yet, so we'll see what develops ;)

yes lots of time and I tend to over react and spend $$$$ on changes when if I sit tight and airline makes changes I do not have to pay - Venice is $$$ and getting from ship to hotel to airport UGH!!!!

We're flying through Madrid (used AA f.f. miles on their partner airline Iberia). We're actually on 3 airlines doing the round trip...AA, British Air, and Iberia. Doesn't matter, whatever we could get using f.f. miles was ok and we liked all the times. I don't even know how long it will take to get from ship to airport ??

Marcie we too are flying out on Iberia on the 17th, although not until 3:30 to Madrid where we are spending two nights. But at least maybe we can hang out in the Iberia lounge provided there is one in Venice, or at least find a place to hang out for awhile before your flight.

Crack of dawn flight for us - 7:20 AM on Lufthansa to Frankfurt to connect with AA thru Dallas - this is the only way we can get home in one day.

well looks like we'll have company the 17th IF IF IF I can change to early am or noonish - just seems like work to spend the night the 17th for one night - unpacking etc for one night ugh!!! Flight we're on 18th gets us home the 18th and would 17th too - am or noon - such a "rub" when we fly out of Jax and have to go to JFK (blech)to Athens vs Atlanta to Athens - BUT FF are what they are and we booked at lowest pts 100 thou each

We're on the 6:55AM on the Air France flight to Paris to connect directly to Cincinnati on Delta - couldn't get confirmed upgrades to JFK (and want to avoid that at all costs anyways)- on disembarkation day.

WE had to cancel Nile, so now we are going to go on TUT.
Add Russ and Susan to the list. I don't have our cabin number yet.

Susan

Susan I am extstic!!!!! Will email you.

JUMPING UP AND DOWN WITH JOY!!!!!

Great news Susan!!!!!

:app: :app: Welcome to TUTville, Susan & Russ! Looking forward to getting to know you two better! :)

Kristen I love "TUTville"

:) Joanna, we're getting so many LCT'ers on this cruise, we're creating our own little "city"!

Woohoo Susan and Russ. More POOCH players, plus getting to cruise with you on both TUT and CANADA, and Kristin love your "TUTville", perfect!

I just saw your post, Susan! What great news!!!! We're looking forward to spending more time with you on TUT. Ho-Down wasn't enough!

A family conflict has made it necessary for us to cancel our Dover - Monte Carlo cruise for this coming September. We are now booked on TUT and really looking forward to it! (If only we could talk Lee and Michael into jumping ship with us life would be perfect!)

Kathy and Al #830

Kathy, I have added you and Al to the roll call. Look forward to seeing the two of you for longer than one day. ;)

Any other additions to roll call?

Any deletions?

Thanks, Marc. I agree, one day was way too short!

Kathy and Al we, too, look forward to seeing you again...for more than an hour!!! Joanna and Tony