Looks like the site is up and working today. Just booked all our excrusions and got exactly what we wanted with no problem.

Marc,

Please change the suite number for Joan & Dave from 943 to 944. Thanks.

November seemed so very far away....we missed our chance for an extra day before the cruise. Just tried to book the Marriott in Cap L'ail, France and it's booked. We were going to use our points.
Oh well....we shall see Nice and Monaco another time. We'll use Regents pre-cruise hotel for this trip.
Meanwhile, we booked our excursions for the first portion of the trip and got what we wanted!
We heard such good things about Alhambra that we signed up for the 8 hour excursion in Malaga. Is it really worth the two hour trip there and back???
Happy Spring to everyone!!!!!!

Kathy didn't it seem like yrs ago we talked about/booked this cruise????

Kathy - it is definitely worth it. We did it in 2007 on CROSS (which was not an escorted trip) and it was amazing.

We and our friends are on GP, and they too signed up for that same excursion. We decided to to Mihas Village as we heard great things about that as well.

Looking forwrd to seeing you and maybe, just maybe seeing you for more than 4 days this time. LOL.

Kathy, You CANNOT be that close to the Alhambra and not go! Marc and I did it several years ago. He had been before and wanted me to see it and it is spectacular!

Kathy, I saw Alhambra many years ago on a "rail trip" on the Andalusion Express. It was wonderful. I have no idea how I would feel about it 20 years later, to be honest, had I not already done that. BUT, I am leaning in the "yes" category.

I am so looking forward to seeing both of you again!

Yay! Thanks so much for the reviews....now I'm excited to see it!
Yes, Joanna, it does seem like years ago we booked this cruise!!! Still seems so far away.
JoAnn....it will be nice to spend more than four days on the ship and getting together with you and the other LCT'ers!!!
Such a fabulous group of people!!!

We are staying on after Rio to Buenos Aires. Is there anyone else doing that too? Would love to hear that we won't be saying goodbye to everyone on GRAND PRIX.

Sheila & Ken,

My wife and I (Dave & Joan) are also staying on until Buenos Aires. I think there are a few others staying on as well.

Also, I just checked and we'll be neighbors on SHAMROCK. See you in June.

Dave.....look forward to meeting you and your wife in June.

Really happy to hear that others are staying on til Buenos Aires. I believe our tours for this segment should be available to book in the next day or so. We haven't been to any of these ports before.

Hi Sheila--we'll be onboard until Buenos Aires and are spending an extra day there after the cruise. We're staying at the Sheraton Buenos Aires (using points). The hotel is in a good location just off Florida St.--the main shopping street.

For those of us continuing on Mariner to Buenos Aires, excursions may be booked beginning at midnight central time.

Thanks, Dave. Actually, they were available all day yesterday but nothing offered in Rio yet. Hope to see you on some of the excursions.

Maybe we have to rely on the Jewelers in Rio as we usually do.

Steve and I are staying on board till Buenos Aires too and spend two nights there before heading home.

Sadly we've had to shuffle our schedules for next fall and have decided to cancel this cruise. We will miss you all. Luckily we will be able to see a lot of you at HEE HAW!!!

Shucks...was really looking forward to cruising with you both. Alas we will see you at HeeHaw

Oh no!!!! We were so excited that you were on this and looking forward to seeing you. Darn!!!

Has anyone heard why the Rio excursions aren't available yet?

Kathy

There wont be any RIO Excursions posted on the web. This is an embarkation and debarkation day for most people. Those doing back to backs (if there are enough of you and there are bound to be enough) will be offered tours ON THE SHIP.

I think it causes mass confusion if they put them on the web those debarking think they are entitled to the excursions as there is that whole day there but they are not paying to be on the ship that day. If they put them on the next cruise embarking guests want to participate and they are not able to do that either.

Tour on this day are back to back guests ONLY and done on the ship.

Just pray that Miss Kitty is not the Tour Manager. :D

There should be plenty of jewelers to take care of both debarking and in transit people.

Please explain. Do jewelers in Rio give tours that include their stores?

I forget that we are doing a back to back.....thanks for the clarification. We don't want to miss anything!

The jewelers do provide tours and you can choose where you want to go. They use mini vans and you can make your own group of 2 to 6 people. In late afternoon you visit their store. Be sure to bargain if you want to buy something.
Jim

Pat and I are cutting back - we're getting off in Rio now, not going on to Buenos Aires.

If you take a look at the Grand Prix Air thread, we're trying to put together a disembarkation day tour plus in Rio, as we'll all be kicked off the ship about 9 AM but direct flights to the USA don't leave till 10:20 PM or later that night. Check it out.

Have any of you considered COPA, the Panamanian airline? They have flights leaving Rio around 11:45am and arriving around 10:30 pm in both CA and FL. Bus class to CA is around $1200 and FL around $1500. No all day wait in Rio and no overnight flight. You can even stop over in Panama City with no extra air charge.
Jim

I have, Jim, and didn't much like what I found. COPA flies Boeing 737-700 to Panama and 737-800 from there to the US. Per Seat Guru, the configuration in business class is like domestic 'first class', limited recline of 7½", with the seats in row three further limited by the bulkhead behind them (again per SeatGuru).

To Miami, $1518, to Orlando $1610, to LAX $1281, to JFK $1333 (vs. Regent at $1,499 including transfers). The flight Rio to Panama is 7hrs 13min, from there to MIA is 3 hours, 3:15 to MCO, and about 5 hrs to JFK and 6:50 to LAX. The layover in Panama from the 11:46 Rio departure is less than 3 hours in all cases. The other COPA departure is at 2:37 AM; NG!

It's an option, but personally we'll stick with the Regent business class offer. If we were headed for the west coast, I'd be tempted.

Just a note for the roll call that I have moved to a GTY cabin

Happy Glorious Fourth! Wow, more than a month since the last posting, only a bit more than a month until payment is due. You'd have thought that someone would have had a question or two since May 24th. We have two, relating to the beginning and end of the trip.

Nice to Hotel

Unless we change our minds, we'll be staying at the Marriott La Porte de Monaco Hotel in Cap L'Ail, France, just over the border from Monaco. The question is: how do we get there. Suggestions would be appreciated, and we'd be happy to share a ride to the hotel with anyone else on the JFK to NCE nonstop on Delta.

Rio to airport

Regent is certainly close mouthed regarding what to do from disembarkation to our late evening flights. (Ours is the 11:55 pm US Air flight to Charlotte.) I can't believe that Regent would simply dump us at the airport more than 12 hours before our flight, with no chance to see Rio. We've tried to book a day room, with no success. Again, does anyone have any suggestions?

I just cleaned up the roll call; are there any additions? Just entered penalty period so hopefully there are no more drop outs. :)

Three dozen with Ngaire and Ken - a nice sized group of really nice people. We'll have a blast! Now if we can only figure out how to COMFORTABLY spend the long day and evening in Rio before we fly home. Anyone know how many are continuing on to Buenos Aires? We were, but dropped the leg to BA - too much of a good thing.

We're also part of a Cruise Critic group on this cruise that is going to have a meet-and-greet the morning before Barcelona. 44 in that group, two couples (including Pat and I) overlapping with LCT.

I'll continue to look for solutions to our dilemma in Rio. Having to disembark at or shortly after 9 AM for Regent-booked flights 15 hours later, but no plan for what to do in the interim, seem really not Regent-like. Maybe I'll e-mail Mark Conroy to see what he has to say. Day rooms in decent hotels are apparently non-existent in Rio, except for ‘rent-by-the-hour ‘motels’ which sound like free-lance brothels to me.

I’ll keep looking, as I’ve gotten two other couples interested in the same plan if I can find someone to provide it. Any others interested can post here or e-mail count_florid@hotmail.com. No promises, but I’ll do my best to find something combining security of our luggage with morning sightseeing, a light lunch, an afternoon with options (more sightseeing, a day room, time for the beach or a combination thereof), then dinner at a Brazilian bar-b-que (a ‘churrascaria‘ with rodízio table-side service - google the terms for more info) before being taken to the airport in plenty of time to catch our flights.

Price has dropped on Grand Prix!

Still higher than when we booked originally; still, I wonder if we get any money back?

Anyone on Delta flight 82 leaving JFK-NY Nov 7 and arriving Nice 9:25 AM Nov 8 looking to share a ride to Monaco? We're on that flight and willing to share car service to the Fairmount. I’m sure the car service (we're looking at EasyDrivers, who quote 90 Euros for two) will probably make other stops in or near Monaco for a reasonable up-charge.

If you're interested, post here or e-mail me at count_florida@hotmail.com. Thanks, Mike

PS: still looking for a tour guide and hotel in Rio, as we don't want to do the jewelry store bit. Ngaire advises that day rooms are not available there, and I've learned that what passes for 'motel' by-the-hour rooms would be called bordellos in most places.

Hi Mike -- we're not on your Delta flight, but I do know a good guide in Rio:
Driver and Guide
Emanuel Peclat.
Manu@Nextel.BR.Blackberry.com
Manu.Peclat@hotmail.com

We used him a couple years ago, so an not sure he's still in business, but he did a great job for us -- we really enjoyed him.

Don't know what airline you are flying out on, but I am told the Admirals club at Rio de Janeiro-Galeao International Airport is very nice, and even has showers so you can freshen up before the flight. If not an Admirals Club member, also accessible for First and Business class on AA, if you are on AA coach and have AMEX Plat, or if you have Priority Pass. If not any of those, might be worth the $50 day pass fee just to have a nice "day room" for a few hours! Open until 9pm or 10:15pm depending on day of the week.

Cindy - is the Admirals Club in the same terminal as United? We are flying out on United, and have a tour set up for the day, but we will be dropped at the airport fairly early and Frank is a lifetime member so it would be great to go there if its easily accessible to United flights.

The Admirals Club is in Terminal 1 (haven't been there personally - someone else gave me the info). Both Terminal 1 and 2 handle international flights, and I believe United uses both. Not sure how difficult it is to travel between terminals.

Thanks Cindy, I will see what I can find out and since we have lots of time I'm sure we can figure it out.