I'm beginning to think that we were not meant to go on this trip!

Luggage Free picked up our luggage this morning. Now they call and tell me they are bringing it back because there is a strike in Greece of Customs Inspectors! So no shipping luggage to Athens. Great! Got to repack everything to get it down to luggage limits!

Jan, so sorry to hear this. Sometimes it does seem like when it rains, it pours. Good luck with the repacking....never fun ! Hopefully it will all work out and you'll have the best trip ever.

Jan, that just stinks! At least they caught it before it was shipped out and where it would of probably ended up in the Greek strike Twilight Zone!!!!

Unfortunately, my bag is in that zone. I shipped it Tuesday using First Luggage. They gave me a FedEx tracking number which shows that the bag has arrived in Greece but is experiencing "delay beyond our control". I'm worried now because I used a shipper other than the one Regent contracts with. Things still have more than a week to sort out, but I don't like that first heard about this here at LCT rather than from First Luggage.

Jan,
We're packing light and not shipping. I'm going with the dark suit instead of the tux and Pat has a few Chico Traveller mix & match outfits. Nobody remembers what someone wore the night or two before anyway. If you get the free laundry (or dry cleaning too) you can get by with much less. See you at the Grand Bretagne.
Jim

Here's what Luggage First is telling me:

"Please be advised, we are aware of the ongoing customs strike in Greece.

Please be reassured that I am personally in contact with senior agents of Fedex/Customs in Greece, who are doing everything possible to ensure that this is delivered well before our delivery commitment of Monday 6th October.

Any delay experienced, I believe will be slight and of little significance and I expect this to be safely and promptly delivered.

I will keep you updated of the progress of your shipment."

Reports on web are that the strike has been called off so perhaps your bag will be released from "custody", Crystal.

Luftansa is on strike in Germany though. Since we are flying Lufthansa via Munich, we now have that to worry about. So far, they have not cancelled any of the Denver/Munich flights. I don't know when we have had so many pre-cruise worries about traveling! We Know once we are on the ship all will be well.

Looks like our bags will pass the weight test for taking with us...one might be a little large so we might have to pay for one...probably less than we would have paid for Luggage Free to ship. Just more bother with the number of bags (4).

I didn't think I packed that much, but it always seems to add up. One of the bags is a smaller duffel so it really isn't quite as much as it sounds!

Oct 6 can't come soon enough for us!

Jan, I hope you'll soon be able to sit back and relax. That first glass of champagne when your board will be extra special after all of your trials and tribulations!

Crystal, I'm sending good vibes to the luggage gods!

Jan, I thought the Lufthansa strike ended back in August...are they on strike again? I can't find anything online about it.

I have been following all y'all's struggles associated with this trip - I sure hope everything works out SOON. And I'm with Donna, that first glass of champagne will probably be the best one you've ever tasted!

Good questions about Lufthansa...it looked like a recent report as it talked about the break down of talks re bailout. But I'll keep checking!

You have to be careful about searching the web...you sometimes get "old" news and don't realize it!

We'll make it somehow and the first glass of champagne will be great...plus meeting all of the folks on the full Discovery Collection in Athens.

Jan, hope all goes well!!! Have you received your passports back from ZVS? Maybe you should have some of that champagne now --and have some on the ship when you get there too

Peggy, passports just delivered! Brazilian visas dated 9-24 so we are good to go! India is there as well so that problem is behind us!

Now that I'm more calm, things don't look so bad. The "strike" at Lufthansa was last summer...guess I'll pay more attention to the date on the web page! And, we will just take our luggage with us. Only one large suitcase, the others are smaller and manageable with some room for "stuff".

I think it will be a "martini" tonight...have had the 2 year grandson all week and his parents get back tonight. We'll save the champagne for getting on the ship.

See you in Mumbai

Jan

Glad all is well--looking forward to seeing you! We still have a whole month to wait before we leave :mecry: , hopefully it will go by quickly.

Great news, Jan. I can't wait to hear from all of you on what should be an amazing trip!!!

Jan - it sounds like maybe your problems or issues are behind you now, keeping my fingers crossed for you. Luggage under control, VISA's in hand, and airline not on strike - and you got to spend time with your Grandson!! :D

I'm sure it will be a wonderful trip and you will come home with wonderful memories.

Peggy - you too, sounds like you all have a wonderful adventure in store. Wish we were coming along for even part of it.

Jan, so happy that things are working out and falling into place. Enjoy your martini tonight....you and Fred have earned it !

Jan, it looks like things are coming together for you at last. Good news on my bag--it has cleared customs!

Jan I think you, Fred and Crystal need to do a bit of happy dancing this evening that all is working out well! :ch:

Congratulations Jan and Fred..I hope all the stress is behind you and only happy adventures ahead. See you soon....for a good toast!

I had guests that received a call from Luggage Free on Thursday just like Jan and Fred. However, I called Luggage Free and arranged to have their luggage held until we could determine the outcome of the strike or have it delivered to the next port, Alexandria. Much to my surprise the Director of Operations for Luggage Free called both the guest and myself on Friday and let us know that the strike had lifted and that they would deliver the bag to Athens as originally scheduled. I was truly impressed with their follow-up and willingness to be as helpful as possible given the situation.

That is great!

Thanks to all of you for your kind thoughts and words about our several glitches in getting ready to go on this trip. This week will be much easier with passports back and luggage ready to go with us.

Jan

I read this thread after the other one, but I am glad as I read on that things have improved for all.

Congrats to all who no longer have to worry about visas, passports, luggage, flights - so happy it all worked and we'll see you in CPT! We have current Brazilian visa from 2005? and I renewed passports a month ago - we will get hit with extra weight for luggage JNB to CPT, no doubt - Joanna