Best Of
Re: Blog of "Treasures of the Mediterranean" tour/cruise, May 2-11, 2024
@Smiling Sam Thanks for the clarifications. I've been to Istanbul a couple of times on non-Tauck tours. The most recent was in 2022. I agree there's a lot to see there.
So far, not happy with 2 of the 3 hotels...
[vent on] Currently on day 6 of tour. Our first hotel in Sorrento, while nice, was in a terrible location. FWIW they offered a shuttle bus from the hotel to the center square during a free evening. Meanwhile, we've been paralleling a small groups tour and their hotel was in the heart of town.
Just arrived in Perugia, late afternoon, where outside temp is upper 70s. Opened up the door to my room, which is facing into the sun, and it's 80+ in here. They won't be turning on the AC for another 2 weeks, per TD. And this is supposedly a 5 star hotel (Sina Brufani).
Also seems like they've cheapened the tours since Covid - fewer included sights (no Colosseum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Spanish steps, etc. in Rome) and fewer meals included. Not a happy camper at this point. Fifteen tours (including 2 upcoming) and my tenure with them may be coming to an end. [vent off]
BKMD
Re: So far, not happy with 2 of the 3 hotels...
What was the third hotel? Was it ok? Yes, the sights especially in Rome have been cut pack. I think the popularity and crowds are causing a lot of this.
Fyi, if you hope to use the spa or pool at Bagni do Pisa, pack your swimsuit in your carryon or day pack. Most disorganized check in even and bags took even longer. We didn't have time before the dictated dinner time.
Fyi,
Aegean Sea Cruise plus Athens
We just returned from the Tauck adventure that began in Athens and concluded with a week aboard the sailing vessel Windstar. My wife and I have been on many cruises and Tauck trips, and this was among the best. Again, Tauck manages to combine leisure travel, adventure, and education in a very appealing package. Most importantly, when visiting these locations at the heart of the origin of Western civilization, it is very helpful to be given expert context to understand whatever ruins, church, artifact, or natural feature that we happen to be looking at. We were most impressed with the fund of knowledge on display by our tour director, Mike Furillo, and his expertise was well-complemented by excellent local guides at every stop. I learned a ton about history while I was immersed in the culture and geography...and that is not an easy feat to pull off. We have come to expect such richly informative experiences with Tauck.
Regarding the yacht, it was cozy and well-maintained. The cabins were small but adequate. The crew and staff bent over backward to accommodate every wish--and the thrill of watching the sails unfurled was a real memory. The biggest issue we had was with the WiFi and the intentional exclusion of access to key personal cloud sites such as Dropbox or iCloud. Plus, the system itself was wonky, and the entry portal to WiFi was often not working properly. Windstar did itself a favor by adopting the StarLink technology, but I'm afraid they still have a ways to go to make the product reliable and user friendly. AND--they should alert future passengers about the cloud-based exclusions.
We loved all the stops but especially Ephesus. What a magical day in Turkiye, topped off with a wonderful dinner at the Celsus Library with a string quartet to serenade us. Mykonos and Patmos were also very appealing. Somewhat surprisingly, our stop at Santorini was perhaps the least scenic. Yes, the famous blue domes were there, but overall the island is very sparsely vegetated, and the crowds were substantial. Honestly, neither my wife nor I could figure out what makes this island--beautiful in its own way, don't get me wrong--so overwhelmingly popular.
Our stop at the ancient site of Mycenae was dazzling. The architectural details still preserved there from nearly 3,500 years ago are mind-blowing. Again, our local guide did a spectacular guide in filling in the "blanks" of the historical slate to lend meaning to everything that we were shown.
The Grecian and Turkish hosts were warm and engaging, and we never encountered a language barrier (we used English exclusively). This trip is best enjoyed in May or September near the cusp of the tourist season to avoid the oppressive summertime heat!
Blog of "Treasures of the Mediterranean" tour/cruise, May 2-11, 2024
Judy and I just finished the Treasures of the Mediterranean tour/cruise. You can see our blog of the trip at
https://www.mikeandjudytravel.com/2024-2Athens-01.htm
It was a decent trip, but not one of my top-10. Judy was more positive about it.
Re: Travel adapters for Kenya & Tanzania
Most of your small electronic devices (phone, tablet, camera battery, etc.) chargers will work on both 110 or 220, but, unless they are special, dual voltage, curling irons and blow dryers will not and if you try to use one it will fry!!!
AlanS
Re: cabin
As I have said many times all aspects of travel are personal choices, in my opinion. There is no right or wrong, just what works best for the individual.
kfnknfzk
Re: Wind Star Ship
Everyone is comfortable with different types of vacation. We are in the definitely never go on a big cruise ship again. It sounds as if Windstar would be great for us and we loved the Isabella ll.
Just recently, friends of ours went on a Silverseas cruise round Japan, partly because they were going with relatives who go with Silverseas all the time. They would normally travel independently. Their take on the experience was that all people seemed to be focused on was what clothing and jewelry everyone was wearing and what would be served at the next meal and everything they could ask their butler to do for them.
Our friends were disappointed at the limited experience they got of Japan because so much time was spent sailing around it instead of being there and that being around the coast limited the sites that could be reached in a sensible amount of time before they were on the ship again. They joined us after their tour on our group vacation and stacked their ‘cruise’ attire, tuxedo and cocktail dresses etc under the bed and relaxed and had a riot of a time on our boat of 45 people and enjoyed seeing all the local people on our excursions and joining in with them at a fraction of the cost of a Silverseas cruise.
British
Re: Essence of Japan in Autumn
Doing Essence of Japan in May 2025. Like A2couple, I would also welcome hearing from travelers who have recently completed this tour. Please be specific about the activities, food, etc. Thank you.
GM