A Word About Our Cruise

In any regard, a cruise is always a very relaxing vacation. It is not the ideal way to see the world but a cruise often provides a peek into new destinations, a chance to make new friends, and enjoy talented nightly entertainment in a full-size theatre. We purchased this 11-day cruise because it left from Athens, ended in Istanbul and featured ports in Egypt and Israel. We were to have visited two spots in Egypt, two in Israel, and others in Cypress and Turkey. EGYPT and ISRAEL!! Two very important destinations for us! We were very excited!

The war between Israel and Hamas changed that. Quite understandably, a few weeks before sailing, ports in Israel and Port Said, Egypt were canceled. What a huge disappointment, but we appreciate remaining safe. Almost half the passengers originally booked on this cruise canceled their reservation due to fear of being near the war. We heard they lost 25% of their full fare, even with trip insurance. The other half of us continued with the scheduled cruise with the great expectations of at least seeing the Pyramids. We did, thank you, Lord. Seeing the Pyramids was a once-in-a-lifetime experience! But with fewer passengers onboard, one would think the cruise line would compensate the brave souls who stuck with the cruise with significant cash payable for a future cruise or a thank-you gift of a free spa service or something else to make passengers feel treated like special guests.

Instead, guests were given $200 onboard credit (which must be spent on services offered on the ship . . . oh, wow, that’s impressive!). Further, they cut back on everything, including dining choices and entertainment.

Mind you, we are longtime loyal guests on this cruise line with 17 trips with them under our belts. Every time I think about $200 on-board credit in lieu of a visit to two cities in Israel and a second port in Egypt, I am appalled. And mother nature was no help either. A new port location, Rhodes, Greece was added to fill the gaps left by the Israel visits, but we could not port there because the winds and waves that day were too high. We spent a very windy and cool day inside the ship.

The night before our scheduled stop in Rhodes, the ship first encountered the unexpected bad weather. Very turbulent waters were struck at about 2 am. The immense ship began to jump as we hit waves head-on and then the ship rocked from side to side when waves hit the ship broadside. Aroused from a deep sleep with all that commotion, my mind thought we might still be on dry land and were experiencing an earthquake. Yikes! After a few moments of wakefulness, I realized what was going on. Meanwhile, Stan snoozed away in dreamland.

The turbulent waters ushered in a change in weather; overnight we sailed from the summertime temps we enjoyed for so long, directly into winter. The next day’s high temp was 52 degrees and the low was in the 30’s. We went from bikinis to boggins!

Even though I’m grumbling, I don’t mean to leave the impression we did not enjoy the cruise. Of course, we did! We met some awesome people. We enjoyed ports in Alexandria, Larnaca, Limassol, Alanya, and Crete, and even better, we loved afternoons on the deck in the warm sun with books in hand. An afternoon like that is hard to beat. Still, though, we think the cruise line missed a grand opportunity to make a disappointing modified itinerary a superb experience for those who trusted the company enough to stay with the trip.

At least we made port in Alexandria, Egypt!!! It was our gateway to Cairo. I am so grateful that that amazing destination was not canceled. The drive to Cairo was exciting. Our guide, Mohamed explained that in Egypt, the white lines on streets and highways are just decoration. Freestyle driving is the way it is done in Egypt. On a superhighway designed for five lanes of traffic, nine or ten cars pack all together side, by side, weaving in and between each other with horns blowing! When traffic stops for a moment, you can easily touch the hand of the kids in the back seat of the car at the side. While I will never forget the magnificent Pyramids, the Great Sphinx, and the Cairo Archaeological Museum with unretouched relics from thousands of years ago, I will also never forget how driving is done in Egypt.

Another interesting thing, along the highway, we saw tall, rounded-shaped conical structures like giant beehives.  Mohamed explained that they are pigeon houses.  Owners place food and water in there for pigeons.  The birds come, they eat, and they roost.  When they get too fat to fly well, the owner grabs them, and voila!  Squab for dinner! 

I cannot say enough good things about the kind and welcoming people of Egypt. As we walked through the city of Alexandria and along the seaside promenade, Egyptians enjoyed saying hello and welcome! Many wanted to shake hands, especially young people. A mom and grandmother brought their shy young son up to us to meet Stan. He finally warmed up and beamed at us with his mouth full of brand-new big teeth. It was heart-rendering.

We made stops at two cities on the isle of Cyprus.  Larnaca is on the south coast of Cyprus and capital of the district.  It is known for its palm-tree waterfront promenade as well as the 9th-century Church of Saint Lazarus. 

The next morning, we ported at the Cyprian city of Limassol, a very pretty resort town.  We joined a small bus tour to visit a gorgeous spot thought to be the birthplace of Aphrodite.  I’m not sure the place we saw was the goddess’s birthplace, but I can say this, it was very pretty and picturesque.  Afterward, we walked through the town where the standard offerings in towns in this part of the world can be seen:  the mosques, the churches, the marina, and the shops. 

Cyprus is a divided island.  In 1965 Turkey invaded Cypress to protect Turks living on the island.  In the conflict, 20,000 people became refugees, and 10,000 people were killed.  When the war ended, Turkey owned the northern sector of the island and invited all Turks to leave their homes in the south and relocate to the north.  To this date, the northern half of the island belongs to Turkey and the Southern half is the autonomous nation of Cyprus. There is a space of land between the two that is a United Nations-enforced DMZ.

Halloumi cheese is a product of Cyprus.  Grilled halloumi on a pita is one of their traditional foods. 

The next stop was Alanya, Turkey.  Put this place on your list if you love a sunny beach resort vacation on the sea.  It is beautiful and has more shops, restaurants, cafes, and bars than anyone can imagine . . . and it is home to very friendly, helpful, and welcoming people too.  Shop after shop offers gorgeous leather jackets and purses but they also have many stores and stalls selling knock-off items by all the designers.  The most fun shops to visit are those with big vats of fragrant exotic spices.   Note, at this particular time, we don’t always know how we Americans will be received in the Muslim countries we visit.  In some places, demonstrations and protests are taking place.  While we behave well and are cautious, our experience so far has been that people are warm and welcoming. 

The morning we arrived in Alanya, we opened the drapes to our cabin, and Wow!  In front of us across the water stood a tall mountain with an ancient fortress and stone walls that ran and ran, covering the entire peninsula jutting out from the town.  It is the largest castle in the world.  Because of its natural strategic position in the Mediterranean below the Taurus Mountains, Alanya served as a stronghold for the series of Mediterranean empires.  Today Alanya is a destination for vacation home ownership for Europeans and visitors from around the world.  We visited the Damlatas Cave in the center of town, took a gondola ride up to the huge castle at the top of the mountain, and then walked down.  Good day! 

The next day we were in Crete, another mythological town and more ruins.  We ported in Heraklion City and took a tour out of Knossos, to see ruins that validate the existence of the 2,000 BC Minoan civilization.  Afterward, we walked the town and enjoyed a traditional snack called Bugatsa, a dish of local goat cheese, spinach, and onion wrapped and baked in a crispy, tender pastry.  We shared one and then decided to order another.  Again, a light tender pastry was filled this time with minced zucchini and local goat cheese.  Yum!  We were in the Mediterranean, but I am not sure these treats fall into the so-called healthy Mediterranean diet. 

We had just a few hours in Kusadasi, Turkey, but it was a nice place to visit.  We walked through the Grand Market which at one time must have been filled with local goods and crafts but today the shops offer fabulous rugs, leather jackets, jewelry, and loads of knock-off shoes and designer bags.  They look authentic. We enjoyed our first taste of Turkish coffee. There is a process for drinking it. It is served hot and thick in a tiny cup with a small glass of water and two small candies (Turkish Delights). You take a sip of water, then drink the coffee. You finish with water then the candies. I like it. A thick sludge is left at the bottom of the cup. 

One note.  From Croatia to Greece, Egypt and all Mediterranean stops on this cruise, kitty cats rule.  Feral cats are everywhere.  While all the cities and towns we visited have lots of cats, Istanbul has the most. There are thousands of them. They come in all colors and patterns.  We assume the ones who look alike are siblings and cousins.    In all the places we visited, cats are fed and well cared for.  Lots of people put out food and water and have cat houses for shelter.  Few are frightened.  Most love a head scratch or a back rub.