Taj Mahal precruise, Mumbai to Bali on Voyager 20 Nov-20 Dec

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Am beginning this thread a tad early since, if memory serves, we have not enjoyed a live pre cruise/on board post from an upcoming Voyager cruise since forgap's wonderful Venice to Rome thread over a month ago.

We already have a few Voyager--Mumbai to Bali--CCr's on board the Voyager now (Altosaxman/Tom & Peg, Glorygaf/Tony & Gloria) as well as a few of us (ScottnZelda/Dotti & Fred, Kia Orana/Sue & Frank, Amsh/Sheila & Aaron) traveling on Thanksgiving Day and over Thanksgiving weekend. Thus, do hope a few of us will post about our travel experiences between now (Nov 20-30 Nov) and when we board the Voyager on December 1st. Have asked Altosaxman and Glorygaf if they have time from their Luxor to Mumbai voyage to consider posting.

Believe Amsh/Sheila & Aaron are traveling on/right after Thanksgiving to visit Varanasi India. Many of Mumbai to Bali Regent CCr's are flying out of their hometowns on Monday, Nov 26th in order to arrive in Delhi for the start of Regent's Taj Mahal Package, early evening of Nov 28th. Prior to starting the first phase (Pre Taj Mahal Package (Nov 22-28), let's review our unique SE Asia ports of call.

Our Voyager SE Asia journey begins next Monday, we fly from Atlanta to Delhi, arriving Delhi in the early morning Wednesday Nov 28th. We then join Regent's Taj Mahal package/four day land tour, starting in Delhi, then visiting Agra and the magnificent Taj Mahal, moving on for a day in Jaipur--the "pink city. On Saturday, Dec 1st we fly from Jaipur to the port in Mumbai where the Voyager waits. Exciting/exotic ports include: Goa, New Mangalore, Cochin, Mali (Maldives), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Phuket, (Thailand) Penang (Malaysia), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Singapore, Semarang (Indonesia) and we end in Bali. Can't wait to enjoy this unique SE Asia itinerary--our first time in this part of Asia.

Also, we hope to add interest/value to Regent CC readers by sharing Leveraged Travel Tips (save resources (time & $$)) when you travel to/from your Regent cruise. Specifically, will share our pre cruise travel & packing tips, and briefly explain how we use our stash of frequent flyer miles and our bounty of hotel points to book flights and hotels vs paying cash or using Regent's included air/hotel.

Please see Ida and my Embarkation minus 7 packing/cruise to do list:

Our first significant Regent cruise transportation expense is travel to and from our home to our major airport, Atlanta's Hartsfield (World's busiest). Today, we firmed up out transportation arrangements to the Atlanta airport. Options considered; Leveraged Travel Tip: best price value for airport parking we've found (at $3.00 day) is about $3 per day found using airport parking incorporated. Airport parking Inc has dozens of locations in many of the nation's largest airports, pls see: http://www.airportparkinginc.com/locations.asp?sess=999543519. However, for added convenience, and to set the tone for our SE Asia journey (travel to airport w/o having to hump luggage from long term parking lot to shuttle to check-in counter) we booked a limo service. In Atlanta we will use action limo (cost about $5.40 a day over a 25 day journey, $137/25 days). You could also call a Taxi, but from our home to ATL airport the cost of a taxi w/tip is about $130. Some passengers also use a luggage delivery service to get their luggage to the port of embarkation, Regent has partnered with Luggage Free--pls see www.luggagefree.com

In our next post we will briefly discuss our 2nd Leveraged Travel Tip: how we were able to book First Class seats on British Airways from ATL to Delhi for only a couple hundred dollars more than the Regent air credit ($1500pp) we received by making our own air arrangements (via frequent flyer miles awards).

Also, if Regent Air has you on British air (Biz Class) did you know that you get a complimentary spa treatment..more in the next post. http://www.britishairways.com/travel/lounges/public/en_gb

Wes and Ida. Have a wonderful trip. I have never been to India so can't comment but I have been to Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Bali several times. You are in for a wonderful treat. A very beautiful part of the world. Enjoy. I am looking forward to your reports. Elsie

Have a great trip..Stu and I loved that part of the world and the highlight of all of our trips was seeing the Taj at sunrise!!

Jancruz1

Wes is definitely the early bird! We will be doing separate threads for our upcoming cruise. This will allow Wes' thread to remain positive, show great pictures of where we are, etc. As usual, my thread will be more about the people in the countries we visit and how well Regent does with their "included" 3-night pre-cruise trip to the Taj (no guarantees that this will be positive as I am extremely leary about how this will be handled).

Looking forward to reading Wes' thread -- will see you on my thread starting Monday:)

We understand luggage is limited on the Taj trip but we wonder if Regent provides for handling additional luggage that are intended for the cruise (our arrival airport is Delhi and the cruise leaves from Mumbai)?

Have a great trip Wes! Looking forward to tagging along!

We very much look forward to reading your posts, especially since we will be on the 4/18/13 cruise from Mumbai to Safaga and will be taking the same 3 night pre cruise land trip in India. A few questions. We are using RSSC's air to Delhi with the business class upgrade (& frequent f miles to return on our own). . We're hoping to fly Air India, which is the only airline that flies non stop from Chicago. How far in advance did Regent advise of your air arrangements (if you or anyone used Regent's air, were you able to choose seats?) Regent says that they recommend only 1 suitcase per couple for the precruise. Was that strictly followed, did they arrange to ship the balance of your luggage to Mumbai ? We also noticed that although we're allowed 70lb per bag internationally, AIr India allows only 32 lb for their internal flight from Japur to Mumbai. Is this correct? How were the hotels, buses, sightseeing and food? Have a great cruise.

Hope everyone has a great trip. It will nice to have some seamail to read, and from such an interesting part of the world.

Bon Voyage!

We very much look forward to reading your posts, especially since we will be on the 4/18/13 cruise from Mumbai to Safaga and will be taking the same 3 night pre cruise land trip in India. A few questions. We are using RSSC's air to Delhi with the business class upgrade (& frequent f miles to return on our own). . We're hoping to fly Air India, which is the only airline that flies non stop from Chicago. How far in advance did Regent advise of your air arrangements (if you or anyone used Regent's air, were you able to choose seats?) Regent says that they recommend only 1 suitcase per couple for the precruise. Was that strictly followed, did they arrange to ship the balance of your luggage to Mumbai ? We also noticed that although we're allowed 70lb per bag internationally, AIr India allows only 32 lb for their internal flight from Japur to Mumbai. Is this correct? How were the hotels, buses, sightseeing and food? Have a great cruise.

You will receive your flights 75 days before you cruise departure date. Yes -- you are able to choose seats. After you have your flights and Reference number, you can go online to select seats. We noticed that on a couple of airlines, the international limits have gone from 70 lb/bag to 51 lb/bag (business class).

Yes -- it is correct that Air India only allows 32 lbs. for their internal flight from Jaipur to Mumbai. That is really a challenge:confused:

We'll know the rest of the information once we are there.

Really looking forward to following along with someone whose opinion I trust and whose manner I enjoy.

Best to you and Ida for an exuberant holiday.

This is a cruise I have been looking forward to almost as much as you, Wes/Ida and Travelcat and the departure date has arrived so soon. Marvellous itinerary, so much to see and do. Safe journey to India, keep up with the exercise and tell us all about the Officers, crew and entertainment staff when you get on board.

Yes -- it is correct that Air India only allows 32 lbs. for their internal flight from Jaipur to Mumbai. That is really a challenge:confused:

We'll know the rest of the information once we are there.

We expect to use my wife's travel scoot, see if you find this would work out, please!:)

We expect to use my wife's travel scoot, see if you find this would work out, please!:)

Will definitely look out for that. I Googled "Travel Scoot" and am amazed how well designed and compact they are!

Wes, Al & I are looking forward to reading about your pre-cruise trip and voyage. Please give our regards to Ida. Bon voyage!

Wishing you and Ida safe travels and wonderful experiences, Wes! Enjoy every moment of this much anticipated journey! Looking forward to your excellent trip reports! Happy holidays to you and Ida!

Wes, wonderful post and as usual great information.

Great list of things to do and I loved the the last of the at home to do's.

I wish you and Ida an absolutely wonderful time.

Safe travels and enjoy a wonderful journey. Make memories that will last a lifetime.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and to Ida.

Keith

Threechicks, Jancruz, Travelcat, p01One, Dabear, Rachel G, Longhorn1, edemed, OrpingtonT; NYfeds, SunViking, Keith1010, thank you very much for your bon voyage/well wishes. We anxiously look forward to Carpe Diem (Seizing the Day) and enjoying sights/sounds of new ports, meeting new cruise friends, seeing new & familiar Voyager crew.

Op01One, per our Voyager Mumbai to Bali cruise booklet, p16, the answer to your luggage?:

"We Kindly ask that your pack accordingly prior to departing your home as guests will be requested to deposit any and all baggage in excess of 32 lbs on arrival to your hotel in Delhi at the beginning of your program. Any excess baggage taken on the flight will be at the guest's own expense. All luggage RSSC will ship directly to Mumbai and delivered to your on board stateroom."

Late last night heard from Glorygaf/Tony & Gloria now on board the Voyager (Safaga to Mumbai), his post on our Mumbai to Bali roll call thread is copied below:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1552920&page=23 (pls see post #444)

Yesterday, 11:32 PM

Hello Wes, re your comment about formal nights, the first on this current segment was quoted as Formal (optional), however, most passengers were formally dressed. The next one is quoted the same.

We are really enjoying Voyager following a fabulous circumnavigation of South America early this year on Mariner. Initially we compared the 2 and found some faults, but the longer we have been on board Voyager the more we have come to like her.

The crew are "amazing" as Ray Solaire would say, he has been on board as a

celebrity guest, but left yesterday. He will replace Paul Reynolds as CD in Feb.

Frank Galzy is GM and runs a great ship, the Capt. John McNeill is always around and constantly speaks to passengers.

We have met plenty of crew members who were aboard Mariner and they have all recognized us and call us by name as many of the current crew do also.

We have just spent a day in Salalah, Oman after a fabulous 4 sea days and we have another today before we spend 4 busy days with excursions in Muscat Oman, Fujairah UAR, Abu Dhabi, Doha Qatar, and Dubai.

Get excited Voyager is a fine ship and you will all thoroughly enjoy yourself.

Continuing to share Leveraged Travel Tips:

Our next major Regent cruise trans expense is flight cost. Our other retirement hobby besides reading/posting Cruise Critic :) is fiercely collecting frequent flyer miles (13 different airline programs), and banking hotel points (seven different hotel programs). Therefore, since 2008, instead of taking Regent air, we have enjoyed a fairly robust air credit on our Regent (and Silversea) cruises (e.g., on this voyage we each rcvd an air credit of $1500). We used 90,000 British Airways (Avios) miles each (cost est about $900 one BA/Avios mile is equivalent to worth about 1+ cents) in addition to miles est cost we also paid $648 pp in tax for our BA FC tix. Thus, we were able to get First Class seats from Atlanta to Delhi on British Airways for just a few hundred dollars more than the Regent air credit they gave us. Leveraged our air travel near $8K pp, since FC flights on BA cost about $9600 one way from Atlanta to Delhi on the flights we originally booked. About two months ago, British Airways did change our plane for the flight from London to Delhi from three class (FC, BC, Econ) to just two class (BC and Econ) thus we were voluntarily downgraded to BC from FC.

If you are interested in learning more about the techniques (easy to learn) we use to earn frequent flyer miles, pls post and I will eagerly share more of what we have learned. For now, very briefly, to earn FF miles or Hotel points you take advantage of your good credit (credit scores over 750 on FICO, Vantage scores over 900) and apply for credit cards that offer exceptional bonus ff miles when you meet a level of spending (e.g., BA Visa Signature card last year offered 100K miles as a bonus, both Ida and I got this bonus) thus with this offer and others we earned over 200K BA miles--enough for FC tickets to Delhi

Pre Cruise (Taj Mahal Package, visit to New Delhi, Agra (Taj Mahal), Jaipur, and Mumbai (NOv 28-Dec 1)

Also, a few of us want to ride an Elephant during this voyage. At our Phuket, Thailand port stop Ida and I previously selected, "Scenic Phuket and Elephant Camp," where as the excursion summary notes, "At the elephant camp, enjoy an elephant show before having the unique opportunity to ride one of these lumbering beasts for a short ride through lush forest and plantation land." However, thanks to the exceptional planning/coordination by fellow Mumbai to Bali CCr, Kia Orana (Frank & Sue), they organized two wonderful all day snorkeling trips for our Maldives and Phuket port stops (at an extra $75pp (very reasonable for these top rated world snorkel locations) we canceled our Regent included excursion for Phuket. There are wonderful opportunities to ride an elephant in Jaipur (alas early in the a.m (up to Amber fort), and we do not arrive (with the Regent Taj Mahal package in Jaipur next Friday until 5-6pm in the evening. Our neighbor (born in India still has a home there) recommend we check with the Jaipur palace once we are at the Marriott. Have therefore got in touch with Marriott Jaipur concierge to attempt to see if we can make an elephant ride in Jaipur a possibility.

Obviously have gone on too long with this post, can u tell we're both excited about our upcoming SE Asia Journey--we can't wait and look forward to taking you along and hearing from you.

Wes; Hope you and Ida have a wonderful trip. Will call this weekend before you leave. Lynn is off to CA Friday, but I'm still working on the April Spirit cruise. Hip is doing well.

Wes, I have enjoyed reading about all your plans and seeing your to do lists. Sounds very familiar to me as I start early with my check lists. In my opinion the planning is one of the best parts of the trip. The actual trip is just the icing on the cake. Elsie

You should write a book...seriously!

Wayne and Karen

Wes: although I've already told you about the wonderful diving off Phuket, I also want to add that it's a wonderful experience to ride an elephant (asian elephants are bigger than african ones.). We did an elephant trek in northern Thailand and we were amazed how sure footed they were. Enjoy!

Dougburns, Threechicks, Txladycruiser, Dabear; Doug, Elsie, Karen & Wayne, thanks so much for your too kind words, glad you are enjoying our posts. Dabear, we can't wait to experience snorkeling both in Phuket and Mali

For fello Mumbai to Bali cruisers, have now made contact with the Taj Palace--they confirmed our room (even our request for extra pillows) as part of the Regent Seven seas group. Also, TC, they sent me a word document of their WiFi prices (e.g. very reasonable 674 INR for 24 hrs (a bit over $12). Still waiting to hear back from the concierge at Marriott/Jaipur for a possible elephant ride for Ida and I.

Dougburns, Threechicks, Txladycruiser; Doug, Elsie, Karen & Wayne, thanks so much for your too kind words, glad you are enjoying our posts.

 

For fello Mumbai to Bali cruisers, have now made contact with the Taj Palace--they confirmed our room (even our request for extra pillows) as part of the Regent Seven seas group. Also, TC, they sent me a word document of their WiFi prices (e.g. very reasonable 674 INR for 24 hrs (a bit over $12). Still waiting to hear back from

the concierge at Marriott/Jaipur for a possible elephant ride for Ida and I.

Wes, thanks for the info. on WiFi prices. Agree that they are quite reasonable.

Wes,

Georges and I are in high anticipation to hear EVERY detail. be careful, though....I think there are flying monkeys in every place you're visiting! Best to you and Ida!

Jennifer

Wes: although I've already told you about the wonderful diving off Phuket, I also want to add that it's a wonderful experience to ride an elephant (asian elephants are bigger than african ones.). We did an elephant trek in northern Thailand and we were amazed how sure footed they were. Enjoy!

Sorry but you have them mixed up. African elephants are much larger.