Celestyal Crystal

[thekidsandi]

We will have about 20 in our group. I'm sure not everyone will want to do the same excursions.

[travelingman]

On 9/3/2020 at 12:24 PM, thekidsandi said:

We will have about 20 in our group. I'm sure not everyone will want to do the same excursions.

 

Thanks.  Good sized group.

Talked to my agent last week about one of our travel couples who are interested in this cruise.  They did book it.  He told me there are a lot of groups booking the cruise, especially the first week, because of the number of the ports or excurions that are religious oriented.  Look forward to it.  Just hope the virus situation is taken care of by then.

We have a river cruise booked for May 2021 and I am beginning to have my doubts about that one the way things are in the states.

 

Stan

[travelingman]

I see it has been a good while since an of us have posted.  Thought I would start us off again.

I am assuming that everyone knows the cruise was moved from the Crystal to the Experience and now has been moved back to the Crystal.  in looking at the website i see Celestyal is pretty much going the same route as most cruise lines.  Requiring a negative PCR test 72 hours prior to boiarding or qualified proof of vaccintion; thermal screening at boarding; Health checks throughout the cruise; physical distancing; face masks; and only Celestyal excursions.  Between now and November there is always a chance some of this could change.

The real question is whether the cruise will be able to sail or not. Things are still not looking good in Europe and most countries are not leting us American in.  in fact, I have been reading that a number of the European countries have been geting worse and putting restictions back in place again.  Turkey is giving lots of shots ut the cases currently continue to climb.  israel has 56% of its population vaccinted and the number of cases are declining, but they have found a new strain of COVID 19 there.  In Greece the aily number of cases has increased since they eased restrictions on March 22.  So thing are not looking too good in the areas we are destined to travel to.

The one thing Celestyal has not moved to at this point is the requirement of passenger to have had the vaccine to board.

So, I would say that as of today things are not looking up at this point for the cruise to happen.

 

I am hoping someone might have some good news to share.

The good I can point to at this time is that in the US we are rapidly increasing the number of vaccines being given which means many of us will be ready to travel when allowed to - from a vaccine point of view.

 

Stan

[saltshell]

Researching transportation to Lavrion port. Celestyal has transfers to airport and Athens which appear to be more expensive than private transfer. There is a one hour bus from Athens to port.

Covid insurance, mandatory, is available from Celestyal but only covers cruise. Numerous other companies have offers. I will wait until closer to cruise to purchase.

[travelingman]

Have you checked out the rome2rio website -  https://www.rome2rio.com/map/Athens/Lavrio-Port

It gives the info for the different methods of transportation to the port.  From the airport might have to take bus or metro to Athens and then change to get to the port.

I have not checked on the COVID insurance yet.  Will wait until close to cruise final payment time.

Have the deposit insured through tripinsurancestore.com and will check with them.

 

I believe the cruise is still up in the air at this time.

 

Stan

[saltshell]

Hey Stan. I know rome to rio. Great site. Checked them for Cairo and Jerusalem transfers. Feeling optimistic about the cruise. Checking individual and private excursions.

[travelingman]

The way things currently stand I am not sure we will have any choices of what to do at the ports.  If I remember correctly under the current rules the only way to disembark at a port is on a Celestyal excursion.  If that holds true we would not be able to take any other kind of transfers in Cairo or Jerusalem.  I have been hoping to still do an independent tour in Jerusalem but not holding my breath at this point.  We were also planning to arrive about 3 days early to spend some more time in Athens.  However, with a requirement of a negative PCR test dating maximum 72 hours before embarkation we will have to find somewhere in Athens to have the test performed.

Still hoping things might loosen up some and that Celestyal might accept fully vaccinated certification versus the PCR test.

 

If you are coming in to Athens early I don't think it would be to hard to make the connection to the Lavrion port.  Since there will be another couple with us it might be a reasonable fare for us to take a taxi or private transport to the port.

 

Stan

[saltshell]

I too plan to spend 3 days in Athens. Recent google search states that as of May 14 Greece will open to those vaccinated. Plan to talk to Celestyal agent re: excursions. I've been twice to Cairo and would like to do something new. Don't like to think of myself as a " herd tourist".

[travelingman]

Hopefully they will change the rules but I am going forward with their current rules until I hear different.

My biggest thing is that I don't want to make a final payment and then the cruise gets cancelled.  From what I am currently seeing on their website is that they are not going to do the Steps of St. Paul and 3 Continents as a B2B in 2022,  Don't know if I want to do the Eclectic Aegean and Steps of St. Paul as a B2B.

 

Stan

[Wiggster]

Hi there sorry I am late to the party but I did not realise that Experience had switched to the Crystal and departing port is now Lavrio(n).

 

I am due to go on a B2b 14 night cruise with Celestyal in mid October (21), Greek Islands and Istanbul.

 

I tend to do the lottery and fly on the same day as sailing, There is a local KTEL bus (10 or 11) from Athens airport to Lavrio(n), cost 4 euros each way, then I intend to walk the 3 miles to port, all good exercise :).

[travelingman]

12 minutes ago, Wiggster said:

I tend to do the lottery and fly on the same day as sailing, There is a local KTEL bus (10 or 11) from Athens airport to Lavrio(n), cost 4 euros each way, then I intend to walk the 3 miles to port, all good exercise :).

 

I don't see the 3 mile walk as a problem.  But what about carrying the bag(s) on that 3 miles - maybe over cobble stone sidewalks.  Might want to consider a taxi versus walking.  After you are checked in on the ship you can always get off and get your walk in.

 

Stan

[travelingman]

Hello all.  For those of you on the Nov 13 (St. Paul) and / or Nov. 20, 2021 (3 Continents) are you still committed to these cruises?  I am sure that by now everyone knows the cruise has been moved back to the Celestyal Crystal cruise ship.  Currently it looks like we are restricted to the ships excursions but there is still time for that to change if things continue to improve in the various countries. It appears the biggest concern is that a couple of the countries are still not letting Americans in.  We can only hope and pray the Covid rates will continue to decrease in the US and in those countries as well.

 

A question for all of you, would you like to start a "roll" call" for the Nov 13 and Nov 20 cruises?  We can combine the 2 together to include those that are only on 1 or the other cruise along with those of us doing the BtB cruises.  If you are interested in this Saltshell did a posting titled "Nov 13, 2021" which was moved to the "All Other Ocean Cruise Lines Roll Calls" forum.

We could ask him to request the moderator, LauraS, to change the title to something that would represent these 2 cruises -  such as Nov 13 (St. Paul) and Nov 20, 2021 (3 Continents) or whatever you guys choose for a name.

 

Stan

[saltshell]

I'm game for a roll call. Still can't figure why my post was moved. Stan, do you know how to get them to re- place it ?

[travelingman]

26 minutes ago, saltshell said:

I'm game for a roll call. Still can't figure why my post was moved. Stan, do you know how to get them to re- place it ?

 

It is a little different now than when I did something similar.  Here is what cruise critic says.

 

Can My Post Be Edited Please?

 

Posts will ONLY be edited if they contain personal information. Note that we have provided a reasonable period of time in which to edit your postings. Please include a LINK (web address) to the posting and send to help@cruisecritic.com from your e-mail address of record on your Cruise Critic account.

We will need the link to the thread/posting to be able to provide the above service.

 

So, as I read this you will need to send an email to help@cruisecritic.com using your email account registered with cruise critic with the link to the Nov 13, 2021 post.  I looked up the link and it looks like https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2771155-november-13-2021/.  In the email you just need to ask them to change the name of the post to "Nov 13 (St. Paul) and  Nov 20, 2021 (3 Continents)" and just explain that you want to change the name of the post to make it a roll call for these cruises..  Generally there is no problem.

Let me know if there is any problems with doing this.

 

Stan

 

[travelingman]

A post has been started in this forum "Celestyal Cruises" as a Roll Call for the Nov 13 (St. Paul) and Nov 20 (3 Continents. cruises under the heading of - Celestyal Crystal Nov 13, through Nov. 20 through 27. Roll call.

 

Stan