Info - Repositioning Star Clipper - Suez Canal

[CaptnKen]

My wife and I are booked on Star Clipper, April 5, 2008 Westbound from Phuket to Athens. Four nights in Bangkok preceeding and post cruise in Athens. Ports scheduled are Colombo, Cochin, Goa, Safaga, Sharm El Sheik, Port Said, Alexandria, Rhodes, and Mykonos. We have a few questions from those who have sailed this itinerary (or have Clipper/Flyer experience) before:

• Ironing - can you do your own ironing? For sure something is going to get wrinkled during the 37 days. Must we pay or bring an iron to avoid ship's laundry for touch-ups?
  
• Shore excursions - What are the best ones? Am really interested in Pyramids (Port Said) and Valley of King's (Safaga). Anyone have experience with these? Ships excursions better than vendor? What other tours recommended for these/other ports?
  
• Piano - is it available for passengers to plunk at? I would like to bring some sheet music - for personal enjoyment, not to entertain!! If you need sheet music, you definitely aren't an entertainer!
  
• Water - I understand there is one (1) drinking faucet on deck. Is the water good? (must be), how about cold?. Sure, bottled water is available, but really, this can get expensive. Am I wrong about this?

We are really looking forward to this trip. Have been sailors for most of our lives. San Francisco and Southern California. Glad to hear that there is DVD player in rooms, this is correct, yes? and a DVD lending library. I will bring a couple special DVD's on Goodwill and Transpac race history. What else? What did you wish you had brought with you or had, in retrospect done, or known, that would have improved your voyage on repositioning (either direction)?

 

Looking forward to your posts... oh, were booked into #406.

 

Ken in California

[bajaed69]

Ken,

Sue and I are going the other way in Oct 2008 from Athens to only Goa India. We have left the country of India as our last continent to visit. We were in Egypt last year in Oct /Nov the weather was in the low 90's. No problems with seeing any of the sites. We have sailed on the Clipper before in the S. Caribbean. ;) After our time in India we are going to Thailand for a few weeks before coming back to Palm Springs. We both retired from the bay area in 05. Best of luck

 

ED/Sue:)

 

[CaptnKen]

Ed,

This will be our first time on a Clipper ship, I've been told that there is a water fountain on deck. Do you know if the room H2O supply is from onboard tanks or does the ship have an osmosis or other filtration to provide water to the rooms that is drinkable. Will be onboard 37 days. Can't drink alcohol the whole trip, and can't afford bottled water converted from Euro's to dollars. What is your, or other's, experience or recommendation?

 

Ken

[vtbobby]

This will be our first time on a Clipper ship, I've been told that there is a water fountain on deck. Do you know if the room H2O supply is from onboard tanks or does the ship have an osmosis or other filtration to provide water to the rooms that is drinkable. Will be onboard 37 days. Can't drink alcohol the whole trip, and can't afford bottled water converted from Euro's to dollars. What is your, or other's, experience or recommendation?

 

Ken

 

Hi Ken,

 

The water in the room is not filtered...but the water in the two chilled drinking fountains is filtered, as is the water used in drinks in the Tropical Bar; ice machines; and dining room. Bottled water was E2.50 for a liter bottle.

[bajaed69]

Hi Ken,

 

The water in the room is not filtered...but the water in the two chilled drinking fountains is filtered, as is the water used in drinks in the Tropical Bar; ice machines; and dining room. Bottled water was E2.50 for a liter bottle.

When we were on our last Clipper sailing we bought a couple of six packs of water before boarding for our shore use or refilled our bottles at the drinking fountain. We also brought some Crystal Light on the Go Hydration powder to mix with the water to add some flavor. Have a great time .

 

Ed/Sue:cool:

[Starflyergirl]

Hi Ken,

I have done this trip numerous times (it's the best value!). To answer some of your questions:

Ironing - The cabin boys will do this for you if necessary for a charge, there are no facilities for you to use to do it yourself, but obviously you can take a travel iron, although I believe that officially this is frowned on for safety reasons.

Shore Excursions - My favourite has to be in Sri Lanka to the elephant orphanage but quite often Colombo is dropped from the itinerary at the last minute due to concerns over port safety and terrorist attacks. The Valley of the Kings trip and the Pyramids are well worth it, on the whole I think you are better going with the ships excursions unless you know the area to which you are going. You will find Peter the Cruise Director very knowledgable and informative on everything, although with out being personal, he is not everyones cup of tea.

Piano - Yes, there is one in the Piano Bar and you are more than welcome to use it. It is a public space though, so be prepared for an audience!

Water - This has already been addressed, I find that the water is perfectly drinkable, bear in mind that it comes through the desalination process, the quality is checked every day by the Chief Engineer.

DVD's - Yes, the Purser's office has a small selection of DVD's available, I normally take some of my favourites with me though.

 

I'm sure that you will love the trip, it really is fantastic and my favourite, I especially love the time at sea without port stops. There is no formal entertainment on board, but generally the repositioning cruise has approx. 100 passengers on board, which is really nice as over the 37 days you get to meet and talk to everyone, the crew are really wonderful, all are friendly, I'm greeted like an old friend now and you will find alot of repeat passengers on the cruise. Have a wonderful time.

:cool: x

[CaptnKen]

Starflyergirl,

Thank you so much for your reply. Yes, I was wondering about the situation in Sri Lanka. Read yesterday that the Tambien? rebels have moved into the Northern portion, away from Columbo. Is the elephant orphanage very far from Columbo? If the Star Clipper berths there, can one assume it to be safe? Will Peter have an opinion? Also, I understand that bringing camera's on the tours to the Valley of the Kings is dicey. May have to leave in the bus. Somewhat similar situation at the Pyramids. Any thoughts, recommendations? Final question, if you were to give one piece of advice to either myself or my wife (we're in our active sixties, and have alot of coastal sailing experience (Southern Calif, but none as extended as this) what might you mention to us?

 

Thanks again for posting...

 

Ken

[bajaed69]

We were in Egypt last Oct/Nov and had no problems seeing any of the sites. Bring water!! Becareful of the rug mechants, they are relentlus. Enjoy your time in Egypt , we sure did.

 

Ed/Sue

[CaptnKen]

Thank you for your caution on bringing water. We leave for LAX in 45 minutes to start our adventure. Four nights in Bangkok, Hotel Montien Riverside, then flight to Phuket to board Star Clipper. Has been a long path of honeydues to get ready and shut the house down, etc. At the end of the cruise, we spend 4 nights in Athens, then fly to Sweden where my wife has family. Three months there. Then home. Flying West all the way....round the world!

 

Captn Ken, Seal Beach, Ca.