Uniworld's River Tosca?

[next trip?]

Well, I figured it out. Guess you can teach an old dog new tricks!!! The pictures look beautiful, now I am even more excited to go!

thanks anyway ,

next trip?

[jperkin1]

Arg! So much for being efficient and jumping on the airfare:( Just looked up the same exact flight and it's now $500 cheaper!!! I booked it through Orbitz and it seems they'll only reduce the fare if someone else books the same exact flight for the lesser amount. Wonder how easy that will be to do. I would cancel it and start the whole dang thing over again if there was a $100 change fee, but its $250 (I'm assuming that's per person, so I wouldn't be ahead at all....) How annoying!! I could certainly find other ways to spend that $500... Sorry, just venting!

[49er]

Arg! So much for being efficient and jumping on the airfare:( Just looked up the same exact flight and it's now $500 cheaper!!! I booked it through Orbitz and it seems they'll only reduce the fare if someone else books the same exact flight for the lesser amount. Wonder how easy that will be to do. I would cancel it and start the whole dang thing over again if there was a $100 change fee, but its $250 (I'm assuming that's per person, so I wouldn't be ahead at all....) How annoying!! I could certainly find other ways to spend that $500... Sorry, just venting!

 

Sorry to hear that jperkin1:-( I have not looked at airfares again since I booked so I am still happy as a clam (with his head in the sand). It used to be if the fare went down you could get a credit but now the "fee" often exceeds whatever the savings might be. I just hope that they (United and Lufthansa) don't make to many more schedule changes in the next 4 months. As it is now, we depart Cairo for Frankfurt at 4:40am! That is going to be a very looooong day by the time we get back to Sacramento.

 

Next Trip2...Soon you will heading over for your cruise. Have a great trip and look forward to your comments when you return. Bon Voyage:-)

 

49er

 

49er

[jperkin1]

49er, you have the right idea. I never should have looked. I always do it though, after I make reservations. I'm not sure why. Guess I just always hope the fare will be so much higher and it will be painful for me to pat myself on the back so much.... That hasn't happened yet, so sooner or later I will learn:)

[next trip?]

Oh, don't you just hate that when you find a better price!!! I am like you, jperkins1, and always keep checking prices--airfare, hotels. I hate it when I think i have gotten a good price and then they lower it! I guess as 49er says, just be satisfied with what you got and don't look any further!

It is hard to believe but we leave a week from tomorrow. I sure wish someone would be coming back from the River Tosca and could report on it. The only one on these boards that I know of is westlakeed and they won't be back before we leave. I know it will be wonderful though. The pictures look great!!

I will certainely report the good/bad/and ugly when we get back. I know there won't be any bad or ugly though!!!

I am just beginning to put things into the suitcase and try to NOT take everything but the kitchen sink! I ALWAYS take way tooo much! I am soooo excited!!!

Just heard from our guide, Rasha, yesterday and everything is firmed up!

next trip?

[jperkin1]

Wow!! A week from tomorrow... that's amazing! We leave in 3 months, which seems incredibly close (sort of...) Time does seem to go by much quicker than I'd like.

 

Know that you'll have a wonderful time, such a great experience the whole thing will be! Happy travels to you:)

[next trip?]

Thanks jperkin1,

I have all of my notes and research together --sights to see, rests. for a taste of the local culture etc. etc.!

We leave from St. Louis next Monday AM and arrive in Cairo on the 10th. Can't wait!!

Thanks for the good wishes.

next trip?

[Rosie01]

Jperkin1: Just saw this from Budget Travel about matching reduced airfares. Is anyone interested?

"Get Money Back" by Sean O'Neill, Budget Travel, September 2009

 

Flights

Most fliers don't know that major U.S. airlines have policies that qualify you for a refund if the fare goes down after you book. Of course, they don't tell you when your fare changes—and who actually keeps track of these things?—so travelers rarely see the money. Enter Yapta. Two years ago, the site introduced its free airfare-tracking service, which e-mails you the moment your fare dips. For $15, Yapta will file the pesky money-back paperwork with your airline. Last summer, Orbitz got in on the business, with its Price Assurance program. If another Orbitz customer books the same itinerary for less than what you paid, you automatically get a check for the difference (up to $250 per ticket). No paperwork required.

 

 

Posted by Traveler73 on Tuesday, September 08, 2009 8:14:11 PM

 

Not quite...Our upcoming flight has been discounted since we booked it online on the carrier's website several months ago.A call to the carrier confirmed that they indeed have a refund policy in such cases. However, there is an administrative fee of $150 per ticket.So, if we would send them $300 they will send our refund... which is less than $150.Hmmmmmmmmmmm.

 

Thought some Cruise Critics might be interested.

 

Next Trip? Our fingers are crossed that we get clearance from doctors to leave and that we will get to meet you on 11/14.

Rosie 01

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arg! So much for being efficient and jumping on the airfare:( Just looked up the same exact flight and it's now $500 cheaper!!! I booked it through Orbitz and it seems they'll only reduce the fare if someone else books the same exact flight for the lesser amount. Wonder how easy that will be to do. I would cancel it and start the whole dang thing over again if there was a $100 change fee, but its $250 (I'm assuming that's per person, so I wouldn't be ahead at all....) How annoying!! I could certainly find other ways to spend that $500... Sorry, just venting!

[tmk1941]

:confused:

Still waiitng to hear form those of yuo that ACTUALLY CRUISED on the River Tosca.

 

Alos has anyone bought their Visa at the Cairo airport? How long was the wait? This is what vantage deluxe recommends for their Egypt trips.

 

14 weeks before we leave.

[next trip?]

tmk1941,

We are going to get our visa's at the Cairo airport. According to the guide that we have hired there is nothing to it. Just have $15.00 each and you receive a stamp on your passport. Very little waiting in line! I will let you know how it goes. We leave on the 9th of Nov.

 

rosie01,

I did not know that you had been ill. sure hope you get that clearance and we get to meet. I will keep my fingers ( and toes) crossed! our time is quickly upon us after waiting a year!!

next trip?

[49er]

tmk1941,

We are going to get our visa's at the Cairo airport. According to the guide that we have hired there is nothing to it. Just have $15.00 each and you receive a stamp on your passport. Very little waiting in line! I will let you know how it goes. We leave on the 9th of Nov.

 

We mailed our Passports and completed paperwork off to the Egyptian Consulate in San Francisco yesterday for our visa stamps. One less thing to worry about I guess.

NextTrip?, have a great trip and we will be thinking of you guys next week. Make sure you set your watches to "vacation time" :-) Looks like it will be in the mid 80s in Cairo and the mid 90s at Luxor. Summertime again:-)

 

49er

[next trip?]

Thanks 49er for the well wishes! We received an e-mail from the Mena House this morning answering a question I had about a belly dancing show.We are staying there the first 3 days of our trip before meeting our tour group at the Marriott.

I had read on TA that Mena House has one of the best belly dancers in Cairo. They sent me the menu plus prices. The show begins at 7:15 with a pop singer and then the belly dancer begins at 8:15. The menu sounds very good so I think we probably will do that.

If this interests you I just e-mailed the hotel and received a prompt answer this Am. There are other places to go but since we are right there decided this would be the easiest--no taxis, fighting crowds etc. You can make your reservations before you leave home!

next trip?

[49er]

Thanks 49er for the well wishes! We received an e-mail from the Mena House this morning answering a question I had about a belly dancing show.We are staying there the first 3 days of our trip before meeting our tour group at the Marriott.

I had read on TA that Mena House has one of the best belly dancers in Cairo. They sent me the menu plus prices. The show begins at 7:15 with a pop singer and then the belly dancer begins at 8:15. The menu sounds very good so I think we probably will do that.

If this interests you I just e-mailed the hotel and received a prompt answer this Am. There are other places to go but since we are right there decided this would be the easiest--no taxis, fighting crowds etc. You can make your reservations before you leave home!

next trip?

Thanks for the offer but since we have only booked one extra pre cruise night at the Marriott we probably won't have time to visit the Mena House. BTW, our neighbors stayed there a few years back and thought it was a wonderful hotel. You are certainly going to enjoy your stay there. Not sure if you have been checking the Uniworld Facebook page or not but there is some info about wine costs (glass/bottle) and internet fees while aboard the Tosca.

 

49er

[next trip?]

Thanks 49er. I have only checked the facebook page to see pictures of the River Tosca a few days ago. I will check it now for the wine costs and Internet costs. I am not sure if we are taking our laptop or not. just one more thing to lug around!

Thnaks for the tip.

nedt trip?

[jperkin1]

Thanks Rosie. I did know that about Orbitz, but I figure the chances of someone booking our same exact trip from Houston to Cairo on the same dates/times are pretty low. If that happens, I will know that I have been living right!! I did, however, call Continental today, the rep that I spoke with gave me a different $ figure than what I came up with, it was still lower though, so they will send me a voucher for the difference (less $50 per ticket, per person, for whatever reason....). Bottom line, I will get a few dollars back, so that is certainly better than nothing! We fly Continental on a regular basis, so whatever $$'s they give us, it will help out...

 

Happy travels to all:)

[tmk1941]

Many thanks. I look forward to hearing from you when you return. Are you on the 7 night cruise? If yes, I'll be interesrted in your experience regarding the Abu Simbel trip.

 

 

 

tmk1941,

We are going to get our visa's at the Cairo airport. According to the guide that we have hired there is nothing to it. Just have $15.00 each and you receive a stamp on your passport. Very little waiting in line! I will let you know how it goes. We leave on the 9th of Nov.

 

rosie01,

I did not know that you had been ill. sure hope you get that clearance and we get to meet. I will keep my fingers ( and toes) crossed! our time is quickly upon us after waiting a year!!

next trip?

[next trip?]

tmk1941

Yes, we are doing the 7 day Nile trip. I will post our experiences when we get back. We are doing the Abu Simbel trip. I hear it is not to be missed.

All packed and ready to go except for the last minute items!!! Really, really excited!

next trip?

[Jete]

I noticed questions about wine prices on the Uniworld Tosca cruise. Is wine complimentary at dinner? We were on a Rhine River Cruise and wine was free with dinner, but not in the lounge.

 

Does anyone know if Tosca has a "lift"--elevator or chair lift?

[49er]

No complimentary wine and no elevator but not sure about a chair lift.

 

49er

[next trip?]

Just getting the last minute things ready before we depart for St. Louis. Our flight is at 7:00AM tomorrow. Wow, am I excited!!! At last our dream trip is here!!! I will le tyou know "ALL" when we return!

next trip?

[49er]

Just getting the last minute things ready before we depart for St. Louis. Our flight is at 7:00AM tomorrow. Wow, am I excited!!! At last our dream trip is here!!! I will le tyou know "ALL" when we return!

next trip?

Have a safe flight and a wonderful trip! We will be traveling right along with you in spirt:-). Looking forward to reading any comments you might have upon your return. Enjoy!!!

 

49er

[next trip?]

Thank you 49er for the well wishes. I think we have it all together finally and are ready to drive to St. Louis. Hope my lugggage is not overweight!!! I kept adding last minute items .....

I will report back in a few weeks!!!

next trip?

[Westlakeed]

We're baaack! The Splendors of the Nile cruise was great. The weather was outstanding (in the 80's) and the itinerary was superb. The Tosca, however, was a disappointment. Although the layout and room size is fine, the fit and finish of the ship not at all good. This is a new ship, but one could never tell by looking at it. The floors are severely scratched and are buckling. There is white paint on everything including the hardware and the bathroom fixtures. Some of the countertops in the bathrooms are cracked and the tubs are stained. The mosaic tile floor in the dining room is coming apart and the same with the swimming pool. It is a shame that Uniworld let this ship pass inspection and are using it. The cruise director apologized for the ship at our first meeting and said it might be taken out of service in January for a redo. The service on the ship was very good,and the crew was extremely friendly. The food was good but lacked variety, especially at breakfast.We were in a presidential suite, but were able to see the other staterooms. Our suite was very large, but was still badly put together.

If you have any other questions, please let me know.

[sands28]

According to the pre-cruise review on Cruise Critic (se below) there is supposed to be one. I have check several sources and could not find one on the deck plans.

 

River Tosca's onboard features include a swimming pool lined with cabanas. A Jacuzzi can be found on the sun deck. There will also be a fully equipped gym, a spa, an onboard hairdresser, a library, and a boutique for gifts and sundries.

[Westlakeed]

There is no Jacuzzi on the Tosca. There is a small gym, very small gift shop (no sundries), but very nice jewelry. The small pool does have cabanas. There was no hairdresser. The very small library is off the main lobby in the smoking room. There is a massage room.