En Route To Catania/Sicily, Italy

We had a wonderful time at last night World Cruise Event. As we had mentioned, the theme for the event was Roman Holiday. The event began with pre-dinner cocktails in the Palm Court, which is the same room, which is used for the various receptions that we attend. The reception provided a nice opportunity to socialize with several of our World Cruise passengers who we have come to know so very well since we began our journey in January starting in Los Angeles. Various drinks were available including a couple of Italian drinks and guests could order any type of drink that they wanted.

Each of us received a card earlier in the day, noting the number of the table we were assigned to. When it was time to be seated for dinner, one by one, each table number was called. At that point our host escorted us to our table for the evening.

We sat with two other couples who we first met on last years World Cruise. One of the couples we had dined with just the night before and we greatly enjoy their company. The other couple is our next-door neighbor on the ship and we have a tradition of sitting with this couple along with a few other fellow passengers at just about each and every Captain’s Welcome, Captains Farewell, and Crystal Society Reception. We also sat with this couple and met them for the very first time at last years World Cruise Gala that kicked off the 2007 World Cruise. We also greatly enjoy seeing them at all of these events.

Our host for the evening was the person in charge of IT on the ship.

We were escorted to an area that was set up around the indoor pool. The pool was covered with a wooden platform, which was used as a stage for this evening’s entertainment. Before the meal began, and then between courses we were treated to a magical evening of world class entertainment by a variety of performers including entertainers from Crystal along with entertainers who are on the ship for a portion of this segment of the World Cruise. The Crystal musicians played live music.

We enjoyed a wonderful meal.

We started off with an antipasti of beef, stuffed with prosciutto and sweet melon, followed b a delicious roasted vegetable soup with olive crostini, which was followed by a delicious entrée consisting of a reosemary baked veal chop, tartufo risotto, fresh with asparagus, with cherry tomatoes. For dessert we were served white peach tiramisu, limoncella pana cotta and hazelnut-ricotta semifreddo.

Wine was served throughout the meal along with water and coffee and in keeping with the theme for the event Limoncello was served.

Lots of thought and effort go into the planning of this event and we applaud Crystal for making this a special evening that we will cherish for years to come.

Afterwards, we attended the evening show, which included a juggler and a comedian. We stayed for most of this show. For those who are not on the World Cruise, complimentary pre-dinner cocktails were available in many of the lounges and complimentary selected wines were served in the Main Dining Room during dinner.

This morning Keith woke up very early this morning as he had an item that he was dealing with at home for us. As a result, Keith was easily the first passenger to arrive at the center. In fact, he was there so early we won’t mention the precise time ☺. He worked out on the Elliptical Machine for a little over two hours. As he was alone in the center for most of the time, he watched the Pennsylvania Primary results. He spoke with John and Mary for a few minutes.

Afterwards, he went to the Lido Café to bring coffee back to the room for both Anne Marie and himself. Anne Marie worked out later in the morning. Keith spoke with several of the Lido Stewards this morning. They had been up very late having cleaned up after the event. We can’t say enough how wonderful and hardworking these folks are. We greatly appreciate all that they do to make our journey such a pleasant adventure.

Today is a sea day so there are lots of activities throughout the day, afternoon and evening. Since today is the last sea day for this segment of the World Cruise there was a tremendous number of lectures given by several wonderful speakers.


We then enjoyed a very nice breakfast served in our room. After breakfast we got ready for today’s activities.

We attended a wonderful lecture given by destination lecturer Dr. Jay Wolff. The topic of his presentation was “Caesar’s Rome – Corruption and Grandeur”. Once again Dr. Wolff hit a home run with his presentation. He is an amazing speaker as he provides lots of interesting information that is presented in a manner that is very easy to follow. We applaud Dr. Wolff for the effort that goes into preparing and delivering these wonderful presentations and we have learned so very much from him during the entire World Cruise.

We attended two other presentations in the morning. We listed to diplomat Tex Harris and the topic of his presentation was “Terrorism, Pakistan and Statecraft: The Future Challenge.” He gave a very interesting presentation and we greatly appreciate the thoughts that he has shared during each of these presentations.

We then listened to Ambassador Marc Ginsberg who gave a wonderful presentation on a topic called “Atomic Ayatollahs: Iran, the U.S., Israel and the Bomb”. Again, this was also a terrific presentation. Ambassador Ginsberg is a very charismatic speaker and we have learned so very much from him regarding many of the key issues in the Middle East; particularly those involving Israel, Iraq and Iran. The focus of today’s presentation was Iran and the challenges that Iran presents to the Middle East.

Following these presentations we enjoyed a wonderful lunch in the Main Dining Room. Today, was the Grand Gala Buffet which is always a very popular event and one that is very well attended.

In the afternoon, we attended a panel discussion, which included Ambassador Marc Ginsberg, Retired Brigadier General Nick Halley, and American Diplomat Tex Harris. For us, this was the highlight of the day. This panel took questions from the audience and for most questions each of the three speakers shared their views. There were occasions where there was agreement on a particular item but as expected there were times when the speakers expressed different opinions on a particular subject. These are very challenging and complex issues and for some issues there is no right or wrong or precise approach to a particular item. Many times solid discussion, with opposing views, can lead to an optimal solution. We applaud Crystal for being able to feature all three of these speakers on one segment of the cruise. We have certainly learned a great deal from each of them, during their respective individual talks and during today’s panel discussion.

Later in the afternoon, there was yet another speaker when Sports Psychology Expert Stanley Teitelbaum, Ph.D. gave a presentation titled :The Psyche of the Athelete and the Need for Hero’s.”

This evening was the final formal night on this segment of the World Cruise and as part of this evening there was a Captain’s Formal Reception.

We enjoyed a wonderful dinner this evening. The food on the ship continues to be outstanding.

Tomorrow, we will arrive to our next port of call in Catania/Sicily, Italy.

This evening we set our clocks back one hour as we sail into a new time zone. This means an extra hour of sleep. ☺


Keith & Anne Marie

Aghios Nikolaos, Crete, Greece

We posted last evening before we went to dinner at the Prego Italian Specialty Restaurant. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner with four other people. This included a wonderful couple who we first met on last years Full World Cruise who we sit with from time to time at various World Cruise Events. The other two people included a charming woman who we dined with about a month ago who spent here entire career as an actor including performing on Broadway and around the country and she has also performed on television and has appeared in movies. We first met her last year on the World Cruise and she is a fascinating woman to talk with. She invited the lead Crystal male vocalist to join us for dinner and it was so wonderful to talk with him. The food, service, ambience of the restaurant and the food was wonderful. I had a seafood special which was on the menu, which was fresh turbo fish that had just been flown in, and my wife enjoyed the black cod. We arrived a few minutes before everyone else so we spoke with the Maitre D’ of the Specialty Restaurant and the Head Waiter for Prego who we have come to know quite well.

This morning we arrived in Crete/Aghios Nikolaos, Greece. This was a maiden call for Crystal Cruises. This city is located on the Greek Island of Crete. It is considered a gateway to many small towns and villages of this region. It has become a favorite destination for visitors to this area of the world. It has a very attractive harbor and has many nice beaches.

Over the years this Island was under the rule of the Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Venetians, Ottoman Turks, British, Italians and the German Nazis.

We woke up early this morning and enjoyed another nice workout in the Fitness Center. I worked out on the Elliptical Machine, while my wife worked out on the Treadmill. The workout was great and as we were finishing up the workout we could see the lights from the port.

After our workout we stopped by the Lido Café to get a cup of coffee and later in the morning we enjoyed a wonderful breakfast in our room.

Our ship docked at the Aghios Nikolaos in Crete, Greece on schedule by 7:00 AM this morning. No shuttle was needed as the town is located within a very short walk of the pier. From our verandah we had a picture perfect view of this port of call and it is stunning. There was no question that we have arrived to Europe. This city has the look of Greece (it should this is Greece ☺) and of course it has the European flair as well. The only downside is that the USA dollar is worth even less than it was last year. We are glad that we have Euros with us from last year. We don’t think too many people will be out shopping today.

We did not take a shore excursion. Four excursions were offered and the highlights included the Minnoan Palace of Knossos, the Archaeological Museum in Heraklion, and the Lassithi Plateau.

During Captain Glenn's daily talk from the bridge his thought for today was "You have succeeded wen all you really want is all you really need." Another very nice thought from the captain. During todays talk the Captain said the weather forecast called for very nice weather and as usual the Captain was correct. We had a beautiful day in port.

We walked off the ship at around 8:15 AM and spent three full hours walking around the town. This is a beautiful town and hopefully one that Crystal will return to in the future. We visited three different churches, and walk up countless roads and side streets. There are many nice restaurants and cafes around the town offering both inside and outside dining. We walked into a few bakeries with wonderful smells of just made breads and cookies and other delectable desserts. We walked inside one supermarket and also looked at a seafood store and also a butcher shop.

We retuned to the ship late morning and in the early afternoon we enjoyed a nice Salad Entrée for Lunch in the Main Dining Room. Afterwards, we decided to taken another walk around town for about an hour. During our afternoon walk we ran into lots of our fellow passengers and crew. Everyone we ran into thought the town was a delight. We also ran into Actor and Playwright Jim Brochu and Steve and chatted for a few minutes. They are both very nice.

This evening is a special World Cruise Event, which will be held at the area around the Indoor Pool. A stage for the entertainment was built and placed over the pool. The event is called Roman Holiday. The event is et to begin with pre-dinner cocktails at 5:30 PM and at 6:00 PM we were escorted to our assigned table. We sat with two other couples who we first met on last years World Cruise and each table was hosted by someone from Crystal’s Staff.

For all of those guests not on the full World Cruise they have been invited for complimentary pre-diner cocktails in several of the Crystal Bars and they are also being offered a selection of complimentary wines with dinner in the Crystal Main Dining Room.

We will post more about the event tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Keith

En Route To Agios Nikolaos, Crete, Greece

We slept very well last evening and today we have a full day at sea as we sail from Alexandria, Egypt to our next port of call in Agios Nikolaos, Greece.

We awoke early in the morning to begin another glorious day at sea. A day at sea on a Crystal ship provides numerous activities to choose from and also many opportunities to socialize with our fellow passengers and with the crew. It also provides a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the places we have seen and to plan what we will see in the next several ports of call.

As we think through our journey, we again are reminded about the diversity and beauty of our glorious planet. It is amazing to see so much diversity in cultures and in traditions that the people in each country follow and the pride that most people have in their respective homelands. Thank goodness for diversity and we are reminded that we can learn so much from one another. In our minds almost every area of the world has natural beauty. At the same time, some areas of the world add to the attractiveness of their respective lands through irrigation and the planting of forests, while others make their areas more beautiful through the construction of buildings and cities that have lasted such a long time. Like a fine wine, many of these areas get better as they age. We have seen desert turned into lush greenery (this was the case when we visited Israel last year) and is also true in other parts of the Middle East that we visited this year and last year. We have seen beautiful buildings some, of which date back a very long time while others, have been newly built. We have also seen the beauty of each area through the locals who we have met during the course of this adventure who have taken the time to share with us the history and customs of their respective homelands. We have also learned about other areas of the world by sharing thoughts and stories with many of our fellow passengers and crew who come from all over the world. This is an amazing world and we are humbled that we have had the opportunity to visit so many different cities and countries and regions of the world on these two World Cruises. We truly have and continue to make memories during this adventure that surely will last a lifetime.

As we had mentioned yesterday, last evening we set the clocks forward by one hour as we sail into yet another new time zone. We began our day with a nice workout in the Fitness Center. Keith was the first one to arrive at the center and enjoyed another nice workout on the Elliptical Machine. Anne Marie arrived a little while later and enjoyed a nice workout on the Treadmill. A couple of the other regulars were there; John and Mary. Keith spoke with Mary for a good part of his workout and then he caught up with some of the news on the television. There were very few other passengers working out. This was because many of the passengers had taken the one day excursion to Cairo, Egypt to see the Pyramids yesterday and that involves a six hour round trip drive by motor vehicle and they got back to the ship last evening. Add to this that we moved the clocks forward for one hour and this morning was a very good day for them to sleep-in.

After our workout, we stopped by the Lido Café to get some coffee to go. A little while later we enjoyed a wonderful breakfast in our room. The seas continue to be very calm.

There are lots of activities on the ship today since today is a sea day.

We went to the Passover Morning Service and greatly enjoyed the service.

Anne Marie spent the last couple of hours of the morning doing some additional packing of items that we won’t need for the remainder of the World Cruise.

Keith attended the second of the lectures given by Ambassador Marc Ginsberg. The topics of his presentation was “Clinton/Obama and McCain: The ’08 Campaign and a Post-Bush Middle East.” Ambassador Ginsberg discussed several key items that he thought would be major international issues for the next United States President to deal with. He discussed the pluses of each of the three candidates and also areas of concern. Keith thought that he gave a very fair and balanced assessment of each candidate and also did a nice job in describing the challenges for the next president and the complexity of the issues. One of the items that Ambassador Ginsberg talked about is how many of these issues and their solutions need to transcend politics. To translate this into our own words, in other words the solutions to many of these items need to go beyond red vs. blue rhetoric. Rather, it will take a country that is united in its approach to address these major issues.

Before lunch there was an event for all of those on this cruise. This is one of many events that have been held throughout the World Cruise for all guests. This one was called Mediterranean Mid-day Mixer and included complimentary beverages along with live music by the ships orchestra and dancing and included entertainment from several of the outside entertainers who are on board the ship for this segment of the World Cruise.

Afterwards, it was time to enjoy lunch in the Main Dining Room. We each enjoyed another wonderfully prepared Salad Entrée.

During the afternoon we enjoyed the amenities of the ship. There were lots of activities to keep us busy.

While we didn’t attend it, this afternoon there was complimentary wine tasting by the head sommelier, which featured four different white wines.

This evening we will go to the Prego Italian Restaurant with a very nice woman who organized the dinner along with a guest that she has invited and one other couple who we know so very well, starting with last years World Cruise. We had dinner with the woman who invited us this time around just about a month ago and we first met her during last years World Cruise. She was an entertainer for many years on and off Broadway and has also appeared on television. She is always so wonderful to talk with and has a terrific outlook on life.

At the same time, there is a special dinner menu in the Main Dining Room since our next set of ports will be in the Mediterranean. Yes, this evening the feature menu was Mediterranean Dinner. The menu featured items representing the Mediterranean.

There were four appetizers including Golden Baked Seafood Spanakopita, Mezze Plate Roasted Venison Carpaccio, Chilled Fruit Cup with Fresh Figs and Metaxa.

Soup and Salad featured five items including a Tomato Bisque with Lobster Salad, Chicken Broth “Mille Fanti”, Cappuccino of Green Garden Peas with Mint Mousseline, Assorted Garden Greens with Crisp Spliced Eggplant Chips and Piquant New Potatoes, Red Endive with Water Melon, Grapes, and Goat Cheese Truffles with Lemon-Olive Vinaigreette.

There was a Pasta Special of Linguine Pasta “Al Vongole”.

Also there was a Salad Entrée of Grilled Sirloin Steak and Greek Farmer’s Salad with lots of other items that are found in the Mediterranean.

The Main Fares included Broiled Fresh Swordfish Steak, Braised Chicken Cacciatore, Grilled Lamb Chops, Pan-Fried Veal Scaloppine “Sorrentino” with Artichokes, Tomatoes and Capers, served with Angel Hair Pasta.

As usual there were lots of side orders to choose from and several traditional main fares items such as Herb Marinated Free- Range Chicken Breast as well as Grilled Back Angus Sirloin Steak.

Are you ready for some Dessert? In addition to the seven Classic Desserts there were two featured items Degustazione di Ricotta which is Ricotta Profiteroles, Ricotta Chocolate Canolliani, and Ricotta Orange Custard (no calories ☺)

There was also a dessert called Strawberry Garden which included Chocolate Cup filled with Marinated Strawberries, Whipped Cream and Vanilla Ice Cream.

And, if you prefer cheese from the Cheese Trolley the cheeses featured this evening were Mont d’Or, Manchega, Chablis, St. Augur, Rabiola, and Sainte Maure


Starting with this afternoon there was lots of entertainment. At 4:30 PM the production show called Gotta Dance was shown. This is the newest production show on this ship and from time to time the production shows are being shown in the afternoon so that additional entertainers can be featured at night.

This evening features a Spanish Folkloric Show featuring Flamenco Mulero with Ricardo Sanchez Lopez, Raquel Vincente Porcel and Maria Del Rocio.

Later in the evening the entertainment continues with a Cabaret Shwotime featuring the Acappella Quartet called Full Sail.

For those who enjoy star gazing (and we’re talking about stars not actors/actresses) from 10:30 PM to 12 Midnight astronomer Dr. Norman Caisse is on hand for the night viewing of the stars.

Tomorrow morning we arrive to our next port of call in Greece.

Keith & Anne Marie

Alexandria, Egypt

NOTE:

Picture 1 of Mosque

Picture 2 is from Roman Theatre. It is believed that this theatre was just for the wealthy citizens of Alexandria given its size. Could hold about 800 people. It was in excellent condition and they are still digging in an adjacent area looking for more of the old city.

Picture 3 is from Pompey's Pillar.

Last night we mentioned that we had attended the Passover Seder on board the ship and we wanted to mention how much we enjoyed the Seder. While there were about 130+ passengers in attendance, the setting was excellent and it had a nice family and friend feeling to this wonderful celebration. Passengers from various faiths were in attendance. The Catholic Clergy joined us at our table. It is certainly extra special to celebrate this holiday in the Middle East and to share it with so many of our fellow passengers.

Our wonderful Rabbi conducted the service and the meal was terrific. In addition the traditional food items that are part of the actual Seder we also enjoyed a wonderful Seder Meal. The menu included Gefilte Fish, Chicken Broth with Matzo Balls, Roasted Kosher Chicken accompanied by Carrot Tzimmes, Steamed Asparagus, Over-Roasted Potatoes and Natural Gravy, Raspberry Sherbet with Fresh Strawberries, Served with Coconut and Hazelnut Macaroons. There were various Passover Wines to accompany the Seder and the Dinner along with coffee, tea and soft drinks. The wait staff from the Prego Italian Specialty Restaurant, some waiters from the Main Dining Room, several Sommeliers, and many of the bar crew and Lido Stewards were on hand to serve this delicious meal and their service was five star+ as it always is.

We truly appreciate all of the efforts that went into planning this Passover Seder by the Rabbi, his lovely wife and all of those involved from Crystal.

This morning we arrived in Alexandria, Egypt, which is our second visit to this port of call in as many years. Alexandria is Egypt’s second largest city and it is its number one port. This port of call was named after none other than Alexander the Great and during Cleopatra’s time served as the capital of Egypt. One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World was located in Alexandria; the Lighthouse of Alexandria. Alexandria is also known for having been a major center of early Christianity and for academia. It also was home to the largest library of the ancient world.

We were docked by 7:00 AM and after the ship was cleared, passengers could go ashore. The area in which the ship docks is very secure and clear with several nice looking buildings in the surrounding area. There were various open market stores that are set up in the adjoining area as was the case last year. Those selling merchandise here are far less pushy and aggressive than the ones who push items in the downtown area. They are easy to talk with and while they want to show you all of their items and make a sale they have a very pleasant demeanor and a nice sense of humor

The City of Alexandria has a good deal of charm and beauty with its nice beaches, historical sites, newly constructed sites, its beautiful harbor, and it is also the gateway port to the city of Cairo. Cairo is located approximately three hours from this city by motor vehicle.

There are many nice areas of this city to visit along with some areas that are let us say not so nice. For the tourist, there are certain areas that can be challenging at times when walking around certain parts of the city as the locals very often can be very aggressive, and do not easily back-off when one says they are not interested by saying no thank you. So, sometimes one has to be firm if they are not interested in looking at items that the locals are trying to sell. When we say locals, we are not referring to those who work in the stores but those who come up to you with merchandise to sell.

We woke up early once again and began our day with our daily workout. Keith got up to the Fitness Center before 4:30 AM (ouch) and he continued to rack up the miles on the Elliptical Machine. Anne Marie arrived at her normal time and got in part of her daily time on the Treadmill. Other regulars such as Mary and John were working out and Keith talked with Mary for quite awhile.

After our workout we enjoyed a wonderful breakfast in our room as we got ready for our shore excursion for this port of call.

During the Captain’s morning announcement he noted that the outside temperature was 68 degrees Fahrenheit and that the weather forecast called for a nice sunny day. His forecast was correct. Captain Glenn’s thought for the day was “It is the empty can that makes the most noise.”

The name of our shore excursion was Roman Alexandria.
It was a wonderful tour. We had a terrific tour guide who shared lots of excellent information with us. As part of our tour we stopped at the 84-foot tall Pompey’s Pillar, which was originally part of the Temple of Serapis. Our tour also included with a visit to Catacombs of Kom el Shugafa, which was the most important of the Roman burial grounds dating from the 2nd century AD. We also had a chance to visit the Roman Theatre. This theatre was only discovered in the mid-1990’s when work was being done in preparation for the construction of a new building. It is amazing to think of what has not yet been discovered from this ancient city. We also saw other sites during our time on the bus including the new library, the citadel, and a mosque.

After we arrived back from the ship we enjoyed a nice lunch in our room that we pre-ordered.

Crystal provided a complimentary shuttle that ran between the per to the Sofitel Cecil Hotel in downtown Alexandria. The shuttle ran frequently and the drive was about twenty minutes each way. Since we had gone into the downtown area twice last year we decided to pass on going back this time around. Instead, we walked around the port area, which we found to be very pleasant. It is a beautiful port which also includes a small park like area.

The locals that we came into contact with at the various places that we stopped were very nice. There was a lot of security at each stop and we had a security person with us on the bus. Tourism continues to be a major drivers of the Egyptian Economy and they do not want to incur any issues that could jeopardize tourism.

Later in the afternoon we walked around several of the shops on the pier that were selling a wide range of items. While walking around, we saw lots of familiar faces from the ship including crew and guests alike

This evening we enjoyed a very nice dinner in the Main Dining Room. We had looked at the menu for this evening last night and decided to order a special dinner for this evening, which was wonderfully prepared.

We sail at 11:00 PM this evening and for one of the few times during the course of this cruise we will set the clocks forward one hour. ☹ We really can’t complain as we have had many night where we set the clock back one hour and we know that this will be the case of the last couple of weeks of our World Cruise adventure.

We had an enjoyable day in Alexandria. There is so much to see in this city that one could spend a long time here. For example, there is the Alexandria Library, which is a beautiful library containing lots of historical information, the Greco-Roman Museum, and let us not forget the Pyramids just a three hour drive from Alexander or about a ninety minute ride by Train. We suspect that in time there will be more historical sites to see as additional sites that have been hidden for thousands of years are discovered beneath the current city level.

Keith & Anne Marie

Transiting The Suez Canal

Today we transited the Suez Canal. This is our second time having the opportunity to transit this canal in as many years. On one side of the canal, much of what one sees is desert whereas, on the other side there is town after town with many nice homes, hotels and other resorts, along with the beauty of luscious grass and other vegetation to view. There are also times when most of what you see on both sides is desert. Yes, it is different than the Panama Canal but nevertheless when you think about all of the labor that went into construction of this canal or the fact that someone had the foresight to identify the benefits of the canal it is truly amazing.

We awoke early this morning after getting another good nights sleep. The ship was very calm last evening as we made our way towards the entry point of the canal. Keith was the first passenger to arrive at the Fitness Center and when he began his workout our ship was not moving as we and other ships were waiting our turn to enter the canal. As we learned later during the Captain’s morning announcement, we had dropped anchor at around 3:00 AM this morning.

Eventually, fellow passengers John, and Mary and of course Anne Marie joined Keith in the center. Keith enjoyed another wonderful workout on the Elliptical Machine while Anne Marie worked out on the Treadmill. Keith spoke with Mary for a little while. We could see the Pilot come onto the ship at around 5:45 AM.

After our workout we enjoyed a cup of coffee and began to enjoy the Suez Canal. We enjoyed a nice breakfast in our room. After breakfast, we spent time outside to view the Suez Canal and the land that surrounds the canal on both sides of the ship. As was the case last year, entry points to the Suez Canal are watched closely by Egyptian Military. A special narrator was brought on board the ship and provided commentary throughout our time in the canal. She gave a talk every hour for about ten minutes. The commentator is from Egypt, spoke wonderful English, and was one of the tour guides during one of the tours the other day.

Many passengers chose to view the canal from various vantage points from the ship including their verandahs, the Promenade Deck where passengers could either stand or walk around the deck, and the Palm Court, which provides a nice panoramic view from inside the ship of the canal. There are also many other venues in which to get a nice view of the canal and the surrounding land. Our transit through the canal was about twelve hours from approximately 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

During the Captain’s morning announcement, Captain Glenn noted that the first pilot who came on board the ship early in the morning would depart the ship when a second pilot came on board later in the morning. We were the first ship to enter the canal going Northbound this morning. Captain Glenn had another nice thought for the day which is “Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten.:

There were some activities scheduled while we transited the Suez Canal but less than normal sea day. This was done so that passengers could take advantage of seeing the canal and also so as not to tie up certain rooms such as the Palm Court that could be used for viewing the Suez Canal.

We continued to view the canal from different positions on the ship. The weather was delightful and actually was on the cooler side in the morning but even so was perfect for enjoying lots of time on the open decks of the ship.

Later in the morning, we took time away from viewing the canal to attend a lecture featuring Middle East Expert, Ambassador Marc Ginsberg, who presented “Israel at 60: A Middle East Milestone.” Mr. Ginsberg has served in a variety of positions and played a large role in shaping United States Policy in the Middle East in the 1970’s. Mr. Ginsberg is an eloquent speaker who does a wonderful job holding the attention of his audience. We look forward to his other two presentations along with the panel discussion that he will appear on with General Haley and Tex.

After Mr. Ginsberg’s lecture we enjoyed a nice lunch in the Main Dining Room. Before going to lunch we picked up our passports, once again, as we will need to carry these when we arrive in Alexandria, Egypt tomorrow morning.

This afternoon we continued to enjoy the views from the ship. Keith stood out for quite a while as we were making our way towards the highest suspension bridge in the world. Even so, it didn’t seem as though we had too much room to clear the ship, but we did and both the bridge and the ship are in good shape. ☺

This evening we attended the Passover Celebration along with about 130 other guests. Our wonderful Rabbi conducted the Passover Seder and afterwards we enjoyed a sensational meal prepared by the excellent chefs on board this ship. The Prego Specialty Restaurant was closed this evening so that the wait staff could be utilized along with some of the other staff to serve this meal. We had a wonderful time at the Seder and appreciate all of the preparation that went into this evening by the Rabbi, his lovely wife, and the Crystal staff.

For a good portion of the day tomorrow we will not have Internet Service so we are not sure whether or not we will post tomorrow.

Keith & Anne Marie

Safaga, Egypt Part 2

NOTE:

Picture 1 of Rick Spath, our Cruise Director


The ship was very quiet last evening as many guests and some crew were off the ship.

We woke early this morning and enjoyed a nice workout in the Fitness Center. Keith arrived first followed about thirty minutes later by John and Anne Marie arrived a little while after that. While we were working out there were very few passengers in the Fitness Center. As usual, Keith worked out on the Elliptical Machine. During his workout, Keith caught up on the news and later watched a good portion of a movie that he has seen before but enjoys quite a bit. Anne Marie worked out on the Treadmill and continued to read a book during most of her workout.

Afterwards, we stopped by the Lido Café to get a cup of coffee and we spoke with one of our favorite Lido Deck Stewards, Ross.

We enjoyed a nice breakfast in our room. Keith had the opportunity to meet our new butler Daniel who is from Vancouver, Canada. Anne Marie first met Daniel yesterday afternoon when Alexander introduced him to Anne Marie and to our room. Alexander had prepared a nice one-page information sheet for Daniel so that he was aware of our preferences and our routine. The challenge for Daniel is to find enough blueberries and strawberries to keep Keith happy. ☺ Alexander departed the ship last evening to begin his journey back home. We will miss him dearly and we have tremendous respect and admiration for all that he does.

After breakfast we decided to take a nice long walk on the Promenade Deck of the ship. The weather was great so we thought it would be nice to walk outside to get some fresh air. Several other passengers had the same idea, so we ran into several of our fellow guests who we have come to know quite well.

Later in the morning we also took care of some errands and we also turned our passports over to the front reception desk.

We enjoyed a nice lunch in the Main Dining Room before the ship departed Safaga.

Early in the afternoon, Keith attended the third lecture given by Retired Brigadier General Nick Halley. The title of his presentation was “Terrorism, Part 2 – our World Since the 9/11 Attacks. He shared his views on the current situation in Iraq and then took several questions from the audience.

Later in the afternoon, Keith chatted with some of our fellow passengers that he has become friendly with while Anne Marie worked on one of her needlepoint patterns. Keith also had the opportunity to chat for awhile with the Finkel Brothers, Elliot and Ian, who are guest entertainers on board the ship.

This evening we enjoyed a very nice dinner in the Main Dining Room.

Later this evening we will be attended Zero Hour. This play is a one-man show that was performed by actor and playwright Jim Brochu. This is a preview of the official Broadway debut this Fall. The performance was outstanding and we know this will be a hit.

After the show, the Crystal Galaxy Orchestra performed Dixieland in the Crystal Cove and the Finkel Brothers also accompanied them for a couple of the songs.

Tomorrow we sail in the Suez Canal.

Keith & Anne Marie

Safaga, Egypt

NOTE: Four Pictures

Picture 1 of building near Safaga Port. While building along the route to where we were dropped off were mainly of smaller sizes relative to this building, most had the same coloring to the exteriors of the buildings.

Picture 2 is typical of the open land (desert) that we saw on our way to where we were dropped off. The opposite side of the road was more beach-like.

Picture 3 is the front of the Holiday Inn where the complimentary shuttle dropped us off.

Picture 4 is an open court area that was behind some of the nearby stores. It looked like it was used for an open air restaurant.

We might not have mentioned this before but just about every evening of a sea day we receive a nice letter in our room from the World Cruise Hostess. The letter shares information about upcoming events and sometimes highlights places that we have just visited or will be arriving to shortly. Last nights letter noted various events that are coming up over the next several days.

On April 22nd we will be attending a World Cruise Dinner. This is one of two special dinners hosted on the ship in an area by the indoor swimming pool. For that evening, a stage is normally erected to cover the pool area and is used for the entertainment for the evening. A special dinner is served and we are assigned to reserved seats. All of the details are a surprise except for the theme of the dinner, which is called Roman Holiday.

A few days later on April 26 we will be taken from the ship at approximately 5:00 PM to a World Cruise Shore side Event (again one of two) that is hosted for us in Rome. Our first event was hosted in Sydney. Lots of effort and planning go into these events. In fact, usually the venue for the World Cruise special shore side events is reserved a year or more in advance at which time the planning commences. The letter also noted that many more activities are planned before our World Cruise ends in Southampton, London.

We really appreciate the thought and care that goes into these letters by the World Cruise Hostess.

This morning we arrived to Safaga, Egypt. Safaga is located on the western area of the Red Sea and is the gateway to the Nile Valley. The Valley of the Kings is located about three hours by motor vehicle from this port of call.

We woke up early this morning after enjoying another good nights sleep. We set our clocks back last evening by one hour as we arrived in another new time zone. The seas were a little rougher this morning relative to the past several weeks but not in the least bothersome to us. A few passengers said they were awoken from the seas, but this did not affect our sleep at all.

Keith worked out in the Fitness Center early this morning and enjoyed a very nice workout on the Elliptical Machine. He spoke with Mary most of the time and the Fitness Center was not very busy. Keith stayed on the Elliptical Machine for a personal best of two hours. Yes, the miles are adding up and thank goodness these are wonderful Elliptical machines.

Anne Marie took care of our laundry and then when Keith finished his workout he assisted Anne Marie with the laundry. Afterwards, we enjoyed a very nice breakfast in our room while we waited for the ship to dock in Safaga. This morning our butler, Alexander, who we have thoroughly enjoyed, is leaving the ship to go on Holiday. We will miss his wonderful service and the nice talks we have had with him along the way. How he remembers so many things amazes us each and every day.

The ship was cleared for disembarkation a little before 8:00 AM this morning. During the Captains Morning announcement, Captain Glenn noted that the outside temperature was 75 degrees Fahrenheit and that the forecast was for sunny skies throughout the day. Captain Glenn’s thought of the day was “The person who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it.” Another great thought for the day and we always enjoy them. The Captain reminded all passengers to take their passports with them while in port today and tomorrow morning.

This is our second time in Safaga as we cruised to this port of call on last years World Cruise. The ship will spend an overnight in this port of call and will depart this port tomorrow at 1:00 PM for our journey to Alexandria, Egypt.

Many guests visiting this port of call for the very first time traveled to Luxor. Luxor consists of three areas. It includes the City Of Luxor, the town of Karnak and Thebes. Most passengers visiting Luxor either took the one day tour (approximately three hours each way), or the one night overland tour, while some booked private transportation via Crystal. These passengers traveled via convoy from the port to Luxor. The Egyptian Government is very safety conscious with respect to foreign visitors traveling within the country and added security measures are taken to prevent an incident that could jeopardize the safety of its visitors. The Egyptian Government recognizes that tourism is a major staple of its economy and therefore does not want an incident to occur whose publicity would impact tourists from visiting their country.

Between Safaga and the city located just thirty miles north of it, Hurghada, there are a large number of beach resorts. The beaches are well known for their cleanliness and some of them have black sand. People visit these areas for the various activities including snorkeling or scuba and of course to also visit historical sites in Luxor and in other areas with a few hours from the town.

Guests were informed about taking photographs in Egypt. If one wants to take photographs of Egyptians, particularly women or religious people, we wee advised that we should ask first or at least politely inform them that we would like to include them in our picture. Our recommendation would be to ask first. On tours, there are various rules and regulations that must be followed. There are some areas where it is forbidden to take pictures there are times that if someone is caught taking a picture in a prohibited area their camera can be confiscated. The key is to follow the rules and regulations.

As we walked off the ship, we had to show our passport to someone from the local authority who verified that our passport had been stamped and that the picture matched us.

We took the complimentary shuttle that Crystal provided from the port over to an area within Safaga. The city is located a little over six miles from the port. On our drive over to the town, the water and beach were on the right hand side and on the left hand side were a variety of buildings; many of which were in the process of being constructed. This is clearly a resort area. We were dropped off right outside the Holiday Inn and just a minute walk from the bus there were several stores on each side of the road. We walked into most of the shops. There were a handful of jewelry shops, several other shops selling beachwear items from cover-ups to other related items, other shops selling Egyptian crafted items from little boxes to other statues, a couple of stores selling glassware such as beautifully looking perfume bottles, one store selling a variety of spices, and a few sundry type of shops. We spoke to many of the shopkeepers who were quite friendly and were not pushy. One storekeeper told us everything was on sales and the store was closing tomorrow. We then expected him to ask us if we wanted to purchase the Brooklyn Bridge, or was that the Suez Canal. ☺

We took the shuttle back to the ship and we took a very nice walk on the Promenade Deck of the ship for a little over an hour. About fifteen minutes into our walk we ran into a fellow passenger on the full World Cruise and we enjoyed a very nice conversation with her.

In a couple of days we will arrive in Alexandria, Egypt, which we also visited last year. During our stay in Alexandria, we will take a tour called Roman Alexandria. This excursion will include visits to a number of historical Roman locations.

We enjoyed a wonderful lunch in the Main Dining Room.

This evening we dined at the Prego Italian Specialty Restaurant. We chatted with Bruno who is filling in as Maitre D’ while the other Specialty Restaurant Maitre D’ is on Holiday. Bruno was our head waiter for the first couple of segments of last years World Cruise. While the regular Specialty Restaurant Maitre D’ is on the ship, Bruno is the headwaiter in Prego. The Maitre D’ of the Specialty Restaurants, overseas both Prego and Silk Road and some of the other venues such as Tastes and the Lido Café. We really enjoy Bruno and his passion for food and outstanding service. He always give us great recommendations on various food items including seafood specials.

This evening we dined with another World Cruise couple who we first met on last years World Cruise. We had a wonderful dinner including a great conversation with wonderfully prepared food in a restaurant with a great deal of ambience.

Keith & Anne Marie