We booked the Eastern Mediterranean Cruise and just found out that the trip has been scrapped by Contiki for the rest of the Year.
We are now booked on this trip and then are doing the Egypt and the Nile. We are from Florida USA and hope to have a great time. This is our first cruise but our 3rd and 4th Contiki trips. As people join I will post Name, Location, and email address if they wish and any information that we can find on this trip. We might have a few from the other trip join us here. The more interaction we can have from everyone the better. Anyone into Geochaching?? (http://www.geocaching.com)
A little about myself, I work on an Ambulance in central Florida and the Boss lady is a supervisor at GEICO (a major Auto Insurance Co.

Allen & Christy Powell /gatorsaver / Florida, USA / gatorsaver911@tampabay.rr.com
Candace /Pinklady / Brisbane, Australia
/rossy /
/Jen /
/Loco_chick_ee / Toronto, Canada
Michelle / Australia
About the Cruise: (It is called the Splendours of Greece & Turkey)
http://www.louiscruises.com/itinerary.html?CRS=CS070909...urat=0|All%20Cruises

About the Ship: M/V Cristal (a few interesting sites about the ships history
http://www.louiscruises.com/vesselsspecs.html?SHP=CS
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sally_Albatross
http://www.seafarercruises.com.../Crystal/Cristal.htm (this one has inside photos)

About the Pre-Post Night Hotel: (this might change but most trips have started/ended here)
The Dorian Inn Hotel 17 Pireous P.C. 105 52 Athens, Greece (Tel.: +03-210-5239782)
http://www.dorianinnhotel.com/eng/index.html

Athens Airport Map

This message has been edited. Last edited by: gatorsaver,

Pinklady
check with your agent about the prices. I have the hotel listed for the pre-night. At least you would not have to move everything for one day. We did that on our last Contiki, and what a pain, by the time you pay for a taxi or bus then drag the luggage all over you spend about the same amount you save.

I haven't checked with my agent but will do when he's back (currently away sick) but by looking on the internet it seemed for a single person you could get cheaper accommodation around the corner, and given I'm getting in quite late the night before I didn't think it was worth paying all that much.

Have you guys worked out what you are going to do on the first day?

Candace

No we have not figured out what we are doing yet. I will be looking in to what we can do in a few months. If anyone has any sugestions I'm all ears. I will post a lot more links as we get closer.

Looks like we have another one on the trip.
Loco_chick_ee from Toronto, Canada
welcome

Hi guys
I have also booked on this trip. Very excited about the trip. I am going solo.
I am staying at contiki hotel, as it is much easier.

Michelle

Michelle
It will be nice to have you with us on the trip. Nice to add a few more Aussie's In the next few weeks we will have more people joining us. Any info that you can find please feel free to post here. I have put a few links near the top.

I justed added the very hard to find Athens airport map. The days are counting down. Can't wait.

I hope the fires around Athens will not effect us.

We get to Athens the day before the trip too.. If any one finds any more info on what to do or were to go please post it here.
It looks like the Fire Fighters have been getting the upper hand on the fires around town..

I know that most of you are on Facebook. So I created a Facebook group for our trip. do a FB search for:
Contiki: Golden Fleece Sept.17-25, 2009 TO send a Friend request just add greece trip to the message.

Facebook page for Contiki: Golden Fleece Sept.17-25, 2009

Looks like most of the fires around Athens are out.

This was an email that i received about cell phones on the ship.

If you have roaming service you will be able to get signal from the local mobile networks, when the ship will be close to shore.

When the ship is at sea, your mobile will be most probably connected to the ship’s satellite. In this case, we always suggest to our passengers to keep their mobiles switched off, as you will be charged for making and receiving phone calls and SMS.

The satellite charges are quite expensive, this is why we warn our passengers when the ship is at sea.

Please note that there is no wireless internet connection onboard.


Best Regards
Jenny Moraitou

Passenger Services

LOUIS HELLENIC CRUISES

just a few more days