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Cruise

Paul Gauguin cruise

We took a superb cruise in French Polynesia, Oct. 30-Nov. 12, 2008, with Grand Circle Travel (Boston, MA; 800/248-3737, www.gct.com). The ship was the Paul Gauguin of Regent Seven Seas Cruises. It carries 330 passengers and is truly a luxury vessel, featuring a state-of-the-art retractable water sports platform, with complimentary water-skiing, windsurfing and kayaking.

Found ‘deficiencies’ on ship

I found sailing from Fort Lauderdale to San Francisco on a Panama Canal cruise aboard Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Infinity, April 13-28, 2008, to be a horrendous experience. For a suite with balcony, the cost was $8,328 per person, double occupancy, excluding airfare.

In our suite, the toilet was broken and took four days to repair. The sink drain mechanism did not work. In the tub Jacuzzi in our cabin, the water came out black and brackish.

Assumed cabin was booked

In January ’08 I reserved a cruise to Norway for May 31-June 11, 2008, with Taitbout Voyages. I sent them a check for €1,180 (about $1,636) for the basic price and added €346 ($480) for a single cabin.

I asked Taitbout in several letters at what time I would have to meet the group on May 31 to take the bus from Paris to the cruise ship in Amsterdam and at what location. Taitbout Voyages never answered my letters or e-mails. The telephone number on their brochure was not reachable from the US; it was a number that could be used only inside France.

Egypt with Ibrahim Morgan

Thanks to a letter in ITN (Nov. ’04, pg. 82) singing the praises of one Ibrahim Morgan (phone [002] 012 347 6343 or e-mail morgan_eg@yahoo.com or visit www.highrock.com/Ibrahim), my husband, Paul, and I contacted him by e-mail and asked him to arrange a 21-day trip to Egypt for us for March 2-22, 2008.

Mr. Morgan, who earned a Master’s Degree in Egyptology from the University of Alexandria, developed a complete itinerary for our visit.

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