Valletta, Malta
First of all, some personal news: some of you have not yet heard that this past March, Al and I moved from Pasadena to Tulsa, Oklahoma! This puts us within a half-day’s drive of our daughter to the north, and my mother and sister to the south. It’s so nice to be closer to family, not to mention, we really like Tulsa! Who knew?
In travel news, we’ve been accepted to host a Virtuoso Voyage* this fall, so we’re also very excited about that! It will be on Regent Seven Seas and will start in Malta and end in Venice.
We know that a lot of you have bookings into 2024 and even 2025, but if you have room on your dance card, we would love to have you onboard! And if you like specials, we have honestly never seen as robust a combination of perks and promos as for this sailing, including a 0% single supplement for solo travelers.
More about the specials toward the end. For now, here’s an armchair tour of some of the things we expect to see.
VALLETTA, MALTA (October 9)
Valletta is the southernmost European capital, and also the smallest, at only about ¼ square mile in area—so very walkable.
Its fishing boats and architecture, with colorful, closed wooden balconies (top photo above), make Valletta a very photogenic city. I’m especially looking forward to seeing this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
CRUISING THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA (October 10)
This is our ship, Regent Seven Seas Navigator, which will be the temporary home-at-sea to a maximum of only 490 passengers.
Sea days are great for enjoying the offerings on the ship, one of which will be John O’Hurley. He'll be enjoying the cruise with us, and will present his award-winning one-man show, A Man With Standards. Is is a retrospective on the songs of The Great American Songbook along with the musings from his eclectic life and career — including playing the infamous J. Peterman on Seinfeld.
By Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=130327408
John will also host cocktail parties, a Q&A session, special dinners and shore excursions while exploring the coasts of Turkey, Greece and Italy.
HERAKLION, CRETE (October 11)
Heraklion is the capital of Greece’s largest island, Crete. One of Regent’s free excursions is to the Palace of Knossos (pictured here), built and rebuilt between 1,700 and 1,400 BC.
IZMIR, TURKEY (October 12)
In 2013, Al and I organized a 12-day tour of Istanbul and the 7 Churches of Revelation for a church group of 79. Izmir is the modern-day name for ancient Smyrna, one of the 7 churches. The photo above is of Smyrna’s Agora.
VOLOS, GREECE (October 13)
One of the possible excursions in Volos is to see two of the remaining six Monasteries of Meteora. Meteora is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the largest archeological site in Greece in terms of area.
ATHENS , GREECE (October 14)
Athens is about more than just the Acropolis. There are also the narrow, winding paths with sidewalk cafes and colorful bougainvillea.
CRUISING THE IONIAN SEA (October 15)
As this is a cruising day, allow me to share some photos of the ship.
Navigator’s cabins (all called “suites” on Regent) range from 301-1173 square feet.
The main dining room, Compass Rose.
TIRANA , ALBANIA (October 16)
Tirana, the capital of Albania, features colorful Ottoman-, Fascist- and Soviet-era architecture. Pastel buildings surround the city's focal point, Skanderbeg Square. The Great Mosque of Tirana, or Namazgah Mosque, is currently under construction.
DUBROVNIK, CROATIA (October 17)
Known as the "Pearl of the Adriatic," Dubrovnik is another UNESCO World Heritage Site on this itinerary. It is recognized for its outstanding medieval architecture and fortified old town and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Mediterranean.
VENICE, ITALY (October 18)
I’ve been many places in the world that I’ve loved, but Venice is my favorite city on earth. So I have to share a few of my photos, including the one above that I was lucky enough to capture.
With an overnight in Venice, cruisers are able to discover its magic after dark, such as the open-air concerts in St. Mark’s Square (free unless you sit down at a table).
Disembarkation is in Venice (Port of Fusina) on October 19. Perfect for a few days’ post-cruise sightseeing.
SOME TRULY AMAZING SPECIALS FOR THIS SAILING
If you’re able to join us (or know anyone who can), we can offer the following perks:
2-category upgrade if booked by June 30, 2023 (subject to inventory and up to Concierge level)
Your choice of $150 per person shipboard credit OR an upgraded excursion in Izmir (including farm-to-table dining at a working horse ranch) OR a private car and driver on the Dubrovnik day*
Private reception to meet your fellow Virtuoso Voyages travelers*
Really good news for solo travelers: a specially reduced single supplement of 0% for suite categories Deluxe Veranda Suite (F) and Deluxe Window Suite (H). (Usually a solo traveler still pays for two people.)
$1,000 per cabin shipboard credit if you're new to Regent and book by June 30, 2023.
If you book, and invite a friend who books a separate cabin, you and the friend will each receive $1,000 in shipboard credit. If you invite two additional friends who book, each will get $1,000 Shipboard Credit, and you will earn $1,000 in Future Cruise Credits for each friend. This offer expires on June 30, 2023..
If you prefer to book your own air and transfers, the cruise fare can be as low as about $4,482 for a Regent cruise with all the following inclusions (other than the flights, if you’re booking your own):
FREE Roundtrip Business Class Air** on All Intercontinental Flights (or take a $2,930 discount (reflected above) if you book your own air and transfers)
FREE Unlimited Shore Excursions
FREE Unlimited Beverages, Including Fine Wines and Premium Spirits
FREE Open Bars and Lounges Plus In-Suite Mini-Bar Replenished Daily
FREE Pre-Paid Gratuities
FREE Specialty Restaurants
FREE Transfers Between Airport and Ship**
FREE Unlimited WiFi**
FREE Valet Laundry Service** (We loved this perk on our previous Regent cruise!)
CONCIERGE SUITES AND HIGHER INCLUDE: FREE 1-Night Pre-Cruise Hotel Package and more
PENTHOUSE SUITES AND HIGHER INCLUDE: FREE Personal Butler and more
* Regent Seven Seas does not confirm Virtuoso Voyages until 60 days prior. In the case it is not confirmed, there would be no private reception, host, option for free upgraded excursion- or private car/driver, but if you book through us, ScheckTrek Travel will make good on the $150 shipboard credit that you could have otherwise had through Virtuoso.
** Contact me or see terms for details.
For more information—or just to keep in touch and say “hi”—call (626) 272-5781 or email me at Vicki@schecktrek.com. We would love to hear from you!