Pat & I boarded the Mariner yesterday in FLL for the crossing to Barcelona. Stan is Captain, Franck is the GM, Ray is the CD and there are quite a few familiar staff. We had a category D gty with no suite assignment until we checked in. We were surprised to be put in 781, a Seven Seas suite at the rear of the ship. We're on the starboard corner so we have both side and rear views from our balcony. Now we just have to get used to having a butler, but I'm sure we'll manage... Two days at sea and then Bermuda.
Jim

Sounds like a terrific start, Jim! Let us know how the ship is, keep us updated as you have time and say Hi to Pat.

Look forward to your reports!
Have a great cruise!! :bv:

Today in Hamilton, Bermuda was our first landfall after 2 sea days. Yesterday the clocks were moved ahead an hour at 2:00pm rather than at night and it works OK for guests but not for crew who lose an hour of nap time. There was a partial strike by some bus drivers who didn't want to work on the weekend and we were on one of the 4 canceled buses. It was a beautiful sunny, mid 70s day and we enjoyed ourselves walking around the town. There was a gold, plats & tits event at sail away on deck 7 forward with cocktails and canapes. Nature's Rhythm entertained and it was a perfect venue with the great weather and we saw a lot of the beautiful homes along the coastline. Life is good.
Jim

Love your reports Jim and what a nice upgrade for your suite!!!

Nice to hear from you Jim enjoy that nice suite you deserve with the nights you have spent on Regent. Hope you have calm seas as we did on Kangaroo. Keep posting I love sea mail.

The ship is totally full and was actually overbooked which is unusual for a crossing. Several people we've talked to were offered incentives to give up their suite and take a different cruise. We were offered the following (which we declined):

Your clients may upgrade their accommodations to a Grand Suite for only $3,200 per person or a
Master Suite for only $4,200 per person. The going retail price for these significant upgrades
currently range from $9,800 to $12,100 per person.

It's an unusual group with more older guests than we've been accustomed to and many, many first time Regent cruisers. The Compass Rose is packed for breakfast & lunch which is unusual and I guess it's due to the large amount of first timers who are used to the big ships. The seas have been following with about 2 meter waves so it's a smooth ride. Temperatures are mid 60s to mid 70s so far making it pleasant to be on deck. We've got 5 sea days until Casablanca so we'll see how many get stir crazy without a landfall.
Jim

Have a great trip! I have followed your previous voyages and enjoyed all so hope to hear many updates.

Yesterday was our 2nd port, after 5 sea days, in Funchal Madiera. It was a pleasant and sunny day with temps in the mid 70s. We walked into the old town and visited the market in the morning and enjoyed an afternoon excursion to the interior of the island which was quite an experience. Pat (and several other wives) quickly moved from the window to aisle seats as we negotiated the narrow switchback roads up and down the mountainsides. We returned to the ship at 6:00pm and missed the local folkloric show. An hour out of port Captain Stan announced that we were returning to debark a medical emergency but the delay wouldn't delay our arrival in Casablanca in 2 days time.
The ship being full, and with many newbies, presents many obstacles. we often wait until 8:00 or later to go to CR or Veranda to avoid the seating rush. It seems as if there are fewer restaurant staff than normal so service is slower. We enjoy leisurely meals so it's OK with us. Trivia, however, is another story. Anyone playing bridge who doesn't have a team already at a table can't find a seat. Today there were 31 teams and many have as many as 10 on their team. The limit of 6 seems to be ignored because it would be impossible to set up enough tables for only 6. this CD has a Harry Potter question daily and nobody on our team has read the books. We have only won once but have fun trying. Beginning tomorrow we have a port every day.
Jim

Jim, It does sound like you have an interesting group of cruisers... very different from the past. Now if I had been on your trivia team, we would have gotten many of the Harry Potter questions correct!!

Ah you have Ray as the cruise director the Harry Potter fanatic!! Pat of (Pat and Ray from Canada) wrote down a bunch of names from the Harry Potter books on her hand just because we were so sick of the Harry Potter questions. ONE of her "hands" gave us the answer. It did not feel like cheating - how would we know what he was going to ask. We still did not win but had a lot of good laughs over that.

LOL, I remember that!

We're in the final frenzy of 5 poets in 5 days to end the cruise and we've stayed until 6:00 or later so there hasn't been much time to post.
Casablanca was a bit disappointing because it was Sunday, cloudy and drizzling and and everything was closed except for the souvenir shop and food market on the tour. We walked around the palace and mosque and had some tea in a hotel. The food market was really interesting with the fish & crustacean displays, vegetable stalls and meat section (which including stalls selling horse meat.)

Malaga turned out to be a perfect weather day. We walked to the old town & market in the morning and then had an afternoon tour through the interior of the islands going over mountains and down into remote valleys. It was very scenic and enjoyable.

Cartagena was breezy and jacket temps but our tour of the Roman ruins was exceptional. The restoration of the massive theater, only discovered a few years ago, is a major project and they are doing a good job of it. The local drink, Cafe Asiatico, is very tasty.

Time to run to Krew Kapers.
Jim

We're winding down our 6 week land trip after the crossing. Last night at an outdoor restaurant in Brussels our waiter asked if we were American. We said "yes" and he said "congratulations! We asked "for what?" and he said "For Bin Laden." Americans are again in favor in Europe.

We also heard of a new cocktail called "The Bin Laden." Its 2 shots with a splash of water.

What will happen next to keep the news readers occupied 24/7?
Jim & Pat