Only three more days to go. Sea is a little rough and temperature has dropped drastically. Just getting the crew ready for Alaska's weather.
I have to comment on the only shortcoming of this cruise.... the quality of the food. I can't believe that Fred and Pat are on the same ship. I have had nothing but fantastic service in the restaurants.The food however has been of poor quality, it is not the cooks, it is the quality of the meats and fish supplied to the kitchens. One way round this is to request a particular meal the day before and the chef does his best to accomodate this.

Well, we are on our way to San Diego and the cruise is winding down. As David reported, we are rocking and rolling a bit, a good wind has come up and the temperature outside is now in the 60s. The pool deck is empty. Trivia is packed. And we are eagerly awaiting the last of the four new productions our entertainers have prepared. The third production was very well received by a full theater and, IMO, the best so far. Two nights ago we were entertained by Marty Henne, a delightful singer-pianist I've seen before, and last night a great comedian followed by liars club in a packed to the rafters Galileo Lounge. Captain John McNeill was one of the liars, and very funny indeed, as was Terry Breen, our security officer Steve, and Marty Henne. The evening was a hoot. So I'm going to wrap it up for semail unless something unusual happens.

We leave the ship very pleased with the tours we have enjoyed. Good guides, comfortable first class busses, largely good fellow travelers, and well done port stops. Fred and I are not resort travelers so we had very low expectations for the Mexican ports we visited. All were interesting and a pleasant surprise. We won't likely be coming back but we enjoyed each visit. We found Cabo stunningly beautiful and the port of Huatulco, the rising star of Mexican destinations (after the recession ends) surprisingly charming and classy. We leave Mexico amused that Mexican immigration to the north is viewed here as natural "migration" whereas Guatamalan immigration north is "illegal" and "a serious problem."

We have been sailing on a full ship with a good and highly interesting group fellow cruisers. A cross dresser boarded in Puntarenas. He is a new experience for us on a Regent ship. He appeared to have boarded with the intent of pushing the envelope as far as he could. A visit to trivia in pool deck attire apparently did the trick and a meeting with the ship's authorities soon followed. I would guess that he was presented with limits and choices. Soon thereafter I saw him dressed as a man on a ship tour. He continues to dress otherwise on board but more tastefully than before. Every time I've seen him in CR he was dining alone. We also have a chap on board who steps up to "conduct" our pianist Constantine and also our fine band when they are playing on the pool deck. They really don't need his help. Most of the rest of us are just ordinary happy campers as far as I can tell. We have a lone ten-year-old on board who is comfortable with adults, into cruising big time, and a delight to behold. Yesterday we walked into CR for breakfast and there was Jacob having breakfast alone. His mom and dad apparently had chosen room service. Jacob prefers dining in class! What a kid!

This cruise is getting an A+ from us in all categories. Perfect? Of course not. But we would be fools to expect perfection from any cruise ship. Most impressive has been the crew. On a scale of one to five I would give them a six, a six as individuals as well as a team. Franck Galsy, who has worked his way up the ranks at Regent starting on Navigator on her first day in service, has just been promoted to General Manager and has pulled together apparently the best of the lot from among Regent's employees and they sparkle! The dining room crew really shine, but how could they not under Franco's esteemed leadership. And Captain John McNeill is second to none. His smiling face seems to appear everywhere all the time. I was sitting in the Navigator lounge sipping coffee one morning at about seven watching a crew member trying to adjust a large picture hanging on the wall in the hallway. He was struggling with the task. McNeill walked by, saw the man was having difficulty, gave him a warm smile, put his arm around the man's shoulder, and leaned in and set about helping him with his task. Here was the guy at the top spontaneously pitching in to assist a fellow crew member no doubt very low in the pecking order. If that isn't great leadership I guess I don't know what it is. The can do spirit starts at the top on this ship. Everyone has it.

I've forgotten what you LCTers about to board this ship in San Francisco call your cruise. You are in for a delightful treat. I will be keenly interested to learn of you agree with me. If we afre lucky, Fred and I will be driving to Victoria to have lunch on board when you dock. Pat

Editing to say that I was writing this as Pat was posting his that appears before.

David, of course you can request a particular meal, but you are still going to get the same meat or fish that is supplied to the ship.

It would drive the kitchen crazy if everyone would do this. Would totally upset their rhythm and just make it worse for everyone, service-wise. A special occasion now and then, yes, yes.

What complaints in particular do you have about the meat or fish, since you do not think it is the cooks? You are surely not the first to bring this up, just none lately on this board. I do recall that Fred and Pat in their many fine reports have made mention of a very few food slip-ups, as well as a service issue related to late arriving tours after lunch. But that's all.

i am wondering if this webcam will be where the Navigator docks today at noon?

Have loved your seamail Fred & Pat. I agree that Franck Galsy is fantastic. He was our Asst. F&B on our SoAm circumnavigation cruise in 2006. Please tell him Tom and I say "Hi", would love to cruise with him again and Congrats on his promotion!

So happy you two have had such a great time on your cruise.

Hi Karen,

You have the correct camera. My guess is that the Navigator will dock to the right of the Cruise Ship Terminal building. It should be a beautiful day, sunny with a temperature in the mid-60s.

Welcome home you two! A cross dresser? what fun THAT would be for the sistahs

Oh good, Dave! That camera has a nice zoom on it, too :)

They're in!