The trip continues to surpass expectations. The Chilean fjords and glaciers are, in my opinion, far more awesome than those of Alaska. These are more abundant and seem closer together but, I must admit, I have never been to GlacierBay.

The health of our passengers has been all right, too. A couple who had to leave in Buenos Aires and fly home to New York for a medcial problem the ship's doctor was unable to take care of returned in Valpraiso. Also, a man passed away a few days ago of unexpected causes.

John continues to have four games a day and is also having some predinner shows. Handre did a presentation of his own music and songs. It was a stunner. His music is haunting and poignant and his piano playing is excellent.

We are looking forward to Robinson Crusoe Island tomorrow, then later to Easter Island and Pitcairn Island where the descendants of the Bounty will come on board.

Ardis

The rest of the Koala group joined the ship yesterday and we all met for cocktails in the Observation Lounge before dinner last night. It's an unusually small group but we'll still have a lot of fun. The newbies have their lifejacket drill this morning and then it's on to lectures & pooch. It's still too cold to sit on the pool deck but we're hoping the sun will peek our from behind the clouds and warm us up.
Jim

so happy the gang's all there! Have such a great time and keep sending seamail :app:

Ardis, I have to agree, Chilean fjords are spectacular! I had the good fortune to go there several years ago when Ngaire managed to fashion a short 6 day mini-segment from Valparaiso to Ushuaia that remains today one of my most memorable cruises!

Last night at the Captain's welcome party Capt Phillipe announced that he will leave in Papeete (instead of Sydney) and that Felice Patruno will replace him. No mention of Capt Alfredo who was previously scheduled to replace Phillipe in Sydney.

We had dinner with Ngaire & Ken in Prime 7 last night. 1 1/2 giant Maine lobsters is a lot to consume, but they were delicious. The Prime 7 menu is extensive and you need several visits to try even half of the selections.
Jim

Ardis and Jim

Thanks for your reports. It's great to virtually sail with all of you!

1-1/2 lbs giant Maine lobsters? You DEFINITELY need Ngaire on the team to fully enjoy that meal.

Give our best to Capt. Phillipe. Haven't heard of Capt. Patruno, either. Is he from Oceania?

Cheers, Anne

The sad news for many of us is that captain Romero is no longer with Regent according to an officer of the Mariner.

Ardis

Not sure if the new Captain is from Oceania or not. Someone said he was from Carnival but I am not sure of his history. He did well on stage last night and seemed to have a nice personality. They had a whole new presentation for the Captains reception, with a slide show and a little introduction from key people. Totally different from anything I have seen before and I really thought it was well done.

I promise today I will do a post on the trip so far, as always seems to happen there is not enough time and I have been busy with the work things things I got onboard.

Jim, Prime 7 sounds wonderful. I can't wait to try it.

Ngaire, which is best lobster or lamb?

Ardis, the cruising the Chilean fjords is one of my favorite cruise memories. I'd love to go again.

Only had the lobster so far but plan on going back and there are so many things I want to try. Lamb, Veal Chop, Dover Sole, and Prime Rib all look wonderful.

Jim and Pat had lunch with the new Captain and said he has a great personality. They said he reminds them of John McNeill. He was with Carnival (not Oceania) and was Captain of all of their ships at one time or another. Jim said he was so happy to be with Regent and was looking forward to his new position.

Sailing towards Easter Island and we have had two absolutely calm days. The water is beautiful. One more sea day and then we reach Easter Island. The weather forecast is good and I hope it stays that way as everyone is so excited about going ashore and seeing this unique place.

Lazy days, sleeping in, doing some emails, eating lunch, pooch, trivia, freshen up and dinner. Life is very good. We did REALLY bad at trivia today we will never tell our scores.

Food has continued to be outstanding. Signatures tonight, with Don, Carolyn, Pat and Allan, rack of lamb will be my choice for this evening. Perhaps a double order??

Sounds lovely, Ngaire! Gotta love those lazy sea days...

Rack of lamb Ngaire? How unusual!! Enjoy - everything sounds wonderful - wish I could be there (your trivia scores wouldn't improve). Lee

Ngaire, your cruise sounds divine! Thanks for checking in. Can't wait to hear more!

EASTER ISLAND

We had a perfect day. 80 degrees, light wind and reasonably calm seas, just some big swells.

Ken and I did our normal “lets try a taxi or rent car and see how it works out”. We ended up renting a car. $150 for the day, all the taxis charged $150 for about a 3 hour tour.

We were impressed with the island the moai did not disappoint. The main moai sites we saw were Ranu Raraku, Abu Tongariki, Anakena and Tahai.

Ranu Raraku is a quarry that has 397 moai. Some are standing erect, some are leaning some are flat on the ground. There are 150 that are not finished. You can walk right up the hill and be right next to the Moai. I loved this spot and you also get a great view of the ocean and surrounding area.

Abu Tongariki is 15 moai standing on a 200 ft ahu with the ocean in the background. A wonderful sight.

Anakena is five statues that were buried in sand for centuries and were protected from the elements so they have been better preserved. You can see more of the carving of the lips, nostrils and curved ears.

Tahai has moai with the white eyes.

We also visited the Rano Kau volcano. The crater a mile wide and impressive with a lake in the caldera covered with bright green reeds, a beautiful sight. At the same spot were 48 oval huts of a ceremonial village constructed in 1600 and used by locals until 1866.

The island was more attractive than we expected and had many wild horses. We had a truly wonderful day.

Ken will post pictures soon. Now we have Prime 7 tonight and I am sure ready for that after such a full day.

Sounds like a fantastic day. Can't wait to see Ken's pics. Also your report of Prime 7.

Sounds amazing. That's one of those places I read about in National Geographic when I was a kid, and always wanted to see. Haven't yet, have to find a way I guess!

PHOTOS FROM
Vina Del Mar, Robinson Crusoe Island, and the B&K Cocktail Party:




Horse Carriages in Vina Del Mar.


Ocean Walk in Vina Del Mar


Cute little boy Vina Del Mar


Ngaire, Ken, & Sheila (Compliments of Ken from Australia)


Robinson Crusoe Island


Robinson Crusoe Island


Robinson Crusoe Island

Carolyn and Ngaire found a new friend


Carolyn, Francisco the wonderful, and Ngaire


Captain drawing a preliminary winner, John Barron and Sheila in the picture

Photos of Easter Island:


Pam & Jim




Ken & Sheila


Carolyn & Don




Ngaire & Ken

Sheila & Ngaire (Compliments of Ken from Australia)

LIARS CLUB AND CAPTAIN PHILIPPE

I have attended many liars clubs over the years. This was one of the best. The panelists were the guest comedian, Lyn the cruise consultant, Captain Philippe, and Steve the security officer. One would anticipate the comedian would be the best, he was good but was really not as good as the Regent staff. Lyn and Steve both did a great job. The star of the show was Captain Philippe.

Never have I seen a Captain in liars club before so I thought it was neat he was even on the panel. However, he did actual “skits” for his words. Two words he sat on a chair and moved it around the floor complete with sound effects of his car moving down the road and shifting gears. Incredible. Then the security officer acted as a policeman and confronted him on a number of issues. It was so well done you could tell they had spent a lot of time pulling this whole act together. It brought the house down. I think the effort that all the staff put into this was extremely evident and this is the type of thing that makes Regent special.

MARINER’S GOT TALENT – PASSENGER AND CREW TALENT SHOW

John held auditions for a talent show with the passengers. They ended up with six acts. Prior to the actual event they showed some of the auditions on the television so if you wished you could see the preliminary acts, both those that made the cut and the others as well.

The actual event took place last night as an early show. The house was packed. It was so well presented and professionally done. They got a lot of variety, a man who played the guitar and sang, an older lady doing the hula which was very cleverly done with a song “watch the hands not the hips” a teenage girl juggling (she learned to juggle on utube can you believe) a female singer, a classical pianist and then the final act was the winner. A lady who changed the words to a song so it was relative to our cruise and sang it very well with great stage presence. I understand she is a trial lawyer so she knows how to present herself exceptionally well. Part of the chorus was something along these lines. “This is a great cruise my friends, we hope it never ends, we laugh and eat and then we eat some more, at trivia we fight, and John is always right, we love our crew, and captain we love you”. It made me think of Anne and Gary and their particular ability in doing the same thing.

The audience voted and the prize was a $1000 which the winner promptly donated to the cruise welfare fund, a very nice gesture. It was a smashing success. I really believe the entertainment involving the passengers or the crew is always very special and a lot of fun for everyone. So we are now looking forward to the actual crew show where the first prize is a $1000 and we hear there are some incredible acts.

FOOD AND SERVICE.

In all venues the food and service has been outstanding. Best food I have had ever since sailing Regent. As far as service I must admit I am always yakking away and so am not sure how long it takes to get service if you were in a hurry it may be seen quite different but for me it is just fine.

Signatures
People have been reporting that Signatures is not as good but I do wonder if this is simply that Compass Rose has improved and Prime 7 is such a hit that these venues are overshadowing Signatures. I found Signatures to be the same as always. The menu items were the same as they have always been. I like Signatures about once a cruise as I do find things to be a little rich and I like the flexibility you get in the other restaurants.

Prime 7
Since the ship is not full people have been able to get into Prime 7 several times. I have now tried the Dover Sole, Lobster, Milk Fed Veal Chop and the King Crab Legs. Each visit (two now) I have had a main instead of the appetizer and salad and then another main so I can “do my duty” and try out the main offerings. Everything has been outstanding. Probably my favorite was the huge Main Lobster. It was incredibly good. The King Crab was a huge helping with really big crab legs that are pre-cut and the meat just slides out in big round pieces. I love their light dessert of fresh berries.

Compass Rose
A different style of menu, more mains are listed as the “simplicity items” are now shown on the main list. No back page. Someone mentioned on either LCT or CC that the menu had less options but I think it is just a different way of presenting things. Often items were listed on the back for a second time so overall I think it is about the same. Food here has been very good consistently.

La Verandah

Breakfast – do not make it to breakfast so cannot comment.

Lunches seem to have had better options. The fish has been excellent except for one day the salmon was over cooked. The carving stations have been good. Everyday you have the big shrimp, smoked salmon and either mussels or king crab. I am still waiting for a rack of lamb on the carving station, hope that comes one day.

The one complaint I have heard is the crust on the pizza is not good, that it is too thick. I have not tried it and am trying to be “very good” so probably will not try it but this is a pretty universal complaint. I asked about this and was told it is a standard recipe for all the ships so it wont change unless they change it for all the ships. The key here is to put it on the comment sheets this is how things get changed.

Dinners
They had a “French Bistro” for six nights at La Verandah. It was pretty good and we enjoyed our meal, Lobster, Rack of Lamb, a nice Beef Filet and a great shrimp soup. I have only been once and I have just not really been a fan of La Verandah at night.

SEAS – CALM – CALM
The first two nights out we had some movement, nothing major, but the last days have been incredibly calm. Yesterday it was like a lake, not even a ripple. As calm a sea as I have ever seen. It was so beautiful. I wanted Ken to take a picture but he never got around to it. Today we have a little swell but no white caps.

POOCH and TRIVIA
We are having our daily pooch game at 2.00 pm. Pam and Jim have the honor of being the current leaders but there is still time to catch them. Don has started bridge and is totally enthralled with this new game so he has been absent. He won every category on Samba so he will not be defending his title. A new saying from this trip instead of “under duress” it was misheard as “under a dress”. It has kind of stuck.

Trivia – well between the Bittle team and a couple of other teams I do not think we will ever win. We are coming up with some great answers and having a lot of fun.
Question – The name given to the natives in Rio?
Answer - Jewelry Salesmen
The team scoring us gave us three points for that answer!

All in all this is turning into a wonderful cruise. Easter Island was such a highlight for us, and we are really enjoying all these sea days. It is so nice and lazy and both of us are getting some nice rest and really enjoying the group. It may be small in number but high in quality.

Your trip sounds like heaven!! Since we canceled this trip, I really enjoy your every word about it. I love hearing about the talent show and the liar's club etc. Captain Philippe is such a great Captain and with John as the CD , how can you go wrong! (same combo we had on South America Mariner trip).

The food sounds great too....keep on posting so we can continue traveling with you! Thanks!

Thanks for the great reports, Ngaire and I loved the pictures of Easter Island. I wish I was there for the trivia team--I actually know the answer to the Rio question :cool: --with any luck, we'll get the same question on Viking.

Yea Peggy, but the right answer won't come close to the cleaverness of theirs!! Like the one on CROSS, what is a group of bears called? Can't remember the answer now, but I thought the best answer of all was the group who put down "very dangerous"!

Sounds like a great trip Ngaire, thanks for keeping us at home posted.

Ah Ngaire, sounds like a truly wonderful journey, both onboard and off. Ken, I commented on the other thread but will say again -- great photos of Easter Island! That's a place I hope to see someday.

Keep the reports coming!

Ngaire, thanks so much for all of the detail - everything sounds divine!!! And as always, Ken, your photos are absolutely breathtaking.

Well we are at Pitcairn Island. As anticipated no one will go ashore and the islanders will come on the ship. We watched the long boat try to tie up to the ship. They tried one side and then had to reposition to the other side of the Mariner. It took about 30 minutes and was not easy to tie up the long boat. The boat had about 35 people onboard and it took a long time to get them off the boat onto the ship. It was bouncing up and down. Watching this it was very obvious there was absolutely no way that they could take people ashore. The ocean looks pretty calm too, no white caps at all but there is a visible swell. The sun is shining and the water is sparkling.

As we looked at the island we were surprised at how nice the homes looked on the island.
Ken has some pictures of all of this he will post later.

At 10.30 am the islands will be giving a presentation and then holding a “craft fair” where they will sell their local wares. Be back later with more details.

Yesterday we "nearly" won trivia. We had a score of 13 and the wining score was 14. What made us really do a joint moan was we had the other two answers, one we even had written down and changed it. We were SO close to a perfect score. Maybe today?? We have not been far behind but being so close to 15 really has given us inspiration for today.

How did I miss this post?? It's so nice to hear that the food has been better than ever, that makes such a difference!

I am loving all the pictures and HELLO FRANCISCO!! Please tell him I hope to see him in September!

I still think that it is a travesty that they didn't put a tender in the water and at least try to get people ashore. :( The draft of a tender should be less than one meter.

Wonderful photos! Envious of super weather you enjoyed on Easter Island. Day we visited there was light rain off and on and no blue sky.

But we were happy we made it - we were told ships have a 25 percent chance of visiting because of water conditions. Would've been a BIG disappointment if weather was realy bad!

Have a great rest of the cruise.

The locals came on board with all their goods. They had playing cards with scenes from Pitcairn so they will be fun for pooch. Ken bought a hat and I bought a tee shirt. A presentation was given in the lounge by Betty Christian and descendant from Fletcher Christian. Hard to believe only 48 people live here and fascinating to realize how these people live. One store open for one hour three times a week. One restaurant open one day a week. Only had internet for two years. Their first road was paved a few years ago from the landing site to the main square. They hope to extend this from the main square to the school. They do have a generator for power in the morning and the evening it is turned off in the afternoon. Every family is responsible for collecting their own water. They get water from rain and they desperately need rain now.

They only have a few longboats so it would be impossible to ferry everyone ashore with these boats. The road up to the village is also very steep. Not a good landing place BUT having these islanders on board and talking to them was very interesting. They were all very friendly and welcoming. They also had lunch on board and you could see this was a real treat for them. As they left they sang some farewell songs. It was a fun day.

Have loved pixs and reports Ngaire - I am not good on bouncing tenders/boats - the locals would have made me very happy -

PHOTOS OF PITCAIRN ISLAND:


PITCAIRN ISLAND


Adams Town, Pitcairn Island


Pitcairn Islanders Coming to the Mariner.


Boarding the Mariner by Rope Ladder


Lots of Souvenirs.


A Friendly Pitcairn Islander.

John Young, from Pitcairn Island. (Edited to Reflect Ted's Post)


Mayor of Pitcairn presenting a plaque to Captain Philippe for the Mariner's maiden call at Pitcairn Island.


Captain Philippe, Mayor of Pitcairn, and Jean Michel Cousteau


Pitcairn Islanders Singing a Farewell Song.


Pitcairn Island couple with Jim, Ngaire, and Pat.

Marc,
We watched the longboat go back into Bounty Bay - they have to wait and catch a wave, just like surfing, and just past the breakwater make a sharp 90 degree left turn. A tender couldn't manoeuver that quickly and would smash against the rocks. We asked about cruise passengers going ashore and they said it's done ONLY with their longboats and only for up to 30 or 40 people. If they did that for us there would be another 400 really pissed off guests that didn't get selected, so it was the right choice.

The weather was perfect and it was a wonderful visit to this remote paradise.
Jim

Ken, those pictures were magnificent! Jim Bittle almost front and center in the final! I can't imagine the thrill it must have been for the locals to come onboard and make some contact with the rest of the world (and be off the island) for a day, as I've read about Pitcairn and its isolation for those who live there. Your photos captured it all. I did read all the links that Marc led us to from an earlier thread on this island, and the long boat filled with locals was almost the same as I saw before, loaded with all of them! Who was the man accepting the plaque, the mayor/governor/PM of the island? And if you know, what is it with the guy in the kerchief on his head? I have seen him before!

Marc, it is about surge of the currents in getting on and off tenders, and landing with big swells, and avoiding injury in a remote part of the world. Even MedJetAssist couldn't help you here if you broke a bone. Think of how difficult it was for these people with native sea legs to even get out to the Mariner! Have you ever been on a small boat (with less draft than a meter) that suddenly came upon a sandbar....what happens if the surge carries a boat ashore or toward a rock? Not fun, and it can be dangerous. :mad: My lecture is over. I know you want to go there, and appreciate that. This time, I loved the vicarious experience of seeing the locals coming on the ship. Why else would the Voyager visit Manila, when it never did before a couple of years ago? I would bet that most pax get just as much enjoyment staying onboard there, when it is docked!

NOW, if I come to England for the Chelsea Flower Show in June, will you and Arlene still have dinner with me and Joanna?

Olivia, we would love to see you and Joanna at the Chelsea Flower Show in May .

I still wonder how Navigator, PG, and Deutschland put passengers ashoer. I guess if I really want to go ashore I have to take the supply boat.

Did anyone buy wooden turtles?

Glad everyone is having a wonderful time. Only a few more days until you reach land. :D

Marc, Arlene first thought it was June, so I googled it.

I had to cancel FUN as you know for medical reasons (damned broken bone), so tonight I finally canceled the air, and find that cancel fees not even as expensive as redepositing miles, so I think I will be there! I love any excuse to see Joanna, and both of us would love to see you and Arlene, in London in MAY!

Supply boat is good, I think you have nailed your charter!

Any lct flower lovers out there up for an LCT reunion in London in mid- May? Fares are good now!

Ngaire,
Thank you so much for the wonderful photos of Pitcairn.
To be part of , and share ,living history is an amazing experience and a call to Pitcairn
is something very few folk get to do these days, and even fewer will be able to do in the years to come.
A day you will treasure.
I treasured my call there, and have today re arranged the mementos on the shelf in my study
as I shared your wonderful experience.

Ngaire....Tom and I were there in 2000 and the photos could have been taken from our visit - the happy, smiling faces, the enthusiasm of the native peoples, even the trinkets for sale, such a wonderful experience. Thanks for sharing it with us!

Love your terrific photos, Ken! It's great to be able to follow your trip now. Spectacular weather - love the longboat shots & Easter Island. Would have been fun to jump on the Mariner & continue our journey with you all :) Have fun!

Great pictures Ken !! I love it when the locals from some of these very remote places are able to come on board...they must love it too!

The 7th picture down in Pitcairn series, titled "an islander," is John Young. I think he's also descended from original settlers. Many of the originals moved to Norfolk Island many years ago.

It must be a strange way of life!

Ngaire, Ken and Jim thank you for sharing your cruise with us and Ken thanks for those great pictures. They were spectacular. We, like petlover, were suppose to be on the cruise with you but unfortunately had to cancel. We are, however, enjoying the cruise because of your comments and wonderful pictures. Glad you were able to go ashore at Easter Island because that is not always the case. Continue to have a wonderful trip with calm seas.

WOW - what an experience for everyone involved. I always marvel at how fortunate I am to be part of an online community like this, where LCT'ers openly share their highly unique experiences. What a treasure!!!

Great, GREAT day! We were leaving out over the railing to see the islanders climbing the Jacob's Ladder. The sea is so unpredictable that the long boats are not even left in Botany Bay at night but pulled up into a boathouse. Their lives are so precarious. If they must have hot water, they use their burnable trash to create a fire under a container of water. There is NO medical evacuation since it is too far for a helicopter to come and return. The kids go to school there from 5 to 15 and then if they want go to New Zealand for upper education. As can be imagined, few return. They have four supply ships a year only and possibly four or five cruise ships. Betty Christian was not a professional or practiced speaker but she hit the hearts of us all. Wonderful day.

Ardis

So we continue to have great weather. A few white caps today but the ship is smooth. Every day has been wonderful.

Last night was the 8th birthday of the Mariner. They had a special society party and had created a large cake shaped like the Mariner. The captain blew out the candles. They had all the staff that had been with the Mariner since its inception and called to the stage all the guests that sailed on the Mariner in her maiden year. It was nicely done.

This was followed by a great meal in Compass Rose. Crabmeat, dover sole and rack of lamb for me. Outstanding.

Tonight is sad as Canada Girl and Don and Carolyn leave tomorrow. Don and Carolyn thought about staying on but remembered they had promised to baby sit for five days and could not break that promise. We will miss them. Tonight we are going to Signatures as it is their FINAL SUPPER.

The auditions continue on TV for the crew talent show. It is so much fun to watch these I think everyone is really enjoying this event.

Off to trivia we continue to challenge but seem to be one or two off each day. SOON we will hit the jackpot.

[QUOTECanada Girl and Don and Carolyn leave tomorrow] [/QUOTE]

Boy, I must have missed something....thought they got on with you in Valparaiso. Guess not.

So happy you're all doing well and having a great time. Between reading your postings and knowing FUN started today, Tom and I are feeling a bit glum since we were originally booked on both. Oh well, we can't do them all so we'll just enjoy reading and looking at the great pictures and using our imaginations to be with you in spirit!.

The food sounds fabulous!

Sounds like such a special time aboard the Mariner, Ngaire - we can feel it in your posts!

Marcie, don't feel blue - VIKING is coming up soon! (Don't you DARE cancel that or the LCT police will be at your door! ;) )

I thought they split the original segment into two, with a break at Papeete. I believe that's where Pat is getting off. Poor Pat, hope she is staying for a post-cruise in FP!

The voyage was split into two segments. Some leave today and we understand that about 40 new passengers arrive today.

We arrive in Papeete shortly. We lose Captain Philippe today. He will be missed but the new Captain is really good. Friendly, all over the place and talks to everyone. I think he will be a wonderful new addition. I am glad we will have a chance to see him take over and start to get comfortable as assumes his role of master of the Mariner. He said he was very happy to be with Regent and I imagine the experience is quite different from Captain of a Carnival ship.

The crew talent show continues. The final will be after we debark in Auckland. I am so disappointed that I will miss the final. However the two semi final rounds will be taking place BEFORE I leave so that is great I will get to see all the acts that made the cut in person.

Well we made it home after doing half on the Ring of Fire escorted cruise. The cruise was fabulous and we only wished we had booked the complete segment. The changes that were made on the Mariner are fantastic. The new color scheme throughout the whole ship is taupe and cream for the most part and it is very nice. All the restaurants have a new look and one is prettier than the other. I don't know which one I would pick if I had to pick a favorite as far as the new look goes. The food in Compass Rose this trip was great and the staff could not have been more efficient. The new Prime 7 steak house has the feel of a real New York Steak house and the color scheme and the furniture is first class. The food was to die for. We went to Prime 7 twice in two weeks and had the rib in rib eye steak twice as it was so good the first time. Signatures has the same wonderful food as it has always but I do think that Prime 7 is giving it a run for its money.

Getting into Easter Island has to be the highlight of the trip. The Moai are magnificent, how these things were carved and moved is still a mystery. The Island itself is beautiful and we had such a pleasant day on the Island. Lunch was served at the beach and it was grilled chicken with a mushroom sauce, very good. We could not get into Pitcairn Island but the local folks came to us. The carvings they brought with them were excellent and they had t-shirts, hats and lots of local crafts. I think they had a very productive sales day on the Mariner. We loved meeting with them, it was a wonderful experience.

Our room was not being filled with any of the new people coming on board so Regent let us use the room all day until we left for the airport at 7pm so that was a big plus. This was a wonderful trip and it now ranks as one of our favorites. We had same old friends on board so it was nice to share this great cruise with them. This trip was magical, and we enjoyed every moment.

Hi to everyone who is still sailing on the Mariner, wish we were there.

Carolyn

Carolyn, so glad to hear you had a great time! I can't imagine Easter Island and Pitcairn, how fabulous! It was such a treat to be able to read the posts here about those once-in-a-lifetime experiences. I am sure you and Don will cherish these memories forever.

Hey, on a side note, Greg just drove through Georgetown the other day and had lunch at Chili's on his way back from an all-nighter (ugh) business trip to Rockport. Of course, I thought of you and when I asked you, "Where is Georgetown?" ;)

I am so anxious to try Prime 7 (when we get on Voyager) - everyone has just raved about it, on both ships.

Welcome home, and we sure hope to sail with you and Don one of these days!

Welcome Home Carolyn....sounds like a fabulous trip and I'm sure it was tough to have to depart. I really love that part of the world...so interesting!

Did Lynsay & Luke Barron get on board in Sydney? She had said how excited she was to reunite with her husband.

Welcome home Carolyn and Don your trip sounded perfect and it is hard to leave the "magic" - I know that feeling!!!

Carolyn, welcome home to you and Don! Your words make me eager to get back on the Mariner again in Hong Kong for DRAGON!

Don and Carolyn, we miss you two very much. Carolyn your presence is definitely missed at trivia and we play pooch today for the first time since you left - a "poochless Carolyn" game.
Glad you are home safe and sound.

The last two nights of the crew talent competition were truly amazing. The presentations changed from what was done in the auditions on the TV for most acts. Almost going to be impossible to pick a winner. Wish you had seen these, but we will also miss the final.

Have to fun off to Pooch now I have possession of the MUDMAN cards and score sheets they cannot play without me.

MUDMAN cards are some cards we picked up in South Africa. Each card has a different picture and the King of Spades looks like he just came out of the Blue Lagoon in Iceland - hence the name MUDMAN. Then we have dubbed the Queen of Spades MUDMAN'S woman, etc etc. It is a lot of fun.

I bought some Pitcairn Island cards to play with but everyone missed MUDMAN. I will buy some more in South Africa so we have a "supply" of MUDMAN cards and bring them on VIKING with me.

Ngaire....I hope to learn Pooch on VIKING...it sounds like so much fun. Just 54 day until we board in FLL!

Margo: It is easy to learn and lots of fun - I hate cards and Pooch worked for me!!!

Woo hoo! MUDMAN and POOCH both...looking forward to it! :D

Rarotonga had to be cancelled since the swells were too large and we are now headed for New Zealand. Since we had one broken leg on a tender at Easter Island, the officers are making sure that it does not happen again.

Dinner and a Show last night was the one Voyager had for their first - music of Oscar Hammerstein. It was nicely done with a large variety, good voices and was an exciting time. It had been prearranged that two guests were taken to the dance floor in Horizon and danced with the entertainers. Signatures had gotten their act together and service and food were good. It was a very nice evening.

I am impressed by John Barron. This morning when it was decided to bypass Rarotongo, he immediately revised the daily schedule. In addition to two speakers this morning, additional games, we are having the movie Slum Dog Millionaire this afternoon in the Constellation. He is doing a really great job and is putting the guests first in his priorities. I also enjoy his sense of teasing and humor. He can insult us and we like it.

Ardis

Sorry you had to miss Rarotonga due to big swells (though I can't remember what we did there??)

Are Lynsay & Luke on board?

Too bad we missed "Roaringtonga" but we figured that would happen as we approached at 6:30 and the swells were huge.

Lynsay & Luke come on board in Sydney. I'll still be on board and get a photo of them and send it to Ken to post.
Jim

Thanks Jim, I know how excited she is to join John. Luke is the most gorgeous child !!

Marcie, an all John could talk about was when Lynsay and Luke board the ship in Sydney. He kept offering to give Luke questions at trivia. I do think John is the best CD I have ever had on a cruise. The fact that he is so young and so good at his job is amazing.

Carolyn

Yes, I remember when Ring of Fire was first proposed as an additional WC It was unanimous wanting John as the C.D.on RofF. He is very popular and spontaneous plus a very talented singer.

If two cruises were equal and I could not decide, but John was CD on one of them, bingo decison made for us -

Ngaire,

So nice to be reminded of MUDMAN. I do miss him and our POOCH games. (Hard to believe that this week marks 3 months since our return from DC.)Crystal bought some cards in Cape Town and guess what, MUDMAN!!!!! She is the keeper of MUDMAN cards on the east coast. Maybe she will bring them on MOOSE and we can enjoy some fun games again.

As McKeever posted no landing at Raratonga. Big swells. The Mariner was really moving about and I cannot imagine how much a tender would rock and roll. Remembering Lamb and the broken windows in the tenders I think the decision not to go ashore was a good one.

That day the seas were pretty choppy and the sky was overcast. Not too rough but not a nice day.

Today looks so much better, calmer seas and blue sky.

We had dinner with the new Captain Felice Patruno
last night. I believe this Captain is going to be very popular. He is so friendly, down to earth just a really nice man. He is all over the ship talking to everyone. What is nice is it is obvious that he is very happy to be with Regent. He said he enjoys the interaction that this cruise line has between the staff and the guests. He is going to be a REAL asset to Regent.

So another day at sea, I am going to relish my last three days on board and enjoy them to the fullest. This was the longest cruise I have taken and it is amazing how quickly the time passes.

It is hard to believe that you have been gone almost a month now Ngaire -- I was thinking about that yesterday and saying to myself how fast it has gone. Hope your last days at sea are relaxing and enjoyable.

Thanks for all the reports and Ken's pictures which as usual have been amazing.

I am so pleased with the Mariner which has always been my favorite ship, so I admit to being prejudiced. The sea and port days are so full of activities and we have so many choices to make. There is a guest chef on board from La Jolla, California, who is doing three cooking demonstrations which are delicious as well as being practical. Another point which has impressed me is that when a problem came up that affected many guests, it was handled within twenty-four hours. There was no beating around the bush or the making of what I call "happy talk."

Our "new" captain is around and talking to people, listening and being so personable. He has a nice sense of humor and is fun.

The horrible news received a short time ago is that our assistant CD is leaving in Sydney, Handre, and will be sorely missed. He composes and sings his own music which is poignant and haunting.

Ardis

Handre is going on vacation but Louise is coming on and she is very popular with the guests so all will be well Ardis.

John Baron is the KING of trivia. Playing trivia with him reading the questions is the best entertainment on board.

Pooch - we have now named all the cards in the suit of spades in the MUDMAN deck. Mudman is the King of Spades. We had more laughs coming up with a name for each card. Anybody watching us must have thought we had gone nuts.

ONE MORE DAY - where did the time go???

Have a safe trip home.

Weather is nice is Texas.

Ngaire and Ken,

Can't believe y'all are on your way back already, it seems like we just left the Mariner. Wishing you a smooth and safe flight home.

Carolyn

PHOTOS FROM THE MARINER:


The Market in Papeete, Flowers Are A Bargain.


I Love My Ice Cream.


You WILL Buy My Mangos.


O-TAHITI-E


Pam & Jim in Moorea.

Beautiful Moorea.


Bora Bora.


Jim & Pat Having A Bloody Mary At Bloody Mary's.


Ken, Ngaire, Pam, Jim, Sheila, Ken, Pat, & Jim at Prime 7.

Wonderful photos (as always!)

That's a great group photo

Gorgeous, Ken, simply gorgeous shots.

Memories of LAMB - but with sun. Absolutely gorgeous. Maybe I do need to go back to those islands. :)

I agree, Betty...a LAMB II during the sunny months - would definitely be a winner.

Well going down to immigration in a few minutes. We can stay on the ship until it is time to leave for the airport. June, Brian and some other family members coming on today.

The weather on this trip has been truly magnificent. Mostly very calms seas and sun. Not able to get ashore at a couple of spots but mostly swells that did not really affect us on the Mariner just hard on the tenders. One day of "choppy seas" but not much movement on the ship. Amazing for a cruise this long.

We had a lovely final dinner last night in Prime 7 which is an outstanding restaurant. I have enjoyed the companionship of this group very much and also relished all these sea days far more than I would have ever anticipated. Easter Island was such a highlight and the main reason I chose this itinerary. We were so lucky to have a perfect day.

It looks like a nice day in Auckland. certainly no wind. Did not even know we had docked it was so smooth coming into port. May be a bit overcast but it is still a little too early to see as it is still dark.

I will be so sad to leave today but know that Julie and the girls are very excited I am coming back. So much going on I also really need to get back right now.

Still a lot of invoices to redo and they are doing these primarily by date so the later your cruise the longer it is taking to get to your date. A couple of the escorted trips were done a little earlier as RSSC focused on the groups first.

Shot of Mariner in Auckland this morning.
Well, you can just see her on the other side of, and above the Hilton from this cam.
Hard to tell which are the apartments and which is the ship.
Welcome to Auckland everyone.

For Ngaire and others who left Koala early, in the "Mariner Has Talent" contest first place for $1000 was Prime Rib; second place for $700 was the Ethnic Dancers and third for $200 was Elizabeth. 4th, 5th & 6th also got $200.
Jim

Wonder if anyone put it on YouTube as they did when lct's Valerie won!

Morning Everyone!

We arrived home late on March 17th. We actually disembarked the ship in Bora Bora two days after Carolyn and Don disembarked in Papeete so we were able to enjoy Papeete, Moorea and Bora Bora. Regent also let us stay on the ship too for as long as we wanted last day in Bora Bora so we tendered over to Vaitape first thing in the morning and rented a car and toured around. Finally found the perfect pearl bracelet to match my previous necklace purchase from a PG trip at Tahia Collins near the dock so I was happy. Tendered back to the ship had lunch and then finished packing and tendered back to Vaitape around 1:30 p.m. as we had to catch the Four Seasons shuttle boat at 2:15. We stayed 2 nights there in an overwater bungalow on their motu just off of Bora Bora. What a surprise when we checked in. I had been in contact earlier with the manager of the resort when we encountered a problem with our reservation and he said he would make it up to us but I was not expecting this lovely upgrade. We had booked the least expensive category and they upgraded us to the most expensive OWB they have. It was the furthest out on the pontoons, with a plunge pool and faced the mountain and I swear had to be at least 1400 sq. ft. It literally was like a small house. Simply beautiful property and 6 star service with amazing food. We didn't miss the ship at all. We only wished that we had booked in here for a couple more days to really enjoy the entire property. Trip home was good and even though we happened to be first in the airport lineup, biz class seats were already full. Just as well we didn't upgrade and saved the money as once the plane was in the air I moved in front of our seats and that then gave both hubby and I two seats to ourselves to stretch out in and we did manage to get some sleep. At Lax, the immigration lines were not the usual long ones so we breezed through and ran down to terminal 2 to Air Canada ticketing to try and get on the earlier flight home leaving at 12:00 noon rather then the 3:30 flight we were booked on. Luck was with us again as there were 2 seats left and they just happened to be in the exit row so that was a good flight home too. I found the ship to be as lovely as ever. Some of the crew I recognized but there seemed to be more new faces. They all seemed to be very happy and gave excellent service. Our butler Prashant was the best. I never would advocate paying for a butler but if they come with the cabin you covet then he had to be the best there can be. He was so easy to have around and he didn't give me the creeps like the last butler we had on the Navigator. He was very personable and made our trip that much more enjoyable. Our steward Gerry always made up the cabin early and kept us well stocked in bathroom toiletries. He was a gem too. I found the food to be excellent and being a vegetarian I was pleased to see more tofu dishes on the menu this trip. I have to say it was one of our better cruises. I'd book the Mariner again in a heartbeat without hesitation. I can't believe that they are not having the finals for the crew talent until after the end of this segment. We saw the second round and we thought that Pablo the pianist is a shoe-in. He's phenominal! Those of you still on for the next segment please post the winner after the show.
Pat

Thanks for that report Pat. We drove around the island and saw the Four Seasons resort, thought about coming over to day hi to you both. Sounds like you scored really well with that room. All things were working in your favor on this trip it seems.

So glad Prime Rib won. Those top three were so good as was Pablo. They all deserved to win really.

If they do a video PLEASE someone buy me one and I will repay you. I know the proceeds go to the crew fund so that makes me happy as well.

I heard from Franck they gave the crew a big party afterwards that made me smile. They sure deserved it. Best entertainment I have ever seen.

Continue to keep the Mariner fires burning Jim and we look foward to future posts so I can continue to sail along with your through your blog and posts. I have not read your blog since I got on the ship need to go back to that again.

I wish Ken and Sheila a nice trip home to Noosa and the Jim and Pam have a wonderful time in Tasmania.

Miss you all

Welcome home, Pat. You will be happy to know that you missed lots of lousy weather! Your stay in Bora Bora sounds delicious.

Ngaire,
The crew party after the talent contest was held in the Mariner Lounge so it was quite a treat for the crew.

Last night we had dinner in Signatures with Ken & Sheila and Jim & Pam and said farewell to the KOALA segment. We sailed stealthily into Sydney under the cover of darkness, docked at Circular Quay before sunrise and are now awaiting immigration clearance. It's a beautiful sunny day and we're looking forward exploring this fascinating city.
Jim

Welcome Home Ngaire and Pat.

Jim, it sure sounds like a fun cruise! Will you please tell Franck hello from me. He did sooooooooooo much to make our private dinner parties in LaVeranda really special. I bet he's glad we're not on having all of these anymore! He's GREAT!

Sydney was a wonderful visit with 2 days of gorgeous weather. We ran into Jim & Pam in Watson's Bay yesterday and we all had lunch at Doyle's. Lindsay & Luke are on board and Luke loves the elevators. We'll catch them sometime for a photo to post.

There are only 270 guests on board and they've made some changes. Deck 6 in the theater is closed so it will look more full with everyone on deck 5, only one side of La Veranda is open for breakfast & lunch, there are a lot fewer crew members, either Prime 7 or Signatures will be closed each night and we don't know what other surprises are in store. They are no longer giving out gifts on each segment or lapel pins of the cruise (full cruisers got a golf hat, flimsy jacket and a door plaque.) Stories from the Voyager & Navigator keep everyone abuzz but I won't post the speculations unless they become fact. We'll post more as we find things out.
Jim

"You WILL buy my mangoes" - priceless!


Great photos as usual.

Jim, thanks for the WC & segment...you are doing a terrific job on your blog btw...geez with the Mariner only at 38% capacity, sounds like Regent
is working hard to make the sailing best for pax and crew...r/wes

Regent is doing a great job here. We continue to have predinner shows as well as the late shows. Tonight BLACK TIE is giving a predinner show. They come with very high recommendations from guests who have seen them before.

As far as gifts go, we have not received lapel pins for about three years. This year our original gifts were in a very heavy useable tote bag. But with the jacket, I must disagree. Three years ago we received a very heavy cold weather jacket that is wonderful. Last year it was a grotesque slicker that most people just disposed of. This year is a dark blue windbreaker type that is very useful and attractive. I also realize that different people like different things.

We continue to receive information from some on Voyager and can feel for them as Stan and I were on the Song of Flower when it gave up off Muscat. We felt so sorry for those who had flown in from as far as Australia to join the ship only having to turn around and go back home. I hope that Regent is thoughtful enough to contact each passenger expecting to join in Dubai and give them enough information that they can make their own choice as to what to do.

Sandra Bowden is now on board and will give her first lecture today. We are looking forward to that.

Ardis

love "Black Tie"....such a talented family group. They've been on WC's before and always very popular.

A Photo of Lindsay & Luke Barron from the Mariner, compliments of Jim Bittle:


John must be so happy to have his family aboard!!

What a cutie! I bet every momma on the staff is signing up for babysitting duty!

Caught Mariner at last in Cairns today.
http://www.cairnsinfo.com/webcam.php

I wonder if Frank and Wendy were there to greet her?

You got some great pictures David!