There are about 194 guests doing the full world cruise on the Navigator. We've met several KLT clients and I'm sure there are more, but they aren't LCT posters. There have been some exciting moments during the cruise including a complete engine/generator shutdown mid way between Maui & Nuku Hiva. It was caused by some bad fuel clogging filters, but fixed within 1/2 hour. Many rough sea days on the way to Hawaii and Marquesas, but finally got smooth after Nuku Hiva. There's no longer a GPT event but a "Top Tier" event combining all 5 of the upper tiers. The Navigator currently has 347 repeat cruisers out of 475 guests, more than any other Regent ship this week, including 6 Diamonds and 2 Commodores. Good lecturers and entertainment.

So Happy you two are having a good time and the seas are calmer now. That "Top Tier" event sounds like it's going to include everyone on board. Keep having fun.

I have been following a couple of blogs about this cruise. Are you doing one this time?

I'm not doing a public blog this time like the 2 you are following. Just MS Word files to family.

Rachel, I'd love to follow the WC blogs as well. Please share the web address. I remember following one last year. It was "different" to say the least...his wife continually cancelled excursions and it seemed she rarely get off the ship unless they were going to a pharmacy.

Marcie:

I have been following anything and everything Navigator as we are doing the Trans Atlantic in September. Here are the links to the Navigator World Cruise blogs.

Blog: “Navigating the World 2018”. Day 1 at:

https://2018worldcruise.blogspot.com/2018/01/tomorrow-is-big-day.html

There is a link to each post on right side of page.

The poster is CNN

Over on the Regent Cruise Critic Boards, “Live from Navigator … 1st leg of world cruise”:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2582999

Poster is crusin7

We are in Auckland today for a changeover. Pat & I were out on Queens Wharf walking around and ran into Ken & Sheila who are getting on Seabourn Encore for a cruise around NZ. We haven't seen them since the cruise through Papua New Guinea and it was fun to spend a few minutes with them. Small world. Jim

Those are the blogs I have been following.

From Sri Lanka through Maldives and to Seychelles we are going through a High Risk Area (HRA) for piracy. We even had a Piracy threat emergency drill a few days ago. At night deck & veranda lights are off and drapes are closed. Fire hoses are strung out along the deck 6 walkways and we're in contact with an International Navy Task Force, who are specifically assigned to protect merchant vessels from pirate attacks by a United Nations mandate. Just another adventure for the World Cruise.

On our Navigator cruise we've had some Top Tier (formerly G P T) events but with 320 to 340 Top Tier guests all they can do is stuff us into the theater and have some singing from the cast. Last night they choreographed an "Under The Sea" program of singing & dancing that lasted 45 minutes and was better than the regular production shows. It was so good that, even though it lasted until 7pm, everyone stayed until the end.

Jason Montegue had a town hall meeting today and gave us some interesting information.

The enhanced internet that you pay extra for is only for streaming and has no effect on the regular internet. They are planning on expanding the bandwidth by 40% on all the ships within the next 2 months.

Istanbul is returning to the itineraries. It's been added to 2 2019 itineraries and will be more in 2020 including one being an overnight & turnover port.

He talked about the Splendor changes. The stairway to nowhere is being moved to go somewhere. The coffee connection will also have an outdoor setting. On Navigator & Voyager the glass doors with wine glass storage will be recreated in the corner and drawers will replace that cabinet on the next drydocks. The Mariner was fixed in its most recent drydock.

More overnight ports will be in future itineraries (we've already noticed that in the 2020 world Cruise.)

Jim, where will the Splendor "stairway" go? Are they adding a rear entrance to Compass Rose? If so, will there be restrooms by the rear entrance; they don't show any restrooms there on current deck plan.

Marc, I think the stairway is moving to the right as you exit the elevator and the platform there will be expanded. No mention about potties and I think a lot of those details are still being worked on.

Jim - Thanks for the clarification on the internet.

Glad to hear some drawer space was added on Mariner!

Sure hope they add Istanbul to the 2020 World cruise.

The 2020 World Cruise only added Ephesus. The current World Cruise was scheduled to visit Tristan de Cunha, in the South Atlantic and the most remote island in the world. Unfortunately the weather map shows a huge front all around it with 15 foot swells making tendering impossible. We're heading directly from Walvis Bay,Namibia to Montevideo. 10 straight days at sea. There will be quite a few with cabin fever by the time we spot land. We have only 361 guests on this segment so restaurant seating is easily available.