Hi Diane: So glad you are having a wonderful cruise - Betty and David are lots of fun - keep checking in love hearing all is well on the seas!

Hi Diane, So glad your cruise is going well. I made Crystal keep me away from the slots till the last segment on DC. On the last night I really racked up some nice hits.

I love the slots on the Nav, there are some fun ones and I am luckier than usual in that casino!

Hi everyone - Wish I had some excitng seamail to report. I slept almost 14 hours last night. When The Captain did his ding dong message thing at lunch I got up.
Fantastic sea "Afternoon". I'm assuming the sea morning was also good. This afternoon was Navigator Idol. No one was bad. Then tea, then trivia, then dinner with the CD (Paul) and one fantastic table. Paul really knows how to mix a great guest list. Tonight is Liar's Club, but I can hear the iano player in the Horizon Lounge and I think a Grasshopper is calling my name. Diane, Marcia and I are "discussing" our travel options for 2010. Everyone must sail with them. 2 new wonderful friends. Sorry I don't have any gossip. Bye for now.

"Sorry I don't have any gossip"

Cruise is young Betty
;) ;) ;)

Betty, have Diane and Marcia talked you into sailing on to Monte Carlo yet???
:D :app:

I want to meet you!

So glad you all are enjoying the crossing. Wishing you smooth seas!

Betty, I am glad you are upholding my grasshopper tradition!

Karen - I did your Grasshopper tradition proud last night, both in Horizon Lounge, then again upstairs at Liars Club. It's too early to start today.
Kristin, I will have to get off in Funchal. It's not going to work any other way. But know you are embarking with a great group. I do wish I could stay on.
Only one tiny complaint & it took 5 days for me to realize it. There aren't enough computers on this ship. Long waits during the day. I think this is only a problem on crossings - too many people with free internet, no port stops, and nothing to do but surf the web all afternoon. I'm sure this will be corrected during the dry dock.
And one small piece of gossip (I think I'm the last to know) Guieseppe and Gerlinde had their baby yersterday. A girl. I don't have any other details. Maybe someone else does.
Bye for today. Considering eating in my cabin tonight so I can read all my eamils while everyone else is at dinner. BTW - I love Regent!

Betty, I don't know how I missed that you were going on this crossing!??!?! Anyway, have fun -- which it sounds as if you are doing. Hi to the other LCTers also! I'm so jealous.

Hi Betty, Thanks for checking in with us. Sounds like your cruise is progressing wonderfully! Keep having lots of fun!!!

Didn't eat in my room. Back to the CR with great company, then on to the Shirley Jones talk. She looks great, says she is 75.
Tomorrow I think it will be the pool or the spa or another nap or whatever strikes my fancy when I get back to my cabin. Only know it will include food and alcohol of some type! Just stopped for a few minutes since no one else at the comptuers. They are all drinkng across the hall. What am I doing in front of a computer with a bar so close?

You are thinking of all your friends who are land-locked instead of on the briny.....what???? no POOCH yet?

I am loving your cruise/posts Betty!!!!

Betty - it's wonderful to virtually sail with you. Got to grab the computers while you can - just bring a glass of vino with you! Or .. dial the bar for service? You can do it, girlfriend!!

Cheers, Anne

There aren't enough computers on the Navigator for sure - last summer we decided not to drag our laptop with us on the Black Sea trip - every day there was a line up for the computers, and at least 3 of them were "out of order" at any one time. I found that the best time to use one was around 6 PM - grab a glass of wine from the bar across the hall while you're at it.

Pat - No Pooch yet. I guess we need you to light that fire under us, although I don't know when we would play. David busy with shuffleboard, being an Idol judge & chatting with his many friends on board. Diane works a lot. Marcia modeled in fashion show yesterday and is deep into reading. I am more than happy to announce that I am the slug of the group. They are busy, busy..........and I either sleep, eat, drink, or watch the seas roll on by. We all manage to make it to tea & trivia. Our group is very tired of being in 2nd place, but still a fun time.
And today will be a real killer.....clocks moved at midnight and the captain just announced they are moving again at 3 PM. There should be a law. Off for BBQ or some speciality on the pool deck. What did that Passages say when I got back to my room last night? I do remember it was in the food category. Theater performer tonight is Carol Lawrence. I remember her as Maria in West Side Story. Stop that Betty - you are showing your age. Bye!!!!!! for now.

I can tell you are having the best time and much needed opportunity to chill, Betty. Keep posting it helps on days like today when I am doing laundry and weeding flowers -

Betty, so glad you're having such a wonderful cruise and you're relaxing.

Enjoy, Nancy

Betty,
sounds like you are relly enjoying the crossing. I haven't really been keeping up on a regular basis. Just one question....since Shirley Jones is on board, is her husband, Marty Ingels with her? I am curious because I knew him in LA.

Shirley Jones is traveling with another woman. I was able to speak to her for all of 10 seconds yesterday. Wanted to tell her how much the movie Oklahoma meant to me as a kid. She was pleasant. All the "stars" will speak but all are pretty much stand offish. Same for the other New York theater people on board. But if you sit in a lounge and listen to them talk to each other it is fascinating. An entirely different world than mine.
No exciting news yet today. Trying to use my ship board credit in the spa and store today. It doesn't take much for it to go away fast.
Hope for exciting seamail later today. Been a good cruise.

Only two more sea days left on this crossing. This has been a very relaxing smooth crossing with very reasonable weather. I love this ship and its crew. I just don't understand those that find flaws in everything about Navigator.Just wait until the old girl has her makeover in January. ( The Navigator not Betty!)OOps better go!

Betty, I'm so glad you've had this chance at rest and relaxation, plus spa treatements. You go girl.

David, I see your humor is not taking a vacation. :)

Well it looks like they made it to Funchal!

Great stalk, Karen!

Yes, here we are! We spent a lot of time at the Beerhouse, which is that restaurant on the pier with the white tent roofs that you see. It's a bit rainy and chilly, but everything has been great. We're unpacking right now and will head to the dreaded lifeboat drill soon.

We took SATA airlines from Boston to Funchal (ColWes had good things to say in a prior post) and it was a great flight. We were detained a bit because they are testing every passenger coming from the US and Canada (consisted of taking our temperature and doing a visual on us to make sure we have no visible symptoms of flu) -

Stayed at Hotel Madiera Regency - it was nothing fancy but did the job. We watched navigator sail in this morning from our balcony so that was a treat.

the mood is great on board and we are looking forward to a fabulous B2B!

Great stalk Karen! Welcome aboard Kristin! I hope you have a fabulous time, don't forget to send us seamail.

So happy those who got off had such a great experience. Kristin have a wonderful B2B will be anxious to hear from you.

Kristin - you are going to have the best time ever. Fantstic group of people on board. I can see the ship from my hotel balcony. When you sail away, I'll be toasting all of you still on board. Sorry we missed each other. If only..........I could have stayed. :mecry:

Kristin, happy to hear Greg and you enjoyed SATA and are now on board..have a great cruise..pls give a bear hug to Diane from Ida and me..and tell her Sue, Tom, Ida and I hope Marcia and Diance book the Voyager fall 2010 crossing.

Greg and Kristin--have a great time. We're really going to miss having the chance to sail with you on "VIK"--hopefully another chance will come up soon.

Now that we have more ports than the first part of this cruise, maybe we will get some good stalks!

I needed the internet for work during the crossing, but now that I have finally landed in Silver territory, I can tell you all how great this cruise is and continues to be. Still haven't hooked up with the Thompsons, but hope to call Kristen tomorrow.
Too much of everyting not good for you, but the resistance is low.
Loved this so much, doing a downstroke on 2010 crossing back to Ft Lauderdale.
Great variety of sweet and interesting people. After many second places, finally a first place yesterday at trivia--then total stupidity today.Let's not even talk about bingo
The crossing was glass smooth and a perfect workintg vacation.
Have any of you met Millie? She is a great woman, young at heart, full of energy, who must have brought two trunks for all of her outfits.She is a true role model for living life to the fullest.

My sister was one of the passenger models in a fashion show for a very nice line from the Boutique, and that was such fun for her.

The theatre presentations have been very good, if mostly musical numbers. I will never forget Patricia Neal--a gutsy broad if I ever saw one.

Now I know what all the fuss is about re Navigator Idol. A real way to invigorate the staff and connect them with us passengers.

I will try to stop eating this week, but I hold little hope for success.

The best is saved for last. Betty is a gem. I'm sure we looked like Mutt and Jeff walking together, since she is so tall and I am such a shrimp.

Not keen on the hours moving ahead each day, but if that's the only problem, as it seems to be, I can take it.

WOW Diane another week!!! eat, drink and enjoy!! Kristin's last name is Rudi -

Diane: Sue, Tom, Ida and I can't wait to share the Voyager fall 2010 cross with Marcia and you.

Believe you've contacted the "Crossing Flu" not to be mistaken with the FP Flu or the Swine flu.

We only have 546 days to go before leaving Barcelona for FLL!

r/wes

Thanks so much for all your well wishes! Things are going great. We met Englebert, who just knew who we were - (us? why?) - Betty, his name tag is back in place but I think he liked it better on you! :)

We also have seen a few familiar faces - Lina from Voyager and Meo who was on board from our first Nav cruise in May 07. I bet there are more, we just haven't seen them yet. This is what I love about cruising a small luxury line!

Diane, I bet we'll meet you and Marcia tomorrow on the sea day! Have already met so many wonderful fellow passengers. Cheerio, all!

Don't forget, Susan and I are also on the 2010 Voyager W/B and looking forward to meeting everyone! We'll gain back all the hours we lost on the E/B last year!! Looks like everyone is doing well - continue to enjoy.

Hello to all you lucky people on the Navigator. You get to sleep in today. It's 5:22 AM Madeira time and our tiny Regent group, waiting for our bus, are bemoaning how sad it was to watch you all pull away last night. Color us green. Too early to even enjoy our free breakfast which will be served in 2 hours. But if we couldn't be on the ship, this hotel - The Cliff Bay - is second best. It is one of those too gorgeous to be true. Thank you Regent.
Kristin - happy you met Engelbert. We can share the name tag if you don't find your own. :) Sea mail will be great when you have the chance!

Things continue to be lovely here. Malaga is a great little city, and we had a very funny guide to tour the Picasso Museum.
Weather continues to be good, with a little breeze and light sweater weather.
Tomorrow we will wander.
Still trying to touch base with everyone on board. Kristen--I lost your room no.--call me in 718

Diane, just left you a voice mail message - we are in 862 - will be in Stars Lounge around 6-6:30 - hope to meet you there!

Malaga IS a great little city. And everyone is so active here - running , biking - in great shape. (Makes us feel a tad guilty!)

We are happy that John McNeill is our captain once again! He is so personable. You can tell that the crew love him too.

Our weather has been perfect - sunny and 70 or so -can't ask for anything more.

We love the new dining format in Portofinos- open seating and a rotating menu. We had a seafood dish last night that had lobster, scallops and the biggest piece of calamari I have ever seen (about 6 inches long!). Even Greg chose that for his main entree, and he is ever the red meat guy.

Life is good on board Navigator! But we are still a bit melancholy that we are not on voyager about to sail into the New York harbour. But the Med in May is not so bad, is it? :)

Well, I finally met up for a minute with the ravishing Kristen and the dapper Greg, in Gallileos. They were all decked out for the evening. I, of course, was the schlub of the schlubs. Having overdosed on this wonderful experience, I declined dinner with an outstanding couple. Marcia, game for anything, went with her dancing shoes on.
Valencia was terrific. Right before some huge soccer match between Barcelona and Bilbao. Hundreds and hundreds of people in red and white striped jerseys, drunk as skunks, chanting team songs. Tremendous and such fun!