Zqueeze1

Bonnie:  I did not realize that your cruise is only seven days long.  Do you have any post cruise plans?

Z and TB

Bonnie:  excellent start.  We wish you and Karl an excellent cruise and many new memories.   If you see bartenders Paul and Cy say hello.  Stay in touch!

Z and TB

Thanks to everyone for the well wishes.  I got home yesterday afternoon and am already feeling great thanks to awesome medical care and TB’s care and cooking.  Will be sailing again on the Splendor on 5 Jan 25. 
 

Z and TB

Folks:  sorry I did not do a wrap up, but I caught some sort of stomach illness that knocked me down.  I ended up in the emergency room with several ruptured ulcers that required eight pints of blood. The doctor even told my wife to consider calling a priest.  Five days later, I dodged another bullet, but spent up one of my lives. The downside is no more alcohol. So, if you have stocks in Don Q rum sell ASAP.  Now I hope to go home today.

Thanks for all the prayers from friends and family.  BTW, my college classmates ran a pool to guess the hour and day I would croak.  I won the pot.  

Z and TB

10 hours ago, irishwitchy said:

Always enjoy your reports and pics of TB!   This Jersey girl got engaged on a Central Park carriage ride and 40 years later we still take one once in awhile, so not just a tourist thing! 

At our tenth anniversary we took a carriage ride in Charleston and replaced the teensy engagement ring with a real one at the same spot where I got engaged with my Jersey girl. 
 

Z and TB

GMIAC:  have a wonderful cruise and safe travels.  Please say hello to Cy the bartender from Roberto.  Thanks. 
 

Z and TB

Just got home after 11.5 hours from ship to front door to see this waiting for us. 

It’s great to be back home. 
 

Z and TB

6 hours ago, Elsammo46 said:

Thank you so much for the live! It’s been so so enjoyable to read over these past few weeks 🙂 

 

I’ll definitely be following along in the future! Any upcoming plans? 

Thanks.  We are scheduled to depart on 31 Dec for Cape Town for a 5 Jan 2025 transit to Río on the Splendor.  
 

Z and TB

We went to the pool bar to say our goodbyes

and to the Meridian lounge where Paul made me one last mysterious concoction

Dinner last night was superb.  We decided to go with Terri and Ray to Sette Mari where we ate very well we had:  

Peppers and cheese

Meatball app

Spaghetti ala Puttanesca 

Gnocchi

And the gigantore veal cutlet. 

so long New York

Z and TB

Good morning!  Yesterday was our last full day and it was bittersweet. We spent the day on our own and saying goodbyes.   The weather was perfect with no clouds and a wonderful 74F/23C. 
we awoke at 0530 to claim a spot in the Observation lounge for the sail into NY harbor where we were welcomed by this beautiful lady:

And Freedom Tower

Our day started with getting hustled by an Uber driver.  I did not use the app and instead hopped into a vehicle being driven by a chyster holding an Uber sign.  As soon as we took off from Pier 88, I asked him how much and he said “forty bucks,” to go a mile and a half!  Luckily, he was from Ecuador where I’ve worked in the past and he dropped his price to something more reasonable.  

Anywho, we went to south Central Park and did the tourist thing, a carriage ride around the park.    I felt like a goofball at first, but then started enjoying it.  

Dallas the horse and our carriage

Dallas smooching with The Boss

Later, we took the F train towards Second Ave and heaven:  Katz’s deli

We split a frank

And a pastrami sandwich.  

But, all good things come to an end.  TB made me walk the Bataan death march from 47th and Fifth Ave back to the ship while in a food coma.  Upon arrival we saw the ship being replenished. 

Back onboard and all napped up, I met a couple who said that Regent is not as good as it used to be because they don’t stop on St Bath’s as a form of habit. Not sure what medication they skipped that day. 

Next:  the last supper.  

Z and TB

17 hours ago, jeb_bud said:

@Gpilon and @Zqueeze1, we’re going east for a week at the end of this month, splitting our time between Savannah and Charleston. Do you guys have any suggestions for Must-Do activities?  We’ve never been to either city. Also we would be thankful for some suggestions for a nice dinner, or lunch for that matter, while we’re there. 

Charleston is a great city for walking especially to the Battery, South of Broad Street, Rainbow Row, and the market.  
 

Check out Hall’s Chop House for dinner. 
 

Z and TB

Good morning! Today we are in Manhattan the city where I was born.  I lived on Fourth Street between Ave A and B down in the Lower East Side.  

My best friend lives in Jersey.   Although we won’t be able to see each other I need to mention him.  He is originally from Goose Creek, SC and swore he would never live in the north, marry a Yankee, or become a Catholic.  Well he fell in love with TB’s best friend and is now all three.  Here he is at the beach:

Some may say he may have been the cause of the recent earthquake activity in NYC. 

Yesterday was full of initial goodbyes with some folks due to today’s busy excursion schedule.  We also had a great day seeing sea life. We saw several whales, dolphins, and a gentleman reported seeing a shark.  

Feeling much better, we had dinner at Pacific Rim

where we feasted on:

Beef tataki 

Alaskan King Crab roll

Pad Thai

Lamb chops

Pork ribs

Everything was incredibly delicious. 

Ready for NYC

Z and TB

8 hours ago, CardowMD said:

@Zqueeze1 I know you said you have been under the weather, not sure if you were on any of these islands over the last week or so, but high reports of Dengue fever.

Thankfully, we did not stop on any of these. 
 

Z and TB

2 hours ago, Mudhen said:

We’ve enjoyed all of your comments on your cruise and the ship!

Thanks for taking us along!

Tonight we’re having dinner at a pub with Jackie and Dennis in NYC .

Will be thinking of you when we suck down the Guinness!

Best, J&L

What pub?   Please say hi to them from us.  
 

Z and TB

1 hour ago, Gpilon said:

After our Grandeur cruise in July, we are heading to Ireland to golf for 9 days, and back to Savannah Sept. 12. If your visit here is after that date, let me know and we could possibly meet up for a Diet Coke or cup of tea. 

Oh no!  Thank you so much. But we will be there around Labor Day weekend.  Have a wonderful trip!

Z and TB

Good morning!  Yesterday was another feel good/ feel crummy day.  It must have been something I ate.  As we were sitting down for dinner at Compass Rose, my least thought was eating.  I ended up ordering a bowl of rice.  As the bar tender came by, he noticed my gills were a little green and came back with a non-alcohol concoction he called “La Bomba,” which made me feel much better. I was feeling lousy enough the I failed to take many pics.  
Enough whining.  After lunch, The Boss wanted to go to the Charleston market, so we hoofed it over and strolled through the incredible amount of stalls.

 

 There are all sorts of hand made handicrafts to include these baskets which can run up to $200US for one the size of a plate.  

Photo provided by Peter Frank Edwards

Last night was the premiere of a new show called “Pasión,” which is a tango themed presentation.  I heard from someone that it was not that great and there was no storyline to follow. 
Charleston is now in our rear view mirror and fast disappearing. What a great city, people, and food wrapped around so much history. We plan to return in September and also visit Savannah which is also a beautiful city. 
Today: sea day follows by our last stop at the big apple 🍎. 

Z and TB

Good morning! I am still under the weather but better. So, I don’t think it was the alcohol.  Not much to write about since I skipped dinner and went to bed.  However, we went to The Citadel and reminisced about the old days.  Armed with swag I bought, I dragged The Boss around campus. 

This is second battalion.  There are a total of five battalions.  

Summerall Chapel which is closed for renovation

A bust of General Mark Clark who was a former president of The Citadel 

Indía Company of third battalion.  This was my home for four years.  I walked a hundred tours on the checkered quad which is an hour per tour for going AWOL.  

The bulldog mascot in front of the football stadium. 

My friends who met us for lunch at the Fleet Landing.  They just finished running a ten k with 35000 participants.  
 

Bloody Mary time. 
 

Z and TB

Good Morning!   I have a slight case of the cocktail flu this morning. I hate feeling like cr@p after drinking too much.  I actually had a quiet day consisting of seeing the future cruise consultant and listening to a wonderful lecture on New York’s harbors.  After my obligatory post lunch nap, I finally went to the pool bar at 1500 and hung out for a while with the usual suspects. 

The problem began after dinner. I met up with Lorraine the CD’s boyfriend and closed down the Meridian bar. 

Today is Charleston.  This is the place where I went from being a kid to becoming a man.  As I’ve mentioned before I went to the Citadel and I feel as if I am home.  I love this town.  We are meeting friends, who are really family, for lunch.  

Before lunch, I plan to go on campus and reminisce about days gone by. More on that tomorrow. 

We had a great dinner last night at Compass Rose which included salad 

lobster tail

And beef Penang 

Z and TB

15 hours ago, Paul Renye said:

Z, where the heck have you been all day? You were AWOL this morning at the pool bar.

Hah!   I went to the lecture and took a nap.  Pool bar at 1500 today.  Be there, bro.  
 

Z and TB

4 hours ago, Mudhen said:

Z, what was that terrific looking cocktail with the tennis ball ice “sphere “?

Looks yummy!

 

That is a personal concoction made by Paul.  It does not have a name.  But any drink can be made that way. 
 

Z and TB

7 hours ago, GMIAC said:

Is there a bluetooth speaker in the suites? I was just onboard in December, but I can't remember now! I was thinking of taking a HomePod Mini with us next week so we can play some music while out on the balcony. 

I’m in an F1 suite and there is no speaker. 
 

Z and TB

37 minutes ago, Gpilon said:

Thanks for the info. On our last Splendor cruise (TA), Marko was the pool bartender and did a terrific job of ensuring I stayed hydrated. Third seat from the left still there??

 

It has your name on it. 
 

Z and TB

Good morning!  

Another beautiful day yesterday.  As with every morning, I get up at 0600 and have coffee/breakfast with Terri and Ray at the Coffee Connection where we share our previous evening’s experiences and a few laughs.  The Boss gets woken up at 0800.  I love getting a croissant and French press coffee early in the morning.  

As with most sea days, i take a couple of naps, which for me is nature’s way of smiling on me.  I love my naps.  I wrap my naps around a couple of stops at the pool bar for water, Bloody Mary, and a couple of rums.  

Evenings start at 1800 with a cocktail from Paul in the Meridian lounge where I wait for The Boss to make her grand entrance. Paul is one of the best bartenders onboard.  

Dinner last night was in Chartreuse where we were seated in the back facing the windows. 

We had the Alaskan king crab rolls

The halibut which TB declared it as one hell of a halibut

I also had an app portion of the very delicious rack of lamb. 

Followed by a raspberry sorbet and 

Petite fours

Rant time:  I WISH PEOPLE LEARNED TO SPEAK QUIETLY IN A RESTAURANT!!!  I don’t want to hear their yapping.  His laughter was something between a needle scratching a record and a hand grenade. 

Z and TB

22 hours ago, Gpilon said:

Hopefully he will be there for our July 22 cruise out of Barcelona

 

Sadly, Cy goes on break in June.   Look for Paul or Andreij.  
 

Z and TB

This is Cy:

 

he is the most excellent pool bar bar tender.  Cy comes from Mumbai and is always smiling. 
 

Z and TB