Mr Rumor

On 2/16/2020 at 9:55 AM, Zqueeze1 said:

. . .  have an ice cold Medalla Light beer for me and tell me how good it was. 
 

Delighted to follow instructions! Delish!

Hello from Castillo San Cristobal, and thanks to new friend Mark (and AirDrop) for the photo!

I tried to strike up a conversation with these gentlemen, but they were rather stiff with me.  (Castillo San Cristobal)

What’s this, land?  (Good morning from San Juan!)

9 minutes ago, GrJ Berkshire said:

Great to see such an improvement, and that Regent listened to the CD and theatre people in designing Splendour. Hopefully they will be able to amend Explorer in the future.

I have been told by someone in a position to know that, in fact, Explorer’s balcony will be significantly amended in an upcoming dry dock.  

As I think I may have been the first to harp on the Explorer’s terrible balcony sight lines in the Explorer Maiden Voyage live blog, I think it’s fitting for me to document—in photos—the much-improved balcony sight lines on the Splendor.  All photos were taken this morning at Steven Rivellino’s lecture on “The Playwright (Arthur Miller) and the Goddess (Marilyn Monroe).”  (By the way, Rivellino, a theatrical producer, has delivered a string of superb illustrated talks on subjects ranging from the Bolshoi “scandal” to Broadway trends.)

View from the first row of the rear balcony:

Second row rear balcony view:

Third row rear balcony view:

The side balconies have two rows compared to the Explorer’s three, and the chairs swivel:

Second row side balcony view:

To be honest, there is minor view obstruction from hanging speakers and lights, especially from the side balconies, and from each of the two balcony pillars in the rear balcony. . .

. . .  but I haven’t heard anyone complaining.  And I’m seeing lots of occupied seats upstairs:

15 minutes ago, forgap said:

Finger limes!  How could I forget?    How fabulous was that trip?   

Bingo!

On 2/15/2020 at 3:52 PM, Zqueeze1 said:

Please say hi to Daniella and pass our congrats on her new position. She is such a great professional and a wonderful person. 
Z and TB

Will do, and agreed!

2 hours ago, Zqueeze1 said:

Rich and all others blogging:  just a quick heads up that last night I was reading the San Juan, PR board in CC and there is a specific thread regarding a con man. The individual is from the mainland and will stop folks by asking if they speak English, then proceeds with a sob story about how he and a family member were mugged. He then asks if you can spare some money to go to the hospital and see his family member. He is thin, older, and usually wears khaki pants and a shirt. Sometimes he jokingly says that he speaks Wisconsian. 

The interesting part is that folks have been reporting his con for over TEN YEARS! He will usually walk away if you call his bluff. The unfortunate thing is that many of us would not hesitate to help a fellow human being in need, but this idiot taints our goodwill. 
I saw a picture of him and will try to post it so you can either avoid him or get his autograph because he is a CC celebrity. Recommend you let others know to prevent from getting tricked by this schmuck. 

 

In return for my tip, have an ice cold Medalla Light beer for me and tell me how good it was. 

 

What are you plans for Old San Juan?

 

Z and TB

To your last question first, bro.  I was paying attention when you blogged about things to do—and not do—in OSJ on another thread recently.  This is why I switched from the city tour that included a (1.5-hour!) stop at the Bacardi Visitor Center (and, of course, Gift Shop) to  just the city tour.  As you wrote, “Please make sure you don’t make a rookie tourist mistake and order Bacardi rum and coke while on the island. Trust me.  No self-respecting Puertorican would drink it.”

The shorter city tour will give us more time to play and hide and seek with the con man.   While we’re hiding, we’ll be seeking some ice-cold Medalla Lights!

On 2/15/2020 at 1:15 PM, forgap said:

Wow oh woe is my liver!  Those look fabulous!   Can u ask Daniela if they will go fleet wide?   My least favorite thing about about Regent is the use of sour mix. A bartender said this was a corporate decision as consistency in sourcing lemons and limes (!!) was an issue.  I love trying craft cocktails and this was the area that needed improvement.   Brava Daniela and team!

 

Please extend our congratulations to Daniela about her promotion.  It is well deserved.   I think back fondly to that dinner we all had with her...and the beautiful apple rose dessert in puff pastry!  

Daniela says the “Unforgettable” 27 will be introduced on the Explorer sometime this summer.  She added that there are no plans at this time, however, to take the new cocktails fleet-wide.

Daniela was strolling by The Cafe as I read your post.  I read it to her, and she immediately recalled you and Georges, and our dinner together.   Now do you remember the special treat that Executive Chef Hamza located that day in a Brisbane market that he wound up using in a fantastic salsa at our dinner that night?  

6 minutes ago, Hambagahle said:

I keep meaning to ask - how is Ginny's wrist?  Healing well I hope.

Gerry

Her wrist is doing well.  Ginny just has to remember not to be too frisky using it, especially twisting it. 

She is managing just fine with her craft work.  Her output on this cruise has been origami butterflies and these little “beaded” fairy characters:

1 hour ago, Hambagahle said:

The weather gods have certainly been with you on this crossing.  Hope this continues until Miami!

Gerry, the loveliness of this crossing ranks with our first transatlantic crossing with Regent aboard the Mariner, March-April, 2012.  I made a Cruise Critic friend on that cruise.  Have a guess who that was?  

Rich

P.S.  I posted on a live CC thread for the first time on that cruise.  The same then-new CC friend started that blog!  

Good morning, it’s Sea Day No. 8 and the sixth of six in a row. San Juan mañana! Yep, it’s another gorgeous day!

Deckhand Johnny (first Regent contract, Philippines) applies varnish to a railing of one of the circular staircases on the Pool Deck just now.

How do you know the Constellation Theater’s “hottest ticket”?  Count up the number of cruisers waiting for the two doors to open at 9 p.m., precisely 30 minutes before showtime.  If it’s a dozen or more, trust that it’s a John Barron show!

Many of you are Splendor bound in days, weeks or a month or two, so I’m not going to spoil your fun by listing the songs and bits in our cruise director’s one-man show from the other night.  Just know you will be laughing and singing along, and, at one point, waving your cellphone with the flashlight turned on.

But if you know John, you know you don’t have to stand in line to get a good seat to see him.  As always he is everywhere around the Splendor day and night, and he always has the time to chat and give you a chuckle.

The palm tree backdrop in the “driving range” is apropos—it’s so warm we could be in the Caribbean!

Passages promised “GREAT FUN” at the “Maiden Wild Country Fair on the Pool Deck this morning and that’s what we had!  Throw in a little hilarity and jubilation, too!  Our fantastic crew has spirit!

Good morning on Splendor Sea Day No. 7, the fifth of sixth in a row.

After spending the pre-dinner hour in the Meridian Lounge last night beginning to explore the amazing new collection of 27 exclusive-to-Meridian libations with former F&B director and now Regent Corporate Traveling Beverage Manager Daniela and senior bartender Catalin, I can state without hesitation that if you enjoy your pre- or post-dinner cocktails, Meridian will be your Splendor mecca.  (The drinks will debut on the Explorer some time this year.)

The collection of gin-based and other “Unforgettable” cocktails was largely the creation of Daniela and Catalin.  Work began on the drink lineup shortly after Daniela was promoted to her new position last summer and continued into last October when the two Romanian-born Regent stars spent 12 days in Regent’s Miami headquarters test bar perfecting the recipes.  

It was hard to know where to start when scanning the three pages of drinks, so I asked Catalin to pour me the most popular one so far.  He didn’t hesitate, selecting Quintessentially British from the “Gin Way” collection.  About the three key ingredients, Catalin said the fresh pomegranate seeds add a “kind of sour flavor,” which the fresh lemon juice “expresses,” and the Hendrick’s then “calms down.”  After adding some Fever Tree Mediterranean Tonic Water (FT tonic water is exclusively used in the gin drinks) and a long slice of cucumber, the drink was Ginny’s and mine to savor.

By now, Daniela had joined us.  She recommended that we take a sip on the wild side with Spicy and Passion, from the Unforgettable Cocktails list, featuring Patron Silver tequila, Passoa, fresh lime juice, fresh passion fruit, agave nectar and chili pepper.  Caramba!

Next up was another Daniela choice, Bonne Soirée (Woodford Reserve, Chambord, citrus bitters), which has the distinction of being the one new drink featuring the Regent “R” in ice (created with a contraption that looks like an oversized Regent ice bucket, but much heavier).  

To finish our tasting, Daniela suggested we stray from the Unforgettable Cocktails collection for Splendor’s Signature Cocktail, comprised of Crown Royal, fresh lemon juice, ginger, honey and citrus bitters.  In case there was any confusion which drink Catalin was preparing, the “branded” orange peel made it clear!

Happy Valentine’s Day from Splendor’s Meridian Lounge from Corporate Traveling Beverage Manager Daniela, Food and Beverage Director Stephane and ace bartender Catalin!

Attention to the smallest detail:  Housekeeping’s Kaung (Myanmar, second Regent contract) removes the tiny amount of white residue that appeared after his metal polishing work on Deck Four.

1 hour ago, Hambagahle said:

Rich - the boutique probably has some nice tee shirts?

Gerry, why didn’t I think of that? How do you like me in my new Splendor tee?

Boutique assistant Elizabeth displays the design in the two other colors it comes in.

It has gotten really warm.  Wish I had packed more tees and shorts!

16 minutes ago, JAG2003 said:

Fun officer - guest Baggo today.  Captain Serena was blindfolded and still managed to score!! 😳.  Happy Valentine’s Day 💕

Captain Serena saw to it that Food and Beverage Director Stephane got into the act, too!

Good morning, its sea day No. 6 and the fourth of six in a row.  It is another beautiful day!

England’s Barricade Boys (Google them) were sensational in their two Constellation Theater performances, so it was a thrill to see them in a surprise final appearance at the Top Tier event last night.

The lads have a lot going for them, including soaring four-part harmonies, great pacing, and bursts of smart choreography.  Plus they have an extensive repertoire.  In their 20-minute Top Tier set they managed to work in a seven-song Elton John medley, a five-song Tom Jones medley, Jesus Christ Superstar” and “My Favorite Things.”  CD John announced afterwards that he will try his best to bring the Boys to a Constellation Theater near you in the future.  

Before their performance, Cruise Consultant Bruce noted that there are more Seven Seas Society members on our cruise than the Mariner World Cruise at the moment.  The numbers, tier by tier:

Commodore, 1

Diamond, 4

Titanium, 34

Platinum, 70

Gold, 164

Silver, 184

Bruce also shared a set of numbers I’d not heard before, the current SSS worldwide breakdown:

Commodore, 5

Diamond, 32

Titanium, 750+

Platinum, 2800+

Gold, 18,000+

Silver, 116,000+

Hi Linda and John!  Guess where we just sat down for dinner?

Look who I caught in mid-stride—my blogging bud Kwaj girl!

I didn’t want to rush to a gush regarding the handful of new Regent production shows specifically created for Splendor, but after attending the first two—“Diamond Run” and “Bohemian Soul”—I’ve noted a definite uptick in production values, i.e. scenery, props, lighting and costuming.  Regarding the latter, I think the costumes in “Bohemian Soul” are terrific.

I also find it interesting that each of the productions features a  storyline.  In “Diamond Run,” an “International man of mystery crisscrosses the globe in pursuit of a priceless blue diamond” that a “beautiful jewel thief” covets for herself, and in “Bohemian Soul,” Paris’ “young mayor finds himself drawn to a mysterious bohemian girl and the call of the open road.”

The cast is young, talented, thoroughly rehearsed and highly energetic.  Good thing, too, as these are action packed productions. 

Each show got a standing O.  We thoroughly enjoyed them, and think you will, too!

A moment from “Bohemian Soul”