Mr Rumor

Gerry, it is already gorgeous today!

Sunrise a few minutes ago.

Note the outline on the “jogging track” (there are shorter and longer routes). 

Good morning, it’s sea day No. 5 already, the third of six in a row.

We haven’t had anything less than an excellent dining experience so far.  Dinner at Chartreuse the night before last, however, was Splendor Stellar. Service was outstanding—we breezed through four courses in 80 minutes!  And the food—voila!  Relive the courses with me:

Mesclun salad with radishes and root vegetable chips, lemon vinaigrette (Ginny)

Alaskan king crabmeat with Citrino olive oil wrapped in daikon radish, chartreuse-infused melon (moi)

Appetizer version of seared scallops topped with chorizo, butternut squash spaghetti, champigny sauce (me)

“Le Plat Vegetarian”—white asparagus Viennoise, morel cream, Jura Vin Jeune infusion (Ginny)

Beef tenderloin Rossini, brioche, Truffle Royale, seared four gras, sauce Perigourdine (myself)

Crispy apple tart, apricot caramel sauce, vanilla ice cream (Ginny)

Almond chocolate cake, chocolate cremeux, coffee chocolate ganache (I)

The afternoon turned lovely!

With two good  vegetarian options—“Vegetable Cheese Burger” with “Just Like Cheddar,” and black bean soup—listed on the Prime 7 lunch menu today, I was thinking of my vegetarian wife and I doing lunch there.  But Ginny looks so happy making her little beaded “fairy figures” at our table on the Pool Deck that I’m not going to press the idea to her.  Plus the seafood buffet is looking good to me.  Plus the weather is nice, mid-sixties, partly cloudy, not much motion!

By the way, the Splendor offers more Pool Deck meal seating than the Explorer with 45 tables and 114 seats on the port side and 21 tables and 52 seats on the starboard side.  That should be plenty of room for  even the most popular buffets!

A portion of the Pool Deck port side dining area:

Hello, it’s sea day No. 4, the second of six in a row.

My eating has been outdistancing my exercising so it was time to go treadmilling this morning!

You can access the gym, like I did today, from Serene Spa and Wellness’ own Grand Staircase on Deck Five, burning about two calories in the process. . .

. . . Or you can quickly slip into the gym from across Suite 682 on Deck Six, which I’ll do from now on.

The Boutique unveiled some new Splendor apparel product today.  Assistant Karol displays two of the items, a Cutter & Buck polo shirt for $88 and a C&B windbreaker for $125.  

2 hours ago, gnomie1 said:

I really like the new carpets - esp the geometric designs.

 

Rich - if not too much trouble, can you specify the locations of the carpets?

Sure, here you go, gnomie:

Splendor Carpet Locations

1.  Entrance to Constellation Theater; stairways; and suite hallways where the design is set into a frame:

2. Compass Rose

3. The Casino

4.  Reception

5.  Splendor Lounge

6.  Chartreuse

7.  Prime 7

8.  Deck 4 lobby area

9.  Meridian Lounge

10. Observation Lounge

You’ll see a pattern beginning to emerge in this post—lots of them, in fact!  Presenting a sampling of the variety of carpet patterns you’ll find walking around the public areas of the Splendor. 

Franck, those Baggo Regent Rewards Points are not for you—give them to me!

Deck Cadet Luis demonstrates his innovative behind the back Baggo toss.  

Passengers eked out a victory in the Baggo officers’ challenge today.  Captain Serena and team will get a chance to even the score tomorrow.  Baggo’s on the schedule every day while we’re at sea!

“The Cafe” on Splendor is lonnnnng, extending from both sides of the bar. 

Gazing down the long promenade on Deck Five I remarked to barista Alteo that “this looks like Interstate 5.”  Alteo didn’t miss a beat:  “And this is the petrol station!”

I want to delve back to Day One aboard the Splendor for one more  “moment.”  I’ve filed this one under Regent Exceeding Expectations.

Back in 2014, when dealing with a bout of “silent” acid reflux (the one that hits you in the throat) I requested a wedge pillow so that I could sleep with my head raised.  My request obviously went into Regent’s Mr Rumor file because on almost every cruise since my wedge was waiting for me in our room upon embarkation.

It had passed my mind that I might find myself wedge-less on the Splendor, new ship and all.   And, in fact, I didn’t see a raised portion of our bed when we entered our room.  But before I could ask about it, our steward Jade cheerfully informed me that Splendor’s carpenter was making one for me!

Sure enough, at 9:30 that evening our doorbell rang, and there was Jade, wooden wedge in hand.  He promptly positioned it under the mattress on my side of the bed, and I’ve been sleeping, head raised, like a baby, on this cruise since.  Thank you, Regent!

Jade with the Splendor Rumor wedge!

Good morning, it’s Sea Day No. 3, and the first of six in a row!  About time, I thought, to ply you with passenger numbers.

When the Splendor set sail from Barcelona it did so less than full, with 551 passengers, 279 of whom are female, 272 of whom are male (an early February Atlantic crossing, even on a maiden voyage, has to be one of the tougher cruise sells).  We’re a little lighter than that this morning after CEO Jason and a couple of others left the ship yesterday in Funchal.

A whopping three quarters, or 411, are Americans, including roughly two dozen Regent corporate personnel.  The United Kingdom follows with an impressive 58.  (Hmmm, maybe that’s whey Trivia has been so competitive—every one of the 20 or two teams, except us, must have at least one Brit!  Makes we members of Just Guessing, Too all the prouder of our second place finish yesterday.)

Here’s the full Passenger Nationality Breakdown:

United States, 411

United Kingdom, 58

Canada, 34

Italy, 17 (most of whom are from Ficantieri)

Belgium, 4

Romania, 4

France, 3

Germany, 3

India, 3

Spain, 3

Australia, 2

Switzerland, 2

Norway, 2

Panama, 2

Croatia, 1

Greece, 1

Portugal, 1

The last little bit of land we will see for a week!

P.S.  Jennifer, Naomi and Rick, thanks for sharing your reactions to our experience at the Reid’s tea.  I have decided to speak with Destination Services about the matter.

The tea at Reid’s was a mixed bag for me.  The treats were as delicious as they look here. . .

. . . but the experience itself was somewhat of a letdown.  After walking to the hotel’s premier tea room with the sweeping views, we were turned away—there were too many of us in two bus loads to fit (why our guide hadn’t been informed of this beforehand remains a mystery).

So we were led on a rather long walk through a portion of the gardens to a downstairs (not much of a view) “garden terrace” room, where the sandwiches and cakes—but no scones—had been laid out.

We had to wait at least 20 minutes after finishing our sandwiches for  the scones (which were great).  But we didn’t have much time to savor them and the cakes as it was already time to go.  There was no opportunity to stroll the grounds and soak in the views.  I had to seize the moment to get the snap from my post above, from the hotel’s lobby area, as we were being directed out of the building.  

Churchill painted this view of the Madeira fishing village of Camara de Lobos.

Looking down at a small area of cultivated land from the cliffs of Cabo Girao, Madeira’s highest viewpoint at just under 2000 feet.

Splendid day in Funchal.  Splendorific view from Reid’s Palace.

Good morning from Funchal!

13 minutes ago, JAG2003 said:

We are happy to receive our Regent Splendor Maiden Voyage pins 😂. Yeah!  

One for you, one for Jay!

8 hours ago, Hambagahle said:

 Funchal tomorrow ?   You and Ginny know it well.   Where do you plan to go?

We’re moving on from toboggans to tea, Gerry.  We’re on the morning “Tea at Reid’s” excursion, which also includes a photo stop at the cliffs of Cabo Girao and a visit to the village of Camara de Lobos.  This is about our speed after our 20,000-step Seville excursion!

2 hours ago, crusin7 said:

Rich, do you know who will be replacing Captain Serena??   I was looking forward to our first sailing  with her.

I do, crusin, and you will, too, very soon.  I’ve been asked (very nicely) if I wouldn’t mind letting Miami make the announcement.  

I do have other Captain news to share:  Daniel Green has left Regent and is now working as a port pilot back home in Sweden.  We last cruised with the wonderful Captain Green in the early spring of 2019, when he had his young family onboard.  I am guessing his new job has everything to do with his wanting to be closer to his loved ones.

CEO Jason, Captain Serena, GM Franck and CD John take a brief pause during their dash around the ship during Splendor’s inaugural Block Party tonight!

14 minutes ago, Mjflowers said:

That’s a hunka hunka piece of beef. Did you finish it?😜😜😜

Ha, I didn’t even start it!  That photo was for my buddy, Z (Zqueeze1)!

11 minutes ago, forgap said:

Thanks, Rich!  Your posts are starting to rival the NYT play by play!  Have fun!

I got on a roll (as we roll a bit), Jennifer!

Victoria touted the Splendor’s inaugural Sunday brunch in words, now I’ll praise it with pics!  
 

(Advisory:  some may regard one or more of the photos below as constituting food porn. Proceed with caution—or abandon!)

“I’ll take the Z cut, please.”

Thanks for the wonderful Nutella and whipped cream crepe, Mangesh!

Just because I like this shot (Pool Bar, noonish)

Delving a little farther back now, to embarkation day.  I’m aware that not everyone likes cabins with the “bump” balcony (which means a little less balcony space), but we covet the “bump” for views like this one of the Splendor getting its nourishment for the crossing.  We’re in 614, by the way.

The scene in our room after we had finished our unpacking on Thursday.  The only thing missing from this photo is the word “Home.”  Even though Splendor is brand new with a lighter, brighter look, stepping foot on it still felt to Ginny and me (and Stowie) like coming home.