Mr Rumor

We're back, safe and sound, in the Land of Enchantment. Just missing our daughter's suitcase. Shauna wasn't in the least perturbed, however, and after checking out the friendly, sympathetic American Airlines rep for a moment, she decided to approach her and give her a hug, which cut any tension and annoyance we were feeling about the inconvenience after a long day. (The bag was located in Chicago--we'll receive it today.)

Regarding debarkation, it was supposed to have begun by 8:10, but as pvgal pointed out, Ray Solaire didn't begin announcing luggage tag numbers until after 9--actually just shy of 9:30. The issue, as TahoeTraveler guessed, was not with the ship but with the Port of Miami, specifically the baggage handling operation. Ray alluded to the issue in a couple of his announcements, with an apology attached.

Because our flight out of Miami didn't leave until 3 p.m., we had enough time to take advantage of the free hop-on, hop-off bus tour of Miami offered by Big Bus Miami. We chose the beach tour (a city tour was offered as well) and enjoyed from our open-air perch upstairs. Big thanks to the English couple behind us who let us lather up with their sunscreen--we would have roasted otherwise. It was already 87 degrees at 9:30 in the morning (saw the temp posted somewhere)!

Will be posting more soon--have a little settling in to do first!

Rich

P.S. Glad you enjoyed the posts, gf!

As you can see, our daughter was very perturbed that her luggage didn't make it to Albuquerque. Here she is seen berating the American Airlines rep:

Thanks, Z and TB, we'll be sure to wave as we sail in. Peggy, we'll be back on the Navigator in early February for a 10-day Caribbean cruise. The way time flies, we'll be packing again before we know it.

Been meaning to mention that the Navigator's first Caribbean cruise of the season doesn't begin until the 11th. The ship has been chartered for a four-night cruise 11/7-11/11, with stops set for Princess Cay and Nassau.

In two hours the internet will be shut off, so unless I think of something else to post this will be it for now, with a sum-up post or two to come after we're back in the Land of Enchantment. Thanks again for all you kind words, and for joining the three of us on this remarkable journey.

Rich

Tom, sorry to learn of your illness. Wishing you all the best with the therapy, and hope a cruise will indeed be in your 2014 plans.

journeyfan, we're finishing our Montreal-Miami cruise today, and just settled our bill. We were charged $40 apiece for the two guests we hosted for dinner in Compass Rose on November 1. Lunch is less expensive, but I don't know the amount.

By the way, 60 guests were welcomed aboard the Navigator in NYC on 11/1.

Rich

The rat-a-tat-tat of Random Notes continues (as our daughter naps) with the crew breakdown:

Philippines, 132

India, 71

Indonesia, 48

Ukraine, 14

Italy, 11

Romania, 11

United Kingdom, 9

Bulgaria, 6

United States, 6

South Africa, 5

Canada, 4

Croatia, 4

Germany, 4

France, 4

Mauritius, 4

Spain, 3

Australia, 2

Belarus, 2

Jamaica, 2

Myanmar, 2

Nepal, 2

Poland, 2

Serbia, 2

Austria, 1

Belgium, 1

Czech Republic, 1

Honduras, 1

Ireland, 1

Mexico, 1

Mongolia, 1

Montenegro, 1

Panama, 1

Portugal, 1

Russian Federation, 1

Switzerland, 1

Total: 362

It was toasty on the crowded Pool Deck for lunch today. We're probably in the low 80s right now. Is there another two-week cruise itinerary in which the high for the day varies by 40 degrees? We feel like we've been on quite a journey, from cold to hot, from little towns we had never heard of, like Saguenay, to the Big Apple. It's like we've packed two cruises into one. Which is one reason why I heartily recommend this itinerary.

Today was the perfect day for an ice cream treat. But no luck. The early morning motion caused the ice cream display case on the Pool Deck to slide an inch or so back and forth, and to bang into adjoining counters. It is officially "Out of Commission," but I have to say the network of tiny cracks in it is rather photogenic.

Had a nice chat with General Manager Massimo Arzani before lunch. Didn't realize that his first Regent cruise was the San Francisco-Vancouver cruise we were on in May. Prior to joining Regent he had spent five years with Oceania. While at Oceania he helped supervise the construction of both the Riviera and Marina in Genoa. Makes me wonder if he might be called on to perform the same role with the Regent Explorer. Time will tell. . .

Rich

Well, Captain Ubaldo Armellino cautioned us about high winds and ten-foot swells during his remarks at the Farewell Party last night, and the forecast has proven true. We've been rocking since the middle of the night. My daughter and I had to have breakfast alone in La Veranda a short while ago, as Ginny, always susceptible to motion, is playing it cautiously this a.m.

Speaking of captains, there are, at the moment, three on board: our beloved resident captain; Captain Ubaldo, who is getting off the ship in Miami, and Captain Stanislas Gerard Mercier de Lacombe, who replaces him.

Despite the swells, temps are mild. Should be a busy scene on the Pool Deck. Buffet theme today is "Seafood Extravaganza."

Rich

Just to clarify, we did not dine on magnolias, but rather at the restaurant Magnolias, on East Bay!

Peggy, I think this was our favorite Krew Kapers yet. Also enjoyed seeing our Sette Mari waiter Ferdinand take the lead on "Celebrate" and "Splish Splash" and our Compass Rose waiter Alain show his cool hip-hop moves.

Rich

Sad to report I lost another post just now. I'm not sure what happened, as I continue to enjoy a good internet experience on the ship. Don't have time tonight to reconstruct the entire post--we are starting to pack--but wanted to let you at least know the three highlights of our day.

1. Magnolia Gardens tour. Loved ending with the peaceful easy feeling that comes from visiting gorgeous gardens.

2. Late lunch of Magnolias. Great Low Country from the first bite (homemade potato chips with warm bleu cheese crumbles) to the last (the best pecan pie ever).

3. Getting to finally see bar waiter Elvis do Elvis at Krew Kapers!

Sea today tomorrow, then D-Day!

Rich

A funny thing happened at the cruise terminal last night at 11: The internet connection there was slower than it was on the ship. Could it be the fact that more than 100 crew members were off the ship at the time and many in my midst were e-mailing or Skyping? It took me a while to access the message board, then, after I'd written my post, poof, it disappeared. Well, I've told myself that if you're going to live blog a cruise you have to be prepared to lost a post or two.

Have a tour shortly so just wanted to mention that the entertainment was provided last night by a local group, the Charleston Musical Heritage Productions. Their program, the "Sound of Charleston," spanned Charleston's three centuries of music. . . classical, Civil War Gershwin and spirituals (some of the lyrics to Amazing Grace were written by John Newton after attending a service at the Circular Congregational Church). So we ended a terrific day in Charleston on a high note--a series of high notes in fact!

Rich

Z and TB, Peggy and JPR there's a new kid on the culinary block in Charleston (Market Street, to be exact), and it's serving up some wonderful Low Country grub. Actually, while the Low Country Bistro has only been open for a little over a year and a half, the family that owns it has been involved in the Charleston restaurant scene for decades. Had the shrimp and grits in a sweet and spicy tomato and bacon sauce with fried green tomato slices--great!--while Shauna had the crab cake open face sandwich with cheddar cheese and fried green tomato--great, also (remember, dad is her official taster). Ginny, meanwhile, did her vegetarian thing by ordering three sides, mac and cheese, cornbread and grits, and loved her meal, too.

Our early lunch was sandwiched between our lovely morning stroll along East Bay, Broad, Meeting and Market, and our afternoon tour consisting of a drive around the city (including the Citadel, Z, where we saw freshmen cadets walking in the gutter--they aren't allowed on the sidewalks until they're sophs), and our visit to Fort Sumter (great museum on site featuring the Stars and Stripes that flew over the fort during the April, 1861 bombardment, as well as the Palmetto Guard flag, the first flag over Sumter raised by the Confederates.

What a day! And there's more fun in store for us tonight on the ship, so stay tuned.

Rich

Peggy, I'm sure glad I decided to check the thread this morning--thanks for cutting and pasting this helpful post from a resident. Have written down many of the restaurant names in my handy little pocket notebook that I take everywhere with me.

DW agrees with me that we should have a late breakfast/early lunch in town before we meet at the pier at 12:40 for our tour.

Rich

Z and TB, thanks for taking the time to post such a great list of Charleston tips--every bit as helpful as the page of Charleston highlights in tomorrow's Passages. I've printed it out, and will take it with us when we tour and walk around on our own.

Hi, Tina--good to hear form you, and hope you, your husband and dear mom are doing well. Wish we could cruise next April, as the Mariner itineraries look great, but we have a road trip planned at that time.

Had another wonderful evening, this one consisting of dinner with dancers Matthew and Gemma in Compass Rose, followed by the Ray's always crowd-pleasing (standing O at the end) show in the Seven Seas Lounge. As we anticipated, Shauna was captivated by Ray's puppetry.

That's it for now. Looking forward to a good night's sleep, as we intend to make the most of our two days in "America's Most Friendly City." We're due to dock at 9.

Rich

Z and TB, we are excited to be visiting Charleston for the first time. As you probably know, Charleston ranks as the most popular U.S. city to visit in the latest Conde Nast Traveler's readers poll (our hometown, Santa Fe, is No. 2). We dock in the a.m. tomorrow, so we'll have the morning to explore on foot before our afternoon tour. As our tour happens to be Fort Sumter and the Civil War in Charleston, a walk along the Battery with its view of the fort sounds like a good plan. We should also have time to walk around on Tuesday, after our Magnolia Gardens tour. Any cafe suggestions, or menu items that are a must-try?

Rich

Have to live up to the title of this blog, so here is a real Random Note:

Ruan at the Reception Desk was very interested to see the brand-new and newly designed $100 bill I brought to exchange for five 20s. It was only the second one that the Navigator had received, he said. As we were critiquing the design he mentioned that Regent has a policy of checking every $100 or $50 bill, to make sure none is counterfeit. They use a pen called, appropriately enough, the Counterfeit Detector Pen, made by a company called Dri-Mark. Ruan proceeded to make three small orange-y with the pen on a portion of the $100 bill, explaining that if the marks fade or disappear within a period of time, the bill is indeed genuine. I have not heard back from Reception, so assume it is!

We're still at our spot on the Pool Deck. The Tex-Mex buffet is starting now. I've been eyeing the row of sombreros atop the buffet station, thinking how fun one would look atop Shauna's head. Would definitely get a rise out of her, and I have my camera handy. . .

Rich

My daughter and I are happy as clams sitting out on the Pool Deck on this sunny, lovely late morning (DW just joined us). I wonder how many Regent cruises feature such a wide range of high temperatures? In a couple of ports, we were lucky to hit highs of about 45 degrees. Today we'll be in the 70s and a few people are doing laps just above us.

I've been meaning to share some more numbers. According to cruise consultant Mike, there are 600,000 Seven Seas Society members (folks who have taken at least one Regent cruise) around the world. Of that number, only 400 have the Titanium rank (at least 400 nights sailed). We have six Titanium members on this cruise, along with 36 Platinum (199 nights, I think) and 84 Gold (75).

Regent's most traveled SSS member? The Captain on Deck 6, of course. He marked his 3,000th night aboard a Regent ship this past summer. I hope he is feeling as hale and hearty as he looks.

Rich

TahoeTraveler, I made a snap decision to forego rest. I removed my battery charger from the charging unit, put it back in the camera, grabbed a jacket and went outside for the sailaway. Glad I did, as I was one of the dozens out there taking in the glorious views of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty in the early evening (meanwhile, Ginny, photographed Lady Liberty from the comfort of our balcony, as Shauna slept).

Afterwards I returned for that nap. We missed dinner, but were well rested for the Ryan troupe's final show, "Piano Men," a tribute to the music of Elton John and Billy Joel. This production is a great vehicle for lead male vocalist Drew Pournelle, one of our favorite Regent singers over the last four years. But we savored the entire troupe's performance, knowing we may never see them perform together again--they are a really talented bunch. (Learned from lead specialty artist Prudence that she and her partner Aaron will be moving over the Mariner next March along with dancer/singer Matthew.)

The day has started very peacefully at sea. Skies are partly cloudy. We are still operating on Daylight Savings Time today, with clocks being turned back one hour when we hit the hay tonight.

Rich

P.S. Peggy, glad you could view the Navigator's sailaway. We are happy to have two sea days plus the overnight in Charleston to kind of "stretch out" the end of what has been another wonderful Regent cruise.

Check out the video of your arrival on YouTube!

Wish I could, Rachel, but with the ship's slower connection, I'm unable to download the video. Will check it out soon!

We got back shortly before 5 p.m. after a great day exploring portions of Manhattan on foot with our friends from New Jersey, with lunch at a favorite Chinese restaurant of theirs that dates back to the '30s. Weather couldn't have been more beautiful, in the '60s and partly to mostly sunny.

But we're pooped now. Shauna is already napping and I'm thinking of an early evening nap myself. But how can I afford to miss the sailaway? Dilemma!

Rich

Hi from Ferrara in Little Italy. Having a great day in Manhattan with our friends. We sail at 6, Peggy.

Our friends will be delayed about a half an hour, so will try to finish up for now.

Our afternoon tour yesterday, New York by Land and Sea, began with a 50-minute-or-so harbor cruise, with commentary, aboard the three-level Zephyr. The weather was so unseasonably mild--would you believe in the 70s and partly cloudy--that we opted for the benches on top. The highlight, of course, was our lingering pass by the Statue of Liberty, which we also passed on our sail-in, but from farther away.

Next up was our 90-minute "scenic drive" through what turned out to be the teeth of Manhattan's Friday rush-hour traffic. The adventure in rush-hour navigation mainly along Sixth Avenue was trying for some passengers--one remarked with stricken expression afterwards that she felt "so depleted" by the drive--but we found ourselves getting lost in the sights and sounds of this one of a kind city, and enjoying ourselves. That said, we wouldn't want to do that same drive again anytime soon on a weekday!

Rich

Thanks, Gilly, for your kinds words--glad you're along for the ride. Rachel, I'm happy to report that my wife's calming stomach coincided with the calming seas outside New York harbor. We were among the hundreds on deck for the exciting sail-in. We had lunch on deck, as the Regent orchestra serenaded the ship into our primo berth at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal (we're sandwiched between the AIDA Bella and Crystal Symphony). Couldn't help but feel a jolt of, yes, joy! when the guys launched into a rousing "New York, "New York" as we sailed by a portion of the Manhattan skyline.

I lost a previous version of this post, so will keep this post short. More to come, but may have to wait until after we sail at 6 p.m. today. The friends we hosted for dinner in a very quiet Compass Rose last night are picking us up in about a half an hour and sharing with us some of their favorite slices of the Big Apple. Stay tuned!

Rich

Even though these are not optimal typing conditions, I wanted to post a little more about last night. Le Cirque Navigator, with its atmospheric set and costuming, was a great Halloween treat. This Jean Ann Ryan production showcases the two "lead specialty artists," Aaron Adkins and Prudence Caldwell, and, wonderful as they were in May, they were even better last night. "They really do hold each other's life in their hands," my wife commented afterwards. Their hands, I'll add, are very, very good and capable hands.

As for the Halloween Beatles Dance Party, the fun for us began at the entrance, where Ray Solaire was personally putting some finishing touches to the Halloween decorations. Before we knew it, he was recording a brief segment with us that is being broadcast on his Daily Show program on channel one today. Ray has a wonderful way with Shauna, who was her little ham self during the segment.

The Fab Four tribute, performed by the Navigator's Fab Three of lead singers Drew and Annette and dancer/singer Jemma, was one hour of nonstop Beatles hits. Ray had one of the first dances with Shauna ("I Want to Hold Your Hand"), and dancer Matthew, whose Waldo (as in "Where's Waldo?") costume was our favorite of the night, did a great job of helping our daughter find her second wind, just when we thought she'd had it, dance wise, for the night. The dance floor was packed almost the whole hour. In sum, a smashingly fun Halloween on the Navigator!

Rich

We had a rocking good time last night at Le Cirque Navigator and, later, the Beatles bash. The rocking in Galileo's, festooned to the nines with Halloween decorations, may have ended around 10:30 but since early this a.m. we've been rolling. And rolling! And pitching!

Our daughter and I are pretty much immune to the motion--Shauna, in fact, was amusing nearby diners in La Veranda a while ago with her laughs at sudden pitches as if she were on an amusement park ride. But my wife, who feels every lurch, even with her patch, is not laughing, and our 1 p.m. arrival at Pier 88, Manhattan, can't come soon enough for her.

We're scheduled for the New York by Land and Sea excursion this afternoon, followed by dinner on the ship with friends. Then it's back for another bite of the Big Apple early Saturday with our friends, who have planned a fun day for us.

Rich

Hello from the Boston terminal that is serving the Navigator. I think this is the fourth cruise terminal wi-fi hotspot I've posted from on this cruise. Which reminds me. . . according to Ravi, internet manager, MTN, his boss, is negotiating with Regent ports around the world to allow it to tap into the ports' high-speed connection while Regent ships are in port. Sure would be a help not to have to trek outside to a drafty terminal (like this one) to get a high-speed connection.

Once or twice a cruise I like to check to see how many are signed up for what excursion. Today, Historic Boston and Cambridge proved to be the most popular excursion, with 167 enrollees, followed by Scenic Boston, 102; Taste of Italy Walking Tour, 73; Freedom Trail Walk, 46; and U.S. Presidents--Kennedy and Adams, 39.

We were on the Freedom Trail Walk. A walking tour's success really hinges on the excellence of the guide, and, luckily, we had a great one in Bill, and really enjoyed his commentary. Unfortunately he had to condense his tour by about 20 minutes due to confusion as to which shuttle bus those passengers with an afternoon tour had to take back to the ship if they wanted to make their afternoon connection. This preoccupied Bill a bit, as he referred numerous times during the tour to his need to cut minutes, and then bothered some of us who had to do an uncomfortably fast walk the last long block to make it to the noon bus. It was only after we returned to the pier that a representative of the tour group claimed to me that a bus had been reserved for us. However, this info had not been communicated to Bill, who thought if we didn't make the noon bus we'd have to wait until 1:30 p.m. for the next one (the shuttle schedule listed a noon to 1:30 "lunch break").

Looking forward to a fun Halloween night's worth of entertainment: The Ryan troupe's Cirque Navigator, with a 5:45 start time, and then the event that our daughter has been pointing for and mentioning daily: Beatles night in the Galileo Lounge, this one reportedly with a Halloween theme. Account to follow!

Rich

Memo to self: Don't take too seriously extended (especially 15-day) weather forecasts! The website I checked before the cruise didn't forecast a single "sunny" or "mostly sunny" day, and now we've had three mostly sunny days in a row. We couldn't have asked for a more lovely fall afternoon for our Acadia National Park and Visitor Center excursion, in fact. It was sunny in the morning for our Gilded Age Walking Tour, but quite chilly.

Sandwiched between these excursions, literally, was lunch in town. Peggy, thanks again for recommending the Side Street Cafe (our a.m. guide's unsolicited recommendation, too). I took your advice and ordered the lobster roll--wow! Five ounces of very lightly dressed and ultra fresh (according to the menu the lobster was "swimming that morning") meat. . . worth the $19.95 price tag.

As it turned out, the Navigator was the last of 135 ships to call on Bar Harbor this season. According to Bob, our afternoon guide, many of the cafes and shops that passengers from the Navigator and Crystal Symphony (our companion at anchor today) patronized today will be shuttered by tomorrow for the winter. If that is in fact true, I think I can safely report that we closed the Bar in style today!

Rich

Good morning from Bar Harbor! Peggy, we were just speaking with a couple in La Veranda who, like us, have an a.m. and p.m. tour and who, like us, have decided to stay in town for lunch. Now, thanks to you, we know a cafe to check out.

Rachel, thanks for bringing up the huge explosion (accidental) of 1917 in Halifax harbor, described as the largest man-made explosion before Hiroshima. The Maritime Museum has an exhibit recounting the devastating effects of the explosion, but we didn't have time to explore that part of the museum, caught up as we were with the Titanic permanent exhibit. The museum, by the way, has one of very few intact Titanic deck chairs.

Regarding the debt that Halifax owes to the Boston medical community, to this day the city expresses its thanks to Boston by gifting the city each year with Halifax's biggest and most beautiful Christmas tree.

Rich