Mr Rumor

Good morning as we near our last port, Newport.

The waning hours  of a cruise may seem an odd time to go “random” with a post, but the title of this blog does give me that leeway!

On the subject of officer stripes, the captain boasts the most, four and a half, followed by the Staff Captain and General Manager with four.

But did you know there is a tier just under four—three and a half, the second stripe thinner than the others?

The officers who qualify for the 3.5 stripes are the Doctor, Human Resources Manager, Staff Chief Engineer, Chief Electrician, Chief Purser, Food & Beverage Director, and, believe it or not, the Cruise Director.  (Regent CDs are not issued uniforms, however.)

F&B Director Vlad points out his

three and a half stripes.  Vlad has

been sporting them for about a year now, since his well-deserved promotion from Restaurant Manager.  Glad I could finally congratulate you in person, Vlad!

Krew Kapers, Navigator style, was a big surprise tonight—no folk dances and more hip hop and dance pop!  Newly promoted CR server Maggie—none other than Krew Kaper’s Dance Captain—was front and center on the high energy opening number, “HandClap,” by Fitz and the Tantrums.

Thank you, Gerry, and I hope we will!

On July 18, 1776, Col. Thomas Crafts, one of the Sons of Liberty, read the Declaration of Independence to a cheering throng from this balcony (Old Boston Statehouse, 1713).  The Declaration continues to be read every year on July 4 from this same spot.

As the photo shows, we were treated to a great day, weather wise—Boston’s first in a week.  Cruise ships weren’t even allowed to dock this past Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning due to weather conditions. 

Shauna was a strolling advertisement for Regent.  The spry Little Boss flashed this smile three hours and three miles into our walk!  (Freedom Trail tour guide Mike is off Shauna’s left shoulder.  His commentary was crisp, clear and super-informative.)

23 minutes ago, forgap said:

Beautiful morning!  Have fun in my old stomping grounds!

Thanks, Jennifer—can’t wait to stretch my legs on the Freedom Trail Walk!

6 minutes ago, papaflamingo said:

Thanks for the good news!  My wife will be happy  that they are considering this, happier when it's implemented.  And you know the old saying... "Happy wife, more cruises booked!".😎

Papaflamingo, I want you to be the first to know that Vlad did not wait for Boston to stock up on Fever Tree, he sent a provisions employee into Portland yesterday to locate the product.  Fever Tree, I’m happy to report, is in the building!

Good morning, Boston!   (And I see you, Silver Whisper!)

Ah, “Krew Kapers,” those two bittersweet words from Passages that tell us our cruise is nearing its end. 

Kapers, long a part of the Captain’s Farewell and just about Ginny’s, Shauna’s and my favorite Constellation Theater event, is my cue to share some crew stats with you.  Our 365 Navigator crew members, 294 males and 71 females, hail from 36 countries.

As always, the Philippines leads the way with 151 crew members—121 males and 30 females. India follows with 62 males and three females.  Indonesia is third with 42 males and one female.

Here is the complete Crew Nationality Breakdown for Seven Seas Navigator’s “Colors of the Fall”:

Philippines, 151

India, 65

Indonesia, 43

United States, 14

Honduras, 11

Ukraine, 10

United Kingdom, 8

Bulgaria, 7

Croatia, 7

Serbia, 6

Brazil, 5

Italy, 4

Myanmar, 4

Romania, 4

Greece, 2

Panama, 2

Russia, 2

Thailand, 2

Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1

Barbados, 1

Canada, 1

Columbia, 1

France, 1

Germany, 1

Korea, 1

Sri Lanka, 1

Macedonia, 1

Malaysia, 1

Mexico, 1

Nepal, 1

Peru, 1

Poland, 1

Slovenia, 1

Turkey, 1

Trinidad and Tobago, 1

South Africa, 1 

Sandy, Linda and pingpong1, it was my pleasure to speak with Vlad about Fever Tree.  Perhaps this discussion might convince Miami to move sooner rather than later on making FT a Regent “item.”

Pingpong, a funny thing happened on our way to DiMillo’s for that lobster roll lunch—we wound up at the venerable (since 1898) Boone’s Fish Market instead.  The gentleman handling the Portland tours for Regent encouraged us to give it a try as we were leaving the ship and while the name was still fresh in mind we walked by it (the restaurant is located practically next door to the terminal).  

I’m not an expert on lobster rolls but I don’t know how Shauna’s and mine could have been any fresher or more delicious.   I ordered the Classic for Shauna, with lemon mayo. . .

. . .while I ordered the Nor’easter, “warmed in butter.”  Instead of fries, we got soup—Lobster Bisque for Shauna, Clam Chowder for me.  Of course, as my daughter’s official taster, I was required to taste everything.

Although I’m a mayo guy, I preferred the Nor’easter.  Lenox, our waiter, said about 90% of his customers opt for the butter.

After lunch I clearly still had fresh Maine lobster on the brain when we walked into the Harbor Fish Market Place and I peered at a couple of hundred bucks’ worth of lobster meat.   $54.95 a pound—$64.95 for tails only!

For the cleverness of the name alone I would have washed down my lunch with a smoothie at this juice place, but I was stuffed!

Gerry and Fairfield Nana, I was wowed by one spectacular fall scene after another as our tour bus sped along I-95 on our Best of Maine excursion yesterday.  I just wish a photo stop had been included in the excursion, as it was a challenge to photograph from the bus, even though my third-row seat on the right side gave me a pretty good view of the color action on the left.

Fairfield Nana, regarding suggestions for optimizing your chances to see the changing colors, I recall you mentioning in an earlier post your having booked a similar itinerary for late September of next year.  That might be a little early for best viewing, but then again it might not, as the leaves don’t change color based on a schedule.  I think your best bet would be to book excursions in ports like Portland, Halifax and Quebec that include drives in the countryside, and hope for the best (viewing)!

Sandy, Linda, and papaflamingo, I have the Fever Tree tonic water scoop for you from F&B Director Vlad.

Fever Tree remains a special-order product preferably ordered 90 days in advance.  However, Vlad said, Miami may soon be seeking to “implement it as a future item,” adding “Fever Tree is a huge brand and a very good product, very popular.”

As for your friend, Sandy, and you and John, Linda, Vlad vowed to make a special Fever Tree tonic water purchase in Boston tomorrow.  While he can’t guarantee being able to purchase the cucumber flavor he said it will be on his shopping list!

pingpong, thanks for the restaurant suggestion.  Had a very nice—but rather petite—lobster roll at our Best of Maine lunch stop today (Nonantum Resort in Kennebunkport) and I’d love another!

A scene from our passing bus as we returned to the ship on I-95 this afternoon.  Best day of fall-colors viewing yet!

We returned from our Best of Maine excursion at 6:30, just in time to hear the voice of Captain Ari in our cabin with breaking news:  Due to weather conditions—a forecast of 35 knot winds and 12-15 foot swells tonight and 15-25 knot winds and 5-7 foot swells tomorrow—Bar Harbor, a tender port, has been cancelled for tomorrow.  Instead we’ll overnight in Portland and set sail for Boston tomorrow at 6 p.m. 

Destination Services was able to rustle up four excursions for Portland tomorrow, but by the time we made it to the Destinations desk after the French Buffet at La Veranda, only the two-hour Portland Highlights tour was still available.  After our six hour tour today, the 8:20 a.m. departure time didn’t look attractive, so we’ve opted to explore Portland’s downtown on our own.

The blustery scene at Portland Head Light late this afternoon should have tipped me off we might be hearing from Captain Ari about our next port!

Portland, USA, hello!

I’ve been quite happy with our internet so far, only experiencing several brief instances where I couldn’t connect.  Internet manager Kushal, who I’ve had the pleasure to cruise with three times now, blamed the issue on temporary interference.

Since Kushal’s first Regent contract, with the Mariner in 2017, his employer, MTN, has made two internet upgrades on Regent ships, roughly doubling the internet speed to approximately 40 mbps.

Kushal added that MTN’s most recent enhancement, dating back about six months, has to do with the auto login.  When trying to get back online now, all one has to do click the network, and then click “Go Online.”  In other words, no need any longer to fill in any information to re-establish a connection.  Kushal described this improvement as the “captive portal.”

We’re docked in Portland, and just biding time in our cabin, waiting for CD Jamie to let us know when USA Customs and Border Protection is ready to begin the mandatory immigration face to face inspection in Compass Rose.  When we’ve passed inspection, we’ll depart on our excursion, Best of Maine.  The excursion was originally listed as seven hours long, but then we received a notice in our room stating that due to expected rough seas in Portland, the Kennebunkport harbor-cruise portion of our tour won’t operate.  So we’ll be back around 6, rather than 7.  

Linda/Mudhen, you gave me a good idea for a post when you asked about special cocktails being served on the Navigator this cruise.  I was inspired to check in with several veteran Regent bartenders, two of whom take pride in a cocktail you won’t find on the Regent Signature Cocktails menu.

For Ruslan, from Odessa with nine years with Regent, it’s a Vesper martini with blue cheese olives.  That’s fresh blue-cheese olives “handmade” by the Galileo’s Lounge bartender,  “not the stuff you buy in a jar.”  Ruslan added, “It’s an appetizer as well as an aperitif.”

For Mayya of Stars Lounge, on her fourth Regent contract, it’s a dry martini.  “But instead of dry vermouth I make it with ‘magic Mayya’!  I make it for guests who are adventurous.”

Mayya wasn’t ready to divulge the “magic Mayya” ingredient when we chatted in mid-afternoon.  But when I returned a little after six, she spilled the beans:  Her personal signature martini is made with dry sherry instead of vermouth.

Mayya proceeded to make me one.  Mmmm!

I also asked Ruslan and Mayya, as well as the Navigator Lounge’s Tatyana (also from Odessa and on her fifth Regent contract), what guests are ordering on this cruise.  The three most popular cocktails per bartender are as follows:

Tatyana:  1.) Cosmopolitan, 2.) Manhattan, 3.) Vodka Martini

Ruslan:  1.) Gin or Vodka Martini, 2.) Manhattan, 3.) Negroni on the rocks

Mayya:  1.) Lemon Drop Martini, 2.) Beluga Vodka (“a Russian vodka that is brand new on the ship”), Glenmorange Single Malt

Twisting and shouting the night away at the Beatles Dance Party with Production Cast members Robin, Jonah and Nathan—and Shauna!

8 hours ago, Mudhen said:

Did you have any success at the crafts market in Sydney? It's actually one of my favorite shopping stops of all our cruises. I guess it's because they have stuff we can actually use!

In fact, Linda, we did, thanks! Ginny purchased not only a pair of socks from Albert Bridge Alpacas (with an alpaca design, like yours), but also two skeins of yarn, from the owners’ herd of 22 alpacas!  She also was intrigued with the work of a jewelry artist, “Gloria K.,” who specializes in “quality hand crafted magnetic jewelry” with a supposed “therapeutic” benefit, and wound up buying a couple of colorful necklaces made from hematite.  The market, for those who have Sydney on a future itinerary, is located inside the Joan Harriss Cruise Pavilion and is called The Big Fiddle Market.  You can’t miss the building because, well, there is this big fiddle outside:

16 minutes ago, Kwaj girl said:

And the Navigator says, "YUM!"  ⛽

And now the Navigator needs a nap—she imbibed 300 metric tons!

The Navigator will have a full tank when we depart Saint John.

We’re now docked in Saint John, New Brunswick.  I see the Carnival is in town.

1 hour ago, Mr Rumor said:

Our Commodore is none other that long-time Regent resident Captain Yablin, who has somewhere north of 5,000 nights.  I hope he’s feeling as good as he looks at 95.  

It’s Captain Jablin, not Yablin.  Sorry about that.

With all the Shauna birthday hoopla, it slipped my mind to report the Seven Seas Society numbers, which were announced by Cruise Consultant Bea at the SSS event the night before last (Shauna’s birthday).

Nearly 70%, or 302, of our cruisers are SSS members (at least one Regent cruise under their belts).  The tier breakdown is as follows:

Bronze, 33 (7-20 nights)

Silver, 203 (21-74)

Gold, 47, including newest Gold, Shauna! (75-199)

Platinum, 13 (200-399)

Titanium, 5 (400-999)

Diamond, 0 (1000-1999)

Commodore, 1 (2000+)

Our Commodore is none other that long-time Regent resident Captain Yablin, who has somewhere north of 5,000 nights.  I hope he’s feeling as good as he looks at 95.  

7 hours ago, Mjflowers said:

Is that Keith Richards?

Yep.  I also spotted Kiss. And Michael Jackson and Diana Ross.  Elvis, too!

After Peggy’s Cove, we motored over hill and dale, taking in the changing colors.

We arrived at our second stop, Lunenburg, shortly before lunch.  We grabbed a quick bite, wanting to make the most of our short visit to the UNESCO World Heritage site described by UNESCO as the “best surviving example of a planned British colonial settlement in North America.”

During our walk we took in several examples of what the locals describe as the “Lunenburg Bump,” namely a “projection from the center of the house, over the door, comprised of an. . . overhanging dormer, most commonly of the five-sided Scottish type.” (Canada Register of Historic Places).  According to our tour guide, Anne, the “Bump” served a useful purpose in pre-electricity days by bringing maximum light into a house.

We took in a few other Lunenburg sights, including the Heritage Bandstand.

Shauna would have loved a carriage ride, but, alas, there was not enough time.

It was a short drive from Lunenburg to Mahone Bay, known around Nova Scotia and beyond for its Scarecrow Festival, now in its 23rd year. Our guide wasn’t sure the 250 or so hand-made, life-size “scarecrows” were still on display around town, but luckily they were. I’ll close by sharing a few.  Good night from the Navigator!

3 hours ago, forgap said:

Beautiful pictures, Rich!   I’m curious about the Congee advertised at the lobstah shack. Do they get lots of Chinese tourists?  

Thanks, Jennifer!  There were no Chinese tourists on hand today, but a quick Google search turned up some interesting article titles, including, “Nova Scotia Plans to Attract More Tourism from China,” and “The Nova Scotia-China Engagement Strategy:  Partnering for Success.”