2012_Alaska_bound

The lovely Natalie just came onboard as CD when we left Wednesday, as well as Marcos as ACD. I think they will be great!

Done Seward to Vancouver twice on Regent, once was July 3!

I see Sitka, Skagway, Ketchikan, and Juneau on your itinerary. Suggest White Pass Railroad in Skagway.

Just watching the scenery everywhere is a treat. My favorite viewing spot was the "comfy sofa corner" on the starboard side, aft. Keep your eyes open for whales, otters, etc.

@chuckw

I was on the cruise with you, as it was the second half of our 14 day cruise.

Agree that all was well. Second week weather was warmer than first week!

My only sadness was that some lectures and shows were repeat of first week, even though we were officially on a 14 day cruise as originally offered. Oh well. First world comment for sure.

Food was great. Service was almost always great in dining venues, but one miss in 14 days is no big deal.

We enjoyed all of our excursions. This was my 3rd cruise with Regent in Alaska, and I was able to find new interesting excursions to do in every port.

We repeated Hubbard Glacier two days apart, but both were great. Bright sunshine first day, cloudy the second so pictures are distinctive.

My first cruise on Explorer, and I loved it!

Took this photo from Regent Explorer of Viking Orion waiting to enter Deception Bay to see Hubbard Glacier May 21, 2024.

Ate a great lunch at Tap and Barrel at Canada Place today (Tuesday at noon) and got right in to a beautiful outside table.

Thanks for the suggestions!

Currently staying at Sutton Place. Good location. Just refurbished. Beautiful room. Quiet. Lots of restaurants around. On the HOHO route.

Took taxi from airport. $38USD.

Will take taxi to Port.

Just did HOHO Vancouver today!

We are staying at Sutton Place which is stop 6 so boarded there at about 9 a.m.

Rode to Granville Market, explored, got coffee and croissants.

Decided to not get out at Gaslight because seemed to just be city shopping streets. We heard the clock though!

Hopped back on and rode to Canada Place for lunch at Tap and Barrel.

Didn't end up getting out at Stanley Park since that scenery will be enjoyed on the cruise along with Buchart gardens, and we were tired.

Thought HOHO narration and route were a great overview. 

Didn't need headphones because they broadcast on bus speakers. 

You can pay on the bus with credit card or get tickets online.

21 hours ago, yodainco said:

On the Starboard Side, we found heated wicker lounges--great places to read and watch sail-ins/outs.

Love this spot on Splendor, and looking forward to trying it next week on Explorer. Was told it is called "The Patio".

If you are also on FB, search "Tom Little" in the RSSC group. He did a terrific "Tips" post awhile back.

22 hours ago, Lonedaddy said:

many tour guides a used to getting USD in tips and accumulate them and exchange at one time for a better rate

Or as one of of guides in Denmark told us he does, save the dollars for his next trip to visit family in the U.S.

Boarding in Vancouver for the first time next Wednesday (usually sail Seward to Vancouver), so can someone run me through the boarding at Canada Place?

We will be staying at Sutton Place downtown, so will take a taxi to Canada Place with our luggage to board.  Assume taxi drops off right outside Canada Place. Where do we hand off our luggage? I seem to remember reading something about taking an elevator up to do luggage drop off then going back down to do check in and boarding?

Thanks for the help!

17 hours ago, forgap said:

All was orderly as we fetched our luggage but as soon as we exited the Regent area, we mingled with two other large cruise ships. 

Coming out of the "Regent bubble" can be quite shocking! (My son-in-law commented on the same thing coming off Disney Cruise last week - rude people out in the "real world".)

I was reluctant too, and stuck to the launderette for several cruises for my non-dry items. Then in October I was on a Med cruise on Splendor with daily ports and excursions..... so, trusted the wonderful laundry team to follow instructions I wrote at the bottom with a thank you, and everything was perfect!

No more launderette for me! I too love coming home with a suitcase full of clean clothes!

Here is my picture of a Navigator shower.

15 hours ago, SWFLAOK said:

but finding your attendant to ask for something else can sometimes take a few days, especially if you are off the ship during the day on excursions.

Just leave a note on the desk for your attendant with your request. I hand them a note even when I see them in person!

21 hours ago, mo-chuck said:

Why a picture of the shower?

It is much smaller than the Splendor shower!

Been on 3 great cruises on Navigator: Alaska (7 days), Amazon (24 days), Norway/Scotland (21) days and have loved them all.

Looking forward to Iceland and Greenland on Nav in August. My cruise buddy has not been on Navigator (been on Mariner and Splendor), so wondering what she will think! I was so concerned, that I sent her a picture of the shower before we decided to book the cruise!

On 4/26/2024 at 9:06 AM, bebop bonnie said:

Fortunately we only did carry on (yup!) but an almost laughable experience navigating cobblestone streets with wheelaboard luggage!

Did a one month trip including a TA on Splendor, a few days in Barcelona, a few days in Madrid, a few days at Alhambra, then on to Lisbon and a river cruise. Planned to do laundry at hotel in Lisbon (they SAID they had a laundry room). Alas, laundry room hadn't re-opened after Covid, so concierge suggest a laundromat just a "short walk" from the hotel.  We piled all the dirty clothes into one of our roller suitcases and headed out. Most memorable "short walk" ever on cobblestones! Who knew they could be so tricky!

41 minutes ago, bookbabe said:

I asked on the pre-cruise form for either Baileys or Kahlua, and got full size bottles of both.  We were in a Grand Suite, not sure if that makes a difference or not.

I always get Baileys, and I am in a standard suite.

16 hours ago, mj_holiday said:

even a small group of preschoolers, walking along, holding to a common cord with their teacher learning how to cross the street.

Were they holding up their arms? That is how children cross a street in Okinawa.

17 hours ago, martincath said:

CBP are the ones who put a hard cap on the timing - which is max 3 hours before, min 1 hour.

Thank you for the correction.

We are on this cruise too. Just checked my flights on American, and they have not changed. I depart YVR at 1:30.

I've been in some really long check in lines at YVR, because they don't allow you to check your luggage until 2 (?) hours before the flight.

In the 9 cruises I've done with Regent so far, I have not had an upcharge. I do the deviation at 210 days out ($175) and also fly from a non-gateway city ($250), but those are the only charges I pay. I think you have 3 days to accept their proposed route, or ask for a change.

Also, you can have them book your flight arrival up to 30 days before embarkation, and return up to 30 days after debarkation. Can even use other airports (debarked in Barcelona, flew home from Lisbon 3 weeks later).

Family Mart for the win! The hot and cold foods there are very good if you just want a very light meal.

I've used Google maps when leaving the hotel, and just put ship name into it. Worked like a charm in Copenhagen. Just show to the driver.

33 minutes ago, mj_holiday said:

I have found out I have missed some things that are displayed in Passages in a box like ads are.  I use to just skip over these, not any more.

Agree! I now read all the "ads" every day. First time on Splendor the only mention of the grand Sunday brunch was in an "ad". Many people didn't know about it. Wasn't even mentioned on the morning show.