Random Notes from the Navigator, Vancouver-Vancouver, LIVE

[Mr Rumor]

Actually, I'll be "live" from the Navigator on Wednesday. Thought I'd grab a parking spot on the message board before DW, daughter and I wend our way down to our airport hotel for our early--as in 6 a.m.!-- flight out tomorrow. Not living near a gateway city, we've become used to early departures and late returns.

 

This will be Ginny's and my fourth cruise on the Navigator in 13 months, and our third with Shauna, who has Down Syndrome. Our daughter had such an excellent adventure on our Montreal-Miami cruise last fall, and was so warmly received by fellow passengers, crew and staff, that we decided to book the seven-night Vancouver-Vancouver itinerary for we three after our return.

 

Originally we put a hold on the May 28 cruise (Vancouver-Anchorage), but then learned we wouldn't be receiving the third-person discount on Shauna's fare that we had a year ago (San Francisco-Vancouver). When we inquired we learned that only the first two Alaska cruises of the season offer third-person discount pricing. The reason? Regent ships are "capacity controlled," meaning that they can't be booked beyond their stated capacities. As the Alaska itinerary is popular during summer with families who travel three or four to a cabin, that means that as many as 15-20 Navigator cabins may have to go unsold on a so-called "sold out" cruise. To make up for not being able to fill "x" number of cabins during the peak portion of the Alaska season, Regent charges the extra person(s) the full fare.

 

With that info in hand, we looked at Vancouver-Vancouver and decided on it instead, realizing a savings of about $3000 on our daughter's fare. We were also happy to scoop up additional savings in the form of a $500 Regent shipboard credit, an indication that early bookings on this cruise were soft. That advertised credit was lowered to $200 early this year, as bookings picked up, and was gone by March. By last Friday, I understand that there was only one available cabin left to book. Regent does what it has to do--and doesn't do what it doesn't have to do--to help fill its ships.

 

A couple of notes about the itinerary: While we will be visiting a couple of ports we haven't been to before--Wrangell and Prince Rupert--we won't have a second crack at Hubbard Glacier this time (didn't see much last year due to weather conditions). Motion-sensitive DW is OK with that as she is happy to skirt the sometimes choppy, and worse, waters of the Gulf of Alaska. As for Shauna, a bald eagle could be flying 40 feet over her head (as one did in Hoonah, Icy Strait last year!) and she would not be impressed. Right now the two words we're hearing her exclaim are "bus!" (she loves riding on tour buses) and "Beatles!" (she will be dancing up a storm in Galileo's come Beatles night). Oh, we've also heard "wine!" a couple of times (she likes an occasional tipple). It's OK--she's 32, although I know she doesn't look it!

 

Rich

 

Her bags are packed and Shauna's ready to go!

[Host Dan]

Shauna is quite the pretty girl! She reminds me of my twin sister! (but a lot younger) ;)

[Travelcat2]

Looking forward to your adventure:)

[1teach53]

So looking forward to your posts as always!! We will be on the Navigator Aug 20th , counting the days!!

Love your daughter!!!

Have fun. !!:)

K

[Anchorbuoy]

Rich

We will see you (again) onboard on Wednesday. Love Shauna's new hat!

[1teach53]

So looking forward to your posts as always!! We will be on the Navigator Aug 20th , counting the days!!

Love your daughter!!!

Have fun. !!:)

K

 

Ps:

Rich, keep your eye out for dark chocolate !!:p:p

Thanks!!

[RachelG]

Looking forward to reading your wonderful reports, as usual!

[EAGLESLOVER]

Always enjoy your posts. Have a wonderful trip!,

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Patti22]

Mr. Rumor

So glad you are cruising again! I always look forward to your reports. Thank you.

[Mr Rumor]

Dan, I bet your twin sis is taller than Shauna, who is a measly 4'6" in her stocking feet.

 

Thanks for all the hellos and comments! We've completed the first leg of our journey to the Navigator, all 70 miles of it, and are at our hotel in Apple Turkey (our son's way of referring to the largest city in the Land of Enchantment), where it is a sweltering--for us--87 degrees in the early evening. Feels kinda goofy lugging our jackets, gloves, headwear, etc. with us, but we know most of these articles will come in handy soon. Predicted highs for several of the ports are in the low 50s at the moment. Liquid sunshine is in the forecast most days, no surprise.

 

Well, with a 3:30 a.m. wake up call, I think I better call it an early night. Until Vancouver. . .

 

Rich

 

P.S. 1teach53, I can guarantee you I'll be on the look out for dark-chocolate deliciousness. Stay tuned!

[vitacura]

Hi Mr Rumor! We sailed with you last year (SF-Vancouver) and did the same cruise this year. We are currently sailing toward Victoria. Look forward to seeing you and your lovely family on board shortly in Vancouver. (We are staying on for the next segment).

Safe travels!

[Mr Rumor]

Hi, Vitacura and Anchorbuoy--look forward to seeing you soon! Have to talk quietly, the girls are still sleeping. . .

[Baggywrinkle99]

Either Shauna is very petite or that suitcase is HUGE!!!!

Bon voyage.

[Mr Rumor]

Thanks, Baggywrinkle. Shauna is petite, and her suitcase is smaller than it looks in the photo (and the photo does make it look huge!).

 

We're relaxing at DFW. Highlight of the day so far for our daughter was our ride on the SkyLink. Years ago at Disneyland she was thrilled by the Snow White ride. Ever since then she exclaims "Snow White!" whenever we find ourselves careening around in one type of vehicle or another. She exclaimed "Snow White!" again as we scooted from Gate A to Gate C. Travel days are not necessarily fun for Ginny and me, so it sure helps having Shauna along to provide a little comic relief!

 

Rich

[forgap]

Im so looking forward to this. We did vancouver to seward last August. Perfect weather, too. Hopefully you will experience that as well! Thought you might enjoy this clip from the today show if you haven't seen it. http://t.today.com/news/sweethearts-down-syndrome-wed-30-years-after-meeting-2D79669604

[Mudhen]

Im so looking forward to this. We did vancouver to seward last August. Perfect weather, too. Hopefully you will experience that as well! Thought you might enjoy this clip from the today show if you haven't seen it. http://t.today.com/news/sweethearts-down-syndrome-wed-30-years-after-meeting-2D79669604

 

The article is lovely.......touching.....sniff!!!

I too will be looking forward to the latest Navigator adventures! Can't wait for it to begin!

Fair winds and following seas,

Linda

[1teach53]

Greetings Rich,

A non cruise question: for the first time in mid July we are planning a short getaway to Santa Fe. Do you live near there, any tips on musts to see? We will be flying into "Apple Turkey" from DFW, renting a car & driving to SantaFe. With the elevation it seems we will have cool evening, how nice!!!

Doing my best to read about the area.

You & family have a fabulous cruise, look so forward to your posts!!!:)

Karen

[Avondale]

Mr Rumor: We are now on Navigator, in Victoria. This is our 8th cruise with Regent. The service staff are the best we have had on any of our previous cruises. The food is very good in every venue. Again, can not say enough about the excellent, warm and friendly service. Spoiled rotten!

The weather was wonderful. Only rained slightly on one day and it was warm.

[Mr Rumor]

A quick, happy hello from Vancouver, where we are ensconced at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre in one of the 98 rooms reserved tonight for Regent guests. The weather this afternoon into early evening couldn't have been more welcoming and wonderful. . . sunny, in the high 60s, with a kiss of a breeze. We're really pleased with the Sheraton and love the location--great walking in every direction, and just a short bus ride tomorrow to the Navigator. Only surprise--OK, disappointment--this afternoon was having an Intercruises employee hail a taxi for us at the airport for our transfer (Intercruises paid for the fare--but not the gratuity, which we covered). We got the stretch limo treatment in Montreal last October, so what's with a Pacific cab this time?!

 

We were famished when we got to our room so decided on a late lunch/early dinner. We took our porter's recommendation and tried SalaThai, a short walk away on Burrard. Glad we did. We have Thai friends who are like extended family, so we know authentic Thai cooking, and SalaThai is the real deal. If you go, ask for Niramon--she'll guide you through the extensive menu. Be sure to ask for SalaThai's deliciious homemade hot sauce (medium to our New Mexican tastebuds).

 

More to come in a while. I'll leave you for now with a tease--our flight from Dallas to Vancouver had an interesting Regent twist.

 

Rich

[Travelcat2]

Glad that you enjoyed our picture perfect weather today (we live about 50 miles from where the ships dock). Think we'll have to try that Thai restaurant.

 

Looking forward to hearing more about the Regent twist:-)

[Mr Rumor]

Without further ado regarding that Regent twist. . . we had just taken our seats on our flight from Dallas to Vancouver this morning when, to our surprise, Matt, Shauna's favorite Regent dance partner from the Jean Ann Ryan troupe (we have great photos of them twisting and shouting at two Beatles bashes in Galileo's) came walking by. We only had time for a quick greeting before Matt took his seat two rows behind us, but as we were walking into the terminal after the flight, I had a chance to speak with him for a few minutes (he had insisted on lugging one of Ginny's carry-ons). He explained that he had spent the last month helping to rehearse the brand-new Navigator Jean Ann Ryan cast in Ft. Lauderdale, adding that our cruise will mark the debut of the cast. As if on cue, we were then surrounded inside the terminal by the new cast members, who had apparently been on the same flight. All were very personable. . . and most appeared quite young (Matt noted that only one has previous shipboard experience).

 

This will be the first time since our 2012 TA that we've had the opportunity to watch a brand-new Ryan troupe strut its stuff, and we're looking forward to being down front for each of their performances. When I mentioned we had been very impressed by the departing Ryan troupe (including veteran "Dancing With the Stars" coaches Alan and Nathan), Matt replied, "We've heard all about that cast. . . We have big shoes to fill!"

 

Rich

[Mr Rumor]

Before turning in, big thanks, Forgap, for the link to the Today show piece on the Down syndrome couple planning to marry--heartwarming!

 

Also, thanks, Mudhen for the good trip wishes, and, Avondale, for the glowing mini-review of your now-ending Navigator cruise. Especially happy for you that you enjoyed such great weather.

 

Regarding your planned trip to Santa Fe, 1teach53, there are several serious chocolatiers in the City Different. You just need to be prepared to walk on the wild side of dark chocolate eating while you're in town. I'm talking, for example, chocolate spiced with red or green New Mexico-grown chile. Yum! I'll be happy to help you with a "must" list for your visit after we return from our cruise.

 

Rich

[Mr Rumor]

Just scored an "upgrade" to bus one, scheduled to depart for the ship in an hour, so I'll keep this short. Another gorgeous day in the works in Vancouver. Looking forward to a beautiful sailaway at 5 p.m.

 

Breakfast was just fine, but a little scaled down from previous free Regent night breakfasts (no pastries, not that we needed to be tempted). DW was in the mood for a walk, so the three of us explored Robson (shopping district) and Burrard, winding up at Burrard Landing, where we got a glimpse of the Navigator. DW random observations along the way: 1.) So many ultra-clean cars on the road (all the rain? fastidious owners?) and 2.) So many beautiful, longhaired, fit young ladies walking about (I was thinking the same, but glad she mentioned first). I'll add--very few smokers. Would love to return some day, and would stay at the Sheraton again. Was particularly impressed with the personable young folks at the front desks at both the North and South towers (the Sheraton is big, as in 730 rooms big).

[Mr Rumor]

Embarkation was smooth and uneventful and the hugs heartfelt with our favorite security team members Rhea and Shiju as we boarded. We camped down in La Veranda for lunch and before we knew it (2:20 or so) had the all-clear to head to our suites. Soon after, we met with our steward Gede, who we had on our Montreal-Miami cruise. This time Gede is handling a dozen suites on his own. He said Regent still employs the team approach to housekeeping (18 suites per two-member team), but not exclusively.

 

Sailaway was fun, with the Regent orchestra supplying the music and Shauna supplying the cool dance moves. But we haven't sailed away far since then due to the periodic reguirement for the Navigator to calibrate its magnetic compass. So as we stayed put in the Strait of Georgia we repaired to Compass Rose, heeding the recommendations from this message board (thanks, Z and TB) by asking for Gabriela's station (No. 1). Gabriela (Romania, five-year Regent veteran) and her partner Banyar (Burma, four years with Regent) were great, and had us through four courses in a blazing 85 minutes. Our meals were scrumptious.

 

Had a surprise visit at our table from headwaiter Herman Garcia, following up on a letter we had received a couple of hours earlier in our suite from Dining Room Manager David Dos Santos stating his awareness of Ginny's "special dietary requirement." Yes, DW is a vegetarian, but she has never felt the need to request special meals because she has always been happy with the vegetarian options on the menu. But obviously word has gotten around about Ginny's diet. The upshot? We're having a special East Indian meal prepared for us tomorrow--vegetarian curry for DW and chicken/lamb curry for contented carnivores Shauna and dad. We'll be back at Station 1 with Gabriela to enjoy it.

 

Sea day tomorrow. Hopefully it won't be too much sea for Ginny to handle. Captain Ubaldo's late afternoon report mentioned the likelihood of 40 mph winds and ten foot seas. It would be a bummer if DW had to swap out the curry for hard cheese, crackers and green apples!

 

Rich

Edited May 22, 2014 by Mr Rumor

[Travelcat2]

Happy to hear that you are on your way! Perhaps Ginny could take a 1/2 of a seasickness pill to ward off any possible illness from the 10 foot seas. We find that if we take it in advance (Bonine, Dramamine or similar) we don't even notice the waves. And, by taking a smaller dose, we don't get too sleepy:-)

 

Looking forward to further reports.