Explorer's Inaugural Atlantic Crossing: A Joint Live Blog

[WesW]

Rich, Fair Winds and Following seas on your Explorer crossing. We will just miss Ginny and you in Funchal (we arrive there on board the Silver Wind on Nov 21st) and arrive in Florida (FLL) on Dec 2nd. Tho, we will see you on board the Voyager (Singapore) in February.

[tallship]

Excited to travel along with all of you

[Mr Rumor]

Hi from Delta Sky Lounge E14 in Atlanta, our home for a little more than four hours today. I'll take two flights from Albuquerque to Rome with a long layover in Atlanta over three flights with a connection at Heathrow any time. Lunch in the lounge was pretty good--red lentil vegetable soup, veggies with hummus dip, salad, chicken breast, corn and edamame beans. Ginny is being good and not eating until she's hungry, but I decided not to follow a silly rule like that.

 

Happy to see more CC friends following along. Wes, we'll be arriving in Funchal the day after you and Ida (the Funchal weather forecasts as of today are identical for 11/21 and 11/22-- a.m. showers, 68/61, 40% chance of precipitation). But we'll catch up with you in Miami. Are you returning home to Atlanta on Delta flight 0305 on 12/2, by chance? That's our connecting flight, and, if it is your and Ida's flight, too, it would be great to have a meet-up at the gate!

 

As Wes mentioned in his post, we'll be cruising together for the first time on the Voyager next February (Singapore-Hong Kong). RachelG and hubby George will be onboard as well, and we're planning to be the Three Blogateers on that voyage. This will be a kick for me, as it was Wes' terrific blogs that inspired me to start live-blogging on this board in 2012, and I try not to miss a single Regent live blog post from Rachel, one of my blogging companions on our 2015 Hot Spots and Headlines cruise (Istanbul-Istanbul).

 

Well, back to lounging in the lounge. . . .

 

Rich

[Travelcat2]

Rich - so glad to hear that you are on your way to Rome (so are we on the Explorer). Weather for the big pool barbeque was a bit cool - many guests came down to CR (where we were). Daniela noted that you would be on the next cruise and asked if your daughter would be onboard. I told her that Shauna would not be accompanying you but that I thought that he would be on an Alaska cruise with you next year.

 

It should be noted that it is 8:45 p.m. and the "Business Center" (formerly known as the computer room) is full once again. IMO, this is definitely an issue on this ship and I'm wondering how many computers are on the Navigator and Voyager since refurbishment.

 

The Voyager will docked next to us tomorrow but we cannot go onboard (wish that we could). We will have a deck party for sailaway while the Voyager is still in port and we will "toast her" on our way out.

[Mr Rumor]

Jackie, we've had the pleasure of cruising a lot with Daniela over the past couple of years. It's nice that she remembers Shauna, who, by the way, was just fine with Ginny and I cruising without her this time, because she love spending time at the home of a dear friend who doubles as our main respite-care person.

 

On the matter of computers, I have a distinct memory of all 16 computers being in use on the Mariner on a sea day this past spring. Often six to 10 were in use. So I was surprised to learn there were plans for only four computers in the Explorer Business Center, and another two (not hooked up to a printer) in the library. This didn't seem to be an issue on the MV except for the last day, when it was time to print out boarding passes and the line stretched out the door, obligating the purser to help with the spillover. But the MV was a port-intensive cruise, and our crossing is the opposite, so the small number of computers could be a big problem on our cruise. We'll see (and report!).

 

Rich

[Zqueeze1]

Glad folks are on the way to Rome. Z, what problems did you run into at Heathrow with security? We leave for Rome on Sunday with a connection at Heathrow. We arrive and depart from Terminal 5 with a three hour connection time. That should be plenty of time and, hopefully, our past good luck at Heathrow will continue. I was a little apprehensive about luggage transfer at Heathrow so we decided to ship our two big bags ahead with Luggage Free. They were delivered today to the Luggage Free agent in Rome who will deliver them to the ship on the 16th. Big relief!! :D

 

We're looking forward to meeting folks at the Marriott on the 15th and on the Explorer at the meet and greet. It should be a great cruise.

 

 

We had a three hour layover which should be the minimum time especially if one has to transfer from terminal three to five like we had to. Upon going through security in terminal five, my back pack and carryon bag were set aside for a closer look and this is where we ran into a backlog and waited for forty five minutes. There was only one inspector and four folks ahead of me and they removed EVERYTHING and swiped it all for analysis. I understand the need for security, but for Pete's sake get some additional folks to expedite the backed up lines. BTW, my stuff was set aside because one of TB's liquid container was actually 3.5 ounces vice the 3-ounce limit (our fault) and my laptop (IDK why). This gave us about 30 minutes in the lounge to freshen up, grab a JWB, and get to our next flight.

 

We are now in San Giovanni Valdarno in and Agricultural Hotel and will return to Rome on Monday night. We are knee deep in wine country adn have already shipped a case of 2010 Brunelo de Montalcino and some ceramics. This is an increasingly hard to find vintage in the states and I plan to relish every single bottle. The weather is pretty cold for us Floridians but we also have shorts in the hopes of warmer weather farther south during the cruise. We had rthe best spinach ravioli and breaded pork in our lives last night. I am still thinking of it.

 

Rich and all bloggers: Great job and awesome descriptions.

 

Z and TB

Edited November 13, 2016 by Zqueeze1

[Zqueeze1]

Here's a pic from last night's memorable dinner at a local restaurant. This five course meal plus a bottle of wine cost us only 50 Euros.

 

 

 

This is the pork plate BEFORE been tasted:

 

And AFTER:

 

I will pay dearly for posting this pic.

 

Z and TB

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Edited November 13, 2016 by Zqueeze1

[Travelcat2]

Great photos - it makes me hungry (and I just had champagne and caviar for breakfast). Pam will understand (already knew that you had a beautiful wife).

 

It is really exciting to read about "our" Roll Call people making their way to Rome. Can't wait!

[RachelG]

That ravioli and pork looks absolutely delicious. Have a great time.

 

 

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[Mudhen]

mmmm, mmmmm, good! Pork looks wonderful!

It's about 6:05 here in upstate NY. We leave at 7:30 for the airport and then a long day's journey into night to get to Rome tomorrow.

Very excited to be FINALLY going! See everyone soon!

[Mr Rumor]

Destin Lover (Mark and Susan) announced on our Roll Call that they would arrive in Atlanta bearing a Mr Rumor sign, as they were going to be on the same flight to Rome as us. They are Roll Callers of their word. What a fun surprise it was to arrive at our seats in the Business section, turn around and be greeted by it--and them!

 

 

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[Mr Rumor]

We made it! Ginny is napping right now in our room at the stately Parco dei Principi, and I probably should be, too. Atlanta-Rome was a 2 + 2 for me--two movies plus two hours of sleep. But I'm just a little too excited to rest. Looking forward to meeting up for dinner tonight with a young Santa Fe friend who is living in Rome. Just hope the meal will look (and taste) half as good as your dinner, Z. Loved those shots, as well as the photo of TB. Glad to see that, like us, Pam is a member in good standing of the Clean Plate Club.

 

Haven't had a chance to explore the neighborhood yet, but I like our view of Villa Borghese, Rome's largest public park, across the street. We and our van mates Susan and Mark were momentarily taken back by two policemen toting some serious weaponry on the corner until we were told that a number of embassies are located in this quiet, upscale neighborhood. Yet, we're only about a 15-20 minute walk from Via Veneto.

 

We're off at 7:30 tomorrow on the first day of our "Cherished Relics" tour. On the schedule: a visit to the Pope's summer residence, Castel Gandolfo, and a tour of the gardens there; lunch and an olive oil tasting at a farmhouse; and a visit to the Catacombs. This was originally going to be our Tuesday plan, but as 40 people signed up for "Relics" we've been split into two groups. This means, alas, that we will be no-shows for the Z and TB arranged Roll Call happy hour at the Marriott on Tuesday, as our group has a dinner scheduled that night. We'll be toasting you in absentia!

 

Rich

[Travelcat2]

Glad to hear that you are safely in Rome. How is the weather? I'm hoping that it gets a few degrees cooler by the time we arrive there on Wednesday.

 

Enjoy your tour and please get some rest - lest you fall face first in your dinner tonight;)

[JPR]

We like Costanza in Pompey's Theatre....

[Zqueeze1]

Great responses to TB's pics. We spent an incredible day on a private tour around the Chianti region. We started at a stop in Panzano where we visited the "mad butcher" for all you can eat salami and bread and all you canb drink wine while you shop for some great steaks. We bought some steak sauce to feel better for filling up on freebies like a camel at an oasis. We then attended the highlight of our trip, the "Academy of Good Taste" for a philosophical, retrospective, and soul searching wine tasting. A very satisfying and humbling, funny experience not to be missed. We followed this up by an extended wine and olive oil tasting session that included a lovely pasta lunch that was cooked in wine (as if we needed more wine). Dinner was a panini from the Antica Macelleria Falorni from Greve in Chianti. Tomorrow: Ferenc Mate winery, Orvieto, and on to Rome.

 

Rich: Sorry to hear that we may not have too many folks at the pre cruise Meet and Greet. The Boss got a kick about your "clean plate club" comment.

 

Z and TB

[Travelcat2]

We visited that butcher on a private tour and loved the place. Wish they did that in the states. Such an amazing place. We learned that Chianti wine is not as bad as we thought. We just get the "cheap stuff" in the U.S. (unless you know better). We are doing an excursion in Funchal -- to a place where they serve Madeira wine (I can't stand Madiera wine but am hoping to learn to like it.

 

My only problem on this cruise is that I've probably gained 10 pounds already. Really trying to cut back -- having "no sugar added ice cream" (which probably is full of fat). The last time we cruised for almost 30 days I gained 20 pounds (which I took off but seem to be gaining back).

 

Time for us to seriously look at moving our suite in 3 days. If we have things under control on embarkation day, we may leave the ship and look at the embarking passengers ("Z" and "TB" will be easy to spot). Also want to wish Bellagio Cruiser a Happy Birthday as her birthday is the day of embarkation.

 

Tomorrow is up in the air........ just happy to finally be in Italy!

[DaveFr]

We're at the BA lounge at Heath row waiting for our flight to Rome. We had an ecellent BA flight from San Diego to here and our Heathrow luck held as it only took us a little over 30 minutes from the time we walked off our plane until we reached the BA lounge..

 

Looking forward to meeting everyone tomorrow evening.

[Mr Rumor]

The first day of our two-day Cherished Relics of Rome pre-cruise tour is in the books, and Ginny just informed me of her rating for it: 10 on a scale of 1 to 10. I loved it, too.

 

It was the same itinerary as our 2012 Rome excursion, but the stops were in a different order: a full morning in Castel Gandolfo, the Pope's summer residence; a leisurely lunch with pasta-making demonstration at Agriturismo Monte due Torri, and a guided tour of the Catacombs of Saint Domitilla, Rome's largest (as in eleven miles long).

 

What made the day most special for us is the fact that visitors to Castel Gandolfo are allowed to see much more than we were in 2012, namely the gorgeous Gardens of the Papal Residence, opened to the public in March of 2014; the Pope-portrait-filled lower floor of the Apostolic Palace, opened to the public earlier this year; and, most notably, the Pontifical Apartment upstairs, opened to the public only within the last couple of weeks. In fact, I learned from a little online research later that the Papel Residence at Castel Gandolfo ceased to be a papel palace only last month and is now described as a museum. (Leandro, our veteran tour guide, noted that Pope Francis had only spent a few nights at the residence, upsetting the locals, who have long depended on a papal presence to help business.) Leandro was himself so enthused to walk the apartment for the first time that he played tourist along with us, snapping shots on his phone.

 

Because it was a long day--10 hours from departure to drop-off--I think most of our group, still stuffed from the big, hearty late lunch, were happy to not extend the day any further by going out to dinner. Especially with an even longer day, dinner included, planned for tomorrow!

 

Rich

 

P.S. Even though it was cloudy and cool today, we received nary a drop of rain. Tomorrow's forecast: sunny skies with a high of 61.

Edited November 14, 2016 by Mr Rumor

[Mr Rumor]

The Holy Father's Study at the Apostolic Palace of Castel Ganfolfo. We were among the first to visit the Pontifical Apartment, which was only opened to the public within the last week or so.

 

 

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[Mr Rumor]

One of our favorite views at the Gardens of the Papal Residence in Castle Ganfolfo. Our group had the gardens nearly to ourselves.

 

 

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[montour70]

Mom

 

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[Zqueeze1]

Good Morning. We are settled back in Rome our wonderful three day Tuscan adventure. After checking out of the Agriturismo, we toured the Tuscan countryside for two hours before arriving at the Ferenc Mate winery. What an incredible vineyard known for its outstanding wines. One case of wine later, the owner's wife showed us part of their home to include an authentic Tuscan kitchen. I've read the owner's books and was beside myself to meet his wife and enjoy their wines.

Walkway to the Ferenc Mate home

 

We ended our tour in Orvieto where we took the train back to Rome.

 

The Majestic hotel had kept our luggage and we were surprised to find that it had been delivered to our new room, check-in was waived, and we floated upstairs to freshen up before dinner at Trattoria Tritone. This was where we had our first Roman meal during our first visit back in 2008.

 

Tomorrow: the Vatican and our pre cruise meet and greet!

 

Z and TB

 

 

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Edited November 15, 2016 by Zqueeze1

[flossie009]

Good Morning. We are settled back in Rome our wonderful three day Tuscan adventure. After checking out of the Agriturismo, we toured the Tuscan countryside for two hours before arriving at the Ferenc Mate winery. What an incredible vineyard known for its outstanding wines. One case of wine later, the owner's wife showed us part of their home to include an authentic Tuscan kitchen. I've read the owner's books and was beside myself to meet his wife and enjoy their wines.

 

 

You drank a whole case of wine before lunch?..............Wow ;)

 

Enjoy the rest of your tour of Tuscany and have a wonderful cruise :)

[Travelcat2]

Enjoying the photos - they are great. Hope that you are ready to board tomorrow. Last night I saw all of the keycards being arranged for embarkation. Although we haven't changed suites yet, we already have excursion tickets for the next leg. Now we just need to get moved.

 

For those of you new to the Explorer, you cannot get to deck 12 or deck 14 from the forward elevator and you cannot get to deck 4 from the aft elevator. Once you get used to it, it isn't a big deal.

 

Dinner last night in Pacific Rim was actually very good (so was the sake).

 

Looking forward to seeing everyone on board!

[Zqueeze1]

You drank a whole case of wine before lunch?..............Wow ;)

 

 

 

Enjoy the rest of your tour of Tuscany and have a wonderful cruise :)

 

 

 

Lol. I wish. Their wines are so good that the only way to describe them is like heavenly bliss. We shipped a case home along with another case and a half and some ceramics purchased during this trip. When I get the credit card bill I will take a positive outlook on the fact that we've earned a LOT of frequent flyer miles on this trip with our card.

 

Jackie: make sure to find us tomorrow!!!

 

On a negative note, our good friends Karen and John (1teach53) had to cancel this cruise due to a sudden illness. We sure hope they will be ok and will sorely miss them.

 

Z and TB

 

 

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